The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): JanuaryBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): January
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
Once he was sent in a boat laden with wine to Zealand. And a storm arose
so that the vessel was in great danger, and she drave before the wind
all night. Thinking that they must all perish, Walter made his
confession to his servant, there being no priest on board, and then he
descended into the hold, after midnight, and placing his little ivory
statue of the Blessed Virgin before him, he knelt down and prayed,
expecting death. As he prayed he slept. Then, in a dream, he saw the
monastery of Hemmerode, and in it was an old monk, Arnold by name,
harping, and singing psalms, and praying for those who "go down to the
sea in ships and exercise their business in great waters." Then Walter
awoke, and went to the mariners and said, "Be of good cheer, we shall
not perish, Arnold at Hemmerode is not asleep to-night, but is harping
on his harp and singing to God for us."
Now when they had come safe to land, Walter returned to his monastery,
and told the abbot of his dream. Then the abbot sent for the monk
Arnold, and he said to him, "What wast thou doing on the vigil of S.
Nicholas?" For it was on that night that the vessel had been in danger.
"I could not sleep at all that night," answered the monk, "so I prayed
to, and praised God."
"But thou wast harping on a harp," said the abbot.
"Nay, my lord," answered the monk Arnold; "this is what I do. I play
with my fingers on an imaginary harp, under my habit, making music in my
soul; and this I do whenever my devotion flags."
Now Walter went with his superior, the abbot Eustace, to the monastery
of Villars, which was of the same Cistercian order. And in the evening
the abbot of Villars called all the monks before the abbot Eustace of
Hemmerode. And he said, "Are they all here?" He answered, "All are here
but two little French boys, who have communicated to-day, and on such
days as they communicate they love to remain in silence by themselves."
Now on the morrow, when the convent had gone to nones, and the elder of
these boys was waiting the sound of the bell, leaning on his spade
before the church door, he read the little nones of Our Lady, and
reading, he fell asleep. Then he thought he saw the Blessed Virgin, with
a great company enter the church, and she looked not towards him. And he
cried, "Oh wretched me! she calls me not!" Then the Mother of God
turning, looked at him, and signing to a monk, bade him go and call the
boy, and this the monk did, coming to him, and saying, "The Mistress
calleth thee."
When he woke, he told his fellow the dream; and when they went within,
he saw Walter, and he whispered to his companion, "If that monk had a
grey habit instead of a white one, I would say that it was he who
summoned me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account