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
Then Severinus sent for Feva, the Rugian king and Gisa, his cruel wife;
and when he had warned them how they must render an account to God for
the people committed to their charge, he stretched his hand out to the
bosom of the king. "Gisa," he asked, "dost thou love most the soul
within that breast, or gold and silver?" She answered that she loved her
husband above all. "Cease then," he said, "to oppress the innocent: lest
their affliction be the ruin of your power."
Severinus' presage was strangely fulfilled. Feva had handed over the
city of Vienna to his brother Frederick--"poor and impious," says
Eugippius. Severinus, who knew him well, sent for him, and warned him
that he himself was going to the Lord; and that if, after his death,
Frederick dared touch aught of the substance of the poor and the
captive, the wrath of God would fall on him. In vain the barbarian
pretended indignant innocence; Severinus sent him away with fresh
warnings.
"Then on the nones of January he was smitten slightly with a pain in the
side. And when that had continued for three days, at midnight he bade
the brethren come to him." He renewed his talk about the coming
emigration, and entreated again that his bones might not be left behind;
and having bidden all in turn come near and kiss him, and having
received the most Holy Sacrament, he forbade them to weep for him, and
commanded them to sing a psalm. They hesitated, weeping. He himself gave
out the psalm, "Praise the Lord in His saints, and let all that hath
breath praise the Lord;" and so went to rest in the Lord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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