1.4 About the death of a certain brother and his confession at the end of his life

In the monastery of Saint-Jean d’Angély in the county of Saintonge, there was a priest named Gilbert, who came to convert [to the monastic life] and during all the time that he lived there he conducted himself very devoutly. But not very long after [his conversion] it happened that he came to the end of his life due to an illness which had assailed him. Following the custom of Christians and above all, of monks, when he was laid out by the brothers, he reposed on a bed of sack cloth and ashes and awaited the hour of his calling [to heaven], the brothers of the monastery came so that they might accompany his dying moments with prayers and wholly envelop him in the singing of the Psalms. Just at the moment that they thought that he would depart from this life –behold– suddenly taking a big breath and opening his eyes, he began to proclaim the profession of faith which was sung out daily, that is, Whoever wishes to be savedetc. And though everyone knew he was formerly illiterate and untrained in letters, he enunciated each word distinctly and clearly, such that he would have been thought proven to be most expert in such matters by those present who did not know him. On account of this, everyone present was dumbstruck and marveled at what had happened.

While those astonished monks loitered around for some time, before they could understand it, the truth of the matter penetrated the mind of the prior by the name of Gregory, a man of good religion who understood that that Gilbert had seen something hidden from normal sight. He lowered he head to Gilbert’s and asked what was the reason for his shout or if he had seen something hidden to them.“I saw,” Gilbert replied, “a person of an imposing aspect, with white clothes and venerable white hair, place a vase filled with water in front of me and say to me, ‘Know that I have come to wash your feet which are soiled and in this manner to render you entirely pure.’ Seeing my shock at these words, he added, ‘Surely you know that this water is necessary for your purification – you who committed such a great transgression (as you well know and that you hid with care without wanting to reveal it to anyone before now). On account of your sin, you know that you are in no way able to be saved, unless for the health of your soul you strive to reveal what you have perniciously kept hidden. God –so manifold in his mercies– not permitting you to perish from so great a sin, permitted you to return to your physical state so that you might have the chance to do penance for so great a crime in making confession and to achieve salvation in doing penance.’ Therefore for this reason, both do I appear before you and do I grant you permission to return to your brothers. Thus, with these words said, enjoining the prior and with the others withdrawn, he confessed this sin to the prior. After this and after having received the absolution of all of his sins, he succumbed to a good end, on the first hour of the following day, taking on the appearance of death with his brothers standing and praying.

I learned this not from a stranger, but from a monk of this very monastery, by the name of Peter whom saw and heard this all. For, coming afterwards to Cluny an account of his great devotion, he was our copyist and son in the most beloved Christ.