Life of Peter the Venerable

First draft complete. No notes, links etc.

Introduction

Manuscripts:

• None extant.

• Edmond Martène notes that his edition uses "an ancient codex of the monastery of Souvigny, long hidden".

Printed Editions

• PL 189.

• DOM MARTÈNE, Ampliss. Collect., t. VI, col. 1187

Translation

Preface of Edmond Martène to his edition.

Since it has been a special privilege of the monastery of Cluny that they considered almost all the first abbots to be holy ...

Peter the Venerable, who as, the ninth abbot, governed that famous monastery, and who ...

Indeed, an ancient codex of the monastery of Souvigny, long hidden, has restored this lost work to the present. In this manuscript, I happened to discovered a work about this topic, written by the monk Rodulphus (Raoul). Raoul was one of the disciples of the saintly abbot, and also his companion on pilgrimage and during the visitation of cells, as is apparent from chapter seven, and hence an eye witness of what he reports. This he asserts with eloquent words in the prologue where he states the following: “Not as much with presumption as from love, do I strive to write about his life, which I learned through contact with religious men, or I saw myself.” If my assessment does not fail me. I suggest that Raoul, the author of this life of the abbot Peter, was that Raoul who was made abbot of Cluny in 1173, resigned voluntarily from this dignity after three years and died in 1176.

Dedicatory Epistle of Raoul de Sully to the Abbot Stephen

To the saintly father and his lord Stephen, by the grace of God, the abbot of Cluny, the brother Raoul wishes the enjoyment of every pleasure now and forever. For a long time, indeed, father, I have remained silent and out of modesty I did not dare state what I desired to. But my spirit has been much disturbed within me that the life of Abbot Peter, our father of blessed memory –one who ought be revered forever– will be consigned to oblivion. I further feared that if this were to happen all of us who loved the man and recognized his virtues would be justly chastised. For who can remain silent without blaming himself when knowing the life and manners of such a Father?

For this reason, not with presumption but out of love, I –the least of all men– will attempt to describe his life which I learned from religious men or I myself saw, leaving aside many more things for my betters [to write about] so that God is honoured, that our infirmity is strengthened by his example, that the Church is elevated in accordance with the grace of its sons, and finally that God is glorified everlasting in his saints, especially those in the Cluniac Church. For She filled the world with the offspring of her sons and so endowed her Western sons with the grace of religion that there is not a place on the terrestrial globe which does not seek for itself a father or patron from Cluny. Cluny is a sacred place and its fathers [abbots] are always blessèd since this place stands out in the number of its religious as much as it is glorified by the grace of its virtues in the Lord. On this account, through angels and men the miraculous gift of divine grace ministers to all. This is preached in the four regions of the globe, the sky and the earth witnesses this, every sex or age admires this. She nourished the blessed fathers, namely Odo, Majolus, and Odilo, and saint Hugh, who, as if luminaries in the celestial firmament, thus shone with the light of their brightness in the world, dispelling the shadows of men. They destroyed the vile behaviour of men by their conduct [leadership] and example, such that they represented the form of angels on earth, and they shone forth not only in their virtues, but also in their miracles. Since they scorned themselves, they taught [others] to scorn the world, and they bequeathed the discipline of their humility to their sons by the paternal oath of adoption.

The sacred election of the aforementioned father follows these men, the memory of whom this is in benediction. But before we narrate his life, his upbringing must be considered and whence, who, how greatly and what sort ought to be investigated. But since I see that it is beyond my abilities, I dare with the help of God who teaches wisdom to every man.

Here begins the life of the Lord Abbot

His parents. How he entered the cloister. How he was elected abbot of Cluny.

And so now we turn the pen to writing history and we begin the sacred narration of the sacred man. The sacred child was born the offspring of nobles of Auvergne. Both his parents were most honorable members of secular society: a father by the name of Maurice, a mother called Raingarde. But one day his mother had met with eager devotion the blessed abbot HUGH. The man of God, when seeing her heavy with a baby of her own seed, said, “Know that the fruit of your womb is dedicated to God and offered to blessed Peter.” To this, she responded, “Lord, if it is a boy, your will shall be done.” And when the baby was a boy, just as the man of God had predicted, he was known by the name of Peter. Then, after some time, the infant was given by his parents to letters and –at the saint’s order– was received to be fostered in the monastery of Celles. His infancy was of such a sort and his very great concern for reading or learning later proved the successes of the matter. With the grace of God, in a brief time he was carried to such a fullness of wisdom that during the adolescence of this youth he was made a teacher of the seniores and a guardian of order in the monastery of Vézelay. But, since he had maintained [himself] so actively and religiously, and with the shower of sacred speech he had irrigated so completely the young plantation about the form of religion, he was promoted to the position of prior of La Domène, where he did not forget his wisdom and discipline, but rather where he meditated assiduously during his adolescent years, improving more and more in God, which later in his old age the devout man perfected. He occupied himself with reading and oration, and thus he shone with the brightness of wisdom, such that he was seen as loveable by all. Sweet in eloquence, beautiful in aspect, admirable in speech, insuperable in fluency, singular in benignity, flowing with a heart of mercy, he had compassion for all. Indescribable in charity, inestimable in grace, community for all was effected by his individual goodness. What more can be said, therefore?

The father Hugh passed from this world to the Father, and Pontius was elected as abbot who headed Cluny for almost fourteen years. After certain rivalries arose, he took himself to Rome and by his own will, he there renounced his abbacy despite the resistance of the highest Pontiff. After which Hugh, the prior of Marcigny, was elected but soon died. Then all the Cluniacs –gathered together as one– poured out prayers to the Lord so that God grant to them such a shepherd who might be able to lead by example and teaching. And thus, with fasting completed and the grace of the holy Spirit invoked, they discussed the election. But they could not discover whom God foresaw. Among the bishops, abbots and priors gathering for the election of the Father, Peter himself also came with the others as accustomed and upon seeing him, those who originally argued about the election with pious argument, all unanimously agreed upon him in a single decision, with a single oath, with pious desire. There arose a single voice of all clamouring alike, that Peter was so worthy of such honour that not any grace lacked to him. He was, they said, noble in birth, decorous in manners, devout in faith, pure in religion, humble and quiet, shining with wisdom, submitted to discipline, and instructed according to the Rule in all things from a young age. What more could be said? They arose, they rushed to him, they seized him and they did everything according to the mandate of the Rule. They lauded the man with the accustomed praises, they led him to his seat and thus by all he was called lord and abbot with joy.

How as abbot, he acted towards his brothers.

Those who cleaved to him for the purpose of religion knew how he held himself in the governance of the abbey, and we will reveal a little about it. We are unable to touch on all the things done by him, but we wish to briefly narrate, for the purpose of edification, what is worthy to relate. And so: the abbot Peter, ruling the others, strove with humility and compunctions, judging himself more than seeking to blame others. He was calm in his countenance, benignly considerate towards his brothers, piously caring for the infirm in order that there were none in the house of the Lord who were treated with negligence. He admonished his subjects that they strive for purity and that they purify themselves through confession. The Father was singular in this skill and he overcame all by the sweetness of his piety. For he said that in the Church of God the good of confession was a second gift by which every soul was sanctified as if by sacred baptism. Indeed, he had such grace in this matter that whoever confessed to him loved him with a singular right, and also esteemed and cherished his counsel. Whence contrary to the custom of other prelates it happened that everyone always wanted to confess to him out of the greatest desire and love –he who knew the curing and healing by the remedy (both his and others’) of exhortation and consolation, not revealing or publicizing. He was intent on works of mercy such that none was ever denied his help. He rescued the oppressed, dressed the naked, fed the starving. But he considered in particular the paupers, to whom he always gave food and clothing. Also, so that it would not be accounted to him, he secretly built houses of lepers as if it were done by someone else. Indeed he so entirely lived the common life with his brothers that he completely shared all his things with petitioners. In fact, one day when a certain monk was freezing in the cold and this fact had been revealed to him [Peter], he began to cry, since he could not find something which he could give. But that very night when he was in choir, he thought about the nude brother, how he should have dressed him. Then, he summoned him outside the choir with sign language and [after] taking off his cloak secretly, he dressed him. In like [manner] he devoted himself not only to his brothers, but also to pilgrims and paupers ; thus stripping himself such that sometimes even he himself lacked clothing. And since corporeal training is useful sometimes, but piety is useful always, he kept vigil in divine worship such that none was found [to be] equal to him in the service of piety. For he was such in divine solemnities and so solemnly did he solemnize the offices that by them he was made pleasing to men and angels, and he called forth the affection of all unto himself and bore them with himself towards the divine. For in this he seemed good above all others in this place of exile, such that God found glory in the solemnizing among his saints.

He was dedicated to sacred reading. Also his care about exterior things.

It is not for me to recount everything about the charity of brotherhood which he preached with affect and effect, and when preaching he taught even more by act. For he loved the brothers with the innermost fervour of his heart, and thereby he nourished each one as if his very self and he aroused them to divine love. He did not spurn or cast out anyone, but through words and actions he always enticed all to forgiveness with divine love. Since He truly loves every person, the grace of the individual conscience is raised up. Feverish with desire, ardent with love, he rejected the world for the constancy of the soul. He said that the present is nothing; he affirmed that all should rejoice about future goods. He taught also that he who wishes to attain celestial delights can never seek after those lowly things with their soul. He appeared the mildest of the people of God and stood out as the most sagacious examiner of the divine law, such that a foreign text was rendered to him and his assistants for the study of sacred reading and dedicating himself completely to the sacred books, he cleaved to the font of the Saviour which afterwards he freely poured out. Abbot Peter surrounded himself with learned men around him, from whom he –by constantly asking questions– desired to learn, even though everyone thought him extraordinary in his wisdom. He was not pompous, nor did he present himself as imperious, but instead, as if a little boy, he preferred to learn by ceaselessly scrutinizing divine matters. The benign father taught his [monks] humility, patience, goodness, gentleness and to keep pure their conscience with fear and with trembling, and to display the grace of piety through all things, just as the good sons of the multiform grace of God. How much concern he employed towards exteriorities is evident from those things which came into being through his labour at the monastery. For he did not only build up the Church with vigourous diligence, but also he marvelously adorned it with precious ornaments, he augmented the lands and he prudently managed what was necessary for the brothers at different times, so that in each month one of the house entrusted to him ministered to the Fathers, with the result that the community remained always at peace under this management. He did this, providing for the quiet of the brothers lest they suffer penury at some time. Though his mind was intent indeed on these matters, he cared for interior things no less, and sought the fervour of order with a fervent mind.

Hence it was that he removed many superfluous things from the cloister and what was suitable for religion he added; he prohibited less useful things, always seeking after the suitability and utility of the Church in and for all things. He hastened to Innocent II and he brought him to Cluny. Emperors, kings and princes of the world loved him with pious affection, they venerated and worshiped him and they cleaved to him as they would to a lord and father. The Roman Church honoured, embraced and loved him with a special prerogative. For he had opposed himself, like a wall, against all heresies, and schisms of the Church, and manfully he had fought against the enemies of the faith. He shone marvelously in the time of the Schism which was then between Innocent and Peter Pierleone. But though the whole church may have been destroyed in such a way, different men felt different things [about Innocent’s election] and Peter [Anacletus], once a monk of Cluny, sat at Rome. Contrary to the expectation of all, traveling by sea and without the counsel of the Gallican Church, the abbot Peter hastened quickly to Innocent, and, with sufficient horses offered, brought him to Cluny with him. When the kings of the earth heard this, they marveled how the abbot Peter monk did not support the Cluniac monk installed on the apostolic seat and that he exalted one from outside the Cluniac Church whom he received so solemnly that the reception was known by the whole world. For at the consecration of the Church, which Peter himself had built, he humbly invited Innocent and obtained his consecration when it was finished. When the Gallican Church saw this, immediately they rushed to the path of the pope and they venerated and revered him as a father. The king gathered a council and he publicized the actions of Peter the abbot, and said that it was impossible to oppose such great beginnings. The father led Innocent to the court of the king and gathered together with the chief princes of the Church, the king received his shepherd with solemn glory and commanded that all receive him and follow the Cluniac abbot. This word was heard across the whole globe of the earth and all admired what the abbot Peter had done. Following their leader, Henry, the English king, the kings of Spain, Henry the Emperor of the Germans did this and were restored to unity at this time. But the father cleaved devotedly to the elevated shepherd of the Church and followed him wherever he went, lest anyone for any reason depart from unity. For until he went to the city with him and –upon the death of the antipope– settled him upon his seat in peace.

About his writings.

In that time, heresies of various types arose in the Church and stained wholly the state of the Church by its perversity. The blessed Father seeing this [and] striving with every effort, began to take action against all [heresies] through word and writings and he overcame all by the authority of his writings. His books written against those who laboured in such a vice both convinced them and offered to us the wisdom of his learning. He also undertook a book against the sect of Mohammed, and destroyed their inventions with marvelous disputation. Also, his letters to various persons of the Church conveyed much [profit] to those reading. Anyone who has read the book which he compiled about various revelations and visions, understands how great was its utility and purity. And there are also other various treatises from his writings before our sight; from all of these the reader is able to gather how greatly the father stands out by his acuteness and wisdom,

He founded a monastery of Virgins.

Among other admirable and miraculous things which this man of God did, one stands out as very precious, namely that he founded a monastery of Virgins which is called Laveine [also Lavesne]; it is today so great in religion and honesty that [the nuns] display the grace of sanctity to all in Auvergne. For those holy nuns dedicated to God have nothing in common with the world except that they live. For they serve the paternal institution and removed from the sight of all men, they maintain a chaste temple for God.

His miracles.

And so now we return to describing what mortals yearn for: the signs and miracles which God performed through him. For God did not abandon Cluny, but still magnifies those who truly cleave to Him. One day, when the man of God was visiting his cells, we came to Rueil, and there solemnly with humble devotion he was received by his sons. That night, the prior of that same house was sick to the point of death, and though he was greatly agitated, he called for the father and began to disclose the wounds of his mind and body to him. But, as is the manner of an infirm soul, he remained silent about a specific sin out of shame. The father, nonetheless, absolved him from his sins which he had heard and all others by the authority of the Holy Spirit. But since his feebleness seriously worsened, he began to weaken excessively in the middle of the night, and thus was led to his end. The bell of the dying is rung, all come running –the father with the others– and with signs they pronounced him dead. The father, touching the temporal remains, indicated that life was still present. For he had been taken for judgement and a crowd of demons pressed up him, accusing him and saying: “Since he did this and that, he ought justly to be judged with us.” And when his angel responded for him, he said that is was not so, for he had confessed to his abbot. They grew more and more violent, cruelly bringing up that crime which he had kept silent. Then the mother of our Saviour, our lady the Virgin Mary arriving with a multitude of angels asked, “Why do you strive to harass my servant? The hour has not yet come. He must return and confess to his Father and then he will come to us. Then, with the troop of the malign fleeing, the infirm monk returned to him, as we saw, and who had previously been considered dead, began to seek out the father. For, with his eyes opened, he forcefully shouted to all [of us] marveling, “Where is the Lord Abbot? With [Peter] getting up from his chair, the infirm monk raising himself up, and with us withdrawing, he narrated this vision to him. A little afterwards, our father returned to us, affected with so many tears that none of us dared to approach him. But with his spirit a little recovered, he said, “My little sons, the mercy of God is very great towards us and do none of us recognize it? For our brother was restored not only to us, but also to God.”

On the following day, since the church (in which this had been done) was consecrated in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Peter ordered that an altar be prepared for himself, so that he might send thanks to the Mother and her Son for those things which had been conveyed to him. He prepared himself in that his singular manner and celebrated the divine [mysteries] deeply solemnly in such a way that all marveled. Afterwards, he visited, absolved, blessed and kissed the sick monk, and thereby commended him to Jesus Christ and His Mother. We retired and behold on the third day he was proclaimed dead. Then the father gravely relating what [the monk] had neglected, he completely dissolved into tears and throwing himself before the altar sobbed with bitterness. Then the bell was rung and all which pertains to the office was done for him. When completed, an ancient monk spoke, “Let us pray, brothers, attentively and carefully for our brother, since though he is considered to be among the predestined [saved], nonetheless he lacks your assistance.”

We returned to Cluny and there in chapter this brother [i.e. Peter] repeated a speech about the dead brother filled with compunction, tears and devotion. Firstly, he said how devoutly [the monk] had received him, how he had been sick, how he kept silent that [sin] which brought shame to him, how he was seized, how he was accused, how he was excused, how the intervening Mother of Mercy ripped him from the hands of the malign, returned him to life, and admonished him to confess the sin which he had kept silent. Again he grieved, again tears flowed from the paternal eyes and he urged his audience to a similar display. “Brothers,” he said, “Think about how great is the grace of God, how great the virtue of confession, which puts demons to flight and which summons the Virgin for help. “Through the opportunity of confession, a brother was saved; an example of confessing was given to us and this admonishes us to confess purely. And so let us pray attentively for him, and let us feel for him in our inner heart of charity with him by devoting to him the benefits of our piety.” With this said, the aforementioned brother appeared to the father a little later and revealed to him that he had been absolved from all punishments by the prayers of the brothers.

About a tested novice. Another miracle was done at Cluny which seems worthy to be related by me. A certain brother was in the monastery, who was agitated by various thoughts, and every thought was on this subject: that he should leave the monastery. One day when he spoke with himself and he was completely disturbed, three monks appeared to him in the cells of the novices, one of which addressed him as follows: “Brother, what are you considering? What do you think? What are you so disturbed?” He said, “Lord, I am excessively afflicted in this monastery and I am unable to endure the torments of my order, and therefore I desire to leave.” Then the first monk said, “I am an abbot of Grotta Ferrata [near Rome], and if you wish I could take you with me.” “I do wish this, my lord, I want this and I desire this.” Then he who was thought to be a monk, but was [really] a devil, picked him up and –carrying him above the wall and houses– only released him (with great ruckus having been made) when he had passed beyond the court of a certain town. Then he was brought to the man of God and confessed the matter according to the order. The servant of God gently soothed him, cajoling him with spiritual consolation, detained him, saying as follows: “Thanks be to God, my son, since you were not able to take the enemy’s side which you wished and deceived by, by your thoughts you are cured. He afterwards was completely cured, not only from temptation, but from any inimical impulse. He lived for many years, rendering thanks to God for the celestial visitation which divine goodness had conferred on him. This monk, by the name of Stephan, had been a very rich man in the city of Podio such that he made his bed of money. But with all things rejected, he bore himself to Cluny and took on the habit of religion. But he who tempts –namely the deceiver of the human race– placing before his eyes the fantasy of them which he had released, induced into so great a temptation, that by the indivual seizure he endeavoured to take him with him to death .

About the brother on whom three coins were found upon his death. And so now, since we are at Cluny, we speak again about what happened at Cluny. There was a certain physician brother who was brought by his infirmity to death. When he was washed, those who washed him found three coins on him and astonished they reported the circumstance to the prior. With all gathered together, the prior asked if he had confessed this to anyone, which when he verified from all that it had not been done, he grew sad; and deliberating what ought to be done about the monk, with the choice made, the [monks] sent for the blessed abbot who was then at Vézelay. He commanded that he be cast out beyond every habitation of man and be interred without the benediction or office of religion. And they placing him in a large cask, cast him beyond the castle.

Much after this time, appearing in a vision to the claustral prior (by the name of Hugh), he preached that he have mercy for him and he insinuated to the lord abbot that he had granted the sepulture of the servants of God to him since thereby he had been able to obtain forgiveness from God. But since he had long been deceptive, he appeared to two others, incessantly repeating the same thing that he had said. Indeed, those three were fatigued for a long time from his incessant attacks, they revealed to the Father, and they were told that he had given forgiveness to the dead brother. And he fearing lest it was an illusion, he reported the deed. But the dead man, insisting more and more, appearing visibly day and night to them, he dolefully made complaint that they did not feel compassion for him. Finally, when the father in no way bent from his intention on account of the severity of the order, at length the dead man brought up the letter of Jesus Christ to the prior, so that he showed them to the father and community. But there was written that the monk ought to receive forgiveness who was considered guilty in no other way. Then there was rejoicing and happiness in the tabernacle of the just, and, after the Father ordered it, those three quickly rushed with the others to the place where he lay and they bore him as he was to the church, and with the barrel broken, they discovered that he was the same as the first day he been [interred]. And with all marveling about the miracle which had occurred, they put him in the church and they honoured him, escorting him with the customary laudations, as was the manner of burial among the Cluniacs.

About the monk of Celles who had concealed a sin in confession. At one time when the Father was at Celles (where he had been an oblate), God reported to him what what ought to be treated for a bit. A certain brother in the infirmary laboured near death and as one insane he strongly shouted out, “I am dying, I am dying, I am dying.” Then the brothers rushing to him asked from him for what reason he shouted thusly. And he miserably said to them that he was being struck by the hooves of a black horse such that he was unable protect his face from it. The [monks] immediately rushing to the Father, related the words. And he, visiting the infirm monk, sought from him what he beheld which exhausted him thusly. “My Lord,” he said, “I am held under the feet of a black horse who tries to devour me.” And the Father, making the sign of the cross and spattering him with holy water, comforted the infirm monk; but he was no less free of the diabolical attack. Then the Father, with the entire spirit understood, inquired from him if he had made a true confession. This the monk affirmed that he had done. “Nevertheless,” the Father said, “If indeed you have confessed, you should not be afflicted by any malign [spirit]. Then the pious shepherd, helping the pious lamb from under the roaming wolf, he diligently sought the [the monk] confess what he had committed. And when he kept silent and when he did not reveal what was sought, the Father, posing the question to him about every crime, came to the one which he had hidden. When the sick monk heard it, he dissolved into tears and he made a full confession to the investigating Father of what he had done. And with the deed confessed, immediately that black horse made for the latrines with a swift flight, and released the sick monk, unable to bear the presence of the Father. The sick monk seeing this, was filled with joy and began to shout: “Father, the horse has left, the devil has left, he made for the toilets and now I do not see him.” And the Father immediately ordered him to be safeguarded with sacrosanct mysteries and then when the benedicting had been received, he departed in peace.

The lamp falling next to him did not break. In that time, when the Father was remaining there, there happened to him something which ought not be kept under silence. For one day when he was celebrating the divine things according to his happy custom and after the celebration he had lain down prostrate before the holy altar for the oration, suddenly a lamp (which hung above) came crashing down beside him and (though he was unaware) neither did it break nor did any oil spill. When those who remained with him –the master Thomas, his chaplain and Peter of St. John– saw this, they rushed to the others and showed them what miracle had occurred. Indeed, the Father did not know when it fell nor when the vessel was removed [since] he had been so intent on prayer.

About the poor woman. And once when he [Peter] was leaving that house [Cluny], at the gate he encountered a very poor woman, who sought to be given an almsgiving from him. She had waited a while so that the man of God might see and he ordered Bernard his servant, who cleaved to him especially (as a member of his entourage) in such matters, that she be summoned to him, and secretly commanded that his best coat be given to the poor woman. Although he had wished it to be done secretly, the much talked about deed was evident to all marveling at the charity of the man. It did not seem like a miracle to anyone, but we inserted this work of mercy among his miracles, since it should be said and revealed above: Mercy will save you.

He freed Henry of England from his torments. It is known by many about the king of England, Henry the Senior [and] how many gifts he conferred on Cluny. He embarked on the way of all flesh, led to the final condition of men, and since the powerful always suffer torments more powerfully, he was sentenced to severe torments. But it happened one day that the king, as if alive upon his black horse along with a great multitude of horsemen, came across one of his knights. When the knight saw him, he was astonished, and began to shout with a loud voice: “Aren’t you my lord king?”. “I am” the dead man answered, and I have been sentenced to eternal death, unless the lord Peter, the abbot of Cluny intervene with his [monks]; but since I still have not received his help, I swear to you by the faith which you owed to me while I lived in this world, that you must quickly hasten to the brothers who reside in the monastery of St. Pancras, and tell them what you saw from me for my part, in order that they should describe it in a letter to my friend and their father, the abbot of Cluny, and they beg that he may be mindful of me, and not cease from the benefice, until he hears me bearing thanks to him. It was done thusly. Indeed, the father hearing these things, rousing all his strengths in order that he might help, ordered that the alms, masses, tricenaria, and other good actions by which sinners are accustomed to be helped, to be augmented through the whole world in all his houses for the king, until he said, “This is enough.” This was done until the king appeared to the father and many others, bearing thanks for his liberation.

How he freed a disciple from the quartan fever. At another time when the father was at Rome, and he stayed there for various reasons, and especially after one [person] from the Church of Vézelay died, he said to his men, “Who will bear a message to Cluny from us about what he obtained by rights in the court of the lord Pope?” Then all acclaimed that Ademar the sacristy was worthy to undertake this legation. Hearing this, he responded, “I am insufficient to fulfill this business, since I ceaselessly suffer from the quartan fever.” Then the abbot [said], “By the authority of the Holy Trinity and by the virtue of obedience, I order you that you proceed to Cluny baring any suffering or attack of fever. And the sacristy, voluntarily embracing the obedience of the father, travelled to Cluny and he displayed what the father had obtained concerning Vézelay with the authority of the Roman Church. Then with all rejoicing, a council began to be had about who ought to bear the letters of the lord Pope to Vézelay. Indeed after all asserted that he ought to go there who had returned healthy and unharmed from the City due to the strength of his obedience and who had seen and heard everything, he agreed and began to proceed according to the will of the seniores. Then in a minor miracle, the fever, which for such a long interval had left him, attacked him as he passed through the gate and compelled him to return to the house, and thus the virtue of obedience was proven by the infirmity of nature. Let him understand who hears this.

He came to know from a revelation that a monk of Charlieu died from poison. When the father was in the city [Rome], a miracle (very worth relating) happened to him. There was a certain monk, noble in birth, outstanding in religion, a prior of Charlieu in office and William of Roanne by name, against whom some devils had stirred up envy, such that the their wickedness prepared for him some poison, and in this fashion, he ended his life. In that very hour and night which he was killed, he appeared to the father when sitting on his bed after Compline and indicated, both as he was accustomed to religiously and devotedly address the Father and what had happened all in all. When the man of God heard this he was saddened astonishingly. Nonetheless, he diligently investigated the matter and made inquiries about how and by whom the crime had been perpetrated. Also, he sought out if he had confessed, if he was without punishments, and if he had received communion. He responded to him: Since I was killed unjustly, I am without punishments. Also, I am sent to you so that I might receive absolution and communion. When the father had heard all these things, he absolved the man –though dead– and he (having received absolution) departed. Then the Father (with his brothers awakened) told them what he had seen and heard and immediately sending a runner to Charlieu, he ordered him to inquire about the day, the time on which the dead man had appeared to him, and if truly he was dead. The messanger discovered that everything had happened just as it had been revealed to the Father and he had brought to him with a true report. And the Father excommunicated he who was the author of this misdeed, and alienated him from the body of the Cluniac Church in perpetuity.

A peasant vomits out a serpent as his due. In the time during which the blessed man of God was travelling back from Spain, when he solemnly honoured the court in Podio and among the ecclesiastics and he obtained the best place in front of all persons, a monk Jordan by name came to him from the monastery of Saint Foy in Conques, who held a priory in the diocese of Aniciensi in the town of Ebais, seeking counsel about an illness which had befallen one of his serfs. For the serf said that a serpent had entered his body and from that time had ceaselessly tortured him, and with every movement was made close to death. When the man of God heard this, he grieved greatly, and, after imagining the holy Spirit with all his mind, he began to sigh with the inner affect of his heart. “Brother,” he said, “those are not ours, but of the saints of God. Nonetheless, since all things are possible to the believer, if the man has faith, divine goodness is able to confer counsel to the one being tested. On this account, at the first light of day, you alone must come alone with only that man, and you will see where we enter for celebrating the divine things; there also you should faithfully follow. And he hearing this, with great happiness returned to the hospice and returning the next morning before dawn slept on the doorway of the father with the wretched man, until he left. The father, not unmindful of his pious promise, arose before dawn with Peter of St. John and master Thomas, and proceeded to the oratory of St. Majolus in order to celebrate the divine things there. And he celebrated the mass of the Feast of the Ascension and ensured that he who was seized by pain was present. Indeed when he read from the Gospel and when he had come to the place where it is said, “they took the serpents,” the wretched man opened his mouth and a serpent head emerged, which the father, grabing with his hand and pulling it out from the body of the man, cast the snake in the middle of all stupefied, who were present. Indeed, falling to the ground the man almost breathed out his spirit due to the pain. The father, when he had celebrated the divine things, ordered him to be covered. With the solemnity of the mass completed, he went to the sick man and lifting him from the ground with his own hand, he ordered that he confess his sins. With the confession done, he washed the man with water and his mouth with wine, and thus entrusting him to the divine mysteries, he returned to sickly man to his own [bed[?]. Then the father compelled all who were in attendance at the sancrosanct Evangelia to swear that they would not reveal this deed to anyone while he lived. However, when [Peter’s] his death was known, the monk Jordan publically revealed in the chapter of Saint Foy the miracle that had been done, and he affirmed that this had certainly happened in many other places.

About his parents.

These things briefly were said about the miracles of our father, not that there are not many remaining to be said, but we do not wish to oppress our listeners in order that we may progress to other things. For that man, arisen from a noble and honest form, how greatly and of what sort he was among the people of God is declared by the antiquity of his parents. Indeed, his great-grandfather built the church of Saint Michael of Clusa (La Chiusa, Piedmont) after a divine revelation; indeed his mother rejoicing in the numerous spiritual germinations of her sons, bore herself to Marcigny and found an end there in the saintly life. Indeed the father was buried in the monastery of Chaise-Dieu. He had four ecclesiastical brothers and two who were laymen: Jordan, the abbot of Chaise-Dieu, Pontius the abbot of Vézelay, Armon, the abbot of St. Sebastian of Manglieu, Heraclius, the head of the Church of Saint-Julian of Brioude and two soldiers Dissutus and Eustache, whose nobility and honesty were known by all of Auvergne. What is it to us about their birth? Let us return to Peter.

For 30 years, as he related to me and many others, he had prayed to receive his end on the day of the Lord’s Nativity. Whence he traveled once a year to the saintly Carthusians whom he loved with considerable affection, and he resolutely prayed that they entreat the Highest for his desire, in order that it certainly be fulfilled at some time. But since they said to him, “Father, make known to us what is your petition so that certainly thence we may be able to pray that which you seek.” He was unable to reveal but he merely said, “If you are servants of the Highest, pray for your brother so that God may complete my desire.” Since the man of God passed from this world to the Father, the Carthusians sent a letter to the Cluniacs about the desire of the man of God and since he had consummated what for so long he had desired, they testified with clear evidence. This lover of Peace attained peace in the glory of God on the day of peace. These things briefly have been said about our blessed father since we do not wish bring scorn to our listeners and we leave therefore many things to be said by more prudent people.