De annulo quam sanctus rex beato Joanni evangelistae dedit, et quomodo eumdem receperit.
The King's Love for the Beloved Disciple
Blessed Edward, growing in devotion, honors Peter and John but loves John the Evangelist with special tenderness, and dedicates a church in his name.
Meanwhile the holy king, now heavy with years, was being supported by the pay of his own military service, and day by day his affection for God and the Mother of God, his devotion to the saints of God, grew ever greater. Among them he revered most blessed Peter as his own special patron — that disciple whom Jesus loved — and because of the remarkable privilege of his chastity he embraced him with a wonderful sweetness of soul. In God's eyes he considered them both equal, since Christ had conferred on one the primacy of the whole Church, and on the other he had more abundantly granted the sweetness of his own love. What was lacking in the one regarding primacy, his devotion supplied; and what the other had less of in devotion, the dignity conferred on him made up for. And so it is fittingly said that they were called by Christ together, were together with Christ on the mountain, were sent together to prepare the large upper room for the Passover, ran together to the tomb so that Christ's resurrection might be confirmed, and went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, so that the lame man might be healed.✦✦ And what could be sweeter to the apostle than this — he who was drunk on wisdom from the heart and breast of Jesus, and was given to drink the milk of his love?✦ Pondering these things and others like them with careful admiration, blessed Edward loved this friend of Jesus all the more deeply after the leader of the apostles. He gladly devoted himself to serving him; there was frequent conversation with him about his excellence, and frequent meditation on his virginity. And so it came about that a church built in honor of the apostle was consecrated to God under the title of his name. The blessed king presided over the dedication, and because of his honor for the evangelist he joyfully attended the divine services.
The Ring Given to a Pilgrim
During the procession, a pilgrim asks alms in the name of Saint John, and the king gives his ring; later, two English pilgrims lose their way in the wilderness.
As the procession moved on, then, surrounded by a great crowd of soldiers, suddenly someone dressed as a pilgrim shouted out to the king, asking that something from the alms be given to him for the love of Saint John. The king immediately reached his hand into his purse, but the man had already spent everything that had been put in on a similar effort. The pilgrim pressed his appeal and multiplied his pleas. The king called for his treasurer, but since the crowd was in the way, he didn't come. The saint was deeply troubled in his heart and didn't know what to do. At last, remembering the ring on his finger, he quickly drew it off and held it out to the pilgrim. The man thanked him for such extraordinary generosity and either withdrew or vanished. It happened afterward that two men set out for Jerusalem to worship at the Savior's tomb; who on a certain day turned aside from the main paved road and followed byways through the wilderness.
A Light in the Wilderness
As night falls, the lost pilgrims are met by a venerable old man and young men in white who question them about their faith and pilgrimage.
And now, as the sun was setting, the day was closing and the sky was being overtaken by darkness: the men couldn't figure out what to do or where to turn. So while they were standing there, talking over what had happened, a group of young men dressed in white walked past them, looking at them, with two tapers going before them, cutting through the dark of night with a wondrous light. Following them and walking alongside them were two men, and an old man with snow-white hair, worthy of reverence, whose remarkable expression of sweetness and innate dignity lent grace and enhanced charm. This man, looking at the young men, paused a moment and called out, "Hey!" Tell me, O men, who are you, and where are you from?" he said. What is your homeland? Who is your king? What is your law? What is the reason for your pilgrimage?" To him they replied: "Our native land is England, King Edward; we are subject to Christian laws, and we intend to visit the most holy places of the Lord's passion and resurrection."
The Apostle's Farewell Message
The old man guides the pilgrims, hosts them, and reveals himself as John the Evangelist, sending back the ring with a promise to visit the king, who receives the message with tears and thanksgiving.
But today, having turned aside from our companions by chance—to speak truthfully to your venerability—we don't know where we are, who might receive us in hospitality, or who might show us the kindness we're owed. Then the old man, just as he was—cheerful in countenance and pleasant in face—looked at those watching and said, 'Follow me, and the Lord, granting all things necessary, will provide for you.' Giving thanks to him, and having accompanied the old man, they entered the most noble city. Having been received with hospitality, a table is prepared, and after being most sumptuously refreshed, they give their limbs to rest. When morning came, as they were setting out, the old man accompanies them, and when they were already positioned outside the city, he addresses them with these words: 'Brothers, since you are about to return home with the highest prosperity, do not doubt this, because God of our salvation will make your journey prosperous for you, and I, on account of love for your king, will keep my watchful eye over you on every road you walk. 'For I am John, the apostle and evangelist, that disciple whom Jesus loved, who embraces your very king with the highest love on account of the merit of his chastity, and whom I ask you to greet in my place; and so that faith in this oracle not be diminished, hand over to him this ring which he granted to me in the dedication of my church, appearing in a pilgrim's garb, announcing to him that the day of his death is imminent, which visiting within six months I will visit, so that he may follow the Lamb wherever he goes; in which integrity of mind, purity of flesh, and beauty of manners come together.'✦1 He said this, and immediately the men found themselves in the place they had chosen. When with the greatest eagerness they were returning home, they present the oracle's ring to the king, and confer apart from the others about the king's end: at the name of John the king immediately burst into tears, and when he had more carefully inquired about all they had seen or heard, with thanksgiving he sent the messengers back to their own homes.
Read the original Latin
Interea rex sanctus aevo jam gravis militiae suae stipendiis parabatur, augebatur ei in dies circa Deum et Dei matrem affectio, circa sanctos Dei devotio, inter quos beatissimum Petrum ut specialem patronum suum venerabatur, discipulum illum quem diligebat Jesus, ob singulare privilegium castitatis mira mentis dulcedine amplectebatur. Apud Deum pares arbitrabatur utrosque, cum alteri totius Ecclesiae primatum Christus contulerit, alteri suavitatem sui amoris copiosius indulserit. Quod isti defuit de primatu, supplebat affectus, et quod ille minus habuit ex affectu, collata dignitas recompensabat. Unde congrue simul vocantur a Christo, simul in monte fuere cum Christo, simul missi sunt coenaculum grande stratum ut Pascha pararetur Christo, simul ad monumentum currebant ut Christi resurrectio probaretur, simul ascendebant in templum ad horam orationis nonam ut claudus curaretur. Et quid hoc apostolo dulcius, qui a pectore Jesu et ab uberibus ejus inebriabatur sapientia, et dilectionis ejus lacte potabatur? Haec et his similia beatus Edwardus admiratione diligenti perpendens, post apostolorum principem hunc amicum Jesu arctius diligebat, ejus libens insistebat obsequiis, frequens ei sermo de ejus excellentia, frequens de illius virginitate meditatio. Accidit autem ut ecclesia in honore ipsius apostoli constructa Deo sub nominis ipsius titulo consecraretur. Praefuit dedicationi rex beatus, et ob honorem evangelistae laetus divinis officiis assistebat.
Cum igitur processionem sequens multo milite stiparetur, subito quidam in habitu peregrino clamabat ad regem, aliquid eleemosynae pro sancti Joannis amore sibi postulans impartiri. Injecit mox rex manum crumenae, sed ille jam in opus simile omnia quae fuerant illata consumpserat. Instat peregrinus, multiplicat preces. Vocat thesaurarium rex, sed, obsistente turba, non adfuit. Angebatur animo sanctus, et quid faceret ignorabat. Tandem annuli reminiscens qui digitum ambiebat, festinanter abstractum peregrino porrexit. Ille tantae munificentiae gratias agens, vel recessit, vel disparuit. Accidit postea viros duos ad adorandum Salvatoris sepulcrum Jerosolymam proficisci; qui die quadam a publica strata declinantes devia quaeque secuti sunt.
Et ecce sole ruente dies clauditur, aer suffunditur tenebris: viri quid agerent, quo diverterent, non occurrit. Illis itaque subsistentibus, et de his quae acciderant conferentibus, grex juvenum albis ornatus praeteriit intuentes, duobus praecedentibus cereis intersecantibus mira luce noctis obscurum. Sequebatur praeeuntes, adlaterantibus eum viris duobus, senex quidam nivea caesarie venerandus cui et mira vultus suavitas et innata gravitas conferret gratiam, venustatem augeret. Hic juvenes respiciens modicum substitit: «Et heus! inquit, o viri, quinam estis vos, et unde estis? Quae vobis patria, quis rex, quae lex? quae peregrinationis vestrae causa?» Ad quem illi: «Natale solum nobis Anglia est, rex Edwarde; Christianis legibus subditi, sacratissima Dominicae passionis et resurrectionis loca visitare disponimus.
Sed hodie casu divertentes a sociis, ut verum fateamur venerabilitati tuae, ubinam loci simus, quis suscipiat hospitio, quis debitam humanitatem exhibeat ignoramus. Tunc senex ut erat hilaris vultu, facieque jucunda, intuens intuentes: Sequimini me, inquit, et Dominus tribuens omnia vobis necessaria procurabit.» Gratias agentes illi, et senem comitati, nobilissimam ingressi sunt civitatem. Susceptis hospitio mensa paratur, lautissimeque refecti dant membra quieti. Mane facto, egredientes senex comitatur, et extra urbem jam positos, hujusmodi verbis alloquitur: «Viri fratres, cum summa prosperitate vos repatriaturos non dubitetis, quoniam prosperum iter faciet vobis Deus salutarium nostrorum, et ego ob amorem regis vestri in omni via hac qua gradiemini, firmabo super vos oculos meos. Ego enim sum Joannes apostolus et evangelista, discipulus ille quem diligebat Jesus, qui ipsum regem vestrum ob meritum castitatis summa dilectione complector, quem rogo vice mea salutetis; et ne deroget fidem oraculo, hunc ei annulum quem mihi in dedicatione ecclesiae meae in habitu peregrino apparenti tribuit resignate, denuntiantes ei obitus sui instare diem, quem infra sex menses visitans visitabo ut mecum sequatur Agnum quocunque ierit; in quo cum mentis integritate carnis munditia et morum pulchritudo convenit.» Dixit; et statim viri in loco se quem ipsi delegerant invenerunt. Cum summa autem alacritate ad patriam revertentes, repraesentant annulum regi, exponunt oraculum, et seorsum ab aliis conferunt de regis fine sermonem: statim ad nomen Joannis rex prorupit in lacrymas, et cum de omnibus quae viderant vel audierant diligentius inquisisset, cum gratiarum actione nuntios remisit ad propria.
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.20.3-John.20.8 — So Peter and the other disciple went out and were heading to the tomb. John.20.4 — The two were running together, and the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first. John.20.5 — And bending down he sees the linen cloths lying there; he did not, however, go in. John.20.6 — So Simon Peter, who had been following him, came also, and went into the tomb, and saw the linen cloths lying there John.20.7 — and the face cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in one place by itself. John.20.8 — Then the other disciple, the one who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.
- ↩Acts.3.1-Acts.3.10 — Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. Acts.3.2 — And a man lame from his mother's womb was being carried. Day by day they would lay him at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could ask alms from those entering the temple. Acts.3.3 — When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked to receive alms. Acts.3.4 — But Peter, with John beside him, fixed his eyes on the man and said, 'Look at us.' Acts.3.5 — And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Acts.3.6 — But Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!" Acts.3.7 — And grasping him by the right hand he raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. Acts.3.8 — And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. Acts.3.9 — And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Acts.3.10 — And they recognized him as the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple asking for alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
- ↩John.13.23-John.13.25 — One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining at Jesus' side. John.13.24 — So Simon Peter motioned to him and said to him, 'Tell us who it is he is speaking about.' John.13.25 — So after reclining back against Jesus' chest, that one says to him, 'Lord, who is it?'
- ↩Rev.14.4;John.1.29 — These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. John.1.29 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Notes
- 1 ↩The phrase 'Agnum quocunque ierit' ('the Lamb wherever he goes') echoes Christological language, likely alluding to Revelation 14:4 and 21:15–17, though the source span is not a direct quotation.
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