De ejus veneranda conversatione et moribus.
A King Among His Brothers
Edward refused human glory, choosing instead humble equality with his household, the priests, the people, and the poor.
In all this, the blessed man was not elated by human glory, but recognizing more deeply the goodness of God in himself, he earnestly meditated on the saying of Wisdom: They have made you a ruler; do not be puffed up, but be among them as one of them. Setting himself this pattern of living, he showed himself to his own household as their equal, humble before the priests, pleasing to the people, compassionate toward the wretched, generous toward the needy.
Zealous Patron of Holy Places
His devotion to God shone wonderfully in his care for building and repairing churches and monasteries.
His devotion to the worship of God was wonderful, and his care in building and repairing churches and monasteries was wonderful.
Father of the Fatherless
Without partiality, he judged the poor justly and was a father to orphans and a judge of widows despite his royal splendor.
There was no partiality before him, but he judged the poor with justice and rebuked with equity on behalf of the meek of the earth; and though he was a king on an exalted throne, adorned with gold and purple, he was nevertheless a father of orphans and a judge of widows.✦
The World's Common Treasury
He treated all wealth as a common storehouse for the poor, giving cheerfully and forgetting what he gave.
The public treasury of the whole world seemed to be his treasure, a common storehouse for the poor, because the king, considering all he had to belong not to himself but to everyone, gave if asked, and if he received, he kept silent — a modest recipient, a cheerful giver, who never forgot what he was given, but immediately forgot what he gave.
Holiness Shining Forth
His inner holiness appeared in his face, bearing, and speech, which blended dignity, cheerfulness, and the sweetness of Christ.
The holiness of his inner spirit shone even in his body itself, since a remarkable sweetness appeared on his face, a gravity in his gait, a simplicity in his bearing. His speech, composed of a certain dignity and cheerfulness, and always seasoned with the sweetness of Christ and of his blessed mother's name, was now terrifying, now coaxing, now instructing, now consoling.
Free from the Principal Vices
Never puffed up with pride, unrestrained in anger, or degraded by gluttony, he sometimes erred through simplicity but never sinned knowingly.
No one ever saw him puffed up with pride, or unrestrained in anger, or degraded by gluttony; indeed, because of his innate simplicity and his sincerity toward all, he could perhaps sometimes be deceived, so that unknowingly he went too far; but he was never driven by anger, nor enticed by lust, so as to do wrong knowingly.
Chastity in Every Season
His chastity was his constant companion in exile, hardship, and prosperity alike.
As for praising his chastity, there's no need — it was with him in exile as a welcome companion, in hardship as a steady ally, and in prosperity as an inseparable partner.
Beyond the Love of Money
He was an extraordinary despiser of money, made neither sadder by its loss nor cheerier by its gain.
On top of that, he was beyond all human measure a despiser of money — made none sadder by its loss, and none cheerier at its gain.
A Story Known to All England
A single example will reveal his remarkable simplicity, unshakable calm, and gentleness, as the story spread throughout England.
In fact, let me set down just one example of this remarkable virtue, through which his extraordinary simplicity and the unshakable calm of his heart — and, beyond that, his gentleness — will become clear. This is the story that spread by popular telling and became known to the whole English world — some admiring the king's simplicity, others praising his holiness.
Read the original Latin
In his omnibus vir beatus in gloriam non est elatus humanam, sed Dei in se bonitatem altius recognoscens, illud Sapientis sedulo meditabatur: Principem te constituerunt, noli extolli, sed esto in illis quasi unus ex illis. Hanc sibi vivendi formam proponens, suis se domesticis praebebat aequalem, sacerdotibus humilem, plebi gratum, compatientem miseris, largum egenis. Mira illi circa Dei cultum devotio, mira in ecclesiis et monasteriis construendis et reparandis sollicitudo. Nulla apud eum personarum acceptio, sed judicabat in justitia pauperes, et arguebat in aequitate pro mansuetis terrae, et cum esset rex sublimis solio, auro decoratus et ostro, erat tamen pater orphanorum et judex viduarum. Thesaurus ejus totius orbis res publica videbatur, pauperum commune aerarium, quoniam rex totum quod habebat non suum aestimans esse, sed omnium, si petebatur praebebat, si accipiebatur tacebat; verecundus acceptor, dator hilaris, qui nunquam obliviscebatur accepti, sed dati protinus. Lucebat in ipso etiam corpore interioris spiritus sanctitatis, cum singularis quaedam suavitas appareret in vultu, gravitas in incessu, simplicitas in affectu. Sermo ejus ex quadam dignitate et hilaritate compositus, et Christi semper et beatae matris ejus nominis suavitate conditus, nunc terrens, nunc blandiens, nunc erudiens, nunc consolans proferebatur. Nullus unquam eum vidit aut inflatum superbia, aut ira effrenatum, aut dehonestatum gula; qui quidem ob innatam sibi simplicitatem et circa omnes sinceritatem falli forte aliquando potuit ut ignorans excederet; sed nec impelli ira nec concupiscentia illici ut scienter delinqueret.
Nam pudicitiam in eo laudare non est necesse, quae ei in exsilio grata, in adversitate socia, in prosperis comes individua perseverabat. Praeterea supra humanum modum pecuniae contemptor, nec in earum amissione tristior, nec in adeptione videbatur hilarior. Sane hujus tantae virtutis unum ponamus exemplum, per quod mira ejus simplicitas et cordis tranquillitas, inexpugnabilis insuper lenitas apparebit. Quod celebri sermone vulgatum Anglorum universo orbi innotuit; aliis regis simplicitatem admirantibus, aliis laudantibus ejusdem sanctitatem.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.68.5 — Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts — his name is Yah — and exult before him.
Aelred of Rievaulx, Vita Sancti Edwardi Regis et Confessoris companion
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