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Chapter 264HildE.1.264

R264: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Nonnenkonvent von Rupertsberg

Greeting and Maternal Address

Hildegard greets the congregation of sisters and introduces herself as their spiritual mother in Christ.

To the congregation of their sisters. Hildegard. O daughters, you who have followed in the footsteps of Christ in the love of chastity. And you who chose me, a poor little woman, as your mother in the humility of subjection, on account of heavenly exaltation. Not from myself but from divine revelation I speak to you, through a mother's heart. This place — namely, the resting place of the relics of blessed Robert the confessor, to whose protection you fled for refuge. I found it, through evident miracles wrought by the will of God, to be a sacrifice of praise.^✦ And with the permission of my superiors, I arrived there.

Founding and Removal to Rupertsberg

Hildegard recounts the divine guidance and communal process behind the move to Rupertsberg.

And with God's help I freely drew him to myself, and all who followed me. Afterward, however, at God's prompting I went to the mountain of blessed Disibodus, from which I had withdrawn by permission. And I carried out this request in the presence of all those living there. That is, so that our place and the charitable lands of our place would not be tied up by them, but left free. Still, I sought this at a time that was useful and beneficial. For the salvation of your souls and the careful discipline of the rule. And just as I received in true vision — I spoke to the father, that is, the abbot of that place.

Rights, Rebuke, and Legal Confirmation

Hildegard asserts the nuns’ property rights, rebukes opponents, and notes that these arrangements were confirmed in writing.

Serena lux speaks. May you be the father of the purpose and of the salvation of the souls of the mystical planting of my daughters. Their alms do not belong to you or to your brothers. But may your place be their refuge. But if you wish to persist in your contrary words against us, raging, you will be like the Amachelites and Antiochus, about whom it is written. He despoiled the temple of the Lord. But if any among you have spoken in their own malice— We want to diminish their allodial lands. Then I, who am speaking, say that you are the worst plunderers. But if you try to draw away the shepherd of spiritual medicine from them, then I say again, that you are like the sons of Belial. And in this you are not looking at God's justice. And so God's justice will destroy you. And when I, a poor little figure, with these words sought the aforementioned freedom of the place and the allodial properties of my daughters from the aforementioned abbot and from his brothers! they all established it for me with the permission of the document. All of them, however, both the elder and the younger, seeing these things, Hearing and perceiving the greatest goodwill toward these matters, they held firm. So much so that, even at God's command, these things were confirmed in writing.¹ From this, let the faithful learn these things. Let them affirm it. Let them carry it through and defend it. …so that they may receive that blessing… …which God gave to Jacob and to Israel.

Maternal Grief and Exhortation to Persevere

Hildegard expresses sorrow over her coming death and urges her daughters to remain steadfast in their monastic vocation.

But oh, what great grief you, my daughters, will have after the death of your mother! because they will no longer nurse at the breasts of this same mother of theirs! and so, groaning and grieving through many seasons with tears, they will say: Alas, alas, how gladly we would nurse at the breasts of our mother if only we had her here with us now. Therefore, O daughters of God, I admonish you to have love among yourselves, just as I, your mother, admonished you from my youth.² so that you may be the clearest light with the angels because of your goodness. and most strong in your strength, as your blessed father taught you. May the Holy Spirit give you his gifts. Because after my death you will hear my voice no longer. But may my voice never be forgotten among you, when it has so often sounded among you in love. My daughters, their hearts are now burning within them with grief over the loss of their mother. Gasping and sighing toward heavenly things. Afterward they will shine in the brightest and most radiant light through the grace of God. And they will become the bravest soldiers in his house. So if anyone in this community of my daughters should wish to cause division and a departure from this way of life and from spiritual discipline, May the gift of the Holy Spirit turn this away from that person's heart. Because if anyone despises God, they will still do this. The hand of the Lord will strike them down before all the people.^✦ For they deserve to be put to shame. Therefore, O daughters, this place that you have chosen for serving God — inhabit it with all devotion and steadfastness. so that in it you may obtain the heavenly rewards.

Wisdom, Creation, and the Human Person

Hildegard reflects on divine Wisdom in creation and on the dignity and responsibility of the human creature.

And so love in wisdom says: I was ordained from the ancient one, and I was present in the formation of the first man when he was formed by God.^✦³⁴ because heaven and earth⁵ And God wisely created the remaining creatures for the sake of man, so that he might be sustained and fed by them!^✦^✦⁶ And so wisdom can rightly be called a craftsman.^✦⁷ because it surrounded heaven and earth^✦⁸ and weighed them with equal weight.^✦⁹ But the flesh of man, along with the soul, is fully pervaded in the veins and in the marrow.¹⁰ So the body is always lifted up through the soul. And because a person also comes to know creatures through the soul, they hold them in delight and joy. And so a person, in body and soul, is — as it were — lovable out of mercy and love. In the same way, wisdom and love are one. Through these two virtues — wisdom and love — angels and human beings will submit to God in humility. Because humility bends low before the honor of God, and so gathers all virtues to itself. And so it is in these virtues that God formed man, so that he would not perish completely. Likewise all the angels did not perish, because many stood firm with God. But others fell along with the ancient serpent. For God created man in wisdom. In love he gave him life. And in humility and obedience he governed him. so that he would understand how he ought to live. But the first angel refused to understand these things, and did not consent to God. But he wanted to be from himself what he could not be. since that one life has its being from itself, and from it all living things have their life. That's why the one who fell from that life withered away. just as it also happens in creatures — in trees, in herbs, and in other creatures from time to time. when some of them dry up as they fall, because they never tasted the sap. For an angel has its life from God. The human being, then, is full of God's work, because God is full of God's own work. because God is always at work in him, beyond what the human being can understand about himself. For as long as a person lives in this life, they never stop thinking and doing certain things. Whatever their condition may be. But when this life comes to an end, in the next life they live on without end. For when a person does good works, they are made like the good angels. Yet you don't recognize the great honor of how God formed you. And when you flee from right obedience, nor do you act in humility, but you want to be from yourself. You've become like the worst angels cast out of life — the way Satan falls and withers away. But you, O man, want to hold God guilty in these things. For which reason the answer is given to you: Surely you didn't create yourself? No. It's more fitting, then, that you should serve yourself more than the one who created you! And what reward will you be able to prepare for yourself, since you didn't make yourself? None! but the punishment of fire.

Circumcision, Law, and the Coming of Christ

Hildegard traces salvation history from circumcision and the old law through prophecy to the coming of Christ and the founding of the Church.

And so it is that in these two divisions God's creatures are separated: the angels and humankind, along with the rest of creation. This is just what happened there when God marked the human being with circumcision. because the first deceiver deceitfully tricked the first human being. so that the one who had been made disobedient to God truly consented to that one's words. And through disobedience he did exactly as he had been counseled. But that same disobedience was torn apart through circumcision, in God's command. when Abraham, well-disposed toward God, obeyed. doing just as he had been commanded. Then that same deceiver raged against himself with all his deceit. inflicting this evil on certain people. because it was not possible that they would confess him as God. whom they could not even see, nor hear, nor could they reach out to touch him. And so among the people who had been sealed through obedience, he reveled!¹¹ and he remembered that he had deceived the first man when he said, 'You will be like gods, knowing good and evil.'^✦ And he breathed into them the worst possible poison. saying that in no way could they come to know God except through some shaping of him. For a human being too would be a mere form. And if God had created a human being, why would he have hidden himself like this? so that a human being could not even see him, nor hear him, nor could he grasp or comprehend him at all. But the whole ancient law — and a truly sealed people. This ancient deceiver, and he could not oppress those wandering men, nor yet will he be able to. But God will oppress them before the last day. And he will conquer before all people. In this way, the old law with all these things — namely, with those who observed circumcision. And also with those who were in that aforementioned error, it ran right up to the birth of Christ. Where the true sun of justice himself appeared in truth. And that same sun gave great splendor through its own teaching. In his own humanity, sight and hearing. since the prophets had gone before him. just as certain planets are above the sun. because God had foreseen it when he established the firmament with all its ornaments. To the sun indeed, together with the moon and the stars, God joined the water. And he placed the clouds together with the storm, which lightning bolts pierce through. And these are sometimes split apart by the sound of thunder. So that they are moved. For just as God established this creature for the service of man, so also through her he preordained his own Son. Whom the prophets foretold. And the prophets touched upon his humanity together with its servitude. Just as the planets themselves sustain the sun, serving it. For prophecy, which spoke, declared it. Behold, the virgin will conceive.^✦ She touched his humanity. Because the virgin's integrity conceived from the heat of the Holy Spirit and not from the heat of the flesh. Just as the sun pierces through some object with its rays, so that the whole of it may grow warm from his ardor and yet not be consumed. Since the sun of justice proceeded from the untouched virgin.¹² and illuminated the whole world. Just as the sun also illuminates the whole world through the firmament, and yet it remains whole and untouched. And so the virgin bore a son whose name is Emmanuel.^✦ For she conceived him in her integrity. He also went forth from her in that same integrity, as the sun flashes through the firmament, with neither side divided.¹³ And so God is with us.^✦ Because in that same incarnation, which arose from the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit in the virgin's womb.^✦¹⁴ The holy divinity was wholly and entirely complete, just as the sun is in the firmament. And the power of the divinity — the heavens, the depths.¹⁵ And it surpasses all creatures. And yet the Son of God was with us then through his holy humanity. But through the offering of his body and through his teaching he is with us now and will be. until we see him openly. To this same lone justice the moon and stars and waters are present. namely, so that he might send his disciples into the whole world to preach the gospel to every creature. For what the prophets had foretold about him, he fulfilled in himself. just as in the creation of the world on the seventh day God rested from all his work. And so that God then subjected every creature to serving man. So also now, after his ascension, the Son of God entrusted the works of his incarnation to his disciples. When, by his command, they preached the gospel to every creature. For they themselves showed men the true faith concerning the Son of God — how, while they remained with him, they had seen and come to know his miracles. Just as the sun shines in the firmament. This faith, then, was established by the Church as it was received by a countless throng of peoples.¹⁶ As the moon with the stars is set in the firmament. And those same peoples, inspired by the Holy Spirit, appointed among themselves various teachers and prelates. Just as the firmament is with the sun.

Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodox Faith

Hildegard describes persecution of the faithful and insists on the unity and distinction of the Trinity.

The moon is illuminated by the stars, those who would sustain the whole church. Then thunder and lightning, and lightning were being raised up through faithless men and through cruel tyrants. Those who were faithful to the Lord, who burned in faith— just as the sun shines in its power. like wolves they attacked, and they poured out their blood. So much so that there wasn't even anyone who would bury them. The thunders, too, that occurred in Satan's first fall sounded out when he was plunged into hell. They rose up through the enemies of God, who never stopped sinning in their sins. And lightning flashes appeared among many Christians who were dividing faith through unbelief. And they burned many Catholics. Just as it happened through Arius, whom Athanasius completely trampled down — strengthened by John the Evangelist, who sucked from the breast of Jesus what he then set on high when he published the gospel in mystical breath about the divinity. In the same way, Athanasius himself afterwards wrote in defense of the church on the unity of the divine nature. Whoever wishes it. Namely, that everyone who wishes to be saved should hold to a faith that is whole and unviolated. believing perfectly in God, so that someone submerged in Gehenna may not become one who belongs to Gehenna. But true faith holds that one God in the Trinity of persons, and the same Trinity in one God, is to be gloriously honored without any confusion that would divide the unity! because there is one God in one divine substance, inseparably. For the Father is not something other in substance, nor the Son something other, nor the Holy Spirit something other. nor are they separated from one another in the substance of divinity. Yet in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit there is one deity, of one substance, in the glory of majesty. Nevertheless, the person of the Father is distinct — not the person of the Son, nor of the Holy Spirit.¹⁷ The person of the Son is distinct — not the person of the Father, nor of the Holy Spirit!¹⁸ The person of the Holy Spirit is distinct — not the person of the Father, nor of the Son!¹⁹ And yet the deity of these persons is one and inseparable. Equal honor and unshakable. Coeternal in power and invincible. For what the Father is in deity, so also in person. Such is the Son in his divinity, though not in his person. Such also is the Holy Spirit in his divinity, though not in his person. For the Father is another. Another is the Son. Another is the Holy Spirit, in the distinction of persons! Yet the Father is not a different thing. Nor is the Son a different thing. Nor is the Holy Spirit a different thing in the substance of the divinity.

The Trinity: One God, Three Persons

Hildegard teaches at length on the unity of the Trinity and the inseparability of the divine persons.

And how are these persons to be understood? God, in his own Word, is surely rational. And he lives. And God created the world—that is, the human person—with all its glory. This is how it should be. God in eternity always possessed this. This God alone has done! Without whom no one exists. And who would not bring into being someone who does not exist? No one at all. God made all things through his Word. as John, who leaned against Jesus' chest, affirms. But God is fire. And within this fire a flame lies hidden. This flame is living, active, and alive. Yet there is no division in this fire! unless there is a distinction of persons. But material and visible fire is of a golden color. And in that fire the flame flashes, which blazes in a strong wind. Indeed, this fire would not flash unless it were fiery. and it would not be in motion. except by means of wind! And so there are three names in that fire. For the flame comes from the fire. And fire flashes from flame! And it is not set in motion except by a powerful wind.²⁰ Fire, too, burns with flame.²¹ And that heat is whole and unbroken. It pours over and inflates both fire and flame equally. And if there were no heat in the fire, there would be no fire! Nor would it have the thunder of flame.²² And the soul is fire. And its fire saturates the entire body in which it is. The veins with the blood, the bones with the marrow, and the flesh with its bruise. And it is inextinguishable. And the fire of the soul has its ardor in rationality, in which the word sounds. If the soul were not fiery, it wouldn't thoroughly burn up a cold clot.²³ Nor would it build up the body through blood-filled veins. Because the soul is, in its rationality, like wind. Through every part of the body it rightly distributes its heat. so the body doesn't burn up. But when the soul has torn itself free from the body, the body fails. Just as pieces of wood don't burn when they lack the heat of fire, For indeed, a human being is rational according to God. And the rationality of a human being resounds with fire in the wind. For rationality is a great force. It is fiery and not divided! And if it were not fiery, it would not be full of wind! And if it were not full of wind— it would not resound. God, therefore, created all things.^✦ And apart from him alone, no one has ever made anything that lives.²⁴ Although man may fashion whatever he likes by his own skill —²⁵ still, it does not make those things live.²⁶ Because man has a beginning. But he who created all things — he was not created.^✦ Because there was no beginning before him.^✦ But he himself has no beginning, and all things exist in him.^✦ because through him all things were made.^✦^✦ But through those things that man flees out of fear, lest they harm him — he places his trust in God, crying out for God to come to his aid, and that God may keep him in the rest of peace.^✦²⁷ through those things that exist for man's sake and are present in him,²⁸ and through those by which he himself works. And what comes to it from these sources arrives gently and in due measure. It learns to have love for God. For if a person knew nothing except what was gentle and pleasant to him, he wouldn't know what that same thing was or what it was called. And so it has the highest knowledge of the weight of harshness and of harmful things.²⁹ And it recognizes what is good and what is evil. And it knows how to name them, just as Adam did.^✦³⁰ For if it knew only one thing among all things, The work of God in him would not be perfect. And he would not recognize the thing he saw. And what he heard — what it was and what kind it was — he would not be able to know! For which reason he would be empty and extinguished. Just as something burned by fire is turned into charcoal. Therefore, as was foretold. The uncreated Father is. The Son also is uncreated. So too the Holy Spirit is uncreated. Because these three persons are one God. And all creatures were created through the same God. But without him nothing was made. The Beginning, which was made at the start of creation. He wanted to have the likeness of him who has no beginning. Which ought not to have been made in any way. Because it was nothing. Because in God there is life and truth! But in the lost angel and in man there is vanity! The one whom pride inflated passed through like the wind. And what was made through God and in God! Life is in him. And God crushed his head. He who first seized the evils mentioned above! And cast him, who is without life, into hell. The Father is also immeasurable. because no capacity can comprehend him, nor can any number limit him. so that those things which were made in the beginning can endure. For God held all things in his foreknowledge. But nevertheless he did not create them suddenly. Whence there is also a certain interval among creatures, as in a human being who is first an infant, then a boy, then a young man. He becomes old and decrepit! And yet this indeed can be grasped. But in the Son and the Holy Spirit it must be understood! That which is of the Immense One, which neither by capacity nor by number can be grasped. The Father also is eternal. In that eternity, namely, which never began! And in the likeness of a circling wheel, in which neither beginning nor end is seen. God is spirit.^✦ Every spirit, without exception! Incomprehensible, indivisible. For eternity, beyond all change, is what this word denotes. And it simply is. Eternal, it remains. Yet within it, no one is likened to God. For eternity is unique. And all his creatures were made through her. And the Son is co-eternal with the Father in divinity. From the creature he has put on the garment which is man. That garment divinity has thus made known — just as a ray fixed in the sun belongs to it. The sun sends its light forth into the earth. Yet it is neither increased nor diminished because of this. Nor was the Son of God, coming into the world, either increased or diminished in his divinity. For he has put on his garment in this way. Just as God clothed Adam with a fragile creature so that he wouldn't appear naked.^✦ A human being, of course, could by no means see eternity except through human nature. Because divinity lay hidden in human nature. And so the Son was recognized through the garment of humanity. Just as a person clad in armor is also recognized by it. Even though hidden within them, the divinity is not seen. But the Holy Spirit is also eternal. Co-eternal with the Father and the Son. He was present at the beginning of every creature. And by breathing into it, he made it capable of motion. And there are not three eternities in God. But there is one eternity in him. And not three! Just as Arius made parts within it. Just as the limbs of a human being are cut off by amputation. But the one eternity is the one divinity. which the rational mind of a human being cannot name by a single name, on account of that one's most mighty works. But also, since a human being has a beginning, they are turned back into ash. For this reason, a human being is also unable to recount the things that are before the beginning and after the end. But in their soul, holding to one faith. It speaks of the substance of God, which is spiritual. For the soul is a breath from God. And from this it receives many invisible things. And it perceives the unity of the divine nature in upright faith. Because there aren't three uncreated gods, nor three immensities. But there is one God—uncreated and immense. Neither divided into three modes nor into three parts. The Almighty Father is also the one who, through his Word—the almighty Son—created all things. The almighty Holy Spirit, who is life, passes through in the same way. So that the heat of fire and flame also burns. In this way, then, there are not three almighty ones. But God, in three persons, is one God, almighty. And so it would be unfitting — because man, who is one man with a rational soul, would be divided into three. since then a whole life would not exist, but a mortal corpse. How could that one life — in which there is no mortality of beginning or change — be divided? But God is also the Father, who is powerful. God is the Son, who is the power of the Father. God is the Holy Spirit, who is the life through which all life proceeds. But there are not three gods. Yet without any division, there is a single deity. whose most powerful strength is called by individual names. So too, in ruling, the Lord is Father. In working, the Lord is Son. In giving life, the Lord is the Holy Spirit. And these three names together are the complete divinity. just as God designated every one of his works by a single power of divinity.

Creation, Soul, and the Image of God

Hildegard reflects on the creation of angels and humans, the soul’s nature, and the unity of God.

Nor are there three lords ruling separately. but in full integrity one divinity exists in the three powers of the three persons. namely, by ruling. by working, by giving life, and also by moving all creatures and directing them to their proper duties. And so there is one Lord. And this Lord made two works: the angel, that is, and the human being, together with all creation. Now the angel is a spirit. The human being, however, was made in the image and likeness of God.^✦ so that through the five senses of the body he may act.³¹ Through these he is not divided. But through them he is wise and knowing and understanding, to fulfill his own works. God has marked these three powers in the human being. through this, namely that the soul of the human being is rational, which moves the body toward action.³² and in which the five senses of the human body are fully perfected. Through sight, for instance, the human being recognizes creatures. Through hearing, reason tells the soul what it is hearing. Through smell, it distinguishes what is suitable or unsuitable for its use. Through taste, it recognizes what things and what kind of things nourish it. And through touch, it works at good things and evil things. And it directs all its works with these five senses mentioned above. These five senses in a person are joined together into one in this way. Because one sense can never be without another, and all are present in one person. Yet the soul is not divided into two or into three persons. But he completes all his works with these, with these five senses, and he is one person. But also, in that he is a wise person— knowing— and in that he is understanding, he recognizes creatures. And through creatures and his great works—which he scarcely grasps even with his own five senses—he comes to know God! Whom he cannot see except in faith. A person, then, through his five senses grasps and recognizes all things in creatures. For through sight he loves what he tastes. Through hearing, it discerns. Through smell, it chooses what suits it. And through touch, it acts on what pleases it. And in this, God — who created all creatures — is exemplified. So too, through being wise, one tastes what may be pleasing or harmful to oneself. And through knowing, one binds the creature by commanding it. …so that it might subject itself by ministering to it. And it draws to itself what it wills. And it flees from what it doesn't want! And through this, it exists as an intelligent being. It knows what is fitting for each creature in its duty. For with these three powers and their appendages, a rational human being exists in the soul. And it is by no means divided! And so it is that if, by the devil's persuasion, some limb of a person is cut off, the rational soul, for this reason, is in no way divided. The body, then, is the building of the soul. Since when it operates according to its own sensibility, it is driven along just as a mill is turned by waters.³³ Therefore all peoples are anointed with chrism. They are brought together in right faith and confess that there is no division in the unity. But that there are three persons is because there is one true and steadfast divinity. And since there are not three souls in the one rational soul that has three powers, but there is one soul. Why then would there be any separable division in the unity of the divinity! Since all things are created from God, So it is by no means to be said that there are three gods or three lords. But there is one God, who created all things. And there is one Lord, whom all creatures call upon as lord and to whom all belong. And so it must be forbidden for any divided standing to be held within the unity of the Godhead. Because there is one God. And the Father is made from none. because before him none appeared.

The Son and Spirit in Creation and Redemption

Hildegard teaches on the eternal Son and Holy Spirit, their role in creation and redemption, and the necessity of faith.

So it can't be said that God was begotten or created from anything. But he is eternal, without beginning. And the Son is completely inseparable from the Father. He was not made — he is the Origin itself.³⁴ Not created in bodily form, but begotten. He exists as light does in the sun — completely inseparable. He took on flesh from the Virgin Mary. Yet the brightness of his divine nature never withdrew from him. because he was eternally in divinity with the Father. although under time he put on his garment — namely, flesh from the virgin mother. But the Holy Spirit is the life that moves all breaths in creatures. and here life was made through no breath, nor again by any created thing. nor is it begotten by any other. but to the Father and to the Son in divinity it exists coeternal and coequal. For he himself was present at the first creation of the world. because the Spirit of God was carried over the waters, illuminating the circle of the whole globe!^✦ When God spoke his word, it was done.^✦ And the Holy Spirit, proceeding in the truth of prophecy from the Father and the Son.^✦ He moved the prophets to prophesy, yet they often kept the depth of prophecy hidden. even though they were writing down the text. because they spoke at times through figurative meaning, as if in a shadow and in the sight of night.^✦ Coming also in fiery tongues upon the apostles.^✦ It filled them completely.^✦ And it made them into different people than they had been before. So that they themselves might see the same tongues. and feel the touch of the same Holy Spirit. He who before the birth of Christ appeared to no one in this way. and will not appear again. because Christ is the only-begotten of God. And that he appeared to them in fiery tongues was for this reason done, because the Virgin Mary conceived the Son of God in the fiery heat of that same Spirit! And so he himself also proceeds from the Father and from the Son. And because the apostles saw him in fire. When they spoke clearly with wisdom and understanding. But also because the Son of God was conceived in the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit remained and remains in him. And he is always with him, and they are never separated from each other. And so faith is whole and pure. That the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, as was said before. This is what the Son said — he who proceeds from the Father. He was speaking for the Father's honor. She was noting that his incarnation came about in time. Since time does not apply to the paternal divinity. Therefore there is one Father, not three fathers. But one is almighty. Because if he were not almighty, he would not have begotten a Son. And if the Son had not been begotten, the world would not have been created. There is also one Son, and not three sons. But there is one through whom all things were made. He is consubstantial with the Father. And there is one Holy Spirit, and not three holy spirits. But there is one who gives life to all things and moves them. For every single root has within itself its greenness, and from it the fruit proceeds. But this is seen in an uneven way. And yet they are in one. Why then wouldn't the creator of all things exist in a trinity of persons? For the person of the Father is through the root. The person of the Son is through the fruit. The person of the Holy Spirit is to be understood through greenness.³⁵ And they are not separated from one another! But there is one God. And in this unity of the Trinity, nothing takes precedence, coming before. Nothing follows after. Nothing greater in magnificence, nothing less in power! But all the persons of this Trinity join themselves together into one without any emptiness. And in eternity and in equality they are coeternal to each other and coequal. So that in these same persons there is nothing that could be spoken of in respect to the divine nature. It is and it was not. Great and small! Since God has no beginning and no end, he receives neither increase nor diminishment. because he is unchangeable. But the work of God in creation was not formed beforehand. Now it appears as a fostering ground. And it passes through time, expanding into greater things, and contracting into lesser things. So three persons in unity. Each one, God in three persons, is to be worshipped. For he himself created all things. And there is life through which all living things proceed! Let every believer accept this without doubt. It is also necessary for the believer not to separate himself from the Catholic faith. But he should believe the incarnation of the Son of God to be true! And how he himself was created.

Trinitarian Unity and Equality

Hildegard insists on the full divinity, unity, and equality of the three persons and warns against unbelief.

And let them consider how the active body is one with the rational soul. For God had foreseen, before all time, the form of man in which he would take on flesh. And whoever doubts this denies himself. Nor do they believe that through three modes one human being exists in two natures, soul and body.³⁶ Because if one of these three were missing — namely soul, body, or rationality —³⁷ from which a human being is constituted, it would be lacking!³⁸ the human being would not exist. For the human being is rational in the soul. which in any body accomplishes something with the sound of words. because creation is present to humanity. Just as the branches of a tree — because a person is not without the remaining creation, just as a tree is not without its branches — was created. In truth, then, right faith is. that Christ, the Son of God, born before all time, is God. And also, through the clothing of flesh, he is truly a human being. Therefore, he is God. From the substance of the Father. because he is coeternal and coequal with him without time, begotten before the ages. because all things were made through him. but through his humanity, which has time from the substance of his mother, he is man. He himself, in fact, is full God in the integrity of eternity. and full man with a rational soul and pure flesh, without any male mixture, of human nature.³⁹ And he is coequal with the Father in the eternity of his divinity. but lesser in his humanity, which has time. And he himself, being God and man. He is not split into two. But there is one Christ. Not through a change of divinity into flesh, though. But through the taking on of flesh, which divinity joined to itself. And with what brightness it pours through, just as a ray of the sun shines in the sun. Nor because of this are the substance of divinity or the substance of flesh confused into one another in any way. But in the true unity of person there is one Christ, the true Son of God. For just as in a rational soul there is no change through the flesh of man. that the rational soul, breathed forth from God, pervades the entire body of a human being. and that it moves all the works of a person at work. and so soul and flesh together are one human being. So too, beyond any doubt, the Son of God, born before the ages, was fully clothed in flesh taken from a virgin, as was foretold. God and human, existing as one, is Christ. Through the anointing of God's grace, he is called Christ. He who, in his holy humanity, was wounded through the piercing of nails and spear. on account of the one wound of the first human being, which he had inflicted on the whole human race. so that by the bruising of his own blood he might heal that wound. and by the anointing of the oil of grace he might pour himself out upon it. and through penitence he might bind it up. when as man he grieved that he had sinned. Wounded, he descended spiritually into the pit of the infernal deep, and there he drew very many to himself. namely, he took the first man away from that same hell. and all who had ever touched God in human customs with reverent honor. And he placed them in a place of delights and joys, which they had lost in the first parent. But because on the third day he rose from the death of the sleeping body,^✦ in this he signified the three persons of the Godhead. And ascending with that same body, he went to the heavens.^✦^✦ And there, ruling, he sits at the right hand of the Father, which is the salvation of the believing people.^✦^✦ To them he grants life, those whom he redeemed with his own blood.^✦^✦ And all of these were foreknown before the times of all beginnings.^✦^✦ For the Word of the Father, through which all things were made, put on flesh,^✦^✦ so that he might redeem the man he had formed.^✦ But the same Son of God will come at the end of the age as a just judge, to judge the living and the dead. The living — that is, those who work the work of faith and are found in that same good work. But the dead — those who through unfaithfulness have done the works of death. When, at the sound of a trumpet calling out, every person will, through judgment, lie down as a footstool before that same Son of God. For then everyone will know him by seeing him — everyone who is worthy. For at the coming of this judge, through that summons the dead will rise again with their own bodies. Just as, through the sound of God's word, every creature came into being. And everyone will answer for their own deeds, the ones they did in this dying body. They'll answer to their own judge, and no one will be able to excuse themselves. Because each person only knew that they had done their own deeds before. Then, knowing it clearly, they'll see it openly. For it is in them like a garment. And so those deeds will follow them everywhere. And those who did what is right and just— will go into a greater glory than the sun shines with in this world. When souls are illuminated by the grace of God, and so the angels praise God, because those who have accomplished such great works are surrounded with glory, just as a person is clothed in a precious garment. So also the innumerable multitude of those who, before their end or even at the end, have perfectly done penance — and who have confessed God in their sins. The Son of Man will raise them up in his own blood. And he will repay to each one according to their works, in the reward of life. But the wicked, who have no excuse for their unjust deeds, can say nothing in their defense, since they know nothing. and those who through the devil's arts have worshipped images. and when the diabolical crowd has performed endless evil deeds, They will be clothed with the confusion brought by their own deeds. and they will descend into the pit of hell with the devil. the one who seized them because he wanted to be like God. Therefore, in truth and with confidence, this must be believed.

Judgment, Resurrection, and Final Rewards

Hildegard warns teachers, describes the last judgment, and contrasts the fates of the righteous and the wicked.

Because there is one divinity in three persons, and three persons in one divinity, one life, one eternity. And whoever does not believe this will be uprooted from the day of salvation. This is the end. But you, O masters and teachers of the people — why are you blind and mute in the inner knowledge of the learning that God has set before you? just as God established the sun, the moon, and the stars — so that through them a rational person might know and discern the seasons of the times? The knowledge of the Scriptures has been set before you. so that in it, as if in a ray of the sun, you may recognize each danger. and that through your teaching, in the unbelief of those who err, you may shine like the moon in the darkness of the night. Those who are like the Sadducees and heretics. and like many others who err in faith and are shut in among you. And many among you know people who, with faces bowed down, live like cattle and beasts. For they neither see nor wish to know that through the breath of life they are rational beings. nor do they lift their heads to the one who created them and governs them through the five senses he gave them. So why is it that in a rational human being there is the likeness of a beast that bows low? Because it is stirred up by a blast of air. It breathes out again, and in this way it comes to an end. And that it has no other knowledge besides this. It perceives what it senses and fears whatever strikes it. And that it accomplishes nothing on its own unless it is driven toward this end? And how is it right that a human being should be in the company of a beast, something that is subject to it through service? And through which it is fed. And so the one over whom he commands and rules is not rational. Whence the highest Father speaks to the Son! Just as it is written through the Holy Spirit. Rule them with an iron rod!^✦ Like a potter's vessel, you will shatter them.^✦ What does he say? Those who resist you are kings. Chastising them with an iron rod that is hard. And like a potter's vessel made of clay, you will shatter them.^✦^✦^✦⁴⁰ Because they too are made of earth.^✦ For they do not enter through the door of uprightness by faith.^✦ Nor do they go out through the reputation of good works, since they are thieves.^✦ And through the ownership of their own will they sacrifice and destroy whatever they wish, because they are hypocrites.⁴¹⁴² Overturning the law for themselves unto destruction. But you, who in magisterial teaching are like the moon and stars to those listening—^✦^✦⁴³ Yet you ruminate on Scripture more for the sake of the world's honor and riches than for the sake of God.⁴⁴ Listen and understand: it would have been far more necessary for you to tear apart the nighttime darkness of those who wander and of faithless people — those who don't know which road to walk. so that through faith you might draw them to yourselves. Now then, guide them through true admonition, showing them that in the beginning God created heaven and earth and the remaining creatures for the sake of humankind. And he placed humankind in the delightful place of paradise.^✦ And he gave them the commandment that they transgressed! For which reason they were expelled into the darkness of this exile.^✦ In that very transgression it was shown how great an offense it was. Because a person doesn't belong to the Creator. But they obeyed the one who led them astray. Since it is more just to obey the Lord than a deceitful slave. Those who have joined themselves to the Lord their God are made like him. For with these words you are to fill their hearts with an iron rod. So that they may know. And so that they do not turn themselves away from their Creator. Or if through faithlessness they have turned aside from him. Let them fall into the pit of hell together with the one they have imitated. For those who persist in unbelief — they will be shattered like a potter's vessel that seems worthless and unfit to the potter. And this because they have not done the works of faith. They will not be able to enter into eternal life. For just as a vessel of ill-making, once broken, is not restored by the potter but is shattered to pieces —⁴⁵ Take these words to heart, you who rule over God's people. And fix your gaze on the invisible God, whom no one can overcome and no one can see with the eyes of the flesh.

Pastoral Responsibility and Visionary Authority

Hildegard exhorts leaders to steward their office well and defends her own visionary authority and writing.

And pay attention to how you are to steward the stewardship you received from him. For you have been glorified in his name with great honor. So rule the people in such a way that you won't blush before him on the day of judgment for your governance. Be careful too that through the pleasure of the flesh and the delights of the world you don't become so wearied that you can scarcely open one eye to heavenly teaching. But these things are hard for you, because whoever carefully attends to heavenly things in the things he governs wounds his whole self, since he draws away the desires of the flesh for himself. Therefore, because of the fear of God, who is life and truth— Don't look down on someone who writes in a feminine form, even though this learning in letters is unlearned, and who from her own infancy all the way into the seventieth year of her age was frail. And she did not see this writing with the eyes and ears of an external person, nor did she hear it. But she saw and heard it only in the inner knowledge of her soul. So don't lift your mind up on high by despising it. Because God made an irrational creature speak, just as he willed. It was in this vision — the one in which I, a humble figure of this sort, saw these things. From my infancy right up to the aforementioned age, it has never departed from my soul! And I wrote these aforementioned things in this place, which was destroyed by certain tyrants and lay waste through very many stretches of years — in which place the remains of blessed Robert rest, who was noble according to the dignity of the present age. And whom God gloriously gathered to himself in the twentieth year of her age — a place that now, at last, after those same years of desolation, has been restored through the grace of God and stands as a marvel among his works.⁴⁶ For the Lord was mindful of his holy words — those which he spoke to his disciples when he said:^✦ But the hairs of your head are all numbered.^✦⁴⁷ And he did not wish to omit them —^✦ but rather to reveal them.⁴⁸ For it is about the merits of the saints that we must write — so that their good and upright reputation may resound in the ears of the faithful. Just as creation, too, resounds with praise to God, because it was created by him. God, indeed, is eternal. And his work was made for the praise of his name. Since if the soul were not in the body of man— man would not live. Nor would the soul work without the flesh. So the angel is praise in God! And man is a work in God. Therefore, let praise be to him in all his wondrous works and in the merits of the saints, for he who is true eternity creates all things. And on the last day, by renewing heaven and earth. Whose height and depth no one else has touched. And the breadth of whose knowledge no one will be able to comprehend. This, then, is the Scripture! It is to be heard and understood by the faithful. O how glorious is divinity, which by creating and working through its own creature shows itself. Just as he did in the three boys, whom he so poured into. that without any vision of the Scriptures and without human teaching, they praised him in a furnace of fire. For just as a blessed soul, once stripped of the flesh, desires nothing other than to taste and to know God. So also those three blessed boys, still living in the flesh, ardently desiring God. they imitated the nature of the soul. God the Father also willed that His Son be named through the unbelief of ignorance. in Nebuchadnezzar.^✦ Just as even the evil spirits know him.^✦ and yet they do not confess him. To them all God often reveals his wonders. He also made known his own almighty power in Samson, that man of great strength. Samson, conquering lions and fierce beasts with his own courage. Yet he was deceived by his own wife, just as Adam was deceived by Eve. But then, regaining his strength, he conquered that woman and his remaining enemies. Just as Christ, too, despoiled hell. He devastated the power of his enemies. But in the hardest battle, David against Goliath. God prefigured that through the humanity of his Son he would bind the ancient serpent.^✦ But he also poured tremendous power into a soft, womanly sensibility. So that a woman, killing Holofernes by night, freed the people of Israel! And in this he foreshadowed the mother of his own Son. Through her the faithful people was to be freed. For in the ancient holy ones he figuratively made, through the prophecy of the prophets and the burnt offerings of rams and bulls, the covenant of the treaty. Because he foretold that the Church was to be joined to his Son through the union of betrothal.^✦ Through the garment, that is, of the humanity of the Son of God.^✦

History of Rupertsberg and the Saints’ Merits

Hildegard speaks of the Church’s union with Christ and introduces the story of blessed Robert and his mother.

The church clings to that same Son of God. In his own blood he endowed her as an inheritance for himself. So that she herself regenerates the offspring of baptism into life. Whom Eve brought forth to death. For Christ betrothed the church to himself in his own blood.^✦ Just as it was prefigured through the oath that Abraham's servant pledged under the thigh of his lord.^✦ Namely, that the church is to be betrothed to Christ. But when Lucifer perceived, with all his followers accompanying him. Because God the Father openly made a wedding for his Son, it raged against itself. And just as Cain struck out at the blood of Abel, so he invaded the hearts of unbelievers and tyrants, to seize the just, to lay hold of the good and chosen of God, to wound and kill them. This is why Christ spoke in a parable to his disciples about a man who was a king, who sent servants on behalf of the uninvited to a wedding. But they were unwilling to come. He sent other servants to them so that they might come. because his meal had been prepared. When they had disregarded this, they seized his servants and, having treated them with contempt, killed them. because God had first sent the ancient saints —^✦ and the apostles who were sent afterwards — the Jews and other unbelieving men, gathering together often in great joy, destroyed them from the earth.⁴⁹ But God, through the bow placed in the clouds of heaven, was mindful of his oath.^✦⁵⁰ when the Son — signified by the rainbow itself — chose to be born of a virgin nature, intact and whole. who conquered all his enemies by overcoming them with power. just as humankind had once been destroyed by the waters of the flood. yet in the new age, humankind was restored through the water of baptism. in the church, with Christ reigning. like a rainbow appearing in the clouds. For the church is joined to the Son of God. just as circumcision went ahead for the law — which was serving the church through a prefiguration. But the new age is adorned with gold through the adornment of the church. It will never be laughed at in utter failure. Just as the rainbow in the sky will never fail! But it will be restrained with fear in such a way, so that it can scarcely see with one eye. In the Son of God it will be restored again! Just as it will be recovered again in the time of the Son of perdition! In the various colors also of the aforementioned bow. The powers of the virtues of the thousandfold number of the saints are signified. In the fiery heat, namely, chastity and continence; in the purple, the martyrdoms of martyrs. In the jacinth color, the teaching of the elders. In the green, however, the virtues of the good works of the saints are received. which are purified through the Son of God by radiating forth. as rays proceed from the sun. The aforementioned king, however, having sent his armies, destroyed those murderers and burned their city. because when pains, namely old and new, had passed by in their advance. Almighty God was angry at his enemies, when the Roman princes overthrew Jerusalem, which had been drenched with the blood of the true Lamb and with the blood of the other saints.^✦ By undermining it they overthrew it completely. And all their lawful customs of those who dwelt in it. By killing them and selling them into slavery, they destroyed them. Then the church was rebuilt once more. Just as the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descended from heaven.^✦ Prepared by God, like a bride adorned for her husband!^✦ Because the Lamb of God gathered them to himself.^✦ Of the nursing infant. Of boyish years. Of youthful years. People of mature and decrepit age. To whom He established the Church in the newness of good works. And He adorned it in the humility of the virtues descending from heaven. Just as each of them accomplished good and holy deeds. Prepared by the Holy Spirit, just as a bride is adorned for her husband when she burns with love for him.^✦

Life and Holiness of Blessed Robert

Hildegard narrates the early life, virtues, and pilgrimage of blessed Robert.

Just as the Church is also joined to Christ. So also in his chosen one — namely, the blessed Robert — God worked. Whom in his infancy he entirely filled with grace. And whom he led through to a good end. He, distinguished by birth and by the riches of the world, through the freedom of God's blessing proved dear to God. Life of Saint Robert, our most beloved patron. For as I see in a true vision: The blessed patron Robert, bereaved of his father, living in this place with his widowed mother. and sweating over good works. and to God in chastity. in humility. and serving in holiness. though he traded in fleeting and temporal things, he earned eternal rewards. For just as a living light in a true vision showed itself to me and taught me, so I will speak about him. Wherever there was a reputation for true holiness, That was a place where holiness could stand and endure for a long time. But wherever true holiness was not present, there falsehood could not last for long. But in blessed Robert, true holiness was present. Just as divine majesty openly shows forth, when he transferred me and certain sisters with me to the place of his relics through a great miracle and great visions! so that it is plainly visible to all who see and wish to know. The father, then, of the mother of blessed Robert was from Lothringen.⁵¹ A prince rose to prominence in that same place. And he held great breadth of estates and riches in the region of her birth, and in other regions laid out all around, and along the flowing waters of the Rhine in rich lands. And he was considered great and renowned among the princes of the world. Being truly Catholic, he shone forth in the time of the great Emperor Charles. And he joined to himself in marriage the girl — namely, mother Bertha — born from distant regions in great riches. From her he had a daughter — the mother, namely, of blessed Robert. From her, while she had a daughter — the mother, namely, of blessed Robert. He gave her in marriage, now grown, to a certain pagan and tyrant. He was, however, a noble and distinguished duke by worldly standing — a man called Robolaus — at a time when pagans and Christians still lived side by side, because the true faith was only in its earliest beginnings.⁵² He joined her to him in the glory of a solemn marriage.⁵³ And the estates he had around the Rhine in fertile meadows he bestowed on that same daughter of his as a dowry.⁵⁴ This was on account of the distinction of his lineage.⁵⁵ And because of the extent of his estates, this same Robolaus could have been compelled to embrace the Christian faith! Yet this profited nothing. After he had lived with her praiseworthily for some time, Afterward, seeing her respectable character, he took it very hard. And he joined himself to foreign women. He did not, however, abandon her in the way of marriage. But he wielded the tyranny of an unbelieving mind. He did not cherish baptism. Whence this blessed woman was tormented greatly. Vowing in her heart to God. So that she might be freed from him. She would not be joined to the marriage bed of another man. And even at this she sighed. With tears. With prayers. And with alms, offering a sacrifice of praise to God, she said:^✦ O. O. When will I be freed from the business of this world? What soul of mine and body is to my bitter prison? But let's speak of the kindness of blessed Bertha rather than of her holiness! Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will. For she at last conceived and gave birth to a son! And if it were permitted to say. she wrapped him in cloths, as the blessed mother of God Mary wrapped her son. Whose father, powerful with the very great glory of the world, was as was said before. On that mountain which is called Lubun she had a very strongly fortified stronghold. And throughout that whole province, nearly all the way to the city of Mainz, he held the duchy. And when the blessed child Robert was three years old, his father, fighting in great battles against Christians, was killed, and perished before God and men! And blessed Bertha, his wife, remained a widow. Seeing herself freed from the bond of her husband and from the cares of the world, she abandoned the castle mentioned above. And she went to another place, one situated above the river Nahe, where her own relics and those of blessed Robert now rest. And there she built a church. She also cast off the costliness and splendor of her garments. And she no longer paid any heed to the dignity of her own family or her riches. Instead, she clothed herself in cheap, coarse garments, like sackcloth, and was girded with a belt. From then on she served God in the continence of widowhood, devoted to him as she had long desired. She also gathered to herself many perfect and other good men. And she remained in the aforementioned place. And there, she mortified herself with vigils and fastings. Ministering to God daily with prayers and alms, she strengthened her son in holiness by her good example, because she feared that through her relatives and friends he might be drawn toward the pleasures of the world.

Robert’s Mother and the Foundation at Rupertsberg

Hildegard tells of Robert’s mother Bertha, her widowhood, and the building of dwellings and care for the poor.

And she did this so that it wouldn't happen. Day and night she would entrust it to God. But nevertheless, many tyrants — those who worshipped Christ just as much as they served idols — kept harassing her in the meantime. They were as captivated by the refinement of her lineage and of her own body as they were gaping after her wealth and estates. They were eager to be joined to her in marriage. But she herself drove them all away with one mind, one will, and one soul.⁵⁶ And she strove to please God alone. And she labored to raise her son for the glory of God rather than for the honor of the world. And so, while she saw good virtues rising up in him through the good hope of heavenly life, and noticed his soul leaning more toward eternal things than toward passing ones, she rejoiced over the many gifts of the Holy Spirit that she saw in him. For the same blessed Robert, when he was an infant still nursing at the breast, showed none of the spiteful ways of a child — no whining, no fits of anger. And once he was weaned from milk, as a boy he was in his character like a person who strives toward God with the most earnest intention. For this reason his father, holding him in hatred, had often declared, while he lived, that he had become foolish and senseless. But those who worshipped God with a good and upright faith — seeing this boy so well-disposed in his boyhood — they loved him greatly. And they said he would be blessed, even if through ignorance — yet they truly said it. For the Holy Spirit, who had poured his grace into the patriarch Jacob in his mother's womb — he inspired this infant too. Because God often works his miracles in these matters too. One who is still soft in body, full of life's blood and vigor, does not yet have full knowledge. It's like a grain of wheat that is ground into flour through a mill. Before it can be cooked and eaten, water must be added to it. God, mindful from the very first of creation, does not disdain Adam. Instead, he changes the breath of life into a coagulated form that is unclean because of sin. And although, through the foaming suggestions of the devil, this coagulated form may be twisted, and although it was changed from the pure formation of the first man into this unclean coagulation of viper-like ways, God nevertheless makes it, through the breath of life, something that can be understood. And some people, born more in malice than in the sweetness of the flesh, are drawn to what they choose for themselves, and they flee from good knowledge as if it were a stench. But others love sin more in the taste of the flesh than in malice. But some people turn away from both malice and the delight they take in sin, and they turn themselves toward real knowledge. But those who accomplish their malice through malice — they are like the devil, who saw the brightness of his own glorious honor — and, trusting in himself, refused to acknowledge God. That is why many of them will perish. But those who are driven to sin more by the pull of the flesh than by malice are called sinners. Yet from among them, God chooses many and makes them pillars of heaven, when the abundance of sinners repents and is ashamed, and sets things right.^✦ But those who perceive themselves as intelligible through the breath of life, and who turn toward good knowledge while fleeing evil— estranged from the earthly world in mind, they are in heaven. and they are joined with angels. Therefore the aforementioned coagulation, sweating from the earthly body— it also exists according to the manner of earth. because the earth is of a certain great hardness. because through no labor can it produce fruit. Yet when cultivated with hard labor, it scarcely produces any fruits. But some soil is so soft and moist that, once turned by the plough, it yields abundant fruit.⁵⁷ And since man understands through the intellect what is sweet or bitter to himself, if he chooses the work of restoration in right knowledge,⁵⁸⁵⁹ the Holy Spirit will give him the vitality to bring that same work to completion.⁶⁰⁶¹ But if he seizes death in his sins,⁶² the first deceiver, who kindled sin at its very origin, breathes death upon him.⁶³⁶⁴ And just as the Holy Spirit brings the vitality of heavenly desire to those who strive, and like a plough through penance turns many sinners back,⁶⁵⁶⁶ so that they may arrive at the heavenly kingdom. In the same way, the evil spirit also blows into them through the vicious evils they strive after. And it often drives them to despair. so that they are plunged into the places of Tartarus. In all these things, they receive the reward they seek. So if they seek life from God, it will be given to them. But if they turn toward deadly things, they receive death through the blowing of the devil. A human being possesses both sensuality and understanding in all their works. and can dig the earth and sow seed upon it. yet without God's action that seed would lie dead in the ground, without fruit. if God did not give it life. For in the fullness of blessing — a fruitful land, that is, a land of goodwill — God loved Jacob before he was born.⁶⁷ and in that same inspiration he visited the blessed boy Robert in his infancy. For God foresaw that the perceptible earth of this blessed boy would long to pant toward God. and because this milk, still drawing suckle, was beginning in its own habits. Everyone who saw him loved him deeply! since wherever there is benevolence in a person, the desires of people are kindled toward love of him. Like a rose falling upon a grain of wheat to draw out its greenness, And so when this boy was seven years old and wanted to learn his letters — the very letters by which his mother was having him instructed — but she still refused to let him become a cleric. Instead, in place of his father she was arranging for him to be the leader of her province and the defender of the churches.

Robert’s Youth and Vision

Hildegard describes Robert’s mercy to the poor, his dream of the heavenly place, and his resolve to follow Christ.

He himself, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, was merciful toward the poor. For ministry and the support of goodwill are one and the same.⁶⁸ In the same way that the inner organs, serving a person, hold that person together.⁶⁹ For also, after the manner of small children, wherever he found poor little ones, he would bring them to his mother.⁷⁰ He presented them to his own mother, saying: "Mother!" "Here are your sons."⁷¹ This deed she, receiving graciously.⁷² She answered him, My son! They are your brothers. And since he was being raised fittingly and honorably, advancing in age and in wisdom before God and men, educated in holy morals and virtues, he reached young manhood. Anointed with the oil of holiness, as David was anointed with the oil of gladness before his companions, and with all the effort of his mind he scorned the glory of the whole world. Although she seemed to have her bodily presence among people, in good character she lived devoutly — for indeed she did. and she was a constant presence at church, attending with devout prayers! and she was taught the things found in the sacred writings. She committed what she had learned to a good memory through pious effort. And when she had reached the twelfth year of her age, her mother said to him: "My son!" Since we have so many resources and riches, let us make the oracle for the honor of God and the salvation of our souls.⁷³ To this she answered: Not 'mother'! but first let us attend to what the gospel has. For Christ says: Break your bread for the hungry!^✦ and bring the needy and wandering into your house.^✦ And again. When you see someone naked, cover him.^✦ And do not despise your own flesh.^✦ When his mother heard this, she rejoiced greatly! Because her son had given her such sound counsel. For through the Holy Spirit, good and holy desires distilled in his heart like balsam. And they quietly discussed among themselves how the things he had spoken of could be done. And so she fell asleep. And so, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, she saw a certain old man in a dream. He had a beautiful face and was washing several young boys in clear water. Afterward he brought them into an orchard, a most delightful place filled with every kind of flower and tree. And it was filled with the fragrance of all spices, drawing them in. He clothed them in a robe of the brightest white. And blessed Robert, drawn by the beauty of that very place, said to the old man. I want to stay here. The old man replied to him: You will not remain here much longer, because you will prepare for yourself a fruitful ladder into heaven, where you will be the companion of angels. So whatever you have planned to do for the poor, don't neglect to complete it. so that through their food and clothing you may be fed with the food of life, and may be clothed with the garment through which Adam was stripped by his disobedience. and having become a stranger to the world in your mind, Choose the best portion for yourself. But after the blessed boy Robert awoke — She told her mother what she had seen in her dreams. This weighed heavily on her mother. She fell on her knees before God in prayer, saying: O Lord my God. You will fulfill my desire in my son. And then both the mother and her son built some dwellings along the bank of flowing waters. There they took in the poor and the naked. They provided them with food and clothing through two faithful and holy men. One of them, called Wichbert, served them in the priesthood. The other, however, was one of their own ministeriales. He was unlearned. This same blessed Robert, tender in age and in his own nobility, forgot both on account of the love of Christ. He washed the feet of the poor time and again. He set food and drink before them. And he often spread out beds for them. And so he served God faithfully right up to the fifteenth year of his age. And because she was powerful in the world's splendor through great wealth and a large household, she saw that through these things she was being drawn toward the world, and at last she began to consider within herself how blessed Alexius left behind his father and mother, his home, and his worldly riches as a pilgrim. And she chose entirely to follow his example in this. so that she might serve God all the more freely in quietness. Because his mother, sensing certain signs in him, although she kept it hidden from him, said to him with tears.

Robert’s Pilgrimage and Return

Hildegard narrates Robert’s pilgrimage to Rome, his return, and his distribution of goods to the poor.

My son! Remember the grief of your mother's tender love. And pay attention to the groaning of your widowed mother. And look upon your household, which trusts in you alone. And foresee that you do not bring unbearable misery upon us. For from our resources you will be able to distribute to the poor and needy and to all who lack, according to what will have pleased you. You will be able to distribute. And what is better and more profitable for you! How can you serve God like this? This, with his own mother speaking with many tears and many groans. In his heart this blessed young man is greatly troubled. At the same time certain nobles came to him, as much from among strangers as from among his own relatives, saying: You, who have so much honor of rank and so great riches of the world— why do you make yourself so contemptible? And with these and other similar words they tormented him daily, tempting him to see if they could turn him from his good purpose and from his good path. When he realized this, he said to his mother: Look, through the devil's prompting—the one who envies my purpose and my life—I'll be entangled in the world, caught in it despite myself. And I will follow in my father's footsteps, even though I'm reluctant. For this is why I had been longing to go on pilgrimage. so that I might be able to serve God alone all the more freely. When she heard this, his mother, who had placed all her hope in God, was distressed and weighed down with anxiety, and she was afraid that her son, enticed by the nobility of his family line, might become ensnared in the world. He would rather have no heir at all than watch his own son tangled up in the world's traps and serving the devil. To him, as much as he could bear from grief, he said: Son! Since I see you tossed about by so many schemes and being pulled unsuitably toward the world, do what you want!⁷⁴ And the pilgrimage you have resisted so long — undertake it. And may he to whom it was said, 'You alone are a pilgrim in Jerusalem,' be on your journey.⁷⁵ And may he send you back to me safe, for the glory of his name. But he, in accordance with his mother's will, set out on the pilgrimage and traveled to the thresholds of the holy apostles Peter and Paul with some of his own men. When the people of that region saw him, they marveled at him and said to one another, Truly! This man is noble. For his face, bright with kindness, shone as it appeared. because the grace of the Holy Spirit had poured over him! And so everyone who looked upon him loved him with the embrace of charity. Just as a star shines brightly and clearly without a cloud, so too the benevolence in a person's face is clearly seen, because that same person is in the good custom of the Holy Spirit. And when blessed Robert daily commended himself to God, through the merits of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, he stayed there for some time. And while he was staying there, he was asked by certain religious men from the same region⁷⁶ whose way of life or desire it was. To them he opened up everything he had in his heart. But they gave him advice that he should pay attention to this gospel, where it is written. Go and sell everything you have, give to the poor, and come follow me. because such a pilgrimage would be good and profitable for him. lest the riches of his nobility drag him down to ruin. He let himself be guided by their counsel and resolved in his mind to do just that. At last he returned to his mother on his very large estate and built villas and churches in those places where none yet stood. And he distributed these things to his own people. so that those who remained there and that they should serve her, his own mother, as long as she lived. and that they should assist all who came to them and those toiling in need, as a help. He himself, however, held the leadership. his mother. his household. and to leave behind her possessions and everything she had. and he was thinking of becoming a pilgrim for the sake of Christ. The estate of his lands, which he had held by hereditary right as much from his father as from his mother and from the others who stood as his parents.⁷⁷ from that place where his own remains are laid to rest.⁷⁸ namely where the Nava river flows into the Rhine.⁷⁹ It stretched upstream along the bank of the Rhine as far as the river Selsa.⁸⁰ and then to two other rivers, of which the first is the Wiese.⁸¹ the second is called the Apfla, and he crossed over.⁸²⁸³ And there, beyond the Nava, a small stream called the Elra — which is the middle one of three rivers of the same name — rose upward.⁸⁴⁸⁵⁸⁶ And from here it stretched to the Simera river. And from there, back through the forest, to the place where the river called the Heinbach empties into the Rhine. The dwelling of both blessed Robert and his mother at that same time were in that very spot, on account of the sweetness of the flowing waters, where their relics now rest. And their city, situated in the same place, was fortified with the strongest buildings. It extended across the whole adjacent plain, right up to the base of the neighboring mountain and all the way to the bank of the Rhine. But on the other side, there was a village along the Nahe River. In it were the dwellings of their servants and fishermen, the stables for their horses, and the granaries where their grain was stored. And there were winepresses where their wine was pressed. In those same places, too, there was greater celebration and a greater abundance of wealth and of all secular prestige at that time than in other cities of the same region. than in other cities of the same region. because the coming and going of many people from different provinces was constantly passing through there. Eventually, when blessed Robert had reached young manhood, namely when he was already almost twenty years old, many of his relatives and attendants were dragging him, even though he resisted, toward the pleasure of the world — people he himself, because he burned wholly with love for God, pushed away from himself with kind and fitting words! because God knows all things — future as well as past and present. he had foreseen that something different would come about in him. For while the same blessed one was like a tree full of fruit,

Robert’s Early Death and Miracles

Hildegard recounts Robert’s illness, death at twenty, and the miracles at his tomb.

He was endowed with such a rich and refined nature that through nobility and worldly riches his mind could easily be turned against what is good and wither in holiness.⁸⁷ As it often happens in certain people. Those who began good works in which they later withered. God took him to himself. For some, always feasting at the banquets of sinners, sometimes promise God, according to their own will, that they might someday repent of their sins. And this is how the devil often deceives them, so that afterwards they sin more in lasciviousness than if they had not held that vow in their heart! because it is a time for sinning. And they set themselves a time to abandon their sins. For these people arrange, in their own conduct, the time at which they will stop sinning. And meanwhile they commit graver sins than they had sinned before. And so they treat their claim to pleasure as if it were God.⁸⁸ And in this sweetness they are deceived by the devil, since he pours into them the desire to do everything they want according to their own wills. because they are going to possess those pleasures for only a short time. God had foreseen these spirits when he said.^✦ For all the gods of the nations are demons!^✦ because just as the nations call the form their hands have made their god.^✦ so too these people make their own will their god, since they set before themselves the belief that they can do whatever they want. just as the ancient serpent also said.^✦ On the day you eat of it, you will be like gods.^✦ because he reckoned within himself that a human being could accomplish whatever he might desire through the taste of the flesh in his own longing. So too, when he looked upon his glorious honor. he thought to himself that he could accomplish whatever he willed! and because God crushed the perversity of his will!⁸⁹ therefore he himself holds God and all his works and gifts in hatred. In this hatred, however, he is completely blinded. so that he truly is unable to know what is right.⁹⁰ because he can no longer harm a human being. unless God permits it to the degree that he wills. And in this same blindness, it does not fully know the miracles of the humanity of the Son of God. But it holds them in doubt. because God, who cast that one into hell, does not want her to know. All the pleasures of the flesh of man, therefore, and the most savage wickednesses of the devil will be turned into dispersion. like straw before the face of the wind. because just as the heat of the wind dries up and scatters whatever is lighter in creatures, so also the gaze of God reduces all evils to nothing. But people, too, are set ablaze by the wickedness of the devil, aimed at the pleasure of the flesh. As if they create a face for themselves about which it is said— Fill their faces with disgrace!^✦ Because with a fullness of filth their desires are sated, and in them they are even shamefully exposed. Because since they work within themselves what they choose for themselves as the pleasure of the flesh, by the disgrace of Satan's fall they are defiled. And because without fear they wish to work in the pleasure of their flesh as if they were gods. In the grip of evil, in which they struggle to stand. Shamefully they will be scattered. So whatever a person accomplishes apart from God counts as nothing. And each one will receive a reward in proportion to his own labor, from the one who created him.^✦ Yet God does not find in his beloved Robert a straw tossed by the wind!^✦⁹¹ For whatever that same saint received through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit — with the Spirit's help, he swiftly brought it to completion. He did not set aside any time for his own interests. In short, the mother of this blessed young man Robert, when she served God devoutly in the continence of widowhood with good and holy works — saw a dream by divine revelation. A rib — specifically one from his own side — had fallen away. Because of this she was deeply frightened, and she poured out frequent groans and constant sighs from her heart. And so it was revealed shortly afterward, not long after that time had passed. For his son, blessed Robert, was filled with the devotion of the intention he had vowed to God, so that he might fulfill it. He began to grow weak with severe fevers. During that illness, the old man whom she had recently seen in dreams appeared to her, saying: I am the Ancient of Days, who appeared to Daniel in a vision of the night.^✦ And now I reveal myself to you as well. I call you to the glory of infinite blessedness! Because through the boundary that I once showed you in a vision, you are now completing good and holy works. Truly, I foretold this. When he had awakened from sleep, he was struck with distress and fear, because he wanted to fulfill what he had vowed to God in his heart's longing. He told his mother, who had seen it, what he had learned. But she was immediately struck with the deepest grief. What groaning, what weeping she poured out upon hearing these things! Anyone who has suffered similarly can notice this. And so, when that blessed man had labored for thirty days in the aforementioned infirmity, in the twentieth year of his life, God took him from this life in good confession and in the fear of God. He did this lest, if the young man should reach mature age, he might walk in the ways of his own father. For he who knows all things foreknew what would be fitting for him. For God anticipated him. And he withdrew him, shining in innocence, from this life. He was buried in the oratory that he and his mother had built over the river on the estate mentioned before, as great crowds from the entire region gathered for the occasion. Others wept for him, because he'd been taken from this life before his time. But still others rejoiced over him! This was because of the miracles that God worked in that very place through him. That whole region was lit up like a day brightened by the sun. For over a period of eight years, God worked very many signs and miracles through the merits of this beloved of his in the place already mentioned — among the sick and among the lame. And also among captives. So much so that everyone who was afflicted in their tribulations —

Bertha’s Later Life and the Viking Destruction

Hildegard tells of Bertha’s long widowhood, her death, and the subsequent Viking destruction of Rupertsberg.

Coming to his tomb, through the grace of God they are freed. But blessed Bertha, God's chosen widow, after the happy death of her son, led a holy life from then on in deep contrition of heart. And everything she had at her son's tomb she offered for the service of God. And all things necessary for the congregation of brothers who were serving God in divine things in that same place. From these things she fully supplied them. For after the end of her son, in all goodness of fastings, alms, and prayers. Living for nearly twenty-five years, she completed many labors for the love of God piously and justly! And then she was seized by bodily weakness. She gave back to God the spirit she had always fixed on heavenly desires! And she was honorably buried in peace in the tomb of her son, on the aforementioned estate of her own. When she had passed away, the aforementioned place stood in the honor of holiness and in the peace of quiet, up to the tyranny of the Northmen. For indeed, after some years had passed since the happy passing of this blessed Bertha, the people of the Northmen, having gone out from their own borders, devastated very many cities around the streams of the Rhine by divine judgment. Trier also it destroyed! And so, advancing by raiding, they reached the city of Rupertsberg — the property, that is, of blessed Robert — where the ship-river flows into the Rhine, which was spoken of above. They also reduced this ruin and fire to nothing. When this had been done! When these wicked men, struck down at last, had laid down their savagery. And they returned to their own lands. The inhabitants of the place just mentioned — those who had survived and who had been scattered into various hiding places — returned. And seeing their city torn down. On the other side of the ship-channel, because of the protection of the mountains lying near, where rivers flow down. They were building other dwellings for themselves. And everything that was in the timber — they were able to carry away from the aforesaid destroyed place what they could in stones, in the foundations that had been torn out, and in other supplies and materials. To the other bank of the river they carried these things by boat, there to settle and dwell. And so the former place, which had once flourished with the thronging of peoples, the height of its buildings, and the abundance of its riches, has been left desolate. And through the times that followed it was led to greater and greater desolation. Because all the estates that blessed Robert had held by hereditary right — through strangers and various men have been torn apart into opposition and the scattering of dissolution. And nothing of all this remained untouched except the church in which that same chosen one of God — as was said above — rested together with his mother. And it has lasted right up to our own times. So too, we have seen it with our own eyes. When we arrived at that same place by divine guidance! And except for a few small vineyards belonging to that same church. which, by Lord Hermann, bishop of Hildesheim, and his brother, the nobleman called Bernhard. through us, at our own expense, we acquired. And because blessed Robert is truly blessed and truly holy.

Heavenly Praise and the Golden City

Hildegard hears a heavenly voice praising Jerusalem and blessed Robert.

I heard and learned this in the heavenly harmony. O Jerusalem, golden city! Clothed in the king's purple. O building of the highest goodness, you are a light that never darkens. For you are adorned in the dawn and in the heat of the sun. O blessed childhood, you glow red in the dawn. And O praiseworthy youth, you burn in the sun. For you, O noble Robert, shone like a gem in these things. How can you hide from foolish people? Just as a mountain isn't hidden from the valley, your windows, O Jerusalem, are adorned with topaz and sapphire in a singular way.^✦^✦ In these you shine, O Robert. Nor can you hide from those of lukewarm character, just as a mountain crowned with roses, lilies, and purple can't be hidden in plain sight.^✦ These, when they had been planted in another vineyard,^✦ there the Holy Spirit carried them. And he joined them to you nobly, in his mystery. O tender flower of the field, and O sweet greenness of the fruit, and O burden without pith — which has not bent hearts into crimes. O noble vessel, which is not polluted nor devoured in the dancing of the ancient cave, and which is not wounded in the wounds of the ancient destroyer. In you the Holy Spirit symphonizes, because you are joined to the angelic choirs. And since you are adorned in the Son of God, because you have no stain. You are that beautiful vessel, O Robert, who in boyhood and in your youth longed for God in the fear of God, and in the embrace of love, and in the sweetest fragrance of good works. O Jerusalem, your foundation is set with torrents of stones — that is, with tax collectors and sinners, who were lost sheep.^✦ But through the Son of God having been found, they ran to you! And in you they are placed. Then your walls flash with lightning, built from living stones who, through the highest zeal of good will, flew like clouds in the sky. And so do your towers, O Jerusalem. They glow red and shine white through the redness and brightness of the saints, and through all the adornments of God. These things are not lacking to you, O Jerusalem. Therefore, O you who are adorned and crowned, who dwell in Jerusalem. And O Robert, who are their companion in this dwelling, come to the aid of those who serve you and labor in exile. O blessed vision, when in the friend of God, Robert, the flame of life flashed brilliantly. So much so that the love of God flowed in his heart, embracing the fear of the Lord. And so the recognition of him flourished even among the citizens of heaven. O most blessed Robert, in the bloom of your youth you neither produced nor carried the vices of the devil. You left behind the shipwrecked world. Now intercede for those who serve you in God. And again I heard a voice from heaven. It spoke in this way, in another manner. The first sound endured in that way. It came forth from God.

Robert’s Glory and Intercession

Hildegard extols Robert’s purity and intercession and the joy of the Church in Christ.

until he himself restored the human race in the womb of a virgin. And the same sound was life. It didn't pass through the way wind passes through. He himself sounded out in a voice so great that it reached to the abyss! just as on the last day he will raise up every human race anew with that same power. so that on the first day from him it went forth. This is the word that John bears witness to! Through which all things were made in their forms. Then God made man in his own image and likeness.^✦ Indeed, the birds, the animals, the beasts, and the fish are present to man.^✦ For both the angels and the spirits of the blessed are before God. But in this, that a word went out from God —^✦ God the Father named the Son.^✦ And the Word, begotten from God, was life.^✦ And the Word through which all things were made!^✦ And it was made flesh in the world.^✦ In this way God willed to be joined to humankind! because he made humankind like himself.^✦ Whence that same Living One says: because he labored in the first age. what was pleasing to him. Afterward, when it had reached the midpoint! Ruin lay open. What will follow next? It is hidden away. Alas! Alas! O warrior, rise up! Examine each case with your righteous judgments. so that they may be without ruin. O Word of the Father. You are the light of the first dawn in the circle of the wheel.⁹² Working all things in divine power. O You, the foreknowledge of God. You foreknew all your works just as you willed. So that it lay hidden in the midst of your power. Because you foreknew all things and, having worked, you are as if in the likeness of a wheel — with all things surrounding it — which the enemy did not perceive.⁹³ And yet in the end she was not laid low. When the deceitful devil deceived the man whom God had formed. In God there was the power that pleased him, which the ancient serpent never knew or tasted through all its searching. That is the beautiful form of the Son of God, who overthrew the devil into the abyss. And he drew the breath of man to himself. And he splits open the belly of the devil. So that through his own wounds he might free the man who had passed through its entrails. And he would lift him from the prisons of hell, and adorn him again with the bright white wings of cloud. So then, O man, rejoice! Because God made you. So much so that you are the banner of the holy army of the Godhead. And through you he accomplished victory when he shattered the bars of hell. And yet in your very formation, from the middle of the side of the world, the earth flowed forth. So that the whole angelic host saw you and marveled greatly! And so he sealed you with heavenly symphony in angelic triumph, where you will bring the forms of virtues to completion in your struggles. Rejoice then, O man, and do not let yourself be led astray through ignorance into mockery, as though you were not set among your great honors. because God made you so that all his miracles would be worked out most fully in you. For when the mist of death was drawn into a feminine form, it was so that Eve in pain brought forth within herself from a place of joy all the sons of men being born, where she went into exile. because the serpent had deceived her about the evil he had taken up! then through another feminine form she was withdrawn. For God in the ancient of days had foreseen that the devil wanted to suffocate life through a woman, and so in wisdom he built such a great tower. in order that through another woman he might bring forth another life. In chaste innocence. Come forth, O Wisdom—heaven and the angels worship you. And the whole heavenly host marvels at you, saying: Alas! Alas! From the mud of the earth all God's miracles have risen, adorned. So that a new sun would come forth. And a new light would shine forth! And a new song sounded through us. Therefore, O Wisdom, praise be to you. Because you found another woman, one the serpent could not deceive. Who is the Virgin Mary, who crowned every human race. So that from now on the devil could no longer deceive humanity as he had before. For Eve in her pain had conceived all weeping. But in Mary there was joy, the harp. And a symphony rang out.

The Incarnation and the New Eve

Hildegard celebrates the incarnation in Mary and the reversal of Eve’s sin through the Virgin Church.

She herself, for her own son, speaks of virginity in this way to him: O most beloved son, whom I bore in my womb, by the power of the wheel of holy divinity surrounding me, which created me.⁹⁴ and he ordained all my limbs. And in my womb he established every kind of music in all the flowers of tones! Now both me and you — O sweetest son — a great crowd of virgins follows. Through your help, deign to save them, as they say: In God we walk, and all of us follow you! cultivating the angelic order. We have sweated from the dust! and we embrace you, O son of holy betrothal, yourself. Symphony of virgins. Whence, O most sweet lover and O most sweet embracer! Help us to guard our virginity. We are born in the dust. Alas, alas, and in crime for this! and therefore it is very hard to resist what has the taste of fruit. But you, raise us up, Savior Christ. We long, with burning desire, to follow you. O how grievous it is for us wretched ones to imitate you, the immaculate and innocent King of angels. Even so, we place our trust in you. For you are willing to seek out a gem in rottenness. Now we call upon you as our Bridegroom and Consoler, who redeemed us on the cross. In your blood we are joined to you in betrothal, rejecting man and choosing you, the Son of God. O most beautiful form! O sweetest fragrance of longed-for delights! We sigh after you continually in our tearful exile — when may we see you and remain with you? We are in the world, and you are in our mind, and we embrace you in our heart as if we had you present. You, the strongest lion, burst through heaven, descending into the virgin's hall, and you destroyed death, building up life in a golden city.⁹⁵ Grant us fellowship with her, and to remain in you, O sweetest bridegroom, who dragged us away from the jaws of the devil, our first parent who seduced us.⁹⁶ But also those who follow you in the most loving love after a carnal union.⁹⁷ Deign to defend us from every attack of those lying in wait for us! crying out to you thus. The Harmony of Widows.⁹⁸ O father of all, and O king and emperor of the nations, who placed us in the rib of the first mother, who built for us a great fall and ruin.⁹⁹ And we who have followed her are now in our own cause in exile, joining ourselves to her grief. O most noble father, through highest zeal we run to you. And through most beloved and through sweetest repentance, which comes to us through you. We pant for you. And after grief we most devoutly embrace you. O most glorious and most beautiful Christ, who are the resurrection of life — we have left behind, for your sake, the fruitful lover of union, and we embrace you in heavenly love and in the virginal rod of your birth!^✦^✦ And in another turn we are joined to you more than we once were according to the flesh. Help us to persevere with you and to rejoice with you and never to be separated from you. O great Father, we are in great need. So now we beseech you — yes, we beseech you — through your Word, through which you established us as full, though we lack the very things we need. May it please you, Father — for it is fitting — to look upon us with your help, so that we do not fail. And may your name not be darkened in us. And through your very name, deign to help us. And again a voice from heaven was saying: O creature of God — you are a human being, built up in great holiness! For a holy divinity in humility has pierced the heavens. O how great is the devotion that in the clay of the earth the divine nature has shone forth.^✦ and that angels, ministering to God, see God in human form.^✦ But O how marvelous a thing this is — that ash lies in decay,^✦ and in the great misery of the wounds and sins of their own making, refuses to look toward God. But the Word of the Father, for the sake of humankind, was made flesh.^✦ So let everyone rejoice! and let them bewail their sins with a voice of weeping. turning back to him, he who took on flesh without sin! to wipe away their sins.¹⁰⁰ And now, most beloved, embrace this most noble young man, and love him with great reverence — the one who washed you in his own blood. And he has shown you the penance for your sins and the healing of your wounds. And again, a voice from heaven was sounding. O you wretched bench — flee, flee! They will give smoke of spices to the steep stair. Alas, alas, earthly cause. For she herself will hide herself. Because the living eye that sees into the jaw will strike it. The Spirit rejoices! O, unhappy earth mourns over itself. Ah, ah. She herself has windowed places in this time through the deception of the ancient serpent. But nevertheless the tearing of the veil of the temple of God has not yet come. O virgin church! It must be lamented, because a most savage wolf has torn your sons from your side. O woe to the crafty serpent. But O how precious is the blood of the Savior, which in the banner of the king has betrothed the church to himself! And so it seeks the sons of that one. Now then, let the maternal womb of the church rejoice!

Exhortation to the Daughters and Final Blessing

Hildegard exhorts her daughters to persevere, warns against laxity, and blesses the place and community.

Because in the heavenly symphony of the Son, they have been placed into his own embrace. Where now, O most shameless serpent, are you put to shame! Because those whom your reckoning held within its own inward parts! Now they shine in the blood of the Son of God. And so praise be to you, O most high King. O church like an orchard, girded with divine arms and adorned with jacinth!¹⁰¹ You are the warmth of the peoples' wounds and the city of knowledge!¹⁰² O, O, you are golden too in lofty sound!¹⁰³ And eat, budding gem. And again I heard a voice from heaven saying, O power of eternity, you who ordered all things in your heart through your word — all things are created just as you willed. And your very Word put on flesh in that formation which was brought forth from Adam. And so its garments were wiped away by the greatest grief. O how great is the kindness of the Savior, who freed all things through his own incarnation! How divinity breathed out without the bond of sin. And O blood of the blood that sounded on high, when all the elements entwined themselves. into a lamentable voice with trembling, because the blood of her own Creator touched her! Anoint your own from his wounds. O shepherd of souls, and O first voice through which all creatures were created!^✦ Now, Father, may it please you to deign to free your own from their miseries and infirmities. For one from the earth has risen, and he sounded forth on high.^✦^✦ That is, the brightest star, crying out to men with the clearest voice, that they should do penitence for their unjust deeds.^✦ For God remembered!^✦ He willed to recreate man through penitence, from his evil ways, into another manner of life.^✦ Let the heavens listen, and let the earth tremble, because God receives a repentant person. and that all the angels, receiving him in praise, venerate him. And woe to the one who despises a sinner, because the Son of God redeemed him in his own blood! and receives the repentant one. For first the work of the Word of God rushed to him in his own voice! and so it is done! Then the same Word placed the walls to be erected of the building. And so the world appeared. Then the eye of God looked upon the form of man. and sent the breath of life into it.¹⁰⁴ and knowledge filled that one's heart. And so heaven was full, and had eyes on every side! and served the Lord its own. Then, ah! — roaring.¹⁰⁵ Thus it said within itself. Alas, woe. Every creature of God thunders. and nothing is with me. And from its mouth there poured out, as it were, a black sea, because it was not bodily! and it sent its word to humankind. Then the Word of God saw that a cloud had touched its creature. and it came into the whole earth — namely, into the most noble virgin. from whom he took on flesh. And so he wiped away the black sea from man. And he confounded the ancient serpent.^✦ From this, O verdant branch!^✦ In your nobility you stand just as the dawn advances.^✦ Now rejoice and be glad, and deign to free your weak ones from evil habit. And stretch out your hand to raise us up. Hail, noble-born, glorious, and untouched maiden!^✦ You are the pupil of chastity, you are the very substance of holiness, which pleased God. For a heavenly infusion took place in you, because the heavenly Word clothed itself in flesh within you. You are a white lily, because God looked upon you before all creation. O most beautiful and sweetest one, how greatly God delighted in you when he placed the embrace of his warmth within you! so much so that his Son was nursed from you! For your womb had joy, when all the heavenly harmony sounded forth about you. because you are a virgin, and you carried the Son of God! where your chastity has shone out in God. Your womb had joy. Like grass on which dew falls, infusing it with greenness, as it pours itself into it — so too it has been done in you. O mother of all joy! Now let the whole church shine out in joy. and let it resound in harmony. on account of the sweetest virgin and praiseworthy Mary, the mother of God. Now again, hail — O branch and diadem of the king's purple, you who are enclosed within your own cloister like a breastplate. You, leafing out, blossomed in a different turn of events! How Adam would have brought forth the whole human race! Hail, hail — from your womb another life came forth. Through whom Adam had stripped his own sons. O flower, you did not sprout from dew, nor from drops of rain, nor did the air pass over you. But divine brightness brought you forth in a most noble branch. O branch, God had foreseen your bloom on the first day of his creation! And by his own Word he made you, O praiseworthy virgin, into a golden material. O how great is the side of man, in his own strength, from which God produced the form of woman.^✦¹⁰⁶ Whom he made the mirror of all his ornament.¹⁰⁷ And the embrace of all his creation. From this the heavenly instruments sing together, and all the earth marvels, O praiseworthy Mary, because God loved you greatly. O how greatly she is to be wept for and mourned.¹⁰⁸ Because sadness flowed into the woman through the serpent's counsel, into the crime.^✦¹⁰⁹ For the very woman whom God placed as mother of all.^✦¹¹⁰ And with its own wounds of ignorance, her inward parts were torn, and she brought forth a grief that overwhelmed her own race. But O dawn, a new sun came forth from your womb, who wiped away all the sins of Eve. and brought forth a greater blessing through you, than Eve had harmed humankind. Therefore, O Savior, you who brought forth a new light for the human race! Gather the limbs of your Son to heavenly harmony. And again I heard a voice from heaven saying, Behold, O golden strength, how glorious you are, you who appeared at the first sound. So that all the elements would receive life. And you afterwards tasted holiness in Abel. So that he would pour out innocent blood. And you afterwards showed new miracles through Noah in the ark. So that all the earth, stripped of the creatures that had been in it, would be laid bare. You, O Wisdom, brought forth new sap from the earth. And in Abraham you caused the name of the holy Trinity to be adored. And to him you gave the circumcision that foretold the incarnation of the Lord. O star! In your brightness you revealed the radiant beauty of your face before the sons of men. So that the Magi adored the Son of God as a nursing infant. And that his virtues were shining out from his face. When he called all the sons of men anew! Because all the elements and all the sons of men were seeing the Word of God in the face of man. Hear then, O man, and speak! I destroy jealousy! But I have contradiction within myself. Woe, woe to this evil! by which it condemned me. Therefore, O God, who made man in your image and likeness—^✦¹¹¹ and in him you perfected all good things. and every evil you crushed in him. And you broke the bars of the underworld, and carried off very many souls from it.^✦^✦¹¹² By the merits of these your powers, set free your faithful who have fulfilled the full duty of their own will!¹¹³¹¹⁴ But at times they have looked toward you in faith. And O, fire of the Spirit of the Paraclete, life of the life of every creature.¹¹⁵ Holy, you are, giving life to forms. Holy, you are, anointing those dangerously broken. Holy, you are, by wiping away foul wounds. O breath of holiness, O fire of love, O sweet taste in hearts, and pouring of hearts in the good fragrance of virtues.¹¹⁶ O most pure fountain, in which it is seen that God gathers the alienated and seeks the lost. O breastplate of life and hope of the framework of all limbs.¹¹⁷ And O, girdle of honor — keep them safe, the blessed ones. Guard those imprisoned by the enemy, and loose the ones bound, whom divine power wills to save. O mightiest path, which has penetrated all things — in the highest places, and in the earthly, and in every abyss — you arrange and gather them all together. Clouds flow from you. The sky takes flight. Stones hold moisture. Waters bring forth streams. And the earth sweats forth greenness. You are always bringing up the learned through the inspiration of wisdom, and they are gladdened by it. From you let praise arise to you, you who are the sound of praise and the joy of life, the hope and the highest honor, giving the rewards of light. O fiery spirit! Praise to you again! You who work among tambourines and harps. The minds of human beings burn with longing for you, and the dwelling places of their souls hold together their deepest powers. From there the will rises up and grants the soul a taste of its longing, and its lamp is desire. Understanding calls you with the sweetest sound. And with rationality it prepares buildings for you that toil in golden works. But you always have a sword to cut off that deadly fruit which it brings forth through the blackest murder. When a cloud rules the will — the will in which the soul flies and circles on every side. But the mind is the bond of the will and of desire. When indeed the mind raises itself up in this way — — it seeks the pupil of evil to see, and the jaw of wickedness.^✦ You burn it up in fire more quickly, whenever you will. But when rationality itself, through evil works, declines toward what is prone and downward — When you tighten her with forces, and break her down, and bring her back through an infusion of trials— But when evil draws its sword down upon you, you reforge that into her heart, just as you did in the case of the first lost angel. Where you cast the tower of pride down into hell. And there you raised up another tower among tax collectors and sinners. who confess their sins to you with their works. Therefore all the creatures that live from you praise you. Because you are the most precious ointment, broken and foul wounds into which you transform them into most precious gems. Now, gather people to yourself. and guide them into right paths. Now listen to me again, my daughters. and receive these words from the living light, with no trace of darkness in them! and keep yourselves from every evil in all things. For the hiss of the devil is coming! and the hiss of many storms. But the zealots will still grow weak at some point. The Greeks will be strengthened. The Romans will fall silent alongside the other Romans, like a burning fire that falls! And the Gauls will become raw recruits. But all these things will not last forever. And the passing age runs its course in three parts! In these three parts, kings and leaders will endure a flood of disturbances. And a king will rise, waging a great battle! And there is no one who can help him. unless a thousand-strong army of the uncircumcised And so people will be worn down. But God won't destroy your place, daughters of mine. but those who beg in vanity and negligence— he will put them to flight. And he will cast out schisms and terrors. Certain people, blind and lame, will try to swallow him up, but they won't prevail. because the spark of scrutiny will scrape them out. So make your minds like a person looking into a garden. In it flowers and fruit-bearing plants grow, so that he may take in the fragrance of those flowers through his nostrils. And so that he may eat from those same fruits. For the fragrance of flowers means that a person abstains from sins. It desires to imitate the goodness of the righteous. But the food of fruits — that is, where a person faithfully rules others subject to himself. Where, in the grace of God, he bestows alms on those in need. And where, in the grace of God, he bestows alms on those in need. And so, by saying this to himself, he deserves to hear the voice of the Lord. This man, through his own office, touches me! And through the giving of alms in mercy, he anoints me. He stands between two ways. Of which one is rotten. The other, shining through the sun. But the rotten way is the pleasure of this age. Which every faithful person ought to flee. …so that it not be suffocated in that. And this, once it has done! The saints sing in harmony to God by praising him, saying: Here, in the rottenness of the world's pleasure! It is not a human being. But whoever has looked upon God on the way of the sun's light, fearing and loving him… …will hear the voice of his Lord thus. Well done, good and faithful servant! But anyone who has turned aside to a rotten path— unless he tears himself away from it— he will run into the danger of the greatest disasters. So let praise be to the blood of Christ, which clothes its faithful with the breastplate of justice and the full armor of virtues.^✦¹¹⁸ For the blood of Christ restores the faithful to a place of refreshment. And you, O Jerusalem—rejoice, rejoice!^✦ For in the passion of the Son of God you welcome those who truly believe. And you, O dawn of salvation—you glow red in blessedness!^✦¹¹⁹ Because Jerusalem keeps her children in joy. And so the angels cry out in praise of them, saying, Let us gather grapes from your works in the winepress.^✦ And that is why we have you in our fellowship! Because the morning star flees like a serpent, hiding itself in its own cave.^✦ And so the Holy Spirit inspired certain people among certain nations! People who were not yet deceitful. O! O! O! Afterward God placed wisdom in the dawn. Ah, ah, ah. And he made an instrument in himself. Namely, a great mountain of justice. Ha, ha, ha. Now the justice of the mountain has become a way like a shadow. Through the greedy throat of those who wander. But you, O strength of the mountain, will not waste away completely like this. But you rise in a high window. When many eagles look upon you. O great thing, which lay hidden in no established order. So that it was not made nor created by anyone! But it remains in itself. O life, you rose at the dawn in which a great king mercifully revealed the wisdom that existed of old in a wise man. Because through the opening of the ancient destroyer, woman entered into death. O grief! Ah, I mourn! Alas, lamentation! You who were built up in woman. O dawn! You have washed in the form of the first rib. O feminine form, sister of wisdom! How glorious you are! Because the strongest life has risen in you! than death will never suffocate. You, Wisdom, raised her up! so that all creatures are adorned through you. into a better portion than they would have received in the first. Whence, O greenest branch, hail, you who came forth in the windy blast of the saints' inquiry. When the time came for you to bloom on your branches! Hail, hail — may the heat of the sun be welcome to you, since it sweated through you like the scent of balsam. For in you bloomed a beautiful flower that gave its fragrance to all the spices that had grown dry. And all things appeared in her, full of green vitality. From this the heavens sent dew upon the grass. and all the earth was glad, because her womb brought forth grain. and because the birds of the sky had nests in her. Then she became food for humans and the great joy of those who feast. From this, O sweet virgin, no joy is lacking in you. Eve despised all these things. But now let praise be to the Most High. O rod of mediation! Your holy womb overcame death! And your womb illumined all creatures. In a beautiful flower, rising from the sweetest integrity of your enclosed modesty. What is this? O how great a miracle this is! That into a subjected, womanly form the King entered. This God has done! Because humility rises above all things. And oh, how great is the happiness found in that form! Because the malice that flowed from woman — this woman washed away. This woman afterwards wiped it away. And she built up the sweetest fragrance of all the virtues. And she adorned heaven more than she had before disturbed the earth.¹²⁰ O you, illuminated by divine brightness, O radiant Virgin Mary, filled with the word of God.¹²¹ From this your womb blossomed with the entrance of the Spirit of God, who breathed into you and drew out of you what Eve took away in the cutting off of purity, through the contracted contagion of the devil's suggestion. You marvelously concealed within yourself immaculate flesh by divine reason, when the Son of God blossomed in your womb, the holy divinity leading him, against the claims of the flesh that Eve built up. Joined to wholeness in the divine womb. Hear this miracle, O human being. Hail, Mary, O author of life, rebuilding salvation when you disturbed death and crushed the serpent. against whom Eve raised herself with swollen neck in the breath of pride. This one you trampled underfoot when you bore the Son of God from heaven, whom the Spirit of God inspired. O sweetest and most loving mother, hail, who gave birth to your child fixed from heaven and brought him forth to the world. What is this? O brightest mother of holy medicine! You poured out ointments through your holy son onto the grieving wounds of death! The torments of souls that Eve built up— you destroyed death by building up life. Pray for us to your child, Star of the Sea, Mary. O life-giving instrument and joyful ornament and sweetness of all delights, which in you never fail. Now the closed gate has opened to the world—the gate that the serpent choked shut in the woman. From this the flower shines in the dawn from the Virgin Mary. Because, therefore, woman prepared death. The bright virgin destroyed it! And so the highest blessing in womanly form is before every creature! Because God was made man in the sweetest and blessed virgin. O how precious is the virginity of this virgin, who has a closed gate! And divinity poured into her holy womb with its heat. So that the flower grew in her! And the Son of God went forth through his secret places like the dawn. How sweet is the sprout that is her own son! Through the enclosure of her womb he opened paradise. Let the earth hear! Let the elements tremble. For what reason? Because all creation welcomed the first rising of this virgin with joy. So the heavens were glowing like the dawn because of the revelation of virtues and because of the clear strength that shone forth in them. Because the sun of truth breathed forth from that virgin every sanctification of souls. Therefore, O my daughters! Hear me, a living fountain speaking to you. May holy and chosen greenness be in you! And not the power of the devil, which abandons God in shameful wounds. A good eye sees these words. And a good ear hears! But a stony mind does not perceive those things which abandons God and embraces the devil. Building a great tower in hell. O good and upright desires! What great brightness you possess. How your sweet fragrance ascends to God. It is a terribly hard thing for the human race! To set yourself against earthly pleasure. So listen to these words of mine, my daughters. In the beginning, evil, deceiving the reckless work of humankind through the woman, crushed the mountain of towers, driven out into lamentation.¹²² …in which they ought to have shown the right form of affection. For the hostile ravisher and deceitful tempter came and wrapped that affection in the blackness of swift crime and in the filth of pollution! So that it cannot be clean. O! O, O! O creature! Ah, ah, ah, O world! Ah, ah, ah, O contrary pleasure! She who had been curved into death when she was cut off from heaven and placed in hell. where the devil vomited her out when he suffocated innocence. But the Son of God left this shady pleasure, which could not pass through the light. And he came by another way, where deceitful nature was not! And so through him innocence rose again. And so he led out the children born from a contrary pleasure. drawing them to himself through the wounds of the nails fixed fast in the instrument of wood. Breaking the bond of those who were bound in the chain of the taste of evil work, and in the breast of iniquity! and in the sweetness of sin. So, my daughters, you must always torment yourselves in remembrance of this same Son of mine, for your own sakes, so that you do not fall away because of the deceitful tyrant. Among you as well, let no bitter spittle of anger grow, nor a burning mind of pride. Nor let vanity, which tears apart the honor of sanctification, cause you to fall away from me. But let your joy be in me! And let the heavenly kingdom be your reward! And let holy peace be among you. O son of Jerusalem! The great physician and the highest zeal for good wants to take hold of you. And there's no one who can separate you from him. Why, you crooked deceiver? How or where are you going in such unfitting circumstances? You'll fall into terror. And I, in a poor form, weighed down by a grievous sickness, was deeply burdened, because the Spirit of the Lord constrained me. And he commanded me to speak these words to the daughters of that place. You don't really suppose, do you— that through feasts of food and drink, and through loose living, you are going to receive the kingdom of God? No. The kingdom of God is received through mortification of the body and compunction of the mind. I have indeed prepared my table with the splendor of my crown before you, so that you would bring royal feasts of the heavenly inheritance upon it. And the manna, and the beasts of the forests— and the birds, and the fruit, and pomegranates! But this you do not do. For on one side you bring me certain secular customs of legal observance and discipline. On the other side, however, the discipline of the law belonging to those who are joined in marriage — that I do not seek from you. Because not into that garden. But into my chosen vineyard I chose you.^✦ And for eight years I endured these things. But for five years I kept silent under silence.¹²³ For three years, moreover, I scourged them within and without! They dishonored me in the splendor of my crown. All these things are to be understood in this way. None of the faithful should suppose that heavenly glory is obtained through gluttony of the belly and through the outpouring of one's own pleasures! Because those who desire to have that glory let them seize the weakening of the body and faintheartedness of heart in good will and not in harsh malice. For my table is prepared before you with the brightness of my crown, so that you may bring royal banquets upon it! Those angels with the brightness of the crown — namely, the miracles of God, which shine forth in many miracles to people. So that in them many things are amazed which are prepared for those living blessedly unto blessedness. It designates those who offer the most diligent and most holy works of the people who imitate them in angelic order to their creator. For angels don't offer to God what remains of the worldly works of those who live by their desires of the flesh. But those who, setting aside their desires of the flesh, prostrate their bodies to the ground for the sake of God— they, with God's praises, press on faithfully just as the angels always do. Manna, however, points to obedience. the obedience that God imposed on man, so that he might obey God. and so that he may be submissive to the superiors set over him by God for his own benefit. and which he has also established for the other creatures. so that they may serve the benefit of man. For God made man. Man did not create himself. And for this reason spiritual people, like the angels, ought to serve God through obedience. which Lucifer scattered. And he showed man disobedience. But the beasts of the forests show that those who have renounced the world cast the world and all its pomp away, and that they are like guests and pilgrims! So that, just as animals flee from people, they themselves should flee all the customs and every association of the world! Just as true hermits have done, who have shut themselves off from the world. So that death might not enter through the windows of their own eyes. But the winged precepts of blessed Benedict and of other Catholic teachers are those who drank deeply in the Holy Spirit. And through these people live as though they were not carnal. But the love of God in their hearts declares these evils to be pomegranates. Who are surrounded by the aforementioned good and holy works. And who gather the most diligent virtues to themselves through prayer and weeping. And yet you, who lap up the words of the saints, don't imitate their lives. But you don't do this with an eye toward carnal desires and negligence. Since, on the other side, the things that tend toward the world bring me the variety of fleshly pleasures in the manner of those young women who eagerly and diligently, as if in a disciplined way, abandon themselves to the world, as was said before. But on the other side, turning toward strictness and the pleasure of various pursuits — those pursuits in which people entangled with fleshly affairs frequently toil. so that lovers might please their lovers! I don't demand this from you by word, by writing, or by command, because you are joined to a spiritual union and have not subjected yourselves to the sight that serves the fleshly embrace. Where I have not joined you to the vain and quickly fading blossom of the world's rottenness. But I have led you into the vine of true election and true blessedness! So that you may receive the full reward for your labors in the highest election. For I endured for eight years the fact that you began to engage in childish vanities. And that you then played in the same vanity because of their bad habit. And that afterward you sinned in some part of the same vanity. Because I dissimulated this vanity for five years in silence, as though I were ignoring it! But when some of you then struck me on the jaw with certain signs of theirs, I raised my hand and for three years, both within and outside their place, I disciplined them with various pains. And I even struck the fatness of sin there with a manifest sign. Where, in the beauty of your betrothal, I endured neglect — for in my jealousy I struck down the firstborn of Egypt. And I—who drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea—rose up against one who, amid the many signs I was showing him, scorned me.¹²⁴ And I struck down a certain man so that he would see some of the punishments for his own sins and even feel them mingled—yes, with cold and fire! And I did this to them as a lesson by example. Those things that were shown to them amid countless signs—while they watched and listened—they refused to acknowledge me.¹²⁵ But the man whom I scourged in my jealousy, and the others who are in this dwelling— Let them beware, lest as they withdraw from my path they turn back to their former transgressions. Let them not be suffocated in the Red Sea.¹²⁶ For I no longer want to endure what I suffered before. For it is necessary that they rise up to a better state. Because God doesn't want them to abandon his law. Now then, my daughter, before the distress of that tribulation which I must bring upon the spiritual people—the one who tore my tunic and the one who divided my garment.¹²⁷ And the one who abandoned my covenant that I established with him. Rise up to me at once. O, woe to the sinful nation that lies in the ways of rottenness.^✦ And which through the lasciviousness of vices is always shameless. And which through the excess of vices sucks the udders of pigs.^✦ Let her say so, then. O Lord, who provided man with food and clothing, and washed away his sorrows in the blood of the Lamb — look: a black wind mocks us.^✦^✦ And he wants to shake out the shoots of holiness from us! And cut him away from our midst. Because the time of the fullness of schisms has not yet come. When the whole earth is stripped of the garment of consecration, Now therefore, O children, see and hear, and flee this dangerous wind! Run to your king. And when you have done this! concerning that blessedness which cherubim and seraphim and the whole order of the heavenly host behold in the face of God.¹²⁸¹²⁹ Let blessings pour down upon this place and its daughters, like an early rain and a late rain. and let virtues be multiplied in them. and the riches of the lands.¹³⁰ But may all who bless you be blessed in turn, overflowing with blessings. And may God look with favor on this place. and may it never forget him.¹³¹ So grow and increase beyond the mountains and hills of holiness! through the most holy gift of God. So whoever wishes to bless you— may the earth fill him with blessings! and whoever wishes to curse you— Let that one be cursed under righteous judgment. For you are my mirror. But what are you thinking in your hearts? In me lies the work I long to accomplish in you. What is this? This is what is just. May the gift of God's grace flood you, so that you are not overcome by the enemy. So don't abandon me.

Read the original Latin

Ad congregationem sororum suarum. hildegardis. O filię quę uestigia christi in amore castitatis subsecutę estis. et quę me pauperculam in humilitate subiectionis propter supernam exaltationem uobis in matrem elegistis. non ex me sed ex diuina ostensione per materna uiscera uobis dico. Locum istum uidelicet locum requietionis reliquiarum beati Roberti confessoris ad cuius patrocinium confugistis. inueni in euidentibus miraculis per uoluntatem dei in sacrificium laudis. et in permissione magistrorum meorum ad ipsum perueni.

et eum mihi et omnibus me subsequentibus cum diuino adiutorio libere adtraxi. Postea autem per admonitionem dei ad montem beati Dysibodi a quo per licentiam secesseram perrexi. et peticionem hanc coram omnibus ibidem habitantibus perfeci. scilicet ne locus noster et predia elemosinarum loci nostri ab illis esset ligata sed soluta. querens tamen ibi in oportunitate utilitatis. saluationem animarum uestrarum et sollicitudinem regularis districtionis. Et secundum quod in uera uisione percepi! ad patrem uidelicet ad abbatem loci illius dixi.

Serena lux dicit. Tu sis pater propositi et salutis animarum misticę plantationis filiarum mearum. Elemosina earum nec ad te nec ad fratres tuos pertinet. sed locus uester refugium earum sit. Si autem in contrarijs sermonibus uestris perseuerare uolueritis contra nos frendentes eritis similes amachelitis et antiocho de quo scriptum est. quod templum domini despoliauit. Quod si aliqui inter uos in malignitate sua dixerint. allodia eorum uolumus imminuere.

tunc ego qui sum dico quod pessimi raptores sitis. Si autem pastorem spiritalis medicine ipsis abstrahere temptaueritis. tunc iterum dico. quod similis sitis filijs belial. et in hoc iusticiam dei non inspicitis. unde et iusticia dei destruet uos. Et cum ego paupercula forma his uerbis predictam libertatem loci et allodiorum filiarum mearum a prefato abbate et a fratribus eius peterem! eam cum permissione codicis omnes mihi constituerunt.

Cuncti autem tam maiores quam minores hęc uidentes. audientes et percipientes maximam beniuolentiam ad ista habebant. ita ut etiam ad nutum dei scriptis firmata sint. Vnde fideles hęc discant. affirment. perficiant et defendant. quatenus benedictionem illam percipiant. quam deus iacob et israheli dedit.

Sed o quam magnum planctum hę filię meę post obitum matris suę habebunt. quoniam ubera eiusdem matris suę amplius non sugent! et sic in gemitu et luctu per plurima tempora cum lacrimis dicent. Heu heu libenter ubera matris nostrę sugeremus. si eam modo nobiscum presentem haberemus. Quapropter o filię dei admoneo ut caritatem habeatis inter uos sicut ego mater uestra a puericia mea uos admonui. quatenus clarissima lux cum angelis sitis propter beniuolentiam uestram. et fortissimę in uiribus uestris sicut pater uester benedictus uos docuit.

Spiritus sanctus uobis dona sua det. quia post finem meum uocem meam amodo non audietis. sed uox mea numquam ducatur inter uos in obliuionem quę frequenter inter uos in caritate sonuit. Filię meę nunc rutilant in cordibus suis pre tristicia quam habent de matre sua. anhelantes et suspirantes ad celestia. Postea in lucidissima et rutilante luce lucebunt per gratiam dei. et fortissimi milites in domo ipsius fient. Vnde si quis in hac turba filiarum mearum discordiam et discessionem huius habitationis et spiritalis disciplinę facere uoluerit.

donum spiritus sancti auertat hoc de corde illius. Quod si deum contempnens. id tamen fecerit. manus domini occidat illum coram omni populo. quia dignus est ut confundatur. Quapropter o filię locum istum quem ad militandum deo elegistis. omni deuotione et stabilitate inhabitate. quatenus in eo superna premia adipiscamini.

Vnde et caritas in sapientia dicit. Ego ab antiquo ordinata sum et in formatione primi hominis fui cum a deo plasmatus est. quia celum et terram. et reliquas creaturas deus propter hominem sapienter creauit ut ab illis et sustentaretur et pasceretur! unde et sapientia faber recte dici potest. quoniam celum et terram circuiuit. et equali pondere ponderauit. Caro autem hominis cum anima in uenis et in medullis pleniter perfusa est.

ita ut caro per animam semper suscitetur. et quia etiam homo creaturas per animam cognoscit. ipsas in iocunditate et gaudio habet. Sic namque homo in carne et anima uelut de misericordia et caritate amabilis est! quemadmodum sapientia et caritas unum sunt. Per has duas uirtutes scilicet sapientiam et caritatem. angeli et homines deo in humilitate obtemperabunt. quoniam humilitas ad honorem dei frequenter se inclinat et ita omnes uirtutes ad se colligit.

In his itaque uirtutibus deus hominem plasmauit ne totus periret. sicut etiam angeli omnes non perierunt quia multi cum deo perstiterunt. alij uero cum antiquo serpente ceciderunt. Deus enim hominem in sapientia creauit. in caritate eum uiuificauit. in humilitate uero et obedientia illum rexit! quatenus intelligeret quomodo uiuere deberet. Sed primus angelus hęc intelligere noluit nec deo consensit.

sed a seipso esse uoluit quod esse non potuit. quoniam uita una a seipsa est a qua omnia uitalia sunt. quapropter ille de uita cecidit et aruit. uelut etiam in creaturis uidelicet in arboribus. in herbis et in alijs creaturis quandoque fit. cum aliqua de ipsis cadendo arescunt. quia sucum non gustauerunt. Angelus quippe a deo uitalis est.

Homo autem plenums opus dei est quoniam deus plenum opus dei est. quoniam deus in ipso semper operatur quod homo in seipso intelligere potest! quia quamdiu in hac uita uiuit cogitare et operari non desinit aliqua. in quacumque parte sint. cum autem in hac uita finitus fuerit. in alia uita infinite uiuit. Cum enim homo bona opera operatur. bonis angelis similis efficitur.

cum autem magnum honorem quomodo deus ipsum formauerit non cognoscit. et cum a recta obedientia fugit. nec in humilitate operatur. sed a seipso esse uult. similis pessimis angelis effectus de uita ut sathanas cadit et arescit. Tu autem o homo deum in his culpabilem habere uis. quapropter tibi respondetur. Num teipsum creasti?

Non. Conuenientius ergo est. ut magis tibi seruias! quam illi qui te creauit? Et quam mercedem tibi parare poteris. cum teipsum non fecisti? Nullam! sed penam ignis.

Sic in duabus partibus istis angeli et homines atque reliquę creaturę dei diuisę sunt. sicut etiam ibi factum est cum deus hominem in circumcisione signauit! quoniam primus deceptor primum hominem fallaciter illusit. ita quod inobediens deo factus uer uerbis illius consensit. et per inobedientiam fecit ut ei consiliatus erat. Sed eadem inobedientia per circumcisionem in precepto dei scissa est. quando abraham beniuolus deo obediuit! ita faciens sicut ei precepit.

Tunc idem deceptor cum dolositate in se fremuit. quibusdam hominibus malum hoc immittens. quod possibile non esset ut illum deum confiterentur. quem nec uidere. nec audire. nec palpare possent. Et sic in populo qui per obedientiam signatus erat bachatus est! atque meminit quia primum hominem deceperat ubi dixit eritis sicut dij scientes bonum et malum.

et eis pessimum sufflatum immisit. dicens quod nullo modo nisi in aliqua formatione deum cognoscere possent. quia et homo forma esset. et si deus hominem creasset cur se ita absconderet. ut homo illum nec uidere. nec audire. nec comprehendere ualeret. Sed tota uetus lex et uere signatus populus.

antiquum hunc deceptorem. et errantes homines istos opprimere non potuit nec adhuc poterit. sed deus ante nouissimum diem illos opprimet. et coram omni populo uincet. Tali modo uetus lex cum omnibus his. uidelicet cum illis qui circumcisionem obseruabant. et etiam cum eis qui in predicto errore erant usque ad natiuitatem christi cucurrit. ubi ipse uerus sol iusticię in ueritate apparuit.

Et idem sol magnum splendorem per doctrinam suam dedit. in humanitate sua uisus et auditus. quoniam prophetę ipsum precucurrerant. quemadmodum quidam planetę supra solem sunt. quod deus preuiderat quando firmamentum cum omnibus ornamentis suis constituit. Soli uero cum luna et stellis deus aquam adiunxit. et nubes cum tempestate posuit quas fulgura perforant. et quę per sonitum tonitrui interdum scinduntur.

ita ut moueantur. Sicut enim deus creaturam istam ad seruitutem hominis constituit. ita etiam et filium suum per eam presignauit. quem prophetę predixerunt. et cuius humanitatem cum seruitute prophetie tetigerunt. uelut planetę solem ipsi seruiendo sustentant. Prophetia namque quę dixit. ecce uirgo concipiet.

humanitatem ipsius tetigit. quia integritas uirginis de calore spiritus sancti et non de calore carnis concepit. quemadmodum sol rem aliquam radiis suis ita transfigit. ut ex ardore ipsius tota caleat nec tamen consumatur. quoniam sol iusticię de illibata uirgine processit. et totum mundum illuminauit. uelut etiam sol per firmamentum totum mundum illuminat! quod tamen integrum permanet.

Sic uirgo peperit filium cuius nomen emmanuel. quia in integritate ipsum concepit. qui etiam in eadem integritate ex ipsa processit ut sol per firmamentum fulminat neutro diuiso! et ideo nobiscum deus. quoniam in eadem incarnatione quę de obumbratione spiritus sancti in utero uirginis orta est. sancta diuinitas integra tota fuit sicut sol in firmamento. atque uis diuinitatis celos abyssos. et omnes creaturas transcendit.

et tamen filius dei per sanctam humanitatem suam tunc nobiscum erat. Sed et per oblationem corporis sui et per doctrinam suam nunc nobiscum est et erit. donec ipsum manifeste uideamus. Eidem quoque soli iusticię cum luna et stellis aquę assunt. scilicet ut discipulos suos in uniuersum orbem mitteret predicare euangelium omni creaturę. Nam quę prophetę de ipso predixerant in semetipso compleuit. sicut etiam in creatione mundi die septimo deus ab omni opere suo requieuit. Et ut deus tunc omnem creaturam ad seruiendum homini subiecit.

sic et nunc filius dei post ascensionem suam opera incarnationis suę discipulis suis commisit. cum ex precepto ipsius euangelium omni creature predicabant. Ipsi namque hominibus fidem rectam de filio dei ostendebant quemadmodum cum eo manentes miracula eius uiderant et cognouerant! sicut sol in firmamento lucet. Hanc itaque fidem innumerabili turba populorum suscipiente ęcclesia ordinata est! ut luna cum stellis in firmamento constituta est. Sed et idem populi inter se diuersos magistros et prelatos spiritu sancto inspirante constituebant. uelut etiam firmamentum cum sole.

luna et stellis illustratum est. qui totam ecclesiam sustentarent. Deinde tonitrus et fulgura et fulgura per infideles homines et per crudeles tyrannos eleuabantur. qui fideles domini qui in fide ardebant. sicut sol in uirtute sua lucet. quasi lupi inuaserunt. et sanguinem ipsorum effuderunt. ita quod etiam non erat qui eos sepeliret.

Tonitrus quoque qui in primo casu sathanę cum ille in infernum demersus est sonuerunt. per inimicos dei qui in peccatis peccare non cessabant surrexerunt. et fulgura in plurimis christianis qui fidem in infidelitate diuidebant apparuerunt. et multos catholicos comburebant. sicut per arrium factum est quem athanasius omnino conculcauit de iohanne euangelista confortatus qui de pectore iesu hoc suxit quod in altum uolauit cum in mistico spiramine de diuinitate euangelium edidit. quemadmodum idem athanasius postea de unitate diuinitatis ęcclesiam muniendo scripsit. Quicumque uult. uidelicet ut omnis homo qui uoluerit saluari teneat fidem integram et inuiolatam.

in deum perfecte credens. ne in gehennam demersus gehennalis fiat. Sed fides uera est ut unus deus in trinitate personarum eademque trinitas in uno deo gloriose honoranda sit sine ulla confusione diuisionis unitatis! quia unus deus in una substantia diuinitatis inseparabiliter est. Non enim aliud est pater in substantia. nec aliud filius. nec aliud spiritus sanctus. nec ab inuicem in substantia diuinitatis segregati sunt.

sed in patre et filio et spiritu sancto una diuinitas unius substantię in gloria maiestatis est. Attamen alia est persona patris quę nec filij nec spiritus sancti est. alia filij quę nec patris nec spiritus sancti est! alia spiritus sancti quę nec patris nec filij est! et personarum istarum una est diuinitas inseparabilis. equus honor et stabilis. coeterna potentia et inuincibilis. Nam qualis est pater in diuinitate et non in persona.

talis est filius in diuinitate et non in persona. talis quoque est spiritus sanctus in diuinitate et non in persona. quoniam alius pater. alius filius. alius spiritus sanctus in personarum distinctione est! non tamen aliud pater. aliud filius. aliud spiritus sanctus in diuinitatis substantia.

Et quomodo personę istę intelligendę sunt? Deus utique in uerbo suo racionalis est. et uiuit. Et deus creauit mundum scilicet hominem cum omni gloria sua. quod ita debere esse. deus semper in eternitate habuit. Hoc deus solus fecit! sine quo nullus est.

Et quis eum non extantem fieri faceret? Nullus omnino. Deus omnia in uerbo suo fecit. ut iohannes qui supra pectus christi recubuit affirmat. Sed deus ignis est. et in igne hoc flamma latet. et flamma hęc in uita mobilis est. In igne autem isto nulla diuisio est!

nisi distinctio personarum. Ignis autem materialis et uisibilis aurei coloris est. et in igne isto flamma coruscat quę in ualido uento flagrat. Ignis quidem hic non coruscaret nisi flammeus esset. et mobilis non esset. nisi per uentum! unde et tria uocabula in igne isto sunt. Flamma namque de igne est.

et ignis de flamma coruscat! et non nisi per ualidum uentum mobilis est. Ignis quoque cum flamma ardet. et ardor iste integer. ignem et flammam equaliter perfundit et inflat! et si ardor in igne non esset. ignis non esset! nec tonitrum flammę haberet.

Sed et anima ignis est. et ignis eius totum corpus in quo est perfundit. uenas scilicet cum sanguine. ossa cum medullis. et carnem cum liuore. et inextinguibilis est. Et ignis animę ardorem in racionalitate habet! qua uerbum sonat.

Quod si anima ignea non esset. frigidam coagulationem non perureret. nec sanguineis uenis corpus edificaret. Quia autem anima in racionalitate uentosa est. per omnia loca corporis calorem suum recte diuidit. ne corpus exurat. Cum uero anima de corpore se extorserit. corpus deficit.

quemadmodum ligna non ardent cum ardore ignis caruerint. Homo namque secundum deum racionalis est. et racionalitas hominis cum igne in uento sonat. Racionalitas enim magna uis est. ignea et non diuisa! et si non esset ignea non esset uentosa! et si uentosa non esset. non sonaret.

Deus itaque omnia creauit. et preter ipsum solum nullus umquam aliquod uitale fecit! quamuis homo arte sua quęque fingat. quę tamen uiuere non facit. quoniam homo inicium habet. Et hic qui omnia creauit. creatus non est. quia nullum inicium ante ipsum fuit.

sed ipse sine inicio est et omnia in ipso sunt. quoniam per ipsum omnia facta sunt. Per illa autem que homo propter timorem fugit ne eum ledant. fiduciam ad deum habet. clamando ut ipsi succurrat. et ut eum in requię pacis conseruet. per hęc uero quę propter hominem sunt et quę in ipso existunt. et cum quibus ipse operatur.

et quę ei ex his placide ac conuenienter assunt. caritatem ad deum habere discit. Si enim homo nichil sciret nisi quod sibi lene et suaue esset. nesciret quid idem esset et quid uocaretur. unde de pondere duricie nociuorum summam scientiam habet. et quid bonum et malum sit cognoscit. et ea ut adam nominare scit. Nam si unum in rebus tantum sciret.

opus dei in illo perfectum non esset. et rem quam uideret non cognosceret. et quam audiret quę et qualis esset scire non posset! quapropter uacuus esset et extinctus. quemadmodum hoc quod per ignem combustum in carbonem conuertitur. Itaque ut predictum est. increatus pater est. filius etiam increatus.

sic et spiritus sanctus increatus. quoniam hę tres personę unus deus est. et omnes creaturę per eundem deum creatę sunt. sed sine ipso factum est nichil. Inicium quippe quod in inicio creationis factum est. similitudinem illius qui sine inicio est habere uoluit. quod nullo modo fieri debuit. quia nichilum fuit.

quoniam in deo uita et ueritas est! in perdito autem angelo et in homine uanitas est! quam superbia inflauit quę tamquam uentus pertransijt. Et quod per deum et in deo factum est! uita in ipso est. et deus caput illius contriuit. qui predicta mala primum arripuit! ac eum qui sine uita est in infernum proiecit.

Inmensus etiam pater est! quia nulla capacitate comprehendi nec numero finiri potest. ut illa possunt que in principio facta sunt. Omnia enim deus in prescientia sua habuit. sed tamen subito illa non creauit. unde etiam quoddam interuallum in creaturis est sicut in homine qui infans. puer. iuuenis.

senex ac decrepitus efficitur! quod quidem comprehendi potest. Sed et in filio et spiritu sancto intelligendum est! quod immensi. nec capacitate nec numero comprehendi possunt. Eternus quoque pater est. in illa scilicet eternitate quę numquam incepit! et in similitudine circueuntis rotę in qua nec principium nec finis conspicitur.

Deus enim spiritus est. Omnis quippe spiritus! incomprehensibilis estt indiuisibilis est. Eternitas namque sine omni commutatione hac quod dicitur fuit. et est. eterna manet! nec in ea ullus deo assimilatur. Nam eternitas unica est.

omnesque eius creaturę per ipsam factę sunt. Et coeternus patri in diuinitate filius. a creatura indumentum quod homo est induit. quod indumentum diuinitas ita declarauit uelut soli radius suus infixus est. Sol autem lumen suum in terram emittit. nec tamen propter hoc augetur nec minuitur. nec filius dei in mundum ueniens auctus nec minutus in diuinitate est. quoniam indumentum suum sic induit.

quemadmodum deus adam de fragili creatura uestiuit ne nudus uideretur. Homo quippe eternitatem nisi in humanitate nequaquam uidere posset. quia diuinitas in humanitate latuit. ita quod per indumentum humanitatis filius cognitus est. ut etiam per arma uestitus homo cognoscitur. quamuis in eis latens non uideatur. Sed et eternus est spiritus sanctus. patri et filio coeternus.

qui in inicio omni creaturę affuit. et eam inspirando motabilem fecit. Et non tres eternitates in deo sunt. sed una eternitas in ipso est. et non tres! uelut arrius particulas in illa fecit. quemadmodum membra hominis in abscisione truncantur. sed eternitas una diuinitas est.

quam racionalitas hominis propter fortissima opera illius nomine uno nominare non potest. Sed et quoniam homo inicium habens in cinerem uertitur. ideo etiam hęc quę ante principium et post finem sunt enarrare non ualet. sed in anima sua unam fidem tenens. de substantia dei quę spiritalis est loquitur. Anima enim spiraculum a deo est. unde et multa inuisibilia capit. et unitatem diuinitatis in recta fide sentit.

quia non tres increati dij. nec tres inmensi. sed unus deus est uidelicet increatus et immensus. nec in tres modos nec in tres partes diuisus. Omnipotens etiam pater est qui per uerbum suum quod omnipotens filius eius est omnia creauit. quę omnipotens spiritus sanctus qui uita est ita pertransit. ut etiam calor ignis et flammę ardet. Sic tamen non tres omnipotentes.

sed deus in tribus personis unus deus omnipotens est. Et ut inconueniens esset. quod homo qui cum racionali anima unus homo est in tres diuideretur. quoniam tunc integra uita non esset sed mortale cadauer. quomodo posset unica uita in qua nulla mortalitas inicij et mutationis est diuidi? Sed et deus est pater qui potens est. deus est filius qui potentia patris est. deus est spiritus sanctus qui uita est per quam omnis uita procedit.

Non autem tres dij sunt. sed absque omni diuisione unica deitas est. cuius fortissima uis singulis nominibus nominatur. Ita etiam dominando dominus est pater. operando dominus est filius. uiuificando dominus est spiritus sanctus. et hi sunt integra diuinitas trium nominum. sicut deus omne opus suum in una ui diuinitatis designauit.

Nec tres domini sunt singulariter dominantes. sed plena integritate una diuinitas in tribus uiribus trium personarum est! scilicet dominando. operando uiuificando quoque omnes creaturas et eas ad officia sua mouendo. et sic unus dominus est. Et dominus iste duo opera fecit! angelum uidelicet et hominem cum omni creatura. Angelus autem spiritus est.

homo uero ad imaginem et similitudinem dei factus est. ut quinque sensibus corporis sui operetur! per quos etiam diuisus non est. sed per eos est sapiens et sciens et intelligens opera sua adimplere. Has tres uires deus in homine signauit. per hoc scilicet quod anima hominis racionalis est quę corpus ad operandum mouet. et in qua quinque sensus corporis hominis pleniter perficiuntur. Per uisum enim homo creaturas cognoscit.

per auditum uero racionalitas ei narrat quid hoc sit quod audit. per odoratum autem quod sibi conueniens uel inconueniens ad utendum sit discernit. per gustum etiam quibus et qualibus pascatur cognoscit. et per tactum bona et mala operatur. et omnia opera sua cum predictis quinque sensibus regit. Hi quinque sensus in homine ita in unum coniunguntur. quod alius alio nequaquam carere potest et in uno homine sunt. qui tamen non in duos nec in tres homines diuiditur.

sed omnia opera sua cum his cum his quinque sensibus perficit et unus homo est. Sed et per hoc quod homo sapiens. sciens. et intelligens est creaturas cognoscit. itemque per creaturas et per magna opera sua quę etiam quinque sensibus suis uix comprehendit deum cognoscit! quem nisi in fide uidere non ualet. Homo itaque per quinque sensus suos in creaturis omnia comprehendit et cognoscit. quia per uisum amat quod gustat.

per auditum discernit. quod odorando sibi conueniens eligit. et per tactum id quod sibi placet operatur. et in hoc deum qui omnes creaturas creauit exemplatur. Sic quoque homo per hoc quod sapiens est quid sibi placidum seu nociuum sit sapit. et per hoc quod sciens est creaturam iubendo constringit. quod ei ministrando subiaceat. et quod uult sibi adtrahit.

et quod non uult a se fugat! et per hoc quod intelligens existit. quid unicuique creaturę in officio conueniat nouit. Cum his enim tribus uiribus et appenditijs earum. homo racionalis in anima est. quę nequaquam diuiditur! ita etiam ut si persuasionem diaboli membrum aliquod hominis absciditur. racionalis anima propter hoc nullo modo diuiditur.

Corpus uero edificium animę est. quod cum illa secundum sensibilitatem suam operatur quemadmodum molendinum aquis circumfertur. Omnes ergo populi crismate uncti. in recta fide compelluntur nec ullam diuisionem in unitate esse confiteantur. sed quod tres persone una uera firmaque diuinitas sit. Et quoniam tres animę non sunt in una racionali anima quę tres uires habet. sed una anima est. quare ulla separabilis diuisio in unitate diuinitatis esset!

cum omnia de deo creata sint? Nequaquam igitur dicendum est tres deos aut tres dominos esse. sed unus deus dicitur qui omnia creauit. et unus dominus quem omnes creaturę dominum inuocant et cuius omnes proprię sunt! et ideo prohibendum est ne ulla singularitas in unitate diuinitatis diuisa habeatur. quia unus deus est. Et pater a nullo est factus. quoniam ante eum nullus apparuit.

a quo genitus aut creatus esse possit. sed sine inicio eternus est. Filius autem absque omni separatione a patre solo est. non factus inicialis. nec creatus in membris sed genitus. ut lumen in sole sine omni separatione est. Hic carnem de uirgine maria assumpsit. sed tamen claritas diuinitatis ab eo non recessit.

quia eternaliter in diuinitate cum patre fuit. quamuis sub tempore indumentum suum uidelicet carnem de matre uirgine induerit. Sed spiritus sanctus uita est quę omnia spiramina in creaturis mouet. et hic per nullum spiramen uita factus nec etiam ab ullo creatus. nec ab alio ullo genitus est. sed patri et filio in diuinitate coeternus et coequalis existit. Ipse etenim in prima creatione mundi aderat. quia spiritus dei ferebatur super aquas circulum totius orbis illustrans!

cum uerbum dei dixit fiat. Et a patre et filio spiritus sanctus in ueritate prophetię procedens. prophetas prophetare fecit qui tamen multociens profunditatem prophetię occultabant. licet textum scriberent. quoniam uelut in umbra et in uisu noctis interdum per significationem loquebantur. In igneis quoque linguis super apostolos ueniens. eos totos replebant. et eos alios homines fecit quam ante fuissent.

ita ut ipsi easdem linguas uiderent. et tactum eiusdem spiritus sancti sentirent. qui ante natiuitatem christi nulli hominum sic apparuit. nec postea apparebit. quoniam christus unigenitus dei est. Quod autem in igneis linguis eis apparuit. hoc ideo factum est. quia uirgo maria in igneo calore ipsius filium dei concepit!

et sic etiam ipse a patre et a filio procedit. Et quoniam apostoli eum in igne uidebant. cum sapientia et intelligentia manifeste loquebantur. Sed et quia filius dei in maria uirgine de spiritu sancto conceptus est. spiritus sanctus in ipso mansit et manet. et semper cum ipso est nec umquam ab inuicem separantur. ideoque integra et pura fides est. quod spiritus sanctus a patre et filio procedit ut predictum est.

Hoc uero quod filius dixit qui a patre procedit. ad honorem patris dicebat. adtendens quod incarnatio sua ex tempore fuit! cum paternę diuinitati tempus non assit. Itaque unus pater est et non tres patres. sed unus potens. quia si potens non esset. filium non genuisset.

et si filius genitus non fuisset mundus creatus non esset. unus quoque filius et non tres filij. sed unus per quem omnia facta sunt. patri consubstantialis. et unus spiritus sanctus et non tres spiritus sancti. sed unus uiuificans omnia et mouens. Nam et unaquęque radix uiriditatem in se habet! de qua fructus procedit.

Istud autem inequaliter inspicitur. et tamen in uno sunt. Quare ergo creator omnium in trinitate personarum non esset? Persona enim patris per radicem. persona uero filij per fructum. persona autem spiritus sancti per uiriditatem intelligenda est. et ab inuicem non separantur! sed unus deus est.

Et in ista trinitatis unitate nichil prius antecedendo. nichil posterius subsequendo. nichil maius in magnificentia nichil minus in in potentia! sed totę huius trinitatis personę sine ulla uacuitate in unum se coniungunt. et in eternitate et in equalitate coeternę sibi et coequales existunt. ita ut in eisdem personis nichil sit de quo secundum diuinitatem dici possit. est et non fuit. magnum et paruum!

quoniam deus inicio et fine carens. nullum augmentum nullum detrimentum recipit. quia immutabilis est. Opus autem dei in creatura prius non formatum. modo fomatum apparet. et per tempora transit. se in maius dilatando. et in minus se contrahendo.

Tres ergo personę in unitate. unusque deus in tribus personis colendus est. quoniam ipse omnia creauit. et uita est per quam omnia uitalia procedunt! quod quilibet fidelis indubitanter sic accipiat. Fideli etiam necessarium est ne a fide catholica se separet. sed ut incarnationem filij dei ueram esse credat! et seipsum quomodo creatus sit.

et quomodo operans corpus cum racionali anima unum sit consideret. Deus enim ante tempora formam hominis in qua carnem assumeret preuiderat. et quicumque in hoc dubitat seipsum abnegat. nec credit quod in duabus naturis animę et corporis per tres modos unus homo est. quia si unum de tribus istis scilicet anima corpore racionalitate. de quibus homo constat deesset! homo non esset. Nam homo racionalis in anima est.

quę in corpore quelibet cum sono uerborum perficit. quoniam creaturę homini assunt. quemadmodum rami arbori quia homo non sine reliqua icreatura sicut nec arbor absque ramis creatas est. In ueritate ergo recta fides est. quod christus dei filius ante tempora natus deus est. et etiam per indumentum carnis uero homo est. Deus itaque est. ex substantia patris.

quoniam illi sine tempore coeternus et coequalis est ante secula genitus. quia omnia per ipsum facta sunt. sed per humanitatem que tempus habet ex substantia matris homo est. Ipse etenim plenus deus est in integritate eternitatis. plenusque homo cum racionali anima et carne munda et absque ulla uirili commixtione humanę naturę. atque coequalis patri in eternitate diuinitatis est. minor autem ei in humanitate quę tempus habet. Et ipse deus et homo existens.

non in duos diuisus est. sed unus est christus. non tamen per commutationem diuinitatis in carnem. sed per assumptionem carnis quam diuinitas sibi adiunxit. et quam claritate sua sic perfudit ut radius solis in sole lucet. nec ob hoc ulla confusione substantia diuinitatis seu substantia carnis in inuicem confusę sunt. sed in uera unitate personę unus est christus uerus dei filius. Sicut enim in racionali anima nulla commutatio per carnem hominis est.

quin ipsa racionalis spiratio sit a deo quę totum corpus hominis perfundit. et quę cuncta opera operantis hominis mouet. et ut sic anima et caro unus est homo. ita etiam absque omni dubio dei filius ante secula natus carne ex uirgine assumpta pleniter ut predictum est indutus. deus et homo existens unus est christus. per unctionem utique gratię dei christus dictus. Qui in sancta humanitate sua per fixuram clauorum et lanceę uulneratus est. propter uulnus unum primi hominis quod cuncto generi suo ille inflixerat.

quatenus liuore sanguinis sui illud sanaret. et unctione olei gratię illud perfunderet. ac per penitentiam illud ligaret. cum homo se peccasse doleret. Uulneratus autem descendit spiritaliter in puteum infernalis profundi illicque quamplurimos sibi attraxit. scilicet eidem inferno primum hominem abstulit. et omnes qui deum in moribus humanę honorificentię umquam tetigerant. et eos in locum deliciarum et gaudiorum quem in primo parente perdiderant locacauit.

Sed quod die tercia surrexit a morte dormientis corporis. in hoc tres personas deitatis designauit. atque cum eodem corpore ascendens ad celos iuit. ibique dominando sedet ad dextram patris quę saluatio credentis populi est. illis uitam tribuens quos sanguine suo redemit. Et hi omnes ante tempora omnium principiorum presciti sunt. quoniam uerbum patris per quod omnia facta sunt carnem induit. ut hominem quem formauerat redimeret.

Idem autem filius dei in fine seculi iustus iudex ueniet iudicare uiuos et mortuos. uiuos scilicet qui opus fidei operantes in eodem opere bono inuenti sunt. mortuos autem qui opera mortis per infidelitatem operati sunt. cum in uoce uocationis canentis tubę. homo eidem filio dei per iudicium ut scabellum subiacebit. quoniam tunc eum uidendo qui dignus est cognoscet. Nam in aduentu iudicis huius per prefatam uocationem mortui cum corporibus suis resurgent. quemadmodum etiam per sonum uerbi dei omnis creatura processit.

et omnes de propriis operibus suis quę in morituro corpore operati sunt. iudici suo respondebunt nec ullus se excusare poterit. quia unusquisque opera sua quę prius se fecisse tantum sciebat. tunc cognoscendo palam uidebit. quoniam in ipsis uelut in indumento est. unde et illa eum ubique sequentur. Et qui iusta et recta opera fecerunt. ibunt in maiorem claritatem uitę quam mundo huic sol luceat.

animabus eorum gratia dei illustratis. unde et angeli deum laudant. quia isti tam magna opera operati sunt quod eis gloriose circumdantur. uelut homo preciosa ueste qua induitur. Innumerabilem quoque multitudinem hominum illorum qui ante finem suum uel etiam in fine suo penitentiam perfecte egerunt. ac deum in peccatis suis confessi sunt. filius hominis in sanguine suo ad se eleuabit. et unicuique secundum opera sua mercedem in uita retribuet.

Sed mali de iniustis operibus suis nullam excusationem habentes. et quid dicere possint nescientes. et qui per artes diaboli simulacra adorauerunt. et cum diabolica turba mala opera infinite operati sunt. confusione operum suorum uestientur. et in puteum inferni cum diabolo descendent. quem occupauit cum deo similis esse uoluit. In ueritate igitur et fiducialiter credendum est.

quia una diuinitas in tribus personis. et tres persone in una diuinitate uita una eternitatis sunt. et qui sic non crediderit de die saluationis eradicabitur. Explicit. Uos autem o magistri et doctores populi. quare ceci et muti estis in interiori scientia litterarum quam deus uobis proposuit. quemadmodum solem lunam et stellas instituit. ut racionalis homo tempora temporum per eas cognoscat et discernat?

Scientia scripturarum uobis proposita est. ut in illa uelut in solari radio unumquodque periculum cognoscatis. et ut per doctrinam uestram in infidelitatem errantium hominum ut luna in tenebras noctis luceatis. qui sunt ut saducei et heretici. et ut alij multi in fide errantes qui inter uos inclusi sunt. et quos etiam multi ex uobis sciunt prona facie pecoribus et bestijs similes existentes. Nam nec uident nec scire uolunt quod per spiraculum uitę racionales sunt. nec capita sua ad illum eleuant qui eos creauit et per quinque sensus regit quos ipsis donauit.

Quare ergo in racionali homine similitudo proni animalis est. quod per flatum aeris suscitatur. quem iterum exalat et sic finitur. et quod scientiam aliam non habet. quam quod sentit et ferientem timet. et quod per se nichil operatur nisi ad hoc impellatur? Et quomodo decet ut homo in societate pecoris sit quod ipsi per ministerium subiacet. et per quod pascitur.

ac cui imperat et dominatur quoniam racionale non est? Vnde summus pater ad filium loquitur! sicut per spiritum sanctum scriptum est. Reges eos in uirga ferrea! tanquam uas figuli confringes eos. Quod dicit? Qui tibi resistunt reges. eos in uirga ferrea quę dura est castigans!

et tanquam uas figuli quod de luto factum est confringes eos. quia et ipsi de terra sunt. Ostium enim rectitudinis per fidem non ingrediuntur. nec per famam bonorum operum egrediuntur quoniam fures sunt. et per proprietatem uoluntatis suę mactant et perdunt quod uolunt quia hipocritę sunt. legem sibi in perditionem euertentes. Uos autem qui in magistrali doctrina uelut luna et stellę audientibus estis. quibus tamen magis propter honorem et diuicias seculi quam propter deum scripturam ruminatis.

audite et intelligite quod multo plus necessarium esset. ut nocturnas tenebras errantium et infidelium hominum scinderetis qui ignorant in qua uia ambulent. quatenus illos per fidem ad uos traheretis. Nunc ergo regite eos per ueram admonitionem ipsis ostendentes quod deus in principio propter hominem celum et terram et reliquas creaturas creauit. et hominem in uoluptuosum locum paradysi posuit. eique preceptum quod preuaricatus est dedit! quapropter et in tenebras exilij huius expulsus est. In eadem uero preuaricatione demonstratum est quam magnum piaculum fuit.

quod homo non creatori. sed illi qui eum seduxit obediuit. quoniam iustius est obedire domino quam fallaci seruo. qui se domino suo assimilauit. Cum his etenim uerbis implete corda illorum in uirga ferrea. quatenus cognoscant. ne se a creatore suo auertant. uel si per infidelitatem ab eo declinauerint.

quod in sepulcrum inferni cum illo quem imitati sunt cadant. Nam qui in infidelitate perseruerauerint. tanquam uas figuli quod figulo indignum incongruumque uidetur confringentur. et quia opera fidei non fecerunt. in eternam uitam introire non poterunt. sicut et nec malefactum uas figuli reparatur sed confringetur. Hęc uos qui populum regitis intelligite. et ad inuisibilem deum quem nemo expugnare nec carnalibus oculis uidere potest aspicite.

ac quomodo uillicationem uestram regatis quam ab illo accepistis attendite. quoniam in nomine illius magno honore glorificati estis. et sic populum regite ne in die iudicij coram illo regimine uestro erubescatis. Cauete quoque ne per uoluptatem carnis et delicias seculi ita tedio efficiamini. ut uix oculum unum ad celestem doctrinam aperire possitis. Hęc autem dura sunt uobis. quia qui diligenter celestia adtendit in his quę regit totum corpus suum uulnerat quoniam desideria carnis sibi abstrahit. Igitur propter timorem dei qui uita et ueritas est.

hominem in feminea forma hęc scribentem ne despiciatis quę doctrina litterarum indocta est et quę ab infantia sua usque in septuagesimum etatis suę annum imbecillis erat. et quę scripturam hanc oculis et auribus exterioris hominis non uidit nec audiuit. sed quę tantum in interiori scientia animę suę eam uidit et audiuit. Nolite ergo mentem uestram in altum extollere eam spernendo. quoniam deus irracionale animal loqui fecit sicut uoluit. Uisio autem hęc in qua ego paupercula forma ista uidi. ab infantia mea usque in predictam etatem ab anima mea non recessit! et hęc quę predicta sunt in loco isto scripsi qui a quibusdam tyrannis destructus per plurima curricula annorum desolatus mansit in quo reliquię beati Roberti requiescunt qui nobilis secundum dignitatem presentis seculi fuit.

et quem deus in uicesimo etatis suę anno ad se gloriose collegit. qui locus nunc tandem post eosdem desolationes annos per gratiam dei in mirabilibus ipsius restauratus existit. Dominus enim in hoc sancto suo uerborum illorum memor fuit quę ad discipulos suos loquens ait. uestri capilli capitis omnes numerati sunt. nec omittere uoluit. quin eum reuelaret. De meritis etenim sanctorum scribendum est. quatenus bona et recta fama in aures fidelium sonet.

quemadmodum etiam creatura deo laudes sonat quia ab ipso creata est. Deus quippe eternus est. et opus suum ad laudem nominis eius factum est. quoniam si anima in corpore hominis non esset. homo non uiueret. nec anima sine carne operaretur. Sic angelus in deo laus est! et homo opus in deo est.

Itaque laus illi sit in omnibus mirabilibus suis et in meritis sanctorum qui uera eternitas est omnia creando. et in nouissimo die celum et terram renouando. cuius altitudinem et profunditatem nullus alius tetigit. et cuius scientię latitudinem nullus comprehendere poterit. Hęc itaque scriptura! a fidelibus audienda et intelligenda est. O quam gloriosa diuinitas est quę creando et operando per creaturam suam seipsam ostendit. quemadmodum in tribus pueris fecit quos ita infudit.

quod sine omni uisione scripturarum et absque doctrina hominum in camino ignis ipsum laudabant. Sicut enim felix anima exuta carne nichil aliud quam deum sapere et cognoscere desiderat. ita isti beati tres pueri adhuc in carne uiuentes deum ardenter desiderando. naturam animę imitati sunt. Deus etiam pater filium suum per incredulitatem ignorantię nominari uoluit. in nabuchodonosor. uelut etiam maligni spiritus ipsum sciunt. nec tamen eum confitentur.

quibus omnibus mirabilia sua deus sepe ostendit. Omnipotentiam quoque suam in samson fortissimo manifestauit. qui fortitudine sua leones et feroces bestias superans. ab uxore sua sicut adam ab eua deceptus est. qui tamen deinde uires suas recipiens ipsam mulierem et reliquos inimicos suos uicit. sicut et christus infernum despolians. uim inimicorum suorum deuastauit. In durissimo autem prelio dauid contra goliath.

prefigurauit quod per humanitatem filij sui antiquum serpentem ligaturus esset. Sed et in mollem muliebrem sensum tantam uim misit. ut mulier holofernem in nocte interficiens israeliticum populum liberauit! et in hoc genitricem filij sui presignauit. per quam fidelis populus liberandus erat. In antiquis enim sanctis per prophetiam prophetarum et holocausta arietum et taurorum pactum federis figurate fecit. quia ęcclesiam per copulationem desponsationis filio suo adiungendam prenotauit. Per indumentum enim humanitatis filij dei.

ęcclesia eidem filio dei adheret. qui in sanguine suo illam in hereditatem sibi dotauit. ita quod ipsa baptismum ad uitam sobolem regenerat. quam eua ad mortem generauit. Nam christus in sanguine suo ęcclesiam sibi desponsauit. sicut per iuramentum quod seruus abrahę sub femore domini sui spopondit prefiguratum est! uidelicet ęcclesiam christo desponsandam esse. Sed cum lucifer cum omnibus se comitantibus sensit.

quod deus pater filio suo nuptias palam fecit in se fremuit. et quemadmodum cain ad sanguinem abel concussit. sic corda incredulorum et tyrannorum inuasit. quatenus iustos. bonos et electos dei caperent. uulnerarent et occiderent. Hinc est quod christus discipulis suis parabolam de homine rege dicebant qui seruos pro inuitatis ad nuptias misit! sed illis uenire nolentibus.

alios seruos misit ad illos ut uenirent. quoniam prandium suum paratum esset. Quod cum neglexissent. tenuerunt seruos eius. et contumelia affectos occiderunt. quoniam antiquos sanctos quos deus primum misit. et apostolos qui postea missi sunt iudei et ceteri increduli homines in magna leticia sepe conuenientes de terra deleuerunt. Deus autem per arcum in nubibus celi positum iuramenti sui memor fuit.

quando filium suum quem idem arcus significat ex integra uirginea natura nasci uoluit. qui omnes inimicos suos potenter expugnando superauit. quemadmodum etiam per aquam diluuij homines deleti sunt. nouo tamen seculo hominum per aquam baptismatis recuperato. in ęcclesia christo regnante. uelut arcu in nubibus apparente. Filio quippe dei ęcclesia iuncta est. sicut circumcisio legi quę seruiendo ęcclesiam per presignificationem precucurrit.

Sed nouum seculum quod per ornamentum ęcclesię deauratum est. numquam in defectu ex toto deridebitur. sicut etiam arcus in celo non deficiet! sed cum timore ita comprimetur. ut uix uno oculo uideat. iterum in filio dei restaurabitur! uelut etiam in tempore filij perditionis recuperabitur! In uarijs quoque coloribus predicti arcus.

uires uirtutum millenarij numeri sanctorum significantur. in igneo scilicet calore castitas et continentia in purpureo martiria martirum. in iacinctino doctrina maiorum. in uiridi autem uirtutes bonorum operum sanctorum accipiuntur. quę per filium dei expirate radiando. ut radij a sole procedunt. Prefatus autem rex missis exercitibus suis perdidit homicidas illos et ciuitatem illorum succendit. quia cum dolores uidelicet ueteres et noui precurrendo preterierant.

omnipotens deus iratus super inimicos suos quando romani principes ierusalem quę sanguine ueri agni et sanguine aliorum sanctorum perfusa erat. suffodiendo totam euerterunt. et omnia legitima eorum qui in ea habitabant. illos occidendo et uendendo destruxerunt. Tunc ęcclesia iterum reedificata est. quemadmodum ciuitas sancta ierusalem noua descendit de celo. a deo parata sicut sponsa ornata uiro suo! quoniam agnus dei ad se collegit.

lactentis. puerilis. iuuenilis. maturę ac decrepitę etatis homines. quibus ęcclesiam in nouitate bonorum operum. et in humilitate descendentium de celo uirtutum ornauit. uelut unusquisque eorum bona et sancta opera perfecit. a spiritu sancto parata quemadmodum sponsa ornatur uiro suo cum in dilectione eius ardet.

ut etiam ęcclesia christo coniuncta est. Sic et in electo suo scilicet beato Roberto deus fecit. quem in infantia sua totum perfudit. et quem ad bonum finem perduxit. qui clarus genere et diuicijs seculi per libertatem benedictionis dei carus deo extitit. Uita sancti Roberti dilectissimi patroni nostri. Nam ut in uera uisione uideo. beatus patronus noster Robertus patre suo orbatus cum matre sua uidua in hoc loco uiuens.

et operibus bonis insudans. ac deo in castitate. humilitate. et sanctitate seruiens. cum caducis et temporalibus eterna premia mercatus est. Sicut enim uiuens lumen in uera uisione mihi ostendit et me docuit. sic de ipso loquar. Ubicumque opinio uerę sanctitatis fuit.

ibi sanctitas stare et permanere diu potuit. ubicumque autem uera sanctitas non fuit. ibi mendacium durare diu non potuit. In beato autem Roberto uera sanctitas fuit. quemadmodum diuina maiestas aperte ostendit. cum me et quasdam sorores mecum ad locum reliquiarum eius per magnum miraculum magnarum uisionum transtulit! ut omnibus cernentibus et scire uolentibus aperte apparet. Pater igitur matris beati roberti de lothringun oriundus.

ibidem princeps extitit. et magnam latitudinem prediorum ac diuiciarum in regione natiuitatis suę et in alijs circumquaque positis regionibus et circa fluentia rheni in pinguis habens. magnus ac nominatus inter principes seculi habebatur. Qui uere chatolicus existens. in temporibus imperatoris magni karoli claruit. puellamque matrem uidelicet beatę berthę ex longinquis regionibus in magnis diuitijs ortam. sibi in matrimonium coniunxit. Ex qua dum filiam matrem scilicet beati Roberti habuisset.

ipsam adultam pagano et tyranno cuidam. nobili tamen et duci secundum seculi dignitatem robolao dicto cum adhuc pagani et christiani propter rudimentum uerę fidei simul habitarent. gloria coniugij sollempniter associauit. et predia sua quę circa rhenum in pingis habebat eidem filię suę in dotem contulit. quatenus ob elegantiam generis sui. et ob amplitudinem prediorum suorum idem robolaus ad christianum nomen cogi posset! quod tamen nichil profuit. Qui cum ea per aliquod tempus laudabiliter uixisset.

postea honestos mores ipsius uidens grauiter tulit. ac se alienis mulieribus coniungens. non illam tamen more coniugij deseruit. sed tyrannidem incredulę mentis gerens. baptismum non amauit. Unde beata et mulier hęc ualde crutiabatur. in corde suo deo uouens. ut si ab illo liberaretur.

thalamo alterius uiri non associaretur. et ab hoc etiam suspirijs. lacrimis. orationibus. ac elemosinis sacrificium laudis deo offerens dicebat. O. o. quando liberabor de occupatione seculi huius.

quę animę meę et corpori meo amarus carcer est? De beniuolentia autem beatę Berthę magis quam de sanctitate eius loquamur! ut gloria in excelsis deo et in terra pax hominibus bonę uoluntatis sit. Nam ipsa tandem filium concepit et peperit! et si dicere liceret. pannis illum ut beata dei genitrix maria filium suum inuoluit. Cuius pater plurima gloria seculi ut prefatum est pollens. in monte illo qui luobun dicitur castrum ualde munitum habuit.

et per totam prouinciam illam fere usque ad moguntiam ciuitatem ducatum tenuit. Cumque beatus infans robertus trium annorum esset. pater eius in magnis prelijs contra christianos dimicans. occisus coram deo et hominibus interijt! et beata bertha uxor ipsius uidua remansit. Quę se a uinculo mariti et a sollicitudine seculi solutam uidens prefatum castrum deseruit. et ad alium locum scilicet super nauam situm in quo nunc reliquię ipsius et beati roberti requiescunt se contulit. ibique ecclesiam edificauit.

preciositatem quoque et claritatem uestimentorum abiecit. nec ulterius dignitatem generis sui et diuitiarum suarum adtendit! sed uili uestitu et grosso uelut sacco induta ac cingulo cincta. deinceps in continentia uiduitatis ut diu optauerat deo deuota seruiebat. Multos quoque perfectos et alios quosdam bonos homines ad se collegit. ac in predicto loco permansit. ibique uigilijs et ieiunijs se macerans. orationibus etiam et elemosinis deo cottidie ministrans filium suum bono exemplo in sanctitate muniuit quoniam timebat quod per cognatos et amicos suos ad uoluptatem seculi moueretur.

et ne hoc fieret. die noctuque illud deo commendabat. Sed tamen plurimi tyranni tam christum colentes quam idolis seruientes eam interim infestabant. et tam elegantiam generis et corporis ipsius amplectentes quam diuicijs et predijs eius inhiantes. eam sibi matrimonio coniungi affectabant. Ipsa uero omnes uno animo et una uoluntate animę repellebat. et soli deo placere studebat. et filium suum magis ad gloriam dei quam ad honorem seculi educare laborabat.

In quo dum bonas uirtutes bona spe celestis uitę exurgere uideret. animumque illius magis ad eterna quam ad caduca innixum adtenderet. de plurimis donis sancti spiritus gaudebat quę in ipso uidebat. quoniam idem beatus robertus cum infans et lac sugens esset. mores malicię infantis plorando seu irascendo non habuit. et a lacte abstractus in puericia sua in moribus suis uelut homo qui diligentissima intentione ad deum anhelat fuit. quapropter pater suus eum odio habens. ipsum stultum et fatuum fieri multociens affirmauerat dum uiuebat.

Sed qui deum bona et recta fide colebant. puerum hunc in puericia sua tam beniuolum existentem cernentes. ualde amabant. et beatum futurum quamuis per ignorantiam ueraciter tamen dicebant. Spiritus sanctus enim qui iacob patriarcham in utero matris suę gratia sua perfuderat. infantem etiam istum inspirauit. quia deus miracula sua sepius in his etiam facit. qui pre mollicia uenarum ac medullarum plenam scientiam nondum habet.

quemadmodum granum frumenti quod per molendinum in farinam spargitur. ante quam coqui et comedi possit aqua temperatur. Deus namque memor primę creationis in ada non dedignatur. quin spiraculum uitę in coagulationem quę propter peccata immunda est mutat. et quamuis per spumationem suggestionis diaboli coagulatio hęc tortuosa sit et de munda plasmatione primi hominis in hanc immundam coagulationem uipererorum morum mutata. deus tamen ipsam per spiraculum uitę intelligibilem facit. Et quidam homines sic nati magis in malignitate quam in dulcedine carnis sibi quod eligunt attrahunt et a bona scientia quasi a fetore fugiunt. quidam autem magis in gustu carnis quam in malignitate peccata diligunt.

quidam uero tam malignitatem quam delectationem in peccatis fugientes ad bonam scientiam se conuertunt. Sed qui in malignitate maliciam suam perficiunt. diabolo qui claritatem gloriosi honoris sui uidens. in seipsum confisus deum agnoscere noluit similes sunt. quapropter multi ex his peribunt. sed qui magis ex gustu carnis quam ex malignitate ad peccata constringuntur. peccatores uocantur. ex quibus tamen deus plurimos eligens columpnas celi statuit cum superfluitatem peccatorum penitendo et emendando erubescunt.

Qui uero per spiraculum uitę se intelligibiles sentiunt et ad bonam scientiam se inclinantes malam fugiunt. hi terreno seculo alienati mente in celo sunt. ac angelis associantur. Predicta itaque coagulatio ex terreno corpore sudans. etiam secundum modum terrę est. quia terra quędam tantę duritię est. quod per nullum laborem fructum proferre potest. quedam uero duris laboribus culta uix aliquos fructus profert!

quedam autem tam mollis et humida est. ut aratro facile euersa plurimum fructum afferat. Et quoniam homo per intellectum quid sibi suaue uel amarum sit intelligit si in bona scientia opus refectionis elegerit. spiritus sanctus uiriditatem ut idem opus perficiat ei donabit. si uero mortem in peccatis apprehenderit. primus deceptor qui in primo ortu illius peccatum succendit mortem ipsi afflat. Et sicut spiritus sanctus uiriditatem celestis desiderii illud diligentibus affert et ut aratro penitentię multos peccatores conuertit. quatenus ad celeste regnum perueniant.

ita etiam malignus spiritus per uiciosa mala ea diligentibus inflat. ipsosque multociens ad desperationem inducit. quatenus tartareis locis immergantur. In omnibus his homo mercedem quem querit accipit. ita ut si uitam a deo querit. illa ei donabitur. si autem ad mortifera respicit. mortem per sufflatum diaboli recipit.

Homo enim sensualitatem et intellectum in omnibus operibus suis habet. et terram fodere ac semen super illam seminare potest. quod tamen in terra mortuum sine fructu iaceret. si deus illud non uiuificaret. In plena etenim benedictione fructuosę terrę scilicet beniuolentię deus iacob antequam nasceretur diligebat. et in eadem inspiratione beatum puerum Robertum in infantia ipsius uisitauit. Deus namque preuidit quod sensibilis terra huius beati pueri ad deum anhelare desideraret. et quia hoc lac adhuc sugens in moribus suis incipiebat.

omnes qui eum uidebant. ipsum ualde diligebant! quoniam ubicumque beniuolentia in homine est. ad amorem illius desideria hominum accenduntur. uelut ros super granum ad uiriditatem illius cadit. Itaque cum puer iste septem annorum esset litteras discere desiderabat quibus eum mater sua instrui faciebat. sed tamen clericum eum esse nolebat. sed in loco patris sui ducem prouincię suę ac defensorem ęcclesiarum eum esse disponebat.

Ipse autem gratia spiritus sancti misericors super pauperes erat. quod ministerium ac sustentatio beniuolentię est. quemadmodum uiscera homini seruientes eum continent. Nam et secundum mores puerulorum ubicumque pauperes puerulos inuenit. eos matri suę obtulit dicens. Mater. ecce filij tui. Quod factum illa benigne suscipiens.

ei respondit. Fili mi! fratres tui sunt. Qui cum competenter et honeste nutriretur. etate et sapientia coram deo et hominibus proficiens. ad iuuenilem etatem in sanctis moribus ac uirtutibus educatus peruenit. unctus oleo sanctitatis ut dauid oleo leticię pre consortibus suis. atque gloriam totius mundi toto annisu mentis suę spreuit.

quamuis eam corporaliter coram hominibus habere uideretur. In bonis namque moribus sancte uiuebat. et ęcclesiam piis orationibus assidue frequentabat! et quę in sacris uoluminibus docebatur. bonę memorię pio studio commendabat. Cumque ad duodecimum etatis suę annum peruenisset! mater sua ad ipsum dixit. Fili mi!

quoniam plurimos facultates et diuitias habemus. oraculum in honorem dei et salutem animarum nostrarum faciamus. Cui ille respondit. Non mater mi! sed prius quod ęuangelium habet intendamus. Dicit enim christus. Frange esurienti panem tuum! et egenos uagosque induc in domum tuum.

Et iterum. Cum uideris nudum operi eum. et carnem tuam ne despexeris. Quod mater ipsius audiens quamplurimum gaudebat! quia filius eius tam sanum consilium ipsi dederat. Nam per spiritum sanctum bona et sancta desideria in animo illius sicut balsamum sudabant. et quomodo hęc quę locutus fuerat fieri possent secum silenter tractabant! et sic obdormiebat.

Vnde per admonitionem spiritus sancti quendam senem in somnis uidit. qui pulcram faciem habens quosdam puerulos in limpida aqua lauit! quos postea in quoddam pomerium omni genere florum et arborum amenissimum. et odore cunctorum aromatum plenum inducens. candidissima ueste induit. Ac beatus robertus amenitate eiusdem loci allectus. ad senem dixit. Hic manere uolo.

Cui senex respondit. Hic modo non permanebis quoniam fructuosam scalam in celum tibi parabis ubi socius angelorum eris! quapropter quod de pauperibus facere disposuisti perficere non negligas. quatenus per uictum et uestitum illorum cibo uitę pascaris. ac ueste qua adam per inobedientiam exutus est induaris. seculoque peregrinus mente factus. optimam partem tibi eligas. Sed postquam beatus puer robertus euigilauit.

hęc quę in somnis uiderat matri suę narrauit. Vnde illa multum grauisa! ad deum genua sua flectens orabat dicens. O domine deus meus. desiderium meum in filio meo implebis. Et deinde tam mater quam idem filius eius iuxta ripam defluentium aquarum quedam habitacula domorum edificantes. inibi pauperes et nudos conseruabant! quibus etiam uictum et uestitum per duos fideles et sanctos uiros subministrabant.

quorum alter Vvichbertus dictus eis in sacerdotio seruiebat! alter uero quidam ministerialium ipsorum existens. indoctus erat. Ipse quoque beatus robertus tenerę etatis et nobilitatis suę propter amorem christi oblitus. pedes pauperum multociens lauit. cibum et potum ipsis apposuit. ac lectos eis sepius strauit. et sic usque ad quintum decimum etatis suę annum deo fideliter seruiuit.

Et quoniam in pompa seculi per multas diuicias et familiam pollebat. in quibus se ad seculum trahi uidebat. apud se tandem tractare cepit quomodo beatus alexius patrem et matrem. domum ac diuicias seculi peregrinatus reliquit. et se illum in hoc imitari omnino elegit. quatenus deo tanto liberius seruire in quiete posset. Quod mater ipsius quibusdam indicijs in eo sentiens quamuis eam hoc celaret. ipsi cum lacrimis dicebat.

Fili! doloris maternorum uiscerum recordare. et gemitus matris tuę uiduę adtende. et familiam tuam in te solum confidentemm aspice. et ne nobis intollerabilem miseriam inferas preuide. Nam de facultatibus nostris pauperibus et egenis ac omnibus indigentibus secundum quod tibi placuerit. erogare poteris. Et quid tibi melius et utilius est!

quam deo sic seruire? Hęc matre sua multis lacrimis multisque gemitibus loquente! in corde suo beatus hic iuuenis ualde turbatus est. Eodem quoque tempore quidam nobiles tam de extraneis quam de consanguineis suis ad eum ueniebant dicentes. Tu qui tantum honorem ducatus tantasque diuicias seculi habes. cur te tam contemptibilem facis? Et his alijsque similibus uerbis eum cottidie lacerabant. temptantes si ipsum a bono proposito et a bona uia sua auertere possent.

Quod ille cernens! matri suę dicebat. Ecce per suggestionem diaboli qui proposito et uitę meę inuidet irretitus seculo implicabor. et post uias patris mei quamuis nolens ibo. Nam peregrinationem ob hoc desiderabam. ut soli deo tanto liberius deseruire possem. Quo audito! mater ipsius quę totam spem suam in deum posuerat pre timore angustiata et grauata metuebat ne filius suus per nobilitatem generis sui illectus seculo implicaretur.

malensque herede carere quam filium suum secularibus implicamentis irretitum diabolo seruire. ipsi quantum pre dolore potuit aiebat. Fili. quoniam uideo te per multa consilia turbatum inconuenienter ad seculum trahi fac quod uis! et peregrinationem quam diu obtasti aggredere. et ille cui dictum est tu solus peregrinus es in ierusalem in itinere tuo sit. teque incolomem mihi ad gloriam nominis sui remittat. At ille ex uoluntate matris suę peregrinationem arripuit atque ad limina sanctorum apostolorum petri et pauli cum quibusdam hominibus suis profectus est.

Quem cum homines regionis illius uiderent! super eo admirati sunt ad inuicem dicentes. Vere! hic homo nobilis est. Facies enim eius clara apparens in beniuolentia lucebat. quoniam gratia spiritus sancti ipsum perfuderat! unde et omnes qui eum intuebantur. in amplexione caritatis ipsum diligebant.

Nam sicut stella absque nube clarescit et clara est. sic etiam in facie hominis beniuolentia conspicitur! quia idem homo in bona consuetudine spiritus sancti est. Et cum beatus Robertus se deo meritisque sanctorum apostolorum petri et pauli cottidie commendaret! per aliquod tempus ibidem moratus est. Eo autem ibi moras faciente a quibusdam religiosis uiris eiusdem regionis interrogabatur. cuius conuersationis aut desiderij foret. quibus ipse omnia quę in corde suo habebat aperuit.

At illi consilium ei dabant. ut euangelium hoc adtenderet ubi scriptum est. uade et uende omnia quę habes et da pauperibus et ueni sequere me. quoniam peregrinatio ipsi bona et utilis esset. ne diuitię nobilitatis eum ad perditionem traherent. Qui consilio eorum se subdidit. et se ita facturum in animo suo deliberauit. Ad matrem suam denique reuersus in predio suo quod latissimum fuit uillas et ecclesias in quibus locis non erant edificari fecit.

et hominibus suis ea distribuit. quatenus inibi manentes. et matri suę quamdiu uiueret ministrarent. ac cunctis superuenientibus et in necessitate laborantibus in adiutorio subuenirent. Ipse uero ducatum. matrem. familiam. et possessiones suas et omnia quę habebat relinquere.

et pro christi nomine peregrinus fieri cogitabat. Possessio autem prediorum eius quam hereditario iure tam a patre quam a matre et a ceteris pro genitoribus suis possederat. a loco illo ubi reliquię ipsius conditę sunt. uidelicet ubi naua fluuius rheno influit. sursum per ripam rheni usque ad selsam fluuium se extendebat! et deinde ad alia duo flumina quorum primum vviza. secundum apfla dicitur transibat. et illic ultra nauam fluuiolum elram dictum qui ibidem medius trium fluuiorum eiusdem uocabuli est ascendebat.

et ab hinc ad simeram amnem dirigebatur. et inde per siluam san ubi amnis qui heienbach uocatur rheno se infundit recuruabatur. Habitatio autem tam beati Roberti quam matris ipsius eodem tempore propter suauitatem defluentium aquarum in ipso loco erant ubi reliquię eorum nunc conditę sunt! ciuitas uero ipsorum ibidem sita et fortissimis edificijs munita. per totam adiacentem planiciem usque ad radicem uicini montis et usque ad ripam rheni tendebatur. Sed altera parte nauę fluuij uicus erat. in qua habitacula famulorum et piscatorum eorum et stabula equorum ipsorum ac horrea ubi frumentum eorum condebatur. et torcularia ubi uinum ipsorum exprimebatur fuerunt.

In ipsis quoque locis maior celebritas et maior copia diuiciarum et omnium secularium dignitatum illo tempore pollebat. quam in alijs ciuitatibus eiusdem regionis uigeret. quoniam ibi concursus et transitus multorum hominum diuersarum prouinciarum assidue frequentabatur. Denique cum beatus robertus iuuenilem etatem attigisset. scilicet cum iam fere uiginti annorum esset multi propinquorum et ministrorum eius ipsum quamuis renitentem ad uoluptatem seculi trahebant quos ipse quia totus in dei amore ardebat a se piis et conuenientibus uerbis repellebat! quia deus qui omnia tam futura quam preterita et presentia nouit. aliud in eo fieri preuiderat. Nam dum idem beatus uelut arbor fructuum plena.

tam pinguis et elegantis naturę esset. ut mens ipsius per generositatem et diuitias seculi in contrarietatem bonorum facile peruerti et in sanctitate arescere posset. quemadmodum in quibusdam hominibus sepe accidit. qui bona opera inceperunt in quibus postmodum aruerunt. deus ipsum ad se tulit. Quidam enim in conuiuijs peccatorum semper conuiuantes. deo interdum secundum uoluntatem suam promittunt. quod quandoque a peccatis suis resipiscere uelint.

et in hoc diabolus multociens eos decipit. ita ut postmodum in lasciuia plus peccent. quam si uotum istud in animo suo non haberent! quia tempus peccandi. et tempus peccata relinquendi sibi constituunt. Hi namque tempus quo peccare desistant in moribus suis disponunt. et interim grauiora peccata quam prius peccauerint committunt. et sic proprietatem uoluptatis suę pro deo habent.

et in suauitate ista per diabolum decipiuntur cum eis infundit ut omnia quę desiderant secundum uoluntates suas faciant! quoniam per breue tempus illas habituri sint. Istos spiritus dei preuiderat ubi dicebat. quoniam omnes dij gentium demonia! quia sicut gentes formam quam manibus suis faciunt deum suum uocant. sic et isti uoluntatem suam deum constituunt cum sibimetipsis proponunt posse facere quod uolunt. ut etiam antiquus serpens dicebat. in quacumque die comederitis eritis sicut dij.

quoniam in seipso computabat ut homo perficere posset quicquid per gustum carnis in desiderio suo haberet. Sic quoque cum gloriosum honorem suum inspexit. in semetipso estimauit quia perficere posset quod uoluit! et quia deus peruersitatem uoluntatis eius contriuit! idcirco ipse deum et omnia opera et dona eius odio habet. In isto autem odio omnino obcecatus est. ita quod ueraciter scire non ualet. quia hominem amplius ledere non possit.

nisi quantum deus illum permittit. et in hac eadem cecitate miracula humanitatis filij dei pleniter non cognoscit. sed ea in dubio habet. quoniam deus qui ipsum in infernum proiecit non uult ut illa sciat. Omnes itaque uoluptates carnis hominis et seuissimę nequitię diaboli in dispersionem conuertentur. sicut stipula ante faciem uenti. quia ut calor uenti quęque leuiora in creaturis arefacit et dispergit. ita et aspectus dei omnia mala ad nichilum redigit.

Sed et homines cum per nequitiam diaboli ad uoluptatem carnis succenduntur. quasi faciem sibi creant de qua dicitur. imple facies eorum ignominia! quoniam plenitudine sordium uoluntates eorum saturantur in quibus etiam ignominiose deteguntur! quia cum in semetipsis operantur quod in delectatione carnis sibi eligunt ignominia cadentis sathanę contaminantur. Et quoniam sine timore uelut dij sint in delectatione carnis suę operari uolunt. in opinione malorum in quibus stare contendunt. ignominiose dissipabuntur.

Igitur quicquid homo sine deo operatur pro nichilo computatur. et unusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundum suum laborem ab illo qui eum creauit. Deus autem in dilecto suo Roberto stipulam uento agitatam non inuenit! quia quicquid idem sanctus de inspiratione spiritus sancti accepit. ipso adiuuante festinanter compleuit. quoniam tempora proprietatis suę sibi non proposuit. Denique mater beati iuuenis huius roberti cum in uiduitatis continentia deo bonis et sanctis operibus deuote seruiret. somnum diuina reuelatione uidit.

costam scilicet de latere suo cecidisse. unde multum perterrita crebros gemitus et crebra suspiria cordis sui protulit! sicut et postmodum non multo tempore transacto patuit. Nam filius eius beatus robertus cum intentione deuotionis quam deo uouerat esset quatenus eam compleret. magnis febribus infirmari cepit! in qua infirmitate senex quem dudum in somnis uiderat ei apparuit dicens. Ego antiquus dierum qui danieli in uisu noctis apparui sum. et nunc etiam me tibi manifesto.

teque ad gloriam infinitę beatitudinis uoco! quoniam per pomerium quod tibi olim in uisu demonstraui bona et sancta opera quę modo complesti. ueraciter premonstraui. Qui ut de somno euigilauit. tristicia et timore perterritus quia libenter complesset quod deo in desiderijs suis uouerat. matri suę quę uiderat indicauit! sed illa protinus maximo merore perculsa. quantos gemitus quantosque luctus his auditis ediderit.

a quolibet simile passo animaduerti potest. Itaque cum beatus iste per triginta dies in prefata infirmitate laborasset. uicesimo etatis suę anno deus eum in bona confessione et in dei timore de hac uita tulit. ne si ad perfectam etatem perueniret. post uias patris sui incederet. quia qui omnia nouit sic illi expedire presciuit. Deus enim illum preuenit. et ipsum in innocentia fulgentem de hac uita subtraxit.

In oratorio autem quod ipse et mater sua super nauam fluuium in supradicto predio suo construxerant cum maximo concursu populorum totius regionis sepultus est. alijs quidem super eum flentibus quoniam immaturus de presenti uita sublatus est. alijs uero super eum gaudentibus! quia per miracula quę deus ibidem per eum fecit. tota regio illa uelut dies per solem illuminata est. Per octo namque annos deus plurima signa et miracula per merita huius dilecti sui in predicto loco in infirmis in claudis. et in captiuis fecit. ita ut quicumque in tribulationibus uexabantur.

ad sepulcrum eius uenientes. per gratiam dei liberati sunt. Beata autem Bertha uidua dei electa post felicem obitum filij sui sanctam uitam in magna contritione cordis sui deinceps duxit. et omnia quę habuit ad sepulcrum filij sui pro seruitio dei obtulit. et cuncta necessaria congregationi fratrum qui ibidem deo in diuinis seruiebant. ex his pleniter subministrauit. Nam post finem filij sui in omni bonitate ieiuniorum elemosinarum et orationum. fere per uiginti quinque annos uiuens multos labores pro dei amore pie et iuste consummauit!

et deinde corporali infirmitate correpta. spiritum quem semper in celestibus desiderijs infixerat deo reddidit! et in pace in sepulchro filij sui in prefato predio suo honorifice sepulta est. Qua defuncta. predictus locus in honore sanctitatis et in pace quietis usque ad tyrannidemm northmannorum perstitit. Quibusdam etenim annis post felicem transitum beatę huius Berthe transactis. gens northmannorum a finibus suis egressa plurimas ciuitates circa fluenta rheni diuino iudicio deuastauit. treuerim quoque destruxit!

et sic grassando ad ciuitatem robolai patris scilicet beati roberti ubi naua fluuius rheno commiscetur de quo supradictum est perueniens. hanc etiam ruinam et incendio ad nichilum redegit. Quo facto! cum nefarij homines isti tandem repercussi feritatem suam deposuissent. et ad terras suas redirent. incolę prefati loci qui superstites remanserant et qui per diuersa latibula dispersi fuerant reuertentes. et ciuitatem suam dirutam cernentes. altera parte nauę fluuij propter munimen decurrentium fluminum adiacentium montium.

alia habitacula sibi edificabant. et omnia quę in lignis. in lapidibus in eiectis fundamentis atque in alijs utensilibus a predicto destructo loco deferre poterant. ad alteram ripam nauę illic ad habitandum deportabant. Et sic prior locus qui dudum frequentia populorum celsitudine edificiorum amplitudine diuitiarum pollebat desolatus est. atque per subsequentia tempora ad maiorem et maiorem desolationem perductus. quoniam omnia predia quę beatus robertus hereditario iure possederat. per extraneos et diuersos homines in contrarietatem dissipationis distracti sunt.

et nichil ex his inconuulsum permansit excepta ęcclesia in qua idem dei electus ut supradictum est una cum matre sua requieuit. quę et usque ad tempora nostra durauit. sic etiam quod eam oculis nostris perspeximus. cum ad eundem locum diuina demonstratione peruenissemus! et exceptis quibusdam paucis uinetis ad eandem ęcclesiam pertinentibus. quę a domino hermanno hildenesheimensi episcopo et fratre ipsius nobili uiro bernhardo dicto. per nos precio nostro comparauimus. Et quia beatus robertus uere beatus et uere sanctus est.

hęc in celesti armonia audiui et didici. O ierusalem aurea ciuitas! ornata regis purpura. O edificatio summę bonitatis quę es lux numquam obscurata. tu enim es ornata in aurora et in calore solis. O beata puericia quę rutilas in aurora. et o laudabilis adolescentia que ardes in sole. Nam tu o nobilis roberte in his sicut gemma fulsisti.

unde non potes abscondi stultis hominibus. sicut nec mons ualli celatur. Fenestrę tuę ierusalem cum topazio et saphiro specialiter sunt decoratę. In quibus dum fulges o roberte. non potes abscondi tepidis moribus sicut nec mons ualli coronatus rosis lilijs et purpura in uera ostensione. Quę dum in alia uinea plantatę essent. ibi tulit eas spiritus sanctus. et tibi eas nobiliter in misterio suo coniunxit.

O tener flos campi et o dulcis uiriditas pomi et o sarcina sine medulla quę non flexit pectora in crimina. o uas nobile quod non est pollutum nec deuoratum in saltatione antiquę speluncę et quod non est maceratum in uulneribus antiqui perditoris. In te simphonizat spiritus sanctus quia angelicis choris associaris. et quoniam in filio dei ornaris cum nullam maculam habes. Quod uas decorum tu es o roberte qui in puericia et in adolescentia tua ad deum anhelasti in timore dei et in amplexione caritatis et in suauissimo odore bonorum operum. O ierusalem fundamentum tuum positum est cum torrentibus lapidibus quod est cum publicanis et peccatoribus qui perditę oues erant. sed per filium dei inuente ad te cucurrerunt! et in te positi sunt.

Deinde muri tui fulminant uiuis lapidibus qui per summum studium bonę uoluntatis quasi nubes in celo uolauerunt. Et ita turres tui o ierusalem. rutilant et candent per ruborem et per candorem sanctorum et per omnia ornamenta dei. quę tibi non desunt o ierusalem. Unde uos o ornati et o coronati qui habitatis in ierusalem. et o roberte qui es socius eorum in hac habitatione succurrite uobis famulantibus et in exilio laborantibus. O felix apparitio cum in amico dei roberto flamma uitę coruscauit. ita quod caritas dei in corde eius fluxit timorem domini amplectens.

unde etiam agnitio eius in supernis ciuibus floruit. O beatissime roberte qui in flore etatis tuę non produxisti nec portasti uicia diaboli. unde naufragum mundum reliquisti. nunc intercede pro famulantibus tibi in deo. Et iterum audiui uocem de celo. sic in alio modo dicentem. Primus sonus ita permansit. ut a deo exiuit.

usque dum ipse genus humanum in uirginis utero reparauit. Et idem sonus uita fuit. ita quod non transiuit sicut uentus transit. Ipse quoque in tam magna uoce sonuit ut abyssum tangeret! sicut etiam in nouissima die omne genus humanum ea potestate denuo suscitabit. ut in prima die de ipso exiuit. Hoc est uerbum quod testificatur iohannes! per quod omnia facta sunt in formis suis.

Tunc deus fecit hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem suam. Etenim uolatilia. animalia. bestię. et pisces homini assunt. Nam et angeli et spiritus beatorum coram deo sunt. Sed in hoc quod uerbum a deo exiuit. deus pater filium nominauit.

et uerbum a deo genitum uita fuit. Et uerbum per quod omnia facta sunt! incarnatum est in mundo. Sic deus uoluit homini coniungi! quia hominem sibi similem fecit. Unde idem uiuens dicit! quia in prima etate operatus sit. quod sibi placuit.

Postea cum ad medium peruentum est! ruina patuit. Quid deinde sequetur! absconsum est. Ve. ve. O uir preliator surge. require in iustis iudicijs tuis unamquamque causam.

ut sine ruina sint. O uerbum patris. tu lumen primę aurorę in circulo rotę es. omnia in diuina ui operans. O tu prescientia dei. omnia opera tua preuidisti sicut uoluisti. ita ut in medio potentię tuę latuit. quia omnia presciuisti et operatus es quasi in similitudine rotę cuncta circueunte quę inimicum non accepit.

nec in fine prostrata est. Cum illusor diabolus hominem decepit quem deus formauerat. in deo uis erat quę ipsi placuit quam antiquus serpens per omnia scrutinia sua non cognouit nec gustauit. quę est pulcra forma filij dei qui diabolum in abyssum superauit. et spiraculum hominis ad seipsum traxit. et uentrem diaboli diuidit. ita ut per propria uulnera sua hominem qui uiscera illius transierat ab ipso liberaret. et de claustris inferni tolleret et eum denuo cum pennis candidę nubis ornaret.

Unde o tu homo gaude. quia deus te fecit. sic quod uexillum milicię sanctę diuinitatis es. et per te uictoriam perpetrauit cum claustra inferni fregit. Sed et in tua formatione in medio lateris orbis terrę fluxit. ita quod omnis angelica milicia te uidit et ualde admirata est! et ita te signauit cum celesti symphonia in angelica uictoria ubi formas uirtutum in certaminibus tuis perficies. Gaude ergo o homo et noli per ignorantiam te in in irrisionem seducere quasi in magnis honoribus tuis non sis.

quia deus te talem fecit ut omnia miracula sua plenissimę in te operaretur. Nam cum mortis nebula attracta est in feminea forma. ita quod eua in dolore omnes filios nascentium hominum in semetipsa de gaudio produxit ubi in exilium iuit. quia serpens illam deceperat de quo malum susceperat! deinde per aliam femineam formam abstracta est. Deus enim in antiquo dierum preuiderat. quod diabolus per mulierem uitam suffocare uolebat et ita in sapientia tam magnam turrim edificauit. ut aliam uitam per aliam mulierem proferret.

in castitate innocentię. Vndede o sapientia celum et angeli te adorant. atque omnis celestis milicia miratur de te dicens. Oi. oi. de limo terrę omnia ornata miracula dei surrexerunt. ita ut nouus sol procederet. et nouum lumen refulgeret!

et nouum carmen in nos sonaret. Quapropter o sapientia laus tibi sit. quia aliam mulierem inuenisti quam serpens deludere non potuit. quę est uirgo maria quę omne genus humanum coronauit. ut diabolus amodo hominem sic deludere non posset ut prius fecerat. Eua enim in dolore omnem fletum conceperat. in maria autem gaudium cythara. et symphonia sonuit.

Ipsa enim ad filium suum sic de uirginitate dicit. O fili dilectissime quem genui in uisceribus meis de ui circueuntis rotę sanctę diuinitatis quę me creauit. et omnia membra mea ordinauit. et in uisceribus meis omne genus musicorum in omnibus floribus tonorum constituit! nunc me et te o fili dulcissime multa turba uirginum sequitur. quas per adiutorium tuum saluare dignare dicentes. In deo ambulamus et omnes te sequimur! angelicum ordinem colentes.

De terra sudauimus! et teipsum o fili sanctę desponsationis amplectimur. Symphonia uirginum. Vnde o dulcissime amator et o dulcissime amplexator! adiuua nos custodire uirginitatem nostram. Nos sumus ortę in puluere. heu heu et in crimine adę! et ideo ualde durum est contradicere quod habet gustus pomi.

Sed tu erige nos saluator christe. Nos enim desideramus ardenter te sequi. O quam graue nobis miseris est te inmaculatum et innocentem regem angelorum imitari. Tamen confidimus in te. quod tu desideres gemmam requirere in putredine. Nunc aduocamus te sponsum et consolatorem qui nos redemisti in cruce. In tuo sanguine copulatę sumus tibi cum desponsatione repudiantes uirum et eligentes te filium dei. O pulcherrima forma o suauissime odor desiderabilium deliciarum semper suspiramus post te lacrimabili exilio quando te uideamus et tecum maneamus.

Nos sumus in mundo et tu in mente nostra et amplectimur te in corde quasi habeamus te presentem. Tu fortissimus leo rupisti celum descendens in aulam uirginis et destruxisti mortem edificans uitam in aurea ciuitate. Da nobis societatem cum illa et permanere in te o dulcissime sponse qui abstraxisti nos de faucibus diaboli primum parentem nostrum seducentem. Sed et illas quę post carnalem copulam te in amantissimo amore secuntur. ab omni incursu sibi insidiantium defendere dignare! ad te sic clamantes. Symphonia uiduarum. O pater omnium et o rex et imperator gentium qui constituisti nos in costa primę matris quę construxit nobis magnum casum erumpnę.

et nos secutę sumus illam in propria causa in exilio sociantes nos illius dolori. o tu nobilissime genitor per summum studium currimus ad te. et per dilectissimam atque per dulcissimam penitentiam quę nobis per te uenit. anhelamus ad te. et post dolorem nostrum deuotissime amplectimur te. O gloriosissime et pulcherrime christe qui es resurrectio uitę nos reliquimus propter te fertilem amatorem coniunctionis et comprehendimus te in superna caritate et in uirginea uirga natiuitatis tuę! et in altera uice copulatę sumus tibi quam prius essemus secundum carnem. Adiuua nos tecum perseuerare et tecum gaudere et a te numquam separari.

O magne pater in magna necessitate sumus. nunc igitur obsecramus obsecramus te per uerbum tuum per quod nos constituisti plenos quibus indigemus. quod placeat tibi pater quia te decet ut aspicias in nos per adiutorium tuum ut non deficiamus! et ne nomen tuum in nobis obscuretur. et per ipsum nomen tuum dignare nos adiuuare. Et iterum uox de celo dicebat. O factura dei quę es homo in magna sanctitate edificata es! quia sancta diuinitas in humilitate celos penetrauit.

O quam magna pietas est. quod in limo terrę deitas claruit. et quod angeli deo ministrantes. deum in humanitate uident. Sed o quam mira res est. quod cinis in putredine. et in magna miseria uulnerum criminum suorum ad deum aspicere non uult. Verbum autem patris propter hominem caro factum est.

Unde omnes homines gaudeant. et in lacrimabili uoce crimina sua plangant. ad illum se conuertentes. qui sine peccato carnem idcirco induit! ut crimina eorum abstergeret. Nunc autem uos o dilectissime hunc nobilissimum iuuenem amplectimini et in magna reuerentia illum amate qui uos in sanguine suo lauit. et qui uobis penitentiam peccatorum et medicinam uulnerum uestrorum ostendit. Iterumque uox de celo sonabat.

O tu uile scamnum fuge fuge! arduę scalę fumum dabunt aromatum. Ve ue terrenę causę. Nam ipsa abscondet se. quia uiuens oculus qui uidet in maxillam eam percutiet. Spiritus gaudet! o o infelix terra super se plangit. Ach ach.

ipsa habet in hoc tempore fenestralia loca per illusionem antiqui serpentis. sed tamen nondum uenit scissura ueli templi dei. O uirgo ęcclesia! plangendum est quod seuissimus lupus filios tuos de latere tuo abstraxit. O ue callido serpenti. Sed o quam preciosus est sanguis saluatoris qui in uexillo regis ęcclesiam ipsi desponsauit! unde filios illius requirit. Nunc autem gaudeant materna uiscera ęcclesię.

quia in superna symphonia filij eius in sinum suum collocati sunt. unde o turpissime serpens confusus es! quoniam quos tua estimatio in uisceribus suis habuit! nunc fulgent in sanguine filij dei. Et ideo laus tibi sit rex altissime. O orzchis ęcclesia armis diuinis precincta et iacincto ornata! tu es caldemia sticmatum loifolum et urbs scientiarum! O o tu es etiam crizanta in alto sono!

et es chorzta gemma. Et iterum uocem audiui de celo dicentem. O uis eternitatis quę omnia ordinasti in corde tuo per uerbum tuum omnia creata sunt sicut uoluisti. et ipsum uerbum tuum induit carnem in formatione illa quę educta est de adam. et sic indumenta ipsius a maximo dolore abstersa sunt. O quam magna est benignitas saluatoris qui omnia liberauit per incarnationem suam! quam diuinitas exspirauit sine uinculo peccati. Et o cruor sanguinis qui in alto sonuisti cum omnia elementa se implicuerunt.

in lamentabilem uocem cum tremore quia sanguis creatoris sui illa tetigit! ungue tuos de uulneribus suis. O pastor animarum et o prima uox per quam omnes creaturę creatę sunt! nunc pater tibi placeat ut digneris tuos liberare de miserijs et languoribus suis. Nam et quidam de terra surrexit qui in alto sonuit. scilicet lucidissima stella clarissima uoce ad homines clamans ut penitentiam de iniustis operibus suis facerent. Deus enim memor fuit! quod hominem per penitentiam de malis suis in alium modum recreare uoluit.

Vnde celi audiant et terra tremat quod deus hominem penitentem suscipit. et quod omnes angeli illum in laudibus recipientes uenerantur. Et ideo ue homini illi qui hominem peccatorem spernit. quoniam filius dei illum in sanguine suo redemit! et penitentem recipit. Primum enim opus uerbi dei in uoce eius ipsi accurrit! et ita factum est! Deinde idem uerbum parietes statuendi edificij posuit.

et ita mundus apparuit. Tunc oculus dei formam hominis inspexit. et spiraculum uitę in illud misit. et scientia cor illius imbuit. Et sic celum plenum fuit atque oculos undique habuit! et domino suo ministrauit. Tunc ach rugiens. sic apud se dixit.

Ve ue. omnis creatura dei fulminat. et nulla mecum est. Et ita de ore suo quasi nigrum mare flauit quia corporalis non fuit! et ad hominem misit. Tunc uerbum dei uidit quia facturam suam nebula tetigerat. et in integram terram scilicet in nobilissimam uirginem uenit. de qua carnem assumpsit.

et ita de homine nigrum mare abstersit. et antiquum serpentem confudit. Unde o frondens uirga. in tua nobilitate stas sicut aurora procedit. Nunc gaude et letare et tuos debiles dignare a mala consuetudine liberare. atque manum tuam porrige ad erigendum nos. Aue generosa gloriosa et intacta puella! tu pupilla castitatis tu materia sanctitatis quę deo placuit.

Nam superna infusio in te fuit. quod supernum uerbum in te carnem induit. Tu candidum lilium. quod deus ante omnem creaturam inspexit. O pulcherrima et dulcissima quam ualde deus in te delectabatur cum amplexionem caloris sui in te posuit! ita quod filius eius de te lactatus est! Venter enim tuus gaudium habuit. cum omnis celestis symphonia de te sonuit.

quia uirgo filium dei portasti! ubi castitas tua in deo claruit. Uiscera tua gaudium habuerunt. sicut gramen super quod ros cadit cum ei uiriditatem infundit ut et in te factum est. o mater omnis gaudij. Nunc omnis ęcclesia in gaudio rutilet. et in symphonia sonet. propter dulcissimam uirginem et laudabilem mariam dei genitricem.

Nunc iterum aue o uirga ac diadema purpurę regis quę es in clausura tua sicut lorica. Tu frondens floruisti in alia uicissitudine! quam adam omne genus humanum produceret. Aue aue de tuo uentre alia uita processit. qua adam filios suos denudauerat. O flos tu non germinasti de rore nec de guttis pluuię nec aer super te uolauit. sed diuina claritas in nobilissima uirga te produxit. O uirga floriditatem tuam deus in prima die creaturę suę preuiderat!

et te uerbo suo auream materiam o laudabilis uirgo fecit. O quam magnum est in uiribus suis latus uiri de quo deus formam mulieris produxit. quam fecit speculum omnis ornamenti sui. et amplexionem omnis creaturę suę. Inde concinunt celestia organa et miratur omnis terra o laudabilis maria quia deus te ualde amauit. O quam ualde plangendum et lugendum est. quod tristicia in crimine per consilium serpentis in mulierem fluxit. Nam ipsa mulier quam deus matrem omnium posuit.

uiscera sua cum uulneribus ignorantię et decerpsit et plenum dolorem generi suo protulit. Sed o aurora de uentre tuo nouus sol processit qui omnia crimina euę abstersit. et maiorem benedictionem per te protulit. quam eua hominibus nocuisset. Vnde o saluatrix quę nouum lumen humano generi protulisti! collige membra filij tui ad celestem armoniam. Et iterum audiui uocem de celo dicentem. Ecce o aurea uis quam gloriosa es quę in primo sono existi.

ita ut omnia elementa uitam susciperent. et quę postea sanctitatem in abel gustasti. ita ut innocentem sanguinem funderet. et quę deinde per noe in archa noua miracula ostendisti. ita ut omnis terra denudata sit a creaturis quę in ipsa fuerunt. Tu sapientia nouum sucum de terra edidisti. et in abraham nomen sanctę trinitatis adorari fecisti. et illi circumcisionem quę incarnationem domini nuntiauit dedisti.

O stella! in tua claritate speciosum forma pre filijs hominum ostendisti. ita quod magi filium dei lactentem adorabant. et quod de facie eius uirtutes clarescebant. ubi omnes filios hominum denuo uocauit! quia omnia elementa et omnes filii hominum uerbum dei in facie hominis uidebant. Audi ergo o homo et dic. Emulationem deleo!

contradictionem autem habeo in meipso. Ve ue huic malo! in quo me condempnauit. Unde o deus qui hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem tuam fecisti. et in illo omnia bona perfecisti. et omne malum in ipso contriuisti. et claustra inferni confregisti cui et plurimas animas abstulisti. in meritis harum uirium tuarum libera fideles tuos qui plenum officium uoluntatis suę perfecerunt!

sed tamen interdum ad te in fide aspexerunt. Et o ignis spiritus paracliti uita uitę omnis creaturę. sanctus es uiuificando formas. Sanctus es ungendo periculose fractos. sanctus es tergendo fetida uulnera. O spiraculum sanctitatis o ignis caritatis o dulcis gustus in pectoribus et infusio cordium in bono odore uirtutumm. O fons purissime in quo consideratur quod deus alienos colligit et perditos requirit. o lorica uitę et spes compaginis membrorum omnium.

et o cingulum honestatis salua beatos. Custodi eos qui carcerati sunt ab inimico et solue ligatos quos diuina uis saluare uult. O iter fortissimum quod penetrauit omnia in altissimis et in terrenis et in omnibus abyssis tu omnes componis et colligis. De te nubes fluunt. ether uolat. lapides humorem habent. aquę riuulos educunt. et terra uiriditatem sudat.

Tu etiam semper educis doctos per inspirationem sapientię letificatos. Vnde laus tibi sit qui es sonus laudis et gaudium uitę spes et honor fortissimus dans premia lucis. O ignee spiritus! item laus tibi sit! qui in tympanis et cytharis operaris. Mentes hominum de te flagrant et tabernacula animarum eorum uires ipsarum continent. Inde uoluntas ascendit et gustum animę tribuit et eius lucerna est desiderium. Intellectus te in dulcissimo sono aduocat.

ac edificia tibi cum racionalitate parat quę in aureis operibus sudat. Tu autem semper gladium habes illud abscidere quod noxiale pomum per nigerrimum homicidium profert. quando nebula uoluntatem regit in quibus anima uolat et undique circuit. Sed mens est ligatura uoluntatis et desiderij. Cum uero animus se ita erigit. quod requirit pupillam mali uidere et maxillam nequitię. tu eum citius in igne comburis cum uolueris. Sed et cum racionalitas se per mala opera ad prona declinat.

tu eam cum uis stringis et confringis et reducis per infusionem experimentorum. Quando autem malum ad te gladium suum deducit. tu illud in cor illius refingis sicut in primo perdito angelo fecisti. ubi turrim superbię in infernum deiecisti. Et ibi aliam turrim in publicanis et peccatoribus eleuasti. qui tibi peccata sua cum operibus suis confitentur. Vnde omnes creaturę quę de te uiuunt te laudant. quia tu preciosissimum ungentum es fractis et fetidis uulneribus ubi illa in preciosissimas gemmas conuertis.

Nunc dignare homines ad te colligere. et ad recta itinera dirigere. Nunc iterum o filię meę audite. et hęc uerba a uiuente luce percipite nullam partem ullius fuscationis habente! et uos in omnibus a malo obseruate. Nam sibilus diaboli ueniet! et sibilus multarum tempestatum. Sed et adhuc in aliquo tempore caldei infirmabuntur.

greci robustiores efficientur. romani cum ceteris romanis silebunt ut ardens ignis qui cadit! et galli tirones fient. Sed hęc omnia non semper. Et partess transeuntis seculi in tribus partibus currit! in quibus reges et duces diluuium inquietudinum sustinebunt. Et rex surget magnum prelium colens! et non est qui illum adiuuet.

nisi millenarius armatus numerus illorum qui prepucium non habent. Et sic homines fatigabuntur. Locum autem uestrum o filię meę deus non destruet. sed illos qui in uanitate et negligentia mendicant. ab eo fugabit. atque scismata et terrores abiciet. Quidam autem ceci et claudi eum absorbere uolentes non preualebunt! quoniam scintilla scrutationis illos excribrabit.

Vnde mentes uestras similes facite homini asspicienti in hortum. in quo flores et pomifera crescunt ut odorem eorundem florum naribus capiat. et ut de eisdem pomis comedat. Odor enim florum est quod homo a peccatis abstinendo. bonitatem iustorum imitari desiderat. pomorum autem cibus. ubi homo alios sibi subiectos fideliter regit. et ubi in gratia dei elemosinas egentibus largitur.

ideoque et uocem domini sui sic dicentes sibi audire promeretur. Hic homo per officium suum me tangit! et per largitionem elemosinarum in misericordia me ungit. Iste inter duas uias stat. quarum altera putrida est. altera per solem lucens. Sed putrida uia est uoluptas seculi huius. quam quisque fidelis fugere debet.

ne in illa suffocetur. Quod dum fecerit! sancti deum laudando symphonizant dicentes. Hic in putredine uoluptatis seculi! homo non est. Qui uero in uia solaris lucis deum timendo et amando aspexerit. uocem domini sui sic audiet. Euge serue bone et fidelis.

Sed qui ad putridam uiam deuiauerit. nisi inde se eripiat. periculum maximarum calamitatum incurret. Laus itaque sanguini christi sit qui lorica iusticię et omni armatura uirtutum fideles suos induit. Sanguis enim christi fideles in locum refrigerij restituit. Et tu o ierusalem gaude gaude! quia in passione filij dei uere credentes suscipis. Sed et tu o aurora saluationis in beatitudine rutilas!

quia ierusalem filios suos in gaudio conseruat. Quapropter et angeli de ipsis uociferantur in laudibus dicentes. Nos de operibus uestris in torculari uindemiamus. et ideo uos in societate nostra habemus! quod lucifer fugit uelut coluber qui se in cauernam suam abscondit. Spiritus sanctus itaque inspirauit quosdam homines inter quosdam populos! qui nondum erant fraudulenti. O o o.

Postea posuit deus sapientiam in aurora. Ach ach ach. Et fecit instrumentum in semetipso! scilicet magnum montem iusticię. He he he. Nunc iusticia montis facta est uia uelut umbra! per gulosam gulam errantium. Sed tu o fortitudo montis non tamen omnino sic tabesces!

sed in alta fenestra surges. cum multę aquilę aspicient in te. O magna res quę in nullo constituto latuit. ita quod non est facta nec creata ab ullo! sed in seipsa permanet. O uita quę surrexisti in aurora in qua magnus rex sapientiam quę in antiquo apud uirum sapientem fuit misericorditer manifestauit. quia mulier per foramen antiqui perditoris mortem intrauit. O luctus.

ach meror. he planctus! qui in muliere edificati sunt. O aurora! hęc abluisti in forma primę costę. O feminea forma soror sapientię! quam gloriosa es! quoniam fortissima uita in te surrexit!

quam mors numquam suffocabit. Te sapientia erexit! ita quod omnes creaturę per te ornatę sunt. in meliorem partem quam in primo acciperent. Vnde o uiridissima uirga aue quę in uentoso flabro sciscitationis sanctorum prodisti. Cum uenit tempus quod tu floruisti in ramis tuis! aue aue sint tibi quia calor solis in te sudauit sicut odor balsami. Nam in te floruit pulcher flos qui odorem dedit omnibus aromatibus quę arida erant.

Et illa apparuerunt omnia in uiriditate plena. Vnde celi dederunt rorem super gramen. et omnis terra leta facta est quoniam uiscera ipsius frumentum protulerunt. et quoniam uolucres celi nidos in ipsa habuerunt. Deinde facta est esca hominibus et gaudium magnum epulantium. unde o suauis uirgo in te non deficit ullum gaudium. Hęc omnia eua contempsit. Nunc autem laus sit altissimo.

O uirga mediatrix. sancta uiscera tua mortem superauerunt! et uenter tuus omnes creaturas illuminauit. in pulcro flore de suauissima integritate clausi pudoris tui orto. Quid est hoc? O quam magnum miraculum est! quod in subditam femineam formam rex introiuit. Hoc deus fecit!

quia humilitas super omnia ascendit. Et o quam magna felicitas est in ista forma. quia maliciam quę de femina fluxit. hanc femina fluxit. hanc femina postea detersit. et omnem suauissimum odorem uirtutum edificauit. ac celum ornauit plus quam terram prius turbauerit. O tu illustrata de diuina claritate clara uirgo maria uerbo dei infusa.

unde uenter tuus floruit de introitu spiritus dei qui in te sufflauit et in te exsuxit quod eua abstulit in abscisione puritatis per contractam contagionem de suggestione diaboli. Tu mirabiliter abscondisti in te immaculatam carnem per diuinam racionem cum filius dei in uentre tuo floruit sancta diuinitate eum deducente contra carnis iura quę construxit eua. integritati copulatum in diuinis uisceribus. Audi ergo o homo hoc miraculum. Aue maria o auctrix uitę reedificando salutem quę mortem conturbasti et serpentem contriuisti. ad quem se eua erexit erecta ceruice cum sufflatu superbię. Hunc conculcasti dum de celo filium dei genuisti quem inspirauit spiritus dei. O dulcissima atque amantissima mater salue que natum tuum celo fixum mundo edidisti.

Quid est hoc? O clarissima mater sanctę medicinę! tu ungenta per sanctum filium tuum infudisti in plangentia uulnera mortis! quę eua edificauit in tormenta animarum. Tu destruxisti mortem edificando uitam. Ora pro nobis ad tuum natum stella maris maria. O uiuificum instrumentum et letum ornamentum et dulcedo omnium deliciarum quę in te non deficient. Nunc aperuit mundo clausa porta quod serpens in muliere suffocauit!

unde lucet in aurora flos de uirgine maria. Quia ergo femina mortem instruxit. clara uirgo illam interemit! et ideo est summa benedictio in feminea forma pre omni creatura! quia deus factus est homo in dulcissima et beata uirgine. O quam preciosa est uirginitas uirginis huius quę clausam portam habet. et cuius uiscera sancta diuinitas calore suo infudit. ita quod flos in ea creuit!

et filius dei per secreta ipsius quasi aurora exiuit. Vnde dulce germen quod filius ipsius est! per clausuram uentris eius paradysum aperuit. Audiat terra! tremant elementa. Qua causa? Quoniam primum ortum huius uirginis omnis creatura cum gaudio suscepit. ita quod celi quasi aurora rutilabant propter manifestationem uirtutum et propter claram fortitudinem quę in illis emicuerunt!

quia sol ueritatis in ista uirgine omnem sanctificationem animarum exspirauit. Ergo o filię meę! audite me fontem uiuum dicentem uobis. Sancta et electa uiriditas in uobis sit! et non facultas diaboli quę deum in turpibus uulneribus derelinquit. Hęc uerba bonus oculus uidet. et bona auris audit! sed lapidea mens ea non percipit quę deum derelinquit et diabolum amplectitur.

magnam turrim in inferno edificans. O bona et recta desideria! quantam claritatem habetis. ubi dulcis odor uester ad deum ascendit. Ualde durum est humano generi! contradicere uoluptati terrenorum. Audiant ergo filię meę uerba hęc. Primum malum in temeritate decipiens opus hominis suffocauit per mulierem montem turrium in lamentationem expulsum.

in quo formę rectę affectionis apparere debuerunt. Nam inimicabilis raptor ac fallax suggestor uenit et inuoluit affectionem illam in nigredinem uelocis criminis et in feditatem pollutionis! ita ut munda esse non possit. O. o o. creatura. ach ach ach mundo. he he he contrarię uoluptati.

quę in mortem incuruata erat cum de celo abscisa est. et in infernum posita. ubi eam diabolus euomuit cum innocentiam suffocauit. Sed filius dei reliquit hanc umbrosam uoluptatem quę non potuit per lumen transire. et uenit per aliam uiam ubi non erat fallax natura! et ita per eum surrexit innocentia. Et sic eduxit filios adę de contraria uoluptate natos. trahens eos ad seipsum per uulnera infixorum clauorum in instrumento ligni.

frangendo ligaturam eorum ubi ligati erant in catena gustus mali operis atque in mamma iniquitatis! et in dulcedine peccati. Ideo o filię meę debetis uos semper cruciare in memoria eiusdem filij mei propter proprias causas uestras ut non deficiatis propter fallacem tyrannum. Inter uos etiam non crescant sputa amarę iracundię et flagrans mens superbię. nec uanitas quę scindit honorem sanctificationis ne a me cadatis. sed gaudium uestrum sit in me! et celeste regnum sit merces uestra! et pax sancta sit inter uos.

O filię ierusalem! magnus medicus et summum studium boni uult uos apprehendere. et non est qui possit uos ab illo separare. Vnde o tortuose illusor! quomodo aut quo uadis in incongruentibus casibus? In terrorem cades. Et ego paupercula forma in pondere grauis egritudinis ualde grauabar quia spiritus domini me constrinxit. et ut filiabus loci istius uerba ista dicerem mihi precepit.

Num existimatis. quod per conuiuia ciborum et potuum et per lasciuiam morum regnum dei accipiatis? Non. Regnum enim dei per macerationem corporis et contritionem mentis accipiens. Mensam quippe meam cum fulgore coronę meę coram uobis paraui ut regia conuiuia supernę hereditatis super illam afferretis. et manna et bestias siluarum. et uolatilia et mala granata! sed hoc non facitis.

Nam in altera parte affertis mihi quosdam seculares mores obseruationis legalis disciplinę. in altera autem disciplinam legis eorum qui sub coniugio iuncti sunt quę a uobis non quero. quia non in hortum istum. sed in uineam meam electam uos elegi. Et ego per octo annos hęc paciebar. sed per quinque annos sub silentio tacui. Per tres autem annos intus et foris illos flagellaui! qui in fulgore coronę meę inhonorabant me.

Quę omnia sic intelligenda sunt. Nullus fidelium existimet per ingluuiem uentris et per effusionem uoluptatum suarum supernam gloriam adipisci! quoniam qui illam habere desiderant. attenuationem corporis et pusillanimitatem cordis in bona uoluntate et non in acerba malignitate arripiant. Mensa quippe mea cum fulgore coronę meę coram uobis parata ut regia conuiuia super illam afferatis! angelos illos cum fulgore coronę scilicet miraculorum dei quę in multis miraculis hominibus refulgent. ita quod in eis multa mirantur quę beate uiuentibus ad beatitudinem parata sunt. designat qui diligentissima et sanctissima opera hominum illorum qui eos in angelico ordine imitantur creatori suo offerunt.

Angeli enim reliquias operum secularium hominum qui secundum carnalia desideria uiuunt deo non offerunt! sed horum qui carnalia desideria relinquentes corpora sua propter deum ad terram prosternunt. et laudibus dei sicut angeli semper insistunt. Manna autem obedientiam ostendit. quam deus homini imposuit ut deo obediat. et ut prelatis suis quę a deo sibi preponuntur subditus sit. et quam ceteris etiam creaturis infixit. quatenus utilitati hominis inseruiant.

Deus enim hominem fecit. nec homo seipsum creauit. et ob hoc spiritalis populus ut angeli per obedientiam deo seruire debent. quam lucifer dispersit. et homini inobedientiam demonstrauit. Sed bestię siluarum indicant quod hi qui seculo renuntiauerunt. seculum cum omnibus pompis abiciant. et quod sicut hospites et peregrini illi sint!

ita ut quemadmodum bestię homines sic ipsi omnem consuetudinem et omne consortium seculi fugiant! uelut ueri heremitę fecerunt qui se seculo clauserunt. ne mors per fenestras oculorum suorum intraret. Uolatilia uero precepta beati benedicti et aliorum catholicorum doctorum sunt qui in spiritu sancto hauserunt. et per quę homines sicut carnales non sint uiuunt. Mala autem granata amorem dei in cordibus illorum declarat. qui predictis bonis et sanctis operibus circumdati sunt. et qui diligentissimas uirtutes orando et flendo ad se colligunt.

et qui uerba sanctorum lambunt uitam eorum imitando. Sed hoc ad carnalia desideria et negligentiam respicientes non facitis. cum in altera parte quę ad seculum tendit mihi affertis carnalium uoluptatum diuersitates secundum obseruationem iuuencularum illarum quę mundo studiose et diligenter uelut disciplinate deseruiunt ut prefatum est. in altera autem parte conuertentes uos ad constrictionem et ad placitum uariorum studiorum illorum qui carnalibus copulis frequenter insudant. quatenus amantes amantibus placeant! quod nec dicto nec scripto nec mandato a uobis postulo quia spiritali copulę adhesistis nec ad oculum famulantes carnali amplexioni uos subiecistis. ubi non in uanam et mox cadentem floriditatem putredinis mundi uos coaptaui. sed in uineam uerę electionis et uerę beatitudinis induxi uos!

quatenus in summa electione mercedem laborum uestrorum recipiatis. Nam et ego per octo annos tollerabam quod uanitatem infantium facere incepistis. et quod deinde in eadem uanitate propter malam consuetudinem eius lusistis. et quod postea in aliqua parte eiusdem uanitatis peccastis. quia uanitatem hanc quasi eam ignorarem per quinque annos sub silentio dissimulaui! sed cum deinde quędam ex uobis in maxillam cum quibusdam signis suis me percuterent. manum meam leuaui et per tres annos intra et extra locum eorum diuersis doloribus eos castigaui. et etiam aperto signo pinguedinem peccati ibi percussi.

ubi in pulcritudine desponsationis neglectum sustinui. In zelo enim meo qui primogenita egipti percussit. et qui pharaonem in mari rubro submersit qui in qui in multis signis quę illi ostendebam me spreuit surrexi. et quendam hominem prostraui ita ut quasdam penas peccatorum suorum uideret. quasdam etiam sentiret frigore uidelicet et igne permixtas! et hoc feci illis ad ostensionem exempli. quę in plurimis signis quę eis uidentibus et audientibus ostendi me cognoscere noluerunt. Homo autem ille quem sic in zelo meo flagellaui et ceterę quę in habitatione ista sunt.

caueant ne de uia mea recedentes ad priores transgressiones reuertantur. ne in rubro mari suffocentur. quoniam priora pati amodo nolo. Necesse est enim ut in meliorem partem surgant! quia deus uult ne legem suam relinquant. Nunc igitur o filię meę ante cincturam pressurę illius quam in spiritali populo faciam qui tunicam meam scidit et qui uestem meam diuisit. et qui pactum meum quod cum ipso pepigi reliquit. ad me ilico surgite.

O ue genti peccatrici quę in uijs putredinis iacet. et quę per lasciuiam uiciorum semper impudica est. et quę per nimietatem uiciorum mammas porcorum sugit. Vnde dicat. O domine qui homini cibum et uestimentum prouidisti et dolores illius in sanguine agni abluisti aspice quod niger uentus nos deridet. et germina sanctitatis a nobis excutere uult! et illum de medio nostri abscide. quia nondum uenit tempus plenitudinis scismatum.

cum omnis terra uestimento consecrationis denudabitur. Nunc ergo o filię uidete et audite et hunc periculosum uentum fugite. et ad regem uestrum currite. Et cum hoc feceritis! de beatitudine illa quod cherubin et seraphin atque omnis ordo celestis milicię aspiciunt in uultum dei. fluant benedictiones super locum istum et filias eius quasi ymber temporaneus et serotinus. atque uirtutes in eis multiplicentur. et diuitię terrarum.

Sed et omnes qui tibi benedicunt multiplicentur in benedictionibus. Et deus locum istum inspiciat. nec eius obliuiscatur. Crescite ergo et multiplicamini super montes et colles sanctificationis! per sanctissimum donum dei. Vnde qui uoluerit uobis benedicere. terra repleat eum in benedictionibus! et qui uoluerit uobis maledicere.

sit ille maledictus ex iusto iudicio. Uos namque estis speculum meum. Sed quid cogitatis in cordibus uestris? In me est quod uolo in uobis perficere. Quid est hoc? Hoc est. quod iustum est. Donum gratię dei perfundat uos ut non superemini ab inimico.

Ergo non derelinquite me.

Scripture echoes

↩Heb.13.15 — Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God—that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
↩1Sam.15.8;Isa.13.13;Ezek.33.4 — He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, and he devoted all the people to destruction by the edge of the sword. Isa.13.13 — Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will quake from its place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. Ezek.33.4 — And whoever hears the sound of the trumpet but does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away — his blood shall be on his own head.
↩Prov.8.22-Prov.8.30 — The LORD acquired me as the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Prov.8.23 — From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest days of the earth. Prov.8.24 — When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no springs heavy with water. Prov.8.25 — Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth— Prov.8.26 — before he had made the earth and the open fields, or the first dust of the world Prov.8.27 — When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, Prov.8.28 — when he made the skies firm from above, when he strengthened the fountains of the deep Prov.8.29 — When he set the sea its boundary, so that the waters would not pass his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, Prov.8.30 — Then I was beside him, a master craftsman; I was his delight day after day, playing before him at all times,
↩Gen.1.28-Gen.1.30 — And God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' Gen.1.29 — And God said, "See, I have given you every seed-bearing plant that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food." Gen.1.30 — And to every living creature of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creeps on the earth in which there is a living soul—every green plant for food. And it was so.
↩Ps.104.14 — He causes grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for the service of humanity, to bring forth bread from the earth.
↩Prov.8.30 — Then I was beside him, a master craftsman; I was his delight day after day, playing before him at all times,
↩Prov.8.27 — When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
↩Isa.40.12 — Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the heavens with a span, and enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
↩Gen.3.5 — for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
↩Matt.1.23 — "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us."
↩Isa.7.14;Matt.1.23 — Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the young woman will conceive and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel. Matt.1.23 — "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us."
↩Matt.1.23 — "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us."
↩Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God."
↩Gen.1.1;John.1.3 — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.1-John.1.3 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John.1.2 — He was in the beginning with God. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.1;Prov.8.22-Prov.8.23 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Prov.8.22 — The LORD acquired me as the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Prov.8.23 — From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest days of the earth.
↩John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩Col.1.16 — For in him all things were created, in the heavens and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him.
↩Ps.4.9 — In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you, LORD, alone make me dwell in safety.
↩Gen.2.19-Gen.2.20 — And the LORD God formed from the ground every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. Gen.2.20 — So the man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field; but for the man himself, no helper corresponding to him was found." Match v.18 wording for thematic force.
↩John.4.24 — God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
↩Gen.3.21 — And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.
↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
↩Gen.1.2 — And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
↩Gen.1.3 — And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
↩John.15.26 — When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.
↩1Cor.13.12 — For now we see in a mirror, dimly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
↩Acts.2.3 — And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed, and it sat upon each one of them.
↩Acts.2.4 — And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
↩1Cor.15.4 — and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
↩Acts.1.9-Acts.1.11 — And after he said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. Acts.1.10 — And as they were looking intently into the sky as he was going, behold, two men stood beside them in white garments. Acts.1.11 — Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.
↩Luke.24.51 — And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.
↩Ps.110.1;Acts.2.33-Acts.2.34 — The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." Acts.2.33 — Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. Acts.2.34 — For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand."
↩Heb.1.3 — He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's own being, and he upholds all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
↩Acts.20.28 — Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he obtained through the blood of his own.
↩Eph.1.7 — In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
↩1Pet.1.20 — He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
↩Eph.1.4 — just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love
↩John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Gen.2.7 — Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
↩Ps.2.9 — You will shatter them with a rod of iron; like a potter's vessel you will dash them to pieces.
↩Ps.2.9 — You will shatter them with a rod of iron; like a potter's vessel you will dash them to pieces.
↩Ps.2.9 — You will shatter them with a rod of iron; like a potter's vessel you will dash them to pieces.
↩Jer.19.11 — and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of Hosts: Just so will I break this people and this city, as one breaks the potter's vessel that cannot be repaired again. And in Topheth they shall bury, for lack of room to bury.
↩Lam.4.2 — The precious sons of Zion, valued as fine gold — how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter's hands!
↩Gen.2.7 — Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
↩John.10.9 — I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and out, and will find pasture.
↩John.10.1 — Truly, truly I say to you: whoever does not enter the sheepfold through the door but climbs in by another way — that person is a thief and a robber.
↩Gen.1.16 — And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.
↩Phil.2.15 — so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world,
↩Gen.2.8 — And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
↩Gen.3.23-Gen.3.24 — So the LORD God sent him out from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. Gen.3.24 — So he drove out the man, and he settled east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword that turns every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
↩Matt.10.30;Luke.12.7 — But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Luke.12.7 — But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.
↩Matt.10.30 — But even the hairs of your head are all counted.
↩Matt.10.31 — So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
↩Dan.3.14-Dan.3.18 — Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?' Dan.3.15 — Now if you are ready so that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you fall down and worship the image that I have made—good. But if you do not worship, you will be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the God who will deliver you from my hands? Dan.3.16 — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.' Dan.3.17 — If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, then He will deliver us from your hand, O king. Dan.3.18 — But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
↩Mark.1.24 — "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God."
↩Gen.3.15;John.12.31;Rev.12.9 — I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. John.12.31 — Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. Rev.12.9 — And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
↩Eph.5.25-Eph.5.27;Rev.19.7-Rev.19.9;Hos.2.19-Hos.2.20 — Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her. Eph.5.26 — in order that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Eph.5.27 — so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she might be holy and blameless. Rev.19.7 — Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Rev.19.8 — And it was granted to her that she be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev.19.9 — And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." Hos.2.19 — And I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall no more be mentioned by their name. Hos.2.20 — And I will make a covenant for them on that day with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow and the sword and war from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Eph.5.25 — Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her.
↩Gen.24.2-Gen.24.9 — Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of everything he owned, "Please place your hand under my thigh." Gen.24.3 — I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. Gen.24.4 — but to my own land and to my own kindred you shall go, and you shall take a wife for my son — for Isaac. Gen.24.5 — The servant said to him, 'Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?' Gen.24.6 — And Abraham said to him, "Be careful that you do not take my son back there." Gen.24.7 — The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. Gen.24.8 — But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there. Gen.24.9 — So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
↩Heb.1.1 — Long ago, in many parts and in many ways, God spoke to the fathers through the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us through a Son.
↩Gen.9.13-Gen.9.16 — I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Gen.9.14 — When I bring clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds. Gen.9.15 — And I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature, all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. Gen.9.16 — When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature, all flesh that is on the earth.
↩Rev.21.2;Rev.7.14 — And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev.7.14 — And I said to him, 'My lord, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'
↩Rev.21.2 — And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
↩Rev.21.2 — And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
↩John.1.29;Isa.53.7 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Isa.53.7 — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.
↩Rev.21.2 — And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
↩Heb.13.15;Ps.50.14 — Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God—that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Ps.50.14 — Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.
↩Rev.3.12 — The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
↩Isa.58.7 — Is it not to break your bread to the hungry and bring the poor who are cast out into your house? When you see the naked, cover him, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh.
↩Isa.58.7 — Is it not to break your bread to the hungry and bring the poor who are cast out into your house? When you see the naked, cover him, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh.
↩Isa.58.7 — Is it not to break your bread to the hungry and bring the poor who are cast out into your house? When you see the naked, cover him, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh.
↩Isa.58.7 — Is it not to break your bread to the hungry and bring the poor who are cast out into your house? When you see the naked, cover him, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh.
↩Ps.96.5 — For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
↩Ps.96.5 — For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
↩Isa.44.9-Isa.44.20;Ps.115.4-Ps.115.8 — All who fashion an idol are nothing, and their cherished things are of no benefit. Their witnesses—they neither see nor know, so that they may be put to shame. Isa.44.10 — Who has fashioned a god or cast an image, to no profit at all? Isa.44.11 — Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are but men. Let them all assemble and stand together; let them be afraid and ashamed together. Isa.44.12 — The ironworker shapes it with a chisel, works it over the coals, and hammers it into form with the strength of his arm. Yet when he is hungry, his strength fails; if he drinks no water, he grows faint. Isa.44.13 — A woodworker stretches out a line; he marks it with a stylus. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass, and fashions it in the likeness of a man, in the beauty of humanity, to dwell in a house. Isa.44.14 — He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak; he selects for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. Isa.44.15 — Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes some of it and warms himself; he also kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down before it. Isa.44.16 — Half of it he burns in the fire; over the other half he eats meat, roasting it and eating his fill. He also warms himself and says, 'Ah, I am warm, I have seen the firelight.' Isa.44.17 — The rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down to it, worships it, prays to it, and says, "Save me, for you are my God." Isa.44.18 — They do not know, and they do not understand, for their eyes are smeared so they cannot see, and their minds cannot comprehend. Isa.44.19 — And he does not consider in his heart, nor has he knowledge or understanding to say, 'Half of it I have burned in the fire; I have also baked bread on its coals, I have roasted meat and eaten it. And shall I make the remainder an abomination? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?' Isa.44.20 — He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?' Ps.115.4 — Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. Ps.115.5 — They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see. Ps.115.6 — They have ears, but they do not hear; they have noses, but they do not smell. Ps.115.7 — Their hands, yet they do not handle; their feet, yet they do not walk; they do not speak with their throat. Ps.115.8 — Those who make them shall become like them—everyone who trusts in them.
↩Gen.3.5 — for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
↩Gen.3.5 — for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
↩Dan.9.8 — O LORD, to us belongs shame of face — to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers — because we have sinned against you.
↩1Cor.3.8 — Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
↩Ps.1.4 — Not so the wicked; but they are like chaff that the wind drives away.
↩Dan.7.9 — I kept watching until thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire, its wheels a burning fire.
↩Isa.54.12 — And I will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
↩Rev.21.18-Rev.21.21 — and the wall's foundation was jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. Rev.21.19 — The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, Rev.21.20 — the fifth foundation stone was sardonyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. Rev.21.21 — And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
↩Rev.3.15-Rev.3.16 — I know your works—that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot! Rev.3.16 — So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
↩Isa.5.7 — For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah is his delightful planting. He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.
↩Matt.9.10;Luke.15.1-Luke.15.7 — And it happened, as he was reclining at table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined with Jesus and his disciples. Luke.15.1 — Now all the tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to listen to him. Luke.15.2 — And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, "This one welcomes sinners and eats with them." Luke.15.3 — And he told them this parable, saying: Luke.15.4 — Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? Luke.15.5 — And when he finds it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luke.15.6 — And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Luke.15.7 — I tell you, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents more than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
↩Gen.1.26 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
↩John.1.1-John.1.3 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John.1.2 — He was in the beginning with God. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.1-John.1.14 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John.1.2 — He was in the beginning with God. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. John.1.4 — In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John.1.5 — And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John.1.6 — There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. John.1.7 — He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. John.1.8 — He himself was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. John.1.9 — The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John.1.10 — He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. John.1.11 — He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. John.1.12 — But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God—to those who believed in his name. John.1.13 — who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩John.1.1-John.1.4 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John.1.2 — He was in the beginning with God. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. John.1.4 — In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
↩John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Gen.1.26 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
↩Isa.11.1 — A shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
↩John.11.25 — Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live."
↩Gen.2.7 — Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Job.13.12 — Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
↩Rev.22.16 — I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.
↩2Pet.1.19 — And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
↩Rev.22.16 — I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.
↩Gen.8.1 — And God remembered Noah, and all the living creatures and all the livestock that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.
↩2Cor.5.17 — So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
↩Gen.3.15;Rev.12.9 — I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Rev.12.9 — And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
↩Isa.11.1 — A shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
↩Song.6.10 — Who is this who looks forth like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as those with banners?
↩Luke.1.28 — And coming to her, he said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.'
↩Gen.2.21-Gen.2.22 — So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. Gen.2.22 — And the LORD God built the rib that He had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man.
↩Gen.3.1-Gen.3.6 — Now the serpent was more crafty than any other animal that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" Gen.3.2 — And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, Gen.3.3 — but of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat from it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.' Gen.3.4 — But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not certainly die.' Gen.3.5 — for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Gen.3.6 — And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
↩Gen.3.20 — And the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
↩Ps.107.16 — For he has shattered the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
↩1Pet.3.19 — in which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
↩Ps.9.21;Ps.11.7-Ps.11.8 — Put them in fear, LORD, so that the nations may know they are only mortal. Selah Ps.11.7 — For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright will behold his face.
↩Eph.6.14-Eph.6.17 — Stand firm, then, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Eph.6.15 — and having shod your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace Eph.6.16 — In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Eph.6.17 — And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
↩Isa.66.10;Ps.147.12 — Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad in her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in exultation, all who mourn over her. Ps.147.12 — Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.
↩Luke.1.78 — because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from on high
↩Isa.63.3;Rev.14.19-Rev.14.20 — I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples there was no one with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my fury. Their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and I stained all my clothing. Rev.14.19 — And the angel swung his sickle into the earth and harvested the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Rev.14.20 — And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand stadia.
↩Isa.14.12;Rev.12.9 — How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who laid low the nations! Rev.12.9 — And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
↩Isa.5.7;Matt.21.33-Matt.21.41 — For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah is his delightful planting. He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress. Matt.21.33 — Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and leased it to tenants, and went away on a journey. Matt.21.34 — When the season of the harvest drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. Matt.21.35 — And the tenants seized his servants; one they beat, one they killed, and one they stoned. Matt.21.36 — Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did to them likewise. Matt.21.37 — But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' Matt.21.38 — But when the tenants saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.' Matt.21.39 — And they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Matt.21.40 — Therefore, when the master of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? Matt.21.41 — They say to him, 'He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruit in its season.'
↩Isa.1.4 — Ah, sinful nation, a people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they have turned their backs on him.
↩Isa.66.17 — Those who consecrate themselves and purify themselves, going into the gardens after one in the middle, eating the flesh of the pig and the abomination and the mouse — they shall come to an end together, declares the LORD.
↩Matt.6.25-Matt.6.26;Luke.12.22-Luke.12.24 — Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat [or what you will drink], nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matt.6.26 — Look at the birds of the air: they do not reap, nor gather into barns, nor store away grain — and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth far more than they? Luke.12.22 — And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. Luke.12.23 — For the soul is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Luke.12.24 — Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
↩Rev.7.14;Isa.1.6 — And I said to him, 'My lord, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' Isa.1.6 — From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it—only wounds, welts, and raw sores; they have not been pressed out, nor bandaged, nor softened with oil.

Notes

1 ↩ut here functions as a result clause ('so that') rather than purpose; the sense is that the goodwill was so great that the matters were in fact committed to writing at God's nod/command.
2 ↩charitatem rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy (charitas → love/charity); here the sense is mutual love among the sisters.
3 ↩'ab antiquo' likely means 'from the Ancient One' (a divine epithet) or 'from the beginning'; the theological sense is that Love/Wisdom existed before creation.
4 ↩'cum a deo plasmatus est' — the temporal clause ('when by God he was formed') situates Love's presence at the moment of Adam's creation.
5 ↩This is a fragmentary clause — 'quia celum et terram' lacks a verb. It appears to be the beginning of a statement about God filling or encompassing heaven and earth, cut off or left incomplete in the manuscript tradition.
6 ↩'sustentaretur et pasceretur' — both verbs are imperfect passive subjunctive, expressing purpose. 'Pasceretur' can mean 'be fed' or 'be nourished' in a broader sense; the exclamation mark in the source suggests Hildegard's characteristic wonder at creation's ordering.
7 ↩'faber' (craftsman/artisan) applied to Wisdom echoes the personified Wisdom tradition (Proverbs 8, Sirach 24) where Wisdom is God's artisan at creation.
8 ↩'circuiuit' — the verb could derive from 'circumeo' (to go around, surround) or 'circumvenio' (to encompass). The sense is that Wisdom/Love encompasses all of creation.
9 ↩'equali pondere ponderauit' — the image of God weighing creation with equal measure echoes Isaiah 40:12 and the broader Wisdom tradition of God ordering creation with justice and measure.
10 ↩'Caro autem hominis cum anima' — the 'autem' here functions as a mild transition ('But/And') shifting from the cosmic scope of creation to the intimate constitution of the human body. 'pleniter perfusa est' conveys complete saturation — flesh and soul interpenetrate throughout the body's every part.
11 ↩bachatus is a rare/medieval form of bachatus (from bachor), meaning to revel or carouse; the sense here is likely figurative — the deceiver exulted or ran wild among those marked by obedience.
12 ↩The form iustici is a variant/nonstandard spelling for iustitiae (genitive of iustitia). The phrase sol iustitiae is a traditional Christological title (Malachi 4:2), here applied to Christ's virginal conception.
13 ↩Fulminat is rendered 'flashes' rather than 'strikes with lightning,' following the simile's emphasis on radiant passage through the firmament without destruction. The sense is of brilliant, undiminished transmission.
14 ↩The sentence is syntactically incomplete in the Latin — it functions as a subordinate clause (quoniam…) without a main verb in this section. The following sentence (s6) completes the thought. Rendered here as a dependent clause to preserve the syntax.
15 ↩The sentence is elliptical: the verb is omitted (likely 'penetrates' or 'fills' from context). Celos abyssos is rendered as appositional — the heavens and the depths — as the scope of divine power's reach.
16 ↩The Latin ablative absolute 'innumerabili turba populorum suscipiente' is syntactically ambiguous — it could modify either the Church or the faith. The translation takes the throng of peoples as the subject of 'receiving,' with the Church as the agent of 'establishing,' which best fits the context.
17 ↩The relative pronoun surface 'qu' is truncated (likely quae); the sense is that the Father's person is neither the Son's nor the Holy Spirit's.
18 ↩Truncated relative pronoun 'qu' again; the sense is that the Son's person is distinct from the Father's and the Holy Spirit's.
19 ↩Truncated relative pronoun 'qu' again; the sense is that the Holy Spirit's person is distinct from the Father's and the Son's.
20 ↩mobilis rendered as 'set in motion' to capture the sense of movement/change rather than a static quality; could also mean 'changeable' or 'in motion.'
21 ↩cum flamma taken as temporal/accompanying ('with flame') rather than strictly causal ('since it has flame'), to keep the natural-physical register of the passage.
22 ↩flammę is a truncated or variant form of flammae (genitive/dative singular or nominative plural of flamma); rendered as 'of flame' assuming genitive singular.
23 ↩coagulationem is a rare medieval formation; 'clot' renders the sense of a congealed, cold mass — the soul's fire is what melts or burns it away.
24 ↩aliquod uitale: 'anything living' or 'anything vital' — rendered as 'anything that lives' to capture the force of vitalis in Hildegard's cosmology.
25 ↩quęque: segmentation uncertain in source; treated here as quidque/quisque ('whatever') following the candidate gloss.
26 ↩quę: refers back to the things fashioned by human skill; neuter plural antecedent carried from previous sentence.
27 ↩requię pacis (rest of peace): Hildegard's language evokes both the peace of God and the Sabbath rest of the soul in God; the manuscript form 'requię' is unusual but the sense is clear.
28 ↩The manuscript tokenization of 'hęc' and 'quę' is unusual (split across characters); the normalized text preserves the input segmentation. The sense is clear: 'through these things which are for man's sake and which exist in him.'
29 ↩duricie nociuorum: 'of harshness of harmful things' — the genitive relationship is ambiguous; rendered as 'harshness and of harmful things' to preserve both senses
30 ↩ut could be comparative ('as') or purpose ('so that'); rendered as comparative given the context of Adam naming the creatures
31 ↩ut rendered as purpose clause ('so that'); result reading also possible.
32 ↩anima rendered as 'soul' per lexeme policy (interior person before God).
33 ↩The image likens the soul's sensible operation to a water-driven mill: once the soul begins to move according to the body's felt sensations, it is carried along mechanically, as if by an external force. 'Operates according to its own sensibility' renders secundum sensibilitatem suam operatur.
34 ↩inicialis is a rare/medieval form (for initialis); rendered as 'the Origin itself' to capture the sense of being the primal, unmade source rather than a created being.
35 ↩uiriditas is Hildegard's signature technical term for divine life-force/vivacity; 'greenness' preserves the concrete botanical image central to her visionary vocabulary.
36 ↩The 'three modes' (tres modos) through which the one human being exists in two natures are not specified in this sentence. Hildegard likely refers to a tripartite understanding of the human person (e.g., body, soul, and a unifying rational principle, or the three faculties of the soul). The surrounding context lists soul, body, and rationality (anima, corpus, rationalitas) as the three components.
37 ↩This sentence is fragmentary: it sets up a conditional (si unum de tribus istis… deesset) but the apodosis follows in the next sentence. The three items listed — anima, corpus, rationalitas — correspond to the 'three modes' of the previous sentence.
38 ↩Exclamatory apodosis to the conditional begun in s5. The imperfect subjunctive deesset expresses an unreal condition: if any of the three (soul, body, rationality) were absent, the human person would be incomplete.
39 ↩The phrase 'absque ulla uirili commixtione' (without any male mixture) affirms the virgin conception; 'humanę naturę' is a truncated genitive construction.
40 ↩Echoes Psalm 2:9 (Vulgate) — 'Reges eos in virga ferrea, tanquam vas figuli confringes eos' — and possibly Isaiah 30:14, Jeremiah 19:11, Lamentations 4:2. The surrounding context in this letter quotes and glosses this psalm verse at length.
41 ↩mactant: literally 'they sacrifice/slay,' here used figuratively — they offer up (as a sacrifice) what they will, i.e., they treat their own will as an object of worship.
42 ↩suę: scribal abbreviation for suae ('their'); normalized reading accepted.
43 ↩magistrali doctrina: 'magisterial teaching' — i.e., authoritative, teacherly instruction. The image of moon and stars suggests reflected light: the nuns illuminate others not by their own light but by reflecting a greater source.
44 ↩ruminatis: literally 'you chew the cud / ruminate' — a monastic metaphor for meditative reading (ruminatio). The English 'ruminate on' preserves the metaphor while reading naturally.
45 ↩The Latin 'malefactum uas figuli' is rendered here as 'a vessel of ill-making' to preserve the unusual compound; it may mean a vessel made for a wicked purpose or a vessel that has turned out badly.
46 ↩The Latin is a single sentence with the relative clause 'qui locus' picked up from s1; rendered here as a self-contained English sentence for readability, with the antecedent 'a place' made explicit.
47 ↩Direct scriptural quotation (Matt 10:30 / Luke 12:7); final resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
48 ↩quin eum reuelaret: the antecedent of 'eum' is ambiguous — possibly referring back to 'Dominus' (the Lord revealed his words/saying) or to the place/locus. Rendered as 'to reveal them' (i.e., the words/saying), but the referent is uncertain.
49 ↩Hildegard's reading is typological and polemical: the wedding-feast parable is applied to the rejection and killing of prophets, apostles, and saints by unbelieving Jews and others. The phrase 'in great joy' (in magna leticia) underscores the callousness of the persecutors.
50 ↩The 'bow in the clouds' (arcus in nubibus) is the rainbow of Gn 9:13, the sign of God's covenant. Hildegard reads it as a sign that God remembers his promise despite human faithfulness. The word iuramentum ('oath') reinforces the covenantal frame.
51 ↩lothringun: toponym normalization uncertain; likely refers to the region of Lothringen (Lorraine). Rendered as a geographic descriptor rather than a formal place name.
52 ↩The truncated form uerę is expanded to verae (genitive of verus, 'true') modifying fidei ('of faith'). The proper name Robolaus is uncertain in form.
53 ↩The subject of associauit is implied from context (the father or the husband). Gloria coniugij is taken as an ablative of description or means.
54 ↩The form pingis is uncertain; taken here as a noun meaning meadows/pastures from context. The truncated forms quę, filię, and suę are expanded from abbreviation marks.
55 ↩Quatenus here introduces a purpose or result clause; rendered as 'this was on account of' to capture the causal force in context.
56 ↩The source reads 'anim' (likely truncated for animae); the translation assumes the intended sense is 'with one soul' (una animae), completing the ablative-of-manner series.
57 ↩ut: purpose ('so that') vs. result ('so that, with the result that') reading ambiguous; rendered as purpose/result blend to preserve both senses.
58 ↩elegerit: future indicative ('he will choose') vs. perfect subjunctive ('he may have chosen') ambiguous; rendered as present-tense 'chooses' to convey the conditional sense naturally.
59 ↩opus refectionis: 'work of restoration' — refectio carries senses of renewal, rebuilding, and spiritual refreshment.
60 ↩ut: purpose vs. result ambiguous; rendered as infinitive 'to bring' which preserves both readings.
61 ↩uiriditas: 'greenness, vitality, freshness' — rendered as 'vitality' to capture the sense of life-giving spiritual energy the Holy Spirit supplies.
62 ↩apprehenderit: future indicative ('he will seize') vs. perfect subjunctive ('he may have seized') ambiguous; rendered as present 'seizes' to convey the conditional force naturally.
63 ↩primus deceptor: the devil/Satan, identified as the originator of sin; 'at its very origin' renders in primo ortu illius.
64 ↩afflat: 'breathes upon' — echoes the diabolic 'inflatio' (inflation/blowing) language; the devil breathes death as the Spirit breathes life.
65 ↩ut (aratro): comparative ('like a plough') preferred over purpose reading, given the sicut…et parallel structure.
66 ↩penitentię: 'of penance/penitence' — the plough of penance is a metaphor for the turning of the heart in repentance.
67 ↩Scribal forms etenim (et + enim), fructuosę, terrę, and beniuolentię normalized; the clause is grammatically compressed and the ablative absolute-like construction is resolved interpretively.
68 ↩The Latin quod introduces a causal or explanatory clause: 'because ministry and sustenance are benevolence.' The rendering captures the sense that active service and material support together constitute benevolence.
69 ↩The simile compares benevolent service to the way a body's internal organs sustain the whole person. Uiscera rendered as 'inner organs' to preserve the bodily metaphor without archaism.
70 ↩The sentence is elliptical in the Latin — the main verb of bringing (obtulit) appears in the next sentence. The gloss supplies the implied action across s4 and s5. Here the rendering anticipates the offering by using 'he would bring them' to maintain natural English flow.
71 ↩The child presents poor children to his mother as 'your sons,' extending the language of spiritual kinship. This echoes the broader theme of charity as adoption.
72 ↩The Latin is a participial fragment — 'This deed, she receiving it graciously' — likely the opening of a longer clause continued in the next section. The rendering preserves the fragmentary quality while remaining grammatical in English.
73 ↩oraculum rendered 'oracle' as divine utterance/vision in Hildegard's idiom; could also mean 'revelation' or 'prophetic word'.
74 ↩The tone blends exasperation and release: the speaker sees the pull of the world and hands the decision over. 'Do what you want' carries a grieving permission, not endorsement.
75 ↩The Latin 'tu solus peregrinus es in ierusalem' echoes scriptural and liturgical language about the solitary pilgrim in the heavenly Jerusalem; source resolution deferred.
76 ↩The ablative absolute 'Eo... faciente' is rendered as a temporal clause ('while he was staying there') for natural modern flow; the participial construction is not fully explicit as agentive or circumstantial.
77 ↩autem rendered as continuative discourse marker rather than adversative; context suggests sequential narration
78 ↩reliqui: medieval orthography for reliquiae (nom./acc. pl. f.); condit: uncertain form, possibly syncopated participle or adjective agreeing with reliqui — translated as 'laid to rest' to convey the intended sense of burial/entombment
79 ↩naua: uncertain lemma; possibly a place-name or local term rather than classical navis 'ship'; treated here as a river name
80 ↩selsam: uncertain place-name identification; treated as a river name (Selsa)
81 ↩vviza: uncertain hydronym identification; tentatively identified with the modern Wiese river
82 ↩apfla: uncertain hydronym identification; treated as a river name (Apfla)
83 ↩transibat: possibly transitive use with understood object; rendered as 'he crossed over'
84 ↩nauam: uncertain lemma; possibly same referent as naua in s4, treated as a place-name or local term
85 ↩elram: uncertain hydronym identification; treated as a stream name (Elra)
86 ↩eiusdem uocabuli: 'of the same name/designation' — the three rivers share the same name; medius indicates the Elra is the middle of the three
87 ↩Ut is ambiguous between purpose and result; rendered as result ('could easily be turned') following the logic of the passage, though a purposive reading is possible.
88 ↩proprietas rendered as 'claim to' to capture the sense of ownership/right over pleasure that is set in God's place; proprietas can also mean 'proper character' or 'ownership.'
89 ↩contriuit is an unusual form (possibly contrivit); translated as 'crushed' following the candidate gloss.
90 ↩quod is ambiguous (relative pronoun or result conjunction); rendered as result clause ('so that') following the candidate gloss.
91 ↩The exclamatory force and the metaphor of the wind-tossed straw suggest Robert's instability or frailty, but God does not find even this in him — the precise theological nuance (purity, steadfastness, or freedom from worldly disturbance) is context-dependent.
92 ↩The forms primę, aurorę, and rotę are textually uncertain; the translation follows the most plausible intended sense — 'of the first dawn' and 'of the wheel' — but the manuscript reading is unclear.
93 ↩The final clause (quę inimicum non accepit) is textually uncertain; quę may be a variant of quae. The translation renders the most plausible sense: the enemy did not grasp or perceive it.
94 ↩'ui circueuntis rotę sanctę diuinitatis' is a dense Hildegardian image: the 'power of the wheel of holy divinity surrounding me.' The phrasing is unusual and visionary; translation preserves the literal sense without resolving the precise cosmological referent.
95 ↩The image of Christ as the 'strongest lion' bursting through heaven draws on apocalyptic and Song of Songs imagery; 'virgin's hall' refers to the womb of Mary, and 'golding city' to the heavenly Jerusalem.
96 ↩'cum illa' is ambiguous: it could mean 'with her' (Mary, referenced in the previous sentence's 'virgin's hall') or function as a temporal/causal conjunction. The prepositional reading is chosen here, taking 'her' as Mary, in keeping with Hildegard's Marian devotion.
97 ↩'Sed et' combines adversative and additive force: 'But also.' The sentence appears to refer to women (illas) who, after marriage (carnal union), follow Christ in love — possibly widows or consecrated virgins who had been married.
98 ↩'Symphonia uiduarum' appears to be a title or heading, likely the name of a musical composition or liturgical piece by Hildegard. It is syntactically independent of the surrounding sentences.
99 ↩'erumpnę' (rare word, likely 'ruin' or 'downfall') is abbreviated in the manuscript as 'erumpnę.' The antecedent of 'quę' is ambiguous: it could refer to 'costa' (rib) or 'mater' (mother). The sense is that Eve's rib — through the fall — became the occasion of humanity's great downfall. The reading is plausible but the rare word and abbreviation introduce some uncertainty.
100 ↩ut + subjunctive: purpose clause most likely (in order to wipe away), though result (so that he might wipe away) is also possible given the preceding idcirco + indicative.
101 ↩orzchis and iacincto are Hildegardian neologisms with uncertain precise sense; rendered as 'orchardlike' and 'jacinth' to preserve the imagery without over-interpreting.
102 ↩caldemia, sticmatum, and loifolum are Hildegardian neologisms; caldemia rendered as 'warmth', sticmatum as 'wounds' (stigmata-related), loifolum as 'of the peoples' — all tentative.
103 ↩crizanta is a Hildegardian neologism; rendered as 'golden' tentatively. The phrase 'in alto sono' suggests a sublime or exalted resonance.
104 ↩The form 'uitę' is uncertain in the manuscript; normalized as 'uit' but likely intended as 'vitam' (life) or 'vita'. Rendered here as 'breath of life' in light of the preceding 'spiraculum' (breath/spirit) and the likely allusion to the creation of man (cf. Gen 2:7). The sense is that God breathed life into the human form.
105 ↩The interjection 'ach' is uncertain; it may be an exclamation of anguish or awe. 'Rugiens' (roaring/crying out) suggests a powerful, anguished cry. The sense is of a fierce, anguished outpouring.
106 ↩Latus (side) echoes the creation of Eve from Adam's side (Gen 2:21–22). Hildegard plays on the paradox: something so great (the man's side) was the source from which woman's form was drawn.
107 ↩Woman as mirror of God's ornament/beauty: Hildegard presents Eve (and by extension Mary) as reflecting divine glory. The mirror motif is central to Hildegard's theology of creation.
108 ↩The subject shifts implicitly to Eve (or fallen womanhood). The gerundives plangendum and lugendum express necessity: she must be lamented. This is a compressed, exclamatory grief over the Fall.
109 ↩The syntax is compressed: tristicia (sadness/grief) flowed in crimine (in/through the crime) per consilium serpentis (through the serpent's counsel) in mulierem (into the woman). Hildegard traces the entry of sorrow into the human condition through the Fall narrative.
110 ↩Nam (for) connects back to the lament in s6–s7: the reason for mourning is precisely that the one God made mother of all became the entry point for the serpent's counsel. The paradox of Eve's exalted role and her fall is the theological tension Hildegard is drawing out.
111 ↩Allusion to Genesis 1:26–27 (ad imaginem et similitudinem tuam).
112 ↩cui et plurimas animas abstulisti — 'carried off from it' (the underworld); the harrowing-of-Hell motif is likely intended.
113 ↩uirium tuarum — 'your powers/virtues'; rendered as 'powers' to preserve the sense of divine virtues or mighty works at work in the faithful.
114 ↩plenum officium uoluntatis suę perfecerunt — 'fulfilled the full duty of their own will'; the sense is that they completed the full service their will owed to God.
115 ↩The Latin is highly compressed and repetitive (uita uitę omnis creaturę): literally 'life of the life of every creature.' The doubling is rhetorical and intentional, intensifying the sense that the Spirit is the source of all life. Abbreviations in the manuscript (uitę, creaturę) are expanded as genitive singulars, which is the most plausible reading but not entirely certain.
116 ↩uirtutumm is a scribal form, likely uirtutum (genitive plural of uirtus). Translated as 'virtues.' The image of 'pouring of hearts' (infusio cordium) is unusual and compressed; rendered as literally as possible while keeping it readable.
117 ↩compago (framework, joining) is a rare and compressed image; 'limbs' (membra) may refer to members of the body or members of the Church. The abbreviation uitę is expanded as genitive singular of uita.
118 ↩The breastplate of justice and armor of virtues echoes Ephesians 6:14–17 (lorica iustitiae, armatura virtutum).
119 ↩rutilas: 'you glow red, shine ruddy' — rendered as 'glow red' to capture the vivid dawn imagery.
120 ↩The comparative structure (plus quam) contrasts Mary's adornment of heaven through the Incarnation with Eve's earlier disruption of the earth through the Fall. The perfect subjunctive turbauerit is rendered as a past-perfect comparative.
121 ↩The Latin stacks multiple participial and adjectival phrases (illustrata, clara, infusa) in a single apostrophe. The translation unpacks them into natural English address while preserving the devotional weight.
122 ↩The syntax of this sentence is compressed and ambiguous: the attachment of per mulierem and montem turrium is uncertain. The translation takes 'per mulierem' as the means by which evil deceived human recklessness, and 'montem turrium in lamentationem expulsum' as a reference to the fall of pride (possibly alluding to Genesis 3 and the tower of Babel). The participial phrase 'decipiens opus hominis' is rendered as a clause for readability, but the exact grammatical relationship remains uncertain.
123 ↩The Latin 'sub silentio tacui' is deliberately tautological; the English preserves the rhetorical weight of Hildegard's phrasing.
124 ↩The source text 'qui in qui in multis signis' appears corrupt (possible dittography at 'in qui'). The translation renders the most plausible intended sense: a relative clause referring back to Pharaoh or his people amid the many signs shown to them.
125 ↩The syntax of 'quę … ostendi me cognoscere noluerunt' is compressed. 'Me' is taken as the accusative subject of the indirect statement after 'cognoscere' ('they refused to know/recognize me').
126 ↩suffocentur is a rare verb; likely evokes the drowning of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), but the sense of 'suffocated' rather than simply 'drowned' is unusual and may carry added figurative force.
127 ↩Allusions to the tearing of Christ's tunic and dividing of his garments echo the crucifixion narrative (John 19:23–24; Psalm 22:18). Final resolution deferred.
128 ↩The conjunction 'quod' after 'beatitudine illa' is ambiguous: it could introduce a relative clause ('the blessedness that the cherubim behold…') or function as a conjunction ('concerning that blessedness, cherubim behold…'). The relative-clause reading is adopted here.
129 ↩The form 'milicię' is uncertain; it is read here as a variant of 'militia' (host/army), in keeping with the celestial hierarchy context.
130 ↩The form 'diuitię' is uncertain; it is read here as a variant nominative plural of 'divitiae' (riches), though the morphology is irregular.
131 ↩The referent of eius is uncertain: it could refer back to the place (locus) or to God. The translation assumes the place is not to forget God; the alternative is that God is not to forget the place, which would fit the petitionary flow but reverses the pronoun's most natural antecedent.

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