De devotement Dieu prier
The King's Daily Discipline
Saint Louis balanced his royal duties with a rigorous, humble, and private prayer life that often left him physically exhausted.
Before our almighty Lord, these two things go hand in hand: work should be supported by prayer, and prayer by work.1 And the blessed king Saint Louis kept this well in mind: he always spent his time in good works and strove to set his spirit present before God in prayer, so that he might have, in contemplation, comfort and help from God for good work. For every evening—at least when he wasn't sick—after he had said Compline with one of his chaplains (which he said in the chapel when he was in a place that had a chapel, and if not, in his wardrobe next to his chamber).2 And when that chaplain left from there, the blessed king stayed alone there or beside his bed, and remained there a long time in prayer, bowed down to the ground, resting his elbows on the bench so long that it greatly wore on the household of his chamber who were waiting for him outside.3 And apart from his other prayers, every evening the holy king knelt down fifty times, and each time he stood fully upright, then knelt again, and each time he knelt he said an Ave Maria very slowly and carefully; and after that he didn't drink at all, but went into his bed. And always after Matins, especially in winter—for then, after he had come back from overseas, he rose so early that Matins were sung a good while before daybreak.4 After Matins were finished, the blessed king would pray alone before the altar, provided he was in a place with a chapel. And if there was no chapel, he was in prayer beside his bed so much that his spirits were so weakened, and his sight as well, because he lay bowed to the ground with his head bent down near the earth, that when he got up he didn't know how to get back to his bed, but asked one of his chamberlains who had waited for him when he came back from prayer, and said to him, "Where am I?5 "—in a low voice, though, because of the knights who were lying asleep in his chamber.
The Grace of Tears and Intercession
The king sought the gift of tears and humbly requested the prayers of others, including his family and religious orders, for his soul.
As the blessed king's confessor writes in his biography, the king had a profound desire for the grace of tears. He would complain to his confessor that he struggled to weep, and he would admit to him privately, with great humility and gentleness, that when the litany included the words, "Fair Lord God, we pray you that you give us a fountain of tears," the holy king would devoutly respond: "O Lord God, I dare not ask for a fountain of tears; small drops would be enough to water the dryness of my heart."6 And he sometimes privately admitted to his confessor that Our Lord sometimes gave him tears in prayer, which, when he felt them run gently down his face and enter his mouth, seemed to him most savory and most sweet, not only to the heart, but to the mouth. Beyond these practices, he would spend long periods each day in prayer, bowed to the ground. He wrote to the Queen of Navarre: "Dear daughter, gladly seek the prayers of good people and include me in them. If it pleases God that I leave this world before you, I ask you to arrange for masses, prayers, and other good works for my soul."7 The blessed king made similar requests of his son, King Philip, who succeeded him. In a letter written in his own hand, he said: "Dear son, if it pleases God that I leave this world before you, I ask that you help me through masses and other prayers. Please reach out to the religious communities across France and ask them to pray for my soul, and ensure that I am given a share in all the good works you perform."8 Furthermore, just before his final journey overseas, the blessed king visited the religious houses of Paris. He visited the houses of the Dominican and Franciscan friars, as well as other religious orders, where he knelt before the assembled brothers and humbly and devoutly asked them to pray to God for him.9
Prayer in Times of Crisis
Saint Louis demonstrated his humility by asking lepers to pray for him and turned to liturgical prayer during moments of great danger and uncertainty.
He then went to the house of Saint Lazarus in Paris and knelt before the gathered lepers, where the blessed king humbly and devoutly asked them to pray to Our Lord for him. These events took place in the presence of his household, including his knights and others.10 Later, during his first overseas crusade, the blessed king was captured by the Saracens. After they negotiated his release and that of the other Christians, and the sultan had sworn an oath to carry it out, the holy king and the others were transported by water along the Nile nearly to Damietta. Finally, the holy king, my lord Charles, my lord Alphonse—his brothers—and a few others were brought ashore, while the rest of the Christians remained on the ships.11 While the blessed king, his brothers, and some others were under a pavilion, they heard a great commotion and noise that terrified even their guards. When they asked what was happening, the holy king and the others could see from the guards' expressions and answers that there was serious trouble, and they were afraid.12 Then the blessed king, acting as a wise and prudent Christian, had the Office of the Cross recited, along with the service of the day and the Holy Spirit, followed by the Office of the Dead and other prayers he knew.13 During his first overseas crusade, while in the city of Sidon, the blessed king proclaimed that everyone should attend a sermon by the patriarch who was with him. He asked that they come barefoot and wearing hairshirts to pray that God would show him which course was more fitting: to remain in the Holy Land or to return to France.14
Seeking Divine Counsel
The king consistently sought the prayers of religious communities to guide his decisions in matters of state.
Along with the things already mentioned, whenever some great matter came before the holy king during a session of parlement, he would send his messengers to the houses of religious and ask them to plead with Our Lord in their prayers that Our Lord would grant him, in handling the matter, the course that would be best and that would most turn to the honor of God, and that Our Lord would give him good counsel.15
Read the original Latin
Ces deux choses s'acordent l'une a l'autre envers Nostre Seii>nenf tout puissant que oevre soit apuiee d'ouroison et oroison d'oevre. Et ce regarda bien li benoiez rois sainz Loys qui touzjors emploia son tens en bonnes oevres et s'efForçoit a \jnetre son esperit présent devant Dieu en oroison', pour ce que il eust en contemplacion, solaz et ayde \de Dieu en bonne oevre; car touz les jours au soir, a tôt le moins quant il n'estoit malades, puis que il avoit dit complie avec un de ses chapelains la quele il disoit en la chapele quant il estoit en lieu ou il eust chapele et, se ce non, en sa garderobe delez sa chambre. Et quant li diz chapelains se departoit d'ilecques, li benoiez rois demouroit seul ilecques ou delez son lit, et estoit ilecques en oroison par lonc tens enclin a terre en tenant ses coûtes au banc si longuement que il ennuioit moût a la mesniee de sa chambre qui l'atendoient par dehors. Et, sanz les autres oroisons, li sainz rois s'agenoilloit chascun jour au soir cinquante foiz et a chascune foiz se levoit tout droit, et donc se raoenoilloit, et a chascune foiz cjue il s'agenoilloit, il disoit moût a loisir un Ave Maria ; et après ces choses, il ne bevoit point ', ainçois entroit en son lit, et toiizjours après matines, meesmement en yver; eav adonques, puis (pie il revint d'outre mer, il se levoit si par tens que matines estoient chantées grant pièce devant le jour. Lors, après matines dites, estoit " li benoiez rois en oroison devant l'autel tout seul, quant il estoit en lieu ou il eust chapele. Et se il n'i avoit chapele, il estoit en oroisons delez son lit si souvent que ses esperiz estoient si afebioiez et sa veue, pour ce que il gisoit enclin a terre et le chief encline delez terre que, quant il se levoit, il ne savoit revenir a son lit, ainçois demandoit a aucun de ses chambellens qui l'avoit atendu quant il revenoit d'ouroison, et li disoit : « Ou sui ge ? », a basse voiz toutevoies por les chevaliers qui gisoient en sa chambre.
Et, si comme li confesseurs du benoiet roi dit en la vie que il escrist de lui, il desirroit nierveilleuseuient grâce de lermes, et se compleignoit a son confesseur de ce que lermes li defailloient, et li disoit debonnerement, huml)lement et priveement que, quant l'en disoit en la letanie ces motz : « Biau Sire Diex, nous te prions que tu nous doinses ' « fontaine de lermes, » li sainz rois disoit dévotement : « O Sire Diex, je n'ose requerre fontaine de lermes, ainçois « me soufisissent petites goûtes de lermes a arouser la « secherece de mon cuer ! » Et aucune foiz reconnut il a son confesseur priveement que aucune foiz li donna Nostre Sires lermes en oroison, les queles quant il les sentoit courre par sa face souef et entrer en sa bouche, eles li sembloient très savoureuses et très douces, non pas seulement au cuer, mes a la bouche '. Apres toutes ces choses, il estoit chascun jour si longuement en ouroisons enclin a terre, en tenant de Navarre : « Chiere fille, procurez volentiers les prières « de bonnes o-enz et ni'acompaigniez avec vos en leur « oroisons, et s'il plest a Dieu que je parte de cest monde « ainçois que vos, je vos pri (ue vos procurez messes et (( ouroisons et autres bienfez pour l'ame de moi. » Et encores li hcneoiz sainz rois " fist semblables letres et proieres a son fiuz le bon roi Phelipe qui régna après lui, si oom il apert en une epistre escripte de sa main (pii lu envoiée par lui a ce dit fill, en la (piele ces paroles sont contenues : k Chier fiuz, je te pri <ue, se il plest a Dieu « que je m'en voise de cest monde devant toi, (ue tu me « faces aidier par mesees et par autres oroisons, et que tu « envoies par les congregacions du roiaume de France et « leur fai prière que il prient pour lame de moi, et que tu « entendes que en touz les biens que tu feras que Nostre « Sires m'i doinst part. » Encore comme li benoiez rois deust aler outre mer a la derreniere foiz que il y ala, un pou devant ce que il empreist sa voie, il visita les mesons des religions de Paris. Et donques es mesons des Frères Preecheeurs de Paris et des Frères Meneurs et d'aucuns autres religieus, il se mist a genouz devant les Frères assemblez et /en/- re(ust humblement et dévotement que il priassent Dieu pour lui.
Et lors il s'en ala a la meson de Saint Ladre de Paris et s'agenoilla devant les mesiax assemblez, et leur requist li benoiez rois humblement et dévotement que il proiassent Nostre Seigneur por lui. Et ces choses devant dites lurent fêtes, présente sa mesniee, chevaliers et autres. De recliief comme li benoiez rois, eu tens de son premier passage, eust esté pris des Sarrazins et l'en eust tretié de la délivrance de lui et des autres Crestiens, et h; sodan eust ja fet le seremenl por ferc '" ccle délivrance, et li sainz rois eust esté mené et autres par le (lun, par yaue jus(ues pros de Damiete, et a la parfin, li sainz rois et mon seigneur Challes et mes siics Allons, ses frères, et aucuns autres furent mis a terre, el les autres Crestiens demorerent es nés. Et comme li benoiez rois et ses frères devant diz et aucuns autres fussent dessous un paveillon, il oirent une grant conimocion et une grant noise, por la quele cil meesmement qui estoient gardes d'eus furent touz espoentez, et leur demanda l'en que c'estoit; si virent bien // sainz ro'\s et li autres, par les contenances et par les i-esponses des dites gardes, (|ue il y avoit grant tribulation et orent poour '. Et adonques li benoiez rois, comme bons crestiens et sages et pourveuz, fist dire l'oflice de la Croiz et le service du jour et du Saint Esperit et avecfjues ce des Morz et autres bonnes oroisons que il savoit. Et comme H beneoiz rois fust ", el tens de son premier passage, en la cité de Sydoine, il (Ist crier que touz venissent au sermon du patriarche qui estoit ilecqaes avecques lui et que il venissent nuz piez et en langes pour prier Dieu que il li demostrast quele chose seroit plus convenable : ou a demorer encore en la Seinte Terre ou revenir eu France -.
Avecques les choses desus dites, quant aucune grant besoigne venait au saint roy en tens de parlement, il enveoit ses messages as couvenz des religieus et leur prioit que il supliassent a Nostre Seigneur en leur oroisons que Nostre Sires li donast de la besoigne fere la chose (ui meilleur seroit et qui plus torneroit a l'enneur de Dieu et que Nostre Sires li donast bon conseil.
Notes
- 1 ↩OCR 'Nostre Seii>nenf' read as 'Nostre Seigneur' (Our Lord).
- 2 ↩OCR '\jnetre' / 's'efForçoit' read as 'metre' / 's'efforçoit'; 'oroison'' punctuation noise ignored.
- 3 ↩'coûtes' read as 'coudes' (elbows), the sense required by 'en tenant ... au banc'.
- 4 ↩OCR fixes: 'raoenoilloit'→'ragenoilloit'; 'cjue'→'que'; 'toiizjours'→'touzjours'; 'eav'→'car'; '(pie'→'que'.
- 5 ↩'si souvent' rendered as intensive 'so much' (degree/duration of prayer to the point of faintness); literal 'so often' is possible but weaker with the prostration result-clause.
- 6 ↩OCR noise corrected in reading: 'nierveilleuseuient'→'merveilleusement'; 'huml)lement'→'humblement'; stray quote marks in the litany and prayer ignored.
- 7 ↩The witness is corrupt at the bridge into the letter: 'en tenant de Navarre' cannot be read as written. Parallel content (his Enseignements to Isabelle, queen of Navarre) and s4's 'semblables letres' support reading a letter/request to the Queen of Navarre; 'o-enz'→'genz', 'ni'acompaigniez'→'m'acompaigniez', '(ue'→'que'. Bracketed words mark the reconstructed link only.
- 8 ↩OCR corrections: 'hcneoiz'→'beneoiz'; 'si oom'→'si com'; '(pii lu'→'qui fu'; '(piele'→'quele'; 'k Chier'→'« Chier'; '<ue'/' (ue'→'que'; 'mesees'→'messes'; 'lame'→'l'ame'.
- 9 ↩OCR '/en/- re(ust' read as 'et requist' (and asked/requested).
- 10 ↩Reading 'lurent fêtes' as 'furent faites' ('were done'); OCR/print garble of a common past passive.
- 11 ↩Heavily corrupted witness reconstructed as: 'De rechief... et li sodan eust ja fet le serement por fere cele délivrance... par le Nil, par yaue jusques pres de Damiete... mon seigneur Challes et mes sires Allons... et les autres Crestiens demorerent es nés.' 'Premier passage' rendered as first overseas crusade; Challes/Allons as Charles and Alphonse.
- 12 ↩Normalized garbled forms: conimocion→commotion; sainz ro'\s→sainz rois; i-esponses→responses; (|ue→que; poour→peur. 'Leur demanda l'en' taken as the royal party asking the guards.
- 13 ↩'des Morz' rendered as the Office of the Dead; 'pourveuz' as foreseeing/provident rather than merely supplied.
- 14 ↩Reconstructed: 'Et comme li beneoiz rois fust, el tens de son premier passage, en la cité de Sydoine, il fist crier... ilecques... nuz piez et en langes... Seinte Terre ou revenir en France.' 'Langes' taken as hairshirts (penitential garments), not mere cloths.
- 15 ↩Source reading «la chose (ui meilleur» is treated as «la chose qui meilleur» ('the course that would be best'); the open parenthesis and missing q are taken as a typographic/OCR corruption of relative qui.
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