IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■- IIIIIM |50 M 2.2 2.0 1.8 11.25 1.4 1.6 ■• 6" ► d? / Photographic Sciences Corporation ,\ W iV %^ O € % .<. ^. IV^ >> 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 "%^ a CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques vV Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiqjes The Institute haj attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter a:iy of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-etre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m6thode normale de filmage sont indiqu^s ci-dessous. Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag^e n Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e D Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaur^es et/ou pellicul6es n Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque D Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d^color^es, tachet^es ou piquees □ Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur D Coloured ink (i.e. other than b!ue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autro que bleue ou noire) D D Pages detached/ Pages detachees Showthrough/ Transparence n Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur D Quality of print varies/ Quality in6gale de I'impression □ Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents D Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire D n Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas ^t6 film6es. D D Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film6es ^ nouveau de facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. D Additional comments:/ Commentaires supptementaires; This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film^ au taux de reduction indiqu^ ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X ;< 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X tails i du odifier ' une mage The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Libriiy of Congress Photoduplication Service The images appearing here are the best Quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. L'examplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de: Library of Congress Photoduplication Service Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de I'exemplaire film^, et en conformity a ''6C les conditions du contrat de fllmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont filmds en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernldre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impresslon ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la preinidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impresslon ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comprrte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole -^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., n'.ay be filmed at ("ifferent reduction ratios. Those too large to be eiitirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film' & partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mdthode. errata to pelure, )n d D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 PZ 3 '^■^ ^ i TlfK y OLD CHEST; JOUUXAL (IF A FAMILY OF TKKFHKNCII I'KOI'IJ.; PROM THE fnrrobi'nohin ^Timr.*! to otti* (Dton 23as<9. TRANSLATrD PEOM THE FRENCH, JiY AXNA T. SADLJER. 3 .^^ NEW YORK : T). & J. SADLTEIl & CO., ;}i BARn.AT fir MoNTnEAL ; ^75 Notre Dame Rtp.kkt. 1875. \ !■■'■ X? o O Pk T •4 s^, r Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year i3;s, by 1). & J. SADLIKR & CO., in the OlTice oflhe Librarian of Congress, ut Wusliinglon, D. ('. on, D. ('. V- I , IMIKFACK TO TIIK FIIIST AMKIdCAX KDITION. Tin-, little ■work now tor tlio liist tiiiK' j)ul)lislH'ii. livi'(l jirc .skill'iilly iiitrodiiccd, ms it \\ tln^ an- cient (iaids, *he Fiaidcish soldiers of CharlemagiK', tln^ moid< in his cloister, the itinerant church-builder and his ])ious craft, tin' soldier of Civcy, tlu' 'JVoii- badoiir, the treasurv-clerk in the ti/ne Itli'll. It WtTc, i('ii(r.ii<4 TWOVCII I it cvi- iiic cal- reader ■:il reutl- >''"!< to aecui'ato It' work t().s:iy, KCV tllC cliaiac- kiiii; to \\\o. an- liers of cloister, is j)ioiis I' J I'OII- le li/iiP IVi/ihi' A' ///, /'y-,/ .\iu,n\,!ii liifitioii. 5 of Collx'lt, the nrieu-a I'ilgrini— Tenth Cimtiir-, Vn.— TheCliinvli-niiililcrimiUlH'TniiilMKhnir— K CVntiiry VIII.— Tho CnisiuIiT— Twelfth Century, IX.— The! iiTf—Thii-tootmt!i Century, . X. — Tho "lolilior <( ('ret\v- -.r.-iciiucs lioiihoninio — ourtooiith ('o.i',-.iry, XI. — Tho t'itiziMi—l'iftccuth Century, .... XII.— Catholic ui\il I'rotosfunt— S:.Ttocnth Cciitiry, . XIII.— Tho Treasury -Clork—SeventocnthCentury, XIV. — Philosoiiliy— r,i;,'liteoni.h Century, XV.— Tho I'oiitoon-Jlau of El.1.- 'J III l( :.••,» :!7 •1!) :^ TO K(l s.- 1(10 uy i:m ir.i 104 ; -4'«^J!y B IMa ''l 8aaElM! Tp fm '»ff»l w^ i j i J» ii lji i i ii i mn i ji w i^tj - f ' If '-.Jfe THE 01.1) (Ml EST. JNTHODUCTlUis;. Ik is — I \v!i.s staying in llio pubiirljs ol' a town in tlio north of l-'raiicc, wiiei-c my lu'i.uhbor was an old gardener in liunible circumstances \vllo^o name \yas Piorro Duchaisne. My uiiulim- overlooked his little garden, Avhich, gymmotrically dividetl into throe i)arts, wa.s arranged in bed.s of hyacinths, tulips, irinks, rose.-', fneh.sias, dahlia.*, and chrj'san- themums. Home rare flowers were ])rotected from the wind by bcll-.shaped glass covers, whicli iit- tractcd the heat of the sun. Peach-trees, vines, and a fig-tree covered the walls of the little house whoi'o the old man lived alone, on the modest in- come which his flowers brought him every week when he took them to the city. I took an interest in old Pierre's labor.<, his se- clusion, and poverty ; for the good man's ajtiiear- ancc denoted that his labor alone kept him from indigence — indigence whicli was jirond and re- signed, but bitter :'.:m1 jval. No one helped him in his work ; being an old soldier, he had not niarriid ; and (»iions diiiiglilor to K'vvo liiin. I vainly i-ouglit to render liini some of those R'rviees wliieli liind ]ieoi)le"s hearts to each other : tlio old man was ])nnid— I tihonid have said stoically proiid, if ho had not always phown hini&clf a flood and fervent Calholie. One day, however— it Avas a fcorehing morning in Jnne— I did not see him vvaiiderinp; around his garden, with his walerinp-vot in his hand. I looked at the hou-^e ; the doir and tlic shutters Averc closed, and the dog, lyir.g in his corner, was howling mournfully. Feeling uneasy, I went over the liedgo, and ojiened the inner door, wldcli was only on the latch, and found Pierre, half-dressed, lying on his hed, as though he were dead. I ran to him, and raised him. I saw that luemorrhagc of the lungs had reduced him to the last degree of Aveaknei^s and exhaustion. He recognized me, and pressod my luuul. I did all in my power for him, and soon the physician and the - parish-priest brought him, one the impotent remedies of his profession, i:nd th. other tiie j)owerful consolations of his ministry. Old Pierre lived three days after this; during that time I never left him, and he Lcemed touched hy niy nadines:; to console and serve him. About evening on the third i!ay he called me, and said, in a bi'^ken voice, "I feel that I am going. . . AH is over witii mc, good neigh- bor.'^ ... In Uvs than two hours 'vom now, perhaiis, 1 shall tel. 1m- good Clod of your kindness to mo. I wrestible anguisli of the faithful friciuls of Jo:u;.t Clirist, when Ihcy Kaw that horde of p.;gans descending, furious and implacable, on that oonntry recently conquered to the dominion (>f the Good Shepherd ? 'J'lic Chris- tians fled before them, and took refuge in gloomy caverns, there to assist ;it the holy mysteries. When the barbaiians succeeded in (ii ling any of them, they lashed them Avith whips or slew them •with their HW(n-ds. The greater number, v/ho had hidden in subterranean passages, perished there fi'om suffocation. Ifenco there were no more priests, no mure saciilices : the traces of the divine worshi]) everywhere disappeared. Some were cast down from the top of tottering ruins, otliers were cotisumed by flames. Some, however, survived and persevered, strengthenino" each other l)y mutual exhortations, so as not to fail at the final moment. In overcoming nature in obedience to religion, it was sweet for them to think i6 Tlu Oulitu-^t. lllllt ill It;.: t llu'N ^slunild lin-l : ;:iavr ill lllf Ih.SOII' of tlu'ir comUiy. " Why ^hoiiM ur wisli/'^ tiii'l Uiev, "li» Kiirvlvc uiir holy ivli,i,a<)u ? Is v. mil better for u^ lo dif uilli lior ? " Whoever fnun fc:ir abiimloncd liis fiiitli wiia hold us giicriloglouf. He wlio liiid Iho coiinijrc io iicconuiliKh Ibc saiTidco waa proehiimcd a victor ami ;i coiKiueror. I'rk'sls clad in their VL'stmcnts vvcro seen falling at the foot of (he altar ; anil, iiinong the eoii)se.j K-allored lien- and tlieroou tlio ground, they v.crc rceofaiized by their Baeerdotal ornanient:^ I'.uL thi.s impious fury 'vas not directed against the i)ricKts alone : the whole i)eople v.ero condcnuied to nlaughter. The lav/ of God and that of humanity were at cnec vio- lated. . . . The blood Hpilled in the churches remained there fitaguant. iso one came to remove the dead and give them burial. Land of (lanl, Ihou dids-t tints expiate thy former ferocity.* Among these tierce pagans Ava!4 a Foldier, of ob- gcuro origin, but valiant and v.orthy (f flio.name of Franh, wdiich means proud, brave, fierce, (iuiubcr, ihirf v.ashisnanu'. hadtaheuanacti\e part in all tlie conte.^trf lu'twceu the Pranhs an.l the Roman legion^t; and, entering witli his comiyaniouri the town of Cambray, lie expected t ) obtain a large b,)(,ly. Thev advanced towards :i chapel, dedi- cated to thc'Saviour, where, it v.as said, tho piety of the Chrlslians had collected precious vessels, tissues of silk and gold, destined lo envelop the bodies of the saints. Gunthev, being lirst, forced the door, which, coming off the hinges, •[)resenied to tlio cruel eyes of the victors a iiitial)le speehicle. *This passjigc is lo Ik> foun.l in \\\<^ Clironiclo of Bal.lcrio. '/'//<■ O/iW'usf. 17 (lie linsull' iisll,'' Cl'ic'il I.^ ir. !iut jcvcr from ifrik'git)ue. lie SiicrificG r. Priosls ;at tliofoot .Uoivd licre iipiuuH fury ulouc : the iter. Tho it once "vio- 10 cliurclics to remove 1(1 of (liinl, .•ity.''= (lier, of ol>- chapel, were jirostrale on tlie stones, whieli tliey watered witli tlieir tcai's. The wiiile-Iiaired priest was at Ihc altar, kneeling heforc the silver taherr.aelo, which contained tlii. body and blood* of tho Saviour. lie was repeating aloud, in the name of that de- solate iH'ople, the I'enilential I'salms. When Gunther entered, the jjcople rose (umultuously, the terrified women ser^'anied, the men tried to op- jioso tho young soldier with their feeble arms. (JuiiLher raised the terrilile axe, two women and an old man rolled, bloody corpses, at his feet ; he passed over their bodies, and walked towards the altar, at- tracted by tho silver which glittered in thesunlight. Tho priest elasi)ed the tabernacle, and sought to miiko for it u rampart of his body. . . . lint all in vain. . • . As a holocaust victim, his blood staiiu'd the altar-stone. When the work of blood and ])illago was ended, Gunther looked around him. In the shade of ii pillar lie saw a young girl who had escaped the sword, and who, i)alc! with fear, wit!i closed eyes and hands clasped, seemed to await tho fatal blow. Guntliei ran towards lier, and, seizing her by her long fair hair, he dragged her to the middle of the chapel, erying out : *• This is my part of the booty ! " " Be it so,"' said the other soldiers. But tho captive, throwing 1 rc^ If at his feel, said, in a tone of anguish : " Would to God that I were amongst the dead, like my mother, my father, and my brol;her, v.iiom thou hast just slain ! '" And she pointed with lier hand to the corpses of those whom Gunther had struck down. I8 The Old Chest. •'Four nolliinir, woiimn,"' answered nuiitliov coldly, "thy fiile .-^Imll l)o loan hursli lliim ilioii tliinkost. 1 will sell thoo iiM sorvant to tin wilV^ of Cliullun, our cliiof, uinl tliuii wilt Bpin her wool and flax." So sayinp, lie ltd his slave to a house whose owners he had driven away ; hut, as they were uhout to enter, they were met hy u woman, wlu> was venerahlo at oneo from her old age, her white hair, and grave and austere faee. This matron liravely advanced, and, pushing Gunther aside, she took in her arms the young cai)tive, who clung to her like the ivy which twines its delicate stems around the tree which Bcrves for its support. " Let go my slave ! " cried Gunther. " She he- longs to me hy the right of war. I cliose her as my part oi the hooty. Let her go, 1 tell thee f I want to sell her to Ligoude, the wife of our king." " Thou wouldst sell her 1 '' replied the old woman sorrowfully. " Sell my Ida, the daughter of my daughter, the daughter of martyrs ! Sell a Christian maiden to a harbarous queen ! Well, man, I can buy her from thee. I will give thco whatever thou and thine have left me— some jewels, a farm on the hanks of the Escaut, a herd of oxen— I will give all for my daughter's freedom. Accept, Sicumber, accei)t my offer, and a moihei-'s blessing will fall on thee everywhere." The Prankish soldier reflected. Wealth nnd property were offered to him, who had been hither- to poor, and possessir" nothing but his soldier's coat, lie did not hesitate about accejiting it, but Tlic lV,f Chest. »9 I fluiiflic Ihaii ilioii Lo \\\K wifo ill licr wool onso wlioao 1 tlii-y wiMV onmn, who I ago, licr ,'t'. (1, pusliing the young ivy wliicli tree wliicli "Slic 1)C- [ olioso her go, 1 toll Ic, the wifo :«(l llio old lio dtmgliter rtyrs ! Soil ecu ! Well, II give ill 00 mc — same caiit, ii herd }r's froodom. \ u moiliei"'8 Woiilth mid boon hilhor- hirf soldior'H •ting it, hut lio wished, at Mie ^iiine lime, (n secure to liitnself irrovociilily llie pu, c -ion ol' tlie.>e gt)0(ls. 'I'lien-- fore he aiiswereil eulijly, "1 ri'tuse, and I keep niy hlave." '• What, then, wonllst thou havo?"eriod 15a, ido tearfully. '* WouMst thou have my freedom ? I will ho thv .slave— I will .-erve thee ; hut let Ma ho free." •'That cannot he," said (Junther. '• I wi.sii tliy daughter to stay v.ith me, fur 1 would marry her." " Thou !— a 'soldier ! U it possihle ? 'Caii I sanction the aliiamo cf Christ with Helial ? Xo, never I" '• Clioo.^o I If thou dost refuse, I will hcU Ida to Clodion, my master; I will take possession of thy goodH, and liioii liiyself shalt he my slave. If thou dost aeeopt my olfer, I will at oneo marry Ida according to the manner of the Franks, and I will he a faithful liii.si)an.l to her, for she jileases me."' Uagondo hcsought him in vain. She could ohtaiii nothing, and her grandcinld was forced lo ol)ey iiie will of the victor. Ida oidy ohtained hy her tears that the hlcssiiig of a priest should sanctify their marriage, in which tlie hride swore fidelity to her hushand hel'oro Christ, and the hridegroom took as witness the idols dear to the Teutons. It was thus that Gnuther, the Frankish s(ddier, planted in Gaul the foundation of his family. l»y taking a wife and capturing lands. After some years Ida gave birth to a son, and siie her?elf, like Rachel v.l (drn diiid. Thi>s was the last act of lier life. Slii' died next day, mourned ulike by lit r |i,i";ni hii^li;:nd and h( r Ciiri.-tiau grunduiuther. 1 I !!' i ' Hiiiil, in ii my pi'iivcM \Umiiii lliitit _V law ; Imt- ith t^oiuuiiy 'Site liiiM to ind K'l him in alH)ut to 1y Wiilfi" on 'liit! WHS till" ly, nidunicd r (Miriisliiiii II. iiii: (oNVKUsiox — SIXTH okniI'iiv. OoNTUAN, tilt' soil ul' Ida and (inntini'. alllioutjli having' ivfi'ivod at Ids l)irlli llic soal tit' liaplisni, was not liroiifilit npa Cliiisiian. Mis <:randnintln'r, Hairondt', had ilicd hcl'oiv he iiad t'oint' to tlic aj^tMil' reason, and hf was cdiioati'tl liv his t'alhtf in tlio c'iMU'l and tlisscdiitf fn-tonis of pairaiiisni. Like all yoiinj,' iiK'H t)f tlio Franlxish racf, hf nndt'it'd iidli- tary wrvico ; ho fou;:lit in tiie war against tho linr;;undians iinil the Gttths in Spain, and, like all his I'oinpanions, ho took ])art in tho sacrik'fiions festivals and iniprri; worshi[) oUVrt'd to tho ^^otls of (rcrmany. lie l)olic'Vi'd in I'ato, in niagic, and soniolinies, to render his ,1,'ods t'avoralde, ho wont to olTer saorilioo on tho hill of IJiandin,* where Toulatos hatl a coleliralotl teni))io. O the inorey of the L'U'd ! On that same hill where the devil was worshippoil tnir hlossod Fatlier Saint Amand eonseerated a monastery to tho i,dory t)f Jesus Christ. 'Pimt place, once ahominahle, is henoeforth sanctified. I, Sorgius, who write these lines, have seen that honso of prayer, and l)lesse(l the name of Ood. Now, one day — Clovis, the illustiious kinf» of tlic Pranks, was tiien rei<;ning — one day, as Gontran was going from Camhrai to liis little farm, ho saw •'• Kuai- (iui.d. f'^ I 22 The Old Chest. on the road an old m.ni, who, from liis long tunic and the cro';,s which hung on his l)rca3t, lie recog- nized as a Christian i)ricst. It was, in fact, tho l)iou8 Berthold, the coniiKinion and brother of Vi'dastus, Bishop of Arras and Camhrai. Tho priest went, as the Apostles did of old, from town to town, bringing the good tidings, and preaching, at the peril of his life, tho lessons of his Divine Master. Perhaps Gontran knew him ; it may bo that, he had l)efore met the ambassador of Jesus Christ. However it Avas, at the sight of the holy old man tho idcdator's blood boiled, aiid, urged by the spirit of murder, he ran forward, raii^od his axo, and dealt Bei thold a blow on the forehead. Ho staggered back wounded, but, overcoming the pain, ho wiped away the blood which was running down his pale face, and said to trontran in a calm and gentle voice : <'My son, what have I done to thee ? "Why dost thou strike me r"' "Because thou art the enemy of my gods, and oonse(iuently my enemy." " Thy enemy !— I, my son ? Divine Goodnesa forbid ! Undeceive thyself, lleceivc my pardon ; and houceforth remember that a soldier should not strike an old man."' So saying, Berthold went his way, although with difficulty. Gontran took another road, and walked on pensively. He afterwards confessed that, in going away from the old i)riost without throwing himself at his feet and asking his pardon, he re- sisted a holy voice which spoke in his soul— lie obeyed tlio ancient enemy, wlio incites to prido those whom huiuiJllv alone could save. th wl to la! ilc fla IK in hi in br Tl hi sti th or B( sa of m to of W! be pa ha fr ar tunic .•ccog- t, the Lcr of The town iliing, )ivinc iiy b'J Jesus i holy ed by ;d his i. Ho pain, down n and y dost s, and xlncss trdon ; !d not 1 with v'ulked lilt, in •owing lie re- ul — lie I prido 77ic Old Chest. 23 Two days after this, Gontran was riding along the banks of tlic Eicaut, the nuuldy waters of which, swollen by heavy rains, rushed along like a torrent. On the other bank was a farm, where laborers were threshing wheat on the barn-yard lloor. The horse, frightened by the noise of tlic flail, began to plunge, and, obeying neith(M' bridle nor spur, threw off his master, who rolled senseless into the water. "When lie came to life, he found himself lying on a bed of fleecy wo(jl ; a man bf^nd- ing over him was v,atching anxiously for his first breath and his first look. (lontran tried to rise. Tiie man took him gently in his arms, and said to him kindly : " Well, my son, how is it with thee ?" The sound of his voice drew^Gontran from his stupor. His eyes opened, and, O the goodness of the Lord ! the eyes of his soul were at the same time opened. JIc recognized the priest Berthold — Berthold whose wet garments s'lowcd that he had saved the life of his would-bo murderer at the risk of his own — Berthold whoso forehead still bore the mark of Gontran's axe. " What ! it is thou ! '' said the soldier—" thou !" He dared not ?.iy more, and he turned his face to the wall to hide his tears. It was indeed Berthold, who, through the mei -y of the Lord, had saved the idolater as the water was about to swallow him np. The holy priest had been at the farm, where some of the laborers, still pagans, were preparing to receive the grace of baptism. He had come to instruct them, and from an upper room he had recognized Gontran, and had seen him disapi)car l.>cnealli the waves. i iS «li- 24 T/ie Old Chest. tJonsultiiig only liin clinrity, lu^ i)luiigucl into tlic river iinil brought Gontran uuOonscious to tlic shore. For Hovoval days G.)ntriin was cared far hy tho people of the fiirm. IIj rcceiN.d llicir attentions in silence, always ab.sorbed in thought. At length about the dawn of tlio fifth day lie rose and went t) Ucrthold's room. The ])iio5t was kneeling, with hands raised to Iieaven ; lie seemed as if imi)loring mercy of tho L:)rd. Wlien lie heard Gontran's steps lieliind him, ho rose, held out liis hand, and said gently : " Weleome, my son. I was vninking of thee." '• And I, priest, have not ceased to think of theo for several days. Thou hast saved my lifi — I who would have taken thint. .Thou didst tliat in tho name of Christ, ami 1 think that the God who makes thee so good ij the true God. I want to believe in Christ : tell nio what I must do.'" '•What! my ?liild, my brother, thou wilt l.o ours ? I will lead thee as a new Bhocp to the fold of the good Slieplierd,'' *• Priest, if I believe what my grandraotlier loid me in iliC early days of my ehildhocd, I have al- ready received on my head the water which makes Christians ; she said my mother baptized me. Theie i.j iit Cambrai ii priest to whom liagomlc has oi'- ten related this. "' "God had merciful designs on thee; he does not grant to all the same grace. lie d(X'S reveal to all his holy law ! "' As ho said these w<}rds, IJerthold shed tear.! of jov. Gontran was looking at llu; erueifix. '• This, ihen,'' .said he, '• is the God whom I must henceforth adore ? ' % % 3d into the tlic shore. far by tlio attentions At Icnglli nd wont to }ling, with inij)luring (lontnm's hand, and of thcc." link of iheo lifi — I wlio ,liat in tlio God who I want to do.'- ou wilt 1.0 to tlie fold uother toid I, I have al- lich makes 1 me. Theio )dc luui oi'- ; h(> docs !es reveal to led tear.! of fix. honi I )iiu»t !' 77/<' O/,/ C/us/. 25 " Yc.s niy dear son, it i.s il:e imago of ilie Cod who created thee, who died to .o liberty of the chihlreii of 3 conversion. lie was won to Jesus Christ by all-potent charity, ■and entire tribes of savage pagans were conquered by tlio saniL arms. Now, this Avholc country is un- der the blessed yoke which the Saviour Jesus canio to Ijring to the Avorld ; tho Xervian forests are l)CopU'd Avitli })ious tribes, who practise labor and prayer in common, according to tlic laws of God and of Saint Benedict. May the God of mercy bo ever blessed ! Neither Jupiter nor Teutates now have altars in these regions, so long bowed down under the Avorship of false gods ; the spirits of evil no longer haunt the cross-Avays or the foun- tains. . . . Christ alone reigns, llis is tlic empire ! And, if the descendants of the Gauls still kneel under tho oak, it is to venerate the blessed Mother of God, Avhom the shepherds place among tho foliage. ... If an altar be raised in Avild and waste places, it has been sanctifled by the blood of tho great victim of Calvary. . . . Fly, fly, ye l)owcrful enemies, gods of hell, who ruled oi'r !:'J ■ ^ I i 30 The Old Chi St. anccstory, lly ' Tlic Lidii of tlio trilic (if .liidu lias ci)ii((ucrc(l. I liavo not, lil\(> my fatliprs, any AvarliUo ad'on- turos nor Ktriking coiivcrsioii to rolatu. Born witliiu tlic fold of tlio .Saviour Jesus, I was nouri.^licd at my niotJicr'.s \\\ko. with llio milk of lioly doctrine. I liavc been told (hat, when a littlo child, I wus seized with an illness which threatened my life. ... I wa.s goiiii; to die. . . . ^^y mother, my father, my grandmotlu'r, stood round my cradle,, and watched for the siffn.s of approach- ing death on my face. . . . The breath of this mortal life was tremhling on my lips, when my mother threw herself on her knees before u crucifix, and cried : "Lord Jesus, wIk; didst restore the son of 11 poor Avidow, eavo my child, and I give him to thee— I dedicate him to thy altar !*"■' Afy father and my grandmotiier conlirmed (his vow, and the Lord accepted it. The gates of heaven closed, a peaceful sleep came upon me, and knit again the bonds Avhich bound me to earth ! . . . I lived, and when I had attained the age of seven years (it Avas the year of our Lord fitn) my parents brought me io the monastery of Ehum, not far from the city of Tournay. A thick forest cu -ered the place which the servant of God had humbly sidicited from tlie charity of King Dagobcrt ; on a si)ot which had been cleared with much diHiculty * I even observe, in the rule of Saint Benedict, that they did not fear to consecrate children before they came to the age of reason ; the parents, without fear of t3-rannizing over them, liolievod that tliey could dedicate themselves to f!ory ()(I rmiml iliproacli- th of this ■\vlicn my 1 cnicinx, I'O tllC KDll vc liim to rmod (his of heaven and knit t • • • • of seven ly parents 1, not fur t CO •eretl 1 humbly 3bert ; on diilicnlty lat they did ) to the age ; over tliciu, Ifroni tlicir 3 1'Etat reli- wus erected ular^'c lioiise, built of wood and covered with Ihateh ; a liell, hiiii;:r <>n the top of the build- ing, rang out the hours (if prayer, and warned the religious, laborers, oi' shepherds afar o(T in the fields to raise their souls from earth and unite in spirit Willi tlieir iu'etliren jirostrate before (Jod. We Avere received at the door of the monaslery by u monk, who salntfd us and letl \\^ lo Ihc guest- chamber. After some UKHiients' rest, wo were con- ducted to the chiireh, v.here the jirior awaited n.-. ISly mother wept. I rememlier her tears I i\ly father took my hand and led mo to the altar, where lie made mo kneel before the prior, saying, "I, Landoald, a free man, ami Clothsinde, my wife, give and dedicate to Cod, Our Lady, and SI. Beiie- "dicl, tlirough your hands, most revereml lord, our son, Sergiiis, the lirst-born of our mai riago, that in this monastery of ]']]iioii he may serve Clod in the religicnis proiV.aeioii, and, if it jdeuse his great mercy, in the sacerdotal niinislry." The prior answered kindly. He cut otT a lock of my hair. I took off my little coat, I was clad in a gown and a black cowl, and from that moment I •was an oblate of the monastery of Elnon. The Lord, Avho had undoubtedly accepted my mother's vow, gave me inclinations conformable to my destiny, and he granted to my mother a happy fruitfulness which repaid her for her sacrifice. Since my seventh year, I have never left this lionse, and I have become an unworthy religious of the Order of St. Benedict a.nd a still more un- worthy member of the sacerdotal body. I have nothing to relate of myself; my life has jiasscd tran()uil and oliscure, leaving no trace amongst Tlf ■w 38 77/r Old Oust. iiu'ii, nor ill my own nii'mory, wlicro the diiys, each likii till" (illur, iiiv liisl ill (lie uiiirnrm sluMlcsof tlio jniHt, Tlii'(>ii;;li (iliodieiuu I liavo taken ]i:iit in I ho hiboruof M-y brt'thren, tlio counigeoua work of the lahorers, the censelesH toil of (he writers, tlio iiiios- lolic labors of the iiii-^ionaricH, Imt I luivp ahviiys Been iny.'-clf last of all in nurit, in labor, and in virliii'. 0,1 r bk'.^M'd father has ordained that to prayer, iiu'ditation, llu) .sin/^jinL; of hymns and of l)salms, Avo add the eiiitnrc i i' ktters and the labor of our hands. Everywhere tlie sonsoC St. Beiiedlet till llio waste and barren lands, fertilize the nioora, dry up im]im'o swanijis, and ^dlier around Ihcir ]i()or inonasleries tlie dwrliinj^s of iiicclninics and of laljorcrs, to whom the cross serves as a rallyinj^- jioint and a refuge. AVho can fathom the det^igns of rroviilenee ? reriiai):^ tlieso villages, built in the shado'v of the cross, may become populous towns, and Gaul, like Italy, shall see smiling i)lains surmounted by the towers and battlements of lier wealthy cities. AVe, too, cultivate these fields, bo long neglected or devastated jiy -war ; harvests now avuvc where for- merly arose a tlil(\ forest, the haunt of brigands and of Avild l)casts ; cottages aro hidden in the shade of our bulfry, and mo seek to give failh, light, and haiiiiiiie>s to th()i:e Avho dwell near us. Other duties and other labors besides these oeeui)y X13 ; the Church, our mother, has kept the deposit of ancient letters, about to perish in th.e storm ■\vliieli the barl>arous Xorili let loose on tiie more favorjd and uk/IV brilliant countiicsrluuu ■which the will cue day restore The Old Oust. 33 iivf, ciich ilcHof the trl ill I ho rk of tlio tlio iipos- \v 111 ways r, iiiul in 1 thut lo IS iiiul of (ho lahoi' Ik'iietlict 10 moors, lid ihcir iiic's iiiul ralljiiig. viilencc ? )'v of Uie (iiiil, like il l»y tlic cs. AVe, Icctod or hero for- hrigaiuls n in tlio vc f.iiili, nciu- us. ;o ocenity c deposit lie .slonu I ho luoro 10 Soulli. i for lur :v rcsluro to tlioin ; and wo, dovolod to stndy and rooolloo- tion, proscrvo for tlioso who hhall ooiiio aftor us tho hoaiiliful iiispiratioiH of (ho Holy Fadu-rs and tho loaniiii-,' of iuiti(iiiily. Wo transoribo 'oookd which have oscajK-d tho rava<,'os of time and of tho harhariaiis ; wo also rooord, in our doniostio aiinaln, iiionioralilo faots in tho livos of ^'roat Korvantn of Clod, whoi^o nioniory and oxainjilo odify us. . . . Tho works of tho saints t^hoiiid not ho forgotten, and ho wlio would not lose ono of (hoir hones tihoiild no nioro ])orniit tho niomory of (hoir \irtiios and of their iniraolos to perish iinion^fst men. Some ainoiii^ us write the history of thO events Avhioli are taking place in that world in which wo • ■• - wo lon^'or live : tho intrigiios of courts, (ho revolu- tions of kingdoms, and tho Kiiecessiou to thrones, so often disputed. Othoru (each theolofry, morals, the olonieiits of ycienco, to the yoiiny scholastics; and v.e all ondotivor to keep hiirning tho ( \v, Iiiil I lo\o to nrall the iirodi^'irs of I'lcrcy wliicli I llicn vitiiessed. I repeat them lo oiir youn^ hretliivn, so that they iiiay Icani nevt r In (loiilil, of the fToodnesH of tlie Lord. Iiavo, Count of Hasliania, Avas Hiill •,iliiiiL'i'd in the errors of pagaiiisin, and lie insiiiitd in his vassals, in his eoiiipanions-in-aniis, and in I ho » hase. a i)rol'oiiiid terror, which was jiistilied hy the lieeutioiisiiess of his morals and the harshiUK} of his cliaiacter. lie was marrieil to a Chrislian ladv, and he had one ( hi!il, an innoec nt. lillle (ivaliire, whose ]ti'ayer ami piirily were pieasin;,' lo tiio Most ni;,di. (iod efisl an eye of merey on tho dwcdlin^ of Havo, and he i-ent him the cross, which is always iiie messenf^er of his merey. Bavo's wife die(' and tho heart of tho licrec prolligate was hrok ' I saw liim tlieii, that i)affan on whom waa ]ioircd fortli the penerons halm of tho cross ; ho came, urged l)y a mysterions power, to throw liim- self at tho foot of Amand, -whohO name liad poiio forth tlirough all tho country, like the sweet scent of a ripe Hold winch Cod has blessed. Amand dwelt in tho monastery which ho had founded and dedicated to the apostlo Saint Peter, on !Mount Blandin, and T was with him. I saw aiiproaching a man of tall stature, of fiorco and haughly coiinlona'ice, contracted hy oTcrwlielming sorrow. lie came hurriedlv into the cell, and threw himself ic lifter iiiJ, the otlllTH, III! Ill IT. I ri)ili;,'iis (if fc tluin to L'lirii never [iluHL'ed ill I'dl ill 1 1 in 1(1 ill lliu iistilied by liiirsliiuiia I, Clu'lsliiin »e( lit, liltlo pleiisiii;:f to LMTy on liiu ross, wliicli Huvo's wil'o illigiito was wiiom wati ! erosH ; lio tlirow liini- 3 liiid polio iwcct Hcent 1. Amand innded and on !Mount liproaclung d hauglily ing sorrow, row himself Tlw Ol,l Cliist. 35 iil.ilic f.rt ofoiirl.lesMd fiiihcr, f-ayin;.'. in a lndL. n Mtice, •• I iiave sinned, i |,;ae otretided the f.'reat (•oil . r heaven, liy o|)|)ivs-iii<,' tlie weak and ilieddiii',' iiiiioeeiil, 1.1 1! ||,.|y iioiililT, pivo ino uiso eoiiiKsel us to tlio salvation .1" my ,m,iiI ! I vi>li to iiitrlfy and eorreet, niy life. I |.i;,,'c myselt* in your liand.v, man of (iod, Il.ive jtiiy „ii "me I Havo nie I ' Onr lioly fallicr, overulu lined A\illi ji.y, could aiiHwer only l.y hi.s (car.s ; lio ela.sped iJav'o in hi.) anii.s and \ve[)t, on hii wwk, liko tlio fatJier of I lio l)rodl;,Ml son, tho aacro.! i niw of the Fallitr (,f ^lerey. He Mpoko to jiim (!ie words of ,'^alvation and of life, which the i)a,','aii ivceived resiieelfiillv ; iind IV.iin tliat, d ly (he man of iiiiiiiiilv died oiil. aliil ,!;a\(! plaeo (o tho new man, who draws from JesiH Chrisl- tho sap of life. The lion of l.attleH lieiMiii,' ji mild and •gentle lamh ; works of pcnaiieo and of charily (lllcd np his days; he wepi, for his ownsuis; ho dried tho tears of his hrelhren, and soon, as (ho diviiio praee, when it overcomes ii heart, always tends to a moro iierfeefc state, Bavo soHeited t!io dorical tonsiiro, and suhmitted to regular discipline, iiikUm- tho Ahhot Florhert, and no one cmld liave reeo,C;iiized in tho anstero penitent, the liery Coiinl. d'llashanie. His avoii- derful penaneo astonished and converted even those whom tho words of Amaiul could not win. How cm ;i religion he doubted Avhich tints tnuis- forms lioarts? The rapacious and bloodthirsty profligate, whom all that barbarous jieoplo knew and feared, liad bccnnio an hnniblo recluse, shut lip in a voluntary jiris'Hi ; he slejtt on tho stones; his food was coarse liread ; his body was covered 36 The Old Chest. i:, ! witli hiiir-cloth ; lie \\'oro fottcra on his feet, like those wiUi which the jailers of Rome sliaclclcd the feet of the confessors of tlio faitli. For three }-ears Biivo persevered in this solitude and this expiation; at the end of that time the angels called him to come and receiw^ the victor's crown. ... lie died, and barl^arous tribes, whom his arms could never subdue, came to receive, at his glorious sepulchre, the eternal light of faith. . . . His memory is still dear to me ; . . . I prayed for him on earth, and I am eonfldout that he is pray- ing for mo in heaven. . . . Now 1 am old. . . . My hand can no longer guide t'.io plough ; my dimmed eyes no longer permit mo to do the writer's work ; my broken voice can no longer teach the evangelical truths to the people ; but young, active brethren, burning with a Ixjly zeal, take the place of those who first under- took the work. . . . AVe berpieath to them the task Avhich avo have commenced. .... They will clear these forests and these moors.* Tliey will preserve the deposit of science and of noblo traditions, ami, above all, they will spread the apostolic (ire over the earth. . . . Iluniblo servants of God,faitlif ,il messengers of Providence, they Avill labor for the good of their brethren, without other hire than the eti'rnal goods. May Gad bo Avith them, and may he deign to grant to mo, Scrgius, a sinner, rest Avith the many holy souls who have already been admitted to the mar- riage-feast of the Lamb ! Amen. * TGi) Boiiodiotiuo mouks w jro tlio cluarors of Eui-opo. (J ui- zot.) s feet, like uicklcd tlio three }'cai'3 i cxpiiitiou; lletl him to . . IIo iirina could is glorious . . His prayed I'or he is pray- 11 no longer no longer my broken il truths to liming with first undcr- to them tlic . . They .rs.*' Tliuy id of noblo i?pre;ul the . Ilumblo Providence, r brethren, oodri. May to gnuit to many holy 'i'C<.^^m^ ^^■f^y^<:.^ 1) the mar- Suropo. (jui- - ■- 1 IV. THE SOLDIEE — EIGHTH CEXTURY. I, Gherold, grandson of Landoald, conforming to the custom of my fathers, dictate to my nephew, Matfrid, religious in the Aljliey of tlio Holy Se- pulchre (Saiut-Sopulclire), a short account of what I have soon in my campaigns, under Charles !Martel, Dul night on the plain. Xext dav the Aral) tents Avere empty; the jiagans hail" iK.,|, leaving behind their treasures, which fell into our hands. We took again our homeward way. Charles, having collected the spoils of the encm-,-, returned to France in the glory of his triumph. As for mo, I tried to do my duty, incited, above all, by the great thought that I Avas fighting in the name of Christ, in the name of the Roman Church, and to defend the Empire of the Cross against the imjilous votaries of Mohammed. In the name of the Lord Ifouglit with the sword and tho//v/«/(v,* and I venture to hope that at the great day tiie Just Judge Avill not forget his soldier and servant. I was in other wars wiih Duke Charles and his ♦ A weapon of the ancient Franks. 40 The Old Chest. sons, PG]iin and Karloman. I fought against the inilomitiil)lo Frir -hinders, cnlreuchod in tlieir islt.s and marshes; against the Saxons, obstinate wor- sliippers of tht- Teutonic gods; I had tlie hap- piness of receiving the hcnodiction of the most holy rontifl, Bunifacc, sent to evangelize these people, by the order and under the protection of Popo Zachcry and Puke Charles ; I saw Lord Pepin elevated to the regal dignity, according to the words of the Sovceign Pontiff Zachcry, who de- creed, " He who ])osscssc3 the regal power should also enjoy iho honors of royalty " ; and one day, going to the monastery of St. Sithin,* I saw there Childeric, the descendant of Merovreus, who, de- posed and shaven, had been placed among the monks. Tliese are events which I have witnessed, anil in which I have taken part, fighting under the command of the princes who now possess the sovereignty of the country of the Franks. Although old I followed the army of the most mighty King Charles, who was marching. against thc^Lombard's and their king Desiderius. And this is what I heard related by a worthy priest. One of the first lords of the Frank kingdom, named Ogger, having incurred the wrath of the terrible Charles, had taken refuge with King Desi- derius. Hiving heard of the approach of the dreaded Charles, Desiderius and Oggcr went up on a very high tower, whence they could see from all sides the°irrival of the Frankish army. They at first perceived a warlike equipage more numerous than those of Darius and of Julius Ciesar. And Desiderius asked of Ogger : • At !jt. Omer. ig.iinst the their i^f tho most liini!;. against s. And this est. ik kingdom, vrath of the I King Dcsi- )ach of tlio • went up on sec from all y. They at re numerous Dtesar. And The Old Chest. 41 '•Ts not Cliarlcs \vii!i that givat arinv?'' And Ogi^^er ansutivd : "Not yet."' ^I'ext came mimbor.s of trjho.s a.«.«eniMcd from all parts of tho vast omplro of (lie Franks. Desi- deriu.s after liavingi^ccii tiioni, Paid to Qfrijer : "S'lroly Charles is triumpiiantly a'dvancin'r camoiij. \ that multitude ? " '"^ "\o, not yet, not yet," replied Oggor. Then Dosiderlus began to bo disturbed, and said : _" What sliall Ave da if Iio couu's acc()m])anied l)y still more warriors than ilicse ?" "Thou shalt. see liow ho will come," answered Oggcr ; " but I know not wliat will become of us." Whilst tlicy thus discoursL'd, tlie King's iiouse- liold appeared, with his body-guards, wlio never , know rest. At tliis siglit, Dcsidcrius, bewilderc 1, cried : " Surely tin's is Charles ? " And Ogger repeated : '' Not yet, not yet." Next eame tlio l)ishops, i)riests, and ecclesiastics of the royal cliapcl, witli their retinue. Desiderius, desiring deatJi, and no longer able (o bear thcligiit of day, murmured, sol)bing ; "■ Lot us descend and hide ourselves in tlie deptiis of tlie earth, tliat we may not sec the face of so ter- rible an enemy." The treml)li)ig Ogger, who know the splendor and ai)parel of tlic incomparable Charles, having learned it by experience in better days, said tlien : " Wlieu tliou soest t'no grain bristle with fright in tho fields, the Po and the Tosino become as dark as iron and overflow with their blackened waters the walls of the town, then IImu mave.^.t believe in the arrival of Charles." .}.? Tin Old Clii^t. Jlc iuiil JiiiL yi't, IniisluHl spoakinr; wlioii tlicy l)egiiu to SCO in thn Avest like a dark cloud driver, by tlio wind, Avliichcliiiiipjcd the liglit of day into funereal shadi's; then Charles npproachin';' gra- dually, llio liriglitnes.-! of liis arjiisi brouglit to tlio men .shut iij* in flio town a day niovo gloomy than any night. Then in porson came Charles, that man of iron, his hcail covered by an iron helmet, his arms enclosed in iron mail, his chest and shoulders of granite were protected ])y ii coat of iron, he held in liis left hand an iron spear, and his right was ahvays laid on the hilt of his inviucibla sword ; his boots, like those of his soldiers, were bound witli iron, and his rdiield was all of iron. All wlio preceded him, all y.iio marched beside him, all who followed, the Avholc army, had imitated (licii master as far as Avas in each or.e's pov.er ; the fields atul the plains Avero all of iron; the iron bayonets reflected every ray of the sun. The ramparts shook with fright, the boldnes.i of the young man Avas subdued, the Avis- dom of the old men put to naught, and all the citi- zens cried Avith confused noise : "Alas ! how much iron ! hoAV much iron !"' Ogger saw all this Avith one rapid glance, and said ta Desiderius : '•\3cliold him Avhom thou hast l)een seeking!"' And so saying, ho fell down almost lifeless, . . . Such Avas the master Avho commanded us — the chief whom avc folloAved. May God grant long life to our most mighty emperor ! For him I have shed my blood ; for him my son died at Ronces- vaux, crushed by tho rocks Avhich the treachc ous Gascons hurled on tho armA', led by Roland, tlio whoii tlicy loud diivf!'. )f day into ic1uii;j: gra- uglit to tlio ;loomy thuii at man of t, his nrma lioulder.^ of , lie licld in , v.'MS ill ways ; his boots, th iron, and K'cded him, Iloucd, tho s far us Avas plains ■\vcro ■very ray of fright, the )d, the Avis- all the citi- ron ! "' glance, and seeking !"' ess. . . . lhI us — the nt long life ini I have at Roncos- ircacht ons uoland, tlio ^ H The Ohi C/usf. 43 raptain ; hut I do not regret either my blood nor even t!ie life of my heloved s-on, since lioth lia\e been given for the Church and the blessed kingdom of the Franks. V, THE LAliOUKn — NIXTIl CKNTrUY "My granilfiillier, of liappy memory, of ton re- peated an cx])res.sioii •wliicli lie heard from I lie lips of the miglily Emperor Charlemagne, in whose army he had served. 'J'hat prince, being one day in a seai)ort town, saw from afar ship.s remarkable for tlieir structure and the ease of their movements. At this sight the pious Charles, leaning on a window-sill, remained long lost in thoiiglit, his face bedewed with tears. As none of his courtiers dared to question him, ho himself explained to them the cause of his tears. "Know ye,"' said he, " my faithful friends ! why I have wejit so much ? I fear not that those people can harm mo by their vain threats ; but it afllicts mc much tliat, while I am living, they dare to insult this shore, and I am oppressed Avith sorrow because I foresee how many evils tliey will cause to my descendants and my subjects." Tlie words of that most wise emperor arc ac- complished. fatal days ! The ships whicli ho saw were those of tlio pagan Nortlimen — those pirates who come every year, on their vessels as light as birds, from the far iS'orth, and follow the course of our rivers, burnin?, ]iillaging, and 44 '/'//«■ (>!,! ( /.v.v/. •J? , (jfU'ii rc- im I lie lips in whose ng one day remarkable tiovcmeuts. iiiii.;^ on 11 lit, liirffacc d courtiers plained to r ye,"' said vo wept so 1 harm mo much that, this shore, I foresee loscendants ror arc ac- i which ho lien — those f vessels us and follow lairiiifT, and dcvaslaliii;,' all l»cf«irc llieiii. I Wi.s \<>m];s, and I had been a-nt with a niessau'c from my father in a farm situated not far rrom llaspres, iii CaiMJiresis, when Isaw In the dislance a prodi^iinns crowd of Jieojile, and I heard the solemn chanting of tho Psalms. I approached, and I saw monks, wearing tho liahit of Saint Benodi' *, walking barefoot, CHirrying on their shoul' ., shrine covm>d with jdates of g(dd. I was tri.i that these religious were coming from ;lio interior of Xcustria, from tho Alibey of Jiimi.'ges, whence they liad tied before the Norman pirates, and that they were coming lo hide in their domain of Haspres the rrlics of tJieir blessed founders, Saint Ilngli and Saint Achard, Jt was jiitiablo to see Christian priests Hying iKfore , the pagans. In all oiir churches tho invocation was added to (he Litany of tho Saints, "From tho fury of the Korthmen, Lord, deliver us!"' Wo were living peacefully on our little farm, my wife, my children, and I, Hugo, grandson of Ci'u'rold. The country was at peace, and wo gathered w .tliout fear llio fruits of our lalior, when the tales of travellers and pilgrims informed us of the desola- tion in all the towns situated on the banks of rivers. Tho large and noble city of Anvcrs, f-cated on the banks of (lie Escaut, had just been burned by the fierce sea-kings; tho banks of the Soinme were devastated ; iirovinces and (owns dcpojmlated ; the few inhabitants who survived lied in every direction, powerless and terror-stricken, or fell beneath tho sword. The bodies of (ho saints, so long preserved in the monasteries wliieh they had f.mnded aiidedilied by their examples, werc'])rough(, into tho cnclosnre of tho r'lies. Dan'/cr was 46 '/'//(• ( V^/ Cliisl. coining,' to us. On all h,1,.m utn- mvii lalioivivt wliosi' liDiisos iiiul liiir\r-!s had hccii ;,'i\iii to tiic lliiiiK's, cliiin,!! ;ii'(i|)le wlid.si- eves luid \wv\\ put out, widowoil wives and orpliiiMcd cliildrcii. And im rcniedy for tlioso {:rcnt evils! Tlicse l)jirl.;iii;iMs como moro numerous tiiiiti .stiow-llakes in winter; they iire lianly, rapacious, and indel'ati^'alde. Our lord, Baldwin, called tlie IJald,* tried to fortify liis towns by surrounding' tlieni with ditelies aiul walls ; hut, alas I of what use arc uefcnees of stono if men's liearts ])o feehlo and eowardly ? f Like others, 1 liavo under;rone the misfortunes of the times in which we live; may it please (lod to cparo my descendants ! It was at the close of the year 881 ; the Lord had blessed our labor ; the barns and cellars were over- llowini? with (lie crops, and our stalls were tilled with cattle. I was.returnin;,' from the Moiuisterv of Elnon, the prior of wliicli — a learned man — had given mo some cordials for one of my servants, who Avas ill of a mali,i,'nant fever, and I was going home- ward with a joyful heart, for I tliought that my wife would be wailing for me at tlia lirosidc, plying her distalf, and that my children Avould be glad at my return. The sun was setting and tlio horizon was red. ... I thought it was the mists of an autumn day, reddened by the sun's last rays, which thus colored tlic heavens ; I;iit soon a thick black snndvo and sparks went np into the air, and hid the sua * Baldwin tho Baltl, socoml Count of Flandci-s. + A.'cordin^; t > tlii- aocounl; of historians, tlio torrilioj pnoplo n.) loii^ir dai-c-l i,. dufond tlieniselves n-aiiist tl;o Noi-thincMi. I f • ilu- iU,l I lust. -M II hlliiH'cr:' CM to t!ll> II |iiil mil. Ami iKi l)!irli;iri;iiis II wiiiliT; iltli'. Our I'lirtify Iiis Li'Iics iiiul s of stoiio ? t Liko lOS (if tllO 1 In f-|):iro liOnl liild voro ovtT- lore lilk'd ilduaslcrv nan — hud tL".ts, wlio npf lioine- tliat niy k', plyiii,:; a glad at was rod. aiituiiin lioli thus ck sniidio the sun o tcrrilk'd vaiiist tho from my view. ... I ha.-litu'd iii\ .-lt'|- : a lit Ih' liill I'linciah'd iii\ iiniisc fniin ni(> : I (■liiiilicd it and wcnl (h)Uii llio other side (|uiik(r lh;:ii lh(iii'_dil : . . . ami ! f-aw, ... hols' (iod I 1 ^a\v my Iiou-c in llanus, liciii,;,' rt'iluci'd to a fiiiM'i'al |iik', IVom which cainc forth lire and Kinokc ; th'.' stalik'S, ctdlars, harn.", wore huriu'il. Not a cry imr a voi(v vwww from anionu'.-t tlio ruins; I duricd forward, 1 caHcd. No oiH' a' ■"Wci'cd inc. . . . < * iiiih:i|ipy man tiiat [was! ... I ran all over Ihc faun : . . . ruin and deatli oseiywherc I . . . l>nt,comiii;r to a Held which wu.s watered liy ihc Kseaid, I saw at, a distance the li,i,dil. narrow \(.-se!, w hicii had ljr(n;;iht tile Norllimen to oiirsliore. . . . They were llyiii.:, tiie papins, llie tliievis, the murderers. I was followin:^' lliein wiih in v eyes and my im[io- teiit curses, v.lien a IVeliic /jfroaii reaehi'd my ear. I looiied ; and ill tiic /xi'uss (Ui the hank 1 found my youn^e.-t ehil!i,niy little Baldwin, who had heou thrown there naked, and with a large Avound on his hip. 1 look him in my arm-;, and he knew me : '•() fatlier I" ,:aid he in w faint voice, "wicUi'd men canve ; they shut nmtiier and my hrothers up in the stahlos, and hurned them, and they hurt me very much." . . . (ireat (rod I i)ar(lon me if I then cursed those who had hrougiit so many misfortunes on mv hous'.' ! 'J'hy nu)st sweet .Son Jesus ])raycd for hi,-; ■murderers, and I. miscrahle tiinncr, could oidy curse them ! But I ow ask thee that the hlood ef those innocent victims, of my good wife and my iirecious flanghtrred children, jnay 4« /■//.• OU Clust. iis(Tii,l to ihy il,r,„„. m„| |„,y ^,riicc, for thevio jm;,':iiis 1 I possi'sscd ti(.(liiii;r iK.w Itiit my 1:111(1, ,<■■( ripped and liaiv. Fur lulp and proliviidii I paid trilmlo of that, which I had ludd frco from my ancostor.-', to till) Alihoy of Saint Aniaiid, of wiilcli'l bocamo u vassal. . . . Liberty, family, forlnne, I I0.4 all in one day. From tho fury of the :Nurlliman, Lord, deliver us! However, reliiriou?! nro lenient masters ; they brouf^iit lip my son Haldwin.and inslrueted him in human science; and, under the command (d" the brave and holy Gozlin,"" Abbot of Saint Amand, 1 had the happiness of fii^'Iitin,;,' the Norllimcn. . . . I .siw tiieni van. pushed by the Lord Count of llainaiit, U.'gnier, called Long-Xeck, and I know that, on every side, the owners of the hind lire fortifying the towns and cities, trainin^:,' their vassals to arms, in order to resist the incursions of the i)irate8. Our ])riests and itisliop.: are seokin;:r lo subject them to the laws of the Gospel; the lime is perhaps not far distant when the.-e woes of our ago will cease ; but who among the living can forget the churches profaned, the cities and villages burned our women, our children dving in torture, and even our liljcrty sold, because the sea- kings consumed our j)atrimony, and trod our in- lieritanco under foot ? Thou hast willed it, O Lord ! Rlcssed be thy will. ♦Onzlin, Abbot of Saint Araand, and afterwards Bialiop of Paris. ?)J for llit'.so 1, ."Iriiipcd liil triliiilo iuui'stursi, [ bccatiio H If, I l()>t, I'urlliniaii, crs ; tlipy ('<1 him ill lul dl' llic ^ Ainaiul, lorlliiiR'ii. ivd Coiiiit k, and I tllC 1:111(1 liii;,' tiii'ir irslons of 3 seckiii,!^ i[)v]; Uio woes of 10 liviiii:^ itios and tl.viiig in ) (he 8('a- 1 onr in- xl it, O I Diahop of VI. ynv. rii.f.KiM — Ti;NTir ( dvtiuy. I, ii<)lii:i;T, unworthy |iiiiir ul' \Uo Altbcyof Saint Aniaud, at tlio riMjiu'tit of Baldwin, fornicriy hroiiniit up in this nionaHtery, linvo written tho ac- count of his life and the conff^fision of lii.s faults. He (lioiight that (his account niipht Fcrvc to in- struct covetous and ambitious men, who ipaui[ter (lie passion ^ of princcsnnd the^'rea(, (o the duinna- tioM of tlieir own soul.-'. Baldwin, the son of nii(> of our vas.-sals, having early {^iven e\ideiu'c of a (piick mind and a rare in- (elli/^^enco, was, through the charity of the Abbot (iozlin, instructed in hunnin sciiMice ; but, what- ever care was (aken to inculcate in him the spirit, of jiiety andof humility, without which all rriencc is vain, he testified from his youth the desire of rais- ing himself above his condition, and a great ardor in his projects of ambition and of wealth. One day, Count Baldwin, commonly called the Bald, having come to visit our monastery, took notice of young Baldwin, who had had occasion to make himself agreeable to tho i)rineo 1)y some slight service and by his lively sallies. Tho Count wished to attach him to his household, and asked him of us. Wo coidd not refuse, and Baldwin followed his lord with n hcnrt full of inv and hope. He mm.s emplovcd 4». 5'^ The Old C lust. Jimoiigst the grooms of tlio hounds, und there again lie pleased the Marquis, and by his intelligence, Jiptitude, iind cxtniordiuary zeal he graduiuly g-iined his whole confidence. K is well known what was then the condition of the Frankish kingdom. 'J'lie loids, who were so submissive formerly under the i)owcrful liand of Charlemagne, felt thcmsolvcs strong in their turn under feeble kings; and one of them— Eudes, Count of Paris— maintained himself for some years on the throne of Fr.mce, notwithstanding the claims of the lawful heir, young Charles, son of King Charles the Bald. The prelates, howcvei-, and the whole priesthood, remei bering their oatii, given of old to the father of the most pious empe- ror, and by which all ;lio chiefs of the F.anks pledged themselves to never recognize as king a man who was not of the race of Pepin ; and, faith- ful to that vow of their predecessors, Foulqucs, Archbishop of Itheims, and his suffragans, the metropolitans of Treves, Cologne, and Mavcnco, crowned the young Charles as king. The power- ful Prince of Flanders ranged himself under the command of his true sovereign, while Herbert, Count of Vermandois, one of the most powerful lords in the kingdom, openly espoused the cause of the Count de Paris. Thence sprang a deadly hatred between Count Baldwin' and the house of Vevmandois ; and in the wai- which took place between the partisans of King Charles and those of King Eudes, the brother of the Prince of Flan- ders, Kaoul dfe Cambrai, surnamed on account of liis bravery Taille-fer (Cut-iron), perished by the hand of Herbert of Vermandois. This was a -^reat I \i \ 1 there again intelligence, 3 gradui'.ily !< nidi I ion of ilio ■\vcrc so 'ul hand of 1 tlu'ir turn ?m — Eudes, for somo itbstanding iliarlcs, son s, howcvei', their oatii, )ioiis empe- ;he F.anks ! as king a and, faith- Foulques, agans, the Mavcnce, Lhe power- under the 3 Herbert, t powerful lie cause of a deadly 3 hotiso of ook place and those ■e of Flan- iccouat of ed by the as a great ! The Old C/icsL M affliction for Count Baldwin, who lo'cd this bro- ther above all creatures ; and, in place of turning to the Lord, who would have comforted him in hit allliction, he revolved in his mind projects of ven- geance, forgetting him who has said, "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay." One day, while hunting in the forest of Mormal, it chanced that he found himself alone with his servant Baldwin. The Count was not, as usual, inspired by his favorite exercise ; with spear down, he rode along, lost in his own dark thoughts, when Baldwin, who was somewhat familiar with him, ventured to say : " 3ry good lord, thy thoughts are not here ; and yet the forest is line and the game abundant.'' " I am following another scent," said the prince, looking at his vassal ; " but to reach (hat quarry I would need a faithful arm and a steady hand." '' If one knew the game, good lord, one might pounce upon it." •' Knowst thou the mortal enemy of my house ? What bloody wolf rushed upon the brave Kaoul ? Blood calls for blood." " It shall have it. But what would the hunts- man obtain ? " "Gold, and the friendship of his lord." Two days after, Herbert de Vermandois, on go- ing forth from his castle, received a mortal wound from a dagger, and some time after Baldwin gave up his post of groom of the hounds, to become his lord's secretary. It was a great crime, a cruel murder, which for long after frightened the lords in their castles, as well as their subjects in their huts ; but soon a greater crime terrified all Ciiristendom, 1 have .1 I 52 The Old Chest. paid before that the Lord Foulqncs. Archbishop of KhciniH, was the friend, the father, and protector of the young King Charles. The latter had just granted to him the Abbey of St. Sithin, or St. Ber- tin, which tlic prelate dearly loved, for it was there he had spent his youth. But Count Baldwin, by a gcandalous abuse, which li..s become too common in our days, desired to possess, although a layman, this house of God, the patrimony of which be- longed to the poor ; and when he saw his hopes frustrated, he conceived against tl venerable Foulques a hatred which could only end in blood ; and a second time (0 unhappy fate of princes !) Baldwin was near him, as the dagger is found ready to the hand which is about to use it for murder. King Charles and Archbishop Foulques had met at the mi' nor of Compiegne ; the old man had come to take leave of his young king ; he was journeying along the road to lUieims, sur- rounded by a few followers, when Baldwin, fol- lowed by some hired assassins, fell upon him and pierced him wiih his lance. The parricide was accomplished. That wretch, brought up with- in the sacred walls of the Monastery of St. Amand, did not fear to shed the blood of the pontiff of the Lord. From the Rhine to the Pyrenees ilcw like wild- fire the news of this crime. Baldwin, under the powerful protection of the Prince of Flanders, ran no temjioral risk ; but the Church, neverthe- less, had still her thunders. A council, assembled at llheims, pronounced sentence of excommu- nication against the assassins of the most pious Foulques : '• Let them be cursed,"' cried the bishops ; )ishop of irotcctor had just • St. Ber- I'iis there hviu', by common layman, liich bc- lis hopes cnerablc II blood ; princes !) is found 3C it for Foulques old man ing ; he ms, snr- win, fol- lon him parricide up with- Amand, iff of the ike wild- uder the Flanders, iievcrtlic- sseniblcd xcommu- ist pious bishops ; The Old Chest. 53 " cursed in the city, cursed in the fields, cursed in their offspring, cursed in the fruit of their lands, and their herds of oxen, and their flocks of sheep ; let them bo cursed coming' in and going out ; cursed within the house, cursed without. May their bowels rot ; let no Christian even salute them ; let thei-i receive the burial of the ass, and lot them lie on the dunghill in the face of the whole world.'"* Under the protection of the prince whom he had served with such arduous fidelity, Baldwin feorcd nothing, and he lived in great wealth. Several years elapsed thui5, during Avhich great events were accomplished. The Xormans, under their chief KoUo, made an alliance with the Franks ; they re- ceived as their domain fair Keustria, with its fertile fields, its limpid waters, and, converted to Chris- tianity, they really formed a part of the Frankish nation, dear to God and man ; young King Charles, too feeble to resist his great vassals, was seized by the i)crfidiou3 Herbert do Vermandois, and shut up in the tower of Poronne, thence transported to Orleans, where he died in the year of Christ 92!». Raljjh, Duke of Burgundy, was seated on the throne of Clodowig and of Charlemagne. On his deatli, the last descendant of the race of Pepin, Louis IV. d'Outremer, ascended to the place of his an- cestors, but only for a few days. Those were troublous and disastrous times ; hatred and murder seemed as nothing to the men of that age ; like Lamech of old as it is written in the Book of Genesis, they said, hiughing, " I have just killed a man I " * Acts of the Council of Rheims. 34 The OU Chest. H William Loiig-Sword, Duke of Normandy, pevisli- cd, through sliumeful treachery, slain l)y the order, and perhaps by the hand of Arnoul, Count of Flanders and son of Baldwin. . . . These fierce lords thought only of blood and violence, and their fatal passions ji'-vays found docile instru- ments uround them. Baldwin, who had passed from the service of the father to that of the son, was, he confessed to me, the witness, if not the accomplice, of this murder. But there the grace of God awaited him. The sight of the forsaken corpse of this prince, but lately so brilliant andso chivalrous, recalled to the troubled conscience of Baldwin the murders ■which the waters of human prosperity could never Avash away He looked at, touched those wounds, and he remembered. He confessed his iniquity be- fore the Lord his God, and he desired to do penance, lie immediately left the Isle of Pec- quigny, where the murder of that powerful lord had been accomplished, and, walking day and night barefoot, he went to throw himself at the feet of the pious Bishop Ausbert, then occupying the See of Cambrai. There hG confessed his crimes, and asked, on his knees, humbled under ashes and hair-cloth, to be released from the Anathema of Holy Church. The pious prelate did not close his door on this sinner whom the Shepherd of the sheep brought back on his shoulders, but he prescribed to him, as his canonical penance, a fast of three years and a t)ilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre of our Lord. Baldwin obeyed, but before setting out on his long journey he gave to the poor the wealth which he had acquired by bloodshed, and after journeying i I ^ , porisli- order, ount of The30 ucc, and instru- passed the son, not the le gruco i prince, called to murders Id never wounds, luity be- 1 to do of Pec- ■ful lord !id night 3 feet of he See of id asked, lir-clotli, Cimrch. on this brouglit to him, ears and Lord, it on his th which The Old Chest. 55 day and night, clad in a poor woollen tunic which concealed a hair-clotli, fasting, praying, and living on alms, lie reached (lie sliorcs of Provence, and there embarked for Palestine. IIo visited in turn the sacred place.'^, and all v ere witnesses of his pen- ance and his tears. How could the sinner refrain from sobbing and beating his breast at sight of tlie Moun+. of Olives, of Gulgotli:), of the sepulchnil cavo where the fSaviour slept for three days, follow- ing step by step the sorrowful footprints of the Son of God upon earth ! Ibit to the just tears shed on the foot.-t.ps (if Jesus Christ, our sweet and merci- ful Saviour, the numerous pilgrims who visit the Holy Land mingle those which arc forced from thein by the sorrowful fate of Christian people who are there, praying and suffering around the sacred tomb, and each day subjected to the outrages of the inlkh'ls. O Lord ! why dost thou delay in aveng- ing thy peojde, and delivering from the oprvession of unbelievers these memorable places, which thou didst choose thyself, to consummate there the greatest of sacriiices ? It is only at the price of gold that pilgrims aro admitted into the sanctuaries, and often their blood waters the threshold. Baldwin had the happiness of suffering for Jesus Christ many humiliations and outrages, which, doubtless, served as expiation for his crimes in the eyes of the just Judge, who also saw the deep re- pentance of his soul ; and, after three years passed in prayer, mortification, and persecution, lie re- turned to Europe, and received absolution of his crimes. He asked to retire amongst us, so as to end in s^ The Old C/ust. solitiulo lii^ lifo, coiitaiuinatoil hs tloiilings and intorcourKO with the world ; and, as u lay brotlicr in tliis holy house, he long edi- fied ns by the severity of his penance and by his love of humiliation. Often, at the request of the Father Abbot, ho would tell us of his long journeys ; he described the Holy Places, -which arc to all of us as our own country ; he rcpresrnted to US those vast multitudes of pilgrims, that peaceful army, Avhich ask no other favor than that of being allowed to weep at the tomb of its Saviour.; he also made us weep relating the sufferings and insults which faithful Christians undergo, and we all shud- dered, saying : " Who then shall deliver them ? " But, alas ! what does it matter ? The trials and pleasures of earth shall soon end ; we are approach- ing the end of human things ; when this century has elapsed, the world shall have rendered its ac- count tc its Judge, and the fire of heaven, coming down on the earth, shall have consumed the i)laco of our exile. The air, the land, and the sea are full of warning ; there is in the ocean extraordinary movements ; a whale, Avhich is no other than the leviathan of the Scriptures, has come aground on the coast of Normandy ; the elements are disturbed at their approaching dissolution, and men's souls are turning towards the God who is soon to judge them. Everywhere people are becoming detached from perishable goods ; they are given to the poor, to churches, to monasteries. Once more, alas ! what does it matter ? Soon shall the poor be first ii^jthe kingdom of God, earthly churches shall be changed into eternal tabemacles, and the inmates of monasteiies shall be judged according to the 77u' I Vd (. lust. 57 graces 'vhich thoy have received and the use they have made of them. . . . May the Mas^^er lind us with loins girt and with lamps lit ! I forgot to add that Haldwin died on a.«i;e.« seven years after his entrance to the Monastery of Elnon. When dying, he made a j)ul)lic confession of his crimes, and recommended himself to the prayers of his brethren. If any one comes after me and reads this, let him i)ray for us, poor sinners ! This was written in the first year of the reign of Ilngli Capet, Godha\ing transferred to this power- ful family the sceptre Avhieh had remained for two hundred and thirty-five years in the hands