A letter from Boniface (716/717)

Translated letter:

To the blessed virgin and best-loved lady, Eadburga, praiseworthy for her long perseverance in the observance of the monastic life, Winfred, one of the least in Christ Jesus, sends most affectionate greeting. You have asked me, my dear sister, to describe to you in writing the marvelous visions of the man who recently died and came to life again in the convent of the Abbess Milburga, as they were revealed to him and were related to me by the venerable Abbess Hildelida. And now, thanks be to Almighty God, I am able to fulfill your wish more fully and more accurately because I myself spoke recently with the aforesaid resurrected brother when he returned to this country from beyond the seas. He then related to me in his own words the astounding visions which he saw in the spirit while he was out of the body. He said that the extreme pain from a violent illness had suddenly freed his spirit from the burden of his body. He felt like a man seeing and wide-awake, whose eyes had been veiled by a dense covering and then suddenly the veil was lifted and everything made clear which had previously been invisible, veiled, and unknown. So with him, when the veil of the flesh was cast aside the whole universe seemed to be brought together before his eyes so that he saw in one view all parts of the earth and all seas and peoples. And angels of such pure splendor bore him up as he came forth from the body that he could not bear to gaze upon them. With joyful and harmonious voices they sang: "O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath; neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure." "They carried me up," he said, "high into the air, and I saw a mighty fire surrounding the whole earth, and flames of enormous size puffing up on high and embracing, as it were, in one ball the whole mechanism of the world, had not a holy angel checked it by the sign of the holy cross of Christ. For when the sign of the cross was made over against the threatening flame, it faded in great part and died away. I suffered intolerably from the heat, my eyes smarting and smitten by the glare of flashing spirits until an angel, splendid to look upon, laid his protecting hands upon my head and saved me from all injury by the flames." He reported further that in the space of time while he was out of the body, a greater multitude of souls left their bodies and gathered in the place where he was than he had thought to form the whole race of mankind on earth. He said also that there was a crowd of evil spirits and a glorious choir of the higher angels. And he said that the wretched spirits and the holy angels had a violent dispute concerning the souls that had come forth from their bodies, the demons bringing charges against them and aggravating the burden of their sins, the angels lightening the burden and making excuses for them. He heard all his own sins, which he had committed from his youth on and had failed to confess or had forgotten or had not recognized as sins, crying out against him, each in its own voice, and accusing him grievously. Each vice came forward as if in person, one saying: "I am your greed, by which you have most often desired things unlawful and contrary to the commands of God." Another said: "I am vainglory, by which you have boastfully put yourself forward among men." Another: "I am falsehood, whereby you have lied and sinned." Another: "I am the idle word you spoke in vain." Another: "I am sight, by which you have sinned by looking upon forbidden things." Another: "I am stubbornness and disobedience, whereby you have failed to obey your spiritual superiors." Another: "I am sluggishness and neglect in sacred studies." Another: "I am the wandering thoughts and useless notions in which you have indulged too much both in church and elsewhere." Another: "I am drowsiness, by which you were overcome so that you were late to make your confession to God." Another: "I am the idle errand." Another: "I am negligence and carelessness, which have made you indifferent to the study of theology," and so forth. Everything he had done in all the days of his life and had neglected to confess and many which he had not known to be sinful, all these were now shouted at him in terrifying words. In the same way the evil spirits, chiming in with the vices, accusing and bearing witness, naming the very times and places, brought proofs of his evil deeds. He saw there, also, a certain man upon whom he, while still numbered among the living, had inflicted a wound and who, he said, was still living, but now was brought in as a witness to his own misfortune. The bloody and open wound and even the blood itself cried out against him, charging him with the crime of bloodshed. And so, with his sins all piled up and reckoned out, those ancient enemies declared him guilty and unquestionably subject to their jurisdiction. "On the other hand," he said, "the poor little virtues which I had displayed unworthily and imperfectly spoke -out in my defense." One said: 'I am obedience, which he has shown to his spiritual superiors.' And one: 'I am fasting, whereby he has chastened his body against carnal desire.' Another: 'I am true prayer, which he has uttered in the sight of God.' Another: 'I am the service of the weak, which he has shown by kindness to the sick.' Another: 'I am the psalm, which he chanted before God to atone for an idle word.' And so each virtue cried out for me in excuse for the corresponding sin. And those angelic spirits in their boundless love defended and supported me, while the virtues, greatly magnified as they were, seemed to me far greater and more excellent than could ever have been practiced by my own strength." He reported further that he saw, as it were in the bowels of the earth, many fiery pits vomiting forth terrible flames and, as the foul flame arose, the souls of wretched men in the likeness of black birds sat upon the margin of the pits clinging there for a while wailing and howling and shrieking with human cries, mourning their past deeds and their present suffering; then they fell screaming back into the pits. And one of the angels said: "This brief respite shows that Almighty God will give to these souls in the judgment day relief from their punishment and rest eternal." But beneath these pits in the lowest depths, as it were in a lower hell, he heard a horrible, tremendous, and unspeakable groaning and weeping of souls in distress. And the angel said to him: "The murmuring and crying which you hear down there comes from those souls to which the loving kindness of the Lord shall never come, but an undying flame shall torture them forever." He saw also a place of wondrous beauty, wherein a multitude of very handsome men were enjoying extraordinary happiness, and they invited him to come and share in their happiness if it were permitted to him. And a fragrance of wonderful sweetness came to him from the breath of the blessed souls rejoicing together. The holy angels told him that this was the famed Paradise of God. He saw also a pitch-black fiery river, boiling and glowing, dreadful and hideous to look upon. Over the river a log was placed as a bridge. The holy and glorious souls, as they left their assembly, hastened thither, anxious to cross to the other side. Some went over steadily without faltering, but others, slipping from the log, fell into the infernal stream. Some of these were plunged in nearly over their heads, others only partly, some to the knees, some to the waist, and some to the armpits. And yet, each one of those who fell came up on the opposite bank far more brilliant and beautiful than when he fell into the foaming and pitchy river. And one of the blessed angels said of those fallen ones: "These are souls which after this mortal life with some trifling sins not quite removed, needed some kindly correction from a merciful God, that they might be a worthy offering to him." Beyond the river he beheld shining walls of gleaming splendor, of amazing length and enormous height. And the holy angels said: "This is that sacred and famous city, the heavenly Jerusalem, where those holy souls shall live in joy forever." He said that those souls and the walls of that glorious city to which they were hastening after they had crossed the river, were of such dazzling brilliance that his eyes were utterly unable to look upon them. He related also that there came to this assembly the soul of a certain man who had died while holding the office of abbot, a soul which seemed to be of rare beauty. The evil spirits seized upon it, claiming it as belonging with them. But one of the angel choir replied: "I will quickly show you, miserable spirits, that this soul is certainly not in your power." Thereupon a great troop of purified souls broke in and said: "This was our elder and our teacher, and through his instruction he won us all to God; at that price he was redeemed, and dearly he is not in your power." So they joined with the angels in their fight against the demons, and with the help of the angels they snatched that soul away from the power of the evil spirits and set it free. Then an angel spoke in reproachful words, saying: "Now then, know ye and understand, ye wretched spirits, that you captured this soul unfairly, so away with you into everlasting fire!" Now, when the angel had spoken thus, the evil spirits broke into weeping and howling, and in a moment, as in the twinkling of an eye, they hurled themselves into the pits of glowing fire described above; after a brief interval, emerging again, they began anew their arguments about the merits of souls. The man related also that it was vouchsafed to him to look upon the merits of diverse men still living. Those who were free from blame and who, trusting to their holy virtues, were known to have the favor of God Almighty were ever safely guarded by angels with whom they were joined in intimate affection. But those who were befouled with dreadful crimes and the stains of a corrupt life were closely beset by a hostile spirit, who ever urged them on to evil deeds, and as often as they sinned in word or act, he held them up to the merriment of other infernal spirits. When a man sinned, the evil spirit never waited for him to sin again but straightway called each desperate offense to the notice of the other spirits. On the instant he persuaded the man to sin, he immediately reported the sin to the demons. Among other stories, he told how he had seen a girl of this world grinding grain. She saw lying near her a new distaff decorated with carving; she liked the looks of it and stole it. Then five of the most horrible spirits, filled with huge delight, reported the theft to their assembly and declared her guilty of theft. He said also: "I saw the sad soul of a certain brother who had died shortly before. I had ministered to him in his last sickness and had performed his funeral services. On his deathbed he bade me go to his brother, bear witness to his words, and, for the repose of his soul, ask him to set free a certain bondwoman who had belonged to them in common. But the brother, moved by avarice, did not comply with his request. And so this soul, in deep distress, was accusing his brother of breach of trust and was making loud complaints." In the same way he bore witness concerning Ceolred, king of Mercia, who, at the time these visions were seen, was unquestionably still alive. He said that he saw the king protected by a certain angelic screen against the assault of demons, as it were by a great open book held above him. But the demons begged the angels to withdraw the protection and permit them to work their cruel wills against him, charging him with a multitude of horrible crimes and threatening to have him shut in the deepest dungeons of hell, there to be racked with eternal torments as his sins deserved. Then the angels, more sadly than was their wont, spoke: "Alas! that this man of sin no longer permits himself to be protected, and that we can give him no help on account of his own demerits." So they withdrew the shelter of the protecting screen, and the demons with triumphant rejoicings gathered together from every part of the universe, in numbers greater than the narrator had supposed there were human beings living in the world, and tor-mented the king with indescribable cruelties. Then, finally, the blessed angels directed the man who had seen and heard all these things in the spirit while he was set free from his body, to return into his body at once. He was not to hesitate to tell all that had been revealed to him to believers and to those who should question him with a pious purpose, but should refuse to talk to those who scoffed at him. He was to declare to a certain woman dwelling far away all her sins one by one and was to explain to her how she might give satisfaction to Almighty God if she were so inclined. He should declare all his spiritual visions to a certain priest named Begga and afterward proclaim them before men according to Begga's instructions. His own sins, which had been charged against him by impure spirits, he was to confess and expiate according to the judgment of that priest and, as directed by an angelic precept, he should confide to the priest that he had already for many years, for the love of God and without the knowledge of any man, worn an iron girdle about his loins. He declared that his own body, while he was out of it, was so offensive to him that in all his visions he saw nothing so hateful and so contemptible, nothing except the demons and the glowing fires, that exhaled such a foul stench as his own body. Even his brethren, whom he saw kindly performing his funeral rites, he hated because they took such care of that odious body. However, by the angels' command, at daybreak he entered again into his body just as he had left it at cockcrow. After his return he was unable for a whole week to see anything whatever with his bodily eyes, filled as they were with bleeding tumors [fisicis]. Later he proved by their own statements that what had been declared to him by the angels concerning the pious priest and the sinful woman was true. And shortly afterward the death of the wicked king proved that what he had seen of him was the truth.(1) He reported also that he had seen many other similar visions which had slipped his memory, so that he could not recall the details, and he said that after those marvelous visions his memory was not as strong as it was before. I have written down these things at your earnest request as he told them to me in the presence of three pious and most venerable brethren, who are known to be trustworthy witnesses and vouchers. Farewell, and may you live the life of angelic virginity, and reign forever with good report in heaven. Christ...(2)

Original letter:

Beatissimae virgini, immo dilectissimae dominae Eadburge, monastice normulae conversationis emeritae, Wynfrethus exigiuus in Christo Iesu intimae caritatis salutem. Rogabas me, soror carissimae, ut admirandas visiones de illo redivivo, qui nuper in monasterio Milburge abbatissae mortuus est et revixit, quae ei ostensae sunt, scribendo intimare et transmittere curarem, quemadmodum istas veneranda abbatissa Hildelida referente didici. Modo siquidem gratias omnipotenti Deo refero, quia in hoc dilectionis tuae voluntatem eo plenius liquidiusque, Deo patrocinium praestante, implere valeo, quia ipse cum supra dicto fratre redivivo — dum nuper de transmarinis partibus ad istas pervenit regiones — locutus sum; et ille mihi stupendas visiones, quas extra corpus suum raptus in spiritu vidit, proprio exposuit sermone. Dicebat quippe, se per violentis egritudinis dolorem corporis gravidine subito exutum fuisse. Et simillimum esse collatione, veluti si videntis et vigilantis hominis oculi densissimo tegmine velentur; et subito auferatur velamen, et tunc perspicua sint omnia, quae antea non visa et velata et ignota fuerunt. Sic sibi, abiecto terrenae velamine carnis, ante conspectum universum collectum fuisse mundum, ut cunctas terrarum partes et populos et maria sub uno aspectu contueretur. Et tam magnae claritatis et splendoris angelos eum egressum de corpore suscepisse, ut nullatenus pro nimio splendore in eos aspicere potuisset. Qui iucundis et consonis vocibus canebant: “Domine, ne in ira tua arguas me neque in furore tuo corripias me.” “Et sublevabant me — dixit — in aera sursum. Et in circuitu totius mundi ignem ardentem videbam et flammam inmensae magnitudinis anhelantem et terribiliter ad superiora ascendentem, non aliter pene quam ut sub uno globo totius mundi machinam conplectentem, nisi eam sanctus angelus inpresso signo sanctae crucis Christi conpesceret. Quando enim in obviam minacis flammae signum crucis Christi expresserat, tunc flamma magna ex parte decrescens resedit. Et istius flammae terribili ardore intollerabiliter torquebar, oculis maxime ardentibus et splendore fulgentium spirituum vehementissime reverberatis; donec splendidae visionis angelus manus suae inpositione caput meum quasi protegens tangebat et me a lesione flammarum tutum reddidit.” Praeterea referebat: illo in temporis spatio, quo extra corpus fuit, tam magnam animarum migrantium de corpore multitudinem illuc, ubi ipse fuit, convenisse, quam totius humani generis in terris non fuisse antea existimaret. Innumerabilem quoque malignorum spirituum turbam nec non et clarissimum chorum supernorum angelorum adfuisse narravit. Et maximam inter se miserrimos spiritus et sanctos angelos de animabus egredientibus de corpore disputationem habuisse, daemones accussando et peccatorum pondus gravando, angelos vero relevando et excussando. Et se ipsum audisse, omnia flagitiorum suorum propria peccamina — quae fecit a iuventute sua et ad confitendum aut neglexit aut oblivioni tradidit vel ad peccatum pertinere omnino nesciebat — ipsius propria voce contra illum clamitasse et cum dirissimae accussasse et specialiter unumquodque vitium quasi ex sua persona in medium se obtulisse dicendo quoddam: “Ego sum cupiditas tua, qua inlicita frequentissime et contraria praeceptis Dei concupisti”; quoddam vero: “Ego sum vana gloria, qua te apud homines iactanter exaltasti”; aliud: “Ego sum mendacium, in quo mentiendo peccasti”; aliud: “Ego sum otiosum verbum, quod inaniter locutus fuisti”; aliud: “Ego virus, quo videndo inlicita peccasti”; aliud: “Ego contumacia et inoboedientia, qua senioribus spiritalibus inoboediens fuisti”; aliud: “Ego torpor et desidia in sanctorum studiorum neglectu”; aliud: “Ego vaga cogitatio et inutilis cura, qua te supra modum sive in ecclesia sive extra ecclesiam occupabas”; aliud: “Ego somnolentia, qua oppressus tarde ad confitendum Deo surrexisti”; aliud: “Ego iter otiosum”; aliud: “Ego sum neglegentia et incuria, qua detentus erga studium divinae lectionis incuriosus fuisti”; et cetera his similia. Omnia, quae in diebus vitae suae in carne conversatus peregit et conflteri neglexit, multa quoque, quae ad peccatum pertinere omnino ignorabat, contra cum cuncta terribiliter vociferabant. Similiter et maligni spiritus in omnibus consonantes vitiis accussando et duriter testificando et loca et tempora nefandorum actuum memorantes eadem, quae peccata dixerunt, conclamantes probabant. Vidit quoque ibi hominem quendam, cui iam in seculari habitu degens vulnus inflixit — quem adhuc in hac vita superesse referebat --, ad testimonium malorum suorum adductum; cuius cruentatum et patens vulnus et sanguis ipse, propria voce clamans inproperabat et inputabat ei crudele effusi sanguinis crimen. Et sic cumulatis et conputatis sceleribus, antiqui hostes adfirmabant : eum, reum peccatorem, iuris eorum et condicionis indubitanter fuisse. “E contra autem — dixit — excussantes me, clamitabant parve virtutes animae, quas ego miser indigne et inperfecte peregi. Quaedam dixit: ‘Ego sum oboedientia, quam senioribus spiritalibus exhibuit’; quaedam: ‘Ego sum ieiunium, quo corpus suum contra desiderium carnis pugnans castigavit’; alia: ‘Ego oratio pura, quam effundebat in conspectu Domini’; alia: ‘Ego sum obsequium infirmorum, quod clementer egrotantibus exhibuit’; quaedam: ‘Ego sum psalmus, quem pro otioso sermone satisfaciens Deo cecinit.’ Et sic unaqueque virtus contra emulum suum peccatum excussando me clamitabat. Et has illi inmensae claritatis angelici spiritus magnificando defendentes me adfirmabant. Et istae virtutes universae valdae mactae et multo maiores et excellentiores esse mihi videbantur, quam umquam viribus meis digne perpetrate fuissent.” Inter ea referebat, se, quasi in inferioribus, in hoc mundo vidisse igneos puteos horrendam eructantes flammam plurimos; et, erumpente tetra terribilis flamma ignis, volitasse et miserorum hominum spiritus in similitudine nigrarum avium per flammam plorantes et ululantes et verbis et voce humana stridentes et lugentes propria merita et praesens supplicium; consedisse paululum herentes in marginibus puteorum; et iterum heiulantes cecidisse in puteos. Et unus ex angelis dixit: “Parvissima haec requies indicat, quia omnipotens Deus in die futuri iudicii his animabus refrigerium supplicii et requiem perpetuam praestiturus est.” Sub illis autem puteis, adhuc in inferioribus et in imo profundo, quasi in inferno inferiori, audivit horrendum et tremendum et dictu difficilem gemitum et fletum lugentium animarum. Et dixit ei angelus: “Murmur et fletus, quem in inferioribus audis, illarum est animarum, ad quas numquam pia miseratio Domini perveniet; sed aeterna illas flamma sine fine cruciabit.” Vidit quoque mire amoenitatis locum, in quo pulcherrimorum hominum gloriosa multitudo miro laetabatur gaudio; qui eum invitabant, ut ad eorum gaudia, si ei licitum fuisset, cum eis gavisurus veniret. Et inde mirae dulcedinis fraglantia veniebat; quia beatorum alitus fuit ibi congaudentium spirituum. Quem locum sancti angeli adfirmabant famosum esse Dei paradisum. Nec non et igneum piceumque flumen, bulliens et ardens, mirae formidinis et teterrimae visionis cernebat. Super quod lignum pontis vice positum erat. Ad quod sanctae gloriosaeque animae ab illo secedentes conventu properabant, desiderio alterius ripae transire cupientes. Et quaedam non titubantes constanter transiebant. Quaedam vero labefactae de ligno cadebant in Tartareum flumen; et aliae tinguebantur pene, quasi toto corpore mersae; aliae autem ex parte quadam, veluti quedam usque ad genua, quaedam usque ad corpus medium, quaedam vero usque ad ascellas. Et tamen unaquaeque cadentium multo clarior speciosiorque de flumine in alteram ascendebat ripam, quam prius in piceum bulliens cecidisset flumen. Et unus ex beatis angelis de illis cadentibus animabus dixit: “Hae sunt animae, quae post exitum mortalis vitae, quibusdam levibus vitiis non omnino ad purum abolitis, aliqua pia miserentis Dei castigatione indigebant, ut Deo dignae offerantur.” Et citra illud flumen speculatur muros fulgentes clarissimi splendoris, stupendae longitudinis et altitudinis inmensae. Et sanctos angelos dixisse: “Haec est enim illa sancta et inclita civitas, caelestis Hierusalem, in qua istae perpetualiter sanctae gaudebunt animae.” Illas itaque animas et istius gloriosae civitatis muros, ad quam post transitum fluminis festinabant, tam magna inmensi luminis claritate et fulgore splendentes esse dixit, ut, reverberatis oculorum pupillis, pro nimio splendore in eos nullatenus aspicere potuisset. Narravit quoque, ad illum conventum inter alias venisse cuiusdam hominis animam, qui in abbatis officio defunctus est; quae speciosa nimis et formosa esse visa est. Quam maligni spiritus rapientes contendebant sortis eorum et condicionis fuisse. Respondit ergo unus ex choro angelorum dicens: “Ostendam vobis cito, miserrimi spiritus, quia vestrae potestatis anima illa probatur non esse.” Et his dictis, repente intervenit magna choros candidarum animarum, quae dicebant: “Senior et doctor noster fuit iste, et nos omnes suo magisterio lucratus est Deo; et hoc pretio redemptus est, et vestri iuris non esse dinoscitur,” et, quasi cum angelis contra daemones pugnam inirent. Et adminiculo angelorum eripientes illam animam de potestate malignorum spirituum liberaverunt. Et cum increpans angelus daemones dixit: “Scitote modo et intellegite, quod animam istam sine iure rapuistis; et discedite, miserrimi spiritus, in ignem aeternum” — cum vero hoc dixisset angelus, ilico maligni spiritus levaverunt fletum et ululatum magnum; in momento et quasi in ictu oculi pernici volatu iactabant se in supra dictos puteos ignis ardentis; et post modicum intervallum emersi certantes in illo conventu iterum de animarum meritis disputabant. Et diversorum merita hominum in hac vita, commorantium dicebat se illo in tempore speculari potuisse. Et illos, qui sceleribus obnoxii non fuerunt et qui sanctis virtutibus freti propitium omnipotentem Deum habuisse noscebantur, ab angelis semper tutos ac defensos et eis caritate et propinquitate coniunctos fuisse. Illis vero, qui nefandis criminibus et maculate vitae sordibus polluti fuerunt, adversarium spiritum adsiduae sociatum et semper ad scelera suadentem fuisse; et, quandocumque verbo vel facto peccaverint, hoc iugiter quasi ad laetitiam et gaudium aliis nequissimis spiritibus in medium proferens manifestavit. Et quando homo peccavit, nequaquam malignus spiritus sustinuit moram faciens expectando, donec iterum peccaret; sed singillatim unumquodque vitium ad notitiam aliorum spirituum offerebat. Et subito apud hominem peccata suasit et ilico apud daemones perpetrata demonstravit. Inter ea narravit, se vidisse puellam quandam in hac terrena vita molantem in mola. Quae vidit iuxta se iacentem alterius novam colum sculptura variatam; et pulchra ei visa fuit, et furata est illam. Tunc, quasi ingenti gaudio repleti, quinque teterrimi spiritus hoc furtum aliis in illo referebant conventu testificantes, illam furti ream et peccatricem fuisse. Intulit quoque: “Fratris cuiusdam, qui paulo ante defunctus est, animam tristem ibi videbam. Cui antea ipse in infirmitate exitus sui ministravi et exsequias prebui; qui mihi moriens precepit, ut fratri illius germano verbis illius testificans demandarem, ut ancillam quandam, quam in potestate communiter possederunt, pro anima eius manu mitteret. Sed germanus eius, avaritia impediente, petitionem eius non implevit. Et de hoc supra dicta anima per alta suspiria accussans fratrem infidelem et increpans graviter querebatur. Et similiter testatus est de Ceolredo rege Mercionum, quem illo tamen tempore, quo haec visa sunt, in corpore fuisse non dubium est. Quem, ut dixit, videbat angelico quodam umbraculo contra impetum daemoniorum, quasi libri alicuius magni extensione et superpositione, defensum. Ipsi autem daemones anhelando rogabant angelos, ut, ablata defensione illa, ipsi permitterentur crudelitatis eorum voluntatem in eo exercere. Et inputabant ei horribilem ac nefandam multitudinem flagitiorum; et minantes dicebant, illum sub durissimis inferorum claustris claudendum et ibi, peccatis promerentibus, aeternis tormentis cruciandum esse. Tunc angeli solito tristiores facti dicebant: “Pro dolor, quod homo peccator iste semet ipsum plus defendere non permittit; et ob ipsius propria merita nullum ei adiutorium possumus prebere. Et auferebant superpositi tutaminis defensionem. Tunc daemones gaudentes et exultantes, de universis mundi partibus congregati maiori multitudine, quam omnium animantium in saeculo fieri aestimaret, diversis eum tormentis inaestimabiliter fatigantes lacerabant. Tum demum beati angeli praecipiebant ei, qui haec omnia extra corpus suum raptus spiritali contemplatione vidit et audivit, ut sine mora ad proprium rediret corpus et universa, quae illi ostensa fuerunt, credentibus et intentione divina interrogantibus manifestare non dubitaret, insultantibus autem narrare denegaret; et ut cuidam mulieri, quae inde in longinqua regione habitabat, eius perpetrata peccata per ordinem exponeret et ei intimaret, quod omnipotentem Deum potuisset per satisfactionem repropitiari sibi, si voluisset; et ut cuidam presbitero nomine Beggan istas spiritales visiones cunetas exponeret et postea, quemadmodum ab illo instructus fieret, hominibus pronuntiaret; propria quippe peccata, quae illi ab spiritibus inmundis inputata fuerunt, confessa supra dicti presbiteri iudicio emendaret; et ad indicium angelici praecepti presbitero testificaretur, quia iam per plurimos annos zonam ferream circa lumbos, nullo hominum conscio, amore Domini cogente, habuerat. Proprium corpus dicebat se, dum extra fuerat, tam valde perhorruisse, ut in omnibus illis visionibus nihil tam odibile, nihil tam despectum, nihil tam durum foetorem evaporans, exceptis demonibus et igne flagrante, videret, quam proprium corpus. Et fratres eius conservos, quos intuitus est exsequias corporis sui clementer exhibere, ideo perhorruit, quia invisi corporis curam egerunt. Iussus tamen ab angelis primo diluculo redit ad corpus, qui primo gallicinio exiebat de corpore. Redivivo autem in corpore plena septimana nihil omnino corporalibus oculis videre potuit, sed oculi vesicis pleni, frequenter sanguine stillaverunt. Et postea de presbitero relegioso et peccatrice muliere, sicut ei ab angelis manifestatum est, ita illis profitentibus, verum esse probavit. Subsequens autem et citus scelerati regis exitus, quae de illo visa fuerunt vera esse, procul dubio probavit. Multa alia et his similia referebat sibi ostensa fuisse, quae de memoria labefacta per ordinem recordari nullatenus potuisset. Et dicebat se post istas mirabiles visiones tam tenacem memoriae non fuisse, ut ante fuerat. Haec autem te diligenter flagitante scripsi, quae tribus mecum relegiosis et valde venerabilibus fratribus in commune audientibus exposuit; qui mihi in hoc scripto adstipulatores fideles testes esse dinoscuntur. Vale; verae virgo vitae ut et vivas angelicae,// Recto rite et rumore regnes semper in aethere// Christum.

Historical context:

In response to her request, Boniface sends Eadburg an account of an otherworld vision. The monk who had the vision had died and come back to life in the monastery of one abbess, and Boniface had heard the story both from another abbess and from the man himself, so he sends Eadburg his transcription of the eyewitness account. The vision includes the sufferings of the damned and joy of the saved, but also an allusion to purgatory, punishment that will eventually be relieved.

Scholarly notes:

(1) In a letter to King Ethelbald of Mercia, the successor of Coelred, who died in 716, Boniface again alludes to the evil life of the latter (see No. LVII). (2) Beginning of an unfinished poem.

Printed source:

MGH, Epistolae Merovingici et Karolini Aevi, 6, S.Bonifacii et Lulli Epistolae, ep.10; translation and annotation from Ephraim Emerton, The Letters of Saint Boniface (New York: Columbia University Press, 1940, repr.2000). pp.3-9. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Date:

716/717