The holy state by Thomas Fuller ...

[illustration]

HILDEGARDIS a Virgin Prophetess Abbess of S^t Rvperts Nunnerye. She died at Bingen A^o Do: 1180. Aged 82 yeares. W. Marshall sculpsit.

CHAP. 13. The life of HILDEGARDIS.

HIldegardis was born in Germany, in the County of Spanheim, in the yeare 1098. So that she li∣ved in an age which we may call the first cock-crow∣ing after the midnight of Ignorance and Superstition.

Her parents (Hidebert, and Mechtilda) dedicated her to God from her infancie: And surely those whose Childhood, with Hildegardis, hath had the advantage of pious education may be said to have

been good time out of mind, as not able to remember the beginning of their own goodnesse. At eight years of age she became a Nunne under S. Jutta sister to Megenhard, Earl of Spanheim, and afterwards she was made Abbesse of S. Ruperts Nunnery in Bingen on Rhene in the Palatinate.

Men commonly do beat and bruise their links be∣fore they light them, to make them burn the brighter: God first humbles and afflicts whom he intends to illuminate with more then ordinary grace. Poore Hildegardis was constantly and continually sick, and so * 1.1 weak that she very seldome was strong enough to go. But God who denied her legs, gave her wings, and raised her high-mounted soul in Visions and Re∣velations.

I know a generall scandall is cast on Revelations in this ignorant age: first, because many therein intitled the Meteors of their own brain to be Starres at least, and afterwards their Revelations have been revealed to be forgeries: secondly, because that night-raven did change his black feathers into the silver wings of a dove, and transforming himself into an Angel of light deluded many with strange raptures and visions, though in their nature farre different from those in the Bible. For S. Paul in his Revelations was caught up into the third heaven; whereas most Monks with a contrary motion were carried into hell and purgatorie, and there saw apparitions of strange tor∣ments. Also S. Johns Revelation forbids all additi∣ons to the Bible, under heavie penalties; their visions are commonly on purpose to piece out the Scripture, and to establish such superstitions as have no footing in Gods word.

However all held Hildegardis for a Prophet, being induced thereunto by the piety of her life: no breck was ever found in her veil, so spotlesse was her con∣versation; by the sanctity of her writings, and by the

generall approbation the Church gave unto her. For Pope Eugenius the third, after exact examination of the matter, did in the Councell of Trevers (wherein S. Bernard was present) allow and priviledge her Revelations for authenticall. She was of the Popes Conclave, and Emperours Counsel, to whom they had recourse in difficulties: yea the greatest torches of the Church lighted themselves at her candle. The Pa∣triach of Jerusalem, the Bishops of Mentz, Colen, Breme, Trevers sent such knots as posed their own fingers to our Hildegardis to untie.

She never learn'd word of Latine; and yet * 1.2 therein would she fluently expresse her Revelations to those notaries that took them from her mouth; so that throwing words at randome she never brake Priscian's head: as if the Latine had learn'd to make it self true without the speakers care. And no doubt, he that brought the single parties to her married them also in her mouth, so that the same Spirit which furnished her with Latine words, made also the true Syntaxis. Let none object that her very writing of fifty eight Homi∣lies on the Gospel is false construction, where the fe∣minine Gender assumes an employment proper to men: for though S. Paul silenceth women for speak∣ing in the Church, I know no Scripture forbids them from writing on Scripture.

Such infused skill she had also of Musick, whereof she was naturally ignorant, and wrote a whole book of verses very good according to those times. Indeed in that age the trumpet of the warlike Heroick, and the sweet harp of the Lyrick verse, were all turned into the gingling of Cymballs, tinckling with rhythmes, and like-sounding cadencies.

But let us heare a few lines of her Prophecies, and thence guesse the rest. In those dayes there shall rise up a people without understanding, proud, covetous, and deceitfull, the which shall eat the sins of the people, holding a certain order of foolish de∣votion

under the feigned cloke of beggery. Also they shall instantly preach without devotion or example of the holy Martyrs, and shall detract from the secular Princes, taking away the Sacra∣ments of the Church from the true pastours, receiving almes of the poore, having familiarity with women, instructing them how they shall deceive their husbands, and rob their husbands to give it unto them, * 1.3 &c. What could be said more plain to draw out to the life those Mendicant friers (rogues by Gods statutes) which afterwards swarm'd in the world.

Heare also how she foretold the low water of Ti∣ber, whilest as yet it was full tide there. The Kings and o∣ther Rulers of the world, being stirred up by the just judgement of God, shall set themselves against them, and run upon them, saying, We will not have these men to reigne over us with their rich houses, and great possessions, and other worldly riches, over the which we are ordained to be Lords and Rulers: and how is it meet or comely that those shavelings with their stoles and che∣sils should have more souldiers or richer armour and artillery then we? wherefore let us take away from them what they do not justly but wrongfully possesse.

It is well the Index expurgatorius was not up in those dayes, nor the Inquisition on foot, otherwise dame Hil∣degardis must have been call'd to an after account. I will onely ask a Romanist this question, This Pro∣phesie of Hildegardis, was it from heaven or from men? If from heaven, why did ye not believe it? If from men, why did the Pope allow it, & canonize her?

As for miracles, which she wrought in her life time, their number is as admirable as their nature. I must confesse at my first reading * 1.4 of them, my belief di∣gested some, but surfeted on the rest: for she made no more to cast out a devil, then a barber to draw a tooth, and with lesse pain to the patient. I never heard of a great feast made all of Cordialls: and it seems improbable that miracles (which in Scripture are used sparingly, and chiefly for conversion of unbelievers)

should be heaped so many together, made every dayes work, and by her commonly, constantly, and ordi∣narily, wrought. And I pray why is the Popish Church so barren of true works nowadayes here wrought at home amongst us? For as for those report∣ed to be done farre of, it were ill for some if the gold from the Indies would abide the touch no better then the miracles.

However Hildegardis was a gratious Virgin, and God might perform some great wonders by her hand; but these piae fraudes with their painting have spoyled the naturall complexion of many a good face, and have made Truth it self suspected. She dyed in the 82. yeare of her age, was afterwards Sainted by the Pope, and the 17 day of September assign'd to her memory.

I cannot forget how Udalrick Abbat of Kempten in Germany made a most * 1.5 courteous law for the weaker sexe, That no woman, guilty of what crime soever, should ever be put to death in his dominions, because two women condemn'd to die were miracu∣lously delivered out of the prison by praying to S. Hil∣degardis.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fuerunt ei ab ipsa penè infantia cre∣bri ac ferè continui lan∣guorum do∣lores, ità ut pedum in∣cessu petraro uteretur, Theod. Abbas in vita Hilde∣gardis, lib. 1. cap. 2.
• * 1.2

  Trithemius de Scriptor. Eccles. fol. 92.
• * 1.3

  See much more to this purpose in Ca∣talog. Testium veritatis in Hildegard••: Also in F••••es Acts and mo∣numents, p. 461.
• * 1.4

  In Liponian. in vitis Sanct. Tom. 5 fol. 91. & sequen.
• * 1.5

  Bruschius Demonaster. & Centuriatores, Centur. 11. Col. 350.