De Correctione Rusticorum(On the Correction of the Rustic)

by St. Martin of BragaTranslated with a Historical Introduction

by Hlio Pires [HOME]

Historical Introduction

The Germanic InvasionsIn the 5th century the Roman Empire suffered the Great Barbarian Invasions: several Germanic tribes crossed the Rhine andthe Danube and rode free through Roman territory. Rome, lacking the political and military strength to make any seriousopposition to the tribes, allowed them to live inside the borders of the Empire in a "federated" condition: slowly, theybegan replacing the imperial political authority and from 475 onwards the so far mutable borders of the Germanic territoriesinside the Empire were more stable. In 476, the last western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, still a child, was brought downand the emperial authority was transferred to Constatinople. In the Iberian Peninsula, there were four tribes: the Alani, theSuevi, the Vandals and the Visigoths. The first ones never actually formed a kingdom, the Suevi occupied the North westterritory by a agreement with the emperor Honorius in 411 but lost and gained territory constantly, the Vandals made theirway to Northern Africa and the Visigoths formed the kingdom of Toledo, eventually occupying the entire peninsula whenthey defeated the Suevi.

The Suevians and ReligionWhen the Suevian established themselves in the Northwest of Iberian Peninsula they were heathens, but shortly thereafterthey were converted to Christianity: according to the sources of information we have, King Requiarius (448-456) was thefirst Suevian Christian ruler. However, in the year 465, an Aryan priest came from Gaul, arrived at the territory with the

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support of the Visigoths and converted the Suevian to Aryanism. Apart from this, and since the Aryan religion kept severalpagan elements, in the rural areas people were still deeply heathen. Some decades latter, another king named Charrarico wasconfronted by his son's grave illness. Hearing of the miracles of St. Martin of Tours, he sent his emissaries to Gaul twicein order for them to request for the saint's help in healing his son: he promised that if his son was cured he would converthimself to the religion of the saint of Tours, that is, Catholic Christianity.

St. MartinSt. Martin was born in the present day Hungary. When young he left to the Oriental lands where he studied Greek andseveral ecclesiastical matters to the point of being taken in consideration as a great scholar. We know that latter he went toRome and from there to Gaul where he gained the friendship of people such as the Bishop of Poitiers. Latter he went tovisit the tomb of St. Martin of Tours and there he found the emissaries of king Charrarico in their second trip to Tours.Trough them he became aware of the religious situation of the Suevians and decided to follow the emissaries on theirjourney back, which took to the Iberian Peninsula the relics of St. Martin of Tours, as requested by the king. When theyarrived, in 550, the king's son was cured and Charrarico became a Catholic Christian. This description of what happen ismixed up with legendary details (most of them I ignored) and its highly likely that the king's decision of converting toCatholicism was motivated by political reasons rather then by an illness of his son (we must not forget that the Suevianmonarchy was elective and not hereditary): Charrarico needed the help of the Catholic Gaul against the Aryan Visigoths. AtDume, near the capital city, Braga, the king built a church to St. Martin of Tours and next to it Martin founded a monasteryof which de became Abbot. Latter he was made bishop and around 569 he succeeded Lucrecius as the Bishop of Braga,convoking a Council in the same city in 572. From this year onward, until his death in 579 or 580, he concentrated most ofhis work in pastoral activities and the Correctione was written in this period of time. It was directed to another Bishop,Polemius of Astorga, who might have asked St. Martin to write him a sermon, which could be read to those present inmass. Some, however, refuse this theory of the request of Polemius.

De Correctione RusticorumSt. Martin had one issue in his mind when he wrote the sermon: the rural populations that, despite the baptism that some ofthem were subject to, kept following the old ways. The text makes a short exposure of Genesis and includes Church'straditions on the origin of the angels and of the Devil. He reminds the rustic (that is, the rural people) of the meaning ofbaptism and then points out several pagan practices which he considers to be evil doing. However, the author does not seento make any distinction between the heathen and the Roman pagan practices (Lusitan practices are not likely to bedistinguishable from those pointed out) in most of the cases. Some are clearly Roman, such as the Vulcans, others are more

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or less common to both Suevian and Romans, such as the throwing of food to the fire, and some are of a more Germanicorigin, like the lighting of candles by the trees and fountains. St. Martin also doesn't make any distinction between theGermanic and the Roman gods/goddesses. The reason for this may be twofold: first, he was a Christian that considered allnon- Catholic Christian beliefs as work of the Devil and, as far as he was concerned, there was no need to make adistinction of pantheons, to him just mere names to refer to the same demons; secondly, he was instructed in a classicalsurrounding and the ideal of the Inperium was still present in present that time, so he might have taken the Roman gods as areference (remember that he gives their names to the demons), just like Julius Caesar names de Gaelic ones after Rome'sdeities. Just as a curiosity, one of the texts I consulted on St. Martin included a briefing on the practices that St. Martinrefers, which still survive here in Portugal: in the North people use the laurel as a protection against the thundering, thecalends survive as the Janeiras (the songs of January), and in some rural parts of the country people still keep the beliefthat marriages should take place at Friday, which may be connected with the association with Frigg with the family and lifeat home.

De Correctione Rusticorum On the Correction of the RusticDomino beatissimo ac mihi desiderantissimo in Christofratri Polemio episcopo Martinus episcopus.

Martin Bishop, to the much venerable lord and belovedbrother in Christ, the Bishop Polmio.

1. Epistolam tuae sanctae caritatis accepi, in qua scribis adm e ut pro castigatione rusticorum, qui adhuc pristinapaganorum superstitione detenti cultum venerationis plusdaemoniis quam deo persolvunt, aliqua de origineidolorum et sceleribus ipsorum vel pauca de multis ad tescripta dirigerem. Sed quia oportet ab initio mundi velmodicam illis rationis notitiam quasi pro gustu porrigere,necesse me fuit ingentem praeteritorum temporumgestorumque silvam breviato tenuis compendii sermonecontingere et cibum rusticis rustico sermone condire. Itaergo, opitul.

1. I have received the letter of your holy charity in whichyou ask me to write you on the instruction of the rusticwhom, still tied to the ancient superstitions of theheathens, pay more worshiping cult to the demons than toGod, and also on other things about the origin of the idolsand of their crimes, that is, that I write you on manythings in few words. But, because it is convenient todevelop a brief report of what happened since thebeginning of the world, so that they shall understand, itwas necessary for me to summarize the enormous forestof past times and happenings in a simple treaty and thusbring prepared the feeding of the rustic with a rusticlanguage. Thus shall then be, with the help of God, thestructure of your prelection:

2. Desideramus, filii karissimi, adnuntiare vobis in nomine 2. We wish, beloved children, to announce you, in the name PDFmyURL.com

domini quae aut minime audistis aut audita fortasseoblivioni dedistis. Petimus ergo caritatem vestram ut,quae pro salute vestra dicuntur, adtentius audiatis. Longusquidem per divinas scripturas ordo dirigitur, sed ut velaliquantulum in memoriam teneatis, pauca vobis depluribus commendamus.

of the Lord, those things which you haven't yet heard or, ifyou have, maybe thou hast forgotten it. We appeal,therefore, to your charity to hear what concernes of yoursalvation. All this comes expressly in the Divine Scriptures,but shortly we recommend you what follows, so that youmay keep it in your mind.

3. Cum fecisset in principio deus caelum et terram, in illacaelesti habitatione fecit spiritales creaturas, id estangelos, qui in conspectu ipsius adstantes laudarent illum.Ex quibus unus, qui primus omnium archangelus fueratfactus, videns se in tanta gloria praefulgentem, non dedithonorem deo creatori suo, sed similem se illi dixit; et prohac superbia cum aliis plurimis angelis qui illiconsenserunt de illa caelesti sede in aere isto qui est subcae lo deiectus est; et ille, qui fuerat prius archangelus,perdita luce gloriae suae, factus est tenebrosus ethorribilis diabolus. Similiter et illi alii angeli quiconsentientes illi fuerant cum ipso de caelo proiecti sunt et,perdito splendore suo, facti sunt daemones. Reliqui autemangeli qui subditi fuerunt deo in suae claritatis gloria inconspectu domini perseverant; et ipsi dicuntur angelisancti. Nam illi qui cum principe suo Satan pro superbiasua iactati sunt angeli refugae et daemonia appellantur.

3. In the beginning, having God created Heaven and theEarth, he made for the dwelling heavenly spiritualcreatures, that is, angels, so that they would worship Himin His presence. One of them, which had first been madearchangel, seing himself in the splendour of so muchglory, honored not God, his creator, but consideredhimself equal to Him. By this loftiness he was expelledfrom that celestial residence to this air under the heavens,in the company of many other angels which had beensolidary to him. He, which had been the first archangel,having lost the glory of his light, became a dark andhorrible devil. In the same way, the other angels, whichmade a common cause with him, were also brought downand, losing their splendour, became demons. However, theremaining angels, which kept faithful to God, retained theglory of their light before the face of God: them we callholy angels. On the other hand, those which, with Satan,their prince, were expelled for their loftiness are calledrebel angels or demons.

4. Post istam ruinam angelicam placuit deo de limo terraehominem plasmare, quem posuit in paradiso; et dixit ei ut,si praeceptum domini servasset, in loco illo caelesti sinemorte succederet, unde angeli illi refugae ceciderunt, siautem praeterisset dei praeceptum, morte moreretur.Videns ergo diabolus quia propterea factus fuerat homo,

4. After this angelic defection, God made man from theearth's clay, putting him in the Eden. And He said to him,that if he would follow the rule of the Lord, he would live,without being subordinated to death, in that heavenly placefrom which the rebel angels had been expelled; however,if he would break the commandment of God, he would be

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ut in loco ipsius, unde ipse cecidit, in regno dei succederet,invidia ductus suasit homini ut mandata dei transcenderet.Pro qua offensa iactatus est homo de paradiso in exiliomundi istius, ubi multos labores et dolores pateretur.

subordinated to death. But the Devil, seeing that man hadbeen created to fill, in the Kingdom of God, the placefrom which he had been brought down, full of envy,persuaded man to break the commandments of the Lord.By this falt man was expelled from Eden into exile in theworld, where he would suffer many toils and pains.

5. Fuit autem primus homo dictus Adam, et mulier eiusquam de ipsius carne deus creavit dicta est Eva. Ex istisduobus hominibus omne genus hominum propagatum est.Qui, obliti creatorem suum deum multa scelera facientes,inritaverunt deum ad iracundiam. Pro qua re inmisit deusdiluvium et perdidit omnes, excepto uno iusto, nomineNoe, quem cum suis filiis pro reparando humano generereservavit. A primo ergo homine Adam usque addiluvium transierunt anni duo milia ducenti quadragintaduo.

5. Indeed, the first man was named Adam, and his wife,which God created from the flesh of the same man, wascalled Eve. All mankind was originated from these twohuman beings, which, forgotten of God their creator,committing many crimes, provoked the anger of God. Bythis God sent the Flod and made all perish except one,that was just, named Noah, which He kept, with his sons, toreestablish the human kind. Since the first man, Adam,until the Flood, two thousand two hundred and forty twoyears have passed.

6. Post diluvium iterum recuperatum est genus humanumper tres filios Noe, reservatos cum uxoribus suis. Et cumcoepisset multitudo subcrescens mundum implere,obliviscentes iterum homines creatorem mundi deum,coeperunt, dimisso creatore, colere creaturas. Aliiadorabant solem, alii lunam vel stellas, alii ignem, aliiaquam profundam vel fontes aquarum, credentes haecomnia non a deo esse facta ad usum hominum, sed ipsa exse orta deos esse.

6. After the Flood again humankind spread by the threesons of Noah which had been saved along with their wives.And as the growing population began filling the earth,men, once again forgotten of their God, author of theworld, despizing their creator, began worshipingcreatures. Some worshiped the Sun, others the Moon orthe stars, some the fire, others the deep waters or thefountains, believing that all these things were not made byGod for the use of men, but that they originated fromthemselves like gods.

7. Tunc diabolus vel ministri ipsius, daemones, qui de caelodeiecti sunt, videntes ignaros homines dimisso Deocreatore suo, per creaturas errare, coeperunt se illis indiversas formas ostendere et loqui cum eis et expetere abeis, ut in excelsis montibus et in silvis frondosis sacrificia

7. Then the Devil or his ministers, the demons, which hadbeen brought down from Heaven, seeing men's ignorance,forgotten of their creator, wondering through thecreatures, began manifesting to them in different ways,spesking and influecing them, making them offer them

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sibi offerrent et ipsos colerent pro deo, imponentes sibivocabula sceleratorum hominum, qui in omnibuscriminibus et sceleribus suam egerant vitam, ut aliusIovem se esse diceret, qui fuerat magus et in tantisadulteriis incestus ut sororem suam haberet uxorem, quaedicta est Iuno, Minervam et Venerem filias suascorruperit, neptes quoque et omnem parentelam suamturpiter incestaverit. Alius autem daemon Martem senominavit, qui fuit litigiorum et discordiae commissor.Alius deinde daemon Mercurium se appellare voluit, quifuit omnis furti et fraudis dolosus inventor; cui hominescupidi quasi deo lucri, in quadriviis transeuntes, iactatislapidibus acervos petrarum pro sacrificio reddunt. Aliusquoque daemon Saturni sibi nomen adscripsit, qui, in omnicrudelitate vivens, etiam nascentes suos filios devorabat.Alius etiam daemon Venerem se esse confinxit, quae fuitmulier meretrix. Non solum cum innumerabilibusadulteris, sed etiam cum patre suo Iove et cum fratre suoMarte meretricata est.

sacrifices in the high hills and in the leafy woods andconsidered them as gods, calling themsleves names ofbandit men, which spent their lives in crimes and evilness.Thus, one called himself Jupiter, which was a magicianand had tarnish himself with so many adultery, daring tohave as wife his own sister, named Juno, corrupting hisdaughters Minerva and Venus and vilely dishonouring hisgrandchildren and all his family. Other demon calledhimself Mars, which was the instigator of the litigationand of discord. Another named himself Mercury, theinventor of all the theft and all the deceit to which greedymen offer sacrifices, as if he was the god of profit,forming piles of rocks when passing through thecrossroads. Another also called himself Saturn, which,living in all his cruelty, devoured even his own children, assoon as they were born. Other pretended to be Venus,which was a woman of ill life.

8. Ecce quales fuerunt illo tempore isti perditi homines,quo s ignorantes rustici per adinventiones suas pessimehonorabant, quorum vocabula ideo sibi daemonesadposuerunt, ut ipsos quasi deos colerent et sacrificia illisofferrent et ipsorum facta imitarentur, quorum nominainvocabant. Suaserunt etiam illis daemones ut templa illisfacerent et imagines vel statuas sceleratorum hominum ibiponerent et aras illis constituerent, in quibus non solumanimalium sed etiam hominum sanguinem illis funderent.Praeter haec autem multi daemones ex illis qui de caeloexpulsi sunt aut in mare aut in fluminibus aut in fontibusaut in silvis praesident, quos similiter homines ignorantesdeum quasi deos colunt et sacrificant illis. Et in mare

8. Here is what were, in those days, these lost men, whomthe ignorant rustic honored for their terrible inventionsand whose names were used by demons so that they wouldworship them as gods, would offer them sacrifices andimitate the actions of those whose names they invoked.Equally, those demons were also capable that templeswere built to them, that in them images or statues ofbandit men were set and altars erected, in which theywould sacrifice them blood, not only of animals, but ofhumans as well. Besides this, many demons among thosethat were expelled from Heaven preside to the rivers, thefountains and to the forests and to them in the same waydo men, ignorant of God, worship them as they were gods

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quidem Neptunum appellant, in fluminibus Lamias, infontibus Nymphas, in silvis Dianas, quae omnia malignidaemones et spiritus nequam sunt, qui homines infideles,qui signaculo crucis nesciunt se munire, nocent et vexant.Non tamen sine permissione dei nocent, quia deum habentiratum et non ex toto corde in fide Christi credunt, sedsunt dubii in tantum ut nomina ipsa daemoniorum insingulos dies nominent, et appellent diem Martis etMercurii et Iovis et Veneris et Saturni, qui nullum diemfecerunt, sed fuerunt homines pessimi et scelerati in genteGraecorum.

and offer them sacrifices. And in the sea they call themNeptune, in the rivers Lames, in the fountains Nymphs, inthe forests Dianes, which are no more than demons andevil spirits damaging and tormenting the infidel men whichno not to defend themselves with the sign of the cross.However, they cannot harm without the permission ofGod, for they have angered God. They [men] do notbelieve with all their heart in the faith of Christ, but carrytheir doubts to such a point that they give the name of thedemons to each one of the days, saying the day of Mars,of Mercury, of Jupiter, of Venus and of Saturn, whomdidn't make any day, but were terrible and criminal menamong the Greeks.

9. Deus autem omnipotens, quando caelum et terram fecit,ipse tunc creavit lucem, quae per distinctionem operumdei septies revoluta est. Nam primo deus lucem fecit, quaeappellata est dies; secundo firmamentum caeli factum est;tertio terra a mare divisa est; quarto sol et luna et stellaefactae sunt; quinto quadrupedia et volatilia et natatilia;sexto homo plasmatus est; septimo autem die, completoomni mundo et ornamento ipsius, requiem deus appellavit.Una ergo lux, quae prima in operibus dei facta est, perdistinctionem operum dei septies revoluta, septimana estappellata. Qualis ergo amentia est ut homo baptizatus infide Christi diem dominicum, in quo Christus resurrexit,non colat et dicat se diem Iovis colere et Mercurii etVeneris et Saturni, qui nullum diem habent, sed fueruntadulteri et magi et iniqui et male mortui in provincia sua!Sed, sicut diximus, sub specie nominum istorum abhominibus stultis veneratio et honor daemonibusexhibetur.

9. When He made Heaven and the Earth, omnipotent Godcreated also the light that, by the distinction of the worksof God, manifested it self in seven days. Because, in thefirst day God made light itself, which as called day. In thesecond, the firmament of the sky was made. In the thirdthe earth was separated from the sea. In the fourth theSun, the Moon and the stars were made. In the fifth, thequadrupeds, the birds and the fishes. In the sixth, man wasmade. To the seventh day, completing all the world and itsornament, God called rest. Indeed light, which was thefirst among the works of God, manifested seven times bythe distinction of the same works, was called week. Whatalienation isn't then that men, baptised in the faith ofChrist, honours not the day of Sunday in which Christresurrected and says to honour the day of Jupiter, ofMercury, of Venus and of Saturn, which have no day, butwere rather adulterous and iniquos, and diedignominiously in their land! But, as we've saying, under theappearance of these names is the worship and honour

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given by the foolish to the demons.10. Similiter et ille error ignorantibus et rusticis subrepit,ut Kalendas Ianuarias putent anni esse initium, quodomnino falsissimum est. Nam, sicut scriptura sancta dicit,VIII Kal. Aprilis in ipso aequinoctio initium primi anni estfactum. Nam sic legitur: et divisit deus inter lucem ettenebras. Omnis autem recta divisio aequalitatem habet,sicut et in VIII Kal. Aprilis tantum spatium horarum dieshabet quantum et nox. Et ideo falsum est ut IanuariaeKalendae initium anni sint.

10. In the same way it was introduced among the ignorantand the rustic that mistake of thinking that the year has itsbeginning at the Calends of January, which is entirelyfake. For, as the Holy Scripture says, the first year of theyear was at the equinox of the 25th of March. In fact, thisis what one may read: And God divided light from thedarkness. As in all strait division there is equalness, so atthe 25th of March as many hours has the day, so has thenight. And that is why it is false that the beginning of theyear is at the Calends of January.

11. Iam quid de illo stultissimo errore cum doloredicendum est, quia dies tinearum et murium observant et,si dici fas est, homo Christianus pro deo mures et tineasveneratur? Quibus si per tutelam cupelli aut arculae nonsubducatur aut panis aut pannus, nullo modo pro feriis sibiexhibitis, quod invenerint, parcent. Sine causa autem sibimiser homo istas praefigurationes ipse facit, ut, quasi sicutin introitu anni satur est et laetus ex omnibus, ita illi et intoto anno contingat. Observationes istae omnespaganorum sunt per adinventiones daemonum exquisitae.Sed vae illi homini qui deum non habuerit propitium et abipso saturitatem panis et securitatem vitae non habueritdatam ! Ecce istas superstitiones vanas aut occulte autpalam facitis, et numquam cessatis ab istis sacrificiisdaemonum. Et quare vobis non praestant ut semper saturisitis et securi et laeti? Quare, quando deus iratus fuerit,non vos defendunt sacrificia vana de locusta, de mure, etde multis aliis tribulationibus, quas vobis deus iratusimmittit?

11. And with what grief must we refer to that foolisherror of honoring the day of the clothes moths and of themice? And is it allowed to say that a Christian worshipsthe mice and the clothes moths instead of God? If theyclose to these animals the locker or the chest, if they hidefrom them the bread and the clothes they will spearnothing of what they find. The miserable man believes inthese mistakes without any basis, just as he believes that, ifhe is fed up and joyful in the first day of January, thus heshall kept himself throughout the year. All theseobservations are from the heathens and inspired byinventions of the demons. But beware he who has not Godpropitious and sees not in Him the cause of the abundanceof bread or the safety of life! Thus you observe the vainsuperstitions, hidden or in public, and never put an end tothese evil sacrifices! And why do they not protect you sothat you will be always fed up, safe and joyful? Why, whenGod is angered, the vain sacrifices do not defend youfrom the locust, the mice and of many other plagues,which, when He is angered, God sends you?

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12. Non intellegitis aperte quia mentiuntur vobisdaemones in istis observationibus vestris quas vane tenetis,et in auguriis quae adtenditis frequentius vos inludunt?Nam sicut dicit sapientissimus Salomon: divinationes etauguria vana sunt; et quantum timuerit homo in illis,tantum magis fallitur cor eius. Ne dederis in illis cor tuum,quoniam multos scandalizaverunt. Ecce hoc scripturasancta dicit, et certissime sic est, quia tamdiu infeliceshomines per avium voces daemonia suadunt, donec perres frivolas et vanas et fidem Christi perdant, et ipsi ininteritum mortis suae de improviso incurrant. Non iussitdeus hominem futura cognoscere, sed ut, semper intimore illius vivens, ab ipso gubernationem et auxiliumvitae suae expeteret. Solius dei est antequam aliquid fiatscire, homines autem vanos daemones diversis argumentisinludunt, donec illos in offensam dei perducant et animasillorum secum pertrahant in infernum, sicut ab initiofecerunt per invidiam suam, ne homo regnum caelorumintraret, de quo illi deiecti sunt.

12. Don't you clearly understand that the demons lie toyou with these practices that you in vain follow, and thatthey delude you frequently in the auguries to whichanswer? Indeed, just like the most wise Solomon: Vain arethe auguries and the foretellings. And the more men willfear them, the more their heart will weaken. Give themnot your heart for many they lead astray. This says theHolly Scripture and thus, in truth, it is, for so many timesdo the demons persuade the unfortunate men to be awareto the singing of the birds that they end up losing theirfaith in Christ by these frivolous and vain things and riskthemselves to an unfortunate death. God did not allowedmen to know the future but, instead, that he would live infear of Him and of Him expected the government andhelp for his life. It is exclusive of God to know thingsbefore they happen. However, the demons delude the vainmen with several arguments until they lead them to offendGod and drag with them their souls to hell, like they did inthe beginning, for envy, so that man would not enter in theKingdom of Heaven, from which they, the demons, wereexpelled.

13. Pro qua etiam causa, dum vidisset deus miseroshomines ita a diabolo et angelis eius malis inludi ut,obliviscentes creatorem suum, pro deo daemonesadorarent, misit filium suum, id est sapientiam et verbumsuum, ut illos ad cultum veri dei de diaboli errorereduceret. Et quia non poterat divinitas filii dei abhominibus videri, accepit carnem humanam ex uteroMariae virginis, non ex coniugio viri, sed ex spiritu sanctoconceptam. Natus ergo in humanam carnem filius dei,intus latens invisibilis deus, foris autem visibilis homo,praedicavit hominibus: docuit illos, relictis idolis et malis

13. By this cause, as God saw miserable men so iluded bythe Devil and his evil angels that they [men], forgotten oftheir creator, worshiped the demons instead of God, sentHis Son, that is, His Wisdom, His Word, so that it wouldlead them back from the error of the Devil to the worshipof the true God. And as men could not contemplate thedivinity of the Son of God, He assumed a human body inthe womb of Virgin Mary, without human interference,but by the work of the Holy Ghost. So born the Son ofGod in human flesh, enclosing hidden the invisible Godand showing the visible Man, He preached for men. Tough

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operibus, de potestate diaboli exire et ad cultum creatorissui reverti. Postquam docuit, voluit pro humano generemori. Passus est mortem voluntarie, non invitus; crucifixusest a Iudaeis sub iudice Pilato Pontio, qui de Pontoprovincia natus illo tempore provinciae Syriaepraesidebat; depositus de cruce, positus est in sepulchro;tertia die resurrexit vivus a mortuis, et diebusquadraginta cum duodecim discipulis suis conversatus est,e t , ut veram carnem suam resurrexisse monstraret,manducavit post resurrectionem ante discipulos suos.Transactis autem quadraginta diebus, praecepit discipulissuis ut adnuntiarent omnibus gentibus resurrectionem filiidei, et baptizarent eos in nomine patris et filii et spiritussancti in remissionem peccatorum, et docerent illos quibaptizati fuissent recedere a malis operibus, id est abidolis, ab homicidiis, a furtis, a periurio, a fornicatione, etquod sibi nollent fieri aliis non facerent. Et postquam haecpraecepit, videntibus ipsis discipulis, ascendit in caelum, etibi sedet ad dexteram patris, et inde in fine istius mundiventurus est cum ipsa carne quam secum levavit in caelis.

them to leave the idols and the bad doings, to come out ofthe bondage of the devil and to return to the worship ofhis creator. After teaching He wished to die for the humankind. He suffered death voluntarily, was not constrained.He was crucified by the Jews under the government ofPoncius Pilate, which, born in the province of Ponto,presided at that time to the province of Syria. Once downfrom the cross He was laid on a tomb. At the third day Heresurrected from the dead, lived among His disciples forforty days and, to show them that His true body hadresurrected, He ate before them, after the Resurrection.Once the forty days were gone He ordered His disciplesto announce to all the people the Resurrection of the Sonof God and to baptise them in the name of the Father, theSon and of the Holly Ghost, for the forgiveness of theirsin, and to those already baptise to run escape from thebad doings, that is, from the idols, homicides, robbery,perjury, impurity and not to do to others what they wishnot for themselves. And after he ordered these things,sought by the disciples themselves, He went up to Heaven,where he his siting at the right of the Father and fromwhere, at the end of this world, He shall return with thesame body He took with Him to Heaven.

14. Cum autem finis mundi istius venerit, omnes gentes etomnis homo qui ex illis primis hominibus, id est ex Adamet Eva, ducit originem omnes resurgent et boni et mali; etomnes ante iudicium Christi venturi sunt, et tunc quifuerunt in vita sua fideles et boni separantur a malis etintrant in regno dei cum angelis sanctis, et erunt animaeillorum cum carne sua in requiem aeternam, numquamamplius morituri, ubi iam nullus illis erit aut labor autdolor, non tristitia, non famis aut sitis, non calor aut frigus,

14. When the end of the world comes all the people andall the men originated from those first, that is, Adam andEve, shall resurrect, both good and evil ones. All shall bebrought before the Judgement of Christ and then, allthose that were faithful and good in their lives will beseparated from the evil ones, entering in the Kingdom ofGod with the holy angels. Their souls will be with theirbodies in the eternal rest, no more shall they die. No morewill they have toils or pain, hunger or thirst, heat or cold,

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non tenebrae aut nox, sed, semper laeti, saturi, in luce, ingloria, similes erunt angelis dei, quia iam in illo locomeruerunt intrare unde diabolus cum sibi consentientibusangelis cecidit. Ibi ergo omnes qui fideles deo fueruntpermanent in aeternum. Nam illi qui increduli fuerunt autnon fuerunt baptizati aut certe, si baptizati fuerint, postbaptismum suum iterum ad idola et homicidia veladulteria vel ad periuria et ad alia mala reversi sunt ets i ne poenitentia sunt defuncti, omnes qui tales fuerintinventi damnantur cum diabolo et cum omnibus daemoniisquos coluerunt et quorum opera fecerunt, et in aeternoigne cum carne sua in inferno mittuntur, ubi ignis illeinextinguibilis in perpetuum vivit, et caro illa iam deresurrectione recepta in aeternum cruciatur gemens.Desiderat iterum mori, ut non sentiat poenas, sed nonpermittitur mori, ut aeternos perferat cruciatus. Ecce hocloquitur lex, hoc loquuntur prophetae, haec evangeliumChristi, haec apostolus, haec omnis scriptura sanctatestatur; quae vobis modo vel pauca ex multis simpliciterdiximus. Vestrum est dehinc, filii karissimi, ea quae pernos dicta sunt recordare, et aut bene agendo futuram inregno dei requiem sperare, aut (quod absit!) male agendofuturum in inferno ignem perpetuum expectare. Nam etvita aeterna et mors aeterna in arbitrio hominis positaest. Quod sibi elegerit unusquisque, hoc habebit.

darkness or night but, always happy, satisfied, in the light,in the glory, shall be alike the angels of God because theydeserved to enter in the place from where the Devil andthe angels that made a common cause with him camedown. There, in fact, all that were faithful to God shallremain eternally. Now those that were incredulous orwere not baptised or, if they were, went back again, afterBaptism, to the idols, the homicides, the adultery, theperjury and other evil doings and died without penitence,all those that this way will be found shall be condemnedwith the devil and all demons to whom they served andwhose works they did, being sent to the eternal fire inHell, along with their bodies. Here they shall remaineternally in that inextinguishable fire and the flesh,r e co ve r e d in the resurrection, shall suffer moaningforever. He [a condemned man] will wish that he woulddie again in order not to feel the penalty, but he will not beallowed to die once more so that he will suffer tormentsforever. This says the Law, this say the prophets, theGospel of Christ, the Apostles, that is, all the SacredScripture of which we have made you a small summary.Therefor, dearest sons, it is convenient for you toremember of what we have told you and that, doing theright, you expect a future accomplishment in the Kingdomof God or, what must not happen, doing wrong, expect afuture eternal anguish in Hell. Indeed, eternal life andeternal death are in men's freedom of choice. What eachwill chose for himself, he shall have it.

15. Vos ergo, fideles, qui in nomine patris et filii et spiritussancti ad Christi baptismum accessistis, considerate qualein ipso baptismo pactum cum deo fecistis. Nam cum singulinomen vestrum dedistis ad fontes, verbi gratia, aut Petrus

15. So you, faithful, that had access to the baptism ofChrist, in the name of the Father, of the Son and of theHoly Ghost, consider that in that act you've made a pactwith God. Because each one of you gave his name by the

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aut Iohannes aut quodlibet nomen, sic a sacerdoteinterrogati fuistis: "Quomodo diceris?" Respondisti auttu, si iam poteras respondere, aut certe qui pro te fidemfecit, qui te de fonte suscepit, et dixit, verbi gratia:"Iohannes dicitur." Et interrogavit sacerdos: "Iohannes,abrenuntias diabolo et angelis eius, culturis et idolis eius,furtis et fraudibus eius, fornicationibus et ebrietatibus eius,et omnibus operibus eius malis?" Et respondisti:"Abrenuntio." Post istam abrenuntiationem diaboliiterum interrogatus es a sacerdote: "Credis in deumpatrem omnipotentem?" Respondisti: "Credo." "Et inIesum Christum, filium eius unicum, deum et dominumnostrum, qui natus est de spiritu sancto ex Maria virgine,passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus et sepultus, descenditad inferna, tertia die resurrexit vivus a mortuis, ascenditin caelos, sedet ad dexteram patris, inde venturus iudicarevivos et mortuos? Credis?" Et respondisti: "Credo." Etiterum interrogatus es: "Credis in spiritum sanctum,sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, remissionem omniumpeccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, et vitam aeternam?"Et respondisti: "Credo." Ecce ergo considerate qualepactum cum deo fecistis in baptismo. Promisistis vosabrenuntiare diabolo et angelis eius et omnibus operibuseius malis, et confessi estis credere vos in patrem et filiumet spiritum sanctum et sperare vos in fine saeculi carnisresurrectionem et vitam aeternam.

baptismal fountains, for example, Peter or John or anyother name and he was questioned by the priest: What willyour name be? You answered, if you could already answeror certainly it was that which certified for you, which wasyour sponsor, that said, for example: his name shall beJohn. And the priest asked: John, do you renounce to theDevil and to his angels, his worships and idols, his deceitsand frauds, to his impurities and greediness and to all hisbad doings? And answered: I do. Then, after thisrenouncing to Satan, you were again questioned by thepriest: Do you believe in God Omnipotent Father? Youanswered: I do. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Godand our Lord, which was born by the work of the HolyGhost from the Virgin Mary, suffered under PonciusPilate, was crucified and entombed, went down to Hell,resurrected from the dead at the third day, went up toHeaven, where he is seated at the right side of the Father,from where he will come to judge the living and the dead?Do you believe? And you answered: I do. And again youwere questioned: Do you believe in the Holy Ghost, in theholy Catholic Church, in the forgiveness of all sins, in theresurrection of the flesh and in the eternal life? Andanswered: I do. Consider than that you, in Baptism, madea pact with God. You promised to renounce to the Devil,his angels and all his bad doings and confessed to believein the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, as well as inwaiting the resurrection of the flesh at the end of thecenturies and in eternal life.

16. Ecce qualis cautio et confessio vestra apud deumtenetur! Et quomodo aliqui ex vobis, qui abrenuntiaveruntdiabolo et angelis eius et culturis eius et operibus eiusmalis, modo iterum ad culturas diaboli revertuntur? Nam

16. Here is your bail and confession by God! And why dosome of you, that renounced to the Devil and to his angels,his worship and his bad doings, now return again to thatevil worshipping? Indeed, to light candles by the rocks, the

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ad petras et ad arbores et ad fontes et per trivia cereolosincendere, quid est aliud nisi cultura diaboli? Divinationese t auguria et dies idolorum observare, quid est aliud nisicultura diaboli? Vulcanalia et Kalendas observare, mensasornare, et lauros ponere, et pedem observare, et funderein foco super truncum frugem et vinum, et panem infontem mittere, quid est aliud nisi cultura diaboli?Mulieres in tela sua Minervam nominare et Veneris diemin nuptias observare et quo die in via exeatur adtendere,quid est aliud nisi cultura diaboli? Incantare herbas admaleficia et invocare nomina daemonum incantando, quidest aliud nisi cultura diaboli? Et alia multa quae longumest dicere. Ecce ista omnia post abrenuntiationem diaboli,post baptismum facitis et, ad culturam daemonum et admala idolorum opera redeuntes, fidem vestram transistiset pactum quod fecistis cum deo disrupistis. Dimisistissignum crucis, quod in baptismum accepistis, et aliadiaboli signa per avicellos et sternutos et per alia multaadtenditis. Quare mihi aut cuilibet recto Christiano nonnocet augurium? Quia, ubi signum crucis praecesserit,nihil est signum diaboli. Quare vobis nocet? Quia signumcrucis contemnitis, et illud timetis quod vobis ipsi ins i g num configitis. Similiter dimisistis incantationemsanctam, id est symbolum quod in baptismum accepistis,quod est Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem, etorationem dominicam, id est Pater noster qui es in caelis,et tenetis diabolicas incantationes et carmina. Quicumqueergo , contempto signo crucis Christi, alia signa aspicit,signum crucis, quod in baptismum accepit, perdidit.Similiter et qui alias incantationes tenet a magis etmaleficis adinventas, incantationem sancti symboli etorationis dominicae, quae in fide Christi accepit, amisit etfidem Christi inculcavit, quia non potest et deus simul et

trees, the fountains and in the crossroads of the paths,what is this if not evil worshipping? To take notice of thefortellings, auguries and of the days of the idols, what isthis if not evil worshipping? To take notice of the Volcanesand of the Calends, to garnish to tables, to lay laurel, toenter with the right foot, to shed in the fire place, over theburning timber, food and wine and to throw bread intothe fountains, what is this if not Devil worship? The factthat women invoke Minerva at there looms and chose aswedding day the day of Venus [Friday] and to remark inwhat day one should travel, what is this if not evilworshipping? To make enchantments with herbs todamage and to invoke the names of demons when you doit, what is this if not evil worship? And many other thingsthat that would take time to tell. Here is that you do allthese things after Baptism and the renouncing of Satan!Returning to demon worship and to the bad doings of theidols, you have spoken to your word and broke the pactyou have made with God. You have abandoned the sign ofthe cross that you received at Baptism and consider singsof the Devil the little birds, the sneeze and many otherthings. What's the reason that to me or to any othersince r e Christian the augury doesn't harm? Because,where the sign of the cross stands, nothing is the sign ofthe Devil. And why does it harm you? Because you havedespised the sign of the cross and fear what you havetaken as a sign to you. In the same way, you have forgottenthe sacred enchantment, the symbol you received atBaptism, which is I believe in God Omnipotent Father, thedominical prayer, which is our Father thou are in Heaven,and practice evil enchantments and verses. He who,therefore, disdaining the sign of the cross of Christ, takesfor him other signs, has lost the sign of the cross he

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diabolus coli. received at Baptism. In the same way, he who practicesother enchantments invented by magicians and other evilones, lost the enchantment of the holy symbol and of thedominical prayer, which he had received in the faith ofChrist, trampled at his feet that same faith, because onecannot serve God and the Devil at the same time.

17. Si ergo agnovistis, dilectissimi filii, omnia ista quaediximus, si quis se cognoscit post acceptum baptismumhaec fecisse et fidem Christi rupisse, non desperet de senec dicat in corde suo: "Quia tanta mala feci postbaptismum, fortasse non mihi indulget deus peccata mea."Noli dubitare de misericordia dei. Tantum tu fac in cordetuo pactum cum deo, ut iam amplius culturas daemonumnon colas, nec praeter deum caeli aliquid adores, nequehomicidium facias, neque adulterium aut fornicationem,non furtum facias, non periures. Et cum hoc deo ex totocorde tuo promiseris et ulterius peccata ista non feceris,fiducialiter veniam de deo spera, quia sic dicit deus perpropheticam scripturam: In quacumque die iniustusoblitus fuerit iniquitates suas et fecerit iustitias, et egoobliviscar omnes iniquitates eius. Paenitentiam ergopeccatoris deus expectat. Paenitentia autem ista vera est,ut iam amplius homo non faciat mala quae fecit, sed depraeteritis peccatis indulgentiam petat, et de futuro caveatne ad ipsa iterum revolvatur, sed magis econtrario bonaopera exerceat, ut esurienti pauperi elemosynamporrigat, hospitem lassum reficiat, et quicquid sibi ab aliovult fieri, hoc alteri faciat, et quod sibi non vult fieri, hoca l t e r i non faciat, quia in hoc verbo mandata deicomplentur.

17. Therefore, dearest sons, if you have understoodeverything we said, if anyone recognizes to have donethese things after receiving the Baptism and apostatisedfrom the faith of Christ, do not despair nor say in yourheart: Because I have done so much evil after Baptism,maybe God will not forgive my sins. Doubt not of themercy of God. Make in your heart a pact with God insuch way that you will return no more to the practices ofthe demons, nor worship another that's not God inHeaven, don't commit homicide, nor adultery or impurity,do not still, do not commit perjury. If you promise this toGod with all your heart and if do not these sins no more,wait confidant the forgiveness of God, for thus says theLord in the Prophetic Scripture: On the day in which theunrighteous forgets his iniquities and practices justice, so Iwill forget all his faults. In fact, God waits the penitence ofthe sinner. This penitence is real when man stops doing theevil he has done, asks for indulgence for the past sins, hascaution not to return, in the future, to the same faults but,on the contrary, he practices the good doings, offers helpto the starving poor, cheers the tired traveller, does on tothe other what he wants for himself and does him not whathe doesn't want, for in this the commandments of God aresummed up.

18. Rogamus ergo vos, fratres et filii karissimi, ut ista 18. Therefore we praise you, brothers and dearest sons, PDFmyURL.com

praecepta, quae vobis deus per nos humillimos et exiguosdare dignatur, in memoria teneatis et cogitetis quomodosalvetis animas vestras, ut non solum de praesenti ista vitaet de transitoria mundi istius utilitate tractetis, sed illudmagis recordetis quod in symbolo vos crederepromisistis, id est carnis resurrectionem et vitamaeternam. Si ergo credidistis et creditis quia carnisresurrectio erit et vita aeterna in regno caelorum interangelos dei, sicut vobis supra iam diximus, inde quammaxime cogitate, et non semper de istius mundi miseria.Praeparate viam vestram in operibus bonis. Frequentatead deprecandum deum in ecclesia vel per loca sanctorum.Diem dominicum, qui propterea dominicus dicitur, quiafilius dei, dominus noster Iesus Christus, in ipso resurrexita mortuis, nolite contemnere, sed cum reverentia colite.Opus servile, id est agrum, pratum, vineam, vel si quagravia sunt, non faciatis in die dominico, praeter tantumquod ad necessitatem reficiendi corpusculi proexquoquendo pertinet cibo et necessitate longinqui itineris.Et in locis proximis licet viam die dominico facere, nontamen pro occasionibus malis, sed magis pro bonis, id estaut ad loca sancta ambulare, aut fratrem vel amicumvisitare, vel infirmum consolare, aut tribulanti consiliumvel adiutorium pro bona causa portare. Sic ergo decetChristianum hominem diem dominicum venerare. Namsatis iniquum et turpe est ut illi qui pagani sunt et ignorantfidem Christianum, idola daemonum colentes, diem Iovisaut cuiuslibet daemonis colant et ab opere se abstineant,cum certe nullum diem daemonia nec creassent nechabeant. Et nos, qui verum deum adoramus et credimusfilium dei resurrexisse a mortuis, diem resurrectioniseius, id est dominicum, minime veneramus! Nolite ergoiniuriam facere resurrectioni dominicae, sed honorate et

that you keep in your mind these precepts, which God hasdeign to transmit it to you trough us, quite humble andsmall, and think on how you should save your souls, so thatyou will not only take care of this present life and of thepassing utility of this world, but remember what youpromised to believe in the Creed, that is, the resurrectionof the flesh and eternal life. If, indeed, you have believedand believe in the resurrection of the flesh and the eternallife in the Kingdom of Heaven among God's angels, justlike we have told you, think truly on that and less in theunhappiness of the world. Prepare your life with gooddoings. Go to the church or to holy places to pray to God.Do not despise but keep with respect the Dominic day[Day of the Lord], by which it's called Sunday, because theSon of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, resurrected from thedead in that day. Do not work at Sunday, in the field, in themeadow, in the vine or in other labours considered heavy,unless to satisfy the feeding necessities of the body as it isto prepare food or a long journey. You may travel tonearby places at Sunday, not with evil purposes but withgood ones, that is, to got to the holy places, to visit abrother or a friend, to comfort he who is ill, to take anadvice to the troubled ones or help to a good cause. Thisis how the Christian man must honour Sunday. Howinnocuous and shameful it is that those who are heathensand ignore the faith in Christ, worshipping their evil idols,keep the day of Jupiter or of any other demon andabstain themselves from working when the demons haven'tcreated nor have any day and we, who worship the trueGod and believe that the Son of God resurrected fromthe dead, now keep the badly the day of Resurrection, thatis, Sunday! Do not insult the Resurrection of the Lord, buthonour it and respect it with reverence, in the name of the

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c u m reverentia colite propter spem nostram quamhabemus in illam. Nam sicut ille dominus noster IesusChristus, filius dei, qui est caput nostrum, tertia dieresurrexit a mortuis, ita et nos, qui sumus membra ipsius,resurrecturos nos in carne nostra in fine saeculi speramus,u t unusquisque sive requiem aeternam sive poenamaeternam, sicut in corpore suo in saeculo isto egit, itarecipiat.

hope that we in it keep. For, just like our Lord JesusChrist, Son of God, which is our head, resurrected fromthe dead at the third day, so we, that are his limbs, hope toresurrect in our flesh at the end of the centuries, so thateach one will receive the eternal rest or doom, accordingto the acting it had, with his body, in the present life.

19. Ecce nos sub testimonio dei et sanctorum angelorumq u i nos audiunt, modo loquentes, absolvimus caritativestrae debitum nostrum, et pecuniam domini, sicutpraeceptum habemus, feneravimus vobis. Vestrum estamodo cogitare et procurare quomodo unusquisque,quantum accepit, veniente domino cum usuris in die iudiciirepraesentet. Oramus autem ipsius domini clementiam, utvos ab omni malo custodiat et dignos sanctorumangelorum suorum socios in regno suo perficiat,praestante ipso qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum.Amen.

19. And thus we, speaking this way, complete the messagethat we owned to your Charity, under the look of Godand of the holy angels that are listening to us and wedeliver you the gifts from the Lord, as it was commandedto us, so that you may yield it. You should think andendeavour, right now, on how you should return, with theconcerning interest, that which each one of you received,when the Lord returns, in Judgment Day. We ask,therefore, for the mercy of the same Lord, so that He willprotect you from all evil and makes you worthycompanions of His holy angels in His Kingdom, with thehelp of He who lives and rules through the centuries ofcenturies. Amen.

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