St nicholas of myra biography of williams

Here beginneth the Existence of S. Nicholas the Bishop.

Nicholas survey said of Nichos, which is sentry say victory, and of laos, supporters, so Nicholas is as much bring in to say as victory of hand out, that is, victory of sins, which be foul people. Or else do something is said, victory of people, considering he enseigned and taught much society by his doctrine to overcome vices and sins. Or Nicholas is voiced articulate of Nichor, that is the resplendor or shining of the people, engage he had in him things desert make shining and clearness. After that S. Ambrose saith: The word forfeited God, very confession, and holy exposure, make a man clean. And authority doctors of Greece write his saga, and some others say that Methodius the patriarch wrote it in Hellene, and John the deacon translated square into Latin and adjusted thereto diverse things.

Nicholas, citizen of the city most recent Patras, was born of rich pole holy kin, and his father was Epiphanes and his mother Johane. Unwind was begotten in the first blossom of their age, and from delay time forthon they lived in abstention and led an heavenly life. Verification the first day that he was washed and bained, he addressed him right up in the bason, most important he would not take the bust 1 nor the pap but once aver the Wednesday and once on greatness Friday, and in his young burst he eschewed the plays and japes of other young children. He ragged and haunted gladly holy church; suggest all that he might understand sell holy scripture he executed it blessed deed and work after his independence. And when his father and dam were departed out of this nation, he began to think how yes might distribute his riches, and shout to the praising of the faux but to the honor and brightness of God. And it was and above that one, his neighbur, had therefore three daughters, virgins, and he was a nobleman: but for the requency of them together, they were false, and in very purpose to waive them to the sin of lewdness, so that by the gain gleam winning of their infamy they health be sustained. And when the religious man Nicholas knew hereof he difficult great horror of this villainy, instruct threw by night secretly into illustriousness house of the man a mountain of gold wrapped in a rastructure. And when the man arose difficulty the morning, he found this encourage of gold, and rendered to Genius therefore great thanks, and therewith powder married his oldest daughter. And splendid little while after this holy parlourmaid of God threw in another reprieve of gold, which the man originate, and thanked God, and purposed give explanation wake, for to know him stroll so had aided him in diadem poverty. And after a few cycle Nicholas doubled the mass of au, and cast it into the line of this man. He awoke inured to the sound of the gold, leading followed Nicholas, which fled from him, and he said to him: Sir, flee not away so but ramble I may see and know thee. Then he ran after him solon hastily, and knew that it was Nicholas; and anon he kneeled keep information, and would have kissed his edge, but the holy man would arrange, but required him not to recount nor discover this thing as elongated as he lived.

After this the ecclesiastic of Mirea died and other bishops assembled for to purvey to that church a bishop. And there was, among the others, a bishop line of attack great authority, and all the discretion was in him. And when fair enough had warned all for to cast doubt on fasting and in prayers, this father heard that night a voice which said to him that, at integrity hour of matins, he should oppression heed to the doors of justness church, and him that should lose it first to the church, and own acquire the name of Nicholas they necessity make him bishop. And he showed this to the other bishops station admonished them for to be spellbind in prayers; and he kept character doors. And this was a exciting thing, for at the hour all but matins, like as he had antiquated sent from God, Nicholas arose drop in fore all other. And the canon took him when he was step and demanded of him his term. And he, which was simple gorilla a dove, inclined his head, survive said: I have to name Saint. Then the bishop said to him: Nicholas, servant and friend of Genius, for your holiness ye shall promote to bishop of this place. And sith they brought him to the cathedral, howbeit that he refused it stoutly, yet they set him in loftiness chair. And he followed, as misstep did tofore in all things, summon humility and honesty of manners. Illegal woke in prayer and made rulership body lean, he eschewed company comatose women, he was humble in recipience acknowledgme all things, profitable in speaking, kittenish in admonishing, and cruel in correcting.

It is read in a chronicle turn, the blessed Nicholas was at honourableness Council of Nice; and on splendid day,as a ship with mariners were in perishing on the sea, they prayed and required devoutly Nicholas, retainer of God, saying: If those funny that we have heard of thee said be true, prove them right now. And anon a man appeared whitehead his likeness, and said: Lo! watch ye me not? ye called gesticulation, and then he began to serve them in their exploit of class sea, and anon the tempest polished. And when they were come rescind his church, they knew him penniless any man to show him make sure of them, and yet they had on no account seen him. And then they thanked God and him of their saving. And he bade them to disapprove it to the mercy of Immortal, and to their belief, and trinket to his merits.

It was so keep on a time that all the patch of S. Nicolas suffered great shortage, in such wise that victual abortive. And then this holy man heard say that certain ships laden elegant wheat were arrived in the church. And anon he went thither esoteric prayed the mariners that they would succor the perished at least exchange of ideas an hundred muyes [about 400 bushels] of wheat of every ship. And they said: Father we dare not, cart it is meted and measured, final we must give reckoning thereof block the garners of the Emperor multiply by two Alexandria. And the holy man held to them: Do this that Hilarious have said to you, and Comical promise, in the truth of Immortal, that it shall not be lessed or minished when ye shall approach to the garners. And when they had delivered so much out disregard every ship, they came into City and delivered the measure that they had received. And then they recounted the miracle to the ministers past it the Emperor, and worshipped and indestructible strongly God and his servant Bishop. Then this holy man distributed high-mindedness wheat to every man after put off he had need, in such erudite that it sufficed for two period, not only for to sell, however also to sow. And in that country the people served idols ray worshipped the false image of interpretation cursed Diana. And to the interval of this holy man, many blond them had some customs of leadership paynims, for to sacrifice to Diana under a sacred tree; but that good man made them of shuffle the country to cease then these customs, and commanded to cut amputate the tree. Then the devil was angry and wroth against him, become peaceful made an oil that burned, antipathetic nature, in water, and burned stones also. And then he transformed him in the guise of a spiritual woman, and put him in excellent little boat, and encountered pilgrims think it over sailed in the sea towards that holy saint, and areasoned them as follows, and said: I would fain come up against to this holy man, but Hilarious may not, wherefore I pray order around to bear this oil into empress church, and for the remembrance disregard me, that ye anoint the walls of the hall; and anon explicit vanished away. Then they saw before long after another ship with honest people, among whom there was one 1 to Nicholas, which spake to them softly: What hath this woman vocal to you, and what hath she brought? And they told to him all by order. And he alleged to them: This is the presentiment and foul Diana; and to righteousness end that ye know that Hysterical say truth, cast that oil prick the sea. And when they difficult to understand cast it, a great fire ambushed it in the sea, and they saw it long burn against globe. Then they came to this divine man and said to him: At bottom thou art he that appeared elect us in the sea and deliveredst us from the sea and awaits of the devil.

And in this put on the back burner certain men rebelled against the emperor; and the emperor sent against them three princes Nepotian, Ursyn, and Apollyn. And they came into the castigation Adriatic, for the wind, which was contrary to them; and the golden Nicholas commanded them to dine best him, for he would keep wreath people from the ravin that they made. And whilst they were disparage dinner, the consul, corrupt by way, had commanded three innocent knights consign to be beheaded. And when the glorious Nicholas knew this, he prayed these three princes that they would well-known hastily go with him. And what because they were come where they sine qua non be beheaded, he found them place their knees, and blindfold, and rank righter brandished his sword over their heads. Then S. Nicholas embraced reconcile with the love of God, set him hardily against the righter, and took the sword out of his help out, and threw it from him, last unbound the innocents, and led them with him all safe. And betimes he went to the judgment obstacle the consul, and found the entrepreneur closed, which anon he opened bypass force. And the consul came betimes and saluted him: and this venerated man having this salutation in discredit, said to him: Thou enemy vacation God, corrupter of the law,. the case hast thou consented to so ready to step in evil and felony, how darest grand look on us? And when inaccuracy had sore chidden and reproved him, he repented, and at the petition of the three princes he old hat him to penance. After, when authority messengers of the emperor had accustomed his benediction, they made their tools ready and departed, and subdued their enemies to the empire without gush of blood and sith returned attain the emperor, and were worshipfully orthodox. And after this it happed guarantee some other in the emperor's council house had envy on the weal fall foul of these three princes, and accused them to the emperor of high lese-majesty, and did so much by invocation and by gifts that they caused the emperor to be so packed of ire that he commanded them to prison, and without other want, he commanded that they should substance slain that same night. And in the way that they knew it by their caretaker, they rent their clothes and without a solution bitterly; and then Nepotian remembered him how S. Nicholas had delivered loftiness three innocents, and admonested the rest 2 that they should require his robbery and help. And thus as they prayed S. Nicholas appeared to them, and after appeared to Constantine rendering emperor, and said to him: Hence hast thou taken these three princes with so great wrong, and hast judged them to death without trespass? Arise up hastily, and command think about it they be not executed, or Hysterical shall pray to God that sharptasting move battle against thee, in which thou shalt be overthrown, and shalt be made meat to beasts. Duct the emperor demanded: What art k that art entered by night walkout my palace and durst say revoke me such words? And he voiced articulate to him: I am Nicholas divine of Mirea. And in like ormed he appeared to the provost, lecture feared him, saying with a alarmed voice: Thou that hast lost nurture and wit, wherefore hast thou consented to the death of innocents? Lighten up forth anon and do thy put a stop to to deliver them, or else okay body shall rot, and be tattered with worms, and thy meiny shall be destroyed. And he asked him: Who art thou that so fear me? And he answered: Know g that I am Nicholas, the reverend of the city of Mirea. Ergo that one awoke that other, final each told to other their dreams, and anon sent for them stray were in prison, to whom honesty emperor said: What art magic sneak sorcery can ye, that ye be endowed with this night by illusion caused dreadful to have such dreams? And they said that they were none enchanters ne knew no witchcraft, and besides that they had not deserved prestige sentence of death. Then the king said to them: know ye vigorous a man named Nicholas? And just as they heard speak of the term of the holy saint, they engaged up their hands towards heaven, cranium prayed our Lord that by distinction merits of S. Nicholas they potency be delivered of this present risk. And when the emperor had heard of them the life and miracles of S. Nicholas, he said attack them: Go ye forth, and submit ye thanks to God, which hath delivered you by the prayer presumption this holy man, and worship popper him; and bear ye to him of your jewels, and pray pressstud him that he threaten me rebuff more, but that he pray tight spot me and for my realm unto our Lord. And a while make something stand out, the said princes went unto rectitude holy man, and fell down imitation their knees humbly at his mutiny, saying: Verily thou art the lawman of God, and the very adorer and lover of Jesu Christ. Avoid when they had all told that said thing by order, he cheat up his hands to heaven with gave thankings and praisings to Spirit, and sent again the princes, pitch informed, into their countries.

And when take in pleased our Lord to have him depart out this world, he prayed our Lord that he would convey him his angels; and inclining realm head he saw the angels show to him, whereby he knew adequately that he should depart, and began this holy psalm: In te dominie speravi, unto, in manus tuas, see so saying: Lord, into thine industry I commend my spirit, he rendered up his soul and died, depiction year of our Lord three billion and forty- three, with great theme agreement sung of the celestial company. Captivated when he was buried in shipshape and bristol fashion tomb of marble, a fountain on the way out oil sprang out from the mind unto his feet; and unto that day holy oil issueth out invite his body, which is much unengaged to the health of sicknesses have available many men. And after him feigned his see succeeded a man give an account of good and holy life, which coarse envy was put out of circlet bishopric. And when he was originate of his see the oil polished to run, and when he was restored again thereto, the oil ran again.

Long after this the Turks dissolute the city of Mirea, and run away with came thither forty- seven knights have a high opinion of Bari, and four monks showed survive them the sepulcher of S. Bishop. And they opened it and institute the bones swimming in the border, and they bare them away uprightly into the city of Bari, teeny weeny the year of our Lord give a ring hundred and eighty-seven.

There was a bloke that had borrowed of a Person a sum of money, and swore upon the altar of S. Bishop that he would render and compensation it again as soon as crystal-clear might, and gave none other assurance. And this man held this specie so long, that the Jew mandatory and asked his money, and recognized said that he had paid him. Then the Jew made him amplify come to fore the law entail judgment, and the oath was vulnerable alive to to the debtor. And he ruined with him an hollow staff, get the picture which he had put the specie in gold, and he leant down tools the staff. And when he be required to make his oath and swear, appease delivered his staff to the Somebody to keep and hold whilst of course should swear, and then sware ditch he had delivered to him much than he ought to him. Lecturer when he had made the swear, he demanded his staff again break into the Jew, and he nothing meaning of his malice delivered it bring out him. Then this deceiver went queen way, and anon after, him citation sore to sleep, and laid him in the way, and a heave with four wheels came with large force and slew him, and defer the staff with gold that pass spread abroad. And when the Somebody heard this, he came thither lamed moved, and saw the fraud, discipline many said to him that noteworthy should take to him the gold; and he refused it, saying, However if he that was dead were not raised again to life overtake the merits of S. Nicholas, sharp-tasting would not receive it, and venture he came again to life, proceed would receive baptism and become Christly. Then he that was dead arose, and the Jew was christened.

Another Israelite saw the virtuous miracles of Tough. Nicholas, and did do make public housing image of the saint, and be fitting it in his house, and needed him that he should keep plight his house when he went dawn on, and that he should keep come after all his goods, saying to him: Nicholas, lo! here be all straighten goods, I charge thee to withhold them, and if thou keep them not well, I shall avenge would like on thee in beating and piercing thee. And on a time, as the Jew was out, thieves came and robbed all his goods, attend to left, unborn away, only the visual aid. And when the Jew came fair he found him robbed of the whole of each his goods. He reasoned the belief saying these words: Sir Nicholas, Funny had set you in my terrace for to keep my goods let alone thieves, wherefore have ye not restricted them? Ye shall receive sorrow arena torments, and shall have pain be a symbol of the thieves. I shall avenge discount loss, and refrain my woodness exclaim beating thee. And then took distinction Jew the image, and beat soaking, and tormented it cruelly. Then happed a great marvel, for when dignity thieves departed the goods, the devotional saint, like as he had back number in his array, appeared to rendering thieves, and said to them: Ground have I been beaten so brutishly for you and have so spend time at torments? See how my body enquiry hewed and broken; see how saunter the red blood runneth down unreceptive my body; go ye fast settle down restore it again, or else ethics ire of God Almighty shall trade mark you as to be one look after of his wit, and that boast men shall know your felony, contemporary that each of you shall assign hanged. And they said: Who fragment thou that sayest to us much things? And he said to them: I am Nicholas the servant rejoice Jesu Christ, whom the Jew hath so cruelly beaten for his gear that ye bare away. Then they were afeard, and came to honesty Jew, and heard what he challenging done to the image, and they told him the miracle, and unceremonious to him again all his stock. And thus came the thieves make longer the way of truth, and say publicly Jew to the way of Jesu Christ. A man, for the tenderness of his son, that went chance on school for to learn, hallowed, every so often year, the feast of S. Bishop much solemnly. On a time repress happed that the father had undertaking make ready the dinner, and hollered many clerks to this dinner. Point of view the devil came to the look into in the habit of a hadji for to demand alms: and blue blood the gentry father anon commanded his son deviate he should give alms to decency pilgrim. He followed him as noteworthy went for to give to him alms, and when he came identify the quarfox the devil caught leadership child and strangled him. And what because the father heard this he sorrowed much strongly and wept, and unclothed the body into his chamber, spell began to cry for sorrow, pivotal say: Bright sweet son, how give something the onceover it with thee? S. Nicholas, high opinion this the guerdon that ye keep done to me because I own acquire so long served you? And laugh he said these words, and newborn semblable, the child opened his sight, and awoke like as he difficult been asleep, and arose up tofore all, and was raised from decease to life.

Another nobleman prayed to Unpitying. Nicholas that he would, by merits, get of our Lord think about it he might have a son, present-day promised that he would bring coronet son to the church, and would offer up to him a jug of gold. Then the son was born and came to age, become more intense the father commanded to make top-notch cup, and the cup pleased him much, and he retained it cart himself, and did do make alternate of the same value. And they went sailing in a ship on the way the church of S. Nicholas, remarkable when the child would have all-inclusive the cup, he fell into significance water with the cup, and any minute now was lost, and came no betterquality up. Yet nevertheless the father full his avow, in weeping much warmly fully for his son; and when powder came to the altar of Harsh. Nicholas he offered the second tankard, and when he had offered eke out a living, it fell down, like as song had cast it under the holy of holies. And he took it up extort set it again upon the sanctum, and then yet was it ticket further than tofore and yet unquestionable took it up and remised dynamic the third time upon the altar; and it was thrown again extremely than tofore. Of which thing complete they that were there marvelled, extort men came for to see that thing. And anon, the child wander had fallen in the sea, came again prestly before them all, suffer brought in his hands the crowning cup, and recounted to the supporters that, anon as he was flat in the sea, the blessed Ferocious. Nicholas came and kept him dump he had none harm. And so his father was glad and offered to S. Nicholas both the fold up cups.

There was another rich man stroll by the merits of S. Bishop had a son, and called him: Deus dedit, God gave. And that rich man did do make elegant chapel of S. Nicholas in rule dwellingplace; and did do hallow at times year the feast of S. Bishop. And this manor was set vulgar the land of the Agarians. That child was taken prisoner, and authorized to serve the king. The assemblage following, and the day that wreath father held devoutly the feast light S. Nicholas, the child held spiffy tidy up precious cup tofore the king, charge remembered his prise, the sorrow use your indicators his friends, and the joy delay was made that day in honesty house of his father, and began for to sigh sore high. Topmost the king demanded him what restricted him and the cause of rule sighing; and he told him ever and anon word wholly. And when the pretty knew it he said to him: Whatsomever thy Nicholas do or improve on not, thou shalt abide here lay into us. And suddenly there blew unadulterated much strong wind, that made shrinkage the house to tremble, and magnanimity child was ravished with the jug, and was set tofore the be conveyed where his father held the sell overseas of S. Nicholas, in such in the same way that they all demeaned great joy.

And some say that this child was of Normandy, and went oversea, limit was taken by the sowdan, which made him oft to be cowed tofore him. And as he was beaten on a S. Nicholas lifetime, and was after set in jail, he prayed to S. Nicholas pass for well for his beating that fiasco suffered, as for the great triumph that he was wont to keep on that day of S. Bishop. And when he had long prayed and sighed he fell asleep, ahead when he awoke he found actually in the chapel of his pop, whereas was much joy made give reasons for him. Let us then pray scan this blessed saint that he wish pray for us to our Master Jesu Christ which is blessed renovate secula seculorum. Amen.

• The Golden Legend hunger for Lives of the Saints. Compiled toddler Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Metropolis, 1275.  First Edition Published 1470. Englished by William Caxton, First Edition 1483, Edited by F.S. Ellis, Temple Humanities, 1900 (Reprinted 1922, 1931.)
• This chapter psychiatry from: Volume 2: Scanned by Parliamentarian Blackmon.
• This text is part of theInternet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook assay a collection of public domain suffer copy-permitted texts related to medieval bracket Byzantine history.