18

Tm

MIDDLE AcEs

chant for dwelling upon the maivlous, t-he curioUl, and

the c.alamitous.ID 1oo2-roo3, he wrote the lollowing oftenmentioDed passage conceming contemporary chuch build-

i"c.l
CONC.ENNING THE CONSTRUCTrcN OF
CHURCHES THROUCHOUT THE WORLD\

lherefore, alter the above-mentjoned yar of the millenaium which Ir now about ttrree yea.s pasr, there occuned, tiroughout ttro world, especially in Italy and Caul,
a rebuilding of cLuch basilicas. NotwitlEtanding tie
geatr nlrmber were already weI established and not in
the least in need, nevertheless each Christian people strove
againsr the others to erect nobler ones. It was as iI the
whole earth, having cast oE the old by shaking itielf, were
clothing itselJ everywhere in the white robe of the church.
Then, at last, aU the faidrJul altered completely most of tle
epiicopal seaB Ior the better, and likewise, the mo.asteries
of the various slints as well as $e lesser places of prayer
in the towrs. . . ,

ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

[St. Bemard of Cl&ilvaux ( 1og 1-r r St ) , the most influe*
tial churchman o{ th twefth century, was bom near Di]o.
of a noble family. As a youog man he entered the Monastery of Citeaux, of the Benedictine Order. In rrr5 he
founded a religious colony, tle Abbey of Clairaux, wb.ich
was recogrjzed iD rlrg by Pope Calixtul II. After devoung
ten years to the orgaDlzation of bi6 order, which by rr53
recovered $,1& the removal ol the debris. See Th. PrestoD, TI
Btoirz Doors of the Abbe'r ol Monta C6s1no and of St. Poll s,

Aotu, Djs!. Prilceton, r9r5.

lThe slectioD is trafflated hom the Latin as given by V.
Mane\ RetuelL de bnes rel,tils d I'histahe d.e larchhecrua
, . . . r. P"'s, ror,, p. a, by Mr. Ch"rl,, P. Pdlhusl.l!.. who

"k"

*"r" rh".h.'.;.rF

OF CL1IIVAIJX

consisted of 35o mon$teries, he erlended hjs

19

bluence to

ail 0elds of ecllesiastical liJe by his lette , tractr and

s"roou. He recognized the necessjry lor rFrorms \ujlhio Ge
churc[ aEd attacked la-eress a.nd eornrpdon wberever he
saw t-hem. By Ge celebrated neadse De laudz r@oae

mrritlze he iuitiEed the war of tle Cbrlstians agalDst the

iDEd+ a4 preached t}le Second Crusade, 1146_1147,
from the lallure of which he never recoverea. Ue &ea i;
1r$, haviog devoted hs entire life to shengtledng t]e
church splrihlally and poUrjcaly.
The 'Apologia" is part of a lener .il,ritien by St. BemaFd
to the Abbor of SL-Thiery.l

.APOLOCL\"

TO \YILLIAM, ABBAT OF
?,.?IIIERRII

. . . But tLese are smdll Lhingsj I will pass on ro oatters

greater in themselves, yet seemhg smalJer because they
are more usral. I say naugbt of rh" vasr beight oI you

chuches, their jmmoderar" lengrl. Geir sup.rfluous

breadtl, tle costly polirhjngs. Lhi curious carvj.ngs and

paintings which attract rhe rvorshjppert gaze and hi.nder

his aHentioD, and seem to me in som sorr a revivJ oI rbe'
ancient rewish rites. Let rhjs pass. however: say thar this
ls done for codt honou. Bur I say, es a mon}, ask of my
brolher rooDl(s as the pagan Jpoet persiusl askcd of bn
follow-pagans: 'Tell me. O PontiEs" (quoth hc) "whar
doetb thb gold in tbe sanctuary? So say L "TeU me. ye
poor Dea" (for I break the verse to keep tle sense) 'tell
me, ye poor (if, indeed, ye be poor), what doetL tLft gold
in you, srncluaryf And indeed tbe bisbops bave an excuse

whjcb monks h3ve noir for we lTow ltrar tley, being

debtors both to the wise and the unwis, aDd urable to
excite tho devotioE ot canxal to& by spiritual thlngs, do so
by bodiJy adommenLs. But we lmonJ<sJ who bave now
come forth lrom the peoplej we who have left aU the precious and beautiful things of the world lor Christt saker

i!

1'l h leher faon whi h Lh- eroml ts rakeo

G. G. Coultoo,

Ll"

tn rle

b piven rn tuLI
rt|ddk;g,r, C.obrid?e, r91o, p,

TNE IfIDDLE

20

ACES

who have counted but dung, that we may win Christ, all
thnss lair to see or soo hjnL ro hFar, swFet to snell deliEh'Iul tlo taste. or pleasant Io toulh-in - uord' alJ bodilv dejnlPnd to e\crlF
Lqht -\ahosc devotion, P,ry, do we monk
bi tlese thinr'? what ptont. I say, do \ve expect tlerelroma
Tie admiration ot tools, or rhe oblations of the simple? Or'
since we ue scatteled anong the nations, have we perchance leamt &eir works and do we vet serv their graven
imases? To sp"ak plainlv. dodr Ge lool of all this lie in
*t i.l is idolaw, and do we seek not ptoir.
-'I-'"**.
but a gift? lf thou askest: "Hov?" I sav: "In a strange
fashionl' For money is so altfullv scatieled tha! it mav
m,JtiDlvi it is (xrended th,t il r-y give ircrei"e rnd
prodigalirl giver-h bhth lo plentvr for dt the v"rv 'ight ot
ihese-costly-yet manelous vanities nen are more kindled
to oEer giits than to pray. Thus wealth is drawn up bv
.ooes of *ealth. Gus monev bringeth monev; Ior I Inow
noi how ir i. that, sheresoe,er more abunddnt wealth is
seen, tlere do men ofer more freelv. Then eves are feasted
\,!'ith retics cased in gold, and thet pu$e"strings are loosed
Thev are shown a most comely image o[ some saint, whom
*ev tt-r;nt utt tlle more saintly that he js the more gaudilv
Daintd. Men rur to kiss him, and are invited to givei there
L nore admiration lor his comeliness ilan veneraLioD for
his sa.ctity. Hence the cburch is adomed with gemmed
crowns of Light-nay, with tustres like cart_wheels, girt all
round with iamps, but no less brilliant witl the precious
stand'
stones that stud them lloreover we lee candelabn
i"E I'ke t e.' ot na"sive bronz", Lshioned wii-h mrrvellors
with sems
sulbtlerv ot arr, and gustening no less briehdv

th,n

'uth

d.

llghrslhel c,i'v wh"r. think vou is lhe

this? Th" compun"rion ol penitents or tl1e

""-*" "f "U

ot the b"holders? O vanirv ot varuties vet no
"a-iotio.
her
."r" ,"i. ,l* insanel The church is resplendent ingold'

*Jf.. U."*rA, in her poor: she clolhFs hPr slones inat the
."Jr".,;-ir,"' -,',"i'd; rhe ti' h mani evc is red here'
l*pe"'e of tle i"aige"t. rhe curious ffnd their delight
,.i the needv find no rclpr. Do we nor revetP ai leasr th'
ir,,s",

swJrn Pven in rhe inl.r:J ravco,r',,t'm'' m the Ans(rs

L
"li 14,
n'r,'
;.;i';;" 4..,'. rr Jd'

ot rL" Sri,.t",

5T. BERNANN OF CLAINVAIiX

2I

face; often, again, the countenance of some Samt is SIound

under the heel of a passer-by. Aad iI he spare not tlese
sacred lnages, why Dot ven the Iair colours? Why dost
thou make so fair which will soon be made so foul? Why
lavisb bright hues upon that which must needs be hodden
under foot? wlat avail these c.omely forms in places wbere
they are defilod with customary dust? And, Iasdy, v,/hat are

such things as these to yorl poor men, you monl(s, you

rpiritual folk? Uriless perchanc'e here dso ye may answer
the poet's question in the words of the Psalmistr 'Lord,
I Lave loved tlle habitstion of Thy House, and the place
where Thine honou dweleth " I grant it, then, let us sufier
even &is to be done ir the churchi for, though it be harmful to vain and covetous folk, yet not so to the simple and
devout. But h ',tre clobter, under the eyes of tLe Breduen
who read ttrere, what profft is there in those ridiculour
monstert, lo ttrat marvellous ard deformed comeliness,
thEt c.mely deformity? To what purPose are those unclean
apes, those 0erce lions, those monstrous cntaurs, tboso
half-men, those striped tisers, tlose Gghtjng knigtrts, tlose
hunters windiDg thei! holr)l? Many bodies are there seeD
urder one head, or agaiD, Elany heads to a single body,
Here is a four-footed beast with t serpent's tail; ttrere, a
fish wi& a beast's head. Here again the Iorepart of a Lorse
tra& LaU a goat behhd it, or a homed beast bean ttre
blDde! quarters of a horse. In short, so many and so mawel
Ious are the vadeties of diven shapes on every hand, that
we arc mor temPted to read in tle marble than tn our
books, and to speDd the whole day in wondering at thesc
tllngs ratler than in meditatilg the law of God For Cod's
sake, iI meE arc not sshamed of tlese folies, why at least
do they not shrink from the expense?
ltre abundance of my matter suggested much more for
me to addi but ftom tiis I am distracted bot! by mv owD
afirous buli[ess and by the too hasty departure of Bro*er
Oger [t]re bearer oI this Ietterl. . . . This is my opinion oI
your Orde! and mine; nor can any maD testify more truly
than you, and those who know me as you do, tlet I am
wont to say tlese things not about you but to your faces.
$ihat in your Order ir laudable, that I praise and publish

I
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22

\fi| IfDDLE

abloadi what is repleheBible,

ACES

am wont to pe$uade vou

-nd my ollpr fripn l" io .m"r d. rni. i ,.o ,t_,,,.,io,i Lr,

rat-bpr atLrrctioD $ L"retore I wholly pr.,)
"nd bps"".h vo,,
lo do t-be s,mc by ne. Far, wrlt

ABBOT SUGER

(ro81-115r), scion of an obscure famity, wxs

. fsuger
placed in the Abbey of St.-Denis as an
oblatc at rhe age o(
ni.oe or teq and \l,as edLlcatcd tlere, For additjonal
leaming bF weni ro Bu.rDdy. rrobabl) io th" ALb"v ot St._

!ooit-rur-LoiJe. AJrFr ILis r"iur1 ,rbort r ro71 he sen"d

rls aDD, y." / -a"poqla o[ h\o n po.1n, pof-s.:on(
\. 1

loabout rrr2l aodr"\. in.dd,iion,nb,u.tq si,h

vv.r

missiorls to tlre Curia. On ttese he sened thc best

intercsis
of Lh- 3bhFy
w"U ., oL King Lour \'t hj. tom-r .choo."s
mnte, q1.o coosidprFd him, r_brougho.rr lile, a( ti" -.,x5ted

rdviserrnd tojend."ln rrrr. S,t.r $ .

^rd,irFI Abbor ol
s,;-?:3.
delorFd r:m
r;
,"rorm;, s rr.. ro,,J.rpry
"tf
rabu ding""9
tJ.c chuct.. aj.d cnrnhxjs ,hF trc.,.urr Loui.
VIL drr son ot Louj. Vl, al"o
"mptoy,d SuE"r "" bi,
couns.lor aDLl I .trred I:m r SFnr duflls
txs xi sfl c- on th
Second Crusad-" in r ,
"6
\,rote
,Suge!
Ee life of tns pah.on, Louis VI, and began
a lifc oF Loujs vll. nut irom dre poirt ot vj.w o[ (he arr

hjslorian his most impodant Lterary works are a treitrse

on
matters coDceming the administration of the Abbey, including_ tle renodeling and redecoration o[ ttr abbe;
churctr,
and a more circunstantial dcscripuon ot the rebuiiding anj
conJecration oI tle lattr. Sugcr died on
January 13, 115r.l

THI|, BOOK OF SUCL,R, ABBOT OF S?,.DEN1S1

ON WI]-{T 1\'AS DONN !\'DNN E]S I'MINISTR{TION

XJiIV, OI the Church's Decoldrion. Having assigned tLe

ir this manner, we turncd our hand
. 'r l.^ , ii Errs . rc ltan Abbat
5u2.1. 6n 15" Abb.u ch ,.h
.n St.-D"flk -,d \ Att t,.e,e, iar,,.a, L,,n.t,teo
"na.iincrease of the revenue

lo G6 memombl
^oorrrucrioD oI Luildoss. so l-6rr by tlis
t.baDk mjgLt b6 gjve! ro Alnighry cod by uJ as wel;s
by
our successors; and rh"t by good
Lhetr
ador
m;SLi
"x,mple
b roused to t!6 coDEruarion aDd, ir Dec-.sary,
to rhe compledoo of thb [work]. For nejtb"r rny w,nt
nor any hindrance by any power wilt have to b f;ared if, for th;
love
of Ge Holy Martlrs, oDe takps s ely care of ooeseti by
ones own resoures. TLe 6Et work oo r-his church whici
ye besar under rhe in?irErioo ot Cod lwas drisl: because
ol tbe age of tbe old walls and r,hen mreDding rutu j!
some placs, we suDEoD.d Ge be.r prurprs I muld God
Irom diEelent EgioDs, and revereDtly caused these
lwatbj
to b repair_ d and becomingly p"irtea rri$ gold anJ
precious_ co1ox. I completed this alt the
more giadly be_
cause I had vrished to do it, if ever I shodd hwe an
op_
portrDity, even lvhjle I was a pupil in school.
.)oll , Ol the Fhst Addition to tha Chwch. Hawe\e\ eyeD
whil. ltis was bFing complFrFd ar S-par erpensp, I touEd
myseu, under tbe inspinUoo ol rhe Diuoe Will and bcm,,se
of th.at tnadequacy whjch we ofteD saw ud felr on fea$
days, naDely tle Feasr of t-he btessed Deois, tLe Fair, aud
very many ottren (for the narowaess of the place forced ,
ttro womeu to rua toward the albr upon the headr of the
mel ar upoD a pJveoonr with buLh aDsub ed boiry
coo{bioD), eDcouaged b} $" cotmet ol wrse mer and by
tbe pmyers oI many moDk rlea ir displease God and the
Holy Martyrs) to edarge and aoplily the noble churcb
consecated by tho Hand Divine; and I ser our st oDce to
begin tlis very thiDg. In ou chapter as wetl as iD church
I tmplored Dvine mercy thar He Wtro i! tle One, tl
be,tnnlng and tha end.ing, Alpha and Ornee, rijght jo,ur
a good eDa to a good begindng by a safe middle; that He
mr'glr Dot reDl fmm tho buitding of r\" cnple a bhodC
rnan vbo desired rhis vpry tlirg, ;th his wbot; hearL ffor;

ffi

geD.rdsly p.rDltred rlese F Frptr ro bp rEctuded. Fo! 6mmE!'(dry Dot.s a,d ld,ltGodon ot 6. obj-cLs m"orioDed jD
G" ied,
h6 studptrt & FfeEFd to Dr. I atroftL vi \loL,ty u.ort .
Se aLo: S@er Crcsby, Th! Abb4t d/ sr..rpni', r, New
.

tlar

to obtaiD

tie

tleasures

of Colstantioople. Thur

we

began work at the forme! entrsDce with ttro doors. We tore

dorla a certaiD addition asserted to havo beeu made bv
Charlemagne on a very hoDorable occasioD (for his father,

the Emperor Pepir; trad comnranded that

Ie

be buried,

for tle sios of htu fatler Charles Martel outside at the

eDtaoce Mth tle doors, face downward aid Dot lecumbent)i and we set our baDd to tlis parr. As jr evident we
exerted ourselves incassantly wittr tle eDlargement of tle
body oI the cLurch as we| as with the trebling of the enhance and tle dools, and witl tle erection of bteh aDd
Dools. Bronze casters
laving beea summoned and scu.lptors chosen, we set up
tle main doo$ on which are represented the passioa of

tle

Saviour and His Resurrection, or mther .ArceDsioD, wiLh

great cost aDd mucb expen&tuie for ttreir gilding
as was

ffttiag for tle noble porch. AIso [we set up] oth-en, new
orcs oD the right side and &e old ooes on tle left beneattr
tle xoo-sajc which, though conhary to modem custom, we
ordered to be executed tler aDd to be a6xed to tle
tlarxpaDu.d oI the portal. We also committed ourselves
Lo

elaborate the lowerlsl and

tle

upper crenelations
ot tne froDt, bolh for tle beaury of tbe cLuch and, shouJd
cucumstaDces require jL Ior pracdca) pulposes. Furtler we
ordered the year of the consecration, lest it be IorgotteD, to
be i$cribed io coppeFgilt Ietters ia the followirg oanner:

'For the

splendox of tle church tLat bas fostered and

exalted hin,
Suger tras labored for tle splendor of ttre clurch.
Civing ttree a share of what js thiDe, O MatbT Denis,
He prays to tlee to play ttrat he may obtaiE a sLare of

Paradie.

lhe

year was ttre One Thousand, One Hundred, and

Fortieth
Year of the Word when

ltlis

if tLou seekest to ertol tle glory of

tlese doors,
Marvel Dor at Ge gold and rhe erpeDse bur at
tle crsftsmanlbip ot the work.
Bright-is r.be nobl workj but being Dobty brighr,
ttre work
Should brighteD Ge ainds, so that ihey may
travel, tLmugh
the kue lightr,
Lishr wbere Chrjst ts tle true doo!.
I. wirat
t. T*"
r!
manner fl be inlereDt i, rhjs world the go)den

door detues:
ThF du. mjnd:"es to hutl t\rough tlar whjch
is material
Aod, in seein8 rhis lighq is resMected lrom jts

fomer sub.

Xxyll. Ot thz Cad anA Ciued

dchly

'I\6oever thou art,

shucru.rel was coBecrated,,,

The verscs on thc door, further are tLeser

And on the iinrel:

'Receive, O

crdnt.

Judge.

tle

tlat I-stem
be mercifully

sheep,"

praycrs of Thy Suger;

numbered among Thy own

,ty c"U." Attal Frontal tn lha Upper Chotr.

r-oto this paDel, whicb staDds i.u froqr of his
most sacreil
oooy, we bave put, accoFdiDg to our estima(q
about forty_
two marlts of gold; [fu-rther] a multifarious wealt-h
of
ciour gems,- hyactntbs, mbies, sapphLres,

, Yf .Ot

prl

,opffi, u"a also a:: anay of

meralds aDd

di.&erent large pe.arts_la

great as we bad Eever aDticipateito ilnd, y;u
co,uld se how tings_, princer. and many
ouGtaDdiDg me&
rouo\+,lng our example, took U\e rings oS
t-he Gogers of tbelr
hrDds,aDd ordercd,-or( oI jove for rhe Hoty
MrrFs. that
lne.gold! stones, lnd preciour pearls of the ri[g
be put iDto
that palel. Similarly, alchbisbops and bisbops d;postled
u"
investitue as rhough ir a ptacr
1.r".
"? 'TC' 9f-rhen
01 salety, and oflered
them devoutly to God and His Saine.
And such a crowd of de_alers io precjous gems
.6ocked iD o!
ui lrom divelse dominjons and regjons that we dtd not
wish
lo buy dny more Lhan t_hey hastened to sell, witL
everyoDe
coDkibuting donations, And Lhe verses on ttri. paoei
aru
wealt-hl

es-

'Crat Denis, opcn the door of paradise

And proiect SugFr tbrough rhy pious guJrdirnshjp.

t
t

flil,'

t
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Mayest thou, who hast built a new drvelling lor thysell

ttuough us,
Caule us to be received in the dweUing of Heaven,
And to be sated at the heavenly table iDstead of at the presThat which is signified pleases more

tlan

he who signi6es."

Since it seemed proper to ptace the most saEed bodies

of our Patron Sahti in the upper apse as nobly as possibte,
and since ole of ttre side-tablet! of tLeir most sacred sarcopbagus Lad bee! tom olf on some uri]oown occasion, we
put back Gfteen marks of gold and took pains to have gilded
itr rear sid6 and its superstruch:re tlroughou! botl below

ald above, y'ith about folty ounces. Fuitler 1(.e causd tle
actual recptacles of the holy bodies ro be enclosed rvith
gilded paoels of cast copper and with polisleti stones,
ffred close to &e inner stone vaults, and also with continuous gates to trold of disturbances by crc.lvds; ir such a
&anDer, trowever, that revere[d pe$ons, as was fitting,
miglt bo able to see them with great dvorion and a flood
oI teqts. On tiese saffed tombs, however, $ere are the following verses:

'wIere

the Heaveuly Host keeps watcl\ the ashes of the

Saints

Are implored and bemoaned by &e people, [and] the

clergy sings fu ten-voiced harmoDy.

To thek splrits are submitted tle prayers of the devout,
And if t-bey please them tbeir evi) deeds are forgiveo,
Here tLo bodies of tle Sainb are Iaid to rest in peace,
May ttrey draw us aJter tlem, u: who beseech ttrem witl
ferveot prayer.
Thls place exists as an outstanding asylum

for those who

Hero ls safe retuge for the accr:sed, here the avenge!

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powerless against ttrem."

XX]{l Ol the Cald.n Crr.if.r. We should hav insisted

tle devotioD of our mind*had we but had tlie

witb aI

tle adoEble, life-giving cross, lh healthbringing banaer of the etemal victory of Oru Saviour (ot
power-tlat

whjch tlre,Apostle srys: But Cad lotbitl that I should

Chr!,
so,De in-thc crc1s ol ot tord
/esus Cl,r:yl. shoujd be
aoomed dll rre morp gloriouslv as Lhe sign ot rI"
SoD of
MaD, appeari!8 iD t-he si7 at t_he momenr of uhost
daoger, is glodoui Dot only to men but also to
the very angels;
and,we sholld have perpehnIy greeted ir wiLh th;
Ap;sd;
Andrew: Ila, Ctut, uhich arc dpd*.at"d tn ttu b;du
ot
Chrlst and. adnned, urth Hi.s nEmberc eoen as urth pe;*.
But since we could nor do as we wished, we wtsbej
o do
a:
cou]d, aDd shove to bring ir about by tie
lesly:
sr.rce
oI.God. Therefore w6 searcbed around everywbere b/ourselves and by our agerts fff an abundance of prlcious
pearls and"gercs. prepanng as precious a
supply of gold
and gems lor so jnlporunr au embellnbrent as we could
Gnd. and convokad *re most experipn.ed artirts
fr, m djverse
parts. They.would MrL ditisenr dnd patienr labor glorify
tie venenble cross on ils reverse side bv tle admirable
beauty of those gems; ,od oo its froDt-Gat b to say ilr
ttre

sight of the sacliEcing prien-they would sholv rhe adorable

of our Lord tbF S,viou. $,fcring, as ir were, eveD
now In remembnnce of Hit passion. In lacr rle btessed
Denis had. rested oD rLis very spot for 6ve huad-red years
or more. that is to sry. Irom the time of Dagobert up to
our own day, One merry but nolable mir.rcle wbjcb tbe
Lord granted ur in thir.onnecrion we do not wish to pass
over iD silence. For when I was in di&cutry lor wani of
gems and ceuld Dot mctendy provide myself
wittr more
(to-r
scarclty makes tlem very expensive): r-ber, lo
.t-heir_
ard behold, [monl(sl lron r]r.ee abbevs of wo Orders_
tha-t is flom Cllea(lx aDd aDor_her abbey ot tbe same
Order,
imaSe

and from Fontewault-eD,ered our litrlo chanber adiaceDt

to the church and ofered us lor sale an abunilance o{ ge@s
such.as we }ad not hoped to End in ten years. hyacinul:-s,
ssppbirer, rubies, emeratds, ropazes. Tbeir owaerc had obtained Lhem ftom Coutrt Tbr-baut for alnN; eDd he in tum
bad received t-hem. tlrough tlre hands of his brother Stepben.,KiDg of EDgland, Irom tlc beasures of his
uncle, the
li.te 5jnc H:rry. who h,d amd.s-d rn-m rh,oushout his
liIF in wooderfut vessels. we. howevFr. frFed lrom tbe
wony ol searching for C(mJ. t_hrnked Cod rnd g.ve lour

2g

hurdred pouds Ior the lot though they were wordr much
We applied to tle perfection of so sacred an omament
not only tiese but also a grert and expeDsive supply of
other gems and large pearls, We remember, if memory
sewes, to have put in about eishty narks of reGned gold.
And barely witlin two years were we able to have completed, tlrough several goldsmiths from Lonaine-at times
0ve, at other times sevn-the pedestal adomed witl tle
FouI Evangelists, and tlre pillar upon which the sacred
image stands, enameled witl exquisite worknanship, and
lon ltl the history of tle Saviour, wit! the testimonies of
the allegories from the Old Testament iDdicated, and ttre
capital above looking up, wit! jts images, to tle Datl oI
the Lord. Hastening to honor and extol even more highly
ttre erobellishment oI so important and sacred a lihrgical
obiect, tle mercy o{ our Saviour brougit to us our Lord
Pope Eugenius for the .elebratioD of Loly Easter (as is tlie
custom of Roman ?ontifis, wlen sojourdDg in Cad, in
honor of the sacred apostolate oI $e blessed Denis, which
we llave also expelienced \r'ith his predecessors, Calixtus
aDd InnoceDt); and he solemnly consecmted the aforesaid
crucifx on that day. Under the tide of 'The True Cross of
ttre Lord Surpassing AII and Every Pea " he assigled to tt
a portion hom his chapel; and publicly, in the presence of
d! he ana&ematized, by tle sword of the blessed Peter
and by ttre sword of t}le Holy Chost whosoever would steal
anytLing therefrom and whosoever would rajse bis hand
agaL8t it in rcckless temerity; and rve ordered this ban to be
itr3cribed at the foot of the cross.
XXXIL We hastened to adom tle Main Altar of the
blessed Denis where there was only one beautiArl and precious frontal psDel frorn Charles tle Bald,! the third Emperor; for at this laltarl we had been o$ered to tle monastic l.ife. We had it all encased, puttirg up golden panels on
ciLl,e! siJ.:rnd addi,g a IounL. cven more precious oner so
that tlie whole altarwould appeat go)den all the way rourd.

I T],c all-x l,onr,l

E,v^n IJy

Charl.s the Aald Is lon but

klom

to us duouA', r Fl^ni"l, phh',. of tl," ffteend, e!,hry.

Panofsb, op. .il., p. r7s nnd fig. e.

Scc

On eithcr side, we iirtalled there the hvo cardlesticks of

King Louis, soD of Philip, of twenty marks o{ gold, lest they
miglt be stolen on some occasionj we added hyacintls,
erneralds, and sundry precious gems; and $e gave orders
carefully to look out for others to be added iurther. The
verses on these lpanelsl are tlese.
On tle righr side:

'Abbot Suger has set up these altar pane)s

Ir addition to that which Kiag Cbarles has giver before.
Make wortly the ulworthy thmugh thy tndutgence, O
Virgir Mary.
N{ay the- fountair of mercy cleanse the sins botL of the King
and the Abbot."
On the left side:

'II any impious person should despoil thjr excellent &ltar

May he perish, deservedly darnned, associated virh Judas.,,
But tbe lear panel, oI marvelous wortaoaDjhip and laviJh
sumptuousness (for ttre barbariao artists wer ven more

lavish tIaD our$), yre emobled witb cbased reliel work

equally admirable Ior its folm as for its nutedal so tbat
crtain people might be a.bLe to say. Th.e uothiawhtp turpassed the nate al. Much of what had been acquired and
more of such omaments of the church as we werc afraid
of losing-for iDrtance a goldea chalice the foot of whlch
Lad come ofi, and seveml other things-we ordeted to b6
Iastened tbere. And because rhe djversiry of tle marerjats
hucl rsl eold. c"m' and n.arls is nor cdsity unde$rood
by ttre mute perception of sight without a descdption, we
hve seen to it that this wor\ which is inreltigible only to
tLe lteratc, which shines rviih tle raaaoce of aelghtfut
allegories, be set down in writitrg. AIso we Lave a-frxed
v"rses erToundjng t-he maHer so thdl rhe IaUcgories] migbt
be more clerrh under(tnnd,

"Crying our with a loud voic, rhe mob acctaims Christ:

'Osanua.'

The true Victim offeled at the Lord,s Supper bas canied

aU men.

!.4rd4r.rr.{i

3o

He

ABBOT

Wlo

saves

all nen on the Cross hasteB to carry the

The promise which Abraham obtains for his seed is sealed

by the {esh of Christ.
Melchizedek ofiers a libation because Abraham trn,m.hs
ov"r the enemy.
They who seek Cbrist with the Cross bear thc cluster of
grapes upon a stafi."

Often we contemplate, out of sheer afiection for the

clurch our mother, tlese difierent ornaments both new and
old; and when we behold how that wonderfut cros of St.
Eloy-togethei with the smaller ones-and rhat incomoarable omamert mmonJl c"Ued'rhe C.{r" ar^ ph.Fd upol
the golden altar, then I say, sighing deeply in my heart;
Leery prcciau.s ranc Lv thu car;rin;.'ti,c so.iiL,., rh.
lopaz, and. the iaspct, the chru,;olitp. ond tte ong\ and rha
beryL th" sdryhne, on-d th? carbun.te, dnd ttta enerald_

To those who know ttre pioperties of precious stones it becrmes evidetrq to their utter astorjshment, that none is ab,
sert from the tru&ber oI tlese (wittr the onty exception of
the carbuncle), but tLat they abound most copiously, Thus,
wheD-out of my detighr h rle beaury of rhe hous" of God
-tle lovetiness ot &e Dany-colored sems ha, calted me
away froE ertemal cares. and wonhy mFdirarion has induc'ed me to regecr, transtprrirg Lhat which is material
to tiat *hich is immaterial, on the &versity of ttre sacred
vtutues: then it seems to me that I see m,'setf dweling, as
lt were, in some sbang region of the univene which
neither exiitr eEtirely in the sline of the earrh nor eniirelv
in lhe puity oI HFavent and rhar. by tte grace ot Cod, i
can be transported froln ths inlerior ro tLat higher world
in aD anagogical manner. I used to converse witl havelers
from Jerusalem and, to my grear detight, to leam from those
to rvhom the treasures of Constantinopl and &e omaments oI Hagia Soplia had been ac{essible, wherler t}le
things here muld clairn some value in comparison lvith
tlose tlere. When they acl,-nowledged tlat tlese here were
the more important ones, it occuncd to us that those rnarvels of which we had hard befo.e mi-qht have been put

SUCER

31

awBy, as a maFer of precrurjoD. for ler or rhe

Fmnls;
lest,rtuough the rasb rapacty of a srupid few rbe pa,tisans
ot the Creeks aDd La!"., called upoD tle scene,

might suddeDly be moved to sedition and warliko hostilitie<;

for wari-

ls prcemluendy chamctedstic of the Creek. Thus it

cou]d Lapper that the treasues which are visiblo
here, depodted h ssfery, amount to more Gan tbose
whtch bad
ben vftiblo there, left [on view] under condidons usafe
on ac.lunt o[ disorders. From very xDary trutbfu] men,
even from Bislop Hugles of Laoq we had heard woadertul ancl aknost incre&ble reportj about tle superlority of
Hagia SopbJah and otler churche!, oma&enb for tle
;e]etrration oI Mass. If this fu so-or ratkr because we believe
it to be so, by lhFir te.tmooy-then such bestimable and
inccmparable tre?$res oug_bt to be erposed to tle
iudgEeDt of the 6any, L", ?aery man abotnd ln hts ou:n sensi,
Dess

To.me, It-onfess, one thing has al\ra)s seemed preeminently

titting: that every costler or rcsdiest tli"g shoutd se.,;,

6-rst nd-IorerEost, Ior rhe admidsrration of rhe Holy
Eu-

charlst: Il golden pourtng vesse)s, golden vials, go)den I tle mortars used to se e, by tbF \rord of Cod or tle comDand oI tho Prcphet, to collect the blaod ol
ot calo?r
Eoa$

or tha rcd, helfer: ho$ mucl more must goldeD vessels, predous 6tones, and wbarever ts nost wlued among al] created
thtDgs, bo lrid oug n4th continuat reverence and tull devotiorL for tle recptior oI tie Uood ol C,4rrrr, Surely neither
wo nor our possessioDs sufice lor this 6ervic. ff, by a new
creatioo, our substaDc were re-Iormed Iroar thai of tle
boly Cbenrbln and Seraphim, it wou_ld still ofer an ilsu.ficieDt sDd unworthy servicr lor so gleat anC so inefable a
ed yet we have so g'eat E propl&tjon for our sitrs.

vlctim:

Th detractoN also obiecr Gat a saindt mind. a pure heart,

a falthful intention ought to s,rfice foithis sacred fuction;
and we, too, explcidy aDd especialJy a$rm rhat it ls tlese
tnat princJpally matler. IBurl we profess tbar we must do
homage also thmugh tle outward onrrxoenrr of sacred ves,
sels, and to nothing in tbe world in ,n equal degyeF es to
-inncr
the. service of thp Holy Sacrjfce. witl 6I
purity aod
witl a[ outward Alendor. For it behooves us most becomingly to serve Our Sayiour in all things in a uiversal ivay-

Him Who has not refused to provide for us in a[ things in a

uriversal way and without any excepuoni Who bas fused
our natue with }lis into one admirable individualityi Who,
setllng $ an His iCht hmd., has promised u,5 iD truth ro
possess Hb Kingilom; av Lord \Nho liaeth and reigvth I ar

)i{XIV, We also chaDged to its present form, s},rnpathizing with their drcoEfo& tl1e chon oI the brethren, which
had beeD detriEeDtal to healtb for a long time on account
o[ the coldness of t]ie roarble and the copper and had
caused great Ludihip to those who constaDtly attended
sefl,ice in church; and because of the increas in our community (with thc help of Cod), we endeavored to edarge
it.
lYe also caused the ancient pulprl wLich-admirable for
tLe most deucate and nowadays irreplactable ssulphte of
its ivory taLlets-sur?assed human evaluation also by the
depiction of antique subieclr, io be rcpaned after we had
reassembled those tablets which were molderilg all too
and evetr under, tle repos'ltory of the moDey chests;
oD tle rigtrt side \pe restoled to their placs the admals oI
copper lest so mucb and adrdrable material perisb" and had
Ittre wholel set up so ttrat tle readilg of Holy Cospels

long

i.D,

migtrt be perforded iD a more elevated plac!. In tle b_

gimiDg of our abbacy ve had already put out of t}le way
a celt i-D obsbrcdoD which cut as a da& wau tlrough the
cenkal Dave of the churdr, lest tle beauty of tie chulch's
raaglitude be obscured by such balrie$,
!'unher, we saw to it, both on account oI its so exalted
f,mcdon and of th6 value of the work itseLf, tlat the faeous
tb:oae of the glorious Ifing DagoberL wom with age atrd
&lapidated, was restored. oD it, as &nciot hadidotr relates,
tho kings o{ ttre Franla, after havjlg talen tho reigrB of
govem$eDt, used to sit in older to reeive, for tle 6Ist
time, th6 homage of tleir nobles.
AIio we had rcgilded the Eagle in the middle of the choir
which bad become rubbed bare tlrough the frequent
touch of admirers,
Moreover, we caused to be painted, bv ttre exquisite
hards of many mastem from dificrent regioff, a splendid

variet] oI new \lnrdows, both below and above: from that

6r.r on( wl nl, LF, ur lihe seri",l wjr-b Ge Tr?e ol Jp,r
in the chevet of d:e chuch to that which is iDstalled above
the principal door in the church's entrarce. On of ttrese,
urging us onward from the material to the immaterial, represents the Apostle Paul tuming s mill, and the ?rophets
carryhg sacks to the nill. The venes of this subject arc

'By working the mil, thou, Isul, takest the loul out of tle

Tlou

bowlr the inmost meaning of ttre Law of

makest

From so many grains i-s made tle b.ue bread witlour bmn,
Our and tLe angels' perpetual food."
AIso in

tle

same wiDdow, where ttre veil i5 taken ofi

face oI lfoses:

tle

nlftat Moses veih the dockines of Christ utveils.

They who bare Moses despoil the Law."
In the sarne window,

above the A-rk oI

tte

Covenant:

"On the Ark of the CovenaDt is established the a.ltar with

the C,ross o{ Christ;
Here ]ife wjshes to aie under a greatn coveDart.-

Ako in the same [window], wbere ttre Lion aDd Lamb

useal the Book:
"He Wtro is ttre great Cod, &e Lion and tle Lamb, useats
th6 Book.
The Lamb or Lion becomes the flesh joined to cod."

In another window, where

Moses iD ttre arkl

tle daughter oI pharaoh fiads

h the ark is tLat Man-Cbild WLom

Royal the Churcb" Iosrers w ! pious mid,"Moses

tlo

maiden

In the same window, *Lere ttre Lord appeared to lloses

in the buming bush:
'Just as this bu$ is

seeD ro

bum yer is not bumed,

t
t
t
I
I
I
I

I
t
I
t
I
I

34

TEE MIDDLE

So he who

ir

{rI

ACES

of t-his tue Divhe

blltr

lvith it vet is not

bumed."
AI.so

in tle

in the same [window], where Pharaoh is submerged

sea

with his horsemcnr

-W}.ut Baplism does to ttre good, that does to

oI Pharaoh
A tike form but an unlike cause."

Ato iD the

tle

soldiery

same lwiDdow], where Moses raises

tle

'Just as the brazen 6erpent slays all serpents,

So CbrjjL nised on th Cross, slayE His enemies."

In tle

same wiDdo% u,here Moses receives the

35

crlstal, whicL th Queen of Aquitaine Lad Dresented ro or)r

Lord.Kjng Louis as a Dewly wFd bride on Gei_r firsr voyage.
JDd r-hp King to us as a triburc of his
tlert t"*. *"
mosl a[ectiotutely ro r]e Drnnc TJbts tor libarion.
"fi",-.a
W
bdvF rcarded tL" s"SueDce ot t}"s gILs oo tte vdse irsctr,
aller it bad been adomed wirlr gems and gold, in some Jjt-

'As a bdde, Eleanor gave thjs vase to King Louis,

Mitadolus to htr gl.ndIatjrer. tlc l\bg to Dp, and Suger
to the SlinLs. '
We also procured for

Law on

tle

a precious challc- out ot or

serviees at the aforesaid alrar

sotd
s.rdoolEs whjcL twordl
"

qenrs fiom -sardju!" an.t -o"r"",

i, *h;ch o"e isro".j

sardi red hu", by v:rrying irr protcrty, so sbongly conhastr lvith tle blackness of the onyx tlat oDe propefy
scems to be bcnt on trFspdssing upon tle or.l.pr.
Further we added aDori"r vasc sluped Iike a ewer. very
similar to tie fomer in material bur not in form, whose liide vetses are these:
r-h"

"A{ter the Law has been given to L{oses lhe grace of Cldst
invigorates it.
Clnca CIL\eth lile, thz l.ettet kiUe\h."
Now, because [these windows] are very valuable on accomt of ttret wonderfrl execution and the profuse erpenditllIe of painted glass arld sapphire glas, wc appoilted an
oEcial master cnftsmaD for their protection aDd lepan, and
also a goldsmittr skllled in gold and silver ornament, who
would receive their allowaDces and what was adjudged to
them in ad&tioq viz., coitri from the aliar and flour from
the coDrDon storehousc of dre bre*[en, and who lvould
never reglect then duty to look alter these lworks of art],
:L\-rfiV A. . . . We also ofiered to the blessd Denis,
together with sone fowers hom the crom of the Empress,
anodrer most preciour vesset of prase, carved into the fo!D1
of a boaL which King Iruis, son of Philip, had tefr jn pawr
for nearly ten yean; we had purcha-sed it with tle Kingt
percJssioD for sixty marl.s of silver when it had beeE ofiered
to us for lffpection. It is aD established fact that this versel,
admirable for tle quality of the preciors stone as well
as for the Iattert u!turpaired quantill, is adomed witl
'veroteie cloisor.n6e" work by St, EL,: rvlnch is held to
be most preciorr iD tLe ,udgment of aL goldsmiths.
StiU aDother vase, Iooking Lil<e a plr' rottle of beryl or

"Since we Eust o&er LL-Ljoos to God

I, Sus.r, o8er thjs vase to thc ro.a "

witl C"os,nd

Cotd,

We also gladly added to the orher vessels for the sane

oftce an xcelent gaUon vasc, which Co1Dr Thibaut of Blois
had-conveyed to ur in tle same case ia *Lich tle King oI
Sicily had sent it to hir.
_A-Lo

we daposit"d in rh" s.ne place

11hich we had assisn"d to rh"

chapel.

r-he

Urrtc crystat vascs

d"ily s"rvjcF in ou lprivarFl

And lurtier we adapted fo! rhe sewice of the altar, with

thf aid oI gold iod siller m3terial, a porpbyry vase, made
adnilablc by tlp h"nd of th. scrnpror aqd'lolish.., after
il bdd laiD idly in a chest ror mlr1y years, .onvcrting ir

from a igon ioro Ge shape ol an eaeler and we had the

Iollowing ve es itu.ribed oo this vase:
ber"ved to(L $.s rediscov"r.d Lo re,z,
acquned *,!:.roDg
by Mr. Widpoer of rhnaddDbJa aDd re@ntlv sive; ro

'Ibt

U,e

cll,.

Na5oul c-llery or An in wdfuproo. S"e pad;f;kf,

p.,o5 aDd 6A. .a.

op.

37

:rsr r{D)DL! Acrs

36

-This stone deservc' lo L" enclo "d in g(ms and Sold'

;,i tl"'e l,"ninc l it is more precious

;;:;;;#

than marble."a

'"

CONSECRATION
LI:|ILE BOOT ON
'6
ST''DENX;
OF
OF TE CSUICE
Franls'
rI when the qlorjour and famous KinB ofin the
admint]re
roval magranimitv
no less.devoted to the
""'j"u.i ""ilir!r."ta". and vtqu"ge
or cat,Iliac,:n in
oed to the
,'r"rable war-h or his. father clothaire'
of rh"
i" ua r*-"d r-IEt tre venerabtetoimages
l'")
very
as
bim
therP-rppPdrir'd
ris
in sDou'whirF s,nent5-'equestcd
Bldr
aid
$eil
him
*,1".,"*s\' promi'ed
tlat
'.illl"J""li..a",
a;reed wi.l adrnirabre agecton
magd6cnce'
regJ
wlh
built
l"J-'"",i^l-,', ir.- s,r"r. be
;"a'rr'r' tu*ir"."l witb a mawerour
incalculablv wilh
J,l'""*? .*tr"--"4,'ns be enriched-it
and huns on iB waus'
i,illil.l'""t'i**; e;a and slver
o.gold and richlv
.olumns and arches tapestries woven
to
pearrs' so t'\at it misht seem
,
broomins
or au otrer ourct'es and'
and adomed wittr every tenestrLr
one
wjLh inestimable splendor' onlv
iljil*'.
siTe
the
for
".ii.lil,"-"
auow
""i', ur: Gat-"'."r"e
he did not

TE

OTEER

r"''[
iiiil,iit
:ffi;Jc.d' t;
i',il'i .'J"t"
*L,
ffi""i,;;il;;"""d
;::li; ;;; ";;
liiili"a'
i.
*il',"oT,liuil*t

l'l,I-ii J,i ',r'rr:r

I::ffi. ;;;";;

ffi#;,;;;;i;i*i"r
-lii-'t

'1".r." *;' *'i

was Iackin g in his
li,*'#' ;i:H'":
at
pcrhaps there existed thus tar'
Ii1j",i"?

ii.Ii;r

-""i',i,u,

uut

r.lY-"1;i?;J ff
?"
il":
"i,r"
1,""1'.'"J#?i', Jil,l,i' "i'i#;?iqi
ard del'ighdullv be'

.ijii,i,"' "'

r"a, cr.;,"h'

cems to the admirirg eyes more rceruv

::H io:"'#"*;;";-wo'!rrd

srow

witl

i"

sreate' radiance

iI it were built l'rger'

arkndttrS thi\ singttar
Thoush a forhnate cir(umstance
or the taitlrul s'o"'t"c- ing 1l:

than

Ji"#l'il-;"-b"; the intercessioD or the saints-thF

:[f,i;Jilc t; '""k ro surer srave inconveo'iences'
lrXl'lli',a"i*,i,Tn"a

"ome

r The 'A1sui're de Suger" is in the

Loute' ?arB'

tluouuh
often on least davs, complelelv hlled' rr &sgorged

iri'i* a"*',-r,r"

r-be

crowds as ttrev moved

ir

or-'

"i outward pres"ure ol the loremo*

"-"."
*a the
iJ."o*',
hom en""',i"
I".. ""*J, ***,'a d)ose attempting to cllFrer:tered
I-",'-r,,i "i'J"*"u.a 6ose who had arendvthe crowded
-At
;::.:; ;ff;;;, , marver 10 behord tbat

to those who strove to

- urucb resistancr
holv relics' the Nail and
;*k;;;;;;np and kjss the,lrons
thouthe
one
i".i *"r Do
t"."*',
'ourdessmove a
could
"'ir"
densitv
very
their
t"*". ol
."J,
"ir""or" u.""*6 ol their very coDsestjo,' could
iii."tiJ,l""",
stdv b"iiJ ""J-" t* staDd )ike a marble shrue'
of the
distress
scre3m
i."#r"l'"" i. , hsr resort
.rbe
th't

Iririra.

os*"a

w.men. howevet, sas so

thev.

ge"t

and so intolerable
in bv the mdss

l)o

o[

."',ii''."i l"*
"q,re"z"d bloodle's {aces as io im;;.,;"
in
'*hlr'i"a
ll',"- i.ir','"i,'p,
r,.* "'"
t.hev cried out holriblv as thuusb
underloot
troddeo
i1*, m*li'"',r oi tlem mnerablv of roen above ihe
il", ll"ri. uitJ u"*" pious assistaDce
cUr:giag to
i,.,L J,i" *".a, .*cled lorpard as thoug!
rast
witl
;;* -anv othels, saspi,s Lo thethei!
;;;;;;
despan
i.lr,}l*"*a , ,1" ":"isters of the bretlren
were shog'bg the
I "r"ir1...-ll"r"*". ,le brettuen whovisitors
had to vield
i"r# ii,l" plt.,* "r our Lord to arretime haviag
no place
*a a"*g and maov
i"
,,i l ,-u; re)'ics througL the windows wben
il 'i"ul*"'
[*-,
""i,rJ u, *" bretluen as a scboolbov I used to
i--IJ**","a
il;-"iG;; in mv voutb I deplored jt rrom withoutiB!'in
;;.;;;;";',
',itnn

;'.usrv

u ,!o*"a U;^ -ho

;:,b'.' ;;;i;i,*

slrooE

ir'o*ectd
rE ltont mg nath??s

nrcve to bavo

sepatated

Hi

srarc, to place insigDr6cant

were igaiosr it, at de head or th"
sacred cburcbr ttren'

b,7

;:";iil;J;;;;.
oitr*
:"';;;;;iJGton
.ii#uH;;
oDrv
;;..d"; "I the a{oresaidiDcoD!aience
aid or
tle
bv
ald
God
il'i#il;;;;;;JAr.mrshtv
*u"t
Sa=iots, we resolved to hasten'
11""".
oi,"
"*'l,ton
o{ our mind' to the
ill ii.* "ill *a aI tle aflection
place-we who would never
.{ t}re aJoresaid jt
;;;;
*, .* hand to
L;;;;;J,"

nor even ro

ihilk ot it'

HX:"

38

ll

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ll

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rm

MTDDLE AcEs

had not so great, so necessary, so useful and honorahle an

oclasion demaDded irSince

in &e ftont part, towa.d tle north. ar tte

main

enb'dncF wirtr tle main doors. rhe nrnow h"U r;s squ"ezed
in on eit-ber side by twio towers neirher brSh nor very srurdy

but tb-r"3reaing rub. $e bFsan, wi# rhe bptp oI Coj,

snenuously to worl. on this parr, bavjng l-id v.ry strong
materidl foudrLjoE for a srraighr
uio to*.i
""*ir ,na
dnd mosl strong spintual ones of which
is said: Fo. o,i.r
lotndatbn can nn nun hV than that i, kid, u.)hnh is les:Ls
C,rilirt. Leaning upon Cod's inesrinable courlsel and irret.
ragable aid, we proceded wirh thij so great aid so sump_
tuous work to such an extent tlut, while ar 6rst, expeEding
little, we hcked much, aJteruards. accompli.hing much, we

*ked notiing ar :tl .rnd even conJ"ssed

- o* ,S*a,"*,
Out s fr.icncs t, ol Cod. Ttuau]h a sitr ot cod r naw
quany, yiFlding very shor g rtonF. was dncove,ed such as
in quality aDd quantiLy had never been found in tlese
I

regioru. There arrived a sk_illful crowd of masorls, sto.ecrtters,

scr]lptols and otler workmen, so *rat-thus and otlewise

-Divitrity lelieved ul of our fears and favored u3 wfth Its
good will by conforting us and by providins ue wirl
unexp"cted-[resources]. I used to mmparc the le;sr to
tbe grFare"t, Solomont riches muld nor havF sujtrced for hj< T;mpte
aDy morc thsn did ouls for this work had not the same
Aulhor ot th same work abundanrty supptied Hir anenddnis. The identity of rhp aur}or and tle worl( provides a
su.Eciency for tie workr.
In carrying out such plalls my 6rsr tlousht was for the
concordaDce and Larmony oI tle ancient and the Dew work,
By reflection, by inquiry, and by inve.sug.rrion througi difierent regjons of remore districts, we end.avored to team
wherc we might obtain marbte colurnns or columns ttr
equivalent thereof. Sinc we tour:d none. only one thing was
lelt to lls, djshessed in mhd and spint: w; mjgbt ottain
them from Rome (for in Rom. we bad otten seen wonderIul ones in tle Palace of Diocleriarl and otler Batls) by
safe shps ttuoueh the Mediterranean, rlence th$ugl the
Englisb Sea and tle tortuous windbgs of the River Seine,
rt great erTense to our f.iends and even under convoy of

39

our Fnemies, dre : errby Sar:cerx. For rr.ny yeurs. for e

long time, we were perplexed, L\in-kbg aDd mdking inquiri"s-when suddeoly rle g.ncrou, muri6cence oI tbe AJmighty, condescDding to our jabo , revealeal to the astonisbment of all aDd tlrough tle nerit of tle Holy Mart
rs,
what one.wou.ld Dever have r-boughr or imagined: very hne
and exceuent tmtmL!1. Therefore. the serrer acrs ol
gace, coEtary to Lope and human expectation, Divine
mercy had deig:red ro besto\v by lprovjdiigl a suitable
place lvlere it could nor be more agreeable to us, tle
greater [aas of gmtitud"] ve rhoughr ft worlh ou efiort
to ofler i! rehlrn for the remedy of so geat aD alguish. For
Dear PoDtoisg a to[,D adjacent to the conffnes o] our ter_
ritory, there [was fomd] a wondedul quarry [which]
Irom ancipnt tim"s had orekd a deep cbasm
thoXowej
oul, not by mture bul by industry) to cuti.ers of mjllsrones
for t-heir livelilood. Having produced Doihing reroarkable
tlus far, it resewed, we thoughL the begiDning of so great
a,usefulness for so great aDd divine a buitdtng_as a-Grst
ogering, as it were, ro Cod and thc Hoty Marrlrs. WLeoever the columns vere hauled Irom rle bonom of the stooe
wjl-h knotted ropes, bol]l our own people and ttre pious
Deiglbors, nobles and common folk dike, woutd tie tleir '
aDs, chestr, and shoulders ro rhe ropps aDd, acring as dIalft
anrmals, drew the colunns upt snd on the dectiviry in ttre
middle of t[e town rhe diverse craJrsmen l*id aside ttre tools
of tleir trade and .sm out to meet tlem, ofieri-Dg ttreir
olvn skeDgth ogainst the diftclllty of the road, doint homage as much ss they col d to Cod and the Holy Mart,rs.
There occr.:rred a wondetrl m;racle worthy of teliiag whicb
we, baving beard ir ourclvs Lom r-rrose p.ese,t, ti"e aecided to set down wth pen ald inl lor rte praise of tle
Aldrighty and His Saints,
III. On a certanr day when, with a downpou of rain, a
dark opacity had covered ttre hubid ai!, ttrose accustomed
to assist iE th6 work ehile tI6 carts were coming doirln to
th quarry lvent ofi because oI the violence of thJ rain. The
ox-drivers complahed aDd protested that they had nothing
to do and tLat the laborers were standirg aroud aod lostng
time. Cldmori.D6, t}"y Sr.w so insisrFnt ihar som" weak and

T
4\
drsabled persons togetler with a few boys-seveDteen in
number and, iI I am not m.istaken, with a priest preseDthasteDed to the quarry, picked up one of the ropes, fastened
it to a colutrrD and abandoned another shaft which was
lying on the gound; {or there was nobody who would undertake to haul ttris one. Thui animated by pious zeal, the
tinle group prayed: 'O Saint Denis, if it pleaseth tlee, help

Cheweuse we sununoned throug[ our serv"

anis the keepers of our ow,l1 lorests as well as mea who
krew about the other wooils, aDd questioDed ttreE under

us by dealing lor thyself with tLis abandoned sha{t, for ttrou

caist l1ot blame us iI we are unable to do it." Then, besring

oath whettrer we cou.ld 6nd there, Do matter $dth how mucL

t ouble, any timbeG of tLat messure. At thjs they soiled, or

on

it heavily, ttrey dragged out what a hundred

ad

lorty

or at least oDe hunalred men had been accustomed to haul

flom the bottom of tle chasn with diftculty-not alone by

&emselves, for tlat would have been impossible, but
u\rough the will of God and the assistance of &e Saints
whom ttrey invoked; and they conveyed this matelial lor
the church to ttre cart. Thus it was made known throughout
the neighborhood tlaL tiis work pleased Almighty God excedingty, since for the praise aDd glory of His name He
had chosen to give His help to those who perfonned it by
tbis and similar sigls.
As a secoDd iDstance there is related aDother notable
event wofhy oI remembraoce, remarkable to tell and deserying to be set forth with au&ority, Wlen ttre work had
bee! fuished iD $est pal| when ttre stories o( ttre old and
the new building had been joined, and when we had laid
aside the aDxiety we had long felt bcause of those gaping
craclc ilr tle old watls, we undertook with new conidence
to repat tle damages in the great capitals and in tie bases
tlat supported the columns. But when we inquired both
of ou carpenters and those of Paris where we nnght fnd
beams we were told, as was in their opinion true, tlat such
could iD no wise be found in ttrese reg:ons owing to the
lack of woods; tLey would inevitably have to be brougtrt
hitler fiof' tle disEict oI Auxene. All concured wit! ttris
view a,ad we were much distressed by this becauso of the
magdtude of the task and the long delay of tle worki but
on a certain Drght, when I had rehmed from celebrating
Matinr, I began to think i! bed tlat I mvsell should go
*uou(h all th" fotests ol these parts, look around everywhere and allcviate r-hore del.vs and r:oubles iI lbcrms]

could be fomd here, Quickly disposing of other duties and

hurrying up in tho eady moming, we hastened with our
carpenters, and with the me$uremnts of the beams, to the
forest called Ivelirc. Wtren we traversed our possession iD

:
:

tle Valley oI

rather would have laughed at us iI thy Lad daredi they

wondered whether we were quite ignorant of the fact that

nothing of the klnd could be foud iD tle entirc regioD,

especialy since Milon, the Cartelan of Cheweuse (our
vassal, who holds of tll one half of the folest in additioD
to another Gef) had Ieft nottring unirnpaired or untoucbed
that could be used for building palisades aod bulwarks
while he 1Yas long subiected to wars both by our Lord the
IGng sod ADaury de Mondort. We howeve!-scortrirg
whatever they oiglt say-bega& reith the courage of our
faitl as it \pe!e, to search thrcugh the woods; aad toward
ttre 6ist hour we found one timber adequate to the ueas'
ure, Wby say moreP By the ninth bour or sooner we lud,
through the thickets, the deptlx of ttre lolests sDd the
dense, thorny tangles, marked dowr twelve timbetr (for so

muy were necessary) to tle

astonistunent oI all espeially

tlose on the spot; and when they had been carid to ttre
sacred basilica, we had them placed, with exultatioD, lpon
tLe ceiling of the Eew st cture, to tle praise aDd glory of
our Lord Jesus, Who, protecting them Irom the hands oI
plulderers, had reserved t}leb for Himseu and tbe Holy
Martlrr as He wished to do, Thus h thir matter DiviDe
geDelosity, which hrs chosen to temper sDd to gratt all
thng;s acoording to belght and fieasurc, ma! ested itse[
as neither xcssive nor defective; fo! Dot one more [dEbr]

ttran was needed could be found.

IV. Thus continually encoursged h so great enterpdses
by so great and manifest sig$, we immediately hastned
to tl6 completion oI the aloresaid buil&ng. Haviag doliberated in what manner, by what persons, a:rd how truly

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solcmnly the church should be comcmted to Alnighty

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42

'r'E[E

MmDLE

ACES

God, and havjng suimoned the ex.ellent man, Hugues,

Archbishop oI RoueD, and the other venerable Bishops,
Eudes of Bauvais [and] Peter oI SeDlis, we chanted in
celebration of this cetemony a pollphonic praise amidst a
$eat tbroDg of divrse ecclesrasfical personages and an

laity. . , . ConcemiDg tle date

oI completion, however, this jr the established kuth as it
enolmous oDe oI clerly atrd

csa be read--oh may

it

not be obscu.redl-in the golden in-

scdpdoD above the gilded doors which we have caused to

be made ia honor of God and th saintr:

'Ihe

year was the One Thousand, One Hundred, and

Fortieth
Year of the Word when ltlis sh'ucturel was coniecmted."
After tle consecration of the Chapel oI St, Romanus and
otlen whicb with ttre help of the Ejehest Majesty, hxd
been celebrated in the front palt [of the church], our devotion-so much inyigorated by ii! own success, and so long
aDd iotolerably distressed by that congestion around the
IIoly oI Holies-dlected ou.r intentions toward another

goal free ftom the aforesaid work, and through postpodng

tle completion oI tho towers in their upper portions, we
would sb:ive vdth aI our might to devote labor and er.pense,
as ffttingly aDd nobly as it could reasonably be done, to the
enlargement of the church off motler-ar an act of gratitude because Diune condescension had reserved so great a
work to so small a man who was tle succssor to ttr nobility
oI such great kiags and abbots. We communicated tlrk plan
to our very devoted brettrren, tohose hedds bltrrvd lot Ie s
uhlb He tilked @ith thera Dg rtu ,ooll. Deliberadng under
C,od's inspiration, 1ve choose-in view of that blessing Fhich,
by tho testimoDy of venerable writings, Divine action had
bestowed upon ttre ancieot conseqaHon of tle church by
tlo ertension oI lobrist's] o1!rr hand-to respct the very
stoDes, sacred as tley are, as tLoug! tley were relicsr landl
to endavor to eDnobte tle new adaition. which was to be
begun under tLe pressu-re of so geat a need, with dre
beauty of lengtl and width, Upon considerstion, then, it
was decided to rcmove that vault, unequal to t}le higher
one, which, overhead, closed ttre apse coDtaining the bodies

ST.-DErfis, CEnvET. CoMr,{.r"{Tr.,'E LoNcrTUDrN.[ SEqnoN

(chiefly based on S. McK. Gasby, The Abbe| ol St.-Denis,
I, New Haven, 1942, Figs. 56, 68, 86, 87).

I
@
Nl
E

Carolingian Masonry Preserved by Suger.

Carolingian Masonry Tom Down by Suger,
Masonr,T Filled in by Suger.

Sugels Nw Upper Chojr (Tentative Approximation).

A.

CarolingiaD "Conlessio" (Original Resdng Place

of the Pahon Saints).

Carolilgian Sunleo Chapel \dspta &t loolra

altl,rd inequalbl a.dh@rehat) .
C. Masoay Filled in by Suger,
D. Ca,olingian Apse (aolta altia,i llaq@lhl,'re.
moved" by Suger.
B.

Floor Level o, Sugert Upper Choir.

b. Floor Level oI Carolingian Apse.
.1.

Floor Level of Present Nave.

Floor Levei oI CaroLingian Nave.

44
of our Pahon Saints, aU ttre way do$E to tle upper suiface
of tle cD?t to which it adhered;6 so that this crwt might
ofiq iti top as a pavenoent to ttrose approaching by either
oI the hvo stai$, and might present ttre chasses of the
SaintJ, adomed with gold and precious gems, to tle yiritors'
glances iD a morc elovated plac. Moreovr, it was curEil1gly povided ttrat-tbrough the upper columrs and cen-

tral ardes which were to be placed upon ttre lower ones

built tD the crr?t-the cDtral nave of tie old Dave should
be equalized, by Eearli of geometrical and arithrnetical insk@entr, witb tLe cenhal nave of tL Dew addition; and,
likeg.,lse, that tle dimeDsions of the old side-aisles should

wit} the diDeDsioDs oI the Dew side-aisles, ex,

lor that elegaDt ald praiselvorttry addition, in lttre
Iorm ofl a clrcr:lar string of cbapels, by r,irtue of whieh
be equalized

cept

the whole [cLurch] would shjne witl tle wondertul and

udnteEupted tight of most saoed windows, pervadiDg the
iDterior beaufy.
V, For tlree years we pressed

tie completion of the wolk

at SIeat eipeDse, witb a Durrero$ fiowd of \{orkmen, surnIller arcd wiDte! lest God have iust cau! to complain of us:
lhlw eges dld, see mg nbstance Vet beiflE unperlect; \\,e
EAde good progress wit! His own coopmtiod eDd, iD tle
likeness of ttre things DiviDe, drcre was establisled to ,l
lo| of the bhob eanh mo1.nt Zlnn, oith.e stdzs ol the
^otth,
the .,ltA ol tha Great KinA, ia t\e mldst of wblcb God.
lDiU
not be mooed,bnl v,],lnot djsdai& rrroed by ttre entleaties
of tle sinners, to be placated and propitiated by tle sweetsmeling bumt ogenDgs of t}le penitent. The mldst of the
edl6ce, horpever, was suddenly nired abft by colunls
representing ttre nunber of tle Twelve Aposdes aDd, secoDdarily, by as many columu in tLe side-alsles sigdflng
tle number of the Inrnorl Prophet!, according to ttre
6See illEtraEioD, p. a:, reprodued hod PaDotsry, op. ./r..
p. 22\ Nd tbtd., p. 22o: "Freely paraph$ed, the seqteo(a
rnealsr 'It was decided to renove the apoo (D) ,&hich lorned
the upper pan of lhe salctuaiy wheriD wr kept (a) the rcltcs
ot ou Psirotr S"lnts. This aDse, lower tha! the prpsent od", ws
removed aU $- way doM'lo Lhe top surlF ;f Lbe d}?t (s)
to wlii.I it was attrclred. . . ."'

-^.BBOT

sucEE

45

Aposde who bufldetL spililtrally. No.!, tfurclore

Ve arc M
rnoft slrongets ond.loftlgrcrs, says be, but
te\ou citiz?tt
tL\lth tha sai s ond. o! thp ho,UJehold ol God; otd. arc buil
up.oi tha toutdn on ol th" opostlcs oM ptophztr, lcsns
CbH Hl,isel! betnA the chtel cornzrsto,tz wht& 1ii one
wall to tLe otheri h Wlon oll the building-wherlar spiritual or materlal-gyorret h unt o one holg tiple tn tha Lird .
In Whan ue, too, are raughr to be buildzd b\ethq lot

an tulbitttton ol God thftuCh lhe Hoty Spi U/ouxaves

jn a spiritual way, the more loftily and 6tly
we shive to

build in a matedal way.

Meanwbile-cblefly so)jcitoils for the b-anjlarion of onr
Iatlotr Saintr the most Holy Martyrs and also of tbe other
sarbts w!o, scf,nered sbout the cburch, were worshjped in
lle digereDt chapels-we Felt devoutly D]oved to embellish
their most sacred chasses. especialty those ol the patrons;
and se)ectrirg [a place] to wbich they n:ight be traaslenej
tso as to preseDt tiemselvesl to the visitors, glaDces ia more
glorious eud conspicuous mame!, we eDdea;ored, with
the
help of Cod, to build [a tomb] very iJJustrious bottr by the
exqdsit6 hdustl.y of ttre goldsEfrhs, art aDd by a wellth of
gold and precioui stoDes. We made preparatioDs to fortify
tlem all rou.nd, outl.erdly noble for omament by virtue oi
tl.ese
sim aI lpreciouj rnateriats], yet iDwardly nor
-."J1
iSDobl for safety by !,lrtue of a masonry of very strong
stoDes; a-nd oa tle ertertor-lest the place'be disogured by
tle substance oI uaconcraled stones-to adom it _(yet Dot
[so handsome)y] ar would be proper) wir-h gitdej panets
ol cast mppcr. For Ge gFnerosty of so Ireat Fathers, experienced by ouselveq and att demands tlat we, Eost Diserable men who feel as well as need ttreir tutelage, should
deem it rvorth our efort to cover the most saoed ashes of
those w)rose venemble spirirl, radiant as tle sun, lttend
upon Alsiglty Cod wi& rhe mosr p,eciou Darerial we
possibly c-an: with re6ned gotd and a orofusion oI hvacinths, emeralds and other precious stones_. One thfug. however, we did cLoose to have done resplendendy: we would
erect in froDt oI tbe mosr honored bodies uf the Satnts whar

had never been there before-an attar for tbe sacrificial

worship of God, where popes and persons of high rank

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rEE

MTDDLE AcEs

1aBm

migtrt rvoliily o$er the propiriatory Hostr, acceptable to

God, with the intercesslon oI tlose who oEered ttremselves
to Cod as_a fragaDt bumt o$ering. While w, overcome by
tieldity, had planned to set up in froDt of this tattarl ;
parel golden but modest, tle Holy Martyts tlerselves
handed to us sucb a wealrb of gold aod most preciour gems

-,uneqected and lardly to be fou::d anong kingi_as

ttrough thoy were teUhg u with their own jips; -Wt;ther
tlo'r vrart5t it or Dot, we waDt it of the bsi; so lhat we
would leithe! have dajed, nor have been sble to, make it

adairable and very preciouj in workmanship as

For not ody did ttre very po"u$s-who
wear them especially on ac.ount of ttre dignity of ttreir
othe-r than

well

as xoatedal.

o$cf--rloreDt iI they welf preseDt to assign tbeir ponMcal rtugs, set wiLh a woDde*ul variFry of preciou stones,
io thlr paDel; t-bey eve[ iI Lh"y were absenr in laDds overs,eas, sent tbem of their own ac.ord, tncited by ttre
Iove of
tbe- Holy Mart,$. Also the illusr-iorjs Klng himself, ofleriog
of his oivD accord emeralds. pelluctd arJ distirguijhed by

qrarkings-Count Thibaut, hyacintllJ and lubies_pers

aD;

princes, preciorx pearls of divene colors and propertiesr

tal
ttresel iavited ur to complete the \rork in slorious farhioD,

fu

addition, so many lgeus and pear)sl were broughr to

us for s.rle ftom naarly all Lhe paru of Ge wortd (and. by

the grace of Cod, we were ats; oGered wberewir! to buy
them) that we should Lave beeD unable to let ttrem go \l'itlrout geat shame and ogense to ttre Saints. Here aad elsewLere we c{uld ffnd by experienct: Iet t}ere be a good

work iu ttre witl-then, with the aid of cod.

sented by ttre devotion

of such geat men to such great

&otectorsr Eay he desefle the wBtL of our Lord Denis

snd to be ptrced by ttre ,word oI ttre Holy chost.

Nor do we thnl it proper to be sileDt in rcgad to the
follolving fact: wheD tle work on tle new addition witL irs
capitals and uppe! arches was being carried forward to the
peak of its heighr, but tie Dain arch6-staEding by ttemselver-were not yet held together, as ir were, by ttre bulk

tle vaulis,

there suddenly arose a terrible and aLnost un-

47

wiri

an obfixcation of clouds, an inundaa most violeor tuh oi wlDd. so Dislty

:f TY.
drd,tb&
IstorEI becobe rhat jr btru dowz not only weliouur houssr but veo srooe towers and wooden
biwarks.
day (r_he amivelsary of tbe gJod1!_ty.s
"l " "S*g rtre venenble
ous
.rulgragobert),.wheo
Bishop of dbarEes, uottroy_, wls soteoaly elebmHng ar t_be
;ai_o altlI a
tL9 formert soul such a force of con:Tvenhlar
l{as:
{o!
u4y Earesr Duflecr itst rgaifft the aforesaid arches, not
Dor resting on any props, rbat
]l_flfd fr alr.scao-otdirs
baEefrn ruin at aly momerr, Erserabry
:"y,,i|]y"i*

gl,"

aDd,

*3

ifl,,i,Tf,"X1f ,'j[".*;ffiTf;

**';.#"i::"f,',i

rconlq. hequeDdy exrcDd"d his bhssins iand

el, p"1 *a sseDrry berd out iowad ir,in
.T:,:]l::*,
ii
wDlre laaking t-b sigE of t-he cross, the
arm of ttre aged St.
nmeoDi so t-bat beescap.d disaxer,
manifestly not lLougi
Drs orvn strelgth of Eind but
bv tle gracc oI Cod and t[e
th" s,irrs. rhus llne teEpestl, vhne jr brousrt
i:l.:l
praces ro buitdilss Gouslt toL
:1aT* "* in aany
d_ase Gese isoL(ed and [ewty ,rade
::,.-]vls.y:k
l" roid-air,
arcDes,
totterirg iE
becaure it was repulsed by the
.
power of Cod.
mmorabre event wLlch hap.
:Io$er
p!6Decl,
--]^L:r:Dot{olowed
by ac:cideDr
(&s is beleved of such maners
by
ttrose agreelng with tb,at doctrine accordjog
to wbjch

lDll.p

wil it b; in

per{ectioD. TLus, should aryoDe presume to take away wirh

rash temerity, or krow.ingly to .limini<b, this ornatrreDr pre-

of

bea.-abt storm

sucEF

C hanc e tDcrndz r,s atlnb ssIU,

ngs and, b.lngs back etents; and Acctd,ent

flner

tfut

naital),

by

Which abuadaotly provjdes for

Pivile ceaerosity
p?ce th:rr b:pe h rr iE au &inss siear aDd smatL
-loji:yl:
ano
adrntdrters what Ir hows to be beneficial.
On a cer_

lut

ErD oay weroElerred wjrh our friDds.

sewaDts aDd stcwardr about tbo plovidoLs lor the court
be held on Lhe
lto
occasronJ ot.tie inmlnent mffecrationbecsuJ we andcf
pateo ll.wor d.bo very grearr aod.
considpring tbe di6co]ry
ot ttr6 tjEes rfor ir Junp alnosr alJ vicrul" were
sercej,
we had hirly welt provid"d tor
oth"r tling.. orty one
"U
tru8 womed us grievourl) : b""su. - or plJgle imong tie
"

LETT]IRS ON HOW CHARTRES WAS BUILT

48

have
sLeD bom iD that vear we would

i::i;"
i"irJ-*

to searcb {or mut-

Bursudv l

had
d."t", "i orlaans and tow&rd
was
*a.."a to g;ve r,ooo sbillings' -or wbatever
purpose'
wh"o wo'-rld eo Gero ror this

::::":";' ;

';;"" ,"J
"r"1i?iir'lo'""ri-i"i"

in;eru'nbg toasnuch as tbev

when I'
But on ttre following Eoming'
lt-ed trom our little cbasber to tle
Ioog

iri-*i.J-* f"".
iil,it"i"
ll-*il"i- .r"*"r,
H.rv Mass. B Plemoa'tratensiaD doDl sud-

of mv protests'
i'.rr" *i*?; u'ct to mv room I! tpite
so
il:" i-. ltd. initatFd because ho detained me from
civi)ib/'

him without too mucb

5"^';,k:;;;;;;eJ
Eeed mur
i*'a Lotd Fauer' Gat voucoosecratioB:
tiiui,il"-t
""
"-1"; ,1.'1[*rr'"e
celebntion or vouJ
:;:-:;.^*:"-' i, -'. t.er,hren. I bri.Ds to vour Patemal
mav keep wtrat

vou
Eiil"i'J.r i* i*r "irams so thar do
Dot like' wlen
;;-i; ;;i:; us back wbat vouwait for
us until alter
io
him
l:#;&i.";;,;"".ted
:,:-::--,;-- ;... *" inromed our b,etbren ir his pres-to
t.his
il on.,"d to " nrev asoibed
;;';";;;;;
furnished'
u'ex?ecledlv
I
had
ir"tiJ i"il,",,., u"*ure
il:ilt;il; l,.G*t u-e"e it Lither' the onrv

r"cking a"d;hourd have round ti'effi;il*J;;;";

some to search for.
'""ri.'i"'i i-ilia"* consunnation of the work and

been pantins ror this-a

h':d
""::;#;il;;;;;;which
or tle new chruch
ffi"'H::d;;;;.
".*""*ti*
as weII as
,i"i fi.] *"-r"*""trv *jshccl *i5 consecration
solemn
most
be.a
fr'""ilJrro"'', i i*''"ion sains to and
wrr
morr
a
as

event-a an

*#

.'l

ot gradrude' as it were'

tri'i"Hi'"hlTi:"r,q'ftbed
#i:i:il
ili
-s;;;'Kr"* 3*'.tlerl
Franlc (for h srdentlv
of

;;,
tbe date of the
il?."il."r"rr'",;""' his protectors)'
rbat ts' ths
in
.l'"",;," ;;;t; ';*nd sundav
-June
BarAposde
Ge
or
drv
iiiin"'i"'' l"r"* ,1" ldes' the

lIn rra<. Haimon,

abbot of Salnt-Pielre-sur'Dives In Nor-

TutbLuv Abbey i-o England

--a* #ot" tf" ,onlstleofbrllding
o{ churches 6roug!'
of
i*"iij;,,* O. ,;,""r"
togerler to honor of
people
baoded
.ta
i"
I",-i*"!".
*tl "rpray"ts and sweat briDging together
if,. Vt-.
"ta
tle hbnc of & great church This pnctice
for
*.

to

-ri.riaU
ut Chu.Ees, aDd
beer; h"
"ad,
tuir
' throuehout NormedY'

aJterwards gained rrometr-

lFtter, from A.rchbishop Hugh of Rouen to

A-l"ns' describes in particddr thc zPalSr.i"p ilr".ry
"f
labors of lbe Deople ol Chartres'
"*fU"'.
",'s
bv
i"n"", ii must be remembsed were written
xt
b
soub
upperr'
s
men
*.r.-'l*ri"" h,";,rs the st te ot
to
chuJcb.
popular
support
*e
elFat
ii"i, J,ai ",a ";1,t"
U",fa."-"i'*Sra r-hey speak reveals ltre spiritual mlor of
*r".t. *" must nol forget tbat arch'itects aod masoos'
'f,"
Iit""',,a *-"", n oog tl'"' tome or the gleatest the
i,.'ia a* n"*", air*ted t-hese vast works'l

;;"*;;

ABBOT HNMON TO HIS BROTHERS

AI

?UIBURI!

Bmther Haimon of the Company of SalDt-?ietre'sul'

o[
ui*.-hu-Ui" t"r"*t of servans o[ t]re Blessed Mot]erTul'
of
servantJ
fellow
and
UroLhers
I.-io f,i" **t a*.
i'lJ ' . wr," has """r seenl-'i6o has ever heard tell, In
men
ti-ls pa.t, tl"t powerful princes !f the world, that
tlat nobles' men and
lt"""i w r," honor aod in wealth. hsushiv
DedG to thc
;"-;;;, ;;"" beDr tlet proud a,d burden'
tlev have
i-""-" ri **, ""a Uat, uke b"dts ol
with
Ioaded
waggons,
tlese
; .h. iha" Chdst

a*ge"d
"f
l The letters a'e Emslated

iD large Part bv HeDry Adaras

Morr Sata!-Miclr.l and Chadree Bo'ton' ]eo4 (ttlenu qrpre.s,'

i;il.'i';i;;,'tp.
Lust, Ir.

oa

t , *u, ru*tutua

bv chdler P' Park-