The Miracles of Mary in Twelfth-Century France

Bruce L. Venarde

• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781501778421
• eBook ISBN: 9781501778452
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: French History
• Index: Literature

Murder in a cathedral, horrific illnesses and deformities, narrow escapes from injury and death, a vengeful dragon, a wandering eyeball, a bawdy monk and other sinners redeemed—the accounts of miracles performed by the Virgin Mary gathered and translated in The Miracles of Mary in Twelfth-Century France provide vivid glimpses into medieval life and beliefs. Bruce L. Venarde provides fluent translations of the first five collections of Marian miracle narratives from France, written in the second quarter of the twelfth century and never before available in English.

The stories recorded in these collections—by Herman of Tournai; Hugh Farsit; Haimo of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives; John, son of Peter; and Gautier of Compiègne—offer descriptions of travel, living conditions, medical knowledge, conflict between and among lay and religious authorities, and the burgeoning cult of the Virgin Mary, which had only recently become important in Western Europe. Including notes, tables, and maps that orient and illuminate the texts, The Miracles of Mary in Twelfth-Century France makes these riveting tales available to readers seeking a view into the medieval past.

Table of contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Names, Distances, and Place-Names
• General Introduction
• 1. Herman of Tournai, The Miracles of St. Mary of Laon
• 2. Hugh Farsit, A Little Book of Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the City of Soissons
• 3. Haimo of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, “Letter to the Brothers of Tutbury”
• 4. John, son of Peter, The Miracles of the Church of Coutances
• 5. Gautier of Compiègne, The Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Appendix 1: Hugh Farsit, Otium, Book I, 57
• Appendix 2: Herman of Tournai, Life of St. Ildefonsus
• Appendix 3: Guibert of Nogent, In Praise of St. Mary, 10 and 12
• Appendix 4: Guibert of Nogent, Monodies, Book III, 12–13 and 15
• Appendix 5: Emendations to the text of Hugh Farsit, A Little Book of Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the City of Soissons
• Bibliography
• Index