The Prophet Muhammad’s Last SermonThis Sermon was delivered on.docx

The Prophet Muhammad’s Last Sermon
This Sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10
A.H in the Uranah Valley of mount Arafat.
"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I don't know whether,
after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore
listen to what I am saying to you carefully and TAKE THIS
WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE
TODAY.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as
Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a
sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful
owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember
that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed
reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury
(Interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be
waived...
Beware of Satan, for your safety of your religion. He has lost
all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big
things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to
your women, but they also have right over you. If they abide by
your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed
in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for
they are your partners and comitted helpers. And it is your right
that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not
approve, as well as never to commit adultery.
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your
five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadhan,
and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford
to. You know that every Muslim is the brother of another
Muslim. YOU ARE ALL EQUAL. NOBODY HAS
SUPERIORITY OVER OTHER EXCEPT BY PIETY AND

GOOD ACTION.
Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer
for your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of
righteousness after I am gone.
O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER
ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well,
therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey
to you. I leave behind me two things, the QUR'AN and my
example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never
go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and
those to others again; and may the last ones understand my
words better than those who listen to me direcly. BE MY
WITNESS O ALLAH THAT I HAVE CONVEYED YOUR
MESSAGE TO YOUR PEOPLE."
The Qu'ran, surahs 1 and 47
Surah 1
1: 1. In the name of ALLAH, the Gracious, the Merciful.
1: 2. All praise is due to ALLAH alone, Lord of all the worlds.
1: 3. The Gracious, the Merciful.
1: 4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
1: 5. THEE alone do we worship and THEE alone do we implore
for help.
1: 6. Guide us in the straight path,
1: 7. The path of those on whom THOU hast bestowed THY
favours, those who have not incurred THY displeasure and those
who have not gone astray.
Surah 47
47: 1. In the name of ALLAH, the Gracious, the Merciful.
47: 2. Those who disbelieve and hinder men from the way of

ALLAH - HE renders their works vain.
47: 3. But as for those who believe and do righteous deeds and
believe in that which has been revealed to Muhammad - and it is
the truth from their Lord - HE removes from them their sins and
sets right their affairs.
47: 4. That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood
while those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus
does ALLAH set forth for men their lessons by similitudes.
47: 5. And when you meet in regular battle those who
disbelieve, smite their necks; and, when you have overcome
them, by causing great slaughter among them, bind fast the
fetters - then afterwards either release them as a favour or by
taking ransom - until the war lays down its burdens. That is the
ordinance. And if ALLAH had so pleased, HE could have
punished them Himself, but HE has willed that HE may try
some of you by others. And those who are killed in the way of
ALLAH - HE will never render their works vain.
47: 6. HE will guide them to success and will improve their
condition.
47: 7. And will admit them into the Garden which HE has made
known to them.
47: 8. O ye who believe ! if you help the cause of ALLAH, HE
will help you and will make your steps firm.
47: 9. But those who disbelieve, perdition is their lot; and HE
will make their works vain.
47: 10. That is because they hate what ALLAH has revealed; so
HE has made their works vain.
47: 11. Have they not traveled in the earth and seen what was
the end of those who were before them ? ALLAH utterly
destroyed them, and for the disbelievers there will be the like
thereof.
47: 12. That is because ALLAH is the Protector of those who
believe, and the disbelievers have no protector.
47: 13. Verily, ALLAH will cause those who believe and do
good works to enter the Gardens underneath which streams
flow; While those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat even

as the cattle eat, and the Fire will be their last resort.
47: 14. And how many a township, mightier than thy town
which has driven thee out, have WE destroyed, and they had no
helper.
47: 15. Then, is he who takes his stand upon a clear proof from
his Lord like those to whom the evil of their deeds is made to
look attractive and who follow their low desires ?
47: 16. A description of the Garden promised to the righteous:
Therein are streams of water which corrupts not; and streams of
milk of which the taste changes not; and streams of wine, a
delight to those who drink; and streams of clarified honey. And
in it they will have all kinds of fruit, and forgiveness from their
Lord. Can those who enjoy such bliss be like those who abide in
the Fire and who are given boiling water to drink so that it tears
their bowels ?
47: 17. And among them are some who seems to listen to thee
till, when they go forth from thy presence, they say to those
who have been given knowledge, `What has he been talking
about just now ?' These are they upon whose hearts ALLAH has
set a seal, and who follow their own evil desires.
47: 18. But as for those who follow guidance, HE adds to their
guidance, and bestows on them righteousness suited to their
condition.
47: 19. The disbelievers wait not but for the Hour, that it should
come upon them suddenly. The Signs thereof have already
come. But of what avail will their admonition be to them when
it has actually come upon them.
47: 20. Know, therefore, that there is no god other than
ALLAH, and ask protection for thy human frailties, and for
believing men and believing women. And ALLAH knows the
place where you move about and the place where you stay.
47: 21. And those who believe say, `Why is not a Surah
revealed ?' But when a decisive Surah is revealed and fighting
is mentioned therein, thou seest those in whose hearts is a
disease, looking towards thee like the look of one who is
fainting on account of approaching death. So woe to them !

47: 22. Their attitude should have been one of obedience and of
calling people to good. And when the matter was determined
upon, it was good for them if they were true to ALLAH.
47: 23. Would you not then, if you are placed in authority,
create disorder in the land and sever your ties of kinship ?
47: 24. It is these whom ALLAH has cursed, so that HE has
made them deaf and has made their eyes blind.
47: 25. Will they not, then, ponder over the Qur'an, or, is it that
there are locks on their hearts ?
47: 26. Surely, those who turn their backs after guidance has
become manifest to them, Satan has seduced them and holds out
false hopes to them.
47: 27. That is because they said to those who hate what
ALLAH has revealed, `We will obey you in some matters, and
ALLAH knows their secrets.
47: 28. But how will they fare when the angels will cause them
to die, smiting their faces and their backs ?
47: 29. That is because they followed that which displeased
ALLAH, and disliked the seeking of HIS pleasure. So HE
rendered their works vain.
47: 30. Do those in whose hearts is a disease suppose that
ALLAH will not bring to light their malice ?
47: 31. And if WE pleased, WE could show them to thee so that
thou shouldst know them by their marks. And thou shalt, surely,
recognize them by the tone of their speech. And ALLAH knows
your deeds.
47: 32. And WE will, surely, try you, until WE make manifest
those among you who strive for the cause of ALLAH and those
who are steadfast. And WE will make known the true facts
about you.
47: 33. Those, who disbelieve and hinder men from the way of
ALLAH and oppose the Messenger after guidance has become
manifest to them, shall not harm ALLAH in the least; and HE
will make their works fruitless.
47: 34. O ye who believe ! obey ALLAH and obey the
Messenger and make not your works vain.

47: 35. Verily, those who disbelieve and hinder people from the
way of ALLAH, and then die while they are disbelievers -
ALLAH certainly, will not forgive them.
47: 36. So be not slack and sue not for peace, for you will,
certainly, have the upper hand. And ALLAH is with you, and
HE will not deprive you of the reward of your actions.
47: 37. The life of this world is but a sport and a pastime, and if
you believe and be righteous, HE will give you your rewards,
and will not ask of you your wealth.
47: 38. Were HE to ask it of you and press you, you would be
niggardly, and HE would bring to light your malice.
47: 39. Behold ! You are those who are called upon to spend in
the way of ALLAH; but of you there are some who are
niggardly. And whoso is niggardly, is niggardly only against his
own soul. And ALLAH is Self-Sufficient, and it is you who are
needy. And if you turn your backs, HE will bring in your place
another people; then they will not be like you.
Source.
Translated by Maulvi Sher Ali, edited by Malik Ghulam Farid.
Ibn Fadlan, Risala
Ibn Fadlan was an Arab chronicler. In 921, the Caliph of
Baghdad sent Ibn Fadlan with an embassy to the King of the
Bulgars of the Middle Volga. Ibn Fadlan wrote an account of his
journeys with the embassy, called a Risala.
During the course of his journey, Ibn Fadlan met the Rus, a
group of Swedish origin, acting as traders in the Bulgar capital.
The first allusion to the Rus comes toward the close of the
description of the Bulgars. When the Rus or people of another
race came with slaves for sale, the king of the Bulgars had a
right to choose one slave of every ten for himself.
§ 80. I have seen the Rus as they came on their merchant

journeys and encamped by the Volga. I have never seen more
perfect physical specimens, tall as date palms, blonde and
ruddy; they wear neither tunics nor caftans, but the men wear a
garment which covers one side of the body and leaves a hand
free.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Although Ibn Fadlan here says the men
go without "tunic or caftan," he later describes the funeral of a
Rus chieftain, who is specially dressed in both tunic and caftan
before cremation (§ 89). The tunic probably corresponds to Old
Norse kyrtill, "a knee-length tunic with sleeves which was worn
belted." The caftan is a heavy woolen overgarment, known in
Old Norse as an ólpa. The "garment which covers one side of
the body and leaves a hand free" must be the Norse rectangular
cloak (Old Norse möttull, skikkja, or feldr) which was worn
pinned at the right shoulder leaving the sword-hand free.]
§ 81. Each man has an axe, a sword, and a knife and keeps each
by him at all times. The swords are broad and grooved, of
Frankish sort. Every man is tatooed from finger nails to neck
with dark green (or green or blue-black) trees, figures, etc.
§ 82. Each woman wears on either breast a box of iron, silver,
copper or gold; the value of the box indicates the wealth of the
husband. Each box has a ring from which depends a knife. The
women wear neck rings of gold and silver, one for each 10,000
dirhems which her husband is worth; some women have many.
Their most prized ornaments are beads of green glass of the
same make as ceramic objects one finds on their ships. They
trade beads among themselves and they pay an exaggerated
price for them, for they buy them for a dirhem apiece. They
string them as necklaces for their women.[footnoteRef:2] [2:
The 16th-century Persian geographer Amin Razi attempted to
devise a reason for Ibn Fadlan's observation, mistakenly
assuming that Ibn Fadlan's ‘breast boxes’ -- actually the
tortoise-shell shaped brooches of the Nordic woman's costume -
- are used to control breast size, rather than being simple
ornamentation:
I. In place of gold the Rus use sable skins. No standard measure

is known in the land; they buy and sell by dry measure. They
are very fond of pork and many of them who have assumed the
garb of Muslimism miss it very much.
II. The Rus are a great host, all of them red haired; they are big
men with white bodies. The women of this land have boxes
made, according to their circumstances and means, out of gold,
silver, and wood. From childhood they bind these to their
breasts so that their breasts will not grow larger. Each man puts
a chain around his wife's neck for each thousand dinars of his
wealth.]
§ 83. They are the filthiest of God's creatures. They have no
modesty in defecation and urination, nor do they wash after
pollution from orgasm, nor do they wash their hands after
eating. Thus they are like wild asses. When they have come
from their land and anchored on, or ties up at the shore of the
Volga, which is a great river, they build big houses of wood on
the shore, each holding ten to twenty persons more or less. Each
man has a couch on which he sits. With them are pretty slave
girls destines for sale to merchants: a man will have sexual
intercourse with his slave girl while his companion looks on.
Sometimes whole groups will come together in this fashion,
each in the presence of others. A merchant who arrives to buy a
slave girl from them may have to wait and look on while a Rus
completes the act of intercourse with a slave girl.
§ 84. Every day they must wash their faces and heads and this
they do in the dirtiest and filthiest fashion possible: to wit,
every morning a girl servant brings a great basin of water; she
offers this to her master and he washes his hands and face and
his hair -- he washes it and combs it out with a comb in the
water; then he blows his nose and spits into the basin. When he
has finished, the servant carries the basin to the next person,
who does likewise. She carries the basin thus to all the
household in turn, and each blows his nose, spits, and washes
his face and hair in it.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Ibn Fadlan's main
source of disgust with the Rus bathing customs have to do with

his Islamic faith, which requires a pious Mohammedan to wash
only in running water or water poured from a container so that
the rinsings do not again touch the bather. The sagas often
describe a woman washing a man's hair for him, often as a
gesture of affection. It would be likely that the basin was
actually emptied between each bath: Ibn Fadlan would still have
felt the basin contaminated by previous use. It does seem here
that Ibn Fadlan may be exaggerating a bit for effect.]
§ 85. When the ships come to this mooring place, everybody
goes ashore with bread, meat, onions, milk and intoxicating
drink and betakes himself to a long upright piece of wood that
has a face like a man's and is surrounded by little figures,
behind which are long stakes in the ground. The Rus prostrates
himself before the big carving and says, "O my Lord, I have
come from a far land and have with me such and such a number
of girls and such and such a number of sables", and he proceeds
to enumerate all his other wares. Then he says, "I have brought
you these gifts," and lays down what he has brought with him,
and continues, "I wish that you would send me a merchant with
many dinars and dirhems, who will buy from me whatever I
wish and will not dispute anything I say." Then he goes away.
If he has difficulty selling his wares and his stay is prolonged,
he will return with a gift a second or third time. If he has still
further difficulty, he will bring a gift to all the little idols and
ask their intercession, saying, "These are the wives of our Lord
and his daughters and sons." And he addresses each idol in turn,
asking intercession and praying humbly. Often the selling goes
more easily and after selling out he says, "My Lord has satisfied
my desires; I must repay him," and he takes a certain number of
sheep or cattle and slaughters them, gives part of the meat as
alms, brings the rest and deposits it before the great idol and the
little idols around it, and suspends the heads of the cattle or
sheep on the stakes. In the night, dogs come and eat all, but the
one who has made the offering says, "Truly, my Lord is content
with me and has consumed the present I brought him."

§ 86. An ill person is put in a tent apart with some bread and
water and people do not come to speak to him; they do not come
even to see him every day, especially if he is a poor man or a
slave. If he recovers, he returns to them, and if he dies, they
cremate him. If he is a slave, he is left to be eaten by dogs and
birds of prey. If the Rus catch a thief or robber, they hang him
on a tall tree and leave him hanging until his body falls in
pieces.
§ 87. I heard that at the deaths of their chief personages they
did many things, of which the least was cremation, and I was
interested to learn more. At last I was told of the death of one
of their outstanding men. They placed him in a grave and put a
roof over it for ten days, while they cut and sewed garments for
him.
If the deceased is a poor man they make a little boat, which they
lay him in and burn. If he is rich, they collect his goods and
divide them into three parts, one for his family, another to pay
for his clothing, and a third for making intoxicating drink,
which they drink until the day when his female slave will kill
herself and be burned with her master. They stupify themselves
by drinking this beer night and day; sometimes one of them dies
cup in hand.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Alt: They burn him in this
fashion: they leave him for the first ten days in a grave. His
possessions they divide into three parts: one part for his
daughters and wives; another for garments to clothe the corpse;
another part covers the cost of the intoxicating drink which they
consume in the course of ten days, uniting sexually with women
and playing musical instruments. Meanwhile, the slave girl who
gives herself to be burned with him, in these ten days drinks and
indulges in pleasure; she decks her head and her person with all
sorts of ornaments and fine dress and so arrayed gives herself to
the men.
When a great personage dies, the people of his family ask his
young women and men slaves, "Who among you will die with
him?" One answers, "I." Once he or she has said that, the thing
is obligatory: there is no backing out of it. Usually it is one of

the girl slaves who do this.]
§ 88. When the man of whom I have spoken died, his girl slaves
were asked, "Who will die with him?" One answered, "I." She
was then put in the care of two young women, who watched
over her and accompanied her everywhere, to the point that they
occasionally washed her feet with their own hands. Garments
were being made for the deceased and all else was being readied
of which he had need. Meanwhile the slave drinks every day and
sings, giving herself over to pleasure.
§ 89. When the day arrived on which the man was to be
cremated and the girl with him, I went to the river on which was
his ship. I saw that they had drawn the ship onto the shore, and
that they had erected four posts of birch wood and other wood,
and that around the ship was made a structure like great ship's
tents out of wood. Then they pulled the ship up until it was on
this wooden construction. Then they began to come and go and
to speak words which I did not understand, while the man was
still in his grave and had not yet been brought out. The tenth
day, having drawn the ship up onto the river bank, they guarded
it. In the middle of the ship they prepared a dome or pavillion
of wood and covered this with various sorts of fabrics. Then
they brought a couch and put it on the ship and covered it with a
mattress of Greek brocade. Then came an old woman whom they
call the Angel of Death, and she spread upon the couch the
furnishings mentioned. It is she who has charge of the clothes-
making and arranging all things, and it is she who kills the girl
slave. I saw that she was a strapping old woman, fat and
louring.
When they came to the grave they removed the earth from above
the wood, then the wood, and took out the dead man clad in the
garments in which he had died. I saw that he had grown black
from the cold of the country. They put intoxicating drink, fruit,
and a stringed instrument in the grave with him. They removed
all that. The dead man did not smell bad, and only his color had
changed. They dressed him in trousers, stockings, boots, a

tunic, and caftan of brocade with gold buttons. They put a hat of
brocade and fur on him. Then they carried him into the pavillion
on the ship. They seated him on the mattress and propped him
up with cushions. They brought intoxicating drink, fruits, and
fragrant plants, which they put with him, then bread, meat, and
onions, which they placed before him. Then they brought a dog,
which they cut in two and put in the ship. Then they brought his
weapons and placed them by his side. Then they took two
horses, ran them until they sweated, then cut them to pieces
with a sword and put them in the ship. Next they killed a rooster
and a hen and threw them in. The girl slave who wished to be
killed went here and there and into each of their tents, and the
master of each tent had sexual intercourse with her and said,
"Tell your lord I have done this out of love for him."
§ 90. Friday afternoon they led the slave girl to a thing that they
had made which resembled a door frame. She placed her feet on
the palms of the men and they raised her up to overlook this
frame. She spoke some words and they lowered her again. A
second time they rasied her up and she did again what she had
done; then they lowered her. They raised her a third time and
she did as she had done the two times before. Then they brought
her a hen; she cut off the head, which she threw away, and then
they took the hen and put it in the ship. I asked the interpreter
what she had done. He answered, "The first time they raised her
she said, 'Behold, I see my father and mother.' The second time
she said, 'I see all my dead relatives seated.' The third time she
said, 'I see my master seated in Paradise and Paradise is
beautiful and green; with him are men and boy servants. He
calls me. Take me to him.' " Now they took her to the ship. She
took off the two bracelets she was wearing and gave them both
to the old woman called the Angel of Death, who was to kill
her; then she took off the two finger rings which she was
wearing and gave them to the two girls who had served her and
were the daughters of the woman called the Angel of Death.
Then they raised her onto the ship but they did not make her
enter the pavillion.[footnoteRef:5] [5: Alt. After that, the group

of men who have cohabitated with the slave girl make of their
hands a sort of paved way whereby the girl, placing her feet on
the palms of their hands, mounts onto the ship.
]
The men came with shields and sticks. She was given a cup of
intoxicating drink; she sang at taking it and drank. The
interpreter told me that she in this fashion bade farewell to all
her girl companions. Then she was given another cup; she took
it and sang for a long time while the old woman incited her to
drink up and go into the pavillion where her master lay. I saw
that she was distracted; she wanted to enter the pavillion but put
her head between it and the boat. Then the old woman siezed
her head and made her enter the pavillion and entered with her.
Thereupon the men began to strike with the sticks on the shields
so that her cries could not be heard and the other slave girls
would not seek to escape death with their masters. Then six men
went into the pavillion and each had intercourse with the girl.
Then they laid her at the side of her master; two held her feet
and two her hands; the old woman known as the Angel of Death
re-entered and looped a cord around her neck and gave the
crossed ends to the two men for them to pull. Then she
approached her with a broad-bladed dagger, which she plunged
between her ribs repeatedly, and the men strangled her with the
cord until she was dead.
§ 91. Then the closest relative of the dead man, after they had
placed the girl whom they have killed beside her master, came,
took a piece of wood which he lighted at a fire, and walked
backwards with the back of his head toward the boat and his
face turned toward the people, with one hand holding the
kindled stick and the other covering his anus, being completely
naked, for the purpose of setting fire to the wood that had been
made ready beneath the ship. Then the people came up with
tinder and other fire wood, each holding a piece of wood of
which he had set fire to an end and which he put into the pile of
wood beneath the ship. Thereupon the flames engulfed the

wood, then the ship, the pavillion, the man, the girl, and
everything in the ship. A powerful, fearful wind began to blow
so that the flames became fiercer and more
intense.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Alt: After the girl is slain, two
relatives of the dead take brands and set the ship on fire, so that
the dead man and the ship are shortly burned to ashes. If in this
moment a wind blows and the fire is strengthened and the ashes
are dispersed, the man is accordingly one who belongs in
Paradise; otherwise they take the dead to be one unwelcome at
the threshold of bliss or even to be condemned. When two
people among them quarrel and the dissention is prolonged and
the king is unable to reconcile them, he commands that they
fight with swords; he who wins is right.]
§ 92. One of the Rus was at my side and I heard him speak to
the interpreter, who was present. I asked the interpreter what he
said. He answered, "He said, 'You Arabs are fools.' " "Why?" I
asked him. He said, "You take the people who are most dear to
you and whom you honor most and put them into the ground
where insects and worms devour them. We burn him in a
moment, so that he enters Paradise at once." Then he began to
laugh uproariously. When I asked why he laughed, he said, "His
Lord, for love of him, has sent the wind to bring him away in an
hour." And actually an hour had not passed before the ship, the
wood, the girl, and her master were nothing but cinders and
ashes.
Then they constructed in the place where had been the ship
which they had drawn up out of the river something like a small
round hill, in the middle of which they erected a great post of
birch wood, on which they wrote the name of the man and the
name of the Rus king and they departed.
Source.
Translation available at
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ibn_fdln.shtml

Ibn Sina, On Medicine (c. 1020)
Avicenna (973-1037) was a polymath, known first as a
physician. To his works on medicine he afterward added
religious tracts, poems, works on philosophy, on logic, as
physics, on mathematics, and on astronomy. He was also a
statesman and a soldier, and he is said to have died of
debauchery.
Medicine considers the human body as to the means by which it
is cured and by which it is driven away from health. The
knowledge of anything, since all things have causes, is not
acquired or complete unless it is known by its causes. Therefore
in medicine we ought to know the causes of sickness and health.
And because health and sickness and their causes are sometimes
manifest, and sometimes hidden and not to be comprehended
except by the study of symptoms, we must also study the
symptoms of health and disease. Now it is established in the
sciences that no knowledge is acquired save through the study
of its causes and beginnings, if it has had causes and
beginnings; nor completed except by knowledge of its accidents
and accompanying essentials. Of these causes there are four
kinds: material, efficient, formal, and final.
Material causes, on which health and sickness depend, are--- the
affected member, which is the immediate subject, and the
humors; and in these are the elements. And these two are
subjects that, according to their mixing together, alter. In the
composition and alteration of the substance which is thus
composed, a certain unity is attained.
Efficient causes are the causes changing and preserving the
conditions of the human body; as airs, and what are united with
them; and evacuation and retention; and districts and cities, and
habitable places, and what are united with them; and changes in
age and diversities in it, and in races and arts and manners, and
bodily and animate movings and restings, and sleepings and

wakings on account of them; and in things which befall the
human body when they touch it, and are either in accordance or
at variance with nature.
Formal causes are physical constitutions, and combinations and
virtues which result from them. Final causes are operations.
And in the science of operations lies the science of virtues, as
we have set forth. These are the subjects of the doctrine of
medicine; whence one inquires concerning the disease and
curing of the human body. One ought …
Agobard of Lyons, On the Division of the Empire (to Louis the
Pious), c. 830
Scholars have offered three possible dates of composition: 829,
831, and 833. The editor favors, albeit slightly, the argument
for 829, made by Egon Boshof.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Erzbischof
Agobard von Lyon. Leben und Werk (= Kölner Historische
Abhandlungen 17), Köln 1969, pp. 203-204.]
To his most glorious lord Emperor Louis, the little servant
Agobard.
I. Since every faithful person owes the sincerity of fidelity to
every faithful person, there is no doubt that all who are
faithfully subject to divine disposition should maintain their
fidelity (fides) in particular to the faithful prelate to whom the
republic has been committed to be governed, just as the Apostle
teaches when he says: Let every soul be subject to the higher
powers,[footnoteRef:2] – although one should not, of course,
act unfaithfully in regard to anyone. Hence, another apostle also
says: Be subject to every human creature for God's
sake,[footnoteRef:3] and we are taught to pray for all men, for
kings and for those who have been raised on high, that we may
lead a quiet and tranquil life in complete piety,[footnoteRef:4]
and in another place it is said: Therefore you should be subject,

not only because of anger, but also for the sake of
conscience.[footnoteRef:5] [2: Romans 13:1.] [3: I Peter
2:13.] [4: I Timothy 2:1-2.] [5: Romans 13:5.]
II. Since this is the way things stand and everyone ought to be
faithful to you, how can someone be faithful to you, if, upon
seeing and understanding the danger you are in, he does not
exert himself as much as he can to warn and make it known to
you, if the opportunity or means are not utterly denied him? I
call upon almighty God, who is the examiner of hearts and loins
(renes), [to attest] that there is no other reason for which I
presume to write these things, except that I suffer more than I
can say over the dangers that seem to loom over you, and
especially over your soul. For by however much the soul is a
more excellent substance than the body, by so much should we
treat the care of the soul with more excellent concern than that
of the body, just as the Lord teaches in the Gospels, as you well
know.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Cf. Matthew 10:28.]
III. Now then, amidst the attrition and commotion, the agitation
and affliction of the land and those inhabiting it in this present
year, there is no man who could count how many evils have
arisen. And this, despite the fact that no cause demands, no
necessity requires that the struggles that we are having should
fittingly happen thus. For if you had wished it, you might have
led a tranquil and quiet life with your sons no less than your
father and uncle did. May almighty and merciful God who lives
within your heart be present, may that patience in which you
surpass all other men, be present, that you deign to hear and
weigh what I shall suggest with tranquility.
IV. At the time when you made your son a share in your title,
you started all this by thus asking your public: Should a man
put off what pertains to the stability of the kingdom and the
strength of rule or not? When everyone answered that what is
useful and necessary should not be deferred but rather hastened,
you immediately revealed to all what you had discussed with

only a few and said that, because of the fragility of life and the
uncertainly of death, you wanted, while you were still able, to
impose the title of emperor on the one of your three sons in
whom you were able to recognize the will of God in one way or
another. In order to know this, you commanded that all fast for
three days, that priests offer sacrifices to almighty God who is
sweet and mild and very merciful to all who invoke Him, and
that everyone give alms more generously than usual for this
three day period, so that almighty God, who rules with the
utmost kindness the hearts of those hoping in Him, might pour
His will into your heart and not allow your will to incline
towards any other than upon [the son] who was pleasing to Him.
And thus you carried out everything that should have been done
in such a situation, with such faith, with such hope, that no one
would doubt that this was infused and inspired in you by God.
You assigned parts of your kingdom to the rest of your sons but
– that the kingdom might be one and not three – you set [the
son] whom you made the sharer in your title, over the others.
And then you ordered these actions to be written down and,
once written, to be signed and corroborated. Then, you sent [the
son] who had been made consort in your title to Rome, your
deeds to be approved and confirmed by the highest pontiff.
Then you ordered all to swear that they would all follow and
preserve such an election and division. No one considered this
oath irrelevant or worthy of scorn but rather timely and
legitimate, since it seemed to pertain to peace and concord. And
over the course of time, whenever and wherever imperial letters
were sent, they contained the names of both emperors.
But later, because your will has changed, the statutes have been
overturned, his name has been omitted from the letters, and in
all things the contrary has been attempted, although God has not
said to you either through His own voice or an angel or through
a prophet: I regret that I established him thus,[footnoteRef:7] as
He spoke to Samuel about Saul. Even now you do not know how
it has been decided in the secret counsels of God, and yet,
behold, without any reason and counsel, you repudiate without

God the one whom you elected with God, and you reprove a
proven matter without awaiting the issue of the will of the One,
whose will you sought in electing. Your prudence is not
unaware: God should be followed, not preceded. For whoever
wishes to precede [God], attempts what is not from the faith, as
the Lord himself says: You shall not tempt the Lord thy
God.[footnoteRef:8] [7: I Kings 15:11.] [8: Matthew 4:7.]
V. My lord, I pray your most benign piety attend [to what I
say], lest you receive these words with contempt. Rather, enter
into the chapel of your mind with God and speak with Him
through the mediation of the piety of your faith; then you shall
find that you have said to God – not in words but in deeds –
Lord, we have humbly entreated and begged the countenance of
your consideration that, by your illumination and governance
we might choose someone to share in the imperial title, but
because we have not done well with you, we have found counsel
better without you. God forbid! God forbid! May God keep you
from repudiating the inspiration of God and from considering
the carnal things of men to be the wills of wise men so much
that you are led into error and brought down. I beg your
clemency to consider with the prudence conferred upon you by
God how the blessed Apostle Jacob rebukes those who propose
that they are going to do something on the impulse of their own
minds without the prospect of divine permission, when he says:
Behold, you who say now: Today or tomorrow we shall go to
that city and we shall spend a year there, trading and making a
profit. Yet you do not even know what tomorrow shall bring.
Indeed, what is your life? It is but vapor that appears for a time
and then shall disappear. What you ought to say is: "If the Lord
wishes and we shall live, we shall do this and
that."[footnoteRef:9] Beware of men who follow their own
spirit, because the faith does not belong to all. [9: James 4:13-
15.]
VI. The Lord knows who are His,[footnoteRef:10] and

whichever of us is His, we enjoy some bit of the light of truth,
and just as the truth shines, so we sincerely love you and
faithfully desire your eternal happiness. We therefore lament
that such great evils, such wicked deeds, have been perpetrated
this year because of this situation, and we truly fear lest the
wrath of God be aroused against you. For we remember your
most ardent religion and always recognized it in the assiduity of
your prayers, as it chanted in psalms, hymns and spiritual
canticles and sang unto God with a pure heart, in the contrition
of the heart, in the compunction of a placid mind, in the concern
for acts of mercy, and in the vigor for all good things. And
therefore, as we said, it seems that we should fear lest it become
luke-warm and grow cold, and we should wish that it grow hot
and increase, persevering until the end so that eternal salvation
may follow. [10: II Timothy 2:19.]
VII. And because we mentioned earlier that legitimate and
fitting oath, it seems to me that I should not conceal from your
excellency the fact that there is now great grumbling among
men because of these diverse and contradictory oaths, and not
only grumbling but also sadness and slander against you. This
deeply displeases me. Their grumbling seems to [me] to pertain
to what Jerome says in his exposition of Jeremiah in that
passage where the prophet says: And you shall swear: The Lord
lives in truth and in judgment and in justice.[footnoteRef:11]
Then the aforementioned doctor says: It should be noted that
swearing oaths has these companions: truth, judgment, and
justice. If these are missing, it shall in no way be an oath but
perjury.[footnoteRef:12] [11: Jeremiah 4:2.] [12: Jerome,
Commentary on Jeremiah I, 69.]
Source.
Agobard of Lyons, On the division of the Empire (to Louis the
Pious), trans. W. North (1998) from the edition of L. Van
Acker, Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia (= Corpus

Christianorum. Continuatio Mediaevalis, 52), (Turnholt:
Brepols, 1981), pp.245-50.
© William North, 1998. The text may be used for non-
commercial educational purposes, including use course packets.
Further publication in other forms (including by university
presses) requires permission. Do not reproduce this text on
other websites.
Richer of Saint-Rémi, The Election of Hugh Capet (987)
Meanwhile, at the appointed time the magnates of Gaul who had
taken the oath came together at Senlis. When they had all taken
their places in the assembly and the duke [Hugh Capet] had
given the sign, the archbishop [Adalbero] spoke to them as
follows: King Louis, of divine memory, having been removed
from the world, and having left no heirs, it devolves upon us to
take serious counsel as to the choice of a successor, so that the
state may not suffer any injury through neglect and the lack of a
leader. On a former occasion we thought it advisable to
postpone that deliberation in order that each of you might be
able to come here and, in the presence of the assembly, voice
the sentiment which God should have inspired in you, and that
from all these different expressions of opinion we might be able
to find out what is the general will. Here we are assembled. Let
us see to it, by our prudence and honor, that hatred shall not
destroy reason, that love shall not interfere with truth. We are
aware that Charles [Charles of Lower Lorraine] has his
partisans who claim that the throne belongs to him by right of
birth. But if we look into the matter, the throne is not acquired
by hereditary right, and no one ought to be placed at the head of
the kingdom unless he is distinguished, not only by nobility of
body, but also by strength of mind---only such a one as honor
and generosity recommend. We read in the annals of rulers of
illustrious descent who were deposed on account of their
unworthiness and replaced by others of the same, or even lesser,

rank.
"What dignity shall we gain by making Charles king? He is not
guided by honor, nor is he possessed of strength. Then, too, he
has compromised himself so far as to have become the
dependent of a foreign king and to have married a girl taken
from among his own vassals. How could the great duke endure
that a woman of the low rank of vassal should become queen
and rule over him? How could he tender services to this woman,
when his equals, and even his superiors in birth bend the knee
before him and place their hands under his feet? Think of this
seriously and you will see that Charles must be rejected for his
own faults rather than on account of any wrong done by others.
Make a decision, therefore, for the welfare rather than for the
injury of the state. If you wish ill to your country, choose
Charles to be king; if you have regard for its prosperity, choose
Hugh, the illustrious duke. . . . Elect, then, the duke, a man who
is recommended by his conduct, by his nobility, and by his
military following. In him you will find a defender, not only of
the state, but also of your private interests. His large-
heartedness will make him a father to you all. Who has ever fled
to him for protection without receiving it? Who that has been
deserted by his friends has he ever failed to restore to his
rights?"
This speech was applauded and concurred in by all, and by
unanimous consent the duke was raised to the throne. He was
crowned at Noyon on the first of June by the archbishop and the
other bishops as king of the Gauls, the Bretons, the Normans,
the Aquitanians, the Goths, the Spaniards and the Gascons.
Surrounded by the nobles of the king, he issued decrees and
made laws according to royal custom, judging and disposing of
all matters with success.
Source.
Frederic Austin Ogg, ed., A Source Book of Mediaeval History:
Documents Illustrative of European Life and Institutions from
the German Invasions to the Renaissance, (New York, 1907),

reprinted by Cooper Square Publishers (New York, 1972), pp.
178-180.
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text
has been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.
Agobard of Lyons,
On the Division of the
Empire (to Louis the Pious)
, c. 830
831, and 833. The editor favors,
albeit slightly, the argument
for 829, made by Egon Boshof
.
1
To his most glorious lord
E
mperor Louis, the little servant Agobard.
every faithful person, there is no
doubt that all who are faithfully subject to divine disposition
should maintain their f
idelity (
fides
)
in particular to the faithful prelate to whom the republic has
been committed to be governed, just
as the Apostle teaches when he says:
Let every soul be subject to the higher powers

,
2
–
although
one should not, of course, act unfaithfully
in regard to anyone. Hence, another apostle also says:
Be subject to every human creature for God's sake
,
3
and we are taught to pray
for all men, for
lead a quiet and tranquil life in
complete p
iety
,
4
and in another place it is said:
Therefore you should be subject, not only because
of anger, but also for the sake of conscience.
5
faithful to you, how can someone
be faithful to you, i
f, upon seeing and understanding the danger you are in, he does
not exert
himself as much as he can to warn and make it known to you, if
the opportunity or means are not
utterly denied him? I call upon almighty God, who is the
examiner of hearts and loins
(

renes
), [to
attest] that there is no other reason for which I presume to write
these things, except that I suffer
more than I can say over the dangers that seem to loom over
you, and especially over your soul.
For by however much the soul is a more excell
ent substance than the body, by so much should
we treat the care of the soul with more excellent concern than
that of the body, just as the Lord
teaches in t
he Gospels, as you well know.
6
and
affliction of the land and
those inhabiting it in this present year, there is no man who
could count how many evils have
necessity requires that the struggles
that we are having should fittingly
happen thus. For if you had wished it, you might have led a
tranquil and quiet life with your sons no less than your father
and uncle did. May almighty and
merciful God who lives within your heart be present, may that
patience in which you surpass all
oth
er men, be present, that you deign to hear and weigh what I
shall suggest with tranquility.

1
Erzbischof Agobard von Lyon. Leben und Werk
(= Kölner Historische Abhandlungen 17), Köln 1969, pp. 203
-
204.
2
Romans 13:1.
3
I Peter 2:13.
4
I Timothy 2:1
-
2.
5
Romans 13:5.
6
Cf. Matthew 10:28.
Agobard of Lyons, On the Division of the
Empire (to Louis the Pious), c. 830
831, and 833. The editor favors,
albeit slightly, the argument for 829, made by Egon Boshof.

1
To his most glorious lord Emperor Louis, the little servant
Agobard.
every faithful person, there is no
doubt that all who are faithfully subject to divine disposition
should maintain their fidelity (fides)
in particular to the faithful prelate to whom the republic has
been committed to be governed, just
as the Apostle teaches when he says: Let every soul be subject
to the higher powers,
2
– although
one should not, of course, act unfaithfully in regard to anyone.
Hence, another apostle also says:
Be subject to every human creature for God's sake,
3
and we are taught to pray for all men, for
lead a quiet and tranquil life in
complete piety,
4
and in another place it is said: Therefore you should be subject,
not only because
of anger, but also for the sake of conscience.
5
faithful to you, how can someone
be faithful to you, if, upon seeing and understanding the danger
you are in, he does not exert
himself as much as he can to warn and make it known to you, if
the opportunity or means are not

utterly denied him? I call upon almighty God, who is the
examiner of hearts and loins (renes), [to
attest] that there is no other reason for which I presume to write
these things, except that I suffer
more than I can say over the dangers that seem to loom over
you, and especially over your soul.
For by however much the soul is a more excellent substance
than the body, by so much should
we treat the care of the soul with more excellent concern than
that of the body, just as the Lord
teaches in the Gospels, as you well know.
6
and affliction of the land and
those inhabiting it in this present year, there is no man who
could count how many evils have
necessity requires that the struggles
that we are having should fittingly happen thus. For if you had
wished it, you might have led a
tranquil and quiet life with your sons no less than your father
and uncle did. May almighty and
merciful God who lives within your heart be present, may that
patience in which you surpass all
other men, be present, that you deign to hear and weigh what I
shall suggest with tranquility.
1
Erzbischof Agobard von Lyon. Leben und Werk (= Kölner
Historische Abhandlungen 17), Köln 1969, pp. 203-204.
2
Romans 13:1.
3
I Peter 2:13.
4

I Timothy 2:1-2.
5
Romans 13:5.
6
Cf. Matthew 10:28.
Pact of Umar: Non-Muslims under Muslim Rule
After the rapid expansion of the Muslim dominion in the 7th
century, Muslims leaders were required to work out a way of
dealing with Non-Muslims, who remained in the majority in
many areas for centuries. The solution was to develop the
notion of the "dhimma", or "protected person". The Dhimmi
were required to pay an extra tax, but usually they were
unmolested. This compares well with the treatment meted out to
non-Christians in Christian Europe. The Pact of Umar is
supposed to have been the peace accord offered by the Caliph
Umar to the Christians of Syria, a "pact" which formed the
patter of later interaction.
We heard from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam [died 78/697] as
follows: When Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with
him, accorded a peace to the Christians of Syria, we wrote to
him as follows:
In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate. This is a
letter to the servant of God Umar [ibn al-Khattab], Commander
of the Faithful, from the Christians of such-and-such a city.
When you came against us, we asked you for safe-conduct
(aman) for ourselves, our descendants, our property, and the
people of our community, and we undertook the following
obligations toward you:
We shall not build, in our cities or in their neighborhood, new
monasteries, Churches, convents, or monks' cells, nor shall we
repair, by day or by night, such of them as fall in ruins or are
situated in the quarters of the Muslims.
We shall keep our gates wide open for passersby and travelers.

We shall give board and lodging to all Muslims who pass our
way for three days.
We shall not give shelter in our churches or in our dwellings to
any spy, nor bide him from the Muslims.
We shall not teach the Qur'an to our children.
We shall not manifest our religion publicly nor convert anyone
to it. We shall not prevent any of our kin from entering Islam if
they wish it.
We shall show respect toward the Muslims, and we shall rise
from our seats when they wish to sit.
We shall not seek to resemble the Muslims by imitating any of
their garments, the qalansuwa, the turban, footwear, or the
parting of the hair. We shall not speak as they do, nor shall we
adopt their kunyas.
We shall not mount on saddles, nor shall we gird swords nor
bear any kind of arms nor carry them on our- persons.
We shall not engrave Arabic inscriptions on our seals.
We shall not sell fermented drinks.
We shall clip the fronts of our heads.
We shall always dress in the same way wherever we may be,
and we shall bind the zunar round our waists
We shall not display our crosses or our books in the roads or
markets of the Muslims. We shall use only clappers in our
churches very softly. We shall not raise our voices when
following our dead. We shall not show lights on any of the
roads of the Muslims or in their markets. We shall not bury our
dead near the Muslims.
We shall not take slaves who have beenallotted to Muslims.
We shall not build houses overtopping the houses of the
Muslims.
(When I brought the letter to Umar, may God be pleased with
him, he added, "We shall not strike a Muslim.")
We accept these conditions for ourselves and for the people of
our community, and in return we receive safe-conduct.

If we in any way violate these undertakings for which we
ourselves stand surety, we forfeit our covenant [dhimma], and
we become liable to the penalties for contumacy and sedition.
Umar ibn al-Khittab replied: Sign what they ask, but add two
clauses and impose them in addition to those which they have
undertaken. They are: "They shall not buy anyone made
prisoner by the Muslims," and "Whoever strikes a Muslim with
deliberate intent shall forfeit the protection of this pact."
Source.
Al-Turtushi, Siraj al-Muluk, pp. 229-230 (translator unknown).
Ibn Abd al-Hakem: History of the Conquest of Spain
The Muslim expansion continued throughout the sixth and into
the seventh century. In 711 the Berber Tarik invaded and
rapidly conquered Visigothic Spain. Famously by 733 the
Muslims reached Poitiers in France. There a battle, more
significant to westerners than Muslims, halted the Muslim
advance. In truth by that stage Islam was at its limits of military
expansion. Tarik gave his name to "Jabal (mount of) Tarik" or,
as we say, Gibraltar. In 712 Tarik's lord, Musa ibn-Mosseyr,
joined the attack. Within seven years the conquest of the
peninsula was complete. It became one of the centers of Moslem
civilization, and the Umayyad caliphate of Cordova reached a
peak of glory in the tenth century.
Ibn Abd-el-Hakem (d. 870 or 871), an Egyptian, mixes myths
and fact in his account, which was written a century and a half
after the events it describes.
Musa Ibn Nosseyr sent his son Merwan to Tangiers, to wage a
holy war upon her coast. Having, then, exerted himself together
with his friends, he returned, leaving to Tarik Ibn Amru the
command of his army which amounted to 1,700. Others say that
12,000 Berbers besides 16 Arabs were with Tarik: but that is
false. It is also said that Musa Ibn Nosseyr marched out of

Ifrikiya [Africa] upon an expedition into Tangiers, and that he
was the first governor who entered Tangiers, where parts of the
Berber tribes Botr and Beranes resided. These bad not vet
submitted themselves. When he approached Tangiers, be
scattered his light troops. On the arrival of his cavalry in the
nearest province of Sus, he subdued its inhabitants, and made
them prisoners, they yielding him obedience. And he gave them
a governor whose conduct was agreeable to them. He sent Ibn
Beshr Ibn Abi Artah to a citadel, three days' journey from the
town of Cairwan. Having taken the former, he made prisoners of
the children, and plundered the treasury. The citadel was called
Beshr, by which name it is known to this day. Afterwards Musa
deposed the viceroy whom be bad placed over Tangiers, and
appointed Tarik Ibn Zeiyad governor. He, then, returned to
Cairwan, Tarik with his female slave of the name Umm-Hakim
setting out for Tangiers. Tarik remained some time in this
district, waging a holy war. This was in the year 92. The
governor of the straits between this district and Andalus was a
foreigner called Ilyan, Lord of Septa. He was also the governor
of a town called Alchadra, situated on the same side of the
straits of Andalus as Tangiers. Ilyan was a subject of Roderic,
the Lord of Andalus [i.e. king of Spain], who used to reside in
Toledo. Tarik put himself in communication with Ilyan, and
treated him kindly, until they made peace with each other. Ilyan
had sent one of his daughters to Roderic, the Lord of Andalus,
for her improvement and education; but she became pregnant by
him. Ilyan having heard of this, said, I see for him no other
punishment or recompense, than that I should bring the Arabs
against him. He sent to Tarik, saying, I will bring thee to
Andalus; Tarik being at that time in Tlemsen, and Musa Ibn
Nossevr in Cairwan. But Tarik said I cannot trust thee until thou
send me a hostage. So be sent his two daughters, having no
other children. Tarik allowed them to remain in Tlemsen,
guarding them closely. After that Tarik went to Ilyan who - was
in Septa on the straits. The latter rejoicing at his coming, said, I
will bring thee to Andalus. But there was a mountain called the

mountain of Tarik between the two landing places, that is,
between Septa and Andalus. When the evening came, Ilyan
brought him the vessels, in which he made him embark for that
landing-place, where he concealed himself during the day, and
in the evening sent back the vessels to bring over the rest of his
companions. So they embarked for the landing-place, none of
them being left behind: whereas the people of Andalus did not
observe them, thinking that the vessels crossing and recrossing
were similar to the trading vessels which for their benefit plied
backwards and forwards. Tarik was in the last division which
went across. He proceeded to his companions, Ilyan together
with the merchants that were with him being left behind in
Alchadra, in order that be might the better encourage his
companions and countrymen. The news of Tarik and of those
who were with him, as well as of the place where they were,
reached the people of Andalus. Tarik, going along with his
companions, marched over a bridge of mountains to a town
called Cartagena. He went in the direction of Cordova. Having
passed by an island in the sea, he left behind his female slave of
the name of Umm-Hakim, and with her a division of his troops.
That island was then called Umm-Hakim. When the Moslems
settled in the island, they found no other inhabitants there, than
vinedressers. They made them prisoners. After that they took
one of the vinedressers, slaughtered him, cut him in pieces, and
boiled him, while the rest of his companions looked on. They
had also boiled meat in other cauldrons. When the meat was
cooked, they threw away the flesh of that man which they had
boiled; no one knowing that it was thrown away: and they ate
the meat which theh had boiled, while the rest of the
vinedressers were spectators. These did not doubt but that the
Moslems ate the flesh of their companion; the rest being
afterwards sent away informed the people of Andalus that the
Moslems feed on human flesh, acquainting them with what had
been done to the vinedresser.
As Abd-Errahman has related to us on the authority of his father
Abd-Allah lbn Abd-El-Hakem, and of Hisham Ibn Ishaak: There

was a house in Andalus, the door of which was secured with
padlocks, and on which every new king of the country placed a
padlock of his own, until the accession to power of the king
against whom the Moslems marched. They therefore begged him
to place a padlock on it, as the kings before him were wont to
do. But he refused saying, I will place nothing on it, until I
shall have known what is inside; he then ordered it to be
opened; but behold inside were portraits of the Arabs, and a
letter in which it was written: "When this door shall be opened,
these people will invade this country."
***
When Tarik landed, soldiers from Cordova came to meet him;
and seeing the small number of his companions they despised
him on that account. They then fought. The battle with Tarik
was severe. They were routed, and he did not cease from the
slaughter of them till they reached the town of Cordova. When
Roderic heard of this, he came to their rescue from Toledo.
They then fought in a place of the name of Shedunia, in a valley
which is called this day the valley of Umm-Hakim [on July 11,
711, at the mouth of the Barbate river]. They fought a severe
battle; but God, mighty and great, killed Roderic and his
companions. Mugheyth Errumi, a slave of Welid, was then the
commander of Tarik's cavalry. Mugheyth Errumi went in the
direction of Cordova, Tarik passing over to Toledo. He, then,
entered it, and asked for the table, having nothing else to
occupy himself. This, as the men of the Bible relate, was the
table of Suleyman Ibn Dawid, may the blessing of God be upon
him.
As Abd Errahman has related to us on the authority of Yahva
Ibn Bukeir, and the latter on the authority of Leyth Ibn Sad:
Andalus having been conquered for Musa Ibn Nosseyr, he took
from it the table of Suleyman Ibn Dawid, and the crown. Tarik
was told that the table - was in a citadel called Faras, two days'
journey from Toledo, and the governor of this citadel was a
nephew of Roderic. Tarik, then, wrote to him, promising safetv
both for himself and family. The nephew descended from the

citadel, and Tarik fulfilled his promise with reference to his
safety. Tarik said to him, deliver the table, and he delivered it
to him. On this table were gold and silver, the like of which one
bad not seen. Tarik, then, took off one of its legs together with
the pearls and the gold it contained, and fixed to it a similar leg.
The table was valued at two hundred thousand dinars, on
account of the pearls that were on it. He took up the pearls, the
armour, the gold, the silver, and the vases which he had with
him, and found that quantity of spoils, the like of which one had
not seen. He collected all that. Afterwards he returned to
Cordova, and having stopped there, he wrote to Musa Ibn
Nossevr informing him of the conquest of Andalus, and of the
spoils which he had found. Musa then wrote to Welid Abd Ed-
Malik' informing him of that, and throwing himself upon his
mercy. Musa wrote to Tarik ordering him not to leave Cordova
until he should come to him. And he reprimanded him very
severely. Afterwards Musa Ibn Nosseyr set out for Andalus, in
Rajab of the year 93, taking with him the chiefs of the Arabs,
the commanders, and the leaders of the Berbers to Andalus. He
set out being angry with Tarik, and took with him Habib Ibn
Abi Ubeida Elfihri, and left the government of Cairwan to his
son Abd Allah who was his eldest son. He then passed through
Alchadra, and afterwards went over to Cordova. Tarik then met
him, and tried to satisfv him, saving: "I am merely thy slave,
this conquest is thine." Musa collected of the monev a sum,
which exceeded all description. Tarik delivered to him all that
he had plundered.
Source.
Ibn Abd al-Hakem, History of the Conquest of Spain, trans.
John Harris Jones (Gottingen, W. Fr. Kaestner, 1858), pp. 18-
22.
The Battle of Tours/Poitiers, 732: Three Accounts

Anonymous Arab Chronicler1
The Moslems smote their enemies, and passed the river
Garonne, and laid waste the country, and took captives without
number. And that army went through all places like a desolating
storm. Prosperity made those warriors insatiable. At the passage
of the river, Abderrahman overthrew the count, and the count
retired into his stronghold, but the Moslems fought against it,
and entered it by force, and slew the count; for everything gave
way to their scimitars, which were the robbers of lives. All the
nations of the Franks trembled at that terrible army, and they
betook them to their king Caldus [Charles Martel], and told him
of the havoc made by the Moslem horsemen, and bow they rode
at their will through all the land of Narbonne, Toulouse, and
Bordeaux, and they told the king of the death of their count.
Then the king bade them be of good cheer, and offered to aid
them. . . . He mounted his horse, and he took with him a host
that could not be numbered, and went against the Moslems. And
he came upon them at the great city of Tours. And Abderrahman
and other prudent cavaliers saw the disorder of the Moslem
troops, who were loaded with spoil; but they did not venture to
displease the soldiers by ordering them to abandon everything
except their arms and war-horses. And Abderrahman trusted in
the valour of his soldiers, and in the good fortune which had
ever attended him. But such defect of discipline always is fatal
to armies. So Abderrabman and his host attacked Tours to gain
still more spoil, and they fought against it so fiercely that they
stormed the city almost before the eyes of the army that came to
save it; and the fury and the cruelty of the Moslems towards the
inhabitants of the city were like the fury and cruelty of raging
tigers. It was manifest that God's chastisement was sure to
follow such excesses; and fortune thereupon turned her back
upon the Moslems.
Near the river Owar [Loire], the two great hosts of the two
languages and the two creeds were set in array against each
other. The hearts of Abderrahman, his captains and his men

were filled with wrath and pride, and they were the first to
begin to fight. The Moslem horsemen dashed fierce and frequent
forward against the battalions of the Franks, who resisted
manfully, and many fell dead on either side, until the going
down of the sun. Night parted the two armies: but in the grey of
the morning the Moslems returned to the battle. Their cavaliers
had soon hewn their way into the center of the Christian host.
But many of the Moslems were fearful for the safety of the spoil
which they had stored in their tents, and a false cry arose in
their ranks that some of the enemy were plundering the camp;
whereupon several squadrons of the Moslem horsemen rode off
to protect their tents. But it seemed as if they fled; and all the
host was troubled. And while Abderrahman strove to check their
tumult, and to lead them back to battle, the warriors of the
Franks came around him, and he was pierced through with many
spears, so that he died. Then all the host fled before the enemy,
and many died in the flight. . . .
Isidore of Beja2
Then Abderrahman, [the Muslim emir] seeing the land filled
with the multitude of his army, crossed the Pyrenees, and
traversed the defiles [in the mountains] and the plains, so that
he penetrated ravaging and slaying clear into the lands of the
Franks. He gave battle to Duke Eudes (of Aquitaine) beyond the
Garonne and the Dordogne, and put him to flight---so utterly
[was he beaten] that God alone knew the number of the slain
and wounded. Whereupon Abderrahman set in pursuit of Eudes;
he destroyed palaces, burned churches, and imagined he could
pillage the basilica of St. Martin of Tours. It is then that he
found himself face to face with the lord of Austrasia, Charles, a
mighty warrior from his youth, and trained in all the occasions
of arms.
For almost seven days the two armies watched one another,
waiting anxiously the moment for joining the struggle. Finally
they made ready for combat. And in the shock of the battle the
men of the North seemed like North a sea that cannot be moved.

Firmly they stood, one close to another, forming as it were a
bulwark of ice; and with great blows of their swords they hewed
down the Arabs. Drawn up in a band around their chief, the
people of the Austrasians carried all before them. Their tireless
hands drove their swords down to the breasts [of the foe].
At last night sundered the combatants. The Franks with
misgivings lowered their blades, and beholding the numberless
tents of the Arabs, prepared themselves for another battle the
next day. Very early, when they issued from their retreat, the
men of Europe saw the Arab tents ranged still in order, in the
same place where they had set up their camp. Unaware that they
were utterly empty, and fearful lest within the phalanxes of the
Saracens were drawn up for combat, they sent out spies to
ascertain the facts. These spies discovered that all the squadrons
of the "Ishmaelites" had vanished. In fact, during the night they
had fled with the greatest silence, seeking with all speed their
home land. The Europeans, uncertain and fearful, lest they were
merely hidden in order to come back [to fall upon them] by
ambushments, sent scouting parties everywhere, but to their
great amazement found nothing. Then without troubling to
pursue the fugitives, they contented themselves with sharing the
spoils and returned right gladly to their own country.
Chronicle of St Denis2
The Muslims planned to go to Tours to destroy the Church of
St. Martin, the city, and the whole country. Then came against
them the glorious Prince Charles, at the head of his whole force.
He drew up his host, and he fought as fiercely as the hungry
wolf falls upon the stag. By the grace of Our Lord, he wrought a
great slaughter upon the enemies of Christian faith, so that---as
history bears witness---he slew in that battle 300,000 men,
likewise their king by name Abderrahman. Then was he
[Charles] first called "Martel," for as a hammer of iron, of steel,
and of every other metal, even so he dashed: and smote in the
battle all his enemies. And what was the greatest marvel of all,
he only lost in that battle 1500 men. The tents and harness [of

the enemy] were taken; and whatever else they possessed
became a prey to him and his followers. Eudes, Duke of
Aquitaine, being now reconciled with Prince Charles Martel,
later slew as many of the Saracens as he could find who had
escaped from the battle.
Source.
1 Quoted in Edward Creasy, Fifteen Decisive Battles of the
World, Everyman's Library (New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.,
n.d.), pp. 168-169.
2 William Stearns Davis, ed., Readings in Ancient History:
Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, vol. 2 (Boston: Allyn and
Bacon, 1912-13), pp. 362-364.
Pact of Umar
: Non
-
Muslims under Muslim
Rule
century, Muslims leaders were
required to work out a way of dealing with Non
-
Muslims, who remained in the majority in many
areas f
or centuries. The solution was to develop the notion of the
"dhimma", or "protected
person". The Dhimmi were required to pay an extra tax, but
usually they were unmolested. This
compares well with the treatment meted out to non
-
Christians in Christian Euro
pe. The Pact of
Umar is supposed to have been the peace accord offered by the

Caliph Umar to the Christians of
Syria, a "pact" which formed the patter of later interaction.
We heard from 'Abd al
-
Rahman ibn Ghanam [died 78/697] as follows: When Umar ibn
al
-
Khattab, may God be pleased with
him, accorded a peace to the Christians of Syria, we wrote to
him as follows:
letter to the servant of God Umar
[ibn al
-
Khattab], Commander of the Faithful, from the Christians of
such
-
and
-
such
a city. When
you came against us, we asked you for safe
-
conduct (aman) for ourselves, our descendants, our
property, and the people of our community, and we undertook
the following obligations toward
you:
We shall not build, in our cities or in their nei
ghborhood, new monasteries, Churches, convents,

or monks' cells, nor shall we repair, by day or by night, such of
them as fall in ruins or are
We shall
give board and lodging
to all Muslims who pass our way for three days.
any spy, nor bide him from the
Muslims.
We shall not manifest our rel
igion publicly nor convert anyone to it. We shall not prevent
any of
our kin from entering Islam if they wish it.
from our seats when they wish to
sit.
Pact of Umar: Non-Muslims under Muslim
Rule
century, Muslims leaders were
required to work out a way of dealing with Non-Muslims, who
remained in the majority in many
areas for centuries. The solution was to develop the notion of
the "dhimma", or "protected
person". The Dhimmi were required to pay an extra tax, but
usually they were unmolested. This

compares well with the treatment meted out to non-Christians in
Christian Europe. The Pact of
Umar is supposed to have been the peace accord offered by the
Caliph Umar to the Christians of
Syria, a "pact" which formed the patter of later interaction.
We heard from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam [died 78/697] as
follows: When Umar ibn al-
Khattab, may God be pleased with him, accorded a peace to the
Christians of Syria, we wrote to
him as follows:
letter to the servant of God Umar
[ibn al-Khattab], Commander of the Faithful, from the
Christians of such-and-such a city. When
you came against us, we asked you for safe-conduct (aman) for
ourselves, our descendants, our
property, and the people of our community, and we undertook
the following obligations toward
you:
We shall not build, in our cities or in their neighborhood, new
monasteries, Churches, convents,
or monks' cells, nor shall we repair, by day or by night, such of
them as fall in ruins or are
We shall give board and lodging
to all Muslims who pass our way for three days.
any spy, nor bide him from the
Muslims.
We shall not manifest our religion publicly nor convert anyone
to it. We shall not prevent any of

our kin from entering Islam if they wish it.
from our seats when they wish to
sit.
Bede: The Life and Miracles of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of
Lindesfarne, c. 721
Bede was born in 673, in Northumberland, became a monk and
died at Jarrow in 735. He was one of the most important
intellects, and most prolific writers of his time. Among his
other accomplishments was in becoming the only Englishman in
Dante's Divine Comedy. His most important work his is History
of the English Church and People, but he wrote many others -
biblical commentaries and hagiography in particular.
Bede's Life of St. Cuthbert recounts the life of Cuthbert, famed
in his time as a miracle worker. Cuthbert was probably born in
Northumberland circa 634. He was educated by Irish monks at
Melrose Abbey. At various times in his life, Cuthbert was a
monk, a solitary, and a bishop. He died on Farne Island in 687.
An early anonymous Life of Cuthbert was written about 700,
but the discovery of Cuthbert's uncorrupt body gave a new
impetus to the cult, and Bede used the earlier Life to write his
own verse Life, around 716, and this, longer, prose Life around
721.
CHAPTER XVI: HOW HE LIVED AND TAUGHT IN THE
MONASTERY OF LINDISFARNE
WHILST this venerable servant of the Lord was thus during
many years, distinguishing himself by such signs of spiritual
excellence in the monastery of Melrose, its reverend abbot,
Eata, transferred him to the monastery in the island of
Lindisfarne, that there also he might teach the rules of monastic
perfection with the authority of its governor, and illustrate it by
the example of his virtue; for the same reverend abbot had both
monasteries under his jurisdiction. And no one should wonder

that, though the island of Lindisfarne is small, we have above
made mention of a bishop, and now of an abbot and monks; for
the case is really so. For the same island, inhabited by servants
of the Lord, contains both, and all are monks. For Aidan, who
was the first bishop of that place, was a monk, and with all his
followers lived according to the monastic rule. Wherefore all
the principals of that place from him to the present time
exercise the episcopal office; so that, whilst the monastery is
governed by the abbot, whom they, with the consent of the
brethren, have elected, all the priests, deacons, singers, readers,
and other ecclesiastical officers of different ranks, observe the
monastic rule in every respect, as well as the bishop himself.
The blessed pope Gregory showed that he approved this mode of
life, when in answer to Augustine, his first missionary to
Britain, who asked him how bishops ought to converse with
their clerks, among other remarks he replied, " Because, my
brother, having been educated in the monastic rule, you ought
not to keep aloof from your clerks: in the English Church,
which, thanks be to God, has lately been converted to the faith,
you should institute the same system, which has existed from
the first beginning of our Church among our ancestors, none of
whom said that the things which he possessed were his own, but
they had all things common." When Cuthbert, therefore, came to
the church or monastery of Lindisfarne, he taught the brethren
monastic rules both by his life and doctrines, and often going
round, as was his custom, among the neighbouring people, he
kindled them up to seek after and work out a heavenly reward.
Moreover, by his miracles he became more and more celebrated,
and by the earnestness of his prayers restored to their former
health many that were afflicted with various infirmities and
sufferings; some that were vexed with unclean spirits, he not
only cured whilst present by touching them, praying over them,
or even by commanding or exorcising the devils to go out of
them; but even when absent he restored them by his prayers, or
by foretelling that they should be restored; amongst whom also
was the wife of the prefect above mentioned.

There were some brethren in the monastery who preferred their
ancient customs to the new regular discipline. But he got the
better of these by his patience and modest virtues, and by daily
practice at length brought them to the better system which he
had in view. Moreover, in his discussions with the brethren,
when he was fatigued by the bitter taunts of those who opposed
him, he would rise from his seat with a placid look, and dismiss
the meeting until the following day, when, as if he had suffered
no repulse, he would use the same exhortations as before, until
he converted them, as I have said before, to his own views. For
his patience was most exemplary, and in enduring the
opposition which was heaped equally upon his mind and body
he was most resolute, and, amid the asperities which he
encountered, he always exhibited such placidity of countenance,
as made it evident to all that his outward vexations were
compensated for by the internal consolations of the Holy Spirit.
But he was so zealous in watching and praying, that he is
believed to have sometimes passed three or four nights together
therein, during which time he neither went to his own bed, nor
had any accommodation from the brethren for reposing himself.
For he either passed the time alone, praying in some retired
spot, or singing and making something with his hands, thus
beguiling his sleepiness by labour; or, perhaps, he walked round
the island, diligently examining every thing therein, and by this
exercise relieved the tediousness of psalmody and watching.
Lastly, he would reprove the faintheartedness of the brethren,
who took it amiss if any one came and unseasonably importuned
them to awake at night or during their afternoon naps. "No one,"
said he, "can displease me by waking me out of my sleep, but,
on the contrary, give me pleasure; for, by rousing me from
inactivity, he enables me to do or think of something useful."
So devout and zealous was he in his desire after heavenly
things, that, whilst officiating in the solemnity of the mass, he
never could come to the conclusion thereof without a plentiful
shedding of tears. But whilst he duly discharged the mysteries
of our Lord's passion, he would, in himself, illustrate that in

which he was officiating; in contrition of heart he would
sacrifice himself to the Lord; and whilst he exhorted the
standers-by to lift up their hearts and to give thanks unto the
Lord, his own heart was lifted up rather than his voice, and it
was the spirit which groaned within him rather than the note of
singing. In his zeal for righteousness he was fervid to correct
sinners, he was gentle in the spirit of mildness to forgive the
penitent, so that he would often shed tears over those who
confessed their sins, pitying their weaknesses, and would
himself point out by his own righteous example what course the
sinner should pursue. He used vestments of the ordinary
description, neither noticeable for their too great neatness, nor
yet too slovenly. Wherefore, even to this day, it is not
customary in that monastery for any one to wear vestments of a
rich or valuable colour, but they are content with that
appearance which the natural wool of the sheep presents.
By these and such like spiritual exercises, this venerable man
both excited the good to follow his example, and recalled the
wicked and perverse from their errors to regularity of life.
CHAPTER XVII: OF THE HABITATION WHICH HE MADE
FOR HIMSELF IN THE ISLAND OF FARNE, WHEN HE HAD
EXPELLED THE DEVILS
WHEN he had remained some years in the monastery, he was
rejoiced to be able at length, with the blessing of the abbot and
brethren accompanying him, to retire to the secrecy of solitude
which he had so long coveted. He rejoiced that from the long
conversation with the world he was now thought worthy to be
promoted to retirement and Divine contemplation: he rejoiced
that he now could reach to the condition of those of whom it is
sung by the Psalmist: " The holy shall walk from virtue to
virtue; the God of Gods shall be seen in Zion. " At his first
entrance upon the solitary life, he sought out the most retired
spot in the outskirts of the monastery. But when he had for
some time contended with the invisible adversary with prayer
and fasting in this solitude, he then, aiming at higher things,
sought out a more distant field for conflict, and more remote

from the eyes of men. There is a certain island called Farne, in
the middle of the sea, not made an island, like Lindisfarne, by
the flow of the tide, which the Greeks call rheuma, and then
restored to the mainland at its ebb, but lying off several miles to
the East, and, consequently, surrounded on all sides by the deep
and boundless ocean. No one, before God's servant Cuthbert,
had ever dared to inhabit this island alone, on account of the
evil spirits which reside there: but when this servant of Christ
came, armed with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, all the
fiery darts of the wicked were extinguished, and that wicked
enemy, with all his followers, were put to flight.
Christ's soldier, therefore, having thus, by the expulsion of the
tyrants, become the lawful monarch of the land, built a city fit
for his empire, and houses therein suitable to his city. The
building is almost of a round form, from wall to wall about four
or five poles in extent: the wall on the outside is higher than a
man, but within, by excavating the rock, he made it much
deeper, to prevent the eyes and the thoughts from wandering,
that the mind might be wholly bent on heavenly things, and the
pious inhabitant might behold nothing from his residence but
the heavens above him. The wall was constructed, not of hewn
stones or of brick and mortar, but of rough stones and turf,
which had been taken out from the ground within. Some of them
were so large that four men could hardly have lifted them, but
Cuthbert himself, with angels helping him, had raised them up
and placed them on the wall. There were two chambers in the
house, one an oratory, the other for domestic purposes. He
finished the walls of them by digging round and cutting away
the natural soil within and without, and formed the roof out of
rough poles and straw. Moreover, at the landing-place of the
island he built a large house, in which the brethren who visited
him might be received and rest themselves, and not far from it
there was a fountain of water or their use.
CHAPTER XVIII: HOW BY HIS PRAYERS HE DREW
WATER FROM THE DRY GROUND, AND HOW HE GOT ON

DURING HIS RETIREMENT
BUT his own dwelling was destitute of water, being built on
hard and stony ground. The man of God, therefore, sent for the
brethren, for he had not yet withdrawn himself entirely from the
sight of visitors, and said to them, " You see that my dwelling is
destitute of water; but I pray you, let us beseech Him who
turned the solid rock into a pool of water and stones into
fountains, that giving glory, not to us, but to his own name, He
may vouchsafe to open to us a spring of water, even from this
stony rock. Let us dig in the middle of my hut, and, I believe,
out of his good pleasure, He will give us drink." They therefore
made a pit, and the next morning found it full of water,
springing up from within. Wherefore there can be no doubt that
it was elicited by the prayers of this man of God from the
ground which was before dry and stony. Now this water, by a
most remarkable quality, never overflowed its first limits so as
to flood the pavement, nor yet ever failed, however much of it
might be taken out; so that it never surpassed or fell short of the
daily necessities of him who used it for his sustenance.
Now when Cuthbert had, with the assistance of the brethren,
made for himself this dwelling with its chambers, he began to
live in a more secluded manner. At first, indeed, when the
brethren came to visit him, he would leave his cell and minister
to them. He used to wash their feet devoutly with warm water,
and was sometimes compelled by them to take off his shoes,
that they might wash his feet also. For he had so far withdrawn
his mind from attending to the care of his person, and fixed it
upon the concerns of his soul, that he would often spend whole
months without taking off his leathern gaiters. Sometimes, too,
he would keep his shoes on from one Easter to another, only
taking them off on account of the washing of feet, which then
takes place at the Lord 's Supper. Wherefore, in consequence of
his frequent prayers and genuflexions, which he made with his
shoes on, he was discovered to have contracted a callosity on
the junction of his feet and legs. At length, as his zeal after
perfection grew, he shut himself up in his cell away from the

sight of men, and spent his time alone in fasting, watching, and
prayer, rarely having communication with any one without, and
that through the window, which at first was left open, that he
might see and be seen; but, after a time, he shut that also, and
opened it only to give his blessing, or for any other purpose of
absolute necessity.
CHAPTER XIX: HOW HE SOWED A FIELD WITH BARLEY,
AND KEPT OFF THE BIRDS FROM THE CROP BY HIS
MERE WORD
AT first, indeed, he received from his visitors a small portion of
bread, and drank water from the fountain; but afterwards he
thought it more fitting to live by the labour of his own hands,
like the old fathers. He therefore asked them to bring him some
instruments of husbandry, and some wheat to sow; but when he
had sown the grain in the spring, it did not come up. At the next
visit of the monks, he said to them, "Perhaps the nature of the
soil or the will of God, does not allow wheat to grow in this
place: bring me, I beg of you, some barley: possibly that may
answer. If, however, on trial it does not, I had better return to
the monastery than be supported here by the labour of others."
The barley was accordingly brought, and sown, although the
season was extraordinarily late; and the barley came up most
unexpectedly and most abundantly. It no sooner began to ripen,
than the birds came and wasted it most grievously. Christ's holy
servant, as he himself afterwards told it, (for he used, in a
cheerful and affable manner, to confirm the faith of his hearers
by telling them the mercies which his own faith had obtained
from the Lord,) drew near to the birds, and said to them, "Why
do you touch that which you have not sown? Have you more
share than I in this? If you have received license from God, do
what He allows you; but if not, get you gone, and do no further
injury to that which belongs to another." He had no sooner
spoken, than all the flock of birds departed, and never more
returned to feed upon that field. Thus in two miracles did this
reverend servant of Christ imitate the example of two of the
fathers: for, in drawing water from the rock, he followed the

holy St. Benedict, who did almost the same thing, and in the
same way, though more abundantly, because there were more
who were in want of water. And in driving away the birds, he
imitated the reverend and holy father St. Antony, who by his
word alone drove away the wild asses from the garden which he
had planted.
CHAPTER XXII: HOW HE GAVE SALUTARY
ADMONITIONS TO MANY WHO CAME TO HIM, AND
EXPOSED THE IMPOTENT SNARES OF THE OLD ENEMY
BUT many came to the man of God, not only from the furthest
parts of Lindisfarne, but even from the more remote parts of
Britain, led thither by the fame of his virtues, to confess the
errors which they had committed, or the temptations of the devil
which they suffered, or the adversities common to mortals, with
which they were afflicted, and all hoping to receive consolation
from a man so eminent for holiness. Nor did their hope deceive
them For no one went away from him without consolation, no
one returned afflicted with the same grief which had brought
him thither. For he knew how to comfort the sorrowful with
pious exhortation; he could recall the joys of celestial life to the
memory of those who were straitened in circumstances, and
show the uncertainty of prosperity and adversity in this life: he
had learnt to make known to those who were tempted the
numerous wiles of their ancient enemy, by which that mind
would be easily captivated which was deprived of brotherly or
Divine love; whereas, the mind which, strengthened by the true
faith, should continue its course, would, by the help of God,
break the snares of the adversary like the threads of a spider's
web. "How often," said he, "have they sent me headlong from
the high rock! How many times have they thrown stones at me
as if to kill me! Yea, they sought to discourage me by various
trials of apparitions, and to exterminate me from this scene of
trial, but were never able to affect my body with injury, or my
mind with fear."
He was accustomed to relate these things more frequently to the
brotherhood, lest they should wonder at his conversation as

being peculiarly exalted, because, despising secular cares, he
preferred to live apart. " But," said he, "the life of monks may
well be wondered at, who are subjected in all things to the
orders of the abbot, the times of watching, praying, fasting, and
working, being all regulated according to his will; many of
whom have I known far exceed my littleness, both in purity of
mind and advancement in prophetic grace. Among whom must I
mention, with all honour, the venerable Boisil, servant of
Christ, who, when an old man, formerly supported me in my
youth at Melrose Abbey, and while instructing me, he foretold,
with prophetic truth, all things which would happen to me; and
of all things which he foretold to me, one alone remains which I
hope may never be accomplished." Cuthbert told us this was a
prophecy of Boisil, that this, our holy servant of Christ, should
attain to the office of a bishop; though he, in his eagerness after
the heavenly life, felt horrified at the announcement.
CHAPTER XXV: HOW, WHEN ELECTED TO THE
BISHOPRIC, HE CURED A SERVANT OF ONE OF THE KING
S ATTENDANTS BY MEANS OF HOLY WATER
WHEN Cuthbert, the man of God, after having been elected to
the bishopric, had returned to his island, and for some time had
served God in secret with his accustomed devotion, the
venerable Bishop Eata called him and requested him to come to
an interview with him at Melrose. The conversation being
finished, and Cuthbert having commenced his journey
homewards, a certain attendant of King Egfrid met him, and
besought him that he would turn aside and give a benediction at
his house. When he had arrived there, and had received the
grateful salutations of all, the man pointed out to him one of his
servants who was infirm, saying, " I thank God, most holy
father, that you have thought worthy to enter our house to see
us, and, indeed, we believe that your arrival will afford us the
greatest profit both of mind and body. For there is one of our
servants tormented with the worst infirmity, and is this day
afflicted with such great pain that he appears more like a man
dying than sick. For his extremities being dead, he seems only

to breathe a little through his mouth and nostrils." Cuthbert
immediately blessed some water, and gave it to a servant whose
name was Baldhelm, who is still alive and filling the office of
presbyter in the bishopric of Lindisfarne, which he adorns by
his good qualities. He also has the faculty of relating in the
sweetest manner the virtues of the man of God to all who are
desirous of knowing, and it was he that told me the miracle
which I relate. The man of God, then, giving him the holy
water, said, "Go and give it to the sick man to drink." In
obedience to these words he brought the water to the sick man,
and when he poured it into his mouth the third time, the sick
man, contrary to his usual custom, fell asleep. It was now
evening, and he passed the night in silence, and in the morning
appeared quite well when his master visited him.
CHAPTER XXXVII: OF THE TEMPTATIONS WHICH HE
UNDERWENT IN HIS SICKNESS, ANDS HIS ORDERS
CONCERNING HIS BURIAL
THE solemn day of the nativity of our Lord was scarcely over,
when the man of God, Cuthbert, returned to his dwelling on the
island. A crowd of monks were standing by as he entered into
the ship; and one of them, an old and venerable monk, strong in
faith but weak in body, in consequence of a dysentery, said to
him, "Tell us, my lord bishop, when we may hope for your
return." To this plain question, he replied as plainly, "When you
shall bring my body back here." when he had passed about two
months in the enjoyment of his rest, and had as usual subdued
both his body and mind with his accustomed severity, he was
suddenly seized with illness, and began to prepare for the joy of
everlasting happiness, through pain and temporal affliction. I
will describe his death in the words of him who related it to me,
namely, his attendant priest Herefrid, a most religious man, who
also at that time presided over the monastery of Lindisfarne, in
the capacity of abbot.
"He was brought to the point of death," said he, "after having
been weakened by three weeks of continued suffering. For he
was taken ill on the fourth day of the week; and again on the

fourth day of the week his pains were over, and he departed to
the Lord. But when I came to him on the first morning after his
illness began - (for I had also arrived at the island with the
brethren three days before) - in my desire to obtain his blessing
and advice as usual, I gave the customary signal of my coming,
and he came to the window, and replied to my salutation with a
sigh. 'My lord bishop,' said I,' what is the matter with you? Has
your indisposition come upon you this last night?' 'Yes,' said he,
'indisposition has come upon me.' I thought that he was
speaking of an old complaint, which vexed him almost every
day, and not of a new malady; so, without making any more
inquiries, I said to him, 'Give us your blessing, for it is time to
put to sea and return home.' 'Do so,' replied he; 'go on board,
and return home in safety. But, when the Lord shall have taken
my spirit, bury me in this house, near my oratory, towards the
south, over against the eastern side of the holy cross, which I
have erected there. Towards the north side of that same oratory
is a sarcophagus under the turf, which the venerable Abbot
Cudda formerly gave me. You will place my body therein,
wrapping it in linen, which you will find in it. I would not wear
it whilst I was alive, but for the love of that highly favoured
woman, who sent it to me, the Abbess Verca, I have preserved it
to wrap my corpse in.' On hearing these words, I replied, 'I
beseech you, father, as you are weak, and talk of the probability
of your dying, to let some of the brethren remain here to wait on
you.' 'Go home now,' said he 'but return at the proper time.' So I
was unable to prevail upon him, not withstanding the urgency of
my entreaties; and at last I asked him when we should return to
him. 'When God so wills it,' said he, 'and when He Himself shall
direct you.' We did as he commanded us; and having assembled
the brethren immediately in the church, I had prayers offered up
for him without intermission; 'for,' said I, 'it seems to me, from
some words which he spoke, that the day is approaching on
which he will depart to the Lord.'
"I was anxious about returning to him on account of his illness,
but the weather prevented us for five days; and it was ordered

so by God, as the event showed. For God Almighty, wishing to
cleanse his servant from every stain of earthly weakness, and to
show his adversaries how weak they were against the strength of
his faith, kept him aloof from men, and put him to the proof by
pains of the flesh, and still more violent encounters with the
ancient enemy. At length there was a calm, and we went to the
island, and found him away from his cell in the house where we
were accustomed to reside. The brethren who came with me had
some occasion to go back to the neighbouring shore, so that I
was left alone on the island to minister to the holy father. I
warmed some water and washed his feet, which had an ulcer
from a long swelling, and, from the quantity of blood that came
from it, required to be attended to. I also warmed some wine
which I had brought, and begged him to taste it; for I saw by his
face that he was worn out with pain and want of food. When I
had finished my service, he sat down quietly on the couch, and I
sat down by his side.
"Seeing that he kept silence, I said, ' I see, my lord bishop, that
you have suffered much from your complaint since we left you,
and I marvel that you were so unwilling for us, when we
departed, to send you some of our number to wait upon you. '
He replied, ' It was done by the providence and the will of God,
that I might be left without any society or aid of man, and suffer
somewhat of affliction. For when you were gone, my languor
began to increase, so that I left my cell and came hither to meet
any one who might be on his way to see me, that he might not
have the trouble of going further. Now, from the moment of my
coming until the present time, during a space of five days and
five nights, I have sat here without moving.' -'And how have
you supported life, my lord bishop? asked I; 'have you remained
so long without taking food?' Upon which, turning up the couch
on which he was sitting, he showed me five onions concealed
therein, saying, 'This has been my food for five days; for,
whenever my mouth became dry and parched with thirst, I
cooled and refreshed myself by tasting these;' -now one of the
onions appeared to have been a little gnawed, but certainly not

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