Blanquerna

OF THE MANNER WHEREIN BLANQUERNA RENOUNCED THE PAPACY

Blanquerna the Pope grew old, and he remembered the desire which he had had aforetime to lead the life of a hermit; so he went secretly into the Consistory with all the Cardinals, to whom he spake these words : “ Through the Divine blessing the Papacy and the Court of Rome are in right good e Slate, and by the ordinance thereof there results wondrous good example to the Catholic Faith. Wherefore, by reason of the grace which God has given to the Court, and that He may maintain it in the Slate wherein it now is, it would be well that we should appoint an officer to devote himself daily to prayer and to lead the contemplative life, praying God therein to maintain the eSlate of the Court, to the profit of the Court and to His own honour.” Each of the Cardinals held this to be very good, and they sought out a man that was holy ahd devout and of great perfection, that his prayers might be the more pleasing to God.

2. When the Pope had learned the will of the Cardinals, he kneeled before them all, praying them to grant that he should renounce the Papacy, and that this office of prayer should be given to him. All the Cardinals kneeled before the Pope, and Strove with him every one, saying that it was a thing ill-beseeming that he should renounce the apoSlolical dignity, the more so because, if he renounced it, there would be the danger that the Court should no longer be in the same eSlate wherein it was by the grace of God and through the life of Blanquerna. The Pope Blan¬ querna answered that the Cardinals had come to such great perfection through the offices of Gloria in Excehis Deo, that thenceforward this goodly eSlate might not be destroyed, 402

HOW BLANQUERNA RENOUNCED THE PAPACY especially if another Pope were elefted by the rule and art according to the which the Abbess Natana was elefted. For so long did the Pope kneel and weep before the Cardinals, and with such great devotion and affe&ion did he beg of them indulgence, that all the Cardinals obeyed his commandment.

3. When Blanquerna was freed from the Papacy and felt himself at liberty to go and serve God in the life of a hermit, who can tell the joy and the gladness that was his ? As Blanquerna thought and joyed thereon, he spake to the Cardinals these words : “ My lords I For a long time have I desired to be the servant and contemplator of God in the life of a hermit, to the end that in my mind there may be naught but God alone. To-morrow after Mass I go to seek my hermitage, wherefore I muft take my leave, and beg for grace and blessing of you, my lords, who will be in my memory all the days of my life, and like¬ wise in my prayers; and I heartily thank God and you that ye have assisted me so well to hold the Papacy for a great space of time.”

4. Right displeased were the Cardinals when they heard that the Pope desired to go into the forest and become a hermit, and they prayed him to ftay and live in the city of Rome or in some other city, whichever was the more pleasing to him, and to remain in that city in contemplation and prayer. But the blessed Pope Blanquerna consented not to their prayers, so greatly kindled was his soul by virtue of the Divine inspiration; and on the morrow after Mass he desired to go to his hermitage and to take leave of his companions.

5. “ Lord Blanquerna 1 ” said the Cardinals. “ For a great space of time have we been obedient to thee every one and have fulfilled thy commandments. Thou art old and worn, and haft need of good viands and a place wherein thou mayeft have corporal suftenance, to the end that thou mayeft the better labour in the spiritual and contemplative

BLANQUERNA

life; wherefore we pray thee that thou remain for such time among us, until we have sought thee out a convenient hermitage, and prepared it in such wise that thou mayeft dwell therein, and sing and celebrate the Divine office; and until we also, with thy counsel, shall have elected a Pope who will give us grace and blessing when thou takeft leave of us, for we shall have great sorrow at thy departure.” With such great devotion, and with words so reasonable, did the Cardinals beg this of Blanquerna, that he had perforce to obey their prayers.

6. While Blanquerna was with the Cardinals in the city of Rome, the Cardinals sent messengers through the forests and over the high mountains, that they should seek out a convenient place wherein Blanquerna might dwell; and they made ready a place upon a high mountain wherein was the church of a hermitage, near to a fountain, that Blan¬ querna might dwell there, and they made ordinance that a certain monastery which was at the foot of the mountain should provide for the necessities of Blanquerna all the days of his life. And during this time wherein the Cardinals sought a place for Blanquerna to dwell, they eledted as Pope the Cardinal of Laudamus Te, the which Cardinal was made Pope according as the art whereby he was elected made plain to the Cardinals; and to this Pope was com¬ mitted the office of Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the which Blanquerna had aforetime held; and the office of that Cardinal was committed to a Cardinal newly elefted and set in the place of the Cardinal of Laudamus Te.