Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.52-53 > § 6.1-2

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

Margaret of Austria

 52   Our discussion of Queens who have displayed outstanding devotion to the glorious Virgin comes to an end with her most serene Highness, Princess Margaret of Austria. She was the wife of Philip III (the aforementioned King of Spain), and the mother of Philip IV (currently reigning) and Anne of Austria (Queen of France). This Princess, whom I can with good reason call a true pearl among virtuous Princesses, died in 1611 after a life remarkable for its holiness. 

Whilst she was still young, not a day passed when she did not recite the Rosary along with the Little Office and the Litany of Lady. After she she became a wife, she added to these exercises other signs of her devotion which were in keeping with the marital state. When, for example, the day of her confinement was approaching, she would request a Novena of Masses in honour of the nine principal mysteries in the life and death of the Holy Virgin, at which she herself would assist with a deep devotion. When her days were accomplished, her first and principal concern was to go and make an act of thanksgiving to the same Virgin, offering her children and commending them to her tender care. On the feast of the Annunciation, she would personally wait upon nine poor women in honour of these same mysteries. Whenever she heard that the Holy Virgin had chosen a particular place as a site where her special favours might be obtained, the Princess would show her devotion by immediately paying a personal visit in honour of the Holy Mother. She provided many examples of her devotion on the long journey that she made from Styria to Madrid, passing through the Duchy of Ferrara, where Pope Clement VIII blessed her marriage. 

There are hundreds of places, not only in Italy but also in Spain, where you can see evidence of her royal munificence and her outstanding devotion towards the Queen of the Universe – so much so  that there simply is not enough space or time to describe them here. Suffice it to say that as a result of this devotion the Holy Virgin showered her with so many favours that she may be rightfully included in the ranks of the most accomplished of all Queens[1].

  

Footnotes

[1] Hilar. de la Coste, in Elogiis illustrarum feminarum.

Gisela of Hungary

 53   Blessed Gisela, sister of Saint Henry the Emperor and wife of Saint Stephen King of Hungary, has a right to be ranked amongst the most illustrious Princesses in the heavenly Court and those most devoted to serving the MOTHER OF GOD. Divine Providence was to make use of her in making her husband St Stephen what he came to be and inspiring him with love and devotion towards the Queen of Angels. It is simple enough to see that she was not disappointed in this respect. On the contrary, we can only conclude that it was through her influence that her husband the King came to do things worthy of being imitated by all the Kings and Princes in the world, especially in relation to the devotion he had towards the Holy Virgin.   

Apart from other favours that the Virgin granted to this Princess, she rewarded her loving and pleasing service in the highest way imaginable. After the death of her husband, she followed the remarkable example given her by St Cunegunde her sister-in-law by withdrawing to an Abbey of Our Lady in Passau where she took the habit of the Augustinian Order. She became a humble servant of God and of the Holy Virgin, forsaking the grand ways and vanities of courtly life which had never really been to her taste. Over a period of time she set such an example of outstanding virtue that she was made Abbess and she improved the Monastery in many ways, not only by the generous gifts she made but much more by the wondrous example of piety and virtue she displayed, and by the wise ordinances she introduced.

She died on the 7th of May in the year 1095, highly esteemed for her holiness. The Blessed Virgin ensured that she is numbered amongst the great Saints in Heaven just as she had made her one of the noblest and most excellent Princesses on earth. 

§ 6. On God’s Gratitude towards certain Prelates and other persons 

 1   I would accept that the majority of the favours of the MOTHER OF GOD that I have mentioned in previous Chapters (or which will be found later in this work) could be included, if correctly understood, as examples of gratitude under the heading that I am now about to consider. I do not disagree but I am now going to proceed in selecting just a few examples of the signal graces that the Holy Virgin has conferred upon her children in consideration of some particular service rendered to her.

St Cyril of Alexandria

 2   It would be difficult to find any other group of people who had done more to honour and serve the Blessed Mother than Holy Prelates and members of Religious Orders. We should therefore not be astonished that the Blessed Virgin has demonstrated her goodwill towards them so many times and in so many different ways. The great Patriarch of Alexandria, St Cyril, was pre-eminent at the Council of Ephesus and worked tirelessly to defend the honour of the Queen of Heaven’s Crown which the heretic Nestorius wished to take away from her. There was no argument that Cyril did not bring to bear in order to support her title as MOTHER OF GOD. He fought against the heretic through his prayers, using his  own authority and that of Emperors, as well as his orations and writings. In fact he did not hold back until he saw the enemy of the Virgin helpless at his feet, bereft of courage, speechless and unable to move further. The Queen of Goodness would show in good time her gratitude for what he had done.

      

There is nothing perfect in the world and Cyril was no exception for he had allowed himself to be won over by those taking a negative view of St John Chrysostom[1] (who had died some years previously). He was unwilling to hear him named in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as was the custom with other Prelates who had remained in communion with Holy Church until their death. This may have been to maintain the honour of Theophilus, his uncle and predecessor in the See of Alexandria, who was of the party opposed to St John Chrysostom; or it may have been because John Chrysostom had been exiled from his Church following the sworn testimony of certain Prelates (who were supporters of Eudoxia) to the effect that he should be excluded from the group of Bishops considered to be orthodox. Although we can assume that Cyril did this with good intentions, his actions were however unsupported by reason or equity and could therefore not be pleasing to God. The Holy Prelate of Constantinople soon made this known to Cyril for he appeared to him one night in a dream accompanied by a host of Angels and, at the point of a drawn sword, forced him out of his own Church. At that precise moment, however, the Holy Virgin came to his aid and prayed to her Son so earnestly on his behalf, listing all the services he had performed in her honour, that he was taken back into the Church and restored with honour to all his offices and ministries. This was enough to show St Cyril where his duty lay and he immediately convened a Provincial Synod, doing everything that could be asked for in favour of St John Chrysostom.

Footnotes

[1] Niceph., lib. XIV Hist., c. 28 ex Hist. Nicetæ Philosophi.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.47-51

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

St Bathilde

 47   Amongst those Queens who were specially devoted to the MOTHER OF GOD St Bathilde, wife of Clovis II, stands out and evidence of this may be found in her decision to establish the Royal Monastery in Chelles. She did not have to wait long before reaping the fruits of her devotion because, after the death of her husband the King, she entered the Monastery to become a living Temple of His divine Majesty[1]. Sometime before she died, the date of her death was revealed to her and she saw a ladder surrounded by Blessed Spirits which stretched up from the altar of Our Lady to Heaven. She was told that this was the ladder she would ascend to the place of her eternal happiness and rest. 

Footnotes

[1] In Vita ipsius apud Sur., 26 Januarii.

St. Margaret of Hungary

 48   The incomparable devotion of St Margaret[1], (daughter of Béla, King of Hungary), would deserve a chapter to itself. This Saint began at the age of three to recite daily the Little Office of Our Lady. When she was not much older, she could never see an image of the Virgin without kneeling down and saying an Ave Maria. She would do this a thousand times each day in the Octave preceding her principal Feasts.  She derived such help and strength from her devotion that nothing seemed impossible to her and I would find it difficult to describe in a few words the remarkable progress she made. Those curious to learn more need only look in her Life. 

Footnotes

[1] In ejus Vita, 28 Januarii.

St Joanna, Princess of Portugal

 49   Princess Joanna of Portugal deserves to be considered here amongst Queens not only for possessing all the Regal qualities but also for having ruled the Kingdom whilst her father Alfonso V and her brother John II were out of the country waging war against Berber forces. This Princess was accomplished in everything that can contribute to the éclat of a Queen and make her admired in the world; but she was even more accomplished in those perfections which bring joy to Heaven and win the affection of God. The devotion she had towards the most blessed Virgin was one of the most beautiful pearls in her Crown and the benefits she derived from this became clear in various different ways but most notably in the way the Virgin protected her chastity.   

She was considered to be the most beautiful Princess under Heaven and those fortunate enough to see her in person confessed that nothing in men’s imagination nor in the skills of painters could come anywhere near reproducing her beauty. This was accompanied by all sorts of outstanding qualities and so enraptured the eyes and the hearts of three of the great Princes in the world that it seemed a miracle would be needed for her to escape their pursuit of her hand in marriage. The Queen of Virgins herself, however, caused Joanna’s love to be so strongly attached to the beauty of chastity that nothing could shake it.  

Before we move on to consider the adventures of this valiant Princess, picture her now as she appeared when her father returned victorious from Africa. She was dressed for this occasion as though it were her wedding day and the gemstones she wore so set off her face with their lustre that all those looking upon her thought she was an Angel come down from Heaven rather than a mere creature of the earth. The King her father was so dazzled and overwhelmed that I think he would have been unable to deny her anything she asked. She was aware of this and she had prepared herself in this way so that she might ask him for something no one might ever have anticipated who did not have a perfect knowledge of her incomparable virtue. Who could ever have imagined that a Princess so striking and worthy of marriage to the noblest Prince in the world would on a day of public rejoicing ask her triumphant father, who loved her as much as himself, to give his permission for her to consecrate herself entirely to the service of God?  If someone had pierced the heart of this poor King with a deadly arrow the blow would not have been more painful than what he felt on hearing this unexpected request. Nevertheless, motivated by a fear of the Lord, he could not bring himself to refuse what she asked ; but he seemed for a moment as though paralysed and was unable to say a single word. The Princess, interpreting her father’s silence as tacit permission, put all her affairs in order as best she could and from that moment on strove to bring about her entry into the Religious life. When this day finally arrived, she was escorted by Prince John her brother, by several Prelates and by senior members of the Court who wore mourning black as though accompanying her to the tomb. 

 50   The Princess had been in her Monastery at Aveiro as in a place of refuge, confident that not only she could not be removed but that such a thing could not even be thought about. She was to be put to the test by two surprises almost one after the other, both of which would have shaken the firmest of hearts. 

The first came during the lifetime of Alfonso her father when Maximilian, King of the Romans, and son of the Emperor Frederick III, sought to make her his wife several months after her entry into the Monastery. Her brother Prince John served as an intermediary for him, using attempts at persuasion which would have melted a heart less steady than Joanna’s.  The wise Princess, however, seeing that there was no other way of escape, modestly begged her brother not to take this matter any further if he wished to preserve their friendship and to remain a good brother to her as he had been up until then. 

The Portuguese historians describe a second attempt, saying that after the death of Alfonso, his son John II was asked by King Charles VIII of France for his sister’s hand in marriage. This love was deeply rooted in the heart of Charles[1], since King Louis XI, his father, had requested a portrait of the Princess, as I mentioned earlier in passing. Once he saw the portrait, he knelt on the ground to worship the original of created beauty who had brought into being such an excellent model in his own days. From then onwards, this passion had grown in Charles and finally it burst forth as soon as he inherited the Crown. We should note that Charles had developed such a close friendship with John II, King of Portugal, that he was often heard to say that even if all the Princes in Europe were to go up against him, nevertheless he and the King of Portugal, like loyal brothers, were capable of withstanding all of them. Nevertheless, when it came to the question of marriage to Princess Joanna, he displayed such passion that in addition to prayers and references to their sworn friendship, he began to add threats of going to war with John if the marriage did not come to pass.  

As soon as the French Ambassadors arrived, King John betook himself to Aveiro to discuss the proposal in person with his sister the Princess, but he found her as unyielding as ever.  He then sought to persuade her by explaining how he did not wish to endanger his fine alliance with Charles, how he was most keen to grant the honourable request of a great King who had sworn him friendship, and how he was anxious to avoid an angry rupture with him. He asked her a thousand times what he had done to make her risk his downfall and the ruin of his realm, putting forward so many arguments that the poor Princess finally asked to postpone her decision until the following day, so that she might consult with the Virgin of Virgins, her dear Mother, and with her beloved Son, whom she had chosen for her Spouse a long time previously. Joanna thereupon withdrew to her chamber and knelt down on the ground in front of an image of the Virgin which she had there in her Oratory. With tears coursing down her cheeks, she prayed in a wondrously fervent way to the Mother of fair Love. She spoke with her eyes, her hands, her tongue and her heart, calling upon the Holy Virgin by all that she loved in Heaven and on Earth to come unto her aid and rescue her. Then a wonderful thing happened! Her countenance suddenly lightened up like a summer’s day and her heart was entirely at peace. The next day King John, not without feelings of apprehension, returned to the fray ; he did not doubt her opposition would continue and he was preparing to launch a second attack. He was therefore taken by surprise when he saw his sister’s face so sweet and joyful, thinking that this portended a favourable reply. This is how it seemed on the outside, but it was not difficult to see that Heaven had played a part in this change. Joanna told her brother that if King Charles, who was doing her the honour of seeking her hand in marriage, was at that moment alive, she was willing to accede to his request.  

Nothing more was necessary for the satisfaction of both parties. The King, accordingly, expressed his most sincere gratitude to her and made his way back to the Court. He had scarcely arrived however, when he received the sad news of the death of Charles VIII, his close friend, who had already gone to his Maker by the time his sister gave the assent he had been seeking so ardently.

Footnotes

[1] Vasconcellius, in Joann.

 51   That is how the Portuguese historians relate the story but their version does not accord with what all the French historians say and it seems more reasonable to believe the latter. They state that when Charles died he was actually married to Anne of Brittany and she then, having been left a widow, later married King Louis XII, his successor. Let us therefore set aside the story involving Charles and now consider another suitor.

Richard III, King of England, made an offer of peace which was very advantageous to the King of Portugal – but on condition that he give his sister to Richard in marriage. This was a proposal not to be refused and everyone thought the Princess ought to give her consent for the good and peace of the whole Kingdom. The Portuguese King, however, found himself placed in a difficult situation since on the one hand was fully aware of his sister’s firm resolution about this matter, but on the other he saw very clearly that he might be criticised, and there might even be danger to the Kingdom if he allowed such a wonderful opportunity to pass by. He decided to test her reaction once more and leave no stone unturned in an effort to win over his sister’s heart. With this in mind, he made his way to Alcobaça to ask the Infanta Philippa his aunt to join him and support what he was doing. From there he went to the city of Oporto where the Princess had gone out of fear of the plague. He did everything that he could, personally and making use of his aunt’s good offices, to win over his sister and overcome her saintly opposition to the proposal. Seeing that he was making no progress and fearing lest the sisters in the Monastery would encourage her to remain firm in her stance, he forbade them from communicating with her in any way whatsoever.

The poor Princess was so afflicted to learn this news that in weariness and distress she knelt before the image of Our Lady. She fell into a gentle slumber during which she saw a handsome man whose face shone brightly (it was an Angel) who told her that she should cease to trouble herself since the man who was proposing marriage had in fact died. On hearing this word, she awoke and, just as though she had come back to life from the dead, she let out a loving sigh to her who was the Guardian of her chastity, thanking her from the bottom of her heart for the care she was taking of her. When she first saw her brother again, she declared to him that if the King of England was still alive, she was willing to marry him. In her pursuit of holiness, she asked him never to speak to her again about marriage in the event that Heaven did not sanction this one. Eight days later, King John learned of Richard’s death. This threw him into such a state of astonishment that he did not know which was the greater source of wonder : the incredible care that God had taken to protect the Prince’s sister, or her love and devotion which had merited this protection.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.43-47

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

Charles IV

 43   Charles IV, the current Duke, follows in this as in many other things the piety of his fathers and the same Congregation I referred to earlier is greatly honoured to see the Duke taking part in the devotions that it organises. It is simply not possible to see him opening his heart before the Virgin’s altar without being affected by his reverence and his sincerity. From this I am quite confident that, just as she has thus far protected him in the midst of many trials, so she will continue to do so in the future, adding still more éclat to the great qualities with which he has been favoured by Heaven.    

Philip the Good

 44   Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy and of Brabant, Count of Flanders and Artois, had a heart totally given over to serving the Queen of the World. He has left so much evidence in the Church of Notre-Dame de Hault[1] as to put the matter beyond any doubt. Consider the following irreproachable examples of the heartfelt devotion of this Prince towards the Holy Virgin : the silver-gilt statue of the Virgin in the middle of the altar, wearing a crown of solid gold and adorned with large pearls surrounding a beautiful ruby; the twelve Apostles in silver; two Angels holding candlesticks, all in silver; two silver figures representing the Duke, one showing him on horseback and the other on foot; to similar figures of solid gold ; and the golden lamp burning before the miraculous image of Our Lady. The learned Lipsius[2], who collated the miracles of Notre-Dame de Hault, observed that the Holy Virgin knew well enough how to repay so many signs of affection. Amongst other favours she granted, she obtained for him the grace of rallying and reuniting all the Provinces in the Low Countries.

Footnotes

[1] This seems to refer to Our Lady of Hal (Halle), a Church known today as the Basilica of St Martin, home to the Black Madonna of Hal(le).

[2] Justus Lipsius (1547-1606). See New Advent article which includes a reference to his writings on the miracles of Our Lady of Hal (1604).

Archduke Albert

 45   The devotion of this Prince towards Our Lady of Hal calls to mind that of his Serene Highness the Archduke Albert, Prince of the Low Countries, who died in Brussels in 1621. He would often go to offer his prayers to Our Lady of Hal in that Church and the beautiful silver lamp which he brought in to burn in perpetuity before the image of the Virgin will serve for centuries to come as a mark of the love and devotion he had for her. His heart, however, was perhaps moved even more by his devotion to Our Lady of Montaigu[1] and it is not surprising that he left in her Church further signs of his piety and his generosity. 

Not only did he build the chapel where this miraculous image is housed but he furnished it and decorated it so richly That you would say that he gave to this church  The most precious things from the inheritance, whether in jewels or ornaments, That he had received from two emperors, Rudolf and Matthias, his brothers. Those who have seen these magnificent presents declare that there are several priceless items of inestimable beauty. For several years before his death, he never missed making a novena each year in front of the holy image, full ways leaving some signs of Royal largesse after he had finished his devotions. When he was required to abandon the robes of Cardinal which had worn for some time, it was in this Chapel that he donned the sacred purple, girding himself with a baldric, declaring that he was changing his status only for the greater service of the Church. He  prayed that his holy Mother would support him now that he had taken on the mantle of Duke and the government of his provinces just as much as she had done when he wore the mozzetta and the rochet. 

In fact no one could deny that the Virgin, ever grateful for services she receives, contributed greatly to make him one of the greatest Princes in a long time. He was outstanding in his justice, his courage, his piety, his wisdom and in all the other qualities that would cause him to be remembered tenderly as a Christian Prince uniquely beloved of his people and respected by strangers.

Footnotes

[1] Known today as the Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel (Belgium). 

 46   It would be a never ending task if I were to try and provide examples here of all those Princes who distinguished themselves in this devotion and who experienced for themselves that it is one of the most blessed and beneficial that God has given to his Church. The little I have already said should suffice to give an idea of what graces and favours they received in return for their devotion. 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.39-42

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

John I – Duke of Lorraine

 39   Out of all the Dukes of Lorraine, John I will always be honoured for the glorious memory he left, being a Prince endowed with many virtues and a great servant of the Virgin. We shall see now how she made this known to him herself.  

Woringen is a town in the lands of the Elector of Cologne and was being used as a base by a great number of brigands who dominated the surrounding plains like an army of occupation. They threatened not only trades-people and private citizens (who were frightened to go out) but also the Princes of adjoining regions and the best cities of the region. In order to deal with the fear this was causing, the Dukes of Jülich and Mons agreed with those in Cologne that they should speak to the Duke of Lorraine, who was also Duke of Brabant. They humbly asked him to join forces with them so that they could remove these brigands from their stronghold. This brave and valiant Prince immediately agreed to their just request and, after commending his plans to the Virgin, he raised a small force which he led straight to Woringen in order to lay siege to the brigands. They sallied forth and a bloody battle ensued between the two armies, one fighting for the glory of God and for peace in the region, the other for their freedom and for their very lives. Although the latter were ten times more numerous than the Duke’s soldiers, he managed to cut to pieces a large number of them, taking many prisoners and forcing the others to flee shamefully in disorder, whilst he suffered negligible losses. The support of the most sacred Virgin was so apparent during this battle that the Duke was determined to give her all the honour for the victory. With this in mind, he instituted a feast in honour of Our Lady of Victory, which is celebrated solemnly every year in the city of Brussels on the 5th of June. 

Duke Anthony

 40   We covered in some detail the piety of Duke Antony and the victories won through favours he received from the Holy Virgin when we were discussing Notre-Dame de Saint-George in Chapter 2 of Part I.

Henry II

 41   Henry II, the most recent of the Dukes to die, was exceptionally good-natured and so devoted to the Virgin that simply hearing him mention her name would touch people’s hearts. He could never refuse anything asked of him for the love of the MOTHER OF GOD. He used to fast every Saturday in her honour in the same way people fast on Good Friday, abstaining from everything that had once been alive. He celebrated all her feasts religiously and could often be seen kneeling down before the altar of the Holy Virgin in the Church of Saint-George, where he was accustomed to assist at the Litanies which his wife, her Serene Highness Margherita Gonzaga, ordered to be sung every day in the same way they are in the Holy Chapel of Loreto. As far as may be judged, it was his bountiful Mother who filled his heart with compassion, who granted him a peaceful and gentle reign and who obtained for him a worthy death such as many might desire for themselves.  

At one point, he was suffering severely from apoplexy and this was affecting the use of his faculties. The Holy Mother sent him the most Reverend Bishop of Toul, Jean des Porcelets, a truly courageous Prelate most worthy of his Pastoral responsibility. He knew what would strike a chord with the dying prince and began to speak of devotion to the Virgin. He recalled for the Prince the various titles that Holy Church has granted her in the Litany of Loreto and this caused him to awaken as from a deep slumber. It seemed the Prince was also stirred into making acts of contrition, of faith, of hope of charity of resignation to the will of God and of humility. In his deep devotion, he shed such floods of tears that those present were moved to shed their own in abundance.

The only favour he requested was to be buried at the foot of the altar of Notre-Dame de Saint-George – but by night and with no elaborate ceremony, for he judged himself unworthy of the pomp and honour normally associated with the funerals of Princes and nobles. 

Francis II

 42   Francis II Was the brother of Henry and he continued in a marvellous way the devotion towards the Holy Virgin which seemed to be hereditary in the illustrious family of Lorraine. For a Prince who was accustomed to frequent the Sacraments, it would be too little to say only that he never missed the solemnities of the Holy Virgin. What I can reveal, however, is something which applies to very few Princes at his level – namely that in order to attract the attention of the Princess of Heaven in a way favourable to him, he wanted to be among the first to be enrolled in the Congregation of the Holy Virgin which was instituted in the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Nancy and later transferred to the College of that same Society. Since his enrolment, he has never ceased to take part in as many activities as his great affairs of state allow him. It is a most inspiring sight for the citizens of Nancy to see him every day going to join others praying in Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours which is outside the city walls, no matter how bad the weather may be. Heaven is witness to the favours this virtuous Prince has received as a result of his devotion and those who have the honour of being nearest to him know on how many occasions Mary has shown herself to be a dear Mother to him, taking his affairs in hand and showing him with favours.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.35-38

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

St Stephen of Hungary (continued)

 35   Consider next how the Emperor Henry sought to establish an alliance with Stephen and went so far as to give his sister Gisela in marriage to him. Who can doubt this was a marriage made in Heaven and that the Mother of fair love, ever keen to promote the happiness of these two families, was herself the foundation of this holy friendship, binding the parties together with her love ?

 36   Consider too how his country was protected from invasion by its enemies for there can be no doubt this showed the hand of Heaven. It also showed the particular favour of her to whom St Stephen had entrusted his Kingdom and who consequently took it under her protection 

After the death of Henry II (known as Henry the Pious), his father-in-law Conrad succeeded him as Holy Roman Emperor and gave signs that he wanted to rearrange the political status quo. Thinking that he could conquer Hungary quickly because he would be dealing with an enemy absorbed in his religious devotions, he placed the whole of Germany under arms. St Stephen carefully summoned his Princes, his Bishops and the Grandees of his kingdom to discuss with them how to defend Hungary. In fact everything had already been resolved in Heaven before they met. Stephen had knelt down in prayer before his dear, heavenly Mother, shedding tears as he remonstrated with her that he could not prevent her from delivering into the hands of wild beasts the vine she had but recently planted, but begging her with all his heart not to impute this misfortune to any lack of trust or love for her on his part. If she had decided to punish his failings, he begged her to take this out on him personally rather than allow his subjects to suffer like sheep being led to the slaughterhouse to pay for the fault of their Shepherd.    

After the King had finished his prayer, he arose with his face lit up and his heart filled with courage and confidence. Although he immediately issued a call to arms throughout the whole of Hungary, his optimism was not based upon human resources but on help from Heaven in which he had complete confidence. You are now going to hear something very strange : the German Princes and Lords had assembled their forces in readiness for combat when they each received a command coming from the Emperor. They were to command their troops to stand down and allow them to leave. This order was immediately executed. If you wanted to see a man utterly astonished, then it would be the Emperor after he received news of this. At first, he was convinced that his forces had been routed, although he found this difficult to believe. In the end, after he learned what had actually happened, he had no doubts that God had intervened in favour of His servant Stephen and this persuaded him to cancel any plans he might have for disturbing the new Christendom.

 37   Let us consider, moreover, how Stephen was visited and tested by God in various ways, be it the long illness which afflicted him for three years before his death; or the loss of his children, especially the gentle Emeric who was a true pearl amongst Princes and beloved by all his subjects ; or the various trials and difficulties he had to face. I feel confident in saying that in all these he was being put to the test by his dear Mother who, in her role as Teacher of her children (as I shall show more clearly in Chapter 10), shows she is ready to chastise them betimes[1] in order to help them progress in virtue. Everything she does, however, is based upon love and in particular a love which is full of gentleness. This means that even when appearing to be strict she cannot help but show her love, as is illustrated in the following story.

During this long illness that I mentioned earlier, four of his leading Courtiers seemed to become possessed by a spirit of madness and made a dreadful resolution to lay hands on his royal person and put an end to his life. The boldest amongst them chose to administer the fatal blow. He came to the bedchamber of the sick King at dusk, aiming to strike him with a sword he had concealed under his cloak. The Blessed Virgin, however, had prepared a quite different death for the King and she caused the wretched Courtier to halt in his tracks, filling him with such fright that the sword fell from his hands making a noise which awoke the King and made him call for his guards. They immediately came running and seized the perfidious wretch who threw himself at the feet of His Majesty, showing such signs of repentance that the magnanimous King granted him pardon on the spot.

Footnotes

[1] Cf., He that spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes. Prov. xiii. 24.

 38   Finally, we come to his blessed departure from this world, and we cannot doubt that this was overseen by his dear Mother once we remember that it took place on the feast of her Assumption into Heaven.  

This incomparable Prince had received a signal from Heaven when he called together his Princes, his Prelates and the Grandees of his kingdom. Having spoken with them about his successor, he then passed on to them many pieces of good advice and gave his final blessing. Once this had been done, he felt he had unburdened himself of all his cares and, raising his eyes to Heaven, he held a long and loving colloquy with his dear Mother. He commended his kingdom to her and begged her to receive into her hands his poor soul which she had deigned to look after so devotedly. With these final words, the spirit of this great servant of the MOTHER OF GOD departed from its bodily confinement and rose up into the arms of her who was waiting for him, so that she might share with him in Heaven the glory of her triumph. 

He died on the 15th of August in the year of Our Lord 1030 but his feast day is observed on the 20th and this, I believe, is because of what happened five days after his death. 

He had been buried in the beautiful and magnificent Church that he had built for the Holy Virgin, being laid to rest in a tomb of white marble. I do not know why, but the King his successor ordered the Saint’s tomb to be opened, as well as the coffin which contained his sacred remains. What I do know, however, is that no sooner had this been done than instead of the stench which normally comes from coffins, a sweet fragrance filled the entire Church. The King went to see what could be producing this phenomenon and noticed that the body of the Virgin’s servant was lying in a yellow-coloured fluid, similar to oil or liquid manna but incomparably more pleasant than all the balms of the Orient. Now, because they could not see the ring which he had when he was buried, the King ordered the body to be removed from the coffin so that they could search for it in this mysterious liquid; but then another miracle happened, since the more liquid they drew off in golden jars, the more its level rose within the coffin. The most amazing thing was that when they poured back the liquid into the coffin, there was no more liquid than there was at the beginning.   

What have you to say about that, dear reader? Would we ever meet anyone who would reward small services in a manner so noble as this and with a heart so royal?

 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.30-34

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

William the Conqueror

 30   William, Duke of Normandy became known as William the Conqueror after winning the English Crown by force of arms. Nothing was closer to his heart than the desire to be of service to the Virgin who repaid him for his devotion in a multitude of ways, especially at the end of his life. He suffered greatly in body and soul but he was always able to temper the grief caused by his suffering with a sweet consideration of the pains his sins deserved and with the confidence he had in the Mother of mercy. He died after having made a public confession of all his sins which included these beautiful words[1]: 

“I humbly commend myself to the most holy MOTHER OF GOD my Queen and sovereign Lady, so that by her intercession she may restore me to the good graces of her Son, my Saviour and my God.” 

 

Footnotes

[1] Baron., an. 1083.

St Boleslaw V

 31   Amongst the lilies of the Heavenly Court there will scarcely be found one whiter or more pleasing than St Boleslaw, King of Poland. Right from the cradle, he was a most devoted son and servant of the Virgin Mother and he proved this in various ways throughout his life. As a reward for his loving service he received a heavenly jewel of inestimable price : I am referring to virginity, for he lived a chaste life throughout marriage to his wife Cunegunda (also known as Kinga), daughter of the King of Hungary and this is why he came to be known as Boleslaw the Chaste.

Władysław III

 32   King Władysław III, who died in the year 1444, had as great a share as anyone in the graces and favours of the Empress of Heaven, whilst he for his part was devoted to serving her and making her honoured everywhere. He dedicated several Churches and Monasteries to her, and she granted him several victories over the enemies of the faith. After an outstanding victory over the Prussians, he built a fine monastery for her in Lublin which was entrusted to the Brigittines of the Order of St Saviour, dedicating the monastery’s Church to the Victorious Virgin Mary[1].  The Heavenly graces he obtained  from her enabled him to convert more than 30,000 pagans to the Christian faith. In gratitude, he built a collegial Church on the same site where previously they had kept and worshipped a flame which never went out. He also founded a fine Chapter, along with a large number of Canons and Chaplains, so that there was never a moment by day or by night when they did not sing praises continuously to God and their heavenly Mother.

Footnotes

[1] Also known as the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For more, see the Zabytek website.

St Stephen of Hungary

 33   For a long time Hungary has provided us with the example of a man whom Heaven chose even before he was born to be the beloved of the Mother of Kings and a model for worthy Kings. I am referring here to St Stephen whose name alone is redolent of the crowns that would be his not only on earth but also in Heaven. We shall be discussing in Part IV the peerless love and trust he had for the Queen of Angels but here we shall consider just a few of the favours he received from her and the ways in which she showed her gratitude to him for his services. I can say of him in all truth that, being as truly a devoted servant of the MOTHER OF GOD as ever there was, he was indebted to her for all that raised him so highly in the esteem of God and of men. Here are some of the particular favours she obtained for him.

Firstly, if his father (Duke Geza) knew what he was going to become before he was even conceived, who could be in any doubt that this was with the complicity of her to whom Stephen had been given as a son before his birth? The Duke had already embraced the Christian faith and was looking for ways of spreading it throughout all these subjects when he received a message from Heaven somewhat similar to that which the valiant King David received[1]. This revealed to him that his project would be fulfilled by a Prince who was more of a peacemaker than he had been, for he had a warlike past steeped in human blood. He was told that God would grant him a son who would accomplish his designs and this son would be a King in this world and in the world to come. 

Footnotes

[1] 1 Paralipomenon (1 Chronicles) xxviii. 3 & 6.

 34   If the title of Duke was to be changed into that of King, who could not see in this something arranged by the Holy Virgin to whom St Stephen was to transfer his Kingdom, reserving for himself only the role of second-in-command, as I shall explain later? It is useful to note in this connexion that four years after the death of Géza his father, Christianity was doing well in Hungary and St Stephen sent Bishop Austricus to His Holiness. He was to present the Pope with those acknowledgments which are customary from Christian Princes, to ask him to bless the Church in Hungary and to give his blessing to Stephen as King. Note here the wondrous signs that Heaven’s providence showed towards this Prince.  

Shortly before he made this decision Miesca, a Duke from Poland, had anticipated him and had made the same request to the Pope. The Crown had been duly prepared and the Pope was was intending to dispatch it the following day, but during the night which preceded the arrival of Bishop Austricus, the Pope received a warning from on high that early in the morning of the following day Ambassadors from a foreign country would arrive bearing a commission asking for the title of King to be conferred on their Prince and for an Apostolic Blessing to be given to the whole of his country; he should not fail to grant him the Crown which he had prepared for another, for such was Heaven’s will in this matter. The Pope was elated and carried out to the letter what he had been asked to do. In fact, he went further and conferred additional favours : for not content with granting him the Royal Crown with all its appurtenences, he honoured Stephen with the title of Apostle of Hungary and, as a sign of his Apostolate, gave his permission for the Cross to be borne before him. He also appointed him as his Legate a latere, with plenary power over the Primate, the Archbishops and Bishops, and the whole state of the Church within his Kingdom.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 5.27-29

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The Gratitude of the Mother of God towards certain Kings, Queens and other Rulers

Edward I

 27   John’s son and successor was Edward I[1], the eleventh king of Portugal, and he followed his father’s example, as we shall see. 

He was so devoted to the Queen of Angels and the day of her Assumption (which had been so propitious for his father) that he could not be persuaded to choose any other day for his anointing as King. This was despite the protests of astrologers, of whom the principal was an old Jewish soothsayer who warned that his reign would have ill luck if he did not choose a different day. He sought guidance and help from the Queen of stars and the Mother of good fortune, trusting that she would take him under her special protection. This is exactly what she did, making him outstanding in all the qualities that raise a great Prince in the estimation of his people, such as : in his handsome looks, his physical health, his strength, his courage, his mind, his learning, his eloquence, his wisdom, his reputation, his esteem and  his children – to sum up: in everything that could humanly be desired, with the exception of a long life. This was curtailed by some evil men using a poisoned letter with the result that he passed from this life to the next aged thirty-seven and in the fifth year of his reign. We may in fact wonder whether she who had  undertaken to guide him during his life foresaw the risk of a false step that he might take and accordingly chose Him at a time when he was still ready to be taken up into heaven, even though he would be missed on earth. After she had received his spirit (as we may safely presume on the basis of her faithful kind-heartedness), his mortal remains were entrusted to the Holy Virgin by being placed in the Church of Our Lady of Batalha. 

 

Footnotes

[1] Vasconcellius, in Regibus Lusitaniæ Anacephalæosi 13.

Alfonso V

 28   This devotion towards the MOTHER OF GOD seemed to pass by way of inheritance to Alfonso V, Edward’s son. He was known as the African, like the invincible Scipio of old. He acquired fame for the destruction he wrought on the Mahometans in Africa, as well as for the signal victories he won against them and the cities he liberated. 

He was the only one to achieve success in the Crusade that Pope called for against the Turk. He launched his campaign in the year 1458, having at the outset an army of only 25,000. He would never have pursued this project except under the guidance of her who is the Commander-in-chief of the Church’s armies and the result was that he received her help in hundreds of encounters. Before attacking Asilah, one of the most important strongholds on the Berber coast, he made a vow to the Holy Virgin that if she were to help him capture that city he would have a life-size statue made of himself, fully armed and mounted on horseback, to serve as both an ornament and a monument in a Church that would be dedicated in her name. The outcome of this engagement proved that his prayer had been granted, for he had no difficulty in taking the city, with scarcely any losses on his own side. The enemy lost 2000 killed in action and nearly 5000 prisoners were taken. He left the spoils of victory (worth more than 800,000 écus) entirely to his soldiers, without touching any himself. He honoured his vow straight after the battle, offering his own weight in silver to the Church of Our Lady of the Bush, in accordance with the promise he had made. Apart from this, he built a beautiful Church in honour of the Virgin commemorating the Assumption because it was on this date that the fleet sailed from Portugal bound for the Berber coast. This shows how auspicious this day was for the Princes of this Royal house. The news that Asilah had been taken no sooner reached Tangier than the terrified inhabitants abandoned the city, taking all the possessions they could carry and leaving Alfonso free to enter it unimpeded. 

It is not possible in the space available to do justice to all the graces and favours that this Prince obtained from Heaven through his hereditary devotion to the MOTHER OF GOD. Suffice it to say that she helped make him one of the great Princes in all history. He was endowed with a lively and brilliant mind, he was one of the best speakers in his kingdom, a great lover of letters and friend to men of learning, very modest in his lifestyle, chaste in his demeanour, brave in time of war, slow to anger, a keen peace-maker, friendly and generous towards everyone, but especially solicitous for men who had been taken prisoner – whence he was given the glorious title of Redeemer of captives. I have similar material on other Princes who have worn the same Crown but I think we have spent enough time in Portugal and other kingdoms now await us.  

St Edward

 29   St Edward, the honour of England and a perfect model for good Kings, had scarcely emerged from his childhood when he was forced to quit his country in order to flee from the Danes who had descended upon England. He immediately placed himself under the protection of the MOTHER OF GOD who received him with open arms and who took such care of him that he was able to return to his country safe and sound after the storm had passed[1]. Even though his was a gentle and kind-hearted disposition (so much so that he could scarcely be moved to anger), she helped him to maintain ascendancy over his subjects in such a way that he was never wanting in any respect the authority necessary for a good Sovereign. Thanks to the graces received from the same Virgin, he maintained perpetual chastity in his married life and became so remarkable in all the virtues that eventually he was officially included in the ranks of the Saints. 

Footnotes

[1] Thomas Walsingh., in Hist. Anglicana.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor