Chapter 16

Of a certain rich man.

IT is related also that a certain very rich man, dwelling in a certain country place, came to the same church and, delighted with the pleasantness of the place and with the solemn office of divine worship which he saw there continually and devoutly done, said to Rahere the prior --

"Many good things, my lord, I have known by common report of the virtues of this place; now have I been privileged to see with my own eyes, and therefore I have purposed in my mind that to the blessed Bartholomew, patron of this place, I shall commit myself and all mine from this day, and submit myself wholly to his service and call him everywhere my lord and honour his clerks of my substance as he shall inspire me."

"Well," (says Rahere) "hast thou purposed, assuredly thou hast chosen for thyself and thy affairs a discreet guardian whom, if -- as thou dost promise -- thou shalt serve faithfully, doubtless through him thou shalt obtain blessing from God."

At these words the man departed, and not long after there happened a thing wonderful and worthy to be told. On a certain day as he sits at table it is told him by his servants that his kitchen is suddenly in flames and is being destroyed with the fury of the fire, and he is prayed to come hastily and not delay to bring help to his house which is already perishing and at the point of falling. And as they were astounded and terrified with excessive fear, the father of the family is said to have thus answered --

"Have I not some time since committed myself and all my goods to the blessed apostle Bartholomew, and appointed him the guardian of my life, and of those things that belong to me? If, therefore, it pleases him to preserve his own he will in no wise need the trifle of our help to preserve all things safe and unimpaired for the solace of his servants. If his will desire it, his power can do it. If, however, a glance of anger from above inflicts a penalty worthy of our deserts, what or how much can an effort of care on our part prevail to effect in resisting that? So, while he sustains us, let none of us move a hand; let us abide in silence and in hope, the salvation of God and the might of our protector."

The words were yet in the speaker's mouth when, at the naming of the glorious apostle, the very fire seemed to suffer violence and the balls of flame which it had thrown upwards wholly stopped and it was confined within fixed limits. And when this had been reported to the father of the family, he said --

"You see how great is the power of faith and how eminently appeareth the power of the apostolic virtue. When would the raging flame yield to our strength which has been in a moment extinguished by an apostle of God? To him therefore be thanks returned by us and may he deign to guard us as now henceforth and for ever."

 

The Book of the Foundation of St. Bartholomew's, Smithfield Rendered into Modern English from the original Latin version preserved in the British Museum, numbered Vespasian B. IX, by Mr. Humphrey H. King and Mr. William Barnard for use in the Records of St. Bartholomew's Priory by E.A. Webb.

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