Monday, September 15, 2014

St Dominic and the demoniac, continued

Here is a beginning of a translation of the story which is introduced in the preceding post:

Predicando en Francia en la ciudad de Carcasona nuestro Padre Santo Domingo la devocion del Rosario de nuestra Señora, fueron innumerables las personas que con ella reduxo a servir a la Virgen, escriviendose por cofrades suyos. Reparando un herege Albigense en el mucho fruto que desto se seguia, y llevandolo pesadamente, condenava no solo los sermones del Santo, sino su vida, poniendo lengua en su honra. Armava contra el mil testimonios falsos, y con atrevimiento temerario le calumniava la doctrina Catolica que predicava. Desto se siguieron intolerables daños, y muy grandes inconvenientes, porque algunos hereges que estavan dispuestos para abjurar sus errores, y dedicarse por media de la devocion del Rosario a nuestra Señora, se apartavan de resolucion tan importante, perseverando en sus errores. Y queriendo la soberana Reyna del Cielo manifestar al mundo, quan agradable le era esta devocion, por justo juizio de Dios fue el entregado a los demonios, los quales de tal manera el atormentavan, que de los dolores vino a quedar tan rabioso, que con los dientes despedezava sus vestiduras. Y mostrando la furia de muchas maneras, deseavan sus padres reprimirle, y assi le ataron con cadenas de hierro, no le bastando cordeles, porque todos los rompia. Dava vozes, clamores, y gritos, dezia blasfemias, hablava en todas lenguas, y descubria los pecados ocultos de algunos. Sus padres, y amigos, viendo esto, determinaron llevarle a Santo Domingo, y rogarle que pues de otros muchos avia lanzado demonios, se compadeciesse tambien deste miserable.

Estava predicando el Santo a esta sazon la devocion del santissimo Rosaio, y el auditorio era tan grande, que parecia esta alli toda la ciudad.  Llegó el endemoniado a presencia del santo Predicador, y los que le traian, y acompañavan le pidieron con grande instancia le curasse, expeliendo los demonios que le fatiguavan. Cosa maravillosa, que luego se comenzaron a oir en este hombre vozes de muchas personas, que hablavan entre si, con que todos los circunstantes se atemorizavan. Y levantando la voz el bienaventurado Santo Domingo, dixo: Gracias os doy Dios, y Señor mio, que con el testimonio deste hombre, que tanta contradicion me ha procurado hazer, se comprovorá mi doctrina, y bolviendose al endemoniado, prosiguio diziendo: Espiritus malignus, en nombre de santissima Trinidad, y de la bienaventurada Virgen Maria Señora nuestra, y en honor de su Rosario santissimo (de que aora he predicado) os mando, que respondais claramente delante de todo este pueblo a lo que os preguntare, dezidme lo primero:

And in English:

While our Father St Dominic was preaching devotion to the Rosary of our Lady in France in the city of Carcasonne, there were innumerable persons who came to serve the virgin because of it, joining (?) brotherhoods.  An Albigensian heretic, noticing in it much more benefit than in [the heresy] that he followed, and taking it hard, condemned not only the sermons of the Saint, but even his life, raising his tongue against his honor.  He prepared a thousand false testamonies against him, and with frighting gall, he mocked the Catholic doctrine that he preached.  From this came intolerable damage and great problems, because some heretics who were ready to renounce their errors and dedicate themselves to our Lady through the devotion of the Rosary, separated themselves from this very importation resolution, persisting in their errors.  And because the sovereign Queen of Heaven wanted to show the world how agreeable this devotion was to her, through the justice of God, this heretic was possessed by demons, who tormented him so much that he he rabidly tore his clothes to pieces with his teeth.  And filled with fury, his parents wanted to restrain him, and so they tied him with iron chains, since ropes were not enough; he had broken all the ropes.  Speaking in voices, shouts, and screams, he said blasphemies, spoke in all languages, and discovered the hidden sins of others.  His parents and friends, seeing this, decided to carry him to St Dominic and beg him to take compassion on this miserable man, since he had cast demons out of many others.
The saint was preaching at that time the devotion of the most holy Rosary, and the auditorium was so big that it seemed like the whole city was there.  The demoniac arrived in the presence of the holy Preacher, and those who brought him asked insistently that he cure him, casting out the demons that were fatiguing him.  An amazing thing -- that voices of many person started to be heard inside that person, talking to each other, which terrified all those surrounding.  And raising his voice the blessed St Dominic said "I give you thanks, God, My Lord, that with this testimony of this man, who has offered me such opposition, my doctrine will be proved." And turning to the demoniac, he proceeded saying "Evil spirit, in the name of the holy Trinity, and of the blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady, and in honor of her most holy Rosary (which I have now preached), I command you that you respond clearly in front of all this town to all that I will ask you, Tell me first.

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