[12]Sequentiam illam olim celebrem, quae nunc excidit: “Sanctitatis nova signa,” cecinit frater Thomas de Celano, cujus et illa solemnis mortuorum: “Dies irae, dies illa” opus est, licet alii eam tribuere velint fratri Matthaeo Aquaspartano, cardinali ex minoritis desumpto.—Annales Minorum, Tom. II., p. 204 (Lyons, 1625.)
Thomas de Celano, provinciae Pennensis, S. Francisci discipulas et socius, edidit ... librum de vita et miraculis S. Francisci ... communiter vocatum a fratribus legenda antiqua. Alteram legendam minorem prius ediderat, quae legebatur in choro...; sequentias tres, seu Prosas Rhythmicas, quarum prima in laudem S. Francisci incipit: “Fregit victor virtualis.” Secunda incipit: “Sanctitatis nova signa.” Tertia de Defunctis ab Ecclesiâ recepta: “Dies irae, dies illa.” Quam in versus Gallicos transtulit Benedictus Gononus Coelestinus et sancto Bonaventurae attribuit. Alii adscribunt Fr. Matthaeo cardinali Aquaspartano, et demum alii aliis auctoribus.—Syllabus Scriptorum et Martyrum Franciscanorum, p. 323 (Rome, 1650.)
[13]For the literature of the Dies Irae consult G. C. F. Mohnike’s “Kirchen- und literarhistorische Studien und Mittheilungen. (1) Thomas von Celano, oder Geschichte des kirchlichen Hymnus Dies irae, dies illa.” Stralsund, 1824. (2) Additions and corrections to this in Tzschirner’s “Magazin für Prediger,” 1826, by G. W. Fink, who also wrote the article on Thomas of Celano in Ersch and Gruber’s “Encyclopädie,” Band XVI., Leipzig, 1827. (3) F. G. Lisco’s “Dies Irae, Hymnus auf das Weltgericht.” Berlin, 1840. Also his “Stabat Mater, Hymnus auf die Schmerzen der Maria. Nebst einem Nachtrage zu den Uebersetzungen des Hymnus Dies Irae.” Berlin, 1843. (4) H. A. Daniel’s “Thesaurus Hymnologicus,” Tomus II. Leipzig, 1844. (Pp. 103-31 and 385-87.) (5) Dr. William R. Williams’s “The Conservative Principle in our Literature.” New York, 1843 and 1844, and again in his “Miscellanies.” New York, 1850, and Boston, 1860. (6) Dr. Abraham Coles’s “Dies Irae in Thirteen Original Versions.” New York, 1859. Fifth edition. 1868. (7) Subrector Michael’s “De Sequentia Mediae Aetatis Dies Irae, Dies Illa Dissertatio.” Zittau, 1866. (8) John Edmands’s “Bibliography of the Dies Irae” in the “Bulletin of the Mercantile Library.” Philadelphia, 1884. Also articles by Dr. Philip Schaff in “Hours at Home,” VII., 39 and 261; by R. H. Hutton in “The London Spectator” for 1868; by Rev. John Anketell in “The American Church Review” for 1873; and by Rev. Orby Shipley in “The Dublin Review” for 1883.
[14]There is a serious difficulty connected with the chronology of his history, which I have not been able to overcome. Unfortunately this greatest of Catholic dogmatists never seems to have inspired enough of personal interest in any disciple or contemporary to lead to the preparation of a biography of him. So the earliest in existence were written long after his death, when the Neapolitans asked for his canonization. And a comparison of their statements with those of contemporary chronicles, like that of Richard of San Germano, does not inspire confidence in their veracity.
The second papal war broke out in 1239. Both the orders of friars, Dominicans and Franciscans, were believed to be partisans of the Pope, and in 1239 such as were not natives of the kingdom were commanded to leave it. Richard of San Germano mentions this order sub anno 1239, and adds, sub anno 1240, that by November of the latter year all the Mendicants, except two of each monastery and those natives of the kingdom, had been expelled by order of the Emperor. What Dominicans were there left in Naples to win the affections of Thomas and receive him into the novitiate? The difficulty would be met by assuming 1225 as the date of Thomas’s birth, and his stay at Monte Casino as terminating with his tenth year, so that he might have been at Naples in 1235 and formed the purpose to enter the order in 1239. Or if he went to Naples in his twelfth year (1237), he might have become a Dominican novice after two years of study under professors of that order. It is true that novices were not to be received before their fifteenth year; but at any date after March of 1239 Thomas would be in his fifteenth year. It was March 24th of that year that saw the Emperor excommunicated, and some interval would elapse before the expulsion of the Mendicants.
[15]See his Prolegomena zu einer neuen Ausgabe der “Imitatio Christi,” nach dem Autograph des Thomas von Kempen. Zugleich eine Einführung in sämmtliche Schriften des Thomas, sowie ein Versuch zu endgültiger Feststellung der Thatsache, dass Thomas und kein Anderer der Verfasser der “Imitatio” ist. Band I. Berlin, 1873.
Also Thomae Kempensis “De Imitatione Christi” libri quatuor. Textum ex autographo Thomae nunc primum accuratissime reddidit, distinxit, novo modo disposuit; capitulorum argumenta, locos parallelos adjecit Carolus Hirsche. Berlin, 1874.
Also his exhaustive article on the Brüder gemeinsamen Lebens in Herzog & Plitt’s Real-Encyclopädie: II., 678-760. (Leipzig, 1877).
[16]The Imitation of Christ. Four books. Translated from the Latin by W. Benham, B.D., Vicar of Margate. London, 1874. It is to be regretted that the author of this, the best English version, speaks of the ascription of the Imitation to Thomas à Kempis as “a mistake,” and ascribes it to John Gersen, Abbot of Vercelli, in Italy, who never existed.
[17]See O. A. Spitzen: Thomas à Kempis als schrijver der Navolging van Christus gehandhaafd. Utrecht, 1881. Also his Nalezing op mijn “Thomas à Kempis als schrijver der Navolging van Christus gehandhaafd,” benevens tien nog onbekende cantica spiritualia van Thomas à Kempis. Utrecht, 1882. Also his Les Hollandismes de l’Imitation de Jésus-Christ et trois anciennes versions du livre. Réponse à M. le Chevalier B. Veratti, professeur à Modène. Utrecht, 1883. And his Nouvelle Défense de Thomas à Kempis specialement en Réponse a R. P. Denifle, sous-archiviste du Vatican. Utrecht. 1884.