Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/64

50 50 B. AMATA MARTINI some secular women were present, and among them, one possessed by devils. The devil within her cried ont during tho sermon and reviled St. Dominic for taSdng away his prey, saying, " These nuns were mine, and you have taken them away from me ; yon have cast me out of four persons, but out of this one I will not go.'* The audience, scandalized, desired tiie young woman to be silent, but in vain. St. Dominic twice forbade the devil to speak. But he answered, '* There are seven of us, and we will not be quiet." They described the way in which each of them had entered into their victim, and talked confusedly, like seven persons speaking at once. Then the saintly preacher raised his hand, made the sign of the cross, and com- manded tho devils to depart out of the unhappy woman, and torment her no longer. They obeyed. She cast coals and blood from her month, and was vexed no more. Very soon after this she became a Dominican nun at San Sisto, taking the veil from the hands of the preacher who had saved her. He gave her the name of Amata, and had a special affection for her as long as he lived. She accompanied B. Cecilia (11) to the new convent of St. Agnes, at Bologna, and led a very holy life. She was buried there with BB. Cecilia and Diana. Pio, Uomini e donne Ittustri per Santita. B. Amata (3) Martini, Feb. 20. 13th century. Niece of St. Clara of Assisi. Daughter of Don Martini de Corano. Her parents intended her to be married. She was pleased with dress and worldly vanity. St. Clara grieved for the perU in which she saw her, and prayed that she might strive to please God rather than men. Her prayer was heard ; Amata was soon inspired with a disgust for the world and desire for a religious life. She was afflicted with dropsy and a very bad cough for a year. St. Clara cured her by laying hands on her and making tho sign of the cross. Amata attended her aunt during her dying illness, and at the last saw Christ standing beside her patient. Amata was remarkable for her virtue and sanctity after the death of Clara. Buried with her sister St. Balbina. AA.SS. in Benedicta^ March 1(3, quoting Wadding. B. Ambrosia, one of the nine sisters of St. Rainfuede. St. Amelberga (i ), Juno 10, July 1 (Amalberga, Amelia). 7th, 8th, or IHh century. Patron of women called Amale, Amalia, or Amel ; also of Maubeugo and Binche. There is groat obscurity con- cerning her day, date, and history. She is worshipped on the samo day as another saint of the name ; both contemporaries of one or other of the Pepin s, mayors of the palace. She is said to have been a niece of Pepin and wife of Witger, count of Lorraine, who was perhaps her second husband. Her daushters were St. Eey- NELD, St. Ermelind, and Amelbubga, who died young, and x>erhaps SS. Phara'ild and Gubula. Amelberga is said, but not without contradiction, to have been the mother of St. Gengulf or Jingo, M., and St. Emibert, bishop of Cambrai or Arras. She became a nun, and Witger a monk. Her body was translated from Bincho, in Hainault, to Lobbes, where she is worshipped. Bal- deric, Ohronique d^Arras et de Cambrai. Le Glay, chap. xvi. p. 5(3. Surius. Martin. Boll., AA.SS. St. Amelberga (2), or Amelia, July 10, Dec. 12, V. c. 772. Patron of Ghent. A little print of her, given by Pinius in his Oommeniary on her history in tho AA,SS.f represents her standing on the shoulders of a king, who lies flat on the ground, wearing his crown and hold- ing his sceptre. At each side of her lies a huge fish; in the background, at one side, is a draw-well, at tho other, a flock of geese. She wears & nun's dress, holds a palm and an open book, and has a glory round her head. She is sometimes represented standing on a large fish, holding an abbess's pastoral staff and a book ; sometimes she holds a sieve. Slio is invoked in cases of fever, bruises, pains in the arms and shoulders, and a disease of the intestines called in Flanders, " dcr lamjen eheV* The estate of Tcmsche on the Escaut belonged to her. Charles Martel wanted to marry her, or, according to another account, it was his son Pepin who wanted to make her liis daughter-in-law by