Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/593

 BERNARD 573 1091, died in the abbey of Clairvaux, Aug. 20, 1153. His father, Tescelin, was a knight of the house of Chatillon, and his mother, Aleth, was a daughter of Count Bernard of Montbard. Bernard was the third of a family of seven children. From the beginning he was destined to a clerical life, and he astonished his masters by his rapid progress in learning. After the death of his mother, when he was 19 years old, he resolved to enter the cloister, and to per- suade his brothers to join him. Andrew and Bartholomew, younger brothers, were easily won. Guy, the eldest, was for a time retained by his wife, but she at last consented to go to a nunnery. A rich and warlike uncle was the next proselyte. Gerard, the second brother, was more insensible, but his obstinacy was disarmed by a vision. The rule chosen by the brethren was the new Cistercian rule. Ber- nard's discipline was rigorous in the extreme, His labors were severe, his fastings protracted ; his sensibilities were blunted by various ex- posure, till he lost almost all sense of outward impressions. His meagre and haggard frame was a fearful witness of the struggles of the soul in its contest with the body. His novi- tiate year brought numerous converts, including Nivard, Bernard's youngest brother. The year of novitiate was passed by the brethren in the convent of Ctteatix. In this time several new convents had been founded in the neighbor- hood. In 1115 Bernard, with 12 monks, among whom were his brothers, was sent out to find in the province of Champagne a suitable place for a Cistercian community. He chose a wild gorge in the diocese of Langres, noted as a haunt of robbers, the name of which was the "Valley of Wormwood." He changed the name to Clairvaux, or " Beautiful Valley." The numbers of the brotherhood rapidly multiplied. Their charities were the praise of all the region. Men came to Clairvaux to be healed of their infirmities by one whom sickness had reduced almost to spiritual proportions. Com- pelled by superior authority to submit himself to a physician, Bernard, against his will, recov- ered. Henceforth, recognizing his own weak- ness of body, he was less enthusiastic in his aus- terities. The 12 succeeding years of his life were devoted to the reform and direction of the convents already established, or suggestions concerning new establishments. His corre- spondence was vast, and he gave audience to great numbers who came to consult him. His studies were not less vigorously prosecuted, both in Scriptural and patristic lore. Augustine's theology and the Canticles of Solomon were his favorite themes. In 1124 Humbeline, his only sister, and the last of his family, took the veil in one of the convents of his foundation. Bernard was repeatedly called abroad to recon- cile disputes between bishops and their dio- ceses, between the church and the nobles. He persuaded Abbot Suger, prime minister of Louis the Fat, to relinquish his secular station and confine himself at St. Denis to his religious i charge. He supported Henry, archbishop of Sens, and Stephen of Paris, in their appeal to Rome against the king. At the council of Troyes, in 1128, he vindicated the canons of the church, and took part in those stormy de- bates about the excesses of the Templar knights. At the council of Chalons, 1129, he assisted to depose the bishop of Verdun. Repeated offers of lucrative sees were steadily refused by him. In 1130 a schism was caused by the pretensions of the cardinal of Leon, who claimed the papacy, under the title of Anacletns, in opposition to In- nocent II. At the council of Etampes Bernard gave his support to Innocent, procured a decree in favor of the exile, and then visited the prin- cipal courts of Europe to plead Innocent's cause. i He secured the countenance of England, ac- ! companied Innocent to Germany, and with some difficulty induced the emperor Lothaire not only to acknowledge him as pope, but to renounce the privilege of investiture. In 1132 Bernard accompanied Innocent into Italy. The division between its various states tended to hinder the restoration of Catholic unity. Ge- noa, whose jealousy of Pisa was obstinate and deep-rooted, was subdued by the preaching of the abbot, until the people almost forced him to stay as their chief bishop. Pisa in turn yielded ! to his eloquence. In Milan he found a harder i task; but here, too, he succeeded, and the Milanese also demanded him for their bishop. Returning after five years of conflict to Clair- vaux, he found its affairs peaceful and prospe- rous. Count William of Aquitaine, the most violent of the adherents of Anacletus, kindled a fresh schism and deposed bishops who sup- ported Innocent. Failing in his argument with this man, Bernard tried an experiment, such as Ambrose had tried with Theodosius. After the consecration at mass, he went toward the count with the wafer and paten in his hands, and threatened him with the judgment of the Lord unless he desisted from the persecution of the church. The count fell prostrate and penitent at his feet, and two years later died on a pilgrimage. In 1137 Bernard was sum- moned from his convent to plead the cause of Innocent before King Roger of Sicily, who had possessed himself of Rome. The necessity of unity in the church, and the right of majorities to decide disputed questions, were arguments which Roger and his partisans could not well resist. The death of Anacletus weakened the schism still further ; and, although the form of electing his successor was tried, the party were forced to confess themselves vanquished, and the abbot received the testimonies of their final submission. Innocent was installed at, Rome, and Bernard was able to see the fruit of his eight years of toil and contest. A visit to the convent of the Paraclete, of which He- loi'se was abbess, had acquainted Bernard with ! the views and principles of Abelard. Through Bernard's influence, in the year 1140, a council was held at Sens to consider those opinions.
 * From a conviction that his cause was hopeless,