The Death of Saint David
"When David, on the last Tuesday in February, was listening to his scholars celebrating God's service, he heard an angel speaking unto him and addressing him in this wise..."
From: 1346 C.E. To: 1346 C.E.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
“The Death of Saint David,” from The Book of the Anchorite in The Land of My Fathers: A Welsh Gift Book, by William Lewis Jones, 1915.
When David, on the last Tuesday in February, was listening to his scholars celebrating God's service, he heard an angel speaking unto him and addressing him in this wise: "David," said the angel, "that which thou hast long sought of the Lord thy God is now prepared for thee, and to be had at thy will." And straightway he lifted up his eyes with joy, and said, "Even now, Lord, take Thy servant unto Thy peace." And the scholars, who heard these several utterances, were overcome with awe, and fell on their faces as men that were dead. And straightway heard they a delectable voice; and were aware of the sweetest perfumes filling the whole city.
And David for the second time spake with a loud voice: "Lord Jesus Christ," said he, "receive my soul! Let me no longer tarry amidst these evils." And then they heard once more the angel speaking unto David: "Saint David, get thee ready. On the first day of March shall come thy Lord, Jesus Christ, and with Him the nine orders of Heaven, and the tenth from the Earth, to receive thee; and He will call to come with thee such as thou willest of the clergy and the laity, of the innocent and the sinful, young and old, male and female, husband and wife, buffoon or harlot, Jew or Saracen; and they all shall come with thee."
And the brethren, with one accord, when they heard this, weeping and lamenting, wailing and sighing, lifted up their voices and cried: "Lord Saint David, help thou our sorrow." Then spake David unto them for their solace and their comfort. "My brethren, be ye alway steadfast and of the same mind; and whatsoever ye have seen in and heard from me, hold unto it, and strive for yet greater things." And from that day forth unto his death, David no more went out of the church to preach unto the people and to pray.
And the report of this was by the angel spread abroad within one day throughout the whole of this island and of Ireland. And thus the angel spake: "Know ye that within the week that is now coming, David the saint, your lord, shall depart from this present world unto his own Lord." Thereupon there were seen the saints of this island and the saints of Ireland hasting from every part to see Saint David. And oh! where was he who could bear to hear the lamentation of the saints and the groans of the hermits and the priests?— the cries of the scholars asking, "Who shall teach us?" of the parsons asking, "Who shall assist us?" of the kings calling out in their despair, "Who shall anoint us? Who shall be a father so merciful unto us as David? Who shall pray for us unto the Lord?"
The lament of the poor and the wailing of the sick; the monks and the virgins and the matrons and the doers of penance, and the young men and maidens, sons and daughters, and those with new-born babes at their breasts, all shedding tears — what shall I say of all this but that on all sides arose the same cry of lamentation? The kings bewailed the loss of a brother, the aged of a son, and the sons of a father.
On Sunday David sang mass, and preached unto the people; and the like unto that preaching was never before heard, nor ever shall be heard hereafter. Eye hath not seen such a throng of people as were there gathered in one place. And when the sermon and the mass were come to an end, David pronounced his blessing upon all in common who were there; and when he had given his blessing unto them all, he uttered these words: "Lords, brethren and sisters, rejoice, and hold fast your faith and belief; and do the little things that you have heard from and seen in me. As for me, I shall go the way that our fathers have trod. And fare ye well! And may ye have strength to live on in this world, for nevermore shall we meet again upon earth." Thereupon might be heard a universal cry of lamentation, and of wailing and weeping, and of people saying, "Oh that the earth would swallow us! Oh that fire would come to burn us! Oh that the sea would overflow the land! Oh that the mountains would fall flat and cover us!" And methought all who were there were going unto instant death. From the Sunday even unto the Wednesday following the death of David they tasted neither meat nor drink, but continued three days in prayer unto God. And on the morning of Tuesday, with the crowing of the cock, lo, a host of angels filled the city, and throughout every part of the city were heard all manner of delectable songs.
And on that morning hour, lo, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared, and with Him, as he had promised of His mighty power, the nine orders of Heaven: and the sun shone clear upon all the hosts.
And on Tuesday, the first day of the Kalends of March, Jesus Christ took unto Himself the soul of David the Saint with great pomp and joy and honour. Thus, after all his hunger and thirst, his fevers and his labours, his fastings and his charities, his afflictions and his sorrows and his trials, and his anxiety for the world, the angels took his soul and led it unto the place where there is light without end, and rest without toil, and joy without sorrow, and abundance of all good things, and beauty in all its brightness: the place where is sung the glory of the soldiers of Christ; where the wicked rich are passed by; where health is without pain, and youth without end, and peace without discord, and glory without vanity, and songs without ceasing, and rewards without end: where Abel is with the martyrs, and Enoch with the living, and Noah with the sailors, and Abraham with the patriarchs, and Melchisedech with the priests, and Job with the long-suffering, and Moses with the princes, and Aaron with the bishops, and David with the kings, and Isaiah with the prophets, and Mary with the virgins, and Peter with the apostles, and Paul with the men of Greece, and Thomas with the men of India, and John with the men of Asia, and Matthew with the men of Judea, and Luke with the men of Achaia, and Mark with the men of Alexandria, and Andrew with the men of Scythia; and where the angels are and the archangels, and the cherubim and seraphim, and the King of Kings, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE BOOK OF THE ANCHORITE, 1346.
(Trans. W . L. J.)
“The Death of Saint David.” In The Land of My Fathers: A Welsh Gift Book. Edited by William Lewis Jones. Hodder & Stoughton, 1915.
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