Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman and Belgian Martyrologies. The translation of S. Dymphna on Oct. 27th, that of S. Gerebern on July 20th. There is no ancient account of the martyrdom of these saints, which rests on tradition, and there can be little doubt that there is much fable in the story — indeed, it is difficult to conjecture how much of truth is enshrined in the popular romance of S. Dymphna.1] Gheel is one of the villages of North Brabant, situated in the sandy Kempenland, near the ancient town of Herrenthals. It has that quaint Dutch toy-like character which marks, more or less, all Flemish villages. It consists principally of one long straggling street, which appears wider than it really is, because of the unpretending architecture and low stature of the houses. But it contains two ancient churches, one of which contains the shrine of S. Dymphna, and around this shrine the interest and importance of Gheel centres.
In the 7th century, the legend relates, a heathen Irish prince — according to another version a British king — had a very beautiful wife, whom he passionately loved. But she died, leaving behind her a daughter aged sixteen, as 1 There is every appearance of all the earlier part of the story being localization of the wide-spread household tale “Catskin,” the German "Allerleirauch,” Grimm’s Kinder Mahrchen 65. The story is found among the Highlanders, Neapolitans, Greeks, Germans, Lithuanians, Hungarians, &c. beautiful, and the living image of herself. The maiden had been baptized, and was called Dymphna.
Now the king had resolved to marry no one who was not as beautiful as his wife, and one who resembled her, so that her image might never fade from his heart; and when no one else could be found combining these qualities, he resolved to marry his own daughter. Dymphna, in alarm, took counsel of her mother’s aged chaplain, a priest named Gerebem, and he advised her to fly the country with him. She accordingly escaped with the old man in a ship bound for Antwerp, and landing there, took their course over the heathy Kempenland to a little chapel dedicated to S. Martin [St. Martin of Tours (d. 397), soldier turned bishop], where they purposed to serve God in prayer and in peace, among the simple villagers, and in the face of calm nature.
Meanwhile the king, having discovered the flight of his daughter and the aged Gerebern, tracked them in hot haste, discovered the route they had followed, pursued them with an armed force, and arriving at Antwerp, sent emissaries in every direction, to scour the country, and report their whereabouts. Halting at a village not far from Herenthals, called Oolen, a party of these scouts tendered in payment at the inn where they were lodged, some pieces of money which the hostess refused to accept, alleging that she had already been troubled enough with some similar coins, which she had had the greatest difficulty to pass. Further enquiries led to the discovery of the place of refuge of the princess.
No sooner was the king apprised of the fact than he started for the spot indicated, and entering the house where his daughter was, commanded her at once to make preparations for her marriage with him. Dymphna, mildly but firmly declared that nothing would induce her to consent to so odious a proposal. The king’s rage knew no bounds. May i^o SS. Dymphna and Gerebern. 209 Dymphna neither lost her composure, nor wavered in her reply- she fell on her knees and besought the protection of God. The tyrant, now more exasperated than before, called to his attendants to seize the maiden and despatch her. But not one of them moved 3 they seemed awed by the youth, beauty, and innocence of the defenceless victim. On this the king, no longer able to contain himself, fell upon her himself, seizing her by her long waving hair, and mortally wounding Gerebern, who tried to throw himself between them. With a cry of horror Dymphna sank at his feet, bathed in the blood of her old and trusted friend, and as she lay there swooning and helpless, the barbarous father severed her beautiful head from her body. Having perpetrated this crime, he hastened from the spot, and returned to his northern home.
The blood of these saintly martyrs had, however, irrigated the ground for some purpose; for, says the legend, so numerous were the miracles which occurred on the consecrated spot, that the circumstance led the inhabitants to search for their bones among the heather which covered the place. Excavations were accordingly made, and, to the surprise of those who directed the operations, they came upon two magnificent white marble tombs, adorned with elaborate sculpture and enriched with gilding, the handiwork of angels, who in the night time had come down from heaven to enshrine their remains, but which were in all probability two Roman sarcophagi used for the purpose, for Roman remains found in the neighbourhood of Gheel show that the place was occupied by the conquerors of the world.
Maniacs recovered at the tomb of S. Dymphna, and thenceforth S. Dymphna became the patroness of the insane. All the people in the neighbourhood sent their lunatics to the village which formed itself round S. Martin's chapel, believing that proximity to the shrine of the saintly virgin would be the means of their recovering their reason. The sufferers were allowed to board with the peasants, and as many went away healed, the fame of Gheel spread.
About the year 1200, a church was dedicated to the saint, on the spot where the murder had been committed. This church retains its curious - interest. Above the altar is a figure of S. Dymphna, in a cloud, imploring the divine mercy for several lunatics grouped around her, their hands and feet bound by golden chains, similar to those still used to fetter the most violent maniacs.
Gheel is administered by four doctors and one superintendent. The peasants in the place are all nurses, and take in one or two patients to board with them. They have to submit to the inspection of the doctors, and to the rules imposed by the administration. The lunatic, once fixed in his abode, becomes one of the family, and many have been the touching scenes of affection, when for some reason they have been obliged to part. The nurse takes pride in his charge • his own children are brought up with the stranger, and it is affirmed that a Gheelois would be the last man on earth to lose his senses. The lunatic gradually takes an interest in those around him; he sees them at work in the fields, and gradually follows their example, being prompted thereto by offers of pocket money. An energetic lunatic is of great value to his keeper, and this is the reason why those inclined to be violent are always preferred. Thus the poor lunatic, imprisoned elsewhere, is free at Gheel, though cared for by the most experienced men. The country air is invigorating, daily labour checks melancholy, and above all the kindness of the nurses helps the lunatic to live a peaceful life. His S. C as area.
mind, no longer irritated by captivity and asylum rules, gives fair hope of recovery.1 The relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] of S. Dymphna are exhibited at Ghee), in a handsome shrine, and are carried in procession round the village, followed by the inhabitants and lunatics, on May 15th, every year • on each day of the octave, the lunatics crawl on all fours round and under the shrine nine times, and the same is done by those who are seeking the intercession of the saint for relatives or friends mentally afflicted.
The relics of S. Gerebem were translated to the Sonsbeck, near Xanten, on the Rhine, but the head is still preserved at Gheel.
S. C^SAREA, V. (date uncertain.), [Her festival is observed on the Feast of the Ascension, which is moveable, bnt which generally falls in May. The story is legendary, and much resembles that of S. Dymphna, except in its termination.] The romantic story of S. Caesarea is an Italian version of the Flemish legend of S. Dymphna, but with elements of beauty absent from the history of the northern saint. There was a rich man named Aloysius, of Franca-villa, near Castro by Otranto, in South Italy, who was married to a beautiful wife, named Lucretia. On the death of Lucretia, Aloysius was inconsolable, and resolved on marrying his daughter Caesarea, who resembled her mother exactly. The maiden took counsel of a hermit who had directed her mother, and whose name was Joseph Benigni, and he advised her to fly. So one night she told her father xFor further information about this very original and interesting colony see Mrs. Byrne’s “Gheel, or the City of the Simple.” Chapman and Hall, 1869. she was going to have a bath, and she tied two pigeons together by the legs, and threw them into a tub full of water. Then he, hearing the splashing in her room, made by the birds fluttering their wings in the water, had not his suspicions aroused. Next morning he found that she had escaped, and he set off in pursuit. During the night she had wandered near the sea, and her father saw her in the distance on the shore. With a shout he pursued her, but just as he approached, a sea-mist rose and enveloped him, so that he lost his way, and falling over some rocks, was drowned, but to her the rock gaped, and she saw a cavern full of light, and she went in, and the rock closed behind her.
And there sits the virgin Caesarea in a brilliantly lighted hall in the sea-cliff, only seen by lucky mortals. On Ascension Eve, and through the Octave, sometimes those who are on the shore, or boatmen at sea, perceive the cave open, and rays of light shoot out from it • and once a little boy, straying on the sands, was lost. A year after he returned to his parents, and told a wondrous tale of a beautiful maiden in a lighted hall in the rock who had sheltered him from the rising tide, and in one half hour, as he thought, passed in her presence, a whole twelvemonth had rolled away.
Throughout the Octave of the Ascension the people of the neighbouring country visit the cave of S. Csesarea on the shore, and carry away water from a fountain strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen which rises in the floor. Near the cave is a church dedicated to the saint, and in it on the Ascension is sung a mass in her honour, attended by the chapter of the collegiate church of Castro; after which a fair is held there.
It is in this case very evident that popular tradition has attached legendary matter of a mythological character to May ig.] S, Britwin.
the memory of a virtuous and persecuted maiden, who probably perished among the rocks at Castro.
