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Cantiga 088 of the Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X

The Virgin’s Electuary
A man, learned in medicine, became a monk at Clairvaux. He was used to eating meat and fish and to drinking good wine. He hated fasting and eating the monk’s fare of wild greens, sour wine and bad bread.

He complained that the fasting made the monks too weak to rise for prayers, and he threatened to leave. His remarks incited the monks to demand forbidden food.

After a meal, on the feast of the Annunciation, the monks said their prayers, including the Miserere mei. The learned monk was still hungry and refused to assist them.

He saw the Virgin standing near the door of the church, holding a vessel filled with a precious liquid. She gave a mouthful to every monk except for him.

Kneeling to pray before her, he asked what he should do. She told him to recant his mistaken notions.

The man confessed and the Virgin gave him some of the liquid. He never complained about the food again.


Source: upenn.edu



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