e conspiracy they were joined by Erembald, castellan or chief
magistrate of the territory of Bruges, with his five sons, provoked
against their sovereign because he had repressed their unjust violences
against the noble family De Straten. The holy earl went every morning
barefoot to perform his devotions early before the altar of the Blessed
Virgin in St. Donatian's church. Going thither one day, he was informed
of a conspiracy, but answered; "We are always surrounded by dangers, but
we belong to God. If it be his will, can we die in a better cause than
that of justice and truth?" While he was reciting the penitential psalms
before the altar, the conspirators rushing in, his head was cloven by
Fromold Borchard, nephew to Bertulf, in 1124. He was buried in St.
Christopher's church at Bruges, not in that of St. Donatian, as
Pantoppidan proves. Borchard was broke alive on the wheel, and Bertulf
was hung on a rack at Ipres, and exposed on it to be torn by furious
dogs, and at length was stoned to death by beggars while he remained on
that engine. St. Charles's shrine was placed by an order of Charles
Philip Rodoan, fourth bishop of Bruges, in 1606, in the chapel of the
blessed Virgin, and ever since the year 1610 a high mass in honor of the
Trinity is sung on his festival. See the life of this good earl by
Walter, archdeacon of Terouenne, and more fully by Gualbert, syndic of
Bruges, and by AElnoth a monk of Canterbury and Danish missionary at that
time. See also Molanus and Miraeus in their martyrologies; Henschenius,
p. 158; Robertus de Monte a Append, ad. Chronicon Sigeberti ad an. 1127;
Jac. Maierus, Annal. Flandriae, l. 4, pp. 45, 46. Likewise Ericus
Pantoppidanus in his Gesta Danorum extra Daniam. Hafniae, 1740 t. 2, sec.
1, c. 5, sec. 32, p. 398.

{501}

ST. JOAVAN, OR JOEVIN, B.C.

This saint was a fervent disciple of St. Paul of Leon, in Great Britain,
his own country, accompanied him into Armorica, led an anchoretical life
near him in the country of Ack, and afterwards in the isle of Baz. That
great saint chose him coadjutor in his bishopric, when he retired a
little before his death. St. Joavan survived him only one year. He is
titular saint of two parish churches in the diocese of St. Paul of Leon,
&c. See Lobineau, Vies des Saints de la Bretagne, p. 71, from the
breviary and tradition of that church, though the life of St. Jovian,
copied by Albert the Great. &c., deserves no regard.

MARCH III.

ST. CUNEG