First Life of Bernard (Vita Prima)
The ‘First Life’ of Bernard of Clairvaux, in several books: the first by his friend William of Saint-Thierry, the last, on his death in 1153, by Geoffrey of Auxerre, a monk of Clairvaux.
Book 1, by William of Saint-Thierry, covers Bernard’s youth, his entry at Cîteaux and the founding of Clairvaux. William knew Bernard: he speaks of things “we used to hear him say”. The last books, by Geoffrey of Auxerre, describe Bernard’s death; Geoffrey writes as a monk of Clairvaux, which he calls “our valley”.
The work was written to honour a man its authors held to be a saint, and it is full of visions and miracles. It is used here for the outline of Bernard’s early career and for the dates it gives. The volume of Migne also prints a long editorial commentary on the Life, which is cited in one dating note as scholarship.
Cited in
- 1098 to 1115, estimated date