In the diocese of Avignon in France lived a noble and wealthy man with his excellent and generous wife. The two had gained a daughter who blossomed into a wonderful young woman. The father’s heart turned to her in a sinful love so that he fathered three sons with her that she secretly killed soon after their birth.
For a long time this illegal relationship remained hidden through the care of the devil until one time when they were surprised by the mother. “Woe to me,” she cried, “that we were ever born! Now I know that you are lost beyond help and have gone to the devil. I will not remain with you any longer, but instead go my own way.”
As soon as she had gone the father spoke of his fear that she would make their soulless secret a rumor, but the daughter replied that she would try to prevent it. She then went after her mother, found her in her room and stabbed her in the heart with a knife so that she fell dead on the floor. The two then laid her body in a coffin and had her buried; no one suspected that the wife died an unnatural death.
The father and daughter then continued to live undisturbed in their deadly sin until through an act of God it occurred that one day the man went to church. Here, he was gripped by such a deep regret that he had no peace until he had confessed to an old priest. The priest assured the man that he could be rescued through regret and penance, ordered him to give up all relations with his daughter and to make a pilgrimage to the holy land.
When he returned home he met a friendly greeting from his daughter, but he pushed her away and told her what he had done. “Woe to you, you traitor!” she cried. “First you tempted me to kill my three children and my mother, and afterward you betrayed me. But you will pay!”
The father then took his rest, as he planned to begin his trip early the next morning. The daughter remained behind, brooding darkly. After a while, she stood up and prepared to carry out the evil resolution that had possessed her. She went to her father’s bedchamber and cut his throat. She then gathered all the available gold and silver as well as the valuable possessions together, and then left along with three house servants.
She settled in another town and as she felt that following the severe sins she had committed she would be unable to reach heaven, gave herself into a profligate way of life.
It came to pass that a pious bishop in the town came to preach God’s word. All of the townspeople hurried into the church to hear him speak; only the sinful women with their female comrades stayed at home. One day, she said to them, “Let’s also go to the church; at least there we’ll find some of our friends who will join us in amusement and will give us money.”
No sooner was it said than done; the throng of fun-seeking girls went to the church. By chance, the girl caught the bishop’s eye as she entered. He saw that she wore an iron ring around her neck from which various chains were attached, each held by a devil. They soon made it known, plucking on her clothing and showing by other signs that they were going with her.
All of these things the bishop saw. His heart filled with sorrow, and within him stirred the wish to rescue the unhappy one. He then began talking of God’s mercy, and through heavenly fate it happened that some of his words penetrated like an arrow into the heart of the sinful girl. Tears poured from her eyes, and suddenly the ring and chains broke from her neck so that the devils fled in consternation.
Crying, she fell to her knees and begged God for mercy. She then bowed before the bishop and said, “This whole day you talked about me, because I have committed all the sins that a woman can make against God and his laws.” She then confessed all of her guilt and asked for the granting of absolution, sure that she would soon die from sorrow. “Wait a short while,” answered the bishop, “until the service is finished.”
The woman fell unconscious to the floor, her heart breaking from sorrow and fear. As soon as the bishop had spoken the amen, he went to her and told her to rise. She didn’t move and the bishop was convinced that she was dead. The pious man began to cry bitterly and asked the whole congregation to fall on their knees and to ask God to give a sign whether or not the woman’s soul was saved or lost.
Everyone followed his request, and then a voice was heard from above that the soul that had been freed from the woman’s sinful body was by Christ in heaven, gleaming with light. The bishop was told to absolve the woman’s body in to bury it in sanctified ground.
Through this lesson all people are warned not to doubt on God’s mercy because of their sins, as no sin is so great that it cannot be removed through regret and penance.