Herman the Recluse

Herman the Recluse (Latin: Hermannus Heremitus) was a thirteenth century Benedictine monk best known as the author of the Codex Gigas, or Devil's Bible. A resident of the Benedictine Monastery of Podlazice, Herman the Recluse was walled up alive and condemned to inscribe holy texts as a way to atone for his sins. As a result, Herman the Recluse took anywhere from five years to twenty five years to write the entirety of the Codex Gigas.

According to legend, Herman the Recluse was in fact condemned to be walled up alive and starved to death, but in a plea for his life, Herman the Recluse convinced the Abbot to let him live if he could create a book that encapsulated all earthly knowledge in one night. Herman the Recluse wrote until midnight, upon which he realized he could not finish his masterpiece and sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to finish the Codex Gigas.