Letters239 Letter CCXXXIX. To the same (A.D. 1145)
Letter CCXXXIX. To the same (A.D. 1145)
Bernard urges upon him the deposition of William, Archbishop of York.
I am troublesome, I know, but I have a good excuse, viz., the Apostleship of Eugenius. They say that it is I, who am pope, not you, and all who have business come to me from every side. And amongst so great a number of friends there are some whom I cannot refuse to help without causing scandal, or even committing sin. And now I have another excuse no less pertinent in the goodness of my cause. My pen is now directed against that idol at York, impelled by the very fact that though I have often aimed at him with this weapon, yet I have never stricken him through. And why is this? Perhaps because none of my darts was wielded like the sword of Jonathan, which never returned empty; but that was not the fault of the javelin but of him who hurls it. For it is evident that it has not been hurled with the necessary strength. And no wonder; for who save a son of the archers can shoot the arrows with a powerful hand? He who holds the place of Peter can at one blow destroy Ananias, at one blow Simon Magus. And to make what I say more plain, it is known to be the prerogative of the Roman Pontiff alone to peremptorily order the deposition of a Bishop, no doubt because, though many others have been called to a share of responsibility, yet he alone has the fulness of power. So, if I may be so bold as to say it, he alone is in fault, whenever a fault which deserves correction is not corrected, or is corrected with insufficient force. With what force the fault of the above-named intruder at York ought to be corrected, nay, destroyed as by a lightning stroke, I leave to your conscience. But I believe that what has not been done has been reserved for you, that in settling this scandal the Church of God, over which He has called you to preside, may see the fervour of your zeal, the power of your arm, and the wisdom of your mind; so that all people may fear the priest of the Lord, when they hear that the wisdom of God is in him to execute judgment.
Importunus sum, sed habeo excusationem: Eugenii apostolatus excusat me. Aiunt non vos esse Papam, sed me: et undique ad me confluunt, qui habent negotia. Nec desunt in tanta multitudine amicorum, quibus officium negare non possum, non solum absque scandalo, sed etiam absque peccato. Et nunc est etiam alia excusatio non minus idonea, quia causa honestissima est. Contra idolum illud Eboracense iterato stilus dirigitur: ea scilicet necessitate, quod saepenumero hoc telo impetitum a nobis, necdum confossum est. Cur hoc? Quia nil forte a nobis tale directum est, qualis fuit gladius Jonathae, qui nunquam rediit retrorsum. Nec sane fuit culpa jaculi, sed dirigentis jaculum. Patet enim quod non in ea, qua oportuit, fortitudine missum est. Nec mirum. Quis enim in manu forti sagittas mittere potest, nisi filius excussorum? Qui locum Petri tenet, potest uno ictu extinguere Ananiam, uno Simonem Magum: et, ut planius quod loquimur fiat, peremptoriam dare sententiam ad depositionem episcoporum, solius Romani Pontificis noscitur esse: pro eo nimirum, quod etsi alii multi vocati sunt in partem sollicitudinis, solus ipse plenitudinem habeat potestatis. Solus proinde si dicere audeam, in culpa est, si culpa non feritur, quae ferienda est: et eo impetu, quo fuerit ferienda. Quo autem impetu, non dico ferienda, sed fulminanda fuerit praedicti Eboracensis culpa, vestrae conscientiae derelinquo. Caeterum quod factum non est, vobis credimus reservatum, ut in eo experiatur Ecclesia Dei, cui ipso auctore praeestis, fervorem zeli vestri, potentiam brachii vestri et animi sapientiam: et timeat omnis populus sacerdotem Domini, audiens sapientiam Dei esse in illo ad faciendum judicium.