Letters451 Letter CDLI. To a certain abbot.

He requests him to receive kindly a fugitive: and begs him not to lay down his abbatical dignity.

Health and friendly greeting to his friend.

No one who has read this letter and recognizes whence I have taken the formula of salutation ought, 1 consider, to be angry with me, because I have presumed to prefer myself by association with one who is my superior and have ventured to call him mine, as if he were inferior and dependent in some way upon me, whereas I justly belong 1 [In the year 1146, as we learn from the short chronicle of Chalons in Labbe “there was a severe famine in all lands, such as never had been before.” This famine, if we give credence to the Chronicon Lobiense, which was included in my Thesaurus Anecdotorum, Vol. iii, began in 1143, and lasted seven years. (Martene’s Note)].

wholly to him and am below him in every respect. Yet we are accustomed not improperly to call ours not only those who are our inferiors, but also those frequently to whom we know ourselves to be inferior, as in this: Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living (Ps. cxlii. 5). For this indeed I have done concerning you but not for you- But now I have to reply in few words, for the present, to your letter which came to my hands on the Festival of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, the observance of which rightly demanded my whole time, and did not suffer me to think of anything else; but then also the messenger was in - haste to be on his way homeward, so that he would scarcely wait until to-morrow, and give me time, already worn out as I was with the Festival, anyhow, to write back even these few words to you. This fugitive brother then, I have thought there was nothing better for me to do than to send back to the place whence he came, having sternly reproached him, inasmuch as he was hard of heart: since according to our customs I have no right to retain him from his house without the consent of his Abbot. Your course then will be sharply to chide him in a similar way, and to drive him to an humble apology, and after that to encourage him with my letter on his behalf directed to his Abbot.

Respecting my weakness of body I can make no certain reply to your kind solicitude except that I have been, and still am, in poor health: neither any less nor more than I am accustomed to be. The cause why I have not sent what I had proposed to send, is that feared scandal and injury to souls, more than the danger to the body of one person. Not to pass over entirely any of the subjects upon which you touch, but to respond to each, though briefly, I come 1 “Natalis animae Dominae nostrae dies festus/’

Letter CDLII.

to yourself. You have written that you wish to hear, what I, since know all your circumstances, would advise you to do. But this which you are contemplating, if I do not mistake, I could not advise: nor if I may say so, would you be able to carry it out. But I wish that you would not hide from me what you really desire respecting yourself. Putting aside, however, your own wishes, and mine equally, as is right, I think the question is more what the will of God is concerning you; and this, the safe path, I would persuade you, as I would myself, to follow; nor is it disadvantageous to you, if I could induce you to think so. If you will take my advice therefore, hold fast the duties which you have, remain in the post in which you are, and strive to be of service to those over whom you are in authority; nor do you try to avoid a position of rule, as long as you are able to be of service to those you rule over. Woe indeed to you if you rule over others without profiting them, but still deeper woe, if you fear the responsibilities of rule, and avoid the possibility of doing service to others.