Letters460 Letter CDLX. (Formerly No. 474, from Spicilegium

Tom. iii. p. 501- A. D. 1152).

Letter of Henry, Bishop of Troyes to S. Bernard.

He puts the Abbot in possession of the Abbey of Boulancourt, which the Augustinian monks who then possessed it., willingly ceded.

To the venerable and most Reverend Father Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, and to his successors regularly appointed, I, Henry, Bishop of Troyes, wish health for ever.

If we employ care and vigilance to ensure the benefit and improvement of the monasteries and churches established in our Diocese, we hope for help and wait for reward, from Him whom the care of all belongs. In our Diocese there is a certain collegiate Church, Boulancourt by name, having an Abbot, Canons, lay-brethren, and nuns (mulieres), all of whom had vowed themselves to a holy life, where since discipline had altogether failed, Arrogance was prevalent’ and honourable conduct was entirely wanting: and having been summoned by the dwellers in that institution, who were not able to maintain themselves by their own efforts, I made a visitation of it. There I earnestly entreated the Abbot, and all the inmates as well Canons, as lay-brethren and nuns, that I might grant the Abbey itself and all its possessions, which could not be maintained by themselves, to God and to the Order of Citeaux, and especially to the venerable Abbot and Monastery of Clairvaux, that they might reform and possess the same for ever, according to be custom of the Order of Citeaux. And the Abbot of the before mentioned house delivered up the Abbey into my hands, and conveyed it to the house of Clairvaux.

Seeing then that Almighty God has enlightened and amended almost the whole world by your care, wisdom, and piety: I give this Abbey to the Cistercian Order, to your Paternity and to the Abbey of Clairvaux, with all its possessions, for ever. The chief possessions are these which I set down under their several names: the land adjacent to the Abbey, the farmhouse at Froide-Fontaine, the lands of Haymo, in Rosteria, the Dry Lands, Domni peruclum, Brueil; with all dependences and appurtenances of the said granges, and all things which the before mentioned Abbey had, in full possession. This grant I have confirmed and authenticated by my seal; so that no lapse of time, nor perversity of any man whatever might either change or altogether destroy it. Done in this year of the Incarnation of our Lord MCLII, in the reign of Louis the Younger, King of France Pertam, qu. for per tic am? (E.)

Appendix.