Letters328 Letter CCCXXVIII. To the Roman pontiff^ (Circa A.D. 1140)
Letter CCCXXVIII. To the Roman pontiff^ (Circa A.D. 1140)
Against the person elected Bishop of Rodez.
Hitherto I have not hesitated to write to you in season and out of season, at the request of my friends: but now, the interests of the Christian religion would forbid me to be silent, even if I wished to be so. Cursed be he, says the Prophet, who keepeth back his sword from blood (Jer. xlviii. 10) [when he ought to strike]. To-day malice is profiting, the desires of evil men prosper, and there is no one to oppose them, no one who rises up to defend the rampart of the house of Israel. Even in your days most - A new Letter; the former No. 328 is now No. 339.
corrupt men have made violent efforts to climb up into the most holy places: they have stricken hands with death, and made a covenant with hell. Why then this patience? The clergy of Rodez have elected a man for Bishop who is consentient with their vices; and have not been ashamed, it is said, to conceal the truth even from your eyes, both as to the business of the election and as to the person elected. That man, chosen not by God, but by men, has many witnesses of the infamous life he has led, none at all of his repentance and change of life; and in plain fact, it is more decent to be silent concerning him than to speak. God forbid that such wicked men should, under your pontificate, be promoted, and that one should be set for a shepherd of souls, who values at nought the shedding of the blood of Christ, and the price of his own soul's redemption. What to them is a cunning insinuation of injury and suppression of their appeal, if they can thus ingratiate themselves with the Curia, and interest them in their cause? Do not believe the word of falsehood: for, according to the statement of people of veracity, as there was no appeal, so no suppression of it could have followed. It is important that you should sanction with the weight of your authority what the Bishop:i has done at the advice of the Religious. I wish at the same time to commend more and more the same Archbishop to you: and I should neither wish to ask this, nor to be heard by you, it he was not one who respects and discharges diligently his function.
Hactenus amicorum precibus morem gerentes, scripsimus opportune, importune: nunc autem, etiamsi velimus, tacere tamen christiana religione prohibemur. Maledictus, inquit propheta, qui prohibet gladium suum a sanguine. Quotidie nequitia proficit, malorum desideria prosperantur; et non est qui ascendat ex adverso, vel qui opponat se murum pro domo Israel. Ecce adhuc in diebus tuis, et manibus et pedibus nituntur ingredi ad sancta sanctorum homines corruptissimi, qui pepigerunt pactum cum morte, et foedus cum inferno. Utquid patientia haec? Rutilenses clerici elegerunt vitiis suis consentientem personam, nec puduit eos, etiam in oculis tuis, veritatem operire mendacio, ut dicitur, et circa electam personam, et circa negotium electionis. Homo ille, non a Deo, sed ab hominibus electus, multos habet testes infamiae suae, nullum purgationis; et, ut vobiscum involute loquar, honestius est de illo silere, quam loqui. Absit ut in diebus tuis talia monstra promoveantur, ut ille ponatur custos animarum, qui pro nihilo ducit effusionem sanguinis Christi, et pretium redemptionis animae suae! Quid autem illi aliquantulum astute verbum de injuria et oppressione appellationis, ut ad se per haec ad curiam inclinarent, causae interseruerunt suae? Nolite accipere verbum mendacii: quia, sicut virorum veracium relatione discitur, nulla secuta est appellationis oppressio, ubi nulla praecessit appellatio. Proinde oportet ut quod religiosorum consilio per episcopum factum est, per te robur accipiat in manu potenti et brachio excelso. Sed et ipsum archiepiscopum magis ac magis tibi volumus commendari pro quo nec rogare, nec exaudiri vellemus, si non honorificaret ministerium suum.