Letters52 Letter LII. To the same (Circa A.D. 1128)
Letter LII. To the same (Circa A.D. 1128)
He declares that the Bishop of Chartres has not projected a journey to Jerusalem. He begs to be released from the weight of public affairs, Your friend and mine, the Lord Bishop of Chartres, wished the assurance to be conveyed to you by me that he has not had either the intention or the wish to be allowed to go to Jerusalem, as we know the Pope has been made to believe. For although he would greatly have wished to make the journey, yet he was not able to leave without great scandal here to all good people, who fear that his absence would do more harm to his own flock than his presence would do good to foreigners. This is what I have to say on behalf of that Bishop.
But that I may say something also on my own behalf, according to what Scripture admonishes, saying: Have pity on your own soul if you wish to please God (Ecclus. xxx. 23, VULG.). Does it please you that I should be loaded with burdens and occupied with business, so that I have no leisure to attend to my own duties, being entirely immersed in those which belong to others? If I have found favour in your eyes, be so good as to relieve me of all these affairs, so that I may be able to pray God for your sins and my own. It is true that I consider nothing could be safer for me than to follow the will of my lord the Pope; but if he would be so kind as to consider the limit of my powers, he would realize that I am not able to do these things, or with how much difficulty I can do them. And upon that matter sufficient is said to an intelligent person like yourself.
The Bishop of Chartres asked of me some of my little treatises to send to you; but I have nothing at hand which seems to me worthy of your attention. There is, indeed, a little book concerning Grace and Free Will which I have lately put forth. This I will gladly send to you, if you wish it. Farewell.
Amicus vester et noster dominus Carnotensis episcopus voluit vobis etiam per me certum fieri, quia id quod de ipso a quibusdam domino papae persuasum fuisse cognovimus, ut eum videlicet Jerosolymam permitteret proficisci, nec sui fuerit studii, nec voluntatis. Quod etsi multum voluisset, proficisci tamen non poterat nisi cum gravi scandalo omnium qui apud nos sunt bonorum, metuentium quippe ne plus mali ejus absentia faceret suis, quam boni alienis praesentia. Haec pro episcopo. Caeterum ut et pro me aliquid loquar secundum quod Scriptura admonet, Miserere, inquiens, animae tuae placens Deo; placetne vobis ut causis onerer, occuperque negotiis, nihilque prosit exoccupari propriis, cum totus implicer alienis? Si inveni gratiam in oculis vestris, date operam ut prorsus amovear ab hujusmodi, quatenus liceat mihi pro meis atque vestris orare delictis. Et quidem nihil mihi securius judico, quam obedire domini papae voluntati; sed si dignetur attendere ipse quid possim. Utinam nempe noverit quam ista non possim aut quam difficile possim. Et de hoc satis dictum sit sapienti. Quaesivit a me praefatus episcopus aliqua ex nostris opusculis, quae vobis mitteret; sed non fuit ad manum, quod vestro dignum crederem studio. Libellum tamen De gratia et libero arbitrio nuper edidi: illum vobis libenter mittam, cum vos velle cognovero. Valete.