by

Roman Catholic Church

Biography and portraits

Individual

Saints, A-Z

Table of Contents

p. 1 Title Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 3 To the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 5 Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 10 Letter I. To the Canons Regular of Horricourt.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 11 Letter II. To the Monk Adam.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 21 Letter III. To Bruno, Archbishop Elect of Cologne.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 23 Letter IV. To the Prior and Monks of the Grand Chartreuse.. . . . . . . . . .

p. 24 Letter V. To Peter, Cardinal Deacon.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 25 Letter VI. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 28 Letter VII. To Matthew, the Legate.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 29 Letter VIII. To Gilbert, Bishop of London, Universal Doctor.. . . . . . . . . .

p. 30 Letter IX. To Ardutio (or Ardutius, Bishop Elect of Geneva.. . . . . . . . . .

p. 31 Letter X. The Same, When Bishop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 32 Letter XI. The Abbot of Saint Nicasius at Rheims.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 34 Letter XII. To Louis, King of France.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 36

Letter XIII. To the Same Pope, in the Name of Geoffrey, Bishop of

Chartres.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 37 Letter XIV. To Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 39 Letter XV. To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 41 Letter XVI. To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 44 Letter XVII. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 46 Letter XVIII. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 47 Letter XIX. To Suger, Abbot of S. Denis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 54 Letter XX. To Guy, Abbot of Molêsmes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 55 Letter XXI. To the Abbot of S. John at Chartres.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 57 Letter XXII. To Simon, Abbot of S. Nicholas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 58 Letter XXIII. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 59 Letter XXIV. To Oger, Regular Canon.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 65 Letter XXV. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 67 Letter XXVI. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 69 Letter XXVII. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 70 Letter XXVIII. To the Abbots Assembled at Soissons.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 72 Letter XXIX. To Henry, King of England.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 73 Letter XXX. To Henry, Bishop of Winchester.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iii

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

p. 74

Letter XXXI. To the Abbot of a Certain Monastery at York, from Which the

Prior Had Departed, Taking Several Religious with Him.. . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 76 Letter XXXII. To Thurstan, Archbishop of York.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 77

Letter XXXIII. To Richard, Abbot of Fountains, and His Companions, Who

Had Passed, Over to the Cistercian Order from Another.. . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 78 Letter XXXIV. Hildebert, Archbishop of Tours, to the Abbot Bernard.. . . . .

p. 79

Letter XXXV. Reply of the Abbot Bernard to Hildebert, Archbishop of

Tours.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 80

Letter XXXVI. To the Same Hildebert, Who Had Not Yet Acknowledged the

Lord Innocent as Pope.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 82 Letter XXXVII. To Magister Geoffrey, of Loretto.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 84 Letter XXXVIII. To His Monks of Clairvaux.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 86 Letter XXXIX. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 88 Letter XL. To Thomas, Prior of Beverley.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 94

Letter XLI. To Thomas of St. Omer, After He Had Broken His Promise of

Adopting a Change of Life.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 96

Letter XLII. To the Illustrious Youth, Geoffrey de Perrone, and His

Comrades.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 98 Letter XLIII. A Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey.. . . . . . . . .

p. 99

Letter XLIV. Concerning the Maccabees But to Whom Written is

Unknown.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 103

Letter XLV. To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of

Langres.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 110

Letter XLVI. To Guigues, the Prior, And to the Other Monks of the Grand

Chartreuse.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 116 Letter XLVII. To the Brother of William, a Monk of Clairvaux.. . . . . . . . .

p. 118 Letter XLVIII. To Magister Walter de Chaumont.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 120 Letter XLIX. To Romanus, Sub-Deacon of the Roman Curia.. . . . . . . . .

p. 121 Letter L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 122 Letter LI. To the Virgin Sophia.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 125 Letter LII. To Another Holy Virgin.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 127 Letter LIII. To Another Holy Virgin of the Convent of S. Mary of Troyes.. . .

p. 129 Letter LIV. To Ermengarde, Formerly Countess of Brittany.. . . . . . . . . .

p. 130 Letter LV. To the Same.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 131 Letter LVI. To Beatrice, a Noble and Religious Lady.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 132 Letter LVII. To the Duke and Duchess of Lorraine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 133 Letter LVIII. To the Duchess of Lorraine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 134 Letter LIX. To the Duchess of Burgundy.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 135 Letter LX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 135 Note to the Following Treatise.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iv

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

p. 143

Letter LX. To the Same, Against Certain Heads of Abaelard’s

Heresies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 144 Chapter I.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 145 Chapter II.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 146 Chapter III.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 148 Chapter IV.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 150 Chapter V.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 152 Chapter VI.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 153 Chapter VII.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 155 Chapter VIII.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 157 Chapter IX.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 159 Letter LXI. To Louis the Younger, King of the French.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 161 Letter LXII. To Pope Innocent.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 162 Letter LXIII. To the Same, in the Name of Godfrey, Bishop of Langres.. . . .

p. 163 Letter LXIV. To the Above-Named Falco.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 164 Letter LXV. To the Canons of Lyons, on the Conception of S. Mary.. . . . .

p. 168 Letter LXVI. To the Patriarch of Jerusalem.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 169 Indexes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 169 Index of Scripture References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 171 Latin Words and Phrases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

p. 172 Index of Pages of the Print Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

v

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

vi

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

ii

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH FROM

THE EDITION OF DOM. JOANNES MABILLON,

OF THE BENEDICTINE CONGREGATION OF S. MAUR (PARIS, 1690),

AND EDITED BY

SAMUEL J. EALES, D.C.L.

VOLS. I. AND II.—THE LETTERS OF S. BERNARD.

VOL. III.—LETTERS AND SERMONS.

VOL. IV.—CANTICA CANTICORUM. EIGHTY-SIX SERMONS ON

THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

"In his writings great natural powers shine forth resplendently, an intellect more than that of the subtle Abelard,

an eloquence that was irresistible, an imagination like a poet, and a simplicity that wins the admiration of all. Priests

will find it a most valuable book for spiritual reading and sermons. The printing and binding of the work are

"No writer of the Middle Ages is so fruitful of moral inspiration as S. Bernard, no character is more beautiful, and

no man in any age whatever so faithfully represented all that was best in the impulses of his time, or exercised so

powerful an influence upon it. . . . There is no man whose letters cover so many subjects of abiding interest, or whose

". . . The letters are of great historic interest, and many of them most touching. The simple earnestness of the man,

"English readers of every class and creed owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Eales for the great and useful work which

he has undertaken. It is strange that now for the first time has such a task been even, as far as we are aware, approached.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

From the Translation of the late Dr. EALES

Vicar of Stalisfield

SELECTED, WITH A PREFACE, BY

ABBOT PRESIDENT OF THE ENGLISH BENEDICTINE

CONGREGATION

AUTHOR OF "HENRY VIII. AND THE ENGLISH MONASTERIES"

"THE GREAT PESTILENCE (A.D. 1348–9)"

"THE OLD ENGLISH BIBLE," ETC.

iv

Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO

At the Ballantyne Press

v

2

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

This selection of S. Bernard's letters has been made in the hope that it may find its way into the

hands of many to whom the volumes of the greater collection are unknown, or are for one reason

or another inaccessible. The letters of great and good men give us information about them which

can be derived from no other source. "As the eyes are to the other bodily senses," says the editor

of S. Augustine's correspondence, "so are the letters of illustrious men in numberless ways more

wonderful than all their other works. In them, as in the mirror of the human eyes, appear the personal

qualities, passions, virtues, and vices of the individual. Just as no one can better show himself to

the life than in his letters, so nowhere can he be better known" than in them. This is true of the

letters of every saint, as well as of every man of affairs; and the peculiar value and charm of such

collections of letters is almost universally acknowledged.

S. Bernard's unique position in the Church in his day, and the widespread authority he possessed,

no less than his acknowledged place among the spiritual writers of all ages, tend to make his

correspondence peculiarly interesting, as revealing in a more intimate way than any of his more

vi

formal writings, the characteristic qualifications and virtues, which won for him the great position

he held so long during the middle ages. His learning and judgment no doubt fully appear in his

tracts, treatises, and sermons; but in the private letters that were intended only for the eye of the

recipient, the reader can get a deeper insight into the man and the saint, and learn more fully, because

more naturally, his real qualities. In them appear his prudence and zeal, his love of truth and piety,

the warmth of his human affections and his natural eloquence with more genuine truth than, say,

"It sometimes happens," says the editor above quoted, "that in writing about themselves, the

another, however, writes about them, he is unable properly to penetrate the interior qualities of

their soul; or if he can, is unable properly to express his knowledge for the benefit of others. But

in their letters writers display themselves spontaneously, and paint themselves in their natural

colours." Nature, locality, occasion, and persons are produced before the mind of the reader even

when the writer had no conscious design of doing so, and this in so clear a manner "that any careful

reader may, in these letters of our author, look into his face and soul as if he were close at hand."

For the benefit of those readers of this little volume who may not have access to any full account

vii

of S. Bernard's career, it may be useful to give here a brief outline of his life. The Saint was born

in the year 1091 in the village of Fontaine, in the province of Burgundy. He received a good

education in his youth, and from the first displayed the best Christian dispositions. At the age of

three-and-twenty he determined to dedicate his life to God in the cloister; and made choice of

Citeaux, a monastery then under the fervent direction of S. Stephen Harding and which S. Robert

had founded only a few years previously from Molêsmes. Bernard took with him to Citeaux thirty

companions, and from this refuge he was sent two years later, in 1115, to be Abbot of Clairvaux,

the first offshoot of the future great religious congregation of Cistercians which had its centre at

Citeaux.

The former solitude of Clairvaux soon became peopled under S. Bernard with men who were

attracted by the Saint's great personality and some 700 novices are said to have sat at his feet to

learn the science of the saints. He himself lived to see one of his disciples upon the throne of S.

Peter, six more become cardinals, and over thirty bishops in various sees of the Christian world.

3

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

He acquired, in a truly marvellous way, the general esteem and confidence of bishops, nobles, and

peoples. For a considerable period there was no ecclesiastical matter of any importance, no difference

to be composed, and no religious enterprise upon which he was not consulted. It was with his

assistance, or it may be said by the authority of his name, that Innocent II. was recognised in the

Church as Pontiff, and that Victor voluntarily abdicated the position of anti-pope. From 1131 to

1138 S. Bernard was constantly at work healing the schism. At the Council of Sens in 1140 he

viii

confounded Abelard by his learning and secured his condemnation. In 1148 he preached the Crusade,

the partial failure of which he subsequently attributed to the sins of the Crusaders.

During all this time he lived as a true monk in the face of the world, and so many wonders and

miracles were worked by him, or through his instrumentality, that he became commonly known as

the western world, and he died at the age of sixty-three on 20th August 1153.

A word may now be allowed about S. Bernard's literary style, of which we have evidence in

the two volumes of his "Letters," translated and published by Dr. Eales, a selection from which is

made in this small volume. He writes always in a lively and pleasant way: his thoughts are exalted

and are expressed in a manner, full of unction ; whilst tender, he is by no means wanting in strength,

and at times he is vehement in defence of the truth or when it is necessary to carry conviction to

the mind of him with whom he is corresponding. His diction is saturated, so to speak, with Holy

Scripture; and he constantly makes use of texts taken from the Bible, and still more frequently of

Biblical expressions interwoven into his own language. His favourites among the Fathers are S.

Ambrose and S. Augustine, and he follows their teachings and opinions as conclusive arguments

for the truth.

S. Bernard in the midst of all his labours found time for writing a great many letters. Four

hundred and eighty-two of these, some of considerable length, have been preserved, and are to be

ix

found printed in the great collections of the Saint's works. From these, as given to English readers

in the faithful and easy translation made by the late Dr. Eales, sixty-six are selected as samples in

the present volume. Where all is so excellent and so really fascinating the task of selection was not

difficult, and mainly consisted in the unwelcome process of exclusion. The reason why one should

be taken and another left was not always obvious, and beyond choosing all the letters which in any

way had something to do with England, and one or two characteristic specimens, such as No. II.:

"To the monk Adam," or No. LX. on "the Heresies of Peter Abelard," with the preceding note,

practically no principle has guided the choice. In the notes it has been thought best, when reference

is made to other letters not contained in this volume, to retain the numbers given to the letters in

the original volumes. It may, in conclusion, be hoped that some at least may be tempted by these

sample letters of a man who had to play so great a part in the first half of the twelfth century, to

desire to become further acquainted with him in the larger collections of his writings.

FRANCIS AIDAN GASQUET.

Athenæum Club,

All Saints’ Day, 1903.

x

4

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

PAGE LETTER

1 To the Canons Regular of

Horricourt

I.

3 To the Monk Adam II.

27 To Bruno, Archbishop Elect

of Cologne

III.

31 To the Prior and Monks of the

Grand Chartreuse

IV.

33 To Peter, Cardinal Deacon V.

34 To the Same VI.

40 To Matthew, the Legate VII.

42 To Gilbert, Bishop of London,

Universal Doctor

VIII.

44 To Ardutio (or Ardutius),

Bishop Elect of Geneva

IX.

45 To the Same, When Bishop X.

47 To the Abbot of Saint

Nicasius at Rheims

XI.

49 To Louis, King of France XII.

52 To the Same Pope, in the

Name of Geoffrey, Bishop of

Chartres

XIII.

54 To Alexander, Bishop of

Lincoln

XIV.

57 To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin XV.

61 To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny XVI.

66 To the Same XVII.

69 To the Same XVIII.

5

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

70 To Suger, Abbot of S. Denis

xii

XIX.

85 To Guy, Abbot of Molêsmes XX.

86 To the Abbot of S. John at

Chartres

XXI.

90 To Simon, Abbot of S.

Nicholas

XXII.

92 To the Same XXIII.

94 To Oger, Regular Canon XXIV.

107 To the Same XXV.

112 To the Same XXVI.

115 To the Same XXVII.

117 To the Abbots Assembled at

Soissons

XXVIII.

121 To Henry, King of England XXIX.

122 TO Henry, Bishop of

Winchester

XXX.

124 To the Abbot of a Certain

Monastery at York, From

XXXI.

Which the Prior Had

Departed, Taking Several

Religious with Him

127 To Thurstan, Archbishop of

York

XXXII.

129 To Richard, Abbot of

Fountains, and His

XXXIII.

Companions, Who Had

Passed Over to the

Cistercian Order from

Another

131 Hildebert, Archbishop of

Tours, to the Abbot Bernard

XXXIV.

6

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

133 Reply of the Abbot Bernard

to Hildebert, Archbishop of

Tours

XXXV.

135 To the Same Hildebert, Who

Had Not Yet Acknowledged

the Lord Innocent as Pope

XXXVI.

138 To Magister Geoffrey, of

Loretto

XXXVII.

140 To His Monks of Clairvaux XXXVIII.

143 To the Same XXXIX.

147 To Thomas, Prior of Beverley

xiii

XL.

160 To Thomas of St. Omer, After

He Had Broken His

XLI.

Promise of Adopting a

Change of Life

165 To the Illustrious Youth,

Geoffrey de Perrone, and His

Comrades

XLII.

168 A Consolatory Letter to the

Parents of Geoffrey

XLIII.

169 Concerning the Maccabees

But to Whom Written Is

Unknown

XLIV.

177 To a Youth Named Fulk, Who

Afterwards Was

Archdeacon of Langres

XLV.

192 To Guigues, the Prior, And to

the Other Monks of the

Grand Chartreuse

XLVI.

206 To the Brother of William, a

Monk of Clairvaux

XLVII.

208 To Magister Walter de

Chaumont

XLVIII.

7

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

212 To Romanus, Sub-Deacon of

the Roman Curia

XLIX.

214 To Geoffrey, of Lisieux L.

216 To the Virgin Sophia LI.

223 To Another Holy Virgin LII.

227 To Another Holy Virgin of

the Convent of S. Mary of

Troyes

LIII.

230 To Ermengarde, Formerly

Countess of Brittany

LIV.

231 To the Same LV.

232 To Beatrice, a Noble and

Religious Lady

LVI.

234 To the Duke and Duchess of

Lorraine

LVII.

235 To the Duchess of Lorraine LVIII.

237 To the Duchess of Burgundy

xiv

LIX.

238 Note to Treatise

259 To the Same, Against Certain

Heads of Abaelard’s Heresies

LX.

294 To Louis the Younger, King

of the French

LXI.

297 To Pope Innocent LXII.

298 To the Same, in the Name of

Godfrey, Bishop of Langres

LXIII.

299 To the Above-names Falco LXIV.

300 To the Canons of Lyons, on

the Conception of S. Mary

LXV.

308 To the Patriarch of Jerusalem LXVI.

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

9

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

To the Superior of the holy body of clerics and servants of God who are in the place which is

called Horricourt, and to their disciples: the little flock of the brothers of Clairvaux, and their very

humble servant, Brother Bernard, wish health, and power to walk in the Spirit, and to see all things

in a spiritual manner.

Your letter, in which you have addressed to us an exhortation so salutary and profitable, brings

us convincing proof of your knowledge and charity, which we admire, and for which we thank you.

But that which you have so kindly prefixed by way of praise of me is, I fear, not founded on

2

experience, although you have thus given me an excellent occasion to practise humility if I know

how to profit by it. Yet it has excited great fear in me, who know myself to be far below what you

imagine. For which of us who takes heed to his ways can listen without either great fear or great

danger, to praises of himself so great and so undeserved? It is not safe for any one to commit himself

Corinthians iv. 4.). As to the brothers concerning whose safety we recognize that your charity has

been solicitous, that we should return them to you unharmed; know that by the advice and persuasion

they have taken refuge with us, and have begged us with earnest supplication to receive them, which

we have done. Though they have quitted the rule of S. Augustine for that of S. Benedict in order

to embrace a stricter life, yet they do not depart from the rule of Him, who is the one Master in

heaven and in earth; nor do they make void that first faith which they promised among you, and

which, indeed, they promised, first of all, in baptism. They being such, therefore, and having been

so received, we are far from thinking that your sense of right will be injured by our having received

them, or that you ought to take it ill if we retain them; yet if they desist from their resolution during

the year of probation which the Rule requires, and desire to return to you, be assured that we shall

3

not detain them against their will. In any case, most holy brethren, you would be wrong to resist,

by an ill-considered and useless anathema, the spirit of liberty which is in them; unless, perchance

(which may God avert!), you study more to promote your own interests than those of Jesus Christ.

1 The title of this letter follows a MS. at Corbey. It does not appear who these regular canons were.

2 This was William of Champeaux, a friend of S. Bernard, who died in 1121.

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

1. If you remain yet in that spirit of charity which I either knew or believed to be with you

formerly, you would certainly feel the condemnation with which charity must regard the scandal

which you have given to the weak. For charity would not offend charity, nor scorn when it feels

itself offended. For it cannot deny itself, nor be divided against itself. Its function is rather to draw

together things divided; and it is far from dividing those that are joined. Now, if that remained in

you, as I have said, it would not keep silent, it would not rest unconcerned, nor pretend indifference,

but it would without doubt whisper, with groans and uneasiness at the bottom of your pious heart,

rejoices in unity; it produces them, cements them, strengthens them, and wherever it reigns it makes

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the bond of peace. As, then, you are in opposition to that true mother of peace and concord, on

what ground, I ask you, do you presume that your sacrifice, whatever it may be, will be accepted

you trust that you are not the enemy of charity when breaking unity, rending the bond of peace,

you lacerate her bowels, treating with such cruelty their dear pledges, which you neither have borne

nor do bear? You must lay down, then, the offering, whatever it may be, which you are preparing

to lay on the altar, and hasten to go and reconcile yourself not with one of your brethren only, but

with the entire body. The whole body of the fraternity, grievously wounded by your withdrawal,

sons of my mother have fought against me (Cant. i. 5). And rightly; for who is not with her, is

against her. Can you think that a mother, as tender as charity, can hear without emotion the complaint,

so just, of a community which is to her as a daughter? Therefore, joining her tears with ours, she

even of the Holy Trinity. What place, then, in the kingdom of Christ and of God has he who is an

enemy of charity, peace, and unity?

2. My abbot, perhaps you will say, has obliged me to follow him—ought I then to have been

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disobedient? But you cannot have forgotten the conclusion to which we came one day after a long

discussion together upon that scandalous project which even then you were meditating. If you had

who bath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly (Ps. i. 1). But let it be so. Sons ought, no doubt,

to obey a father; scholars a teacher. An abbot may lead his monks where he shall please, and teach

them what he thinks proper; but this is only as long as he lives. Now that he is dead, whom you

were bound to hear as a teacher and to follow as a guide, why are you still delaying to make amends

for the grave scandal that you have occasioned? What hinders you now to give ear, I do not say to

they fall and not arise? Shall he turn away and not return? (Jer. viii. 4.) Or has your abbot, when

written after the death of Abbot Arnold, which took place in Belgium in the year 1126.

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dying, forbidden you ever to rise again after your fall, or ever to speak of your return? Is it necessary

for you to obey him even when dead—to obey him against charity and at the peril of your soul?

You would allow, I suppose, that the bond between an abbot and his monks is by no means so

strong or tenacious as that of married persons, whom God Himself and not man has bound with an

(S. Matt. xix. 6). But the Apostle asserts that when the husband is dead the wife is freed from the

law of her husband (Rom. vii. 2), and do you consider yourself bound by the law of your dead

abbot, and this against a law which is more binding still, that of charity?

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3. These things I say, yet I do not think that you ought to have yielded to him in this even when

living, or that thus to have yielded ought to be called obedience. For it is of that kind of obedience

shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son (Ezek.

xviii. 20). From these, then, it appears clearly that those who command things evil are not to be

obeyed, especially when in yielding to wrong commands, in which you appear to obey man, you

show yourself plainly disobedient to God, who has forbidden everything that is evil. For it is

altogether unreasonable to profess yourself obedient when you know that you are violating obedience

due to the superior on account of the inferior, that is, to the Divine on account of the human. What

then! God forbids what man orders; and shall I be deaf to the voice of God and listen to that of

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iii. 17). Therefore to do evil, whosoever it be that bids, is shown not to be obedience, but

disobedience.

4. To make this principle clear, we must note that some actions are wholly good; others wholly

evil: and in these no obedience is to be rendered to men. For the former are not to be omitted by

us, even if they are prohibited [by men]: nor the latter done, even though they are commanded.

But, besides these, there are actions between the two, and which may be good or evil according to

circumstances of place, time, manner, or person, and in these obedience has its place, as it was in

the matter of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was in the midst of Paradise. When.

these are in question, it is not right to prefer our own judgment to that of our superiors, so as to

take no heed of what they order or forbid. Let us see whether it be not such a case that I have

condemned in you, and whether you ought not to be condemned. For clearness, I will subjoin

examples of the distinction which I have just made. Faith, hope, charity, and others of that class

are wholly good; it cannot be wrong to command, or to practice them, nor right to forbid them, or

to neglect the practice of them. Theft, sacrilege, adultery, and all other such vices are wholly evil;

it can never be right to practice or to order them, nor wrong to forbid or avoid them. The law is not

made for things of this kind, for the prohibition of no person has the power to render null the

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commandments given, nor the command of any to render lawful the things prohibited. There are,

finally, things of a middle kind which are not in themselves good or evil; they may be indifferently

either prescribed or forbidden, and in these things an inferior never sins in obeying. Such are, for

example, fasting, watching, reading, and such like. But some things which are of this middle kind

often pass the bounds of indifferency, and become the one or the other. Thus, marriage is neither

prescribed nor forbidden, but when it is made may not be dissolved. That, therefore, which before

the nuptials was a thing of the middle kind obtains the force of a thing wholly good in regard to

the married pair. Also, it is a thing indifferent for a man in secular life to possess or not to possess

property of his own; but to a monk, who is not allowed to possess anything, it is wholly evil.

5. Do you see now, brother, to which branch of my division your action belongs? If it is to be

put among things wholly good it is praiseworthy: if among those wholly evil it is greatly to be

blamed: but if it is to be placed among those of the middle kind you may, perhaps, find in your

obedience an excuse for your first departure, but your delay in returning is not at all excusable,

since that was not from obedience. For when your abbot was dead, if he had previously ordered

anything which was not fitting, the former discussion has shown you that you were no longer bound

to obey him. And although the matter is now sufficiently clear by itself, yet because of some who

seek for occasion to object when reason does not support them, I will put the matter clearly again,

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so that every shade of doubt may disappear, and I will show you that your obedience and your

leaving your monastery, were neither wholly good nor partly good, but plainly wholly evil.

Concerning him who is dead, I am silent; he has now God alone for his judge, and to his own Lord

he either stands or falls; that God may not say with righteous anger, "Men have taken away from

me even the right to judge." However, for the instruction of the living I discuss, not even what he

has done, but what he has ordered; whether, that is to say, his order ought to have been obligatory,

inasmuch as a widespreading scandal has followed upon it. And I say this first; that if there are any

who followed him when he wrongly left his cloister, but who followed in simplicity, and without

suspecting any evil, supposing that he had license to go forth from the Bishop of Langres and the

Abbot of Cîteaux (for to each of these was he responsible); and it is not incredible that some of

those who were of his company may so have believed; this, my censure, does not touch them,

provided that when they knew the truth, they returned without delay.

6. Therefore my discourse is against those only, or rather for those, who knowingly and purposely

put their hands into the fire; who being conscious of his presumption, yet followed him who

presumed, without caring for the prohibition of the Apostle, and his precept, to withdraw from

every brother who walks disorderly (2 Thess. iii. 6). Despising also the voice of the Lord himself,

He who gathereth not with me scattereth (S. Matt. xii. 30). To you, brethren, belongs clearly and

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not the voice of the Lord their God (Jer. vii. 28). For clearly that is the Voice of God pointing out

His enemy from the work that he does, and, as it were, showing him with a stretched finger to ward

to have followed a disperser? And when God invites you to unite with Him, ought you rather to

follow a man who wishes to disperse you? He scorned his superiors, he exposed his inferiors to

danger, he deeply troubled his brethren, and yet ye seeing a thief joined yourself with him! I had

determined to be silent concerning him who is dead, but I am obliged, I confess, to proceed still a

little further, since I cannot blame your obedience, if his command is not shown to be altogether

improper. Since the orders and the actions of the man were similar to each other, it seems impossible

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to praise or to blame the one without the other. Now it is very clear that orders of that kind ought

not to have been obeyed, since they were contrary to the law of God. For who can suppose that the

institutions of our Fathers are not to be preferred to those of lesser persons, or that the general rules

of the Order must not prevail over the commands of private persons? For we have this in the Rule

7. I should be able, indeed, to bring forward the Abbot of Cîteaux as a witness, who, as being

superior to your abbot as a father to a son, as a master to a disciple, and, in a word, as an abbot to

a monk committed to his charge, rightly complains that you have held him in contempt because of

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the other. I might speak also of the Bishop, whose consent was not waited for, a contempt which

Luke x. 16). But as to both these might be opposed and preferred the authority of the Roman Pontiff

as more weighty; by whose license it is said that you have taken care to secure yourselves (the

question of that license shall be discussed in its proper place), [see below, No. 9], I rather bring

forward such an one as you dare not set yourself against. Most surely He is the Supreme Pontiff,

who by His own blood entered in once and alone into the Holy Place to obtain eternal redemption

(Heb. ix. 12), and denounces with a terrible voice, in the Gospel, that none should dare to give

scandal to even the least of His little ones (S. Matt. xviii. 6). I should say nothing if the evil had

not proceeded farther. An easy forgiveness would follow a fault which has no grave consequences.

But at present there is no doubt that you have preferred the commands of a man to that of God, and

have thus scandalized very many. What man of any sense would say that such an audacious act

was good, or could become good, by the direction of any man, whatever his dignity? And if it is

not good, nor can become good, without doubt it is wholly evil. Whence it follows that since your

withdrawal was to the scandal of many, and by this contrary to the law of God, since it is neither

wholly good nor even of a middle kind, it is, therefore, wholly and altogether evil; because that

which is wholly is always such, and that of a middle kind can become so.

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8. How then can either the permission of your abbot avail to make that permissible which is

(as we have already shown beyond question) wholly evil, since (as we have said above) things of

this kind, that is things purely evil, can never be rightly ordered nor permissibly done? Do you see

how futile is the excuse you draw from obedience to a man when you are convicted of a transgression

against God? I hardly suppose that you would resort to that reply of the Lord respecting the scandal

as He attached no value to their objections, so you attach no value to ours; for you know that there

is no comparison in this respect between Him and you. But if you make comparison of persons,

you find that on one side it is the proud Pharisees who are scandalized, on the other the poor of

Jesus Christ; and as to the cause of the scandal, in the one case it is presumption, in the other truth.

Again, as I have shown above, you have not only preferred a human to a Divine command, but that

of a private person to a public rule, and this alone would suffice for proof; but the custom and Rule,

not only of our Order, but of all monasteries, seems to cry out against your unexampled innovation

and unparalleled presumption.

9. You had then just reason to fear, and were rightly distrustful of the goodness of your cause

when, in order to still the pangs of your consciences, you tried to have recourse to the Holy See.

O, vain remedy! which is nothing else than to seek girdles, like our first parents, for your ulcerated

5 Reg. Cap. 71.

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consciences, that is, to hide the ill instead of curing it. We have asked and obtained (they say) the

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permission of the Pope. Would that you had asked not his permission, but his advice; that is to say,

not that he would permit you to do it, but whether it was a thing permitted to you to do! Why, then,

did you solicit his permission? Was it to render lawful that which was not so? Then you wished to

do what was not lawful; but what was not lawful was evil. The intention, therefore, was evil, which

tended towards evil. Perhaps, you would say that the wrong thing which you demanded permission

to do ceased to be such if it was done by virtue of a permission. But that has been already excluded

give scandal to one of these little ones (S. Matt. xviii. 6–10), did He limit it by adding, Without

licence. It is then certain that except when the necessary interests of the truth require, it is not

permitted to any one to give any scandal, neither to order it, nor to consent to it. Yet you think that

permission is to be obtained to do so. But to what purpose? Was it that you might sin with more

liberty and fewer scruples, and, therefore, with just so much the more danger? Wonderful precaution,

marvellous prudence! They had already devised evil in their heart, but they were cautious not to

carry it out in action except with permission. They conceived in sorrow, but they did not bring forth

iniquity until the Pope had afforded his consent to that unrighteous birth. With what advantage?

or, at least, with what lessening of the evil? Is it likely that either an evil will cease to be or even

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be rendered less because the Pope has consented to it? But who will deny it to be a bad thing to

give consent to evil? Which, notwithstanding, I do not in any way believe that the Pope would have

done, unless he had been either deceived by falsehood or overcome by importunity. In fact, unless

it had been so, would he weakly have given you permission to sow scandal, to raise up schisms, to

distress friends, to trouble the peace of brethren, to throw into confusion their unity, and, above

all, to despise your own Bishop? And under what necessity he should have acted thus I have no

need to say, since the issue of the matter sufficiently shows. For I see with grief that you have gone

forth, but I do not see that you have profited in doing so.

10. Thus, in your opinion, to give assent to so great and weighty evils is to show obedience, to

render assistance, to behave with moderation and gentleness. Do you, then, endeavour to whitewash

the most detestable vices under the name of virtues? Or do you think that you can injure virtues

without doing injury to the Lord of virtues? You hide the vainest presumption, the most shameful

levity, the cruellest division under the names of obedience, moderation, gentleness, and you soil

those sacred names with the vices hidden under them. May I never emulate this obedience: such

moderation can never be pleasing to me, or rather seems to resemble molestation; may gentleness

of this kind ever be far from me. Such obedience is worse than any revolt: such moderation passes

all bounds. Shall I say that it goes beyond them or does not come up to them? Perhaps it would be

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more adequate to say that it is altogether without measure or bound. Of what kind is that gentleness

which irritates the ears of all the hearers? And yet I beg you to show some sign of it now on my

behalf. Since you are so patient that you do not contend with anybody, even with one who tries to

drag you away to forbidden ground, permit me, too, I beg of you, to treat with you now somewhat

more unrestrainedly. Otherwise I have merited much evil from you if you think that you must resent

from me alone what you are accustomed to resent from no one else.

11. Well, then, I call your own conscience to witness. Was it willingly or unwillingly that you

went forth? If willingly, then it was not from obedience. If unwillingly, you seem to have had some

suspicion of the order which you carried out with reluctance. But when there is suspicion, there

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consideration is necessary. But you, either to display your patience or to exercise it, obeyed without

discussion, and suffered yourself to be taken away, not only without your own volition, but even

against your conscience. O, patience worthy of all impatience! I cannot, I confess, help being angry

with this most questionable patience. You saw that he was a scatterer and yet you followed him;

you heard him directing what was scandalous and yet you obeyed him! True patience consists in

doing or in suffering what is displeasing to us, not what is forbidden to us. A strange thing! You

listened to that man softly murmuring, but not to God openly protesting in such words as these,

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And to be the better heard, not only does the Lord Himself cry aloud, but His Blood cries with a

terrible voice to make even the deaf hear. Its pouring forth is its cry. Since it was poured forth for

the children of God who were scattered abroad that it might gather them together into one, it justly

murmurs against the scatterers. He whose constant duty it is to collect souls together hates without

doubt those who scatter them. Loud is His voice and piercing which calls bodies from their graves

and souls from Hades. That trumpet blast calls together heaven and earth and the things that are

with them, giving them peace. Its sound has gone out unto the whole world, arid yet it has not been

able to burst through your deafness! What a voice of power and magnificence when the words are

them by Thy power, O Lord, my protector, and put them down (Ps. lix. 12). It is the blood of Christ,

brother Adam, which raises its voice as a sounding trumpet on behalf of pious assemblies against

wicked scatterers; it has been poured forth to bring together those who were dispersed, and it

threatens to disperse those who scatter. If you do not hear His voice, then listen to that which rolls

from His side. For how could He not hear His own blood who heard the blood of Abel?

12. But what is this to me? you say. It concerns one whom it was not right for me to contradict.

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The disciple is not above his master; and it was to be taught, not to teach, that I attached myself to

him. As a hearer, it became me to follow, not to go before, my preceptor. O, simple one, the Paulus

the least word that fell from his lips, but only to obey it without hesitation! What exemplary

obedience! The least word, an iota, which drops from the lips of his superiors finds him obedient!

all things, hold fast that which is good (2 Thess. v. 21). If this is a right view, let us blot out of the

as doves (S. Matt. x. 26). I do not say that inferiors are to make themselves judges of the orders of

those set over them; in which it may be taken for granted that nothing is ordered contrary to the

Divine laws, but I assert that prudence also is necessary to notice if anything does so contradict,

and freedom firmly to pronounce against these. But you reply, I have nothing to do with examining

what he orders; it is his duty to do that before ordering. Tell me, I pray you, if a sword were put

6 Antony, who was called by S. Athanasius "the founder of asceticism," and "a model for monks," is called "Abbas," though

he was more properly a hermit, and always refused to take oversight of a monastery. He was born at Coma, in Upper Egypt,

about A.D. 250. The Paulus here mentioned was a disciple of Antony. He was remarkable for his childlike docility, on account

of which he was surnamed Simplex, and notwithstanding a certain dulness of intellect seems to have shown sometimes remarkable

discernment of character.—[E.]

7 This clause is wanting in some MSS.

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into your hand and he bade you turn it against his throat, would you obey? Or if he ordered you to

fling yourself headlong into the fire, or into the water, would you do it? If you did not even hinder

him from such acts as these to the best of your ability, would not you be held guilty of the crime

of homicide? Come, then, see that you have done nothing but co-operate in his crime under the

pretext of obedience. Do you not know that it has been said by a certain person (for you would not,

perhaps, give credence to me) that it would be better to be sunk in the depths of the sea than to give

scandals (S. Matt. xviii. 6). Why has He said this unless that He wished to signify that in comparison

to the terrible punishments that are reserved for the scandalous, temporal death would seem scarcely

a punishment but an advantage? Why, then, did you help him to make a scandal? For you did so

in following and obeying him. Would it not have been better, according to the declaration of the

Truth I have quoted, to hang a millstone from his neck and so to plunge him in the depth of the

sea? What then? You that were so obedient a disciple, who could not bear that he, your father and

master, should be separated from you for a single instant, for a foot breadth (as it is said), you have

not hesitated to fall into the ditch behind him with your eyes wide open, like another Balaam? Did

you think that you were labouring for his happiness when you showed toward him an obedience

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shall be they of his own household (Micah vii. 6). If you see and feel this do you not groan if you

perceive what you have done? And if you do perceive, do you not tremble? For, indeed, your

obedience (it is not my judgment, but that of the Truth Himself) has been worse for him than death.

13. If you are now convinced of this, I do not know how you can help trembling and hastening

to repair your fault. Otherwise what conscience of wrong will you carry hence to that terrible

tribunal where the judge will not need witness, where the Truth will scan even purposes, and

penetrate in search of faults to the hidden places of the heart, where, in short, that Divine look will

try the most secret recesses of minds, and at the sudden shining of that Sun of justice all the windings

of human souls will be spread open and give to the light whatever, whether good or evil, they were

hiding? Then, brother Adam, those who commit a sin, and those who consent to it will be punished

with equal chastisement. Then thieves and the associates of thieves will listen to a similar sentence;

the seducers and the seduced will undergo an equal judgment. Cease, then, to say again, What is

it to me? Let him see to it. Can you touch pitch and say I am not defiled? Can you hide fire in your

bosom and not be burned? Can you have your portion with adulterers without resembling them in

some respect? Isaiah did not think so, for he reproached himself not only because he was himself

unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips (Isaiah vi. 5). For he blames himself

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not because he dwelt among sinners, but because he has not condemned their sins. For, so he says:

of evil, that he blames himself not to have condemned it in others? And did not David also feel that

me O Lord from my secret sins, and spare Thy servant from the offences of others (Ps. xix. 12–13,

if sinners entice thee, consent thou not (Prov. i. 10).

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14. Have you, then, against these and innumerable other and similar testimonies of the truth,

always wars on behalf of truth, is arrayed against truth. Happy the disobedience of brother Henry,

who soon repenting of his error and retracing his steps, has the happiness of not persisting longer

in such an obedience. The fruits of disobedience are sweeter and to be preferred [to this]; and now

he tastes them with a good conscience in the peaceable and constant practice of the duties of his

profession in the midst of his brethren, and in the bosom of the Order to which he has devoted

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himself; while some of his former companions are breaking the hearts of their ancient brethren by

the scandals they are making! Whose disobedience of slackness and omission, if the choice were

given me, I would even prefer, with his sense of penitence, than the punctilious obedience of such

as these, with scandal. For I consider that he does better for the keeping unity in the bond of peace

who obeys charity, though disobedient to his abbot, than those who so defer to a single man as to

prefer one to the whole body. I might boldly add even this, that it is preferable to risk disobedience

to one person than to endanger the vows of our own profession and all the other advantages of

religion.

15. Since, not to speak of other obligations, there are two principal ones to be observed by all

dwellers in a monastery, obedience to the abbot and stability or constancy. But one of these ought

not to be fulfilled to the prejudice of the other, so that you should thus show yourself constant in

your place as not to be above being subject to the superior, and so obey the superior as not to lose

constancy. Thus if you would disapprove of a monk, however constant in his cloister, who was too

proud to obey the orders of his superior, can you wonder that we blame an obedience which served

you as the cause or occasion for deserting your place, especially when in making a religious

profession constancy is vowed in such a way as not to be at all subordinated to the will of the abbot

under whom a monk may be placed.

16. But perhaps you may turn what I say against me, asking what I have done with the constancy

which ought to have kept me at Cîteaux, whereas I now dwell elsewhere. To which I reply, I am,

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indeed, a Cistercian monk professed in that place, and was sent forth by my abbot to where I now

dwell, but sent forth in peace without scandal, without disorder, according to our usages and

constitutions. As long, therefore, as I persevere in the same peace and concord in which I was sent

forth, as long as I stand fast in unity, I do not prefer my private interests to those of the community.

I remain peaceful and obedient in the place where I have been posted. I say that my conscience is

at peace, because I observe faithfully the stability I have promised. How do I compromise my vow

of stability when I do not break the bond of concord, nor desert the firm ground of peace? If

obedience keeps my body far distant from Cîteaux, the offering of the same devotions and a manner

of life in every way similar hold my spirit always present there. But the day on which I shall begin

to live, according to other laws (which may God avert), to practise other customs, to perform

different observances, to introduce novelties and customs from without, I shall be a transgressor

of my vows, and I shall no longer think that I am observing the constancy that I promised. I say,

then, that an abbot ought to be obeyed in all things, but saving the oath of the Order. But you having

made profession, according to the Rule of S. Benedict, where you promised obedience, you promised

also constancy. And if you have, indeed, obeyed, but have not been constant by offending in one

point, you are made an offender in all, and if in all, then in obedience itself.

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17. Do you see, then, the proper scope of your obedience? How can it excuse your want of

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constancy, which is not even of weight to justify itself? Every one knows that a person makes his

profession solemnly and regularly in the presence of the abbot. That profession is made, therefore,

in his presence only, not at his discretion also. The abbot is employed as the witness, and not the

arbiter of the profession; the helper of its fulfilment, not an assistant to the breach of it; to punish

and not to authorise bad faith. What, then? Do I place in the hand of the abbot the vows that I have

taken, without exception ratified by my mouth and signed by my hand in presence of God and His

Saints? Do I not hear out of the Rule (Rule of S. Benedict, C. 58) that if I ever do otherwise I shall

be condemned by God, whom I have mocked? If my abbot or even an angel from heaven should

order me to do something contrary to my vow, I would boldly refuse an obedience of this kind,

which would make me a transgressor of my own oath and make me swear falsely by the name of

my God, for I know, according to the truth of Scripture, that out of my own mouth I must either be

account of himself to God (Rom. xiv. 12). If it were otherwise with me, with what front could I

render unto Thee my vows, which my lips have uttered (Ps. lvi. 13, 14).

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In fact, the abbot himself ought to consider the advice which the Rule gives, addressing itself

to him in particular, "that he should maintain the present Rule in all respects," and also, which is

universally directed, and no exception made, "that all should follow the Rule as guide and mistress,

nor is it to be rashly deviated from by any" (Rule of S. Bened. capp. lxiv. 3). Thus I have determined

to follow him as master always and everywhere, but on the condition never to deviate from the

authority of the Rule, which, as he himself is witness, I have sworn and determined to keep.

18. Let me, briefly, treat another objection which may possibly be made to me, and I will bring

to a close an epistle which is already too long. It seems that I may be reproached with acting

otherwise than I speak. For I may be asked, if I condemn those who have deserted their monastery,

not only with the consent of their abbot, but at his command, on what principle do I receive and

retain those who from other monasteries, who, breaking their vow of constancy and condemning

the authority of their superiors, come to our Order? To which my reply will be brief, but dangerous;

for I fear that what I shall say will displease certain persons. But I fear still more lest by concealing

righteousness within my heart: my talk hath been of Thy truth and of Thy salvation (Ps. xl. 12). I

receive them, then, for this reason, because I do not consider that they are wrong to quit the

monastery, in which they were able, indeed, to make vows to God, but by no means to perform

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them, to enter into another house where they may better serve God, Who is everywhere, and who

repair the wrong done by the breach of their vow of constancy by the perfect performance of all

other duties of the religious life. If this displeasse any one, and he murmurs against a man thus

world? (Wisd. ii. 24). Take heed, therefore, to thyself. For if there is envy there is death; surely,

thou canst not both be envious and live. Why seek a quarrel with thy brother, since he seeks only

the best means of fulfilling the vows which he has made? If the man seeks in what place or in what

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manner he may best discharge what he has promised to God, what wrong has he done to you?

Perhaps, if you held him your debtor for a sum of money, however small, you would oblige him

to compass sea and dry land until he rendered you the whole debt, even to the last farthing. What,

then, has your God deserved from you that you are not willing for Him, too, to receive what is due?

But in envying one you render two hostile; since you are trying both to defraud the lord of the

service due from his servant, and to deprive the servant of the favour of his lord. Wherefore do you

not imitate him, and yourself discharge what is due from you? Do you think that your debt, too,

will not be required of you? Or do you not rather fear to irritate God against you the more by

wickedly saying in your heart, He will not require it?

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19. What, you say to me, do you then condemn all who do not do likewise? No; but hear what

I do think about them, and do not make futile accusations. Why do you wish to make me odious

to many thousands of holy men, who, under the same profession as I, though not living in the same

manner, either live holily or have died blessed deaths? I do not fail to remember that God has left

to Himself seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee before Baal (1 Kings xix. 18). Listen

to me, then, man envious and calumnious. I have said that I think men coming to us from other

monasteries ought to be received. Have I blamed those who do not come? The one class I excuse,

but I do not accuse the other. It is only the envious whom I cannot excuse, nor, indeed, am I willing

to do so. These being excepted, I think that if any others wish to pass to a stricter Rule, but fear to

do so because of scandal, or are hindered by some bodily weakness, do not sin, provided that they

study to live a holy, pious, and regulated life in the place where they are. For if by the custom of

their monastery relaxations of the Rule have been introduced, either that very charity, in which

they hesitate to remove to a better on account of causing scandal, may, perhaps, be an excuse for

unto the humble (S. James iv. 6).

20. Many things I have written, dear brother, and, perhaps, it was not needful to use so many

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words, for an intelligence such as yours, quick in understanding what is said, and a will well-disposed

to follow good counsel. But although I have written specially to you, yet so many words need not

have been written on your account, but for those for whom they may be needful. But I warn you,

as my own former and intimate friend, in few words and with all confidence, not to keep longer in

suspense, at the great peril of your own soul, the souls of those who are desiring and awaiting your

return. You hold now in your hands (if I do not mistake) both your own eternal life and death, and

theirs who are with you; for I judge that whatever you decide or do they will do also. Otherwise,

announce to them the grave judgment which has been rightly passed with respect to them by all

the Abbots of our Order. Those who return shall live, those who resist shall die.

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1. You seek counsel from me, most illustrious Bruno, as to whether you ought to accept the

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Episcopate, to which it is desired to advance you. What mortal can presume to decide this for you?

If God calls you, who can dare to dissuade you, but if He does not call you, who may counsel you

to draw near? Whether the calling is of God or not who can know, except the Spirit, who searcheth

even the deep things of God, or one to whom God Himself has revealed it? That which renders

advice still more doubtful is the humble, but still terrible, confession in your letter, in which you

accuse your own past life gravely, but, as I fully believe, in sincerity and truth. And it is undeniable

that such a life is unworthy of a function so holy and exalted. On the other hand, you are very right

to fear (and I fear the same with you) if, because of the unworthiness you feel, you fail to make

profitable use of the talent of knowledge committed to you, unless you could, perhaps, find another

way, less abundant, perhaps, but also less perilous, of making increase from it. I tremble, I confess

it, for I ought to say to you as to myself what I feel: I tremble, I say, at the thought of the state

whence, and that whither, you are called, especially since no period of penitence has intervened to

prepare you for the perilous transition from the one to the other. And, indeed, the right order requires

that you should study to care for your own conscience before charging yourself with the care of

unto the Lord (Ecclus. xxx. 23). It is from this first step that a well-ordered charity proceeds by a

straight path to the love of one’s neighbour, for the precept is to love him as ourselves. But if you

are about to love the souls that would be confided to you as you have loved your own hitherto, I

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would prefer not to be confided rather than be so loved. But if you shall have first learned to love

yourself then you will know, perhaps, how you should love me.

2. But what if God should quicken His grace and multiply His mercy upon you, and His clemency

is able more quickly to replace the soul in a state of grace than daily penitence? Blessed, indeed,

the elect of God? If God justifies, who is he that condemns? This short road to salvation that holy

thief attained, who in one and the same day both confessed his iniquities and entered into glory.

of the living, and from this foul mire into the paradise of joy (S. Luke xxiii. 43). This sudden remedy

of piety that sinful woman happily obtained, in whose soul grace of a sudden began to abound,

where offences had so abounded. Without much labour of penitence her sins were pardoned, because

she loved much (S. Luke vii. 37–50), and in a short time she merited to receive that amplitude of

8 Bruno, son of Englebert, Count of Altena, was consecrated, in 1132.

9 Unlikeness.

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and most rapid goodness also that paralytic in the Gospel experienced, being cured first in the soul,

then in the body.

3. But it is one thing to obtain the speedy forgiveness of sins, and another to be borne in a brief

space from the sins themselves to the badges (fillets) of high dignities in the Church. Yet I see that

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Matthew from the receipt of custom was raised to the supreme honour of the Apostolate. But this

world and preach the Gospel to every creature (S. Mark xvi. 15), until after he had done penitence,

accompanying the Lord whithersoever He went, bearing long privation and remaining with Him

in His temptations. I am not greatly reassured, though S. Ambrose was taken from the judge’s

tribunal to the priesthood, because he had from a boy led a pure and clean life, though in the world,

and then he endeavoured to avoid the Episcopate even by flight and by hiding himself and many

other means. Again, if Saul also was suddenly changed into Paul, a vessel of election, the Doctor

of the Gentiles, and this be adduced as an example, it entirely destroys the similarity of the two

cases to observe that he, therefore, obtained mercy because, as he himself says, he sinned ignorantly

in unbelief. Besides, if such incidents, done for good and useful purposes, can be cited, it should

hand of the Highest (Ps. lxxvii. 10).

4. In the meantime let these provisional replies to your queries suffice. If I do not express a

decisive opinion, it is because I do not myself feel assured. This must needs be the case, for the

gift of prophecy and of wisdom only could resolve your doubt. For who could draw clear water

out of a muddy pool? Yet there is one thing that I can do for a friend without danger, and with the

assurance of a good result; that is to offer to God my petition that He will assist you in this matter.

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Leaving, therefore, to Him the secret things of His Providence, of which we are ignorant, I will

beg Him, with humble prayer and earnest supplication, that He will work in you and with respect

to you that which shall be for His glory, and at the same time for your good. And you have also

good man is more fitted than I to explain the mysterious acts of Providence, as he is nearer to God

by his holiness.

10 The founder of the Præmonstratensian Order. See respecting him Letter lvi.

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To the very dear Lord and Reverend father Guigues, Prior of the Grande Chartreuse, and to the

holy brethren who are with him, Brother Bernard of Clairvaux offers his humble service.

In the first place, when lately I approached your parts, I was prevented by unfavourable

circumstances from coming to see you and to make your acquaintance; and although my excuse

may perhaps be satisfactory to you, I am not able, I confess, to pardon myself for missing the

opportunity. It is a vexation to me that my occupations brought it about, not that I should neglect

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to come to see you, but that I was unable to do so. This I frequently have to endure, and therefore

my anger is frequently excited. Would that I were worthy to receive the sympathy of all my kind

friends. Otherwise I shall be doubly unhappy if my disappointment does not excite your pity. But

I give you an opportunity, my brethren, of exercising brotherly compassion towards me, not that I

merit it. Pity me not because I am worthy, but because I am poor and needy. Justice inquires into

the merit of the suppliant, but mercy only looks to his unhappiness. True mercy does not judge,

but feels; does not discuss the occasion which presents itself, but seizes it. When affection calls us,

reason is silent. When Samuel wept over Saul it was by a feeling of pity, and not of approval (1

Samuel xv. 13). David shed tears over his parricidal son, and although they were profitless, yet

they were pious. Therefore do ye pity me (because I need it, not because I merit it), ye who have

obtained from God the grace to serve Him without fear, far from the tumults of the world from

which ye are freed. Happy those whom He has hidden in His tabernacle in the day of evil men;

they shall trust in the shadow of His wings until the iniquity be overpast. As for me, poor, unhappy,

and miserable, labour is my portion. I seem to be as a little unfledged bird almost constantly out

of the shelter of its nest, exposed to wind and tempest. I am troubled, and I stagger like a drunken

man, and my whole conscience is gnawed with care. Pity me, then; for although I do not merit pity

I need it, as I have said.

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health and entire devotedness.

That I have not come to you as you commanded has been caused not by my sloth, but by a

graver reason. It is that, if you will permit me to say so with all the respect which is due to you,

and all good men, I have taken a resolution not again to go out of my monastery, unless for precise

causes; and I see at present nothing of that kind which would permit me to carry out your wish,

and gratify my own by coming to you. But you, what are you doing with respect to that promise

of coming here which your former letter contained? We are awaiting it still. What the writings

am absolutely ignorant, and, therefore, I have done nothing. For I do not remember to have written

any book on morals which I should think worthy of the attention of your Excellency.

Some of the brethren have drawn up in their own way certain fragments of my instructions as

they have heard them. Of whom one is conveniently near to you, viz., Gebuin, Precentor and

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Archdeacon of Troyes. You can easily, if you wish, obtain of him the notes drawn up by him. Yet

if your occupation would leave you the time, and you should think fit to pay to your humble sons

the visit which you promised, and which they have been expecting, I would do all in my power to

give you satisfaction, if I have in my writings anything which could please you, or if I were able

to compose any work which should seem worthy of you; for I greatly esteem your high reputation.

I respect that care and zeal about holy things which I have heard of in you, and I should regard

myself as very happy if these unpolished writings, which are a part of my duty, should be in any

respect agreeable to you.

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I. Even if I should give myself to you entirely that would be too little a thing still in my eyes,

to have recompensed towards you even the half of the kindly feeling which you express towards

my humility. I congratulate myself, indeed, on the honour which you have done me; but my joy, I

confess, is tempered by the thought that it is not anything I have accomplished, but only an opinion

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of my merit which has brought me this favour. I should be greatly ashamed to permit myself in

vain complacency when I feel assured that what is loved or respected in me is not, indeed, what I

am, but what I am thought to be; for when I am thus loved it is not then I that am loved, but

something in me, I know not what, and which is not me, is loved in my stead. I say that I know not,

but, to speak more truly, I know very well that it is nothing. For whatever is thought to exist, and

does not, is nothing. The love and he who feels it is real enough, but the object of the love does not

exist. That such should be capable of inspiring love is wonderful, but still more it is regrettable. It

is from that we are able to feel whence and whither we go, what we have lost, what we find. By

remaining united to Him, who is the real Being, and who is always happy, we also shall attain a

continued and happy existence. By remaining united to Him, I said; that is, not only by knowledge,

foolish hearts darkened, because since they recognised the truth and despised it, they were justly

punished for their fault by losing the power to recognise it. Alas! in thus adhering to the truth by

the mind, but with the heart departing from it, and loving vanity in its place, man became himself

a vain thing. And what is more vain than to love vanity, and what is more repugnant to justice than

to despise the truth? What is more just than that the power to recognise the truth should be withdrawn

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from those who have despised it, and that those who did not glorify the truth when they recognised

it should lose the power of boasting of the knowledge? Thus the love of vanity is the contempt of

to retain God in their knowledge, He gave them over unto a reprobate mind (Rom. i. 28).

2. From this blindness, then, it follows that we frequently love and approve that which is not

for that which is; since while we are in this body we are wandering from Him who is the Fulness

of Existence. And what is man, O God, except that Thou hast taken knowledge of Him? If the

knowledge of God is the cause that man is anything, the want of this makes him nothing. But He

who calls those things which are not as though they were, pitying those reduced in a manner to

nothing, and not yet able to contemplate in its reality, and to embrace by love that hidden manna,

meantime He has given us to taste it by faith and to seek for by strong desire. By these two we are

brought for the second time from not being, to begin to be that His (new) creature, which one day

shall pass into a perfect man, into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That, without

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doubt, shall take place, when righteousness shall be turned into judgment, that is, faith into

knowledge, the righteousness which is of faith into the righteousness of full knowledge, and also

the hope of this state of exile shall be changed into the fulness of love. For if faith and love begin

during the exile, knowledge and love render perfect those in the Presence of God. For as faith leads

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understand (Is. vii. 9, acc. to lxx.), so it may equally be said with fitness, if you have not hoped,

you will not perfectly love. Knowledge then is the fruit of faith, perfect charity of hope. In the

meantime the just lives by faith (Hab. ii. 4), but he is not happy except by knowledge; and he aspires

towards God as the hart desires the water-brooks; but the blessed drinks with joy from the fountain

of the Saviour, that is, he delights in the fulness of love.

3. Thus understanding and love, that is, the knowledge of and delight in the truth, are, perhaps,

as it were, the two arms of the soul, with which it embraces and comprehends with all saints the

length and breadth, the height and depth, that is the eternity, the love, the goodness, and the wisdom

of God. And what are all these but Christ? He is eternity, because "this is life eternal to know Thee

the true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (S. John xvii. 3). He is Love, because He is

vanity, not willingly (Rom. viii. 19, 20). It is that vanity diffused through all which makes us desire

to be praised even when we are blameable, and not to be willing to praise those whom we know to

be worthy of it. But this too is vain, that we, in our ignorance, frequently praise what is not, and

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of men are deceitful upon the weights, so that they deceive each other by vanity (Ps. lxi. 9; lxx.).

We praise falsely, and are foolishly pleased, so that they are vain who are praised, and they false

who praise. Some flatter and are deceptive, others praise what they think deserving, and are deceived;

others pride themselves in the commendations which are addressed to them, and are vain. The only

which he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me (2 Cor. xii. 6).

4. For the present I have noted down these things too hastily (because of this in not so finished

a way), rather than dictated them for you, perhaps also at greater length than I should, but to the

best of my poor ability. But that my letter may finish at the point whence it began, I beg you not

to be too credulous of uncertain rumour about me, which, as you know well, is accustomed to be

wrong both in giving praise and in attaching blame. Be so kind, if you please, as to weigh your

praises, and examine with care how far your friendship for me and your favour are well-founded,

thus they will be the more acceptable from my friend as they are fitted to my humble merit. Thus

when praise shall have proceeded from grave judgment, and not from the error of the vulgar, if it

is more moderate it will be at the same time more easy to bear. I assure you that what attaches me

(humble person as I am), to you is the zeal, industry, and sincerity with which you employ yourself,

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as they say, in the accomplishment of your charge in holy things. May it be always thus with you

that this may be said of you always with truth. I send you the book which you desire to have in

order to copy; as for the other treatises of mine which you wish that I should send, they are but

few, and contain nothing which I should think worthy of your attention, yet because I should prefer

that my want of intelligence should be blamed rather than my goodwill, and I would rather endanger

my inexperience than my obedience in your sight, be so good as to let me know by the present

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messenger which of my treatises you wish that I should send you, so that I may ask for them again

from those persons to whom they have been lent, and send them wherever you shall direct. That

to a certain friend of mine, in which I have treated of some of our observances, that is to say, those

of Cîteaux, and those of Cluny. I have also written a few Letters to various persons, and finally,

there are some of my discourses which the brethren who heard them have reproduced in their own

words and keep them in their hands. Would that any of the simple productions of my humble powers

might be of any service to you, but I do not dare to expect it.

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