A letter from Hincmar of Reims (end of 845)

Translated letter:

To queen E/Irmintrud for the disposition of the church of Beauvais, asking that she advise the king lest his spirit be unsuitably influenced by someone in some direction about the disposition of this church, until he [Hincmar] coming into his service, can reveal to his ears what things are necessary to it, and thus manage to dispose/arrange what are pleasing to God and useful to them, with God's favor.

Original letter:

Irmintrudi reginae pro Belvacensis ecclesiae dispositione in pastoris electione, petens, ut suggerat regi, ne a quocumque in quamcumque partem animus illius indebite possit inflecti de huius ecclesiae dispositione, donec ipse in eius servitium veniens, quae ipsi necessaria fuerint notificans, ipsius auribus pandat, et sic, quae Deo sint placita et illis utilia, Domino annuente disponere procuret.

Historical context:

Hincmar writes to influence the king to hold off on the appointment of the bishop of Beauvais until he can speak to him. Bishop Hildemann had died at the end of 844. Hincmar also wrote to the king about the bishopric (ep.6), warning him against the heresy of simony and asserting that it was much better to renounce an episcopacy according to the world than to curse a bishop and himself with eternal malediction against canonical principles (multo amabilius esse istum episcopatum secundum seculum dimittere, quam episcopum contra canonicam institutionem non tam benedicere quam aeterna secum maledictione maledicere). Only summaries are given of both letters.

Printed source:

Ep.Kar Aevi, 6 (Berlin: Weidmann, 1939), Hinkmar von Reims, ep.5, p.2, also Regesta Flodoardi Historia Remensis Ecclesiae, MGH, SS 13, p.548.

Date:

end of 845