A letter from Elisabeth of Schoenau ()

Translated letter:

To Ludwig, servant of Christ, Elisabeth sends the grace of God. I advise you, friend of God, to walk justly in the way of contemplation which you have entered. Do not turn aside to right or the left, but extend your hand to the one who knows how to bring every evil into good. You are rich, but be moderate in all your riches. Give glory to God from whom all wisdom comes, and do not savor what is lofty but fear it, because nothing is lacking for those who fear God. Do not exalt yourself, but always be humble; the more you are humble, the more will the height of glory follow you. Correct your life with all your power so that a crown of glory will be prepared for you which God will hand over to you on the day of solemnity and rejoicing. May He deign to offer it to you, He who lives and reigns in perfect Trinity forever. Amen. (1)

Original letter:

L. Christi servo E. gratiam dei. Admoneo te amice dei, ut iuste gradiaris in via contemplationis, ad quam accessisti. Noli declinare ad dexteram neque ad sinistram, sed porrige illi manum, qui scit omne malum in bonum perficere. Dives enim es, sed modicus esto in omnibus divitiis tuis. Da gloriam deo, a quo est omnis sapientia, et noli altum sapere, sed time, quia nichil deest timentibus deum. Noli te exaltare, sed semper humiliare, quanto humilior eris, tanto sequetur te altitudo glorie. Corrige vitam tuam totis viribus tuis, ut preparetur tibi corona glorie, quam tibi redditurus est deus in die sollempnitatis et leticie. Quam tibi prestare dignetur, qui in trinitate perfecta vivit et regnat per omnia secula. Amen.

Historical context:

The superscription identifying the addressee, and therefore the investigating monk, as Ludwig, the later abbot of St. Eucharius, is found only in a late fifteenth-century manuscript from Schönau (Wiesbaden, Nassauische Landesbibliothek MS 4). Other manuscripts identify him only as “L.” But Ludwig of Trier was a friend and correspondent of Hildegard of Bingen, and helped her with her last book of visions, so there is external evidence for his interest in women’s visionary experience to support this Schönau tradition.

Scholarly notes:

(1) This translation is copyrighted by Anne Clark. For permission to reproduce, contact Paulist Press.

Printed source:

Die Visionen der hl. Elisabeth und die Schriften der Aebte Ekbert und Emecho von Schönau, ed. F.W.E. Roth (Brünn: Verlag der Studien aus dem Benedictiner- und Cistercienser-Orden, 1884), Bk.6, ch.2, p.139-40; trans. Anne L. Clark, The Complete Works of Elisabeth of Schönau (New York: Paulist Press, 2000), 2.