A letter from Peter Damian (late 1066)
Sender
Peter DamianReceiver
GuillaTranslated letter:
To the most illustrious Guilla, Peter, sinner, monk, [sends] the constancy of prayer. Since a conflict over a matter might arise, about which it is better to know nothing voluntarily than to struggle always with our duty to forget, we offer exhortations/encouragement to young women, whose appearance we fear, through the safety of letters. Certainly I, who am now old, indeed as an old man gaze securely at and attend willingly a face furrowed with wrinkles and wet with the flowing of watery eyes, yet I protect the eyes from those more beautiful and painted like boys from fire. Indeed unhappy is my heart, which cannot retain evangelical mysteries read thoroughly a hundred times, yet does not lose the memory of beauty beheld once. And where forgetfulness does not seize an image of vanity, there the law transcribed by a divine finger has not endured. But these are other matters. For I did not resolve to describe here what is harmful to me, but rather what could be beneficial to you. Daughter, you have truly crossed over through the duties of nuptial union into a house certainly very large, but, I confess, badly inhabited, conspicuous in wealth and grandeur, but disorderly with a corrupted law of living. Therefore break the habit of perverse custom, which you have found, abolish the confiscations of the poor, check the unjust rules and transgressions of the peasants, and on the example of king Josiah establish a plan of new order. Indeed he found the kingdom of Judah dedicated to the worship of idols and defiled by ancient contamination not only of paternal but also ancestral sacrilege. But soon, as scripture testifies, he burned with fire in the valley of Kidron all the vessels that had been made for Baal, and he destroyed the altars and the soothsayers who sacrificed in high places. He crushed the statues; he cut down the sacred groves. He defiled the high altars; he desecrated the small temples of the effeminate ones [male prostitutes]. And because it is tedious to enumerate all that he did, let it suffice to report this in brief, since he also overturned everything abominable and magnificently restored the temple of the Lord with lawful ceremonies. You also, in imitation of the holy king, [should] destroy the order of ancient confusion that has been discovered, and introduce the newness of salutary innocence. For even if you will not find an idol there that you should destroy, yet you have found something that must be blamed equally: avarice which, as the apostle witnesses, is a serving of idols [Eph.5:5]. Do not let the modest fortunes of orphans, the fattened birds of widows taste sweetly in your jaws, as the Lord thunders terribly through Moses: You will not harm, he says, a widow or an orphan. If you hurt them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry, and my rage will be enkindled, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives will be widows, and your children fatherless [Exod.22:22-24]. As if he were to say: If you, harm those who are abandoned or deprived of the consolation of a man, of parents, your wives and children will also be struck by the worthy vengeance of my rage; likewise you will soon leave widows and orphans, so that anyone might harm them with impunity, as you also believe fearlessly that these may be disturbed as if without any punishment. Moreover let us add to this judgment of the Lord not with a distant but rather a domestic example. Uberto, the brother of your father-in-law Uguccio, the marquis, was once count. His wife, while she dwelled in the castle that is called Suffena, took a pig from a certain widow, and once it had been prepared as food through the efforts of the cooks, she reclined for the meal. But the widow, since she had already begged often that the beast be returned to her, but indeed had not been able to obtain even that she be heard patiently, pierced by sorrow, the woman presented herself solemnly to the woman banqueting and requested of her that she might be offered at least a trifling little piece of her nourishment. Since I have not deserved, she said, to enjoy the hope of nourishment from it in the customary manner, let me at least be allowed to have a taste of the last bite. The matron, unrestrained and haughty, despised this request, and declared to her that never would she eat of it, not without the strife of insult. But O divine justice always girded with the sword of vengeance for punishing ungodliness and pride! Clearly on that same day after the meal, while the countess sat under the secure edge of the castle wall, and with fattened innards feared no danger of downfall from exterior harm, soon unexpectedly the remaining rubble of a rampart fell down and an immense mass of falling rock is heaped upon the unhappy woman. Everywhere resounding multitudes of men run together, grave diggers approach, the bowels of the land are examined. And while with various types of iron tools the collapsed mass of land is dug through on either side, barely a faint trace of a destroyed corpse is found. Therefore they handed over for burial the small bits of bones and limbs that, not without force of great exertion, they were able, as I might say, to uproot. So, she who denied a piece of swine meat to the requesting widow, thus deserved that her own body be torn into pieces. Therefore, noble daughter, do not live by plundering of the poor, but shudder at provisions that have been acquired through violent acts as if they were the venom of serpents. And since the apostle advises each man to labor with his own hands, so that he may have something to give to him that suffers need [Eph.4:28], have (your) farmers strive earnestly that your granaries may be filled with the blessing of yields for relief to be provided for the poor. For as we read in the book of illustrious men, Hilary, bishop of Arles, so that he might help the poor in need, not only had such great piety of mind, but he was even distressed with anguish in his own body, so that he himself tended the fields beyond his strength, and the man, who was renowned in birth and otherwise greatly cultivated, afflicted himself with rustic labor. But it does not suffice merely to advise you not to plunder the property of others, but we should add further, that you should return whatever you will have discovered was snatched away before you. For even Scipio, that ancient ruler of the Romans, when as vanquisher he had taken Carthage, he restored to the cities of Italy, Africa, and Sicily all the booty that he knew had once been carried off by the Carthaginians. And what the gospel now is scarcely able to wrench away from its worshippers a pagan man achieved when the gospel was not yet shining forth. But perhaps you may respond to this that unless a man is the leader in these things, the weaker vessel does not aspire to fulfill them. But clearly we do not deny that since the turning of a woman to her husband was divinely decreed, the weaker sex for the most part requires manly authority. But when a woman judges more rightly, it is suitable that a man/husband not oppose her by the laws of his authority. Truly this is a judgment for man, not against man. The priest Ozias clearly set a limit of five days for the future compassion of the Lord, but that great-souled Judith, reproaching, rejected this judgment: This is not a word, she said, that may call forth mercy but rather it may stir up wrath and incite fury [Judith 8:12]. Also when Abigail changes the decision of foolish Nabal, David withholds the swords that had been brandished for the destruction of her house. Indeed, she did this for the sake of Nabal, while she refused to observe his corrupt judgment. Since Manoah had seen an angel, he began to despair, but his wife put an end to his weakly uncertain timidity: We will certainly die, he said, because we have seen God. His wife responded to him: If the Lord, she said, wanted to kill us, he would not have received offerings and libations from our hands [Judg.13:22-23]. Moreover if a man never should have obeyed a woman, the Lord would never have said to Abraham: All that Sara has said to you, hear her voice [Gen.21:12]. Therefore it is worthy that insofar as you are able, you should not delay to return whatever you will learn belongs to the house that you now lead and was acquired through injustice, whatever was violently snatched away from others, so that what is written not appear to apply to you: If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? [Luke 16:12]. Therefore, venerable daughter, establish the customs of your house in this way, check violent acts and the plunder of peace, restrain unbridled attendants with discipline. In this way, I say, arrange all that has been entrusted to you according to the will of God, so that after you have completed the stewardship of this very brief time, you may deserve to fly up to the summit of eternal inheritance.(1)Original letter:
Guillae clarissimae comitissae, P peccator monachus orationis instantiam. Quoniam rei ex qua conflictus oboritur, melius est gratuitam ignorantiam possidere quam de comparanda semper oblivione confligere, iuvenculis mulieribus, quarum formidamus aspectus, tuto litterarum praebemus alloquium. Ego certe qui iam senex sum, anus quidem faciem rugis exaratam ac lipientium oculorum fluoribus madidam securus intueor, licenter attendo, a venustioribus autem atque fucatis sic oculos tanquam pueros ab igne custodio. Infelix quippe cor meum, quod evangelica tenere mysteria centies perlecta non sufficit, semel aspectae formae memoriam non amittit. Et ibi vanitatis imaginem oblivio non intercipit, ubi lex divino descripta digito non permansit. Sed haec alias. Nec enim hic describere quae michi sunt noxia, sed potius quae tibi possint esse salubria iudicavi. Transisti sane, filia, per nuptialis iura connubii in domum satis quidem amplam, sed, fateor, male moratam, opibus et dignitate conspicuam, sed depravata vivendi lege confusam. Frange igitur perversi ritus regulam, quam invenisti, tolle confiscationes pauperum, iniustos canones et illationes inhibe rusticorum, et ad Iosiae regis exemplum conde novi ordinis institutum. Ille quippe repperit regnum Iuda ydolorum cultibus deditum, et non modo paterni, sed et aviti sacrilegii vetusta contaminatione pollutum. Sed mox, ut scriptura testatur, omnia vasa quae facta fuerant Baal, in convalle Cedron igne combussit, aruspices qui sacrificabant in excelsis arasque delevit. Contrivit statuas, succidit lucos. Altaria polluit, effeminatorum ediculas prophanavit. Et quia longum est omnia dinumerare quae fecit, hoc ad compendium referre sufficiat, quoniam et abhominabilia cuncta subvertit, et templum Domini cum legalibus cerimoniis pollucibiliter instauravit. Tu quoque sancti regis aemula repertum destrue vetustae confusionis ordinem, et salutaris indue innocentiae novitatem. Nam etsi non inveneris illic quod destruas ydolum, sed invenisti quod aeque plectendum est avariciam, quae testante apostolo servitus est ydolorum [Eph.5:5]. Non dulce sapiant in faucibus tuis reculae pupillorum, altilia viduarum, Domino per Moysen terribiliter intonante: Viduae, inquit, et pupillo non nocebitis. Si laeseritis eos, vociferabuntur ad me, et ego audiam clamorem eorum, et indignabitur furor mens, percutiamque vos gladio, et erunt uxores vestrae viduae et filii vestri pupilli [Exod.22:22-24]. Ac si dicat: Si vos virili solatio destitutas et orbatos parentibus laeditis, uxores quoque vestras ac liberos digna mei furoris ultione percussi, viduas similiter et pupillos in proximo relinquetis, ut eos quispiam inpune valeat laedere, sicut et vos secure confiditis hos quasi sine talione posse vexare. Ut autem hanc Domini sententiam non ex longinquo, sed ex domestico potius adstruamus exemplo. Soceri tui Uguzonis scilicet marchionis uterinus frater olim fuit comes Ubertus. Cuius uxor, dum in castro quod Suffena dicitur, habitaret, cuidam viduae porcum tulit, eoque per coquorum industrias ad edulium praeparato pransura discubuit. Vidua vero quia victimam sibi reddi iam sepe rogaverat, sed ne hoc quidem, ut patenter audiretur, optinere potuerat, mulieri solempniter convivanti dolore transfixa se mulier optulit, et ut tenue saltim frustulum de suo sibi nutrimento porrigeret postulavit. Quia non merueram, inquit, de nutricio spei meae consueto more gaudere, liceat saltim extremi gustum saporis attingere. Quam petitionem fluens atque superbiens matrona despexit, eique quia nunquam ex illo manducaret non sine contumeliae iurgio denuntiavit. Sed o divina iustitia ad plectendam impietatem atque superbiam gladio semper ultionis accincta! Eodem plane die post prandium, dum praefata comes in castrensis valli sederet secura crepidine, et saginatis ex aliena calamitate visceribus nullius ruinae periculum formidaret, repentino mox subscicivio munitionis agger obruitur, et super infelicem mulierem inmensa ruentis promunctorii congeries cumulatur. Perstrepentes undique falanges hominum confluunt, fossores accedunt, terrae viscera perscrutantur. Et dum diversis ferramentorum ergo artuumque particulas quas non sine magni laboris instantia, ut ita loquar, exculpere potuerunt, sepulturae tradiderunt. Sic, sic dividi per frusta sui corporis meruit, quae frustum suinae carnis petenti viduae denegavit. Noli ergo, nobilis filia, de rapinis pauperum vivere, sed alimenta per violentias acquisita tanquam venena serpentium perhorresce. Et cum apostolus unumquemque manibus suis laborare praecipiat, ut habeat unde tribuat necessitatem patienti, [Eph.4:28] tu fac agriculturis vehementer insisti, ut ad indigentibus praebenda solacia horrea tua valeant proventuum benedictione repleri. Enimvero, sicut in libro virorum illustrium legitur, Hylarius Arelatensis episcopus ut indigentibus in necessitate succurreret, tanta fuit non modo mentis pietate, sed et proprii corporis anxietate sollicitus, ut agros ipse supra vires suas excoleret, et homo genere clarus longeque aliter educatus, ruralibus se laboribus cruciaret. Sed neque hoc solum te sufficit ammoneri ut aliena non rapias, sed addendum est insuper, ut quaeque compereris ante te praerepta restituas. Nam et antiquus ille Romanorum dux Scipio, cum Cartaginem victor optinuisset, cuncta urbibus Italiae, Affricae atque Siciliae spolia reddidit, quae scilicet illis a Cartaginensibus olim sublata cognovit. Et quod a suis cultoribus evangelium nunc extorquere vix sufficit, evangelio necdum coruscante vir gentilis implevit. Sed ad haec forte respondeas quia nisi vir in his omnibus auctor existat, ad haec implenda vasculum infirmius non aspirat. Verum plane nec diffitemur, quia cum ad virum mulieris sit divinitus decreta conversio, indiget plerumque sexus infirmior auctoritate virili. Sed ubi mulier rectius iudicat, dignum est ut ei vir auctoritatis suae legibus non obsistat. Pro viro scilicet est hoc iudicium, non contra virum. Ozias plane sacerdos in adfutura Domini miseratione quinque dierum terminum statuit, sed hoc iudicium Iudith 8,12 magnanimis illa Iudith corripiens improbavit: Non est, inquit, iste sermo qui misericordiam provocet, sed potius qui iram excitet et furorem accendat [Jud.8:12]. Abigail quoque dum stulti Nabal sententiam mutat, a suae domus excidio vibratos David gladios revocat. Quae nimirum pro Nabal fecit, dum perversum eius iudicium servare contempsit. Manue cum vidisset angelum, desperare coepit, sed pusillanimitatem eius enerviter fluctuantem uxor erexit: Morte, inquit, moriemur, quia vidimus Deum. Cui mulier: Si Dominus, ait, nos vellet occidere, de manibus nostris holocausta et libamenta non suscaepisset [Jud.13:22-23]. Porro si nunquam mulieri vir optemperare debuisset, nequaquam Abrahae Dominus diceret: Omnia quae dixerit tibi Saraa, audi vocem eius [Gen.21:12]. Dignum est ergo ut quicquid per iniustitiam partum, quicquid aliis violenter ablatum, domui cui nunc praees adiacere cognoveris, in quantum tibi possibile est, reddere non moreris, ne tibi videatur illud convenire, quod scriptum est: Qui in alieno fideles non fuistis, quod vestrum est quis dabit vobis [Luke 16:12]? Sic ergo, venerabilis filia, domus tuae mores institue, rapinas pacis et violentias reprime, ministeria diffrenata sub disciplina compesce. Sic, inquam, quae tibi commissa sunt, in voluntate Dei cuncta dispone, ut peracto brevissimi temporis villicatu, ad haereditatis aeternae merearis evolare fastigium.Historical context:
In this letter Peter encourages the young wife to change the immoral practices of her husband’s family, a formidable and perhaps frightening task, with examples of forceful women from the Bible. (Cf. Peter's letter to countess Blanch, Epistolae 1191.html)