A letter from Osbert of Clare (mid 12th century)

Translated letter:

Osbert, by God’s mercy named prior in the church of Westminster, to Ida, most beloved to him, daughter in Christ, to reach the embraces of the heavenly groom and to reign crowned as queen among the daughters of Sion, on his right side. Your holy desire compels me, noble daughter, to write something briefly to you from which I might kindle inclination of a religious disposition toward love of celestial glorification. For it is more worthy that you, who shine with the twofold splendor of religion and birth, be commended over many women for sanctity by the increased excellence of a witnessing letter. For deriving the origin of (your) flesh from rulers and consuls you have preferred over earthly delights the nobility of the eternal king; whoever has been joined in this union profits for herself, (and) she incurs not loss of her chastity but advantage. For from a celestial birth are born children who by no means will die later, because the bride of Christ conceives daily and produces daily; she casts forth the good word, the word of God from a heart of sweetness and love. In that labor none gives birth; in that (labor) none degenerates while she begets, she whom the beauty of the groom defends from sexual love, and honorable will defends from forbidden pleasure. Splendid and bright virgin (virgo), I desire that you become like this, or rather a virile (virilis) and uncorrupted virago from Christ the man (viro), so that, united in lasting wedlock with which you are in harmony, you appear to him illuminated by a bright lamp. There is a great distinction between heavenly and earthly nuptials. For carnal nuptials begin with joy but end in sadness, they commence with laughter but are completed in grief: they begin in youth but they conclude a long time in old age or senility: they draw marital breath from vital air but they pay toll and tribute to the laws of death: with instrumental melodies of mingling harmony and diverse measure of sounds those devoted to pledges produce great joy in the celebration of nuptials but bring forth inevitable loss and damage at the end. For whatever is practiced in carnal weddings, all are full of enticements, and everything that marital license allows in deed becomes base in intercourse. When a mother conceives earthly offspring she changes the condition of her entire nature and transfers into another the quality she had first displayed. Her countenance becomes pale and the brightness of the eyes is hollowed by thick darkness: the veins around the temples appear livid and the face, liable to ugliness, grows pale, and the color, made dark by transient mutability, flees: the skin draws back wrinkles on the face and the roundness of the fingers diminishes on the hands: the swelling womb of the pregnant one is distended, and the organs burdened within are dispersed. These are the annoyances that earthly nuptials produce; these are the burdens that disturb daughters of Eve giving birth. Further, if any queen or empress or countess obtains the honor of her name in worldly majesty, in her conception she incurs the aversion of anguish no less than a poor little woman, nor does she, laden with gems and gold, either conceive or give birth in a palace in a different way than a resourceless and ragged woman in a hut. All conceive in sin, all give birth in sorrow; the trouble of Eve weighs down all, the sadness of the first mother surrounds all. What shall I say about the guards who display unbridled tyranny over the wives of noblemen? If by chance she raise an eye to anyone, or if she smile once, immediately she is judged as foolish (and) is condemned as an adulteress; she is struck not so much with words as with blows, and she is incited toward hatred of (her) spouse by corrupt accusers. Thus it happens that conjugal charity, which spouses promise to observe mutually, is violated by the worst instigators, and when a man considers his wife suspect and the wife bears discord against her husband, with the passing of time divorce proceeds and one or the other is reputed to be an adulterer or adulteress. But thanks be to God and to your good will that you have avoided the distress of misfortune so great: there can be nothing of all that we have said above in you, no womanly weakness, no mortal pleasure in the flesh; indeed since you are called both the attendant and regarded as the handmaid of the virgin mother, you also applaud with spiritual instruments the boy Jesus crying in the cradle. This is the virgin mistress who gives the consolation of abstinence to all sacred virgins; she was the first who bestowed the example of virginity. Her son is the innocent lamb whom, wherever he will go, virgins follow singing a unique song that is not granted to others. You have chosen this spouse, this friend and lord, who has assigned the holy angels as his bridesmen for your protection, if only in the house of God you will firmly preserve the discipline of holy purpose. Consider what the virgin in childbed achieved, the unstained mother. She separated her chastity and unmarried life from the company of men and merited the fellowship of angels. The young girl of continence engaged herself there in divine scriptures and prophetic mysteries, and found that as a virgin she would conceive God and as a virgin she would give birth. And because she of all women first originated the vow of virginity to God, she becomes both bride and mother of God and rejoices with twofold dignity. So also you, o daughter, although not in the same way nor with the same gift, nonetheless in the same degree may you be able to become the bride of God and mother of God; truly you will be bride if in his chaste nuptials you cling to the duty of earnestness; you will be mother by conceiving and giving birth to the word of God, conceiving so that you may retain, giving birth so that you may proffer it. On account of this, diligence is applied in cloisters, discipline in habits, protection in walls, iron and solid tools in bars. There are many among the daughters of Eve whom, if observance of this sort did not restrain, in no way would reverence of their sex hold back. Therefore be bound to God not by iron but by flame, by vigilance not violence, by voluntary servitude, by love not punishment. Long to see king Solomon, the peace-making king, crowned with the glory of perpetual immortality in the kingdom of the father, dressing unspoiled virgins in the muslin of incorruptibility and prepared to give to you the festive garment of a solemn robe woven with gold. For in heavenly betrothals he has promised to you an unfading crown and unfailing glory with angels and sacred virgins. For the nuptials of Christ take their beginning in bitterness, but in the end they acquire the indescribable seasoning of eternal sweetness. With tears and weeping they drain streams of water in the beginning, but in the end they will be intoxicated in heaven by the fountain of the future life of glorification. Here they sigh and lament, there they triumph and rejoice eternally: here heavenly nuptials employ groans, not pipes or flutes; there they are softened by organs and heavenly hymns of angelic sweetness: here from their mortified flesh they make a drum for Christ, and there as reward they will receive rhythms of supernal symphonies; here grief, there laughter; here weariness at some time or other, there eternal joy; here punishment or momentary death, there life to last without end. There you will see your groom in his beauty, and the daughters of kings will receive you in your honor. There you will be surrounded by variety of eternal blessedness; there you will be dressed in the gown of eternal delight. On that eternal day for you will rise the sun of justice, which does not know downfall, whose brightness is ignorant of the abyss of night and darkness. That city, as is written, will not lack light of the sun, since the lord God will illuminate it and his lamp is the lamb. That is the lamb of God whom virgins follow, whom the celibate follow, whom the abstinent follow. All sing songs, but no one except a virgin undertakes to sing that song which for excellence is granted to virgins alone. On that good day you will receive your body glorified by your groom, blooming as a lily in the resurrection of the just, clearer than glass, whiter than snow, brighter than the sun. Therefore you should hasten, sacred virgin, devoted virgin, so that with flashing lamp you run to those nuptials where you may fully enjoy the brightness of everlasting day. Therefore rejoice, daughter of Sion if you have kept yourself as a virgin and unmarried for Christ the groom, yet you should not despair if you do not know yourself as unspoiled. Only thenceforth take care that you live among the flowers of chastity; this is in chastity of mind and body. Entreated for so long by you, most beloved, I have taken care to write these things to you and to obey faithfully your devout requests in what manner I could. Therefore pray for me, and always extend yourself toward future events, namely the palm-branch of eternal reward. Do not, with the wife of Lot, look back or bend wavering spirits toward the nobility of your birth or toward the softness of your lineage. Do not let purple or flax turn you back to the world, do not let wanton delight lead you back to (your) sex. Conquer woman, conquer flesh, conquer lust. Feed the soul hungering for delights and restore it with the sweetness of the marrow of wheat and intoxicate it spiritually with the stream of God’s pleasure. However, regarding those who nourish flesh that is unfruitful we readwhat is written: He has fed the barren one that does not bear and to the widow he has done no good [Job 24:21]. For flesh is barren that only bears sin or with sin, and always stands opposed to spiritual exercises: but the widow is a Christian soul redeemed by the precious blood and death of her spouse, for whom it is beneficial to fatten her with supernal desires and celestial delights. But for that reason she is called widow because she wanders from the dwelling of the celestial homeland where Christ went before her. Love him with all your heart, long for him from the bottom of your entire soul on whom, as blessed Peter says, the angels always desire to gaze. Pray, I say, that I may see you in glory before his countenance, when you will be glorified by him in eternal splendor. For there you will not be called Ida, but the glorious daughter of living God; there you will not be called the niece of Queen Adeliza, for you will appear far more noble and precious than all the queens of the earth. There Agnes in her tender age will run to you with the robe, prepared by angelic hand, that Christ sent to her; certainly the sacred virgin Cecilia will also be present, showing the first-fruits of her labor, Valerianus and Tiburtius, and fastening to their heads crowns unfading with lilies and roses. Agatha and Lucy will assist with the Sicilians whom they converted to Christ, with victorious palm-branches. The outstanding martyr Faith will bring forth Primus and Felician and the victor Caprasius, or rather the fruit amassed of the city of Agen. But Katherine will lead forth the queen with Porphyrius, and the crowd of philosophers through the victory of her competition, displaying the crowd of her acquisition. And so that we might return to the native seat of our dwelling, for that purpose blessed Ethelburga, under whose authority of religion you profess yourself as disciple, will mark you again as her little sheep for Christ. There the renowned queen Alfrida, perpetual virgin, will applaud you with a multitude of virgins because she recognizes in you a chosen descendent and her royal sign. I cannot enumerate all who abound in the word of God, who supply for you a model of virginal resolution. Nonetheless carry around in your heart the things we have said above, ponder them continually in holy meditation, more especially before the rest the mistress of all, the mother of God, queen of heaven and earth; may she protect you in holy chastity in body and mind and lead you to the bedchamber of her son, heavenly groom; may he, the saint of saints, crown you in glory, ruling and commanding forever.1

Original letter:

Osbertus, dei misericordia in Westmonasteriensi dictus (prior) ecclesia, Idae dilectissimae sibi in Christo filiae, ad amplexus sponsi caelestis attingere et regina inter filias Syon a dexteris eius coronata regnare. Cogit me sanctum desiderium tuum, generosa progenies, ut tibi vel breviter aliquid scribam unde religiosi pectoris studium ad amorem supernae glorificationis accendam. dignius enim est ut quae duplici splendore refulges religionis et generis duplicata litterae testificantis excellentia supra multas sanctimoniae feminas commenderis. de ducibus namque et consulibus carnis trahens originem terrenis praetulisti deliciis regis aeterni nobilitatem ; cuius coniugio quaecumque sibi copulata est proficit, nec dispendium suae castitatis sed emolumentum incurrit. de partu namque caelesti nascuntur filii nequaquam ultra morituri, quia sponsa Christi cotidie concipit et cotidie generat, quae verbum bonum, verbum dei, de corde dulcedinis et dilectionis eructat. in illo puerperio nulla parit, in illo dum germinat nulla degenerat, quam sponsi venustas defendit a venere et honesta voluntas ab illicita voluptate. talem te fieri cupio, splendida et clara virgo, immo de viro Christo virilis et incorrupta virago, ut ei clara lampade illustrata appareas cuius stabili conubio copulata concordas. Magna differentia est inter caelestes nuptias et terrenas. carnales enim nuptiae a gaudio incipiunt sed in maerore terminantur, a risu inchoant sed in luctu consummantur: a iuventute sumunt initium sed in senectute vel senio tempus concludunt diuturnum: a vitalibus auris trahunt maritale spiraculum sed mortis legibus vectigal exsolvunt et tributum: organicis melodiis concentus admixti et diversi tonorum modi fidibus dediti ingentem concinnant in nuptiarum solennitate laetitiam sed inevitabile pariunt circa finem dispendium et iacturam. omnia enim plena sunt illecebris quaecunque carnalibus exercentur in nuptiis, et cuncta deformia fiunt in coitu quae licentia maritalis consentit in actu. cum terrestrem parens concipit sobolem totius naturae suae mutat consuetudinem et in alteram transmigrat quam prius extiterat qualitatem. pallida facies eius efficitur et oculorum claritas densa caligine concavatur: apparent venae circa tempora lividae et pallescit vultus deformitate obnoxius et aufugit color decidua mutabilitate fuscatus : pellicula rugas in facie contrahit et rotunditas digitorum in manibus tabescit: uterus intumescens impregnantis distenditur, et viscera intrinsecus gravidata dissipantur. haec sunt taedia quae terrestres nuptiae generant; haec sunt onera quae filias Evae parturientes conturbant. praeterea si regina quaelibet vel imperatrix aut comitissa in saeculari maiestate nominis sui fastigium obtinuerit, non minus quam mulier paupercula in generatione sua fastidium anxietatis incurrit, nec alio modo onusta gemmis et auro concipit aut parit in palatio quam inops et pannosa mulier in tugurio. omnes in peccato concipiunt, omnes in dolore parturiunt, omnes Evae molestia deprimit, omnes tristitia primae matris involvit. de custodibus quid dicam qui super uxores nobilium virorum tyrannidem exhibent effrenatam? si oculum fortuitu ad aliquem levaverit, si vel semel risum fecerit, statim iudicatur ut fatua, condemnatur ut adultera, nec tam verbis quam verberibus affligitur, et ad odium coniugis pravis accusatoribus incitatur. ita fit ut caritas coniugalis quae in sponsalibus ad invicem servanda promittitur pessimis instigatoribus violetur, dumque vir uxorem habet suspectam et uxor contra maritum gestat discordiam, procedente tempore divortium nascitur et moechus aut moecha in alterutro reputatur. Sed gratias deo et gratias tuae bonae voluntati quod aerumnas tantae calamitatis evasisti: nihil ex omnibus quae superius diximus in te potest muliebris infirmitas, nihil mortalis in carne voluptas, quippe quae virginis matris et pedissequa diceris et famula videris et vagienti puero Iesu spiritualibus organis applaudis in cunis. haec est virgo domina quae cunctis sacris virginibus castimoniae subministrat refrigerium, haec quae prima virginitatis tribuit documentum. filius eius innocens agnus est quem quocumque ierit sequuntur virgines singulare canticum quod non datur ceteris concinentes. hunc elegisti sponsum, hunc amicum et dominum, qui sanctos angelos suos paranymphos ad tui deputavit custodiam, si tamen in domo dei firmiter conservaveris sancti propositi disciplinam. considera quid egerit virgo puerpera, mater immaculata. sequestravit pudicitiam suam et caelibem vitam a conversatione hominum, et consortium promeruit angelorum. illic in divinis scripturis et propheticis mysteriis sese iuvencula sobrietatis exercuit, et quod virgo deum conciperet et virgo pareret invenit. et quia prima omnium feminarum votum virginitatis deo noverat, et sponsa et parens dei efficitur et gemina dignitate gratulatur. sic et tu, o filia, quamvis non eodem modo nec eodem munere, eodem tamen ordine effici poteris sponsa dei et mater dei; sponsa quidem si castis eius nuptiis officio sedulitatis adhaeseris, verbum dei concipiendo et pariendo mater eris, concipiendo ut retineas, pariendo ut proferas. adhibita est propter hoc in claustris diligentia, in moribus disciplina, custodia in muris, ferrea instrumenta et firma in seris. multae sunt ex filiabus Evae quas si huiusmodi observatio non constringeret sexus sui reverentia nullo modo cohiberet. esto igitur religata deo non ferreo sed flameo, vigilantia non violentia, servitute voluntaria, amore non poena, suspira videre regem Salomonem, regem pacificum, perpetuae immortalitatis gloria in patris regno coronatum, incorruptionis sindone incorruptas virgines vestientem et auro textae cycladis tibi praeparatum vestem dare solennem. in caelestibus enim sponsalibus coronam tibi promisit immarcescibilem et gloriam cum angelis et sacris virginibus indeficientem. nuptiae namque Christi ab amaritudine summit exordium sed in fine consequuntur dulcedinis aeternae inenarribile condimentum. a lacrimis et fletibus fontes aquarum hauriunt in principio, sed in termino glorificationis futurae vitae fonte inebriabuntur in caelo. hic suspirant et plorant, ibi triumphant et perenniter exultant: hic caelestes nuptiae gemitibus utuntur non fistulis nec tibiis, illinc angelicae suavitatis mulcebuntur organis et caelestibus hymnis : hic de mortificata carne sua faciunt Christo tympanum, et illic pro mercede recipient concentuum modulos supernorum : hic luctum, ibi risum : hic aliquando taedium, illic aeternale gaudium : hic poenam vel mortem momentaneam, illic vitam sine fine mansuram. ibi videbis sponsum tuum in decore suo, et excipient te filiae regum in honore tuo. ibi varietate beatitudinis aeternae circumdaberis, ibi stola perpetuae iocunditatis vestieris. in illo die perpetuo orietur tibi sol iustitiae qui nescit occasum, cuius claritas noctis et tenebrarum ignorat abyssum. civitas illa, ut scriptum est, non egebit lumine solis, quoniam dominus deus illuminabit eam et lucerna eius est agnus. ipse est agnus dei quem sequuntur vir-gines, quem sequuntur caelibes, quem sequuntur continentes. omnes cantant cantica, sed nemo nisi virgo canticum illum cantare aggreditur quod per excellentiam solis virginibus datur. in illa die bona recipies corpus tuum a sponso tuo glorificatum, florens ut lilium in resurrectione iustorum, vitro purius, nive candidius, sole splendidius. festinandum itaque est tibi virgo sacra, virago devota, ut ad illas nuptias occurras cum corusca lampade ubi perennis diei perfruaris claritate. gaude ergo, filia Syon, si te Christo sponso conservasti virginem et innuptam, nec tamen desperare deberes si te nescires incorruptam. tantum deinceps satage ut in floribus vivas castitatis, hoc est in pudicitia mentis et corporis. Haec tibi, dilectissima, rogatus a te tantisper curavi scribere et religiosis precibus tuis quemadmodum potui fideliter obedire. ora ergo pro me et in anteriora teipsam semper extende, ad palmam videlicet remunerationis aeternae. cum uxore Loth noli retro respicere nec ad nobilitatem generis tui vel ad mollitiem natalium tuorum flexibiles animos inclinare. non te purpura vel byssus reflectat ad saeculum, non te lasciva iocunditas reducat ad sexum. vince mulierem, vince carnem, vince libidinem. pasce deliciis animam esurientem et triticeae medullae eam dulcedine refice et torrente voluptatis dei spiritualiter inebriare. de iis autem qui carnem nutriunt infructuosam scriptum legitur: Pavit sterilem quae non parit et viduae bene non fecit, sterilis enim caro est quae non nisi cum peccato aut peccatum parit, et ad versa spiritualibus exercitiis semper existit: vidua vero anima est Christiana precioso sponsi sui sanguine et morte redempta, cui bene facere est eam supernis desideriis et caelestibus deliciis impinguare. ipsa vero iccirco vidua dicitur quia ab incolatu caelestis patriae quo Christus eam praecessit peregrinatur. hunc toto corde dilige, hunc totis animae medullis concupisce, in quem, ut beatus Petrus ait, semper desiderant angeli prospicere. ora, inquam, ut ante vultum eius te videam in gloria, cum ab eo fueris aeterno splendore glorificata. ibi enim non vocaberis Ida, sed viventis dei filia gloriosa; ibi non diceris neptis reginae Adelidis, quae cunctis terrarum reginis longe pretiosior et nobilior apparebis. illic occurret tibi Agnes in aetate tenera cum veste quam sibi Christus misit angelica manu praeparata; aderit utique et sacra virgo Cecilia laboris sui primitias Tiburtium et Valerianum ostendens et coronas immarcescibiles ex liliis et rosis capitibus eorum innectens. assistent Agatlia et Lucia cum Siculis quos Christo lucratae sunt victricibus palmis. Fides martyr egregia Primum et Felicianum victoremque Caprasium, immo Agennensis urbis fructum proferet cumulatum. Katerina vero reginam cum Porphirio adducet, populumque philosophorum per victoriam sui certaminis, populum ostendens suae adquisitionis. et ut ad nostrae inhabitationis nativum solum recurramus, eo beata Aedelburga te suam Christo reconsignabit oviculam cuius sub praetextu religionis te profiteris alumnam. ibi regina celebris Aedeldrida virgo perpetua tibi applaudet cum multitudine virginum quia in te recognoscit electum genus et regale signum suum. non possum omnes enumerare quae verbo dei subpeditant, quae virginalis propositi tibi formam subministrant. has tamen quas praediximus circumfer in pectore, has iugiter versa in sancta meditatione, prae caeteris specialius omnium dominam genitricem dei, caeli et terrae reginam, quae te in sancta castitate corpore et mente custodiat et ad filii sui, caelestis sponsi, cubiculum introducat, qui te coronet in gloria sanctus sanctorum, regnans et imperans in saecula saeculorum.

Historical context:

Apparently at her request, Osbert writes to encourage Ida to remain true to her vows, with praise of virginity and its rewards, and warnings about the difficulties of the secular life.

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

The Letters of Oxbert of Clare, ed. E.W. Williamson (London: Oxford University, 1929), 135-40, ep.40.

Date:

mid 12th century