A letter from Peter of Blois (1208-09)

Translated letter:

To the Abbess of Wherwell, letter of consolation 1. To the venerable lady and dearest to him, in Christ, Matilda abbess of Wherwell, Peter of Blois, archdeacon of London, greeting, and if there is anything sweeter or more desirable than greeting. 2. Although you are a noble and wise virago [heroic figure], and transcend the minds of strong men in advice and constancy, nonetheless, because a suitable and pleasing opportunity of a faithful messenger has been offered to you and me, I decided hastily to send this letter of consolation to you. For good minds are wont to be roused by beneficial warnings toward better things, and as the poet recalls “there is no harm in driving the spur into the horse let loose [Ovid Ex Ponto 2.6.38]. 3. You see that the days are evil and times dangerous, and today whoever is not extremely evil is reputed to be good; thence according to the necessity of our merits the lord is known to have withdrawn his benevolence and the grace of his mercies from his church. To you are forbidden consolations for the living and remedies for the dead, holy anointings, songs of joy, and the particular assurance of the sick, sacrament of the lord’s body and blood and benefit of burial. The streets of Syon mourn because there is noone to come to mass. 4. The ship of Peter is struck by very heavy deluge of a storm, but Christ sleeps in the ship and there is no one who rouses him and says: “Rise, why do you sleep lord? Help us because we are perishing.” The ship is overwhelmed by waves, and unless, O Jesus, you awake, the abyss of the sea will devour us. Command, Lord, the winds and the sea. Remember that once with a flood inundating, Noah’s ark, by the force of waves was now brought low, now raised on high, yet finally when the lord was favorable it rested on the mountains of Armenia. 5. Moreover, the ark of the covenant, captured by the Philistines, was not slothful with them, for on account of it God destroyed Dagon and struck his enemies on their backs, and with omens and signs David, dancing before the ark with the people rejoicing, it rested in Jerusalem. Arise, lord from your rest, you and the ark of your sanctification. For although the scourges that we suffer are harsh to us, yet we count ourselves most fit for harsher things. 6. Remember, abbess, noble of birth but nobler of mind, that king Asserus, at the suggestion and advice of Aman, had delivered the people of Israel to death, and the cross had been prepared for the torment and destruction of Mardochai. Then queen Esther passed a sleepless night, and persuading with prayers and tears, recalled the king to mercy from his cruel plan, and Aman was put on the cross that had been prepared for Mardochai. Be wakeful and pray, bride of the highest king, and urge your sisters, appropriately and importunately with beneficial warnings and by example, to prayer and other exercises of religion, so that the lord turns this storm of the church into a breeze. The king’s heart is in the hand of the lord, who will change this to peace and benevolence if your prayers proceed from the deepest devotion. 7. There is nothing that holy prayer cannot achieve. It ascends lightly to heaven and takes hold of heaven’s lord. By prayer Lazarus was raised from the dead, by prayer Helias closed off heaven so that it would not rain, and by praying he released the rain. If I wished to express the power of prayer through the examples of the centurion, the ruler, the woman of Canaan, the Ninivites, the king in Ezekiel and in other ancients, my tongue would fail me sooner than examples to cite. 8. I beseech, may the truth that cannot lie raise up in you the faith of achieving what you seek: Where two or three, he says, have gathered in my name, there I am in their midst, and again if two of you have consented to anything on earth, it will be done for them. And so that no man or woman despair over the effectiveness of his request, he confirms the promise with a twofold oath. Amen, amen I say to you, if you will ask the father anything in my name, he will grant it to you. Therefore let the savior’s name be invoked on you because as Salomon says: The name of the lord is the mightiest strength. 9. Let the daughters of Syon honor the peace-making king so that there is peace in his strength. And whoever, by Job’s testimony, makes peace in high places, unites the kingdom and the priesthood and keeps them in the bond of peace. And let that peace that surpasses all understanding guard your heart and your minds, so that in your souls it may be a model of beauty and a seal of holiness, so that our peace and the God of our heart may fulfill your desire in good things forever. Farewell.1

Original letter:

ABBATISSE DE WAREWELL CONSOLATORIA 1. Venerabili domine et karissime sibi in Christo Matilde abbatisse de Warewell, Petrus Blesensis Londoniensis archidiaconus salutem, et si quid dulcius aut desiderabilius est salute. 2. Licet sitis nobilis sapiensque virago fortiumque virorum animos constantia et consilio transcendatis, quia tamen nuntii fidelis vobisque et michi oblata est opportuna et grata occasio, vobis consolatoriam hanc festinanter destinare decrevi. Bonarum enim mentium est monitis salutaribus in melius excitari, et sicut poeta commemorat, “Non nocet admisso subdere calcar equo.” 3. Videtis quia dies mali sunt et tempora periculosa, bonusque reputatur hodie qui non est nimis malus; proinde iuxta nostrorum exigentiam meritorum videtur dominus ecclesie sue suam benevolentiam suarumque misericordiarum gratiam subtraxisse. Interdicta sunt vobis vivorum solacia et remedia mortuorum, sancte inunctiones, cantica letitie, et precipua infirmorum fiducia corporis et sanguinis domini sacramentum et beneficium sepulture. Vie Syon lugent, eo quod non sit qui veniat ad solempnitatem. 4. Navis Petri gravissima tempestatis inundatione concutitur, dormit autem Christus in navi nec est qui eum excitet atque dicat: 'Exurge, quare' obdormis domine? Adiuva nos quoniam perimus.' Navis operitur fluctibus, et nisi, o Iesu, evigilas, absorbet nos profunditatis abyssus. Impera, domine, ventis et mari. Recordare quod olim inundante diluvio archa Noel violentia fluctuum nunc deprimebatur inferius, nunc elevabatur in altum, tandemque propitiante domino super montes Armenie requievit. 5. Archa etiam federis ab Allophylis capta apud eos otiosa non fuit nam propter eam deus confregit Dagon hostesque suos percussit in posteriora eorum, prodigiisque et signis David coram archa saltante et populo exultante in Hierusalem requievit. Surge domine in requiem tuam, tu et archa sanctificationis tue. Quamvis enim dura sint nobis flagella que patimur, nos tamen durioribus dignissimos reputamus. 6. Recole abbatissa, nobilis genere sed nobilior mente, quod rex, Assuerus suggestione et consilio Aman populum Israel morti addixerat, eratque crux parata in supplicium et exitium Mardochei. Porro regina Hester noctem illam deduxit insompnem, regemque precibus et lacrimis inclinans ad misericordiam revocavit a crudeli proposito, Aman quoque affixus est cruci quam preparaverat Mardocheo. Vigila et ora, sponsa regis altissimi, tuasque sorores ad orationem et cetera exercitia religionis exemplo et salutaribus monitis opportune et importune instiga, ut dominus hanc ecclesie procellam convertat in auram. Cor regis in manu dei est, qui ad pacem et benevolentiam vertet illud si procedent vestre orationes ex intimo devotionis affectu. 7. Nichil est quod non possit sancta oratio. Leviter ascendit in celum, celique dominum comprehendit. Oratione suscitatus est Lazarus; oratione celum clausit Helias ut non plueret, et ipse orando pluviam relaxavit. Si virtutem orationis in centurione, in regulo, in Chananea, in Ninivitis, et in Ezechia rege et in aliis antiquis exprimere voluero per exempla, prius michi deficiet lingua quam loquendi materia. 8. Erigat queso in vobis fiduciam impetrandi quod petitis Veritas que mentiri non potest: 'Ubi duo vel tres', inquit, 'congregati sunt in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum', et item; 'Si duo ex vobis consenserint de aliqua re super terram, fiet illis.' Et ne aliquis vel aliqua de sue petitionis effectu desperet, promissionem duplici iuramento confirmat: 'Amen amen dico vobis, si quid petieritis patrem in nomine meo, fiet vobis.’ Nomen itaque salvatoris invocetur super vos, quia sicut Salomon ait: 'Nomen domini plurima fortitudo.' 9. Honorent filie Syon regem pacificum, ut fiat pax in virtute illius. Et qui testimonio lob 'facit pacem in sublimibus suis' regnum et sacerdotium uniat et custodiat in vinculo pacis. Et pax illa que exsuperat omnem sensum custodiat cor vestrum et intellegentias vestras, ut sit vestris animabus forma pulchritudinis et signaculum sanctitatis, quatinus repleat in bonis desiderium vestrum deus cordis nostri et pax nostra in eternum. Bene valete.

Historical context:

The editor, Elizabeth Revell, suggests the date of the letter (between 23 March 1208 and January 1209) during the period of the interdict. Peter consoles the abbess for the restrictions imposed on the church.

Scholarly notes:

1. Ashleigh Imus provided this translation

Printed source:

The Later Letters of Peter of Blois, ed. Elizabeth Revell (Oxford: Oxford University, 1993), 99-101, ep.17.

Date:

1208-09