A letter from Bernard of Clairvaux, abbot (1144-47)

Translated letter:

To Her Excellency, Queen of the Franks, Bernard, Abbot of Clarvaiux: Health and prayers. HAVING NO TRUST that our insignificance holds any notice or familiarity before your dignity, but rather in your most famous generosity and kindness, do we offer you our petitions. Wicardus, one of your men, complains of you; that while in your household, from which, although he feels that he is not at fault, having been unjustly deprived by you of all his possessions, he was forced into exile. Since we know that this man has a good intention, namely to leave the world and turn to the Lord, we think it not inappropriate either that we should request of you, nor that you should agree, to restore to him your favor by giving back either all or some of his possessions. We also commend to you, if yet we should find some favor in your eyes, this religious man, namely the abbot of Beaulieu, who for this purpose has taken the trouble, travelling from far off to you, to tire himself with this letter of ours. Therefore, see to it that he has not been tired out in vain. Farewell.1

Original letter:

Ad reginam Francorum. Wicardum quemdam et abbatem Belli Loci ei commendat. Eximiae Francorum reginae, Bernardus, abbas de Claravalle: salutem et orationes. Non de aliqua notitia vel familiaritate quam apud vestram dignitatem nostra pusillitas habeat, sed de vestra notissima liberalitate atque benignitate confidentes, preces ad vos deferimus. Wicardus, homo vester, conqueritur de vobis, quod apud vos, unde tamen se culpabilem non sentit, iniuste a vobis, suis omnibus, quae habebat, ablatis, exsilio plexus sit. Quem quoniam bonam voluntatem habere, saeculum videlicet deserendi et convertendi ad Dominum, cognovimus, non inconveniens esse arbitramur vel nobis ad petendum, vel vobis ad annuendum, ut ei gratiam vestram, restituendo simul sua aut omnia aut vel aliqua, reddatis. Commendamus autem vobis, si tamen et nos aliquam in oculis vestris invenimus gratiam, hunc religiosum virum, abbatem scilicet Belli Loci, qui huius rei gratia de longe ad vos cum his nostris litteris sese fatigare curavit. Videte ergo, ne frustra sit fatigatus. Valete.

Historical context:

Bernard requests that the queen restore a certain Guiscard to her favor and to his possessions, and commends to her the bearer of the letter, the abbot of Beaulieu. Gerhard Winkler (in Bernhard von Clairvaux Samtliche Werke, 3.1228) identifies Eleanor as the queen addressed, and dates the letter between Bernard's meeting with Eleanor in 1144 and 1147 when she left to go on crusade.

Scholarly notes:

1. Rev. Maurus Bryan Mount provided the translation.

Printed source:

Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), ep. 511.

Date:

1144-47