A letter from Adalbero, archbishop of Reims ()

Translated letter:

We wish always to look to what is useful to you and rejoice in seeing it, who have vowed ourselves and all we have to your service. Out of such affection and such love we have presumed to ask from your munificence what we know through very trusted messengers has already been granted to us, that is: if any church in the confines of your kingdoms should be without a pastor, no one is to be placed in it except the one we choose as appropriate to your service by sane judgment. And since we have abbot Gerbert, known in all the provinces, expelled from Italy, but outstanding in unfeigned faith, we pray with whatever means we have that he be placed in a church. He is a true son to us and a very obedient servant to you in all things. Although we will be very distressed by his absence, we put our personal concerns after the common good. We urge you with all our strength to make your will known in this as quickly as possible with holy answers.

Original letter:

Semper quidem utilitati vestrae prospicere volumus, ac prospiciendo gaudemus: quippe qui nos nostraque omnia vestrae servituti devoverimus. Ex tanto ergo affectu tantoque amore, a vestra munificentia praesumimus petere quod scimus per fidissimos nuntios olim nobis concessum esse: id est si in regnorum confinio quolibet ecclesia vacaret pastore, in ea non alium constituendum, nisi quem vestrae utilitati omnimode aptum sano judicio delegerimus. Et quia omnibus provincialibus notum Italia expulsum, sed in fide non ficta perstantem habemus abbatem Gerbertum, hunc ecclesiae praefici modis quibus possumus oramus. Qui nobis quidem est verus filius, vobis vero per omnia obsequentissimus servus. Cujus absentia etsi nimium gravamur, tamen ob communia beneficia privata posthabemus. Super his vestrum velle experiri quantocius sacris rescriptis obnixe efflagitamus.

Historical context:

Adalbero seeks a place in a church under imperial jurisdiction for Gerbert of Aurillac, formerly abbot of Bobbio, later archbishop of Reims and pope Sylvester II.

Printed source:

MGH BDKz 2 ep.117 p.144-45 ; also in HGF9 ep.7 p.274, and PL137 ep.36 c.516. Variants: provincialibus for comprovincialibus and perstantem for praestantem.