A letter from Peter Abelard ()

Translated letter:

The first book of the hymns. Preface [At your urgent request, my sister Heloise, once dear to me in the world, now dearest in Christ, I have written what are called 'hymns' in Greek, 'tehillim' in Hebrew. When you and the sisters of your holy profession kept begging me to write these, I asked your purpose in doing so, for I thought it superfluous for me to compose new hymns when you had plenty of existing ones, and it seemed almost sacrilegious for new hymns by sinners to rank as high or higher than the ancient hymns of the saints. I received several different answers, among them this reasoned argument of your own: We know, you said, that the Latin Church in general and the French Church in particular follows customary usage rather than authority as regards both psalms and hymns. We still do not know for certain who was the author of the translation of the Psalter which our own French Church uses. If we want to reach a decision on the basis of the words of the variant translations, we shall still be a long way from a universally accepted interpretation and, in my opinion, this will carry no weight of authority. Customary practice has so long prevailed that although we have St. Jerome's corrected text for the rest of the Scriptures, the translation of the Psalter, which we use so much, is of doubtful authority. Moreover, the hymns we use now are in considerable confusion; they are never or rarely distinguished by titles or names of the authors, and even when they appear to have definite authors, of whom Hilary and Ambrose are considered the best, and next to them Prudentius and several others, the words are often so irregular in scansion that it is hardly possible to fit them to the music; and without this there is no hymn at all, according to the definition that it is 'praise of God with song.' You went on to say that several of the feasts had no hymns of their own, those of the Innocents and the Evangelists, for example, or those for saintly women who had been neither virgins nor martyrs, and there were also some feasts during which those who sang the hymns could not be truthful, either because these did not fit the occasion or because false material has been inserted.] By some chance or dispensation, in that way quite often the hindered faithful either precede the established times of the hours or are preceded by them, so they are compelled at least to lie about the time, while they sing nocturnal hymns in the day or diurnal hymns at night. It is established indeed according to prophetic authority and ecclesiastical institution that the night not be devoid of the praise of God as it is written: “”I was mindful at night of your name, Lord” [Ps.118:55]” and again: “in the middle of the night I rose to confess to you” [Ps.:118:62],” that is to praise you; nor the seven remaining praises about which that same Prophet remembered: “”Seven times a day I gave praise to you” [Ps.118:164], unless they are to be discharged in the day. Of which the first, which are called matins, about which the Prophet wrote: “”In the mornings, Lord, I meditated on you” [Ps.62:7],” in that instantly the beginning of the day, with the dawn or Lucifer beginning to shine, is to be said first; that is also distinguished in many hymns. For when it says “Rising at night we all keep the vigil,” and again: “We break the night with singing”: or “we rise to confess and break the delays of the night,” and elsewhere: “Black night covers the colors of all things of the earth,” or: “For we rise from bed in the quiet time of night,” and again: “That whoever now break the hours of nights singing,” and similarly, those hymns that are nocturnal offer witness to it. So also morning hymns or the rest profess the arrangement of the proper time in which they are to be said, by grace of the word when it is said: “Behold already the shade of night is thinning,” and again: “Behold the golden light rises,” or: “Dawn already spreads at the pole,” or “The dawn of light glows red,” and elsewhere: “The winged messenger of day foretells the coming light,” or: “The risen Lucifer shines,” and if they are of such a kind, the hymns instruct us at what time they are to be sung, so if we do not observe their times with them, we are found to be lying in bringing them forth. Yet it is not so much negligence that prevents this observation from so many, as it is some necessity or dispensation; for to a great extent in parishes or minor churches because of the occupations of the people it is necessary that it be done daily in which all are carried out almost continuously in the day. Not only does the failure to observe time lead to falsehood, but also the composers of some hymns, either from the compunction of their own soul thinking foreign thoughts or from the zeal of improvident piety desiring to extol saints, so exceed the mode in some things that against our conscience we proffer some that are distant from the truth. For indeed there are very few who weeping and sighing from the ardor of contemplation or the compunction for their sins are worthy to sing: “Sighing we pour out prayers, forgive that we have sinned,” and again: “Receive our weeping withpious songs,” and similar ones which are suitable to the so few elect. With what presumption we do not fear to sing each year: “Martin, peer of the apostles,” or glorifying individual confessors immoderately about miracles we say: To whose sacred tomb frequently members of those now languishing in health, etc. our discretion may judge. By these or similar persuasions of your arguments the holiness of your reverence has compelled our soul to writing hymns for the whole circle of the year. In this, spouses or handmaids of Christ begging me, we beg you in turn that you raise the burden you imposed on our shoulders with the hands of your prayers, that who sows and who reaps, may rejoice working together. By some chance or dispensation, in that way quite often the bound/hindered faithful either precede the established times of the hours or are preceded by them, so they are compelled at least to lie about the time, while they sing nocturnal hymns in the day or day hymns at night. It is established indeed according to prophetic authority and ecclesiastical institution that the night not be devoid of the praise of God as it is written: “”I was mindful at night of your name, Lord” [Ps.118:55]” and again: “in the middle of the night I rose to confess to you” [Ps.:118:62],” that is to praise you.; nor the seven remaining praises/lauds about which that same Prophet remembered: “”Seven times a day I gave praise to you” [Ps.118:164], unless they are to be discharged in the day. Of which the first, which are called matins (matitudinal praises), about which the Prophet wrote: “”In the mornings, Lord, I meditated on you” [Ps.62:7],” in that instantly the beginning of the day, with the dawn or Lucifer beginning to shine, is to be said first; that is also distinguished in many hymns. For when it says “”Rising at night we all keep the vigil,”” and again: “ “We break the night with singing”:” or “”we rise to confess and break the delays of the night,”” and elsewhere: “”Black night covers the colors of all things of the earth,”” or: “”For we rise from bed in the quiet time of night,”” and again: “”That whoever now break the hours of nights singing,””and similarly, those hymns that are nocturnal offer witness to it. So also morning hymns or the rest profess the arrangement of the proper time in which they are to be said, by grace of the word when it is said: “”Behold already the shade of night is thinning,”” and again: “”Behold the golden light rises,”” or: “”Dawn already spreads at the pole,” ” or “”The dawn of light glows red,”” and elsewhere: “”The winged messenger of day foretells the coming light,”” or: “”The risen Lucifer shines,”” and if they are of such a kind, the hymns instruct us at what time they are to be sung, so if we do not observe their times with them, we are found to be lying in bringing them forth. Yet it is not so much negligence that prevents this observation from so many, as it is some necessity or dispensation; for to a great extent in parishes or minor churches because of the occupations of the people it is necessary that it be done daily in which all are carried out almost continuously in the day. Not only does the failure to observe time lead to falsehood, but also the composers of some hymns, either from the compunction of their own soul thinking foreign thoughts or from the zeal of improvident piety desiring to extol saints, so exceed the mode in some things that against our conscience we proffer some that are distant from the truth. For indeed there are very few who weeping and sighing from the ardor of contemplation or the compunction for their sins are worthy to sing: “Sighing we pour out prayers, forgive that we have sinned,” and again: “Receive our weeping with pious songs,” and similar ones which are suitable to the so few elect. With what presumption we do not fear to sing each year: “Martin, peer of the apostles,” or glorifying individual confessors immoderately about miracles we say: “To whose sacred tomb frequently members of those now languishing in health, etc.” your discretion may judge. By these or similar persuasions of your arguments the holiness of your reverence has compelled our soul to writing hymns for the whole circle of the year. In this, spouses or handmaids of Christ begging me, we beg you in turn that you raise the burden you imposed on our shoulders with the hands of your prayers, that who sows and who reaps, may rejoice working together.
SECOND BOOK PREFACE The office of divine worship is tripartite. The doctor of the gentiles ordered it in the Epistle to the Ephesians saying “Do not get drunk on wine in which is lust, but be filled with the Spirit speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs/canticles, singing and psalming in your hearts to the Lord.” And again to Colossians he says: “The word of Christ dwells in you abundantly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing you in the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing in grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The psalms truly and the canticles since they are prepared of old from canonical scriptures, do not need our or anyone’s study to be composed. About the hymns truly since there is nothing in the aforementioned scriptures, although some psalms have the name of hymns or of holy canticles inscribed as titles, written later by many at random, and for the variety of times either of hours or of feasts for which proper hymns are established; and we now call these properly hymns although in antiquity whatever canticles of divine praise were composed in rhythm or meter were called hymns or psalms without distinction. Whence Eusebius of Caesarea in chapter 17 of the second book of the Ecclesiastical History recalling the praise of the most eloquent Philo Judaeus towards the Alexandrian church in Mark adds among other things. “After a while again let them make new psalms about that,” so wrote: “And so not only do they understand the hymns of the subtle old, but they make new ones on God, modulating them with all meters and sounds/melodies, with quite honorable and sweet joining.” It is perhaps by no means incongruous that all psalms composed in Hebrew meter or rhythm and fashioned with melodious sweetness be called also hymns, according to that definition of hymns which we gave in the first preface. But when the psalms are translated from Hebrew into another language they are released from the rhythmic or metrical law, so the Apostle writing to the Ephesians who are Greek well distinguished hymns from psalms and canticles. Since you have often struck/knocked at our little wit with many prayers about these things, most beloved daughters of Christ, we have obeyed your request, as God granted, adding to those which seemed necessary to you. For in the above book we have included the daily hymns which can suffice to the whole week. Which you know were composed so there is a bipartite song and rhythm, and one common melody for all night services and another for days, like the rhythm. We did not omit also discharging the hymn of graces after meals, according to what is written in the Gospel: “After the hymn was said, they went out” [Matth.26:30]. We have divided the above hymns with this consideration that those which are nocturnal contain the works of their days, the diurnal on the other hand give the allegory or moral exposition of those works. And so it is done that the darkness of history is reserved for the night, the light of exposition for the day. It remains for the rest for me to be helped by your prayers that I may transmit the desired little present to you.
THIRD BOOK PREFACE In the previous two books we have arranged the daily hymns proper to the days and the divine services. Now it remains as far as we can to produce those praises owed to the glory of the heavenly king and common exhortation of the faithful and the court of the supernal palace. In which work they particularly help me by their merits to the glorious memory of whom I desire to discharge the little gifts of whatever praises, according as it is written “The memory of the just with praise” [Prov.10:7] and again “Let us praise glorious men” [Eccli.44:1]. I beg you also, dearest sisters devoted to Christ, by whose prayers I mainly embarked on this work, add the devotion of your prayers, mindful of that most blessed giver of laws [Moses] who did more by praying than the people by fighting. And that I might find your broad charity in the abundance of prayers, think diligently how your request may make our ability prodigal. For while we strive to pursue the praises of divine grace within the [ability] of our small wit, what was lacking in the adornment of eloquence we have made up for by the multitude of hymns, composing hymns proper to the individual night services of individual solemn feasts, when one hymn is sung not only on feasts but also on regular days in the night services. For that reason we have decreed four hymns for individual feasts, so that a different hymn is sung in each of three night offices and is not lacking, moreover, in morning praises. For which again we have established four, so that two can be combined for one hymn in the vigil and the other two similarly recited at vespers on that solemn day, or so that two and two may be divided in separate vespers, so one is sung with the two previous psalms, the other with the two remaining. About the cross, I was mindful, five hymns are assigned, of which the first is placed before the separate hours, inviting the deacon to take the cross from the altar and carry it to the middle of the choir and place it there for adoration and greeting so that the whole solemn service can be carried out in its presence through the individual hours.

Original letter:

LIBELLUS PRIMUS. PRAEFATIO. Ad tuarum precum instantiam, soror mihi Heloissa, in seculo quondam cara, nunc in Christo carissima, hymnos Graece dictos, Hebraice tillim nominatos, composui; ad quos quidem me scribendos cum tam tu quam quae tecum morantur sanctae professionis feminae saepius urgueretis, vestram super hoc intentionem requisivi. Censebam quippe superfluum me vobis novos condere, cum veterum copiam haberetis, et quasi sacrilegium videri antiquis sanctorum carminibus nova peccatorum praeferre vel aequare. Dum autem a diversis diversa mihi responderentur, tu inter cetera talem, memini, subjecisti rationem: "Scimus, inquiens, Latinam et maxime Gallicanam Ecclesiam, sicut in psalmis ita et in ymnis magis consuetudinem tenere quam auctoritatem sequi." Incertum etenim adhuc habemus cujus auctoris haec sit translatio, quam nostra et Gallicana frequentat Ecclesia. Quam si ex eorum dictis diiudicare velimus, qui translationum diversitates nobis aperuerunt, longe ab universis interpretationibus dissidebit, et nullam, ut arbitror, auctoritatis dignitatem obtinebit. In qua quidem adeo longaevae consuetudinis usus iam praevaluit, ut, cum in ceteris correcta beati Hieronymi teneamus exemplaria, in psalterio, quod maxime frequentamus, sequamur apocrypha. Hymnorum vero quibus nunc utimur tanta est confusio, ut qui quorum sint, nulla vel rara titulorum praescriptio distinguat; et si aliqui certos habere auctores videantur, quorum primi Hilarius et Ambrosius exstitisse creduntur, deinde Prudentius et plerique alii, tanta est frequenter inaequalitas syllabarum, ut vix cantici melodiam recipiant, sine qua nullatenus hymnus consistere potest, cujus discriptio est laus Dei cum cantico. Plerisque etiam sollemnitatibus addebas deesse proprios hymnos, utpote Innocentum et Evangelistarum, seu illarum sanctarum quae virgines vel martires minime exstiterunt. Nonnullos denique asserebas esse, in quibus nonnunquam hos, a quibus decantantur, mentiri necesse est, tum videlicet pro temporis necessitate, tum pro falsitatis insertione. Casu quippe aliquo vel dispensatione eo modo saepius praepediti fideles constituta horarum tempora vel praeveniunt vel ab ipsis praeveniuntur, ut de ipso saltem tempore mentiri compellantur, dum videlicet aut nocturnos die, aut diurnos nocte hymnos decantant. Constat quippe secundum propheticam auctoritatem et ecclesiasticam institutionem nec a laude Dei noctem ipsam vacare, sicut scriptum est: «Memor fui nocte nominis tui, Domine,» et iterum: «Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi,» hoc est ad laudandum te; nec septem reliquas laudes, de quibus idem meminit propheta: «septies in die laudem dixi tibi,» nisi in die persolvendas esse. Quarum quidem prima, quae matutinae laudes appellantur, de qua in eodem scriptum est propheta: «In matutinis, Domine, meditabor de te,» in ipso statim diei initio, illucescente aurora seu lucifero, praemittenda est; quod etiam in plerisque distinguitur hymnis. Cum enim dicit: «Nocte surgentes vigilemus omnes,» et iterum: «Noctem canendo rumpimus,» vel. «Ad confitendum surgimus morasque noctis rumpimus,» et alibi: «Nox atra rerum contegit terrae colores omnium,» vel: «Nam lectulo consurgimus noctis quieto tempore,» et rursum: «Ut quique horas noctium nunc concinendo rumpimus,» et similia: ipsi sibi hymni quod nocturni sunt, testimonium praebent. Sic et matutini hymni proprii temporis, quo dicendi sunt, institutionem nonnunquam profitentur, verbi gratia cum dicitur: «Ecce jam noctis tenuatur umbra,» et iterum: «Lux ecce, surgit aurea,» vel: «Aurora iam spargit polum,» seu: «Aurora lucis rutilat,» et alibi: «Ales diei nuntius lucem propinquam praecinit,» vel: «Ortus refulget lucifer,» et si qui sunt huiusmodi, ipsi nos instruunt hymni, quo tempore sint cantandi, ut, si eis videlicet sua tempora non observemus, in ipsa eorum prolatione mendaces inveniamur. Hanc tamen observantiam non tam negligentia plerumque tollit, quam necessitas aliqua vel dispensatio praepedit; quod maxime in parochialibus, seu minoribus ecclesiis propter ipsas plebium occupationes cottidie fieri necesse est, in quibus omnia et fere continue peraguntur in die. Nec solum tempora non observata mendatium ingerunt, verum etiam quorumdam hymnorum compositores, vel ex proprii animi compunctione alienos pensantes, vel improvidae studio pietatis extollere sanctos cupientes, in aliquibus ita modum excesserunt, ut contra ipsam nostram conscientiam aliqua in ipsis saepius proferamus tanquam a veritate prorsus aliena. Paucissimi quippe sunt qui contemplationis ardore vel peccatorum suorum compunctione flentes ac gementes, illa digne valeant decantare: «Preces gementes fundimus, dimitte quod peccavimus,» et iterum: «Nostros pius cum canticis fletus benigne suscipe,» et similia, quae sicut electis ita paucis conveniunt. Qua etiam praesumptione singulis annis decantare non veremur: «Martine, par apostolis,» vel singulos confessores immoderate de miraculis glorificantes dicamus: Ad sacrum cujus tumulum frequenter membra languentum modo sanitati, etc., discretio vestra diiudicet. His vel consimilibus vestrarum persuasionibus rationum ad scribendos per totum anni circulum hymnos animum nostrum vestrae reverentiae sanctitas compulit. In hoc itaque mihi vobis supplicantibus, sponsae Christi vel ancillae, et nos e converso vobis supplicamus, ut, quod nostris onus imposuistis umeris, vestrarum orationum manibus sublevetis, ut qui seminat et qui metit, simul operantes congaudeant. LIBELLUS ALTER PRAEFATIO Tripartitum est divini cultus officium. Doctor gentium in epistola ad Ephesios ordinavit dicens: «Et nolite inebriari vino in quo est luxuria, sed implemini Spiritu sancto loquentes vobismet in psalmis et hymnis et canticis spiritualibus, cantantes et psallentes in cordibus vestris Domino.» Et rursus ad Colossenses inquit: «Verbum Christi habitet in vobis abundanter in omni sapientia docentes et commonentes vosmetipsos in psalmis, hymnis et canticis spiritualibus, in gratia cantantes in cordibus vestris Domino.» Psalmi vero et cantica, quoniam ex canonicis antiquitus praeparata sunt scripturis, nec nostro nec alicuius egent studio ut modo componantur. De hymnis vero cum nihil in superpositis distinctum habeatur scripturis, quamvis et nonnulli psalmi nomen hymnorum sive canticorum sanctorum inscriptum titulis habeant, passim a pluribus postea scriptum est, et pro temporum aut horarum seu festivitatum varietate quibusque proprii hymni sunt constituti, et hos nunc proprie hymnos appellamus, quamvis antiquitus indifferenter nonnulli tam hymnos quam psalmos dicerent quaelibet divinae laudis cantica rhythmo vel metro composita. Unde Eusebius Caesariensis Ecclesiasticae historiae libri secundi capitulo XVII. disertissimi Judaei Philonis laudes erga Alexandrinam sub Marco ecclesiam commemorans inter cetera adjecit. «Post pauca rursum etiam de eo, quod psalmos faciant novos, ita scripsit: Itaque non solum subtilium intelligunt hymnos veterum, sed ipsi faciunt novos in Deum, omnibus eos et metris et sonis honesta satis et suavi compage modulantes.» Haud fortassis incongruum est, omnes psalmos Hebraice rhythmo vel metro compositos et melica dulcedine conditos appellari etiam hymnos, iuxta ipsam videlicet hymnorum definitionem quam in praefatione prima posuimus. At cum iam psalmi ex Hebraeo in aliam linguam translati a rhythmi vel metri lege soluti sint, bene ad Ephesios, qui Graeci sunt, apostolus scribens separatim a psalmis hymnos distinxit sicut et cantica. De his itaque quoniam nostrum saepe ingeniolum, dilectissimae Christi filiae, multis precibus pulsavistis, addentes insuper, quibus de causis id necessarium vobis videatur, vestrae iam petitioni, prout Dominus adnuerit, ex parte paruimus. Superiori namque libello cotidianos feriarum hymnos, qui toti sufficere possint hebdomadae comprehendimus. Quos ita compositos esse cognoscatis, ut bipartitus sit eorum cantus sicut et rhythmus, et sit una omnibus nocturnis melodia communis atque altera diurnis, sicut et rhythmus. Hymnum etiam gratiarum post epulas exsolvendum non praetermisimus, secundum quod in evangelio scriptum est: «Hymno dicto exierunt.» Ceteros vero suprapositos hymnos hac consideratione digessimus ut, qui nocturni sunt suarum opera feriarum contineant, diurni autem ipsorum operum allegoricam seu moralem expositionem tradant. Atque ita factum est, ut obscuritas historiae nocti, lux vero expositionis reservetur diei. Superest de cetero vestris me orationibus adiuvari ut optatum vobis munusculum transmittam. LIBELLUS TERTIUS PRAEFATIO Superioribus duobus libellis cotidianos feriarum hymnos et sollemnitatum divinarum proprios digessimus. Nunc vero superest ad caelestis gloriam regis et communem fidelium exhortationem ipsam quoque superni curiam palatii debitis hymnorum, prout possumus efferre praeconiis. In quo quidem opere ipsi me praecipue adjuvent meritis quorum gloriosae memoriae qualiumcunque laudum munuscula cupio persolvere, juxta quod scriptum est «Memoria justi cum laude,» et iterum: «Laudemus viros gloriosos.» Vos quoque obsecro, sorores carissimae Christoque dicatae, quarum maxime precibus hoc opus aggressus sum, vestrarum adiungite devotionem orationum, illius memores beatissimi legislatoris, qui plus orando quam populus potuit dimicando. Et ut caritatem vestram in orationum copia largam inveniam, pensate diligenter, quam prodigam vestra petitio nostram habeat facultatem. Dum enim divinae gratiae laudes pro nostri ingenioli prosequi studeremus, quod de ornatu deest eloquentiae, recompensavimus hymnorum multitudine, singulis videlicet singularum sollemnitatum nocturnis proprios componentes hymnos, quum unus solummodo hucusque hymnus in festis quoque sicut in feriis ad nocturnos praecineretur.

Quattuor itaque hymnos singulis festivitatibus ea ratione decrevimus, ut in uniquoque trium nocturnorum proprius decantetur hymnus, et laudibus insuper matutinis non desit suus. Ex quibus rursus quattuor instituimus, ut duo in vigilia pro uno conjungantur hymno et duo reliqui similiter ad vesperas ipso die sollemni recitentur, aut ita bini et bini in singulis vesperis dividantur, ut cum duobus prioribus psalmis unus, cum duobus reliquis alius decantetur. De cruce autem, memini, quinque conscripti sunt hymni, quorum primus singulis praeponatur horis, invitans diaconem crucem de altari tollere et in medio chori afferre atque ibidem eam quasi adorandam ac salutandam statuere, ut in eius quoque praesentia tota per singulas horas peragatur sollemnitas.

Historical context:

Heloise asked Abelard for hymns and he addresses her in the prefaces to the three books of hymns he composed for her. He refers in the first preface to Heloise’s comments on the confusion among existing translations, the discrepancy between meter and music, and between subject matter and liturgical practice. The hymns themselves include examples of several forceful women, particularly the Virgin Mary.

Printed source:

Peter Abelard, Hymnarius Paraclitensis, ed. Joseph Szöverffy (Albany: Classical Folia, 1975), 2 v, 2.9-13, 2.79-81, 2.169-70; also in Cousin, Opera, 1.296-98, 306-07, 318, and PL178, c1771-74, 1787-88, 1801-04; the translated passage in brackets is from B. Radice, The Letters of Abelard and Heloise (Penguin Books, 1974), 32-33, the rest is JMF.