A letter from Pope Eugene III

Translated letter:

Count William, of good memory, in the presence of our venerable brother Hugh of Auxerre and our beloved son, Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux, is said to have promised that neither he nor the men of his land would prevent merchants and others wishing to go to Vezelay.  Now, indeed, as we hear from our beloved son Pontius, abbot of Vezelay, you prohibit and harass those wishing to go there. yourself or through your men.  Therefore we command your nobility by the present writing that you not presume to commit this inhuman act any further; and if you do so presume, it is to be feared that you will incur the anger of omnipotent God by the prayers of St. Mary, whom the Lord much loved.  Given at Rheims, on the nones of April.

Original letter:

Guillelmus Comes, bonae memoriae, in praesentia venerabilis fratris nostri Hugonis Altissiodorensis et dilecti filii nostri Bernardi abbatis Clarevallensis, dicitur promisisse quod mercatores et caeteros Vizeliacum ire volentes, neque ipse, neque suae terrae homines prohiberent. Nunc vero, sicut dilecti filii nostri Pontii Vizeliacensis abbatis relatione accepimus, ire illuc volentes per te et per tuos homi­nes prohibes et infestas. Ideoque nobilitati tuae per praesentia scripta mandamus quatinus inhumanitatem hanc f'acere de caetero non praesumas: quod si facere praesumpseris, timendum tibi est ne indignationem omnipotentis Dei, beatae Mariae precibus, quae multum dilexit Dominum, consequaris. Datum Remis, in nonas aprilis.

Historical context:

Like Bernard of Clairvaux, the pope warns the countess not to continue to prevent people from going to Vezelay.   The abbey claimed to have the relics of Mary Magdalene, presumably the St. Mary mentioned in the letter.  Bouchard, (Sword, Mitre) gives the abbot’s name as Geoffrey and the bishop of Auxerre as Hugo II of Montaigu.  The countess was in conflict with the abbey for several decades.

Printed source:

HGF15.449, ep. 44 of Epistole Eugenii III, Papae.

Date: