A letter from Paschal II, pope (1112)

Translated letter:

Bishop Paschal, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved son Baldwin count of Flanders and his illustrious mother countess Clementia, greetings and apostolic blessing. Know that what our predecessor of holy memory, Urban, did about restitution of the episcopacy of Arras remains firm and inviolable with us, nor will we ever allow it to be subject to the church of Cambrai. If anyone should attempt to act against this, he will be shackled by the chain of excommunication. We admonish you, therefore, as children of the church, and we order you not to allow the possessions of the episcopacy of Arras which it received in the restitution to be taken away or diminished in any way by anyone. If any should so presume, you must defend that church for the remission of your sins. Given at the Lateran, 8th Ides of April.

Original letter:

Paschalis episcopus, servus servorum Dei, dilecto filio Balduino, Flandrensium comiti, et spectabili Clementiae, matri ejus, comitissae, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Quod de Atrebatensis episcopatus restitutione a predecessore nostro sanctae memoriae Urbano factum est, scitote apud nos firmum et inviolabile permanere nec unquam passuros nos ut Cameracensi subjiciatur aecclesiae. Si quis autem adversus haec agere temptaverit, excommunicationis vinculo innodetur. Vos igitur, sicut AEcclesiae filios commonemus, rogamus et precipimus ne possessiones Atrebatensis aecclesiae quas a restitutione sua habuit ab aliquo auferri vel minui patiamini. Si qui vero presumpserint, vos defensionem pro peccatorum vestrorum remissione eidem aecclesiae impendatis. Datum Laterani, VIII idus aprilis.

Historical context:

The pope affirms to the countess and her son the actions of his predecessor on the restitution of Cambrai to the bishopric of Arras, and his own position on its independence, with a threat of excommunication.

Printed source:

PL163 c298, ep.1.342; also in Le Registre de Lambert Évêque d’Arras (1093-1115), ed Claire Giordanengo (Paris: CNRS, 2007), G42. 

Date:

1112, April 6