A letter from Denehard, Lul, and Burchard (732-42)

Translated letter:

To their beloved lady, most devoted to Christ, Abbess Cuniburg, eminent for the nobility of her royal blood, her sons and fellow countrymen Denehard, Lullus, and Burchard send wishes for her eternal welfare. Holding you of all women in the innermost chamber of our hearts we desire your gracious kindness to know that, after the death of our parents and our other relatives, we went over to the people of Germany, were received into the monastic rule of the venerable archbishop, Boniface, and have become his assistants in his work in so far as our humble incapacity permits. And now, we beseech you from the depths of our hearts that you will be pleased to keep us in communion with your holy congregation, and with the support of your prayers guide our little bark, worn out by the tempests of this world, into safe harbor, and that you will not refuse to shelter us against the cruel darts of sin with the shield of your prayer, as we also pray the divine aid every moment for the welfare of Your Eminence. If we were actually present before you on bended knee and with floods of tears, we trust that our request would be granted; so now, in our absence, we humbly beg the same favor from you. We also wish it known to your care and your wisdom that if any one of us should happen to visit Britain we should not prefer the obedience and government of any man to subjection under your good-will; for we place the greatest confidence of our hearts in you. We beg also that you will send on by the bearer of this letter two young freedmen, named Begiloc and Man, whom I, Lullus, and my father released at our departure for Rome and entrusted to my uncle for the welfare of my soul — if this should be their free act and if they are within your jurisdiction. And if any one shall unlawfully try to prevent their journey we beg you to protect them. Some little gifts accompany this letter: frankincense, pepper, and cinnamon — a very small present, but given out of heartfelt affection. We pray you not to think of the size of the gift but to remember the loving spirit. We beg you also to correct this unlearned letter and to send a few of your own sweet words, which we shall eagerly await. Farewell, and may you live long and happily to make intercession for us.

Original letter:

Dominae dilectissimae Christique relegiosissimae abbatissae Cuneburge regalis prosapiae generositate praeditae Den[ehartus] et L[ul] et B[urghardus], filii tui ac vernaculi, sempiternae sospitatis salutem. Agnoscere cupimus almitatis tuae clementiam, quia te prae ceteris cunctis feminini sexus in cordis cubiculo, cingimus amore: quod genitoris et genetricis et aliorum propinquorum nostrorum ob obitum ad Germanicas gentes transivimus, usque in venerandi archiepiscopi Bonifatii monasticae conversationis regula suscepti ipsiusque laboris adiutores sumus, in quantum nostrae pauperculae vilitas praevalet. Nunc itaque ex intimis praecordiorum iliis suppliciter flagitamus, ut digneris nos habere in tuae sacrae congregationis communione, et nostram lintrem procellosis fluctibus huius mundi fatigatam tuorum oraminum praesidio ad portum salutis deducere et atra contra piaculorum spicula parma tuae orationis protegere non recuses, sicut nos quoque, licet peccatores, pro tuae celsitudinis statu divino subfragio singulis momentis deprecantes sumus. Hoc vero, si corporibus praesentes fuissemus, flexis genuum poplitibus et salsis lacrimarum imbribus rogitantes diligenti petitione speramus posse impetrari; et nunc absentes hoc idem obnixis precibus postulamus. Illud etiam scire desideramus tuae sagacitatis industriam: quod, si cui nostrum contingit huius Brittanicae telluris sceptra visitare, quod nullius hominis oboedientiam et institutionem antea quaerimus, quam tuae benivolentiae subiectionem, qui in te firmissimam spem mentis nostrae positam habemus. Similiter obsecramus, ut puerulos duos nomine Beiloc et Man — quos ego Lul et pater noster liberos dimisimus Romam destinantes et avunculo nostro commendavimus — pro mercede, animae tuae, et si liberi arbitrii sint et illorum voluntas sit et in tua potestate sint, nobis transmittere per harum litterarum gerulos studeas. Et si aliquis eis prohibere vellet iter pergendi sine iustitia, deprecamur, ut eos defendere digneris. Parva quoque munusculorum transmissio scedulam istam comitatur; quae sunt tria, id est turis et piperis et cinnamomi permodica xenia, sed omni mentis affectione destinata. Huius muneris magnitudinem ut non consideres, sed spiritalis caritatis amorem adtende, poscimus. Illud etiam petimus, ut rusticitatem huius epistiunculae emendes et nobis aliqua verba tuae dulcedinis non rennuas dirigere, quae inhianter audire gratulabundi satagimus. Vale, vivens Deo aevo longiore et vita feliciore, intercedens pro nobis.

Historical context:

The three monks who are now serving with Boniface in Germany send the abbess gifts, ask her prayers, assure her that if they were to come to England, they would prefer her monastery to any other, and ask her to arrange for two men freed by Lul and his father to come to them.

Printed source:

MGH, Epistolae Merovingici et Karolini Aevi, 6, S.Bonifacii et Lulli Epistolae, ep.49; translation, Ephraim Emerton, The Letters of Saint Boniface (New York: Columbia University Press, 1940, repr.2000), pp.55-6. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Date:

732-42