A letter from Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury (1094-95)

Translated letter:

Anselm, called archsbishop by the providence of God: to the lady and mother, the reverend abbess Eulalia(1) and the holy community entrusted to her, wishing that they may always progress in holiness and attain beatitude. Although your holy zeal is not in need of my advice, yet the love which I have for you, and my office, compel me to write something by way of encouragement to you. Consider without ceasing, my most beloved daughters and sisters, that you decided to ascend to heaven and have already begun doing this in order that you may reign there; and that while reigning you may rejoice with your Lord and friend Jesus Christ who there awaits you, and who, while waiting, incessantly invites you to come. Indeed, as long as man lives, he either ascends towards heaven by living a good life or descends into hell by living an evil life. If, therefore, you wish to attain what you vowed, it is necessary that you progress towards it by holy deeds, as if step by step. Therefore diligently examine the course of your life, not only in deeds but also in words, and not only in these but also in your slightest thoughts, lest perhaps, although in all these things you should always be striving upwards, something may be found there which would rather lead downwards. If you wish to observe this properly it would be advantageous for you to meditate ceaselessly on what is most truly written: "whoever despises little things fails little by little."(2) And whoever fails little by little does not make progress but falls back; and whoever falls back does not go upwards but downwards. Therefore take care solicitously that you violate nothing, however small it may be, of the rule under which God has placed you: for so you may ascend into heaven by holy steps. May this come about with God's help! Since I know that I have never been more in need of prayers than now, I pray you to pray for me, and all the more zealously as you know that I trust in your love. For I am so wretched in the office of archbishop(3) that for sure — if I can say this without sin — I would prefer to go out of this life than to live in such a way.(4)

Original letter:

Anselmus, dei dispositione vocatus archiepiscopus: dominae et matri, reverendae abbatissae Eulaliae et sanctae congregationi illi commissae in sanctitate semper proficere et ad beatitudinem pertingere. Quamvis vestrum sanctum studium mea monitione non egeat, cogit me tamen dilectio, quam erga vos habeo, et officium meum, ut vobis aliquid exhortando scribam. Considerate incessanter, filiae et sorores meae dilectissimae, quia in caelum proposuistis et iam incepistis ascendere, ut ibi regnetis et regnando gaudeatis cum domino et amico vestro Iesu Christo, qui ibi vos exspectat et exspectando assidue invitat. Quippe quamdiu homo vivit: aut ascendit in caelum bene vivendo, aut descendit in infernum male vivendo. Si ergo ad hoc quod proposuistis vultis pertingere, necesse est vos sanctis actionibus illuc quasi quibusdam, passibus proficere. Diligenter igitur vitae vestrae cursum discutite, non solum in operibus, sed etiam in verbis; nec solum in his, sed et in minimis cogitationibus, ne forte, cum in omnibus his semper debeatis sursum tendere, aliquid ibi inveniatur quod magis sit descendere. Quod si bene vultis custodire, expetit ut semper illud cogitetis, quod verissime scriptum est: "qui modica spernit, paulatim decidit." Qui enim paulatim decidit, non proficit sed deficit; et qui deficit, non ascendit sed descendit. Hoc ergo curate sollicite, ut nihil tam parvum sit quod de ordine vestro, ubi vos deus posuit, violetis; et sic sanctis passibus in caelum — quod utinam adiuvante deo fiat! — ascendetis. Oro, ut pro me oretis, et tanto attentius, quanto scitis me de dilectione vestra confidere; quoniam numquam cognovi me magis quam nunc orationibus indigere. Tam male enim sum in archiepiscopatu, ut certe — si sine culpa dicere possum — malim de hac vita exire quam sic vivere.

Historical context:

Archbishop Anselm sends spiritual advice to the abbess and her nuns and asks for their prayers in the misery of his office, stated quite strongly.

Scholarly notes:

(1) Abbess Eulalia of St Mary and St Edward, Shaftesbury, ruled the abbey from 1074-August 1106, see also epp.337, 403. (2) Si 19:1. (3) See epp.176, 178. (4) The translation is reproduced with the permission of the translator and the publisher, Cistercian Publications Inc. Editorial Offices, Institute of Cistercian Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. All rights are reserved; downloading and copying for any purpose other than private research is prohibited.

Printed source:

Sancti Anselmi Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi, Opera Omnia, ed. F.S. Schmitt (Edinburgh: T. Nelson, 1946-63), ep.183, 4.67-68; translation and annotation from The Letters of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, trans. Walter Fröhlich, Cistercian Studies 97, 3v (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990-1994). 2.102-103.

Date:

1094-95