Sender
Eugene III, pope
Receiver
Matilda of Boulogne, queen of England
Translated letter:
On Solomon’s testimony we learn that a wise woman edifies the home, but a foolish one destroys the construction with her hands. We rejoice for you and praise your zeal of devotion in the Lord; we have heard from [certain] religious that you have the fear of God before your eyes and are intent on works of piety and love and honor ecclesiastical persons. That you may therefore progress from good to better, with God’s inspiration, we ask your nobility in the Lord and asking we instruct and exhort in the Lord, that you join better results to good beginnings, and more attentively love and honor our venerable brother bishop Robert of London, out of reverence for him who had been rich in the past but wanted to become poor for us. With your husband, our beloved son Stephen, the distinguished king of the English, strive to bring about, with instructions, urging, and counsel, that he receive him with benignity and love, and hold him commended out of reverence for St. Peter and us. And since, as truth testifies, he can not bind our aforementioned son without danger to his salvation and position, we wish and counsel you with paternal affection for him and you, that it be sufficient for you to accept his promise with true and simple words, that he will not bring hurt or harm to him or his land. Dated at Meaux, 6 kalends of July
Original letter:
Salomone attestante, didicimus quod mulier sapiens aedificat domum; insipiens autem, constructam destruet manibus. Gaudemus pro te, et devotionis studium in Domino collaudamus: quoniam sicut religiosorum relatione accepimus, timorem Dei prae oculis habens, operibus pietatis iintendis, et personas ecclesiasticas et diligis et honoras. Ut ergo de bono in melius, inspirante Domino, proficere valeas, nobilitatem tuam in Domino rogamus, et rogando monemus et exhortamur in Domino, quatenus bonis initiis exitus meliores injungas, et venerabilem fratrem nostrum Robertum London, episcopum, pro illius reverentia, qui cum olim dives esset, pro nobis pauper fieri voluit, attentius diligas et honores. Apud virum tuum, et dilectum filium nostrum Stephanum, insignem regem Anglorum efficere studeas, ut monitis, hortatu, et consilio tuo, ipsum in benignatem et dilectionem suam suscipiat, et pro beati Petri et nostra reverentia propensius habeat commendatum. Et quia, sicut veritate teste attendimus, eum sine salutis et sui ordinis periculo, praefato filio nostro astringi non posse; volumus et paterno sibi et tibi affectu consulimus, ut vobis sufficiat, veraci et simplici verbo promissionem ab eo suscipere, quod laesionem vel detrimentum ei, vel terrae suae non inferat. Datum Meldis VI Kal. Jullii.
Historical context:
Robert de Sigillo had been chosen by empress Matilda for the episcopacy of London, and canonically elected c.1141. When Stephen became king, he demanded an oath of fealty which Robert refused to give and Stephen persecuted him for several years. In this letter, the pope asks the queen to intervene with her husband to accept a simple promise in place of the oath.
Printed source:
PL180, ep.200, c.1249, dated 1147.
Date:
1147
