A letter from Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury (1094)

Translated letter:

Anselm, called archbishop of Canterbury: to his dearest sisters and daughters, the reverend abbess Matilda of Wilton(1) and the other handmaids of God living under her, wishing that they may always be pleasing to Christ, their chosen spouse. I give thanks to your holiness because I hear that you do not cease praying assiduously for me, and I humbly beg that what has begun charitably will continue until it becomes apparent what divine providence wants to do with me. May God, persuaded by your prayers, be more merciful to me in my troubles and more kind to you for the charity that you have shown. Moreover, the office laid upon me demands of me, the affection which I feel you have for me invites me, and the charity with which I love you persuades me, that my admonition may encourage your holy endeavor and intention always to progress towards the better and never to fall back through your grave negligence from what you have aspired to with the help of God's grace. Certainly you can carry this out efficaciously if you consider what is written: "Whoever despises little things fails little by little,"(2) and "whoever fears God does not neglect anything."(3) Therefore do not neglect even the smallest point of your role. We ought to be all the more wary of the slightest excesses as we are aware of how frequently they press upon us, and how cleverly our deceiver strives to persuade us that there is no guilt in them, or if there is, that it is to be made light of. You must observe this not only in your public works but also in your intimate thoughts, nor should you judge that an improper thought displeases God less than a reproachable deed displeases men.(4) Accordingly, as the spouses of carnal men detest external foulness and strive to please by the beauty of their bodies and the appropriateness of their dress, in the same way the spiritual spouses of the King of kings,(5) the Son of God, should abhor inner impurity and continually strive to please him by the beauty of their minds and the ornaments of their virtues. Indeed, beauty of mind and nourishment of virtues is purity of heart, to which the sight of God(6) is particularly promised, and nobody is led to this purity without a watchful guard over his heart. For this reason it is written: "keep your heart wilh all vigilance."(7) With regard to this vigilance, the most appropriate and efficacious advice insofar as it depends on human effort, after the grace of God, is this: as long as you are awake, keep your heart busy always and everywhere with reading or prayer or the psalms or some useful reflection or intention. You, lady abbess, I beg as mother, I advise as sister, I exhort as friend, and command as dearest daughter to display obedience that is holy and pleasing to God(8) with all generosity, as is fitting, to the venerable bishop Osmund(9) and strive in the charity of Christ to gain his affection and intimate friendship as well as his advice and assistance in both corporal and spiritual affairs and to show the same towards him as far as you are able. May the almighty Lord, your Spouse, always be your guardian. Amen.(10)

Original letter:

Anselmus, vocatus archiepiscopus Cantuariae: sororibus et filiabus carissimis, reverendae abbatissae Wiltoniensi Mathildae et aliis ancillis dei sub illa commanentibus, electo sponso Christo semper placere. Gratias ago sanctitati vestrae quia, sicut audio, pro me assidue orare non cessat, et precor supplex ut quod caritative incepit, perseveranter faciat, donec appareat quid divina dispositio de me intendat. Quatenus vestris orationibus exoratus deus mihi tribulationibus meis sit clementior, et vobis pro impensa caritate sit benignior. Praeterea et officium mihi iniunctum a me exigit, et dilectio quam in vobis erga me sentio me invitat, et caritas qua vos diligo mihi persuadet, ut vestrum sanctum studium ac propositum mea exhortetur commonitio semper ad meliora proficere et numquam ab iis, ad quae gratia dei adiuvante attigistis, negligentia vestra gravante deficere. Quod utique efficaciter implere potentis, si illud considerantes quod scriptum est: 'qui modica despicit, paulatim decidit'; et: 'qui timet deum, nihil negligit,' etiam minima ordinis vestri non neglexeritis. Tanto enim vigilantius a minimis excessibus debemus cavere, quanto eos frequentius cognoscimus se nobis ingerere, et quanto callidius deceptor noster nullam in eis esse culpam, aut contemnendam, si qua est, nititur nobis persuadere. Quod non solum in exterioribus operibus, sed etiam in intimis cogitationibus debetis servare; nec minus deo displicere indecentem cogitationem quam hominibus reprobandam actionem debetis iudicare. Denique sicut sponsae carnalium virorum exteriorem foeditatem execrantes, per pulchritudinem carnis et vestium aptitudinem student placere: ita sponsae spirituales regis regum, filii dei, foeditatem interiorem detestantes, per mentis pulchritudinem et ornarnenta virtutum ut illi placeant semper debent studere. Pulchritudo certe mentis et nutrimentum virtutum est cordis munditia, cui visio dei specialiter promittitur, ad quam munditiam nullus nisi per magnam cordis custodiam perducitur. Unde scriptum est: 'Omni custodia serva cor tuum.' Ad quam custodiam post gratiam dei — quantum ad humanum studium pertinet — hoc est singulare et efficacius consilium, ut semper cor vestrurn et ubique, quamdiu vigilatis, aut lectione aut oratione aut psalmis aut aliqua utili cogitatione sive intentione sit occupatum. Vos, domina abbatissa, precor ut matrem, moneo ut sororem, hortor ut amicam, praecipio ut filiae carissimae, quatenus reverendo episcopo Osmundo omni benignitate sanctam et deo placitam oboedientiam sicut decet exhibeatis, et eius dilectionem et familiarem amicitiam atque consilium et auxilium et in corporalibus et in spiritualibus habere et illi, quod ex vobis est, exhibere in Christi caritale studeatis. Omnipotens dominus, sponsus vester, sit semper custos vester. Amen.

Historical context:

Archbishop Anselm thanks the abbess and her nuns for their prayers, and gives them spiritual advice, particularly attention to their rule, purity of heart, and obedience to the bishop.

Scholarly notes:

(1) See Epp 168, 169, 177. (2) 2. Sir 19:1. (3) Qo 7:18. (4) The same exhortation as in Ep 183. (5) 1 Tm 6:15. (6) See Mt 5:8. (7) Pr 4:23. (8) See Rm 12:1. (9) See Ep 177. (10) 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.185, 4.69-70; translation and annotation from The Letters of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, trans. Walter Frohlich, Cistercian Studies 97, 3v (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990-94), 2.105-06.(!10)

Date:

1094