A letter from Ivo, bishop of Chartres (1100's)

Translated letter:

To Matilda, revered queen of the English, Ivo, humble minister of the church of Chartres, to hear the wisdom of Solomon to the ends of the earth. Since we know from your reputation that you are one of the prudent women, though we are physically far apart, the odor of good opinion has made you present to us and excited us to loving the charity which the bridegroom of chaste minds ordained in you. Wherefore we desire to deserve mutual love from your excellence which the queens of the Angles before your time showed in splendid memory of the queen of the angels, Mary, to the church which we though unworthy serve by God’s disposition. It is not unfitting to your religion and reputation if one whom you ought to love as a fellow man, you love with a certain privilege as a priest of Christ, more beloved in the manner of his Christian religion. Confident in this, we send to your liberality two of our canons who will tell you about the needs of our church and receive the favor God will inspire in your heart. I ask also that, in order to impress the memory of your excellence more sharply on my mind, you send a chausuble or some other priestly garment to my smallness which is fitting for a queen to give and a bishop to wear in celebration of the divine sacraments. Farewell.

Original letter:

Quoniam unam te esse de prudentibus mulieribus fama divulgante cognovimus, corpore longe positam, praesentem te nobis bonae opinionis odor exhibuit, et ad diligendam charitatem, quam in te castarum mentium sponsus ordinavit, excitavit. Unde a tua excellentia mutuam promereri cupimus dilectionem, quam propter praeclaram memoriam reginae Angelorum Mariae, Ecclesiae, cui auctore Deo, licet indigni, deservimus, ante tua tempora exhibuerunt reginae Anglorum. Nec indecens est religioni et famae tuae, si quem diligere debes communi sorte ut hominem, quodam privilegio diligas ut Christi sacerdotem, et Christianae religionis pro suo modulo dilectorem. Hac itaque confidentia transmisimus tuae liberalitati duos de canonicis nostris, qui necessitatem Ecclesiae nostrae tibi referant, et benedictionem quam cordi tuo Deus immiserit, sicut benedictionem accipiant. Peto etiam ut ad imprimendam arctius menti meae tuae excellentiae memoriam, poderem, vel aliquam aliam vestem sacerdotalem parvitati meae transmittas qualem deceat et reginam dare, et episcopum in celebratione divinorum sacramentorum induere. Valete.

Historical context:

Ivo was directly involved in creating the compromise which in 1105 enabled Matilda’s husband Henry to be reconciled with archbishop Anselm. Henry’s sister, the countess Adela of Blois, who was Ivo’s secular lord, arranged the meeting between Anselm and her brother. Some of Ivo’s letters were edited by Jean Leclerq (CFMA 22, Paris: Belles Lettres, 1949), but the volume that exists does not include Ivo’s letters to Matilda. In this one he asks her both to help his church and to send an ecclesiastical vestment.

Printed source:

PL162 ep.107 c125-26

Date:

1100's