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A letter from Hildebert, bishop of Lavardin (1100-1118)

Sender

Hildebert, bishop of Lavardin

Receiver

Matilda of Scotland, queen of the English

Translated letter:

Among the wealth and delights and favors of the people, let the spirit take this in, let your tongue sound this. Death equates the lord to the servant, the scepter to the bonds, drawing the dissimilar to a similar condition.

Original letter:

Inter opes et delicias populique favores hoc animus recolat, hoc tua lingua sonet. mors dominum servo, mors sceptra ligonibus equat, dissimiles simili conditione trahens.

Historical context:

A short moral lesson.

Printed source:

A.B.Scott, Hildeberti Carmina Minora (Leipzig: Teubner, 1969), 4

Date:

1100-1118