A letter from Agnes of Assisi (1230)

Translated letter:

To her venerable mother and extraordinary lady in Christ, to be much loved, lady Clara, and her whole convent, Agnes, humble and least handmaid of Christ, herself with all subjection and devotion at her feet and whatever could be sweeter and more precious in the highest King. Since the fortune of all is created such that it can never remain in one state, therefore when one seems to be properous, one is plunged into adversity. Whence you should know, mother, that there is very great tribulation and immense sorrow in my flesh and spirit, and beyond manner heavier and more tortured I can scarcely speak, because I am separated in body from you and my other sisters with whom I believed I would live and die in this world. This tribulation has a beginning, but the end is not known; it never diminishes but always increases; it has newly arisen but does not tend to set; it is always next to me and never wants to be distanced from me. I believed that there would be one death and life on earth with whom there is one conversation and life in heaven, and one burial would enclose those with whom there is one equal nature. But, as I see, I am deceived, I am anguished, I am abandoned, I am distressed on all sides. Oh my best sisters, grieve with me, I beg, lament with me, lest you sometime suffer such things and "see that there is no sorrow like my sorrow" [Lam.1:12]. This grief always tortures me, this weariness always twists me, this ardor always burns me. Because of this my anguish is everywhere and I do not know what I should do. Help me, I ask you, with your pious prayers, that this tribulation may be tolerable and light for me. Oh sweetest mother and lady, what shall I do, what shall I say, since I do not hope to see you and my sisters again in the body. Oh if I could express the thought in my mind as I might wish! Oh if could open to you on this page the long sorrow I expect, which is always before me! My mind burns within and is tortured by infinite tribulations and fires. My heart moans within and my eyes do not stop pouring out rivers of tears. I am filled with sadness and without spirit I am altogether wasted away. I do not find consolation although I seek it, I conceive one sorrow upon another, I think in my heart that I can never expect to see you and my sisters; in such torment I lose heart completely. In one way, "there is none to console me from all those dear to me," [Lam.1:2]. In another, I am much consoled and you can rejoice with me that I have found great harmony not schism/conflict, beyond what could be believed and all received me with great happiness and joy and promised me obedience most devoutly with reverence. They all commend themselves to God and you and your convent, and I commend myself and them in all things and for all things to you, that you wish to have solicitous care for me and them, like your sisters and daughters, knowing that I and they wish to follow your counsel and precepts at all times inviolate. You should know that the lord Pope has satisfied me and you, as I said, in all things and for all things according to your intention and mine about the cause which you know, namely property(1). I pray that you ask brother Elias that he visit me often and console me very often in the Lord.

Original letter:

Venerabili suae matri et dominae in Christo eximiae, praeamandae dominae Clarae et eiusdem universo conventui Agnes, humilis Christi ancilla et minima, se ipsam cum omni subiectione et devotione ad pedes et quidquid dulcius et pretiosius in summo altissimo Rege potest. Quoniam omnium fortuna taliter est creata, quod nunquam in eodem statu permanere potest, ideo, quando aliquis arbitratur, se esse in prosperis, tunc mergitur in adversis. Unde sciatis, mater, quod maxima tribulatio et immensa tristitia carni et spiritui meo est [c. II.], et supra modum gravor et crucior et fere loqui non valeo, eo quod a vobis el ab aliis sororibus meis separata sum corpore, cum quibus in hoc saeculo mori credebam et vivere. Haec tribulatio habet initium, sed ignorat finem; haec nunquam scit deficere, sed semper accipit incrementum; haec nuper mihi orta est, sed minime ad occasum tendit; haec semper mihi proxima est et a me nunquam desiderat elongari. Credebam, quod una esset mors et vita in terris quibus est una conversatio et vita in coelis, et una reconderet sepultura quibus una et aequalis est natura. Sed, ut video, decepta sum, angustiata sum, derelicta sum, tribulata ex omni parte sum. O sorores meae optimae, condolete mihi, quaeso, mecumque plangite, ne aliquando lalia patiamini, et videte, quia non est dolor sicut dolor meus. Hic dolor semper me cruciat, hic languor semper me torquet, hic ardor semper me urit. Propter hoc angustiae mihi sunt undique et quid eligam, ignoro. Adiuvate me, rogo, orationibus piis vestris, ut haec tribulatio tolerabilis mihi fiat et levis. 0 dulcissima mater et domina, quid faciam, quid dicam, quia vos et sorores meas amodo revidere corporaliter non spero. O si possem meae mentis conceptum exprimere, sicut vellem! O si dolorem longum, quem exspecto, qui ante me est semper, praesenti pagina vobis aperire possem! Ardet mens interius et infinitis tribulationibus et ignibus cruciatur. Gemit cor interius, et oculi non deficiunt rivos effundere lacrymarum. Moerore tota repleta sine spiritu tota iam penitus contabesco. Consolationem non invenio, quamvis quaeram, concipio dolorem super dolorem, cum corde meditor, quod sorores meas et vos nunquam videre exspecto; unde sub tali supplicio tota deficio. [f.56.r.c.I.] In hac parte non est qui consoletur me ex omnibus caris meis, ex alia parte consolor valde et vos potestis mihi inde congratulari: inveni concordiam magnam, non schismata, ultra quam credi possit; et omnes me cum iucunditate magna et gaudio susceperunt et devotissime cum reverentia mihi obedientiam promiserunt. Ipsae omnes recommendant se Deo et vobis ac conventui vestro, et ego me et ipsas in omnibus et per omnia recommendo vobis, ut sollicitam curam de me et ipsis quasi de vestris sororibus et filiabus habere velitis, scientes, me et ipsas cunctis temporibus vitae nostrae inviolata observare velle vestra monita et praecepta. Inter haec sciatis, quod dominus Papa satisfecit mihi, ut dixi, et vobis in omnibus et per omnia secundum intentionem vestram et meam de causa, quam scitis, de facto videlicet proprii. Precor, ut rogetis fratrem Heliam, quod debeat me visitare saepe saepius et in Domino consolari.

Historical context:

A younger sister of Clare, Catharine secretly followed her sister into the monastery to the fury of her family, which had arranged a marriage for her. She prevailed, however, and renamed Agnes by St. Francis, she was sent to be abbess of St. Mary of Monticello in Florence in about 1229. In this letter, written shortly thereafter, she reveals how much she misses her sister and the other nuns, despite the good reception she has found.

Scholarly notes:

(1) Agnes is referring to the privilege of poverty which Clare committed herself to but had to continually fight for. Gregory IX granted it in 1228, but the Rule that incorporated it as Clare wished was not approved until just before her death in 1253.

Printed source:

Chronica XXIV Generalium, Analecta Franciscana III, 173-82; Armstrong gives a translation, Clare of Assisi, 105-06.

Date:

1230