A letter from Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury (1106-07)

Translated letter:

To Matilda, his dearest Lady and daughter by the grace of God glorious Queen of the English: Anselm, the Archbishop, sending faithful prayers with faithful service and wishing her always to rejoice in the grace of God in this life and in the life to come. The bearer of this letter brought me your seal with a letter from you. This indicated to me that you wish his disgrace to be driven from him by the testimony of my letter because of a certain act of expiation he had made, and that through my intercession he might regain from my lord the King what he had lost on the King's order. I ought not, nor do I wish to disregard your will, but I am certain about the benevolence of your Highness, that you do not wish me to act otherwise than is fitting for me. Your prudence knows that it is not for me to give testimony about matters I have neither seen nor heard, but that it is for those who have seen. Nor is it for me to intercede for someone whose life and character I know nothing about, so that he may recover what he had lost by royal command. Therefore I pray that the benevolence of your Highness may not be displeased that I hesitate to do anything which I perceive not mine to do. May almighty God always protect and guide you with his blessing. Amen.

Original letter:

MATHILDI, dominae et filiae carissimae, gratia dei gloriosae reginae Anglorum: ANSELMUS archiepiscopus cum fideli servitio fideles orationes, et gratia dei in hac vita et in futura semper gaudere. 
Lator praesentium detulit mihi sigillum vestrum cum litteris ex vestra parte, quae mihi significabant vos velle, ut eius infamia mearum litterarum testimonio propelleretur, propter quandam purgationem quam fecerat, et ut mea intercessione a domino meo rege recuperaret quod eius iussione perdiderat. 
Voluntatem quidem vestram nec debeo nec volo contemnere; sed certus sum de benignitate celsitudinis vestrae, quia vos non vultis me aliter quicquam quam oportet facere. Scit utique prudentia vestra quia non pertinet ad me testimonium perhibere de iis, quae nec vidi nec audivi, sed ad eos qui viderunt; nec meum est pro eo, cuius vitam et mores ignoro, intercedere, ut ea quae iussione regia perdiderat  recuperet. Precor itaque ut benignae celsitudini vestrae non displiceat quia dubito facere, quod intelligo ad me non pertinere. 
Omnipotens deus sua vos benedictione assidue protegat et dirigat. 
Amen. 

Historical context:

The letter, written after Anselm's return, when he clearly wants to avoid unnecessary trouble with the king, testifies both to Anselm's rigid sense of propriety in his position, and to his confidence that his friendship with the queen can withstand refused requests. This letter can be dated by its position in ms L.

Scholarly notes:

(1) Matilda's letter is not preserved.
(2) This is the last letter from Anselm to Queen Matilda that has been preserved. On their relationship and correspondance see Southern, Anselm, 182-193.
(3) 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.406, 5.351. The translation from The Letters of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, trans. Walter Froehlich, Cistercian Studies 142 (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990-94), 3.172-73. 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.

Date:

1106-07