A letter from Ivo of Chartres (1109)

Translated letter:

Ivo, by the grace of God minister of the church of Chartres, to Adela, excellent countess, greetings and service. The abbot of the monastery of Bonneval and the congregation entrusted to him assail the ears of God and men with tearful and wretched clamors, complaining you are are unjustly persecuting them and the men under their jurisdiction because of the killing of Hugo the Black, and that you impose oppressive dues on them against the privileges and established practices of your predecessors, to the extent that you leave them no opportunity for mercy or for judgment from you. Hearing that I cannot fail to sigh with their sighs, I who ought to rejoice in their prosperity and grieve in their tribulations. Wherefore by admonishing I ask and by asking I admonish that you temper your menacing severity with discerning counsel, lest the Lord’s flock be dispersed by the storm of unaccustomed tribulation and religious life, which has flourished again in these times be diminished or altogether destroyed. Furthermore you should reflect upon your salvation and your reputation, lest it be seen as vain that you sustain with your gifts and enrich in whatever ways you can monasteries which are not under your jurisdiction while you impoverish and subjugate with virtually servile oppression those [monasteries] which are under your jurisdiction. Whence to prevent these things from reaching the ears of many and greatly detracting from your reputation and your salvation alike, I admonish you again just as I have done before that you act more mildly, lest your unaccustomed and intolerable severity be an example to your posterity and an eternal sin for you. Indeed you should fear lest the sighs of God’s servants reach His ears and those who do not find mercy from you will close the door of mercy on you. For as those who are oppressed by you say, they will continuously fill the ears of God with their sighs and daily [fill] the ears of God’s people daily nearby as well as far away with their complaints, until the Lord command the winds and the sea and their surges are brought to rest. Because this matter is potentially dangerous and ignominious for you, may the Lord grant you the spirit of wise counsel so that you choose what is better and flee from what is dangerous. Fare well.

Original letter:

Ivo, Dei gratia Carnotensis Ecclesiae minister, Adelae, excellenti comitissae, salutem et servitium. Abbas Bonevallensis monasterii, et congregatio sibi commissa lacrymosis et miserabilibus clamoribus aures Dei et hominum pulsant, conquerentes quod propter interfectionem Hugonis Nigri, injuste eos et homines sui juris vexatis, et angarias contra privilegia et instituta praedecessorum vestrorum super eos faciatis [al. facitis], in tantum ut nec misericordiae nec judicio apud vos eis locum relinquatis [relinquitis]. Quod ego audiens non possum non ingemiscere gemitibus eorum, qui et in prosperis debeo eis congaudere, et in tribulationibus condolere. Unde monendo rogo, et rogando moneo, ut severitatem intentatam prudenti et discreto consilio temperetis, ne grex Dominicus insolitae tribulationis tempestate dispergatur, et religio quae istis temporibus refloruerat, aut minuatur aut omnino ad nihilum redigatur. Praeterea debetis consulere saluti vestrae et famae vestrae, ne vanum videatur quod monasteria quae non sunt juris vestri, muneribus vestris sustentatis, et quibus modis potestis ampliatis, ea autem quae vestri juris sunt, minuitis et quasi servili oppressione subjugatis. Unde, ne ista ad aures multotum perveniant, et famae vestrae; sicut saluti, plurimum detrahant, sicut monui iterum moneo, ut mitius agatis, ne insolita et intolerabilis severitas posteris vestris sit in exemplum, et vobis in peccatum aeternum [al. sempiternum, ita ms. c.]. Timendum est enim vobis ne gemitus servorum Dei ad aures ejus perveniant,et qui apud vos misericordiam non inveniunt misericordiae vobis januam claudant. Sicut enim ipsi dicunt qui a vobis opprimuntur, continuo gemitu Dei aures implebunt, et quotidiana conquestione aures populi Dei tam in vicinis quam in remotis locis, donec Dominus imperet ventis et mari, et quiescant fluctus ejus. Quod quia periculosum est vobis et ignominiosum, det vobis Dominus spiritum consilii, ut meliora eligatis, et quae sunt periculosa fugiatis. Valete.

Historical context:

Ivo discusses a dispute between Adela and the monks of Bonneval, caused by the monks’ men killing one of Adela’s vassals. Adela did renounce the tallage she had imposed and explained her action in the preamble to a charter, see summary of that preamble in her letter to the monks of Bonneval.  See LoPrete, Adela, 262-63 and 486-87, #79. LoPrete notes that Ivo is studiously vague about the monks' murder of her man and stresses the lack of due process.

Printed source:

PL162 ep.187 c190

Date:

1109?