61. To Matilda, Queen of the English

To his lady and dearest daughter, Matilda, by the grace of God illustrious Queen of the English, Anselm the archbishop presents his faithful service and prayers; — may you by God's grace rejoice always in this life and in the next.

The bearer of this brought me your seal, and a letter from you which informed me that you desire his disgrace should be removed on the strength of a letter from me, because of a certain justification he has pleaded, and that through my intercession he should recover from my lord the king what he had by the king's command lost. I neither ought, nor wish, to despise your expressed desire; but I am quite certain of the kindness of your highness, and that you would not wish me to act otherwise than as I ought. For your prudence knows that it belongs not to me to bear witness to what I neither heard nor saw; but to those who did witness it: nor is it my part to intercede for him whose life and character I know nothing about, in order that he may regain that which by royal command he lost. Therefore I beg that your highness' kind heart may not take offence because I hesitate to do that which I perceive to be no part of my duty. May Almighty God by His blessing continually protect and guide you. Amen.