Letter XLIX. To the Lord Pope Honorius, on Behalf of Henry, Archbishop of Sens

(A.D. 1128.)

To the Supreme Pontiff, HONORIUS, his servants and sons (if we are worthy to be so called), STEPHEN of Citeaux, HUGO of Pontigny, BERNARD of Clairvaux, health and their best prayers for their most reverend lord and kind father.

Though dwelling in monasteries, to the shelter of which our sins have driven us, we do not cease to pray for you and for the Church of God committed to your charge, and share the rejoicing both of the Spouse of the Lord over so faithful a guardian, and of the friend of the Bridegroom over labouring so abundantly for her. In faith and truth we make known to you, holy Father, the evils to which we see with grief our Mother, the Church, exposed in this realm. As far as we, being on the spot, are able to judge, King Louis is hostile not so much to Bishops, as to any zeal for justice, practice of piety, and even religious living in the Bishops. That this is the fact the penetration of your Holiness will easily infer from this, that the very men who previously in secular life were highly honoured by him, judged faithful, regarded as familiar friends, are now treated as enemies, because they behave worthily in the priesthood and honour their ministry in all things. This is the cause of the insults and injuries with which the Bishop of Paris, though innocent, has been attacked, yet he has not been crushed, because the Lord arrested the King's hand when he opposed yours. Hence, also now he endeavours to weary and break down the constancy of the Archbishop of Sens, so that when the Metropolitan is vanquished (which may God forbid) he may easily, as he supposes, prevail over all the suffragans. Finally, who doubts that what he really wishes to attack is religion, which he looks upon openly as the destruction of his realm and the enemy of his crown? Another Herod holds Christ in suspicion, but it is Christ no longer in the cradle, but triumphant in the Churches, who is obnoxious to him. Nor do we think that his hostility to the archbishop has any other object than this, that he strives to extinguish¹ in him, as in others, the spirit with which he is animated. Finally, if we are thought to be deceiving you, or to be ourselves deceived about these matters to which we bear witness, we desire that you will examine into them yourself as quickly as possible, so that (which we vehemently desire and suppliantly entreat) judgment may come forth from your presence, most holy Father, and in it we have no doubt that you will seek equity and protect innocence. But that the cause should be brought back into the presence and under the power of the King is plainly nothing else than that the just should be delivered into the hands of his enemies.