Letter CCCI. To Sanchia, Sister of the Emperor of Spain

(Circa A.I). 1149.)

He begs her to use tier influence to close a controversy which had arisen with some other monks about the reception of a certain moncisterv amonv them.

1. As relates to the reception of the monastery of Tholdanos, you know that what has been done was not done by¹ me, since I was absent and knew nothing of what was going on. That it was done by my brethren I do not deny, but they took care to surround it in every respect with precau tions, taking the advice of many persons of piety, assuring themselves of the consent and assistance of the Bishop of the Diocese, and having acted only on the request of a noble lady who had founded that house upon her own lands; and in no respect was it done secretly. They supposed that they were able to accept freely what the foundress offered to them spontaneously, declaring it free and inde pendent of any other religious house, and it was even said that she had the written proofs of his in her hands. But as you inform me that the monks of Caracetta complain that in this matter their rights have been injured, and as, instead of following the advice of Solomon, who says to them, Do not hinder him who desires to do well, and do well thyself if thou art able (Prov. iii. 27), they opposed themselves under these circumstances to us in this good work, and since it does not become the servants of God to strive (2 Tim. ii. 24), my conclusion is to put back the whole matter into your hands, that you may set at rest, by your action and authority, a calumny altogether, as they say, unfounded and unjust, and that for the glory of God and the health of your own soul you may restore calm and peace to an Order established in the Church.

2. For my brother Nivard, who praises your bounty much, advises me to put entire confidence in you on this occasion, as well, because of your especial goodwill for our Order, as because of the promise which you have had the goodness to make to him. I cannot suppose that our opponents will refuse to submit themselves to your salutary warnings or advice. If, however, they should do so it will be necessary to commit the judgment in this matter to the two Bishops in whose dioceses the places in question are situated, so that the whole controversy between them may be terminated. Whatsoever they shall have determined or agreed upon by mutual consent it will be your part to ratify and see executed. If you fear God, do not suffer that so good a work should be hindered, nor that the wish of that pious lady should be frustrated, nor that those religious should be deprived of the fruit of their devotion, nor finally, that God should be defrauded of an offering so acceptable to Him as that of an Order reformed.²

I entreat you also to show your maternal affection for your new foundation. I mean the house of Espina. Let those brethren, sustained by your generosity, continue in the service of God according to the Rule of their Order.

Footnotes

1. This was Alfonso of Castile and Leon, King- or Emperor, for the Kings of that date loved to be honoured with the latter title. He was frequently called " the Good "; Sanchia, his sister, was much attracted towards S. Bernard, and. had founded in i 147 in the Diocese of Palencia a Cistercian monastery called S. Peter d'Espina. S. Bernard sent thither a colony of monks under the charge of his brother Nivard. A little time afterwards the black monks of the monastery of Tholdanos, in the kingdom of Leon, recently founded by the Infanta Elvira, detached themselves from the monks of Caracetta, upon which they were dependent, and put themselves under the authority of the Cistercians. Immediately the monks of Caracetta protested, and begged Sanchia to use all her influence with S. Bernard. What was the issue of this affair will be seen from an ancient document which Manrique has published in his Annals under the year 1148, c. 8. It reads thus: "After the death of Dom Klorentius, the Abbot Ferdinand, Abbot of Tholdanos, declared himself without reason against the Convent of Caracetta, and led by a spirit of rebellion, betook him self to the house of Clairvaux. The Lady Sanchia, the Queen, who held the monastery of Caracetta in much affection, was displeased a4 this, and wrote to the Abbot and community of Clairvaux not to receive the before-mentioned Abbot in an illicit manner. The Abbot of Clairvaux yielded to the wishes of the Queen, refuse.! to receive the Abbot Ferdinand, unless he should obtain the licence of the Abbot of Caracetta (for his admission. As he was never able to obtain this he died without being a monk either at Clairvaux or Caracetta." Nevertheless, some years afterwards this monastery passed under the rule of Ctteaux. VOL. 11. 52 ↩

2. Lambert Deschamps, author of the edition of 1520, remarks in the margin upon this passage " that even in the time of S. Bernard mention was made of a reform of the monasteries." ↩