Letter CCCIX. To Pope Eugenius

(A.D. 1153.)

He praises Abbot Suger and recommends his deputies to the Pope.¹

To his very dear father and lord EUGENIUS, by the grace of God supreme Pontiff, Brother BERNARD, called Abbot of Clairvaux, wishes health and offers his humble homage.

If in our Gallican Church there is any vessel capable of doing honour to the palace of the Great King; if the Lord counts among us a second David, coming in and going out at His command (1 Sam. xxii. 14); in my judgment it is no other than the venerable Abbot of S. Denys. I know that great man perfectly; if he is faithful and prudent in temporal things he is not less fervent and humble in spiritual things; and is equally without blame (which is a very difficult thing indeed) in the management of both. Before the King he behaves as one of the Court of Rome, and when in the church before God as one of the Court of Heaven. I request and entreat you to receive kindly the messages of so good a man, and to reply to him as becomes you, and as he is worthy of receiving, in good and friendly words, full of familiarity and affection, of goodness and favour; for you may be quite sure that to show special love and honour to his person is a sure means of doing honour to your own office and ministry.

Footnotes

1. This Letter is numbered 361 in the Royal Edition; Duchesne has placed it at the head of the Letters of Suger, where is added also the reply of Eugenius. See Letter 7 of that Collection. ↩