Letter CCCXVII. To his Prior, Godfrey

(A.IX n38.)

The schism being extinct and peace concluded, Bernard announces to him his return with the least possible tie I ay.¹²

To Brother GODFREY, Brother BERNARD health.

On the very day of the octave of Pentecost, God has filled up the cup of my desire in giving unity to the Church and peace to Rome. On that day all the supporters of Peter Leonis came to prostrate themselves together at the feet of the Pope, and to take an oath of fidelity to him, and become his liege men. The schismatic clergy also, together with the idol³ whom they had set up, knelt at the feet of the lord Pope to promise him obedience with all the formalities, and there was great joy among the people. For some time past I felt certain that events would not long delay to take this turn; it is that which has kept me so long here, and if it had been otherwise I should long since have returned to you. At present there is nothing to detain me here. I am doing what you have earnestly urged upon me; I am turning "I will come," into "I come." For behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, the victory of Christ and the peace of the Church. The messenger whom I sent to you left Rome on the Friday after that day. Therefore, when I return I shall come with gladness bearing sheaves of peace. These are, indeed, pleasant words, but the facts are still pleasanter. So pleasant are they and glorious that whosoever does not rejoice in them must be either foolish or wicked. Farewell.

Footnotes

1. Formerly No. 320; the former No. 317 is now No. 357. ↩

2. In Letter 142 Bernard calls him very dear. He afterwards became Bishop of Langres, as we have seen upon Letter 364. Pe'rard has preserved his Letter on p. 122; in the year 41 he completed the second year of his Episcopate. ↩

3. This was the anti-Pope Victor, whom the party of Anacletus had chosen as his successor. ↩