Letter CCCXX. To Alexander, Prior of Fountains, and to his Brethren at the Same Place

(A.D. 1138.)'

Bernard urges upon him that the election of a new Abbot should be made with unanimous accord.¹

To his most dear brethren in Christ, ALEXANDER, the Prior, and the whole community of Fountains, Brother BERNARD, called Abbot of Clairvaux, health and his humble prayers.

1. Your venerable Father has perfected his course in a blessed end, and has fallen asleep in the Lord. But I, as at all times I think of you with the anxious care and tenderness of a father, so am specially careful on your² accoun³ at the present time, when this great necessity lies upon you. Wherefore, also, I should have sent to you long since if I had not been waiting to do so with more fitness and advantage when the venerable Abbot Henry⁴ had terminated certain affairs which had hindered him from coming sooner. It is upon him that I had reckoned from the beginning as being most worthy of this mission, and most suited to acquit himself of it well. Him, therefore, dearly beloved brethren, receive with that honour and affection of which he is worthy, and listen to him in all things as to myself; and, indeed, much more, as he excels me both in prudence and merit. I have given to him full powers, whether for the election of your Abbot, or for making ordinances, or for introducing reforms which he may think good to do into your house, and into those'2 which depend upon it. I have given him for travelling companion Brother William, who is my very dear son.

2. And now I entreat you, as my beloved sons, to be all of one mind in the election of your new Abbot; that there may be no divisions among you, but that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God. For He is not a God of dissension, but of peace. Wherefore, also, it is in peace that His abode is placed, and He says, He who gathereth not with me scattereth (S. Luke xi. 23). Let this be far from those who dwell in the school of Christ, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, nor let them give opportunity to the enemy to rejoice in glory over their dissension. For by this they both put their own souls in peril, lose the entire fruit of their penitence, endanger the good repute of our Order, and cause the name of Christ to be blasphemed on account of those by whom it should be most glorified. On the contrary, choose with-one voice for yourselves, as becomes saints and servants of Christ, and as I fully trust that you will do, a fit pastor over your souls, in company with the venerable Abbots of Rievaulx and of Vauclair, whose advice I wish you to follow in all things as my own.

Footnotes

1. He was brother of Richard, second Abbot of that name, of the Abbey of Fountains, in England. He came to end his days in peace at Clairvaux (Serin, Monast. Anglican. V. i. p. 854, where he is speaking of Kirkstall Abbey, or MountS. Mary, in the neighbourhood of York). Of this place Alexander was instituted as first Abbot in 1 147, Henry Murdach, to whom the following Letter is addressed, being then Archbishop. Another Alexander, also an Englishman, was Abbot of Fontaines, in the Diocese of Tours. Respecting Fountains Abbey in England, see on Letters 235 and 252. ↩

2. Formerly No. 381; the former No. 32013 now 317. ↩

3. Upon Fountains Abbey depended Newminster, in the Diocese of Carlisle; Kirkstall and Louth Park in that of Lincoln. ↩

4. Henry Murdach, then Abbot of Vauclair. The following Letter is addressed to him; he was then occupied with a controversy, which grew very hot, between the monks of Vauclair and Cuissy (See Herman de Laon, Hook iii. c. 16). Henry had for his opponent in this discussion Luke, the Abbot of Cuissy, to whom Letter 79 is addressed. ↩