Letter CCCXC. To Eskilus, Archbishop op Lund, and Legate of the Apostolic See in Denmark and Sweden

[Formerly No. 314: the former No. 390 is now No. 375] (A- R- u52)-

Bernard declares himself humbly grateful for his friendship, and offers his own in return.

To his very dear lord and father, Eskilus, by the grace of God, Archbishop of Lund, c Brother Bernard, called Abbot¹²³ of Clairvaux, health in Him who is truly our Saviour.

1. I have received your letter and greeting, or rather the assurance of your heartfelt affection towards me as gladly, as I return a similar affection towards you. I cannot read the account of all your troubles, without sharing them as if they were my own: nor am I able, very dear father, to see you grieved without myself grieving, nor to hear of your troubles and anxieties without being also troubled and anxious. Whatever disturbs your heart touches and pains mine: and the enemies of your peace trouble not you only, but me also. For, all the thought and affection which friends owe to each other in absence, I consider that I owe to you, and you to me. I am bold in thus expressing myself, but I am sincere: and to this boldness the condescension of your Greatness has compelled me. When, without that, should I have thus presumed? or being a poor and humble Religious, have dared to hope for the friendship of a man so highly placed? But if I cannot repay you wholly, I am not without one who will undertake my debt; for the Lord will repay for me (Ps. cxxxviii. 8); the Lord, I say, in whom and for whose sake you have embraced me with such warm and devoted friendship. Blessed be thy holy Angel, who has suggested that to thy pious heart; blessed be our God, who has given the suggestion good effect. I am honoured by the privilege of your friendship: I have been refreshed by the abundance of your kind messages delivered to me also by my very dear brother, your son William: your messenger, as by your letter and by those also who proceed from your country to ours, and from this country to you 2 Would that it were given to me to say these t mgs to you by word of mouth instead of writing them for thus I should be much better able to express my feelings towards you. The word spoken is certainly more welcome than the word written; the tongue better able to express the sentiments of the soul than the fingers to write them. For the eye of the speaker wins acceptance for his words and the countenance would express the disposition of the heart better than the fingers. But since I am at a distance from you, and not able to speak, for myself, I do so as well as I can by means of a letter, which is the next bes mode of communication. I have received your messenger with great pleasure, and have supported your business with all the credit that I have with my lord, the Pope.

As regards the secret purpose J which your heart so ardently nourishes, William, your devoted servant in the ' See Ep. 280. n. 4-.. n -r 2 He had the design of taking the monastic habit at Clair vaux S. Bernard was still living when Eskilus paid a visit Clairvaux. See Life of S. Bernard. B. iv. C. 4- No. 5 “dww, where there is also mention of two monasteries founded by this prelate. Peter of Celles (B. vu, Ep. 1 7) congratulated him on having succeeded in his purpose. It was in 1178 that finally became a monk at Clairvaux, where he passed ir 1 pious exercises the last five years of his life, and died there in bowels of Jesus Christ, will tell you what I think of it: I have placed my words in his mouth, and you may listen to what he says respecting it as to myself.

Alas! I am obliged to close, and cannot write further. The hard duties of the day summon me, a crowd of visitors requires my presence, and Tam enforced to break off abruptly my letter rather than to finish it. But although they prevent me from writing to you at the length I could wish, they cannot make my affection for you any less; I cannot express it at leisure, but I feel it just as strongly. My heart is always with you, although my time is employed elsewhere; and it will be with you always, most reverend and pious father, who art the object of my entire friendship.

Footnotes

1. See Ep. 388, 5’ c ↩

2. This postcript is added by Nicholas, secretary to S. Bernard, on his own account. ↩

3. Dacia et Suecia. But read Dama et Suedia (.). Lund was the metropolitan See of Denmark, of which Eskilus was Archbishop. This prelate received many letters from Peter of Celles, who at his request, sent Carthusian monks into Denmark, and who praises him (B. 1. cpbecae by his means “ the Order of Citeaux or Clairvaux, and also that of Premontre, entered those countries not only in the blade, but in the ear, and that great increase of their brethren took place there. I find that Eskilus was not only Archbishop of Lund in Denmark, but also Primate of Sweden by a decree of Pope Adrian IV. He came from Denmark to Clairvaux to visit S. Bernard. (Mabillons Note). It may not be superfluous to add to the above that Lund (Londmum GothoriLm) is actually in Gothland, a province of Sweden, but which was long the chief seat and the capital of the Danish power in Scandinavia, and thence said to be in Denmark. The metropolitan power of the See extended over all Sweden, Norway and Denmark: but this dates from 1104. Pope Adrian IV. (Nicholas Brakespeare, the only English Pope) sat only from A. D. 1154 to A. D. 1159. (E.) ↩