Letter CDLXII. To Pope Innocent

(A. D. 1139).

He defends the testimony he has given respecting the election at Lyons.¹

I 77 To his very dear father and Lord, Innocent, by the grace of God, Supreme Pontiff, B(ernard), called Abbot of Clairvaux, sends his humble greeting.

If in the testimony which I gave respecting the Archbishop of Lyons, I have lied unto my lord, God forbid that I should do so knowingly. But if I have been deceived in the matter, how many persons there are who are either deceived with me or deceiving me! And that which above all, renders 1 me excusable, is that the Religious themselves who are very near neighbours of the man, and to whom he is exceedingly well known, are nevertheless either deceiving me or themselves deceived. And finally, that both his election w'as unanimously agreed to by the whole clergy and people, and his consecration solemnly performed by the provincial Bishops, is shown by the fact, that not an enemy appeared to open his mouth and object. What is the use now of objections coming forward so late? If they are. people from a distance, they could not know the man as well as his neighbours do: but if they are neighbours, they should have objected before. All the proceedings respecting that man were carried though as I said, deliberately and formally, and nothing was done in secret. Which is the more credible, that a few calumniators have lied respecting a man whom they hate, or that the whole body of the electors, or I should say, the Holy Ghost, who has caused so many of the faithful to be of one mind in electing this man? Let the person who has vainly endeavoured to persuade you of the contrary, bring forward proof of his statements. If he fails to do this, what else can I think about him, than that an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things (S. Matt. xii. 35). Let him see to 1 (redit). it that this threatening does not touch him: He who gathered! not with me, scattereth abroad (S. Luke xi. 23). But I have confidence in the successor of the first pastor, that because he fears and loves Him who is the Gatherer, he will not feel able longer to give heed to a disperser.

I remember that in writing to your Holiness, I commended the person of our Archbishop, nor am I ashamed of having done so. For I have almost as many witnesses in favour of my testimony as there are people who know him. And if I commended his election as having been rightly made, I Commended that which the entire body of electors with one voice authenticated.

But if the popular judgment should appear not to be regarded, yet the opinion of Religious men should, if it seems good to you, be asked for. If neither do they differ, then I judge it to be clear that you should determine judicially which of two things it becomes you to approve: namely, the opinion of all, or the delivering of the man to the will of his enemies.

Footnotes

1. See Letters 165, 171-173- The testimonial which S. Bernard refers to as having been given by himself is evidently that in Ep. 171. Not long after the disputed election to the See of Langres, mentioned in the last letter, died the Archbishop Peter of Lyons who had been opposed to S. Bernard m that matter. He was succeeded by the Dean of Lyons, Falco, who had been on the contrary the chief supporter of Bernard, and the Prior of Clairvaux, Geoffrey, then Bishop of Langres (Ep. 165). But his election being disputed, Geoffrey in his turn wrote to the Pope (Ep. 172), using, however, the practised pen of Bernard, to recommend him, and ask for him the grant of the pallium. ↩