Letter 19: Hildegard to Heinrich, Archbishop of Mainz
The Letters of Hildegard of Bin gen accede to these requests, you will know our gratitude from now on in even greater measure than you have known it so far; but if not, we will issue the same command to you again in even stronger terms, and we will not leave off until you fulfill our commands in this matter."
Note 1. The nun Richardis. See Letter 4, Headnote, and, especially, Letter 12, Headnote.
18r Hildegard to Heinrich, Archbishop of Mainz
In response to Heinrich, Hildegard rejects his authority to command her on this issue. Citing the divine inspiration of the Living Light, she stoutly defends her decision to refuse permission for Richardis to leave, harshly charging those who oppose her with simony and willful disregard of God's will.
The Bright Fountain, truthful and just, says, These legal pretexts brought forward to establish authority over this girl have no weight in God's eyes, for I— high, deep, all-encompassing, a descending light—neither initiated nor wanted them. Rather, they have been manufactured in the conniving audacity of ignorant hearts." Let all the faithful hear these things with the open ears of their hearts, and not with the outward ears, like a beast which hears the sound, but not the meaning of a single word. The Spirit of God says earnestly: O shepherds, wail and mourn over the present time, because you do not know what you are doing when you sweep aside the duties established by God in favor of opportunities for money1 and the foolishness of wicked men who do not fear
God.
And so your malicious curses and threatening words are not to be obeyed.
You have raised up your rods of punishment arrogantly, not to serve God, but to gratify your own perverted will.
Note 1. Note the suggestion of simony once again with respect to Richardis's election.