Letter 7: Hildegard to Bernard and Gregory, Cardinals
The Letters
depravity. Yet that part of the mountain mentioned before rises up in its integrity to resist the devil, burning in its secrets before God, having its best part in God, presenting a model of compassion. Still, the many temptations sent by the devil often sully the best part and that compassion. Many people, nevertheless, cross over and pursue true compassion, choosing the best part for themselves. Whence they are said to be sealed before God. And those who receive the seal of this part remain in it tenaciously, just as in their own baptism.
Thus it is that they do not descend to associate with those who do not have that seal, so that they will not become useless or foolish. Yet those who do not have the seal ascend to associate with that order and, therefore, are greatly multiplied in blessings. This is what the man girt with the golden sash stands for: he shows that: he is both God and man, Who rules both the sealed and the unsealed with his mighty arm. He protects the one group so that they may burn vigorously in him, casting aside the things of this world; and he covers the others with his mild arm so that, through divine protection, they may do good service by offering the light of truth to their neighbors.
Now, you who are the father of the people thoughtfully weigh these words which have been sent to you from the most high Judge for the sake of those who have gone astray. For pride always seeks to oppress humility. This is no more proper than if the moon sought to fight with the sun, seeking to make her brightness like his.
Notes 1. This rhetorical device of describing a building, or various rooms within a building, in moral terms seems almost habitual with Hildegard. It is, P. Dronke remarks
(Women Writers, p. 161), "something Hildegard had learnt from the second-century prophetic treatise Pastor Hermas."
2. It is unclear who the "sealed" represent, but see Letter 1 Sr where she speaks of the clergy as signati "sealed." Also see Scivias III.xii.4: "And some of them were sealed in the faith, but some, not. And so the conscience of those who have faith shine with the radiance of wisdom, hut the conscience of the others is black from their neglect. Thus they are clearly distinguished. For the former have fulfilled their faith with works, but the latter have extinguished it in themselves. Certain ones do not have the sign of faith, however, because they chose to know the true, living God neither in the old Law nor in the new
Grace."
Hildegard to Bernard and Gregory, Cardinals
This letter is addressed to Bernard of St. Clement and Gregory of St. Angeli, the two cardinal legates Pope F.ugenius sent to Germany to negotiate with Frederick
The Letters ofHildegard ofBingen Barbarossa over his tensions with Rome, especially his removal from office of "unsuitable" bishops, including Heinrich of Mainz, who is the real subject of this letter. See Letter 5, Headnote.
The Fountain of Waters cries out to you, his followers: In my powerful and eternal name, chastise and correct those wicked traitors and furtive opportunists who have been turned into lead through their twisted sins, those who are scattered from the north1 through the iniquities of the devil, and who maliciously strike out at their superiors through their great wickedness. Therefore, cast them out of their pastoral seat, which bears the penalty of dogs.2 For even though certain prelates walk in darkness because of the instability of their ways, it is still not proper for them to be cast down by subordinates.3
Therefore, look into these matters with a pure eye lest your own honor be tainted, for, in consequence, this reflects on Him, Who was, and is, upright and just in all His ways in all His servants and Who foresaw all these things before the foundation of time. May He who spurns neither the orphan nor the pauper make your eyes pure [cf. Ps 10.14], because you are the mountain of myrrh and incense [cf. Cant 4.6], towering over the valleys of the filthy pit.
Therefore, listen to Him Who is always watchful with living eyes and Who is not wearied by storms, the storms that are the portion of those who are like idols [cf. Ps 10.7], as if they were gods in their prosperity. Yet since you wish to be honored like a great mountain in the King's palace, spread abroad the justice of the Most High for His glory. This is your proper task, because of your illustrious name.
Now, therefore, look to the Fiery Giver who endows mankind with discernment. What person can pit his voice against that which thundered above the heavens and overcame the abyss, ornamenting it with the covering of maternal fruitfulness? And what wings of the winds in their swiftness can outrun that voice? Mankind's voice, after all, cannot make a small feather fly so that no sword can move against it.4
Now you, O emulators of the Most High, the Living Fountain cries out these things to you, because it is not fitting for you to have the eyes of the blind nor even a trace of the morals of vipers and the thievery of brigands, stripping bare the altar of God. Why, therefore, are you doing this? But because you are doing so, you are not able to loosen the Lord's shoestring [cf.
John 1.27]. Therefore, discipline yourselves.
Notes 1. Associated with Satan and the fallen angels through the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezechiel, north is always an evil direction in Hildegard's work, as in medieval thought generally.
2. Hildegard's phrase (pmam de canibus) has an odd ring, but see Widukind, Res Gestae Saxonicae II.6, where the Saxon king imposes a penalty on certain military leaders: dedecore canum, quos portabant -usque ad urbem regiam quam vodlamus Magathaburg, i.e.,
"the disgrace of dogs, which creatures they were required to carry all the way to the