A Provisor to Hildegard
The Letters
have the opportunity to speak with you, saintly lady, though all too briefly, and therefore we would like to hear you often, because we were pleased with the things you said on that occasion. We have now taken the courage to write you because the bearer of this letter, beloved to both of us in Christ, has, during his visit with us, commended you to our poor prayers—as he has done in several other monasteries—and he has asserted that you beseech this of us. Therefore— although we ourselves are nothing—we do remember you in our prayers, and will continue to do so, and, with body and humbled heart [cf. Ps 50.19], we pray that we and all our brothers may be worthy to be named in your intercessions.
Through Him for Whom you live devoutly and from Whom you have received the pledge of the Spirit [cf. II Cor 1.22; 5.5], we request this singular and secret gift, since you are accustomed to have your requests answered: that you beg the Lord to deign to impart to you, among the other revelations to you, something about the state of our humble condition. Have I, that is to say, merited my soul's salvation in bearing this duty of mine, fraught as it is with both honor and burden, with authority and peril, or would it be better for me to resign my position? If you receive any revelation concerning this matter, please do not hesitate, beloved lady, to console my sorrow with a written response through this present messenger.
We thirst, in turn, for your salvation, as we have said, and we trust that the Lord will augment your humility to the magnitude of your revelations, so that you may keep the lighted lamp which you received from heaven so bright before men that you may go out to meet Christ in glory, the unfailing oil you await
[cf.Matt25.lff].
Regensburg (St. Emmeram)
A Provisor to Hildegard Before 1170 In this instance, the messenger is the mes e. The provider1 sends a messenger, who is despairing of his salvation, to Hildegard so that she can minister to his needs.
To the devout handmaid of Christ, Hildegard, A., unworthy provisor of the monastery of St. Emmeram in Regensburg, offers his prayer that she may continue in all the good things bestowed by the Father of lights [cf. James 1.17].
We thank our Lord God that he has wondrously adorned His Church by giving you to it. Through you, all the righteous rejoice mightily, and those who were once despairing exult because they now have hope to be reconciled to Christ through you. It is for this reason indeed that the bearer of this letter, who confesses that he is despairing of his salvation, recently bewailed his wretched-