119. To The Monk Robert.
The Letters of St. Anselm 5. At Westminster, see ASC in EHD II, 161.
6. Jm 1:27.
7. Phil 4:7.
8. Eph 4:3.
9. See Ep 68.
10. He may be the one hundred eighty-sixth in the Bee profession-roll and may have come to Bee from Anselm's native Aosta.
11. See Ep 98.
12. See Ep 68.
119. TO THE MONK ROBERT.
Writing from England, Anselm expresses his surprise that Dom Robert has left the monastery, and because of their mutual love he exhorts him to return.
TO HIS FELLOW-MONK AND KINDEST BROTHER ROBERT1: BROTHER
ANSELM, WISHING HE MAY ATTAIN SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE.
I WAS TOLD that after I had gone to England2 you no longer wanted to live in your monastery. If this was done with a good intention and for reasonable cause it can in some degree be tolerated; but if it was done out of some grudge, you should know that I am greatly astonished. Now even if you had some cause by which it appeared right to you to estrange yourself from your monastery, at least for the sake of our love you might appropriately have waited until you had informed me about whatever offended you, and then to have reconciled your heart by our advice, as is ap propriate to a servant of God.
Therefore I pray that, if you love me and my advicejust as I have always loved and do love you—, you should go back to your monastery and there, together with others, serve God in a tranquil and gracious way of life. If, however, you do not choose to agree with me, know that this is not good for your soul and you sadden me. But if it is too hard for you to keep [the rules of conduct] I recommended to you, I would rather you abandon them than do anything which would harm your soul or your reputation. I will not now repeat the unpleasant gossip which is being spread