139. TO GILBERT, ABBOT OF: Saint Stephen, Caen.
The Letters of St. Anselm Lanfranc to be your abbot—which I certainly did not—he shows himself so cruel to you that I could not wish it any longer. Farewell. c. 1089/92.
NOTES 1. See Epp 130, 137.
2. Jm 1:2.
3. Ac 14:21.
4. 1 Cor 10:13.
5. Cf. Mt 13:31.
6. 1 Jn 2:19.
139. TO GILBERT, ABBOT OF
SAINT STEPHEN, CAEN.
Anselm informs Abbot Gilbert of Saint Stephen, Caen, that he fell ill in France after having left Caen and promises to return.
TO HIS LORD AND FATHER, THE REVEREND ABBOT GILBERT1, AND
THE MONKS AND BROTHERS ENTRUSTED TO HIS HOLINESS LIVING
IN THE MONASTERY OF CAEN: BROTHER ANSELM, WISHING WHAT
A FAITHFUL SERVANT AND BROTHER CAN.
AFTER HAVING LEFT your longed-for presence recently, dragged away by circumstances as you know, I was not able to see Bee again because of many hindrances, before the Feast of Saint Benedict.2 In this space of time I was afflicted in France with many bodily aches and pains; above all a sudden fever broke out within me, and it dared to attack your servant twice, terrifying me immensely and violently menacing me until I was afraid of never seeing you or our other monks of Bee again. But when it saw me meditating very earnestly on sending for help and the succor of prayers to you and anyone else I could, terrified, it fled from the terrified [victim]. But it robbed me of what little relish I had
The Letters of St. Anselm
for eating and sleeping, and of all my bodily strength, and carried it away with an increasing desire to harm me. There fore I have not yet been able to rid myself of these three ill effects; loss of appetite, insomnia, and the accompany ing weakness that tends to follow upon going-on-all-fours.
I inform your charity of these things because I want you always to be informed about the state of my lowliness and I am not unaware that you want this yourselves. You should know that until I see you again I consider myself a debtor, owing you a visit. Support me with your prayers, there fore, that according to my wish I shall be able to pay my debt. Farewell now and always. c. 1079/92.
NOTES 1. Abbot Gilbert, 1079-1101.
2. 21 March, the observance of Benedict's death.