140. TO PRIOR HENRY AND THE: Brothers At Canterbury.
The Letters of St. Anselm
140. TO PRIOR HENRY AND THE
BROTHERS AT CANTERBURY.
Anselm fervently intercedes with Prior Henry for Dom Moses and his compan ion who had deserted the community of Christ Church, Canterbury, because they now wish to return there.
TO HIS DEAREST LORDS AND FRIENDS AND BROTHERS, DOM PRIOR
HENRY AND THE OTHER SERVANTS OF GOD LIVING IN THE
MONASTERY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY: BROTHER ANSELM,
WISHING THAT IN THEIR INTENTION OF LEADING A HOLY LIFE
THEY MAY ALWAYS PROGRESS TOWARDS BETTER THINGS AND
NEVER REGRESS.
OUR DEAREST BROTHER, MOSES, who deserted the cloister of your holy community in his youthful frivolity and, deceived by strange trickery—just like any son of our mother
Eve who forfeited the delights of paradise after being de ceived in paradise—thanks to divine protection he has neither dissipated his wealth with harlots1 nor been forced by starvation to slop foreign swine nor has he been longing to fill himself with the husks the swine feed on. But hav ing not yet exhausted the mental food he had received at your spiritual table, he has at last dropped anchor at our monastery as at a well-known harbor after many voyages over worldly seas.
Although, being aware of his fault, he fears the severity of justice—as the apostle says: for no man ever hated his own flesh2—he nevertheless longs to be taken, under any condi tions, back into the flock in which he was nourished and brought up. And since he does not yet judge himself wor thy of being called son or brother, he wants to be made at least like one of your hired servants, so that he may some how deserve to be among you. For his attendant, whom he led on to consent to and serve his pleasure, he is more afraid than for his own flesh, if he is punished by some penalty, and will regard it as demanded of his own soul by just judgement. About the money accepted from some-
The Letters of St. Anselm
one else under an agreement of repayment, which he heed lessly spent through someone else's conniving, he is so anx ious that he will not succeed in freeing himself from his debt without the help of your generosity and your permission to ask for assistance wherever he can, that he fears his heart can never be consoled for this disgrace.
But since, in the face of so many and such great matters, he considers that his prayers neither can nor ought to suffice, he asks me, your servant, to intercede for him, since at the moment he has neither anybody more faithful to you nor anyone whom he trusts more who can beg something from you. Indeed, since there is no greater intercession than giving skin for skin and soul for soul—as the Lord says great er love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends3—your love should know that Dom Moses, from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, all over, is clad in the skin of your servant, brother Anselm, and his mouth is my mouth. If, therefore, there is anyone among you against whom I wilfully sinned at any time, let him first hit my skin in his place for that afore-mentioned sin, and keep my mouth from food. After this sin, I commend my skin most diligently to brother Moses to be taken care of and loved as his own, and to you, however, not exactly to be spared. If, however, because of his sin, my skin is hurt or gravely beaten I shall demand it of him; but if anyone spares it I shall thank him.4 As regards his attendant, however, you should know—since I have no other skin— that his safety is my safety, his soul is my soul. Yet, with regard to what he asks about the money, since it can be done easily, I do not imagine it will be difficult to get permission for it from your mercy.
About all these matters we would like to hear your will in a letter of yours before he sets out to return. Not that he would refuse even to hasten to torment, if you order it, but because he wishes to return with good hope joyfully to those whom he longs for. Farewell. c. 1091.