14. TO LANFRANC,: Archbishop Of Canterbury.
The Letters of St. Anselm and accompanying them with incessant prayers, await the meeting we equally desire and bring this letter to an end by mutual consent. c. 1071 or 1077.
NOTES 1. Rm 14:8.
2. Archbishop Lanfranc was at Bee in 1071 and 1077.
3. 2 Cor 9:7.
4. 1 Pet 4:8.
14. TO LANFRANC,
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
Anselm thanks Archbishop Lanfranc for his gifts and kindness and tells him that Robert, the bearer of this letter, will inform him about his plan concerning
Girard, the mint-master of Arras.
TO HIS REVEREND LORD, LOVABLE FATHER, VENERABLE
ARCHBISHOP LANFRANC: HIS BROTHER ANSELM.
OUR LETTER EXPRESSES GREAT THANKS to you for the great gifts we have received of your generosity; but we re tain even greater thanks in the depths of our heart to you for the greater gifts that we know are awaiting us in your good will. For when so many good things flow to your ser vant from the mere liberality of your spontaneous generosi ty, it is quite clear with what great abundance your kind affection would pour itself out from your inmost depths— and I do not say this rashly or without experience—should any need of your beloved demand it. Nor do I say this as if the aforementioned gifts had first taught me to under stand your paternity's affection for me, but so that those ignorant of how much I ought to rely on your paternity may be able in some measure, to understand it. For through the pallium or gold you do not in any way let the fullness of
The Letters of St. Anselm
your generosity towards him, whom you certainly love more than pallium or gold, be seen. For although you know full well that you do this for someone who is not ungrateful, nevertheless I am not ashamed to write because this I hope, and hoping I pray, praying I express the wish that you may never do this for somebody undeserving it.
With regard to Girard1 who was withdrawn from our com munity because of many debts and concerning whom you in your mercy requested what was ready to hand; Dom
Robert2 will tell you what seemed good to me and what I have done as far as we were able to see that your alms giving was carried out. If he comes to you and no final so lution to the matter can be reached between you and him,
I your servant request this of your merciful generosity: that for the sake of the journey he is about to undertake out of his trust in you and my advice, his debts may neither in crease nor his possessions diminish, nor his trouble and sor row grow more because of his effort. c. end 1072 / beginning 10733 NOTES 1. Girard was mint-master of Arras and later became monk at Bee; he is one-hundred-and-third in the Bee profession-roll, having made the last profession in the old church before the community moved to the new in October 1073 (see Rule 1:394 and VA 16); for Girard, see also
Epp 15, 23, 98, 164.
2. Robert was a trusty messenger between Bee and Canterbury, see Epp 7, 30, 74.
3. For the dating of this letter see Rule, 1:167; Epp 15, 23, 31; VA 16.