49. TO LANFRANC,: Archbishop Of Canterbury.
The Letters of St. Anselm
49. TO LANFRANC,
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
Anselm thanks Archbishop Lanfranc for his gift and kindness and answers his enquiry on his opinion about wealth and his practice of fasting.
TO HIS LORD AND FATHER, ARCHBISHOP LANFRANC, EVER WORTHY
OF THE HONOR OF REVERENCE AND THE AFFECTION OF LOVE: HIS
SERVANT AND BROTHER BY SUBJECTION AND LOVE, BROTHER
ANSELM, WISHING WHAT IS HIS.
AS YOUR FATHERLY LOVE is unable not to be generous to me even when not giving, and not to be anxious about me even when free from care, so you should know, indeed you do know, that our fidelity is never ungrateful even if silent. Since you do not, as a habit, send precious gifts to me, your beloved friend, you flatteringly send even more precious excuses in order to give satisfaction; and even though you are certain that I hold nothing contrary to the Christian faith, you are nevertheless concerned lest anyone could think evil of me, or hold a false opinion of me.
To be sure, an excuse such as the one you gave me about gifts, since it concerns such a trifling thing, is a much more precious gift than purple or gold. You did not, in fact, send that gift because you considered me in need of it, since you know that it is always stored away in the ark of my heart, but because your kindness could not let the messenger cross over from you to me empty-handed. When I receive your gifts I have no need of the recommendation of those things which I do not doubt were given to me out of true love; nor when they do not flow abundantly do I need excuses, because I am certain that they have dried up for some good reason, about which, if I could discuss it with you I would agree with you.
Now, however, with regard to what you enjoin, namely, that I candidly publish a statement of the truth which you know I hold and which is not contrary to any assertions of mine or of any other Christian, I gladly accept and freely