55. TO HIS COUSIN: Folcerald.
The Letters of St. Anselm
NOTES 1. This letter seems to be later than Ep 22 which appears to have been Anselm's first letter after many years of silence. Both his uncles must have been very old at this time.
2. Cf. Mt 12:34, Lk 6:45.
3. Cf. Ps 75:6.
55. TO HIS COUSIN
FOLCERALD.
The dangers of the roads prevent Anselm from visiting his cousin Folcerald. The prior of Bee has informed him of his unsuccessful attempts to obtain permission for Folcerald to come to Bee. Anselm places his trust in the Lord that they will one day be united. The bearer of the letter will not risk taking a copy of An selm's Prayers for fear of being robbed.
TO FOLCERALD,1 RELATED BY BLOOD AND DEAREST BROTHER IN
CHRIST: BROTHER ANSELM, WISHING THAT HE MAY SO PROGRESS
FROM VIRTUE TO VIRTUE THAT HE MAY SEE THE GOD OF GODS IN
SION.2
I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT COMING TO YOU myself and begging with as much humility as I can muster at the feet of your reverend abbot3 that not only should he not so much sunder as hack apart, souls joined so closely together by the bonds of flesh and spirit—I mean you and me by the violent separation of our monastic lives. But the barbarity of knavish men in France rages in so cruel and unbridled a manner that I dare not put either myself or another monk or any knight into such a danger. For in truth, when he returned from taking you back, Dom Ralph4 along with his entire household was captured in the archdiocese of Rheims after his horses had been stolen, even though he claimed to be traveling under the protection of the arch bishop of Rheims. After being held for some time, they were finally released with scarcely one horse returned to them.
Moreover, even if I were able to travel to you without danger, both the King and our lord abbot, under whose
The Letters of St. Anselm authority I live, are still unwilling to grant me permission to go; nor do I receive any help or advice from them to enable me to have you here. Nor, having already twice peti tioned in vain with great zeal from so great a distance by such humble and amicable letters, do they consider it be fitting their honor to repeat their demand a third time, perhaps again in vain. Therefore, desiring to be told every thing about you, I have written this to you, dearly beloved, that you may know through whom you could send me news. At the same time you should know that I do not ex pect any help from anyone through whom I could procure your greatly longed-for presence. Wherefore let us in prayer await God's favor alone on our desire, according to his goodwill, and in the meantime let us obediently and pa tiently bear his disposition concerning us. For he will ac complish what we desire more quickly and more kindly if he perceives that we desire not what we, but what he, wills.
For although you may find strong and satisfying consola tion through the holy and paternal kindness of your abbot, something I discovered in him through you because you often used to praise him joyfully when I was present, yet I will not give up desiring what I desire for you.
As to the Prayers5 which I had copied for you when you were with me: I do not know through whom I can send them to you, for the bearer of this letter does not dare take them to you for fear of having them stolen from him. He says that when I sent him to you the first time he was cap tured and robbed, and his clothes were torn apart in case something worth stealing might be found in them. I beg you, let me know by letter how things are with you. May the Lord who guards Israel preserve you from all evil and may the Lord protect your soul.6 c. 1070-1078.