76. To Roger.
The Letters of St. Anselm old man still remain in him he should abandon them un remittingly. Farewell to you both! c. end of 1076.
NOTES 1. Young Lanfranc had been sent to Canterbury because of his ill-health, see Epp 39, 72.
2. See Epp 31, 39, 69, and also Rule I: 191.
76. TO ROGER.
Anselm urges Roger to come to Bee as he had planned.
TO HIS BELOVED IN CHRIST, LONGED FOR, HOPED FOR, AND LONG-
AWAITED, ROGER1: BROTHER ANSELM, HIS LOVING FRIEND,
WISHING THAT HE MAY PRUDENTLY CHOOSE, PERSISTENTLY HOLD,
AND SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS MORE PLEASING TO
GOD AND BETTER FOR HIM.
WHAT HAS BEEN COMMITTED to the decision of God alone I dare not deliberate by my own free choice. Yet I am permitted to express my wish. Certainly your delay irks me and in fact this long drawn-out waiting for you torments me. Indeed, my heart cannot and will not forget the cer tainty with which you predicted, I do not say promised, that I could expect you to return and stay. And certainly, what you said, you said in all seriousness. Therefore my eyes direct their attention to your words, saying, When will you comfort me?2 I hope I am not deceived in hoping for you;
I hope I need not blush in waiting for you. I hope that they to whom you sent your first fruits3 and the pledge of your coming will not be astonished and say, why did you send those people to a place where you disdained either to pre cede or to follow them? Especially as, in the hope of your following them, they came to us very willingly and were received by us in the hope that you would follow shortly.