91. TO GUNDULF, BISHOP OF: Rochester.
The Letters of St. Anselm
91. TO GUNDULF, BISHOP OF
ROCHESTER.
Despite their difference of rank Anselm extols the lasting and mutual fraternal love between Gundulf and himself and recommends the monks he is sending to Saint Neots to his care and protection.
TO HIS LORD AND FRIEND, FATHER AND BROTHER, THE REVEREND
AND BELOVED BISHOP GUNDULF: BROTHER ANSELM, WISHING HIM
WHAT HE PREVIOUSLY WISHED AND WHAT MAKES US LOVE EACH
OTHER MORE.
ALTHOUGH EPISCOPAL DIGNITY and the reverence of holiness so exalt your person above me that they leave me far below, nevertheless—and I say this not out of conceit but out of love—our former closeness and our close friend ship always raise me up to equality with you. So however much the energetic bishop and the indolent monk are sepa rated by dignity and merits Gundulf and Anselm are still forever linked by close affection. Wherefore I may never claim less from you because of your episcopal office, never feel less confidence in you because of your sacred office, since we are always one at heart because of the equal close ness of our affection. Or rather—whenever the situation demands—the more your ability in earthly matters cor responds to your dignity, the more your aptitude in spiritual matters corresponds to your sanctity. As this will is equal in both of us, so that each of us wants to be as useful as he can to the other, it is necessary that he who is able to do more should do more.
It is therefore right and proper that you take care that your great devotion to God is more profitable to me than you can expect mine—which in fact is either really nothing or nearly nothing—to be profitable to you. I say this not to be excused from praying for my true friends as well as I can, but in order to show that what I am capable of is exceedingly little. Therefore, the one who can do more must help the one who can do less, so that he can be more useful to the