CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 19
‘To that lord who is most beloved in the Lord of lords, the thrice blessed Pope Gregory: your humble servant Hwaetberht, abbot of the Saxon monastery of Peter the most blessed Prince of the Apostles, wishes you continual health in the Lord. I, together with the holy brethren of this monastery who desire to bear Christ’s most gentle yoke so that they may find rest for their souls, cease not to give thanks to the ordinance of Heaven that you, who are so glorious a vessel of election, have been appointed in our time to the government of the universal Church so that, by the light of truth and faith wherewith you are filled, God might abundantly shed, as from a brilliant star, the light of His love on those who are less exalted. Beloved lord and father in Christ, we commend to your holy grace the venerable grey hairs of our most beloved father. Abbot Ceolfrith, who has fostered and directed our spiritual peace and liberty in the calm of the cloister. We give thanks first of all to the holy and undivided Trinity that Abbot Ceolfrith should have now attained the holy joy of that rest to which he has so long looked forward, even though his departure from us caused us so much pain and grief, so many sighs and tears. In the weariness of old age he has devoutly striven to reach once more the threshold of the blessed apostles which he delighted to remember having visited, seen and venerated in his youth. He has laboured for more than forty years, continually caring for the monasteries he held charge of as abbot and now, being summoned afresh, as it were, to live the life of Heaven as a reward for his incomparable love of virtue, he has again set out as a pilgrim for the sake of Christ at the end of his days and with death looming nigh, so that the burning fire of repentance might the more easily consume in its spiritual furnace the thorns of his former worldly cares. Finally we entreat your paternal charity carefully to perform for him the last kind office of piety which we ourselves have not been found worthy to render. Though his body will rest with you, we know for certain that both you and we have in his devout spirit, whether still in the body or freed from the bonds of flesh, a mighty patron and advocate for our transgressions before the throne of grace.’ And so the letter continues.