A letter from Jean de Fécamp

Translated letter:

I. Not long ago, my lady/ruler empress, it pleased you to ask that I collect bright and brief words from scriptures, in which you might learn the norm of living well according to the law of your order without grave labor. For every rank, age, and sex has its own doctrine to inform its life in holy letters, so that each one, whatever vocation he is called to may, walking rightly, reach the kingdom in which are many mansions. II. At length after the death of lord Henry of revered memory, the illustrious emperor once your husband, you embraced the praiseworthy purpose of laborious widowhood with all your strength. And although nobility, wealth, and age invited you to another marriage-bed, you did not wish to bend your heart to the words of men singing falsehoods for truths. But you rose up, girded your loins, and stood strongly on your own feet so that, with contempt for the allurements of flesh and the world, you might serve Christ the Lord in chastity and offer an example worthy of imitation to other noble matrons, so that incited to better things by your continence they might keep faith with their dead husbands and seek remission of their sins from God through heavenly sacrifice and assiduous alms. How fitting and honorable it is that a Christian wife, after losing the first palm of virginity, strives from then on to live chastely and soberly and to be and be called the wife of one man, with God’s help. This glorious virtue of one union, was prefigured, if I am not mistaken, by that rib which was taken from the body of a man from which a woman was formed. III. Once I knew the pious desires of your heart, I took on the work and swiftly collected some sentences from little works of the fathers so that you might have truthful documents which could fully show you the right journey for a faithful widow justly and piously to take. IV. Moreover I added another sermon about life and customs of virgins to instruct the nuns gathered in your monastery. V. And since I know that you are dedicated to acts of mercy, it did not upset me to write also that alms should be dispensed not to the churches which possess great wealth, but to widows, orphans, the sick and pilgrims, particularly those who are the paupers/poor of Christ. I did not begrudge my labor in doing all these things because of your great charity. VI. Be silent, dogs of Scylla; with my ears stopped, I shall transcend the obstreperous rage of your lacerations. In your assemblies, as they say, this letter resounds from the canine nostril: “When you acknowledge that it is proper for a monk of the monastic religion to be silent, why do you then speak to women? Where do you get the authority to sit in a master’s chair and without blushing teach those women with writings?” Be quiet, wretches. You say these things because you are blind, and leaders of the blind. Go back, you prevaricators, to your heart and diligently consider where you lie down shamefully. If only your malicious mind would come to its senses and strive somewhat to imitate the pious works of honorable women. Is this woman not worthy of complete veneration who preferred the love of Christ to wealth and honors and when she was the ruler of kingdoms humbled herself and made herself the servant of paupers? I shall be silent about her pilgrimage through almost all of Italy, devoutly visiting the relics of the saints and offering them precious gifts, giving many alms to cities and villages and all the places to which she hastened in order to pray. And since epistolary constraints do not permit me to delay longer over her praises, it pleases me to add this that, when she returned to Gaul she similarly consoled the poor and churches of God with a generous hand as it is written: [she] dispersed and gave to the poor, and [her] justice lives world without end. VII. Truly, removing [myself] far from those who blow on earth and get dust in their eyes, lest they see themselves, I return to you, venerable handmaid of Christ so that my speech which endeavored to instruct you, speaking as if present, may reach the end of the undertaken work, with God as author. Therefore, the little flowers collected by my smallness I think might suffice to your salvation, yet since I learned from friends that you also desire and request what I have uttered about the divine contemplation and love of Christ and about that supernal Jerusalem, the mother of all the faithful. That book was written for you and I confess my heart takes much pleasure and esteems in you God the giver of all goods. For unless you had mounted to higher things with Christ leading, walking from virtue to virtue, you would not have sought such things. Who would not wonder at a spirit so fervent, which does not cease to thirst even drinking the streams of sweetest waters? He is very obstinate and stupid who scorns the pious prayers of such a woman and does not acquiesce to her most just desires. Here I am, willing and exulting, to know what God gave me, I am ready, venerable mother, to serve your will in all things. If only there were a fire in me to make my heated mind develop. VIII. Accept, therefore, good soul, brilliant exemplar of holy widowhood, accept, I ask, this little anthology from my waking mind which you asked of me through the grace of Christ. In which you will find sweet words mainly of heavenly theory, which are to be read with reverence and meditated with appropriate fear, lest he who comes to them tepid and lacking devotion be judged rash. IX. Whence it should be known that the reading of this little book ought to be especially for those who do not permit their minds to be darkened by carnal desires and earthly lusts. But when it is read with tears and great devotion, then the gentle reader savors on the palate of his heart the sweetness that lies hidden within. If it is so, rather since it is so, let the proud and disdainful mind not presume to touch the archane and sublime words of divine speech, lest it slip in error, for light can not be perceived by blind eyes. This is the reason that many rushed into the abyss of eternal damnation through heresy, drawing others with them to death, because the mysteries of Sacred Scriptures whose roots are in heaven do not reveal themselves completely here even to the perfect. They alone are truly wise according to God who are strong in deep humility and take in only what the Holy Spirit deigns to reveal to them. X. Read these frequently therefore and then, especially with your mind inspired by heavenly desire, you will see. For it is just that you who are converted in your present life assume the wings of contemplation and flying up drink from the fountain of supernal sweetness, saying with the Prophet: With you is the fountain of life and in your light we shall see light. My soul thirsts for God, the living fountain. Lord, I loved the beauty of your house and the dwelling place of your glory. Similarly what is read in the Canticle of love, where the soul which loves only God speaks to its beloved Christ saying: your name is poured ointment; therefore young girls loved you; draw me after you, we will run in the odor of your ointments; my beloved to me and I to him, who feeds among the lilies, until day passes and shadows fall. XI. Among these things, however, it is fitting that you know that the highest and unchanging essence which is God can not be looked on by mortal eyes in this earth of the dying, nor has it been seen by any mortal since the first [male] parent was expelled from the pleasure of paradise into these hardships. For it is here that the contemplative life begins, but there it is perfected, where God is seen face to face. XII. For the gentle and simple mind, when it is raised up in speculation and, conquering the anguishes of the flesh, searches heavenly things, is never permitted to stay above itself long, as the flesh draws it back to the depths. But reverberating with the immensity of the supernal light, it can swiftly be called back and advance with great virtue because it is able to taste of divine sweetness; enflamed now by great love, it hastens to get above itself and raised up discerns that it can not see what it ardently loves nor love so ardently unless it see to some degree. XIII. There are some less proficient who pretend [to have seen] God in their mind/imagination, since scattered formlessly in these temporal things they do not know how to contemplate that wondrous and uncircumscribed light intellectually. What else is the eye of contemplation to them than a snare of perdition? Such people are to be admonished that content with the exercise of the active life alone, they should not presume to ascend the mountain of contemplation for it is written: the animal man does not perceive the things which are of the spirit of God, and: it is death to know according to the flesh. For the human spirit, unless it repulses desires of external things, does not penetrate internal things, since the more subtlely it looks on invisible things, the more perfectly it scorns visible things. XIV. For that reason, though God may be invisible and incomprehensible in his nature, yet by the pure and holy mind which desires only what is above, [God] is discerned without aspect, heard without sound, received without motion, touched without body, retained without place. XV. Having taken care of these things of necessity, I ask your love that if you find any who want to have this little book, admonish them to transcribe it diligenty and reread it frequently, so that they allow nothing to be added or subtracted or changed in it. We say this because of the carelessness of scribes, who not only corrupt the truth but also add lies to lies. XVI. God be with you and his hand comfort you so that like the animal with wings and eyes, you achieve both lives each day, now in the active, serving Christ in his members with Martha, now in the contemplative with Mary, sitting at the feet of the Lord, intently hearing the word from his mouth, so that acting well and contemplating purely, you may come to that most blessed vision, where the Son speaks openly of the Father. XVII. To this indeed he deigned to lead with his propriety and goodness his servants and handmaids, he who descended to these depths so that we might ascend to those heights, who bowed down that he might raise us, who made himself weak to make us strong, who took on our life to give us his. The only son coeternal with the omnipotent Father, who lives and reigns with him in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. XVIII. I John, lowest of the servants of Christ and those who are brothers with me, we greet your blessedness in Christ, pious mother of the poor and noble adornment of widows. Farewell. May the omnipotent Trinity preserve you always in his will.

Original letter:

I. Dudum quidem, domina imperatrix, tibi petere placuit, ut ex scripturis colligerem luculentos brevesque sermones, in quibus iuxta legem orginis tui absque gravi labore discere posses normam bene vivendi. Omnis enim gradus, aetas et sexus ad informationem vitae suae in sacris litteris propriam habet doctrinam, ut unusquisque, in vocatione qua vocatus est rectissime ambulans, pervenire valeat ad regnum in quo multae sunt mansiones. II. Denique post obitum reverendae memoriae domni Heinrici, clarissimi sapientisque imperatoris, quondam viri tui, laudabile propositum laboriosae viduitatis totis amplexa est viribus. Et quamquam nobilitas, opes et aetas ad repentendum thalamum te invitarent, noluisti tamen cor tuum inclinare ad verba hominum, pro veris falsa cantantium; sed, erecta sursum, accinctis lumbis, stetisti fortiter supra pedes tuos, ut, contemptis illecebris carnis et mundi, servias Christo Domino in castitate, et caeteris nobilibus matronis praebeas dignum imitationis exemplum, videlicet ut, per continentiam tuam ad meliora provocatae, defunctis maritis servent fidem, eisque per caeleste sacrificium necnon et per assiduas eleemosinas petant a Deo peccatorum remissionem. Quam decorum et honestum est ut Christiana mulier, post primam amissae virginitatis palmam, sic deinceps caste et sobrie vivere studeat, quatenus unius viri uxor, opitulante Domino, et esse et dici valeat. Hanc autem unius copulae gloriosam virtutem, nisi fallor, observandam praenuntiat illa una costa quae tulta est de corpore viri, ex qua formata est mulier. III. Cognitis itaque piis desideriis cordis tui, mox operam dedi, et nunnullas ex opusculis patrum sententias celeriter defloravi, ut veridica ubique tecum habeas documenta quae rectum plenius ostendant iter per quod fidelis vidua iuste et pie incedere debeat. IV. Insuper et alium addidi sermonem de vita et moribus virginum, ad instruendas sanctimoniales quae in tuo monasterio congregatae sunt. V. Et quia te actibus misericordiae deditam comperi, nec illud quoque me scribere piguit, quod non ecclesiis divitias multas possidentibus, sed viduis, orphanis, infirmis, peregrinis illisque permaxime qui vere sunt pauperes Cristi procul dubio dispensandae sunt eleemosinae. Haec vero omnia faciens, in laboribus meis propter multam tuam caritatem non sensi laborem. VI. Obmutescite, Sillei canes; en ego, obturata aure, obstrepentem lacerationis vestrae rabiem pertransibo. In conventiculis vestris, ut ferunt, sonat littera haec de nare canina: "Cum profitearis te monachum et monasticae religioni tacere sit proprium, quid ergo tibi et mulieribus? Unde tibi tanta auctoritas, ut in cathedra magistrorum sedeas et ipsas etiam feminas absque rubore conscriptis scedulis doceas?" -- Silete miseri. Ideo ista dicitis, quia caeci estis, duces caecorum. Redite, praevaricatores, ad cor, et ubi turpiter iacetis diligenter considerate. Utinam maliciosa mens vestra resipisceret et honestarum mulierum pia opera aliquatenus imitari studeret. Nonne mulier haec totius venerationis digna est, quae divitiis et honoribus praetulit Christi amorem et, cum esset domina regnorum, humiliavit se et facta est serva pauperum? Taceam quod totam fere peragravi Italiam, devotissime visitans sanctorum reliquias et offerens eis preciosa donaria, plurimasque faciens eleemosinas in urbibus et vicis atque in omnibus locis ad quae, orationis gratia, properavit. Et quia epistolaris angustia non sinit me in eius laudibus diutius immorari, libet et hoc praeterire quod, Galliarum partes regressa, similiter pauperes et ecclesias Dei larga consolata est manu, sicut scriptum est: DISPERSIT, DEDIT PAUPERIBUS, IUSTITIA EIUS MANET IN SAECULUM SAECULI. VII. Verum, his procul amotis qui in terram sufflant et, ne se videant, pulverem in oculos excidant, ad te redeo, venerabilis Christi ancilla, ut sermo meus, qui te caepit instruere, tanquam praesens colloquendo, ad extremam sucepti operis manum auctore Deo pertingat. Igitur, licet illas parvitatis meae defloratiunculas quarum superius memini saluti tuae posse sufficere arbitrer, tamen, quia relatione amicorum didici te desiderare et poscere ut ipse quoque, quem de contemplatione divina Christique amore et de illa superna Ierusalem, omnium fidelium matre editum habeo, tibi scribatur libellus, multum gaudet, fateor, cor meum et in te magnificat datorem omnium bonorum Deum. Nisi enim Christo duce ad altiora conscenderes, ambulans de virtute in virtutem nullo modo valere talia petere. Quis non miretur animum tam ferventem qui rivulos dulcium aquarum bibendo non cessat sitire? Satis stolidus est et nimis obstinatus, qui talis feminae pias preces spernit et votis iustissimis non adquiescit. Ecco ego, libens atque ovans, pro scire quod mihi dedit Deus, paratus sum, mater veneranda, tuae in omnibus obsequi volontati. Utinam ille in me igniculus foret, qui vaporatae menti aliquid incrementi adolere posset. VIII. Accipe igitur tu, bona anima, praeclarum sanctae viduitatis exemplar, accipe, quaeso, pervigili mente illud quod expetis meae per Christi gratiam deflorationis opusculum. In quo videlicet reperies magna ex parte caelestis theoriae dulcia verba, quae reverenter legenda sunt et cum timore debito meditanda, ne forte de temeritate iudicetur qui tepidus et indevotus accesserit. IX. Unde sciendum est quod huius libelli lectio illis praesertim debetur qui mentes suas carnalibus desideriis et terrenis concupiscentiis obtenebrari non sinunt. Quando autem ista leguntur cum lacrimis et devotione nimia, tunc mitis lector ipso cordis palato sapit quid dulcedinis intus lateat. Si ita est, immo quia ita est, eloquiorum divinorum archana et sublimia verba tangere non praesumat superba et fastidiosa mens, ne forte labatur in errorem, quia caecis oculis lumen intueri non potest. Hinc etenim actum est ut plerique per haeresim in aeternae damnationis baratrum ruerent, alios secum in mortem trahentes, quia Sacrae Scripturae mysteria, quorum radices in caelo sunt, nemini perfectorum hic tota patent. Illi vero soli secundum Deum sapientes, qui profunda pollent humilitate, tantum capiunt quantum Spiritus Sanctus eis revelare dignatur. X. Haec ergo frequenter lege, et tunc praecipue cum mentem tuam caelesti afflatam desiderio vides. Iustum namque est ut tu quae in actuali bene conversaris vita contemplationis pennas assumas et sursum volitans de fonte supernae dulcedinis haurias, dicens cum Propheta: QUONIAM APUD TE EST FONS VITAE ET IN LUMINE TUO VIDEBIMUS LUMEN. -- SITIVIT ANIMA MEA AD DEUM FONTEM VIVUM. -- DOMINE DILEXI DECOREM DOMUS TUAE ET LOCUM HABITATIONIS GLORIAE TUAE; -- similiter et illa quae in amoris Cantico leguntur, ubi anima quae solum Deum amat loquitur Christo dilecto suo, dicens: UNGUENTUM EFFUSUM NOMEN TUUM. IDEO ADOLESCENTULAE DILEXERUNT. TRAHE ME POST TE, CURREMUS IN ODOREM UNGUNTORUM TUORUM. DILECTUS MEUS MIHI ET EGO ILLI, QUI PASCITUR INTER LILIA, DONEC ASPIRET DIES ET INCLINENTUR UMBRAE. XI. Inter haec autem scire te oportet quod illa summa et incommutabilis essentia quae Deus est, in hac terra morientium, mortalibus oculis nullo modo conspici valet, nec aliquando visa est ab ullo mortalium, ex quo primus parens de amoenitate paradisi in has aerumnas expulsus est. Hinc namque est quod contemplativa vita hic incipitur, sed illic perficitur, ubi Deus facie ad faciem cernitur. XII. Mens etenim mitis et simplex, cum in speculationem attollitur et, carnis angustias superans, caelestia rimatur retrahente eam mole carnis ad ima, diu super se stare nequaquam permittitur. Sed licet ipsa superni luminis immensitate reverberata, celeriter ad se revocetur, magna tamen proficit virtute ex eo ipso quod de divina dulcedine praelibare potest, quia mox amore nimio accensa, ire super se festinat, et sublevata cernit quia videre non possit hoc quod ardenter diligit, nec tamen tam ardenter diligeret, nisi aliquatenus inspiceret. XIII. Sunt aliqui minus proficientes, qui Deum sibi imaginaliter fingunt, quia, in haec temporalia deformiter sparsi, illam miram et incircumscriptam lucem contemplari intellectualiter nesciunt. Quid istis aliud est oculus contemplationis nisi laqueus perditionis? Ammonendi sunt qui tales, ut, solius activae vitae exercitio contenti, contemplationis montem non praesumant ascendere quia sicut scriptum est: ANIMALIS HOMO NON PERCIPIT EA QUA SUNT SPIRITUS DEI, et: SAPERE SECUNDUM CARNEM MORS EST. Humanus enim animus, nisi exteriorum desideria a se repellat, interna non penetrat, quia, tanto subtilius invisibilia conspicit, quanto perfectius visibilia contemnit. XIV. Idcirco, quamvis invisibilis et incomprehensibilis in natura sua sit Deus, tamen per mentem mundam et sanctam, quae solis supernis inhiat, hic quoque sine aspectu cernitur, sine sono auditur, sine motu suscipitur, sine corpore tangitur, sine loco retinetur. XV. His ita necessario praemissis, rogo dilectionem tuam, ut, si quoslibet inveneris qui libellum hunc velint habere, moneas eos et diligenter transcribere et scriptum frequenter relegere, usque adeo ut aliquid addi vel sutrahi aut immutari non patiantur in eo. Hoc autem dicimus propter incuriam librariorum, qui non solum veritatem corrumpunt, sed etiam mendacia mendaciis iungunt. XVI. Sit Deus tecum, et confortet te manus eius ut tanquam pennatum et oculatum animal effecta per dies singulos in utraque proficias vita, modo cum Martha in activa serviens Christo in membris suis, modo cum Maria in contemplativa sedens ad pedes Domini, et intente audiens verbum ex ore eius, quatinus bene operando et pure contemplando, ad illam beatissimam pervenias visionem, ubi palam de Patre loquitur Filius. XVII. Ad hanc autem proprietate et bonitate sua perducere dignetur servos et ancillas suas ipse qui descendit ad haec ima ut nos ascenderemus ad illa summa, qui inclinavit se ut nos erigeret, qui infirmatus est ut nos fortes faceret, qui suscepit vitam nostram ut nobis donaret suam. Unigenitus quippe est omnipotenti Patri coaeternus, qui cum eo viuit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen. XVIII. Ego Iohannes, ultimus seruorum Christi, et qui mecum sunt fratres, beatitudinem tuam salutamus in Christo, pia mater pauperum et nobile decus uiduarum. Vale. Conseruet te in uoluntate sua semper omnipotens Trinitas.

Historical context:

In response to her request, Jean sends Agnes a collection of holy texts on widows and a sermon on virginity for her fellow nuns. The letter, in which Jean defends himself for writing to a woman and extols contemplation, was dated by André Wilmart, “Deux Préfaces Spirituelles de Jean de Fécamp,” Revue d’Ascétique et de Mystique 18 (1937), 32-33.

Printed source:

Un Maître de la vie spirituelle au XIe siècle, Jean de Fécamp, ed. Jean Leclercq and Jean-Paul Bonnes (Paris: Vrin, 1946), p.211-17