A letter from Osbert of Clare (1156-57)

Translated letter:

To his most serene lady Adelidis, among the illustrious and celibate gifts of virginal glory, presiding over sacred virgins with genuine resolution of the holy spirit, as we believe, by God’s grace the outstanding virgin mother in the society of the convent of Barking, Osbert of Clare, lover of virginal chastity in Christ and emulator of her devotion; to be crowned by Christ with the laurel among the heavenly choir of virgins and to grow rich with the imperishable palm-leaf of dazzling virginity.

May fresh delights with greeting and gratitude be delivered to you today; may you not fear to extend your hand to these, woman of virtue, for you strengthened us with restoration yesterday; you renewed the mind, not the belly; you restored (it) filled not with food but with divine services. And therefore, my lady, you have obtained for yourself a soldier not useless, and you have redeemed an indefatigable friend not with money but with love; and although my right hand may be piled up with your gifts, let it shine with both the value and largess of your generosity: for the reward is judged to be more precious than every reward because in it is valued affection, not money; not abundance but will is weighed. Whence you will possess me forever so greatly obliged to you for your divine services, and no envy will contaminate me, surrendered to the embraces of your love. Hence it is that you have wounded my heart, my sister bride, you have wounded my heart with charity and love [Cant. 4:9]. I say sister, because we have one father, God, and by that same grace we have been reborn through baptism: for you are the bride of my lord and friend of my king, from the seed of whose word you produce children for him in celibate wedlock, and unmarried, you persevere as both mother and virgin. O how beautiful, how chaste, how pleasing, how clean is that begetting where a woman in labor does not give birth in sorrow with the daughters of Eve, and the offspring which is generated does not eat their bread in sweat among the sons of Adam, nor does that mother plow or sow thorns and thistles sprouting forth in the land of malediction, but with the mother of Jesus she cultivates the field of virginity bearing fruit a hundredfold!

For virginity, drawing (its) celestial origin from those on high, obtained pre-eminence among the first and distinguished citizens of the supernal city and descended into the beautiful virgin mother, queen of innocence, through the coming of God and man to men. This is that lady of virtues, and the gem of all good deeds, whom God as man specially joined to himself in his birth, and without which his mother neither conceived nor bore as worthy and unstained. Without that, other women give birth, they who from corruptible flesh produce flesh that will die; they bear, I say what they conceive, sin from sin, and sometimes they purchase with loss to themselves the succession of life. But in such childbirth they are by no means endangered who bring forth spiritual fruits from God, where the author of virginity and the virgin is that husband who generates, and bears the mind of a virgin and the flesh that he makes fruitful by grace and sacred seed. These are the emulators of her, who with innocence of flesh bore the son of God, who consecrated you as bride and virgin for himself. Thus from him, therefore, you conceive offspring so that you neither bear nor perceive corruption of flesh. For according to the law in Israel she who did not bear fruit was cursed; with grace she is blessed, and the mother produces daughters for the lord of Judah and Emmanuel for the king. Therefore, light up, lady, light up, most serene one, with his love, and proclaim with him what he proclaimed, and long for the everlasting gifts that he promised, so that you may become lover of the king through desire of delight, and you may stand out as mother in holy preaching through the word. In appearance he is beautiful above the sons of men, [Ps. 44.3] because of which his grace is poured out onto your lips, and he has sprinkled the clothing of inner man with myrrh and oil and cassia. Accordingly may you be resplendent, adorned thus with the whole variety of virtues, so that not only in word but by example you may be useful to your charges.

The mirror of virginity in blessed Cecilia.  The brightest virgin, or rather noble virago, blessed Cecilia, the whiteness of whose virginity is adorned with red suffering – we read of how many fruits she produced for the lord! Linen and purple are her garment, because the untouched virgin preserved her flesh without stain, and with her blood she dedicated that same purple to the lord and king of the angels. Therefore because in holy preaching she carried out a pontifical, not womanly, function, she was, with the lord granting, allotted a sepulcher among the highest pontiffs of the Roman church. No woman before her obtained the dignity of this privilege nor will obtain it again after her. About her you have read how beneath gilded clothing she wore out her flesh with a hairshirt, how with singing organs in her heart she sang to the lord, how she harbored a holy angel as friend, how with her blessings of Christ she supported the poor along the Appian Way, how she converted to faith her spouse Valerianus with his brother Tiburtius, how the manly constancy of (her) soul sounded evangelical truth. You have also read with how much ardor of heavenly love she cherished the blessed pontiff Urban, whose angelic face she showed to (her) brothers, and after she was able to acquire them, baptized by Urban, for Christ, she dispatched them to heaven. These are the deeds to be proclaimed remarkably of that wondrous woman, deeds that inspire not a womanly mind but are redolent of manly constancy in its freedom. Therefore certainly she is both completely above woman, yet the female sex, when instructed by her, can avoid downfall. Woman of virtue, holy scripture does not cease to instruct you by example, and may you create deep and religious friendship with holy men, as we read that glorious virgin created with blessed pope Urban.

Concerning the glory of unspoiled virginity exemplified for holy virgins by the blessed Etheldreda.1 
We have on hand a great many examples, which, if we repeated one by one, we would forge not a letter but lengthy volumes. Yet I dare not and should not be silent to you about how the incomparable virgin, most blessed Etheldreda, drenched with the dew of the holy spirit in the furnace of Babylon, did not feel the heat of the raging fire because she shuddered at the burning lewdness of the flesh. What this woman endured for herself never was heard about a woman. For initially betrothed to a man, she remained unmarried and a virgin; given in wedlock to an earthly prince she, undefiled, married a king of the Angles.2 For that man, prevented by an unexpected death, abandoned her untouched and unstained, whom chaste love of Christ joined to him in unspoiled matrimony. Thenceforth she is joined to a very powerful king by the sacrament, but the practice of nuptials is not carnally fulfilled. For twelve years she served him but did not lose the fruit of her virginity: outer beauty enveloped the queen, but inner devotion displayed a humble handmaiden to God. Consider, therefore, daughter of God, how many crosses she bore for such a long time, how much that was loathsome that husband of hers inflicted on her, when he earnestly desired the bride and she renounced pleasure, what sort of conflicts, what great struggles the glorious virgin endured. What greater martyrdom of the flesh can there be than abstinence among the thorns of delights? Yet she escaped, undiminished she escaped from the world, and she marked the sacrifice of her virginity to God with a flame-red veil. Where a great fight preceded, a greater victory followed to (her) fighting. For undoubtedly today Christ manifests beauty in her flesh, which, like one sleeping, rests completely untouched in a marble sepulcher.

Remembrance of the benefactions of the holy virgin Etheldreda, and how he (Osbert) had to cross the sea to reach king Henry.  This is my lady, this is my queen, who received me, a stranger and pilgrim, and with both hospitality as well as the bread of life she remade (me) and wrapped (me) in clothing. I will cross the Jordan again with my staff; but with such a great intercessor praying to God for us, I hope that I will return with throngs to the homeland of my birth. Devoted, I approached her sepulcher, I humbly celebrated solemn vigils, I bent my knees rather often before her, I drenched the pavement where I knelt with tears, weeping and wailing I requested freedom to depart. I believe that by her merits I will be kept safe among the dangers of the sea, and in a strange land the prince’s grace will favor me. Just as my hope is placed in her and my expectation depends upon her, so it is and will be my assurance that she herself is my leader and consolation. For never was she wont to abandon those who, when cast into distress, are accustomed to invoke faithfully her assistance.

Concerning the vision that, according to the creations of poets, Silvia, virgin of the goddess Vesta, saw, and how she was corrupted by Mars.3  Daughter of Sion, the example of this holy purpose is produced for you not only by the daughters of Jerusalem, but also by the daughters of the Chaldaeans. Not only do the daughters of the supernal city display themselves as leaders, but also the daughters of Babylon among the pagans. Sometimes we collect gold from mud and we find a precious pearl in a dung pit. We read in the annals of the Romans that Silvia, whom we also call by another name, Ilia, was a virgin priestess in the temple of Vesta. She, begotten by her father Numitor, was prominent by nobility of distinguished blood; when she, as a faithful servant, ready to obey the goddess and her mimistress, sought water at a riverbank so that she could wash sacred objects in the usual way, as the poets wrote, nearby was the murmur of gently rushing water, and utterly languid and wearied by sleep pressing heavily, she rested.  After her beauty was beheld and coveted for a long time by Mars, then finally the virgin was seized and corrupted with sleep deceiving (her).  From the divine seed she conceived twin boys, and waking up she perceived a dream that she did not doubt would be auspicious and useful.  For she had seen herself guarding the sacred fires in the temple of Vesta, which, formed by mechanical art from the juniper tree by Albans, seemed to be perpetual.   In that same place, from her head her fillet was seen to float down before her, and suddenly she perceived two palm trees rise from it, of which one was greater and covered the whole face of the earth’s circle by surrounding it with leaves and branches; the foliage of this was elevated such that by its magnitude it extended up to the heavens; and beholding her paternal uncle Amulius bring an ax so that he should cut down that same tree, terrified she marveled at the image of a vision so great because (the tree) stood defended from that cutting by a woodpecker and a wolf.  Thus the virgin, but no longer a virgin, brought back the water to the sacred dwellings, and did not fear to report what she had seen in the dream.  Thus with time advancing the burden of her belly grew.  And when the day marked for Silvia’s labor approached, she, having labored bore little twins, and as she gave birth the altar of the goddess trembled and her image placed her hands over virginal eyes.  For she shuddered greatly at the disgrace and disdained the childbirth of the deflowered virgin.  Further, because of such great unchastity, that continuous fire sank into its ashes nor did it emit sparking flames anymore.  Therefore Amulius, who had snatched the kingdom away from his brother Numitor, when he learned that Romulus and Remus had been brought forth by his niece, he commands that the infants be plunged in the river; indeed we read that the waters refused the crime.  The boys were left naked on dry ground and in the same place a wolf nourished them with its milk and a woodpecker, the bird of Mars, supplied food.

Explanation of the vision according to the consideration of truth.  But let us return again to the narrative, and let us now turn our mind to the truth of the matter, so that the embellished fictions of the poets may be put aside.  In the temple of Vesta there were virgins adhering to her divine services, so that by this example we may learn to infer that pagans also delighted in chastity and cleanness of life.  Therefore philosophers understood Vesta as nothing other than a flame, because fire is a virgin and no substance is born from it; therefore nothing except what is marked by virginity is placed in its allegiance.  Thus the virgin was corrupted by Mars, not in the image of a dream but in truth: thenceforth impregnated she saw the dream that foretold the very great increase in her offspring.  That the flaming veil4 fell from her head declared that virginity had perished in her.  The palm trees that she had seen were Romulus and Remus, or those two outstanding Caesars descending from the stock of Romulus, Julius and Augustus.  That one palm tree seemed larger, the other smaller, was done not without reason of a certain mystery: for sometimes the holy spirit reveals its mystery even to its enemies.  Therefore the palm-tree that by its magnitude touched the heavens signifies Romulus, from whose name the name of the Roman city is said to have been given; moreover Rome is the mistress of the whole world, majestic empress of all cities, who, with leaves and branches, namely with holy apostles and martyrs, embraces the whole world and with the magnitude of signs is raised up to heaven.  But the name of the smaller palm-tree signifies Remus, who, transgressing the laws instituted by Romulus, is condemned by his brother’s authority, having been sentenced to death on the Aventine hill.  Again we call the smaller palm-tree Julius Caesar, who, although he stood out as great in glory of warfare and fame and goodness, in comparison with Augustus he was just as small.  Further Augustus grew into an immense tree, which enveloped the whole face of the earth with its leaves, because he imbued the breadth of the whole world with such great peace that in his days anyone (could) forge a ploughshare and mattock from a sword and lance.  With him ruling, the world was marked out, and the whole world reports the census to him; in the forty-second year of his rule in Bethlehem, the city of David, from a virgin mother Christ was born, who existed before the world both as true God with the father and holy spirit, and appeared as man endowed with our mortality until the end of the world.  He was called Augustus not without certain truth, since his peace sustained such great and invaluable increase from heavenly peace that the seeds of holy virginity, which never before had gained strength on earth, received incorruptible growth in the flesh of God and man.  Thus another name of Caesar Augustus is said to be Octavian from the Octave; its meaning is not judged to be free of mystery.5  For wherever the title of a psalm is written “for the octave,” there is designated the glory and certain rest of our resurrection.  Therefore under the rule of Octavian Caesar, who is also called Augustus, Christ, by whose birth we are reborn to life, is well born, and with him on the octave we will rise to the glory and immortality of new bodies.  For we labor for six days, we rest on the seventh, but on the eighth we will blossom again with new splendor of glorified flesh.  I have expressed the meanings of both palm-trees according to what I was able to perceive about the vision of Silvia. Thus (one) was seen to grow wild by (its) leaves and branches and the other to remain unchanged in its smallness, to be destroyed.  Moreover on account of seething avarice for base profit and burning intemperateness for wanton purposes, prostitutes are rightly called wolves: Acca, who is also Larentia, although she was formerly an unchaste prostitute, nourished faithfully with her milk the little infants found in the wood.  Further, the bird of Mars, who from the mother supplied the support of life to (her) offspring, was Faustulus, the spouse of Larentia. 6  These, therefore are the woodpecker and the wolf, by whose guardianship the tree stood unharmed from cutting, because Faustulus and Acca existed for protection, lest Romulus be subject to defeat of death by Amulius. 

 

Praise through the examples of pagans that chastity of flesh should be cherished.  Behold, you see, o most eminent bride of the supernal prince, how precious gems may be generated from a hailstone, and how silver and golden flowers may be produced from mud.  Thus we read that among the gods of the pagans, as the fables of poets assert, virginity was precious even among those who had no knowledge of the lord and their creator.  For when the goddess Vesta was moved to anger by the unchastity of her servant, it is clear that in her eyes chastity was celebrated; nor, when Silvia was in labor, would the image of the goddess place her hands over her eyes unless the union of illicit love displeased her.  And although (Silvia) is said to have conceived from the god Mars and to have borne Romulus, the founder of the Roman city, nonetheless she shuddered greatly that Cupid had brandished his torch at her and seized the chastity of a virginal body.  Thus Cupid is the demon of fornication and is depicted as winged on both sides because nothing lighter, nothing more swift is found by lovers; the boy is also portrayed as nude because love is declared to be irrational and silly; he holds an arrow because he wounds and he lights a torch because he inflames.  Therefore whoever is struck by his javelin and is consumed by his fires, let him paint in his heart the beautiful face of the virgin’s son enduring death on the cross for the restoration of humans and entrusting his virgin mother to his virgin disciple.  Let him depict how that same lord, lovely in appearance, taught chastity, how he proposed it to all and violently commanded to none.  Let him portray also how by his passion he restores to the vigor of youth human nature, which through sin had grown old in the first parent.  Moreover, according to the laws, in place of a father decrepit through defect of age, a stronger son entered a victorious contest of battle with a tyrant; thus the ancient father Adam through the offspring of his flesh in Christ, and we with him have been led back to the freedom of nature.  Whoever will apply the mind to this contemplation will be able to heal the heart wounded by corrupt love, and as long as he will savor the sweetness of such great delight he will eliminate the taste of unchaste love.

How the beauty of Judith should be beheld spiritually and victory against the ancient enemy should be obtained.  Therefore enter secretly into the bedchamber of your soul with yourself, and assume the form of Judith so that you may seize the sword, and with Holofernes destroyed you may liberate from danger the towns of the Hebrews.  For in the days of her widowhood she was accustomed to pray to the lord in the bedchamber; and in a bedchamber Valerianus found Cecilia praying with an angel.  Thus Hebrews “passing over” are those who do not seek a lasting city in this world.  Indeed those holy souls pass over daily, whom you may lead to the banquet of the eternal king, so that they may be sated by refreshment of celestial feasts; they refuse to be delighted by the foods of Assyrians and to be polluted by their sauces and pleasures.  And what does scripture say?  Holofernes was, it says, resting on his bed, under a canopy that was woven7 with gold and purple and emerald and precious gems, when they announced to him about Judith.  When he had heard this he went out before the tabernacle, and a great many silver lamps preceded him.  Further, a certain apparatus is called a canopy, constructed in such a way by arrangement of an artificial net, in which the rich are accustomed to escape the disturbances of flies.  In it, Holofernes, whom, weakened by lust, the goads of vices violently impelled, judged that he could arrange rest for himself.  But it is little use to protect a face untouched by stings while harboring a corrupt conscience.  The canopy of Holofernes was of gold and purple and emerald and precious gems.  But Holofernes bears the figure of the corrupted angel himself, who always lies in ambush for cleanness and chastity.  And to cause downfall and ruin, goods become precious and ornaments more splendid, with which he feeds the longing of eyes.  And with the apostle as witness you understand that Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  In this was the transformation of Holofernes, by which he had decided to divide a woman of virtue from the intention and habit of holy widowhood and to soften her mind toward a lewd embrace.  Through those very desirable trappings of worldly enticement we receive the flatteries of various pleasures.  The burning lamps that preceded the tyrant are corrupt desires, contending daily to draw the holy soul toward love of the world.  The greedy one burns to possess; laboring he is afflicted so that (his) heap (of wealth) grow; he increases interest [usury] when he lays out expenses; he seeks out masses of gold and silver and cannot fully satisfy abundant scarcity; he thirsts and drinks, and feels cold and need, nor is thirst allayed, nor is the cold repelled, nor is the poverty of mind tempered by abundance of things.  Thus also lust, which is the mother of desire, the more it is exercised for lascivious purposes the more powerfully it is advanced toward the provocations and acts of Venus: following abundance, which sometimes is even supplied to him with loathing, the resourceless one is inflamed again by the corrupt desires of his will.

Concerning the two daughters of the leech that tear apart souls of the faithful.  Behold these are the two daughters of the leech saying: Bring, bring, namely avarice and lust, which, pursuing passion in all, by no means succeed in restraining illicit desire.  These are the ones who have invaded all kingdoms of the world and have subjugated them to their rule.  Under these nearly the whole world labors and is wounded by the bloody teeth of reptiles; scarcely in any corner of the earth is any society of faithful found whose rulers are not envious from one disease or both.  These, sucking the blood of Holofernes for his delights, could not fulfill the insatiable indigence of his wants.  Therefore with Judith flee the deadly venom of this poisonous offspring and with her destroy the proud and untamable gullet of Holofernes: thus let the heads of this twin hydra be crushed, so that new damage not be inflicted on you by the stings of either one.  But first you must approach the path that the mentioned woman led, and you should do constantly what she carried out constantly. 

Concerning the three-day dwelling of Judith.  Judith remained, scripture says, in the camps for three days, and went out at night to the valley of Bethulia and purified herself in a stream of water.  We understand these three days as the death and burial and resurrection of the lord; supported by which in the camps of our pilgrimage we endure encounter and strife with the enemy.  Moreover we know that by the word of this three-day faith, hope and charity are also represented, by which the victorious woman deserved to be distinguished with commendation of virtue:  for with faith she conquered because she trusted without doubt that the power of God would offer strength to her womanly right hand; also with hope she raised up (her) mind as victor toward the throat of Holofernes, because she did not seek a visible defender in the world, but she hoped for an invisible assistant from heaven; further she overflowed utterly with the fruits of charity when she placed her soul in her hand, and for the salvation of her people did not fear to meet death.  Thus like Judith you must remain in the camps for three days, so that in a spiritual struggle you may prevail to stand out as a strong woman, adorned by the victorious palm-leaf.  Truly a precious woman is the ornament and glory of a precious man.

 Therefore be watchful and with the whole disposition of (your) heart strive so that in the time of your widowhood you may faithfully recall to memory daily to what sort or how great a man you presented yourself as bride.  To a great man, you say, with noble blood, surpassing in wealth, overflowing with delights.  Who is he?  Christ of course.  Who is Christ?  God and man, God from God, son of the father before time, a virgin born in time from a virgin mother.  This is your groom, whose beauty is ineffable, whose generation is indescribable; although you were ugly and very unrefined, so that he might make you lovely without stain and adorned without wrinkle, he washed you in his blood and was delighted by your beauty.  The tyrant invaded so that he might seize you for himself and with adultery might dishonor you as a concubine corrupted by the stain of death.  That beautiful man of yours cherished your beauty so much that with that same tyrant he fought in the strife of battle to the death, and he restored you as victor to perpetual freedom.  Moreover it is certain that your spouse is dead in place of you.  Therefore you are a widow, and in the days of your widowhood you must recall with attentive earnestness the benefits of a man so great, so that you not reject him in order to love another man and cruelly estrange yourself from his love.  But, you say, my man is deceased, my groom has been snatched away; therefore if I will marry another there is no rejection of the deceased one: for truly I am bound by living law, according to which when one has died I am now released from (his) bond; I can marry whomever I will so long as it be in the Lord.  You say well “so long as it be in the lord.”  What is in the lord?  It is so that one may please the lord and not let any offense be done to him by the bond of nuptials.  Thus we understand “in the lord.”  Therefore understand also that your man is deceased in place of you, but he has lived again, but he has raised himself again, but he has gone out to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself, to return whensoever with glory to place an eternal crown on your head.  Then your expectation will please you when he will crown you with his glory.  Protect, therefore, (your) faith undiminished for him, and you will be able to hope for an unspoiled reward.

Thenceforth imitate faithfully the example of Judith and imprint spiritually her form on your eyes so that you may go out at night in the valley of Bethulia and purify yourself in a stream of water.  As long as we are in the body and wander away from the lord, we dwell in the error and darkness of night.  But at night, that is in the secret maintenance of holy action, we must seek that stream, the stream of Bethulia, the stream of life, and we must purify conscience with tears and confession.  For Nichodemus came at night to the lord so that he might learn the sacrament of the bath of salvation.  Certainly not in the public company of men can the company of angels be acquired.  For the sake of this holy tears must be hidden and offered to the form and eyes of God alone.  We say that Bethulia in Hebrew is interpreted as virgin in Latin.  Thenceforth descending into the valley of Bethulia - this must be transferred into virginal humility.  In the pure and clear stream of that valley she purified herself daily, who said: For he has regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from this all generations will call me blessed [Luc. 1:48].  O what great humility, how immense the dignity, what a humble thing is foretold by that handmaid about herself, she who was mistress of the heavens and queen of the angels!  You also bathe in this stream, and he who regarded her will regard you.  Further you can become the mother of Christ, if you will conceive in your heart the seed of God’s word, and you will bring it to maturity.  If you are a virgin, do not become haughty about virginity.  For he who chose a humble mother seeks a humble handmaid.  If you have been humble you will be blessed.  What does that virgin, who was made a mother with intactness of virginal womb, say in the virginal song?  From this all generations will call me blessed.  From what?  From this, she says, because he finds me humble, he has sealed my virginity to himself, from this because he loved cleanness of heart in me, he drenched the maternal organs in my flesh with the dew of the holy spirit.  Consider, wise virgin: if he were to find you proud, virginity in the flesh would be of little use to him; we should praise humility because it bestowed on a virgin that she became the mother of God.  Therefore see to it, my most beloved, that you maintain virginity and not withdraw from humility, and flood your conscience with tears and confession, and you have descended into the valley of Bethulia and have been purified in the stream. 

Thereafter that same history adds: And as Judith came up she prayed to the lord God of Israel that he would direct her way to the liberation of his people of Israel, and entering, she remained pure in the tabernacle until food was brought to her in the evening.  A harmonious order and beautiful description, so that you who have descended through humility may ascend by the steps of good deeds.  Moreover the etymology of her name offers firm instruction to you:  for Judith means praising or confessing.  Therefore may confession be so faithful and pure on your lips that your whole life becomes praise to the groom of virgins.  Then you will be able to beseech the lord confidently and supplicate usefully for your transgressions.  For he will hear your voice and will grant your prayers.  If your life will be adorned by holy actions, it will be a path for those proceeding rightly along it: but if, God forbid, it is dedicated to corrupt desires, it will be a snare of death and downfall for all perceiving.  Therefore the salutary beauty in Judith, woman of virtue, has been impressed upon you, so that you may first descend into the valley and wash in the stream: purified by this may you ascend and thus offer prayer to the lord.  He will direct your life with his gracious purpose if you will follow his path; through you he will free his people, if you are pure when you will enter your tabernacle.  May you enter pure and may you remain pure.  Moreover, the tabernacle is the earthen vessel of your body in which God has collected precious treasure, namely a holy soul, which he has adorned with the robe of innocence and with milk-white purity.  See that it not be polluted and that it not appear defiled to the eyes of (its) maker:  let it remain untouched, unstained in this tabernacle:  Judith was pure in her tabernacle so that she also is pure in the present tabernacle of flesh.  But for how long did she persist in her purity?  How long did she dwell in chastity?  Until evening.  And the final hour of the day is concluded in the evening.  Through this the completion of life and deeds is indicated, since the vital restoration of souls is afforded in death.  Until evening, until the final day, until the end of life, until the separation of body and soul, let the purity of chastity always accompany you with humility, and then with the dish of charity you will be sated at the heavenly banquet.  That taster of banquets longed for this heavenly feast.  I will be satisfied, he says, when your glory will be manifest [Ps. 16:15].  This is that satiety not producing disgust, whose abundance on high is not diminished by defect, which thus is possessed by individuals so that it suffices for individuals and each receives different remuneration according to the diversity of merits.  That lovely Jesus in glory is seen by all, longed for greatly by all, loved by all.  But whoever in this life has longed more for that heavenly one will be satisfied more fully.  They will be inebriated, says the prophet, with the abundance of your house, and you will make them drink of the torrent of your pleasure [Ps. 35:9].  That intoxication is the immensity of desire, whose magnitude no profusion circumscribes, whose abundance no indigence binds.  Purity of heart and chastity of flesh obtain this pleasure, where holy humility crushes the lofty sword of pride and determined virtue checks the unchaste appetite of lust.

The robes with which glorious virginity is to be adorned in the victorious battle.  If, therefore, you endeavor to ascend to this city of the living God with triumphal banners, proceed adorned, just like Judith, with precious robes, and when Holofernes will attack let him find you on the covering that, once received from the eunuch, your handmaid spreads for you.  For Holofernes indicates figuratively the form of the devil: but the eunuch Vagao bears the form of the ecclesiastical man.  Thus the covering, because it is sprinkled with diverse colors in its weaving, represents the diversity of holy virtues.  The handmaid who performs service of this for you is your flesh, which like a beast subjects itself to the spirit.  Thenceforth take up the garments of this covering for your daily use, so that on it you may recline and eat.  It is written in the Apocalypse about this garment:  Blessed is he who keeps his garments so that he not walk naked and they see his shame. [Apoc. 16:15].  Faith and innocence of life and especially precious deeds of charity are the garments of the soul, with which it must appear adorned.  For whoever will not be covered by these, the disgrace of his sins will appear.  In another respect, ecclesiastical men castrate themselves for the kingdom of God, and they take pains to bear manfully in their own flesh the chastity that they were accustomed to advise to others.  Their hands are filled with purity so that they have power to cure the wounds of others.  Further, their minds overflow with heavenly showers, striving to drench the dryness of the human heart so they can usefully bring forth the rich fruits of holy virtues.  By their hands your handmaid’s covering is taken up; with them praying, they urge the flesh to embrace chastity.  Nonetheless it should not appear woven with a single and simple color, because chastity alone does not gleam as beautiful without other virtues.  Whence if you do not neglect to be a queen who will rule for eternity, and in gilded robe you decide to stand at the right hand of a prince, in the colors that the variety of virtues appears, you as handmaid must demand back from the flesh the woven covering.  If the enemy of the human race will see you on this, as Holofernes saw Judith, he will be very afraid and his soul will be moved, desiring greatly to lie with you, and he will demand a time to meet you, from the day when he first beheld you in splendor.  But then truly you must not return back, you must not look back after you, nor should you exclude an honorable resolution from (your) mind.  When the flatterer has taken hold he is wont to captivate and thenceforth to drive into the abyss of evils.  We read that this occurred with Dinah, the daughter of Jacob; we lament grievously that this occurs daily with many souls.

Beware, therefore, his subtleties and reject his cunning.  He will make a banquet with his friends to catch you, namely for the multitude of vices that strive to ensnare you in guilt, and he will call no one from the relatives who fortify the camps of chastity.  For if it is written that Holofernes made a dinner for his servants alone and called no kinsmen, our kinsmen are angelic spirits appointed by the lord to us for the guardianship of virtues.  The devil does not call these when he endeavors to tempt, when he does not delay to infect holy souls with poisoned desires.  But he prepares dinner for his servants alone when he incites in perverse spirits a disposition of corrupt will so that, as if it were a restoration for them, ultimate detestable damnation occurs for the soul to whom it is directed.  If a demon of fornication will not be able to master you, a spirit of avarice, God forbid, perhaps will rule.  Concerning this vice the apostle:  And avarice which is the service of idols [Col. 3:5].  Consider, therefore, my most beloved, how poisonous a thing and how corrupted avarice is, which, with the apostle as witness, does not differ from the service of idols; (and consider) how lust unites in one body and binds this to itself.  For many, prostituting their bodies in wantonness, are corrupted not by love but by another’s money.  For where wantonness has not corrupted the mind, frequently obstinate avarice inflames to intercourse.  These are the two indivisible things in one body that attempted to attract holy Judith, but none were able to possess ownership of her.  Concerning banqueters of this sort the apostle Jude in his letter:  These are, he said, stains in their banquets when they feast together without fear, feeding themselves [Jude 12].  Where they should consult honesty along with their utility, they are zealous to indulge more excessively in the enticements of gluttony beyond the measure of the flesh.  They feed themselves, not the poor of Christ; they do not seek the nourishment of life from him who feeds his sheep and lays down his life for his sheep.  Moreover concerning those who are ruled by this sort of vice the same apostle says:  These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth speaks pride, admiring people for the sake of gain [Jude 16].  Whoever neglects to stamp out corrupt desires of the flesh in himself, murmurs and complains that in strife he must endure the labors of holy church.  Holy Daniel and other men of saintly desires did not do this, they who the more they longed for the supernal joys of angels the more fully they despised all transitory things, and they considered little the adversities inflicted upon them.  But those who walk according to their desires rush wretchedly from vice to vice, and their mouth speaks pride, boasting that no fear [makes] them abandon the wickedness to which they are accustomed.  These are ones who admire people for the sake of gain, not love, despising paupers but honoring riches in all things.  Concerning these things it is written by the prophet Zachariah: Open your doors, Lebanon and let fire devour your cedars [Zach. 11:1].  But because Lebanon is interpreted as whiteness, Lebanon is rightly called the Christian soul; it opens its doors wickedly, and fire kindles and devours its cedars, when with corrupted pleasures it thus subjugates the five senses of the body so that the fire of lust and avarice consumes its spiritual goods.

Thus let your spirit be manly, although your sex be womanly.  One man among a thousand I have found, says Ecclesiastes, I have not found a woman among them all [Eccl. 7:29].  The pure contemplation of man is described mystically by the name of man, but weak thought is noted by the name of woman.  But we relate good deeds to the male; moreover we represent harmful deeds with the sign of the inferior sex: whence the poet, Varius, says woman is ever changeable.  Although every heart of man from adolescence is generally liable to malice and injustice, in this downfall of the human race, woman always sinks more easily toward ruin.  Therefore of a thousand intellects, which do not approach the weakness of woman, that man must be sought, you must find that man, whose flesh in the world no human stain has polluted, whose soul in the body no blemish of sin has infected.  Therefore with most ardent desire do what that bride did in the Canticles, who, while she languished with love of her man, constantly investigated his ways of life.

Concerning the examples of holy fathers to be imitated for the sake of hospitality.  In my bed, she says, at night I have sought him whom my soul loves [Cant. 3:1].  That bed, daughter of Sion, in which you must seek the man whom your soul loves, understand it skillfully as the peace of those contemplating, which although it is seen through a glass and in obscurity, nonetheless from the perfect vision of God the eye darkens in the night of this world.  For he himself exists about whom the prophet (said): Behold, he says, there is a man whose name is Orient [Zach. 6:12].  That man will rise for you if you will seek him, pure and clean, so that he purify and cleanse you and in you invest stable rest for himself eternally.  Place his brothers in an inn, and his paupers in lodging.  We have heard frequently from those who were zealous for hospitality that the lord himself or his holy angels were received in the service of charity.  Whence the apostle Peter in his letter: Hospitality toward one another without complaining [1 Pet. 4:9].  And Paul, the vessel of election and teacher of nations, writing in the letter to the Hebrews, says: Let the charity of brotherhood dwell in you, and do not forget hospitality; for by this some have pleased angels who were received in hospitality [Heb. 13:1].  Abraham, father of the faith, holding forth the duties of humanity, understood by certain signs that God spoke through the three angels, whom after (their) refreshment he saw, even with bodily eyes, go to the heavens.  Moreover Lot, supposing they were men, invited them to a hospitable reception (and) understood that among the Sodomites there were angels, by whose leadership he escaped the downfall and burning of the depraved city.  Indeed two disciples, when they decided to urge the stranger on the road to stay in the evening, they deserved to discover the lord himself at the breaking of bread, and he whom (while) walking with them for the whole day they could not know, with the service and refreshment of hospitality they recognize.  This is what you have heard often, which we read was written about the valiant woman: She has opened her hand to the needy and stretched out her hands to the poor [Prov. 31:20].  And although we understand this statement to be about holy church, which through the scribes of truth revealed to those who were unaware the mysteries of faith, and dispersed far and wide its preachers to teach unwise nations of pagans, nonetheless according to the letter it clearly extends to all carrying out alms.  Whence also Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem, calls forth your soul to deeds of piety, and informs usefully what should be done.  Cast, he says, your bread upon the running waters, because after a long time you will find it again [Eccl. 11:1].  Ecclesiastes is called a preacher, whose sermon instructs and urges all: the son is of David, the desirable son of the father, the son strong of hand, the son of the king of Jerusalem, who resounds this universal sentiment.  The son of David says: Cast your bread upon running waters: the son of God, our preacher says:

(How purity of flesh must be accompanied by deeds of alms)  Give alms and behold all things are clean unto you [Luke 11:41].  Therefore whoever disburses necessary things to the poor first should do the work of mercy in himself, so that his deeds appear gracious to God.  But whomever lust represses or avarice weakens, for him the flesh is unclean and conscience is defiled; he does not affirm that all things are clean unto him, although he distributes earthly bread to the poor; unless his life will first be clean, the fruit of alms will not please him. This is what Solomon says: Cast your bread upon running waters.  For as we perceive waters flow down in a turbulent course, thus we do not doubt that all temporal things slip and fall away.  They rise and increase, pass through and disappear.  Therefore to cast bread upon running waters is to place necessary benefits on behalf of Christ in them, whose manner of living shines in the heavens, although they are placed in the body.  And, because with John as witness, many waters are peoples, who with virtues walk over the common sort of life and do not desire joys of the world that will perish, these are ones who, by contemplating, raise themselves up like winged creatures over waters, that is over transitory things.  Therefore rise above yourself, and strive to fly away from the depths to the heights and redeem your soul with precious deeds.  Cast your bread over running waters, that is keep busy to share material resources with the brothers of Christ, because after a long time you will find it again, namely after the course of the world, in exchange for earthly (bread) you will receive the bread of angels.  The lord says give alms.

Concerning deeds of mercy.  Therefore first practice acts of mercy for yourself and afterward apply mercy to others.  Whoever fornicates, whoever commits adultery, whoever commits sacrilege, whoever perpetrates homicide, whoever carries out debauchery, whoever is devoted to lies and perjuries, whoever bends first the heart and then the body toward illicit deeds of perversity, although he may give alms according to the lord’s command, yet all things are not clean unto him.  But the innocent in hands and clean of heart, who has not taken his soul in vain nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbor, he shall receive a blessing and mercy from the lord [Ps. 23:4].

Concerning the spiritual garments of the soul.  Hear what John the apostle says:  I urge you to buy from me gold, forged and tested, so that you may become rich and be clothed in white garments, and that the shame of your nakedness may not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve so that you may see [Apoc. 3:18].  If you desire to be enriched and to amass perpetual wealth for yourself, buy for yourself forged gold, tested gold.  From whom?  From Christ.  What is forged gold, tested gold?  The gift of perfect charity.  Therefore whoever is melted by this so that he might become gold is deserving; and that fervor devours all uncleanness where the grace of its virtue shines.  Moreover the white garments are innocence and justice; this is so that you may live innocently and not withdraw from deeds of justice.  Wherever there will be a root, a tree will not lack leaves and fruit.  For in this, fiery charity is implanted radically; in it good action is increased by other virtues; further ones who are like this, as if a fruitful tree, they scatter precious deeds instead of fruit, nor, like a sterile and unfruitful (tree) do they render words instead of leaves: such a one who makes use of a covering while he dwells in the body, the shame of his nakedness will not lie open in the future.  For whoever has appeared unsightly according to Adam, he will appear lovely in judgment according to Christ.  Therefore anoint your eyes with eye-salve, that is continually reflect in contemplation of holy scripture, with which you should keep busy to imbue more fully your mind so that God may present himself to be seen by you.  For blessed are the clean of heart since they will see God [Matth. 5:8].

Concerning spiritual banquets and the spiritual sword with which the enemy must be crushed.  So now that we have traversed these things let us return to the matter, and with free foot let us follow the path begun.  Therefore take care, my most beloved, that a spiritual Holofernes, who was accustomed to provide an abundance of pleasures, not bend you toward luxury.  If he will set before you anything from the cup of Babylon, guard the lips of (your) inner person so that you not be buried by the wine of perverse delight: if he will offer foods of sin for you to eat, do not touch the tasteless flavor, but do what the honorable and brave woman did.  At the banquet the holy woman tasted those feasts that her handmaid had prepared for her.  You also should not neglect to do this, but let your soul frequently become accustomed to the spiritual virtues in which from infancy your flesh dwelled.  For if it should happen that you, at some time according to place and circumstance, enjoy corporeal delights in food and dress, use them not for themselves, but for you: employ (them), I say, not for pleasure but for necessity, not for pride but for humility, not for gluttony but to sustain the flesh in praise of God, not for illicit appetite but for to sustain the lord’s beast of burden.  It says I have become as a beast before you [Ps. 72.23].  Let not the beast become haughty; it is restored by humble provisions and should be subjected to burdens to be carried: thus also our flesh, with whatever coarse fare it will be sustained, should always be subjected to deeds of reason.  If we consider Holofernes in this, he is duped in the proven deception of holy pretence and is completely destroyed by extreme drunkenness; he aims for this so that he may violate your chastity:  but in (his) nefarious plan you will ensnare him to downfall; and although other vices supposed that carnal enticement conquered you and perverted a manly spirit toward the softness of woman, you should not delay to seize the sword of the holy spirit so that you may cut off the poisonous head of Holofernes.  This kind, says the lord, cannot depart except by prayer and fasting [Mark 9:28].  What is that kind?  Namely of a demon, which just as it wretchedly afflicts the bodies of many, so much more wretchedly it was accustomed to torture the souls that it seizes.  For that reason it is fitting to abstain, it is fitting also to pray.  How did the holy woman Judith pray?  Lord, she said, God of all virtues, look back at this hour to the deeds of your hands so that Jerusalem be exalted, because now is the time to receive your inheritance, and carry out my plan for the affliction of nations that have risen in power over us.  Therefore you also pray, so that he himself who is God of all virtues causes to be united in your inner person the holy virtues, by the glorious defense of which you may always proceed protected; and in that hour when some grievous temptation will attack, when carnal titillation will occur, ask your groom, beseech your lord that your city, the city of Jerusalem, your soul, be exalted.  This is that which must stand firm in the watchtower of inner peace, and avoid the strife of all vices, contemplate king Solomon with his crown and admire the crowd of all the citizens, the roses glowing reddish among the martyrs, violets among the confessors, dazzling lilies among the virgins.  Then, therefore, the time will come for receiving its inheritance, welcome inheritance, delightful inheritance, the flesh and your soul.  As long as from the principal vices some seed of the devil arises between these two, that is not the inheritance of Christ.  For there are many nations and dense and infinite ranks of vices that seek to subvert this inheritance and to subjugate it unhappily to itself.  Without me, says the lord, you can do nothing [John 15:5].  The lord’s power was undoubtedly with Judith, because without the support of his strength she could not obtain victory from the tyrant.  Therefore she seized the sword and approached the bed.  She grasped the hair of the head and struck the neck twice and cut off the head of Holofernes.  In the same manner as the holy woman struck twice in her valor, so also you strike twice so that you not be slow in your virtue.  Thus may your virtue be strengthened by the virtue of God, so that with a double strike you cut off the initial temptation of the ancient enemy.  For what is the double strike other than love of God and one’s neighbor?  With these things the enemy is crushed abundantly when with the sword of God’s word the heart of a diligent one is pierced to remorse.  In such a way, armed with the defenses of chastity, you will be able to please the lord of glory and walk through the gates of the supernal city.

Concerning the chariot in which the blessed Ethelburga was raised to the heavens.  You possess abundantly in your monastery before your eyes daily deeds whose sanctity you should imitate sincerely; the highest king’s glorious and distinguished and precious bride Ethelburga was made a mirror of holy virginity for you; the ornament of holy chastity does not cease to strike you: she herself imprints on you the kind of duty, with how much zeal you must be watchful over the salvation of the flock entrusted to you by God.  In this way preserve souls so that you not abandon bodies in failure; in this way look after bodies so that you not withdraw the food of life from souls.  That happy mother of yours, blessed and illustrious Ethelburga, illuminated by heavenly wisdom and divinely rarefied by the teaching of the holy spirit, achieved this.  Temperance, which is the measure of life, accompanied her in word and deed.  The holy virgin, whom humility as mistress guarded everywhere, was not puffed up, exalted above herself; holy modesty, through which tranquility of mind persisted unmoved, was joined to her as an inseparable companion; in virginal continence chastity was crowned, from which, like twin offspring, dignity and honor come forth.  She suppressed anger, nor did she repay insult to anyone.  Hence it is that the prudent virgin is furnished with perception of the true faith and is adorned not unremarkably with knowledge of scriptures. Thus she read the histories of the old testament in order to embrace the figures of spiritual good things; thus in her ears resounded sweet songs of songs so that from her lap they might spiritually produce figurative comprehension in hearts; thus in these things she contemplated heavenly sacraments so that no incentives of corporeal pleasure would titillate.  Whence it is that in this chariot of Aminadab she took the third wheel, justice to herself,  in which it is first to love God with fear and to practice true religion with veneration.  Moreover its spokes are golden, to be useful to all, not to harm with goading envy, especially to aid those in the household with piety.  We read that all these things were fulfilled in the blessed Ethelburga, who, embracing the bonds of brotherhood, took on herself dangers of others.8  She reverently cultivated holy virgins in the order of ecclesiastical dignity; the illustrious mother did not delay to bear succor to the wretched: she restored the reciprocation of benefit received (and) preserved equity in judgment.  Whence it is that fortitude, which is rightly celebrated as greatness of mind, is added as the fourth wheel to the chariot.  This overcomes and despises riches, and rejects admired goods and honors; this bravely resists adversity and yields patiently to opposition; it is not softened by enticements, not lifted up by good fortune, not broken or fatigued by unfortunate things; it is brave against dangers and is found invincible against trials; it flees avarice, spurns wealth; it prepares the mind constantly for dangers in the face of wicked things; yielding to no troubles it shuns appetite for glory.  Moreover Seneca writes the following about this virtue: he who conquers avarice is stronger than the one who subdues an enemy.  In this chariot the sacred virgin, for whom the lord prepares manifold glory of immortal life, is conveyed on high.  The sister of the holy bishop Erkenwald, while she emulated fraternal zeal in living deeds, obtained the triumph of heavenly courage.  For she is signed with supernal brightness to whom the place of burial of holy bodies is due. Moreover the glory of this same one was portended in the form of the human body, which her disciple saw to be taken by heaven from the dwelling of the dormitory and raised up by the ropes of virtue to supernal joys.  Therefore, beloved mother Adelidis, imitate her celebrated deeds and recommend that your daughters, whom you begot through the Gospel in Christ, emulate them.

Whoever wishes to learn more fully about her life, let him read what Bede composed with distinguished style about her in the history of the English people, and he will succeed in knowing without a doubt how great her worth is with God.  According to the etymology of her name her deeds in the world are resplendent.  For in English a noble or royal citizenry is called “Ethelburga,” because it is distinguished by nobility of mind and royal splendors.  She herself will obtain from the lord fuller grace for you with the other sacred virgins, who, in the monastery over which you preside, have been chosen for illustrious burial together with her.

Epilogue of the whole work and commendation of the author.  Because I have taken pains to forge for you, illustrious woman, a bright necklace of virtues in epistolary sequence and to construct a new mirror in golden splendors and precious stones, diligently consider the embellishment of supernal wisdom in these things.  In these things attend spiritually to how and in what manner you may please the heavenly groom, and hurry to prepare quickly for the desirable glory of his blessed vision.  There you will find the most celebrated Sabbath of all Sabbaths, because you will reach the longed-for triumph of eternal happiness with angelic spirits.  There, a new song will be sung by holy virgins, and each one following the lamb will be dressed in an imperishable regal robe.  If only I could see with you in that light the precious reward of my life, which will always be priceless to me forever!

I call Cecilia and Margaret, those who share my flesh and blood, consorts of virginal sanctimony, they who, born of my sister, adorn your offspring in every place with the purity of innocent life so that they may always bring back to the celestial groom the praise and honor of holy virgins.  I long to perceive their brightness on the crown of the eternal king, and drawn by the virginal fragrance I pant eagerly running behind them toward the blessed vision of God.  Without them never did I have great glory in the body; without their glorification never will I have glorification poured forth in the spirit.  Therefore I truly love them particularly before all relatives and friends; I earnestly place them before all my kin in affection of charity; and because I find them worthy everywhere, holy mother, I commend them to the dignity of your majesty, to be loved; I beg that on my account you receive them to be venerated deservedly and that with magnificent benevolence you hold your fortunes shared with them.

 If there is anything mentioned above in this work that can inflame you toward love of the heavenly groom, let it not be attributed to me but to the holy spirit, to whom it does not displease to speak without our mouths often, even of its enemies.  But if in this unpolished speech about the armor of holy chastity I have brought forth anything inferior, it should be attributed not undeservedly to the scarcity of my ability’s poverty.  Nonetheless whatever it is that by God’s grace has channeled to you from the fountain of my heart, has flowed with copious plenitude from an abundance of charity.  Therefore I desire that you be of such a model as I describe to you, and that you be able to carry out all such things that under the rule of chastity Christ has deemed worthy to subordinate to you.  Therefore commend me to your religious society, so that in David’s presence, with vigils and fasts and holy prayers, they might deem it worthy to be mindful of me, they whom I do not doubt that I will have as companions in the inheritance of saints, in which may it happen that I behold your face in new glory of resurrection, when the bodies of saints overcome by death will rise again unchanged and will be crowned by the creator of life with imperishable laurel.  Let he who rules the supernal empire lead us to that kingdom of immortality, he for whom the voices of holy angels sing continual praise indefatigably, he for whom majesty neither begins nor ceases forever.  Amen.9

 

Original letter:

Incipit epistola Osberti de Clara ad dominam Adelidem, Berchingensis coenobii abbatissam venerabilem, de armatura castitatis. Primum capitulum. Actio gratiaruvi pro perceptorum gratia beneficiorum. Inter illustres et caelibes virginalis gloriae dotes, serenissimae dominae suae Adelidi, sincero ut creditur spiritus sancti consilio sacris virginibus praesidenti, egregiae dei gratia virgini matri in Berchingensis congregatione coenobii, Osbertus de Clara, amator virgineae in Christo pudicitiae aemulatorque eius sanctimoniae ; in choro virginum caelesti a Christo coronari laurea et candidae virginitatis incorruptibili ditescere palma. Apponantur cum gratia et salute recentes hodie tibi deliciae ; ad quas, femina virtutis, ne formides manus extendere, quia nos hesterna solidasti refectione, refecisti mentem non ventrem, nec eduliis sed obsequiis oneratum remisisti. et iccirco,domina mea, comparasti tibi militem non inutilem, et amicum infatigabilem non aere sed amore redemisti; quanquam et dextera mea tuis sit cumulata muneribus, et pretio largitatis tuae et donativo respondeat : quod pretium omni pretio pretiosius aestimatur, quia in illo appreciatur affectus non census, nec largitas pensatur sed voluntas, unde me tantopere tibi devinctum ad tua in aeternum possidebis obsequia, neque tui amoris: sequestratum amplexibus alicuius sibicommunicabit invidia.. hinc est quod vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea sponsa, vulnerasti cor meum caritate et amore [Cant. 4:9]. soror inquam, quia unum patrem habemus deum et eadem gratia regenerati sumus per baptismum: sponsa etiam es domini mei et amica regis mei, ex cuius verbi semine filios ei caelibe parturis conubio et innuba perseveras mater et virgo. o quam pulcra, quam casta, quam iocunda, quam munda est illa. generatio, ubi puerpera cum filiabus Evae non parturit in dolore, et quae procreatur soboles inter filios Adae pane suo non vescitur in sudore, nec arat nec seminat mater illa. in terra maledictionis spinas et tribulas germinantis, sed cum matre Iesu agrum virginitatis excolit centuplo fructificantis ! Virginitas enim, apud superos caelestem contrahens ortum, inter primos et praecipuos supernae urbis cives principatum obtinuit, et in adventu ad homines dei et hominis in virgine matre, regina integritatis, formosa descendit. haec est illa virtutum domina, omniumque bonorum operum gemma, quam sibi in nativitate sua specialiter deus homo copulavit, et sine qua mater eius digna et immaculata nec concepit nec peperit. sine illa ceterae pariunt mulieres, quae de corruptibili carne carnem pariunt morituram; pariunt, inquam, quod concipiunt, peccatum de peccato, successumque sibi vitae nonnunquam mercantur impendio. verum tali nequaquam periclitantur puerperio quae spirituales deo parturiunt fructus, ubi auctor virginitatis et virgo maritus est ille qui generat, et virginis mentem gestat et carnem parens illa quam gratia et semine sacro fecundat. hae sunt imitatrices eius quae cum carnis integritate dei filium pertulit, qui te sibi sponsam et virginem consecravit. sic ergo de illo concipis progeniem ut parias nec sentias carnis corruptionem. in lege enim maledicta erat quae non faciebat fructum in Israel; sub gratia benedicitur, materque filias Iudae domino et regi parturit Emmanuel, accendere itaque, domina, accendere, serenissima, in amorem eius, et praedica cum illo quod praedicavit, et concupisce munera sempiterna quae promisit, ut amica regis efficiaris per dilectionis desiderium et mater existas in sancta praedicatione per verbum. speciosus est enim forma prae filiis hominum per quem in labiis tuis eius gratia est diffusa, myrraque et gutta et casia interioris hominis respersit vestimenta [Ps.44:3]. varietate proinde virtutum tota sic ornata resplendeas, ut non tam verbo subiectis tibi proficias quam exemplo. Speculum virginitatis in beata Cecilia Clarissima virgo, immo generosa virago, beata Cecilia, quot fructus domino legitur peperisse, Candida cuius virginitatis rosea decoratur passione! byssus et purpura indumentum eius [Prov.31:22], quia carnem suam virgo sine macula integra conservavit, eandemque sanguine suo purpuream angelorum regi et domino dedicavit. quia igitur pontificale non femineum in sancta praedicatione gessit officium, inter summos ecclesiae Romanae pontifices donante domino sortita est sepulcrum. nulla ante illam femina huius praerogativae dignitatem obtinuit, neque post illam obtinebit ulterius. legisti de illa quomodo sub deauratis carnem suam cilicio trivit induviis, quomodo in corde cantabat domino cantantibus organis, quam familiarem angelum sanctum habuerit, quomodo pauperes Christi benedictionibus suis in via Appia sustentaverit, quomodo sponsum suum Valerianum cum Tyburcio fratre suo convertit ad fidem, quam virilis animi constantia evangelicam intonabat veritatem. legisti etiam quanto superni amoris ardore beatum pontificem diligebat Urbanum, cuius vultum fratribus ostendit angelicum, et quos Christo lucrari poterat per eum baptizatos transmittebat ad caelum, haec sunt praedicanda insigniter illius admirabilis feminae opera, quae femineam mentem non [a]spirant, sed virilem constantiam in illius redolent libertate. iccirco utique et tota supra feminam est et per earn edoctus ruinam sexus potest vitare femineus. hoc te instruere sacra scriptura, femina virtutis, exemplo non desinit, ut cum sanctis viris familiarem et religiosam parias amicitiam, sicut cum beato papa Urbano virginem peperisse legimus gloriosam. De incorruptae virginitatis gloria per beatam Etheldretham sacris virginibus exemplificata. Plurima large satis ad manum habemus exempla, quae si repeterentur per singula non epistola sed prolixa volumina cuderentur. tamen silere tibi nec audeo nec debeo quomodo beatissima Athldretha incomparabilis virgo in fornace Babylonis rore sancti spiritus irrigata torrentis ignis non sensit incendium, quia flammantem carnis horrebat incestum. nunquam auditum est de femina quod haec femina experta est in seipsa. primo enim desponsata viro innuba permansit et virgo; data in coniugium terreno principi nupsit intemerata Anglorum regi. inopinata enim morte vir ille praeventus intactam et immaculatam dereliquit quam sibi castus amor Christi impolluto matrimonio copulavit. regi deinde praepotenti Sacramento coniungitur, sed nuptiarum usus carnaliter non expletur. per annos duodecim ei ministravit, sed virginitatis fructum non perdidit: exterior species circumferebat reginam, sed interna devotio humilem deo exhibebat ancillam. intuere igitur, filia dei, quot cruces tam diuturno tempore pertulit, quot sibi taedia sponsus ille suus ingessit, cum ille appeteret coniugem et illa abdicaret voluptatem, quos conflictus, quanta sustinuit gloriosa virgo certamina. quod maius in carne potest esse martyrium quam abstinentia inter spinas deliciarum ? evasit tamen, evasit illibata de saeculo, et sacrificium suae virginitatis flammeo velata insignivit deo. ubi magna praecessit pugna, maior successit victoria pugnanti. quod utique decus hodieque in carne sua Christus ostendit, quae dormienti similis in sepulcro marmoreo tota integra requiescit. Recordatio beneficiorum sanctae virginis Atheldrethae, et quod ad regern profecturus Henricum debebat transfretare. Haec est domina mea, haec est regina mea, quae me advenam et peregrinum excepit hospitio ac utriusque vitae pane refecit et circumdedit vestimento. in baculo meo iterum transibo Iordanem [Gen.32:10]; sed, tanta interventrice apud deum pro nobis suffragante, spero me cum turmis ad patriam meae redire nativitatis. ad sepulcrum eius devotus accessi, solennes excubias humiliter celebravi, genua ante eam saepius flexi, pavimentum quo decumbebam lacrimis irrigavi, abeundi licentiam flens et eiulans postulavi. credo quod eius meritis per aequorea salvabor discrimina, et gratia principis mihi in terra favebit aliena. quemadmodum est in ilia posita spes mea et ex ea pendet expectatio mea, ita est et erit fiducia mea ut ipsa sit dux et consolatio mea. nusquam enim in tribulatione positos consuevit relinquere qui eius solent auxilium fideliter invocare. De visione quam, secundum figmenta poetarum, vidit Silvia, virgo deae Vestae, et quomodo corrupta est a Marte. Nec tibi tantummodo, filia Syon, ex filiabus Ierusalem sancti huius propositi procreatur exemplum, verum etiam de filiabus Chaldeorum. nec se solummodo praevias exhibent filiae supernae civitatis, sed apud gentiles utique filiae Babylonis. ex luto nonnunquam aurum colligimus et pretiosam in sterquilinio margaritam invenimus, legimus in annalibus Romanorum Silviam, quam et alio nomine Illam dicimus, virginem in templo Vestae sacerdotem extitisse. haec, Numitore patre progenita, generositate praeclari sanguinis praepollebat; quae cum deae et dominae suae tanquam ministra fidelis obsecutura ad ripam fluminis aquas peteret, ut sacra diluere ex consuetudine praevaleret, sicut scripserunt poetae, secus murmur leniter sonantis aquae substitit et praegravante somno languida tota et fessa resedit. cuius species a Marte visa, diuque ante concupita, tunc demum intercepta est, et fallente somno virgo corrupta ; concepitque gemellos ex divo semine filios, evigilansque somnium intellexit quod faustum et utile futurum non dubitavit. viderat enim se in templo Vestae ante sacros ignes excubare qui mechanica ex iunipero arte conficti Albanis videbantur esse perpetui. in eodem loco ex capite suo visa est ei vitta sua defluere, duasque repentino ortu cernit palmas exsurgere, quarum altera maior erat totamque faciem orbis terrae frondibus et ramis circumdando praetexerat, cuius comae adeo elatae erant quod magnitudine sui ad caelos usque penetrabant; contemplansque patruum suum Amulium securim adhibere ut eandem arborem deberet succidere, tantae visionis imaginem miratur exterrita quod per picum et lupam ab illa succisione stabat defensa. aquas itaque virgo, sed non iam virgo, ad sacras aedes retulit, et quod in somniis viderat referre non formidavit. crescente itaque tempore crevere ventris onera. cum dies accessit partu Silviae insignita, geminos enixa parvulos peperit, hacque parturiente ara deae tremuit eiusque simulacrum virgineis oculis manus suas opponit. exhorruit enim ad flagitium et devirginatae virginis dedignatur ad partum. ad tantum quoque incestum ignis ille continuus suos subiit cineres nec flammas ulterius emisit scintillantes. Amulius itaque, qui Numitori fratri suo regnum abstulerat, cum editos ex nepte sua Remum et Romulum comperisset, mandat fluminibus infantes demergere; quod utique scelus undas legimus refugisse, destituuntur nudi in humo sicca pueri ibidemque eos lupa lacte sua aluit et picus, avis Martia, cibos ministravit. Expositio visionis iuxta considerationem veritatis. Sed ad historiam iterum redeamus, et ad rei veritatem iam vertamus animum, ut colorata evacuentur mendacia poetarum. in templo Vestae erant virgines eius obsequiis adhaerentes, ut tali discamus exemplo colligere quod gentiles etiam delectabantur vitae munditia et castitate. quia ergo philosophi nihil aliud Vestam intelligebant quam flammam, eo quod ignis virgo est et ex illo nulla substantia nascitur, idcirco nulla in eius obsequio nisi virginitate insignita locabatur. corrupta est itaque virgo a Marte, non imagine somnii sed veritate : deinde impregnata vidit somnium, quod maximum in prole praefigurabat augmentum. quod flammeum eius de capite decidit, virginitatem in illa deperisse nuntiavit. arbores palmarum quas viderat Remus et Romulus erant, vel illi duo praeclari Cesares ex genere Romuli descendentes, Iulius et Augustus. Quod palma maior altera videbatur, altera minor, non sine certi factum est causa mysterii: mysterium autem suum in suis etiam inimicis nonnunquam spiritus sanctus ostendit. palma itaque, quae sui magnitudine caelos tangebat, Romulus innuitur, ex cuius nomine Romanae urbi nomen inditum fuisse memoratur; Roma autem totius orbis est domina, universarum (urbium) imperatrix augusta, quae frondibus et ramis, sanctis videlicet apostolis et martyribus, totum mundum complectitur et signorum magnitudine ad caelos usque sublimatur. palmae vero minoris nomine Remus significatur, qui leges a Romulo institutas transgrediens morti adiudicatus in Aventino monte fratris imperio condemnatur. minorem iterum palmam Iulium Cesarem dicimus, qui, quanquam gloria militiae famaque et probitate magnus extiterit, in comparatione Augusti quemadmodum parvus fuit. Augustus autem in arborem immensam crevit, quae totam faciem terrae frondibus suis circumdedit, quia tanta pace totius mundi perfudit latitudinem quod in diebus suis de gladio et lancea quisque sibi vomerem conflaverit et ligonem. eo imperante, mundus est descriptus orbisque sibi censum profitetur universus, cuius quadragesimo secundo imperii anno in Bethleem civitate David de matre virgine natus est Christus, qui et verus cum patre et sancto spiritu ante saecula deus extitit, et homo in fine saeculorura nostra mortalitate indutus apparuit. qui non sine certa veritate dictus est Augustus, quoniam pax illius tantum et tam inaestimabile de caelesti pace suscepit augmentum quod sacrae virginitatis semina, quae in terris nequaquam antea convaluerant, in carne dei et hominis incorruptibile acceperint incrementum. aliud itaque Cesaris Augusti vocabulum ab Octava Octavianus dicitur; neque a mysterio vacare eius significatio aestimatur. ubicumque enim titulus psalmi scribitur pro octava [Pss.6, 11], ibi resurrectionis nostrae certa requies designatur et gloria, sub imperio ergo Octaviani Cesaris, qui et Augustus dicitur, bene nascitur Christus, cuius nativitate renati sumus ad vitam, et cum illo in octava resurgemus ad novorum corporum immortalitatem et gloriam. in sexta enim laboramus, in septima requiescimus, in octava autem glorificatae carnis novo splendore reflorebimus. secundum quod de visione Silviae sentire potui, utriusque palmae significationes expressi. sic frondibus et ramis visa est silvescere, et altera in sui parvitate diminuenda constare. quia propter exaestuantem deformis lucri cupiditatem et propter intemperantiam in venereos usus exardescentem meretrices merito lupae nominantur, Acca, quae et Laurentia, cum meretrix antea impudica extiterit, in silva repertos lacte suo fideliter infantulos enutrivit. avis autem Martia, coniunx Laurentiae, Faustulus erat, qui de matre progenitis vitae subsidia ministrabat. haec igitur sunt picus avis et lupa, quibus tutoribus a succisione stabat arbor illaesa; quia Faustulus et Acca fuere praesidio ne Romulus per Amulium mortis subiaceret detrimento. Comprobatio per gentilium exempla quod carnis integritas sit diligenda. Ecce vides, o praecellentissima superni principis sponsa, quomodo ex grandine pretiosi lapides procreentur, et qualiter ex limo flores aurei et argentei producantur. in diis itaque gentium, ut fabulae perhibent poetarum, eis etiam qui domini et creatoris sui non habuere notitiam, legimus virginitatem extitisse pretiosam. cum enim in incestu ministrae suae dea Vesta mota est ad iracundiam, manifestum est ante eius oculos pudicitiam fuisse praeclaram ; neque enim pariente Silvia simulacrum deae oculis suis manus opponeret, nisi ei illiciti amoris copula displiceret. et quanquam de deo Marte dicta sit concepisse, et conditorem Romanae urbis Romulum peperisse, in illam tamen exhorruit facem suam vibrasse Cupidinem corporisque virginei corrupisse castitatem. Cupido itaque daemon est fornicationis, et ex utroque latere alatus depingitur, quia nihil amantibus levius, nihil mobilius invenitur; puer et nudus effingitur quia amor irrationabilis et stultus indicatur; sagittam tenet quia vulnerat, et facem accendit quia inflammat. qui itaque illius iaculo percutitur eiusque ignibus concrematur, pingat sibi in corde formosam faciem filii virginis, pro restauratione hominum mortem in cruce perferentis, et matrem virginem virgini discipulo commendantis. pingat quomodo speciosus forma idem dominus castitatem docuit, quam omnibus proposuit et nemini violenter imperavit. pingat etiam quomodo humanam naturam, quae per peccatum in primo parente senuerat, ad iuventutis robur in sua passione reformat, secundum leges etiam pro patre decrepito per aetatis defectum validior filius cum tyranno victoriosum pugnae inivit congressum; sic vetustus pater Adam per suae carnis in Christo progeniem, nosque cum illo, reducti sumus ad naturae libertatem. qui huic meditationi applicuerit animum cor sanare poterit perverso amore vulneratum, et dum tantae suavitatis degustabit dulcedinem amoris incesti evacuabit saporem. Qualiter forma Iudith spiritualiter sit intuenda, et contra hostem antiquum obtinenda victoria. Ingredere proinde secreto in cubiculum animae tuae tecum, et assume formam Iudith, ut arripias gladium et Oloferne prostrate liberes a periculo municipia Hebreorum. in diebus enim viduitatis suae in cubiculo orare ad dominum consuevit; et in cubiculo Valerianus Ceciliam cum angelo orantem invenit. Hebrei itaque ' transeuntes' sunt, qui manentem in hoc mundo civitatem non requirunt. transeunt siquidem cotidie sanctae illae animae quibus praees ad aeterni regis convivium, ut caelestium refectione satientur epularum; Assyriorum refugiunt cibariis delectari eorumque obsoniis et voluptatibus inquinari. et quid ait scriptura? Erat, inquit, Olofernes requiescens in lecto suo, in conopeo quod erat ex auro et purpura et smaragdo et lapidibus pretiosis iuxta eum, cum nuntiaverunt ei de ludith. qui cum audisset exiit ante tabernaculum, et lampades argenteae praecedebant eum multae valde. conopeum autem quoddam dicitur instrumentum in modum retis ordine artificiali compositum, in quo solent divites vitare muscarum infestationes. in eo quietem sibi collocasse aestimaverat Olofernes, quem enervatum libidine vitiorum stimuli violenter agitabant. parum enim prodest faciem ab aculeis integram conservare et conscientiam habere corruptam. ex auro et purpura et smaragdo et lapidibus pretiosis erat conopeum Olofernis. Olofernes autem figuram illius perversi gerit angeli, qui munditiae semper insidiatur atque castitati. pretiosa vero supellex et ornatus splendidior causa fiunt casus et ruinae, quibus oculorum concupiscentia enutritur. et apostolo teste intelligis quod ipse Sathanas transfigurat se in angelum lucis [2Cor.11:14]. hoc erat transfiguratio Olofernis, qua virtutis feminam a proposito et habitu sanctae viduitatis dimovere decreverat et ad incestum eius animos mollire complexum. per illa concupiscibilia illecebrae saecularis ornamenta variarum accipimus blandimenta voluptatum. lampades ardentes quae tyrannum praecedebant cupiditates perversae sunt, ad amorem mundi sanctam animam cotidie concertantes attrahere. avarus ardet ut habeat, laborans affligitur ut acervus crescat, extendit usuras cum expendit impensas, auri et argenti copias exquirit et copiosam non potest exsaturare inopiam; sitit et bibit, et alget, et eget, nec sitis sedatur, nec algor repellitur, nec mentis egestas rerum abundantia temperatur. sic quoque luxuria, quae mater est libidinis, quo magis in venereos usos exercetur eo validius ad Veneris incentiva promovetur et actus: post copiam, quae ei cum fastidio nonnunquam etiam ministratur, inops iterum voluntatis suae desideriis pravis incenditur. De duabus sanguisugae filiabus quae animas fidelium lacerant. Ecce hae sunt duae filiae sanguisugae dicentes: Affer, affer [Prov.30:15], avaritia videlicet et luxuria, quae affectum in omnibus sequentes illicitum nequaquam cohibere praevalent appetitum. hae sunt quae invaserunt omnia regna mundi et suo ea subiugaverunt dominio. sub his paene universus elaborat orbis et cruentis reptilium dentibus vulneratur; vix etiam in quolibet angulo terrae aliqua invenitur congregatio fidelium cuius principes altero morbo non liveant aut utroque. hae in deliciis Olofernis eius sugentes sanguinem inexplebilem suae penuriae replere non poterant egestatem. effuge ergo cum Iudith letiferum virus huius venenosae prolis et confringe cum illa superbum et indomabile guttur Olofernis: sic hydrae huius geminae capita conterantur, ne nova tibi detrimenta utriusque aculeis infligantur. sed prius aggredienda tibi est via quae femina memorata praecessit, et constanter agendum quod illa constantius egit. De triduana mansione Iudith. Mansit, inquit scriptura, Iudith in castris triduo, et exibat per noctem in vallem Bethuliae, et baptizabat se in fontem aquae, triduum hoc mortem et sepulturam et resurrectionem domini intelligimus, quibus subnixi in castris peregrinationis nostrae congressum cum hoste certamenque subimus. tridui huius etiam nomine fidem, spem et caritatem novimus figurari, quibus victrix femina virtutis praeconio meruit insigniri: fide etenim vicit, quia dei potentiam dextrae femineae vires praestituram indubitanter credidit; spe etiam ad Olofernis iugulum victorem erexit animum, quia propugnatorem in mundo non quaerebat visibilem, sed invisibilem e caelo sperabat adiutorem; caritatis quoque tota visceribus affluxit, quando animam suam in manu sua posuit, seque pro salute populi sui morti opponere non formidavit. ita triduo sicut Iudith debes manere in castris, ut in spirituali certamine victrici palma decorata praevaleas existere mulier fortis. mulier etenim pretiosa pretiosi viri est ornamentum et gloria. Invigila proinde et toto affectu cordis enitere ut in tempore viduitatis tuae cotidie fideliter reducas ad memoriam quanto vel quali viro te exhibueris sponsam. Magno, inquies, viro, sanguine generoso, divitiis praepollenti, deliciis affluenti. quis est ille ? Christus scilicet, quis est Christus ? deus et homo, deus de deo, filius de patre ante tempora, virgo de virgine matre natus in tempore, sponsus iste tuus, cuius ineffabilis est pulcritudo, cuius generatio inenarrabilis, cum deformis esses et nimis inculta, ut te sine macula et ruga formosam efficeret et decoram, lavit te in sanguine suo et delectatus est in decore tuo. irruit tyrannus ut te sibi raperet et pelicem in adulterio mortis aspergine infectam violaret. in tantum itaque speciem tuam speciosus vir tuus ille dilexit, quod cum eodem tyranno duelli certamine ad mortem usque conflixit, teque perpetuae libertati victricem restituit. certum est autem quod sponsus tuus mortuus est pro te. vidua ergo es et in diebus viduitatis tuae tanti viri beneficia sollicita debes sedulitate recolere, ne facias ei repudium ut virum alterum diligas et te ab eius amore crudeliter avertas. sed dicis, Defunctus est vir meus, ablatus est sponsus meus; non igitur repudium fit defuncto si alteri nupsero: vivente enim vero alligata sum legi, quo defuncto soluta sum iam vinculo; nubere possum cui voluero tantum in domino, bene inquis, Tantum in domino, quid est in domino? id est ut domino placeat et ne in nuptiarum copula aliqua ei iniuria fiat, sic intelligimus in domino, intellige igitur et tu quia mortuus est pro te vir tuus, sed revixit, sed resurrexit, sed abiit in regionem longinquam accipere sibi regnum [Luke 19:12], rediturus quandoque cum gloria ut capiti tuo imponat diadema perpetuum. tunc placebit tibi expectatio tua cum te coronabit in gloria sua. serva igitur ei fidem integram, et mercedem sperare poteris incorruptam. Exemplum proinde Iudith fideliter imitare et formam illius tuis oculis spiritualiter imprime, ut nocte exeas in vallem Bethuliae et baptizes te in fontem aquae, quamdiu enim sumus in corpore et peregrinamur a domino [2Cor.5:6], in noctis caligine et errore versamur. in nocte autem, id est in occulta sanctae actionis exhibitione, quaerendus est fons iste, fons Bethuliae, fons vitae, et baptizanda conscientia in lacrimis et confessione. venit et nocte Nichodemus ad dominum ut salutaris lavacri disceret sacramentum. non utique in publica conversatione hominum potest adquiri conversatio angelorum. hac de causa occultandae sunt sanctae lacrimae et solius dei oculis et aspectibus offerendae. Bethulia Hebraice virgo interpretatum dicimus Latine. inde in valle Bethuliae descendendum, hoc est in virginea humilitate transmigrandum. in puro et lucido illius vallis fonte se cotidie baptizabat quae dicebat: Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes [Luke 1:48]. o quanta humilitas, quam immensa dignatio, quod humilis a se ipsa praedicatur ancilla, quae caelorum erat domina et angelorum regina! baptizare et tu in hoc fonte, et qui respexit illam respiciet te. poteris quoque effici mater Christi, si in corde tuo conceperis semen verbi dei, et ad maturitatem usque perduxeris. si virgo es, de virginitate ne insolescas. ancillam enim requirit humilem, qui humilem elegit genitricem. si humilis fueris beata eris. quid ait illa virgo in cantico virginali, quae mater effecta est cum integritate virginalis uteri? Ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. ex quo? ex hoc, inquit, quod me humilem reperit, meam sibi virginitatem consignavit, ex hoc quod in me munditiam cordis dilexit, materna viscera in carne mea rore sancti spiritus irrigavit. attende, prudens virgo: si superbam invenisset, parum ei prodesset in carne virginitas; quod mater effecta est dei laudanda in virgine donavit humilitas. age ergo, dilectissima mihi ut virginitatem teneas et ab humilitate non recedas, tuamque conscientiam dilue lacrimis et confessione, et descendisti in vallem Bethuliae et baptizata es in fonte. Deinde in eadem subinfertur historia : Et ut ascendebat ludith orabat ad dominum deum Israel ut dirigeret viam eius in liberationem populi sui Israel [Judith 12:8], et introiens munda manebat in tabernaculo usque dum afferretur ei esca ad vesperum. ordo conveniens et pulcra descriptio, ut quae per humilitatem descendisti per bonorum operum gradus ascendas. nominis autem eius etymologia certam tibi exhibet disciplinam : Iudith namque laudans vel confitens est. sit igitur tam fidelis et pura in ore tuo confessio, ut tota vita tua virginum sponso fiat laudatio. tunc fiducialiter orare poteris dominum, et pro commissis tibi supplicare utiliter. exaudiet enim vocem tuam et votis tuis ministrabit effectum. vita tua si sanctis actibus fuerit adornata, via erit per illam recte gradientibus: si vero, quod absit, pravis desideriis dedita, laqueus mortis et ruina cernentibus. iccirco in Iudith, virtutis femina, forma tibi est salubris impressa, ut prius descendas in valle et baptizeris in fonte: ex quo purificata ascendas et sic orationem ad dominum facias, diriget in beneplacito suo vitam tuam, si secuta fueris viam suam; liberabitque per te populum suum, si munda introieris tabernaculum tuum. munda introeas et munda permaneas. tabernaculum autem vas fictile corporis tui est, in quo thesaurum deus pretiosum collocavit, animam videlicet sanctam, quam veste innocentiae et lactea decoravit puritate. vide ne polluatur, ne contaminata oculis conditoris appareat: integra, immaculata, in tabernaculo isto permaneat: munda in tabernaculo suo fuit Iudith, ut et ipsa in praesenti carnis tabernaculo munda sit. sed quamdiu in munditia sua perstitit ? quamdiu in castitate permansit ? usque ad vesperum. vespere autem hora diei ultima terminatur. per hanc vitae consummatio notatur et operum, cum in morte ministratur vitalis refectio animarum. usque ad vesperum, usque ad diem ultimum, usque ad finem vitae, usque ad divisionem corporis et animae, te semper cum humilitate comitetur munditia castitatis, et tunc satiaberis in caelesti convivio ferculo caritatis. ad hoc suspirabat convivium caelestium ille degustator epularum. Satiabor, inquit, cum manifestabitur gloria tua. haec est illa satietas non generans fastidium, cuius copia in supernis non minuitur per defectum, quae ita a singulis possidetur ut singulis sufficiat et secundum diversitatem meritorum diversa quisque stipendia apprehendat. ab omnibus videtur, ab omnibus concupiscitur, ab omnibus diligitur speciosus ille in gloria Iesus. sed qui in hac vita desideravit amplius in ilia caelesti satiabitur uberius. Inebriabuntur, inquit propheta, ab ubertate domus tuae, et torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos [Ps.35:9]. ebrietas ista immensitas est desiderii, cuius magnitudinem nulla terminat affluentia, cuius abundantiam nulla praepedit indigentia. voluptatem hanc puritas cordis et carnis obtinet pudicitia, ubi sancta humilitas elatum conterit superbiae gladium, et virtus discreta impudicum libidinis resecat appetitum. Quibus vestibus sit ornanda in victorioso certamine virginitas gloriosa. Si ergo ad hanc civitatem dei viventis cum triumphalibus signis conaris ascendere, ornata quemadmodum Iudith pretiosis vestibus procede, ut cum irruerit Olofernes super stragulam te reperiat, quam acceptam a spadone tua tibi ancilla substernat. Olofernes autem typice figuram exprimit diaboli: Bagao vero eunuchus formam gestat ecclesiastici viri. stragula itaque, quia diversis coloribus in textura respergitur, virtutum sanctarum diversitas figuratur. ancilla quae tibi huius exhibeat ministerium caro tua est, quae se spiritui subiciat ut iumentum. in cotidianum proinde usum huius tibi stragulae assume induvias, ut super illam manduces et discumbas. de hac veste in Apochalipsi scriptum est: Beatus qui custodit vestimenta sua ne nudus ambulet et videant turpitudinem eius [Apoc.16:15]. fides et vitae innocentia et praecipua caritatis opera pretiosa sunt animae vestimenta, quibus apparere debet adornata. quaecunque autem his induta non fuerit, peccatorum eius turpitudo apparebit. ceterum ecclesiastici viri seipsos castrant propter regnum dei, et castitatem quam consueverunt aliis praedicare in carne sua satagunt viriliter circumferre. manus eorum plenae sunt munditia, ut curare vulnera praevaleant aliena. mentes autem imbribus madent caelestibus, ariditatem cordis humani contendentes infundere, ut uberes sanctarum virtutum fructus queant utiliter expedire. per illorum manus ancillae tuae sumitur stragula, cum eis praedicantibus castitas carni suggeritur amplectenda. verumtamen uno et simplici colore contexta non appareat, quia sola pudicitia absque ceteris virtutibus formosa non coruscat. unde si regina in aeternum regnatura esse non negligis, et in vestitu deaurato ad dexteram principis astare decernis, coloribus quos virtutum prodit varietas contextam stragulam ab ancilla carne reposcas. si te super hanc humani generis hostis aspexerit, sicut Olofernes aspexit Iudith, expavescet et commovebitur anima eius, cupiens valde tecum concumbere, et quaeret tempus ut tibi occurrat ex die qua te primo contemplatus est in splendore. sed tunc vere opus est ut retro non redeas, ut post te non respicias, nec honestum ab animo propositum excludas. solet cum corruperit blandiens delinire, et in profundum deinceps malorum impellere. hoc in Dina filia Iacob factum legimus [Gen.34], hoc in multis animabus cotidie fieri graviter dolemus. Cave igitur versutias eius et astutias declina. faciet convivium amicis suis ut te decipiat, vitiorum scilicet multitudini quae te ad culpam irretire contendet, et neminem vocabit de necessariis qui castra praemuniant castitatis. si enim scriptum est quod Olofernes fecit cenam famulis suis solis et neminem vocavit de necessariis [Judith 12], necessarii nostri sunt spiritus angelici ad virtutum custodiam nobis a domino deputati. hos non vocat diabolus cum temptare nititur, cum sanctas animas inficere toxicatis desideriis non moratur. cenam vero solis famulis suis apparat cum perversis spiritibus affectum pravae voluntatis instigat ut eis tanquam refectio fiat ultima animae cui intenditur damnatio detestanda. si tibi fornicationis daemon imperare non poterit, spiritus avaritiae, quod absit, forsitan imperabit. de quo vitio apostolus : Et avaritia quae est idolorum servitus. contemplare ergo, dilectissima mihi, quam noxia res est et quam polluta cupiditas, quae teste apostolo ab idolorum servitute non discrepat; et qualiter hanc sibi luxuria concorporet et connectat. multae etenim, corpora sua prostituentes ludibrio, non amore sed aere corruptae sunt alieno. ubi autem libido mentem non polluit, obstinata saepe cupiditas ad coitum succendit. haec sunt in uno corpore duo individua quae sanctam Iudith temptaverunt allicere, sed nihil in illa proprium potuerunt possidere. de huiusmodi epulantibus Iudas apostolus in epistola sua: Hi sunt, inquit, in epulis suis maculae convivantes sine timore, semetipsos pascentes. ubi deberent honestati simul et utilitati suae consulere, student in carnis illecebris gulae supra modum profusius indulgere. semetipsos, non pauperes Christi, pascunt; nec ab illo pabula vitae quaerunt, qui pascit oves suas et pro ovibus suis ponit animam suam. de illis autem quibus huiusmodi vitia dominantur idem apostolus ait: Hi sunt murmuratores, querelosi, secundum desideria sua ambulantes, et os illorum loquitur superbiam, mirantes personas quaestus causa, quicunque in se prava negligit desideria carnis extinguere, murmurat et queritur quod sanctae debet ecclesiae labores in certamine sustinere. hoc sanctus Danihel non fecit ceterique sanctorum desideriorum viri, qui quanto magis ad superna suspirabant angelorum gaudia tanto amplius cuncta despiciebant transitoria, et parvipendebant quae eis ingerebantur adversa. qui vero secundum desideria sua ambulant de vitio in vitium miserabiliter corruunt, et os illorum loquitur superbiam, iactans se nullius timoris reverentia dimittere iniquitates quibus assuescunt. hi sunt qui quaestus causa personas mirantur, non dilectionis : pauperes contemnentes, divites autem in omnibus honorantes. de his in Zacharia [11:1]propheta scriptum est: Aperi, Libane, portas tuas et comedat ignis cedros tuas. quia vero Libanus candidatio interpretatur, Libanus recte Christiana anima dicitur; quae male portas suas aperit, ignisque cedros eius comedit et incendit, quando quinque sensus corporis ita pravis voluptatibus subiugat ut ignis luxuriae atque avaritiae spiritualia eius bona consumat. Virilis itaque sit spiritus tuus, cum sit muliebris sexus tuus. Virum, inquit Ecclesiastes [7:29], de mille unum repperi, mulierem ex omnibus non inveni. pura hominis meditatio sub viri nomine mystice describitur; infirma vero cogitatio mulieris titulo praenotatur. bona vero opera ad masculum referimus ; actus autem noxios sexus inferioris charactere figuramus : unde poeta, Varium, inquit, et mutabile semper femina [Virgil, Aen.4:569]. cum omne cor hominis ab adolescentia malitiae et iniquitati sit fere obnoxium, in hac ruina generis humani facilior semper mulier declinat ad casum. iccirco in mille intellectibus, qui ad infirmitatem mulieris non appropinquant, vir ille quaerendus, vir ille tibi reperiendus est, cuius carnem in mundo nulla humana macula polluit, cuius animam in corpore nulla peccati labes infecit. ardentissimo igitur fac desiderio quod sponsa illa egit in Cantico [2:5], quae viri huius amore dum languit semitas illius constanter investigavit. De hospitalitatis gratia exempla sanctorum patrum imitanda. In lectulo meo, inquit, per noctem quaesivi quem diligit anima mea. lectulus iste, filia Syon, in quo quaerere debes virum quem anima tua diligit, quietem contemplantium sollerter intellige, quae quanquam per speculum et in aenigmate videatur, tamen a perfecta visione dei in nocte huius saeculi oculus caligat. ipse namque est de quo propheta : Ecce, inquit, vir cuius est Oriens nomen eius. orietur tibi vir iste, si hunc quaesieris, purus et mundus, ut te purificet et emundet et in te quietem sibi stabilem aeternaliter collocet. colloca fratres eius in diversorio, et pauperes eius in hospitio. audivimus frequenter ab his qui hospitalitati studuerunt aut ipsum dominum aut sanctos eius angelos caritatis officio fuisse susceptos. unde apostolus Petrus in epistola sua [1Pet.4:9]: Hospitales invicem, ait, sine murmuratione. et Paulus, vas electionis et gentium doctor, in epistola ad Hebreos scribens ait: Caritas fraternitatis maneat in vobis, et hospitalitatem nolite oblivisci [Heb.13:1]; per hanc enim placuerunt quidam angelis hospitio receptis. Abraham, pater fidei, humanitatis praebens officia, deum quibusdam indiciis loqui in tribus angelis intellexit, quos post refectionem ad caelos ire oculis etiam corporalibus vidit [Gen.18]. Loth autem, quos homines putans ad hospitium invitavit, angelos in Sodomis esse cognovit, quorum ductu ruinam et incendium pravae civitatis evitavit [Gen.19]. duo vero discipuli, cum peregrinum in via aestimarent vespere ad mansionem cogere, ipsum dominum in fractione panis meruerunt invenire, et quem secum gradientem per totum diem cognoscere non possunt in hospitalitatis officio et refectione cognoscunt [Luke 24]. hoc est quod saepius audisti, quod de muliere forti scriptum legimus: Manum suam aperuit inopi et palmas suas extendit ad pauperem [Prov.31:20]. et quamvis hoc de sancta dictum intelligamus ecclesia, quae mysteria fidei per veritatis operarios nescientibus aperuit, et praedicatores suos ad instruendas insipientes gentium nationes longe lateque dispersit, tamen secundum litteram omnibus eleemosynas facientibus patenter intendit. unde et Ecclesiastes, filius David regis Ierusalem, ad pietatis opera animam tuam provocat, et quid sit agendum utiliter informat. Mitte, inquit, panem tuum super transeuntes aquas, quia post multa tempora invenies illum [Eccles.11:1]. Ecclesiastes contionator dicitur, cuius sermo omnes instruit et hortatur: filius est David, filius patris desiderabilis, filius manufortis, filius regis Ierusalem, qui omnibus hanc sententiam intonat generalem. filius David ait: Mitte panem tuum super transeuntes aquas : filius dei contionator noster dicit: (Quomodo camis munditia eleemosynarum operibus sit comitanda.) Date eleemosynam, et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis [Luke 11:41]. quisquis igitur necessaria indigentibus erogat in seipso prius opus misericordiae faciat, ut coram deo eius opera appareant gratiosa. quem vero luxuria premit aut debilitat avaritia, cui immunda caro est et polluta conscientia, non sibi omnia munda esse autumet, licet panem terrenum pauperibus dispendat; nisi eius vita prius munda fuerit, fructus eleemosynae in illo non placebit. hoc est quod Salomon ait: Mitte panem tuum super transeuntes aquas, sicut enim aquas impetuoso cursu defluere cernimus, ita cuncta temporalia labi et decidere non dubitamus. oriuntur et crescunt, transeunt et deficiunt. panem ergo super transeuntes aquas mittere est in eis pro Christo necessaria collocare beneficia quorum conversatio in caelestibus splendet, quamvis sint in corpore collocata. et, quia teste Iohanne aquae multae populi sunt [Apoc.17:15], qui popularem supergred(iuntur vit)am virtutibus et peritura mundi gaudia non desiderant, hi sunt qui ut pennata animalia seipsos super aquas, hoc est super transitoria, contemplando levant, ascende itaque super te, et ab infimis ad superos avolare contende, et pretiosis operibus animam tuam redime. mitte panem tuum super transeuntes aquas, id est satage ut corporalia subsidia fratribus Christi dividas, quia post multa tempora invenies ilium ; post excursum videlicet saeculi pro terreno panem recipies angelorum. Date, inquit dominus, eleemosynam. De operibus misericordiae. Prius ergo in te actus exerce misericordiae et postmodum ceteris misericordiam impende. qui fornicatur, qui facit adulterium, qui sacrilegia committit, qui perpetrat homicidium, qui operatur incestum, qui mendaciis et periuriis vacat, qui ad illicita perversitatis opera prius cor et postea corpus inclinat, quamvis eleemosynam det iuxta praeceptum domini, non tamen omnia munda sunt ei. sed innocens manibus et mundo corde, qui non accepit in vano animam suam, nec iuravit in dolo proximo suo, hic accipiet benedictionem a domino et misericordiam [Ps.23:4-5]. De spiritualibus animae vestibus. Audi quid Iohannes apostolus dicat [Apoc.3:18]: Suadeo tibi e(mere a me aur)u(m) ignitum et probatum, ut locuples fias, et vestimentis albis induaris, et non appareat confusio nuditatis tuae; et collyrio inunge oculos tuos ut videas. si locupletari desideras et perpetuas tibi congregare divitias, eme tibi aurum ignitum, aurum probatum. a quo? a Christo. quid est aurum ignitum, aurum probatum? perfectae caritatis donum. qui ergo ab ista decoquitur ut aurum fiat promeretur; et sordes cunctas fervor ille comedit ubi virtutis huius gratia splendescit. alba autem sunt vestimenta innocentia et iustitia, hoc est ut innocenter vivas et ab operibus iustitiae non recedas; qui ubi radix fuerit, frondibus et fructu arbor non carebit. in quo enim radicitus ignea caritas infigitur, in eo virtutibus aliis bona actio multiplicatur; qui autem huiusmodi sunt tanquam fructuosa arbor opera pretiosa spargunt pro pomis, nec ut sterilis et infructuosa reddunt verba pro foliis: qui tali dum manet in corpore utitur indumento, confusio nuditatis suae non patebit in futuro. qui enim secundum Adam deformis apparuit, secundum Christum in iudicio speciosus apparebit. collyrio itaque oculos tuos inunge, id est in meditatione sanctae scripturae iugiter versare, qua mentem tuam satagas imbuere plenius, ut se tibi videndum infundat deus. Beati enim mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt [Matth.5:8]. De spiritualibiis epulis et de spirituali gladio quo conterendus est inimicus. His ita decursis redeamus ad materiam et pede libero inceptam prosequamur viam. cave ergo, dilectissima mihi. ne te spiritualis Olofernis inflectat ad luxum, qui ministrare consuevit copias voluptatum. si tibi de calice Babilonis aliquid propinaverit, custodi labia interioris hominis ne sepeliaris vino pravae delectationis: si tibi peccati cibos ut comedas apposuerit, infatuatum ne contingas saporem, sed fac quod honesta mulier fecit et fortis. epulas quas ei ancilla sua praeparaverat ipsas sancta femina in convivio degustabat. hoc et tu facere non negligas, sed in spiritualibus virtutibus, in quibus ab infantia versata est caro tua, frequenter assuescat anima tua. quod si contigat te aliquando in victu et vestitu pro loco et tempore corporalibus uti deliciis, utere eis non pro se, sed pro te: utere, dico, non pro voluptate sed pro necessitate, non ad tumorem sed ad humilitatem, non ad gulam sed ad carnem in dei obsequio sustinendam, non ad appetitum illicitum sed ad iumentum domini sustentandum. Ut iumentum, inquit ille, factus sum apud te [Ps.72:23]. iumentum ne insolescat, humili annona reficitur et portandis oneribus subiugatur: sic et caro nostra, quibuscumque fuerit sustentata cibariis, semper subiciatur operibus rationis. si hoc contemplatus fuerit Olofernes, falletur in experta simulationis sanctae fallacia et totus dissolvetur ebrietate copiosa; intendetque ad hoc ut tuam violet pudicitiam: sed tu eum in cogitatione nefaria illaqueabis ad ruinam ; et cum putaverint cetera vitia quod te illecebra carnalis evicerit et viriles animos ad mollitiem mulieris inflexerit, spiritus sancti ne tardes apprehendere gladium ut caput Olofernis reseces virulentum. Hoc genus, inquit dominus, non potest exire nisi in oratione et ieiunio [Mark 9:28]. quod est illud genus? daemonii scilicet, quod quemadmodum multorum corpora miserabiliter affligit, ita multo miserabilius animas quas occupat torquere consuevit. ideo decet abstinere, decet et orare. quomodo oravit sancta femina Iudit? Domine, inquit, deus omnium virtutum, respice in hanc horam ad opera manuum tuarum ut exaltetur Ierusalem, quia nunc est tempus suscipiendi hereditatem tuam: et fac cogitationem meam in quassationem gentium quae insurrexerunt super nos. ora igitur et tu, ut ipse qui est deus omnium virtutum sanctas virtutes in interiore homine tuo coadunari faciat, quarum semper incedas glorioso vallata praesidio ; et in illa hora cum temptatio aliqua molesta ingruerit, cum titillatio carnalis occurrerit, roga sponsum tuum, obsecra dominum tuum, ut exaltetur civitas sua, civitas Ierusalem, anima tua. haec est quae pacis intimae consistere debet in specula, et vitiorum omnium vitare litigium, contemplari regem Salomonem in dia(de)mate suo et admirari civium omnium frequentiam, rosas in martyribus, in confessoribus violas, lilia in virginibus rutilare candentia. tunc itaque tempus adveniet suscipiendi hereditatem suam, hereditatem gratam, hereditatem deliciosam, carnem et animam tuam. quamdiu inter haec duo in principalibus vitiis aliquod oritur semen diaboli, non est illa hereditas Christi. multae enim sunt gentes et densa atque infinita vitiorum agmina quae hanc hereditatem quaerunt subvertere sibique infeliciter subiugare. Sine me, inquit dominus, nihil potestis facere [John 15:5]. cum Iudith virtus domini indubitanter fuit, quia sine adminiculo fortitudinis eius victoriam de tyranno obtinere non potuit. arripuit ergo gladium et appropiavit ad lectum. comam capitis apprehendit, et bis in cervicem percussit et caput Olofernis amputavit. quomodo percussit sancta femina bis in virtute sua, ita et tu percutere bis ne cuncteris in virtute tua. virtute itaque dei virtus tua fulciatur, ut bina percussione principalis suggestio antiqui hostis abscidatur. quid enim est aliud bina percussio quam dei et proximi dilectio? his abundanter inimicus conteritur, cum verbi dei gladio cor diligentis ad compunctionem perforator, taliter castitatis armata praesidiis domino gloriae placere poteris et portas ingredi supernae civitatis. De quadriga qua beata Athelburga elevata est ad supera. Satis et satis habes monasterio tuo cotidie prae oculis cuius sanctitatis opera praecordialiter imiteris ; gloriosa et insignis et pretiosa sponsa summi regis Athelburga tibi sanctae virginitatis effecta est speculum, tibi cudere non desinit sanctae castitatis ornamentum : ipsa tibi formam imprimit sollicitudinis, quanta sedulitate invigilare debeas circa salutem a deo tibi commissi gregis. sic animas conserva ut corpora in defectu non deseras; sic corporibus provide ut animabus pabulum vitae non subtrahas. hoc egit felix illa mater tua beata et illustris Athelburga, illustrata caelesti sapientia et extenuata divinitus spiritus sancti disciplina. hanc comitabatur in verbo et opere temperantia quae est modus vitae. ultra se elata virgo sacra non tumuit. quam magistra humilitas ubique custodivit; individua comes illi adiuncta est sancta verecundia, per quam tranquillitas animi perseverabat immota; in virginali continentia coronata est castitas, de qua quasi geminae soboles egrediuntur decus et honestas. haec repressit iram, nec cuiquam rependit contumeliam. hinc est quod prudens virgo verae fidei agnitione instruitur et scientia scripturarum non mediocriter adornatur. sic testamenti veteris legebat historias ut bonorum spiritualium amplecteretur figuras; sic in eius auribus cantica resonabant dulcia canticorum ut typicum spiritualiter in cordibus eius gremio procrearent intellectum ; sic in illis sacramenta considerabat caelestia ut voluptatis corporeae nulla titillarent incentiva. unde et hoc curru Aminadab [Cant.6:11] rotam sibi tertiam adhibuit iustitiam, in qua primum est cum timore deum diligere et veram cum veneratione religionem exercere. aurei autem sunt eius radii, cunctis prodesse, nulli invidia stimulante ocere, domesticis maxime cum pietate succurrere. omnia haec completa legimus in beata Athelburga, quae, fraternitatis amplectens vincula, pericula in se suscepit aliena. sacras virgines ordine dignitatis ecclesiasticae reverenter excoluit, opem ferre miseris mater inclita non tardavit: accepti vicissitudinem beneficii reddidit, aequitatem in iudicio conservavit. inde est quod rota in curru quarta fortitudo adiungitur, quae magnitudo animi recte memoratur. haec divitias superat et contemnit, et ambitiosas supellectiles et honores respuit; haec adversis resistit fortiter et cedit contrariis patienter; nec emollitur illecebris, nec elevatur prosperis, nec rebus frangitur aut fatigatur adversis; fortis est ad pericula, et ad labores reperitur invicta; fugit avaritiam, spernit pecuniam; constanter ad pericula contra improbos praeparat animum; nullis cedens molestiis gloriae vitat appetitum. Seneca namque de hac ita scribit virtute: Fortior est qui cupiditatem vincit quam qui hostem subicit. in hoc curru ad supera virgo sacra vehitur, cui multiplex a domino immortalis vitae gloria praeparatur. quae sancti pontificis Erkenwaldi germana, dum fraternum in vivis operibus aemularetur studium, caelestis obtinuit militiae triumphum. nam superna ei claritate innuitur quis locus sanctorum corporum sepulturae debeatur. eiusdem etenim gloria in humani corporis praesignata est forma, quam ipsius discipula de domicilio dormitorii caelitus aspexit assumi et virtutum funibus ad superna gaudia sublevari. huius itaque, dilecta mater Adelidis, actus celebres imitare et filiabus tuis quas per evangelium in Christo genuisti imitandos propone. Qui vitam eiusplenius cupit addi(s)cere, legat quod Beda in historia gentis Anglorum luculento de ista stilo contexuit, et quanti sit apud deum meriti, scire sine dubio praevalebit. secundum etymologiam nominis eius resplendent in mundo opera eius, Anglice namque Athelburga civitas dicitur nobilis vel regia, quia et nobilitate mentis et regiis splendoribus insignita. ipsa tibi cum reliquis virginibus sacris ampliorem impetret a domino gratiam, quae in monasterio cui praesides secum una celebrem sortitae sunt sepulturam. Epilogus totius operis et commendatio auctoris. Quia tibi lucidum, illustris femina, in epistolari serie cudere studui monile virtutum et novum in splendoribus aureis et pretiosis lapidibus fabricare speculum, supernae in illis sapientiae attende diligenter ornatum. in his quomodo et qualiter caelesti placeas sponso spiritualiter a(d)verte et ad desiderabilem beatae visionis eius gloriam accelera properare. illic sabbatum celeberrimum omnium reperies sabbatorum, quia felicitatis aeternae cum angelicis spiritibus desideratum pertinges ad triumphum. canticum novum a sanctis virginibus ibi cantabitur, et unaquaeque sequens agnum incorruptibili cyclade vestietur. pretiosum in illa luce tecum utinam videam vitae meae pretium, quod impretiabile mihi semper erit in aeternum! Carnis et sanguinis mei participes, Ceciliam et Margaritam, virginalis sanctimoniae dico consortes quae, natae sororis meae, puritate innocentis vitae vestram sic in omni loco exornant progeniem ut superno sanctarum virginum sponso laudem semper referant et honorem. claritatem ipsarum in aeterni regis diademate cernere gestio, et tractus odore virgineo ad beatae visionis dei + currendo post illas inhianter anhelo. nunquam mihi sine illis longa fuit in corpore gloria, nunquam mihi sine earum glorificatione erit in spiritu glorificatio profutura. has ergo veraciter prae cunctis parentibus et notis specialiter diligo, has omnibus consanguineis meis ex affectu caritatis instanter antepono; et quia eas ubique dignas invenio, dignitati maiestatis tuae diligendas, mater sancta, commendo ; quas precor ut merito venerandas vice mea suscipias et fortunas tuas cum illis habeas magnifica benignitate communicatas. Siquid in hoc opere praelibatum est quod te ad amorem sponsi caelestis possit accendere, non mihi attribuatur, sed sancto spiritui, cui non displicet per ora etiam inimicorum suorum multotiens loqui. si vero de sanctae castitatis armatura minus impolita oratione aliquid protuli, deputari debet non inmerito tenuitati paupertatis sensus mei. quicquid tamen illud est quod ex fonte tibi cordis mei gratia dei derivavit, ex ubertate caritatis copiosa plenitudine fluxit. talem itaque te desidero qualem tibi formam describo, et ut tales valeas omnes efficere quas sub regula castimoniae tibi dignatus est Christus subiugare. commenda igitur me religiosae congregationi tuae, ut coram David in vigiliis et ieiuniis et orationibus sanctis mei dignentur existere memores, quas non diffido me habiturum in sanctorum hereditate consortes, in qua me tuam contemplari faciem contingat in nova resurrectionis gloria; quando sanctorum corpora devicta morte resurgent immutata et coronabuntur ab auctore vitae incorruptibili laurea. ad illud nos immortalitatis perducat regnum qui supernum moderatur imperium, et cui laus assidua indefesse concinitur sanctorum vocibus angelorum, cui maiestas nec incipit nec desinit in saecula saeculorum. amen

Historical context:

In gratitude for her hospitality to him, Osbert writes an extensive letter in praise of virginity, drawing on many examples of biblical figures, some classical women, and some local saints. He makes a good deal of Judith, a forceful woman who fought a tyrant successfully. Might this be a comment on Adelidis' problems with the hierarchy? In any case, it is a compliment to her powers.

Scholarly notes:

1 St. Etheldreda or Audrey was a daughter of King Anna of the East Angles. Twice married, once widowed, but perhaps still a virgin, she was released by her second husband, Egfrid of Northumbria, and retired to Ely, where she founded a double monastery and remained until her death in 679.
2 The text gives king of the Angles (Anglorum regi), but Osbert may be alluding to her ultimate husband, Christ, rex angelorum.
3 Williamson notes that Osbert closely follows the version in Ovid’s Fasti, 3.11-54.
4 Here Osbert seems to want to make a connection between virgin as fire and what fell from Silvia’s head, but above he said that it is the fillet “vitta sua” that fell. In Ovid’s version, it is also a fillet, but it falls in front of, or possibly in, the sacred fire.
5 According to New Advent, http://www.newadvent.org/bible/psa006.htm “For the octave … That is, to be sung on an instrument of eight strings. St. Augustine understands it mystically, of the last resurrection, and the world to come; which is, as it were, the octave, or eighth day, after the seven days of this mortal life: and for this octave, sinners must dispose themselves, like David, by bewailing their sins, whilst they are here upon earth.”
6 Here Osbert is conflating two different myths of Larentia as prostitute and foster mother.
7 Williamson reports that the reading of this text iuxta eum is “peculiar to Germ. 4, as against Regius and Germ. 15 which have contextum; and the Corbie MS which has intextum. So I have opted for “woven” which makes better sense in context, than iuxta eum. 
8 Ethelburga, sister of St. Erconwald, was abbess of Barking in the seventh century. Bede (History of the English Church, 4.6-9) praised her virtuous life and care for those in her community, and described miracles attributed to her. She died c.676.
9 This translation and annotation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

The Letters of Osbert of Clare, ed. E.W.Williamson (London: Oxford University, 1929), 153-79, ep.42.

Date:

1156-57