A letter from Osbert of Clare (1139)

Translated letter:

Osbert of Clare, by God’s grace having become on pilgrimage a new evangelist of Jesus Christ, to his most beloved niece Margaret, dedicated as holy virgin to God: to grow bright by the splendor of virtues and the light of good works so that she might be worthy to shine among glittering gems on the crown of the eternal king. Preparation for the Roman journey, which has occupied my mind both with various concerns and for various reasons, urges that I should withdraw my hand from writing and give new attention more zealously to the staffs and bags of my companions that need to be repaired. But the pure and shining vigilance of your devotion exhorts me to relate at least something briefly by corresponding with you, although the busy preparation of my belongings earnestly prompts me to be silent. Therefore attend to what I say and diligently store it away in your mind. The word of your name is called “pearl,” so that the splendor of holiness may be recalled to increase more perfectly in you. This is that pearl, namely precious virginity, with which you have begun commerce with that highest merchant so that you might obtain the victorious palm-branches of glimmering rays in heaven. Among the other pearls this one is more splendid; among all others this alone is more magnificent. You have found this in the field of the Lord’s benediction: take pains to preserve it stored away more diligently in the treasure of your heart. See to it that this precious gem not be broken by your enemy, that it not be seized to be torn apart by your foe. Your enemy is the spirit of fornication; your foe is the corruptor of chastity. Whoever, says the apostle, will violate the temple of God, God will destroy him [1 Cor. 3:17]. I cannot say to you anything except what the holy spirit has wished to inspire. There are certain virgins, yet foolish, whom the testimonies of holy scriptures greatly displease, since flashes of heavenly threats terrify and strike their hearts, which are stubborn in their wickedness. For sinners are busy seeking authorities with which, as if with a shield, they might be able to defend and protect their unclean acts. For worldly love has infatuated their minds with carnal enticements, and they do not know the sweetness of celestial delicacy, and they do not wish to long for the desirable form and beauty of the heavenly groom. Accordingly be on guard that you not be counted among their number, that you not carry around a lamp empty of oil, that is, a conscience that has been emptied of the brightness of good deeds. Be a virgin, yet prudent; be beautiful, yet wise. What, therefore, is written? Wisdom has built herself a house [Prov. 9:1]. Which house? Your body uncorrupted and your spirit unstained: the apostle called this a house; he added that this is the temple of God. Whoever attempts to profane this temple, God will also destroy him from the land of the living. Therefore guard her house for your groom and her temple for God and your lord. As long as this pearl will be perfect, you will not deprive it of the splendor of beauty, you will not be without honor and glory. All other virtues wait upon this one as if all are attendants, as ladies are also subject to a queen. The heavenly groom calls out to this one in the Canticles: You are completely beautiful, my love, and there is no stain in you [Cant. 4:7]. She is called completely beautiful; she is praised as utterly shining and splendid. She, whom the stinking rottenness of corruption does not rule, is not judged as reprehensible in anything. Broken vessels do not have this glory; polluted bodies cannot retain this privilege. And for that reason the groom sings a nuptial song to this queen, surrounded by variety of virtues, among the daughters of Jerusalem and the young girls of Sion: Come from Lebanon, come and you will be crowned [Cant. 4:8]. Come through faith, come through the splendor of virginity, come through love, come previously in body, come released from flesh, come glorified in resurrection. This is your name, this is your work, this is your reward. Come from Lebanon, that is from the dazzling glory of virginity, and you will be crowned with the everlasting laurel of immortality. The blessed virgin Margaret fought to preserve this; for this the martyr struggled in bloody suffering. As you have her name, so emulate the work of her effort. Let the brightness that shone in her mind always radiate as a glorious flower in your soul, so that accompanied by an angel of God you may go forth with the bridesman of the heavenly groom. Whenever some troublesome thought comes to you, place before you this letter as if it were an image of one reproaching in a picture, and although I may be among the walls of Romulus, nonetheless in it you will be able to see this image of your maternal uncle writing; and when, on returning with God’s grace as companion, I will have embraced pleasing reports about you, I will return more securely to the land of my birth, and thereafter I will love you more sincerely until the end of life. Share this letter with the holy council of sacred virgins so that their daily prayer for me may ascend on high to God. I am not without hope that I will be lifted by their prayers over the waves of the ocean, and reach with success the thresholds of the highest apostles, and see the city, the mistress of lands displaying a thousand brilliant trophies of martyrs. I cannot seek blessed Margaret of Antioch, but with knees bent I will try to beseech the glorious bride of God, Cecilia of Rome. Meanwhile, let these things cling to your memory, until I return, until as a giant for the church I will return from the journey of my labor with rejoicing. May the grace of him about whom I speak be with me, (and) for whose love I embrace the first fruits of the Roman pilgrimage; may Jesus Christ, God and our Lord guard you, remaining in the homeland, and may he lead me away as an exile from my fellow citizens, he who lives with the father and holy spirit and rules forever. Amen.1

Original letter:

Osbertus de Clara, factus in peregrinatione gratia dei novus evangelista Iesu Christi, dilectissimae neptae suae Margaritae, sanctimoniali virgini deo dicatae: claritate virtutum et lampade bonorum operum ita splendescere ut in corona regis aeterni inter rutilos lapides valeat coruscare. Labor Romani itineris, qui mentem meam occupavit curis diversis pariter et causis, manum meam invitat ut debeam a scribendo retrahere, et resarciendis peris comitum meorum et baculis novam studiosius operam dare, sed pura et nitida devotionis tuae vigilantia hortatur ut vel breviter aliquid tecum colloquendo edisseram, quamvis negotiosa supellectilis meae praeparatio persuadeat instanter ut sileam. intende itaque quod dico et diligenter reconde in animo tuo. Vocabulum nominis tui Margarita dicitur, ut splendor sanctitatis perfectius in te crescere moneatur. haec est illa margarita, virginitas videlicet pretiosa, de qua cum summo negotiatore inisti commercium ut vibrantium obtineas triumphales in caelis palmas radiorum. inter ceteras margaritas haec una splendidior, inter omnes alias haec sola praeclarior. hanc invenisti in agro benedictionis dominicae: stude eam diligentius in thesauro cordis tui repositam conservare. vide ne lapis iste pretiosus frangatur ab aemulo tuo, ne publicetur ad distrahendum inimico tuo. aemulus tuus spiritus fornicationis est, inimicus tuus corruptor castitatis est. Quicumque, inquit apostolus, violaverit templum dei, disperdet illum deus. non possum aliud tibi dicere, nisi quod voluerit spiritus sanctus inspirare. sunt quaedam virgines, sed fatuae, quibus valde displicent sanctarum scripturarum testimonia, cum in eis fulgura minarum caelestium terrent et feriunt corda in suis iniquitatibus obstinata. satagunt namque peccantes auctoritates quaerere, quibus tanquam clipeo suas possint immunditias defendere et munire. mentes enim earum in carnalibus illecebris infatuavit amor saecularis, et superni saporis nesciunt dulcedinem, et desiderabilem caelestis sponsi nolunt concupiscere speciem et decorem. cave proinde ne in earum numero deputeris, ne lampadem circumferas oleo vacuam, conscientiam scilicet bonorum operum claritate vacuatam. esto virgo sed prudens, esto formosa sed sapiens, quid igitur scriptum est? Sapientia aedificavit sibi domum. quam domum? corpus tuum incorruptum et spiritum immaculatum: hanc dixit apostolus domum, hoc astruxit dei templum. qui hoc templum intendit ut violet, et deus illum de terra viventium disperdet. custodi ergo domum suam sponso tuo, et templum suum deo et domino tuo. margarita ista quamdiu fuerit integra, nullius decoris splendore privaberis, nullius honoris et gloriae expers eris. omnes virtutes reliquae huic famulantur tanquam sequipedae omnes ut dominae subserviunt et reginae. huic clamat sponsus caelestis in canticis: Tota pulcra es, amica mea, et macula non est in te. tota formosa dicitur, tota nitida et speciosa praedicatur. non iudicatur in aliquo reprehensibilis cui non dominatur fetida putredo corruptionis. hanc itaque vasa confracta non habent gloriam, hanc sordidata non possunt corpora retinere praerogativam. et ideo huic reginae inter filias Ierusalem et iuvenculas Syon virtutum varietate circumdatae canitur a sponso in epithalamico carmine : Veni de Libano, veni, et coronaberis. veni per fidem, veni per virginitatis candorem, veni per amorem, veni prius in corpore, veni soluta a carne, veni glorificata in resurrectione. hoc est nomen tuum, hoc est opus tuum, hoc est praemium tuum. de Libano veni, id est de candidata virginitatis gloria, et coronaberis immortalitatis laurea sempiterna. Pro hac conservanda beata pugnavit virgo Margarita, pro hac dimicavit martyr in passione purpurea, sicut habes nomen eius, ita imitare opus strenuitatis eius. claritas quae in eius mente resplenduit tuo semper radiet flos insignis in animo, ut angelo dei comitata incedas caelestis sponsi paranympho. quotiens tibi molesta cogitatio occurrerit aliqua, epistolam hanc tibi propone tanquam personam corripientis in pictura, et licet moenibus intersim Romuleis imaginem tamen in illa videre poteris tui avunculi haec scribentis; cumque gratos de te rumores in redeundo gratia dei comite amplexatus fuero, ad terram meae nativitatis redibo securius, et te deinceps usque ad finem vitae amabo sincerius. hanc paginam communica cum sancto senatu sacrarum virginum, ut cotidiana earum oratio pro me in supernis ascendat ad deum. per undas oceani ipsarum precibus me non despero sublevari, et ad summorum cum prosperitate attingere apostolorum limina, et urbem invisere, terrarum dominam, martyrum milia praeferentem trophaea purpurata. non possum Antiochiae beatam Margaritam quaerere,sed gloriosam sponsam dei Ceciliam Romae conabor flexis genibus obsecrare. haec interim haereant memoriae tuae, donec redeam, donec ut gigas ecclesiae ab itinere mei laboris exultando recurram. sit mecum eius gratia de quo loquor, pro cuius amore primitias Romanae peregrinationis amplector, qui te custodiat in patria manentem et me deducat a meis concivibus exulem, Iesus Christus deus et dominus noster, qui cum patre et spiritu sancto vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. amen.

Historical context:

On his way to Rome, Osbert writes a letter of encouragement to his niece to remain true to her vows.

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

The Letters of Oxbert of Clare, ed. E.W. Williamson (London: Oxford University, 1929), 89-91, ep.20.

Date:

1139