Innocent II's approval of Peter the Venerable's ability to set statutes

Bishop Innocent, the servant of the servants of God sends greeting and apostolic benediction to our beloved son, the abbot of Cluny.

The apostolic see is accustomed to accrue your pious vows and to be given benevolent favour from the honest prayers of our petitioners. On account of this, my son beloved in God, favouring your just requests, we grant to you, without contradiction and without the appeal of those attempting to delay, with the authority of those present, from the example of our predecessor, the Pope Celestine of happy memory, the free ability, such that it is licit that you, in the abbeys connected to the monastery of Cluny, correct which you think needs to be corrected following God and the Rule of St. Benedict and the Statutaof the order and to institute what you think needs to be instituted. We make also the judgement to be observed inviolably under God the creator, considering it fixed and firm, which thing to be promulgated canonically, you should undertake among the resistant and rebellious. No one, therefore, may infringe on the substance of our concession or to contradict it with daring temerity. But if anyone should presume to attack [or test/ deny] this, he will come to know that indignation of the omnipotent God and the vengence of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.

Dated in Rome at St. Peter’s; the fourth kalends of February [Jan. 28], in the eighth [seventh?] year of our Pontificate.

[Ceglar “William of St. Thierry…” 44 dates this 1138, the BC to 1136 and Mansi [?] to 1137.]