131. to king Roger of Sicily (1146)

To the glorious and magnificent prince, Roger, the king of Sicily, brother Peter, the humble abbot of Cluniacs, wishes the dignity and glory of good kings.

We give thanks to the omnipotent king of kings, who designated Your Highness among all kings and princes of the Christain world with the magnificence of some certain special glory, who singularly exalted you with the honour of a glorious name, so much that when you have many equals –king in name– we should be found to consider none (or almost none) equal in magnanimity, prudence, honesty.

-the grace of merciful god inciting your zeal

-another Salomon

(against saracens)

-Not penitents, not pilgrims, not clerics, not monks, not abbots, not priests, not even the priests of ths highest order, bishops, archbishops, primates or patriarchs are betrayed, are they robbed, are they disturbed in the hands of such people.

I see the substance of Cluny as the treasury of the entire Christian republic, from which everyone draws, which they almost empty, into which a few people put a few things, [and] from which many people receive many things. [from GC, “Com. and Conf @ Cluny”, 260]

But now I wish that it be made known to your magnificence that I came to Rome, that there I stayed for several weeks and that I decided, with the endless affairs of the Cluniac church almost finished, to make a journey to you. But just as in vain I attempted to do the same in past years, thus also I wished in vain in same way, since I am not able on account of the beckoning of the manifold care of the aforementioned church. The reason of my coming to you was to have been twofold, both that I might see your person –dear to me beyond all other kings, as I already said, as if I wished a thousand times– and that I make known to a king (as we believe) loving us especially, the necessities unknown to you of your monastery of Cluny. This since, as said, I am unable to implore in my very own person, I sent from my place to Your Noblest Liberality our venerable brother A., a priest of Cluny, an honest and wise man, that he may say what I have said, and if his words are not displeasing to you, also he might hear what I have heard. Your church of Cluny sends out a plea to you and knocks on the door of a friend, so that [LeClercq, Pierre, 143-4:] if she succeeded to make herself beloved to you, she hopes also to attact the benefits of your munificence. That which impels us to speak with you, thusly, is necessity, it is the infinite expenses of this large and famous abbey which, as all know, have accustomed Her ever since the day we placed the first stones of the foundation to seek the largesses so that she herself might be giving to all. Cluny, since the moment when it began to exist came to be not only hostel for strangers, the safe-haven of those searching for refuge, but, should I be able to say it, as the public treasury of the entire Christian republic. Thrifty for its children, it shows itself spendthrift towards stangers… and it gives more than it receives. If the powerful lords who possess the lands neighbouring our domains always have the desire to show themselves generous towards us, they no longer have the ability. Cluny has many debtors, but, it has but a few benefactors. The king of Germany much loves Cluny, we are convinced. The king of Spain, the king of England, the king of France, who is less distant from us, love her as well, but while that these princes and many other magnates of this world have for us a living tenderness, they do not evidence it for us by any action, that is to say, … They very much wish to show themselves generous to us, but they cannot. You, by the favour of the lord in heaven, you might. We beseech that you would wish to.