135. To the Prior Odo and the Brothers of Saint-Martin-in-the-Fields (1147/50)

To the revered and very dear brothers and sons of ours, the lord prior Odo and the others serving the Omnipotent God at Saint-Martin-des-Champs, brother Peter, humble abbot of the Cluniacs wishes salvation and an abundance of undivided grace and blessing from the author of all good.

What should I say, what might I speak? I have been thinking about hard situations and especially about the death of our beloved brother and son Hugh, in writing, lamenting and weeping that I be able to come before you. But as I see, you have both come before me in writings and you have anticipated my laments, but nonetheless you have not foreknown my tears. You mourn his burial after his death, but I grieved for his death before entombment of him still alive, since I did not doubt him to be about to die. You beat me to writing, but you did not outdo me in lamenting. I myself wept first, since I saw him weakening beforehand, but I was not able to write before now, since I was not permitted to by my ceaseless affairs, that is, the unfortunate torturers of my life. I write now, finally permitted some time, and, though absent, I equally mourn with you for the loss of a brother, son and friend. I have the material for mourning, …

But if indeed we were true friends, or are, we must show it now more when he is dead, than if he had lived. We should mourn with pious compassion his burial, we should follow his soul even more with hidden tears and prayers, so that to him whom we are not able anymore to show our feelings, we show it by smiling and rejoicing together, by praying and sacrificing and grieving together piously before God for his soul. Let this especially be done among you for him, let it be done also for our prior, let it be done if it pleases also for the many saint, religious and great men in the presence of God recently deceased of ours, of whose memory, I know well, is in the blessing, whose remembrance will not be erased in the presence of God, but will be in the eternal memory, and by the grace of God, they will not fear evil rumours. Therefore, cease now your foolish tears and the thoughtless sadness of one tortured in the presence of men, and let your emitted sighs pass to the salvation of those before God, with your prayers….