2.12 Concerning the Cluniac schism fuelled by Pontius who had been abbot.

As I remember, two full years had not yet passed since [Matthew of Albano had left for Saint-Martin-des-Champs], before that well known and terrible storm buffeted the shipa of Christ, that is, the Cluniac Church, and stirred up every part of our republic to a state of civil war. But, so that I am not seen to criticize my predecessors, I will describe it briefly only insofar as it pertains to the issue at hand.

The lord Pontius was the immediate successor to Cluny after the holy father Hugh [of Semur], during whose final years he came from Saint-Pons to Cluny, made a new profession and became a monk, as was the custom for those coming from outside [the monastery of Cluny] or from a monastery [outside the Cluniac fold]. Though he was very youngb, he was elected to the abbacy by Cluniac brothers who were spurred by faith in his good character and he succeeded father Hugh, who was already then called a noble and renowned man. Pontius conducted himself modestly and temperately during the first years after his elevation, but changed his ways in later times and little by little turned the souls of almost all the brothers against him, aggravating them on many occasions and for different reasons. And the brothers – first a few, then many, and then almost everyone – began to murmur, in disagreement with [an abbot] whom they accused of leading the monastery to ruination through his new carefree attitude and changeability of spirit, which did not take into account the counsel of the good [senior?] monks. The disagreement simmered for some time – known to the monks of Cluny, but hidden from the ears of outsiders (especially seculars) for almost a decade. Long hidden, the quarrel finally burst open, at which point the evil of this dissension reached not only those nearby but also those far away, and ended up filling the ears of the highest pope and the Roman curia.

Driven by these rumours, the lord Pons flung onto himself the very accusation of unworthiness which he possibly should have redirected at others and –making his way to Rome in a trip seemingly planned in advance – immediately begged the pope to release him from the responsibility of his pastoral care. Then presiding in the Roman Church was a man made eminent by the nobility of his royal blood, and all the more eminent due to his manners/ morals, his uprightness and the majesty of his great soul, a man previously the bishop of Vienne, pope Calixtus II. The pope, was first unmoved by the power of each statement of Pons’ desire and petition, but afterwards, when he saw that he was unable to lessen Pons’ resolution, he completely freed Pons from his charge of the Cluniac Church, as Pons had wanted. Henceforth liberated, Pons travelled to Apulia with the permission of the pope and from there, once having passed over the sea, he came to Jerusalem with the goal of staying there until the end of his life.

The pope, letting the brothers of Cluny know what he happened, commanded by his apostolic authority to choose a new father for themselves. They, therefore, following this command and having taken the counsel of the entire congregation, as well as persons renowned for their piety, elected unanimously the venerable Hugh, prior of the sisters of Marcigny, as abbot. Though very reticent, the holy man accepted this office which had been imposed upon him, but five months had barely passed before he left this earth and passed to a better life – such as we are able to justly believe due to the merit of his long life leading to sanctity. With their latest abbot thus removed from them, the brothers established a day for the election of a new abbot and informed all of this, whether near or far, that they should come on the chosen day. A great crowd of monks gathered therefore, along with some bishops and abbots, and during the octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, unanimously chose the author of these lines. Would to God that they had chosen better! They communicated the formal acceptance of their elected leader to the said pope and received from him a rescript [formal legal acknowledgement], confirming what they had done. After this, the community at Cluny remained at peace for many years and with the evil unveiled, Cluny experienced a period of great tranquility and movement towards the good.

In the end, the previously mentioned Pons, abandoning his overseas travels, returned from the Orient and spread his shadows in the West, contrary to his agreement. When he arrived in Italy, not wanting to pass by Rome, he established himself in the region of Ravenna, more specifically, in the diocese of Treviso. He remained there for some time, having constructed a small monastery and then made his way to Gaul. Having ensured my absence, since I was rightly occupied with the affairs of Cluny in the regions of Second Aquitaine, Pons, though having feigned to have not wanted to return to Cluny, started to approach closer and closer. Joined by certain fugitives and his band of followers reinforced by armed louts whom he had enrolled, he finally arrived at the outer gates of Cluny. He broke down the gates and put to flight not only the ancient and venerable prior Bernard; he then marched into the cloister in the company of this ragged armed mob (including even women!). And having made his entry, he occupied all the other areas of the monastery and by threat, fear and torture, he compelled all he came across to swear fidelity to him. Those who refused him, he put to flight or sunk into a dark dungeon. He also laid his profane hands on the sacred objects – handling the golden cross, the altar covering of spun gold, the candelabras, censors and all the other objects of great worth. He looted also the most sacred chalices for the eucharist, and did not refrain from seizing the reliquaries in gold and silver containing the bonds of numerous saints and martyrs.

After all this and other things, he amassed a great quantity of gold with which he bought the services of rape and war from the knights of thereabouts and who were greedy for gold. With this escort, he passed through the villages and farms of Cluny and sought to suppress these religious places – destroying them by iron and fire in a completely barbarian fashion. He did not leave any space untouched by the effects of war and by the seizure of goods and the murder of men, he spread everywhere the desolation with his knights and footmen, bought at the price of sacred gold. From the beginning of Easter until the calends of October, the whole summer was spent in these battles and he offered no respite in such a succession of misfortunes. The said prior Bernard and his noble and courageous monks took refuge where they could, in safer places away from Cluny and there they defended themselves against the attacks of their numerous enemies.

And so, in this holy and illustrious refuge of Cluny, by a mysterious but just judgement of God, Satan (loosed for a period of time) released his anger. But, in accordance with the book of Job, present hardships were born and God quickly imposed an end which was suitable.

aThe diminutive naviculais used, suggesting that the ecclesia cluniacensiswas merely a small vessel amidst a larger flotilla.

bThe author uses juvenisto suggest either his youth, or his immaturity, but possibly also his inexperience (young in the ways of Cluny (perhaps a better word is “green”?).