Blanquerna

OF THE MANNER WHEREIN BLANQUERNA WAS ELECTED ABBOT

The Lord Abbot grew old, and in his own person he could no longer satisfy the needs of the monastery. So the Abbot with all the community went to the chapter, and he begged

blanquerna

of them indulgence, saying these words : “ For a long time great honour has been done to me, my brethren, by you who have held me as your superior. Such great honour I have ever been unworthy to receive. And now I have come to a time when I have no more Strength in my person, by the which lack of Strength I am more unworthy than before to be your paStor. I have come to the end of my days and I would fain be in submission to some one of you, that I may grow more obedient. I beg you to eleft another Abbot and upon me to have compassion.”

2. Counsel was taken by Blanquerna and all the chapter, and it was agreed that indulgence should be given to the Lord Abbot, in significance of charity and juStice which willed that reward should be made to him for all the labour wherein for so long he had continued, that his flock might be served and kept. Charity willed that a fitting place should be given to the Lord Abbot in some farm-house where he might remain and live, and that a monk should serve him, and that some pittance might be given to his body whereby he should the longer live. The Abbot gave thanks to all the chapter for the indulgence which they had shown him, and he rendered up his seal and renounced the office of Abbot; and the monks made ordinance that another should be elefted in his ftead.

3. According to the manner of election whereby Natana had been elefted Abbess it was determined that an abbot should be chosen. Now, when the eleftors enquired of Blanquerna who should succeed the Abbot, according to his opinion, Blanquerna answered in these words: “ Our common brotherhood signifies charity among us. Where¬ fore, in significance that charity is with us a common virtue, and to give good example, it would be a thing moft fitting that we should eleft as paftor some bishop of these parts, who is holier of life than are other bishops.” The eleftors answered and said that it was not the cuftom of their Order to eleft as Abbot a man who was not of their Order, and

HOW BLANQUERNA WAS ELECTED ABBOT over and above this they thought that no bishop would forsake his diocese and pass to their Order to become an abbot, since a bishop has a wider rule than has an abbot.

4. Blanquerna said to the eleftors that it came often¬ times to pass that an abbot was elefted to a bishopric ; and that therefore it was in reason that a bishop might be ejected an abbot, since the duties of an abbot accord better with the contemplative life than do those of a bishop, and the work of a bishop accords better with the aftive life than does that of an abbot. Wherefore since the contemplative life is better and nearer to God than the aftive life, if from the contemplative life abbots passed to the aftive, how much the more should bishops leave the aftive life to enter the life of contemplation 1 “ Wherefore,” said he, “ to the end that we may introduce the cuftom that a bishop may be elefted as an abbot, and that the contemplative life may be exalted and loved above the aftive, it is good, accord¬ ing to my mind and will, that we eieft for our abbot a bishop.”

5. One of the seven eleftors was the Cellarer, and he said to Blanquerna that if they elefted as abbot a bishop or any other person who was not of their Order or monastery, it would seem that there was a lack in their monastery of fitting persons, and of persons worthy to be elefted abbot; wherefore it behoved them not to eieft a bishop as abbot, over and above the which he thought not that a bishop could be found who would leave his diocese to become an abbot. Blanquerna answered : “ Pride and vainglory, lack of hope and the vice of ownership, are signified by the words of the Cellarer, which are contrary to juftice, charity and hope ; and since prudence wills that the fittest person be elefted, charity gives one common aim even to the diver¬ sity of Orders, and juftice condemns ownership where there should be common charity and fraternity, and hope moves us to remember that if our Lord and Pastor Jesus Chrift

B LAN QUERN A

suffered death to save men that are bishops, it follows that we shall find some bishop who to honour Chrift will leave his diocese to be an abbot.”

6. The Cellarer ceased from the argument which he had made againft Blanquerna, and he began to argue after another manner, saying these words : “ It is seemly that an abbot be accustomed to eat of our meat, and to follow the rules and habits of our community, to the end that he may be a light and an example to us, whereby we may continue in our habits; but another man who is not of our Order is less fitted to be our abbot than is a man that is of our Order, and who for long years has followed in orderly wise the rule of our Order.” “ Cellarer ! ” said Blanquerna, " Still does thy will follow the path and track of despair; for God, Who has accuftomed thee to thine Order, can so accuflom and govern another religious that is of another Order, if he enter our own.” While Blanquerna and the Cellarer disputed after this manner, the Bishop whom Blanquerna had reproved, as is recounted above, came to the monastery, and the words of Blanquerna and the Cellarer had an end, and the whole community went out to receive the Bishop, to do honour to him and his companions.

7. The Bishop desired to do honour to the monk who had renounced the office of abbot, even according to the honour which is due to an abbot; but that monk recounted to the Bishop the indulgence which had been granted to him by the chapter, and how he had renounced his office, and how a very dcleftable place without the monastery had been assigned to him, wherein he might live, and how in that place he would have a pittance for his body, which would be greater than that which he could have in the monastery. Then the Bishop and that monk went away to that place to live therein together. The Bishop sent away all his companions, and kept with him one squire only. And for a great space the Bishop liyed in penance

HOW BLANQUERNA WAS ELECTED ABBOT with that monk, and they spake daily together of God and of His glory and despised the vanity of this world.

8. The Cellarer and the other eleftors returned to their former conversation, and made discussion, according to method and to their needs, which person of all the monks in that house was the moil meet to be Abbot. To all the eleftors it was manifeft that Blanquerna should be Abbot according to all the conditions which belong to that office, with the exception of one condition only, to wit, that Blanquerna was a greater lover of the contemplative life than of the aftive ; and that the office of Abbot accords with the aftive life, to the end that he may the better provide for the needs of the monastery. So there was dispute among the eleftors if because of the condition aforesaid Blanquerna should be rejefted from the office of Abbot. But one of the electors said to the reft: “ Even as Blanquerna our mafter has shown us how with the virtues we may supply our needs, even so does it behove us in this case to have recourse to hope and juftice, and to put our truft in the holy life of Blanquerna, the which through juftice may satisfy us in the contemplative life, even as much as, or more than if Blanquerna had more of the aftive life than of the contemplative; and therefore let us not fear to make Blanquerna our Abbot and our Paftor, even as he has been

9. So Blanquerna was elefted Abbot. Greatly was he displeased at the election, and many reasons did he allege wherewith he excused himself from being Abbot. None of which reasons would the monks receive, but at all hazards they desired with common voice that he should be their Abbot. During all the time that he filled this office he continued in it as was his duty, according to the which he was bound to treat of temporal matters and to keep them in his remembrance, albeit they hindered him from the con¬ sideration of heavenly things. Oftentimes did Blanquerna weep for the servitude to the which he was come, and

BLANQUERNA

desired liberty to contemplate God, and to think upon the Passion of his Redeemer. Wherefore he spake these words :

10. “ O ye virtues, my friends, that were wont to aid me, and delivered and kept me from the servitude into the which my father Evaft and my mother Aloma desired to place me 1 Whither are ye gone, and wherefore have ye not aided me againft the servitude into the which I am come?” While Blanquerna spake these words, in his consideration thereof he found Fortitude and Prudence, who spake to him mentally after this manner :

1 1 . “ Strong is the mind that has no pride in the honour of the office of abbot and the dominion which it brings over many men. Obedient is an abbot through fortitude of mind, when he follows that which his understanding reveals to him, making inspections of the monastery and from time to time entering the infirmary.” While Fortitude spake thus, Prud¬ ence answered him, and said that an abbot has a part in the merits of the monks, for he has perforce to order his will that he may be the servant and the subject of them all. “ Great am I,” said Prudence, “ in the government of one person, but greater yet in the government of many persons ; wherefore have justice and merit greater accord with me than they were wont to have.”

i a. Blanquerna was fain to rejoice because of those things which Prudence showed him concerning the increase of her glory ; but Charity made him to remember that he was no longer able to contemplate the things of God as he was wont ; and because he loved God more than merit and glory, therefore did Charity and Yearning make him to weep gready. In this manner Blanquerna continued, and long did he rule as Abbot; and by reason of his desire for comfort and for contemplation he went from time to time to the farm-house, wherein were the Bishop and the monk who was aforetime Abbot, and with them he had recreation, and comforted his soul in the contemplation of our Lord God.

^34

OF THE BOOK OF AVE MARIA