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English Correspondence

St Boniface, tr. Kylie, 1911

Letter 41: Boniface Urges Herefrith, a Priest, to Support the Letter Sent to Æthelbald,…

To his beloved and revered brother, Herefrith, priest, Boniface, servant of the servants of God, greetings of eternal love in Christ.

I beseech thy merciful clemency with the most earnest entreaties, that in thy holy prayers thou mayst deign to remember me, even as, from what those who come from thee tell me, thou hast done and will do. So that the words of Saint James the apostle may be fulfilled in us, when he said, “Pray for one another that ye may be healed,” and “The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”¹

We, the eight bishops who came together to a synod, and whose names are added below, in common entreat thee, beloved brother, that thou shouldst announce and explain the words of our admonition to Æthelbald, King of the Mercians, and that, reviewing and interpreting them, after the same fashion and order in which we have written and sent them to you, thou shouldst bring them to his notice. For we have heard that through fear of God thou fearest no man, and that the aforesaid king deigns at certain times, to pay some heed to thy counsels. And be it known to thy love that these words of admonition we have addressed to the king solely out of pure and loving friendship. Born and nurtured of the same English race, we remain here abroad by the command of the Apostolic See. We are glad and rejoice in the good report of our nation, but by its sins and by reproaches cast upon it we are distressed and saddened. We suffer for the disgraceful conduct of our people, whether it is Christians or pagans who say that the race of the English, spurning the custom of other nations, and treating the apostolic precepts with disdain, refuse to have lawful wives, and, after the fashion of neighing horses or braying asses, by licence and adultery, cause disgrace and confusion everywhere. Wherefore, beloved brother, if this greatest of crimes is truly ours, beloved brother, let us all join in asking the aforesaid king, that he reform himself with his people; so that the whole people may not perish here and hereafter, but that, by emending and correcting his own life, he may, through his example, again guide his people to the way of salvation, and that where before he committed sin he may now deserve an eternal reward.

A little incense and a towel we have sent thee for a blessing and a sign of true love.

May the Holy Trinity, beloved brother, always keep thee well, rich in good works and advancing in tried virtue.

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