Letters of Abelard and Heloise
_Heloise_ to be professed before he had made his vow. The
Letters which follow this history will inform us after what manner
and with what resolution they separated. _Heloise_ in the
twenty-second year of her age generously quitted the world, and
renounced all those pleasures she might reasonably have promised
herself, to sacrifice herself entirely to the fidelity and obedience
she owed her husband, and to procure him that ease of mind which he
said he could no otherwise hope for.
Time making _Abelard's_ misfortune familiar to him, he now
entertained thoughts of ambition, and of supporting the reputation he
had gained of the most learned man of the age. He began with
explaining the _Acts of the Apostles_ to the monks of the
monastery of St. _Dennis_ to which he had retired; but the
disorders of the abbey, and debauchees of the Abbot, which equally
with his dignity, were superior to those of the simple monks, quickly
drove him hence. He had made himself uneasy to them by censuring
their irregularity. They were glad to part with him, and he to leave
them.
As soon as he had obtained leave of the Abbot, he retired to
Thinbaud in Champaign, where he set up a school, persuading himself
that his reputation would bring him a great number of scholars. And
indeed they flocked to him, not only from the most distant provinces
of Prance, but also from Rome, Spain, England, and Germany, in such
number, that the towns could not provide accommodation, nor the
country provisions, enough for them*, But _Abelard_ did not
foresee, that this success and reputation would at the same time
occasion him new troubles. He had made himself two considerable
enemies at Laon, Alberic of Rheims, and Lotulf of Lombardy, who, as
soon as they perceived how prejudicial his reputation was to their
schools, sought all occasions to ruin him; and thought they had a
lucky handle to do so from a book of his, intituled, _The Mystery
of the Trinity_. This they pretended was heretical, and through
the Archbishop's means they procured a council at Soissons in
the year 1121; and without suffering _Abelard_ to make any
defence, ordered his book to be burnt by his own hands, and himself
to be confined to the convent of St. Medard. This sentence gave him
such grief, that he says himself, the unhappy fate of his writing
touched him more sensibly than the misfortune he had suffered through
Fulbert's means. Nor was it only his fatherly concern for his own
productions, but the indelible mark of heresy which by this means was
fixed on him, which so exceedingly troubled him.
* _Ad quas scholas tanta scholarium multitudo confluxit ut nec
locus hospitiis, nec terra sufficeret alimentis._ Abel.
Oper. p. 19
That the curious reader may have a complete knowledge of this
matter, I shall here give an account of that pretended heresy which
was imputed to _Abelard_. The occasion of his writing this book
was, that his scholars demanded * philosophical arguments on that
subject; often urging that it was impossible to believe what was not
understood; that it was to abuse the world, to preach a doctrine
equally unintelligible to the speaker and auditor; and that it was
for the blind to lead the blind. These young men were certainly
inclined to Sabellinism. _Abelard's_ enemies however did not
accuse him of falling into this, but another heresy as bad,
Tritheism; though indeed he was equally free from both: he explained
the unity of the Godhead by comparisons drawn from human things but
according to a passage of St. Bernard**, one of his greatest
enemies, he seemed to hold, that no one ought to believe what he
could not give a reason for. However _Abelard's_ treatise upon
this subject pleased every one except those of his own profession,
who, stung with envy that he should find out explanations which they
could not have thought of, raised such a cry of heresy upon him, that
he and some of his scholars had like to have been stoned by the mob***.
By their powerful cabals they prevailed with Conan bishop of Preneste,
the Pope's legate, who was president of the council, to condemn his
book, pretending that he asserted three Gods, which they might easily
suggest, when he was suffered to make no defence. 'Tis certain he was
very orthodox in the doctrine of the Trinity; and all this process
against him was only occasioned by the malice of his enemies. His
logical comparison (and logic was his masterpiece) proved rather the
three Divine Persons One, than multiplied the Divine Nature into
Three. His comparison is, that as the three proportions * in a
syllogism are but one truth, so the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are
but one Essence; and it is certain the inconveniences which may be
drawn from this parallel are not more than what may be drawn from the
comparison of the three dimensions of solids, so much insisted on by
the famous orthodox mathematician Dr. Wallis of England. But great
numbers of pious and learned divines, who have not been over-subtile
in politics, have been persecuted and condemned as well as _Abelard_
by the ignorance and malice of their brethren.
* _Humanas & philosophicas rationes requirebant & plus
quae inteligi, quam quae dici poffenter, efflagitabant._ Abel
Op.
** _Benardi Epist._ 190.
*** _Ita me in clero & populo diffamaverunt, ut pene me populos paucosque
qui advenerant ex discipulis nostris prima die nostri anventus
lapidarent; dicentes me tres Deos praedicare & scripsisse, sicut
ipsis persuasum fuerat._ Abel Oper. p. 20.
* _Sicut eadem oratio est, propositio, assumptio &
conuclusio, ita eadem Essentia est Pater, Filius, and Spiritus
Sanctis._ Ibid.
A little after his condemnation, _Abelard_ was ordered to
return to St. Dennis. The liberty he had taken to censure the vicious
lives of the monks had raised him a great many enemies. Amongst these
was St. Bernard, not upon the same motives as those monks, but
because _Abelard's_ great wit, joined with so loose and sensual
a life, gave him jealousy, who thought it impossible the heart should
be defiled without the head being likewise tainted.
Scarce had he returned to St. Dennis, when one day he dropped some
words, intimating he did not believe that the St. Dennis their patron
was the Areopagite mentioned in the Scripture, there being no
probability that he ever was in France. This was immediately carried
to the Abbot, who was full of joy, that he had now a handle to
heighten the accusations of heresy against him with some crime
against the state; a method frequently used by this sort of gentlemen
to make sure their revenge. In those times, too, the contradicting
the notions of the monks was enough to prove a man an atheist,
heretic, rebel, or any thing; learning signified nothing. If any one
of a clearer head and larger capacity had the misfortune to be
suspected of novelty, there was no way to avoid the general
persecution of the monks but voluntarily banishing himself. The Abbot
immediately assembled all the house, and declared he would deliver up
to the secular power a person who had dared to reflect upon the
honour of the kingdom and of the crown. _Abelard_ very rightly
judging that such threatenings were not to be despised, fled by night
to Champaign, to a cloister of the monks of Troies, and there
patiently waited till the storm should be over. After the death of
this Abbot, which, very luckily for him happened soon after his
flight, he obtained leave to live where he pleased, though it was not
without using some cunning. He knew the monks of so rich a house had
fallen into great excesses, and were very obnoxious to the court, who
would not fail to make their profit of it: he therefore procured it
should be represented to his council as very disadvantageous to his
Majesty's interest, that a person who was continually censuring
the lives of his brethren should continue any longer with them. This
was immediately understood, and orders given to some great men at
court to demand of the Abbot and monks why they kept a person in
their house whose conduct was so disagreeable to them; and, far from
being an ornament to the society, was a continual vexation, by
publishing their faults? This being very opportunely moved to the new
Abbot, he gave _Abelard_ leave to retire to what cloister he
pleased.
_Abelard_, who indeed had all the qualities which make a
great man, could not however bear, without repining, the numerous
misfortunes with which he saw himself embarrassed, and had frequent
thoughts of publishing a manifesto to justify himself from the
scandalous imputations his enemies had laid upon him and to undeceive
those whom their malice had prejudiced against him. But upon cooler
thought he determined, that it was better to say nothing and to shew
them by his silence how unworthy he thought them of his anger. Thus
being rather enraged than troubled at the injuries he had suffered,
he resolved to found a new society, consisting chiefly of monks. To
this purpose he chose a solitude in the diocese of Troies, and upon
some ground which was given by permission of the Bishop, he built a
little house and a chapel, which he dedicated to the most Holy
Trinity.
Men of learning were then scarce, and the desire of science was
beginning to spread itself. Our exile was inquired after and found;
scholars crowded to him from all parts: they built little huts, and
were very liberal to their master for his lectures; content to live
on herbs, and roots, and water, that they might have the advantage of
learning from so extraordinary a man; and with great zeal they
enlarged the chapel building that and their professor's house with
wood and stone.
Upon this occasion _Abelard_, to continue the memory of the
comfort he had received in this desart, dedicated his new built
chapel to the Holy Ghost, by the name of the Paraclete, or Comforter.
The envy of Alberic and Lotulf, which had long since persecuted him,
was strangely revived, upon seeing so many scholars flock to him from
all parts, notwithstanding the inconvenience of the place, and in
contempt of the masters who might so commodiously be found in the
towns and cities.
They now more than ever sought occasion to trouble him; the name
of Paraclete furnished them with one. They gave out that this novelty
was a consequence of his former heresy, and that it was no more
lawful to dedicate churches to the Holy Ghost than to God the Father:
that this title was a subtile art of instilling that poison which he
durst not spread openly, and a consequence of his heretical doctrine
which had been condemned already by a council. This report raised a
great clamour among numbers of people, whom his enemies employed on
all sides. But the persecution grew more terrible when St. Bernard
and St. Norbet declared against him; two great zealots, fired with
the spirit of Reformation, and who declared themselves restorers of
the primitive discipline, and had wonderfully gained upon the
affections of the populace. They spread such scandal against him that
they prejudiced his principal friends, and forced those who still
loved him not to shew it any ways; and upon these accounts made his
life so bitter to him that he was upon the point of leaving
Christendom*. But his unhappiness would not let him do a thing which
might have procur'd his ease; but made him still continue with
Christians, and with monks (as himself expresses it) worse than
Heathens**.
* _Saepe autem (Deus scit) in tantam lapsus sum desperationem ut
Christianorum finibus excessis, ad Gentes transire disponerem, atque
ibi quiete sub quacunque tributi pactione inter inimicos Christi
christiane vivere._ Abel Op. p. 32.
** _Incedi in
Christianos atque monachos Gentibus longe saeviores atque pejores._
Abel Op. p. 20.
The Duke of Britany, informed of his misfortunes, and of the