Boniface, servant of the servants of God and bishop by the grace of Christ, to his beloved fellow - ecclesiastic Fulrad, priest, affectionate greetings without end in Christ.
Fulrad was the Abbot of Saint-Denys and chaplain to the king. He had much influence, and his intervention was more likely to move the king than a direct appeal from Boniface, who, as a foreigner, was not persona grata in court circles.
I know not how to return such thanks as you deserve for the spiritual friendship which, for Christ's sake, you have so often shown me in my vials; but I pray Almighty God to reward you for ever in heaven and in the joy of the angels- I beg you now to carry through to the end the good work you have begun so well: salute our glorious and gracious King Pippin from me and convey to him my deepest gratitude for all the kindness he has shown me. Report to him what my friends and I feel regarding the future.
It seems to me, considering my ill-health, that this mortal life of mine and the daily course of my activities must soon come to an end. Therefore I pray His Royal Highness, in the name of Christ, the Son of God, to indicate while I am still alive what future provision he is willing to make for my disciples. They are nearly all foreigners. Some are priests spending their lives in lonely places in the service of the Church and the people. Some are monks in cloisters or children learning to read. Others are men of mature age who have been my companions and helpers for many years. My chief anxiety about all of them is that after my death they may have to disperse and be scattered abroad like sheep without a shepherd, unless they have the support and patronage of Your Highness. I am afraid also lest those people who are near the pagan border may lose their faith in Christ.
For this reason I earnestly beg Your Gracious Highness to have my son, the auxiliary bishop Lull,[] appointed in my place as preacher and teacher to the priests and people, that is if it so please God and Your Grace. I hope, God willing, that in him the priests may find a master, the monks a teacher according to the spirit of the Rule, and the Christian people a faithful teacher and Pastor.
Lull governed the bishopric of Mainz from 754 to 785.
I have a particular reason in making this request, because my priests living near the border of the heathens lead a very bare existence. They can get enough to eat, but they cannot procure clothing without help and support from elsewhere. Until now the assistance to maintain themselves in those districts for the service of the people has come from me.
If the grace of God shall move you to grant my requests, kindly send me word, either by these present messengers or in writing, so that in the secure knowledge of your care for them I may the more happily live or die.
Boniface, servant of the servants of God and bishop by the grace of Christ, to his beloved fellow - ecclesiastic Fulrad, priest, affectionate greetings without end in Christ.
Fulrad was the Abbot of Saint-Denys and chaplain to the king. He had much influence, and his intervention was more likely to move the king than a direct appeal from Boniface, who, as a foreigner, was not persona grata in court circles.
I know not how to return such thanks as you deserve for the spiritual friendship which, for Christ's sake, you have so often shown me in my vials; but I pray Almighty God to reward you for ever in heaven and in the joy of the angels- I beg you now to carry through to the end the good work you have begun so well: salute our glorious and gracious King Pippin from me and convey to him my deepest gratitude for all the kindness he has shown me. Report to him what my friends and I feel regarding the future.
It seems to me, considering my ill-health, that this mortal life of mine and the daily course of my activities must soon come to an end. Therefore I pray His Royal Highness, in the name of Christ, the Son of God, to indicate whilst I am still alive what future provision he is willing to make for my disciples. They are nearly all foreigners. Some are priests spending their lives in lonely places in the service of the Church and the people. Some are monks in cloisters or children learning to read. Others are men of mature age who have been my companions and helpers for many years. My chief anxiety about all of them is that after my death they may have to disperse and be scattered abroad like sheep without a shepherd, unless they have the support and patronage of Your Highness. I am afraid also lest those people who are near the pagan border may lose their faith in Christ.
For this reason I earnestly beg Your Gracious Highness to have my son, the auxiliary bishop Lull,[] appointed in my place as preacher and teacher to the priests and people, that is if it so please God and Your Grace. I hope, God willing, that in him the priests may find a master, the monks a teacher according to the spirit of the Rule, and the Christian people a faithful teacher and Pastor.
Lull governed the bishopric of Mainz from 754 to 785.
I have a particular reason in making this request, because my priests living near the border of the heathens lead a very bare existence. They can get enough to eat, but they cannot procure clothing without help and support from elsewhere. Until now the assistance to maintain themselves in those districts for the service of the people has come from me.
If the grace of God shall move you to grant my requests, kindly send me word, either by these present messengers or in writing, so that in the secure knowledge of your care for them I may the more happily live or die.
◆
Boniface, servant of the servants of God and bishop by the grace of Christ, to his beloved fellow - ecclesiastic Fulrad, priest, affectionate greetings without end in Christ.
Fulrad was the Abbot of Saint-Denys and chaplain to the king. He had much influence, and his intervention was more likely to move the king than a direct appeal from Boniface, who, as a foreigner, was not persona grata in court circles.
I know not how to return such thanks as you deserve for the spiritual friendship which, for Christ's sake, you have so often shown me in my vials; but I pray Almighty God to reward you for ever in heaven and in the joy of the angels- I beg you now to carry through to the end the good work you have begun so well: salute our glorious and gracious King Pippin from me and convey to him my deepest gratitude for all the kindness he has shown me. Report to him what my friends and I feel regarding the future.
It seems to me, considering my ill-health, that this mortal life of mine and the daily course of my activities must soon come to an end. Therefore I pray His Royal Highness, in the name of Christ, the Son of God, to indicate while I am still alive what future provision he is willing to make for my disciples. They are nearly all foreigners. Some are priests spending their lives in lonely places in the service of the Church and the people. Some are monks in cloisters or children learning to read. Others are men of mature age who have been my companions and helpers for many years. My chief anxiety about all of them is that after my death they may have to disperse and be scattered abroad like sheep without a shepherd, unless they have the support and patronage of Your Highness. I am afraid also lest those people who are near the pagan border may lose their faith in Christ.
For this reason I earnestly beg Your Gracious Highness to have my son, the auxiliary bishop Lull,[] appointed in my place as preacher and teacher to the priests and people, that is if it so please God and Your Grace. I hope, God willing, that in him the priests may find a master, the monks a teacher according to the spirit of the Rule, and the Christian people a faithful teacher and Pastor.
Lull governed the bishopric of Mainz from 754 to 785.
I have a particular reason in making this request, because my priests living near the border of the heathens lead a very bare existence. They can get enough to eat, but they cannot procure clothing without help and support from elsewhere. Until now the assistance to maintain themselves in those districts for the service of the people has come from me.
If the grace of God shall move you to grant my requests, kindly send me word, either by these present messengers or in writing, so that in the secure knowledge of your care for them I may the more happily live or die.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.