A King's Cares

Abbas: De filorum tuorum haereditate loqueris: quare nullam facis de haereditate pauperum mentionem? Rex: Propositum ac desiderium meum est, maximum mearum rerum partem ponere ad liberationem terrae illius in qua steterunt pedes Domini, in qua nos nascendo et moriendo redemit, partem pauperibus distribuere, residuum vero in usus orphanorum et aliorum egenorum misericorditer erogare.. Abbas. Potentissime rex, sustine patienter quae tibi dicturus sum. Ubi de salute animae tuae agitur, ut parcam regiae potestati, fecit te de nihilo factor omnium Deus. Si placuisset, ei genuisset te pater tuus ex ancilla vili et humili, nec esses hodie inter reges nudus egressus eo de utero matris tuae; omnia quae habes commendavit tibi Deus. Si non potes reddere quantum debes, redde quantum potes, vide ne mundus avertat te a Christo. Legitur de quodam viro magno, quod quum laboraret in extremis et monerent amici ejus ut bona sua largitentur egenis, obsessus tam maligno spiritu quam morbo respondit, Libenter haec facerem sed domina avaritia non permittit. Rex. Quanta ecclesiis fecerim noverit Deus, nec me ita dure argueres si novisses quantum honor ecclesiae temporibus meis crevit. Abbas. Scio quod magnifice et munifice dedisti ecclesiis et et ecclesiasticis viris, et eleemosynas tuas enarret omnis ecclesia sanctorum. Sed attendit Dominus non quantum sed ex quanto detur, non ubi sed unde, nam si spolias unum altare, ut alterum tegas; si uni pauperi auferas, ut alii conferas, testimonio Scripturae non acceptat Deus sacrificium de rapina, rapina namque, imo sacrilegium est, quicquid in rebus ecclesiasticis potestas civilis usurpat. Rex. Quid si Romana ecclesia antecessoribus meis et mihi dedit ac privilegiavit magnam in rebus ecclesiasticis potestam? Debemus eam per omnia sequi: mater et magistra nostra est, nec tibi absurdum videri debet, si velim privilegiis ejus uti. Abbas. Scriptum est non quid Romae fiat, sed quid Romae fieri debeat considerandum est; ideoque, prudentissime Rex, diligenter attende quid deceat, non quid liceat, quid ad interminabilem salutem et gloriam ineffabilem, non quid ad falsam et transitoriam dignitatem pertineat: multa privilegia possunt emi, porro unum necessarium quod non potest aufferi. Summum privilegium est libertatem filiorum Dei obtinere et per regnum temporale miseriis et doloribus plenum acquirere regnum coelorum, cujus gloria non deficit, cujus honor interrumpitur, cujus beatitudo non transit. Quid est gloriosius aut desiderabilius in hoc mundo quam regnare et exercere super alios potestatem. Tu vero per experientiam didicisti quod temporalis regnis felicitas, in quo plus metuit plus potest, plus indiget qui plus habet, nunquam quiescit qui pro omni quiete laborat, omnibus servit, qui omnibus dominatur, utrum dicta vera tu noveris.. Rex. Novi, ego, novi, nec possem aut corde cogitare aut voce proferre quantum laboraverim pro populo meo, et hanc retributionem mihi facit Dominus quod nec in populo meo fidem, nec in filiis meis amorem invenio. Abbas. Rex, attende, quaeso, et recogita quanta in magnis necessitatibus fecerit Deus tibi: vidi quum necessitates gravissimas et credo quod precibus populi tui liberavit te Deus, ex gratia et misericordia Dei semel adeptus es potes reputare miserrimum si eam elongas a te, si ipsam non custodis et retines in futurum. Petrus Blenensis, Dialogus Inter Regem Henricum II et Abbatem Bonaevallensem Source:  Migne PL 207.984a-985b

Abbot: You have spoken of the inheritance of your sons; why do you make no mention of the inheritance of the poor? King: It is my intention and desire to give the greatest part of what I have to the liberation of that land in which stood the feet of our Lord, where being born and dying He redeemed us, a portion to distribute to the poor, and what remains to give mercifully for the use of orphans and other needy folk. Abbot: Most powerful king, endure patiently what I am to say to you. What is it done for the salvation of your soul in the parsimony of the regal power? God the creator made you from nothing. If it had pleased, your father would have sired you on a common and humble handmaid, and coming out naked from the womb of your mother, 1 you would not today be among kings. All things you have God has entrusted to you. If you are not able to return what you should, return what you can, and beware lest the world divert you from Christ. It is written concerning a certain great man, one who toiled in the extreme, that when his friends admonished him that he should give from his goods to the poor, so besieged he was by a wicked spirit, as a disease, that he replied: 'I would willing do this but mistress avarice does not allow me.' King: How much I have done for the Church, God knows, thus you would not dispute with me so roughly if you knew how much the honour of the Church has grown in my time. Abbot: I know that you have given magnificently and munificently to churches and to men of the church, and every church of the saints tells of your charity. But the Lord attends not to how much is given but from how much, not where but whence, for if you despoil one altar to heap up on another, if you take from one poor man and give it to another, Scripture bears witness that God does not accept a sacrifice from theft, 2 and theft and indeed sacriledge it is whenever in matters of the church there is an usurpation of the civil power. King: What if the Roman church has given to my predecessors and me great priviledge and power in ecclesiastical matters? We should follow her in everything; she is mother and teacher. Nor should it seem foolish to you, if I wish to make use of its priviledge. Abbot: It is written that we should consider not what Rome is but what she should be. Therefore, most prudent king, diligently attend to what is fitting, not what is permitted, what pertains to eternal salvation and ineffable glory, not what pertains to false and passing dignity. Many priviledges are able to be bought, but there is only one thing necessary that cannot be taken away. 3 The supreme priviledge is to obtain the liberty of the children of God and through the troubles and sorrows of the temporal kingdom to gain the kingdom of heaven, the glory of which does not fade, the honour of which does not end, the happiness of which does not pass away. What is thought more glorious or desirable in this world than to rule and exert power over others? You, however, by experience have learnt what the happiness of a temporal kingdom is, that he fears more who has more power, that he lacks more who has more, that he is never at rest who labours for the rest of others, that he who works for all is ruled by all, and that these words are true, you know. King: I know, I know, nor can I think in my heart or give voice to how much I have laboured for my people, and this reward the Lord gives to me, that I find neither faith in my people, nor love in my sons. Abbot: O king, attend, I beg, and know how much God has done for you in great necessites. I have observed those most weighty necessities and I believe that by the prayers of the people God has liberated you, by the grace and the mercy of God, once you are capable to repute it wretchedness if it is far from you, and if you do not guard and keep in the future. Peter of Blois, from a Dialogue Between King Henry the Second and the Abbot of Bonneval 1 Job 1.21 2 Malachi 1.13 3 Lk 10.42