II

To Malachy. 1141 or 1142.⁹⁵⁰⁹⁵⁰Mellifont was probably founded immediately after the brothers mentioned in the letter reached Ireland. The date is therefore in or before 1142. They would hardly have been sent till news had reached St. Bernard that the site had been chosen (Lett. i, § 2). Cp. p. 75, n. 4.

(Epistle 356.)

To Malachy, by the grace of God bishop, legate of the Apostolic See, Brother Bernard, called to be abbot of Clairvaux, if the prayer of a sinner can do anything, and if the devotion of a poor man is of any advantage.

We have done what your holiness commanded, not perhaps as it was worthy to be done, yet as well as was possible considering the time in which we live. So great evil everywhere struts about among us that it was scarcely possible to do the little that has been done. We have sent only a few grains of seed,⁹⁵¹⁹⁵¹The brothers sent from Clairvaux "sufficient in number for an abbey" (Life, § 39). as you see, to sow at least a small part of that field into which the true Isaac once went out to meditate, when Rebekah was first brought to him by Abraham's servant, to be happily joined to 134him in everlasting marriage.⁹⁵²⁹⁵²Gen. xxiv. 63 ff.—Cp. De Cons. ii. 13, where the same passage of Genesis is referred to. It is there (§ 12) explained that the field is the world, which has been placed in charge of the Pope. And the seed is not to be despised concerning which we find that word fulfilled at this time in your regions,⁹⁵³⁹⁵³Printed text patribus. I read partibus. Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.⁹⁵⁴⁹⁵⁴Rom. ix. 29 (inexact quotation). I, therefore, have sown, do you water, and God shall give the increase.⁹⁵⁵⁹⁵⁵1 Cor. iii. 6. All the saints who are with you we salute through you, humbly commending ourselves to their holy prayers and yours. Farewell.