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(2/3) Several notable writers are associated with
Rievaulx. Chief amongst them is Aelred, whose outpourings include
a number of sermons, a letter of guidance to his sister on the
solitary life, a treatise on spiritual friendship and, perhaps
the most celebrated of all his writings, the ‘Mirror of Charity’.
This, his first work, was written at the behest of Bernard
of Clairvaux,
and was, in Walter Daniel’s opinion, the greatest of Aelred’s
writings (see right). Aelred also corresponded with a wide range
of people by letter. Unfortunately none of his three hundred letters
now survive. Until at least the fifteenth century these were stored
in Rievaulx’s library.
It is in my opinion the best of all his works
... contains as good a picture of the love of God and one's neighbour
as a man can
see of himself in a mirror.
[Walter Daniel, on the 'Mirror of Charity']. |
Walter Daniel, who is best remembered for his Life of
Aelred,
was also a prolific writer. A number of his works survive and include
his ‘Sentences’ and writings on the Virgin Mary.(4) Another
notable writer is Matthew
of Rievaulx, who was appointed precentor of
the abbey in the late twelfth century. Matthew represents ‘a
new generation of monks’ who engaged in political and ecclesiastical
affairs, and has left a number of letters, hymns and poems.(5) These
include hymns to saints Stephen, John the Evangelist and John the
Baptist, and to the apostles Peter and Paul,(6) and
a poem on the importance of singing and harmony (De disciplina
Psallendi),
showing Matthew’s interest in and knowledge of music. He
also composed a poem on Abbot
William whom he describes as ‘a rose without
a thorn.’ Matthew’s letters are at times extremely
personal and underline just how stressful the monastic life could
be for those charged with administrative duties. Indeed, Matthew
attributes his ill-health to the strains of his duties as precentor
and berates himself for having undertaken such an onerous task.(7)
A number of books that Walter Daniel donated to the
abbey are now in the John Rylands Library.
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The
library catalogue of Rievaulx Abbey is one of only three such Cistercian
catalogues to have survived; the others belong to Meaux and Flaxley.
(8) It lists over 200 books, which
include Bibles, Psalters, saints’ Lives,
works by fellow Cistercians and also secular writings such as histories
and medical works.(9)
[Read
more about Rievaulx’s library]
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