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English Correspondence
St Boniface, tr. Kylie, 1911
Letter 23: Lioba Asks Boniface to Pray to God for Her Relatives and Herself. She Sends a…
To Boniface, revered master, endowed with the highest of dignities, dearly beloved in Christ, bound to me by ties of kinship, Lioba, lowliest servant among those who bear the easy yoke of Christ, wishes for eternal welfare.
I beseech thy clemency to be mindful of the friendship which thou didst form long ago, in the regions of the West, with my father Dynne, who was taken from this light more than eight years since, and not to fail in offering prayers to God for his soul. I commend to thee the memory of my mother, Aebbe, who is joined to thee as thou knowest well, by ties of kinship; she still lives a toilsome life and has been long oppressed by infirmities. I am the only daughter of these my parents, and would, that, unworthy as I am, I could deserve to have thee in place of a brother, for in no one among men do I place such great trust as in thee. This small gift I am sending, not that it may appear worthy in thy sight, but in order that thou mayst retain some recollection of my weakness and not let me fall into oblivion because of the long distance which separates us, but rather that the bond of our love may hold firm for ever. And this I beg of thee fervently, beloved brother, to guard me with the shield of thy prayers, against the poisoned shafts of the hidden enemy. I ask thee too, deign to correct the homely style of this letter, and to send me for a model some words of thine, which I crave eagerly to hear.
These little verses below I tried to compose according to the rules of poetic art, in no spirit of confidence, but wishing to practise the rudiments of a graceful accomplishment and to have thy aid. The art I have learned from the teaching of Eadburga, who continues without ceasing to search into the divine law.
Farewell, pray for me and enjoy a long life here, and the happier life to come.
May the Omnipotent Judge, sole Creator of all,
Ever resplendent with light in the Father’s heavenly kingdom,
Where reigns the glory of Christ, amid splendour unfailing,
Keep thee unharmed in His justice eternal.