Medieval Letter-Collections as a Mirror of Circles of Friendship? The Example of Stephen of Tournai,

1128-1203

1. Around 1190, Stephen of Tournai, abbot of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, sent one of his canons to Denmark to collect funds for the restoration of his abbey. The canon had to meet several Danish dignitaries, one of them being the bishop of Ribe: Omer. To the latter, as to the others, Stephen wrote a letter, which is still extant (91). "There are four things", he said in the first sentence, "which help to establish new friendship or strengthen old: conversations between two persons, mutual services, an intensive exchange of letters, and a reputation of virtue corresponding to reality" (92). He continued by praising the fame and virtue of bishop Omer, and then went to the core of his subject: he asked the bishop to protect and help his canon (during his mission) (93), and finished with a quote from Luke 6, 38, suggesting that Omer would certainly be rewarded in heaven for this help (94).

Walter Ysebaert Vrije Universiteit, Brussel

* W. Ysebaert is Research Assistant of the Fund for Scientific Research - Flanders (Belgium) (FWO-Vlaanderen). This article, which is the elaboration of a paper presented at the International Medieval Congress of Leeds 2002, is part of his reseach-project entitled "Written communication and networks of relations in the twelfth century" (director: Prof. Dr. G. Declercq). (91) Letters 176, 177, 178, 179, 181 and 182 in J. Desilve, Lettres d'Etienne de Tournai, Valenciennes-Paris, Lemaître, 1893, 470 p. (henceforth 'DS' followed by the number of the letter). These letters were addressed to: Absalon, archbishop of Lund (Denmark) (DS 176), William of ^Ebbelholt, abbot of the abbey of Paraclet (Denmark) (DS 178), Omer, bishop of Ribe (Denmark) (DS 179), Waldermar, bishop of Slesvig (Denmark) and son of the former king Knud Magnusen (DS 177), Knud Prizlavsen, grandson of the former king Knud Lavard (DS 181) and finally king Knud VI (DS 182). Desilve's edition of the letters is not only incomplete but full of mistakes with regard to the recipients and dating of the letters. The information given in this article is based on my own investigation of the letters. (92) Quatuor sunt que aut novas conciliant amicicias aut veteres colunt: alterne confab- ulationes, obsequia mutua, litter arum frequens excursus, virtutum fama consentiens veritati, DS 179. (93) (...) karissimum fratrem nostrum et canonicum G., presentium latorem, quern pro negociis ecclesie nostre misimus, vestre benevolencie commendamus, ut eum in quibus necesse habuerit, pro amor e dei et nostro etfirmetis consilio, et patrocinio sustentetis, DS 179. (94) Retribuet vobis Deus, qui recipientibus iustum in nomine iusti mercedem iusti ret- ribuet: et mensuram bonam et confertam et coagitatam et supereffluentem [...] dabit, which refers to Luke 6, 38 (Sermon on the Mount): "[. . .] give and gifts will be given you [. . .] for whatever measure you deal out to others will be dealt to you in return".