*

prefident of the council, to condemn his book, pretending that he afferted three Gods, which they might eafily fuggeft, when he was fuffered to make no defence. 'Tis certain he was very orthodox in the doctrine of the Trinity; and all this procefs against him was only occafioned by the malice of his enemies. His logical comparison (and logic was his masterpiece) proved rather the three Divine Perfons One, than mul tiplied the Divine Nature into Three. His comparifon is, that as the three propofitions in a fyllogifm are but one truth, fo the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, are but one Effence; and it is certain the inconveniences which may be drawn from this parallel are not more than what may be drawn from the comparifon of the three dimenfions of folids, fo much infifted on by the famous orthodox mathematician Dr. Wallis of England. But great numbers of pious and learned divines, who have not been over-fubtile in politics, have been perfecuted and condemned as well as Abelard by the ignorance and malice of their bre thren.

A little after his condemnation, Abelard was ordered to return to St. Dennis. The liberty he had taken to cenfure the vicious lives of the monks had raifed him a great many enemies. Amongst these was St. Bernard, not upon the fame motives as those monks, but becaufe Abelard's great wit, joined with fo loofe and fenfual a life, gave him jealoufy, who thought it impoffible the heart fhould be defiled without the head being likewife tainted.

Scarce had he returned to St. Dennis, when one day he dropped fome words, intimating he did not believe that the St. Dennis their patron was the Areopagite mentioned in the Scripture, there being no proba

"Sicut eadem oratio eft, propofitio, affumptio & con"clufio, ita eadem Effentia eft Pater, Filius, and Spiri*tus Sanctus." Ibid.

bility

bility that he ever was in France. This was immediately carried to the Abbot, who was full of joy, that he had now a handle to heighten the accufations of heresy against him with fome crime against the ftate ; a method frequently ufed by this fort of gentlemen to make fure their revenge. In thofe times, too, the contradicting the notions of the monks was enough to prove a man an atheift, heretic, rebel, or any thing; learning fignified nothing. If any one of a clearer head and larger capacity had the misfortune to be fufpected of novelty, there was no way to avoid the general perfecution of the monks but voluntarily banishing himself. The Abbot immediately affembled all the house, and declared he would deliver up to the fecular power a perfon who had dared to reflect upon the honour of the kingdom and of the crown. Abelard very rightly judging that fuch threatenings were not to be defpifed, fled by night to Champaign, to a cloyfter of the monks of Troies, and there patiently waited till the ftorm should be over. After the death of this Abbot, which, very luckily for him happened foon after his flight, he obtained leave to live where he pleafed, though it was not without ufing fome cunning. He knew the monks of fo rich a house had fallen into great exceffes, and were very obnoxious to the court, who would not fail to make their profit of it: he therefore procured it fhould be reprefented to his council as very difadvantageous to his Majesty's intereft, that a perfon who was continually cenfuring the lives of his brethren fhould continue any longer with them. This was immediately understood, and orders given to fome great men at court to demand of the Abbot and monks why they kept a perfon in their house whofe conduct was fo difagreeable to them; and, far from being an ornament to the fociety, was a continual vexation, by publishing their faults? This being very opportunely moved to the new Abbot, he gave Abelard leave to retire to what cloifter he pleafed.

Abelard

Abelard, who indeed had all the qualities which make a great man, could not however bear, without repining, the numerous misfortunes with which he faw himself embarraffed, and had frequent thoughts of publishing a manifefto to justify himself from the fcandalous imputations his enemies had laid upon him and to undeceive thofe whom their malice had prejudiced against him. But upon cooler thought he determined, that it was better to fay nothing, and to fhew them by his filence how unworthy he thought them of his anger. Thus being rather enraged than troubled at the injuries he had fuffered, he refolved to found a new fociety, confifting chiefly of monks: To this purpose he chofe a folitude in the diocese of Troies, and upon fome ground which was given by permiffion of the Bifhop, he built a little houfe and a chapel, which he dedicated to the most Holy Trinity.

Men of learning were then fcarce, and the defire of fcience was beginning to spread itfelf. Our exile was inquired after and found; fcholars crowded to him from all parts: they built little huts, and were very liberal to their master for his lectures; content to live on herbs, and roots, and water, that they might have the advantage of learning from fo extraordinary a man; and with great zeal they enlarged the chapel building that and their profeffor's houfe with wood and stone.

Upon this occafion Abelard, to continue the memory of the comfort he had received in this defart, dedicated his new built chapel to the Holy Ghoft, by the name of the Paraclete, or Comforter. The envy of Alberic and Lotulf, which had long fince perfecuted him, was strangely revived, upon feeing so many scholars flock to him from all parts, notwithstanding the inconvenience of the place, and in contempt of the mafters who might fo commodioufly be found in the towns and cities.

They now more than ever fought occafion to trouble him; the name of Paraclete furnished them with

one.

They gave out that this novelty was a confequence of his former herefy, and that it was no more lawful to dedicate churches to the Holy Ghoft than to God the Father: that this title was a fubtile art of infilling that poifon which he durft not fpread openly, and a confequence of his heretical doctrine which had been condemned already by a council. This report raised a great clamour among numbers of people, whom his enemies employed on all fides. But the perfecution grew more terrible when St. Bernard and St. Norbet declared against him; two great zealots, fired with the fpirit of Reformation, and who declared themselves reftorers of the primitive difcipline, and had wonderfully gained upon the affections of the populace. They fpread fuch fcandal against him that they prejudiced his principal friends, and forced those who still loved him not to fhew it any ways; and upon these accounts made his life fo bitter to him that he was upon the point of leaving Christendom *. But his unhappiness would not let him do a thing which might have procur'd his eafe; but made him still continue with Chriftians, and with monks (as himself expreffes it) worse than Heathens ‡.

The Duke of Britany, informed of his misfortunes, and of the barbarity of his enemies, named him to the abbey of St. Gildas, in the diocese of Vannes, at the defire of the monks who had already elected him for their fuperior. Here he thought he had found a refuge from the rage of his enemies, but in reality he had only changed one trouble for another. The profligate lives of the monks, and the arbitrariness of a

*Saepe autem (Deus fcit) in tantam lapfus fum def"perationem ut Chriftianorum finibus exceffis, ad Gentes tranfire difponerem, atque ibi quiete fub quacunque tributi pactione inter inimicos Chrifti chriftiane vivere." Abel Op. p. 32.

$ Incedi in Chriftianos atque monachos Gentibus longe faeviores atque pejores.” Abel Op. p. 20.

lord

lord, who had deprived them of the greater part of their revenues, fo that they were obliged to maintain their miftreffes and children at their own private expence, occafioned him a thousand vexations and dangers. They feveral times endeavoured to poison him in his ordinary diet, but proving unfuccefsful that way, they tried to do it in the holy facrament. Excommunications, with which he threatened the most mutinous, did not abate the disorder. He now feared the poniard more than poifon, and compared his cafe to his whom the tyrant of Saracufe caufed to be feated at his table, with a sword hanging over him, faftened only by a thread.

Whilft Abelard thus fuffered in his abbey by his monks, the nuns of Argenteuil, of whom Heloife was priorefs, grew fo licentious, that Sugger, abbot of Dennis, taking advantage of their irregularities, got poffeffion of their monaftery. He fent the original writings to Rome; and having obtained the answer he defired, he expelled the nuns, and established in their place monks of his order.

Some cenforious people upon reading this paffage, will be apt to entertain ftrong fufpicions of Heloife, and judge it probable that a governor does not behave well when diffolutenefs is known to reign in the society. I have never read that he was included by name in the general scandal of the fociety, and there, fore am cautious not to bring any accufations against her. Our Saviour fays, No one hath condemned thee, neither do I condemn thee.

Heloife, at her departure from the convent of Argenteuil, applied to her husband; who by permiflion of the Bishop Troies, gave her the house and chapel of the Paraclete, with its appendages; and placing there fome nuns, founded a nunnery. Pope Innocent II. confirmed this donation in the year 1131. This is the origin of the abbey of the Paraclete, of which Heloife was the first abbefs. Whatever her conduct was among the licentious nuns of Argenteuil, it is certain F 2

The