by Mark Coakley
14: ALCUIN WRITES TO TETTA *
December 7, Year of Our Lord 792
To my reverend handmaid of Christ, the Abbess Tetta, in the bond of spiritual love, and with a holy and chaste kiss of affection:
Alcuin, the least of the servants of servants of God, prays that Our Lord shall in this life guard and prosper you in health and every holy virtue, and shall after death glorify and reward you in future Blessedness among shining cohorts of angels.
I apologize for taking so long to write back to you. Let me assure you, my precious friend, that when I saw the copy of Ecclesiastical History you sent me, I gave voluble thanks to God for having such a friend in my journeys in these distant parts; one who helps me so generously with material things, and supports me spiritually with her prayers and the divine consolation of her gentle affection. With my hands upraised to Heaven, I beg the Supreme Majesty to repay you with eternal life on high. I pray to Almighty God, the Rewarder of all good works, that He will repay you in the heavenly mansions and eternal tabernacles and in the choir of the Blessed angels and archangels for all the kindnesses you have shown me, for the solace of books with which you have relieved my distress, and, above all, for your friendship.
The book is truly beautiful to look at and to touch. You have not exaggerated Leoba's technical skill, if this example is typical of her other work. Yet, regardless of her talent, my admonitions regarding discipline fully apply. She must not be simply expelled from Lindisfarne, as she so clearly desires; to set an example for the rest of your flock, and for her sake, Leoba must suffer harsh discipline -- for disobedience is the blackest of all monastic crime.
I agree that the traditional tools in these situations would likely not be effective with such a strange personality. But I have an intuition that another type of punishment might work well. Keep her locked in a small, lightless room, and let nobody talk to her, for any reason, or even show a face to her. Her meals and water are to be put into the room when she is asleep, through a door that admits no light. No-one is to speak close enough to the room for Leoba to hear. Let her feel forgotten. Keep Leoba in silence and loneliness and darkness, until she submits fully to your sacred authority; so I advise.
My friend, I think of your love with such sweet memories, tender Abbess, that I long for the time -- even if it should be as I breathe my last -- when I may be able to caress your innocence with my affection. If only it were granted to me, as it was to Habakkuk, to be transported to you across such a vast distance at the speed of a wish, how I would sink into your purest embrace -- O, my Tetta, how much would I chastely cover, with tightly pressed lips, not only your face, but your every soft finger and pale toe; not once but many a time, in respect and friendship!
Our wish is that it may be well with you till the end of your days in Christ.
Alcuin