medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Here is the message once more, I hope, in a readable form:
Dear Christopher!
>He was educated [probably as a guest or novice, but not student in
Saint-Martin, more probably he was educated in the schools of Paris or
Sainte-Genevieve, as "adulescentulus" then, max. age 25!] in the monastery
of St. Martin-des-Champs at Paris, became a Benedictine, and in 1150 [not
1150, but between 1139 and 1145] was made Abbot of La Celle [better:
Montier-la-Celle] near Troyes, whence his surname, Cellensis [not sure,
perhaps from La Celle-sous-Chantemerle, north of Romilly-sur-Seine].
>sorry, i'm not following you, again.
There is only one passage which refers explicitly to Peter's stay at
Saint-Martin: "..ego ipse apud Sanctum Martinum de Campis adolescentulus
verissimis experimentis quod dico gustavi..." (BTW: Abelard called himself
adolescentulus at age of 25; see HC) Peter wrote his letters in an
abundantly panegyric and empathic style. All what he meant was: At
Saint-Martin, I discovered my fervour for religious life. I think he alluded
to his friendship with prior Theobald, later bishop of Paris, for whom he
wrote several sermons. This must not mean that Peter was educated at
Saint-Martin or that he was a Cluniac monk there. The latter is very
improbable. In another epistle (183) he talks about some early studies in
Montier-la-Celle: "memor temporis illius quo fervente non minus studio quam
etate in Cellensi monasterio..." On the other hand, Peter was closely
befriended with Jean of Salisbury who had studied on the Montagne
Sainte-Genevieve. (Hist.pont., Metalogicon). According to J. Jolivet and
others, it is most probable that Peter had studied the secular sciences
there, together with John. In his "De disciplina claustrali" Peter alluded
apparently to Abelard's "Collationes". After 1139, Peter left these studies
and converted to monastic life. I *believe* that Peter was one of the
Parisian clergymen who were deeply impressed by the Parisian sermons of
Bernard of Clairvaux, who was familiar with him (see De conversione, Vita et
Fragmenta Vitae Bernardi). As orthodox abbot, Peter abhorred the scientific
scene of Paris: "O Parisius, quam idonea es ad capiendas et decipiendas
animas! In te retinacula vitiorum, in te malorum decipula, in te sagitta
inferni transfigit insipientium corda." Sounds like Saint Bernard.
All that we know about the beginning of Peter's abbacy, are the signatures
of some charters, edited by Lalore, Ch., Cartulaire de Montier-la-Celle. In
April 1139, we find an abbot named Walter, otherwise unknown, for the last
time, and Petrus, abbas Sanct Petri de Cella, in a charter of Henri the
Liberal from 1145, for the first time. The beginning of his abbacy in Cath
Enc. is clearly misdated.
>are you implying that his toponym did *not* come from the abbey, but from
another "la Celle" ?
I don't, but M. Francois Verdier, Montpothier, perhaps does, hypothetically.
F. Verdier, agrégé at the Lyceum "Count Theobald" in Provins and expert for
medieval Champagne, actually works in the archives of Troyes, on an edition
of the cartulary of Chantemerle, priory of Montier-la-Celle. In a private
note, sent to me in 2001, he alluded to a connection of Peter's family to
"La-Celle-sous-Chantemerle" so Peter's toponymic surname might derive from
there. I don't know the arguments in detail, but personally, I don't believe
in this theory. The greeting formulas of Peter's letters give his surname
almost exclusively connected with his title as abbot of Montier-la-Celle.
>In 1162 he was appointed Abbot of St. Rémy at Reims, and in 1181 he
succeeded John of Salisbury as Bishop of Chartres. [Perhaps should be
mentioned here, that G. - Galterius de Pinserais or Goslenus -, archdeacon
of Chartres, was his relative (see Peter of Celle, letter 178 ed.
Haseldine)]
As regards the archdeacons of Chartres, who are rather unknown to me, I
can't offer you more than a passage and a footnote in Haseldine, Letters,
ep. 178, p. 679: "ecce occurrit karissimus amicus et cognatus... G.
vester... "[footnote: Gautier, achdeacon de Pinserais (E. de Lépinois and L.
Merlot, (sic) Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Chartres..., I, 207) or possibly
Goslenus (ibid.)]
>didn't i see on your site that "Galterius" was in his family's namengut?
According to Haseldine, Letters xxx, one of Peter's brothers (who is quite
unknown to me, too) was named Gaucher = Gaucherius. That's not the same name
like Galterius = Gualterius = Walter.
>may i incorporate them into my page there? would you like credit for the
revisions, or do you prefer anonymity? my i insert a link to your own site?
I agree to all, of course! But the name of an enthusiast like me is really
not important.
"Namen sind wie Schall und Rauch."
Kind regards
Werner
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