On the wife of Boso

Hincmar of Rheims: De uxore Bosonis

Edition: MGH Epistolae Karolini Aevi VIII, pp. 81-87, no. 135

Transmission: Paris BnF. lat 2866, fols.120-124v.

Dating: Autumn 860

Trans. by Rachel Stone, with assistance of Charles West

Hincmar, by name not merit bishop of Rheims and servant of the people of God, to the sacred convention.

Appendix: Interrogatio 5. Concerning the wife of Boso.

[244] And concerning the wife of Boso, about whom Boso himself complained at Koblenz, and who afterwards came to this king and stayed under his power. Some people say that he did wrong since he did not return her to her husband when he could have done. And others say that it was not appropriate that he should hand over to death his relative who came to his faith, nor was it fitting that he should oppress a Frankish woman and compel her like a slave girl, and return her to someone if she did not want it. And others say that if he would wish to return her, she will go to the Vikings, and it is better that he allows her to live among Christians, and amongst them to free her life which the other man wants to take from her.

Interrogatio 22: questions about episcopal authority

In the eighth chapter, write back to us, whether it should be followed as some say that some bishops teach, that they [bishops] should offer the protection of defence to men or women who have confessed to them, lest anyone dare to bring these person to the judgment of the state for the crimes about which they had confessed to them, even if they are well known crimes. And if these wish to separate not from consent over continence, but because of discord, or because of their fragility, and if separated they are unable to contain themselves or are unwilling to be reconciled, these bishops say that by their authority they can give advice. And since they fled through a secret confession to ecclesiastical piety, like Boso’s wife, about whom we were informed with some interruption in the synod held at Toul, they should not therefore be judged except by the bishops to whom these people confessed.