Letter 3018: With God's favor, we celebrated with you — with you, I say, not in place but in spirit — the paschal feast, your...

Bishop Avitus to the lord Sigismund. With God's favor we celebrated with you - with you, I say, not in place but in spirit - we, your poor little people of Vienne, the paschal feast. But if you should ask also in what manner: grievously, because we were divided; yet prosperously, because we are near. And yet, in that what could more easily have been present, its absence the more wearies us. Still, when we lament these things, do not suppose that we are at variance with your will; long since, we devoutly believe, it is affection that holds you yonder, not that contempt shuts us out here. You love your one church in both cities alike, but you cleave to your devout father [the bishop], as far as is expedient, until he consents to follow you to whichever city. Whence, as it was commanded, first we render to God concerning the solemnity, then what is owed we render to Caesar. As for you - though you be Caesars - repay to [our] devotion, for us who are anxious about your joy and your safety, that which we exact of our lords.

Avitus episcopus domno Sigismundo. Celebravimus vobiscum divinitate propitia. vobiscum, inquam, non loco sed animo, pauperculi Viennenses vestri paschale festivum. Si autem interrogetis et qualiter: quia divisi, aegre; prospere, quia vicini. Quamquam quod adesse facilius potuerat, plus taedeat defuisse. Nec tamen, cum ista deflemus, discrepare nos a vestra volun- tate ducatis; iam dudum ab illo, sancte credimus, affectus illic cohibet, non hinc de- spectus excludit. Vnam in utraque civitate vestram ecclesiam perinde diligitis, sed pio patri, in quantum expedit, donec vos ad quamlibet sequi consentiat, adhaeretis. Vnde sicut iussum est, primum deo de sollemnitate, tum, quod debetur, solvimus Cae- sari. Vos de laetitia vestra et incolumitate sollicitis licet Caesares sitis, quod domnis exigimus, reddite pietati. Sigismundus rex domno imperatori. Si devotionem nostram, qua vobis animo militamus, etiam corporaliter praesentari obex temporum regionumque non patitur, quid tamen haberemus in votis, exerere temptamus officiis. Credimus enim totiens coram sacris gloriae vestrae obtutibus intro- mitti, quotiens sollicitudinis debitum studio paginae famulantis offerimus. Nam licet mundum latere nequeat vestra prosperitas et orbem suum radiis perspicuae claritatis illustret, dulce tamen est, si hi, quos militiae fascibus et peculiaris gratiae pietate sustollitis, quos in extimis terrarum partibus aulae pollentis contubernio et veneranda Romani nominis participatione ditatis, specialiter gaudia vestrae perennitatis agnoscant, quae generaliter cunctis fama concelebrat. Ornat quippe imperii vestri amplitudinem longinquitas subiectorum et diffusionem reipublicae vestrae adserit, quod remotius possi- demur. Vnde suscipite propitii cum obsequio portitorem. Et quamquam universis expetentibus ad honoris apicem sufficiat, si vos merentur adspicere, et nos tamen in- sinuent, quos praesumimus commendare. Quorum etiam carorum familiariumque per- sonas hoc intercurrendi commercio nobis quoque profore iudicantes, desiderii prosi- liente compendio in his, quos destinamus, occurrimus illud super omnia deprecantes, ut, quia dignatio celsitudinis vestrae oblivisci non potest beneficia sua, pro gratiarum actione, qua fungimur, quamprimum serenissimi oris responsa mereamur.