Letter 10029: Gregory to Constantius, bishop of Milan.

TO CONSTANTIUS, BISHOP OF MILAN. That the still-doubtful case of Bishop Pompeius cannot yet be settled by a definite verdict. Gregory to Constantius, bishop of Milan. Having read again the letter you sent to us by Marianus, the bearer of these presents, we have written back that your concern was welcome to us, in that you would by no means allow yourself to disregard those things which had reached you concerning our brother and fellow-bishop Pompeius, who must still be named so by us. But if there had been in the examination a subtlety such as there was care in the inquiry, nothing of what has been said about him would have remained ambiguous. Yet whether the matter was truly established could not have become clear, since already long ago in Sicily, before our brother Maximian, bishop of reverend memory, such a question, as we have learned, was raised against him. But because his case was investigated with an altogether thorough examination, he who had been accused of the crime was found innocent. Now therefore, since those things which were said against him were not inquired into with that strictness which was fitting, and the proceedings which were thereupon drawn up before your Fraternity are proved able to suffice neither for his condemnation nor for his absolution, this is no light matter, that it should be defined incautiously or in passing. For it is grave enough and unseemly that a certain sentence should be pronounced in a doubtful matter. And these proceedings indeed could have been suitable for reaching a definition, if the confession of the accused had followed them; provided, however, that the subtlety of the examination drew out that same confession from hidden things, and that it was not extorted by violent affliction, which frequently brings it about that even the innocent are compelled to confess themselves guilty. For after the aforesaid bishop asserts, as is said, that he is tormented by confinement and consumed by starvation, you ought to know, if it is so, whether it does harm if a confession has thus been extorted. Is it not the case that, when causes of this kind receive a sentence, and appeal is made to the apostolic see, the person who is being judged is present, and the truth is sought most strictly and from every side, so that it may then be decreed whether the sentence ought to stand or not? Moreover, also, if the aforesaid bishop should wish to appeal to the apostolic see, his case must be examined inwardly and with all diligence. And therefore, since the person is absent, and the proceedings which you sent to us do not seem, as we have said before, to have given satisfaction adequately, we neither can nor ought rashly to decree anything concerning the person of a bishop, lest, which God forbid, we be found reprehensible in our own affairs, to whom by the right of others it belongs to review their sentences. But concerning what was reported to you about the Alemanni, we too are placed even farther off than you are. And that it may not be true we by no means doubt. Yet your Fraternity did well to write, for our information, what it had heard.

AD CONSTANTIUM MEDIOLANENS, BPISCOPUM. Dubiam adhuc Pompeii episcopi causam cerla sententia finiri nondum pos8e. Gregorius Constantio episcopo Mediolanensi. Relectis epislolis veslris, quas ad nos per * Ma- rianum latorem presentium transmisistis, gratam no- bis sollicitudinem vestram ſuisse rescripsimus, quod ea que ad vos de fratre ct coepiscopo nostro Pom - peio, qui adhuc ita a nobis nominandus est, perve- nerunt dissimulare minime pertulistis. Sed si qualis ſuil in requisitione cura, talis fuisset in discussione Sublilitas, nihil ex hoe quod de eo dictum est, ſuisset 1 Valic. A, non appetant; et infra, incurrant; ac D Episr. XXVIII [Al. 29]. — *® Hospitum curam (i- | pwlo post, non capiant. © Ita legitnr in Vatie., exceptis Codicibus A et D; onivtitne in aliis Mss. et in vet. Ed. Eersr, XXV!1 [Al. 28]. — * In vet. Excusis, Ziza- imas militi. In Valic, A, Zizasimas magistro miliium. lu recent. Ed. , Zittano Zizazime magistro militum. In 0mnibus Mss. 1 ostris,, excepto Vatic. A, legitur Litano, vel Zitani maqisiro militum , vel militic. » Id est, solvere; respondet debitor cum $01vit. ( rero, lib.: xvi, ad Atticnm epist. 2 : Fit sepe ut it 41 debent non respon1eant ad tempus. Apud Tertul- 1anwmn, de Corona militis_: in alium dominum res- pondere, Sed magis ad rem flieconymus in epistola Il: Respondeant, tributu persolvant; EL epistola prae- (ei. : Wuis respondebi! pro agrorum lributis. GUuSSANv. _ © Hve gcripta epistole tempus assignant tres Va- licani A, B, E, ac Colberlini.; delibus incumbere, sed maxime episCopis, evidentius es quam ut probatione indigeat. Cessavit tamen , pietale reſrigescente, istud charitatis officiom, quod variis conciliorum decretis $uscitare voluit Ecclesia, nec oblinuit. Imo vero bona in hbunc finem a fideli- bus bona fide legala alio detorta $sunt, justis (ut ainnt) de causis. Legatur Espensz#6Gs, lib. 1 Digres- Sinnum in Timoth., cap. 1, ubi mulla de hospilaliltate episcoporum et clericorum congerit. GUSSANY. © [lic $igniſicatur actio ſorensis , Gallice la proce- dure , qui cum litigantium aut eliam judicum tricis el malis artibus proirabilur , ſatigantur partes et ad 1014.4 rediguutlnr. {-p1-T. XXIX [ Al, 3U]. — * Norm. et duo Vatic., Marinanum, SANCTI GREGORI! MACNI ambiguum. Sed utrum verum Þan es8et compositum A sam bene nosti, debuisses quod jusium est facere. patuisset , quia jam contra ipsum dudum in Sicilia apud reverendze memoriz fratrem nostrum Maximia- num episcopum talis quzestio, ut cognovimus, mola esl. Sed quia causa ipsius $ubtili omnino jnvesliga- tione qursila est, inventus cst innocens , qui fuerat accusalus in crimine. Nunc igitur quoniam illa quz contra eum dicta $unt non $ub illa qua decuit dis- trictione quzsila sunt, et gesta que exinde apud fra- ternilatem vesiram confecta sunt, neque ad condem- nationem , neque ad absolutionem ejus probantur posse suſficere, non levis res agitur , ut incaule vel in transcursu debeat definiri. Nam (Grat. 1, q. 5, c. 74) grave es salis et indecens ut inre dubia certa dicatur sententia. Et hac quidem gesla esse polerant ad definiendum idonea, $i accusati ea conlessio se- querelur ; si tamen eamdem confessionem sublilitas examinis ex occullis eliceret, et non aſſlictio vehe- mens exltorqueret, que ſrequenter hoc agit ut noxios sese ſateri YOGI etiam cogantiy innoxii. Nam postquam prxeſatus episcopus , ut dicitur, cruciari cuslodia cremarique ſame se asserit, scire debelis, $i ila es, utrum noceat $i $ic fuerit extorta confes- 8i0. Nunquid quando $ententiam tales causxe $uSCi- piunt, et ad sedem apostolicam appellatur, nonne et persona quz judicatur przsens esl, et districtissime atque ab omni latere veritas quzritur , ut tunc $i debeat necne manere $e:tentia decernatur? Necnon et $i predictus episcopus ad sedem apostolicam ap- pellare voluerit, causa ipsius interius et cum omni est diligentia perserutanda. Et ideo postquam et per- Sona absens est, et gesla quz ad nos transmisistis nobis , sicut pr#ſati $umus , $atisfecisse idonee non videntur, temere aliquid de episcopi persona decer- nere nec possumus, nec debemus, ne, quod absit , reprebensibiles inveniamur in nostris, quibus alio- rum jure compelit retractare sententias. © Be Alamannis autem quod vobis indicatum est, nos et longius quam vos positi sumus. Et quod ve- rum non $it minime dubitamus. Vestra lamen ſra- ternitas bene ſecit pro informatione nostra scribere quod audivit 4, (Cf. Joan. Diac. 1. iv, c. 28.)