Letter 1031: Your rank and reputation place you in a unique position to assist this see in matters that require influence at the...

To John, former consul, and patrician and quaestor. He sends a key of Saint Peter, and [a relic] from his chains. Gregory to John, former consul, and patrician, and quaestor. Having experienced the goodness of your excellency, I am bound to you with so great a love that the memory of you can in no way be erased from my heart. But against this love I am crushed not a little, because you came to know that I was seeking quiet, and you led me into disquiet. To you indeed may almighty God, because you did this with a good intention, repay eternal good things; but as for me, may He, in whatever way He wills, absolve me from the peril of this great office, since, just as my sins deserved, I have been made the bishop not of the Romans but of the Lombards, whose protection [...] your favors have brought about. I groan, daily pressed by occupations, and I cannot draw breath. But you, who are still able, flee the occupations of this world, because, as far as I see, the more anyone advances in it, by so much the more does he decline from the love of God. Moreover, I have sent to you a most sacred key from the body of the blessed Peter, chief of the apostles, which is wont to flash with many miracles over the sick, for it also holds within it [filings] from his chains. May these same chains, then, which held that holy neck, hung upon your neck, sanctify it. (Compare John the Deacon, book 1, chapter 51.) LETTER XLIII. To Philip, Count of the Excubitors. He sets forth why at last he consented to the episcopate; he commends other matters. Gregory to Philip, Count of the Excubitors. Insofar as a man is not able to examine and investigate the judgments from on high, by so much ought he to bend the neck of his heart beneath them; so that, because he does not know by what judgment that which is bestowed upon him is ordained, he ought neither to insist insolently on aspiring to a position, nor to be found stubborn in rejecting it. Hence I, unworthy, have submitted myself, for the taking up of the burdens of the episcopate, to the command of almighty God and to your will, you who wished me to preside more by the bounty of grace than by any estimation of my merit. For God is able, for whose sake you love me, though unworthy, to recompense this to you as a reward forever, so that the favor which you bestow upon His unworthy servants you may be able to find with Him multiplied many times over. But let your excellency, I beg, hold the affairs of Italy commended to it, so that, while you willingly devote yourself to those who seek your help, you may obtain as quickly as possible everything that you seek from God. (Compare John the Deacon, book 1, chapter 54.)

AD J0ANNEM EXCONSULEM , ATQUE PATRICIUM ET QUASTOREM. Clavem sanct Petri, et de catenis ejus transmittit. Gregorius Joanni * exconsuli, atque Þ patricio , el qur'$tori, © Bouilalem excellentiie vestre expertus, tanto erga ves amore constringor, ut vestra memoria de meo pectore aboleri nullategus possit. Sed contra amorem non modice conlricior, quia quietem me - querere cognovistis , et ad inquietudinem perduxi- #tis. Vobis quidem omnipotens Deus, quia hac bono animo ſecistis, bona #terna relribuat; sed me a tants loci hvjus periculo qualiter voluerit absolvat, quia 8icut peccala mea merebantur, non Romanorum, $ed Langobardorum episcopus factus gum, 4 quorum Eersr. XXX (Al. 29). — © Titulus bic prafectis pretvrio, magistris militum, aliisve diguilatibus precipuis attribuebatur ; imo Francorum reges, do- nee Christianissimi a Romanis poulilicibus dicli sunt, hocee gloriabantur litulo, Vir illus/er, ut ex ipsorum di; lomatibus constat. Formulam qua illus/ratus Seu ilustris titulus conferebatur habes apud Cassiod., lib. vi Variar., forin. 11. Jn Excusis legitur, Audree ill. de Debiria, quiz ultima verba absunt ab omnibus Mss. y”_ consuluimus. In Andeg. pro ilusirs legitur 0. Eeisr. :XXXI (Al. 30). -— * De hoc litulo vide 10- tm c ad epist. 3 hbuyus libri, » Synthicie $ynt pacta', conventiones, a Graco Tvwbarn. Spatha, gladius; unde spatharius ; de yua patrocinia vestra perduxerunt, Gemo quolidie accu- pationibus pressus, et reSpirare non va!ea. Sed vos, qui adhuc valetis, © mundi lujus occupationes ſugite, - quia quantum in eo quisque proſecerit, tanto, ul vi- deo, ab amore Dei amplius decrescit. Prexterea $a- cratissimam clavem a beali Petri apostolorum prin- cipis corpore vYobis Lransmisi, quz super zgros mullis $0let miraculis coruscare, nam etiam de cjus catenis | Interius babet. Ezdenm igitur catenze, que illa Sancta colla tenuerunt, suspensz colla veslra ganchilicent. (Cf. Joau. Diac. |. 1, c. 51.) EPISTULA XXLIll. AD PHILIPPUN COMITEM EXCUBITORUS. Episcopalui cur taudem conseuserit exponit ; alice causas commendat. Gregorius Philippo, ®* couniti excubitorum. la quantuin homo discutere et invesligare judicia guperna non Suſſicit, in tantum $sub eis SRI d-bet cervicem cordis inflectere ; ut quia id quod sibi tti- buitur quo judicio disponalur ignorat, nec ad appe- teudum locum procax insistere, nec ad repellendum contumax debet iuveniri. Unde indignus ego ad $us- cipienda episcopatus onera , jussioni omnipotentis Dei reslraque voluntali me $ubdidi, cui me pracsse largitale magis gratiz quam judicii 2s!'imatione yo lui>tis. Potens est enim Deus, propter quem me indi- gnum diligitis, hanc vobis in perpetuum recompen- sare wercedem, ut gratiam quam indignis famulis ejus impenditis, apud eum invenire multipticius va- leatis. Causas vero ltaliz vestra, quzs0, excelleniia babeat commendalas, ut dum vos peteulibus libenter impenditis, omne quod a Deo petitis quantocius im- petretis. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. 1, c. 54.)