Letter 2017: Reports have reached me that you give yourself over too frequently and too enthusiastically to dinner parties.

To Natalis, bishop of Salona. He rebukes Natalis for his constant banquets, and commands that he restore the archdeacon Honoratus to his place. Gregory to Natalis, bishop of Salona. From many who have come from your city, most dear brother, I have learned that you, having abandoned your pastoral care, are occupied with banquets alone. Things which, had I heard them, I would not believe, did I not confirm them by the proofs of your own deeds. For since you in no way devote yourself to reading, in no way keep watch over exhortation, but are even ignorant of the very practice of the ecclesiastical order, this is a testimony that you do not know how to preserve reverence toward those under whom you are placed. For when you had been forbidden by the writings of my predecessor of holy memory to hold so long a grudge against Honoratus your archdeacon, and when these things had been most strictly forbidden you both by me, you, neglectful of God's command and despising our writings, attempted by cunning craft to degrade the aforesaid Honoratus your archdeacon under the pretense of advancing him to a higher honor. Whence it came about that, with him removed from that office of archdeacon, you summoned another who might be able to comply with your ways, although the aforesaid man, as I judge, displeased you in no matter except that he forbade you to give the sacred vessels and veils to your own kinsmen. This cause both I now, and then my predecessor of holy memory, wished to examine by subtle investigation; but you, conscious to yourself of your own deeds, put off sending a person instructed for the judgment. Therefore let your fraternity, even after admonition so often repeated, come to its senses from the error of its fault, and receive back the aforesaid Honoratus into his place as soon as it has received my writings. But if perchance you put off doing this, know that the use of the pallium, which has been granted by this see, is taken from you. But if, even with the pallium lost, you still persist in the same obstinacy, know that you are deprived of participation in the Lord's body and blood. After which it is now necessary that we, investigating your cases more subtly, must treat with the utmost care and inquiry whether you ought to remain in the episcopate itself. But that man who, against the rule of justice, consented to be advanced to another's place, we depose from the honor of that same archdeaconate. And if hereafter he should presume to minister in that same place, let him know that he is deprived of participation in the holy communion. You therefore, most dear brother, by no means provoke us further, lest you find those very harsh in severity whom, placed toward you in charity, you despise. Therefore, with his place restored to the archdeacon Honoratus, send with haste a person instructed, who may be able by his allegations to demonstrate to me that this ought by reason to be done. For we have decreed that this same archdeacon come to us, so that whatever is just, whatever is pleasing to almighty God, once the assertions of the parties are known, we may decide. For we defend no one out of personal love, but, with God as author, we keep the norm of justice, setting aside acceptance of any person whatsoever.

AD NATALEM EPISCOPUM SALONITANUM. Increpato de assiduis conviviis Natali, ut Honoratum archidiaconum 8u0 loco reslituat jubel, Gregorius Natali episcopo Salonitano. Multis ab urbe tua venientibus, ſrater charissime, didici, -pastorali cura derelicta, Solis te * conviviis occupatum (Grat, dis. 44, c. 5). Quz audita non crederem, ZSg1 nisi bec actionum tuarum experi- mentis approbarem. Nam quia nequaquam lectioni Studeas, nequaquam exhorlationi invigiles, sed ipsum tibus convenire didicerit, ordinare non desinat. Cun- C quoque usum ecclesiastici ordinis ignores, hoc est in clunque clerum ut ig omnibus canonice ei obedire debeat admoneas , qualenus prefatz Ecclesiz in cunctis ulilitas, praedicto ſratre et coepiscopo nostro disponente, Christo adjuvante procurari valeat >. Eersr. XV (Al. 42). — * De hac sanctus Bernar- dus, lib. n de Consid., cap. 14 : Est vitium, cujus 8 te immunem $enlis , inter omnes quos novi ex his qui cathedras ascenderunt, sedebis me judice s0litarius..... ſacilitas credulitatis hec esl, cujus callidisszime vulpe- cul@ magnorum neminem comperizsalis cavisse versu- tias. Inde eis ipsis pro nihilo ire mulie, inde inno- cenlizm ſrequens addictio, inde prejudicia in absentes. lia Sanctus Bernardus. Attendant polentes , animad - verſant presules , caveant singuli. Per subreptionem testimonium quod eis $ub quibus es positus reveren- tiam Servare nescis. Cum enim $sancte memorize decessoris mei ſueris scriptis prohibitus ne contra Honoratum archidiaconum tuum dolvrem tam longe nachos occasione dispersos barbarica legimus. Epist. vero 40, Paulinum ipsum episcopum in Sicilia pere- grinum, quod forte Tauriani, cujus Ecclesiam disper- s$am Supponit Gregorius, commorari non liceret. lude Taurianensem Ececlesiam congregare el ſovere visita- tionis sludio Paulinus jubetur; Liparilanam vero, in qua 8e-curius resideret, sui presentia disponere. autem et obreptionem quid vit intelligendum, videat xy in Boream. Gussaxv, lector jurisperitos et cauonislas : est per mendacem narrationem aliquid extorquere et quasi furari. Re- sCripla ab illis impetrata ſunditus non valent. Vide in epist. 6 lib. 1, indict. 9 : Indiscussis pelitionibus non credentes. Vide, eumdem Gregorium, lib. 1 Dial., cap. 4, ubi declarat $ibi ipsi posse surrepi, et ponti- ſicibus, quia ſallimur qui homines sumus, qu: prophet@ non sumus,; et quid mirum 58 ore mentientium aliquando in aliud ducimur ? GUSSANY., Eertsr. XVI (Al. 26). — * Excusi, locis inimicis. Sed legendum ut in Mss. locts munitis. Aliis autem in locis, que scilicet hostium incursibus aperta erant, dispersis ovibus, ipsi ad ſugam cogebantur pastores. Vice epist. libri byjus 47 et 50. In nonnullis tamen Mss. maxime in Yatic. legitur locis minutis. Þ In Tur. S. Gal. : Data pridie kalend. Mariiis, indict. 10. Eeisr. XVIL (Al. 45). * Paulinus appellatur epi- Scopus Tavri lib. 1, epist. 41, ubi Tauriauenses mo- © Legeral in $ancti Benedicti reg., cap. 24 : De abbate (quod etiam de aliis przelatis est intelligen- _ sc1ul 8ibi oporitere prodesse magis quam preesse. 4 Pas$toris est oves congrrgare ; lupi , dispergere. © Ita duo Teller. et Colbert. Eersr, X VIII (Al. 14).— * Vide Espenszum, lib. u Digress:onum in | Tim., cap. 14, ubi de episcopo vinolento disputat; et conc. Trid., sess. 25, de re- ſorm., cap. 1; et Mediol. 1, de mensa episcopi. Gussaxv. De Natali, vide epist. 19 et 20 lib. 1, et duas quz banc Sequuntnr, De epulis'se excusavit Na- talis, cui respondit Sanctus Gregorius epist. 52, olim 57. Sanctus Martinus, tesie Sulpicio, dial. 1, n. 17, nunquam consensit Vincentium prefectum omni vir- tutum genere prixstanlissimum convivio excipere; C contrario sauctus Ambrosius consules et preſectos me lerebatur, ut ex eodem Sulpicii teStimoniv iquet. ingratitudinis in corde retineres, > cumque et a me A bus partium decernamns. Nos enim nullum pro per- bxc tibi summopere fuerint interdicta, -et mandala Dei negligens, et scripta nostra contemnens , prieſa- tum Honoratum archidiaconum tuum , quasi © ad ſortiorem honorem provehens, conatus es callida arte degradare. Unde actum est ut eo archidiacona- tus loco summoto alium accerseres, qui tuis moribus obtemperare potuisset , cum preſatus vir pro nulla tibi re, ut arbitror, displicuit, nisi quod 4 vasa Sacra et velamina luis te parentibus dare prohibebat. Quam causam $ublili voluimus et nunc ego, et tunc sanctze memorie decessor meus, indagatione discutere ; sed tu, tuorum tibi actuum conscius, personam ad judi- cium instructam transmiltere distulisti. Proinde ſra- ternitas tua, vel post ſrequentlalam toties admonitio- nem a culpe $uz errore resipiscat, et przfatum Honoratum in svum, mox ut mea $scripta susceperit, locum suscipiat. Quod si forte facere distuleris, usum tibi pallii, qui ab hac sede concessus est, noveris esse Sublatum. Si vero, etiam amiss0 pallio, in ea- . dem pertiuacia adhuc persistis, dominici corporis ac $anguinis te SCias participatione esse privatum, Post quz jam necesse est ut causas Luas Sublilius indagan- tes, an in episcopalu ips0 persistere debeas, Summa cura atque inquisitione debeamns tractare. Eum vero (Grat. 7, 41, c. 40) qui contra justitize regulam, * ad locum alterius se provehi consensit, ab ejusdem ar- chidiaconatus honore deponimus. Qui si ulterius in loco eodem ministrare pr:esumpserit, se * participa- tione communionis SACcre noverit esse privatum. Tu igilur, frater charissime , nequaquam nos amplius provoces, ne duros valde in asperitate sentias, quos erga le positos in charitale contemais. Reslitulo igi- tur loco $uo Honorato archidiacono, instructam per- $0nam $ub ſeslinatione transmilte, qui m'hi hoc debere ex ratione fieri $uis possit allegationibus de- monstrare. Eumdem namque archidiaconum ad nos yenire decrevimus, ut quidquid justum, quidquid omnipotenti Deo placitum ſuerit, cognitis assertioni- Joanne Cavillonensi epi>copo scribit, epist. 25 lib. Iv : Pos!, laborum temporumque processu, archidia- conus, in quo seu gradu s8eu ministerio mullum relen- tus propler industriam, - diu dignitale (|'resbyterali) non potuit augeri, ne poteslate (archidiaconi) posset absolvi. 4 Supra monuimus diaconorum et maxime archi- diacom cur:2 mandatam fuisse rerum $Sacrarum Ccu- St0diam et ecclesiastcorum bonorum administratio- nem, quod tamen in Orientalibus Ecclesiis non vi- guisse Sancli Joannis Chrysoslomi temporibus proba- lur ex hom, 14 ejusdem $Sancti Doctoris in Acia aposto!orum, ubi clare docet hoc munus fuisse pre- »byterorum. | * In Excusis, in archidiaconatum alters. ! Ut bic et apud Sanctum Cyprianum, non omnibus absentis, 0s, orare, rale, communio, mensa, negaba- lur, Hine concludunt plebanis seu parochis competere PaTRoOL. |,XNXVILI sonali 5F&Y amore deſendimus, sed auctore Deo, normam juslitie , pos{posita cujuslibet personz ac- ceptione , custodimus.. (Cf. Joan, Diac., lib. m, c. 54.)