Letter 3002: Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater...

Gregory to Paul, Bishop. Although it has distressed us considerably to hear of the injury you have suffered, we find consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit: so far as the account sent to us discloses the facts, you suffered in the cause of what is right and just. This should not shake your constancy or turn you aside from the way of truth, since it will redound to the greater glory of Your Brotherhood. For the reward of priests is all the greater when they remain on the path of truth even after suffering injury. But lest the madness of such great wickedness go unpunished, and dangerous insubordination escalate further, we have charged the distinguished Scholasticus, judge of Campania, who is currently here, with avenging what has been done with the severity it deserves. Since your people have also asked us to send someone to represent us personally, we have dispatched the subdeacon Epiphanius to Naples. Together with the aforementioned judge, he can investigate and establish the truth, and through his diligence see to it that worthy punishment is carried out against anyone shown to have instigated or committed so great a crime.

Book III, Letter 2 To Paulus, Bishop. Gregory to Paulus, etc. Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater glory of your Fraternity, this occurrence ought neither to shake your constancy nor turn you aside from the way of truth. For it is to the greater reward of priests if they continue in the path of truth even after injuries. But, lest the madness of such great impiety should remain unpunished, and pernicious insubordination break out to a worse degree, we have enjoined the magnificent Scholasticus, judge of Campania, who is at present here, that he should avenge what has been done with the repression it deserves. But, inasmuch as your men have requested us to commission some one to represent ourselves, know that we have for this reason sent to Naples the subdeacon Epiphanius, who may be able, with the judge above named, to investigate and ascertain the truth, to the end that by his instancy he may cause worthy vengeance to be executed on those who may be shown to have instigated or perpetrated so great a crime.

PAULUM EPISCOPUM. Illum de accepla injuria consolatur. Gregorius * Paulo episcopo. Licet non mediocriter nos contristaverit cognita quam es perpessus injuria, habemus aliquam tamen consolationis materiam , quod laudem tyam huic rei inesse cognovimus, ob id quod pro zquitatis reclilu- dine hoc, quantum directa GN nobis pateſecit rela- tio, pertulisti. Ut ergo ad majorem ſraternitalis tua gloriam applicetur, hc res conslantiam tuam nee frangere, nec a via debet veritatis avertere. Nam major in sacerdotibus merces es, in verilatis lramite eliam p'st injurias permanere. Ac ne tant: impiela- lis inSania innlta remaneal, et in pejus indisciplinatis perniciosa prorumpat , Scholastico Þ vico magniſico Campanie judici, quia hic presens inventus est, ut immanitate GYh convitium , a6: si em efas et C hac digna coercitione vindicare debuisset, injunxi- scientia perpetrator , ut quam st periculozom non s0lum maniÞbns, sed etiam in sacerdortem verdis exce- dere, ex nogra cimcti possint defensione cognosce - re. Si quid enim th hac cansd tentatum faerit vel omissum, ad tuam culpam ac tuum potius cCognoscas pertinere periculum ; nec aliquem apud nos excusa- tionis locum invenies. Nam quanto te apud nos res ista, si districtissime faerit perserutata et emendata, LIBER II. Al., LIBER I], indict. x1. Eeisr. * De Castro Lucullano jam dictum ad epist., 24 lib. 1, | Norm. , nobis...... imminuit. Corb. , nobis.... in- nut, EPISTOLA HI. AD JOANNEM ABBATEM. Boniſacii in prepozitum ordinationem probat. Sancti Joannis tunicam pelit. In causa cum Floriano vull aliquid cedi, ut ad composifionem perducatur. Abba- tem argutit tyitod tum fpze, tum ſratres sacram lectio- nem et orationem negtigant. 1ltum hortatur ad 8o0l- licitiorem de ſratrum animabus, de hospittbus, ac de pauperibus curam. Gregorius * Joanni abbati. Petiit dilectio tua ut frater Boniſacius in monasle- rio tuo a le debeat ordinari Þ prexpositus ; quod ego valde miratus 8um , quare ante factum non est. Nam ex quo illum tibi dari ſeci, jam eum ordinare debuiMi | De © tunica vero sancti Joannis omnino grate sus- cepi, quia 8o0llicitus ſuisti mihi indicare. Sed stu- deal dilectio tua mibi ipsam tunicam, aut, quod me- lius est, eumdem episcopum qui eam habet cum clericis suis et cum ipsa ad me {ransmiltere, quale- nus et benedictione Llunicz perſruamur, et de eodem episcopo vel clericis 4 mercedem hbabere valeamus. Causam vero quz cum Floriano verlitur jincidere vo- lui, et jam ei vel octoginla solidos mutuos dedi. Quos + jlle, credo, disponit sibi pro monaslerii debito re- compensari, et omnino volo eamdem causam decidi, quia Stephanus © chartularius dicitur imminere ut eam predictus Florianus in publicum translerat, et grave nobis est cum publico litigare. Unde necesse est nobis aliquid cedere, ut possimus eamdem cau- 8am ad compositionem perducere. Quod dum fa- etum fueril, dilectioni tuz, Deo auxiliante, nuntia- bimus. De ſfratrum vero animabus omnino esto 80llicitus. Sufliciat jam quod opinio monasterii per vestram negligentiam inquinata est. Non frequenter G26G ſoras egrediaris. In causis islis procuratorem insli- tue, et tu ad lectivnem atque oraltionem vaca. De hospitalitate eslo Sollicitus; quantum potes pauperibus largire, ita tamen ut serves quod Floria- no res{itui debeat. | In ipsis auten ſratribus monaslerii tui quos video, non invenio eos ad lectionem vacare., Unde conside-