Letter 4039: Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Mediolanum (Milan). Having read the letter of your Holiness, we find that you are in a state of serious distress, principally on account of the bishops and citizens of Briscia (Brescia) who bid you send them a letter in which you are asked to swear that you have not condemned the Three Chapters. Now, if your Fra...

Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Milan. Having read Your Holiness's letter, I find you in a state of serious distress, principally because the bishops and citizens of Brescia are demanding that you send them a letter in which you swear you have not condemned the Three Chapters. If your predecessor Laurentius did not do this, it should not be required of you. And if he did, then he was not in communion with the universal Church and contradicted what he had sworn in his oath. But since I believe he kept his oath and remained in the unity of the Catholic Church, there is no doubt that he never swore to any of his bishops that he had not condemned the Three Chapters. Your Holiness may therefore conclude that you should not be forced to do what your predecessor never did. However, to avoid giving offense to those who wrote to you, send them a letter declaring under anathema that you neither take anything away from the faith of the Council of Chalcedon nor accept those who do, and that you condemn whomever it condemned and absolve whomever it absolved. I believe this should satisfy them promptly. As for your report that many are offended because you name our brother and fellow bishop John of Ravenna during the celebration of Mass: inquire into the ancient custom. If it has been the custom, foolish men should not now object to it. If it has not been the custom, something that might give offense should not be introduced. I have taken care to investigate whether our brother John names you at the altar, and I am told he does not. If he does not mention your name, I do not see what necessity obliges you to mention his.

Book IV, Letter 39 To Constantius, Bishop. Gregory to Constantius, Bishop of Mediolanum (Milan). Having read the letter of your Holiness, we find that you are in a state of serious distress, principally on account of the bishops and citizens of Briscia (Brescia) who bid you send them a letter in which you are asked to swear that you have not condemned the Three Chapters. Now, if your Fraternity's predecessor Laurentius did not do this, it ought not to be required of you. But, if he did it, he was not with the universal Church, and contradicted what he had sworn to in his security. But, inasmuch as we believe him to have kept his oath, and to have continued in the unity of the Catholic Church, there is no doubt that he did not swear to any of his bishops that he had not condemned the Three Chapters. Hence your Holiness may conclude that you ought not to be forced to do what was in no wise done by your predecessor. But, lest those who have thus written to you should be offended, send them a letter declaring under interposition of anathema that you neither take away anything from the faith of the synod of Chalcedon nor received those who do, and that you condemn whomsoever it condemned, and absolve whomsoever it absolved. And thus I believe that they may be very soon satisfied. Further, as to what you write about many of them being offended because you name our brother and fellow bishop John of the Church of Ravenna during the solemnities of Mass, you should enquire into the ancient custom; and, if it has been the custom, it ought not now to be found fault with by foolish men. But, if it has not been the custom, a thing ought not to be done at which some may possibly take offense. Yet I have been at pains to make careful enquiry whether the same John our brother and fellow bishop names you at the altar; and they say that this is not done. And, if he does not make mention of your name, I know not what necessity obliges you to make mention of his. If indeed it can be done without any one taking offense, your doing anything of this kind is very laudable, since you show the charity you have towards your brethren. Further, as to what you write of your having been unwilling to transmit my letter to Queen Theodelinda on the ground that the fifth synod was named in it, if you believed that she might thereby be offended, you did right in not transmitting it. We are therefore doing now as you recommend, namely, that we should only express approval of the four synods. Yet, as to the synod which was afterwards held in Constantinople, called by many the fifth, I would have you know that it neither ordained nor held anything in opposition to the four most holy synods, seeing that nothing was done in it with respect to the faith, but only with respect to persons; and persons, too, about whom nothing is contained in the acts of the Council of Chalcedon but, after the canons had been promulged, discussion arose, and final action was ventilated concerning persons. Yet still we have done as you desired, making no mention of this synod. But we have also written to our daughter the queen what you wrote to us about the bishops. Ursicinus, who wrote something to you against our brother and fellow bishop John, you ought by your letters addressed to him, with sweetness and reason, to restrain from his intention. Further, concerning Fortunatus , we desire your Fraternity to be careful, lest you be in any way surreptitiously influenced by bad men. For I hear that he ate at the table of the Church with your predecessor Laurentius for many years until now, that he sat among the nobles, and subscribed, and that with our brother's knowledge he served in the army. And now, after so many years, your Fraternity thinks that he should be driven from the position which he now occupies. This seems to me altogether incongruous. And so I have given you this order through him, but privately. Still, if there is anything reasonable that can be alleged against him, it ought to be submitted to our judgment. But, if it please Almighty God, we will send letters through your man to our son the Lord Dynamius.

Gregorius Conslantio episcopo Mediolanensi. Scriptis sanctitatis vestra percursis, in gravi vos n@erore eSSe Cognovimus, maxime * propter episco= dalizari videantur, transmiltite eis epistolam, in qua sub anathematlis interpositione fateamini ne- que vos aliquid de fide Chalcedonensis s8ynodi immi- nuere, neque eos qui imminuunt recipere, et quos- cunque damnavit damnare, et quoscunque absolvit absolvere. Unde credo eis posse celerrime salis- ſieri. Quod antem scripsistis, quia scandalizantur plu- rimi eorum, quia ſratrem et coepiscopum nostrum Joannem Ravennatis Ectlesiz © inter missarum s0-- lemnia nominelis, requirenda vobis consuetudo an- tiqua est; et si consuetudo ſuit, modo a stultis hominibus reprehendenda non est. Si vero con- 8vetudo non ſuit, fieri non debet unde quibusdam sScandalum moveri possit. Tamen sollicite 4 per- quirere studui si idem Joannes ſrater et coepisco- pus noster vos ad altare nominet, quod minime dicunt fieri. Et si ille vestri nominis memoriam non facit, quz necessilas cogat ignoro, ut vos illius ſacialtis. Quod quidem si 8ine aliquorum JO scan- dalo fieri potest, vos tale aliquid facere valde lauda- bile est, quia charitatem quam erga ſratres vestros habetis oslenditlis. | Quod autem scripsistis, quia epistolam meam re- gine Theodelinde transmittere minime voluislis , pro eo quod in ea quinla 8ynodus nominabatur, si eam exinde scandalizari posse credidistis, recte fa- ctum est, ut minime transmitteretis. Unde nunc ita facimus ssicut vobis placuit, ut quatuor 8ynodos 80- pos et cives » Brixiz, qui vobis mandant nt eis episto- C lummodo laudaremus. De illa tamen synodo quz in am transmiltatis, in qua jurares debeatis vos tria ?apitula minime damnasse. Quod si decessor ſrater- nilalis vestre Laurentius non ſecit, a vobis quzri non debet. Si autem ſecit, cum universali Ecclesia non ſujt, et cautionis 8vue2 juramenta transcendit, Sed quia eumdem virum sua credimus Sacramenta 8ervasse, atque in unitale catholice Ecclesiz per- mansisse, dubium non est quod nulli episcoporum Suorum juraverit se tria Capitula minime damnasse. Ex qua re colligat sanctitas vestra quia cogi non de- bet ad hoc quod a decessore vestro factum nullo * Non quod de ſide jurgaren!vur, sed quia pertina- cia in schismale aſlinis est heresi, vixque est ut eam non involvat, cum ab Ecclesiz, quz est columna ct firmamentum reritatis, abducal. EeisT. XX XIX [| Al. 37]. —- * Ita legimus in Mss. Norm., Vatic., Reg., etc. Vulgati habent propter episcopum. EPISTOLA XL. AD MARCELLUM SCROLASTICUN. Pro Mazimo indulgentiam postulanti amice indicat id reciiiudinem dizcipline non pati. Gregorius Marcello * scholastico. Gloriz vestrz charitzs sic in nostro corde semper jnvigilat , ut nibil sibi corporalis defendat JR] absentia. Nam quamvis a carnalibus oculis longe es, mentis lamen aspectibus nunquam deest. Frequenter enim nos voluntas ad scribendum desideranter im- pellit, sed occupatio non permittit. Dum ergo nobili- latis vestre pcritia non iguoret quantissit locus noster occupatiunibus involutus, quod a scribendi interdum cessamus officio, non voluntatis, sed necessitalis esse consideret. Gloria autem vestra quod tardius in sua nos requirit epistola, qua possit excusatione defendere non videmus. In hoc igitur sola me debui taciturni- EPISTOLA XLI. AD CLERUM, ORDINEM ET PLEBEM HORTONE., Barbarum visilatorem delegat. Ante omnia monet ne laicam personam in episcopum eligant, Gregorius clero, ordini et plebi consistenti * Flor= l0nTz. | Vestri ® antislitis obilum cognoscentes, cure nobis ſuit destitulze Ecelesize visitationem fratri et coepi- SCOPO nostro © Barbaro solemniter delegare. Cui de- dimus in mandatis 4 ut vilil de reditu, ornatu, mi- nisteriigque a quoquam usurpari patiatur, Cujus vos asSiduis adhortationibus convenit obedire. Hoc ta- men 8citote, quia ei ordinandi presbytcros ac dia- conos, si necesse ſuerit, quos dignos ad hoe officium invenire polverit, dedimus licentiam, * quatenus int Samnii in ora maris Adriatici, distans a Teate x11 mi'l. in ortum. Nunc Aprutil citerioris in regno Nea- potitano, adhuc episcopalis sub archiepiscopo Tea- tino. Gussaxv. In Rhemensi et uno e Valic. legitur, Cotronw@. | EPISTOLA XL. AD BONIFACIUM VIRUM MAGNIFICUM. Veniat Romam, de fide 8ua, jam non per epislolas, sed per 8emetipsum responsurns, (Jui cum eo dubi1 patiuntur, Secure venire posse, cum non poteslate, sed ratione erga ips0s usnrus 8. Gregorius * Bonifacio viro magniſico Aſfrice. Si ita, ut audieram, magnitudo vestra intentione Sollicita Þ de anime suzt vita cogitaret, nequaquam et© Mihi de fide sua per epiztvlas, sed per Semetip= sam posceret respondere. Nam quod JR in excu- sationem molestia corporalis adducitur, exspectato salutis tempore, laborem. summopere potuistis pro EPISTOLA XLIV. AD. MA XIMIANUM EPISCOPUM. (Quosdam e Bacaude episcopi clero, nd 8#acros ordines in Sicilia promotos, ad ipsum illos repelentem tr miltatl, | Gregorius Maximiano episcopo Syracusano. Indicavit nobis Bacauda ſr:ter et cnepiscopus noster quosdam de clero s40 in. Sicilie partibus ad sacros ordines pervenisse. Qui quoniam neque presbyterum neque diaconos s2 habere commemorat, © eos ad se C petiit debere transmitti. Proinde fraternitas tua ubi- cunque illos latore presentium inditante repererit, huc eos sine dilatione transvittat, quatenus et illi . ad Ecclesiam in qua olim militayerunt ; revocentur, et atile dictus episcopus oplatum de eis possit habersd S0latium. | EPISTOLA XLY. AD FANTINUM DEFENSOREM, Solidos 8exayqinta mittit pro Corma persblvehtios. Gregorius Fintino deſensori. Lator presentium * Cosmas Syrus In negotio quod agebat debitum se contraxi-se perhibuit, T4 quod elmullis aliis et lacrymis ejus attesfantibus verum esse credidimus. Et quia CL Solidos debebat, volui ut cre- D etc., quos Supra laudavimus. Eeist. XLIY [Al. 42]. — * Suos clericos in Siciliz fuisse partibus ordinatos dicit, bello, ut quidem reor, EPISTOLA XLVI. AD RUSTICIANAM PATRICIAM., Fetinum nimis illius e monte Sina reditum repre= | hendit. Gregorius Rusticianz palricize, Excellentie vesire scripla suscipiens, libenter agnovi qualiter ad montem Sina perrexerit. Sed cre- dite, ego quoque voluissem vobiscum ire, sed vobis- cum minime redire. Quamvis mihi valde difficile sit credere quia ad loca sancta ſuistis, * Patres multos vidistis. Nam, credo, si vidissetis, lam celeriter ad Constantinopolitanam urbem red re minime poleralis. et. add At postquam talis civilatis amor de corde veslro » Novell. 4134, c. 7, ubi de filio debitoris agi'ur. Quia vero et hnjusmodi iniquitatem in diversis locis nostre reipublice cognovimus admitti, quia creditores filios debitorum presumunt retinere, aut in pignus, aut in 8ervile minislerium, aut in conductionem, hoc modis ommbus prohibemus, et jubemus ut si quis hujusnodi aliquid deliquerit , non solum debito cadat, sed lantam aliam quantilatem adjiciat, dandam ei qui reten'us es! ab eo aut parentibus ejus; et post hoc etram corporali- bus penis ipsum subdi a loci judice, quia personam liberam pro debito presumpaerit relinere, aut locare, aut pignorare. Totam legem exscripsi, quia mulla continet notabilia. Gussaxv. EPISTOLARUM LIB. V. — INDICT. XIll. — EPIST. I. 722 dominzs cognoscerem quid de ejus persona jus<is- A ſormido. # Malchus autem episcopus neque in cust0- gent. Quz seripta mea publice relata, vel in civitate posila, publice scindi ſecit, alque in contemptum se- dis apostolicz * apertius exsiliit. Quod ego qualiter patiar scis, qui ante paratior Sum mori, quam beat Pelri apostoli Ecclesiam meis diebus degenerare. Mores antem meos bene cognitos habes, quia diu ports ; Sed, si semel deliberavero non portare, con- ira omnia pericula lztus vado. Unde necesse esi cum Dei auxilio periculo succurrere, ne cogatur exce- dend9 peccare. * Vide quz dico, J2G et pens