Letter 6031: It has come to my attention that anonymous libels — placards placed at night — have been directed against Castorius.

To the people of Ravenna. [Rubric:] Whoever has by night set forth accusatory documents against Castorius is to be deprived of holy communion, unless he either publicly demonstrates the truth of his accusation or confesses his error. Gregory to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna, together with the other brothers and fellow bishops, the priests, deacons, clergy, nobles, people, and soldiers residing in the city of Ravenna, or dwelling outside it. A certain man, filled with the counsel of a malign spirit, set forth against Castorius the notary and respondent [...] an attestation speaking accusingly in the matter of his alleged crime, [...] and likewise craftily opposing me concerning the making of peace. And since whoever speaks truthfully ought not to be afraid to make himself known, it is fitting that he come forward publicly and demonstrate whatever he presumed to allege in his attestation; but if he does not come forward, nor publicly confess, whoever he may be who presumed to do this, or who lent his consent to the counsel of so great an iniquity, we determine, by the Spirit of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he be deprived of participation in His holy body and blood. But if, because he is hidden and because he is not known, he who is conscious of so great an evil cannot be held by discipline, and, though already forbidden, presumes to receive the body and blood of the Lord, let him be struck by the vengeance of anathema, and, as a deceitful and pestilent man, be severed from the body of the holy Church. But if perhaps he be such a one as we, not knowing him to be the author and participant of this deed, in wishing him well, send letters to, let the very intercession on his behalf before the almighty Lord be void. If, however, having come forward to public view in that same city, he is able to teach what he said, or, certainly knowing that he cannot demonstrate what he wrote, has openly confessed his error, let him not be deprived of participation in the body and blood of the Lord, nor remain an alien from the body of the holy Church; for we daily acknowledge our own faults before the almighty Lord, so that, although keeping the moderation of discipline preserved, we may nevertheless indulge by pardoning the errors of others. In the month of April, in the fourth indiction.

AD RAVENNATES. Qui adversus Caslorium conteslatorios libellos de nocte posuit sacra communione 8it privatus , nisi publice aut conleslationis reritatem ostendat, aut errorem $uum con fileatur. Gregorius * Mariniano episcopo Revenhad cum cxleris ſratribus et coepiscopis, sacerdotibus, levitis, clero, nobilibus, populo, militibus civitate Ravenna consislentibus, vel ex ea foris degentibus. Quidam (Grat. 2, q. 1, c. 2), maligni spiritus con- Silio repletus, contra Castorium notarium ac respon- ſestina Sirenue agere, ut labor vester sine cfſectu D 5:lem nostirum nocturno silentio in civitatis loco Þ EersT. XXIX [Al[. 28]. — ® Ita Mss. pene onmnes, quod jta mutarunt vet. Editi, s#b quarumdam rerun, etc. ; el recent. cum Ms, Reg., 8ub cura quarumdam rerum. ce Dictu'v supra epist. 42 lib. 1v, nunc lib. v, epist. _ 44. Lege $ancium Bernardum in apologia ad Guil- lelmum, uh+ illud Persii, sat. 2, explicat : In sancto quid ſacit aurum? Non penitebit legisse quz praece- dun1, et qux Sub<equuntur. Idem ad milites templi initio, cap. b, et in Cantica serm. 25. Vide sanctum Polycarpum, epistola ad Philippenses. GUussaxnv. : 4 Recent., invitis Mss., ac vehementius intuen- um. 1 solum legitur in Turon. S. Gat. et Colbert. vel, fa EeisT. XXX [Al. 29]. — © Vulgati, Secundino ser- vo Dei, non a paribus. In Mss. Anglic., 'Norm., Vatic., elc,, legitur Secundo. In s0lo Vatic. B, non a paribus. EersT. LXXI [ Al. 49]. — * In Mss., maxime Vati- canis, diversus esl episiola hujus titalus, In Vatic. A legitur : Gregorius episcopis, cum c@leris frairibus et coepiscopis meis, qui mecum presentibus inveniri po- tuerun', sacerdutibus, levilis, ducibus, nobilibus, clert- cis, monachis, militibus mililantibus et populo Raven- ne, etc. Non multum discrepat Vatlic. B. Inscriptio- nem quam legimus exhibent Norman., Anglie., Corb., Vatic. D | Þ Libel/um ſamosum dic:rem, quo quis aut ſalsa alicui crimina imponit, aut vera, sed occulta mani - ſestat publico programmale. GUSSANV. tn OE nt $23 7 SANCTI GREGORI MACNI 824 eontestationem posuit in ejus crimine loquentem,, A tet de bis esse 80llicitam ; ® et si de eorum servitio mihiqne etiam de ſacienda pace callide contradicen- tero. Et quia quisquis veraciter loquitur semetipsum innotescere non debet ſormidare , oportet ut publice exeat, et quzcunque in conleslatione sua loqui pre- $umpsit ostendat; quod si non exierit, neque publi- ce conſessus ſuerit , quisquis ille sit qui hoc agere presumpsit, vel consensum in tant# iniquitatis con - Silio praebuit, ex Dei et Domini nostri J-sn Christi Spiritu definimus ut sancti ejus corporis ac sangui- nis participatione privatus sit. Si vero quia latet, et quoniam nescitur, teneri a disciplina non valet © tan- ti mali conscius, et jim prohiþitus corpus ac $angui- nem Domini percipere presumit, anathematis ul- tione pereussus sit, et ut fallax ac peslifer a sanctz Ecelesiz corpore divisus. Si quis autem fortasse la- lis est quem ncs, bujus facti auctorem ac participem esse nescientes, ad eum, bona optanles, epistolas iransmittimus, ipsa pro eo apud omnipotentem Dvu- minum deprecatio sit vacua. Sin autem in eadem civitale egressus ad publicum potuerit docere qua dixit, vel, certe sciens $e nun posse que £cripsit ostendere , errorem 8uum ſuerit ap rte conſes>us, dominici corporis ac $anguinis partic'/patione non $it Privatus, neque a corpore sanctz Eeclesiz &1K alie- nus exislat, quia nos apud omnipotentem Dominum ex nostris quotidie culpis agnoscimus 4 ut, quamvis servato discipline moderamine, aliorum tainen erra- lis parcendo indulgeamus. * Mense Aprili , indictio- ne [4. |