Letter 7039: Lest attention to secular affairs should disjoin the hearts of religious men (which God forbid) from mutual charity, very earnest endeavour should be made to bring any matter that has come into dispute to the easiest possible termination. Since, then, from the information of Cæsarius, abbot of St. Peter's monastery, constituted in a place called...

Gregory to John, Bishop of Syracuse. When disputes arise between religious men, they should be settled quickly, before concern over worldly matters -- God forbid -- damages the bonds of charity between them. The abbot Caesarius of St. Peter's monastery at Baiae has informed me that a serious boundary dispute has developed between his house and the monastery of St. Lucia in Syracuse, headed by the abbot John. Rather than let this drag on, I have arranged for a professional surveyor to resolve it. I have written to the defensor [local church legal officer] Fantinus, instructing him to send John the surveyor -- who has traveled from Rome to Palermo -- to your Fraternity. I ask you to go with the surveyor to the disputed sites, bring both parties together, and have the boundaries defined in your presence, while preserving any legitimate claim of forty years' prescription on either side. Whatever is decided, make sure it holds -- I do not want to hear about this again. I should add that the venerable abbot Caesarius is an old friend of mine. Without compromising fairness, I commend him to you in every respect. He has no experience with legal matters, so he will need your support -- but always, as is right, within the bounds of reason and justice.

Book VII, Letter 39 To John, Bishop. Gregory to John, Bishop of Syracuse. Lest attention to secular affairs should disjoin the hearts of religious men (which God forbid) from mutual charity, very earnest endeavour should be made to bring any matter that has come into dispute to the easiest possible termination. Since, then, from the information of Cæsarius, abbot of St. Peter's monastery, constituted in a place called Baias, we find that between him and John, abbot of St. Lucia's monastery, constituted in the city of Syracuse, there has arisen a serious question about certain boundaries, we, lest this contention should be prolonged between them, have taken thought for their dispute being terminated by the determination of a land-measurer. And accordingly we have written to the defensor Fantinus, bidding him direct John the land-measurer, who has gone from Rome to Panormus, to resort to your Fraternity. We exhort, therefore, that you go with him to the places about which there is contention, and, both parties having been brought together, cause the places in dispute to have their boundaries defined in your presence, though still with a claim of prescription for forty years preserved to either party. But, whatever may be determined, let it be your Fraternity's anxious and studious care to have it so observed that no strife may henceforth be stirred up anew, nor any further complaint reach us. We believe that it is not unknown to your Fraternity that the venerable abbot Cæsarius was formerly our friend; and therefore, saving equity, we commend him to you in all respects. And, seeing that he is entirely inexperienced in secular causes, it is needful for him to be aided by your solicitude; yet so that, in this as in all cases, you observe, as is fit, reason and justice.

Gregorius Joanni episcopo Syracusano. Ne religiosorum virorum corda sszxcularium re- EPISTOLA XL. AD EULOGCIUM EPISCOPUY, Sancti Petri sedem Rome, Alexandrie, et Antiochie, unius esse alque unam ; inde singularem episcopo= rum ibi sedentium unionem. Lauda! quod haereticos oppugnel. Ligna offert. Mittit viciszin munera. Gregorius Eulogio episcopo Alexandrino. Suavissima mili sanctitas vestra multa in episto- lis suis de sancli Petri apostolorum principis gg cathedra locuta est, dicens quod ipse in ea nunc usque in suis Successoribus Sed-at. Et quidem ego indignum me esse non solum in honore praesiden- tium, ssed etiam in numero Stantium agnosco. Sed cuncta quz dicta sunt in eo libenter accepi, quod ille ' D 8ario; maxime vero ssequentis libri epist. teriiam, in na fit mentio cujusdam Ecclesi®e in porsessione Fauntini posite diceceseos Consentine. Hec, ut vide- tur, ipsa erat Ecclesia Meriensis, quam etsi non in Sicilia, sed in Brutiis ſuisse inde appareat, male in- tulit Pirrus nou ad Messanensem diccesim, Sed ad Misenatem .ertinere. Neutrius erat; s82d Miseno quam Messana dislabat longius. lamerito amen ar- guit Pirrbum Gussanvilleus, quod ad nonnullas Sancti Gregorii epistolas non aitendit. Eas enim sibi vbjicit Pirrhus, pag. 289. | EPISTOLA XLI. AD CYPRIANUM RECTOREM. Kecelesiea Locrensi idoneum episcopum ordinari procu- ret. Gregoriug * Cypriano rectori nostro per Siciliam. Habitatores Þ Locrensis civitatis quemdam ad nos presbyterum adduxerunt, qui eis debuisset episcopus ordinari. Sed quia minime dignus inventus esl, ne - diu sine proprio possint consislere sacerdote, a nobis admoniti © in scrinio promiserunt alium Sludiose se quzrere, etad uos consecrandum Deo adjutore per- ducere. Et ideo ad dilectionem tuam latore prasen- tium veniente, Marcianum presbyterum diceceseos Taurianensis Ecclesiz, qui nunc habitat in Ecclesia quz est 4 in Massalargia conslitula, diacesis Cata- EPISTOLARUM LIB. VN. — INDICT. XV. — EPIST. XLIV. EPISTOLA XLIE. AD MARINIANUME EPISCOPUM. De submovendo clericorum dominio m monasteriis. Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravenne. Dudum (Grat. 18, q. 2, c. 27) ad nos multorum relatione pervenerat monaSteria in Ravennatibus partibus eonstituta omnino elericorum vestrorum dominio preaegravari; ita ut occagione quasi regimi- uis ea, quod dici grave est, velut in proprietale pos- Sideant. Quibus non modicum condolentes, deces- sOri veslro epigtolas misimus, nt boe emendare per omnia debuisset. Sed quoniam vitze -est lermino citius occupatus, ne hoc onus monasleriis remaneret, ſraternitali ves|re hac eadern- nos SCripsisse recouli- mus. Et quia, ut comperimus, in hujus rei hactenus nensis Ecclesiz, ad te ſacilo modis ompibus evocari; B correctione cessatum est, hac ad vos iterum preevie atque eum studii ui sit de criminibus, guz ad epis- copatum accedere non Permittunt cum omni subti- litate requirere. Et si eorum se experiem esSe Fes- ponderit, cum presentium portitore eum festina * dirigere, ut facto in eum decreto, ad nos veniat Deo protegente ordinandus. Si vero est aliquid quod. ei possit obsistere, hunc qui ad dilectionem tuai venit, cum omni cura et celeritate dimilte, ut, eo ad loca £14 .remeante, aller secundum ea que praemissa. 82nt requiratur. * Datum mense Augueti, indi- ctione 15. EPISTOLA XLIE AD MARINIANUM EPISCOPUM. Cum neque lapsum eprscopum 10co 810 relitui, neque ultra tres menses Keelesiam vacare permillant cano- nes, Cornelii ordinet episcopum. Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravennz. Fraternitatis veslre epistola nuntiaute, comperi- mus * Corneliensis Ecclesiz filios assidua BYQ sup- plicatione Þ in loco lapsi quondam episcopi ssui consecrandum sibi a vobis poscere sacerdotem, at- que vos quid de ea re fieri debeat dubitare, et no- Strum evidens exspectare mandatum. Pcstquam ergo (Grat. dist. 50, c. 11) quemquam criminaliter absce- deniem in locum de quo lapsus cst nulla permittit ratio revocari, et ultra tres menses Ecclesiam vaca- re ponlilice Slatula SACTorum CANONUMm Non Permil- lunt, ne, cadente pasiore, dominicum gregem anti- ' quus, quod absit, bostis insidiando dilaniet, ſraterni- las veslra deprecationi eorum consentire, et loco lapsi debet episcopum ordinare. Nam dum non D petentes eos etiam ante vestris ad hoc dehueratis adhortationibus admonere, postulantes nulla vos oportet excusatione differre, quia Ecclesia Dei diu viduata proprio episcopo remanere non debet. EPISTOLA XLIV. AD CYPRIANUS DIACONUM. Curet ne Theodorus maleficus, aut Messanensium cle- ricorum aliquis Paule adversetur. Gregorius Cypriano diacono. Questa nobis est Paula presentium latrix , quem- salaria. EPISTOLA XLY. AD CLAUDIUM ABBATEM. Romam quanlocius veniat. Gregorins Claudio abbati. Veniente * viro reverendissimo Severo episcopo, Eerisr. XLIV [Al. 44]. — * Beccensis Codex, ex- m.