Letter 8007: The canonical portion of the church's revenues that is to go to the clergy must be properly calculated and distributed.

TO BISHOP LEO. Let him divide the fourth portion set apart from the revenues of his church among the clergy according to the merit of each one's labor. Gregory to Leo, bishop of the people of Catania. Up to this point the order of reason has distinguished degrees, and has established that there be judgments, so that neither may those set in authority be able in vain to occupy themselves in oppressing their subordinates, nor may there be in turn for subordinates an unbridled license of resisting against those set over them. And therefore, since during the fifteenth indiction lately past the acolytes of your church, having brought a written complaint against you, lodged certain grievances, lest they should either remain under the ill-will of your fraternity, or we should seem not to hear them in their petitions, we entrusted to our most beloved son Cyprian the deacon that these matters be carefully investigated. He, taking cognizance of what was charged to him, and what he decreed concerning each chapter [of the complaint], has more carefully laid the matter open to our inquiry. And because, among other things concerning the fourth portion, the clergy established that this should be held: namely, that those who are placed in the sacred station should receive one portion, and the clergy the remaining two; and the bearers of these presents, Donatus the presbyter, and likewise Theodosianus and Viator the deacons, bringing to us also the report of the others who are established in the consecrated order, complained that this had been decreed prejudicially against ancient custom to their burden -- inasmuch as they declare that of that same fourth they have always obtained for themselves two parts and a third part for the clergy -- and they petitioned that this definition might not remain to their prejudice; we have foreseen that this ought to be committed to the disposition of your fraternity. We wish therefore that, whatever may come to your church from revenue or by any other title whatsoever, you ought to set apart the fourth portion thereof without any diminution, and [...] to distribute it discreetly according to God; in such wise, indeed, that to each one, just as the merit of his labor shall require, there be free license to you, according as you shall foresee, of bestowing, so that both those who deserve it may feel themselves consoled by this temporal benefit, and others, with the Lord assisting them, may strive by imitation of them to advance toward what is better.

AD LEONEM EPISCOPUM. Segregatam ex ecclesie'sue redituum quartam portionem clericis juxta laboris meritum dividat. Gregorius Leoni episcopo Catanensium. Ad boe locorum (Grat. 16, q. 1, c. 65) gradus ra- tionis ordo distinxit, et judicia esse constituit, ut nec prepositi in opprimendos se ſrustra valeant occnpa- re subjectos, nec $ubjectis ilerum coutra $u0s pre- positos effrenata sit resuliandi licentia. Et ideo quia per decimam quintam nuper indictionem elapsam ec- clesiz tuz acolythi, dato contra te capitulari, BOO quedam conquesti sunt, ne aut in tuz fraternitalis invidia remanerent, aut illos in suis videremur pe- titionibus non audire, dilectissimo filio nosiro Cy- priano diacono ea subtiliter inquirenda mandavimns. Qui injuncta cognoscens, quid de capitulo unoquo- que decreveril, inquisitioni nostrz es sublilius pa- tefactum. Et quia inter alia de quarta portione * cle- rus hoc tenendum statuit, ut unam portionem hi qui. in sacro loco sunt positi, et reliquas duas clerus ac- cipiat, et latores praesentium Donatus presbyter, necnon et Theodosianus atque Viator diaconi, alio- rum quoque qui in sacrato sunt ordine constituti re- lationem ad nos deferentes, conquesti Sunt hoc con- tra antiquam consuetudinem in $vu0 gravamine prie- judicialiter Statutum ; quippe quia de eadem quarla semper $e duas partes et tertiam clerum perhibent consecutum, et petiverunt ne hxc definitio in $u0 pra;judicio permaneat ; nos hoc ſraternilatis luz dis- positioni oporteie pravidimus commitiendum. Volumus ergo (Grat. ibid.) ut quidquid Ecclesizx tur. ex reditu vel quolibet alio litulo [ortassis acces- ' $erit, quartam exinde portionem Sine diminutione aliqua debeas segregare, atque eam $ecundum Dei strare, nisi eos probatos districtio pontificis observare preceperit. Ejusdem conc. can. 26 : De cleticis qui in polentum domibus observantes negliqunt implere quod Ecclesice debent. Gus8axv. Observare hic est a$5idue cum aliquo ess* oflicii honoriSque Causa, Ci- que winistare. Acolythus idem $0nat ac prdisse- quus, apparitor. Liquet tamen ex epist. | hujus li- . bri acolythos aliquando magis $piritualibus olficiis deſunctus essC : quem (acolythum) ad obsequia vestra relransmusimus, ut 8i in lucrandis animabus ampl:us servieril, Eeist., VII [Al. 8]. — * In Vatic. B, clero hoc te- suwm ſuerit, discrete dividere; ita sane ut u-icuique, sicut meritum laboris exegerit, libera libi sit, juxta quod pr:evideris, largiendi licentia, quatenus el hi qui merentur etiam temporali $e seutiaut hoe com- modo consolari, et alii adjuyante Doiniuo eorumn ad melius conteudant imitatione proficere.