Letter 9036: Having learned what zeal inflames your Fraternity in behalf of Christian slaves whom Jews buy from the territories of Gaul, we apprize you that your solicitude has so pleased us that it is also our own deliberate judgment that they should be inhibited from traffic of this kind. But we find from Basilius, the Hebrew, who has come here with other ...

Gregory to Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples. I have learned with what zeal your Fraternity has been working on behalf of Christian slaves purchased by Jews from the territories of Gaul. Your efforts have pleased me greatly, and it is my own firm judgment that this kind of trade should be restricted. However, Basilius, a Jewish man who has come here with other Jews, tells me that they are being ordered to make these purchases by various government officials, and that both Christians and pagans are among those acquired. The situation needs careful handling -- those who gave the orders should not be openly defied, and people who claim they were acting against their will should not bear unfair costs. Here is what I want your Fraternity to enforce: when these dealers return from Gaul, any Christian slaves they have brought must either be handed over to the officials who ordered the purchase, or sold to Christian buyers within forty days. After those forty days, no Christian slave may remain in Jewish hands under any circumstances. If any of these slaves fall ill and cannot be sold within the allotted time, they must be disposed of as directed once they have recovered. No one should suffer financial loss for a transaction that was blameless in itself. And since it is customary, when new rules are established, to apply them going forward rather than punishing past actions with heavy penalties -- if any slaves remain in their hands from last year's purchases, or have recently been taken from them by you, give them the opportunity to sell them properly while they are with you. This way, they incur no losses for acting in good faith under the old arrangement.

Book IX, Letter 36 To Fortunatus, Bishop of Neapolis (Naples). Gregory to Fortunatus, etc. Having learned what zeal inflames your Fraternity in behalf of Christian slaves whom Jews buy from the territories of Gaul, we apprize you that your solicitude has so pleased us that it is also our own deliberate judgment that they should be inhibited from traffic of this kind. But we find from Basilius, the Hebrew, who has come here with other Jews, that such purchase is enjoined on them by various judges of the republic, and that Christians along with pagans come to be thus procured. Hence it has been necessary for the business to be adjusted with such cautious arrangement that neither they who give such orders should be thwarted, nor those who say they obey them against their will should bear any expense unjustly. Accordingly, let your Fraternity with watchful care provide for this being observed and kept to; that, when they [i.e. the Jewish dealers] return from the aforesaid province, Christian slaves who may happen to be brought by them be either handed over to those who gave the order, or at all events sold to Christian purchasers within forty days. And after the completion of this number of days let none of them in any way whatever remain in the hands of the Jews. But, should any of these slaves perchance fall into such sickness that they cannot be sold within the appointed days, care is to be taken that, when they are restored to their former health, they be by all means disposed of as aforesaid. For it is not fit that any should incur loss for a transaction that is free from blame. But since, as often as anything new is ordained, it is usual so to lay down the rule for the future as not to condemn the past in large costs, if any slaves have remained in their hands from the purchase of the previous year, or have been recently taken away from them by you, let them have liberty to dispose of them while they are with you. So may there be no possibility of their incurring loss for what they did in ignorance before the prohibition, such as it is right they should sustain after being forbidden. Further, it has been reported to us that the above-named Basilius wishes to concede to his sons, who by the mercy of God are Christians, certain slaves, under the title of a gift, with the view that, under cover of the opportunity thus afforded, they may serve him as their master all but in name; and that, if after this any should perchance have believed that they might fly to the Church for refuge in order to become Christians, they may not be reclaimed to freedom, but to the dominion of those to whom they had before been given. In this matter it befits your Fraternity to keep becoming watch. And, if he should wish to give any slaves to his sons, that all occasion of fraud may be removed, let them by all means become Christians, and let them not remain in his house; but, when circumstances may require that he should have their services, let them be commanded to render him what, even in any case, from his sons, and for God's sake, it is fitting should be supplied to him.

Gregorius Fortunato episcopo Neapolis. Cognoscenles qualis ſraternilatem vestram zelus pro Christianis mancipiis, quz Judzi de Calliarum finibus emunt accenderit, adeo nobis sollicitudinem vesiram placuisse signamus, ut inhibendos eos ab - Episr. XXXIV [Al. 33]. — * Additur in Vulgatis Lunensi, quod abest a Vatic., Norm., Rhem. Colbert., Reg., elc.. Non inſficiamur tamen Venantium hunc Lunensem ſuisse episcopum. bd 14d est, avertere; 8imili modo Plinius ndere fluxiones oculorum, id est avertere, sistere. Gussanv. Eerisr. XXXV [Al.- 34]. — ® In Vulgatis Data mense Septembris, quod in nullis legitur mss. liaque Sequendum censuimus vet. Colbert. Codi ia quy habes, Mense Februario, consentilque Remig. 31 on | SANCTI GREGORIL MAGNI | on dicaret. Sed Bagsilio Hebrzo cum aliis Judzis ve- niewte comperimus hanc illis a diversis judicibus rejpublice empiionem injungi, atque eve:ire ut in- ter paginos et Christiani pariter comparentur. Unde necesse fuit Bf its causam eauta ordinatione dis- poni, ut nec mandantes frustrari, nec hi qui contra voluntatem Suam se inquiunt obedire, aliqua sus8ti- neant injustle dispendia. Proinde fraternitas vestira hoe vigilanti soflicitudine observari ac cutodire provideat, ut revertentibus eis a przſata provincia , Christiana maneipia quz ab ipsis adduci contigerit, * aut mandatoribus contradantur, aut certe Christia- nis emptoribus intra diem quadragesimum venun- dentufr. Et fransacto hoc dierum numero, nullus apud eos quolibet modo remaneat. Sj autem que- dam ex eisdem mancipiis talem zgritudine fortassis jacurrerint, ut.intra stalutos dies vendi non valeant, adhibenda sollicitudo est ut dum saluti ſuerint pri- Stinz restiluta, 8imiliter modis omnibus distrahan - tor; quia Fe: que culpa caret ad damnum vocari non convenit. Quoniam vero quoties novum quid ztalwitur ita golet futurſs formam imponere > ut mullis dispendiis pr#terita non condemnet , si qua apud eos mancipia de emplione anni preteriti re- manserunt, yel a vobis nuper ablata ssunt, dum apud yos Sunt posita, ea habeant alienandi licentiam , ve detrimentum ante probibitionem possint ignorantes incurrere, quod eos dignum est pos(modum vetitos sustinere. hujusmodi negotiatione nostra etiam deliberatio ju- A bere, et excessus culfas salubriter regccare, studiogg ejus servanda censura es. Nam si negligitur, cuneta in conſasionem deveniunt, dum alter destruit quid- quid ea custodiendo alter zdificat. Valentinus itaque presbyler questus est nobis, qua A monachus mo- nasterii ipsius exigente culpa * fuerit communione privatus, ad loca vestra s6 conſerat, et coinmunie- nem sine aliqua reservatione percipiat. Quod si ita se res habet, quoniam non golum regularis ordo diss0lvitur, QHY sed etiam perditionis ex boc mx teria ministratur, presbyteris qui sub vobis sunt di- stricte ac sollicitius interdicere vos necesse est, ut hoc ſacere de cxtero non presumant. Sed si forte injuste se excommunicatum quis queritur, fraterni- las vestra sublili indagatione cognoscat ; et ita cat- B 8am cognita veritale disponat, ut nec injustitia div _ in insontis afflictionem prevaleat, nee disciplinz vi- gor aut ſrangi, aut indiscreta valeat praesumplione dissolyv). EPISTOLA XXXVIT. AD CIRYSANTHUM SPOLETANUM EPISCOPUN. Ne conſugientibus ad illius diccesim monnchis com- munionem indiscrete reddi patiatuyr. Mancipio eta lege manumigzo. ut monachus fieret, monasterium dezerere non liceal. Gregorius Chrysantho episcopo Spoletano. Cum sit proprium discipline ab illicitis prohj- Ferstr. XXXVI [AL. 23]. * — Vox in jure vari signiſicatus hic facile explicatur de judicibus qui em- pltionem injunxerant. GusS4ny. EPISTOLA XxXXVIIl. AD ANTHEMIUM SUBDIACONUM., Apud Felicem agat, ut recepia a Mauro pretii 8orte 8:4 contentus. Gregorius Anthemio subdiacono. Maurus przsentium portitor in quadringentis solidis quasdam merces a Felice viro magniſico se asserit 8uscepisse, * alque promisisse sEX siliquas per s0li- dum lucri causa persolvere pretii. > Qua lucri quan- litate in uno congest?, duas 88 cautiones, id est uvam de quadringentis quinquaginta, el alleram de quinquaginla 80lidis © emisisse, spondens cerlo lem- pore quod debeat exsolvere. Sed quia, ut perhibet, in eisdem mercibus pa-sus est non leve dispendium, et reslilulis quadringentis decen solidis, quod reli- quum lucri est implere compellitur, atque ex hoe majori se necessitati ac potius desperationi ingemi subjacere, el proplerea aliquo sibi subveniri pelit auxilio; experientia tua, si ita est, apud predicion mulla dispendia preteritis commendet, consenticale Rhemensi. Secutz 8umus Normannos omnes.