Letter 28: fol, 66 , Es fol, 69, £4 fol, 34 ; F fol.

[The source supplied for this letter contains only the editorial apparatus of a critical edition (manuscript folio references, variant readings, and the editor's Latin commentary); the running text of Pelagius I's Letter 28 itself is not present. What follows is a faithful translation of the legible editorial material, with genuine gaps marked. No letter body has been invented to fill the absence.] [Manuscript folio references and sigla:] folio 66; E folio 69; E4 folio 34; F1 folio 161; F2 folio 128; F3 folio 141; O [Thaner, p. 431]. [Variant readings:] "milleo" O C, "milleno" O; "subdiachono" C, C3, C4, F2; "autem ... loco" [in] B E F: "uero ... loco" E3; "in monasterio" C O; "ordinari" from "ordinare" C4; "sibi" written above the line E4; "uita" C. Title: To Melleus, subdeacon. Letters 64 and 88 (p. 167 and 214) were likewise addressed to that same man. Letter 64, 3 informs us that the care of the estate of Trapeia, which was situated in Lucania, had been entrusted to him; from which it is permissible to conjecture that he discharged the office of defensor in Lucania. Compare P. Fabre, op. cit., p. 12, n. 1; 62. In all likelihood the text was inspired by the Rule of St. Benedict, 64, verses 1-2 (A. Lentini, op. cit., p. 546; 548): "In the appointing of an abbot let this principle always be observed, that he be set in place whom the whole congregation in unanimous agreement (or: "for itself") ... shall have chosen. But let him be chosen for the merit of his life ... let him be elected ..." For the first time, at the beginning of the year 559, the Roman pontiff appears to allude to the words of the monks' codex. I am astonished that no one until now has noticed so plain a resemblance. (So the author, in the year 1944.) [On the phrase] "the lord of the possession": inasmuch as the founder of a monastery, or the lord of an estate, had the right of presentation. Compare Letters 42, 1 and 86, 3 and the notes on those passages, p. 117 and 211; furthermore, T. P. McLaughlin, Le tres ancien Droit Monastique de l'Occident, in Arch. France Monast., vol. XXXVIII, 1935, p. 243-245; 107; 177; Ph. Schmitz, Histoire de l'Ordre de Saint Benoit, vol. I, Maredsous, 1942, p. 81-82. [The following heading and incipit belong to the next letter, Letter 29, not to this one:] Of Pope Pelagius I, Letter 29, 1-3. Let Dulcius the defensor inform Aemilianus, Constantinus, and Ampelius of the ordination of the deacon Anastasius as bishop of Luceria.

fol, 66^, Es fol, 69, £4 fol, 34^; F^ fol. 161^, F* fol, 128^, F 3 fol. 141^^; O [Thaner, p, 431}. milleo O C, milleno O 7 subdiachono C, C 3 C 4 Fs 2 autem... loco] B E F: uero... loco £ 3 , in monasterio C O ordinari] ex ordinare C 4 sibi] superscr, £4 4 uita C. Tit. Melleo subdiacono: Ad illum directae itidem fuerunt epp. 64 et 88, p. 167 et 214. Ep. 64,3 nos docet, illi commendatam fuisse curam massae Trapeianae, quae in Lucania sita erat; unde fas est conicere, eum in Lucania defensoris munus obiisse. Cf. P. Fabre, o. c., p. 12, n. 1; 62. Veri similiter textus inspiratus est in S. Benedicti Regula, 64, v. 1-2 (A. LEnTini, o. c., p. 546; 548) In abbatis ordinatione illa semper considere¬ tur ratio, ut hic constituatur quem sive (TR sibi) omnis concors congregatio ... elegerit. Vitae autem merito ... elegatur ... Vice prima, anno 559 incipiente, pontifex Romanus verbis codicis monachorum adludere videtur. Miror quod tam patentem similitudinem nemo hucusque adverterit. (Ita auctor a. 1944). possessionis dominus: Quandoquidem monasterii fundatori, aut praedii domino, ius erat praesentandi. Cf. epp. 42,1 et 86,3 et notulas ad loca, p. 117 et 211; praeterea, T. P. McLaughein, Le tr^s ancien Droit Monastique de VOccident, in Arch. France Monasf., t. XXXVIII, 1935, p. 243-245; 107; 177; Ph. SchmiTZ, Histoire de VOrdre de Saint Benoit, t. I, Maredsous, 1942, p. 81-82. PEl^AGn I PAPAE EPlSTui;A 29, 1-3 Dulcius defensor, Aemilianum, Constantinum et Ampelium certio¬ res faciat de ordinatione diaconi Anastasii ceu episcopi I^uceriae.