Letter 51: pelag. agnello episc. (from praecd.

[...] Concerning this matter we direct you by the present words, that with fitting and vigorous insistence you do not omit to demand back, without the interposition of any delay on anyone's part, whatever you shall have discovered to have been seized or carried off from among the consecrated vessels or instruments of service by any of the clergy, and to restore it to the uses of the Church. [Of Pelagius I, Pope. He exhorts Valerian the patrician to suppress the schismatics. Not only the zeal for the good of religion and of souls which he possesses, but also the arrogance of the schismatics, who have attempted to excommunicate the patrician John, makes it necessary to move him to do this. For those who say: "It is not expedient for the Church to carry on persecution; for the pope intends not persecution but the correction of the wicked" ought not to deter him from his purpose.]

pelag. agnello episc. (ex praecd. ep.) B 2-3 apidb. indic. E 3 parroechiarum B E^ 5 aliaque] aliqua E a religioso aliena sunt proposito] jorte potius leg. a relig. sunt aliena propos., aliena a relig. s. propos. Gratianus 6 sed] uero post carit. Gratian. karitatem B conpetenti £4 7 exsequi £i cupere] B: cupio £ 3 , cupimus £, cupitis codd, aliqui Gratiani, cupis Friedberg conmo- £3 £4 Tit. Cf. P. Ewaed, 0 . c., l. c., p. 550, n. 4, cuius tamen coniectu- ra, fuisse hanc epistulam a paribus directam ad duos antistites, teneri non potest, cum praesentes litterae responsum adferant ad praecedentem episcopi quaestionem. Hostilio episcopo: Cuius sedes ignoratur. 1. directis indicasset apicibus: Cf. notulas in ep. 22,2, p. 68. sacrata uasa uel ministeria: Liquido hic apparet significationem vocis ministerium, quam iam supra declaravi in ep. 17,1, p. 51 et denuore- peritur in ep. 82, 1.3., p. 200-202. Hac et aliis multis epistulis, maxime praefa¬ tis epp. 17 et 82, comprobantur verba Poniif., LXII, (Pelagius) III; res- titui fecit omnia vasa aurea et argentea et pallea per omnes ecclesias (L. Duchesne, Le Lih. Pontif., p. 303). Zelus pontificis pro nitore et decore domus Dei et pro incolumitate patrimonii sancti eiusdem, vel ecclesiae Romanae, elucet praeterea in epp. 12; 13; 15,2; 16,4; 65,2: 66; 84; 87; 88; 90; 94, p. 41-43; 48; 50; 172-174; 204-205; 212-214; 216; 223-224. neri. Qua de re praesentibus mandamus affatibus, ut conpetenti uiuacitatis instantia quicquid de sacratis uasis uel ministeriis a lq quolibet clericorum usurpatum uel distractum fuisse compereris, sine cuiusquam morae interuentu exigere non omittas, et eccle¬ siasticis usibus reformare. conpet.] B £ 4 : compet. £, add. sollicitudine £4 9 uasibus £3 10 distractum] ex distinctum £3 fuisse uel distract. Gratian. conpereris £1 £4 11 omitas B, di¬ mittas codd. pier. Gratiani. PEI<AGII I PAPAE Valerianum patricium, hortatur ad schismaticos reprimendos. Non modo zelus in bonum religionis et animarum quem habet, verum etiam arrogantia schismaticorum, qui patricium loannem excommunicare temptaverint, ad illud faciendum eum movere necesse est. Nec enim a proposito eum deterrere debent, qui dicunt: Ecclesiae non expedire persecutionem agitare; papa etenim non persecutionem sed malorum emendationem intendit.