Letter 88: PELAGIUS MELLEO SUBDIACONO.

Pelagius to Melleus, subdeacon. [Among other matters.] We have learned, by a report from the notaries of our see, that from the time when the patrimony of the Church was first entrusted to you up until now, the accounts of no indiction [annual fiscal cycle] have been settled, and that these must necessarily be audited, so that we may be able to ascertain by faithful inspection what is owed to the interests of the Church, or what has been usurped by anyone, and so that you, or your heirs in future time, fortified by full security, may be able to suffer no disturbances. [Textual apparatus: "sunt" - read "esse" (?). "sint" - perhaps read "sunt" (?). Line 5: "quod" (in manuscript Dg). Line 7: "futuro" - from "fucoro" in manuscript Di.] [Editorial notes:] Title, "Melleus, subdeacon": Compare the notes on the title of Letter 28, p. 83. From the very tenor of the letter, I would readily believe that this letter is the first of all those that the pontiff sent to Melleus; therefore I have fixed the probable date of its composition accordingly. "Of the indiction": Beyond Mansi, vol. IX, col. 736, so too E. Caspar, in the work cited, p. 328, n. 2. "The patrimony of the Church": That which had been entrusted to Melleus was, as I have said, the patrimony of Lucania. Compare the notes that I wrote on the titles of Letters 28 and 64, pp. 83 and 167. "So that we may be able to ascertain what...": This bears upon better weighing the value of the pontifical record-office and upon more fully recognizing the administration of the Church's domains. Asterius may consecrate the oratory built by Vindimius in the monastery, if all the conditions which the Pontiff sets forth are granted.

PELAGIUS MELLEO SUBDIACONO. [Inter cetera]. No¬ tariorum sedis nostrae insinuatione didicimus, nullius indictionis, a tempore quo tibi primum ecclesiae patrimonium constat esse commissum usque hactenus, ratiocinia sunt decisa, et ea sint ne¬ cessario dispungenda, ut quid ecclesiasticis utilitatibus debeatur, uel quid a quoquam usurpattun sit, fideli inspectione cognoscere ualeamus, et tu uel heredes tui in futuro tempore, securitate ple¬ naria communiti, nullas possitis inquietudines sustinere. sunt] leg. esse (?) sint] an forte leg. snnt (?) 5 quodDg 7 futuro] ex fucoroDi. Tit. Melleo subdiacono: Cf. notulas ad titulum ep. 28, p. 83. Tenore ipso litterarum, facile crediderim epistulam hanc esse primam omnium, quas ad Melleum pontifex misit; idcirco dies probabilis conscrip¬ tionis, quem statui. Indictionis: Ultra Mansi, vt. IX, c. 736, ita et E. Caspar, 0 . c., p. 328, n. 2. ecclesiae patrimonium: Quod Melleo fuerat demandatum erat, sicut dixi, Uucaniae patrimonium. Cf. notulas quas scripsi in titulos epp. 28 et 64, p. 83 et 167. ut quid ... cognoscere ualeamus: Interest ad melius ponderan¬ dum pretium pontificii tabularii et ad Ecclesiae dominiorum administra- tionem plenius dinoscendam. Asterius consecrare potest oratorium a Vindimio in monasterio exstru(itum, si omnes dantur condiciones, quas Pontifex proponit.