Letter 2014: Even though I did not receive a letter from your brotherhood through the subdeacon Contemtus, I have nonetheless...

14. To the most blessed brothers, venerable in Christ, the priests Foedamius and Vilicus, Bishop Ruricius. Although I have not received a letter from your brotherhood by way of the subdeacon Contemptus, nevertheless, at the prompting of affection, I have sent these lines to you through that same man, both to satisfy my longing and to open up first the way of writing-being, as it were, the first to do so-so that in the future no occasion might be left for an excuse, and so that what is a matter of goodwill might not be said to be a matter of mistrust and bashfulness. And so I bid abundant greeting in Christ the Lord to your blessedness, and I hope that you may love me, as befits churchmen, not with the lips but with the heart, and that you may presume to speak of me out of a charity that is sincere-which I prefer to the old one-because, if that earlier one had been true, it would have endured, and if it had been mutual, it would not have been changed. Yet from which side it was changed, both our consciences know, and the one who knows consciences discerns it without any informer-and him I call as a witness to my profession, that I am not blameworthy regarding the beginning of the quarrel, and that whatever was done or said has not settled in my heart concerning (you), because I know that it has been declared to us by the eternal and true Judge that, unless we forgive our brothers from the heart, it ought not to be forgiven us. You have, then, my pledge; render me your good faith, because in my letter you will, beyond doubt, have whatever bond you choose-either of charity, which binds and guards wholesomely, or of treachery, which knots and destroys in a blameworthy way. And do not impute to me anything concerning the judgment of an earlier time, because it is part of my settled principle to preserve concord in friendships and to maintain strict standards in judgments. This too I rejoice in more especially, that I have learned you have returned into the full intimacy of my lord and brother. It remains that what his grace has bestowed in goodness, your own may guard in the Lord by following it through.

XIIII. BEATISSIMIS ET IN CHRISTO UENERABILIBUS FRATRIBUS FOEDAMIO ET UILICO PRESBVTBRIS RURICIUS EPISCOPUS. Quamlibet litteras fraternitatis uestrae per subdiaconem Contemtum non perciperem, tamen has ego ac per ipsum ad uos affectu instigante direxi, ut et desiderio satisfacerem et scribendi aditum prius, prior utpote, patefacerem, ne in posterum locus relinqueretur excusationi et res uoluntatis, diffidentiae et uerecundiae esse diceretur. salutem itaque in Christo domino plurimam dico beatitudini uestrae et spero, ut me, sicut decet ecclesiasticos uiros, non labiis, sed corde diligatis et de me caritate, sincera malo quam pristina, dicere praesumatis, quia, si illa fuisset uera, permanserat et, si fuisset mutua, mutata non fuerat. a cuius tamen fuerit parte mutata, et conscientiae nostrae nouerint et conscientiarum cognitor sine adsertore cognoscit, quem ego testem adhibeo professioni meae nec de initio simultatis me esse culpabilem nec in corde meo de (uobis), quicquid actum est dictumue, resedisse, quia scio nobis ab aeterno et uero iudice dictum, quod, nisi ex corde dimiserimus fratribus, nobis dimitti non debeat. habetis itaque sponsionem meam, reddite mihi fidem uestram, quia in epistula mea procul dubio uinculum, quod elegeritis, habebitis, aut 24] Matth. 6, 14; Marc. 11, 26. 1 diabulo 8 delectorum S 3 instijgat S (n in rasura) ut v 4 ut.. uon] ne P 8 presbiteris S 9 subsidiaconem S contimtum S 10 perceperim Luetjohann ergo S 11 scibendi S 12 auditum S1 corr . 15 plurimE S 17 mallo qua S, in alloquio t\' praesummatis S 18 mutua Luetjohann, mutata S 22 simulatis S culpauile S de uobis scripsi, de S, inde lKommaentea, otn. 0 23 dictum uere sedisse S 24 demiserimus S 27 habetis v caritatis, quod salubriter constringat et custodiat, aut perfidiae, quod culpabiliter innectat et perdat. nec mihi aliquid de iudicio prioris temporis inputetis, quia definitionis meae est in amicitiis seruare concordiam et in iudiciis tenere censuram. illud etiam peculiarius gaudeo, quod uos in integram domni et fratris mei familiaritatem redisse cognoui. superest, ut, quod illius in bono tribuit gratia, uestra in domino custodiat insequella.