BOOK III.

be able, with the judge above named, to in- tery whom I see I do not find addiction to vestigate and ascertain the truth, to the end reading. Wherefore you must needs consider that by his instancy he may cause worthy how great a sin it is, that God should have vengeance to be executed on those who may sent you alimony from the offerings of others, be shewn to have instigated or perpetrated so and you should neglect learning the commandgreat a crime. ments of God.

EPISTLE III.

То Јони, Аввот 3.

Gregory to John, &c.

Further, with regard to the six twelfths, unless we see the original deed, or a copy of it, we can do nothing. But I have sent an order to the servant of God, Florentinus, that, if the truth should be made apparent to him, Thy Love has requested me that brother he restore to you the six twelfths; after the Boniface might be ordained Prior (præposi- restoration of which we will either grant the tus) in thy monastery; as to which request remaining six twelfths on lease or commute I wonder much why it has not been done the revenue. before. For since the time when I caused him to be given to thee thou oughtest already to have ordained him.

EPISTLE V.

TO PETER, SUBDEACON.

With regard to the tunic of Saint John 5, I have been altogether gratified by thy anxiety Gregory to Peter, Subdeacon of Campania. to tell me of it. But let thy Love endeavour As we have no wish to disturb the privileges to send me this tunic, or (better still) this of laymen in their judgments, so, when they same bishop who has it, with his clergy and judge wrongfully, we desire thee to resist them with the tunic itself, to the end that we may with moderate authority. For to restrain enjoy the blessing thereof, and be able to violent laymen is not to act against the laws, derive benefit from this bishop and his clergy. but to support law. Since then Deusdedit, I have been desirous of putting an end to the the son-in-law of Felix of Orticellum, is said cause that is pending with Florianus, and have to have done violent wrong to the bearer of already advanced to him as much as eighty these presents, and still unlawfully to detain solidi, which I believe he proposes should be her property, in such sort that the dejection given him in compensation for the monastery's of her widowhood is found not to move his debt; and I am altogether desirous that this compassion, but to confirm his malice, we cause should be settled, inasmuch as Stephen charge thy Experience that against the aforethe chartularius is said to be urgent that the said man, as well as in other cases wherein aforesaid Florianus should transfer it to public the aforesaid woman asserts that she suffers cognizance, and it is distasteful to us to be prejudice, thou afford her the succour of thy engaged in a public lawsuit. Wherefore we protection, and not allow her to be oppressed must needs make some concession, so as to be by any one whatever, lest either thou be found able to bring this same cause to a composition. to neglect what without prejudice to equity is When this shall have been done, we will commanded thee, or widows and other poor inform your Love of it. persons, finding no help where they are, be put to expense by the length of the journey hither.

But do thou give thy whole attention to the souls of the brethren. Let it be now enough that the reputation of the monastery has been stained through your negligence. Do not often go abroad. Appoint an agent for these causes, and do thou leave thyself time for reading and prayer.

Be attentive to hospitality; as far as thou art able, give to the poor; yet so as to keep what ought to be restored to Florianus.

Moreover, among the brethren of thy monas

EPISTLE VI.

TO JOHN, BISHOP.

Gregory to John, bishop of Prima Justiniana.

6 As to the See of Prima Justiniana, the Metropolitan jurisdiction assigned to it by the Emperor Justinian, and the vicariate jurisdiction that had been transferred to it from Thessalonica by the popes, see note on Lib. II., Ep. 22. The circumstances referred to in this and the following letter are interesting as shewing, among other things, the relations of the See of Rome to the Church in Illyricum, and the action of the Emperors with regard to it. They may be epitomized as follows. Theba Phthiotice was a Seei n the province of Thessalia, of which Larissa was the Metropolis. But, as appears from what Gregory says in Epistle VII., Theba had been for some reason exempted from the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop of Larissa by pope Pelagius II. John and Cosmas, two deposed deacons of the Church of Theba, had sent a representation to the Emperor.

After the long afflictions which Adrian, almost nothing pertaining to the questions bishop of the city of Theba, has endured named and assigned to thee for decision, but from his fellow-priests, as though they had by certain machinations hast produced witbeen his enemies, he has fled for refuge to the nesses against the deacon Demetrius, who Roman city. And though his first representa- were to allege with a view to the condemnation had been against John, bishop of Larissa, tion of this same bishop, that they had heard to wit that in pecuniary causes he had given this Demetrius bearing testimony concerning judgment without regard to the laws, yet after the said bishop; -a thing not even lawful to this he complained most grievously rather be heard of. And when Demetrius in person against the person of thy Fraternity, ac- denied having done so, it appears that, concusing thee of having deposed him unjustly trary to the custom of the priesthood and from the degree of priesthood. But we, giving canonical discipline, thou gavest him into the no credence to petitions that have not been hands of the prætor of the province as a enquired into, perused the acts of the pro- deacon deposed from his dignity 7. And when, ceedings, whether before our brother and mangled by many stripes, he might perchance fellow-bishop John, or before thy Fraternity. have said some things falsely against his And indeed concerning the judgment of the bishop under the pressure of torment, we find above-named John, bishop of Larissa, which that to the very end of the business he conwas suspended on appeal, both the most pious fessed absolutely nothing of the things about emperors, in their orders sent to the bishop which he was interrogated. Neither do we of Corinth, have sufficiently decreed, and we find anything else in the proceedings themhave decreed also, Christ helping us, in our selves, whether in the depositions of witnesses letters directed through the bearers of these or in the declaration of Adrian, to his disadpresents to the aforesaid John of Larissa. vantage. But it is only that thy Fraternity, I But having ventilated the conflicting judg- know not with what motive, in contempt of 'ments, the examination of which the imperial law, human and divine, has pronounced an commands had committed to thee, and in- abrupt sentence against him; which, even spected the series of proceedings held before though it had not been suspended on appeal, the bishop John concerning the incriminated being pronounced in contravention of the laws persons, we find that thou hast investigated and canons, could not rightly in itself have stood. Further, after, as is abundantly evident, accusing their bishop, Adrian, of defalcations in money matters, the appeal had been handed to thee, we wonder and also of certain misdemeanours; the latter being that he had why thou hast not sent thy people to us to retained in office one of his deacons, Stephen, whose shameful life was notorious, and that he had ordered baptism to be refused render an account of thy judgment according to certain infants, who had consequently died unbaptized. The to the undertaking delivered to our deacon Emperor (Mauricius) referred the matter to John, bishop of Larissa, as Metropolitan of Thessalia, who, notwithstanding the Honoratus by the representatives of thy exemption of Thee from his jurisdiction by pope Pelagius II.. church. This omission convicts thee either took it up, and decided against Adrian, at any rate with respect to his alleged pecuniary defalcations. Adrian appealed against of contumacy or of trepidation of conscience. this decision to the Emperor, who thereupon deputed certain persons (not bishops) to enquire and report, and, on receiving If, then, these things which have been brought their report, exempted Adrian from further proceedings, sending before us have the rampart of truth, inasmuch an order to that effect to the Bishop of Corinth, who was Metropolitan of the adjoining province of Achaia. Meanwhile John of as we consider that, taking advantage of your Larissa had imprisoned Adrian, and elicited from him (under vicariate jurisdiction under us, you are preand also obtained from the Emperor a second order committing suming unjustly, we will, with the help of the reinvestigation and final adjudication of the case to John, Christ, decree further concerning these things, bishop of Prima Justiniana, who confirmed the sentence of John of Larissa, and deposed Adrian from his See. Adrian according to the result of our deliberations. now at last appealed to the pope, and went himself to Rome to seek aid on Gregory, who took up the case at once and strenuously declared the past proceedings un air, uncanonical, and void, ordered the immediate restoration of Adrian to his See, excommunicated John of Prima Justiniana, and forbade John of Larissa, under pain of excommunication, to assume hereafter any metropolitan jurisdiction over the church of Theba. Now it is plain that, till Adrian's final appeal, no recourse was had by any of the parties concerned to the See of Rome, and that the Emperor, who alone was at first appealed to, took the matter up on his own authority without reference to Rome: nor was it till

compulsion, it was said) an ambiguous confession of his guilt,

But as regards the present, by the authority of the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, we decree that, the decrees of thy judgment being first annulled and made of none effect, thou be deprived of holy communion for the space of thirty days, so as to implore pardon of our God for so great transgression with the appealed to Gregory. But it is equally evident that Gregory, utmost penitence and tears. But, if we when appealed to, asserted his own plenary jurisdiction as a matter of course and without hesitation: nor is there any evidence should come to know that thou hast been to shew that his assertion of authority was resisted either by the remiss in carrying out this our sentence, know Illyric. n prelates or the Emperor. It was probably a case in

he had failed of redress from Constantinople that Adrian himself

which the Emperor himself took little interest; and he might be thou that not the injustice only, but also the

glad that the pope should take it out of his hands and settle it It was otherwise, however, in a subsequent case (though occurring not in Eastern, but in Western Illyricum), in which Gregory was at issue with the Emperor with respect to the appointment of a bishop to the Sce of Salona, as will be seen hereafter. See III. 47, note 2.

7 Otherwise he could not have been examined by scourging, as it appears he was. For clerics were by law exempt from the question.

contumacy, of thy Fraternity will have to be cerning the Theban deacon Stephen, whom more severely punished. But, as to our afore- the bishop Adrian had failed to deprive of said brother and fellow-bishop Adrian, con- the dignity of his order, though supposed to demned by thy sentence, which, as we have have been aware of his most shameful life said, was consistent with neither canons nor As to this head, no witnesses were produced laws, we order that he be restored, Christ to shew that bishop Adrian had any know being with him, to his place and rank; so that ledge of the matter, except that Stephen neither may he be injured by the sentence of alone, a man of shameful life and on his thy Fraternity pronounced in deviation from the path of justice, nor may thy Charity remain uncorrected; that so we may appease the indignation of the future judge.

EPISTLE VII.

TO JOHN, BISHOP.

Gregory to John, bishop of Larissa.

own confession to be condemned, is allege 1 to have said so. The second charge made against him appears to have been concerning infants having been debarred by his order from receiving holy baptism, and so having died. with the filth of sin unwashed away. But none of the witnesses brought forward against him declared their knowledge of anything of the kind having come under the notice of bishop Our brother Adrian, bishop of the city of Adrian, but said that they had learnt it from Theba, has come to Rome, bitterly complain- the mothers of the infants, whose husbands, it ing of having been condemned, neither law is said, had been removed from the church for fully nor canonically, on certain charges by their crimes. But even so they did not declare thy Fraternity, and also by John, bishop of that the hour of death had overtaken those Prima Justiniana. And, when for a long time infants while unbaptized, as was contained in we saw no representative of the opposite party the invidious representation of the accusers, it arrive here who might have replied to his being evident that they had been baptized in objections, we delivered for perusal 8, with the city of Demetrias. So much then for the a view to the necessary ascertainment of the criminal charges. truth, the proceedings which had taken place But, as to the pecuniary matters, after what before you. From these we ascertained that manner they were adjudged by thee is attested John and Cosmas, deacons who had been by the enquiry of the men deputed by the deposed from their office, one for frailty of the prince in pursuance of the most pious order of body and the other for fraudulent dealing with the most serene princes 9. For, when the oftecclesiastical property, had sent a representa-named Adrian had appealed against thy sention to our most pious emperors against him, tence, then, so far as we have ascertained from with respect to pecuniary matters and also the depositions of four witnesses which were criminal charges. laid before John, bishop of Prima Justiniana, They, in their commands sent to thee, de- he was thrust into most close confinement, sired thee (that is with strict observance of law and forced by thy Fraternity to produce a and canons) to take cognizance of the matter, document in which he confessed the charges so as to pass a sentence firm in law as to the brought against him. And it is true that in pecuniary questions, but, as to the criminal the document so produced by him he is found charges, to report to their Clemency after to have assented to thy sentence as to pecua searching examination. Now if thy Frater- niary matters. But the criminal charges he nity had received in a right frame of mind touched on in an indefinite and dubious sort these such right commands, you would never of way, so that both thy purpose might be have accepted for a general accusation of their frustrated by the raising of certain clouds, and bishop men removed from their own office for he might afterwards the better escape from his their transgressions, and already hostilely dis- confession in the obscurity of a perplexed posed; especially as by their representation mode of speech. And when the appeal handed addressed to our most pious lords their un-in by his people, and the rest of the proceedtruthfulness is detected, in that they declared ings under thy cognizance, had been reported that they made it with the consent of all the to the most pious princes, and Honoratus, clergy. deacon of our See, with the glorious antiYet after this, to touch briefly and sum-graphus Sebastian having been deputed, as Imarily on some of the proceedings before we have said, he was exempted by the most thee, the first head of accusation was con- serene lords from all further orders. But, by

8 "Relegenda tradidimus," not "relegimus:" presumably because, the Acts being drawn up in Greek, Gregory was unable to read them himself.

9 The Emperor Mauricius had associated his son Theodosius, being four years of age, with himself in the empire. Hence "principibus."

I See I. 39, note.

what sought out contrivances I know not, close of thy life, unless upon leave granted by another imperial order was again elicited, re- the Roman pontiff. For this we lay down as quiring John, bishop of Prima Justiniana, to a rule, agreeably to the teaching of the holy enquire closely and pass judgment concerning fathers, that whosoever knows not how to obey all the aforesaid charges. In which trial all the holy canons, neither is he worthy to bishop Adrian's clergy, and Demetrius the minister or receive the communion at the holy deacon, the latter in the midst of torments, altars. Moreover let thy Fraternity restore to declared that all this calumny against bishop him without any delay the sacred property, or Adrian had been got up by the contrivance of any other, movable or immovable, which thou thy Fraternity. Nor were any of the criminal art said to retain so far; a specification wherecharges that had been made in thy audience of, that has been handed to us, we append to against the bishop Adrian proved. But there this letter. Concerning which if any question came up, contrary to canons and laws, another arises between you, we desire it to be concruel and crafty enquiry directed against his sidered by our representative in the royal city. deacon Demetrius and other persons, in the course of which nothing was discovered for which the oft-mentioned Adrian could have been lawfully condemned, but rather ground for his acquittal. But with respect to John, prelate of the city of Prima Justiniana, and his most iniquitous and abominable judgment, we shall take further measures. As to bishop Adrian, we find both that he has laboured under thy enmity in a way ill-befitting thy priestly character, and that he has been condemned in pecuniary matters for no just cause by the sentence of thy Fraternity.

EPISTLE VIII.

To NATALIS, ARCHBISHOP. Gregory to Natalis, archbishop of Salona". Whilst every kind of business demands 3 anxious investigation of the truth, what pertains to deposition from sacerdotal rank should be considered with especial strictness, since here the matter in hand is not concerning persons constituted in a humble position, but, as it were, concerning reversal of divine benediction. This consideration has also Since then, having been deposed also by the moved us to exhort your Fraternity with reabove-said John bishop of Prima Justiniana spect to the person of Florentius, bishop of in contravention of law and canons, he could the city of Epidaurus. For indeed we have not be left deprived of his rank and honour, been told that he had been accused on certain we have decreed that he be reinstated in his criminal charges, and that, without any cachurch, and recalled to the order of his proper nonical proof being sought, and without predignity. And, though thou oughtest to have vious sentence of any sacerdotal council, he been deprived of the communion of the Lord's has been deposed from his office of dignity, body, for that, setting at naught the admoni- not by law, but by authority. Inasmuch, then, tion of my predecessor of holy memory, where- as no man can be removed from the rank of by he exempted him and his church from the episcopacy except for just causes by the conjurisdiction of thy authority, thou hast again cordant sentence of priests, we exhort your presumed to retain some jurisdiction over Fraternity to cause the aforesaid man to be them, yet we, decreeing more humanely, and recalled from the banishment into which he still allowing thee the sacrament of communion, has been driven, and his case enquired into in decree that thy Fraternity shall abstain from a consultation of bishops. And, should he be all exercise of the jurisdiction formerly held convicted by canonical proof of the charges by thee over him and his church; but that, brought against him, without doubt he must according to the written instructions of our be visited with canonical punishment. But, predecessor, if any case should possibly arise, should the facts be found by the synodical whether touching the faith, or criminal, or inquisition to be otherwise than had been suppecuniary, against the aforesaid Adrian our posed, it is necessary both that his accusers fellow-priest, it be either taken cognizance of, should dread the rigour of justice, and that the if the question be a slight one, by those who incriminated person should have the approbaare or may be our representatives in the royal tion of his innocence preserved inviolate. But city, or, if it be an arduous one, it be brought we have committed by our order the execution hither to the Apostolic See, to the end that it of the above-mentioned business to Antoninus, may be heard and decided before ourselves. our subdeacon, to the end that decisions may But, if thou shouldest attempt at any time, on be come to in accordance with the laws and any pretext or by any surreptitious device, to contravene these our ordinances, know that we decree thee to be deprived of holy communion, and not to partake of it except at the

2 Natalis was Metropolitan of the province of Dalmatia. See II. 18, note 3.

3 I.e. episcopal rank. Here, as below in this Epistle and elsewhere, by sacerdotes are meant bishops.