Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 186

Gregory to Gennadius, patrician and exarch of Africa. That you unceasingly keep the fear of God before your eyes and pursue justice, the necks of your enemies bowed in submission bear witness. But that the grace of Christ may preserve your glory in the same prosperity, whatever you know to be wrongly committed, restrain it with swift prohibition, as you have been accustomed to do; so that, fortified with the arms of justice, you may overcome the assaults of your enemies by the virtue of faith, which is the safer height of virtue. For Marinianus, brother of the city of Turris and our fellow bishop, has tearfully made known to us that the poor of his city are utterly oppressed, and are afflicted with burdensome losses.

Moreover, that the religious men of his church endure grievous molestation at the hands of the men of Theodore, the master of the soldiers, and suffer bodily injuries; and that it comes even to this pass—a thing unlawful to speak of—that they are thrust into prison; and that he himself also is gravely hindered by the aforesaid glorious man even in the causes pertaining to his own Church. How far these things, if indeed they are true, are contrary to the discipline of the commonwealth, you yourself know.

And because it befits your Excellency to correct all these things, I, saluting your Eminence, beseech you not to allow them to be done any longer, but from the deed itself command him to love justice, so that he may withdraw from injuring the Church, and that none of them be burdened in forced labours or dues beyond what reason permits; or, if any causes arise, let them be concluded not through fear of power but by lawful order. So then, I beg, with the Lord aspiring within you, correct all these things by the threat of your command, so that, if not out of regard for rectitude, at least out of dread of your injunction, the glorious Theodore, or his men, may abstain from such deeds; that so what redounds to your praise may proceed

and justice may be able to flourish with liberty and merit in the regions committed to you. Gregory to Januarius, archbishop of Caralis in Sardinia. If our very Lord Himself professes, by the testimony of Holy Scripture, to be the husband of widows and the father of orphans, we too, as members of His body, ought with the utmost affection of mind to strive to imitate the Head, and, saving justice, to be at hand, if need be, for orphans and widows.

And because it has been intimated to us that the religious woman Catella, who has her son here serving in the holy Roman Church, over which by God's authority we preside, is being molested by the intrusions and disturbances of certain persons, we have judged it necessary by these present writings to exhort your Fraternity concerning this matter, that you do not decline to afford protection to the same aforesaid woman, saving justice; knowing that by matters of this kind you both make the Lord your debtor, and bind our charity toward yourself more closely.

For the causes of the aforesaid woman, whether they now exist or shall arise, we wish to be settled by your judgement, so that the vexation of the courts may be removed from her, and yet she be in no way excused from the justice of judgement. And I pray the Lord who directs your way in a prosperous course toward Himself, and may He, being propitiated, lead you to the kingdom of the glory to come. Gregory to Januarius, bishop of Caralis in Sardinia. Although your Fraternity fittingly expends yourself, in zeal for justice, in the protection of divers persons, yet we believe you to be still more ready toward the comfort of those whom our letter commends to you.

The religious woman Pompeiana, then, has through her agent suggested that she continually endures many unreasonable oppressions from certain men, and on this account is known to have besought us to commend her to you by our letter. Therefore, saluting your Fraternity with the due affection of charity, we have of necessity commended the aforesaid woman to you, so that, justice attending, your Fraternity may in no way allow her to be burdened contrary to equity, nor to suffer any losses inconsiderately.

But if it should happen that she has any causes, let the dispute be sifted before the judgement of chosen men by argument on both sides, and whatever shall be determined, let it be so peacefully brought to effect, with you giving assistance, that both a reward may cleave to you for such a work, and she who is commended by our letter may rejoice to have found justice.