Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 285

Gregory to Peter, subdeacon of Campania. Paul, our brother and fellow bishop, has rather often requested of us that we cause him to return to his own Church. Because we perceived this to be reasonable, we deemed it necessary to fulfill his petition. Accordingly, let your Experience convene the clergy of the Church of Naples, so that they may not fail to choose two or three of their number and to send them hither for the choosing of a bishop. But let them also make known to us by their report that those whom they shall have sent may act in the stead of all in this election, so that a bishop may, God being its author, be ordained for that Church. For we no longer suffer it to be without its own ruler.

But if perchance they attempt in any way to defer your admonition, exercise upon them the ecclesiastical vigor. For whoever shall not willingly consent in this will give an indication of his own perversity. And to the aforesaid Paul, our brother and fellow bishop, cause a hundred solidi and one orphan boy, whom he himself shall have chosen, to be given from that same Church for his labor. But admonish those who shall come hither in the stead of all for the choosing of a bishop, that they should know that all the wardrobe of their bishop is to be brought, and that they should bring with them as much silver as they shall have foreseen, which he who shall be ordained bishop may have for his own use.

Hasten to fulfill all these things vigorously and strictly, and with all speed send hither the elected men, as we have said, from the clergy; so that, since various nobles of the city of Naples are here present, we may, together with them, both treat of the episcopal ordination and, the Lord aiding, deliberate. (See bk. II, ep. 15.)