Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 309

Gregory to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples. To religious desires it is fitting that effect be granted without difficulty. And therefore Gratiosa the abbess, together with her congregation, having offered a petition — which is contained in the enclosures — has requested this: that Rustica, of patrician memory, by the final decision of her will, willed a monastery of the handmaids of God to be constructed in the city of Naples, in her own house, in the region of Herculensis, in the district which is called Lampadi, over which she disposed the aforesaid abbess Gratiosa to preside;

and at the same time she is known to have built an oratory, to which, according to her vow, she suggested that she had bequeathed four ounces of her entire substance, and which she desired to be consecrated in honor of blessed Mary ever-virgin, the mother of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And therefore, most dear brother, by the present injunction we have thought to exhort your love, that, the testament first being inspected — if it stands by law, and you shall have most truly ascertained that those same four ounces were conferred upon that same monastery — when they shall have requested you to the aforesaid place, you go there without reluctance, bestowing the solemnities of the venerable dedication, so that, as often as it shall be necessary, the venerable sacrifices of the Masses may be celebrated by the presbyters of the Church serving in the above-written place; in such wise that in the same monastery neither Your Fraternity nor the presbyters, beyond the diligence of discipline, may inflict anything of annoyances; or, if anything of convenience shall have accrued through the devotion of various persons, let them not think it to be claimed for themselves.

Whether gold, or silver, or landed estate, or vestment, let the aforesaid construction possess it in all ways; whatever shall happen to be offered there ought to profit, together with the handmaids of God serving in the same place.