Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 349

Gregory to Victor, bishop of Palermo. As for Gregory, the bearer of the present letter, abbot and presbyter of the monastery of Saint Theodore, no reason at all permitted that, after the almost general destruction of his cell, he should any longer be set over it. For he who by his own negligence led so many disciples to ruin ought never to be preferred to the rest. But because here among us he has long been afflicted with penance, it is necessary that Your Fraternity receive him into the aforesaid monastery and appoint him in his place, yet in such a way that Urbicus, the provost of my monastery, ought to give one of the servants of God who may be made provost over him, so that what is neglected through the negligence of the one may be preserved through the solicitude of the other.

Furthermore, from the monastery of the handmaids of God which is of Saint Martin, I hear that Marcia, a woman consecrated to religion, was unjustly transferred to another monastery; and Victoria, who was next after her in place, as I hear, scattered the goods of the monastery, that she might reach the office of prioress and herself be found to be next after the abbess in the meantime. Let Your Fraternity strive to correct this matter with all speed; for you understand of what fault you are now guilty, that I, placed so far away, should learn what is being done in your city, and, occupied with so many cares, should have to dispose what ought to be done. We therefore will that the aforesaid Marcia be recalled to her own monastery and her own place.

But Victoria we will to be handed over to Fantinus, our defensor, so that he, examining her, may find out to whom she gave anything of the monastery's goods. When she has been examined, we will that she be assigned to another monastery, and that it be subtly reported back to us through the defensor Fantinus, so that we may know what more certain sentence ought to be established concerning her. Moreover, I hear that many evils have occurred in that same monastery through Anastasius the physician. If at any time he shall have entered the monastery of the virgins, whether that one or another, let the fault fall upon Your Fraternity, who holds the flock committed to you and yet dissembles to guard it.