Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 468

Gregory to Fortunatus the bishop, and to Anthemius the defensor. Catellus, the bearer of these presents, has made known to us that his sister, who had been betrothed to a certain Stephen, by the prompting of the divine mercy became a nun in a monastery at Naples, and that this same Stephen unlawfully detains her dwelling and certain of her goods. And since the legal decrees (Cause 27, q. 2, c. 28) have judged that a betrothed woman, if she should wish to be converted, is by no means to be mulcted with any loss, let your Fraternity, together with Anthemius the subdeacon, strive to search out the truth with diligent care.

But if, as we have been informed, you find that the aforesaid Stephen unjustly holds the house or anything else, let your exhortation earnestly admonish him, that he restore without any delay or wrangling the things which he unlawfully detains, lest under any pretext of excuse he defer the restitution of another's property. And if perchance you find that he neglects your exhortation, indicate to us subtly both this and also how the truth of the case stands; so that, the merit of the business being known, he may be compelled otherwise — equity persuading — to restore what he scorns to do of his own free will out of regard for honesty. And commending the bearer of these presents to your Fraternity, we exhort

that you not permit him to suffer delays there any longer on account of this cause.