Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 533

Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. Our son, the glorious man Leontius, in passing has gravely complained about our brother and fellow-bishop Leo, and his complaint has altogether troubled us, because a bishop ought not to have acted with him so hastily and so lightly. Which cause we have committed to be subtly investigated by Romanus the defender, who is coming. But concerning Your Fraternity he who was sent by him complains, that by the defence of Archelaus, a most distinguished physician, the interest of our brother and fellow-bishop Domitian the metropolitan is burdened. And indeed Your Fraternity ought to protect your sons justly, or, as it is, perhaps the affairs of the holy Church, and to give no occasion to adversaries for the sake of reproach.

Yet that you observe this in all things, even by this speaking, I do not doubt; nevertheless we have enjoined upon the same Romanus, when he comes, that concerning this cause also he ought, together with you, to arrange what things are right. Gregory to Romanus the defender.

Our son Theodosius, abbot of the monastery constructed by the late patrician Liberius in the region of Campania, is known to have intimated to us that a certain Rustica, once an illustrious lady, nearly twenty-one years ago, having first drawn up a testament, instituted her husband Felix as her heir, and bequeathed to him, with this condition interposed concerning the constructing of a monastery there in Sicily: that if within the space of a year he should not pay out all the legacies left to the freedmen, or should by no means order the aforesaid monastery as she willed, then the holy Roman Church should without doubt claim for itself the portion which she was seen to have in the estate of Cumae, and should itself supply the resources for paying out those same legacies, or for the construction of that same monastery.

Wherefore, since (as is reported) the property that was bequeathed has thus far by no means been fully conveyed to the monastery itself, and some portion of the possession is even now withheld by his heirs, let your experience investigate and examine the matter with all thoroughness. And first indeed we wish you to inquire and to learn clearly whether the heir succeeded under the terms of the testament through which our Church holds its claims, and to carry out the benefit of the poor as the order of the matter shall require; and then to be earnestly diligent for the ordering of that cell, or for the restoration of the bequeathed property, so that the pious will of the testatrix may be fulfilled in both respects, and that the unjust holders may learn, from a just forfeiture, the guilt of their undue retention.

Therefore we wish you, with all vigor, both to investigate this matter and, with the Lord's help, to bring it to effect, so that the pious devotion of the one who made the disposition may at last obtain its result. But we also wish you in all things, with justice preserved, to give aid to the monastery itself, so that lay persons—who, as it were, under the founder's name ought to have brought the comfort of support—may not have, as is asserted, the power of doing harm.