教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 365 章

Gregory to Romanus, exarch of Italy. With your excellency the audacity of the wicked ought to find the stings of correction rather than the solace of defence. For it is grave enough if it should happen that a perverse deed find a refuge whence it becomes the censure of discipline to proceed. There has therefore come to us a certain priest named Speciosus, who, the cause demanding it, had been assigned to a monastery by John, our brother and fellow-bishop, and thereupon departed against the will of his own pastor, and, the vigour of the ecclesiastical constitution being despised, resists the aforesaid bishop, relying upon your protection.

Since this without doubt strikes at the odium of your excellency, it is necessary that, discretion being had, you should withdraw him from your protection; lest, if on occasion of your name he be disobedient or contumacious toward his pastor for a time, and defend himself against you as judges, he be compelled thereby to offend your excellency, and likewise to sadden us over your discord. We have learned besides—which it is impious to say—that certain women, who until now have remained in a religious and monastic habit, are laying aside their garment and their veil, and joining themselves to husbands—which we cannot report without grave grief. But this indeed, that

they should presume to say or attempt such things, they are said to be upheld by the patronage of your favour—which the very bitterness of that perversity does not permit us to believe. We ask therefore that you in no wise involve yourself in so great a sin. For an iniquity of this kind we by no means, for God's sake, suffer to remain unpunished. Wherefore again we beseech that your excellency involve not itself in the defence of such causes, that both God may defend His own injury, and the fault of others may not breed discord between us. In the month of February, in the thirteenth indiction. (Cf. John the Deacon, Bk. III, no. 40.)