教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 536 章

Gregory to Romanus, defensor. It has come to us that certain men, holding altogether too little discretion, desire to involve us in their dangers, and thus wish to be defended by ecclesiastical persons in such a way that the ecclesiastical persons themselves are held liable for their fault. Therefore by the present precept I admonish you, and through you our brother and fellow-bishop lord John, and the others who can be involved, that whether you receive my writings of ecclesiastical patronage, or whether they have not been directed at all, you should extend such protection with such great moderation, that—

if any are implicated in public thefts, they may not seem to be unjustly defended by us, lest by the rashness of an indiscreet defense we in any way transfer to ourselves the reputation of evildoers; but insofar as befits the Church, by admonishing and by employing a word of intercession, succor those whom you are able—so that you may both bring them aid and not defile the reputation of the holy Church. Gregory to Antonius the subdeacon and Dometius the abbot and priest, in like manner.

Just as it is grievous and full of blame that among persons serving God almighty a controversy once arisen over secular affairs should long persist, so it is praiseworthy and fitting to religious zeal to prefer to earthly gains the peace that is pleasing to God, and out of transitory things to purchase the ever-abiding profits of charity.

And therefore, since concerning the estates of Faianus, Nasonianus, and Libinianus, situated in the province of Sicily in the territory of Palermo—over which a long contention had dragged on between the superiors of the monastery of Saints Maximus and Agatha, called Lucuscanum, and on the other side the administrators of the hospice established in this city of Rome, which is named after Valerius—now indeed, by God's authorship, a wholesome decision has proceeded, with agreements intervening, between you Antonius our subdeacon, superior of the said hospice, and on the other side our most beloved son Dometius, abbot and priest of the aforesaid monastery: it is necessary that every occasion of discord be forestalled, and that what has been done be confirmed by the intervening authority.

Accordingly, through the tenor of this precept we have judged that it must be decreed that all instruments, or whatever else there is which could in any way—whether by prescription of time or otherwise—furnish support from the law or from any privilege to the parties who might desire (which God forbid) to come against one another in turn, shall be, as you also request, void and stripped of all force; and that the sole page of the agreements now made between you shall hold valid and perpetual strength.

And if by chance, through carelessness or inexperience, something less than firm has been inserted into it, let it receive from this our authority the strength of fullest safeguard and solidity; nor let anything be able to remain by which those things which, with religious zeal, have been providently (as was fitting) and peacefully brought to an end, should at any time incur any doubt; but let all that is held written down in the same agreements remain firm, unimpaired, and without any gainsaying, so that—the whole matter of contention being entirely removed—among those between whom concord ought unchangeably to abide in charity, no occasion of litigious strife may henceforth be able to be generated.

For the safeguarding of the above-mentioned monastery, we have given a similar precept to the said Dometius, abbot and priest. In the month of January, in the first indiction.