Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. When the bearer of these presents, Crescentius our vicar, whom our most glorious son the lord Leontius, ex-consul, ordered to come to meet him, hesitated to go out from the venerable enclosures, lest through him some excuse might perhaps arise for others, or the public utility be said to be impeded, we caused it to be permitted him to go out as he ought, equity being preserved. And therefore, since this matter, as he had been ordered, urged him to come thither, let your fraternity meet with him with sound reason, and strive to act with the aforesaid most glorious lord of yours with that charity which it is accustomed, so that in no way may he suffer to be in any manner oppressed against the laws or reason;
but let him cause justice to be preserved for him in all things, as befits his Christianity, so that both he himself may be seen healthfully to have preserved that which the order of equity demands, unto his own reward, and that this man may not feel himself to be burdened against those things which we caused to be promised. (See epistle 50.)