Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Epistle XXXII.
To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily.
Gregory to Peter, &c.
By information received from Romanus the guardian
(defensore) I have learnt that the monastery of
handmaidens of God which is on the farm of
Monotheus has suffered wrong from our church of Villa Nova with respect
to a farm belonging to the latter, which is said to have been leased to
the said monastery. If this is so, let thy Experience restore to
them the farm, and also the payments from the same farm for the two
indictions during which thou hast exacted them. Moreover, since
many of the Jews dwell on the estates of the Church, I desire that, if
any of them should be willing to become Christians, some little of
their dues be remitted to them, to the end that others also, incited by
this benefit, may be moved to a like desire.
Cows which are now barren from age, or bulls which
appear to be quite useless, ought to be sold, so that at least some
profit may accrue from their price. But as to the herds of mares
which we keep very unprofitably, I wish them all to be dispersed, and
four hundred only of the younger kept for breeding; which four hundred
ought to be presented to the farmers1423
1423
Conductores. See I. 44, note 6. | —so
many to each, to the end that they may make some return to us from them
in successive years: for it is very hard for us to spend sixty
solidi on the herdsmen, and not get sixty pence from these same
herds. Let then thy Experience so proceed that some may be
divided among all the farmers, and others dispersed and converted into
money. But so arrange with the herdsmen themselves throughout our
possessions that they may be able to make some profit by cultivation of
the ground. All the implements which, either at Syracuse or at
Panormus, can be claimed by the Church must be sold before they perish
entirely from age.
On the arrival of the servant of God, brother Cyriacus, at Rome I questioned him closely as
to whether he had communicated with thee about the receiving of a bribe
in the cause of a certain woman. And the same brother says that
he had learnt the state of the case from thy telling him, for that he
had been commissioned by thee to ascertain who was the person
commissioned to pay the bribe. This I believed, and immediately
received him familiarly into favour, introduced him to the people and
clergy, increased his stipend1424
1424
Presbyterium. The term, as here used, means apparently a
pecuniary allowance to presbyters. Cf. V. 33, Ad Gaudentiam
Episcopum; “Fraternitatem tuam præsentibus
hortamur affatibus ut clericis Capuanæ Ecclesiæ quartam in
presbyterium eorum de hoc quod ante dictæ ecclesiæ
singulis annis accesserit juxta antiquam consuetudinem distribuere
secundum personarum studeat qualitatem, quatenus aliquod stipendiorum
habentes solatium, ministerium officiumque suum circa eamdem ecclesiam
devotiore mente provocentur impendere.” | , placed him in a
superior rank among the guardians, praising his fidelity before all, in
that he had acquitted himself so faithfully in thy service; and I have
consequently sent him back to thee. But, inasmuch as thou art in
great haste, and I, though sick, am desirous of seeing thee, do thou
leave some one whom thou hast fully proved to take thy place in the
Syracusan district, and thyself make haste to come to me, that, if it
should please Almighty God, we may consult
together as to whether thou thyself oughtest to return thither or
another person should be appointed in thy place. At the same time
I have sent Benenatus the notary to occupy thy place in the patrimony
in the district of Panormus till such time as Almighty God may ordain what pleases Him.
I have strongly rebuked Romanus for his levity,
because in the Guest-house (xenodochium) which he kept, as I
have now discovered, he has been taken up more with his own profits
than with [heavenly] rewards. Him, therefore, if it should haply
seem good to thee, leave in thy place. See how thou mayest best
fortify him, by alarming and admonishing him, that he may act kindly
and carefully towards the peasants (rusticos1425 ); and shew himself towards strangers and
townspeople changed and active. In saying this, however, I am not
selecting any person, but leave this to thy judgment. It is
enough for me to have selected an occupier of thy place in the district
of Panormus; and I wish thee to see thyself to providing one for the
Syracusan district. When thou comest, bring with thee the moneys
and ornaments (ornamenta) on the part, or of the substance of
Antoninus. Bring also the payments of the ninth and tenth
indictions which thou hast exacted, and with them all thy
accounts. Take care, if it should please God, to cross the sea for this city before the anniversary
of Saint Cyprian, lest any danger should ensue (which
God
forbid) from the constellation which always threatens the sea at that
season.
Furthermore, I would have thee know that I have no
slight compunctions of mind for having been grievously set against the
servant of God Pretiosus for no grievous fault
of his, and driven him from me, sad and embittered. And I wrote
to the Lord bishop1426
requesting him to send the man to me, if willing to do so; but he was
altogether unwilling. Now him I ought not to distress, nor can I
do so; since, occupied as he is in the causes of God, he ought to be supported by comfort, not depressed by
bitterness. But the said Pretiosus, as I hear, is altogether
distressed because he cannot return to me. I, however, as I have
said, cannot distress the Lord bishop, who is
not willing to send him, and I am doubtful between the two. Do
thou then, if in thy little diminutive body thou hast the greater
wisdom, manage the matter so that I may have my will, and the
Lord bishop be not distressed. Yet, if
thou see him to be at all distressed, say no more about it. I
have, however, taken it amiss that he has excommunicated the
Lord Eusebius1427
1427 This
Eusebius was an abbot in Sicily. Letters follow about him to
Maximianus (Ep. 34), and to him (Ep. 36). | , a man of so great age and in such bad
health. Wherefore it is needful for thee to speak privately to
the said Lord bishop, that he be not hasty in
pronouncing sentences, since cases which are to be decided by sentences
must needs be weighed beforehand with careful and very frequent
consideration.
When the recruiting officers1428
1428
Scribonibus. The term denoted officers sent from the
imperial court into the provinces for executing certain duties; in this
case for raising recruits for the imperial army. Cf. V. 30, note
8. | come, who, as I hear, are already
raising recruits in Sicily, charge thy substitute to offer them some
little present1429
1429 Parum aliquid
xenii. On xenia, see II. 23, note 8. | , so as to render
them well-disposed towards him. But, before thou comest away,
give also something, according to ancient custom, to the
prætor’s officials; but do it by the hands of him thou
leavest in thy place, so as to conciliate their favour towards
him. Also, lest we should seem to them to be at all uncivil,
direct thy substitutes to carry out in all respects the orders we have
given to thy Experience as to what is to be given to any individuals or
monasteries. But when thou comest, we will, with the help of
God consider together how these things should
be arranged. The three hundred solidi which I sent to be
given through thee to the poor I do not think ought to be committed to
their discretion. Let them carry out, then, those directions I
have spoken of with reference to particular places and
persons.
Now I remember having written before now to say that the
legacies, which, according to the representation of Antoninus the
guardian (defensoris), are due from us to monasteries or others,
were to be paid as had been appointed. And I know not why thy
Experience has delayed to accomplish this. Wherefore we desire
thee to pay in full our portion of these legacies from the moneys of
the church, that when thou comest to me, thou mayest not leave there
the groans of the poor against thee. Bring also with thee at the
same time the securities which have been found relating to the
substance of the same Antoninus.
I have learnt on the information of Romanus that the
wife of Redemptus, when dying, directed by word of mouth one silver
shell to be sold, and the proceeds given to her freedmen, and also left
a silver platter to a certain monastery; in respect of both of which
bequests we desire her wishes to be fully carried out, lest from the
least things we be betrayed into greater sins.
Further, I have learnt on the information of the
Abbot Marinianus that the building in the Prætorian Monastery is
not yet even half completed: which being the case, what can we
praise for it but thy Experience’s fervour1430
1430 We note here the
sarcastic vein in which Gregory from time to time pleasantly stimulates
Peter to activity. | ? But even now let this admonition
rouse thee; and, as far as thou canst, assert thyself in the
construction of this same monastery. I said that nothing was to
be given them for the cost; but I did not prohibit their building the
monastery. But so proceed as to enjoin in all ways on him whom
thou mayest depute in thy place at Panormus that he construct this same
monastery at the charge of the ecclesiastical revenue, and that I may
have no more private complaints from the abbot.
Moreover, I have learnt that thou knowest certain
things on the farms, even in considerable numbers, to belong to others;
but, owing to the entreaty of certain persons or to timidity, thou art
afraid to restore them to their owners. But, if thou wert truly a
Christian, thou wouldest be afraid of the judgment of God more than of the voices of men. Take notice that
I unceasingly admonish thee on this matter; which if thou neglect to
set right, thou wilt have also my voice for witness against thee.
If thou shouldest find any of the laity fearing God who might receive the tonsure and become agents under
the rector1431
1431 I.e. the rector
patrimonii. The purport of this direction seems be that
agents from the laity might be appointed with advantage to assist the
rector patrimonii; and these must first be made clerici
by receiving the tonsure, so as to be qualified to act for the
Church. The rectors themselves were usually at least
subdeacons. | , I give my full
con
sent. It will be
necessary that letters also be sent to them.
Concerning the case of the son of Commissus the
scholasticus1432
1432
Scholastici. The designation appears to have been
applied generally to scholarly and learned persons. Cf. Hieron.
in Catal. Scriptor. Eccles., “Serapion ob
elegantiam ingenii cognomen scholastici meruit.” In
Gregory’s Epistles it seems to denote usually men learned in the
law, who might advise on legal points or sit as assessors. In I.
44 (to Peter the subdeacon) scholastici are spoken of as having
given a legal opinion, Epistle 36 in Bk. IX. is addressed “Severo
scholastico exarchi,” and he is spoken of as one of those
“qui assistant judicibus.” Cf. also IX. 58, 59, for
the employment of “Martinus Scholasticus, vir
eloquentissimus,” in a case of disputed jurisdiction over the
primate of the African province of Bizacia. Such
scholastici were evidently persons of importance. Gregory
addresses them by the title of “Gloria vestra” (IV. 40),
and of “Magnitudo tua” (IX. 58). In IX. 12 he speaks
of the form of prayer which followed the words of institution in the
Canon of the Mass as having been composed by a scholasticus
(precem quam scholasticus composuerat), perhaps using the term
in the general sense of a scholar. | , thou hast
taken advice; and it appears that what he claims is not just in
law. We are unwilling to burden the poor to their disadvantage;
but, inasmuch as he has given himself trouble in this matter, we desire
thee to give him fifty solidi, which must certainly be charged
in thy accounts. As to the expense thou hast incurred on the
business of the Church in the case of Prochisus, either reimburse
thyself there out of his revenues, or, should his revenues be clearly
insufficient for the repayment, thou must needs receive what is due to
thee here from the deacon. But presume not to say anything about
Gelasius the subdeacon, since his crime calls for the severest penance
even to the end of his life.
Furthermore, thou has sent me one sorry nag and
five good asses. That nag I cannot ride, he is such a sorry one;
and those good asses I cannot ride, because they are asses. But
we beg that, if you are disposed to content us, you will let us have
something suitable. We desire thee to give to the abbot Eusebius
a hundred solidi of gold, which must certainly be charged in thy
accounts. We have learnt that Sisinnius, who was a judge at
Samnium, is suffering from grievous want in Sicily, to whom we desire
thee to supply twenty decimates1433 of wine and four solidi
yearly. Anastasius, a religious person
(religiosus1434 ), is said to be
living near the city of Panormus in the oratory of Saint Agna, to whom
we desire six solidi of gold to be given. We desire also
six solidi, to be charged in thy accounts, to be given to the
mother of Urbicus the Prior1435
1435
Præpositi. The word, though used also in a more
general sense, usually denotes the Prior of a monastery, appointed as
the Abbot’s vice-gerent. | . As to the
case of the handmaiden of God, Honorata, what
seems good to me is this: that thou shouldest bring with thee
when thou comest all her substance which evidently existed before the
time of the episcopate of John, bishop of Laurinum1436
1436 Episcopi
Laurinensis. If the reading is correct, the See
intended is unknown. Holstein (Annot. in Geograph. Sacra,
p. 21) suggests Carinensem, denoting the Sicilian See of
Carine, or Camarina. | . But let the same handmaiden of
God come with her son, that we may speak with
her, and do whatever may please God. The
volume of the Heptateuch1437
1437 I.e. the first
seven books of the Bible. | out of the
goods of Antoninus we desire to be given to the Prætorian
monastery, and the rest of his books to be brought hither by
thee.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|