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| To Libertinus, Præfect.
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Epistle
XXXVIII.
To Libertinus, Præfect1491
| 1491 In some
mss. prætori, in others
exprætori. It seems probable from the contents of
this letter that Libertinus had succeeded Justinus (see I. 2) as
prætor of Sicily. | .
Gregory to Libertinus, Præfect of Sicily.
From the very beginning of your administration
God has willed you to go forth to vindicate
His cause, and of His mercy has reserved for you this reward, with
praise attending it. For it is reported that one Nasas, a most
wicked Jew, has with a temerity that calls for punishment erected an
altar under the name of the blessed Elias, and by sacrilegious
seduction has enticed many Christians to worship there; nay, has also,
it is said, acquired Christian slaves, and devoted them to his own
service and profit. Whilst, then, he ought to have been most
severely punished for such great crimes, the glorious Justinus1492
, soothed (as has been written to us) by
the charm of avarice, put off avenging the injury done to God. But let your Glory institute a strict
examination into all these things, and, if it should be found manifest
that such things have been done, make haste to visit
them most strictly and
corporally on this wicked Jew, in such sort that you may thereby both
conciliate the favour of God to yourself, and
shew yourself by this example, to your own reward, a model to
posterity. Moreover, set at liberty, without any equivocation,
according to the injunctions of the laws1493
| 1493 In Cod.
lib. 1, tit. 10; “Judæus servum
Christianum nec comparare debebit, nec largitatis aut alioquocunque
titulo consequetur. Quod si aliquis Judæorum…, non
solum mancipii damno multetur, verum etiam capitali sententia
puniatur.” Eusebius also (De Vita Constantini,
lib. iv. c. 27) speaks of a law passed by Constantine forbidding
Jews to have Christian slaves, and ordering any that might be found to
be set at liberty, and the Jew to be fined. Cf. II.
21. | , whatever Christian slaves it shall
appear that he has acquired; lest (which God
forbid) the Christian religion should be polluted by being subjected to
Jews. Do you therefore with all speed correct these things most
strictly, that not only may we give thanks to you for this discipline,
but also bear testimony to your goodness in case of
need.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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