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| To the Brethren going to England (Angliam). PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Epistle LI.
To the Brethren going to England
(Angliam)1666
1666 This, with
the eight following letters (51–59), were committed to Augustine,
who is spoken of in several of them as the bearer, when he was sent
back from Rome to rejoin his companions. Bede (H. E. I.
23), and John the deacon (Vit. S. Greg. II. 33), say that the
missionaries—“cum aliquantulum itinerus
confecissent” (Bede)—“post dies aliquot”
(John Diac.)—were deterred by what they had heard of the
difficulties of their undertaking, and sent Augustine to Rome to
request leave to give it up and that Gregory sent him back to them with
letters of admonition and of commendation. No commendatory
letters seem to have been given them when they first set out.
Those now sent are addressed to the bishops of Turni (al.
Turon), Marseilles, Arles, Vienne, Autun, and Aix in Provenee, to
the abbot of Lerins, to Arigius, Patrician of Gaul, to Theodoric and
Theodebert, the two boy-kings of Burgundy and Austrasia, and to queen
Brunechild their grandmother, who at this time ruled Austrasia as
Theodebert’s guardian. See Pedigree of Kings of
Gaul, p. xxx. The letters which come first in order, 51 and
52, being dated 22 July a.d. 596, we may
conclude that the missionaries had been originally despatched in the
spring of the same year. They appear to have got as far as the
southern coast of Provence, since the letters to the bishop of Aix and
the Abbot of Lerins shew that Augustine had already visited them,
though not, apparently, any others to whom letters are now
addressed. The mission was accompanied by Candidus, sent out
as Rector of the patrimony in Gaul (cf. Ep. VII.), who is
also commended in the letter. The patrimony appears to have been
attended to previously in a way not satisfactory to Gregory by the
bishops of Arles (see below, Epp. LIII., LV.). This letter is not
found in the Registrum Epistolorum; but given by Bede (I.
23), and by John the Deacon (Vit. S. Greg. lib. ii. c.
34). | .
Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to the servants of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Since it had
been better not to have begun what is good than to return back from it
when begun, you must, most beloved sons, fulfil the good work which
with the help of the Lord you have
begun. Let, then, neither the toil of the journey nor the tongues
of evil-speaking men deter you; but with all instancy and all fervour
go on with what under God’s guidance you
have commenced, knowing that great toil is followed by the glory of an
eternal reward. Obey in all things humbly Augustine your provost
(præposito), who is returning to you, whom we also appoint
your abbot, knowing that whatever may be fulfilled in you through his
admonition will in all ways profit your souls. May Almighty
God protect you with His grace, and grant to
me to see the fruit of your labour in the eternal country; that so,
even though I cannot labour with you, I may be found together with you
in the joy of the reward; for in truth I desire to labour.
God keep you safe, most beloved sons.
Given the tenth day of the Kalends of August, the fourteenth year of
the Emperor our lord Mauricius Tiberius, the most pious Augustus, the
thirteenth year of the consulship of our said lord, Indiction
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