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| To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna.
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Epistle XX.
To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna.
Gregory to Marinianus, &c.
John, the bearer of these presents, complains that
his wife, flying from the molestations of one George, has long been
residing within venerable precincts1742
| 1742 The woman had fled
to the precincts of some church for protection from one George, who
apparently claimed her as his slave. The right of temporary
asylum in sacred precincts, from which refugees could not be taken
without the bishop’s assent, rested on imperial edicts.
“Vide lib. I. Cod., tit. 12, cap. 3, ubi imperatores
Theodosius et Valentianus plurima de septis ecclesiasticis
statuunt.…Vocantur etiam claustra dominica, et continent
atria et porticus ecclesiæ, domum episcopi, xxx vel xl passus in
circuitu, et domus quæ iu eis fuerint. Tandem cessavit ista
immunitas ob abusus.” (Note to I. 37 in
Migne’s Patrilogia). Cf. X. 37, where directions are
given to Januarius, bishop of Cagliari, for his course of action in
such cases. | , and has
so far met with no assistance. Since she asserts that there is a
dispute about her condition1743
| 1743 I.e. as to
whether she was a free-woman or a slave. | , and has asked
that it should be commended to your Fraternity, we hereby exhort you
that you afford your protection to this woman, and permit her not to be
in any way aggrieved by any one unreasonably. But if the question
about her station still continues, let it be your care that, without
any oppression, and in a legal manner, it may be submitted for
judgment; so that when, after ascertainment of the truth, what is
agreeable to the order of law has been determined, neither party may
complain of having suffered wrong. The month of May, first
Indiction.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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