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Epistle X.
To Lupo, Abbot.
Gregory to Lupo, Presbyter and Abbot.
When the hearts of catholic kings, &c.208
208 For the rest of this
epistle see preceding Epistle IX., with which, mutatis mutandis,
it is identical, as was Epistle VIII., save for an additional paragraph
given under Epistle VIII. See what has been said with regard to
that Epistle. The genuineness, or at any rate the freedom from
interpolation, of all these three Epistles is disputed. The
Benedictine Editors of Gregory’s works defend their
authenticity. See their note (b) to Ep. VIII (Patrologiæ
Tomus LXVII. Sancti Gregorii Magni tomus tertius). The
purport of all three letters is to confer privileges on, and provide
for the future security and regulation of, three recent foundations of
Queen Brunechild at Augustodunum (Autun); viz. 1. A
hospital, or guest-house (xenodochium) in Autun, over
which a Senator, described as “presbyter and abbot,” had
been appointed to preside; 2. A monastery for women, of which Thalassia
had been appointed Abbess; 3. The Church of St. Martin in the suburbs,
over which Lupo, “presbyter and abbot,” presided.
These foundations are referred to, though not described, in Epistle VI.
to Brunechild herself, where Gregory speaks of having issued decrees
for their protection in the future, which he desires should be kept
among the royal archives. In those times of continual conflict
among the Frank potentates royal founders might naturally wish to
protect their foundations from disturbance by means of spiritual
fulminations; and the queen’s desire in this respect might
account for the anathemas in these epistles, which have been said to be
characteristic of a later age than that of Gregory. It may be
observed further that the appointment of the heads of these religious
institutions is, in the letters before us, reserved to “the kings
of the province” instead of free election, subject to episcopal
approval, being left to the inmates, as was usual in other cases.
This might be due, if the letters are genuine, to the request of
Brunechild, whom, as a staunch Catholic and a supporter of the Church,
Gregory ever shews himself anxious to conciliate. With regard to
his politic flattery of her, or of others similarly situated, cf. VI.
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