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| To Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards.
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Epistle XII.
To Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards.
Gregory to Queen Theodelinda.
The letters which you sent us a little time ago from the Genoese parts have made us partakers of your joy on account of
our learning that by the favour of Almighty God a son has been given
you, and, as is greatly to your Excellency’s credit, has been
received into the fellowship of the catholic faith238
| 238 i.e. the child had
been baptized a catholic. It would seem from Gregory’s way
of speaking, and the absence of allusion to the conversion of the
father, that king Agilulph had not yet announced his Arianism.
Paul Diaconus alleges that he did so eventually through the influence
of Theodelinda. | . Nor indeed was anything else to
be supposed of your Christianity but that you would fortify him whom
you have received by the gift of God with the aid of Catholic
rectitude, so that our Redeemer might both acknowledge thee as His
familiar servant, and also bring up prosperously in His fear a new king
for the nation of the Lombards. Wherefore we pray Almighty God
both to keep you in the way of His commandments, and to cause our most
excellent son, Adulouvald239
| 239 The child who had been baptized (al. Adaloaldus, or Adoaldus). He
succeeded his father as king of the Lombards, a.d. 616, being still a boy, reigning under his
mother’s guardianship. According to Paul Diaconus,
Gregory’s hopes were for a short time
fulfilled:—“Under them Churches were restored, and many
endowments were bestowed on venerable places;”—but before
long he became insane, and after ten years (a.d. 626) was deposed, Arioald being appointed to succeed
him (Hist. Longob. iv. 43). | , to advance in
His love, to the end that, as he is in this world great among men, so
also he may be glorious for his good deeds before the eyes of our
God.
Now as to what your Excellency has requested in your letter, that we should reply in full to what our most beloved son,
the abbot Secundus has written240
| 240 On the subject of
the “Three Chapters,” as appears from what follows.
It is evident that the able and conscientious queen Theodelinda never
found herself able to accept the ruling of the See of Rome on this
question (cf. IV. 2, note 3); and she seems now to have employed the
abbot Secundis to draw up a statement of the arguments on her side,
inviting Gregory to reply to them. He did not, however, on this
account cease to address her cordially as a good catholic. He
seems to have condoned in her what he so strongly condemned in others
as involving them in schism. On the schism arising from the
matter of the “Three Chapters,” see I. 16, note 3; and
Prolegom., p. x. | , who could think of
putting off his petition or your wishes, knowing how profitable they
would be to many, did not sickness stand in the way? But so great
an infirmity from gout has held us fast as to render us hardly able to
rise, not only for dictating, but even for speaking, as also your
ambassadors, the bearers of these presents, are aware, who, when they
arrived, found us weak, and when they departed, left us in the utmost
peril and danger of our life. But, if by the ordering of Almighty
God I should recover, I will reply in full to all that he has
written. I have, however, sent by the bearers of these presents
the Synod that was held in the time of Justinian of pious memory, that
my aforesaid most-beloved son may acknowledge on reading it that all
that he had heard against the Apostolic See or the Catholic Church was
false. For far be it from us to accept the views of any heretic whatever, or to
deviate in any respect from the tome of our predecessor Leo, of holy
memory; but we receive whatever has been defined by the four holy
synods, and condemn whatever has been rejected by them.
Further, to our son the King Adolouvald we have taken thought to send some phylacteries; that is, a cross with wood of
the holy cross of the Lord, and a lection of the holy Gospel enclosed
in a Persian case. Also to my daughter, his sister, I send three
rings, two of them with hyacinths, and one with an
albula241
| 241 Some precious stone,
probably of a white colour. | , which I request
may be given them through you, that our charity towards them may be
seasoned by your Excellency.
Furthermore, while paying you our duty of greeting with
fatherly charity, we beg you to return thanks in our behalf to our most
excellent son the King your consort for the peace that has been made,
and to move his mind to peace, as you have been accustomed to do, in
all ways for the future; that so, among your many good deeds, you may
be able in the sight of God to find reward in an innocent people, which
might have perished in offence. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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