Letter 4011: The man who reveals a friendly conscience through clear proofs takes away the need for idle speculation.

He who reveals a friendly conscience by manifest signs takes away the leisure of those to whom he has granted the dignity of his grace. For scarcely are the lips idle of one who is accustomed to being heard, because it is a great loss of modesty to hold back the benefit of words, so that while we spare the tongue the generous brow labors. You have made me garrulous, you who have been accustomed to admit my prayers. But lest I talk around what ought to be bestowed and lest I delay what is to be obtained by the prolixity of the letter, I return to the matter. The distinguished Laurentius asserts that revenues owed to him, which the Roman Church promised by a pact made with his patron, are denied by the lord pope under I know not what objection. In this business he implores through me the favor of your defense, so that a matter which you owe to the laws you may be seen to render to diligence, and that what cannot be denied to equity may grow from affection. Grant this matter according to my desires, so that however much advantage comes to the named man, I may confess that I have received just as much as a gift. Therefore, speaking my greeting, I hope that around the duties of letters neither your sincere love may take a holiday nor the eloquence celebrated by the testimony of the whole world may fall silent.

XI. ENNODIVS LVMINOSO. Qui amicam conscientiam manifestis pandit indiciis, tollit otium quibus gratiae praestiterit dignitatem. uix enim feriata sunt ora eius qui consueuit audiri, quia magnum dispendium pudoris est uerborum retinere beneficium, ut dum linguae parcimus honestatis prodiga frons laboret. uos me garrulum fecistis, qui preces meas consuestis admittere. sed ne praestanda circumloquar et epistulae prolixitate inpetranda suspendam, ad rem redeo. sublimis uir Laurentius reditus sibi debitos, quos ecclesia Romana facta cum auctore eius est pactione pollicita, a domno papa asserit sub nescio qua oppositione denegari. in quo negotio fauorem per me uestrae defensionis inplorat, ut rem, quam debetis legibus, uideamini exhibere diligentiae et illud crescat affectui quod denegari non licet aequitati. uos hanc rem iuxta desideria mea tribuite, ut quantum nominato uiro commoditatis accesserit tantum me muneris accepisse confitear. salutem ergo dicens spero, ut circa munia litterarum nec sincerus amor uacationem accipiat nec facundia totius orbis celebrata testimonio conticescat. 1 per] pro L amore Lx conditione BLTV 2 dne do\'mine L 3 saggerendo B 4 effectil B saplicem F, gupplicere TI 5 praecator L accessi] finit add. B XI. 9 prestiterit B , uix] uox L 10 st B, eint Sirm . eius qui BPb, qui eius LTVj eius fort. expungendum, cf. Wiener Studien II p. 241 audiri (diri in ras.) B 11 benificium B 12 prodigia L ! 13 consuistis B, consueuiBtis Pb prestsnda B 14 et in mg . add. B 15 reditos B, redditus T 19 legitibuB B diligende T 20 de negari B 21 iusta Tl 22 adcesserit B accipisse B 23 munia (ia in ras.) L 24 sincer B 25 orbis B celebratja B a in mg. add . conticiscat B