Letter 8016: I have not forgotten my debt to you, nor have I withdrawn from the duties that affection requires.

I have not forgotten my debt nor held back from my duties, nor have I, despising what was established, suspended my garrulity from the performance of service. But after I returned from the city, various illnesses immediately pressed upon me, and everything that summons one to death closed in. Truly, my lady, as surely as joyful things may come to you and yours, Christ our Lord, as a witness to the ancient mystery, has again called a Lazarus from the tomb — a sinner though I am, and not like that man who merited being called a friend, but he has called me back nevertheless. There is a unity of the deed in the distance between the persons, and now the magnitude of the divine work is all the greater because what that man merited has fallen to me undeservedly. This is the cause that called me back from the proclamation of duty. Yet after I was restored to life, I immediately turned to paying the services owed to you, praying to God that he guard you and yours with heavenly aid. I promise myself also, and to my desires, that with your good fortune and joy a dignity attained that satisfies my prayers will summon you to service at court. Do not, my lady, withdraw yourself from this labor, from this burden. Let the provinces see the good things of the city of Rome, and let what can scarcely be established by admonitions be formed by the good examples that God has bestowed upon you. Yet I ask, with the reverence of greeting displayed, that you relieve me with your most eagerly awaited reply, and that you not allow anyone else to dictate what you write to me: so may your prayer never be repelled from obtaining its desire.

XVI. ENNODIVS BARBARAE. Non ego debiti inmemor ab officiis temperaui nec constituta despiciens garrulitatem meam ab obsequii exhibitione suspendi. 1 imcommodis B 2 uidebantur restitute B 3 scantae B 5 praecibus B XV. 9 processerint B 10 est] et T, aest B1 nimis] minus Sinn . 11 magnitudini (postr . i in ras.) B laebat me∗∗∗∗ B 13 delitisceret BLXTV 14 absentiam (abse in ras.) B 15 exsuperit B 16 filis amationis effuasimae B 17 imptiens LTY, impartiens b 18 notitiae scripsi, potitiae BLV, potitie P, potentie T, pueritiae b 19 mantipia L 20 praecidentibus B discenIdentem B n in fine lineae postea add. sed m. 1 21 offere B 22 inperare B XVI. 24 barbare BT 25 temporaui (po in ras:) B 26 obsequi B sed postquam ab urbe regressus sum, continuo me uariae aegritudines et quicquid ad mortem uocat artauit. uere, domna mea, sic uobis uestrisque laeta contingant, quia ad testimonium ueteris mysterii Christus noster iterum quamuis peccatorem nec ut illum, qui amicus dici meruit, sed rursus uocauit Lazarum de sepulcro. est facti unitas in distantia personarum, eo nunc amplior magnitudo diuini operis, quia quod ille meruit mihi cessit indebite. haec causa me ab officii promulgatione reuocauit. postquam tamen ad uitam reductus sum, continuo me ad seruitia uobis soluenda conuerti, rogans deum, ut uos uestrosque superno tueatur auxilio. promitto mihi etiam et desideriis meis, quod cum felicitate uestra et gaudio ad comitatenses excubias, quae uotis meis satisfaciat, dignitas adepta uos euocet. noli, domna, huic te labori, huic oneri submouere. uideant bona Romanae ciuitatis prouinciae, et quae monitis uix instituuntur per bona, quae uobis deus contulit, formentur exemplis. rogo tamen reuerentia salutationis exhibita, ut expectatissimo me releuetis alloquio, sed nec alterum dictare patiamini quae ad me scribetis: sic numquam ab impetratione oratio uestra pellatur.