Letter 1055: Gregory to Anthemius, subdeacon [papal agent managing Church estates in Campania].

Gregory to Anthemius, subdeacon [papal agent managing Church estates in Campania]. I recall that I have instructed you not only by frequent written orders, but also by admonishing you many times in person, that you should carry out your duties there in our place not so much for the business interests of the Church as for relieving the needs of the poor, and that you should above all defend them from anyone's oppression. The bearer of this letter, Gaudiosus, has informed us that violence is being done to him by the agents of the holy Roman Church, over which by God's authority we preside. He claims that the men of the said Church wish to claim his sons as Church property [i.e., as servi, bound laborers attached to Church estates]. Having examined the documents he presented, we have determined that Sirica, the wife of the bearer of this letter, was given by Ecia of glorious memory [a former owner] to a certain woman named Morena by a deed of donation, and was then manumitted by that same Morena through a letter of emancipation. We therefore consider it improper that her children, born of a free woman, should be dragged back into servitude. For this reason, we command your Experience [a formal address for papal agents] by this present authority to examine these very documents carefully and with an untroubled mind, just as we ourselves have done. If there are no documents on the Church's side that should contradict this man's papers, you are to cease troubling him without any further delay. For it is a harsh thing that those whom others have freed for the sake of their own souls should be reclaimed by the very Church that ought to have protected their liberty. Therefore, again and again we urgently remind your Experience that if any disputes arise there between the poor and the holy Roman Church, you are to investigate them with complete integrity of mind, and so manage the interests of the Church's estates that you never depart from the kindness that justice demands.

AD ANTHENIUN SUBDIACONUM. Ut neque pauperes opprimi, neque libere mulieris fi- lium ad zerritutem cogi patiathr. Gregorius Anthemio subdiacono, Nou solum fre uentibus praeceptionibus, sed etiarn presentem te sxpius Monuisse me meminj, ut illic ' vice nostra, non tantum pro utilitatibus ecclesiasti- cis, quantum pro $Sublevandis paupernm necessitati- bus fungereris, et eos magis a cuj»slibet oppress:0- nibus vindicares. Prasentium ergo lator Gaud:osus inSinuavit nobis ab actorjbus sancte Romanz, cui Deo auctore presidemus, Ecclesiz 8ibi violentiam irrogari, asserens quod {iliqs suos viri predicts Ec- clesie velint vindicare. Oblatis etenim' ab eo docu- mentis, agnovimus Siricam uxorem presentium . porlitoris, ab Ecia quondam glorios:® memorize, D Morenz cuidam ſeminz titulo donationis ſuisse lar- EeisT. LIV (Al. 52). — ® Capreze sive Caprea, vulyo Capri, insula Campaniz adzacens. Guss..In uno Vatic., Norm., Coib.' et pler., legitur, Cabris. In Turon., Calabris. Carth-:ginensis, quo4 ad calcem Actorum Mart. a nos(ro Th, Ruinart est editum, © Ibidem, hoc est in ipsomet loco ubi relquiz col- locari debent ; non _autem exigirur v1 in hoe mona- Slerio nulla hominum cadavera condita .essent. Qui cum fieri poluisset ut nulla hie jacerent corpora, cum alium ad sep-liendos fratres svos locum muna- chi non | aberent, lmo ipsis in eccle-jis £e1 oraloris, qua Sine _rehquiarum $Sacris pignoribus non - Cone- crabantur, nll velabat quorninns fidelium moriuo- rum corpora humarentar, ut conslat ex Ib. rv Dial., cap. 50, 21, 52 1 55. Cur vero caulionem hanc >an- eliS>}mus poutiſex adhibuerit, querit Gussanv, Du- plex occurrit ratio. Prim? bumala c:rpors loco 1mo- Yeri non Sinchint leges : Pergit audacia ad busla de- ſunclorum , el zaggeres Ccons-cratos, inquit Jutian, Augusl., lib. v Cog. Theod. Ft Jusbnian,, de Sep. Vivilat. Cum ot lap dem hinc moreie, et terram $olli- c:lare, et ce>pitem roller”, proxinum 8@crilegio majores Semp-r habuerint. Vide Spoid., de cemeteriis Sacris, lib. 1, parie 1, cap. 9, Secundo neque etiam cum profuns osSibus alque impiorum rel.quiis miscenda eraut Martyrum >a:ctuatia, ave quibus 8b allari 1S0 Conditis ecclesia vel vialutium nun Cousecra- batur. _ 4 Saucluaria' Sunt reliquize, ut jntellig:tur tum eL hoc luco, wn ex mulls aliis epist. Vide lib. uy episl. 32, et alibi passiw. $17 gitany, et ab*eadem Morena per epistolam * manumig- A 8am ; el ideo indecens esse credimus ut SAS proge- nilj ex libera muliere fi.ii ad servitiam retrakantur. Propterea experientiz luet praesenti auctoritate pracipimnus ut bis ipsis documentis, sicut et nos di- dicimus, exuto a curis animo, diligenter intendat, quatenus $i documenta nulla sunt ab Ecclesiz parte qua documenlis hujus hominis debeaut obviare, ab ejus £e moleslia Sine al:qua retraclatione Suspendat. Durum evim es ut si alii pro mercede $ua liberta- les tribuuyt, ab Ecclesia quam tueri bas oporluerat revocentur. Iterum ergo alque ilterum experientiam tuam neces$ario Submonemus, ut illic 5s que inter pauperes et Romanam Ecclesjam $anclam quzstio- nes vertunlur, omni mentis integrilale .disculiat, Sicque palrimoniales ulilitates peragat, ” ut a beni- gnitale jusSliliz non recedat.