Letter 1065

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Unknown|gregory great

Gregory to Anthemius, subdeacon [a papal administrative officer].

Just as we ought not to lose property rightfully belonging to the Church, so too we judge it no less improper to lay claim to what belongs to others. And since we have been informed that the house of Petronius, a notary [secretary-scribe] of the holy Roman Church over which we preside by God's authority, was wrongfully seized by Constantius, who was then a defensor [church legal advocate], we charge your Experience by the authority of this present order that, setting aside all excuse or delay, you remove the claim and without delay restore the said house to Theodora, widow of the aforementioned Petronius, who bears this letter — lest, God forbid, harm should come to widows from the very source where they ought to find the comfort of consolation.

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.