Letter 13011: My brother Maximus, I must address something that has caused repeated difficulties: your representatives have been...

To Maximus, Bishop of Salona. That henceforth he will not trust men [sent to him] unless they hold a mandate legally subscribed. Gregory to Maximus, Bishop of Salona. We had indeed previously written other letters to your Fraternity; but at the time when we wished to dismiss the men of yours whom you sent to us, we learned from certain of our people that you had written that you had by no means sent Veteranus the presbyter and Optatus the defensor in the case at that time, and that therefore the things which were transacted with them ought not to stand. Moreover Thomas, the defensor of your Church, alleged that this had been told to him by you by word of mouth. For which reason we have now judged that not even the bearers of the present letter are to be believed, lest after this the like should be said about them too. Since therefore this matter has made us greatly doubtful, and has warned us that we ought to be cautious: if you wish to plead the case, send henceforth a duly instructed person, with a mandate legally drawn up, strengthened by the subscriptions of yourself and of the presbyters or deacons in witness, and with the proceedings entered according to custom, so that whatever may be transacted with that person can lawfully stand. For we are prepared, God helping us, to preserve in all things what is just and lawful, not only toward you but also toward all; it remains only that you do not omit to do what is prescribed by law.

AD MAXIMUM SALONITANUM EPISCOPUM. Ittins hominibus non crediturum 8e deinceps, nisi mendatum fegaliter subscriptum habeant. Gregorins Maximo episcopo Salonitano. Alia quidem scripta ad fraternitatem tnam antea . ſeceramus; ®* 8ed tempore quo homines tuos quos ad nos misisti relaxare volnimns scripsisse te qui- busdam nostris comperimus quod Þ Veteranum pfe- sbyterum atque Optatum defensorem tunc minime in causa transmiseris, et ideo ea que cum eis acta sunt non debere subsistere. Sed et Thomas, Eeclesize tua defensor, sibi verbo a te dictum perhibuit. Ex qua re jam nec praentium portitoribus judicavimus es8e credendum, ne de ipsis quoque post hzec $imi- liter diceretur. Quia ergo hc res nos valde ſecit ambigere, et cantos esse _debere praemonuit, si causam vultis dicere, instructam de cxtero pers0- nam * cum mandato 1226 legaliter facto, tuis ac presbyterorum $sen diaconorum 4. in testimonium s1Þscriptionibus roborato, gestisque ex more in- dito, transmitlite, ut quidquid cum ea actum fue- rit possit jure subsistere. Nam nos non solum tibi, 8d etiam omnibus quod justum legitimumque fuerit parati 8umus, Deo juvante, per omnia custodire ; lantum est ut tu quod lege pracipitur facere non omittas. |