Letter 3041: The matters I have assigned to you require prompt and careful attention.

Gregory to Pantaleon, notary. Evangelus, deacon of the church of Siponto, has complained to us that his daughter was — it is shameful to say — violated by Felix. For this reason, supported by the authority of this directive, it is necessary for you to proceed to the city of Siponto, and taking with you wise men of that place, you will take care to learn the truth with all diligence. And if you find it so, let him either take as wife the woman he violated, with proper nuptial instruments drawn up, or let him be corporally punished, deprived of communion, and thrust into a monastery to do penance — with no permission to leave under any circumstances, unless perhaps our directive permits it. Furthermore, since the aforesaid deacon mentions that he was ransomed from the enemy and therefore has a debt, if you find that his means are not sufficient to repay that debt, we direct our brother and fellow bishop Felix to see to it that he does not delay in paying his ransom price from the church's funds, so that the aforesaid deacon Evangelus may be freed without any delay from the necessity of the debt under which he is placed.

AD PANTALEONEM NOTARIUM, Stuprator virginis aut eam ducat, aut corporaliter ca= stigatus in monasterium detrudatur. Diaconus ca- plus Ecclesio sumptibus redimatur. Gregorius Pantaleoni notario. Questus est nobis Evangelus, Sipontinze Ecele- Sie diaconus, filiam suam * a Felice ſuisse, quod dici nefas es!, s{npratam. Pro qua re hujus pracepti au- ctoritate 8uffultum ad Sipontinam civitatew te pro- C ſicisci necessec es, et adhibitis tibi sapientibus illic viris, cum omni $subtlilitate veritatem curabis ad- discere; et si ita repereris, eam quam ” $stupravit., aut uxorem ſfactis nuptialibus instrumentis accipiat, aut corporaliter castigalum in monasterium eum privatum communione , ubi panitentiam pcragat, nostro Gregorio usurpatur. In epist. seq., cum omni subtlilitate veritalem curabis addiscere ; hoc est Sum- mo studio, omnique Sollicitudine. Ita in epist. 42, curet subliliter 8ingulas quasque dexscribcre, Sine domini consensu ad habitum conversionis non admitlendis, lex ipsa nature 'priecipi, Evangelium confirmat, canones agnoscunt, Slaluunt imperatores el reges. Jus cuique suum s$#rvari, juris est natura- lis. Paulus, I Timoth. vi : Quicunque 8ub jugo 8unt 8erti, etc. Et additur : Si quis oliter docet, elC., quem texlum explicant Patres, Ambrosius, Priina-- $1u8, Hicronymus, Chrysostomus et alii veteres ; concordant novi commentatores. De canonibus le- gere es! canonem aposl. 81 Chalcedonensis concilii, c. 4; Gangrensis, can. 3; capitularis Aquisgranen - Sis, c. 25, Gelasius papa penam depositionis et ex- communicationis decernit adversus eos qui contra - rium ſecerint. Refertur dist. 54, cum pluribus aliis auctoritatibus. Adde extra., lib. 1, tit. 18. Deservorum monachismo, iguorante aut invito domino. Yideat lector Leonis imperatoris conslitutiones 9, 10, 11, quas legisse non erit injucundum. Imperatores ta- men Severius adversns duminos infideles edixerunt, precipue Judzos, ut Supra, epist. »8, observavimus. Vide in Authent., novell. 5, c. 2, nov. 125, c. 4. Hiuc canones posleriores in Servorum gratiam multa modo egrediendi licentia, nisi hoc nostra permise- rit ſortasse preceptio. Pr:eterea quia Supradictus diaconus de hostibus $6 redemptum, ac-propterea debitum habere comme- morat, iJeo si talem ejus Substantiam non eg8e Co- gnoveris que ad reddendum debitum ipsum possit suſſicere, Felici [ratri et coepiscopo nostro Le immi- nere przecipimus, ut ejus pretium de Ecelesia dare non difſerat, quatenus suprascriptus Evangelus dia- conus $ine tarvitate aliqua a debili possit necessitate cui est suppositus liberari.