Letter 6005: Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks. The laudable and God-pleasing goodness of your Excellence is manifested both by your government of your kingdom and by your education of your son. To him you have not only with provident solicitude conserved intact the glory of temporal things, but have also seen to the rewards of eternal life, having ...
Pope Gregory the Great→Brunichild|c. 595 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
Barbarian peoples/invasions; Travel & mobility; Military conflict
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The praiseworthy and God-pleasing goodness of your Excellency is made clear both by your governance of your kingdom and by the education of your son. You have not only preserved intact for him the glory of earthly things with provident care, but have also attended to the rewards of eternal life, planting his mind in the root of the true faith with the maternal devotion and laudable attention that befits you. It is therefore no surprise that he should surpass all other kingdoms, since he both worships purely and confesses truly the Creator of all nations. But that faith may shine forth all the more laudably in his works, let your words of encouragement kindle him -- so that, as royal power makes him eminent among men, goodness of conduct may make him great before God.
Since past experience gives me confidence in your Excellency's Christian commitment, I ask you, for the love of Peter, Prince of the Apostles, whom I know you love with your whole heart, to extend your patronage to our most beloved son the priest Candidus, the bearer of this letter, along with the small patrimony I have sent him to manage. With the support of your favor, he will be able both to govern this estate profitably -- its revenue being directed to the expenses of the poor -- and to recover anything that may have been taken from it. Let your Excellency give willing attention to our request, so that the blessed Peter, to whom the power of binding and loosing was given, may reward you in the life to come.
Book VI, Letter 5
To Queen Brunichild.
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The laudable and God-pleasing goodness of your Excellence is manifested both by your government of your kingdom and by your education of your son. To him you have not only with provident solicitude conserved intact the glory of temporal things, but have also seen to the rewards of eternal life, having planted his mind in the root of the true faith with maternal, as became you, and laudable care of his education. Whence not undeservedly it ensues that he should surpass all the kingdoms of the nations , in that he both worships purely and confesses truly the Creator of these nations. But that faith may shine forth in him the more laudably in his works, let the words of your exhortation kindle him, to the end that, as royal power shows him lofty among men, so goodness of conduct may make him great before God.
Now inasmuch as past experience in many instances gives us confidence in the Christianity of your Excellence, we beg of you, for the love of Peter, Prince of the apostles, whom we know that you love with your whole heart, that you would cherish with the aid of your patronage our most beloved son the presbyter Candidus , who is the bearer of these presents, together with the little patrimony for the government of which we have sent him, to the end that, strengthened by the favour of your support, he may be able both to manage profitably this little patrimony, which is evidently beneficial towards the expenses of the poor, and also to recover into the possession of this little patrimony anything that may have been taken away from it. For it is not without increase of your praise that after so long a time a man belonging to Church has been sent for the management of this patrimony. Let your Excellency, then, deign so willingly to give your attention to what we request of you that the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, to whom the power of binding and loosing has been given by the Lord Jesus Christ, may both grant to your Excellence to rejoice here in your offspring, and after courses of many years cause you to be found, absolved from all ills before the face of the eternal Judge.
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Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The praiseworthy and God-pleasing goodness of your Excellency is made clear both by your governance of your kingdom and by the education of your son. You have not only preserved intact for him the glory of earthly things with provident care, but have also attended to the rewards of eternal life, planting his mind in the root of the true faith with the maternal devotion and laudable attention that befits you. It is therefore no surprise that he should surpass all other kingdoms, since he both worships purely and confesses truly the Creator of all nations. But that faith may shine forth all the more laudably in his works, let your words of encouragement kindle him -- so that, as royal power makes him eminent among men, goodness of conduct may make him great before God.
Since past experience gives me confidence in your Excellency's Christian commitment, I ask you, for the love of Peter, Prince of the Apostles, whom I know you love with your whole heart, to extend your patronage to our most beloved son the priest Candidus, the bearer of this letter, along with the small patrimony I have sent him to manage. With the support of your favor, he will be able both to govern this estate profitably -- its revenue being directed to the expenses of the poor -- and to recover anything that may have been taken from it. Let your Excellency give willing attention to our request, so that the blessed Peter, to whom the power of binding and loosing was given, may reward you in the life to come.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)