Letter 7009: The alms you sent to Rome have arrived, and I thank you sincerely.

TO BISHOP JOHN. [Summary heading:] He gives thanks for the alms sent to Rome. In judging cases let him regard God alone. Let him not henceforth have his own writings read at table. Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. The benefaction which your Fraternity sent for the poor, the bearer of the present letter, your man Candidus, distributed to us with his own hands as we dispensed it; which perhaps seemed to you, according to your own intention, too little. We, however, according to the measure of your substance, reckon it to be very great and beyond measure, in that you, who have there among you countless poor, nevertheless, for the fulfilling of the bounty of mercy, seek out also other places set far off. But concerning the other matters, I remember that I have already replied in my earlier writings sent to you, and you owe nothing else, except that you do all things under the consideration of the Almighty God alone, and that no man's person soften you away from the rigor of discipline, nor that any vehement [...] harden you into the obduracy of overstrictness. Moreover I hear that some of those things which I remember to have written, your Fraternity has read at your own table before strangers; which does not seem to me to be a thing that ought to be done, because what you do for the sake of charity, certain persons, as far as concerns me, may impute to vainglory. And therefore, before strangers read the sayings of the ancients, by whose authority those who hear may be able to be instructed. (Cf. John the Deacon, Book IV, no. 16.) EPISTLE X. TO AGNELLUS THE ABBOT. [Summary heading:] Let him choose a provost according to the merit of his life. Let him watchfully keep guard over the brothers. Gregory to Agnellus, abbot of Ariminum [Rimini]. From the report of our son Secundus, servant of God, we have learned that your Beloved, having no provost at all, labors in the governing of the brothers. If, therefore, he who follows you next in order is such that he can be found skillful concerning the ordering of the cell and the custody of the brothers, and also in the winning of souls, he ought without hesitation to come to this office. But if he is not such as the place demands, then from any rank whatsoever, even the lowest, if such a one be found among the brothers, by the Lord's protection, who by the merits of his life may furnish proof of his manner of living worthy of it, and in whom the vigor of the divine fear keeps watch, of him assuredly not the place [seniority], but the usefulness is to be provided for; so that by such an example all the brothers may extend themselves to the standard of good imitation, nor may a lower rank still render them lukewarm in working well, while in him who has advanced they look upon something present which they may imitate. Wherefore let there be in your Beloved no doubt in this appointment, since not the place [rank], but the fitting action is sought; for before God that man holds the place of the prior who, in His eyes, even if here he be cast down, has pleased by the instrument of good action. May the Lord by the gift of His propitiation bring it to perfection, and [...]. [Editorial apparatus, variant readings and footnotes follow in the source; among them: a notice that in the Milanese manuscript 1, under the heading 'On the bishop's table,' it is prescribed that at his table the reading of the sacred books be employed, so that the guests may be refreshed not only by the food of the body but also by the banquets of the soul; and the Council of Tours, canon 5: that a bishop ought not to lie back upon too lavish banquets, but to be content with sparing and moderate food; and that while he dines, a sacred reading should rather be recited before his table than that idle words resound from whisperers. (Gussanville.) These are not part of the letter text. The remaining apparatus consists of editors' notes on manuscript variants (Norman, Tours, English, Vatican, Colbert, and other codices) and is not letter content.]

AD JOANNEM EPISCOPUM. De miszza Romam eleemosyna gratias agit. In cansis Jjudicandis s0lum Deum consideret. Ne ad mensam scripia sua deinceps ſaciat legi. Gregorius Joanni episcopo Syracusano. Benedictionem quam pauperibus ſraternitas veslra transmisit lator prasentiuin homo vester Candidus nobis dispensantibus suis manibus erogavit, quod vobis secundum animum vesirum ſortasse parum vi- Sum es1!. Nos tamen $secundum modum vesire sub- stantize es$e nimium et ultra modum #stimamus, ul qui illic apud vos inuumeros pauperes habetis, pro explenda largitate misericordie, etiam loca alia el Jonge posita requiratis.. * De causis vero aliis, vobis scriplis prioribus jam respondisse memini, et nihil aliud debetis, nisi ut 8uÞ consideratione $olius omni- potentis Dei cuncta laciatis, et nullius persona vos a vigore discipline emolliat, neque Þ vebemens indi- Eersrt. VIII. — *® In Vate. D, quia et diversis cor- poribus, In recent. Ed., quia et divisi corporibus. Anglic., Colb., Vatic., 2, etc. Ita etiam legitur loco in Proverbiis designato. Eersr. IN. — * Locum hunc corruperunt Editores, ac Sensum everterunt, unius $yllab:e adjectione, ac mulata interpunctione. Prius enim legebatur, de cau- sis vero aliis a vobis 8criplis prioribus, etc. Paulo post inseruerunt guarere ante debetis, quod in Mss. mi- nime legitur. " © b Male in $uperioribus Exc., vehemens dedignatio. © Antiquorum dicta vult legi. In Mediolanensi 1, ti- 1ulo De episcopi mensa. Adhibeaiur vero in ejus mensa lectio 8acrorum librorum, ut convive non s0lum corpo- ris cido, sed ctiam epulis anima recreari possint. In Turon. mm, can. 5: Episcopum non oporlere nimum proſusis incumbere convivits, sed parco et moderalo contentus it cibo. Quandiu convivatur, potius sacra le- clio ante mensam ejus recitetur, quam 0tiosa a SUSUT- slrictionis obduret. | : Przterexr audio quod aliqua de his que scripsisse me memini, fratervitas vesira © ad mens2m Suam Cc: ram extraneis legi ſaciat ; quod mihi non videtur esse faciendum, quia hoc quod vos pro charitate ſacitis, possunt quidam quantum ad me est vanz gloriz de- pulare, - Ideoque coram exiraneis antiquorum dicta legite, ex quorum auctoritate valeant qui audieriol informari. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. 1v, n. T6.) EPISTULA X. AD AGNELLUM ABBATEM. Prepositum ex viie merito eligat. Fratribus sollicite invigilet. Gregorius * Agnello abbati de Arimino. Filio nostro Þ Secundo servo Dei renuutiante didi- cimus quod dilectio tua prepositum non habens om- nino in regendis ſrairibus elaboret. FYJ Si ergo qui vos ex ordine $equitur lalis est ut circa cellz or- dinationem fratrumque custodiam, necnon et in lu- crandis animabus, solers valeat inveniri, is debet ad hunc locum incunctanter accedere. Si vero talis non esl qualem Jocus exposcit, de quolibet etiam ultimo gradu, si tal.s inter fratres, Domino protegente, ſue- rit repertus, qui vite merilis dignum couversationis S$uz praebeat documentum, divinique in eo limoris vigor invigilet, © hujus proſecto non locus, sed est utilitas providenda ; 4 ut talis exemplo ad bon:e imi- lationis normam cuncli se ſratres extendant, nec eos adhuc locus inferior ad bene operandum tepidos red- dat, dum in jillo qui profecerit de prxsenti quod imi- tentur aspiciunt. Dilectioni quapropter luz in hac ordinatione sit nulla dubietas quod non locus, Sed actio apla perquiritur, quia et ante Deum ille prio- ris oblinet locum, qui in ejusdem oculis, etiamsi hic abjeclus sit, bonz actionis instrumento placuerit. Suz propitiationis f Dominus dono perliciat, et im- ronibus resonent verba. Gus8ANv. Eeisrt. X. — * Male anmtea leg-batur episcopo. Nam CaStorius adhuc in vivis erat. Gussaxv. Hanc Gus- sanvillazi obscrvationem conlirmant Mss. omnes Norm., Turon., Anglic., Vatlic., etc. -b In Editis Secundino; $ecus in omnibus Norm., Corb., Vatic. tribus. © Ostendit quam facile a reclo conversationis iti- nere exorbitent mon«chj, si custodia non prrvigilet ; SUmMmaque enilendum cnra, ut ad cumulum cweplte perſectionis ascendant. Gussavv. | Rhbem., cum prius legeretur : 5 propitiationis dono per ficiant, et imperſecla ad cumulum faciant perſe- clionis ascendere. | | nw R'% EPISTOLARUM LIB. VII. — INDICT. XV. — EPIST. XI. 866 dere.