Letter 8012: My brother and fellow bishop Paul has come to my attention as a man worthy of your support and friendship.

Gregory to Columbus, bishop of Numidia. How we ought to rely upon the charity of your Fraternity, we gather from the quality of the affection our mind holds toward you. Nor do we think you love the apostolic see otherwise than it loves you. Therefore it is fitting that we especially commend to you those whom we know to be devoted, as is proper, to the Church of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles — to you whose life and conduct are adorned by the priesthood and its dignity, and of whose sincerity we already hold firm proof from past experience. Our brother and fellow bishop Paulus, bearer of the present letter, is beset by great waves and adversities, as your Holiness is not unaware. Since he asserts that the complaints which you indicate have reached you about him are not true but have been stirred up against him by the instigation of his enemies, and since he trusts that with truth as his advocate and you as his judge, with the Lord's help, he can overcome all charges, we urge you, dearest brother, to extend to him the hand of aid where the case for justice is clear, and to assist him with priestly compassion. Let nothing turn you from the pursuit of fairness; let no power of persons give you pause. Rather, relying on the Lord's commandments, despise all that is contrary to righteousness. Stand firm in defending the cause of justice. Do not refuse to bear whatever hostilities may arise for truth's sake, so that you may find all the greater fruit of reward at the coming of our Redeemer, as one who, not neglecting His commands, has devoted yourself to the favor of justice and its defense. Gregory also establishes that seven defensors who have proven their usefulness by experience shall be honored with the rank of regionarii, just as regionarii have long been constituted in the schools of notaries and subdeacons by the generosity of former pontiffs. They shall have the right to sit in assemblies of the clergy during the pontiff's absence, and shall maintain the privileges of their rank in all matters. If one holding the first rank happens to reside in another province for personal reasons, the one who has remained present in ecclesiastical service and obedience to the pontiff through diligent attendance shall hold the position of primacy among all defensors. These provisions of our decree established for the privileges and ordering of the defensors we command to be observed with perpetual stability and without any opposition. Gregory also grants the monastery of Saints John and Stephen in the city of Classis, over which our common son the abbot Claudius presides, extensive privileges. No one shall dare diminish the revenues, documents, or any property belonging to the monastery. If a dispute arises between the Church of Ravenna and the monastery that cannot be settled peacefully, it shall be resolved by arbitrators chosen by both parties who fear God, without willful delay, upon the holy Gospels. When an abbot dies, no outsider shall be appointed, but the congregation shall freely choose one from among themselves; if they cannot find a suitable person among themselves, they shall carefully select one from other monasteries. No person shall be set over the monastery against the abbot's will. Monks shall not be taken from the monastery for ordination to sacred orders or clerical office against the abbot's will, unless they are abundant and sufficient for celebrating God's praises. The abbot may come to or send to the Roman pontiff whenever the monastery's needs require. Your Fraternity the abbot not only does not fear will come frequently to the monastery, but even ardently desires it, knowing that through you the monastery's substance cannot possibly be burdened.

AD COLUMBUM. Paulum episcopum commendat. Gregorius Columbo episcopo Numidiz. Qualiter de ſraternitatis vestrie debeamus chari- late przsumere, ex mentlis nostr2 quam Circa vos habemus qualitate colligimus. Nec aliter vos aposto- licam $edein diligere quatu ipsa Yyos diligit arbitra- mur. Unde-necesse est ut eos quos in Ecclesia beali Petri aposiolorum principis, ut oportet, devyolos eS5e cognoscimus, vobis, cujus vitam et actio gacer- dotis ornal et dignitas, peculiarius commendemus, de cujus $cilicet sinceritalte ſirmum experimentum de preleritis jam lenemus. Frater igitur et coepiscopts noster Paulus, pre- 8entium purtitor, quantis illic fluetibus, quantisque adrersitatibus quatialur, sanctitatem vesiram m&- morat non latere. Qui quoniam querelas quas de eo- ad vos pervenisse siguaslis non veras esse , $ed ins- ligatione adversantium contra se ass8erit excitari, et omnta s8e fidit, patrocinante veritate, vobis cogno- scemnibus, adjulore posse Dowino g8uperare, horta- mur, dilectissime frater, ut ei in quibus fueril juslitiz ratio nianiſesla, manum decenter prebere Sul3lii alque Sacerdolali eum compassione debeas adjuvare. Nulla ergo vos res ab aquilatis $tu- dio, nulla Suspendat polentlia personarum. Sed in- nitens pPraeceplis dominicis , 0mnia que $unt reclitu- dini adversa contemne. In deleudendis partibus jus- tilie consSlanier insisle, Odia pro veritale, si qua Sunl, SuSlinere nun renuas; ut tanto inajore:n in ad- D vcntu Redemptoris nostri ſructuw mercedis invenias, dunt, et regulas canonice discretionis YQ4 exce-.. dunt, vigilantem studete euram impendere; atque * Vatic. B, magistrum militum. © Hoc loco expunximus quia, Suadentibus Ms. pene omnibus, et gensum restiluimus. Quid enim SenSus inerat huic verborum conlextui : Denique quia cum fidei, etc, Secuti $umus VYalic. , Norm., Corb., etc. Eersr. XII | Al. 14]. — * In Vatic. D et nonnullis aliis Mss., fraires charissimi.... que predilos vos. oc quaztv - ejus i:ndata non negligens, in ſavorem 1e jusliliz et defensionem impenderis., * Mense Marlio, indictione prima, ( Vide sup. (. vi, ep. 61; 6. vity ep. 2; et hujus lib, ep. 12.) © [ta cum- Mss. vet. Excusi, etsi in recentioribus legatur : charitatis unitatem $ervare. EeisT. XIM [Al. 16]. — * In Vatic. A, B, D, F, el jn Colb. vel., sic legitur. et excessus auctorem coercitionis freno sacerdotali constt ingite , | alque eum ab inviv itinere © lingua duce et actione A fr 917 EPISTOLARUM LIB. VII. — INDICT. I. — EPIST. XV. A cunque rations exeusatione, et quz bene sunt ordi- 905 EPISTOLA NIV. AD BONIFACIUM PRIMUM DEFENSORENM. Deſensores seplem honore regionariorum decorandos slaluil. Gregorius ® Bonifacio de privilegiis deſensorum. Ecelesiaslicis ulilitatibus ſ(ideliter insudanles con- gruz remunerationis sunt beneficio prosequendi, ut el n0s respondisee eorum digne obsequiis videamur, el illi ex indulla consolationis gratia utiliores exi- $tant. Quia igitur deſensorum officium in causis Ecclesiz et obsequiis noscitur laborare ponlificum, hac eos COncessa Prospeximus recompensalionis pre - rogaliva gaudere : consliluentes ut Sicut in Þ schola nolariorum alque Subdiaconorum per indultam louge retro pontificum largitalem sunt regionarii conslituti, jila quoque in deſensoribus seplem qui oslensa Suze experientia2 ulilitale placuerint honore. regionario decorentur, Quos quolibet per absentiam pontilicis et sedendi in couventu clericorum habere licentiam, et bonoris $ui privilegia in omnibus stlatuimus obli- nere. Freterea si quis ad prioris locum veniens in alia forlasse provincia propler utililatem propriam degit, hunc necesse est primatus locum per omnia curare, ut ille prior deſensorum omnium poss$is exi- Slere, qui et ante prioratus locum in ecelesiasticis uiilitatibus obsequiisque poulilicis non deslilit per sedulam prxSentiam permanere. Hec itaque consti- tutionis nostre decrela (Grat. 25, q. 2, c. 7) que ' pro defensorum 8uvnt privilegiis et ordinitione dispo- Sila, perpetua $tabilitate et sine aliqua consttuimus reſragatione Servari, Sive que $cCripto decrevimus, Seu quz in eis in nostra prasentia videntur esse disposita, nec a quoquam ponlificum in totum par- temve qualibet occasione convelli decernimus. vel mutari. Nam nimis est asperum, et precipue bonis Sacerdotlum moribus inimicum, niti quempiam qua- Eersr. XIV [Al. 17]. — * Varins est hic titutos lam in Mss. quam in Editis exemplaribus. Quiedam ita legunt : Boniſacio de pririlegits deſensorum. Alia SiC : Bonifacio deſensori de privilegits primicerii deſen- soris. In aliis hahetur hoc modo : Boniſucio primice- rio deſensori privilegii primicern deſensoris. De de- ſensoribus regionariis vide $upra, ad epist. 26 lib. 1. Grssaxv. Quod hic dicitur de Mss. pugna in epistolz hujus inscriptione, veleres Covices legenti dubium esse non potest. Attamen Normanni omnes, Anglic,, Corb., consentiunt in titulo. quem czteris ea ratione duximus anteponendum. Variz lectiones a Gussan- villeo prolaiz reperinntur in Vatic. et in Colb, Vide Gregoriwn Turonensem, listorize lib. x, cap. 2, de episcopo qui scholain omnem Sui decess0ris abjecer.t, GUs>ANnv. Eer>r. XV [AL. 48]. — * Privilegium hoc quod 81nclus Gregorius pro monaslerio Classitano condi- derat, pvs:ea ad omnia monasleria transfudit in con- cili» Rome habito apud Lateranum, ind, 4. Habetur iiln.4 decretum in tomis Conciliorum post epistolas $:nCti Gregorii. GusSaNnv. In duobus Te'ler, SiC inci- pit : Quantii $i pretii, quarice neces847'un. 91d nata rescindere, et exemplo sno docere c#teros $ua quandoque post $e cons(itata dissolvere. © Mense Aprili, indictione prima. | EPISTULA XY. AD MARINIANUM RAVENNE EPISCOPUM. | Monaslerio sanclorum Joannis et Stephani mulla con- cedit privileaia. Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravennali. Classitana est Civitate conslitulum, cui communis filius © Claudius abbas praesse dignoscitur, 4 mula Dei servilio, ipsius quoque gratia suffragante, mente libera perseverent. Sed ne ex ea que magis emen- danda est consuetudine- quisquam illic quolibet tem- pore quidquam molesli2 prexaumat inſerre, necesse est ut hxc que inſerius enumeranda curavimus ila fralernitalis ves!re 8tudio debeant eustodiri, ut ex eis non possit ulterius inferendze inquietu- dinis occasio reperiri. * Nullus igitur ultra audeat de reditibus vel chartis praedicti monasterii, vel de | loco aliquo qui ad ipsum pertinet quocunque modo, qualibet exquisitione, minuere, f nec immissiones vel dolos aliquos facere. Sed si qua forte causa inter Ravennatem Ecclesiam et praſatum monasterium evenerit, et paciſice non potuerit ordinari, apud de- lectos a parlibus timenles Deum, sine voluntaria dilatione, & mediis 8acrosanctis Evangeliis finiatur. num. Novnm hune portum exstruxit Augustus C:egar ad classem in eo locandam, unde ei nomen. Alii a Pompeio exstructum volunt. De eo Procopius, Aga- thias, Evagrius, Paulus Diaconus, etc. Gussanv. 4 Hinc origo exemplionum., Gussanv. . © Hic deservimus recent. Ed., ubi legitur, invi- tis S'\nceris Mss. omnibus Norm., Valic. , ntroque Rhbem., Corb., Anghec., etc. : interdicimus igitur ut. nullus episcoporum aut s&cularium ultra andeat. Infra habeiur occasione minuzre,- pro, erquisitione minuere. Gall., ' une entreprise sur les biens d'quirui. GUSSANY. SANCTI CREGORII MACNI D-ſuncto vero abbate, ® non extraneus nisi de eailem A gravamen aliqued monasterium non incurrat. Ve- -ongregatione, quem $ibi propria voluntate i con- gregatio elegerit, et qui electus ſuerit sine dolo vel venalitale aliqua , ordinetur ; quod si aptatu inter $e personam invenire nequiverint, solerter de aliis mo- nasleriis $ibi $similiter eligant ordinandum. * Neque venienti abbati quzcunque persona qualibet occa- sione in $Su0 monaslerio praponatur, nisi forte ex- slantibus, quod absit, criminibus que $sacri canones punire monstrantur. Pariter autem custodiendum est ut invito ejusdem monasterii abbale ad ordinanda alia monasteria, aut ad ordines sacros vel clericatus oflicium, tolli exinde monachi non debeant. Sed si abundantes fuerint, et ad celebrandas Deo laudes vel utilitates monasteriorum complendas sufliciant, abbas cum devotione de his qui superſuerint offerat, quos dignos ! coram Deo invenire potuerit. Quod si suſlicienter habens dare noluerit, tunc Ravennas episcopus ad ordinanda alia monasteria de his qui Supersunt tollat. Ad ecclesiastlicum tamen officium nullus exinde producalur, nisi quem abbas loci ad- monitus propria voluntate obtulerit (Grat. dist. 58, c. +). Quisquis autem ex prdicto monasterio ad ecclesiaslicum ordinem pervenerit, ® ulterius illic nec aliquam potestatem, nec licentiam habeat ha- bitandi. | Observandum quoque est ut descriptio rerum aut Charlarum ejusdem monasterii ab ecclesiasticis fieri non debeat, si quando res exigit : QQ7 $cd ab- bas loci cum abbatibus aliis ® rerum inveatarium faciat. Quoties autem pro utilitate monasterii sui ad Ro- manum ponlilicem abbas venire vel transmittere forte voluerit, ei modis omnibus liceat. Praterea cum episcoporum adventus desideranter & Placuit recentioribus Ed. inserere cujuseunque congregations, contra Mss. Valic., Norm., Corb., etc. Ad hanc lectionem praferendam nos coegit 8um- mus Mss. Norm., Rhem., Corb., Colbert., quibus duo Vatic; et vet. Kd. concinunt, consensus; elsf lectio recent. Vulgatorum magis convenire videatur, _s tr viventi abbati. ; | * Norm. et Corb., coram Deo putaverit. Vatic. B, coram Deo viderit. Vaticani A, E, F, coram Deo po- luerit. » Olim duplici ex cansa monachi ordinabantur Sacerdotes, vel pro monasteriis, vel pro ecclesiis Sxcularibus ant parochiis, ut habetur 16, q. 1, in pluribus capitibus. Non ergo hic agit Gregorius de monachis. qui pro $uis monasleriis ordinantur, $ed de iis duntaxat qui ab episcopo e monasterio tolle- bautur, permittente abbate, ad officium ecclesiasti- cum administrandum, ut patet ex pracedeutibus ${ram vero ſralernilatem predictus abbas non $solum * non metuit ad monasterium frequenter accedere, sed etiam desiderabiliter concupiscit, sciens quod per vos Substantia monasterii omnino gravari nvu possit. P Data mense Aprili, indictione prima.