Letter 9014: **From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome
Gregory to Felix, in Sicily.
Having received the letters of your Magnificence, we were saddened that you reported that certain properties, which you say you held, have been unreasonably seized by the agents of the church of Syracuse. But we believe this did not come to the knowledge of our brother and fellow bishop John. For the matter could easily have been corrected, once the truth was known, if anything was done unlawfully. And therefore, since it has been decreed by legal provision that the case of both the immediate and the principal matter be heard in one and the same proceeding, and we cannot define anything against an unheard party, we have written to our aforesaid brother to appoint agents of his church who may undergo the judgment of chosen arbiters with you without delay; lest either you lose your property without a hearing, as you complain, or the other party appear to suffer prejudice. Therefore let your Glory interpose no difficulties in choosing judges, nor delay in coming to the case. For we are entirely certain of the character of our aforesaid brother and fellow bishop, that he will not refuse to do whatever the order of reason requires.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
AD FELICEM IN S$ICILIA.
' Se ad Jonnnem episcopum 8cripsisse, ut actores Keele-
$i 8ur deputct, qui cum Felice ips0 8ine mora ju-
dicium subeant. ;
Gregorius Felici in Sicilia.
Susceptis magnitudinis vestre epistolis, contrista-
ti $umus quod ab actoribus Ecclesie Syracusanze
quasdam possessiones, quas vos tenuisse dicitis, 0ccu-
palas irrationabiliter indicasiis. Sed credimus quia
hoc ad fratris et coepiscopi nostri Joannis notitiam
non pervenit. Nam absolute poterat, cognita veritate,
8i quid illicite ſfactum est, emendari. Et ideo quia
legali provisione decretum est ®* tam imminentis
quam principalis rei causam in uno eodemque judi-
cio cognosci, nec nos contra inauditam partem ali-
quid possumus definire , przdicto fratri nostro scri-
psimus ut actores Ecclesiz sua deputare debeat, qui
vobiscum $sine mora electorum possint s1bire judi-
cium ; ne avtl vos res veslras sine cognitione, sicut
querelam ſacitis, amittere, aut pars allera videatur
prejudicium sustinere. Gloria ergo vestra nullas in
eligendos Þ judices diſficuliates interserat, vel dif-
ſerat ad causam accedere. Nam omnino de supradicti
ſratris et coepiscopi nostri moribus certj sumus quia
facere quidquid rationis oro exezerit non recuset ©.
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