Letter 9019: I would have you know that we have arranged for you to be put under the care of our guardian (defensoris). And accordingly we order you to obey him without any reluctance in what he may see fit to do, and enjoin on you to be done, for the advantage of the Church. We have given him such power as to enable him to inflict strict punishment on those...

Gregory to the tenant farmers [coloni] of the Syracusan patrimony. I want you to know that I have placed you under the care of our defensor [church legal officer, Romanus]. Obey him without resistance in whatever he sees fit to do or instructs you to do for the benefit of the Church. I have given him sufficient authority to impose strict punishment on anyone who proves disobedient or defiant. I have also charged him to act promptly in recovering to the Church's jurisdiction any slaves who have gone into hiding outside their assigned areas, and to address any boundary violations. But know this as well: he has been warned, under penalty, that he must never presume to commit any wrong or seizure against what belongs to others, under any excuse whatsoever.

Book IX, Letter 19 To the Husbandmen (Colonos) of the Syracusan Patrimony . Gregory to the Coloni, etc. I would have you know that we have arranged for you to be put under the care of our guardian (defensoris). And accordingly we order you to obey him without any reluctance in what he may see fit to do, and enjoin on you to be done, for the advantage of the Church. We have given him such power as to enable him to inflict strict punishment on those who may attempt to be disobedient or contumacious. And we have likewise charged him that he delay not with instant attention to recover to ecclesiastical jurisdiction any slaves who are in hiding outside their limits, or any one by whom boundaries have been invaded. For know that he has been warned on his peril, that he presume not ever under any kind of excuse to do any wrong or robbery in regard to what belongs to others. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209019.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadve nt.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.