Letter 9069: Gregory to Maurentius, military commander.

To Maurentius, Master of Soldiers. [Editorial summary:] He reproves him because he does not restrain the bishop of Naples, who is usurping the things that belonged to the patron of the city. He urges him not to allow the alms granted for some years to be exacted now as though it were owed. He commends to him the privileges of Naples and the cases of the island of Prochyta. Gregory to Maurentius, Master of Soldiers. [...the surviving text resumes in mid-sentence...] Theodorus, a man worthy to be remembered, the bearer of these present letters, was compelled to come to us for certain matters, especially since in that affair he complains that, contrary to the ancient custom, he has suffered a prejudice from our brother and fellow-bishop Fortunatus, the care and arrangement of which [matter] we have seen fit to attend to; and we have transmitted to you a copy of their writings, so that from them your Glory may learn as quickly as possible what ought to be reserved. Moreover, the aforesaid bearer has indicated to us that, to a certain Vectanus, who was count in the fortress of Misenum, because he knew that he had been a man of noble birth and was laboring under excessive poverty, twenty urns of wine per year for two years from the island of Prochyta, which was near to him, had been granted out of regard for mercy; and that now the successor of that same man is violently exacting these [urns] from the same island as though they were owed. And since this ought by no means henceforth to be permitted, he asks that it be prohibited; let your Glory take care to learn of it. And if what is complained of subsists in truth, and this was not a custom before, let justice persuading [it], restrain a grievance of this kind, and let it strive that the administration of piety in the aforesaid island may not impose the burden of a prejudice. But since he asks of us that the privileges of his city, or the cases of that island, be commended to your Glory, we urge that you ought to extend your protection to him, equity being preserved, wherever it shall be necessary; and if in any matter the welfare of the people over which he presides is unduly burdened, as he says, contrary to the order of reason, let the burdens imposed be relieved, with you supporting [him], up to the measure of justice, nor let their privileges be in any way trodden upon; but let all the things which the usage of antiquity has established be preserved inviolate in all respects. Therefore let your Glory in these matters conduct itself so becomingly that it may both be proved to be a party that fosters justice, and that those who have been commended may report to us good things concerning you, which we always desire to hear about you.

AD MAURENTIUM MAGISTRUM MILITUNM. Arguit quod Neapolitanum episcopum ea que patroni civilatis erani usurpaniem non cohibea!, Hortaiur ne concessam per aliquo! annos eleemosynam jam quasi deditum patiatur exigi. Neapvlis privilegia et Pro- chyi® insule causas commendat. Gregorius Maurentio magistro militum. « Meminit presertim epist. 18 lib. v, indict. 13. | * Vide epistolas 4 &t 31 libri vi, indict. 15. Tia Vulgatis recent., occasione reperla ; quod mi- tine mularemus, nisi Mss. Norm., Yatic., elC., una- himis conSensns cogeret. 8 Excusi, ut nullus vesirum. | din Anglie. et plur., que neque legitima ; quare quidem nec synodus dicendu es. In Rhem., Vatic. D ealiis, quia nec legitima quidem nec, elc. In Valic. Bet F, quandoquidem nc synodus dicenda est, cele- brari. In Yau. A, quamvis quidem nec synodus di- cenda esl, celebrari. Eersr, LXIX [ Al. 74]. — © In Ruew: et Valic. D posilis venuire ad nos pro quibusdam c2usis * Theodo- rus, vir memorandus, przsentium portitor, cogeretur, maxime dum in illa re se contra antiqunm morem a ſra- ire et coepiscopo novtro Fortunato queratur prejudi- cium pertulisse, quam ad curam disposiuonemque BR visa curavimus, ipsorumque ad vos s8criptorum exem- plar transmisimns, ut ex eis * quid debeat reservari quamcitius gloria vestra Cognoscat. Przterea indicavit nobis gupradictus portidor , Vectano qui comes fuit in Missinatj castello, propler- ea quod eum nobilem fuisse noverat, et paupertate nimia laborabat, v:ginti urnas vini per duos annos de insula Prochyta, que ei vicina erat, misericordiz inluitu $6 ſuisse largitum, gg ct nunc eas de eadem _ Inzula Succegs80rem ipsivus 4 languam debitas violen- ter exigere. Et quoniam hoc ne de c#tero leniari debeat, postulat prohbiberi, gloria vestra curet ad- discere. Et si hoc quod queritur veritate $ubsistig, et hec ante consuetudo non fait, hujusmodi grava- meu jusGitia 8uadente compescat, et studeat ut pie- C (atis adminictratio in prefata insula onus prejudicii non imponat. Quia vero privitegia civitatis $uz, vel causas in- gule illius a nobis gloriz vestr# petit commendan- das, bortamur ut vesiram ei tuitionem jmpendere, servala 2quilale, quocunque necesse ſuerit debeatis, - el $i qua in re utilices populi qui' prxest contra ra- tionis , sieut ait, ordinem praegravatur, impogita onera usque ad modum justitie vobis suff:agantibus releyeulur, Rec Privilegia eorum quolibet modo cal- ceMur.; sed omnia que usw antiquitatis Statuit, in , omnibus intemerala serventur. lia ergo in his gloria vestra $e dece'ter exhibeat, ut et ipsa paries fovere justitiz comprobetur, et hi qui commendati gunt * bona nobis vestra quz de yobis cupimus semper audire renunkient. ac E, Theodorus vecter preezentium, o(e. Ia Vatic. B, vir nificus. bas us ſisci, an Dominus ſeudi ſuerit, in- quiro. Tullius, olfic. 1 : (ui civiiates aus nattones de- victas bello in fidem recepissent , earum paironi erant more majorum. GUsSANVY, | þ © Ita Valic. B , Rhem., Norm., elC., ubi vulgo le- gimus quid debeat quam citius scrulart, « Multos habet Vecianus Success0res, qui quod eleemosynz titulo donabatur debiti nomine ex tam imporluue, quosdam ut peniteat ſuisse liberales. Gussanv. WE * [1 Vatic. D, Rhem. et al., bong de vobis, ut cu» pimus 84mper audire, renuntient, |