Letter 2014: Even though I did not receive a letter from your brotherhood through the subdeacon Contemtus, I have nonetheless...

From: Ruricius, bishop of Limoges To: Foedamius and Vilicus, priests Date: ~489 AD Context: Ruricius opens correspondence with two priests, insisting on speaking first as the elder party and urging genuine rather than superficial Christian love. Bishop Ruricius to his most blessed and venerable brothers in Christ, the priests Foedamius and Vilicus. Even though I did not receive a letter from your brotherhood through the subdeacon Contemtus, I have nonetheless sent this one to you through him — driven by affection, both to satisfy my longing and to open the door to correspondence first, since I am the elder. This way, no excuse for future silence remains, and what should be a matter of willing choice cannot be attributed to diffidence or timidity. I send my warmest greetings in Christ the Lord to Your Beatitudes, and I hope you will love me — as befits men of the church — not with your lips only but with your hearts.

XIIII. BEATISSIMIS ET IN CHRISTO UENERABILIBUS FRATRIBUS FOEDAMIO ET UILICO PRESBVTBRIS RURICIUS EPISCOPUS. Quamlibet litteras fraternitatis uestrae per subdiaconem Contemtum non perciperem, tamen has ego ac per ipsum ad uos affectu instigante direxi, ut et desiderio satisfacerem et scribendi aditum prius, prior utpote, patefacerem, ne in posterum locus relinqueretur excusationi et res uoluntatis, diffidentiae et uerecundiae esse diceretur. salutem itaque in Christo domino plurimam dico beatitudini uestrae et spero, ut me, sicut decet ecclesiasticos uiros, non labiis, sed corde diligatis et de me caritate, sincera malo quam pristina, dicere praesumatis, quia, si illa fuisset uera, permanserat et, si fuisset mutua, mutata non fuerat. a cuius tamen fuerit parte mutata, et conscientiae nostrae nouerint et conscientiarum cognitor sine adsertore cognoscit, quem ego testem adhibeo professioni meae nec de initio simultatis me esse culpabilem nec in corde meo de (uobis), quicquid actum est dictumue, resedisse, quia scio nobis ab aeterno et uero iudice dictum, quod, nisi ex corde dimiserimus fratribus, nobis dimitti non debeat. habetis itaque sponsionem meam, reddite mihi fidem uestram, quia in epistula mea procul dubio uinculum, quod elegeritis, habebitis, aut 24] Matth. 6, 14; Marc. 11, 26. 1 diabulo 8 delectorum S 3 instijgat S (n in rasura) ut v 4 ut.. uon] ne P 8 presbiteris S 9 subsidiaconem S contimtum S 10 perceperim Luetjohann ergo S 11 scibendi S 12 auditum S1 corr . 15 plurimE S 17 mallo qua S, in alloquio t\' praesummatis S 18 mutua Luetjohann, mutata S 22 simulatis S culpauile S de uobis scripsi, de S, inde lKommaentea, otn. 0 23 dictum uere sedisse S 24 demiserimus S 27 habetis v caritatis, quod salubriter constringat et custodiat, aut perfidiae, quod culpabiliter innectat et perdat. nec mihi aliquid de iudicio prioris temporis inputetis, quia definitionis meae est in amicitiis seruare concordiam et in iudiciis tenere censuram. illud etiam peculiarius gaudeo, quod uos in integram domni et fratris mei familiaritatem redisse cognoui. superest, ut, quod illius in bono tribuit gratia, uestra in domino custodiat insequella.