Letter 10002

**From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome **To:** Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples **Date:** ~600 AD **Context:** Administrative and pastoral communication to the bishop of Naples. Several matters relating to your diocese have come to my attention and I address them here. You know my concerns about the standards expected of the Neapolitan church, and I trust you are attending to them. If there are specific difficulties you are encountering — whether in clergy discipline, property management, or pastoral care — write to me and I will give you guidance. Naples is an important church and I look to you to govern it well.

AD FORTUNATUM NEAPOLIT. EPISCOPUM. Ecclesiam pro monachis, absque migsis publicis, baptis- terio et presbytero cardinali consecret. | Gregorius Fortunato episcopo Neapolis. Fraternilati vestrz esse non pulamus incognitum quia Romanus clarissime memoriz vir, per ullime5uz. voluntalis arbitrium, in domo juris sui ecclesiam , quz in ciyilate yeslra sita est, edilicari deputavit. Et B quia, Deo miseraite, deſuncii noscitur yoluntas im- pleta , sanctilas yestra illic ingravanter accedat ; el si nullum ibidem corpus constal humatum, locum ipsum in ionorem $sanctorum Hermelis, Þ Sebasliani, atque Cyriaci, necnon et Pancralii solemniter $tudeal abs- que missis publicis cum yeneratione debila couSecrare; ita ut in eodem loco baptislerium nunquam conslrua- tur, nec presbyterum conslituas cardinalem. Sed quo- ties missas ibi degentes illic monachi fieri voluerint, latenus prasumatur. EPISTOLA WI. AD FANTINUM DEFENSOREM. Colligat Romani mancipia, atque illorum laboris C ſructus ad constructum a Romano ipso monasterium millal. Gregorius Fantino deſensori, Mancipia juris Romani, * spectabilis memorize viri, qui in domo sua que Neapoli sita est monaslerium ordinari constituit , habitare in Sicilia perhibentur. Et quia monasterium jipsum juxta voluntatem ejus, Deo auctore, noscitur ordinatum , experieniia tua presentium portitoribus, qui Þ ad recolligenda man- cipia ipsa illuc directi sunt, omni studio s80latiarj ſestinet, et recollectis eis, possessiones jllis ubi labo- rare debeant, te solatiante, conducat. Et quidquid corum labore accesserit, reservato unde ipsi possint $ubsislere, reliquum ad prexdictum monasterium ex- perientie tu;e cura annis singulis, auxiliante Domino, D transmittatur. © quo sequens eliam epistola legitur, quam Supralau- dati Mss. non exhibent. Eeisr. II [Al. 4].—* Non erat vagns honoris litulus quem cuilibet ad arbitrium conferre olim liceret. Spectabi;ulatis honorem militi@ gudore delersis jusla de- pulavit antiquitas, inquit Cassiodorus, lib. 1 Variar., epist. 28. I'rivilegia buic dignitati annexa infra prose- quitur in eadem episl. et lib. vt, ce. 57, exh b-t for- mulam $spectabilitatis 8eu yerborum ſormam qua hic bonor concedebatur. » Id esl, ad requireados fugitivos servos, et denud cogenidos ac congregandos, 4169 EPISTOLARUM LIB. X. — INDICT. IM. — EPIST. VI.