Letter 9046

From: Pope Gregory I To: Romanus, Defender of Sicily Date: ~598 AD Context: Gregory orders Romanus to urge Leontius, former consul, not to make any dispositions concerning the islands I am asking you to convey a firm message to Leontius, the former consul: he is not to make any unilateral decisions or dispositions concerning the islands without prior consultation with this see. The islands in question fall within the patrimony and pastoral jurisdiction of the Roman church, and no secular authority — however distinguished — has the right to act in them independently. If Leontius has a proposal to make regarding those territories, let him make it formally, and we will consider it. But preemptive action is not acceptable.

I ervenit ad noB, quod quidam pravae ' voluntatiB studio " contra Beniores ^ et cives Neapolitanae civitatis de ineulis iurie eonim glorioBo filio nostro Leontio ^ aitantur subripere, ut eoB° iniuste damnis possinf aFHigere^'. Idcirco bac praeceptione in- iungimuB, ut debeas esee Bollicitus, quatenus apud eum hac de cauea Bubreptionis Iocub nullus inveniatur'; ubi si^ forte aliquid dictum vel ipsum quid praeiudicialiter, quod non credimue, facere forte cognoveria, ex nostro illi mandato dicere te volumuB, ut malo- nim hominum verbia asseneum praebere'' et in hoc ee peccato miecerc non debeat, quia, licet retro principum' iuaeionibua omnino de^ eisdem' iuBulis Bint muniti'°, nobis tamen, dum in regia aumue*, suifragftntibuB ita sereniBsimi domini Mauricii" principis ehcita iusBione eorum etriota iura munita" aunt, ut non habeant, unde iuste debeant formidare. Pro qua re ', ut et tu diligentius informare et antedicto glorioso filio nostro, si causa ee dederit, liquide satiBfacere valeaB^, earundem ttbi iusBionum' exemplaria praevidimue transmittenda. 8ed et si* necessarium fuerit, ipaas faciemus autbenticas deatinari *. Tantum est, ut, eicut diximua, atudeaB eaae soUicituB, ut Bubripieodi cuiquam illic loGUs non pateat. <■) proprietatibiu C. <*) ila B 1. g t. f* 2. 3. Diurn. O; prsehti* C; prMbti dewderii Dium. Vat. ■) ■ecratione Cl.2.3, Md carr. in Mcntione (ita C4) m. 3. CS. ') p^iatnr C3. ■) ita eum Dium. Vai. S 1. el. Cl.*i affectam C3; effectn ixi. eodd. IX. 48 m titaio : pro Romano : lohsnno C 3, nd rtcU >n indicr : lobuini C 4. ') prae C I. ^) elu- ' diuin C 1.3.3: haminee C4. ') ut in eoa Ci. ^) damne* poenint C 1.2.3. ■) sfBcere ttque Bffligere C4. locu* nollai invenial CI.3.S; nnllum locnm inTBnituit C4. B) oin. si C I. *<) praeberet Cl.2.3. >) prindpem Ci. 2. j. ^)om.itC3. ■) eiuadem C ») monti CI; moiiiti C2. 3. 4. ") Manriot CA. ' ep. m, 39 n. 3) epiaoopug alitu oeeimit nequt Glorioau neqve Albinus, qui Baeattdae tuccetfit (cf. ep, Vn, 16 n. 1). 1) De Ortgorio cf. ep. V, 36 p. 330 n. 3; IX, 4 n. 3. IX, 46. De Bomano, redore patrimonii Syracttiani, rf. ep. II, 38 p. 134 n. 1. IX, 28 m. IJ Htgd l. t. p, 184 puUit teniorea Uc prineipalea civUaHt appeUari; ef. ep. IX, 76. 84 d not). Maioriani de curial. in f. Bdem prioTts dicantur m «p. III, 15: cf. Wiihaum 1. 1. p. 60. 3) De Leontio exeoneuie ef. ' ep. VUI, 33 n. IX, 4 n. S. 3} De eadem cauea agitur m ep. tequenU etinep. IX, 53. 4) Cf. ep. V, 53' n. 1. B) De hia verbi»: eiemplaria et anthenticae cf. Bresslau, Vrhtndeniehre I p. 78 ». et C. I 1, 23. S. Beo. Qres. II. 10 ,GoogIe 74 GBEGOBIl L BEGISTRI