Letter 9100

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Sabinianus, Bishop of Gallipoli [in Apulia] Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory instructs Sabinianus not to allow the people of Gallipoli to be overwhelmed by excessive demands. Gregory to Sabinianus, bishop of Gallipoli. Reports have reached me that the people of Gallipoli [a port city on the Adriatic coast of Apulia] are being oppressed by excessive demands and burdens. As their bishop, you have both the authority and the obligation to protect them from this. Make clear to whoever is imposing these excessive demands that the church will not stand by while the people it serves are exploited. If the church's authority is not sufficient to stop this, bring the matter to my attention with specifics — who is doing what, and what they have done to resist your intervention. A bishop who does not protect his people from exploitation has failed in one of his fundamental duties. Gregory

4D *ABINIANUM CALLIPOLITANUM EPISCOPUM. Ne paliatur Calliponitanos angariis praegravan. Gregorius Sabiniano episcopo Calliponitano. Indicatum nobis est quod homines Callipolitani easlri, in quo le, propitiante Domino, es$e consli- tuimus $acerdotem, gravibus diversorum molestiis alſligantur, aique in longinquis angariis mullisque dispendiis conterantur. Hortamur ergo ſrateruitatem twam, ut quia et * locus ipse nostrz, Sicut cuncus notum est, Ecclesiz esse dignoscitur, sollicitudinem luam rect;ze deſensionis zelo Succendas, eosque non permittas illicitis pregravari, quia et exeimplaria libi privilegiorum Ecclesiz de scriaio nostro ob hoc ſecimus dari; quatenus informatus ex omnibus qua- EPISTOLARUM' LIB, IX. — INDICT. 1: — EPIST. CIV. A exsecutionis tua instantia perducatur, ut hujus rei querela ad nos denuo non redeat. EPISTOLA CH.- AD SERGIUM DEFENSOREM. Mancirium ab ipzius Gregorii Germano Hydruninm ſugiens curet comprehend: , ac navi Roman deſerri. Gregorius Sergio deſensori. Filius noster vir magaiſicus Occilianns, tribunus Hydruntine civitatis, ad nos veniens puerum unum, * Petrum nomine, arlis pistoriz, ex jure * germani nostri ad eum noscitur perduxisse. Quem nunc ſuga lapsum ad partes illas reverti cognovimus. Expe- rientia ergo tua antequam ad Hydruntinam civiiatem valeat is ipse conlingere, sub qua valueris celeritate, vel ad episcopum Hydruntine civitatis, vel ad pre- liter babitatores loci illius defensare valeas non B dictum [ribunum, vel ad alium quem in loco tuo te ignores. Volumus etiam ut massz ipsius Calliponi- tanz homines, $ub sollicitudinis tuz cura, a futura terlia indictione, habere debeas, alqugde eorum re- levandis molestiis esse cautissimum; et adhibita $ollicitudinis cura, uniuscujusque vires quid pra- ztare de $ua pensione Ecclesiz ulilitatibus valeant caute cognoscere, ac Secundum vires s$uas LOO& ad persolvendum quemque disponere. De qua ordi- natione ſralernitas tua, subliliter ſacta notitia , quid dare ipsi homines Letius Callipolitaue massa pos- $unt indicare non differat, ut sciamus quid exinde disponere, auxiliante Domino, valeamus. Ad Sergium vero deſensorem przcepla direxim's, ut in hac vo- bis re non so0lum non audeat esse Contrarius, sed vobis magis ubi valuerit solatia subministret.