Letter 9169

From: Pope Gregory I To: Sergius, Defender of Siponto Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory orders that Franciscanus be made to pay Bishop Peter of Hydruntum unless he pays voluntarily You are to inform Franciscanus that he is to pay what he owes to Bishop Peter of Hydruntum. If he pays willingly and promptly, the matter ends there. If he does not pay voluntarily, you are to compel payment by whatever means are available to you through your authority as defender. I have no patience for those who exploit the Church's preference for patience as an excuse for indefinite delay. The bishop of Hydruntum is owed this money and is to receive it.

1) cvercntissimus frater noetcr Petrus Ydrontinae civitatis cpiBCopuB ' qucHtus nobis cst* pcr Vinccntium'' diaconcm Buum Fruniscendum ccclcBiae suae cidem ccclesiao in multis oxititGrc debitorcm et nun aolum nollc eum satisfaccre de his quibus tenetur obstrictus, sed ctiam contemnere subire iudicio. Inde cxpericntiae tuae praescnti auctoritatc praccipimuB, ut eum ammonere" studeat, quatenus, si quid'' obstrictum' vcl ccclcsiae redhibere cognoscis^, satisfaccrG dilatione postpositii non dcsistat. A!io- quin mora ccsBante ad ulectorum accedat te compellento iudicium. Et quicquid vcri- tato cognita mediis» sacrosanctiB cvangeliis fuerit statutum •■, ita ad clTectum executioniB tuae instantia' perducatur, ut huius rei ad nos denuo querella uon redeat^.