Letter 251: Augustine asks Pancarius to keep a local dispute lawful and catholic.

To my dearly loved and deservedly honorable son Pancarius: Augustine sends greetings in the Lord. Before Your Religiousness came, the presbyter Secundinus was not displeasing to the people of Germaniciana. I do not know how it has now happened that they are ready, as you wrote, to accuse him even of I do not know what crimes, my dearly loved and deservedly honorable son. Still, we can in no way disregard what they seem to bring against a presbyter, provided that those bringing the charges are catholic. We cannot and must not admit accusations from heretics against a catholic presbyter. Therefore let your prudence first see to this: that people are not heretics where they were not before your arrival. Then we will hear the presbyter's case as it ought to be heard. I do warn you, since you are willing to hear it, that your safety and reputation are very dear to us, and the people of Germaniciana also belong to the care of our humility. Be willing to present confidently what you obtained from the most glorious emperors and what you did before the competent judges, so that it may be clear to everyone that you are doing nothing disorderly. Otherwise, in your dispute over possession, those unfortunate people may again be worn down and, more gravely afflicted, may despair. I also commend this to you: that the same presbyter's house not be plundered or laid waste. We have been told that some people want to tear down his church; but I do not think Your Religiousness could possibly permit this.

EPISTOLA 251 Scripta post a. 395. A. Pancario, significans se catholicorum tantum, minime haereticorum accusationes audire paratum contra Secundinum presbyterum, quorumdam criminum insimulatum. DOMINO DILECTISSIMO, MERITOQUE HONORABILI FILIO PANCARIO, AUGUSTINUS, IN DOMINO SALUTEM. 1. Cum, antequam veniret Religio tua, presbyter Secundinus Germanicianensibus non displiceret, unde modo factum est ut eum, sicut scripsisti, etiam de nescio quibus criminibus accusare parati sint, nescio, domine dilectissime, meritoque honorabilis fili. Verumtamen nullo modo nos possumus contemnere quod presbytero videntur obiicere, tantum si catholici sunt qui obiciunt: nam haereticorum accusationes contra catholicum presbyterum admittere, nec possumus, nec debemus. Proinde hoc primo agat prudentia tua, ut haeretici non sint, ubi ante adventum tuum non fuerunt; et audiemus causam presbyteri, sicut eam oportet audiri. Illud sane moneo, quia dignaris, quoniam et salus et existimatio tua carissima nobis est, et ipsi Germanicianenses pertinent ad curam humilitatis nostrae, ut ea quae a gloriosissimis Imperatoribus impetrasti, et ea quae apud competentes iudices egisti, fidenter allegare digneris; ut appareat omnibus nihil te inordinate agere, ne iterum in causa vestra, qui de possessione contenditis, ipsi miseri fatigentur, et gravius afflicti dispereant. Simul etiam commendo ut eiusdem presbyteri domus non diripiatur, neque vastetur: nam de ecclesia sua nuntiatum est nobis, quod eam nescio qui velint deponere; sed non puto quod ullo pacto possit hoc a tua religione permitti.