Letter 25: Gelasius expresses gratitude that, amid many difficulties, he has found an opportunity to write.

[Heading: Of Pope Gelasius, to Aeonius, bishop of Arles. The 23rd of August. He attests his canonical solicitude toward the Gallic provinces, and in turn awaits a letter from Aeonius concerning the state of that church.] To our most beloved brother Aeonius, Gelasius. 1. Amid our various difficulties we rejoice to have found occasion [...] that on account of this fault hardly any of the bishops should seem to be cast out. For so does the frequent complaint of very many resound about us, that on this side nothing whatever is thought to have been settled. For the agents of the distinguished man, our son Amandianus, complain gravely that men bound by their own right [as their dependents] have, some of them, been ordained as clerics, and others already as deacons; whereas you ought not to receive persons of this sort, not only after the recent [enactment] which, by the assembly of so many pontiffs and with the assent of all to a most wholesome provision, is established to have been made complete, but also, if perhaps any have been received before, into the service of the divine warfare, ignorance bringing it about, you ought, having altogether removed them and stripped them of their religious privilege, to compel them by a just admonition to the estates of their masters. And therefore, dearest brother, those whom the agents of the aforesaid man shall show to be held in the office of the clerical state, once they have been examined and approved to be liable, restore without delay, the course of the laws being observed: so that if any one of them is now found to be a presbyter, he shall remain in the same grade with only the loss of his peculium [his personal property]; but a deacon shall either furnish a substitute, or, if he shall not have one, shall himself be given back. As for the remaining offices, let them know that no one, if he is convicted, can be vindicated from his liability: so that, this order being observed, neither the rights of the masters nor any privileges shall in any way be disturbed.

Gelasii papae ad Aeonium episcopum Arelatensem. 23 Au^ ii« Can^iaiiM iuae erga GaUas soUicUudinem iestatur, et ab Aeonio de ecclesiae iiiius siatu lUteras vicissim exspeciat. Dilectissimo fratri Aeonio Gelasius. 1. Inter difficultates varias copiam nos reperisse gratulamur, «) Ita G'; alii quisque ... videantur ... simptices quoque. »su*' ""* ^^ *. -«-^ ' DoToi^o .^"^2, gteg^ nue tecto»"'. ^^^one ^f^^ cog ""S^i*<fer5^"'- ooe' OeU.V-^r^;e.^-^rcoles^" EPISTOLAE 19. 20. 387 ut*) ex hac culpa nullus pene episcoporum videatur extorris. Ita (&> 494 (mim no6 freqxienB et plurimorum querela circumstrepit^); ut ex hac '^ parte nihil penitus putetur constitutum. Actores siquidem illustris Tiri filii nostri Amandiani graviter conqueruntur, homines suo jmi debitos alios adhuc clericoS; alios jam diacouos ordinatos; quum non solum post modemum^ quod tantorum pontificum collectione sub onmiiim saluberrimae provisionis assensu constat esse perfectum^ bjusmodi personas^) suscipere non deberes, verum etiam si qui forte in divinae cultum militiae ante fuerint iguorantia faciente suscepti, diminare prorsus et exutos religioso privilegio ad dominorum pos- wsaones justa debueris admonitione compellere. £t ideo^ frater cariBsime, eos quos supradicti viri actores in clericatus officio mon- sbnLyenni attineri, discussos et obnoxios approbatos custodito legum tnmite sine intermissione restitue: ita ut si quis jam ex iis presby- fer reperitur, in eodem gradu peculii') sola amissione permaneat; epiti. 4 n. 2 asserunt; novellam autem explanationem eam interpretamur , quam GehMm epist. 14 c. 14 promulgavit. *} Gelasium quidem jam generalis querela, ut ipse loquitur cpist. 14 c. 14, pennoverat, ut ea de xe pluribus episcopis congregatis decerueret; at ubi di- Tulgatum est hoc decretum , statim haud dubie permultia data est occaaio de re, qaam inique ferebant, vehementius expoBtulandi. Mox cum Q* X* scripsimuB debitoM^ ubi editi deditos, •) Z personae suscipi non deherent (c'^ personas suscipi non debere) ... elimi- maii prifrsus et exuti ... debuerinl admonitione compelU. Ei ideo, fratres carissimi, quos ... monstraverit .., ac probatos ... restituite; castigatur ope Q' Q* X' /I', uisi quod X' sjiscipere non debere .,, ex his presbyter invenitur. Atque ex hac lectione, qaae apud lyonem valde confusa est, colligitur, hauc cpistolam Martyrio et lusto a paii fiiisse scriptam, ideoque sermonem non ad duos simul sed ad unum, quia utiiqiie proprimn ejus exemplum tradendum erat, converti. ^ Z peculU sui amissione mulctatus maneat . . . Reliqua officia. Ibidem verba ipge ... hoc ... ulla (al. Ula) cum Q* X' addidimus. Gelasius hic morem gerit ValentiTiiani ni novellae de judicio episcopali anno 452 datae (tit. 34 § 6), in qua caTetor: Originarii sane vel servi, qui Jugum natalium declinantes ad ecciesiasticum 9e ordinem iranstulerunt ^ exceptis episcopis, ut dictum est^ aut presbyteris , ad do- jura redeaniy si non in eodem officio annum tricesimum (nota privilegium* praeflcriptionis) impleveruni: ita ut hujus condiiionis diaconus domino pro se viearium reddat, omni pariter peculio restituto, Circa quem nihilominus , si empia snearii dandi non suppeiai^ quae de ndrdsteriis urbiam superius sunt statuta eerweniur: hoc est, ut subneza Aniani interpretatio explicat: ipse ad conditio- mtm propriam revocetur. Ex eo autem, quod saeculo obnoxios ecdesiastico MO religioso miuisterio obstringi iniquum aliquando visum est, percipit quis- qne, qaanto iniqidus videri debeat, Deo addictos saecuU servitio mancipari. Porro de citata Yalentiniani constitutione et de altera Zenonis Augusti, quae fefertor L 37 cod. Just. I, 3 postea Justinianus uovel. 123 c. 17 derogavit, nbi inter atia edicit: Adscriplitios in ipsis possessionibus , in quibus sunt adscri- pHiU^ elericoM eiiam praeter vohtntatem dominorum fieri permittimus: ita tamen ut eierid facH imposiiam sibi agriculturam adimpleani, Yide concilium Aurelia- 26* (a. 494 diacouus vero aut vicarium praestet, aut si non h^buerit, ipse red- '^ (latur. Eesidua officia sciant^ neminem posse ab obnoxietate, si conyincitur^ vindicari : quatenus hoc ordine custodito nec dominorum jura nec privilegia ulla ratione turbentur.