Letter 10007: Gregory to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna.

To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. That he is greatly distressed that Marinianus has neglected to recall a nun who was once again carried off from her monastery. He earnestly exhorts him to see to this at least now. Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. If the complaint of the bearer of these presents, Stephen, a most distinguished man, rests upon the truth, let your Fraternity understand that we are altogether distressed that you have shown yourself so sluggish or so idle, that the wrongness of the deed reached us before its correction did. For he has complained that a kinswoman of his, whom at one time a certain most wicked Peter, by diabolical instigation, had persuaded to leave the monastery, and who, after her habit had been changed, had been recalled by Gratiosus our votary to the place from which she had gone out -- that this most wicked man still up to now shamelessly retains her in iniquity. On which account, as we have said, your negligence has greatly distressed us, since she has not yet been recalled to the monastery and shut up again. At least now, therefore, let consideration of your purpose and zeal for chastity kindle you to strive with the utmost effort, by whatever means you can, that you may be able the more swiftly to soften, by her correction, the harshness which we have conceived at the perpetration of so great an iniquity. For we are also instructing Vitalis the defender not to delay to assist you in this cause. But because the aforesaid Peter is said to be defended by a man of our magnificent son Philoxenus, you must act urgently with him, with all earnestness and charity, that he may cause her to be restored without any delay -- which we believe he will do without delay, since he is said to be altogether a good man. But if perchance, which we do not believe, this should be deferred by any excuse, then he must also be publicly called to account. And let your Fraternity report back to us, so that we may thereupon write to the royal city, to the end that what is honorably neglected to be done may be punished with the vengeance of which it is worthy.

AD MARINIANUM RAVENNATEM FPISCOPUM. Se contris/atum valde, quod monialem e monasterio iterum abductam revorare neglexerit. Ut vel nunc id preslet impense horlalur. Grezorius * Mariniano episcopo Ravennr. Si latoris presentium Stephani viri clarissimi querela verilate $ubsislit, omnino nos fraternilas veslra con!tristatos intelligat, cur tam pigra vel deses exsliſerit, ut ante ad nos facti pravitas quam cor- rectio perveniret. Questus itaque est quod cognatam eju-, cui aliquando Þ Petrus qu dam nequissimus diabulico instinctu de monaslerio exire $Sua-erat, _- alque a Cratios0 votario nostro fucrat mutato ha- bitu unde exierat revocala, nequissimus vir iniqua Eerisrt. VII. [AL. 8], — © Hic titulus spe in Grego- rianis epistolis occurrit. Nunc pass)m unicuique libe- raliter off-rtur; at olim iis sol's concedebator quibus id honoris a <privcipe collatum fuerat, llns autemn conferendi Solemnis formula legitur lib. vi Variar. c. 58. Kerst. VIE (AL. 9], — © In Colbert. vet., necnon in VY..ticanis D et E, inscribitur hc epistola Stephano. sed recent. In R gio, Januario episcopo Caralit. M.nn, 'Eprisr. IX [| Al. in largitionales et privatianos ; alii videntur conſuu- SANCTI GREGORI| MACNI 10]. — * Dislinguunt alii palatinos nuncusque impudice retineat. Ex qua re valde nos Sicut diximus, tua desidia contrislavit, cur necdum in monaslerium revocala Sit ac retrusa. Vel nunc ergo proposili tui consideratio et zelus le castitatis accendat id summopere modis quibus potueris stu- dere, ut asperitatem quam de tanlz iniquitalis per- petratione concepimus, ejus Citius valcas © corre- clione mollire. Nam et Vitali defensori pracipimns ut vobis hac in cansa £0latiari non differat. Sed quia memoratus Petrus ab homine ſilii nostri magni- lici Filoxeni dicitur defensari, apud eum vobis cum omni $tudio et charitate instanter ageydum est, ut eam Sine aliqua facial dilatione reslitui, quem cre- dimus hoc, quia bonus omnino vir esse dicitur, sine B mora facturum. Quod si ſorte, quod non credimus, aliqua hoc ſuerit excusatione dilatum, tunc eltiam 4 publice conteslandus est. Atque fralernitas nobis ve>tra renuntiet, ut exinde ® in urbem regiam LO47 $Cribamus, quatenus, quod fieri honeste negligitur, ea qua dignui est ultione plectatur.