Letter 10040: Gregory to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples.

To Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples. [Summary:] When boys accuse Peter of an attempt at crime, let the matter be examined more carefully, since Peter himself requests it. Gregory to Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples. Your Fraternity has made us wonder greatly that you were either unwilling to settle the case of your cleric, or did not take it up. And so Peter, the bearer of these present letters, coming to us, has complained that the boys by whom he asserts he was falsely accused of an attempt at crime were not examined as they ought to have been, but were questioned only so far as words go, and that for this reason alone he was forbidden to advance [to a higher rank] together with you, lest he should dare to do so. For either the things that were said were true, and according to the nature of the case he ought canonically to have been subjected to correction; or they were false, and he ought not for long to have remained under the charge. Since both reason demands it, and since this man, anxious for his own purification, has gone to the Apostolic See concerning the things that were said against him, and seeks them out according to a thorough examination, it is necessary that, together with Anthemius our subdeacon, you should be required to exact the truth from those boys by a subtle and strict examination. And if the aforesaid bearer should appear to be guilty of the attempted crime, let him be punished by canonical retribution in every way. But if he be declared innocent, let him breathe again with a swift acquittal, and let him have license to advance together with you; for, just as a fitting vengeance is to be exercised upon the guilty, so for the innocent acquittal is not to be deferred. Thus therefore let your Fraternity be eager carefully to bring an end to this case [...]. [Editorial notes: The printed editions read: "and these same things which they saw, coming to Alexandria, they reported; which is small..."; In the more recent editions alone the letter closes thus: "In the month of February, in the third indiction." Other manuscripts, both written and printed, are opposed. Epistle 40 [otherwise 251]. (This passage) is omitted in the Norman and Vatican A manuscripts. In the Rheims and Norman manuscripts: "anxious, the things which against himself ... to incur a reprehension."]

AD FORTUNATUM NEAPOLITANUM EPISCOPUM. A pueris Petrum de tentatione 8celeris accusantibus O_ accuratius exigat, Petro ips0 id postu- inle. Gregorius Fortunalo episcopo Neapolitano. Valde nos vestra mirpri fecit ſraternitas ut causam clerici $uj aul noluisset, aut non assurgeret deſinire. Petrus itaque przsentium portitor ad mos veniens, guestus est pueros a quibus de tentatione sceleris ſalso se agserit criminatuw, LQ79 non ut oportuit ess8 discuss0s, 8ed lantummode verbo tenus inquisi- los, * et sibi propter hoc solum, ne yobiscum proce. dere audeat, interdictum. Aut enim vera fuere que dicta sunt, et-juxla cause qualitatem canonice ſuit coerctioni subdendus ; aut ſalsa, et diu non debuit in crimine remanere. Quia et ratio indicit, et hic pro suj puriſicatione Þ sollicitus quz adversum se dicta sunt apostolicam sedem adiit, et juxta examinatione ſinixi perquirit, necesse est ut una cum Anthemio Subdiacono nostro $ubtili ac districta discussione a pueris illis veritatem exigere debeatis. Et si pre- dictus portitor attenlati facinoris reus esse paluerit, canonica modis omnibus ultione plectatur. Si vero insons ſuerit declaratus, celeri absolutione respiret, * et. yobiscum habeat procedendi licentiam, quia sicut reis competens exercenda vindicta est, jta innocentibus non est absolutio differenda. Sic ergo buic cause $0llicite ſraternitas veslra finem $tudeat { Excusi : kc ipsa que viderunt Alex. vementes d:- Terunt ; quod parva un, £ In solis recent. Ed. sic epistola clauditur : Mense Febr., indict. 3. Adversantur alii Codices tum exa- rFali tum excusi. EpisT. XL [Al. 251, — * Omitlitur propter in Norm. et Valic. A. » In Rhem, et Norm., sollicita que adversum 5e prehensionem incurrere.