Letter 10064: The church's estates are to be leased annually, not given on long-term or permanent lease to any individual —...

TO ROMANUS THE DEFENDER. [A defensor was a legal agent of the Church.] [Summary heading:] That the possession of the Church is not to be leased out to Scribonius, although he is a good man, but that what he would have gained from the lease is to be offered to Gentio each year. Gregory to Romanus the Defender. Since our son Gentio, a man of magnificence, is, by God's favor, of such great goodness that he ought to be greatly cherished, we were bound, if we could bestow anything upon him, to do so. For he had wished to hold a possession belonging to the rights of the Church under the form of leasehold documents. But on account of bad scribes [or: lessees], we judged that in this matter we ought not to entrust it even to a good man. Accordingly, the proceeds from the possession which could be turned to his advantage, we wish to be offered each year to his magnificence, that is, twenty pigs, in the manner you shall have provided, twenty wethers [castrated rams], and sixty hens. All of which we wish to be reckoned among the proceeds. LETTER LXV. TO ADEODATUS. [Summary heading:] He excuses the delay in giving the relics, which he at length sends. Gregory to Adeodatus, of illustrious lineage. That we made a delay in giving the relics which your glory [a form of address] requested, we did not put off out of unwillingness, but the misfortune of a preceding event made us hesitate. Yet almighty God, looking upon the devotion of your heart, with the signs of miracles giving warning, did not allow you to be cheated of your intention. But for that reason He willed your desire to be deferred by a brief postponement, so that, with the miracles teaching, both love might grow in you for the veneration of the saints, and the rejoicing of your gladness might become greater. Since therefore in the carrying out of the thing requested the wishes of your glory have been fulfilled, we exhort you that you carefully keep the commandments of Him whose preachers you reverence. And just as with religious devotion you build earthly places for the honors of the saints, so also hasten to procure for yourselves a dwelling among them in the heavens, so that you may deserve both to have those saints here as helpers in all things and in the life to come as companions.

AD ROMANUM DEFENSOREM. Scriboni quamvis bono non locandam Ecetesie P08505- si0nem, 8ed annis sinqulis- id offerendum Geniion quod ex localione ſuisset lucratus. Gregorius Romano delensori. Quouiam lilius nosler Gentio vir magnilicus scribo tanlz, Deo propitio, bonilalis est ut valde sit diligent» dus, si quid ei potuissemus conferre , debuimus, Voluerat enim possessionem juris ecclesiaslict * sub specie libellorum tenere. Sed propler malos scribones judicavimus in hac nos causa nec bono commillere. Proinde excepla de posgessione que potuerunt in ' ejus ulilitatem verli, eadem yolumus ejus magnilu- dini singulis annis offerri , id est, porcos viginli, qualiter ipse previderis, > vervices viginti, el gall nas Sexaginta. Que omnia volumus in exceplis re- pulari. EPISTUOLA LXYV. AD ADEODATAY, Excusat moram in dandis reliquiis, quas tandem miltil. Gregorius Adeodatz illustri ſemine. Ut moram in dandis reliquiis, quas gloria vesin petiit, faceremus, non voluntate distulimus , $ed przxcedentis rei nos casus ſecit ambigere. Deus at tem omnipotens cordis veslri Gevotionem intuens, miraculorum signis admonentibus, a vestra vos in- tentione ſraudari non pertulit. Sed ideo desidrrium nuis8e!. Ee D, E. Eersr. LXIV [Al.'61]. — * De hac voce vide lib. 1, epist. 44, quze diximus de voce libellarie. GUsSAT- Þ Remig. non habet, vervices vigin!:. - _— — p_—_— — A— ——. _ jum ,B, lib. Win 1147 EPISTOLARUM LIB. Xl. — INDICT. IV. — EPIST. 1. 1118 yestrum 4avdica voluit dilatione differri, ut, docen- tibus miraculis, et amor yobis cresceret in venera- tone $anctorum, et major fieret exsultatio gaudio- ru. Quia ergo * in effectu postulatz rei gloriz ve- «rz vola completa sunt, hortamur ut cujus praedi- eatores colitis, ejus LQGY sollicite mandala servelis. Et sicut religiosa devotione terrena Sanclorum hono- ribus 10ca construilis, sic quoque cum eis mansio- nem vobis procurare in celestibus festinetis, quate- nus et hic illos in omnibus adjutores ct in ſutura mereamini habere vita consortes.