Letter 13017: I want to commend to your collective attention Hadrian, who serves as rector of the Sicilian patrimony.

TO CERTAIN BISHOPS OF SICILY He commends Adrian, administrator of the patrimony. He admonishes the bishops not to burden their subjects beyond measure when they go out to confirm infants. Gregory to Leo, Secundinus, John, Donus, Lucidus, and Trajan, bishops of Sicily. Just as we are admonished, through the prayer of the apostles, to impart spiritual aids to one another in turn, so it is fitting that priestly comforts not be lacking in those matters which, for the dispensation of the affairs of the poor, shall have been arranged through us, with God as their author, out of the necessity of the charge laid upon us. Sending therefore Adrian, the bearer of these present letters, our chartulary [keeper of records], to administer the patrimony of our Church, namely of the district of Syracuse, we have considered it necessary to commend him to your fraternity, so that, wherever need shall require it, you may confer your comforts upon him, to the end that, while he is supported by you in bodily matters for the doing of his work, and by the aids of prayers in spiritual matters for the ease of accomplishing what he has undertaken, he may, with God also cooperating, be able prosperously to carry out the things that have been enjoined upon him by us. But you yourselves ought so to present yourselves before the sight of Almighty God in good works that nothing may be found in your action which could either be struck down with God as judge, or be accused by any man lying in wait. For we have enjoined upon this same aforesaid chartulary of ours that, if he should learn that anything has been done in disorderly fashion by our most reverend brothers the bishops, he should first indeed himself correct it by secret and modest exhortation; and if these things are not thus amended, that he make it known to us speedily. Moreover, it has been reported to us that, in the times of my predecessor of holy memory, it was arranged through Servusdei the deacon, who even then bore the care of the Church's patrimony, that the priests appointed throughout your several dioceses, as often as you go out to confirm infants, ought by no means to be burdened beyond measure. For a fixed sum had been determined, with you, as I hear, consenting, which ought to be given by those same priests for the labor of the clergy. And this which then was agreed upon is now, as it is said, by no means observed. Wherefore I admonish your fraternity that you should not be eager to be burdensome to your subjects, but that, if there are any burdens, you should moderate them, as you ought. For you provide both for your future life and for your present one, if you preserve without burden those who have been committed to you.

AD QUOSDAMN SICILLE EPISCOPOS Adrianum patrimonii rectorem commendal!. Episcopos admonet ne, cum ad infanies consignandos egrediun- tur, subjectos 8108 ultra modum gravent. Gregorius Leoni, Secundino, Joanni, Dono, Lu- eido, Trajano, episcopis Siciliz. | Sicut nos nobis invicem * gpiritalia per apostolo- rum orationem admonemur impertirisuffragia, }2Z1] ila in bis quz necessitate injuncti regiminis pro dis- pensatione rerum pauperum Deo per nos ſuerint au- ctore disposita sacerdotalia dignum est 8olatia non deesse. Latorem siquidem prxsentium Adrianum, chartularium nostrum, ad regendum Ecclesiz nosire patrimonium, Syracusanarum videlicet partium, di- rigentes , ſraternitati vestraz necessario duximus commendandum, ut, in quo usus exegerit, Þ vestra ei solatia conſeratis, quatenvs dumget ad agendum per vos corporalibus, et ad facilitatem explendi que ceperit spiritalibus orationum fuerit fultus auxiliis, prospere ea quz a nobis ei injuncta sunt Deo quoque - raleat cooperante perſicere. Vosmetipsos aulem ita ante cohspectum omnipotentis Dei in bonis operibus debetis exhibere, ut inveniri in vestra actione ne- queat quod vel Deo judice perculi, vel quolibet ho- mine insidiante valeat accusari. Nam eidem prafato chartulario nostro injunxzimus ut si qua de reveren- dissimis ſratribus nostris episcopis inordinale acta cognoverit, prius quidem secreta ac modesta ailhor- latione ipse corripiat : quz $i ita emendala non ſue- rint, nobis celeriter innotescat. Przterea relatum egst nobis (Grat., caus. 10, g. 5, c, 9), sanclz memorize decessoris mei temporibus per Servumdei diaconum, qui jam tunc ecclesia- Sci patrimonii curam gessit, ſuisse dispositum © ut mcerdotes per diversas vestras diceceses conslituti, quoties ad consignandos infantes egrediminj, ultra modum gravari minime debuissent. Summa enim prefixa ſuerat, vobis, ut audio, consentientibus, que ab. eisdem sacerdolibus pro labore clericorum dari dehuisset. Atque hoc quod tune placuit, nune, sicut dicitur, minime custoditur. Unde fraternitalem ve- Sram admoneo ut subj=clis vestris graves non $stu- deatis existere, sed si qua sunt gravamina temperetis, Eeisr, XVII [Al. 22]. — * Excusi, reluctaniibus D Ks. Anglic., Norm., Vatic., specialia. Adriani solius hbic fit mentio. © Vulgati, per universas. Ceterum nomine $acer- dotum hoc loco presbyteros intelligit sive parochos per diceceses constitutos. Non enim vox illa tam ſuit epixcoporum propria, ut presbyteris non fuerit ali- quando tributa, quod criticis nonnullis placuit. In- noe. 1], epist. ad Victricium, c. 6 et 9, sacerdolis nomine comprehendit presbyteros. Idem videre est in gusdem epist. ad Exuperium, cap. 1. Sic in epist. ad ntium Eugub. dixerat: Nam presbylteri licet sint iacerdotes, elc. Sic ad Himerium Siricius. Vide in epist. 15 lib. m._ Eersr. XIX (Al. 23]. — * Jta omnes Norm., Va- te., Colbert., Reg. et plerique Mss, ac potiores. Io —_— =_ debuistis. Etenim in futura et in praesenti vobis vita prospicilis, si eos qui yobis commigsi sunt siue gravamine conservalis. $