Letter 4066: I write to inform you officially: the examination of your case in Constantinople has determined that you are free of...

TO ATHANASIUS THE PRESBYTER. [Editorial summary:] He declares him pure from every stain of heresy, and undertakes to write about this to the bishop of Constantinople. Gregory to Athanasius, presbyter, of Isauria. Just as we are afflicted and grieve over those whom the error of heretical depravity has cut off from the unity of the Church, so [we rejoice] over those whom the profession of the catholic faith [holds] within its bosom. [Editorial note:] ...gus/0. The same inscription was without doubt in the Codex from which the Cistercian copy was transcribed. But in place of "Mauricio Tiberio" (Tiberius was the surname of Maurice) the copyist wrote "Mauricio et Tiberio." [Manuscript sigla:] Norm., Vatic., Reg., Rhem., Corb. [Editorial note:] Epistle LXVI [otherwise 74]. "Formerly it was read as 'Anastasio,' against the testimony of very many manuscript codices and old editions. This is also clear from the context of the letter, in which all the manuscripts and the printed codices read 'Athanasius,' as likewise from the letter of book VI, now book VII, in which all the copies have 'Athanasium,' [...] You have handed to us a little book written in your own hand as material for suspicion, in which, setting forth your faith, you have most openly condemned all heresies generally, or whatever is against the integrity of the catholic faith or of [its] profession, and you have professed that you have always received and do receive all things which the holy four universal synods receive, and that you have condemned and do condemn the things which they condemn; that synod also which was held in the times of the emperor Justinian concerning the Three Chapters you have promised both to accept and to keep; and, being forbidden by us to read that codex in which the poison of a pestilent fraud is interwoven, you most gladly consented; reproving also and condemning all those things which were said against the integrity of the catholic faith in it, [B44] or covertly [Editorial note:] ...ought to have noticed those who corrupted that title. The same error is found in the printed editions of John the Deacon, although the manuscript codices protest against it. Gussanville. See the index of the Chronological History of the Eastern Monastery, p. 65. [Editorial note:] This is a region of Asia Minor, a part of Cappadocia, toward Cilicia to the south, divided from it by Mount Taurus, between Isauria to the west and Lesser Armenia to the east, whose metropolis today is Iconium, commonly Cogni. Gussanville. [Editorial note:] To which [region], as being subject to the patriarch of Constantinople, Lycaonia [belonged], according to the Council of Chalcedon, canons 9, 17, 28. [Editorial note:] Recognize the ancient power and custom among the Roman pontiffs of prohibiting certain books, to which even the children of the Eastern Church subject to Constantinople were bound to submit, or otherwise subject to this one or another. [continuation of the letter:] ...inserted, and you promised not to read it again; moved by this consideration, after also from a proven [...] we wish to transmit our writings also to our most beloved brother the prelate of the city of Constantinople, who has been ordained in the place of the aforesaid holy John. But because it is not the custom that we should write before his synodical [letter] is delivered to us, for that reason we have deferred [it]. But after it has been delivered to us, we will make these things known to him, when the opportunity arises. (Cf. John the Deacon, book IV, no. 56 and no. 25. See index, epistle 52, indiction 15, p. 48.) [Editorial note:] ...and witnesses, that Saint Gregory, in epistle 24, now 25, of book I, set forth beforehand the words of Pope Gelasius, in epistle 2, to Laurentius, which are so plain that they cannot be obscured by any darkness: It is the custom of the priest of the Roman Church, when newly appointed, to send forth the form of his faith to the holy Churches, etc. BOOK SEVEN. In the fifteenth indiction, and in the seventh year of his ordination. [845] EPISTLE ONE. TO BISHOP FORTUNATUS. [Editorial summary:] He is to restore to her husband the wife who has been proved free; and let him [the husband] not think of casting her off again on this account. Gregory to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples. Your Fraternity knows more carefully the cause of this matter (Gratian, causa 29, question 2, chapter 6): the bearer [of this letter], having been compelled hither with her mother, came in the third year past. Because her husband, your cleric, on account of the fact that she had been challenged as being of servile condition, is known to have removed her from his fellowship, and they assert that you, while present here, promised that, if she should have been able, with the Lord's help, to prove herself free, you would restore her to her husband; let your Fraternity know that, by the revelation of God, the author of liberty, she has been proved free, and no stain of servitude has been found in her. These things therefore being known, without any delay we wish her to be restored by you to her husband, nor let that same husband of hers henceforth seek out for himself pretexts of opportunity by which he may be able to cast her off. For if by you, which we do not believe, [this] should not at all be fulfilled, and he should perhaps defer to take her back, know that we shall correct that with strict punishment.

AD ATHANASIUM PRESBYTERUM. Ipsum ab omni hereseos labe purum pronunlial, idque ze Conslantinopolitano episcopo 8cripturum 4pon- det. Gregorius * Athanasio presbylero de Isauria. Sicut de eis quos ab unitate Ecclesiz herelice pravitatis error abscidit aſfligimur et dolemus, ita his quos intra-Sinum suum catholicz ſidei prefessio gus/0., Eadem haud dubie erat inscriplio in Codice ex quo descriptus est Cisterciensis. At pro M-uricio Tiberio (cognomen erat Mauricii) scripsit amanuen- , Mauricio et Tiberio. Norm, \ Vatic., Reg., Rhem. " Corb. Eeisr. LXVI [Al. T4]. — « Antea legebatur Ana- $lasio contra fid-m plurimorum mss. Codicum et Editionum antiquarum. Id etiam conslat ex contextu epi>tol.v in qua Mss. onnes et editi Codices legunt Athanasis, sicult et ex epi>t. » lib, vi, nunc lib. vis, in qua exemplaria oinvia habent Athanasium, quod =, Spicionis materiamlibellum nobis manu tua porrexisti perscriptum, in quo, fidem tuam exponens, omnes generaliter h:ereses, vel quidquid adversus catholic ſidei vel proſessionis integrilatem est apertissime con- demnasti, et cuncta quz sanelz quatuor universales synodi recipiunt te semper recepisse ac recipere, ect que condemnant condemnasse condemuareque proſes- SUSCS ; eam quoque synodum quz Jusliniani imperato+ ris temporibus de tribus capitulis ſacta est et susci- pere ct cuslodire promisisti; et prohibitus a nobis codicem ipsum legere in quo. peslifere ſraudis virus innexum est libentissime consensisli; reprobans eliam atque condemnans ea omnia qu:e contra catho- lice fidei integritalem in eo B44 dicta vel laten:er D advertere debebant qui titulum illum corruperunt. liem error reperitur in Editis Joaunis Diaconi, licet mss. Codices reclament. Gus8avv. Vide indicem Chronolog. Hist. monast. Ori ntalis, p. 65. ec Est regio A$izz minoris, Cappadocize pars, in aus.rum Ciliciam versvs, ab ea Tauro moc..le divisa, inter Isauriam ad occasum, et Armeniam minore ad ortum, cujus metropolis Iconium hedie, vulgo Cogni. GUSSANvY. 4 Cui ut Conslantinop. patriarch:e 8nberat Lyeao- nia, juxia concil. Chalced., can. 9, 17, 29S. © Agnosce antiquan in Romanis ponlficibus li- bros aliquos jp: ohibendi poleslatem el cansuetudi- nem, cui parere tenebantur etiam Orientalis Ecclesiz alumui Constantinop. I is aul alleri alioquin $ubciti, jinserta sunt, nec eum te legere denuo promisisli ; A quoq::e ct dilectissimo ſratri nostro Constantinopoli- hac ratione permoti, postquam ctiam f ex probati lanz civitatis antisliti, qui in $upradicti sancti Joan- nis loco ordinatus est, nostra volumus Scripta trans- miltere. Sed quia 8 consuetudo non est ut prius gum ad nos ejus synodica deferatir debeamus 8cri- here, idcirco distulimus. Sed postquam ea nobis de- lata ſucrit, ei hc, dum opportunum ſuerit, indicabi- mus. (C[. Joan. Diac. l. rv, n. 56 et n. 25. Vide ind. 11 ep. 52, ind. 15p. 48.) | ac te<tes, quod sanctns Gregorius, epist. 24, nunec 25, lib. 1, prixstivu. Gelasii Pape | verba, epi-t. 2, ad Laurentium, tam Sunt aperla, ut n: (lis possmt tenebris ob>cnrari : Mos ext Romane Ecclesie 5a- cerdoti noviter constituto ſormam fidei sut ad sancias Ececlesias prerogare, elc. —__—@Þs _ LIBER SEPTIMUS- Indictione xy, et anno ordinationis ejus septimo. 845 * EPISTOLA PRIMA. AD FORTUXNATUM EPISCOPUNM. Uzorem, que li'era approbata es! , riro 810 reslituat ; neque hic de illa iterum ubjicienda cogitet. Greg rivs Fortunato episcopo Neapolitano. Cnjn1s rei causa (Grat. 29, q. 2, c. 6) cum matre $ua huc compulsa auno prix terilo presentium veuerit latrix, (raternitas tua Þ cautius novit. © Quam quia marcitus $uns, vester clericus, ob hoc quod de servi-i ſucrat conditione pulsa'a, a $u0 noScitur removisse consortio, vosque hic positos as8erunt promisisse ut si probare se liberam, adjuvante Domino, valuisset, $U0 eam vos conjugi reſormare; ſratervitas vestra cognoscat quod, revelante Deo, libertalis auctore, approbata si; libera, 4 nullaque $servilis in ca macula inventa. His ergo cognitis, sine mora aliqua, $uo per vos eam volumus marito reslitoi, nec ulterius idem vir ejus © argumenia $ibi occasionis exquirat quibus eam possit abjiccre. Nam si a vobis, quod non cre- dimus, minime ſuerit adimpletum, eamque recipere ſorte distulerit, f nos illud cognoscatis cum districta vindicla correcturos.