Letter 4099: I am granting you my vicarious authority in the kingdom of Childebert [the young Austrasian king, effectively...

TO BISHOP VIRGILIUS. [Editorial summary:] He grants to him his deputyship in the kingdom of Childebert. He admonishes him to forbid the plague of simony, and that laymen should not suddenly be made bishops. On the use of the pallium, and how far he ought to discharge the apostolic deputyship. Gregory to Virgilius, bishop of Arles. Oh, how good is charity, which presents things that are absent as though present to themselves through its image, which unites things divided, sets in order things confused, associates as equals things unequal, and brings to completion things imperfect! How rightly does that excellent preacher [the Apostle Paul] call it the bond of perfection, since the other virtues indeed beget perfection, yet charity also binds them, so that they can no longer be loosed from the mind of the one who loves. With this virtue, therefore, dearest brother, I find you to be full, just as the words bear witness to me concerning you, both those who come from the regions of Gaul and your own letter directed to me. [A fragment from another letter intrudes here in the source: "...To all these also, that is to Paulus the deacon, to Euphemius, to Thomas, and to Clematius, let your fraternity be careful to furnish their allowances, according to the place and rank in which each of them stands, just as he was accustomed to receive, from the present thirteenth indiction onward, without any diminution. Since therefore the aforesaid..."] But as to what in them, according to the ancient custom, you have requested concerning the use of the pallium and the deputyship of the apostolic see: far be it that I should suppose that you have sought either the eminence of a transitory power, or the ornament of outward dress, in our deputyship and in the pallium. But since it is plain to all from what source the holy faith went forth into the regions of Gaul, when your fraternity reclaims the ancient custom of the apostolic see, what else is this than that a good offspring runs back to the bosom of its mother? With a willing mind, therefore, we grant your requests, lest we should seem either to withhold anything from you of your due honor, or to have despised the petition of our most excellent son King Childebert. But now indeed the matter requires greater zeal, so that, when the honor has been conferred, your watchfulness may also increase, and your vigilance may grow toward the keeping of others; and that the merits of your life may serve as an example to those subject to you; and that your fraternity may never seek its own through the favor of the honor received, but the gains of the heavenly fatherland. For you know what the blessed Apostle laments and says: "For all seek the things that are their own, not the things that are of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:21). For, certain persons relating it to me, I have learned that in the regions of Gaul or Germany no one comes to holy orders without the giving of a bribe. And if this is so, weeping I say it, groaning I denounce it: that when the priestly order has fallen within, it will not be able to stand long without as well. For we know from the Gospel what our Redeemer did through his own very self, since, having entered the temple, he overturned the seats of those who sold doves (Matthew 21:12). For to sell doves is to receive temporal gain for the Holy Spirit, whom Almighty God, consubstantial with himself, bestows upon men through the imposition of hands. From which evil, as I have said before, it is already intimated what follows. For those who presumed to sell doves in the temple of God, their seats, God being judge, have fallen. Which error indeed is propagated with increase among those subject. For he too who is brought to holy orders by a price, being already corrupted in the very root of his own advancement, is the readier to sell to others what he bought. And where is that which is written: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8)? And since the simoniac heresy was the first to arise against holy Church, why is it not weighed, why is it not seen, that he who ordains anyone for a price, by advancing him acts so that he becomes a heretic? Another matter also has been reported to us which is exceedingly detestable: that certain men, from the lay habit, through the appetite for temporal glory, when bishops have died, are tonsured and suddenly become priests. In this matter it is already plain what sort of man comes to the priesthood who suddenly passes over from the lay habit to sacred leadership. And he who never existed as a soldier does not fear to become a commander of religious men. What preaching will that man have, who perhaps never heard another's preaching? Or when will he correct the faults of others, who has not yet wept for his own? And since the Apostle Paul forbids a neophyte to come to holy orders, it must be known to us that, just as he was then called a neophyte who was as yet newly planted in the faith, so now we reckon among neophytes him who is still new in holy conversation. Now we know that the walls of a building do not first receive the weight of the timbers, unless they are dried of their newness of moisture, lest, if they receive the weights before they are made solid, they cast down the whole fabric together to the ground. And when for a building we cut down shrubs, we wait that the moisture of greenness ought first to be dried out, lest, if the weight of the fabric be imposed on them while still fresh, from their very newness they should be bent, and, broken, fall the more quickly to ruin, those things which seemed to have been raised on high before their time. Why then is this not subtly observed in men, which is weighed with so great consideration even in timbers and stones? On account of which matter it is necessary that your fraternity be careful to admonish our most excellent son King Childebert, that he utterly drive out the stain of this sin from his kingdom, so that Almighty God may render the greater things to him before himself, the more he perceives him both to love what he himself loves, and to shun what he hates. And so to your fraternity, God being the author, we commit our deputyship in the churches which are under the kingdom of our most excellent son Childebert, according to the ancient custom; the proper honor being preserved, indeed, to each of the metropolitans according to the ancient custom. We have also sent the pallium (Gratian, distinction 100, chapter 6), which your fraternity is to use within the church only at the solemnities of masses. But if anywhere any of the bishops should perhaps wish to journey farther, let it not be permitted him to pass to other places without the authority of your Holiness. But if any inquiry concerning the faith, or perhaps a cause concerning other matters, should arise among the bishops, which can be discerned with too great difficulty, let it be sifted and decided by an assembly of twelve bishops gathered together. But if it cannot be decided, let it be referred, once the truth has been examined, to our judgment. And may Almighty God guard you with his protection, and grant you to preserve in your conduct the honor you have received. Given the 12th day of August, the 13th indiction. [The source as transmitted is heavily interleaved with the editor's (Gussanville's) Latin scholarly footnotes, which discuss the dating of the letter, parallel passages in Gregory's Register, the canon-law tradition on accusing bishops and on simony (citing Gratian, the Councils of Chalcedon and Constantinople, the lives of Saint Eligius and others), and the history of the Arles vicariate from Zosimus to John VIII. These footnotes are editorial apparatus and not part of Gregory's letter, and so are not rendered as letter text here.]

AD VIRGILIUM EPISCOPUM. Vices illi snas in regno Childeberti concedit, Monet ut simoniacam lubem prohibeat, et ne ex laicis repente firnt episcopi. De pallii usu, et quatenus vices apo- ${olicas obire debeat. Gregorius Virgilio episcopo Arelatensi. 0 quam bona est charitas, quz absentia per ima- ginem przscntia $Sibimetip>is exhibet per amoren, . divisa unit, conſusa ordinal, inaqualia Tg social, imperſecta con,ummat. Quam recte predicator egre- gius vinculum perſectivnis vocat, quia virtules qu.dem c#tere perſectionem generant, $ed tamen eas charitas etiam ligat, ut ab amantis mente dis- s0lvi jam nequeant. ac itaque viriule, frater charis- «ime, plenum le es$e reperio, Sicut mibi de te, et hi constituo. Quibus etiam omnibus, id est Paulo dia- C qui ex Gallicanis partibus veniunt, et episto!z tue cono, Euphemio, Thomzx, atque Clematio commoda Sua, Secundum locum et_ ordinem in quo quisque eorum es, sicut solitus erat accipere, a presenti terlia decima indictione vestra fraternitas Sine aliqua Studeat imminutione prxbere. Quia igitur $uprascri- 4 De pena tergiversantis, qui ab accusatione desi- Slit, agunt jaroconsulti, cum senatusconsuitum Tur- pilianum expouunt. Vide Gregorium Turonensem, historiz lib. v, cap. £1. de $uspensione e; iscopi a communioue, eo quod ab accusatione de<titisset. N18 eam que inter canoties de ep $roporum accusationi- bus autinomia est indicamus. Nec la:cis, nec in eri0- ri-us clericis licet accn>are $108 episcopos ; it>dom eoSdenm licet accusare. Vide caus. 2, quzsl. 7. Co:- cilum chalredonense $olvit nodum Can. Z1 : Cleri- cos vive laicos accusantes $1u0s episcopos vel cler - cos passim et s:ne probatione, ad accu>ationem #01 recipi , nisi prius eortm discutialur existimatio, Evidentius adbuc rem eamd:em tractit concibum CGonslantin. I, can. 6, que lector con-ulat. Unum addo : Si liceat accusare, ergo et monere et Corri- pere delinquentem, urgente charilate, non imali- gnante zelo. Seriplum esl enim : Nolite tangere Chri- s{0s meos, et in prophelis meis nolte malignari. Pal. Cly, vers. 15. GUussanv. Strant. bus. Idipsum Stalum repetitur de Paulo diacono el Clematio aliis verbis. GUSSANv. Wus, Si ajjorum Editorum ratio babeatur; de quibus, quod levia sint, non admonuimns. 8 In Turvn. S. Gat., et in vet. Ed. Paris. 1518, Pa ad me directz verba testantur. Quod vero in eis, ® juxta amiquum morem, usum pallii ac © vices sedis apostolice postulasti, absit ne aut transitoriz potestatis culmen, aut exterioris cul- tus ornatum -in Vicibus nostris ac pallio quesisse te snbjicitur, mense Aug. indict. 15. Et sane indict. Ye- . cima tertia in epi-tol:e serie nota'ur. Eersr. Lil | AL. 50]. — * Apud Gussanv., cui fa- vent duo Teller., data die 6 !nnii, indict. 15, Ponenda i.citur esset ante epist. olim 45 et 44 ejusdem indict., 4414s mense Julio. At in Cullectione Pauli diacont 1anuscripia data est 12 Augusti indict, 45, Exsiat integra inter epistolas Joannis vin, esLque 94 Ro-ta- gno Arelatensi. In duobus Vatc., totidem Teller. et hhemens: imscribitur, Virgil., etc., tn Gollias missa per Joan. presbyterum et Sabinianum diac, Parum discrep:ant duo ati Vatic. ailio, ut liquet tum ex il /ius vita, tum ex epist. 47 ib. 1. Nondum ergo inilncta «rat pailii necessitas, nondum 3b illo exierioris cultus inSLrumento potestas cecclesiastica pendebat. | Hy ce De legationis hujus in Galliis initio vide Zosimi pap epist. 5 et 11, ad Patroclum Arelat, , necnon Hilari papz octavam, noram el deciman. Arelaten- Sihus epixcopis non adeo ſaverunt ali post Z-yimum Komani pountifiees Bonifacius I, Ceelestinus I, Leo T, done Symmachus an. 514 Csario Arelat. usum pallii cum $Sedis apostulice vicariatu largitus est. Tum circa an. 545 idem concesvit Auxanio pri.;um, deinde Aureliano, Vigilius epist. 7 et 1U; poStea Pe- SANCTI GRECORII MAGN] suspicer. Sed quia cunctis liquet 4 unde in Galliarum A vendere przesumpserunt, eorum, Deo judice, c.the- -regionibus ſides sancta prodierit, cum priscam con- sueludinem $edis apostolicz ſraternitas vestra repe- tit, quid aliud quam bona $oboles ad sinum matris recurrit ? Libenti ergo animo postulata concedimus, -" ne aut vobis quidquam de debito honore subtrahere, aut precellentissimi filii nostri Childebertii regis pe- litionem contempsisse videamur. Sed jam nunc $Siu- dio majori res indiget, ut cum honor cect, eltiam sollicitudo proficiat, et erga czeterorum custodiam vi- gilantia excrescat, vitr quoque merita subject's in exemplum veniant, et nunquam $ua per suscepti ho- noris gratiam, sed lucra. celestis patriz: vestra fra- ternitas exquirat. Nostis enim quid beatus apostolus gemens dicat : Omnes enim que $ua 8unt quarunt, aon que sunt Christi Jesu (Philip. n, 21). OQuibusdam namque narrantibus (Grat. 1, q. 1, c. 417), © agnovi quod in Galliarum vel Germania: par- tibus nullus ad sacrum ordinem $8ine commodi da- tione perveniat. Quod si ita est, flens dico, gemens denvntio, quia cum $acerdotalis ordo intus cecidit, ſoris quoque diu stare non Polerit. Scimus quippe ex Evangelio quid Re'empior noster per TY +e- metipsum fecerit, quia ingressus templun cathedras vendentium columbas evertit (Matth., xx1, 12). f Co- lumbas enim vendere est de Spiritu <ancto, quem Deus omnipotens consubstantialem sibi per imposi= tionem manuum hominibus tribuit, commodum tem- porale percipere. Ex quo, ut pradixi, malo jam in- - nuitur quid sequatur. Quia qui in tewplo Dei co!umbas I giuz | Sapzudo epist. 12, tandem Virgilio Grego- rius Magnus, Post Virzilium ex Arelat. episcopis nullum privilegiis illis donatum legimus, donec $ub noni $s2culi (finem $uas item in Gallia vices Rostagno Arelatensi commisit Joannes VIII, qui hanc epistolam et Sequentem paucis demptis usvurpavit. Hic vero Germanize partes inteiligit, aut Galliam uni- versam, quod ex Germania prodierint Franci; aut Franciam Lug-lunensem, quz Sidonio Apoltinari, lib; v, epist. 7, dicitur Germania Lugdunensis ; aut demum Germanize provincias Austrasiorum rigi xub- ects, scilicet ultra Rhenum, Turingiam, quz, a heoudorico Clodovei Mag. filio subacta, Christianas eliam leges $u>ceperal, tesie Gregorio Turon., lib. 11 Higt., cap. 4, 7 et9, cis Rhenum, Moguantiam que Germania prima, Coloniam Agrippinam que Germa- nia Secunda dicebatur. lufra, lib. vin, epist. 30, Au- guslinus a Germaniarum episcopis episcopus ſacius, sCilicet a Virgilio ipso Arelatensi ordinatus est. Czle- rum de simonia in Galliis grassante, a temporibus Brunichildis, agitur in Vita $ancti Eligii, auctore sanclo Audoeno Rothomag. episcopo, de quo. paulo infra. Matth. In columba 8secundum prophetie exempla $san- clum Spiritum intelligimus. In cathedra zacerdolii se- des est. Ergu eorum qui 8ancti Spiritus donum venale habent cathedras everiit, quibus ministerium a Deg commissum nego'iatio est. Ut simoniz labes e Gallia tolleretur muliis ad prelatos auctoritate precipuos et ad reges ips0s epislolis egit Gregorius. Vide wira, epist. 55, necnon lib. 1x, epist. 11, 106, 109, 116; lib. x1, epist. 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61. Tempore Dago- drz ceciderunt. Qui videlicet error in 8ubditis cum augmento pro- pagatur. Nam ipse quoque qui prelio ad sacrum or- dinem perducitur, jam in ipsa provectus Sui radice Vitiatus, paralior esl aliis venundare quod emit. Et ubi es. quo scriptum-est : Gratis accepis/is, gratis date (Matth. x, $8)? Et cum prima $imoniaca hzresis sit contra 5<an- clam Ecclesiam exorta, cur non perpenditur, cur non videtur quia eum quem quis cum pretio ordinat provehendo agit 85 ut hareticus fiat ? Alia quoque nobis res est valde deteslabilis nun- tiala, quoi quidam ex laico babitu, } per appetitim glorize temporalis, drfunctis episcopis, tonsurantur, B et ſiunt subito sacerCutes. Qua in Te jain notum est qualis ad sacerdotium venil qui repente de laicc ha- bitu ad sacrum transit ducatum. Et qui miles nun- quam exstilil, dux religiosorum i fieri non pertime- Scit. Quam iste pridication:-m habiturus csl, qui ſortasse nunquam Aaudivit alienam? Aut quando aliena mala corrigat, qui necdum $ua fNlevit ? Et cum ad sacros orilines Paulus apostolus neophytum ve=- nire probibeat, sciendum nubis es quia 8icut neo- phytus tunc vocabatur qui adhuc noviler erat plan- latus in fide, ita nunc inter neophytos deputamus, qui adhuc novus 1 es in sancla conversatione. (Grat. dizt. 48, c. Sicul.) | Scimus autem quod zdiſicali parietes non Jg&Z prius tignorum pondus accipiunt, nisi novilatis sue2 C herti regis, suggerentibas sanctis Audoeno et Elizio, habitum est concilium adversus Simoniacam pravita- lem : placuitque omnibus uno in Spiritu gancto ac- ceplo consilio, simul cum regis imperio, ut nullus pre- tio dato ad sacerdotale of ficium admillereiur. lla $an- clus. Audoenus, lib. 1 Vitze sancti Eligii, cap. 1. Necdum tamen abstersa 82xculo 1x hc labes, ut ostendit Joannes VIII, epist. 94. Imo duodecimo $:2x- culo Simoniam in Gallia defendi consuetudine Ro- manz KEecclesiz d--leb it Ivo Carnot, epist. 153. Porro qua: hic adversus Simoniacos $cribit Gregorius Ma- gus iisdem ominino verbis repetit, lib. v, epist. 58, et ſu+ius lib. 1x, epist. 107. $ Hleresim latiore modo” sumit pro simoniaca pra- vilate. Vide Launoii Librum de Simonia, observa=- tione 5, 4, 5, 11. D 55 epist., lib. ix, epist. 11, 406, 109, 110. Idem Gallis vetuerant Zosimus epist. 9, ad Pat oclum Ares lat. Ceelestinus I, epist. 2; ad episc. Provinciz Vienn. et Narbon. Syumachus, epist. >; ad Cesarium Ares lat. Felix IV, epist. 8; ad eumd. conc. Arelat. Il, can. 1, Arelat. iv. Surali mox ad episcopatum precipili Salty conscen- dunt : Ducatum, inuit, sacerdoles 8ibi arripiunt qui exordium religios@ nilitice non viderunt, Vox Religio-- 85 Gregorio Magno etjam clericum Ssigniſicat, lib. Iv, episl. 22, cunctos clericos c&lerosque religiosos; Ct lib. 1x, epist. 107, repente in religionis habitu plan- lalus dicitur qui repente factus est clericus, ut possit in episcopum eligi. | : 8 0 Z | / CIOS > > 2 > O—s— _— TI BIR > humore siccentur, ne $i ante pondera quam solidan- A res minoribus dilectionem impenderent, una concor- tur accipiant, cunctam $simul fabricam ad terram de- ponan!. Et cum ad #dificium arbusta snccidimus, ut prius viriditatis humor exsiccari debeat ex<pectamus, ne si cis adhuc recentibus fabrice pondus imponitur, ex ipsa novitate curventur, et conſracta citins cor- ruant, quz immature in altum levata videbantur. Cur ergo hoc non $ubliliter in hominibus custoditur, quod in lignis quoque ac lapidibus tanta considera- . tione perpenditur? Qua de re necesse est ut vesira ſraternitas prae- cellentissimum filium nostrum Childebertum regem admonere $tudeat, ut hujus peccati maculam a regno uo funditus repellat, quatenus omnipotens Deus tanto illi apud 8e majora retribuat, quanto eum con$picit el amare quod ipse diligit, et vitare quod odit. ltaque ſraternitati vestrz vices nostras in Ecclesiis, q"z $ub regno sunt pracellentissimi (ilii nostri Chil- deberti, juxta antiquum morem. Deo auctore commil- timus , $ingulis $iquidem metropolitis secundum priscam consuetudinem proprio honore $ervato. Pal- lium quoque transmisimus (Grat, dist. 100, c. 6), quo ſraternilas tua intra ecclesiam ad sola missarum $0- lemnia ulatur. Sicubi autem longius episcoporum quisquam pergere forte voluerit, sine luz Sanctitatis auctoritale ei ad loca alia transire non liceat. * Si qua vero inquisitio de fide, vel fortasse aliarum re- rum inter episcopos causa emerscrit, que discerni difſicilius possit, collectis duodecim episcopis venli- letur atque qecidatur, Si autem decidi nequiverit, discussa veritate, ad nostrum judicium reſeratur. Omnipotens aunt-m Deus $ua vos prolectione cus10- diat, honoremque perceptum vos in moribus servare concedat. | Datum die 12 Augusti, indict. 13.