Letter 9014: **From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome

To Felix in Sicily. That he has written to John the bishop, to appoint agents of the Church who may, together with Felix himself, undergo judgment without delay. Gregory to Felix in Sicily. Having received the letters of your Greatness, we were saddened that you have reported that certain estates, which you say you held, were unlawfully seized by the agents of the Church of Syracuse. But we believe that this did not come to the knowledge of our brother and fellow bishop John. For without doubt, once the truth had been ascertained, if anything was done unlawfully, it could have been corrected. And therefore, since it has been decreed by legal provision that the cause both of the party in possession and of the principal party be examined in one and the same judgment, and since we cannot determine anything against a party that has not been heard, we have written to our aforesaid brother that he ought to appoint agents of his Church, who may, together with you, undergo the judgment of the chosen judges without delay; lest either you lose your property without a hearing, as you complain, or the other party appear to suffer prejudice. Let your Glory therefore introduce no difficulties as to the judges to be chosen, nor defer to proceed to the case. For we are altogether certain of the character of our aforesaid brother and fellow bishop, that he will not refuse to do whatever reason may require.

AD FELICEM IN S$ICILIA. ' Se ad Jonnnem episcopum 8cripsisse, ut actores Keele- $i 8ur deputct, qui cum Felice ips0 8ine mora ju- dicium subeant. ; Gregorius Felici in Sicilia. Susceptis magnitudinis vestre epistolis, contrista- ti $umus quod ab actoribus Ecclesie Syracusanze quasdam possessiones, quas vos tenuisse dicitis, 0ccu- palas irrationabiliter indicasiis. Sed credimus quia hoc ad fratris et coepiscopi nostri Joannis notitiam non pervenit. Nam absolute poterat, cognita veritate, 8i quid illicite ſfactum est, emendari. Et ideo quia legali provisione decretum est ®* tam imminentis quam principalis rei causam in uno eodemque judi- cio cognosci, nec nos contra inauditam partem ali- quid possumus definire , przdicto fratri nostro scri- psimus ut actores Ecclesiz sua deputare debeat, qui vobiscum $sine mora electorum possint s1bire judi- cium ; ne avtl vos res veslras sine cognitione, sicut querelam ſacitis, amittere, aut pars allera videatur prejudicium sustinere. Gloria ergo vestra nullas in eligendos Þ judices diſficuliates interserat, vel dif- ſerat ad causam accedere. Nam omnino de supradicti ſratris et coepiscopi nostri moribus certj sumus quia facere quidquid rationis oro exezerit non recuset ©.