Letter 9154: Praise be to God for the news you have sent me.

Know that, amid this news which you reported to me of the victories over the Slavs, I have been relieved with great joy, because the bearers of the present letter, hastening to be joined to the unity of the holy Church, have been sent from the island of Caprea [Capraia] by your Excellency to the blessed Peter, chief of the apostles. For in this you prevail the more strongly against your enemies, if you recall under the yoke of the true Lord those whom you recognize to be enemies of God; and you act as vigorously in your own causes among men as you have done, with a sincere and devoted mind, in the causes of God among men. But as for the copy of the persuasion [the document of inducement] which was sent to you in defense of the schismatics, and which you wished to be shown to me, your Excellency, most sweet to me, ought to have weighed it carefully, because, although that persuasion itself was obtained by stealth [subreption], yet you were not commanded in it to repel those coming to the unity of the Church, but only that you should by no means compel, at this uncertain time, those unwilling to come. Wherefore it is necessary that you should hasten to suggest these very things to our most pious emperors, so that they may recognize that in their times the schismatics, with the help of Almighty God and by your labor, are hastening to return of their own accord. But what I have decreed concerning the ordering of the island of Caprea, your Excellency may learn through my most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Marinianus. But know this, that it has saddened me not a little, that the steward of the household [maior domus], who undertook the petition of the bishop wishing to return, professed that he had lost it, and afterward it was held by the adversaries of the Church. This I judge to have been done not through negligence but through his venality. Wherefore I wonder that your Excellency by no means avenged this fault upon them. But yet, because I wondered at this, I more quickly reproached myself. For where lord Justinus offers counsel, who does not have peace with the Catholic Church, there heretics cannot be condemned. Moreover, you declare that you wish to keep the birthday [feast-day] of the holy Peter, chief of the apostles, in the city of Rome. And we pray the Almighty Lord that His mercy may protect you and grant that your vows be fulfilled for you. But I ask that the aforesaid most eloquent man come together with you; and if he does not come, let him withdraw from your service; or at least, if your Excellency perhaps, with matters arising, shall be unable to come, let him either communicate with the unity of the holy Church, or, I ask, let him not be a participant in your counsels. For I hear that he is a good man, if only he were not of the worst error. But concerning the case of Maximus, since we can no longer bear the importunity of your sweetness, you will learn what we have decreed, Castorius the notary suggesting it [reporting it to you].

Inter boc, qitod mihi do Sclavi8* victorias^ nuntiastlH, magna me lacdtia rele- vatuni csse cognoacite, quod Utores praesentium de Capritana insula^ unitati^ aanctae ccclesiaG coniungi fustinantes ad beatum Pctrum apostolnrum principcm ab excellentia vestra transmissi eunt. In hoc enim contra hoHtee vestroe amplius praevalctifi , si cos quos Dei hoates agnuscitis sub iugo vuri domini rcvocatis tantoque vcstrae causas : apud homines fortiter agitis, quantu Dci causas in hominibus sinccra ae devota mcnte fcceritis. Quod antom excmplar iuasionia quae vobia^ pro sciamaticorum dcfensiono trana- missa cst mihi oatcndi voluistis, ponaare sollicite dulcisaima mihi vestra cxcellGntia dobuit, quia, quamvia iuHsio ipsa subrcpta'' oat, non tamen in ea vobis pracceptum ost, ; nt voniontcs^ ad unitatem occlesiac repellatis, sod ut vcnirc nolontcs hoc incorto tem- pore * minime compcllatia. Undc neceaac oat, ut haec ipea piissimis imperatoribua nustria auggcrcrc fcstino dcbcatis, quatonua cognoacant', quod eorum teroporibus acis- matici cum omnipotentis Uei solacio ot laborc vestro aua spontc rcvortt fcstiQant. Quae autom dc insulac Capritanae ordinationo dccreverim, por rcvcrcnlissimum : fratrcm ct cocpiacopum mcum Marinianum vcstra excellcntia agnuscit*. Illud vcro cognoBcitc, quia me non modicc" contristavit, quod maior domi ^, qui potitionom epiacopi volcntis reverti ausccpit, cam sc poi-didissc profcssua est, et postmodum ab advcrsariia ccclcaiae tenebatur''. Quod cgo non neglcgcntia, scd vcnalitatc eiua factum arbitror. Unde miror', quia in cos* culpam hanc minime vestra cxccllentia vindicavit. Sed tamen quia hoc miratus suni, memctipaum citiua rcprehcudi. Nam ubi domnua lustinus ^ consilium pracbct, qui pacem cum catholica ccclesia non habet, ibi non posaunt here- lici addici'. Praetcrca sancti" Petri apostolorum principis natalicium dicm' in Romana civi- tate vos faccro vcllc perhibotis. Et oramua omnipotcntcm Dominum, ut sua vos" IX, 154 111 liluh: GalliHiiicu p* /.J; Galliiiicu i>*-J.:i; cui nuprii ief.ep.IX, 153: Kasitiu) R* 3 et iti tnd.: t>alii) de sL-igjiinlicid el ile pervenui (niiiiiittii liintiiii. ■) clHriM Hl. q' 3. ^) uiiitatie Hl. Q* 1,2, ted in unitali corr. p ■ 2. ") ila »cr.; v(i» cvdd. ».; vo ex vui! corr. q'2: »A viw cd<L •') tr. Bubr«clft curr. H I. ») veiiieiite /11. eugiiosciW codd. n. b) mudii-e oiii. H I. '') leHebiiiitiir q'S.3. •) niirum g' I. ' '') usp" J. ') adduci f* 2. 3; adici tcr. Mommien. ">) «aiicti om. q* 1. ") no« q* i.3. JX, I&i. Dr. CaXHnico cf. ep. VII, 26 p. 472 n. i. 1) De Grueaorum lux tempore coatra Acarot fSckiiotque, eorvm socioa, rebaa ffe^in cf. TtieofJiyl. Sim. p. 258 ss. 384 m. ed. de U. 2) Cf. gi, IX, 152 n. ti tX, I4H n. 1; tiot» hanc ep. <per SicUiam iirl ejMrdiam fraiiiilatam («se. 3) Vf. ]>rue«enteni renmi ItiilicHnini confnaioDetn in reg, I, 16b. 4) Cf. ep. eequenlem, 5} De boc munere ef. «p. JX, 17 (n. 2). XI, 53. 6) Hic (Uiae non commemoratur ; fortatte comilitmus exariAi erat. 7) I.e.<Iie29 m. tmm. ■ ,GoogIe misericordia prDtegat et vota vestra vos implere concedat. Sed praedictua vir elo- queDtisBimus peto ut simul veniat; qui si non venerit, a vestris obsequiis rccedat: vel certc, si vestra excellentia fortasse Gincrgentibus causis vcnire nequivcrit, ipae aut" aanctae ecclesiac unitati communicet, aut peto, ut vestronim consilionim particeptt non sit. Bonum entm virum audio, ai pessimi non essct erroris. De causa vero Maximi, quia importuDitatem dulccdinis vcstrae" iam ferre non posaumus, ^uid dccrevimus, Castorio notario suggereiite ' cognoacitia.