Letter 11: MIGNE, PL. 69, c. 399-400; (6-11) PITRA, Spic.

Pelagius the bishop to the whole people of God. The vessel of election, the most blessed apostle Paul, when he was speaking of the Jews who did not yet believe in Christ, professed that they had a zeal for God, but, lest on this account they should be thought to be without fault, he consequently added: "But not according to knowledge," so that he might show that they necessarily had to be corrected through the doctrine entrusted to him by God. Your charity will not doubt that this testimony applies also to our own time; for, although we have detected that there is a zeal for God in the minds of certain persons, nevertheless in this matter — that they have shaken themselves, and still do shake themselves, with certain suspicions without knowledge of the truth, and that they tear themselves away from the bowels of the one mother, the Church, with wicked animosity — it is not in doubt that they are without knowledge. And we could indeed, with the divine mercy cooperating with us, confidently set forth the reasoning of the whole case in order to quiet the rumors of men, and demonstrate with the clearest proofs that nothing whatsoever has been attempted against the faith of the fathers and against the firmness of the four synods, but rather that this was done so that the firmness of the aforesaid synods might stand against all enemies with immovable solidity; but, because we have not judged this to be necessary for those who are to be nourished with milk rather than with solid food — since, as the aforementioned teacher of the nations says, wisdom is to be spoken among the perfect — we have considered that for the present this, which may abundantly suffice even for the little ones, should be brought to the knowledge of all. And this is, that I may define my faith in the profession appended below, in which, God being favorable, it may evidently appear both that I hold the right doctrine of the apostles and that I cleave to the footsteps of the fathers, so that through you, who possess a zeal for God together with knowledge, it may become known to the rest — those whom, by the grace of our Lord working, we trust will be freed, not without reward to you, from the irrational evil of their division. I believe therefore in one God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit * * [et leges et Deum Patrem legaris]. Concerning the holy four councils, that is, the Nicene of three hundred and eighteen, the Constantinopolitan of one hundred and fifty, the first Ephesine of two hundred, and also [concerning] the Chalcedonian of six hundred and thirty, I profess that I have so held them, the divine mercy protecting me, and that until the end of my life I will so hold them with my whole mind and my whole strength, that I will guard them with every kind of devotion in the defense of the holy faith and in the condemnations of heresies and of heretics, inasmuch as they were established by the Holy Spirit; and I profess that I so protect and defend their firmness — because it is the firmness of the universal Church — just as it is not in doubt that my predecessors defended them. Among whom I especially desire both to follow and to imitate him whom we have known to have been the author of the Synod of Chalcedon; who, in accord with his own name, evidently showed himself, with a most living solicitude of faith, to be a member of him who arose as the lion from the tribe of Judah. I am confident therefore that I will always show reverence similar to that for the aforementioned synods, and that whoever have been absolved by those same four councils I will hold to be orthodox, and that never in my life, with God protecting us in all things, will I diminish anything from the authority of their holy and true preaching. Moreover, the canons which the Apostolic See receives I follow and venerate, and, God helping, I defend, and I promise that I will never be silent about this profession nor at any time depart from it. The letters also of blessed memory pope Celestine, of Xystus, and before all of blessed Leo, and likewise also of his successors Hilary, Simplicius, Felix, Gelasius, Anastasius, Symmachus, Hormisdas, John, Felix, Boniface, the other John, and Agapitus — sent at various times, inviolably, for the defense of the catholic faith and for the firmness of the aforesaid four synods and against heretics, both to princes and to bishops or to any others whatsoever, throughout the East and Illyricum and Dardania and other provinces — I profess, with Christ our God helping, that I keep them, and that I hold as condemned all those whom they condemned, and that I venerate among the orthodox those whom they received, especially the venerable bishops Theodoret and Ibas. This therefore is my faith and hope, which is in me by the gift of the mercy of God; for which, that we ought to be especially prepared, blessed Peter enjoins, to give an answer to everyone who asks of us a reason. With this profession I desire to live, with it to stand before the tribunal of Christ; through this I believe that I am absolved from my sins and that I shall be carried by the divine mercy to the right hand of glory. But whoever shall have thought, believed, or preached otherwise, him the holy and universal Church of God anathematizes. May God keep you safe, most beloved sons. [Amen.]

MIGNE, PL. 69, c. 399-400; (6-11) PITRA, Spic. Solesm., IV, p. XIV-XV. PEIvAGlUS EPISCOPUS UNIUERSO POPUEO DEI. Uas 1 electionis, beatissimus Paulus apostolus, cum de ludaeis in Christo necdum credentibus loqueretur, zelum eos Dei habere professus 180: (6-11); n fol. 37^-38: (6-11), B fol. 72-72^: (9); C^fol. 7^: (9), C^fol. 7-7^, fol. 5. gelagius Cg episcopus] papa C, om, B dei] titul, om. (seq. ep. 7,6-16; cf. ep. 7, l. 27) m n Bpistulae huic, praeter numeros in margine solito modo adfixos, ad- nexui paragraphos I (1-4), II (5), III (6-12), qui haec continent: I. Adiuncta quae litteris ansam dederunt; II. Professio fidei (omissa, et forte partim de¬ perdita); III. Bxplicita adhaesio definitionibus quas occidentales in damna¬ tione Trium Capitulorum conculcatas putabant. F. KAEtENBRXJNNER, J-K. 938 (t. I, p. 125), primam omnium epistu¬ larum esse pontificis nostri censet. Bum ferme secuti sunt L. DucheSnE, L*£glise..., p. 227 (ipso die consecrationis scripta), R. DEVREESSE, o. c., p. XLIX (iusiurandum a papa praestitum apud S. Petrum coram Narseta populoque romano), et B. Caspar, o. c., p. 289. Bgo autem hoc loco cum Coli. Arelatensi et Coli. Britannica, omnibus mature perpensis, ponendam reor, post epp. 7 et 9, ob rationes sequentes. Probavi supra (in prima notula ad ep. 7, p. 20) hanc ep. 11 esse non posse illam cui adludit Pelagius in ep. 9,2. Aliunde esse non potest anterior ep. 7, nam adeo definitus et perfec¬ tus est tenor epistulae huius, ut, si haec antea exsisteret, illa ep. 7 inutilis evasisset (cf. not. in § 4.); illi ergo posterior esse videtur. Quod sit item pos¬ terior ep. 9 stricte probari nequit, verum eruitur cum probabilitate ex ep. 9 silentio. Bnimvero, si inter epp. 7 et 9 pontifex litteras has ederet encydicas, aliqua saltem adlusio ad illas in ep. 9 res omnino consentanea exspectanda- que fuisset, cum ibi de exitu ep. 7 Sapaudum percontetur. Probabilem cen- PEI.AGII I PAPAE est, sed ne ex hoc sine culpa esse crederentur consequenter adiecit: 5 Sed non secundum scientiam, ut^eos necessarie per doctrinam a Deo sibi creditam ostenderet emendandos. Quod 2 testimonium nostro etiam tempori conuenire caritas uestra non ambiget; quia, etsi zelum Dei in quorundam mentibus esse deprae- hendimus, in hoc tamen quod suspicionibus quibusdam sine noti- tia ueritatis se concusserunt atque concutiunt, et quod se a uisce- ribus unicae matris ecclesiae nefaria animositate discerpunt, sine scientia eos esse non dubium est. Et possimus quidem totius cau- 3 sae rationem ad sedandos rumores hominum, diuina nobis coope- rante misericordia, fiducialiter explicare, nihilque contra fidem patrum contraque quattuor synodorum firmitatem nullatenus esse temptatum, lucidissimis approbationibus demonstrare, ma¬ gisque id actum, ut memoratarum synodorum firmitas contra omnes inimicos inmobili soliditate consisteret; sed, quia hoc his, qui lacte potius quam solido cibo nutriendi sunt, necessarium esse non duximus, ut, sicut memoratus doctor gentium dicit, inter perfectos loquenda sit sapientia, hoc interim quod etiam paruulis credentur 6 necessariae 6 ostenderit a% 7 nostrum 8 ambigit (an recte?) 9 -endimus 10 uisce-] ex uiscel- (1 partim eras.) 11 ecle- siae nefaria] an ex neferia (?) «g discerpunt] e superscr. (ras. post discer; possemus Baronius, Sirmondus totius] ex totus «g 13 cohope -a^ 15 ullatenus ciz 16 temtatum aj adprobationibus ex approbat, postea corr. «g 17 synoda- rum «g 21 paruolis «g seo rem, quod Pelagius, audiens ubique crescentia adversus se murmura, sicuti ostenditur superiore ep. 10, sciens aliunde per responsum Sapaudi ad ep. 9 exitum adeptum apud regem sua fidei professione ep. 7, decerneret tandem hanc ep. 11 ad totius orbis fideles dirigere, ut omnium sibi volunta¬ tes conciliaret, Cf. adnotationes in ep. 10,9, p. 34. Propterea, hanc datam fuisse puto inter 16 aprilis a. 557 (nam posterior est ep. 10) et initio ianuarii a. 559 (ep. enim 19 posterior esse debet compositioni CoU. Avelatensis). Epp. Avelatenses, l. c., p. 4. Probabilius tamen teneo, scriptam fuisse eodem anno 557, aut, serius quam maxime, a. 558. 1. Uas electionis: Cf. Acf., 9,15. consequenter adiecit: Rom., 10,2. 3. nihilque contra fidem ... contraque quattuor synodorum firmi¬ tatem: Huius incusabantur qui Cone. Constantinopolitanum V subscripse¬ rant sive receperant. qui lacte potius ... nutriendi sunt: Cf. 1 Cor., 3,2. doctor gentium dicit: Cf. 1 Cor. 2,6. abunde sufficiat, ad notitiam omnium deferendum esse perspe¬ ximus. Id autem est, ut fidem meam adnexa subter professione definiam, in qua, Deo propitio, et rectam me apostolorum doctri- nam <tenere>, et patrum inherere uestigiis euidenter appareat, ut per uos, qui zelum Dei etiam cum scientia possidetis, ceteris inno- rectae ex recta 26 -nae ex -na tenere add. vid. nisi legatur cum a» 26 cum scientia] conscientia «g possideatis «g ! 4. fidem rneam adnexa subter professione: Deducitur inde, hanc epistulam continere fidei professionem, et re quidem vera unam in eadem invenies (§6-10), sed integram non esse sequentia suadent. Primo videtur eam mancam esse ob uero quod initio ep. 11,6 adest De sanctis uero quattuor conciliis ...; sed idem suadetur praesertim modo quo epistulam continent codd. a de quo vide sis apparatum. Adnotationes scribae cod. a^ confir¬ mant codd. Poss. lat. Q. 122 (n) etMontpess. H. 308 Scholae Medie, (m), unde probabiliter fuit descriptus n. Cod. Montpess. nos facit certiores, quod continuatio quae in n exstat, inde a verbis: secundum igitur ipsius domini doctrinam, non pertinet ad originalem redactionem Fidei Pelagii, prout nobis enarrat cod. a^ et continet m. Itaque W. Gundeach, Epp. Arelaten¬ ses..., l. c., p. 82, n. 1; D. Duchesne, Vigile et Pdlage ..., l. c., p. 378, n. 1, et B. Caspar, 0 . c., p. 289, n. 2 putarunt cod. n, deletis additis verbis, pri¬ migeniam Fidem continere, quare post ep. 11,4 addenda essent ep. 7,6-15. Haec autem opinio, etiamsi legitima sane sit et rationabilis, in ore autem auctorum illorum difficillime mihi videtur posse constare cum eorundem sententia, iuxta quam haec ep. 11 anterior esset ep. 7. Haec enim tunc remaneret prorsus inexplicata et inutilis; his adde, quod verba Pelagii, qui¬ bus moram suam in respondendo vult excusare, forent non solum menda¬ cia, verum incomprehensibilia etiam. Bgo autem plane possum, post aliarum epistularum praecedentem chronologiam statutam, recipere illorum sen¬ tentiam, sed aliquid est quod me vetat, ne illam velut omnino certam opi¬ nionem amplecter. Sunt videlicet obscura verba cod. a^, quae in textu in- ] serui: [et leges et Deum patrem legaris]. Haec enim verba, post initium ep. 11,6 I Credo isitur in unum Deum ... Spiritum Sanctum addita, non aliud forsitan ' sint, nisi exitus fragmenti, quod praecedebat ep. 11,6, et, cum in ep. 7,6-15 I non reperiantur, me suspicari fecerimt, ne adfuisset hic aliud adhuc de- ■ perditum fragmentum inter ep. 7,6-15 et ep. 11,6 interiectum. Quae cum ita I ^ sint, quamquam fidem facio adnotationi scribae cof. a^, cui consentit in- ' super textus lectus a scribis codd. m, n, tutius iudicavi proferre textum ut prostat in cod. az, non addito fragmento ep. 7,6-15, quod commode ibi invenies, et adiectis in § 5 verbis quae leguntur in cod. «g, velut initium et exitus hypotheticus fragmenti cuiusdam amissi. Veri simile enim videretur, scribam cod. a^ fefellisse, invenire idem initium quod habet ep. 7,6-15 initio alius consimilis fidei professionis huius ep. 11. Bonge veri similius esse ta¬ men fatendum est, ob textum quem nobis servaverunt codd. m, n, et ad¬ notationes cod. az, re quidem ipsa ante ep. 11,6 adfuisse modo ep. 7,6-15. I Illa subobscura verba de quibus supra: [et leges...], ut glossa quaedam, aut ' adnotatiuncula quae in textum inrepserit, aestimari potius debent. PEI^AGII I PAPAE tescat, quos operante Domini nostri gratia non sine uestra mercede, ab inrationabili diuisionis suae malo confidimus liberandos. Credo II. 5 igitur in unum Deum Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum * * 30 [et leges et Deum Patrem legaris]. [Id sequitur.] De sanctis III.e nero quattuor conciliis, id est, Niceno trecentorum decem et octo, Constantinopolitano centum quinquaginta, Epbeseno primo ducentorum, sed et [de] Calchedonensi sexcentorum triginta, ita me, protegente diuina misericordia, sensisse et usque ad terminum uitae meae sentire toto animo et tota uirtute profiteor, ut eas in sanctae fidei defensione et damnationibus heresum atque hereti- corum, utpote Sancto firmatas Spiritu, omnimoda deuotione custodiam; quarum firmitatem, quia uniuersalis ecclesiae firmitas est, ita me tueri ac defendere profiteor, sicut eas decessores meos defendisse non dubium est. In quibus illum maxime et sequi 7 et imitari desidero, quem Calchedonensis synodi auctorem noui- mus extitisse; qui, suo congruens nomini, eius se membrum qui de tribu luda leo extitit, uiuacissima fidei sollicitudine euidenter ostendit. Similem igitur suprascriptis synodis reuerentiam me semper exhibiturum esse confido, et, quicumque ab eisdem quat¬ tuor conciliis absoluti sunt, me esse ortodoxos habiturum, nec umquam in uita mea, Deo nos in omnibus protegente, aliquid de sanctae et uerae praedicationis eorum auctoritate minuere. Sed et canones, quos sedes apostolica suscipit, sequor et ueneror, 8 et Deo adiuuante defendo, nec me ab hac professione reticere t Oi, add. post ^/3 partes lin. et aliam vacuam in isto loco fidem quam domno childeberto destinauit habet scriptam, quam fquae coni. Gundlach) si quaternis fquaternionis Gund- lach) giras ... ('huius suppi. Gundlach) folios nouem (pro iLsex-r») et secundo... (in secunda coltunna Gundlach) in capud incipit, credo... (cetera ut in textu) « 2 , lin, vacuam rei. dos) « 3 , postea dimid. et unam lin. vacuam rei. 31 nicena a.^ 31-32 decem et octo] « 3 , XVIIIm n\ decim et octo 33 de] om. a^mn calchedonensi] (cj. epp. 3, l. 37, 54; 10j l. 30j 37) a^: calchidonensi m, calcaedonensi n, calcedonensis ag 34 et] om. «3 35 meae] a^m, ex me n: me (an recte?) a<i (cf. tamen l. 34: me, et l. 47: uita mea) 36 defensione] ex defensionem n 37 sancto] om. m firmitas «g, confirmatus m n 41 desidero] ex desideria (?) calcaedonensis n, calcidonensis « 2 , (?) m synhodis m, sinodis a 48 auctoritate minuere] ex auctoritatem inuere «gj auctori¬ tatem (m vero dei.) inuenire 49 chanones suscepit «2 6. Implicite probat pontifex damnationem Trium Capitulorum repudium Cone. Chalcedonensis non implicare. 7. eius se membrum qui de tribu luda leo extitit: Cf. Apoc., 5,5. aut discedere aliquando promitto. Epistulas etiam beatae re- 9 cordationis papae Caelestini, Xysti et prae omnibus beati Eeonis, nec non etiam successorum eius Hilari, Simplici, Felicis, Gelasi, Anastasi, Symmachi, Hormisdae, Iohannis, Felicis, Bonifacii, Iohannis alterius et Agapiti pro defensione fidei catholicae et pro firmitate suprascriptarum quattuor synodorum et contra hereti- cos, tam ad principes quam ad episcopos uel quoslibet alios, per Orientem et Illiricum atque Dardaniam aliasque prouincias diuer- sis temporibus missas inuiolabiliter, adiuuante Christo Deo nostro, me custodire profiteor, et omnes quos ipsi damnauerunt habere damnatos, et quos ipsi receperunt, praecipue uenerabiles episcopos Theodoretum et Ibam, me inter orthodoxos uenerari. Haec est 10 igitur fides mea et spes, quae in me dono misericordiae Dei est; pro qua maxime paratos nos esse debere, beatus Petrus praecipit, ^ ad respondendum omni poscenti nos rationem. Cum hac professione me uiuere opto, cum ipsa ante tribunal Christi adsistere; per hanc a peccatis meis absolui me credo et a dextris gloriae diuina misericordia deportandum. Quicumque 11 nis] memoriae C 52 papae] om. C sixti B C 53 etiam] et C hilari] m, ex hilarii a^'. hilarii B, hilario hylari ylarii C [ilarii] C 3 simplicii B C gelasii a^B C 54 anastasi] a^m'. anaestasi n, anastasii B, atanasii Ci C 3 , athanasii Cg symachi (?) n B, simachi C ormisde B Cj bonefacii B C, bone.,, m, bonefati n 55 acapiti B 56 quattuor] 1111°^ B C ereti- C 3 57 ad^] in marg. om. m n C 3 per] ad C 58 iliricum ^ 3 , ylliricum Cg 59 inuolabiter B christo deo] CI 2 ( c/. epp. 39t l. 5; 60, l. 18; 52, l. 4-5): christo dno. a^m n B,dno. C 60-61 quos ipsi... damnatos et] om. B C 61 reciperunt ex receperunt a 2 2 (?) 62 theuduretum n, m (?), theodoricum B C et] etiam C ibam] om. C orthodoxos] m B Cz orto¬ doxos «3 n C 3 , ex ortodoxus 63 dei] die (cum sign. emend.) n 66 uiuero 68 a dextris] a^m n: ad dexteram (cj. ep. 7, l. 80-90; 91-92; quapropter et haec lect. est prohah.) diuinae m misericordiae m n 68-69 deportandiim ... crediderit prae-] 9. Epistulas: Omnes pontifices praedecessores Pelagii a Caelestino commemorantur, exclusis tantum Silverio —qui nihil scripsit — et Vigi¬ lio, quem tacet—velut damnatorem Trium Capitulorum—sagacissimus papa. uenerabiles episcopos Theodoretum et Ibam: Est quidem miranda dexteritas papae. Personas Chalcedoniae probatas se suscipere profitetur, earum tamen opera Constantinopoli damnata silet. 10. Haec est... rationem. Prorsus idem quod in ep. 7,16. beatus Petrus praecipit: Cf. 1 Ptr., 3,15. a dextris: Videtur adlegatio, aut forte reminiscentia quaedam, ad litteram desumpta ex Mc., 6,19. Cf. etiam: Act., 7, 55-56; Ps., 109,1; 1 Ptr., 3,22 (in dextera). Ceterum non raro huius aevi scriptores ablati- PBI.AGII I PAPAE autem aliud senserit, crediderit, praedicauerit, hunc anathematizat sancta et uniuersalis ecclesia Dei. Deus uos incolumes custodiat |2 filii dilectissimi [Arnen]. add. in ima pag. n 69 anatimatizat 70 dei] add, secundum igitur ipsius domini doctrinam et apostoli praedicationem ... ac perinde in his gradibus diuinum nihil esse potest n (cf. Pitray Spic, Solesm.j IVy p, XVJ incolomes 71 amen] om. a^. vnm casum pro accusativo sumunt; Cf., exempli ergo, notulas ad ep. 3,4 Mc in Italia) cf. vero et apparatum. EPISTUEAE d 1,11-12; 12,1 Defensorem Dulcitium de mala eius administratione et iniustis postulationibus obiurgat.