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Gregory to Maximus, usurper of the Church of Salona. While, by our writings, with certain excuses sought out, you defer to render obedience, while, so often admonished by us to come for the satisfaction of the truth, you put it off, you lend the more credence by this to the things which have been said against you; and even if any other things seemed to be lacking which might weigh upon or harm you, you bring it about that mere delay alone both makes and accuses you to be culpable. Be humbled at last, and submit yourself to obedience, and hasten to come to us without any excuse, so that, the truth having been sought out and ascertained, according to the fear of God, whatever shall be fair and canonical may be decreed.
For be assured that we will preserve for you justice and the statutes of the canons, and will impose on your case, the Lord—the author of truth—revealing it, an end friendly to justice. For as to what you request, that we ought to direct a person thither, in whose presence there might be proof of the things that are alleged, it would be in some way excusable, if reason ever imposed the necessity of proof upon him who is accused. But since this burden lies not upon you but upon the accusers, cease not, as we have said before, delay ceasing, to come to us; and either without delay the accuser will be present, who may support with fitting proof those things which have been alleged concerning the simoniac heresy or other matters;
Or else, certainly, in those matters which pertain to the wholesome handling of this very business, let a just disposition come about through the intervention of blessed Peter, the chief of the apostles; so that no charge of guilt may be able to confound us before God through any dissembling, because these things pertain to our conscience. But as to what you indicate, that our most serene lords have commanded that the inquiry ought to take place there, we for our part have received no other instructions from them concerning this matter, save that you ought to come to us.
But even if perhaps, for the benefit of his commonwealth—which has been granted to him by divine bounty—a suggestion was put to those who ponder many things and are occupied with diverse cares, and their command was drawn forth by misrepresentation, nevertheless, since it is known both to us and to all that our most pious lords love discipline, keep good order, revere the canons, and do not entangle themselves in priestly causes, we press on urgently with that which both benefits their soul and the commonwealth, and to which the regard of the terrible and dread Judge impels us. Cease therefore from all excuses, and do not delay to be present for this, so that, strengthened by the searching-out of the truth, we may at last set an end to your case.
Now as to the fact that we have learned you greatly dread and altogether tremble, lest perchance we should take vengeance on you for this, that you are known to have burst forth disorderly into the priestly order without our consent—this is indeed an intolerable fault; yet, according to the commands of our most serene lord the emperor, if you no longer persist in the error of your contumacy, we relax it, and concerning this matter we are by no means moved against you. But other things which have been told us we do not pass over uninvestigated. For since we long ago sent you writings, that until we should learn the will of the same most serene lord you should by no means dare to celebrate the solemnities of the Mass, yet you acted with a haughty mind, cunningly refusing to receive those very writings, whose
sentence you did somehow come to know, but were unwilling to observe; and therefore we confirm those things which we earlier sent to you in writing, that you should not dare to celebrate the solemnities of the Mass, until all the things that have been alleged against you shall have been subtly investigated and examined. But if perchance by perverse audacity you should presume to celebrate, know that you are not free from the pollution of the communion long since forbidden you. For even if other transgressions be lacking, for this fault of pride alone we deprive you of the communion of the Lord's Body and Blood. Wherefore, showing the obedience that is fitting, hasten with all diligence to come to us, as we have said;
so that you have a span of thirty days, in which you may prepare your journey, and, laying aside every excuse, do not delay to be present here. But if any occasion for opposing your journey should arise from the judges, or from the military hand, or from the people, we recognize by what craftiness it is contrived. Do you yourself therefore now consider what account you will render of your obligation, whether here to men, or in the future judgment to Almighty God, seeing that by your own contempt you have provoked a strict sentence against yourself.
Moreover, it has come to me that Paulinus, my brother and fellow bishop, and Honoratus, archdeacon of the Church of Salona, because they were unwilling to lend their consent to your presumption, are suffering grievous vexations from you, so that, sureties having been given, they are constrained in such a way that it is by no means permitted them to leave their city or their houses. If this is so, then, coming back even late to a sense of your own salvation, upon receiving the present writings, refrain from vexing either of them, so that they may have free leave either to come to me if they wish, or in whatever way to set out elsewhere for their own advantage.