Gregory to Maximian, bishop of Syracuse. Such great evils, which are being committed in that province, are constantly reported to us, that — our sins bringing it about, and may almighty God avert it — we believe it will speedily perish. For the bearer of these presents, coming, has tearfully complained that many years ago he was taken up at the font by some man I know not whom, from the possession of the Church of Messina, and was violently joined by various persuasions to that man's girl, from whom he asserted he already has young sons, and whom now, this man being willing, he is said to have taken away from her husband and sold to a certain other person. And if this is true, your dear self perceives how unheard-of and cruel an evil it is.
322:2
Ideoqueadmonemusuthoctantumnefassubeavivacitatequamteincausispiishaberecertissimescimusrequirasatquedisculias. Etsiitautsupradictosportitorinsinuavit, essecognoveris, nonsolumquodmalefactumest, adstatumprisHnumrevocarecuras, sedetvindictam, quaeDeumpossitplacare, exhiberemodisomnibus (estinalJis. Episcopumveroquihominessuostaliaagcn:escorrigerenegligitatqueemendarevehementeraggredere, proponensquiasidenuotalisadnosbdequoqnamquiadeumpertinentquerelapervenerit, nonineumquiexcesserit, sedinipsumcanonicevindictaprocedetc. (Cf. Joann. Diac. I. IV, c. 54.)
Therefore we admonish that you inquire into and examine this so great crime with that vigor which we most certainly know you to have in pious causes. And if you find it to be as the aforesaid bearer has intimated, take care not only to recall to its former state what has been evilly done, but also by all means hasten to exhibit a vengeance that can appease God. As for the bishop who neglects to correct and amend his men doing such things, vehemently take him to task, setting before him that if again any complaint concerning anyone who belongs to him reaches us, the vengeance shall proceed canonically not against him who has offended, but against the bishop himself. (Cf. John the Deacon, Book IV, ch. 54.)