Gregory to John, bishop of Syracuse. Our glorious children Cethegus and Flora, a married couple, sending for certain of their own affairs Maximus, a most illustrious man, palatine of the privy purse, to Sicily, wished ten pounds of gold to be given from the pensions of the ecclesiastical patrimony to our most reverend brother Basil, bishop of the city of Capua, who is known to be already there, to be of profit for his advantages. In the restitution of these, lest any delay should occur or difficulty perhaps arise, they handed the sum to our most beloved son Boniface the deacon.
And therefore, since it does not befit us to sadden our children — and especially where the Church feels the loss to be least — we command your fraternity by these lines that, to our aforesaid brother and fellow-bishop Basil and to Maximus, a most illustrious man, according to the will of our aforesaid children Cethegus and Flora, glorious persons, you ought to give ten pounds of gold without tardiness, after the receipt appended below has been received, so that, while no delay in receiving arises for them, they may both usefully execute the things entrusted to them, as they shall know, and the party of the Church may be reasonably safeguarded.