Epistle
XLV.
To Andrew, Bishop.
Gregory to Andrew, Bishop of Tarentum [
Taranto,
in Calabria
].
A man may look without alarm to the tribunal of
the eternal Judge, if only, conscious of his own guilt, he strives to
pacify Him by befitting penitence. Now that thou hadst a
concubine we find to be manifestly true, with regard to whom also an
adverse suspicion has arisen in the minds of some. But, since in
doubtful cases judgment ought not to be absolute, we have chosen to
leave the matter to thine own conscience. If, then, after being
constituted in sacred orders thou rememberest having been defiled by
carnal intercourse, thou must resign the dignity of priesthood, nor
presume by any means to approach its ministration, knowing that thou
wilt administer it to the peril of thy soul, and without doubt have to
render an account to our
God
, if, being
conscious of this crime, thou shouldest desire to continue in the order
wherein thou art, concealing the truth. Wherefore we again exhort
thee that, if thou knowest thyself to have been deceived by the craft
of the ancient foe, thou hasten to overcome him, while thou mayest, by
adequate penitence, lest, as we hope may not be, thou be reckoned as
partner with him in the day of judgment. If, however, thou art
not conscious of this guilt, thou must needs continue in the order
wherein thou art.
Furthermore, since, against due order, thou didst
doom a woman on the Church-roll
1494
to be
cruelly beaten with cudgels, although we do not think that she died
eight months afterwards, yet, because thou hast had no regard to thy
order, we therefore sentence thee to abstain for two months from the
administration of mass. Meanwhile, being suspended from thy
office, it will become thee to weep for what thou hast done. For
it is very right that, now that the examples of praiseworthy priests do
not provoke thee to the tranquil rectitude befitting thy position, at
any rate the medicine of correction should compel
thee.
1494
Mulierem de
matriculis
.
Matricula
was probably a list or roll of
names of widows and other who were supported by the Church.