Epistle
XLVI.
To Peter the Subdeacon.
Gregory to Peter, &c.
The divine precepts admonish us to love our
neighbours as ourselves; and, seeing that we are enjoined to love them
with this charity, how much more ought we to succour them by supplies
to their carnal needs, that we may relieve their distress, if not in
all respects, yet at least with some support. Inasmuch, then, as
we have found that the son of the most worthy Godiscalchus is in
distress, not only from loss of sight, but also from want of food, we
hold it necessary to provide for him as far as possible.
Wherefore we enjoin thy Experience by this present order to supply to
him for sustaining life twenty-four
modii
of wheat every year,
and also twelve
modii
of beans and twenty
decimates
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of wine; which
may afterwards be debited in thy accounts. So act, therefore,
that the bearer of these presents may have to complain of no delay in
receiving the gifts of the
Lord
, and that thou
mayest be found partaker in the well administered
benefit.
1366
“
Decimatas
vini duas pensantes per unamquamque decimatam
libras 60 (Ap. Anastasium in Hadriano)…mensuræ vinariæ
species videtur.” Du Cange.