Letter 10027: Gregory to Zittanus, military commander.

To Zittanus, Master of Soldiers [magister militum, a senior military commander]. [Rubric:] He acknowledges that public dues must be paid even by religious persons. Gregory to Zittanus, Master of Soldiers. We acknowledge that we have received your letters, dictated in the Greek tongue, in which you say that certain religious places scorn to render to the public law the response due concerning the matters that pertain to it. This affair has thoroughly saddened us, because it is our character not only to inflict no prejudices at all, but even to bear with an even mind those that have been inflicted, unless perchance we are reasonably compelled to defend the affairs of the poor, lest we be found culpable before Almighty God. Accordingly, we have transmitted to your Glory what we have written to Fantinus the defensor [defensor, an official agent of the Church], so that he himself may compel any religious persons whatsoever in the regions of Panormus [Palermo] to come before chosen judges, and to render an account of their proceedings. May Almighty God grant to you the bounty of his heavenly mercy, so that through all the things you do you may serve his grace. Given in the month of May, in the fifth indiction.

AD ZITTANUM MAGISTRUM MILITUM. Fatetur persolvenda etiam a religiosis tribula, Gregorius * Zittano magistro militum, Epistolas vestras Grazco sermone dictalas me in- dico $uscepisse, in quibus dicitis quod@uzdam reli- | giosa loca Þ responsum juri publico de rebus ei com- petentibus reddere contemnant. Qua res me omnino contristavit, quia nostri est habitus non solum pree- judicia minime ſacere, $ed etiam facta zquanimiter porlare, nisi ſorte quod res pauperum defendere ra» tionabiliter cogimur, ne apud omvipotentem Deum culpabiles inveniri valeamus. Proinde Fantino de- ſensori que scripserim gloriz veslre tran-misi , ut ipse religios0s quosque in Panormitanis partibus apud electos judices venire compellat , et 8uorum actuum rationem reddant. Omnipotens Deus celestis C vobis misericordiz largitatem prebeat, ut per cuncta que agitis ejus gratie Serviatis. © Mense Maio in- dict. 5.