Letter 2002: Gregory to Prejectus [Praeiectus], Bishop of Narni [city in Umbria, central Italy].

To Praejectus, bishop of Narni. That, by reason of a deadly outbreak [of plague], the citizens are to be exhorted to penitence and faith. Gregory to Praejectus, bishop of Narni. It has come to us, our sins pressing upon us, that in your city of Narni a mortal pestilence is raging without restraint, a matter which has grieved us exceedingly. Wherefore, greeting your Fraternity in every way, we urge that you in no wise cease from admonishing and exhorting the Lombards and the Romans who dwell in that same place, and especially the gentiles [pagans] and the heretics, that they may be converted to the true and right catholic faith. For thus either the divine mercy will perhaps, by reason of their conversion, come to their aid even in this life; or, if it should befall that they depart [this life], they will pass over, absolved from their crimes, by their own [amendment]—which is the more to be desired.

AD PREJECTUM EPISCOPUN NARNIENSEM. Ez mortiſere [uis occagione, cives ad penitentiam et fidem hortandos. Gregorins ® Prejecto episcopo Þ Narniensi. Pervenit ad nos, peccatis imminentibus, in civitate vesira Narniensi mortalitatem omnino grassari, 57Q guz res nos nimis © addixit. Quamobrem salutantes fraternitatem tuam modis omnibus, svademus' ut a Langobardorum sive Romanorum, qui in codem loco degunt, admonitione sive exhortatione 4 nulla ratione cessetis, et maxime a geniilium et hereticorum, ut ad veram rectamque ſidem cathoelicam convertantur, Sic enim aut divina misericordia pro sua cis forsitan Eeisr. |, —* Ante bancepist. prennititurin E1. et in plur, Mss., scilicet Vatic., Colh., Reg., {lemporibus pape Gregorii, etc. Acta suntdepositionis Laurenii archidia- com Romani, et subrogationis Honorati in ejus locum. Subjungitur, charia de Li:ania mej. Hac cum mini- me pertineant ad epistvlas, ad calcem amandavimus; aliunde quoque bc desiderautur in Angl. , Norw., Corb, Monteleone, in occasum, Acl. 4 concil. Constantino- politani sexti gubscripsit Theodorus epi>copus tis E&ying banging Kporiias, Legitur et in soplima $ynv- do, act. 1, Gu>sany. © Quid sit $0{idus, disce ex Cangiano Glossario. De svlido aureo cvjus bic mentionem lieri pulamus, olim diximus in Vita Cassiodori, lib. 1, c. 4, n. 6. Qualis autem tfuerit aut cujus pretii, non ex legibus Salicis, Alemannicis, etc., quas laudat infra Gus- 8AaNv. repeli debet. Sed de his alibi adhuc uberius, maxime 1, a, ind. xi, epist, 55, ad Dynamivm, | TIremissis est lertia pars $olidi. Libra coaflaltur ex 72 golidis. Solidum 40 Jenarios cuntinu!SSe OX legibus Salicis, Alemannicis, Bajoariis, Ripuariisque A conversione, et in hac vita 8ubveniet; aut si eos mi- grare conligerit, a $uis, quod et magis optandum est, transient facinoribus absoluti. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. n, c. 50.)