Letter 3016: The matter you have raised requires careful consideration, and I have given it my attention.

Gregory to Peter, bishop of Bari. Though we do not doubt that your fraternity willingly devotes itself to pious causes, nevertheless, because we believe our letter makes you more disposed, we indicate to you by this present writing that the bearer of this letter, the presbyter Valerianus, has come to those parts for the redemption of captives. You ought to provide him assistance in all things with all the greater zeal, inasmuch as you know that he has undertaken the toil of a long journey with the incentive of a heavenly reward. For in this way he will accomplish what he intends with your help, and your fraternity will find a great recompense before God, as you desire, for the assistance rendered.

AD PETRUM EPISCOPUM. Valerianum- presbylerum pro redemptione captivorum advenientem commendat. Gregorius Petro. episcopo ® de Baricis. Licet ſraternitatem tuam piis se causis non dubi- temus Sponte impendere, verumtamen quia pronio- rem eam nostra fieri arbitramur epistola, idcirco peti, desiderari, eligi, pro eodem usurpantur, sive D rium nomine presbyteri episcopns designatur; sxpius clerum $pectes, sive populum. Electionem, inquit, reslram_valde laudavimus, epist. sequenti. Postulare lawen majus est quam petere. Inde apud Curtiun, de Dario victo, el jamen arroganter leges pacis ſerre voleme, h&c legimus : Pos/ulabat autem magis quam tebat, ut, etc. Gussanv. Poslulatio et electio nonnj- | dillerunt, quod Gussauvillezi pace dixerim. Vide notlas ad epist. 59 lib. 1. 4 Yalic. A, conscriptionemque. Alia lectio est Norm., Turon., elc. © Prioribus sxculis, si vocem $pectes, iidem dice- bantur episcopi qui presbyteri, apud Grzcos et Lati- Nos Auctores, ne exceptis quidem sacris Codicibus. Vide Hieronymum, epist. 85, ad Evagrium ; Theo- doreium, inivo Epist. ad Puilip., et jn cap. 1 prime ad Timoth.; Act. xx, 47. Vis apud sanclum Grego- nomine $sacerdotis. Porro- cardinalis 8acerdos idew ac proprius, quasi litulo perseveranter aſtixus. Sanclo Gre:orio, et aliis passim, incardinare est proprium episcopum, abbatem, presbyierum, diaconum in ali- qua Ecclesia instnuere. Vide lib. 1, epist. 15; liÞ. 12, epist. 9, 40, 86; lib. x, epist. 5; lib. xu, epist. 11; lib. xi1, epist. 6. Eeisr. XIV. — * la legitur in Turon. S. Gat. EeisT. XV. — * In nonnuliis Ed., duci Campante. quatuor Vatlic., oemnium Norm., Reg., etc. $$. Eer>T. XVI. — * In Mss. et in Editis discrepat bujus epist. tuscriplio. In Norm, , Riem. et ct. alt- as 617 EPISTOLARUM LIB. IL. -— INDICT. XI. — EPIST. NIX. 618 pr:e>cnlibus tibi indicamus apicibus horum latorem A Valerianum presbyterum pro redemplione caplivorum wm illas partes advenis>e ; cui tanto enixius i omul- bus debetis ſerre $80latium, quanto eum ” mercedis micutione longinqui ilineris laborem as$umpSisSC cougnoscitis. Sic enim et hic qnod intendit, te adju- vanle, perficiet, et ſraternitas tua pro impens0 Sula- mine magnam apud Deum , sicut desiderat, retribu- tionem inveniet. © Mense Januario, indictione 11.