Letter 4047: You know what has been done in the case of the prevaricator Maximus. For after the most serene Lord the Emperor had sent orders that he should not be ordained , then he broke out into a higher pitch of pride. For the men of the glorious patrician Romanus received bribes from him, and caused him to be ordained in such a manner that they would ha...

Gregory to Sabinianus, Deacon. You know what has happened in the case of the usurper Maximus. After our most serene Lord the Emperor had sent orders that he should not be ordained, he broke out into an even higher pitch of arrogance. The men of the distinguished patrician Romanus accepted bribes from him and arranged his ordination in such a manner that they would have killed Antoninus, our subdeacon and rector of the patrimony, if he had not fled. I then dispatched letters to Maximus, after learning he had been ordained against all reason and custom, ordering him not to presume to celebrate Mass until I had ascertained from our most serene lords what they had directed regarding him. These letters of mine were publicly posted in the city, and he had them publicly torn down -- thus openly flaunting his contempt for the Apostolic See. How I was likely to endure this, you know -- since I was prepared to die rather than allow the Church of the blessed apostle Peter to be degraded in my time. You are also well acquainted with my temperament: I bear things for a long time, but once I have resolved not to bear them, I face all dangers willingly. It is therefore necessary, with God's help, to confront this threat before it drives him to even greater excess. Consider what I am saying, and how great a grief prompts it. I have also heard that he has sent a cleric to Constantinople to claim that Bishop Malchus was put to death in prison for money. On this point, here is something you may briefly suggest to our most serene lords: if I, their servant, had been willing to involve myself in the death of Lombards, the Lombard nation today would have had neither king, nor dukes, nor counts, and would have been thrown into the utmost confusion. But because I fear God, I shrink from involvement in the death of any man.

Book IV, Letter 47 To Sabinianus, Deacon. Gregory to Sabinianus, etc. You know what has been done in the case of the prevaricator Maximus. For after the most serene Lord the Emperor had sent orders that he should not be ordained , then he broke out into a higher pitch of pride. For the men of the glorious patrician Romanus received bribes from him, and caused him to be ordained in such a manner that they would have killed Antoninus, the subdeacon and rector of the patrimony, if he had not fled. But I dispatched letters to him, after I had learned that he had been ordained against reason and custom, telling him not to presume to celebrate the solemnities of Mass unless I should first ascertain from our most serene lords what they had ordered with regard to him. And these my letters, having been publicly promulged or posted in the city, he caused to be publicly torn, and thus bounced forth more openly into contempt of the Apostolic See. How I was likely to endure this you know, seeing that I was before prepared rather to die than that the Church of the blessed apostle Peter should degenerate in my days. Moreover you are well acquainted with my ways, that I bear long; but if once I have determined not to bear, I go gladly in the face of all dangers. Whence it is necessary with the help of God to meet danger, lest he be driven to sin to excess. Look to what I say, and consider what great grief inspires it. But it has come to my ears that he has sent [to Constantinople] a cleric, I know not whom, to say that the bishop Malchus was put to death in prison for money. Now as to this there is one thing that you may shortly suggest to our most serene lords — that, if I their servant had been willing to have anything to do with the death of Lombards, the nation of the Lombards at this day would have had neither king nor dukes nor counts, and would have been divided in the utmost confusion. But, since I fear God, I shrink from having anything to do with the death of any one. Now the bishop Malchus was neither in prison nor in any distress; but on the day when he pleaded his cause and was sentenced he was taken without my knowledge by Boniface the notary to his house, where a dinner was prepared for him, and there he dined, and was treated with honour by the said Boniface, and in the night suddenly died, as I think you have already been informed. Moreover I had intended to send our Exhilaratus to you in connection with that business; but, as I considered that the case was now done with, I consequently abstained from doing so.