Letter 7045: **From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome

To Claudius the Abbot. That he should come to Rome as quickly as possible. Gregory to Claudius the abbot. When the most reverend man Severus the bishop was coming, [it pleased us that] he should likewise come to the thresholds of the prince of the apostles [the shrine of Saint Peter at Rome], because this had been announced to us, and we rejoiced greatly at that same report. But we believe that you were hindered by the occupations of the monastery, and that for this reason you did not come to us at all. The letters which your Charity had sent before this time we received, and, as you wished, we read them over in private. But concerning the three persons about whom you had written, we saw that nothing was possible; concerning that person especially who was here with us, we do not suspect that anything of the kind can usefully be done, since she seemed to us to be torpid either through simplicity of nature or through negligence. And therefore let your Charity seek out there whatever is of any worth, and arrange it carefully, and come to us. But if you are not able to come, then after some time you ought to come, so that for up to five or six months, if life shall be your companion, you may spend the time with us, and afterward return to your own affairs. May the almighty grace of God guard you from all adversity.

AD CLAUDIUM ABBATEM. Romam quanlocius veniat. Gregorins Claudio abbati. Veniente * viro reverendissimo Severo episcopo, Eerisr. XLIV [Al. 44]. — * Beccensis Codex, ex- m. 9 Ye. D ac Norm., in hoc..... faciat (8c. dilectio ——_—_—_— stolorum principis limina pariter venire, quia et ia mihi ſuerat nuntiatum, et valde ex eodem nunlio I»tabar. Sed credo te > occupationibus monasterii prazpeditum, et idcirco ad me minime venisse. Epi- stolas vero quas dilectio tua ante hoc tempus trans- miserat accipiens, sicut voluizsti, secreto yelegi. Sel de tribus personis de quibus scripseras, nihil vidi esse possibile ; de ea maxime persona, quz hic apud ' me ſuit non suspicor posse aliquid tale vtiliter fieri, que aut naturz simplicilate, aut negligentia Llorpere mihi visa est. Et ideo dilectio tua $i quid valet illic requirat, et sollicite disponat, atque ad me veniat. Si vero venire non valet, vel post aliquantum lem- poris venire debet , ut usque ad quinque vel sex R menses, si vita comes fuerit, mecum ſaciat, et post- ea ad -propria revertatur. Omnipotens Dei gratia ab omni te adversitale custodiat. tua) vindicari. EeisT. XLV [Al. #1, ind. 4]. — * Vabtic. A, viro clarissimo. Abest a cxteris Vatic., a Norm., Anglic. et plerisque Mss. hec epislola.