A letter from John VIII, pope (874-75)

Translated letter:

To Empress Angelberga (1)Your shrewdness, dearest daughter, is not unaware surely how our lord son the always august most unconquered emperor urged us that over the contempt of blessed Peter prince of apostles in the messengers not received but surrounded by Charles with his treatise in hand we would take care to find what might be suitable to be done, lest he destroy the new one, because he did not fear to invent a new kind of tyrant. (2)Again. Whoever comes as messenger from Charles, the church would not be opened, nor communion provided, nor the kiss offered, nor any seat prepared according to custom, nor yet the Ave said to him according to apostolic rules. He would still be received by us and heard and, if he brought a letter he would be admitted, but he would be given the writing containing the admonishments and rebukes to him. Your two messengers will first indeed take us from here honorably out of reverence for blessed Peter according to the ancient custom and thence accompanying us to distant places make our journey easy and suitable and keep us safe from the ambushes of the evil.

Original letter:

Angelberg[ae] Aug[ustae] (1)[P]rofecto non ignorat vestra sollercia, karissima filia, qualiter nos domnus filius noster semper augustus invictissimus imperator hortatus sit, ut super contemptu beati Petri apostolorum principis in non receptis, sed circumseptis a Karolo missis ipsius tractatu habito invenire studeremus, quid oporteat fieri, ne scilicet novum quid exiliat, quod novum tyranni genus excogitare non timuit. (2)Item. Quicumque venerit missus a Karolo, nec ecclesia aperiatur, nec communio probeatur, nec osculum porrigatur, nec aliquod sedile iuxta morem paretur, sed nec Ave illi secundum apostolica precepta dicatur. Recipiatur tamen a nobis et audiatur et, si epistolam detulit, admittatur, sed et scriptum illi monita et increpaciones continens tribuatur. Duo missi vestri primo quidem nos hic ob reverentiam beati Petri honorifice secundum morem priscum excipiant et deinde nobiscum in remota comitantes iter nostrum expeditum et congruum reddant et pravorum insidiis immune constituant.

Historical context:

The pope seems to be reminding the empress that he is being attacked by Charles [the Bald] and is asking her to send escorts to take him away safely.

Printed source:

MGH Ep. Kar. aevi 5. 302, Fragmenta Registri Iohannis VIII, Papae, ep.47

Date:

874-75