A letter from Gregory I, pope (June 22, 601)

Translated letter:

Gregory to Brunhild queen of the Franks. How many good things were conferred on you by divine gift and how much grace of supernal piety has filled you, among the other proofs of your merits it is known openly to all that you govern fierce hearts of peoples with the art of prudent counsel and, what is more to be praised, you adorn the royal power with wisdom. And since just as you command many peoples in both, so you excell them in sincerity of faith, we have great confidence in you to correct what is illicit. For the recently sent page of your writings bears witness to the way your excellence embraced our urging and with how much devotion it strove to fulfill it. But since he is accustomed to be the helper of good minds who also endows them, we trust that he will dispose your causes the more propitiously as he sees you sollicitous for his cause. Do what pertains to God and God will do what is yours. So order a synod to meet and zealously by definition of the council prohibit from your kingdom the sin of simoniacal heresy, among other things as we have written before. Offer a sacrifice to God with the interior enemy conquered so that you may conquer your external adversaries with his help and the zeal you show against his enemies you will feel from him in support of you. Believe me that, as we have learned from the experience of many people, whatever is gathered with sin is spent in harm. If therefore you wish to lose nothing unjustly, be particularly zealous that you hold nothing from injustice. For in earthly things the beginning of sin is the cause of harm. So you, if you wish to prevail over opposing nations, if you are anxious to be a victor over them with God willing, accept the commands of the almighty Lord with fear so that he will deign to fight against your enemies for you who promised in sacred speech saying: “The Lord will fight for you and you will be silent” [Exod.14:14]. Given on the tenth kalends of July, fourth indiction.

Original letter:

Gregorius Brunigildae reginae Francorum. Quanta in vobis bona divino munere sint collata, quantaque vos supernae gratia pietatis impleverit, inter cetera vestrorum testimonia meritorum illud etiam patenter cunctis insinuat, quia et effera corda gentilium providi gubernatis arte consilii et regiam, quod maioris adhuc laudis est, ornatis sapientia potestatem. Et quoniam, sicut multis in utroque gentibus inminetis, ita quoque eas fidei sinceritate praecellitis, magnam de vobis in emendandis inlicitis fiduciam capimus. Nam qualiter adhortationem nostram excellentia vestra amplexa sit quantaque eam devotione gestiat adimplere, scriptorum vestrorum emissa dudum pagina testis est. Sed quia ipse bonarum mentium esse consuevit adiutor, qui etiam earum largitor est, confidimus, quod tanto propitius causas vestras sua pietate disponat, quanto ipse de sua vos esse videt causa sollicitas. Facite quod Dei est, et Deus faciet quod vestrum. Itaque synodum congregari praecipite et peccatum simoniacae hereseos de regno vestro inter alia, sicut ante scripsimus, definitione concilii studiosius prohibete. Sacrificium Deo devicto interiore hoste offerte, ut exteriores adversarios ipso adiuvante vincatis et, quale vos contra inimicos ipsius studium gesseritis, talem illum in vestro iuvamine sentiatis. Mihi autem credite, quia, sicut multorum iam experimento didicimus, in damno expenditur, quicquid cum peccato congregatur. Si igitur vultis nil iniuste perdere, summopere studete de iniustitia nil habere. In terrenis etenim rebus semper causa damni est origo peccati. Vos itaque si eminere adversantibus gentibus vultis, si eis auctore Deo victrices existere festinatis, eiusdem omnipotentis Domini cum timore praecepta suscipitu, ut ipse pro vobis contra adversarios vestros pugnare dignetur, qui per sacrum eloquium pollicitus est dicens: “Dominus pugnabit pro vobis, et vos tacebitis.” Data die X. — kalendarum Iuliarum indictione IIII.

Historical context:

Gregory praises the queen and urges her to call the synod to prohibit heresy in her kingdom as she has agreed to do.

Printed source:

MGH, Gregorii Pape Registrum Epistolarum, ep.11.49, 2.321-22, and HGF4 ep.34 p.32

Date:

June 22, 601