A letter from Gregory IX, pope (1231)

Translated letter:

Bishop Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to our dearest daughter in Christ the illustrious queen of France, greetings and apostolic blessing. Since grace is owed more agreeable so that it can not be denied without note because virtue claims favor everywhere, it gives honor to the one who honors the deserving, since he obtains the title of goodness who embraces the good with the affection of charity, he pleases/satisfies himself by the similarity to them. That is why we have confidently commended to the royal serenity our beloved sons, Geoffrey of Poitiers and William of Auxerre who, illustrious in life, learning, and doctrine, as they teach salvation to many, shine as stars in the firmament of the church, though perhaps with you they do not lack other support, whom you are believed to love sincerely for the merits of their uprightness. Therefore we ask, admonish, and exhort your highness in the lord that receiving them benevolently on their return to Paris at our command and treating them honorably, having them received in grace by you and our dearest son in Christ the illustrious king of the French your son, so you attend them with grace and favor, that you may deserve merit and praise from God and men, and we may not undeservedly owe you thanks for them. For the rest, since those masters laboring personally for the reform of study for the apostolic see, bring honor to the king and kingdom and do nothing against them, if — which we do not believe — you have perhaps become suspicious of them or of John Pagium at the malevolent suggestion of detractors, putting that aside altogether, you strive to honor them more readily so that iniquity is belied and the truth of their purity is attested to. Dated at the Lateran, 2nd nones of May, in the fifth year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Gregorius Episcopus servus servorum Dei Charissimae in Christo filiae nostrae Illustri Reginae Franciae sal. et Apost. bened. Cum debeatur gratia gratiosis, ita quod nequeat sine nota negari, eo quod virtus vendicat ubique favorem, honor est bene meritos honoranti, quia titulum nanciscitur bonitatis qui bonos Charitatis amplexatus affectu, in his sibi complacet similitudinis ratione. Hinc est quod Dilectos filios MM. Gaufridum Pictaviensem et Willielmum Antissiodorensem qui vita, scientia et Doctrina praeclari dum erudiunt plurimos ad salutem, tanquam stellae micant in Ecclesiae firmamento, serenitati Regiae duximus fiducialiter commendandos, quanquam forte apud te non egeant suffragiis alienis, quos sincere diligere crederis propriae meritis probitatis. Ideoque Celsitudinem tuam rogamus, monemus et hortamur in Domino, quatenus eos de mandato nostro redeuntes Parisius ad regendum benigne recipiens et honeste pertractans, tecum et a Charissimo in Christo filio nostro Rege Francorum Illustri filio tuo in gratia recipi faciens; it ipsos tua prosequaris gratia et favore, quod apud Deum meritum et laudes apud homines merearis, Nosque pro eis tibi grates referre non immerito debeamus. Caeterum cum iidem Magistri pro reformatione studij ad sedem Apostolicam, personaliter laborantes honorem Regis et Regni tractarint, nec quicquam fuerint contra moliti, si quid (quod non credimus) ad suggestionem malevolam Detractorum, contra eos vel contra M. Ioannem Pagium suspicionis forsan concepisti, omnino deponens studeas ipsos propensius honorare, ut et illis sua mentiatur iniquitas, et istis propriae puritatis veritas attestetur. Datum Laterani 2. Non. Maij Pontif. nostri an. 5.

Historical context:

The pope assures the queen that two of the former masters of the arts in Paris have been slandered and should be treated with honor when they return.

Printed source:

C. du Boulay, Historia Universitatis Parisiensis (Paris: 1666, reprinted 1966), 3.145-46

Date:

1231