1. [I.]—Introductory.

How greatly we rejoice on account of your bodily, and, above all, your spiritual welfare, my most sincerely attached brethren and beloved of God, Albina, Pinianus, and Melania,1    [See note to the passage from the Retractations above; and for full accounts see Smith and Wace’s Dictionary of Christian Biography, under these names.—W.] we cannot express in words; we therefore leave all this to your own thoughts and belief, in order that we may now rather speak of the matters on which you consulted us. We have, indeed, had to compose these words to the best of the ability which God has vouchsafed to us, while our messenger was in a hurry to be gone, and amidst many occupations, which are much more absorbing to me at Carthage than in any other place whatever.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

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1. Quantum de vestra corporali et maxime spirituali salute gaudeamus, sincerissimi fratres, dilecti a Deo, Albina , Piniane, et Melania, quia effari non possumus, vobis cogitandum credendumque committimus, ut ea de quibus nos consuluistis, potius jam loquamur. Festinante etenim perlatore inter occupationes nostras, multo apud 0360 Carthaginem quam ubicumque alibi densiores, quantum Deus donare dignatus est, ut potuimus, ista dictavimus.