Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXXII.

 Epistle LXXIV.

 Epistle LXXV.

 Epistle LXXVII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Epistle LXXIX.

 Epistle LXXX.

 Book II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Book III.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XLV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Book IV.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Book V.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Book VI.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIV.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Book VII.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Book VIII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XIV.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Book IX.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXVIII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Epistle LXXIX.

 Epistle LXXX.

 Epistle LXXXI.

 Epistle LXXXII.

 Epistle XCI.

 Epistle XCIII.

 Epistle XCIV.

 Epistle XCVIII.

 Epistle CV.

 Epistle CVI.

 Epistle CVII.

 Epistle CVIII.

 Epistle CIX.

 Epistle CX.

 Epistle CXI.

 Epistle CXIV.

 Epistle CXV.

 Epistle CXVI.

 Epistle CXVII.

 Epistle CXX.

 Epistle CXXI.

 Epistle CXXII.

 Epistle CXXIII.

 Epistle CXXV.

 Epistle CXXVII.

 Book X.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Book XI.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXIV.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXVIII.

 Epistle LXIX.

 Epistle LXXVI.

 Epistle LXXVII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Book XII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle L.

 Book XIII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Book XIV.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

Epistle XXIV.

To Fortunatus, Bishop of Neapolis (Naples).

Gregory to Fortunatus, &c.

When your Fraternity pays too little attention to the monasteries that are under you, you both lay yourself open to reproof, and make us sorry for your laxity. Now it has come to our ears that one Mauricius, who lately became a monk in the monastery of Barbacianus, has fled from the same monastery, taking other monks with him. In this case the hastiness of the aforesaid Barbacianus inculpates him exceedingly in our sight, in that he rashly tonsured a secular person without even previous probation. Did we not write to you that you should prove him first, and then, if he were fit, should make him abbot? Even now, then, look well after him whom you chose. For you are delinquent in his delinquency, if he has begun so to demean himself as to shew himself unfit to have the government of brethren.

Further, let your Fraternity more strictly interdict all monasteries from venturing by any means to tonsure those whom they may have received for monastic profession before they have completed two years in monastic life. But in this space of time let their life and manners be carefully proved, lest any one of them should either not be content with what he had desired or not keep firm to what he had chosen. For, it being a serious matter that untried men should be associated under obedience to any master, how much more serious is it that any who have not been proved should be attached to the service of God?

Further, if a soldier should wish to become a monk, let no one for any cause whatever presume to receive him6 See III. 65, note 1. without our consent, or before it has been reported to us. If this rule is not diligently observed, know that all the guilt of those that are under thee redounds on thyself, seeing that thou provest thyself by the very facts of the case to be too little anxious about them.