To Anthemius the Subdeacon, on the Island Monasteries

Gregory to Anthemius, and so on. [a]

As we have received the place of government by the ordering of God, as it has pleased him, so we ought to take care for the souls entrusted to us. Now we find that a large number of men with their wives, from various patrimonies, have fled for refuge under the pressure of barbarian savagery to the Eumorphian island, where, as is well known, there is an oratory of the blessed Peter, prince of the apostles. We consider this unwise: for since there are other places of refuge close at hand, why should women be living there with monks? So by this present order we direct your experience from now on to allow no woman, whether under church jurisdiction or any other, to settle or stay there. Let them find themselves a place of refuge wherever they choose, since, as was said above, there are so many in the neighborhood, so that all dealings with women may be ended from now on. Otherwise, if we fail to take all the care we can and to guard against the snares of the enemy, we may from now on (God forbid) be to blame should anything wrong happen. [b]

Do not delay, then, to give the abbot Felix, the bearer of this letter, about eleven hundred pounds of lead, which he is known to need on that island; it may later be charged in your accounts, once the whole quantity is known. So proceed, then, that you may also provide yourself with some, if any can be put to good use for the buildings of that island. Moreover, since the communities of monks on the islands are exposed to hardship, we forbid boys under eighteen years of age to be received into these monasteries. If there are any there now, let your experience remove them and send them to the city of Rome. We want you to observe this in every respect on Palmaria too, and on the other islands.