To Peter the Subdeacon, on the Sicilian Bishops and the Grain Supply

Gregory to Peter, and so on. [b]

You have learned from an earlier letter that we asked our brothers and fellow bishops living in the island of Sicily to gather here for the anniversary of the blessed apostle Peter. But their lawsuit with the magnificent Justin, the former praetor, has held them up in the meantime, and there is not enough time now for them to come and go back, so we do not wish them to be troubled before winter. Gregory of Agrigento, Leo of Catania and Victor of Palermo, however, we certainly want to come to us before winter. [c]

Further, collect from growers outside the church’s estates grain of this year’s harvest, to the value of about thirty-six pounds of gold, and store it in Sicily in places where it will not rot, so that in the month of February we may send there as many ships as we can to bring this grain to us. But if we are slow to send ships, provide some yourself, and with the help of the Lord send this same grain to us in February. This does not include the grain that we expect to be sent to us now, as is the custom, in the months of September or October. Let your experience go about it, then, so that the grain is collected without trouble to any tenant farmer of the church. For the harvest here has been so poor that unless, by God’s help, grain is collected from Sicily, there is a serious prospect of famine. And guard in every way the ships that have always been assigned to the use of Holy church, as the letters sent to you by the glorious former consul Leo also direct you to do.

Moreover, many people come here wanting various lands or islands belonging to our church to be leased to them. Some we refuse, but to others we have already granted their request. But let your experience look to the advantage of Holy church, remembering that you received power over the patrimony of the blessed apostle Peter before his most sacred body. And even if letters should reach you from here, allow nothing whatever to be done to the patrimony’s disadvantage, since we neither remember giving anything away without good reason, nor are we inclined to do so.