To Virgilius, Bishop of Arles, on Augustine and the Patrimony

Gregory to Virgilius, bishop of Arles, metropolitan. We are confident that your fraternity is intent on good works, and that you come forward of your own accord in causes pleasing to God. Even so, we think it useful to write to you with a brother’s love, so that, spurred on by our letter as well, you may increase the comfort it becomes you to give freely. And so we inform your holiness that we have sent Augustine, the servant of God, who carries this letter, with other servants of God, to win souls in the parts he is going to, as he will be able to tell you himself face to face. In these circumstances you must help him with prayer and assistance, give him the support of your help wherever need requires, and refresh him, as is right, with a father’s and a priest’s comfort. In this way, once he has had your holiness’s help, if he succeeds in winning any gain for God, as we hope he may, you too may be able to win a reward along with him, having devoutly supplied his good works with your abundant support. [b]

Moreover, as to Candidus the presbyter, our common son, and the little patrimony of our church, let your fraternity, being of one mind with us, take care to treat both as commended to you, so that with your holiness’s help something may come from it for the support of the poor. Since, then, your predecessor held this patrimony for many years and kept the rents collected from it in his own hands, let your fraternity consider whose the money is, and to whom it should be paid, and give it back to us by handing it to the presbyter Candidus, our son, named above. For it is a most detestable thing that bishops should be said to have taken away what the kings of the nations have preserved.