To Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna, on the Terms for Maximus

Gregory to Marinianus, and so on.

You have learned from the letters we sent you before what is to be done in the case of Maximus. But we have now learned from the report of our chartulary Castorius, the bearer of this letter, what your fraternity wishes, or rather asks, in this matter. So, if this Maximus, in the presence of you and of our chartulary, clears himself on oath of the heresy of simony, and as to the other charges, when questioned before the body of Saint Apollinaris, as we have written, simply answers that he is innocent, then we commit his case to the judgment of your fraternity on one point: since he presumed to celebrate the solemn rites of mass while excommunicated, you are to decide by what penance that fault is to be cleansed. So whatever seems good to you according to God, settle it without fear, and have no doubt about us. For whatever you decide in this case we both thankfully accept and willingly allow. Yet we urge you to be careful, and so to balance what you arrange to be done as both to deal kindly with him, if that seems fitting, and, by a suitable arrangement, to keep up, as you ought, the proper strictness of the church. While the bearer named above was here with us, we instructed him how he is to act with you. Learn everything thoroughly from him, and conduct yourselves in every respect so that, through your anxious care, we may feel that our own presence has been with you. [a]