To Kings Theodoric and Theodebert, on Ursicinus of Turin

Gregory to Theodoric, and so on. [a]

It is the chief good in kings to cultivate justice, to keep for every man his rights, and not to let their subjects suffer whatever there is power to do, but only what is fair. Our trust that you both love this and aim at it with all your heart invites us to point out to your excellency things that need correcting, so that by our letters we may be able both to help the oppressed and to gain a reward for you.

Now they say that our brother and fellow bishop Ursicinus, bishop of the city of Turin, is suffering very serious injury in his parishes that lie within the borders of your kingdom. It has gone so far that, against the church’s practice, against the dignity of the priesthood, and against the rulings of the sacred canons, another man has not been afraid to be ordained bishop there, though no crime of his called for it. And as though it were not enough unless wrong were added to wrong, even the property of his church, it is said, has been taken away. If this is true, since it is quite intolerable that a man whom no guilt has harmed should be crushed by force, we greet you first with a father’s love, and then we ask that what your excellency might grant of your own accord, out of reverence for the church and regard for fairness, you would be eager to grant all the more kindly at our intercession. Have justice done to him in every respect, as we trust the goodness of your fairness will. And once the truth has been found out, order what was done unlawfully to be corrected, and the property wrongfully taken from him to be fairly restored to him. Nor should it count against him at all that his church is held for the present by his enemies. Rather, this ought to move the heart of your Christianity more and more to help him, so that, comforted by the gifts of your generosity, he may not feel the loss caused by the captivity he has endured. For the good of your soul, then, let this exhortation of ours find a place with you, so that, to your own reward, you may lift him up again from his dejection with the outstretched hand of justice, and so that, by keeping fairness toward priests, you may always flourish through their prayers before the eyes of God.