To Boniface, Defensor in Corsica

Gregory to Boniface, and so on.

Your experience is not free from blame. You knew that Aleria and Ajaccio, cities of Corsica, had long been without bishops, and yet you put off urging their clergy and people to choose priests for themselves. But since they ought not to be without rulers of their own any longer, hurry, on receiving this authority, to urge the clergy and people of each of these cities not to disagree among themselves, but each city with one consent to choose for itself a priest to be consecrated. And when they have made their decree, let the person who has been elected come to us. But if they will not come to a unanimous decision, and are divided in their choice between two persons, let both alike come to us, with the decree made in the usual way, so that after inquiry into their lives and characters the one who appears most fit may be ordained. Moreover, since many poor people there are said to be oppressed and wronged, let your experience attend to this and not allow them to be unjustly harmed. But conduct yourself so that neither those who bring an action are unreasonably hindered, nor those against whom it is brought are in danger of suffering loss unjustly. [a]

Further, it has reached our ears that some of the clergy are being held in custody by laymen, while you are there on the spot. If this is so, know that the blame will be laid on you, since if you were a man, it would not have happened. So you must take care in future not to allow anything like this to be done. If anyone has a complaint against a cleric, let him go to his bishop. And if the bishop happens to be suspected, a commissioner must be appointed by him, or, if the plaintiff objects to this too, by your experience; and the commissioner may compel the parties to choose arbitrators by mutual consent. And whatever they decide, let it be carried out in every way, with due observance of the law, by your own care or the bishop’s, so that there may be no reason for them to wear themselves out with disputes.