Manuscript: Faustina B. IX

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Ad Apostolice dignitatis apicem licet indigni dignacione diuina assumpti, omnium Christianorum curam
uigili1 sedula que sollercia, ac intime considerationis oculo singulorum discernere merita, ⁊ prouide deli
beracionis statera librare debemus, ut quos iusti uigor examinis dignos ostenderit, congruis attollamus
fauoribus quos autem reos, penis debitis deprimamus, appendentes semper meritum, ⁊ premium
equa lance, retribuendo cuique iuxta qualitatem operis pene uel gratie quantitatem. Sane cum
dira guerrarum commocio nonnullas professionis Christiane prouincias diucius afflixisset, nos toto
cupientes mentis affectu tranquillitatem ⁊ pacem ecclesie sancte Dei, ac generaliter cuncto populo
Christiano, ad precipuum principem secularem huius dissensionis ⁊ tribulacionis auctorem, a felicis recordacionis
Gregorio papa predecessore nostro pro suis excessibus anathematis uinculo innodatum speciales nuncios magne
auctoritatis uiros, videlicet, uenerabiles fratres, P’ Albanensem tunc Rothomangensem archiepiscopum, Willelmum
Sabinensem tunc, quondam Mittitensem2 episcopum, ac dilectum filium nostrum, W’ basilice Duodecim Apostolorum, presbiterum
cardinalem, tunc abbatem Sancti Facundi qui salutem zelabantur ipsius, duximus destinandos, facien
tes sibi proponi per ipsos quod nos ⁊ fratres nostri quantum in nobis erat, pacem per omnia secum habere necnon ⁊ cum omnibus
hominibus optabamus, parati sibi pacem ⁊ tranquillitatem dare, ac mundo etiam uniuerso. Et quia prelatorum
clericorum omniumque aliorum quos detinebat captiuos ⁊ omnium tam clericorum quam laicorum quos ceperat in
galeis restitucio, poterat esse pacis quamplurimum inductiua ut illos restitueret, cum hoc idem, tam ipse
quam sui nuncii antequam ad apostolatus uocati essemus officium, promisissent, rogari ⁊ peti ab ipso fe
cimus per eosdem ac proponi. Insuper quod hiidem pro nobis erant parati audire ⁊ tractare pacem, ac etiam audi
re satisfactionem quam facere uellet princeps de omnibus pro quibus erat uinculo excommunicacionis astrictus
⁊ offerri preterea, quod si ecclesia eum in aliquo lesisset contra debitum quod non credebat parata erat corrigere
ac in statum debitum reformare. Et si diceret ipse quod in ullo contra iustitiam leserat ecclesiam, uel quod nos eum
contra iustitiam lesissemus parati eramus uocare reges, prelatos, ⁊ principes tam ecclesiasticos quam seculares
ad aliquem locum tutum uibi3 per se uel per alios solempnes nuncios conuenirent. Erat que parata ecclesia
de consilio concilii sibi satisfacere, si eum lesisset in aliquo, ac reuocare senteniciam4 si quam contra ipsum iniuste tulisset
⁊ cum omni mansuetudine ac misericordia, quantum cum Deo ⁊ honore suo fieri poterat, recipere de iniuriis ⁊ offe
nsis ipsi ecclesie suis que per eum irrogatis satisfaccionem ab ipso. Volebat etiam ecclesia omnes amicos suos
sibique adherentes in pace ponere, plenaque securitate gaudere ut nunquam hac occasione posset aliquod subi
re discrimen. Set licet sic apud eum pro pace paternis monitis, ⁊ precum insistere lenitate curauerimus
idem tamen imitatus Pharaonis duriciam, ⁊ obturans more aspidum aures suas, huiusmodi preces ⁊
monita, elata obstinacione ⁊ obstinata elacione despexit. Et licet processu temporis in die cene Domini
proximo nuper preterita, precedente coram nobis ⁊ fratribus nostris presentibus, karissimo in Christo filio nostro
Constantinopolitano imperatore illustri, cetuque non modico prelatorum, senatoribus populoque
Romano, ⁊ maxima multitudine aliorum, qui eodem die propter solempnitatem ipsius de diuersis
mundi partibus ad apostolicam sedem conuenerant quod staret nostris ⁊ ecclesie mandatis per nobilem
uirum comitem Tolosanum ac magistros Petrum de Vinea, ⁊ Thadeum de Suessa curie
 
Epistolarum P’ de
Vineis 8o
Basilee
fol. 61.

Notes

1 JRD: The text is missing gerere, cf. Petrus de Vineia; Matthew Paris.
2 JRD: Read Mutinensem.
3 JRD: Read ut ibi.
4 JRD: Read sentenciam.



Raised by Divine favour, although unworthy, to the summit of the Apostolic dignity, it is our duty [to assume] the care of all Christians with assiduous and watchful discrimination, discerning the merits of each person with the eye of inward contemplation, and weighing them in the balance of prudent deliberation, so that we may raise with appropriate favours those whom the force of righteous judgment shows worthy, but also that we may reduce with due penalties those who are culpable, always considering worthiness and its reward impartially by allotting an amount of punishment or thanks to each according to the quality of his action. Indeed, since the dreadful tumult of wars has long troubled several provinces of Christian profession, we desiring peace and calm with all our heart for the Holy Church of God and all Christian people in general, resolved to send special envoys of great authority to the secular prince who is the chief author of this discord and trouble, one bound by the chain of anathema because of his transgressions by our predecessor Pope Gregory of happy memory, these envoys being namely the venerable brothers, P[eter] of Albano then archbishop of Rouen, William then bishop of Sabina, formerly of Modena, and our special son W[illiam], cardinal priest of the basilica of the Twelve Apostles, at that time abbot of St Facundus,1 who were zealous for his salvation. We proposed to him through these envoys that we and our brethren,2 in so far as we were able, desired to be at peace with him, as indeed with all men, in all things; and that we were prepared to extend to him, as also to the whole world, peace and tranquillity. Because the reinstatement of the prelates, clerics and all others whom he held captive, and of all whom he had seized in the galleys, both clerk and lay, could be very conducive indeed to peace, we had these same envoys request and plead with him to deliver them up, since both he himself and his envoys had promised this same thing before we had been called to the Apostolic office. We informed him, moreover, that our envoys were ready on our behalf to hear and treat of peace, and even to consider compensation, should the prince be willing to make it with regard to all those things for which he was bound by the chain of excommunication; and he was to be offered besides, that if the Church had injured him in anything contrary to what is right—which it did not believe it had done—it was prepared to correct and restore the proper position. If he said that he had injured the Church in anything contrary to justice, or that we had injured him contrary to justice, we were prepared to call the kings, prelates and princes, both ecclesiastical and secular, to some safe place that they might meet together there, either in person or through other official envoys; and that the Church was ready on the advice of the council to compensate him if it had injured him in anything, and was also ready to revoke the sentence if it had been brought unjustly against him; and with all clemency and mercy, in so far as it could be done in accordance with God and its own honour, to receive reparation from him for the injuries and wrongs committed by him against the Church itself and his own people. The Church also wished to put its friends and supporters at peace and for them to enjoy full security, so that they could never on this account experience any risk or danger. But although, for the sake of peace, we have taken care to deal with him by fatherly advice and gentle entreaties, he nevertheless imitates Pharaoh’s hardness of heart, and stopping his ears like an asp, he has with proud obstinacy and obstinate pride rejected such entreaties and counsels. And again, in course of time, on the Maundy Thursday which has just passed, in our presence and that of our brethren, and in the presence of our dearly beloved son in Christ the illustrious emperor of Constantinople,3 and of no mean assembly of prelates, before the senate and people of Rome and a very large number of other people who had gathered at the Apostolic See from various parts of the world because it was a solemn feast day, he took upon himself an oath through the noble count of Toulouse4 and Masters Peter de Vinea and Thaddaeus of Suessa,
Letters of
P[eter] de Vinea,
Basel edition,
folio 61.

Notes

1 JRD: Sahagún, Léon.
2 JRD: I.e., the cardinals.
3 JRD: Baldwin II, Latin emperor of Constantinople (1228–1261, titular emperor 1261–1273).
4 JRD: Raymond VII, count of Toulouse (1197–1249, count from 1222), son of Raymond VI (count 1195–1222) and Countess Joanna (1196–1199); nephew through Joanna of Richard I and John, kings of England.