Epistolae

In the year of the Lord 550. Mappinus, Bishop of Rheims. Two letters of Mappinus. First letter. To Saint Nicetius, at the council held at Toul for the year. To the holy lord and most blessed brother in Christ, Pope Nicetius, Mappinus, bishop. The teaching of the Gospel lesson testifies that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12). If this is rightly and not undeservedly believed concerning lovers of the world and those remaining in earthly desire, it is undoubtedly more rightly felt concerning the persons of priests, if they are proven to be divided among themselves by conflicting wills and pursuits. Or with what confidence shall we offer prayers to our Creator, who commanded us to live in the unity of the bond, which is the body of his divinity, if we separate ourselves from mutual charity? As divine speech teaches in a certain place, it is fitting for us to strive so that brother, helping brother, like a fortified and strong city, can stand on an unshaken foundation; that is, that we all share equally in the sorrow of one brother by suffering together, and that we support one another with mutual labors. For this reason, most pious and much beloved lord and brother, we indicate that we have received letters from our son, Lord King Theodebald, that we should be present in the city of Toul on the day of the Kalends of June, declaring no reason for the summons. By a reciprocal page we indicated that we should not go there, because we were known to be ignorant of the cause and condition.

You have repeatedly taught your blessedness, since when you rebuke some of the Franks out of zeal for divine fear and remove them from ecclesiastical communion for incestuous conditions, you endure scandals and manifold anxieties. Concerning this matter we groan not a little, because you have not made us aware by your report whether they are condemned by canonical reading or corrected for moderate offenses by pastoral diligence. Although we know that you can find nothing new in these matters which the ancient skill of the Fathers could not discover, yet it seems absurd that those who are rejected by you according to the series of canons with ecclesiastical severity should be received by us. For we know that if we do this knowingly, we are mixed up in the crimes of others; if unknowingly, we are not subject to guilt. Wherefore, greeting you with due charity, we indicate and at the same time advise that you strive to make us participants in all things, both in the disadvantages of your tribulations and in the advantages of your prosperities. For we, through our head which is Christ, are not torn from your anxiety by any adversities, nor divided from your charity by any harshness. Concerning which matter, if we are not presumptuous, we presume to indicate.

It would have been fitting that your consolation, on account of conditions of this kind rather than of a royal summons, should have joined with us; because in like manner, if something similar, which we think could happen in the future, had befallen us, we would immediately have sent writings to your fraternity, so that we might see each other face to face at a suitable time or place. Although it is both proper and pleasing for us to obey royal commands in good matters, yet it is no less so with your writings, if they are directed by zeal of charity, not by the eyebrow of disdain; for your bitterness cannot be our sweetness; nor will your abasement stand without our own abasement; and the reverence due to you, paid by us, is not recognized as being far removed. And would that, as we have said above, with your charity running through tooth and page, you had decreed to reveal to us the distress of your minds! We would have known whether we sympathize with your troubles, or take delight in them; for, with the divine remaining silent, as you yourselves know, only human nature speaking through a man can understand. Yet let your perfection know more fully, if the repeated letters of the lord king had reached us five or six days before the Kalends of June, on the said day you would have had the presence of our humility at the appointed place.

LETTER II. To Villicus, Bishop of Metz. To his lord Villicus, pope, Mappinius, bishop. We all with one voice proclaim you blessed and fortunate, most blessed father, to whom heavenly piety has granted such understanding and such an affection of kindness that you are proven to live with singular perfection, although we read that this was said by the Lord to Saint Peter, "Feed my sheep," yet the present sentence pertains to all who perform the priestly office. But you surpass all with singular sweetness, you who are seen not only to feed the sheep entrusted to you, but also to nourish the priests of other sheep with honeyed perfection and an abundance of delights without ceasing. The searcher of reins and heart is witness that this is written by us not as flattery, but as a claim of truth. But if our Creator and Redeemer should advance you to the number of sixty years, as we pray, you will be preeminent over all and to be placed before the other priests, and all who profit by the instruction of your life will grieve that you are absent, and will lament that they live after you. Greeting you, therefore, with due love, with solicitous love praying, returning thanks with diligent report and praises, do not cease to beseech the mercy of the merciful Lord for us.

Therefore we ask that your charity deign to indicate to us how many solidi we should send for the purchase of pigs in those parts, because it is clear to us that a gift conferred by you in place of a bounty will be found to be this benefit, if it is discovered through your arrangement.