Distinction LXXIII

GRATIAN. It is to be seen how a commendatory, dimissory, or canonical epistle is to be made. For Greek letters ought to be inserted in that epistle, and not without cause. No one who has even a slight knowledge of the Greek language is ignorant that the elements of Greek letters also express numbers. Therefore, lest any fraud of falsity be rashly presumed in making canonical epistles, which Latin custom calls formatae, it was most salutarily devised and enacted by the 318 Fathers assembled at Nicaea that canonical epistles have the following method of calculation or computation: namely, that there be taken into the computation the first Greek elements of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that is, PI, GAMMA, ALPHA, which elements signify the numbers eighty, four hundred, and one. Also the first letter of the apostle Peter, that is, PI, which signifies the number eighty; also the first letter of the bishop who writes, the second letter of the one to whom it is written, the third letter of the one receiving it, the fourth letter of the city from which it is written, and the number of whatever indiction pertains to that time are to be taken. And thus, when all these Greek letters, which, as we have said, express numbers, have been brought together into one, let the epistle contain the one total, whatever has been collected; let the one who receives it inquire after this expressly with every caution. In addition, let him add separately in the epistle the ninety-ninth number also, which it signifies according to the Greek elements.

In the name of the Father, PI, and of the Son, GAMMA, and of the Holy Spirit, ALPHA. PI. To Walter, Bishop of Speyer: I, Burchard, devoted servant of Christ’s flock of the holy church of Worms, wish in the true God the blessedness of supreme felicity. Although the holy catholic Church is ready to follow the evangelical teachings which say, “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a just man in the name of a just man shall receive a just man’s reward, etc.,” and the Apostle commands that hospitality be pursued and that one share in the necessities of holy men; nevertheless, because of those who have a seared conscience, who say that they are simple although they are filled with diabolical cunning, and who say that they pass from place to place for a work of piety although they are fugitives through the action of their own malice, and who say that they have been inserted into the sacred ministry although they have not, it was enacted by the holy Fathers that no foreign and unknown cleric is to be received by any bishop and enthroned in his church unless he has from his own bishop an epistle which in the canons is called a formata. Therefore we make known to your fraternity that our present brother, the bearer of these letters, named Hermann, was not expelled from us for his wickedness, but, at the brothers’ request, because he was of our household and was baptized as ours, we made him a free man, his manumission received canonically at the horn of the altar, and ordained him to the grade of the priesthood. For him we also make these dimissory or commendatory letters and direct him to your beloved fraternity, so that he may be able to remain in your parish under your sacred governance and defense. I, I say, Burchard, humble bishop, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and in the unity of the holy Church, in which the right of binding and loosing was given to Peter, release the priest Hermann from the city of Worms in indiction X, and I give you license to enthrone him in whatever church of your parish you wish. We therefore have decreed that this epistle be fortified here and there with Greek letters, and have judged that it be confirmed with the ring of our church. May Christ preserve your fraternity unharmed for us. PI. GAMMA. ALPHA. PI. BETA. ETA. ZETA. AMEN. Given at Worms on the Ides of March, in the year 1012 of the Lord’s incarnation, indiction X.

To the most holy brother in Christ, to be embraced with the highest sweetness of charity, ALPHA, bishop of that city: GAMMA, prelate of that church, wishes perpetual health in Christ. OMEGA. GAMMA. ALPHA. OMEGA. For the rest, let your holy fraternity know that this cleric, Hermann by name, instructed and tonsured in our parish, requested our littleness that we draw up for him commendatory letters by which, commended to your highness, he could dwell under the protection of your governance. Consenting to his will, according to canonical authority we gave him dimissory letters, through which we both grant him that, persisting in divine service under your teaching, he may serve his own benefit, and give you license, if you judge him worthy, to promote him to sacred orders. Therefore receive him commended to your care, and guard him—released from our territory—among the number of your sheep. In order that these letters, confirmed by the force of truth, may be received by you without doubt, we have taken care to confirm them with Greek letters, as canonical authority teaches. May the Holy Trinity grant that your blessedness long fare well for the governance of his holy Church, AMEN. (Or thus: ETA. THETA (which express the same total), indiction X. This canonical epistle contains a total of the number 1,315. We place the Greek GAMMA first in the name of that man because the Greeks in some places put it for the consonantal GAMMA, as in DAVID and EVANGELION.)]