Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XII/Gregory the Great/Register of Epistles/Book VI/Chapter 6

Epistle VII.

To Candidus, Presbyter.

Gregory to Candidus, Presbyter, going to the patrimony of Gaul.

Now that thou art proceeding, with the help of our Jesus Christ, to the government of the patrimony that is in Gaul, we desire thy Love to procure with the money thou mayest receive clothing for the poor, or English boys of about seventeen or eighteen years of age, who may profit by being given to in monasteries, that so the money of Gaul, which cannot be spent in our country, may be expended profitably in its own locality.&#160; Further, if you should succeed in getting anything from the moneys accruing to revenue which are called ablat&#230;, from this too we desire thee to procure clothing for the poor, or, as we have before said, boys who may profit in the service of Almighty .&#160; But, since such as can be found there are pagans, I desire that a presbyter be sent hither with them to provide against the case of any sickness occurring on the way, that he may baptize those whom he sees to be about to die.&#160; Wherefore let your Love so proceed as to lose no time in accomplishing these things diligently.