Rothari → Pope John IV

Rothari, king of the Lombards, to the most holy Bishop John.

I write to you in the spirit of the correspondence that has existed between the Lombard kings and the bishops of Rome for the past three generations, which I regard as useful to both parties even when we do not agree on all things.

The specific matter: I have been informed that several bishops in the territory under my governance have been in correspondence with Rome about appointments and canonical matters without informing my court. I want to be clear that I have no objection to this correspondence as such — it is normal for Catholic bishops to be in communication with the Roman see. What I ask is that when such correspondence touches on matters that have civil implications — appointments, property, relations with other kingdoms — my court is informed.

This is not a claim to control the church's internal affairs. I govern a diverse kingdom that includes both Arian Lombards and Catholic Romans, and I have found it possible to do so only by maintaining clear boundaries about what is each party's business. The Catholic church's spiritual authority over its own members is real and I respect it. I ask only that it respect the civil authority's legitimate interests in turn.

I write in good faith and ask for a response in the same spirit.

Rothari, king