43 Written to the Son of the Emperor in the Name of our Lord, Delivered by Babo and Gripo.

Deliverance is achieved by a sharing in divine trust as the spirit of affection is applied equally as much as possible so that we are worthy of Christ's suffering when He descended from Heaven. Assuredly we Catholics choose eagerly to turn more completely to the mildness and compassion of divinity around us. For the common interest in the present state of affairs we sent our legates, distinguished men, to our most placid and devout father, your father, the Emperor Maurice to seek permanent peace. Also, since unforeseen chance brought my young nephew to the imperial city, we request that you may help us so that he may not live through the years of minority as an orphan without relations. It is better that he grow to manhood under the charming guidance of an uncle and when he reaches maturity may support himself. Until you happily attain rule let our plea be heard by your father, the most devout Emperor, on behalf of the ward and we shall do whatever we are able in his support. And do not let him experience the misery of more lamentable wanderings so we intercede through your intervention to your father in order to return him home.

ITEM DICTA FORTUNA AD FILIO IMPERATORIS DE DOMNE

NOMINE PER BABONE ET GRIPONE.

Hortatur fidei caelestis participatu redemption ut

apud illos quam maxime caritatis studia propagemus, pro

quibus aequaliter discendere de caelo et pati dignatus est

Christus. Certe cum hoc catholici desideranter elegimus,

per quod magis divinitatis circa nos clementiam misericorditer

inclinemus, et quia ad serenissimum atque piissimum

patrem nostrum, genitorem vestrum, Mauricium imperatorem,

utilitatis cummunis pro condicione praesentium portitores,

viros inlustros, illos, legatarios direximus, pacem, quam

optamus cum principe, adquirere cupimus perpetualiter cum

herede: illud etiam poscentis, ut, quoniam parvulum nepotem

nostrum vestrae dicione casus fortuitus ad urbem regiam detulit,

sicut suggestionem piissimo genitori vestro mandata

verbo direximus, per qui vos non permittat misere orfanitatis

incurrere nec sine parentibus annos pupillares transigere,

sed, genitore superstate, illum ad iuventutem, quam senior

princeps desiderat, sub patris blando tegmine vos praestet

adulescere et, ipso sustentante, pervenire maturam iubeat

ad aetatem, ac tam diu vobis patris non recedat tuitio,

donec vos ipsi feliciter succedatis in regnum, ut, quiquid

nos praesentes suggerere vel agere debueramus pro orfano,

per vos obteneatur apud piissimum principem pro pupillo.

Nec sentiat alterius miserae peregrinationis naufragium,

quem per interventum vestrum parentalem redire depraecamur

ad portum. Finit.