Letter to Boso

by Sylvester II

Gerbert, a follower of the divine Caesar, sends greetings in Christ to Boso.^[1]

Let us avoid superfluous words and let us keep to facts. Neither for money nor for friendship will we give to you the sanctuary^[2] of God, nor will we consent if it has already been given to you by anyone else. Restore to St. Columban the hay which your followers took if you do not wish to test what we can do with the favor of our Lord Caesar and with the aid and advice of our friends. By these conditions, we do not intend to disclaim the laws of friendship.

Footnotes

from the 1961 translation

1. Undoubtedly the same Boso of Nibbiano (Nebiano), a town north of Bobbio, who repeatedly despoiled the property of St. Martin of Pavis
2. Probably Bobbio's church of St. Simphorian in Nibbiano, on the river Tidone.