[Sidenote:  Laurence a priest.] After his returne into Britaine, he sent Laurence a priest, and Peeter a moonke vnto Rome, to giue knowledge vnto Gregorie the bishop, how the Englishmen had receiued the faith, and that he was ordeined archbishop of the land, according to that he had commanded, if the woorke prospered vnder his hand as it had doone.  He also required to haue Gregories aduice touching certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new church of England.  Wherevpon Gregorie, sending backe the messengers, wrote an answere vnto all his demands.  And first touching the conuersation of archbishops with the clergie, and in what sort the church goods ought to be imploied, he declared that the [Sidenote:  The reuenewes of the church to be diuided into 4. parts.] ancient custome of the apostolike see was to giue commandement vnto bishops ordeined, that the profits and reuenewes of their benefices ought to be diuided into foure parts, whereof the first should be appointed to the bishop and his familie for the maintenance of hospitalitie:  the second should be assigned to the clergie:  the third giuen to the poore:  and the fourth imploied vpon repairing of temples.

[Sidenote:  Liturgie.] And whereas in the church of Rome one custome in saieng masse [Sidenote:  Church seruice.] or the liturgie was obserued, and another custome in France; concerning such church seruice, Gregorie aduised Austine that if he found anie thing either in the church of Rome, either in the church of France, or in anie other church which might most please the almightie God, he should diligentlie choose it out, and instruct the church of England (now being new) according to that forme which he should gather foorth of the said churches:  for the things are not loued for the [Sidenote:  Such as did steale.] places sake, but the places for the things sake.  Also for punishing of such as had stolen things out of churches, so neere as might be, the offender should be chastised in charitie, so as he might know his fault, and (if it were possible) restore the thing taken away.

[Sidenote:  Mariages.] And touching degrees in mariage, Englishmen might take to their wiues, women that touched them in the third and fourth degree without reprehension, and if any vnlawfull mariages were found amongst the Englishmen, as if the sonne had maried the fathers wife, or the brother the brothers wife, they ought to be warned in anie wise to absteine, and vnderstand it to be a greeuous sinne:  yet should they not for that thing be depriued of the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord, least those things might seeme to be punished in them wherein they had offended (before their conuersion to the christian [Sidenote:  Discipline of the church.] faith) by ignorance; for at this season the church (saith he) correcteth some things of a feruent earnestnesse, suffreth some things of a gentle mildnes, and dissembleth some things of a prudent consideration, and so beareth and winketh at the same, that oftentimes the euill which she abhorreth by such bearing and dissembling, is restrained and reformed.