Because you, My daughter the Abbess, have constructed it on land of the Roman Church, We have considered it with all that belongs to it as perpetually submissive to that same monastery. Notwithstanding these prescriptions, the same hospice with all that belongs to it may not be separated from the monastery in any way or by any excuse. But an increase of its possessions may be granted for your use and for those who succeed you, safeguarding always the authority of the Apostolic See.

It is not permitted for anyone to infringe upon this statement of Our decree or for anyone to oppose it with boldness. If anyone presumes to attempt this, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and His Apostles, Peter and Paul.

Given in Perugia, on the fifteenth Kalend of June, in the ninth year of Our Pontificate.^a

1237
Licet velut ignis, February 9^b

Gregory, Servant of the Servants of God, to all His daughters in Christ, the Abbesses and Sisters of the Order of St. Damian health and apostolic benediction.

Although impiety is being enkindled like fire and a violent storm is increasing all over the world, We are forced to be solicitous about many things and disturbed about very many more. Yet the more special do We bear each and everyone of you beloved daughters in Christ in the recesses of Our love, the more We think We should be solicitous about preserving the state of your Order and moving it forward into what is better, as We humbly implore the clemency of divine compassion and keep you always in Our prayers that the reputation of this Order be preserved unharmed and your conscience undisturbed. Since, therefore, in the Cistercians, and in some other Orders, it has been established that meat is not eaten within the enclosures of their Monasteries except—according to the Rule of Blessed Benedict—by the infirm and the feeble, We wish profitably to have regard for both your conscience and Ours, and for the reputation of your Order which

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