see for the
master's sake, and you in the master's see for the sake of the disciple. To
this we must add your personal merits; for we know how you follow the
institutions of him from whom you spring. Thus we are touched with
compassion for what you suffer; but we shrink from telling you what we
endure ourselves by the daily plundering, killing, and maiming of our
people by the Lombards."[199]

Let us here take a short view of Gregory's incessant activity among the
western nations in process of formation. In his struggle to tame the
ferocity, lawlessness, and unbelief of the Lombards, he betakes himself to
the illustrious Catholic queen Theodelinda. He strives to use her influence
with her husband Agilulf, on behalf of Rome, ever the object of oppression.
Knowing her to be a good Christian, he sent her his _Dialogues_. He also
set before her the supremacy of his see, because she had been misled into
withdrawing from the communion of the new archbishop of Milan, Constantius.
The Pope assures her that the archbishop, as well as himself, venerates the
doctrinal decisions of the Four Councils. He adds: "Since, then, by my own
public profession you know the entireness of our belief, it is fitting that
you have no further scruple concerning the Church of St. Peter, prince of
the Apostles. But persist in the true faith, and ground your life on the
rock of the Church, that is, in his confession: lest your many tears and
your good works avail nothing, if they be separated from the true faith.
For as branches wither without a root, so works, however good they seem,
are nothing if separated from the solidity of the faith."[200]

Ten of his letters are addressed to Brunechild, the terrible queen of the
Franks. But his letter to all the Gallic bishops in the kingdom of
Childebert will best set forth his authority. That king then reigned over
nearly all France. The Pope began by saying that the universe itself was
ruled by graduated orders of spirits. If there was such distinction of
ranks even in the sinless, what man should hesitate to obey a disposition
to which angels are subject? "Since, then, each individual office is
happily fulfilled when there is a superior to whom application can be made,
we have thought it good, following ancient custom, to make our brother
Virgilius, bishop of Arles, our representative in the churches which are in
the kingdom of our most illustrious son king Childebert. We do this in
order that the integri