The earliest life written a generation earlier than Bede at Whitby relates the same story but in it the English are merely visitors to Rome questioned by Gregory (see Holloway, who translates from the manuscript kept at St. Gallen). The earlier story is not necessarily the more accurate, as Gregory is known to have instructed presbyter Candidus in Gaul by letter to buy young English slaves for placement in monasteries. These were intended for missionary work in England: See Ambrosini & Willis 1996, p. 71 Ambrosini, Maria Luisa; Willis, Mary (1996). The Secret Archives of the Vatican. Barnes & Noble. ISBN9780760701256.
Gregory mentions in Dialogue 3.2 that he was alive when Totila attempted to murder Carbonius, Bishop of Populonia, probably in 546. In a letter of 598 (Register, Book 9, Letter 1) he rebukes Bishop Januarius of Cagliari, Sardinia, excusing himself for not observing 1 Timothy 5.1, which cautions against rebuking elders. Timothy 5.9 defines elderly women to be 60 and over, which would probably apply to all. Gregory appears not to consider himself an elder, limiting his birth to no earlier than 539, but 540 is the typical selection. See Dudden 1905, pp. 3, notes 1–3 The presumption of 540 has continued in modern times – see for example Richards 1980Dudden, Frederick Holmes (1905). Gregory the Great: His Place in History and Thought (In Two Volumes). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. ISBN9780837079363. OCLC502650100. Richards, Jeffrey (1980). Consul of God. London: Routelege & Keatland Paul.
Vita by the "anonymous monk of Whitby", Chapter 9; see Colgrave's edition below; Colgrave, Bertram, "The Earliest Life of St Gregory the Great, written by a Whitby Monk", in Celt and Saxon, 1964, Cambridge UP, [https://books.google.com/books?id=X_w8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA124 pp 123-124
Flechner 2015, p. 47. Flechner, Roy (2015). "Pope Gregory and the British: Mission as a Canonical Problem". In Hélène Bouget; Magali Coumert (eds.). En Marge, Histoires des Bretagnes 5. Brest: Université de Bretagne occidentale. pp. 47–65. hdl:10197/7383. ISBN9791092331219.
"Palpate et videte, quia spiritus carnem et ossa non-habet, sicut me videtis habere, or "touch me, and look; a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see that I have." - Luke 24:39
Gregory mentions in Dialogue 3.2 that he was alive when Totila attempted to murder Carbonius, Bishop of Populonia, probably in 546. In a letter of 598 (Register, Book 9, Letter 1) he rebukes Bishop Januarius of Cagliari, Sardinia, excusing himself for not observing 1 Timothy 5.1, which cautions against rebuking elders. Timothy 5.9 defines elderly women to be 60 and over, which would probably apply to all. Gregory appears not to consider himself an elder, limiting his birth to no earlier than 539, but 540 is the typical selection. See Dudden 1905, pp. 3, notes 1–3 The presumption of 540 has continued in modern times – see for example Richards 1980Dudden, Frederick Holmes (1905). Gregory the Great: His Place in History and Thought (In Two Volumes). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. ISBN9780837079363. OCLC502650100. Richards, Jeffrey (1980). Consul of God. London: Routelege & Keatland Paul.
