Besides other queries, which it is not material here to relate, Augustine asked, "Whether cousins-german might be allowed to marry." Gregory answered, that that liberty had indeed been formerly granted by the Roman law; but that experience had shown that no issue could ever come from such marriages; and he therefore prohibited them.

Augustine asked, "Whether a woman pregnant might be baptized." Gregory answered, that he saw no objection.

"How soon after the birth the child might receive baptism." It was answered, immediately, if necessary.

"How soon a husband might have commerce with his wife after her delivery." Not till she had given suck to her child; a practice to which Gregory exhorts all women.

"How; soon a man might enter the church, or receive the sacrament, after having had commerce with his wife." It was replied, that, unless he had approached her without desire, merely for the sake of propagating his species, he was not without sin; but in all cases it was requisite for him, before he entered the church, or communicated, to purge himself by prayer and ablution; and he ought not, even after using these precautions, to participate immediately of the sacred duties.[*] There are some other questions and replies still more indecent and more ridiculous.[**] And on the whole it appears that Gregory and his missionary, if sympathy of manners have any influence, were better calculated than men of more refined understandings, for making a progress with the ignorant and barbarous Saxons.
The more to facilitate the reception of Christianity, Gregory enjoined Augustine to remove the idols from the heathen altars, but not to destroy the altars themselves; because the people, he said, would be allured to frequent the Christian worship, when they found it celebrated in a place which they were accustomed to revere.
[* Bede, lib.i.cap.27.Spell.