PL 54 · cols. 610–613

Leo the Great, Letters

Letter IV

quoniam ipse est Deus noster, qui facit mirabilia solus. Qui jam non tradat bestiis animas confitentes sibi, neque amplius patiatur tentari nos supra id quod ferre possumus, sed faciat cum tentatione proventum misericordem pro sua pietate, ut sustinere possimus. Orate pro me.

[…] that He is our God, Who alone does wonders. May He no longer deliver to the beasts the souls that confess Him, nor allow us any more to be tempted beyond what we can bear, but in His goodness make with the temptation a merciful issue, that we may be able to bear it. Pray for me.

EPISTOLA IV.

LETTER IV.

AD EPISCOPOS PER CAMPANIAM, PICENUM, TUSCIAM ET UNIVERSAS PROVINCIAS CONSTITUTOS.

TO THE BISHOPS APPOINTED THROUGHOUT CAMPANIA, PICENUM, TUSCIA AND ALL THE PROVINCES.

Leo episcopus urbis Romae omnibus episcopis per Campaniam, Picenum, Tusciam et universas provincias constitutis in Domino salutem.

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to all the bishops appointed throughout Campania, Picenum, Tuscia and all the provinces, greeting in the Lord.

Ut nobis gratulationem facit Ecclesiarum status salubri dispositione compositus, ita non levi nos moerore contristat, quoties aliqua contra constituta canonum ecclesiasticamque disciplinam praesumpta vel commissa cognoscimus: quae si non qua debemus vigilantia resecemus, illi qui nos speculatores esse voluit (Ezech. III, 17) excusare non possumus, permittentes sincerum corpus Ecclesiae, quod ab omni macula purum custodire debemus, ambientium improba contagione foedari, cum ipsa sibi membrorum per dissimilationem compago non congruat.

Just as the state of the Churches, ordered by a wholesome arrangement, gives us cause for rejoicing, so it saddens us with no light grief whenever we learn that anything has been presumed or committed against the constitutions of the canons and ecclesiastical discipline: and if we do not cut these things back with the vigilance we owe, we cannot excuse ourselves to Him Who willed us to be watchmen (Ezek. 3:17), if we allow the pure body of the Church, which we ought to keep clean from every stain, to be defiled by the wicked contagion of the ambitious, since the very framework of its members does not hold together because of their unlikeness.

Editors' notes and page, col. 610

Footnotes

(h) ‹proventum› · printed under col 609

Marianus Scotus, misericordiae.

Marianus Scotus: misericordiae.

(i) ‹EPISTOLA› · printed under col 609

Al. 3. Quae autem erat 4, nunc 6. Scripta 10 Octob. an. 443.

Elsewhere, 3. What was 4 is now 6. Written 10 October in the year 443.

(j) ‹heading AD EPISCOPOS› · printed under col 609 and continued under col 610

Invenitur haec epistola in quindecim collect., 2, 5. Dionysiana 6, Hadrian. 7, 8, Hisp. 9, Isid. 10, 11, 12, 13 et 20 usque ad 24. Inter has tres tantum collectiones diversae originis sunt, nimirum secunda Corbeiensis, quinta Quesnelliana et sexta Dionysiana. Ex hac postrema caeterae collectiones hanc epistolam descripsere. In hac emendanda usi sumus duodecim variarum collectionum mss. libris inter quos praecipui sunt Vindebon. 39 collect. 5 et Vaticanus Dionysii, et duo collect, 9 Hispanicae, unus Vindebon., alter Vat.

This letter is found in fifteen collections: 2, 5, the Dionysian 6, the Hadrianic 7, 8, the Spanish 9, the Isidorian 10, 11, 12, 13, and 20 to 24. Among these only three collections are of different origin, namely the second, of Corbie, the fifth, Quesnel's, and the sixth, the Dionysian. From this last the other collections copied this letter. In correcting it we used manuscript books of twelve different collections, among which the chief are Vienna 39 of collection 5, and the Vatican [manuscript] of Dionysius, and two of the Spanish collection 9, one at Vienna, the other in the Vatican.

(k) ‹Synopsis› · printed under col 610

In mss. collect. 5 synopsis hujus epistolae sic effertur in praemissa tabula num. 76: Ad universos episcopos Campaniae, Piceni et Tusciae, ut servi vel originarii, aut cujuslibet conditionis obnoxii, ab ecclesiasticis officiis repellantur, et de his clericis qui ob hoc fenerant ut usuras accipiant.

In the manuscripts of collection 5 the synopsis of this letter is given thus in the table set before it, no. 76: To all the bishops of Campania, Picenum and Tuscia, that slaves or serfs, or persons bound by any condition, are to be kept from ecclesiastical offices; and concerning those clerics who lend money in order to receive interest.

(l) ‹clericatus› · printed under col 610

Vindebon. collect. Hisp., provehat, in tabula Dionysii apud Tustellum, promoveat. Sed in tituo capiti praemisso, promovere praesumat.

The Vienna [manuscript] of the Spanish collection: provehat; in the table of Dionysius in Justel: promoveat. But in the title set before the chapter: promovere praesumat.

(m) ‹habentes› · printed under col 610

Quesnellus, qui habuerint.

Quesnel: qui habuerint.

(n) ‹laici› · printed under col 610

Vocem Christiani a Quesnello omissam ex editis et potioribus codicibus revocavimus.

We have restored the word Christiani, omitted by Quesnel, from the printed editions and the better manuscripts.

(o) ‹fecerit,› · printed under col 610

Al., a suo sit officio submovendus.

Elsewhere: a suo sit officio submovendus.

(p) ‹constitutis› · printed under col 610

Verba in Domino salutem, a Quesnello omissa, ex anterioribus editionibus, nostrisque mss. nec non ex Cresconio reposuimus. Quidam codices praetereunt nomina propria Campaniae, Piceni et Tusciae.

The words in Domino salutem, omitted by Quesnel, we have restored from the earlier editions and our manuscripts, and also from Cresconius. Some manuscripts pass over the proper names Campania, Picenum and Tuscia.

(q) ‹contra› · printed under col 610

Duo codd. et antiquiores editiones, statuta. Paulo post duo mss. Vercellensia coll. Hadr. pro vel commissa habent vel contempta.

Two manuscripts and the older editions: statuta. A little later two Vercelli manuscripts of the Hadrianic collection have vel contempta for vel commissa.

(r) ‹vigilantia› · printed under col 610

Cod. Vindebon. collect. 5, resecamus. Dein. in uno Vat., excusari.

The Vienna manuscript of collection 5: resecamus. Then, in one Vatican [manuscript], excusari.

(s) ‹permittentes› · printed under col 610

Cod. Vat. Dionysii, sincerae.

The Vatican manuscript of Dionysius: sincerae.

(t) ‹improba› · printed under col 610

Cod. Corbeien. collect. 2 apud Quesn., cogitatione.

The Corbie manuscript of collection 2 in Quesnel: cogitatione.

(u) ‹membrorum› · printed under col 610

Hanc Quesnelli correctionem, quam sensus videtur exigere retinuimus, cum potioribus nostris mss. confirmetur. Hinc etiam in vulgatis, ubi per dissimulationem legitur, ad marginem notatur per dissimilitudinem; quod si non ex codd., sed ex conjectura, ut videtur, factum est, emendationem a sensu exigi judicatum fuit. Vide not. 1 Quesn.

We have kept this correction of Quesnel's, which the sense seems to require, since it is confirmed by our better manuscripts. Hence also in the printed editions, where per dissimulationem is read, per dissimilitudinem is noted in the margin; and if this was done not from the manuscripts but, as it seems, from conjecture, it was judged that the correction was required by the sense. See Quesnel's note 1.

Editors' prose

Synopsis. (Ex Dionysio Exiguo). — I. Ut nullus episcopus servum alterius ad officium clericatus promovere praesumat. — II. Ut quicumque ad sacerdotium; vel viduarum mariti, vel habentes numerosa conjugia, promoti fuerint. ab ecclesiasticis officiis arceantur. — III. Quod usuras non solum clerici exigere non debeant, sed nec laici Christiani. — IV. Ut clericus nec suo, nee alieno nomine fenus exerceat. — V. Ut si quis sacerdotum contra interdicta fecerit, a suo submoveatur officio.

Synopsis (from Dionysius Exiguus). — I. That no bishop presume to promote another man's slave to the office of cleric. — II. That whoever have been promoted to the priesthood, whether husbands of widows or men who have had several marriages, are to be kept from ecclesiastical offices. — III. That not only clerics ought not to exact interest, but not even Christian laymen. — IV. That a cleric is not to practise usury either in his own name or in another's. — V. That if any of the bishops acts against the prohibitions, he is to be removed from his office.

Page

running head: shared with col 609 (609 EPISTOLA IV. 610; the right-hand numeral is faint and could be read 510)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 609): A ‹quoniam ipse est Deus›; B ‹Ut clericus nec suo› (in the synopsis); C ‹rum per dissimilationem›; D ‹ex anterioribus editionibus› (in note p)
old-edition numerals: 612 in the synopsis, before ‹IV. Ut clericus›
signature: none
other: the notes under col 610 open with the end of note (j), set above

PL 54:611

CAP. I. Alieni servi ordinationem esse illicitam. — Admittuntur passim ad ordinem sacrum, quibus nulla natalium, nulla morum dignitas suffragatur; et qui a dominis suis libertatem consequi minime potuerunt, ad fastigium sacerdotii tamquam servilis vilitas hunc honorem capiat, provehuntur: et probari Deo posse creditur, qui domino suo necdum probare se potuit. Duplex itaque in hac parte reatus est, quod et sacrum ministerium talis consortii vilitate polluitur, et dominorum, quantum ad illicitae usurpationis temeritatem pertinet, jura solvuntur.

CHAP. I. That the ordination of another man's slave is unlawful. — Men are admitted everywhere to holy orders whom no dignity of birth, none of character, commends; and men who were quite unable to obtain their freedom from their masters are advanced to the summit of the priesthood, as though servile baseness were to take this honour: and a man is believed able to be approved by God who has not yet been able to prove himself to his own master. The guilt in this matter is therefore twofold: the sacred ministry is polluted by the baseness of such fellowship, and the rights of the masters, so far as the rashness of an unlawful usurpation goes, are dissolved.

Ab his itaque, fratres charissimi, omnes provinciae vestrae abstineant sacerdotes; et non tantum ab his, sed ab aliis etiam qui originali aut alicui conditioni obligati sunt volumus temperari: nisi forte eorum petitio aut voluntas accesserit, qui aliquid sibi in eos vindicant potestatis. Debet enim esse immunis ab aliis, qui divinae militiae fuerit aggregandus (II Tim. II, 4); ut a castris domicinis quibus nomen ejus ascribitur, nullis necessitatis vinculis abstrahatur.

From these, therefore, dearest brethren, let all the bishops of your province abstain; and not only from these: we wish them to refrain also from others who are bound by an originary or by some other condition, unless perhaps the petition or the consent of those who claim some power over them has been added. For he who is to be enrolled in the divine warfare ought to be free of other [claims] (2 Tim. 2:4), so that he may not be drawn away by any bonds of necessity from the Lord's camp, in which his name is enrolled.

CAP. II. Viduae maritum, et qui fuerit plusquam

CHAP. II. That the husband of a widow, and one who has been [the husband] of more than […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 611

Footnotes

(a) ‹illicitam. —› · printed under col 611

Dist. 54, Admittuntur, c. 21.

Dist. 54, [the canon] Admittuntur, c. 21.

(b) ‹sacerdotii tamquam› · printed under col 611

Cod. Vat. 544 collect. 24, servilitas honorem capiat. Duo Vercell., accipiant, Vulg. ante Quesn. verbo capiat praemittunt jure, quod in omnibus cum nostris tum Quesn. mss. et apud Tustellum deest.

The Vatican codex 544 of collection 24: servilitas honorem capiat. Two Vercelli [manuscripts]: accipiant. The editions before Quesnel put jure before the word capiat, which is absent in all the manuscripts, both ours and Quesnel's, and in Tustellus.

Ita Quesn. ex suis codd., quibus et nostri concinunt, necnon etiam Tustellus. Vulg. cum posterioribus mss., mysterium.

So Quesnel from his codices, with which ours also agree, and Tustellus as well. The editions, with the later manuscripts: mysterium.

(d) ‹jura solvuntur.› · printed under col 611

Ab his verbis inchoant cap. 1 mss. Thuan. 1 et Corb. Quesnelli.

With these words Quesnel's manuscripts Thuanus 1 and Corbie begin chapter 1.

(e) ‹provinciae vestrae› · printed under col 611

Dist. 54, Nullus sacerdotum, c. 1.

Dist. 54, [the canon] Nullus sacerdotum, c. 1.

(f) ‹sed› · printed under cols 611–612

Sic ex puro Dionysii Vat. exemplari aliisque Hadrianeis, nec non ex Vat. 1347 ac edit. Cresconii cap. 195, cum quibus concinit collectio Herovalliana a Petit subjecta Poenitentiali Theodori, in qua legitur: Et ab aliis etiam qui originali aut aliqua conditione obligati sunt. Mss. codd. duo Hisp. et Vat. Isidori cum alio collect. 11, ante vocem originali addunt aut. Merlinus cum codd. collect. 12 et 24, ab illis etiam qui originali. Duo alii Vat. cum Vulgatis ante Quesnellum ab illis etiam qui aut originali. Quesnellus cum quatuor suis mss. et nostro Vindebon. collect. 5, ab illis etiam qui aut origini; quam lectionem origini propugnare et praeferre nititur not. 2. Verum lectio originali in omnibus nostris codicibus, Vindebon. excepto, ac praesertim in puro Dionysiano codice exhibita, deserenda non fuit. Nec videmus cur conditioni ac sensui magis congruat vox origini, uti affirmat Quesnellus, quam orignali. Magis placeret originis quam origini. Originali autem, seu originis conditioni obligati intelliguntur coloni originales memorati leg. 14, de Annona et Tributis, l. un. de Inquilinis, et l. 1 cod. Justin. de Agricol. et Mancip. dom. (unde Originalis inquilinatus apud Sidonium l. v epist. 19), Originarii autem vocantur in novell. 12 Valentiniani, necnon a Gelasio epist. 9 c. 14, qui scilicet originis jure, uti dicitur in laudata novella, seu, ut explicat Augustinus de Civ. Dei lib. X, c. 1, conditionem debent genitali solo propter agriculturam sub dominio possessorum. Ipsa nimirum originis causa seu nascendi sorte fundos possessorum colere debebant, iisdemque erant astricti. Hos porro homines originali conditioni obligatos S. Leo distinguit a servis, uti pluribus in legibus a Gothofredo notatis in paratitio de fugitivis colonis pariter distinguuntur. Erant quippe praediis addicti, non autem hominibus, uti servi; et veluti quaedam fundorum pars, seu membra habebantur. Dum vero ab his originariis S. pontifex secernit alios, qui alicui conditioni erant obligati, vel illos indicat colonos qui non jure originis, sed possessione triginta annorum praediis addicebantur, de quibus sermo est in laudata novella 12, vel illos qui semetipsos et suam operam quavis in arte obligabant, unde variorum operum artifices conditionales, id est ex conditione ad quaedam opera praestanda obligati apud Tertullianum vocantur de Idololatria c. 12; quem textum Quesnellus not. 2 optime interpretatus est.

So from the pure Vatican exemplar of Dionysius and other Hadrianic [manuscripts], and also from Vat. 1347 and the edition of Cresconius, chap. 195, with which agrees the Herovalliana collection printed by Petit after the Penitential of Theodore, in which one reads: Et ab aliis etiam qui originali aut aliqua conditione obligati sunt. Two Spanish manuscript codices and the Vatican [codex] of Isidore, with another of collection 11, add aut before the word originali. Merlin, with the codices of collections 12 and 24: ab illis etiam qui originali. Two other Vatican [codices], with the editions before Quesnel: ab illis etiam qui aut originali. Quesnel, with four of his manuscripts and our Vienna [codex] of collection 5: ab illis etiam qui aut origini; and in note 2 he strives to defend and prefer this reading origini. But the reading originali, shown in all our codices except the Vienna one, and especially in the pure Dionysian codex, ought not to have been abandoned. Nor do we see why the word origini suits the construction and the sense better than orignali, as Quesnel asserts. Originis would please more than origini. By those bound by an originary condition, or by the condition of origin, are understood the originary coloni mentioned in law 14, On the Annona and Tributes, the single law On Inquilini, and law 1 of the Code of Justinian On Farmers and Bondsmen of the Estate (whence the originary inquilinate in Sidonius, book 5, letter 19); they are called originarii in novel 12 of Valentinian, and also by Gelasius, letter 9, chap. 14: those, namely, who by right of origin, as the novel cited says, or, as Augustine explains in The City of God, book 10, chap. 1, owe their condition to their native soil for the sake of agriculture under the dominion of the landowners. That is, by reason of their very origin, or by the lot of their birth, they had to till the landowners' estates, and were bound to them. These men, then, bound by an originary condition, St Leo distinguishes from slaves, just as in several laws noted by Godefroy in the paratitlon on fugitive coloni they are likewise distinguished. For they were attached to the estates, and not to persons, as slaves were; and they were regarded as a kind of part, or members, of the lands. And when the holy pontiff distinguishes from these originarii others who were bound by some condition, he indicates either those coloni who were attached to the estates not by right of origin but by thirty years' possession, of whom the cited novel 12 speaks, or those who bound themselves and their labour in some craft; whence craftsmen of various works are called conditionales, that is, bound by a condition to perform certain works, in Tertullian, On Idolatry, chap. 12; a text which Quesnel in note 2 has interpreted excellently.

(g) ‹ascribitur,› · printed under col 612

Vat. Dionysii, nulla necessitate saeculi abstrahatur. Vat. collect. 11, nullius necessitatis vinculis Vindebon. vero collect. 5, subtrahatur.

The Vatican [codex] of Dionysius: nulla necessitate saeculi abstrahatur. The Vatican [codex] of collection 11: nullius necessitatis vinculis; the Vienna [codex] of collection 5, however: subtrahatur.

Page

running head: shared with col 612 (611 S. LEONIS MAGNI EPISTOLAE. 612; the left-hand numeral and "S. LEONIS MAGNI" stand over col 611)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 612): A ‹Cap. I. Alieni servi›; B ‹serit, qui aliquid›; C ‹(e) Dist. 54› (in the notes); D ‹ret originis quam origini› (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 613 after ‹dominorum,›
signature: none
other: the text of col 611 ends with the first words of the run-in heading of CAP. II, which continues at the head of col 612; note (f) runs on into the notes under col 612

PL 54:612

unius uxoris vir, a sacro ministerio arcendum. — Qualis vero, cum unicuique constiterit natalium honestas et morum, esse debeat sacri altaris ministerio sociandus, et Apostolo nos docente (I Tim. III, 2; Tit. I, 6), et divina praeceptione didicimus (Levit. XXI, 14), et canonum regulis, a quibus plerosque fratrum declinasse et penitus deviasse reperimus.

[…] one wife, must be kept from the sacred ministry. — What manner of man, when his honourable birth and character have been established in each case, ought to be joined to the ministry of the holy altar, we have learned both from the Apostle's teaching (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6) and from the divine precept (Lev. 21:14), and from the rules of the canons, from which we find that many of the brethren have turned aside and wholly strayed.

Nam constat ad sacerdotium pervenisse viduarum meritos; quosdam etiam, quibus fuerint numerosa conjugia, et ad omnem licentiam vita liberior, ad sacrum ordinem passim patefactis aditibus fuisse permissos, contra illam beati Apostoli vocem qua talibus exclamat dicens: Unius uxoris virum (I Tim. III, 2); et contra illud antiquae legis praeceptum, quo dicitur et cavetur: Sacerdos virginem uxorem accipiat, non viduam, non repudiatam (Levit. XXI, 14). Hos ergo, quicumque tales admissi sunt, ab ecclesiasticis officiis et a sacerdotali nomine, apostolicae sedis auctoritate jubemus arceri; nec hoc enim sibi poterunt vindicare, cujus capaces, per hoc quod illis obstiterat, non fuerunt: hujus discussionis curam nobis specialiter vindicante ut

For it is established that husbands of widows have come to the priesthood; and that certain men also, who have had numerous marriages and a life too free for every licence, have been admitted to holy orders, the approaches having been opened everywhere, against that voice of the blessed Apostle by which he cries out to such men, saying: The husband of one wife (1 Tim. 3:2); and against that precept of the ancient law by which it is said and provided: Let the priest take a virgin as wife, not a widow, not one divorced (Lev. 21:14). These men, therefore, whoever of this kind have been admitted, we order by the authority of the apostolic see to be kept from the offices of the Church and from the name of priest; for they will not be able to claim for themselves that of which, by reason of what stood in their way, they were not capable: [the see] specially claiming for us the care of this inquiry, so that […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 612

Footnotes

(f) continued from col 611, set in n611

(g) call in col 611, printed under col 612, set in n611

(h) ‹arcendum. —› · printed under col 612

Hanc lectionem, quam Quesnellus ex suis codd. not. 3 allegatis induxit, approbant etiam potiores nostri, nimirum purus Dionys. Vat. unus Vindebon. collect. 5, alius collect. Hispanicae. Vat. collect. 24 et exemplar collectionis Heroval. a Petit editum. Vulgatarum lectio: Qualis vero unicuique natalium honestas, et morum esse debeat, qui sacri altaris ministerio est sociandus, etc., praefertur in codd. Vat. Hisp. et Isid. et in tribus aliis pariter Vat. quorum unus solum exhibet consociandus. Omissio duarum vocum, cum constiterit, et additio vocum, qui et est lectionem pervertunt. In duobus tamen Vercell. collect. Hadrianeae textus lectio habetur omisso tantum verbo constiterit; in Tustelli autem collectione invenitur constiterit, sed cum desideratur.

This reading, which Quesnel introduced from his codices cited in note 3, is approved also by the better of ours, namely the pure Vatican Dionysius, one Vienna [codex] of collection 5, another of the Spanish collection, the Vatican [codex] of collection 24, and the exemplar of the Herovalliana collection edited by Petit. The reading of the editions, Qualis vero unicuique natalium honestas, et morum esse debeat, qui sacri altaris ministerio est sociandus, etc., is offered in the Vatican codices of the Spanish [collection] and of Isidore, and likewise in three other Vatican ones, of which one alone shows consociandus. The omission of the two words cum constiterit and the addition of the words qui and est corrupt the reading. In two Vercelli [codices] of the Hadrianic collection, however, the reading of the text is found with only the word constiterit omitted; and in the collection of Tustellus constiterit is found, but cum is lacking.

(i) ‹reperimus.› · printed under col 612

Cod. Vindebon. collect. 5 post verbum reperimus addit admonemus seu potius admonemur. A verbis autem sequentibus Nam constat incipit cap. 2 in codd. Corb. et Thuan. 1, ex postilla Quesnelli.

The Vienna codex of collection 5 adds after the word reperimus: admonemus, or rather admonemur. With the following words, Nam constat, chapter 2 begins in the Corbie and Thuanus 1 codices, according to Quesnel's marginal note.

(j) ‹pervenisse viduarum› · printed under col 612

Vide not. 4 Quesnelli. Dein, et quosdam etiam in mss. Vercell. Codex Vindebon. collect. 5 omittit etiam.

See Quesnel's note 4. Then, et quosdam etiam in the Vercelli manuscripts. The Vienna codex of collection 5 omits etiam.

(k) ‹licentiam vita› · printed under col 612

Unus cod. Quesnelii, levior, Paulo post Vindebon. collect. 5 beati Pauli apostoli. Alius Vindebon. Hisp. collect. omittit beati. Mox pro exclamat, vulgati ante Quesn., reclamat.

One codex of Quesnel: levior. A little after, the Vienna [codex] of collection 5: beati Pauli apostoli. Another Vienna [codex], of the Spanish collection, omits beati. Next, for exclamat, the editions before Quesnel: reclamat.

(l) ‹legis praeceptum,› · printed under col 612

Mss. Vat. Hisp. et Isid. cum duobus aliis, quo dicitur cautum.

The Vatican manuscripts of the Spanish [collection] and of Isidore, with two others: quo dicitur cautum.

(m) ‹sibi poterunt› · printed under col 612

Vulgati ante Quesnellum addunt pro arbitrio. Delent autem omnes mss. libri. Vide not. 5 ejusdem.

The editions before Quesnel add pro arbitrio. But all the manuscript books delete it. See note 5 of the same [editor].

(n) ‹per hoc› · printed under col 612

Quesn. in marg. Al., quod illi exstiterant. Corb. et Thuan. I.

Quesnel in the margin: another [reading], quod illi exstiterant; Corbie and Thuanus 1.

(o) ‹discussionis curam› · printed under col 612

Vide not. 6 Quesn. cum observationibus nostris.

See Quesnel's note 6, with our observations.

Page

running head: shared with col 611 (611 S. LEONIS MAGNI EPISTOLAE. 612; "EPISTOLAE." and the right-hand numeral stand over col 612)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 611): A ‹unius uxoris vir›; B ‹uxorem accipiat, non viduam›; C ‹me interpretatus est.› (in the notes); D ‹(i) Cod. Vindebon.› (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 614 after ‹canonum›
signature: none
other: the call before ‹Qualis vero› is printed in worn type looking like (b); it is (h) in the sequence, and note (h) discusses these words. The notes under col 612 open with the end of note (f) and all of note (g), both called in col 611 and set in n611

PL 54:613

si qua forsitan de his commissa sunt, corrigantur, nec liceat ultra committi, et ne qua excusatio de ignoratione nascatur; quamquam ignorare numquam licuerit sacerdotem, quod canonum fuerit regulis definitum. Haec ergo ad provincias vestras, per Innocentium, Legitimum et Segetium, fratres et coepiscopos nostros, scripta direximus; ut quae male pullulasse noscuntur, radicitus evellantur, et messem Dominicam zizania nulla corrumpant. Ita enim fructum uberem quae sunt sincera praestabunt, si ea quae natam segetem enecare consueverunt diligentius amputentur.

[…] if perhaps any such things have been committed, they may be corrected, and it may not be permitted to commit them further, and that no excuse may arise from ignorance; although it has never been permitted to a bishop to be ignorant of what has been defined by the rules of the canons. We have therefore sent these writings to your provinces by Innocent, Legitimus and Segetius, our brothers and fellow bishops, so that the things that are known to have sprung up wrongly may be torn out by the roots, and no tares may spoil the Lord's harvest. For what is sound will yield rich fruit if the things that are wont to choke the growing crop are more diligently cut away.

CAP. III. Usura laicis et clericis interdicta. — Nec hoc quoque praetereundum esse duximus, quosdam lucri turpis cupiditate captos, usurariam exercere pecuniam, et fenore velle ditescere. Quod nos, non dicam in eos qui sunt in clericali officio constituti, sed et in laicos cadere, qui Christianos se dici cupiunt, condolemus. Quod vindicari acrius in eos qui fuerint confutati decernimus, ut omnis peccandi opportunitas adimatur.

CHAP. III. That usury is forbidden to laymen and clerics. — Nor have we thought that this too should be passed over: that certain men, taken by the desire of shameful gain, put out money at usury and wish to grow rich by interest. That this should befall, I will not say those who are established in clerical office, but laymen also who wish to be called Christians, we lament. We decree that it be punished more severely in those who have been convicted, so that every opportunity of sinning may be taken away.

CAP. IV. Nec suo, nec alieno nomine fenus exerceat clericus. — Illud etiam duximus praemonendum, ut sicut non suo, ita nec alieno nomine, aliquis clericorum exercere fenus attentet; indecens enim est crimen suum commodis alienis impendere. Fenus autem hoc solum aspicere et exercere debemus, ut quod hic misericorditer tribuimus, ab eo

CHAP. IV. That a cleric should not practise usury in his own name or in another's. — This too we have thought should be declared in advance: that, just as not in his own name, so not in another's either, should any of the clergy attempt to practise usury; for it is unseemly to spend one's own crime on another's profit. But this is the only interest we ought to look to and practise: that what we bestow here in mercy we may be able to receive back from that […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 613

Footnotes

(a) ‹nec liceat› · printed under col 613

Vat. collect. 24, ne liceat. Et paulo post unus Vat., ne qua excusatio ignorantiae nascatur.

The Vatican [codex] of collection 24: ne liceat. And a little after, one Vatican [codex]: ne qua excusatio ignorantiae nascatur.

(b) ‹numquam licuerit› · printed under col 613

Duo Vat., sacerdoti. Mox, quid canonum in duobus Vindebon.

Two Vatican [codices]: sacerdoti. Next, quid canonum in two Vienna [codices].

Duo Vercell. Sigentium. Paulo post pullulasse dignoscuntur in Vindeb. Hisp.

Two Vercelli [codices]: Sigentium. A little after, pullulasse dignoscuntur in the Vienna [codex] of the Spanish [collection].

(d) ‹messem Dominicam› · printed under col 613

Mss. Corb. et Thuan. 1 Quesnelli, per zizania nullus corrumpat.

Quesnel's Corbie and Thuanus 1 manuscripts: per zizania nullus corrumpat.

(e) ‹natam segetem› · printed under col 613

Idem Quesnelli codd., inquinare. Duo Vindeb., necare.

The same codices of Quesnel: inquinare. Two Vienna [codices]: necare.

(f) ‹interdicta. —› · printed under col 613

14, qu. 4, Nec hoc praetereundum, c. 7.

[Causa] 14, qu. 4, [the canon] Nec hoc praetereundum, c. 7.

(g) ‹cupiditate captos,› · printed under col 613

Vide not. 7 Quesn.

See Quesnel's note 7.

(h) ‹constituti, sed› · printed under col 613

Particulam et addidimus ex Vat. Dionysii, Vindebon. collect. 5 Cresconio, Vat. Hisp. et Isid. aliisque tribus codd.

We have added the particle et from the Vatican [codex] of Dionysius, the Vienna [codex] of collection 5, Cresconius, the Vatican [codices] of the Spanish [collection] and of Isidore, and three other codices.

(i) ‹vindicari acrius› · printed under col 613

Quesnellus, in iis. Praetulimus lectionem omnium nostrorum mss. atque Cresconii. Vat. collect. 24 in eos, qui fuerunt comprobati. Dein decrevimus pro decernimus in Vat. Dionysii et duobus Vercell.

Quesnel: in iis. We have preferred the reading of all our manuscripts and of Cresconius. The Vatican [codex] of collection 24: in eos, qui fuerunt comprobati. Then decrevimus for decernimus in the Vatican [codex] of Dionysius and in two Vercelli [codices].

(j) ‹clericus. —› · printed under col 613

In Corbeien. et Thuan. 1 Quesnelli hoc caput est pars capitis praecedentis.

In Quesnel's Corbie and Thuanus 1 [manuscripts] this chapter is part of the preceding chapter.

(k) ‹ut sicut› · printed under col 613

Dist. 46, Sicut non suo, c. 10.

Dist. 46, [the canon] Sicut non suo, c. 10.

(l) ‹aliquis clericorum› · printed under col 613

Vindeb. Hisp. et Vat. collect. 24, exercendum.

The Vienna [codex] of the Spanish [collection] and the Vatican [codex] of collection 24: exercendum.

(m) ‹misericorditer tribuimus,› · printed under col 613

Quinque codd., a Domino.

Five codices: a Domino.