Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question XX: On the ways of removing the obligation of an oath
FIRST, some say this obligation is removed by not being induced, as when a Law declares it void: But this does not remove an obligation that did not exist, but only prevents it from arising. Thus the Council of Trent, sess. 25. cap. 16., declares void and null the renunciation of goods, even if sworn, before the two months of profession.
De modis tollendi obligationem Iuramenti.
PRIMO hanc obligationem tolli dicunt aliqui ne inducatur, ut cum Lex id irritum declarat: Sed hoc non tollit obligationem, quae non fuit, sed praepedit, ne sit. Sic Concil. Trident. sess. 25. cap. 16. renunciationem bonorum, etiam iuratam, ante duos menses professionis, irritam declarat, et nullam.
THE OBLIGATION arising from an oath is truly removed, first, if it cannot be fulfilled without sin; for an Oath is not a bond of iniquity.
TOLLITUR vero obligatio, e iuramento oriens, primo si nequit exequi sine peccato; nam Iuramentum non est vinculum iniquitatis.
NEXT, it is removed by the condonation of him in whose favor it was sworn.
DEINDE tollitur condonatione eius, in cuius favorem est emissum.
THIRD, it is taken away by the voiding by superiors. See what I said disp. de Voto, a quaest. 22. et seqq. Except, however, Curators, who cannot void the oaths of minors, although they can void vows, leg. 1. et 2. Cod. si adversus vendit. It is also taken away by Commutation, as I said disp. 1. de Votis, quaest. 30. It is removed also by dispensation, in the way said loco cit. quaest. 28. et 29.
TERTIO aufertur superiorum irritatione. Vide quae dixi disp. de Voto, a quaest. 22. et seqq. excipe tamen Curatores, qui nequeunt iuramenta minorum irritare, etsi possint vota, leg. 1. et 2. Cod. si adversus vendit. Aufertur etiam Commutatione, ut dixi disp. 1. de Votis, quaest. 30. Tollitur etiam dispensatione, modo dicto loco cit. quaest. 28. et 29.
BUT those five matters there related are not reserved if they are nude sworn, not vowed; for only those oaths are reserved which are to the loss of a third party. So Navar. lib. 2. consil. de iur. conf. 3. Tabien. V. Iur. quaest. 20. Petr. Ledesm. tomo 2. tract. 11. cap. 4. dub. 2.
SED non reservantur ea quinque, ibi relata, si nude sint iurata, non vota; ea enim sola reservantur iuramenta, quae sunt in damnum tertii. Ita Navar. lib. 2. consil. de iur. conf. 3. Tabien. V. Iur. quaest. 20. Petr. Ledesm. tomo 2. tract. 11. cap. 4. dub. 2.
FOR they are commonly with a vow, and therefore are reserved: as Bassaeus warns, V. Iur. 5. num. 7. with Sanchez lib. 8. matrim. disp. 13. and lib. 3. moral. cap. 19. num 6.
ENIM vero communiter sunt cum voto, quae ideo reservata sunt: ut monet Bassaeus V. Iur. 5. num. 7. cum Sanchez lib. 8. matrim. disp. 13. et lib. 3. moral. cap. 19. num 6.
DISPENSATION, however, must be for a cause, as I said disp. 1. de Voto, quaest. 37.; so also commutation, as I said there quaest. 29.
DISPENSATIO autem debet esse ex causa, ut dixi disp. 1. de Voto, quaest. 37. sic et commutatio, ut dixi ibi quaest. 29.
CAUSES for dispensing from an oath can be: if it was extorted by fear or fraud: If injustice intervened, as when a usurer exacts an oath about paying usury. Or when one has been gravely injured in a contract and was forced to swear it; or, not attending to the injury, he confirmed it spontaneously by oath. Or in punishment for him in whose favor it is given, if he committed a crime, whereby he deserves to be despoiled of his goods, if he is an enemy of the Church. Finally, if the common good demands it, Lessius lib. 2. cap. 42. dub. 12. num. 62. Bonacina de Iur. puncto 17. Bassaeus in calce.
CAUSAE dispensandi iuramentum esse possunt, si metu, vel fraude sit extortum: Si iniustitia intercessit, ut cum usurarius exigit iuramentum de solvendis usuris. Vel cum in contractu graviter laesus est, et coactus est eum iurare; vel non advertens laesionem, iuramento confirmavit sponte. Vel in poenam ei, in cuius favorem est praestitum, si delictum patravit, unde meretur bonis spoliare, si Ecclesiae sit perduellis. Tandem si id bonum commune postulet, Lessius lib. 2. cap. 42. dub. 12. num. 62. Bonacina de Iur. puncto 17. Bassaeus in calce.