Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XVI: On Deposit
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: A church is not liable for a deposit made with a cleric of the church unless it was turned to the utility of the church.
Alexander III, to the Bishop of London.
That grave and hateful complaint which has reached us concerning your deposit hitherto denied to you constrains us with twofold anxiety, in that we can neither fail you in this nor effectively assist you as you would wish. For since it is not established to us that your money, which that man of Belial stole by impious and detestable surreption, was turned to the utility of the church, we ought not by law, nor can we, direct a peremptory insistence of command against the canons of that church that they return to you the same money, committed, as is said, to a person, not to the church. Therefore, we counsel your discretion, and with the diligence of inward charity persuade you to direct your action meanwhile against that robber and thief, because, as we have heard, he has the purses and carried away the things stolen from you. For we ourselves also commanded judges to bring that wicked man to account under severe examinations and, even if necessary, to torment and afflict him, bound with chains, so that he may be compelled to return the said money. But we wish you to have such affection toward the church that you seek nothing undue from it. If, however, you can amicably make an agreement with them concerning receipt of revenues, know that this is acceptable to us.
DE DEPOSITO.
Ex deposito, facto apud clericum ecclesiae, non tenetur ecclesias, nisi in utilitatem ecclesiae sit versum.
Alexander III. Londonensi Episcopo.
Gravis illa et odibilis querimonia, quae usque ad nos super deposito tuo tibi hactenus denegato pervenit, +duplici nos anxietate perstringit eo, quod tibi in hoc et deesse non possumus, et adesse, prout velles, efficaciter non valemus. Quum enim non constet nobis, pecuniam tuam, quam ille vir Belial impia et detestabili surreptione furatus est, in ecclesiae utilitatem conversam, non debemus de iure, nec possumus contra canonicos eiusdem ecclesiae praecise intentare iussionis instantiam, ut tibi eandem reddant pecuniam, personae, ut dicitur, non ecclesiae commendatam. Quocirca discretioni tuae consulimus, et internae caritatis diligentia suademus, ut in raptorem illum et furem tuam interim dirigas actionem, eo, quod, ut audivimus, loculos habet, et ea, quae tibi surrepta sunt, asportavit. Nam et nos ipsi iudicibus dedimus in mandatis, ut illum iniquum sub duris quaestionibus ad rationem ponant, et etiam, si oportuerit, vinculis macerent alligatum et affligant, ut dictam pecuniam reddere compellatur. +Ceterum circa ecclesiam illum affectum te habere volumus, ut nil ab ea requiras indebitum. Si autem cum eis amicabiliter poteris de redituum perceptione pacisci, noveris id nobis acceptum.
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: It states for what a depositary is liable and how a deposit is reclaimed.
Gregory IX.
Good faith is presumed absent if, while your own property remained safe, you lost the things deposited. You are also liable for fault if you offered yourself for the deposit, or if you received something for safekeeping. But when agreement, fault, or delay has preceded, even a fortuitous accident is imputed. Indeed, it was lawful for the depositor to revoke the deposit at his own will, against which there was no place for setoff or deduction, so that a contract that arises from good faith may in no way be referred to bad faith, although setoff is admitted in other matters if the cause from which it is sought is liquid in such a way that it is believed to have an easy outcome.
Dicit, ad quid tenetur depositarius, et quomodo repetatur depositum.
Gregorius IX.
Bona fides abesse praesumitur, si, rebus tuis salvis exsistentibus, depositas amisisti. De culpa quoque teneris, si te ipsum deposito obtulisti, vel si aliquid pro custodia recepisses. Pacto vero, culpa vel mora praecedentibus, casus etiam fortuitus imputatur. Sane depositori licuit pro voluntate sua depositum revocare, contra quod compensationi vel deductioni locus non fuit, ut contractus, qui ex bona fide oritur, ad perfidiam minime referatur, licet compensatio admittatur in aliis, si causa, ex qua postulatur, sit liquida ita, quod facilem exitum credatur habere.