Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XVIII: On Letting and Hiring
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: Masters and scholars at Bologna who, before the term of the letting, hire the lodgings of other masters or scholars without their consent are excommunicated.
Clement III.
It became known to us from the rescript of the letters of P., formerly Bishop of Tusculum of pious memory, that, when he entered the city of Bologna during the time of his legation, he found that it had been established there by W., formerly Bishop of Porto of good memory, and forbidden under excommunication, that any scholars [of others] should hire lodgings by the promise of a greater rent, so that they might claim them for themselves either from zeal for empty glory, wishing to appear more powerful in expenditures, or for the advantage of private utility. Hence he himself, considering with solicitous providence that the wickedness of a condition of this kind would engender both a tinder of discord and no small impediments to studies, decreed valid the constitution made by the Bishop of Porto, legate of the Apostolic See, and afterward confirmed by the aforesaid Bishop of Tusculum, namely: that none of the masters or scholars should dare to make an agreement with a landlord concerning the hiring of others' lodgings, to the injury or prejudice of the inhabitants, unless it was first established that the term of the letting had elapsed or the tenants had furnished their favor and consent in this; since the Bishop of Porto forbade this under excommunication, and the other decreed the same to be observed under penalty of anathema. We confirm it by apostolic authority, establishing that this be recited each year by you, brother bishop, and by every successor of yours, in a common hearing of the masters and scholars, and that the aforesaid wickedness of an improper hiring be expressed by a renewed [each year] sentence of excommunication. Therefore, let it be lawful for no person whatsoever to infringe the page of our confirmation, etc.
DE LOCATO ET CONDUCTO.
Excommunicati sunt magistri et scholares Bononienses, qui ante tempus conductionis conducunt hospitia aliorum magistrorum vel scholarium sine eorum consensu.
Clemens III.
Ex rescripto literarum piae recordationis P. quondam Tusculanensis episcopi nobis innotuit, quod, quum civitatem Bononiensem tempore suae legationis intrasset, invenit, ibi fuisse a bonae memoriae W. quondam Portuensi episcopo constitutum et sub excommunicatione prohibitum, ne aliqui scholares [aliorum] hospitia maioris mercedis promissione conducerent, ut ea sibi vel inanis gloriae studio, quasi potentiores in expensis apparere volentes, vel privatae utilitatis commodo vindicarent. Unde ipse sollicita provisione considerans, quod huiusmodi conditionis improbitas et discordiae fomitem, et impedimenta non modica pareret studiorum, praedictam Constitutionem, factam ab episcopo Portuensi apostolicae sedis legato et a praedicto Tusculanensi episcopo postmodum confirmatam, videlicet ut nullus magistrorum sive scholarium super conducendis aliorum hospitiis in laesionem vel praeiudicium habitantium audeat hospitem convenire, nisi prius constiterit tempus conductionis elapsum, vel inquilini in hoc suum favorem praestiterint et consensum, quum idem Portuensis sub excommunicatione hoc prohibuerit, et alter sub poena anathematis idem decreverit observandum, ratam esse decernimus, et eam auctoritate apostolica confirmamus, statuentes, ut a te, frater episcope, et tuo quolibet successore hoc singulis annis in communi audientia magistrorum atque scholarium recitetur, *et praetaxata pravae conductionis improbitas innovata * [per annos singulos] *excommunicationis sententia exprimatur. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat paginam nostrae confirmationis infringere etc. *
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: Ecclesiastical persons can lease the proceeds of tithes to those with whom the condition of the church is made better, notwithstanding a contrary statute of the diocesan; and the same reasoning applies to other property of the church.
Innocent III, to the Abbot and Convent of Saint Peter of Préaux in the Diocese of London.
Your report declared to us that, although you have been accustomed to give the fruits of your tithes at farm, the diocesans of the places issued a certain statute concerning tithes of this kind to be leased to parish priests, by which your utility is not a little impeded; wherefore you implore concerning this the remedy of apostolic provision. Notwithstanding a contrary statute of the diocesan bishops, you can freely lease the proceeds of your tithes to those whom you see to be expedient for you and with whom you will be able to make the condition of your church better, yet in such a way that a letting of this kind does not appear to extend to a fief or alienation.
Personae ecclesiasticae locare possunt proventus decimarum his, cum quibus conditio ecclesiae fit melior, statuto dioecesani contrario non obstante; et eadem ratio est de aliis rebus ecclesiae.
Innocentius III. Abbati et Conventui S. Petri de Pratel. Londoniensis dioecesis.
Vestra nobis relatio declaravit, quod, quum ad firmam fructus vestrarum dare consueveritis decimarum, +diocesani locorum statutum quoddam de huiusmodi decimis locandis parochialibus presbyteris ediderunt, per quod utilitas vestra non modicum impeditur; quare super hoc apostolicae provisionis remedium imploratis. Dioecesanorum episcoporum statuto contrario non obstante vestrarum decimarum proventus illis libere locare potestis, quibus vobis expedire videritis, et cum quibus ecclesiae vestrae conditionem poteritis facere meliorem, ita tamen, quod huiusmodi locatio ad feudum vel alienationem non videatur extendi.
Chapter III
Latin source headnote: On account of grave sterility happening to the lessee without his fault, the rent is remitted proportionally, unless it can be set off against the abundance of the preceding or following period. This it says as far as § But.—(But, etc.:) Four cases are placed here in which a tenant can lawfully be expelled before the term of the letting has ended. The Abbot.
Gregory IX.
On account of sterility affecting the lessees with great disadvantage, happening through a defect of the property without fault of the cultivator or by a fortuitous accident, remission of rent is to be made proportionally to the cultivators of your church, unless the sterility can be set off against the abundance of the preceding or following year. But you will be able, against the tenant's will, to inhabit or repair the house if necessity—which nevertheless was not imminent at the time of letting—requires it, with the rent for the remaining time remitted to him. He is also reasonably removed therefrom if he conducted himself wickedly there, or, when he had not paid the rent for two years, did not provide for himself by swift satisfaction.
Propter sterilitatem gravem, conductori sine culpa sua contingentem, remittitur pensio pro rata, nisi possit cum ubertate praecedentis vel sequentis temporis compensari. H. d. usque ad §. Verum. — (Verum etc.:) Ponuntur hic quatuor casus, in quibus inquilinus potest ante tempus conductionis finitae licite expelli. Abbas.
Gregorius IX.
Propter sterilitatem, afficientem magno incommodo conductores, vitio rei sine culpa coloni, seu casu fortuito contingentem, colonis ecclesiae tuae pro rata est pensionis remissio facienda, nisi cum ubertate praecedentis vel subsequentis anni valeat sterilitas compensari. Verum invito inquilino domum inhabitare vel reficere poteris, si necessitas, quae tamen non imminebat locationis tempore, id exposcat, remissa sibi pro residuo temporis pensione; qui etiam inde rationabiliter amovetur, si perverse ibi fuerit conversatus, vel quum canonem per biennium non solvisset, si sibi satisfactione celeri non providit.
Chapter IV
Latin source headnote: An emphyteuta of a church cannot sell his improvements unless the things stated here are observed. And if he acts contrary to them, or has not paid the rent for two years and has not afterward swiftly purged the delay, he can justly be expelled.
The same.
An emphyteuta, after first asking the church and notifying it how much is offered to him by others, could sell his improvements and the right belonging to him to others who are in no way prohibited from a purchase of this kind, if the church said that it was unwilling to buy or if the space of two months elapsed from the time of notification. An emphyteuta also, by presuming otherwise or ceasing payment of the rent for two years, unless he afterward endeavored to provide for himself by swift satisfaction, could justly be expelled, notwithstanding that he was not notified to pay the rent, since in this case the appointed day makes demand for the lord.
Emphyteuta ecclesiae meliorationes suas vendere non potest, nisi servatis his, de quibus hic. Et si contra fecerit, vel canonem per biennium non solverit, nec moram postea celeriter purgaverit, iuste potest expelli.
Idem.
Potuit emphyteuta, ecclesia primitus requisita, eique nunciato quantum sibi ab aliis offertur, si nolle se emere dixerit, vel a denunciationis tempore duorum mensium spatium sit elapsum, meliorationes et ius sibi competens aliis vendere, qui ab emptione huiusmodi minime prohibentur. Emphyteuta quoque secus praesumendo, vel cessando in solutione canonis per biennium, nisi celeri satisfactione postmodum sibi consulere studuisset, iuste potuisset expelli, non obstante, quod ei, ut canonem solveret, non exstitit nunciatum, quum in hoc casu dies statuta pro domino interpellet.