Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title X: On Those Born from a Free Womb
Sole Chapter
Latin source headnote: One born from a freeborn or freed woman is free.
Gregory.
We believe it to be indecent that sons begotten from a freed or freeborn woman should be drawn back into servitude. Therefore, we command you [by the present authority] that with these very documents, as we too have learned, [with your mind freed from cares,] you attend diligently, so that, if there are no documents on the part of the Church that ought to oppose documents of this kind, you restrain that woman from molesting him without any reconsideration. For it is harsh that, if others confer liberties for their reward, they should be revoked by the Church, by which they ought to be made free. [Again therefore, etc.]
DE NATIS EX LIBERO VENTRE.
Natus ex libera vel liberta liber est.
Gregorius.
Indecens esse credimus, ut progeniti ex liberta sive libera filii ad servitium retrahantur. Propterea tibi [praesenti auctoritate] praecipimus, ut his ipsis documentis, sicut et nos didicimus, [exuto a curis animo] diligenter intendas, quatenus, si documenta nulla sint ab ecclesiae parte, quae documentis huiusmodi debeant obviare, ab eius molestia sine aliqua retractatione compescas eandem. Durum est enim, ut, si alii pro mercede sua libertates tribuunt, ab ecclesia, a qua fieri debent, revocentur. [Iterum ergo etc.]