Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XXVI: On Those Who Utter Curses
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: One who curses the Pope is to be punished so that others may henceforth be deterred and he himself restrained.
Clement III.
It became known to us. (And below:) Lastly, we command and enjoin upon your fraternity that, Because you reported to us through your letters that the cleric I. of the Holy Trinity, in the presence of many bystanders, uttered certain words to the disparagement of our office and benefice, you restrain him from his rashness through suspension from office and benefice, with the obstacle of appeal removed, so that his punishment may strike terror into others, lest henceforth they burst forth into such words against the Roman Church.
DE MALEDICIS.
Maledicens Papae puniendus est, ut alii deinceps deterreantur, et ipse arceatur.
Clemens III. Innotuit nobis (Et infra:) Ad ultimum fraternitati tuae mandamus atque praecipimus, quatenus, Quia nobis per literas tuas retulisti, quod I. clericus sanctae Trinitatis, multis coram adstantibus, verba quaedam in depressionem officii et beneficii nostri protulit, ipsum a temeritate sua per suspensionem officii et beneficii sublato appellationis, obstaculo compescas, ut poena illius aliis terrorem incutiat, ne de cetero contra Romanam ecclesiam in talia verba prorumpant.
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: Here is laid down the penalty of one blaspheming God or any saint, and especially the most glorious Virgin.
Gregory IX.
We decree that, if anyone shall have presumed publicly to loose his tongue in blasphemy against God, or any of his saints, and especially the blessed Virgin, he is to be subjected by his bishop to the penalty noted below: namely, for seven Sundays the blasphemer is to stand openly before the doors of the church while the solemnities of masses are conducted; on the last of those Sundays he is to have neither cloak nor shoes and is to be bound with a strap around his neck; and on the seven preceding Fridays he is to fast on bread and water, in no way entering the church. On each of the aforesaid days he is also to feed three poor persons, if he can, otherwise two or one. And if his means do not suffice even for this, it is to be commuted into another penance. If he shall refuse to receive and complete the aforesaid penance, entrance to the church is also to be forbidden to him, and at death he is to lack ecclesiastical burial. Furthermore, through the temporal power, with coercion by the diocesan bishop employed against him if necessary, the blasphemer, if rich, is to be chastised by a penalty of forty solidi of current money, otherwise thirty or twenty, and, if he does not suffice for this, five solidi, having no mercy in this; and this is also to be placed among the other statutes of communities.
Hic ponitur poena blasphemantis Deum, vel aliquem sanctum, et maxime Virginem gloriosissimam.
Gregorius IX. Statuimus, ut, si quis contra Deum, vel aliquem sanctorum suorum, et maxime beatam Virginem, linguam in blasphemiam publice relaxare praesumpserit, per episcopum suum poenae subdatur inferius annotatae, videlicet, ut septem diebus dominicis prae foribus ecclesiae in manifesto, dum aguntur missarum solennia, blasphemus exsistens, ultimo illorum die dominico pallium et calceamenta non habeat, ligatus corrigia circa collum, septemque praecedentibus sextis feriis in pane ieiunet et aqua, ecclesiam nullatenus ingressurus. Quolibet quoque praedictorum dierum tres, si poterit, alioquin duos reficiat pauperes sive unum. Et, si nec ad hoc eius suppetant facultates, id in poenam aliam commutetur; cui etiam, si renuerit recipere ac peragere poenitentiam supra dictam, ecclesiae interdicatur ingressus, et in obitu ecclesiastica careat sepultura. Per temporalem praeterea potestatem, coactione, si necesse fuerit, episcopi dioecesani adhita contra eum, blasphemus, si dives fuerit, quadraginta solidorum, alioquin triginta sive viginti, et, si ad id non sufficiat, quinque solidorum usualis monetae poena mulctetur, nullam in hoc misericordiam habiturus; quod etiam inter alia communitatum statuta ponatur.