Question — Decretum of Gratian
Question IV
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GRATIAN. But that neither clerics nor laymen are permitted to exact usury is proved by the authority of Gelasius and others. For Pope Gelasius says, writing to the clerics throughout Lucania and Sicily, [c. 17]:
GRATIANUS. Quod uero nec clericis, nec laicis liceat usuras exigere, probatur auctoritate Gelasii et aliorum. Ait enim Gelasius Papa, scribens clericis per Lucaniam et Siciliam: [c. 17.]
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. I. Let clerics abstain from the gains of trade.
Let clerics know that they are to abstain from unworthy gains and to cease from every contrivance or cupidity of any kind of trade. But in whatever rank they may be, if they are unwilling to cease, let them soon be compelled to abstain from clerical offices.
C. I. A questibus negociationis clerici abstineant.
Clerici ab indignis questibus nouerint abstinendum, et ab omni cuiuslibet negociationis ingenio uel cupiditate cessandum. In quocumque uero gradu sint, si cessare noluerint, mox a clericalibus offitiis abstinere cogantur.
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. II. Let ministers who lend at interest be excommunicated.
Likewise from the First Council of Arles, which Pope Sylvester confirmed, [c. 12]. Concerning ministers who lend at interest, it has pleased us, according to the form divinely given, that they abstain from communion.
C. II. Excommunicentur ministri, qui fenerantur.
Item ex Concilio Arelatensi I., quod confirmauit Siluester Papa. [c. 12.] Ministri, qui fenerantur, placuit iuxta formam diuinitus datam eos a communione abstinere.
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. III. Let those who wish to be in the clergy abstain from the pursuit of trade.
Likewise from the Council of Tarragona, [c. 2]. It has been confirmed by the statutes of the canons that whoever wishes to be in the clergy shall not employ the pursuit of buying more cheaply and selling more dearly. But if he wishes to practice it, let him be restrained from the clergy.
C. III. Qui uolunt esse in clero a studio negociationis abstineant.
Item ex Concilio Terraconensi. [c. 2.] Canonum statutis firmatum est, ut quicumque in clero esse uoluerit emendi uilius et uendendi karius studio non utatur. Quod si exercere uoluerit, cohibeatur a clero.
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. IV. Let one exacting usury or excess be removed from the clergy.
Likewise from the Council of Pope Martin, [c. 62]. If anyone, having forgotten the fear of the Lord and of the sacred Scriptures, which say, “He did not give his money at usury,” after this recognition of the great council lends at interest or exacts a hundredth, or seeks shameful profit from any transaction, or through diverse kinds of wine or produce or any thing receives any increases by buying or selling, let him, cast down from his rank, be regarded as alien to the clergy.
C. IV. Alienetur a clero usuras aut superhabundantiam exigens.
Item ex Concilio Martini papae. [c. 62.] Si quis oblitus timorem Domini, et sacrarum scripturarum, que dicunt: "Pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram, post hanc cognicionem magni concilii fenerauerit uel centesimam exegerit, aut ex quolibet negocio turpis lucri quesierit, aut per diuersas species uini, uel frugis, uel cuiuslibet rei, emendo uel uendendo aliqua incrementa susceperit, de gradu suo deiectus alienus habeatur a clero.
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. V. For money which he gave as a loan, let a cleric receive commodities at a just price.
Likewise from the same. If any cleric has loaned a solidus in a time of necessity, let him receive from wine or grain that which at the appointed time shall have been determined to be sold for the sake of trading. But if he has not had the necessary commodity, let him receive that very thing which he gave, without any increase.
C. V. Pro pecunia, quam dedit mutuo clericus, iusto precio species recipiat.
Item ex eodem. Si quis clericus in necessitate solidum prestiterit, hoc de uino uel frumento accipiat, quod mercandi causa tempore statuto decretum fuerit uenundare. Ceterum si speciem non habuerit necessariam, ipsum quod dedit, sine ullo augmento recipiat.
Friedberg, col. 735/736
C. VI. Let a cleric not receive more than he lent.
Likewise from the Third Council of Carthage, [c. 16]. Let none of the clerics receive more than he lent; if money, let him receive money; if a commodity, let him receive the same commodity that he gave; and whatever else, let him receive as much as he gave.
C. VI. Clericus non plus accipiat quam conmodauit.
Item ex Concilio Cartaginensi III. [c. 16.] Nullus clericorum amplius accipiat quam conmodauit; si pecuniam, pecuniam accipiat, si speciem, eandem speciem, quam dedit, accipiat, et quicquid aliud tantum, quantum dedit, accipiat.
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. VII. [VIII.] Concerning the same.
Likewise from the Council of Nicaea, [c. 17]. Since many clerics, pursuing shameful gains for the sake of avarice, have forgotten the divine precept in which it was said, “He did not give his money at usury,” this holy council has established that, if anyone is found after this determination to receive usury, or to pursue shameful gains from any such transaction, or even to give kinds of grain at one and a half times their amount, everyone who has attempted anything of this kind for gain shall be cast down from the clergy and regarded as alien to ecclesiastical rank.
C. VII. [VIII.] De eodem.
Item ex Niceno Concilio. [c. 17.] Quoniam multi clerici, auaritiae causa turpia lucra sectantes, obliti sunt diuini precepti, quo dictum est: "Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram," statuit hoc sanctum concilium, ut, si quis inuentus fuerit post hanc diffinitionem usuras accipere, uel ex quolibet tali negotio turpia lucra sectari, uel etiam species frumentorum ad sescuplum dare, omnis, qui tale aliquid conatus fuerit ad questum, deiciatur a clero, et alienus habeatur ab ecclesiastico gradu.
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. VIII. [VII.] Usury is condemnable even in laymen.
Likewise Pope Leo, [letter I, c. 3]. Nor have we thought that this also should be passed over: there are certain persons captured by cupidity for shameful gain who employ money at usury and wish to become rich by interest. We grieve that this applies, not to say only to those established in clerical order, but even to laymen who desire to be called Christians. We decree that this be avenged more sharply upon those who have been convicted, so that every opportunity of sinning may be taken away.
C. VIII. [VII.] Etiam laicis usura dampnabilis est.
Item Leo Papa. [epist. I. c. 3.] Nec hoc quoque pretereundum duximus, esse quosdam turpis lucri cupiditate captos qui usurariam exercent pecuniam, et fenore uolunt ditescere. Quod nos ut non dicamus in eos, qui sunt in clericali ordine constituti, sed etiam in laicos cadere, qui se Christianos dici capiunt, condolemus. Quod uindicari acrius in eos, qui fuerint confutati, decernimus, ut omnis peccandi oportunitas adimatur.
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. IX. One who buys for less so that he may sell for more pursues shameful profit.
Likewise Pope Julius. Whoever, in the time of harvest or vintage, purchases grain or wine not from necessity but because of cupidity—for example, purchases one modius for two denarii and preserves it until it may be sold for four or six denarii or more—this we call shameful profit.
C. IX. Turpe lucrum sequitur, qui minus emit, ut plus uendat.
Item Iulius Papa. Quicumque tempore messis uel uindemiae non necessitate, sed propter cupiditatem conparat annonam uel uinum, uerbi gratia de duobus denariis conparat modium unum, et seruat, usque dum uendatur denariis quatuor aut sex, aut amplius, hoc turpe lucrum dicimus.
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. X. One who receives usury commits robbery.
Likewise Ambrose in the book On the Good of Death, [c. 12]. If anyone receives usury, he commits robbery; he does not live life.
C. X. Rapinam facit qui usuram accipit.
Item Ambrosius in libro de bono mortis. [c. 12.] Si quis usuram accipit, rapinam facit, uita non uiuit.
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. XI. One who slaughters a poor man by interest is no less cruel than one who seizes something from a rich man.
Likewise Augustine to Macedonius, [letter LIV]. What shall I say concerning usuries, which even the laws themselves and judges command to be repaid? Is one who withdraws or seizes something from a rich man more cruel than one who slaughters a poor man by interest? These things indeed, and things of this kind, are certainly possessed evilly, and I would wish that they be restored, but there is no judge before whom they may be reclaimed. But now let us consider prudently what is written: “For a faithful man the whole world is riches, but for an unfaithful man not even a small coin”; do we not convict all those who seem to themselves to rejoice in things acquired and do not know how to use them of possessing what belongs to another? For certainly that which is possessed by right does not belong to another; but that is possessed by right which is possessed justly, and that justly which is possessed well. Therefore everything that is possessed evilly belongs to another; but one who uses evilly possesses evilly. GRATIAN. Moreover, from whom usury is to be exacted Ambrose testifies, saying, [in the book On Tobit, c. 15]:
C. XI. Non minus crudelis est qui pauperem trucidat fenore, quam qui diuiti aliqua rapit.
Item Augustinus ad Macedonium. [ep. LIV.] Quid dicam de usuris, quas etiam ipsae leges et iudices reddi iubent? An crudelior est qui subtrahit aliquid uel eripit diuiti, quam qui trucidat pauperem fenore? Hec utique atque huiusmodi male utique possidentur, et uellem ut restituerentur, sed non est quo iudice repetantur. Iam uero prudenter intueamur quod scriptum est: "Fideli homini totus mundus diuitiarum est: infideli autem nec obolus," nonne omnes, qui uidentur sibi gaudere conquisitis, eisque uti nesciunt, alienum possidere conuincimus? Hoc enim certe alienum non est, quod iure possidetur, hoc autem iure, quod iuste, et hoc iuste, quod bene. Omne igitur, quod male possidetur, alienum est; male autem possidet qui male utitur. Gratian. Porro, a quo usurae exigendae sint, Ambrosius testatur, dicens: [in libro de Tobia, c. 15.]
Friedberg, col. 737/738
C. XII. We can exact usury from one whom we harm by right.
Exact usury from him whom you deservedly desire to harm; upon him against whom arms are brought by right, usury is lawfully brought; exact usury from him whom you cannot conquer in war, whom it is no crime to kill. One who demands usury fights without iron; one who has been the usurious exactor of an enemy avenges himself upon the enemy without a sword. Therefore where there is the right of war, there is the right of usury.
C. XII. Ab illo usuram exigere possumus, cui iure nocemus.
Ab illo exige usuram, cui nocere merito desideras; cui iure inferuntur arma, huic legitime inferuntur usurae; quem bello uincere non potes, ab hoc usuram exige, quem non sit crimen occidere. Sine ferro dimicat qui usuras flagitat, sine gladio se de hoste ulciscitur qui fuerit usurarius exactor inimici. Ergo ubi ius belli, ibi ius usurae.
Friedberg, col. 737/738