Question — Decretum of Gratian
Question III
GRATIAN. That one who is impeded and is unable to be present for his case can conduct his case through a procurator appears to be proved by the authority of the Roman Synod celebrated in the time of Pope Hadrian, in which [c. 5] it is read to have been enacted thus:
GRATIANUS. Quod autem per procuratorem causam suam agere ualeat qui inpeditus causae suae adesse non ualet, auctoritate Romanae Sinodi, que tempore Adriani Papae celebrata est, probari uidetur, in qua [c. 5.] sic statutum legitur:
Friedberg, col. 547/548
C. I. Let one whom grave necessity presses send a legate for himself to a synod.
If a bishop is ill, or some grave necessity detains him, let him send a legate for himself to the synod; and let one against whom a charge is directed not be suspended from communion unless, summoned by letters to plead his case on the day appointed by the chosen judges, he has failed to appear—that is, unless an extraneous necessity has forestalled him—within the space of two or three months, or longer, as the case shall dictate. GRATIAN. In book IX of the Code, title On Accusations and Formal Inscriptions, [law 3], Emperor Alexander: The laws governing public trials permit absent defendants charged with capital crimes to be defended even through procurators. GRATIAN. § 1. Behold, a bishop, if he is impeded and unable to be present for his case, is ordered to send a legate for himself to the synod. But this legate is sent not to conduct the case, but to explain to the synod the necessity by which the impeded bishop was unable to present himself to the synod. No one, however, is permitted to conduct a case, especially a criminal one, except in person. Hence Pope Hadrian [c. 38] says:
C. I. Pro se legatum ad sinodum mittat quem grauis necessitas premit.
Si egrotans fuerit episcopus, aut aliqua eum grauis necessitas detinuerit, pro se legatum ad sinodum mittat, nec a communione suspendatur cui crimen intenditur, nisi ad causam suam dicendam, electorum iudicum die statuta litteris euocatus, minime occurrerit, hoc est (nisi aliena preoccupauerit necessitas) infra spatium duorum uel trium mensium, uel eo amplius, prout causa dictauerit. [Gratian.] Codicis libro IX. titulo de accusationibus et inscriptionibus [l. 3.] Inp. Alexander: Reos capitalium criminum absentes etiam per procuratores defendi leges publicorum iudiciorum permittunt. Gratian. §. 1. Ecce episcopus si inpeditus et causae suae adesse non ualens, legatum pro se iubetur mittere ad sinodum. Sed legatus iste non ad causam agendam, sed ad necessitatem sinodo exponendam mittitur, qua inpeditus episcopus sinodo presentiam suam exhibere non ualuit. Causam autem (maxime criminalem) nulli nisi per se agere licet. Unde Adrianus Papa [c. 38.] ait:
Friedberg, col. 547/548
C. II. One who accuses criminally, or is accused, shall litigate in person.
In criminal cases neither can an accuser accuse anyone except in person, nor is the accused permitted to defend himself through another person.
C. II. Criminaliter accusans uel accusatus per se experiatur.
In criminalibus causis nec accusator, nisi per se, aliquem accusare potest, nec accusatus per aliam personam se defendere permittitur.
Friedberg, col. 547/548
C. III. In all cases except criminal ones, bishops and priests shall have an advocate for themselves.
Likewise Pope Anacletus. Because a bishop and all priests are appointed solely for the praise of God and the performance of good works, each of them ought to have an advocate, both for ecclesiastical actions and also for his own—except, of course, in a public criminal charge—one found to be neither suspect because of an evil reputation, but of good repute and praiseworthy skill, lest, while they attend to human gains, they lose eternal rewards.
C. III. In omnibus causis, preterquam in criminalibus, episcopi et sacerdotes pro se aduocatum habeant.
Item Anacletus Papa. Quia episcopus uniuersique sacerdotes ad solam laudem
Dei bonorumque operum actionem constituuntur, debet unusquisque eorum tam pro ecclesiasticis, quam etiam pro suis actionibus (excepto publico uidelicet crimine) habere aduocatum, non malae famae suspectum, sed bonae opinionis et laudabilis artis inuentum, ne, dum humana lucra attendunt, eterna premia perdant.
Friedberg, col. 547/548