Question — Decretum of Gratian
Question VI
GRATIAN. Part I. One who cannot prove what he has charged is to be punished. Hence Pope Hadrian says, [in the capitularies, c. 41]:
GRATIANUS. I. Pars. Qui autem quod intulit probare non ualet, puniendus est. Unde Adrianus Papa ait: [in capitulis, c. 41.]
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. I. Let one who has charged false things against others be punished.
Everyone who has charged false things against others shall be punished and, on account of the falsity, shall bear infamy.
C. I. Puniatur qui aliis falsa intulerit.
Omnis, qui aliis falsa intulerit, puniatur, et pro falsitate ferat infamiam.
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. II. Concerning the same.
Likewise Gregory. One who does not prove an inflicted calumny ought to incur the penalty which the defendant would certainly have sustained if he had proved it.
C. II. De eodem.
Item Gregorius. Qui calumpniam illatam non probat, penam debet incurrere, quam, si probasset, reus utique sustineret.
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. III. With what penalty one who does not prove a charged crime is to be struck.
The same in the Register. Because, according to the canonical opinions of the Fathers, one who does not prove an inflicted calumny ought to incur a penalty, and because by this principle a subdeacon could not prove a crime against a deacon, since he did not have the imposition of the hand—which he could have been deprived of—he lacked not only priesthood but office and deserved to be chastised with blows as truly infamous. For since any crime is proved against a layman by three witnesses, it is not surprising if, when he is unable to prove what he charged, he is subjected by analogy of law to bodily infamy in the same manner as a layman. For what it would have been for a deacon to lose his grade, this it was for a subdeacon to have lacked fullness of reputation. In book I of the Code, title On Bishops and Clerics, [law 8], Emperor Theodosius:
Part II. § 1. Let priests give testimony without the injury of interrogations, yet in such a way that they do not fabricate false things. But let the other clerics who follow their grade or order, if they have been requested to give testimony, be heard as the laws command. Nevertheless, let an action for falsity remain available to litigants if perhaps priests—who in their own name have been commanded to give the testimony of a higher station without any bodily injury—have suppressed true things for the very reason that they fear nothing. For those upon whom very great honor has been conferred through our command are much more deserving of punishment if they are found in a hidden crime. In the same, book IX, in collation IX: § 2. If priests and deacons have given false testimony, then, if it was in a pecuniary matter, let them be delivered to a monastery, separated from divine ministry only for twelve years; if in a criminal matter, let them, stripped of clerical honor, be subjected to the lawful penalties. Let the other clerics be lawfully coerced without distinction of the case.
C. III. Qua pena feriatur qui crimen illatum non probat.
Idem in Registro. Quia iuxta canonicas Patrum sententias qui calumpniam illatam non probat penam debet incurrere, ac per hoc, quia subdiaconus crimen diacono probare non potuit, quoniam inpositionem manus (qua carere potuisset) non habuit, non solum sacerdotio, sed offitio caruit, et tamquam reuera infamis meruit uerberibus castigari. Nam cui cum tribus testibus ueluti laico crimen quodlibet approbatur, non est mirum, quod obiecit dum probare non sufficit, si corporali infamiae quemadmodum laicus ex iuris similitudine subiugatur. Quod enim esset diacono gradum amittere, hoc fuit subdiacono famae plenitudine caruisse. Codice libro I., titulo de episcopis et clericis, [l. 8.] Inperator Theodosius:
II. Pars. §. 1. Presbiteri citra iniuriam questionum testimonium dicant, ita tamen, ut falsa non simulent. Ceteri uero clerici, qui eorundem gradum uel ordinem secuntur, si ad testimonium dicendum petiti fuerint, prout leges precipiunt, audiantur. Salua tamen sit litigatoribus falsi actio, si forte presbiteri, qui suo nomine superioris loci testimonium dicere citra aliquam corporalem iniuriam sunt precepti, hoc ipso, quod nichil metuunt, uera suppresserint. Multo magis etenim pena sunt digni, quibus cum plurimum honoris per nostram iussionem delatum est occulto inueniuntur in crimine. Eadem IX. in collatione IX.: §. 2. Presbiteri, diaconi, si falsum testimonium dixerint, si quidem in re pecuniaria, diuino ministerio dumtaxat per XII. annos separati monasterio tradantur: si in criminali, clericatus honore nudati legitimis penis subiciantur. Ceteri clerici sine delectu causae legitime coherceantur.
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. IV. One who does not prove a charged crime shall not approach the ministry of holy communion.
The same to Bishop Januarius, [book III, letter 24]. Part III. Epiphanius the priest, criminally accused by the letters of certain priests, whose case we examined as we were able and, finding none of the things charged in him, we absolved so that he might return to his own place. Therefore, we wish you to investigate the authors of the charge against him; and unless the one who transmitted that letter is prepared to demonstrate what he charged by canonical and most rigorous proofs, let him in no way approach the ministry of holy communion.
C. IV. Ad sanctae communionis ministerium non accedat qui crimen illatum non probat.
Idem Ianuario Episcopo. [lib. III. ep. 24.] III. Pars. Epiphanium presbiterum quorumdam sacerdotum litteris criminaliter accusatum, cuius nos, ut ualuimus, causam discutientes, nichilque in eo obiectorum reperientes, ut ad locum suum reuerteretur absoluimus. Criminis ergo eius auctores uolumus te perscrutari, et nisi qui eandem transmisit epistolam paratus fuerit hoc, quod obiecit, canonicis atque districtissimis probationibus edocere, nullatenus ad sanctae communionis ministerium accedat.
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. V. With what penalty an informer is to be struck.
Likewise from a decree of Pope Hadrian, [c. 49]. Let the tongue of an informer be cut off, or, upon his conviction, let his head be cut off. § 1. Informers, however, are those who betray others out of envy.
[PALEA.
C. V. Qua pena feriendus sit delator.
Item ex decreto Adriani Papae. [cap. 49.] Delatori autem lingua capuletur, aut conuicto caput amputetur. §. 1. Delatores autem sunt qui inuidia produnt alios.
[PALEA.
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. VI. Concerning the same.
Likewise from the Council of Elvira. If any informer has been a member of the faithful and someone has been proscribed or killed through his informing, it was resolved that he receive communion only at the end. If the case was less serious, he will be able to receive communion within five years. If he was a catechumen, let him be admitted to baptism after a period of five years.]
C. VI. De eodem.
Item ex Concilio Eliberitano. Delator si quis extiterit fidelis, et per delationem eius aliquis fuerit proscriptus uel interfectus, placuit, non nisi in fine accipere communionem. Si leuior causa fuerit, infra quinquennium accipere poterit communionem. Si catecuminus fuerit, post quinquennii tempora admittatur ad baptismum. ]
Friedberg, col. 551/552
C. VII. Concerning the same.
Likewise from the Eighth Synod. If anyone has spoken falsely or stained the person of an innocent man with a false crime, let him be purified by a long penance according to the priest's judgment.
C. VII. De eodem.
Item ex VIII. Sinodo. Si quis falsum dixerit, uel personam innocentis falso crimine maculauerit, iuxta sacerdotis arbitrium diuturna penitentia expurgetur.
Friedberg, col. 553/554
C. VIII. A secular or lay person who has wearied a church or cleric through calumny shall be restrained from communion.
Likewise from the Council of Agde, [c. 32]. If any of the secular persons has presumed through calumny to weary a church or cleric and has been convicted, let him be restrained from the thresholds of the church and the communion of Catholics unless he has worthily done penance.
C. VIII. A communione coherceatur secularis, uel laicus qui ecclesiam uel clericum per calumpniam fatigauerit.
Item ex Concilio Agatensi. [c. 32.] Si quis uero secularium per calumpniam ecclesiam aut clericum fatigare presumpserit et conuictus fuerit, ab ecclesiae liminibus et catholicorum communione, nisi digne penituerit, coherceatur.
Friedberg, col. 553/554