Title — Liber Sextus
Title IX: On Confessions
Chapter I
Concerning a negative fact that cannot be proved by the party, a position is to be admitted if it seems good to the judge. Dominicus.
Innocent IV at the General Council of Lyons. We decree that judges can admit negative positions that cannot be proved except through the adversary’s confession, if, with equity counseling it, they see that this is expedient.
DE CONFESSIS.
Super facto negativo, per partem improbabili, si iudici videbitur, est admittenda positio. Dominicus.
Innocentius IV. in concilio Lugdunensi .
Statuimus, ut positiones negativas, quae probari non possunt nisi per confessionem adversarii, iudices admittere possint, si aequitate suadente viderint expedire.
Chapter II
If a defendant ordered to answer positions refuses, or if he departs contumaciously, the positions will be held confessed; it is otherwise if he was contumacious before he was thus ordered. For then proceedings will be taken against him as against a contumacious person. John Andrew.
Boniface VIII. If, after the oath concerning truth or calumny has been furnished, a defendant or his procurator, questioned concerning positions made to him by the adversary and ordered by the judge to answer, refuses without reasonable cause, or is unwilling, or contumaciously absents himself, he ought to be held as having confessed concerning the things about which he was questioned in those positions. But if it happens that he is contumaciously absent before he was thus ordered to answer, then he ought not to be held as having confessed; rather, proceedings are otherwise to be taken against him as against a contumacious person, as reason shall dictate.
Si reus iussus positionibus respondere recusat, vel si contumaciter recedit, habebuntur pro confessatis; secus, si prius, quam sic iussus esset, contumax fuerat. Nam tunc procedetur contra eum tanquam contra contumacem.
Ioann. Andr.
Bonifacius VIII .
Si post praestitum veritatis aut calumniae iuramentum reus vel procurator ipsius, positionibus ab adversario sibi factis interrogatus iussusque a iudice respondere, absque rationabili causa recuset, aut nolit, seu contumaciter se absentet: haberi debet super iis, de quibus in eisdem positionibus interrogatus exstitit, pro confesso. Verum si, antequam respondere sic iussus fuerit, eum contumaciter absentari contingat: tunc pro confesso non debet haberi; sed est alias contra eum, tanquam contra contumacem, prout ratio dictaverit, procedendum.