21 March 2023

Indiculum Pontificis – Roman Oath of Papal Election [7th Century]

Indiculum Pontificis – Roman Oath of Papal Election [7th Century]


The papal oath of election, likely in use between the 7th and 11th centuries, is preserved in the Liber Diurnus Pontificum Romanum, a collection of formulæ used by the pontifical chancellery which survives today in three MSS.: Vatican City, Archivio Segreto Vaticano, Misc. Arm. XI.19; Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana I.2 sup.; and the Codex Claramontanus. The Liber Diurnus likely developed over time and the MSS. that survive to-day represent its state during the reign of Pope Hadrian I, between the end of the 8th and the beginning of the 9th centuries. The oath seems to have fallen out of use by the end of the 11th century.

Source: Foerster, Hans. "Liber diurnus Romanorum pontificum." (1958).Translation at Canticum Salomonis: “I Shall Keep Inviolate the Discipline and Ritual of the Church”: The Early Mediæval Papal Oath – Canticum Salomonis (archive.org)



The Pontiff’s Attestation [of Faith]

In the name of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and so forth, on (such) indiction, (such) month, (such) day.

I, (name), by the mercy of God deacon, elect and future bishop, by the grace of God, of this Apostolic See, swear to you, blessed Peter, prince of the Apostles—to whom the Lord Jesus Christ, Creator and Redeemer of all, gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven to bind and loose in heaven and on earth saying, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven”—and to your Holy Church, which today I have taken up to rule under your protection, that I shall guard with all my strength, even unto giving up the ghost or shedding my blood, the right and true faith which, having been handed down by Christ its author and transmitted by your successors and disciples unto my smallness, I found in your Holy Church; and with your help I shall patiently bear the difficulties of the times; I shall preserve the the mystery of the holy and individual Trinity which is one God, as well as the dispensation according to the flesh of the only-begotten Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the other dogmas of God’s Church, just as they are deposited by the universal councils and constitutions of the apostolic pontiffs and the writings of the most approved doctors of the Church, that is, all that concerns the rightness of your and our orthodox faith handed down by you; I, too, shall guard unaltered even by a tittle the holy and universal councils—of Nicæa, of Constantinople, the first of Ephesus, of Chalcedon, and the second of Constantinople which was celebrated in the time of the prince Justinian of happy memory—and together with them I shall fully and entirely keep with equal honour and veneration the holy sixth council which recently assembled under prince Constantine of happy memory and the apostolic lord Agatho my predecessor, and I shall preach whatsoever they preached and condemn in heart and word whatsoever they condemned; I shall moreover diligently and heartily confirm and safeguard undiminished all the decrees of the apostolic pontiffs my predecessors, and whatever they promulgated and confirmed in synod and individually, and maintain them in unwavering vigor just as my predecessors established them, and condemn with a sentence of equal authority whatever things and persons they condemned and rejected; I shall keep inviolate the discipline and ritual of the Church just as I found and received it handed down by my predecessors, and I shall preserve the Church’s property undiminished and take care it is kept undiminished; I shall neither subtract nor change anything from the tradition my most esteemed predecessors have safeguarded and I have received, nor shall I admit any novelty, but shall fervently keep and venerate with all my strength all that I find handed down as, forsooth, my predecessors’ disciple and follower; but if anything should come about contrary to canonical discipline, I shall correct it, and guard the sacred canons and constitutions of our pontiffs as divine and heavenly mandates, knowing that at the divine Judgment I shall render a strict account of all that I profess to you whose place I occupy by divine condescension and whose role I fulfill by the aid of your intercession. If I should presume or allow anyone else to presume to do anything that exceeds these, then on that terrible day of God’s judgment be propitius to me in my sincere attempt to guard them and lend your aid, I pray, to me who am set in this corruptible life, that I might appear blameless before the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of all, when he shall come fearfully to judge our sins, that he might make me to stand on the Father’s right hand among his faithful disciples and successors. I have signed this my profession with my own hand, as contained above—put into writing by (name), notary and secretary, at my command—and with a pure mind and devout conscience I have sincerely offered it to you, blessed Peter, apostle and prince of all the apostles, by this bodily oath.

I, the aforestated (name), unworthy deacon and by the grace of God bishop-elect of this apostolic see of the Roman Church, made this my profession, as contained above, presented this bodily oath, and offered it to you, blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, with a pure mind and conscience.

Holy Roman Emperor Coronation Oath

Holy Roman Emperor Coronation Oath


Oath from the rite of coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor, from Vatican Codex 6112, published in Acta Selecta Caeremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae. Probably used for the coronation of Henry VI by Pope Celestine III in 1191, though the oath, or some form of it may go back to Charlemagne.

Source: Gattico, Gianbattista. Acta Selecta Caeremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae: Ex Variis Mss. Codicibus Et Diariis Saeculi XV. XVI. XVII. Aucta Et Illustrata Pluribus aliis Monumentis nondum editis. In quo eduntur plures Codices Caeremoniales SRE ex Bibliotheca Vaticana. Vol. 1. Barbiellini, 1753. Translated at Canticum Salomonis The Rite of Coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor – Canticum Salomonis (archive.org)


In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, I, N., King of the Romans, and future Emperor of the Romans, affirm, pledge, promise, and swear by these holy Gospels before God and the blessed Apostle Peter, and the Vicar of the blessed Apostle Peter, fealty to the Lord N. the Pope, and thy successors who enter into office in the canonical manner, and that I will henceforth be protector and defender of this Holy Roman Church and of thy Person, and that of thy successors in all their needs insofar as I be supported by divine assistance, according to my knowledge and ability, without deceit or evil design. So help me God and these God’s Holy Gospels.

Byzantine Emperor Coronation Oath

Byzantine Emperor Coronation Oath


The imposition of a coronation oath to defend the orthodox faith on new Emperors by the Patriarch of Constantinople is well attested in the Byzantine Empire from the end of the 5th Century onwards. The earliest record of such an oath, is found in De Ceremoniis, written or commissioned by Emperor Constantine VII, who reigned from 913 to 959, contained in a fragment from περὶ πολιτικῆς καταστάσεως (About State Protocol) by Peter the Patrician, the Byzantine Master of Offices under Justinian I, from 539 to 565. Peter is likely pulling from earlier sources. In De Ceremoniis I.92, the extract from Peter describes the coronation ceremony of Anastasius I in 491, following the death of Emperor Zeno. It appears the oath was required to confirm the new emperor’s orthodoxy in the context of doctrinal uncertainty following Chalcedon, with Empress Ariadne setting out that the new Emperor would be required to take an oath publicly in front of the Gospels and Euphemius, Patriarch of Constantinople [490-496]. This was likely the first instance of a such a coronation oath, ad hoc in the instance of Anastasius I, but later becoming a standard part of the coronation cermony. The oath given below is a reconstruction of the oath from two sources [John Cantacuzene, Historia, and Pseudo-Codinus, De Officiis), as it was in the 14th century, but is unlikely to have changed substantially since it’s origin in the late 5th century.


Source: Translated and reconstructed by E Brightman. in Journal of Theological Studies 2 [1901]: 387-88.


I, __________, in Christ [our] God, faithful Emperor and Autocrator of the Romans, with my own hand set forth: I believe in one God . . . [the rest of the Creed follows].

Further I embrace and confess and confirm as well as the apostolic and divine traditions the constitutions and decrees of the seven ecumenical councils and of local synods from time to time convened and, moreover, the privileges and customs of the most holy Great Church of God.

And furthermore I confirm and embrace all things that our most holy fathers here or elsewhere decreed and declared canonically and irreproachably.

And all things which the holy fathers rejected and anathematized, I also reject and anathematize.

And I believe with my whole mind and soul and heart the afore-said Holy Creed.

All these things I promise to keep before the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of God.

11 January 2023

Church of England, First Book of Homilies [1543], Homily 7 Against Swearing and Perjury

Church of England, First Book of Homilies, Homily 7 Against Swearing and Perjury [1543]

From the first authorised book of homilies of the Church of England. Written by Thomas Cranmer (or under his supervision) in 1542/1543. First published and authorised in 1547 with minor emendations in the following decades. In this critical edition, textual emendations are indicated by a combination of italics for deletion and bold type for additions. The year and edition in which the change was made is indicated in square brackets after the alteration in question. Thus for example attestation calling to witness [1559] indicates that in 1559 the word ‘attestation’ which had appeared in previous editions, was altered to ‘calling to witness.’ Those who want the original text need only ignore the words in bold type but keep those in italics, whilst those who want the currently authorised text will do the opposite – include the words in bold type but ignore those in italics.

Source: Bray, Gerald. The Books of Homilies: A Critical Edition. ISD LLC, 2016

7. Against Swearing and Perjury.

1. Almighty God, to the intent his most holy name should be had in honour and evermore be magnified of the people, commandeth that no man should take his name vainly in his mouth, threatening punishment unto him that unreverently abuseth it by swearing, forswearing and blasphemy. To the intent therefore that this commandment may be the better known and kept, it shall be declared unto you both how it is lawful for Christian people to swear and also what peril and danger it is vainly to swear or to be forsworn.

First, when judges require oaths of the people for declaration (or opening) [1559] of the truth or for execution of justice, this manner of swearing is lawful. Also, when men make faithful promises with attestation calling to witness [ 1559] of the name of God to observe keep [1559] covenants, honest promises, statutes, laws and good customs, as Christian princes do in their conclusions of peace for conservation of commonwealths, and private persons promise their fidelity in matrimony, or one to another in honest and true friendship; and all men when they do swear to keep common laws or local statutes and good customs for due order to be had and continued among men; when subjects do swear to be true and faithful to their king and sovereign lord, and when judges, magistrates and officers swear truly to execute their offices, and when a man would affirm the truth to the setting forth of God's glory for the salvation of the people in open preaching of the gospel, or in giving of good counsel privately for their soul's health; all these manner of swearings for causes necessary and honest be lawful. But when men do swear of custom, in reasoning, buying and selling, or other daily communication, as many be common and great swearers, such kind of swearing is ungodly, unlawful and prohibited forbidden [1559] by the commandment of God, for such swearing is nothing else but taking of God's holy name in vain.

And here is to be noted that lawful swearing is not forbidden but commanded of Almighty God. For we have examples of Christ and godly men in Holy Scripture that did swear themselves and required oaths of other likewise. And God's commandment is: 'Thou shalt dread thy Lord God, and shalt swear by his name.' 1 And Almighty God by his prophet David saith: 'All men shall be praised that swear by him. '2 Thus did our Saviour Christ swear divers times, saying 'verily, verily'.3 And Saint Paul sweareth thus: 'I call God to witness. '4 And Abraham, waxing old, required an oath of his servant that he should procure a wife for his son Isaac, which should come out of his own kindred, and the servant did swear that he would perform his master's will.5 Abraham also, being required, did swear unto Abimelech the king of Gerar that he should not hurt him nor his posterity, and so likewise did Abimelech swear unto Abraham.6 And David did swear to be and to continue a faithful friend to Jonathan, and Jonathan did swear to become a faithful friend unto David.7

Also God once commanded that if a thing were laid to pledge to any man or left with him to keep, if the same thing were stolen or lost, that the keeper thereof should be sworn before judges that he did not convey it away nor used any deceit in causing the same to be conveyed away by his consent or knowledge.8 And Saint Paul saith that in all matters of controversy between two persons, whereas one saith yea and the other nay, so as no due proof can be bad of the truth, the end of every such controversy must be an oath ministered by a judge.9

And moreover God by the prophet Jeremiah saith: 'Thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, in righteousness.'10 So that whosoever sweareth when he is required of a judge, let him be sure in his conscience that his oath have these three conditions and he shall never need to be afraid of perjury. First, he that sweareth must swear that he sweareth [1547/3] truly, that is, be must, secluding setting apart [1559] all favour and affection to the parties, have the truth only before his eyes and for love thereof say and speak that which be knoweth to be truth, and no further. The second is, he that taketh an oath must do it with judgment, not rashly and unadvisedly, but soberly, considering what an oath is. The third is, he that sweareth must swear in righteousness, that is, for the very zeal and love which he beareth to the defence of innocency, to the maintenance of the truth and to the [ 1547 /6] righteousness of the matter or cause, all profit, disprofit, all love and favour unto the person for friendship or kindred, laid apart. Thus an oath, if it have with it these three conditions, is a part of God's glory which we are bound by his commandment to give unto him, for be willeth that we shall swear only by his name. Not that he hath pleasure in our oaths, but like as he commanded the Jews to offer sacrifices unto him, not for any delight that he had in them, but to keep the Jews from committing of idolatry, so he, commanding us to swear by his holy name, doth not teach us that he delighteth in swearing, but he thereby forbiddeth all men to give his glory to any creature in heaven, earth or water.11

Hitherto you see that oaths lawful are commanded of God, used of patriarchs and prophets, of Christ himself, and of his apostle Paul. Therefore Christian people must think lawful oaths both godly and necessary. For by lawful promises and covenants, confirmed by oaths, princes and their countries are confirmed in common tranquillity and peace. By holy promises, with attestation of God's name calling the name of God to witness [1559], we be made lively members of Christ when we profess his religion, receiving the sacrament of baptism. By like holy promise the sacrament of matrimony knitteth man and wife in perpetual love, that they desire not to be separated for any displeasure or adversity that shall after happen. By lawful oaths which kings, princes, judges and magistrates do swear common laws are kept inviolate, justice is indifferently ministered, innocent harmless [1559] persons, orphans fatherless children [1559], widows and poor men are defended from murderers, oppressors and thieves, that they suffer no wrong, nor take any harm. By lawful oaths mutual society, amity and good order is kept continually in all commonalities, as boroughs, cities, towns and villages. And by lawful oaths malefactors are searched out. Wrongdoers are punished and they which sustain wrong are restored to their right. Therefore lawful swearing cannot be evil, which bringeth unto us so many godly, good and necessary commodities.

Wherefore, when Christ so earnestly forbad swearing, it may not be so understanded as though he did forbid all manner of oaths, but he forbiddeth all vain swearing and forswearing, both by God and by his creatures, as the common use of swearing in buying, selling, and in our daily communication; to the intent every Christian man's word should be as well regarded in such matters as if he should confirm his communication with an oath. For 'every Christian man's word', saith Saint Jerome, 'should be so true that it should be regarded as an oath.'12 And Chrysostom, witnessing the same, saith: 'It is not convenient to swear, for what needeth us to swear when it is not Lawful for one of us to make a lie unto another?'13

Peradventure some will say. I am compelled to swear, for else men that do common with me or do buy and sell with me will not believe me. To this answereth Saint Chrysostom, that he that thus saith showeth himself to be an unjust and a deceitful person, for if he were a trusty man and his deeds taken to agree with his words, he should not need to swear at all.14 For he that useth truth and plainness in his bargaining and communication, he shall have no need by such vain swearing to ring himself in credence with his neighbours, nor his neighbours will not mistrust his sayings. And if bis credence be so much lost indeed that he thinketh no man will believe him without he swear, then he may well think his credence is clean gone. For truth it is, as Theophylact writeth, that 'no man is less trusted than he that useth much to swear.'15 And Almighty God by the wise man saith: 'That man which sweareth much shall be full of sin, and the scourge of God shall not depart from his house.'16

But here some men will say, for excusing of their many oaths in their daily talk, Why should I not swear when I swear truly? To such men it may be said that though they swear truly, yet in swearing often, unadvisedly, for trifles, without necessity and when they should not swear, they be not without fault but do take God's most holy name in vain. Much more ungodly and unwise men are they that abuse God's most holy name, not only in buying and selling of small things daily in all places, but also in eating, drinking, playing, commoning and reasoning, as if none of these things might be done, except in doing of them the most holy name of God be commonly used and abused, vainly and unreverently talked of, sworn by and forsworn, to the breaking of God's commandment and procurement of his indignation.

2. You have been taught in the first part of this sermon against swearing and perjury what great danger it is to use the name of God in vain, and that all kind of swearing is not unlawful, neither against God's commandment; and that there be three things required in a lawful oath; first, that it be made for the maintenance of the truth; second, that it be made with judgment, not rashly and unadvisedly; thirdly, for the zeal and love of justice. Ye heard also what commodities cometh of lawful oaths and what danger cometh of rash and unlawful oaths. Now as concerning the rest of the same matter, ye shall understand that And [1549] as well they use the name of God in vain that by an oath make unlawful [1576] promises of good and honest things and perform them not, as they which do promise evil and unlawful things and do perform the same.

Of such men that regard not their godly promises confirmed bound [1559] by an oath, but wittingly and wilfully break them, we do read in Holy Scripture two notable punishments. First, Joshua and the people of Israel made a league and faithful promise of perpetual amity and friendship with the Gibeonites; notwithstanding, afterward in the days of wicked Saul many of these Gibeonites were murdered, contrary to the said faithful promise made.17 Wherewith Almighty God was so sore displeased that he sent an universal famine hunger [1559) upon the whole country which continued by the space of three years, and God would not withdraw his punishment until the said offence was revenged by the death of seven sons or near kinsmen of King Saul. Also, whereas Zedekiah king of Jerusalem had promised fidelity to the king of Chaldaea, afterward, when Zedekiah, contrary to his oath and allegiance, did rebel against King Nebuchadnezzar, this heathen king, by God's permission and sufferance [1559], invading the land of Jewry and besieging the city of Jerusalem, compelled the said King Zedekiah to flee, and in fleeing took him prisoner, slew his sons before his face and put our both his eyes, and binding him with chains led him prisoner miserably into Babylon.18 Thus doth God show plainly how much he abhorreth breakers of honest promises confirmed bound [ 1559] by an oath made in his name.

And of them that make wicked promises by an oath and will perform the same we have example in the Scripture, chiefly of Herod, of the wicked Jews and of Jephthah. Herod promised by an oath unto the damsel which danced before him 'to give unto her whatsoever she would ask', when she was instructed before of her wicked mother to ask the head of Saint John Baptist. Herod, as he took a wicked oath, so he more wickedly performed the same and cruelly slew the most holy prophet.19 Likewise did the malicious Jews 'make an oath, cursing themselves if they did either eat or drink until they had slain Saint Paul. '20 And Jephthah, when God had given him victory of the children of Ammon, promised of a foolish devotion unto God, to offer for a sacrifice unto him that person which of his own house should first meet with him after his return home. By force of which fond and unadvised oath he did slay his own and only daughter, which came out of his house with mirth and joy to welcome him home.21 Thus the promise which he made most foolishly to God, against God's eternal everlasting [1559] will and the law of nature most cruelly he performed, so committing against God double offence. Therefore, whosoever maketh any promise binding himself thereunto by an oath, let him foresee that the thing which he promiseth be good, honest and not against the commandment of God, and that it be in our his [1547/2] own power to perform it justly, and such good promises must all men keep evermore assuredly. But if a man at any time shall either of ignorance or of malice promise and swear to do anything which is either against the law of Almighty God or not in his power to perform let him take it for an unlawful and ungodly oath.

Now something to speak of perjury. To the intent you should know how great and grievous an offence against God this wilful perjury is, I will show you what it is to take an oath before a judge upon a book. First, when they, laying their hands upon the gospel book, do swear truly to inquire and to make a true presentment of things wherewith they be charged and not to let from saying the truth and doing truly for favour, love, dread or malice of any person, as God may help them and the holy contents of that book, they must consider that in that book is contained God's everlasting truth, his most holy and eternal Word, whereby we have forgiveness of our sins and be made inheritors of heaven, to live for ever with God's angels and his saints in joy and gladness. In the gospel book is contained also God's terrible threats to obstinate sinners that will not amend their lives nor believe the truth of God, his holy Word and the everlasting pain prepared in hell for idolaters, hypocrites, for false and vain swearers, for perjured men, for false witness bearers, for false condemners of innocent and guiltless men, and for them which for favour hide the crimes of malefactors evildoers [ 1559], that they should not be punished. So that whosoever wilfully forsweareth himself upon Christ's holy evangely, they utterly forsake God's mercy, goodness and truth, the merits of our Saviour Christ's nativity, life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension; they refuse the forgiveness of sins promised to all penitent sinners, the joys of heaven, the company with angels and saints for ever; all which benefits and comforts are promised unto true Christian persons in the gospel. And they, so being forsworn upon the gospel, do betake themselves to the devil's service, the master of all lies, falsehood, deceit and perjury, provoking the great indignation and curse of God against them in this life, and the terrible wrath and judgment of our Saviour Christ at the great day of the last judgment, when he shall justly judge both the quick and the dead according to their works. For whosoever forsaketh the truth for love or displeasure of any man, or for lucre and profit to himself, doth forsake Christ and with Judas betrayeth him. And although such perjured men's falsehood be now kept secret, yet it shall be opened at the last day when the secrets of all men's hearts shall be manifest to all the world, and then the truth shall appear and accuse them, and their own conscience, with all the blessed company of heaven, shall bear witness truly against them; and Christ the righteous judge shall then justly condemn them to everlasting shame and death.

This sin of perjury Almighty God, by the prophet Malachi, doth threaten to punish sore, saying unto the Jews: 'I will come to you in judgment and I will be a swift witness' and a sharp judge 'upon sorcerers, adulterers and perjured persons.'22 Which thing to the prophet Zechariah God declareth in a vision, wherein the prophet saw a book flying which was twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad, God saying then unto him: 'This is the curse that shall go forth upon the face of the earth for falsehood, false swearing and perjury; and this curse shall enter into the house of the false man and into the house of the perjured man, and it shall remain in the midst of his house and consume him, the timber and stones of his house. '23 Thus you see how much God doth hate perjury and what punishment God hath prepared for false swearers and perjured persons.

Thus you have heard how and in what causes it is lawful for a Christian man to swear; ye have heard what properties and conditions a lawful oath must have, and also how such lawful oaths are both godly and necessary to be observed; ye have heard that it is not lawful to swear vainly, that is, other ways than in such causes and after such sort as is declared, and finally ye have heard how damnable a thing it is either to forswear ourselves or to keep an unlawful and unadvised oath. Wherefore let us earnestly call for grace, that all vain swearing and perjury set apart, we may only use such oaths as be lawful and godly and that we may truly, without all fraud, observe keep [1559] the same according to God's will and pleasure. To whom with the Son and Holy Ghost be all honour and glory. Amen.

 

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1. Deut.6:13.

2. Psa. 63:11.

3. John 3:3, 11.

4. 2 Cor. 1 :23.

5. Gen. 24: 1-9.

6. Gen. 2 1:21- 31.

7. I Sam. 18:3, 20: 12- 17, 42.

8. Ex. 22:10-11.

9. Heb. 6:16.

10. Jer. 4:2.

11. Isa. 42:8; Psa. 150:6.

12. Comm in Matt., 5.34--37.

13. Chromatius, Tractatus in Matt., 9.11. The mistaken reference to Chrysostom is probably the result of a confusion arising from the fact that both names begin with the same three letters. There is a similar confusion in the Corpus iuris canonici, X, 2.22.5.

14. John Chrysostom, Hom in Eph., 2. See also his Hom ad populum Antioch., 7 and Hom in Acta, 9.

15. Theophylact ofOchrid, Comm. in Matt., 5.37.

16. Sir.23: 11.

17. Isa.9:3-15;2Sam.21:l-14.

18. 2 Kings 24: 17 and 25:7.

19. Matt. 14:6-11.

20. Acts23: 12.

21. Judg. 11:30- 39.

22. Mai. 3:5.

23. Zech. 5: 1-4.