Emperor Henry III, Constitution on the Oath of Calumny

Emperor Henry III, Constitution on the Oath of Calumny [1047 CE]

Edict given by Emperor Henry III at Rimini in 1047. May be inspired by Hallinard of Lyons, and his refusal to swear the oath of fealty to Emperor Henry III, the year prior in 1046 CE. 

Source: Hill Jr, Boyd H. Medieval monarchy in action: the German Empire from Henry I to Henry IV. Vol. 21. Routledge, 2019. [Ebook, section 40] 

Henry II [sic: III], by God's grace emperor augustus. To everyone: Since the laws warn that no cleric should presume to take an oath [Marcian (456 CE); CJ 1.3.25], yet it is elsewhere found written that all principal persons at the beginning of a law suit take an oath forswearing calumny, the matter comes into doubt in some laws drawn up by experts whether clergy ought to take an oath or perhaps delegate this office to other persons. Because that rescript where clergy are forbidden from taking an oath seems to have been promulgated by the august Theodosius [sic: Marcian] for his praetorian prefect Taurus [Sic: Constantine] concerning the clerics of Constantinople, it is therefore not thought to pertain to other clerics. Therefore in order that this doubt be completely removed, we have decreed that that rule of the divine Theodosius [sic:Marcian] be thus interpreted so that it be judged to pertain generally to the clerics of all churches. Yet when the divine Justinian legally decreed that it is necessary that canons of the fathers have the force of law, and it is found in some canons of the fathers that clergy dare not take an oath, it is fitting that all the clerical order should undoubtedly be considered to be immune from having to take an oath. Therefore we decree, with regard to both divine and human law, and we determine irrevocably by means of imperial authority that no bishop, priest, or cleric of whatever rank, abbot, monk, or nun should be compelled to swear an oath in any controversy either criminal or civil for any reason whatsoever, but may delegate this duty to the appropriate advocate. Given the third day before the nones of April [in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1047; carried out] at Rimini.

Burchard’s Decretum, Book 12, On Perjury

Burchard’s Decretum, Book 12, On Perjury

Written c. 1020 CE.

Source: PL 140:876-884

Liber Duodecimus. De Perjurio.

Argumentum Libri. Libro hoc de juramento et perjurio, de jurandi facilitate ejusque periculo, deque improbis juramentis infringendis agitur.

Cap. I. – Ut multiplicia genera juramentorum extirpentur.

(Ex concilio Meldensi, capite 10.) Ut multiplex juramentorum, et perjuriorum confusio, per quam multae fidelium animae in toto hoc regno perditae esse noscuntur, quam sit detestanda et Deo odibilis, attentus omnibus annuntietur. Tantum namque hoc malum est, ut ad sanctuaria martyrum ubi diversorum aegritudines sanantur, ibi perjuri, licet manifeste interdum vexari non videantur, justo Dei judicio a daemonibus arripiantur. Et sicut sanctus dicit Gregorius, ad horum corpora aegri veniunt et curantur, et perjuri a daemonio vexantur.

Cap. II. – De illis qui nomen Dei in vanum sumunt.

(Ex dictis Hieronym.) Habemus in lege Domini scriptum: Non pejerabis in nomine meo, nec pollues nomen Domini Dei tui, et ne assumes nomen Dei tui in vanum. Ideo admonendi sunt omnes, ut diligenter caveant perjurium, non solum in altari, seu sanctorum reliquiis, sed et in communi loquela. Item cavendum est, ne aliquis plus aurum honoret quam altare, ne ei Dominus dicat: Stulte, quid est majus, aurum an altare quod sanctificat aurum

Cap. III. – De illis qui per cupiditatem perjurium fecerint.

(Ex poenitentiali Romano.) Si quis per cupiditatem pejeraverit, omnes res suas vendat, pauperibus et distribuat, et monasterium ingressus, jugi poenitentiae se subdat.

Cap. IV. – De illis qui jubentibus dominis suis perjurium fecerint.

(Ex decr. Pii papae, capite 2.) Qui compulsus a domino pejerat se sciens, utrique sint perjuri, et dominus et miles: dominus, quia praecepit miles, quia plus dominum quam animam dilexit. Si liber est, quadraginta dies in pane et aqua poeniteat, et VII sequentes annos. Si servus ejus est, tres quadragesimas et legitimas ferias poeniteat.

Cap. V. – De illis qui pejerant se in manu episcopi, aut in cruce consecrata, aut non consecrata.

(Ex poenitentiali Theodo.) Qui pejerat se in manu episcopi, aut in cruce consecrata, III annos poeniteat. Si vero in cruce non consecrata, annum unum poeniteat. Qui autem seductus fuerit, et ignorans se pejeraverit, et postea cognoscit, tres quadragesimas poeniteat.

Cap. VI. – De illis qui pro vita redimenda perjurium fecerint.

(Ex poenitentiali Romano.) Si quis coactus pro vita redimenda, vel pro qualibet causa, vel necessitate se pejerat: quia plus corpus quam animam dilexerat, tres quadragesimas. Alii judicant tres annos, unum ex his in pane et aqua, poeniteat.

Cap. VII. – De illis qui injusta vota juramento firmaverint.

(Ex concilio Toletan., capite 9.) Necesse enim est, ut male jurans, dignam poenitentiam agat, eo quod nomen Domini contra praeceptum illius sumpsit in vanum: quia in Exodo scriptum est: Nec enim insontem habebit Dominus eum qui assumpserit nomen Domini Dei sui frustra. Et in Levitico: Non pejerabis in nomine meo, nec pollues nomen Domini Dei tui, ego Dominus. Malum tamen quod facturum se sacramento devoverat, omnino non faciat: quia stulta vota frangenda sunt.

Cap. VIII. – De eadem re.

(Ex decr. Fabiani papae, capite 11.) Quicunque sciens se pejeraverit, quadraginta dies in pane et aqua, et septem annos sequentes poeniteat, et nunquam sit sine poenitentia, et nunquam in testimonium recipiatur, et post haec communionem percipiat.

Cap. IX. – De eodem re.

(Ex decr. Pelagii papae, capite 11.) Si quis se pejeraverit, et alios sciens in perjurium duxerit, XL dies in pane et aqua, et VII sequentes annos poeniteat, et nunquam sit sine poenitentia. Et alii si conscii fuerant, similiter poeniteant: sin autem, singuli ut perjurium non sponte commissum, poeniteant.

Cap. X. – Quod sic Deus juramenta perceperit, ut ille cui jurata fuerint.

(Ex dictis S. Isidori.) Sicut mentiri non potest qui non loquitur, sic pejerare non potuerit qui jurare non appetit. Cavendum igitur est juramentum, nec eo utendum, nisi sola necessitate. Non est contra Dei praeceptum jurare, sed dum usum jurandi facimus, perjurii crimen incurrimus. Nunquam ergo jurat, qui pejerare timet. Multi dum loquuntur, jurare semper delectantur, dum oporteat hoc tantum esse in ore, Est, est, Non, non. Amplius enim quam est, et non est, a malo est. Multi ut fallant pejerant, ut per fidem sacramenti fidem faciant verborum: sicque fallendo dum pejerant, et mentiuntur, hominem incautum decipiunt. Interdum et falsis lacrymis seducti decipimur, et creditur dum plorant, quibus credendum non erat. Plerumque sine juramento loqui disponimus, sed incredulitate eorum qui non credunt quod dicimus, jurare compellimur, talique necessitate jurandi consuetudinem facimus. Sunt multi ad credendum pigri, qui non moventur ad fidem verbis. Graviter autem delinquunt, qui sibi loquentes jurare cogunt. Quacunque arte verborum quisque juret, Deus tamen, qui conscientiae testis est, ita hoc accipit, sicut ille cui juratur intelligit. Dupliciter autem reus erit, qui et Dei nomen in vanum adsumit, et proximum dolo capit. Non est conservandum sacramentum quod malum incaute promittitur, veluti si quispiam adulterae perpetuam cum ea permanendi fidem polliceatur. Tolerabilius est enim non implere sacramentum, quam permanere in stupri flagitio. Jurare, est Dei illa providentia, quae statuit non evellere statuta. Poenitentia autem Dei, rerum mutatio est. Non poenitere autem, statuta non revocare, ut est illud: Juravit Dominus et non poenitebit eum, id est, quae juravit non mutabit.

Cap. XI. – De illis qui scienter se pejeraverint

(Ex poenitentiali Theodo.) Si quis suspicatur quod ad perjurium inducatur, et tamen ex consensu jurat, XL dies poeniteat, et VII sequentes annos, et nunquam sit sine gravi poenitentia.

Cap. XII. – Quod unusquisque jejunus jurare debeat.

(Ex decr. Cornelii papae, capite 5.) Sed et nobis honestum etiam et justum videtur, ut qui in sanctis audet jurare hoc jejunus faciat, cum omni honestate et timore Dei, et ut pueri ante quatuordecim annos non cogantur jurare.

Cap. XIII. – De eadem re

(Ex concilio Aureli., capite 10.) Et hoc sancta synodus decrevit, nisi pro pace facienda, ut omnes fideles jejuni ad sacramenta accedant.

Cap. XIV. – Qualem poenitentiam perjuri accipere debeant.

(Ex decr. Eutychian. papae, capite 26.) Praedicandum est etiam, ut perjurium fideles caveant, et ab hoc summopere abstineant, scientes hoc grande scelus esse, et in lege, et prophetis, et in Evangelio prohibitum. Audivimus autem quosdam parvipendere hoc scelus, et levem quodammodo perjuris poenitentiae modum imponere. Qui etiam nosse debent, talem de perjurio poenitentiam imponere debere, qualem et de adulterio, de fornicatione, de homicidio sponte commisso, et de caeteris criminalibus vitiis. Si quis vero perpetrato perjurio. aut quolibet criminali peccato, timens poenitentiam longam, ad confessionem venire noluerit, ab Ecclesia repellendus est, sive a communione et consortio fidelium, ut nullus cum eo comedat, atque bibat, neque oret, neque in sua domo eum recipiat.

Cap. XV. – De illis qui per capillum Dei, aut caput jurant, vel alio modo blasphemia contra Deum immortalem utuntur.

(Ex decr. Pii papae, capite 5.) Si quis per capillum Dei, vel caput juraverit, vel alio modo blasphemia contra Deum usus fuerit, si est ex ecclesiastico ordine, deponatur: si laicus, anathematizetur: et si quis per creaturas juraverit, acerrime castigetur, et juxta id quod synodus dijudicaverit poeniteat. Si quis autem talem hominem non manifestaverit, non est dubium quod divina condemnatione similiter coerceatur. Et si episcopus ista emendare neglexerit, a synodo corripiatur.

Cap. XVI. – De juramento Herodis.

(Ex dictis Hieronym.) Cum juramento pollicitus est Herodes saltatrici dare quodcunque postulasset ab eo. Si ob jusjurandum fecisse se dicit: si patris, matrisque interitum postulasset, facturus esset, an non? Quod in suis ergo repudiaturus fuit, contemnere debuit, et in propheta.

Cap. XVII. – De illis qui odium sempiternum inter se juramento firmaverint.

(Ex concilio Hilerd., capite 6) Qui sacramento se obligaverit, ut litiget cum quolibet, ne ad pacem ullo modo redeat, pro perjurio, uno anno a corpore et sanguine Domini segregetur, et reatum suum jejuniis et eleemosynis absolvat: ad charitatem vero, quae operit multitudinem peccatorum, celeriter redeat.

Cap. XVIII. – De illis qui incaute juraverint.

(Ex decret. Sotheris pap, capite 3.) Si aliquid forte nos incautius jurasse contigerit, quod observatum pejorem vergat in exitum, illud consilio salubriori mutandum noverimus, ac magis instante necessitate pejerandum nobis, quam profecto juramento in aliud crimen majus esse divertendum.

Cap. XIX. – Qualiter sacerdotes jurare debeant.

(Ex epist. Cornelii pap., capite 3.) Cornelius episcopus, Rufo coepiscopo in Domino salutem. Exigit dilectio tua, frater charissime, ut ex auctoritate sedis apostolicae, tuis deberemus consultis respondere. Quod licet non prolixe, sed succincte agere festinaremus, propter quasdam importunitates quae nostris praepedientibus peccatis in nos supervenere, tuis tamen per reliqua sanctorum Patrum instituta studiis perquirere latius, et investigare committimus. Non enim potest mens attrita et oneribus atque importunitatibus gravata, tantum boni peragere, quantum delectata et oppressionibus soluta. Non ergo ista ob id praetulimus, ut haec et alia quae necessaria fore cognoverimus, tuae sanctitati velimus denegare; sed quod hic minus invenitur, latius perquiratur. Sacramentum autem hactenus a summis sacerdotibus, vel reliquis Dei ministris exigi, nisi pro fide recta, minime cognovimus, nec sponte eos jurasse reperimus. Summopere ergo sanctus Jacobus apostolus, prohibens sacramentum, loquitur dicens: Ante omnia, fratres mei, nolite jurare, neque per coelum, neque per terram, neque aliud quodcunque juramentum. Sit autem sermo vester, Est, est, Non, non, ut non sub judicium decidatis. Et Dominus in Evangelio ait: Audistis quia dictum est antiquis, Non pejerabis: reddes autem Domino juramenta tua. Ego autem dico vobis, non jurare omnino, neque per coelum: quia thronus Dei est, neque per terram: quia scabellum pedum ejus est, neque per Hierosolymam: quia civitas est magni regis, neque per caput tuum: quia non potes unum capillum album facere, aut nigrum. Sit autem sermo vester, Est, est, Non, non. Quod his autem abundantius est, a malo est, id est, et ab exigente et a jurante. Haec, frater charissime, ipse Dominus prohibet, id est, non debere jurare. Haec apostoli maxime omnes, haec sancti viri praedecessores nostri, qui huic sanctae universali Ecclesiae apostolicae praefuerunt haec prophetae, et reliqui sancti doctores per universum mundum dispersi ad praedicandum, juramenta fieri vetant. Quorum nos exempla, si coeperimus numerare, aut in schedula hac inserere, ante deficeret diei hora, quam eorum exempla, de hac causa prohibita. Quae nos sequentes sanctorum apostolorum, eorumque successorum jura firmamus, et sacramenta incauta fieri prohibemus. Unde et ipse Dominus in tabulis lapideis quas Moysi dedit, propria manu scripsit, dicens: Vide, ne assumas nomen Domini Dei tui in vanum, et reliqua. Unusquisque enim propriam conscientiam mundam debet servare Deo, et in memoria retinere: Os quod mentitur, occidit animam. Et Apostolus ait: Loquimini veritatem unusquisque cum proximo suo, quoniam sumus invicem membra. Et alibi: Nolite mentiri invicem membra. Haec praecepta sunt Salvatoris, haec prophetarum, haec sanctorum Patrum instituta. Quae si quis in vanum duxerit, hostis est animae suae: quia nemo contra prophetas, nemo contra apostolum, nemo contra Evangelium facit aliquid absque periculo.

Cap. XX. – Quo tempore jurare liceat

(Ex concilio apud sanctum Medardum, capite 4.) Decrevit sancta synodus, ut a septuagesima usque in octavas paschae, et ab Adventu Domini usque post consecratos dies, nec non et in jejuniis quatuor temporum, et in Letania majore, et in diebus Rogationum, et in diebus Dominicis, nisi de concordia et pacificatione, nullus super sacra jurare praesumat.

Cap. XXI. – De illis qui sacramentum regis violant.

(Ex dictis August.) Si quis laicus juramentum violando prophanat, quod regi et domino suo jurat, et postmodum perverse ejus regnum, et dolose tractaverit, et in mortem ipsius aliquo machinamento insidiatur: quia sacrilegium peragit, manum suam in Christum Domini mittens, anathema sit, nisi per dignam poenitentiae satisfactionem emendaverit, sicuti constitutum a sancta synodo est, id est, saeculum relinquat, arma deponat, in monasterium eat, et poeniteat omnibus diebus vitae suae. Verumtamen communionem in exitu vitae cum Eucharistia accipiat. Episcopus vero, presbyter, vel diaconus, si hoc crimen perpetraverit, degradetur.

Cap. XXII. – De illo qui audierit vocem pejerantis, et assensum praebet.

(In Levitico legitur:) Anima quae peccaverit, et audierit vocem pejerantis, et testis fuerit, aut ipse viderit, aut conscius erit, nisi indicaverit portabit iniquitatem.

Cap. XXIII. – De hoc quod Apostolus Spiritum sanctum testificatus est.

(Apostolus dicit:) Veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior, testimonium mihi reddente conscientia mea in Spiritu sancto.

Cap. XXIV. – De eadem re.

(Ex dictis Hieronym.) Hieronymus dicit: Jesum testor et sanctos angelos ejus.

Cap. XXV. – Quod definitio incauta solvenda sit.

(Ex concilio Hibern., capite 1.) Definitio incauta laudabiliter solvenda, nec praevaricatio est, sed temeritatis emendatio.

Cap. 26. – De eadem re.

(Ex eodem, capite 3.) Si puella sita in puerili aetate in domo patris, illo nesciente se juramento constrinxerit: et si pater statim, ut audierit, contradixerit, vota ejus et juramenta irrita erunt, et facilius emendabitur.

Cap. XXVII. – De eadem re.

(Ex concilio Aurelia., capite 2.) Juramentum filii, aut filiae, nesciente patre, et vota monachi, nesciente abbate, et juramenta pueri, irrita sunt.

Cap. XXVIII. – Quod omnibus modis cavendum sit mendacium.

(Gregor. dicit:) Noli, fili, negare gratiam Dei, ne incurras pro bono in malum, pro humilitate in mendacium. Cavendum namque est omnibus modis mendacium, sive pro malo, sive etiam pro bono proferri videatur: quia omne mendacium non est ex Deo, sed, sicut Salvator dicit, a malo est.

Cap. XXIX. – Item de juramento.

(Ex concilio Toletan.) Etenim dum pejerare compellimur, creatorem quidem offendimus, sed nos tantummodo maculamus, cum vero noxia promissa complemus, et Dei jussa superbe contemnimus, ut proximis impia crudelitate noceamus, et nosipsos crudeliore mortis gladio trucidamus. Illic enim duplici culparum telo percutimur, hic tripliciter jugulamur. Restat ergo, ut eo nostra pergat sententia, quo misericordiae patuerit via. Quae ita Domino probatur accepta, ut plus eam cupiat quam sacrificia veneranda, dicente ipso: Misericordiam volo, et non sacrificium. Hac indulgentiae concessa licentia, miserationis ipsius opus in gloriosi principis potestatem redigimus: ut, quia Deus illi miserandi aditum patefecit, remedia pietatis ipse quoque non deneget. Quae ita principali discretione moderata persistant, ut et illis ita sit misericordia contributa, ut nusquam gens, aut patria, per eosdem, aut periculum quodcunque perferat, aut jacturam. Haec miserationis obtentu temperasse sufficiat, caeterumque juramenta pro regiae potestatis salute, vel constitutione gentis et patriae, quae hactenus sunt exacta, vel deinceps exstiterint exigenda, omni custodia, omnique vigilantia indissolubiliter decernimus observanda, membrorum truncatione, mortisque sententia, religione penitus absoluta, sed ne pravarum mentium versuta nequitia nosmet ad perjurii aliquando provocet culpam, nec a sanctae fidei regula hanc asserat venire sententiam, tam divinae auctoritatis oracula, quam praecedentium Patrum huic narrationi curavimus innectenda. Sic enim per Hieremiam dixit: Repente loquar adversus gentem, et adversus regnum, ut eradicem, et disperdam illud. Si poenitentiam egerit gens illa a malo suo, quod locutus sum adversus eam, agam et ego poenitentiam super malo quod cogitavi, ut facerem ei. Et per Ezechielem: Si dixero, inquit, justo quod vita vivat, et confisus in justitia sua, fecerit iniquitatem, omnes justitiae ejus oblivioni tradentur: et in iniquitate sua quam operatus est, in ipsa morietur. Si autem dixero impio, Morte morieris, et egerit poenitentiam: vita vivet, et non morietur. Si ergo nostra conversatio sic divinam mutat sententiam, cur miserorum tantae lacrymae, vel pressura, tam crudam non temperent ex miseratione vindictam? Hinc etiam populo Israelitico saepe ultio promissa suspenditur, et Ninivitarum perditio divinae sententiae permutatione sedatur. Nam sanctus Ambrosius in libro tertio de Officiis, ita ait: Purum igitur ac syncerum oportet esse affectum, et unusquisque simplicem sermonem proferat. Vas suum in sanctitate possideat, ne fratrem circunscriptione verborum inducat. Nihil promittat inhonestum, ac sibi promittere quaerat. Tolerabilius est promissum non facere, quam facere quod turpe sit. Saepe plerique constringunt se jurisjurandi sacramento, et cum ipsi cognoverint promittendum non fuisse jus sacramenti, tamen contemplatione faciunt quod spoponderunt, sicut de Herode supra scripsimus, qui saltatrici praemium turpiter promisit, crudeliter solvit. Turpe, quod regnum pro saltatione promittitur: crudele, quod mors prophetae pro jurisjurandi religione donatur: quanto tolerabilius tale fuisset perjurium sacramento? Et post pauca, de Jepte discernens. Miserabilis necessitas, quae solvitur parricidio. Melius est non vovere id, quod sibi cui promittitur, nolit exolvi. Et post paululum: Non semper igitur promissa solvenda omnia sunt. Denique ipse Dominus, sicut Scriptura indicat, frequenter suam mutat sententiam. Vir quoque sanctissimus Augustinus investigationis acumine acutus, inveniendi arte praecipuus, asserendi copia profluus, eloquentiae flore venustus, sapientiae fructu foecundus, haec in suis narrat affectibus. Duo sunt enim omnino genera mendaciorum, in quibus non magna culpa est, sed tamen non est sine culpa, cum aut jocamur, aut cum promittimus, mentimur. Illud primum in jocando, ideo non est perniciosissimum, quia non fallit. Novit enim ille, cui dicitur, joci causa esse dictum. Secundum autem ideo mentitus est, qui retinet nonnullam benevolentiam. Idem ipse alibi, non auferat, inquit, veritas misericordiam, non ambulabit in via Domini, in qua misericordia et veritas obviaverunt sibi. Hinc beatus Papa Gregorius, in libris Moralium, sic ait: Cum mens inter minora, et maxima peccata constringitur, si omnino nullus sine peccato evadendi aditus patet, minora semper eligantur: quia et qui murorum ambitu, ne fugiat, clauditur, ibi se in fugam praecipitat, ubi brevior murus invenitur. Hinc et Isidorus ait: Tolerabilius est enim non implere sacramentum, quam permanere in stupri flagitio. Similiter in Synonimis: In malis promissis, rescinde fidem. In turpi voto ut a decreto quod incaute novisti non facias. Impia est promissio, quae scelere adimpletur. Unde necesse est, ut male jurans, dignam poenitentiam agat, eo quod nomen Domini contra praeceptum illius sumpsit in vanum, quia in Exodo scriptum est: Nec enim insontem habebit Dominus eum qui assumpserit nomen Domini Dei sui frustra. Et in Levitico: Non pejerabis in nomine meo, nec pollues nomen Domini Dei tui: ego Dominus. Tamen malum quod facturum se sacramento devoverat omnino non faciat: quia stulta vota frangenda sunt.

FINIS LIBRI DUODECIMI.

Bruno of Segni, Commentary on Matthew, 13

Bruno of Segni, Commentary on Matthew, 13

Written c. 1080-1090 CE.

Source: PL 165: 108-109

Iterum audistis quia dictum est antiquis: Non periurabis; reddes autem Domino iuramenta tua. Ego autem dico vobis: non iurare omnino, neque per coelum, quia thronus Dei est: neque per terram, quia scabellum est pedum eius: neque per Ierosolymam, quia civitas est magni regis: neque per caput tuum iurabis, quia non potest unum capillum album facere aut nigrum. Sit autem sermo vester: est, est: non, non. Quod autem his abundantius est, a malo est.

Haec autem Iacobus apostolus in Epistola sua posuit dicens: « Ante omnia autem, fratres mei, nolite iurare neque per coelum, neque per terram, neque aliud quodcunque iuramentum. Sit autem sermo vester: est, est: non, non, ut non sub iudicium incidatis (Iac. V, 12). » Poterat enim fortasse aliquis intelligere, quia pauca Dominus per quae iurare non licet enumeraverat, eum caetera tacendo consensisse, nisi quia Iacobus apostolus his omnibus super addidit, neque aliquid quodcunque iuramentum. Cur autem omne iuramentum interdixerit, mox subiungens ait, ut non sub iudicium incidatis. Qui enim nunquam iurat, nunquam periurium incurrit, qui vero periurium non agit, nunquam de periurio iudicatur. Haec est igitur causa, quare et Dominus, et beatus Iacobus iurare prohibeat. Idem enim spiritus in utroque loquebatur. Idem igitur uterque significavit. Quaerendum est tamen quare per creaturam iurare interdicamur? Quae enim ibi obligatio fit, ut per coelum et terram caeteraque his similia iurare timeamus? Cum enim Deum vel eius verba in iuramento ponimus, eum quodam modo mediatorem facimus eiusque auxilium abdicamus, nisi illi pactum servaverimus, qui nobis sub tali pignore credidit. In aliis vero qua obligatione tenemur? Si enim dicam: iuro tibi per caput meum, quid intelligitur? hoc fortasse: sic mihi caput meum sanum sit. Si vero dixero, iuro tibi per coelum et terram et per civitatem Ierusalem, intelligi potest: sic coelum det mihi pluviam, sic terra det fructum suum, et sic civitatem istam inhabitem. Et hae quidem non parvae obligationes sunt; maxime autem si allegorice intelligantur, ut per coelum apostolos, per terram Ecclesiam, per civitatem vero Ierusalem coelestem patriam significemus. Hoc enim Dominus ipse significare videtur, cum de coelo quidem dicit, quia sedes Dei est; de terra vero, quia scabellum est pedum eius; de Ierusalem autem, quia civitas est magni regis. Valde enim timendum est ponere haec in iuramento, si ita intelligantur. At vero neque caput suum abiuret aliquis cui sanitatem divinitus ademptam reddere non valet, siquidem quod minus est, unum capillum album aut nigrum facere non potest. Nemo enim id facere valet ut suo tempore nigri, et albi capilli non oriantur. Quomodo igitur dicemus? Quomodo loquemur? Quomodo verba nostra firmabimus? Sit, inquit, sermo vester est est, non non: quod tale est ac si diceret: Illud quod est, dic quia est: illud quod non est, dic quia non est: sic loquere, sic responde. Quod si feceris, non peccabis, neque mentieris. Nihil his addas, sit simplex sermo tuus. Quod enim his abundantius est, a malo est. Quid enim est quod his abundantius est, nisi mendacium? Qui enim dicit id esse quod non est, vel id non esse quod est, tale verbum abundantius est, a malo est, a peccato, et a diabolo est: de ipso enim dicitur quia a principio mendax fuit, « et in veritate non stetit. »

Symeon the New Theologian, 11th Ethical Discourse.

Symeon the New Theologian, 11th Ethical Discourse.

Written early 11th century. 

Source: Symeon the New Theologian. On the Mystical Life. Vol 2: On Virtue and Christian Life, p. 150-151. PPS 15. Trans: Alexander Golitzin. SVS Press. 1996.

You who have been commanded to visit those in prison and minister to them according to your ability, to make no request of him who has taken what is yours, and give your cloak as well to him who would sue you for your coat, nor this alone, but to lay down your very life unto death for the sake of God's commandment, when you go to court for the sake of lost money and transgress God's precept, when you are grieved, vexed, and consign your brother to prison: are you not obviously insane by angering God and waning against Him, and depriving yourself of eternal life? He who would pastor Christ's flock, therefore, and feed His sheep with the teaching we have described in order to make them fat and fruitful with righteousness, how can he worry about fields at the same time and engage in concern for possessions, go to court for them and frighten off those who would abuse them unjustly, sometimes approaching the judge and sometimes resisting controversies and lies, and sometimes even becoming himself responsible for oaths and perjuries? For it is necessarily the case, given that the pastor is telling the truth, that his opponents in court will lie and take oaths and commit open perjury. But, if this is the way things happen, how will such things be bearable to the soul that loves God, or how will the people involved be pleasing to the God Who said: "But I say to you, do not swear at all...but let what you say be simply `Yes' or 'No' anything more than this comes from the evil one" [Mt 5:34, 37]; and again: "Amen, amen I tell you, on the day of judgement men will render account for every idle word" [Mt 12:26].

Chronicle of St. Benigne of Dijon

Chronicle of St. Benigne of Dijon

Written c. 1065 CE by an anonymous monk an the monastery St. Benigne. Records event surrounding the episcopal election to Lyons of a previous abbot of the monastery, Hallinard of Lyons, and his refusal to swear the oath of fealty to Emperor Henry III, in 1046 CE. 

Text Source: Chronique de l'abbaye de Saint-Bénigne de Dijon suivie de la Chronique de Saint-Pierre de Beze, ed. E. Bougard and Joseph Garnier, Analecta Divionensia 9 (Dijon, 1875), p. 188-190. 

Translation Source: Samuel R. Maitland. "Facts and Documents Illustrative of the History, Doctrine, and Rites of the Ancient Albigenses and Waldenses" (London, 1832) . p. 111-113

Therefore, on account of the gift of the bishopric, the Lord Halinardus elected thereto went to the court of the Emperor Henry, and with him some of the bishops who were suffragans, the archidiaconal legates, and the clergy of Lyons, who sought to have him for their pastor. The emperor, according to custom required from him, the oath of due fealty, for the episcopal dignity conferred. Hugh, Archbishop of Besangon, was the person who delivered the requisition. Halinardus, hearing these words, replied, "If I set aside the precepts of the eternal King, and of the rule to which I have bound myself by an oath, what confidence can be placed in me that I should keep the oath of the emperor; for the Lord says, in the gospel, swear not at all [Mt 5:34], and the rule of Father Benedict directs a monk not to swear [Rule of St. Benedict, 4:27] , and to estrange himself from secular affairs." These things being reported to the king, he was astonished, and approving in his own mind his consistency, but yet wishing to try his perseverance, he said, that he would by no means give him the archbishopric, if he did not obey his commands. But, he said, "It were better for me never to receive the priestly office, than to transgress the command of God." Upon this, the bishops of those parts, and especially Sigebaud, Bishop of Spires, where this took place, insisted, saying "who is this, that in the palace of a prince, presumes to disobey his commands, which none of us ever dared to do. Either let him swear fealty to the king, or be rejected." But Theodoric, Bishop of Metz, and Bruno, Bishop of Toul [Pope Leo IX from 1049 to 1054], and Richard, Bishop of Verdun, being his friends, persuaded the emperor that he ought not for this to give trouble to an ecclesiastic, whose mind they knew to be firm in the faith, and in other virtues. To this the emperor replied, "Persuade him, if he will not take the oath, at least to come forward, so that he may appear to have done it, lest the custom of our country should be made void." He answered, "It is the same thing, if I pretend, as if I do it — far be it from me." The emperor seeing him so firm, would not farther disturb him, and, confiding in his mere word and promise, gave him what was desired, and caused him to be ordained in his own presence, giving him whatever was necessary for the sacerdotal benediction. And, not only for him and the other bishops, but also for the levites and ministers of the altar, he so prepared all things, namely, vestments, books, cloths, and whatever was necessary, as if he had not been a prince, but a servant. For that religious king was very ecclesiastical; and very devout in matters concerning divine worship.

Peter Damian, Letter 170:1-8, On Swearing

Peter Damian, Letter 170:1-8, On Swearing

Source: Peter Damian. Letters of Peter Damian 151-180, p.247-250. Translated by Owen J. Blum and Irven M. Resnick. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2005.

Written c. 1070.

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To the most prudent judge, sir Moricus, the monk Peter the sinner sends greetings in the Lord.

(2) Since, my dear friend, I am aware of your weakness, and that inwardly you are suffering from a nervous condition, I will forego presenting you with many precepts from Holy Scripture, and, satisfied with a light bundle, will not burden your shoulders with a heavy load. And so that my abbreviated remarks may comply with the topic itself, I shall confine them to the few things that I advise, so that while fearing to weary you with weighty matters, let me also be solicitous of your feeble condition by keeping my remarks to the minimum. I therefore exhort you, my dear friend, and reverently call to your attention, that in your charity you refrain from swearing an oath, a practice that people of your region sacrilegiously indulge in, and that you not overlook ministering to the needs of the poor in so far as your means allow. And so, from the first of these I protect you, as if I were saving you from being swallowed up by a yawning abyss, and toward the other I urge you on, as toward a mighty stronghold offering life-giving defense. For as Tobias says: “Almsgiving frees a man from every sin and from death and keeps him from going down into darkness.”

(3) But first of all let me say a few words about oath-taking. As I mentioned above, whoever violates his oath by forswearing himself, severs himself from the body of Christ as if he were actually cut away, and deprives himself of the sacraments of man’s redemption. For when one takes an oath and according to the usual formula says, “This I will do, or surely not do, so help me God and this holy book of the Gospels,” he makes an agreement with God on the condition that, if he does not fulfill what he has promised, he will never again be helped by God or by the holy Gospel. And just as at the time when he was initiated into Christ, and at the official catechizing of the priest renounced the devil and all his works, so like a deserter and a traitor he renounces God and his Gospel, thereby refusing to place his trust in him for the future, as if by some new agreement. And just as Laban built a cairn of stones between himself and Jacob, and thus blocked one another by preventing their passage way, so by lying does he, as it were, place his false oath between himself and God.

(4) Moreover, he causes the book of the Gospels to be sealed against him, so that he is unable to open it as he blocks every approach to salvation that lies between it and himself. Of this book it is said in Isaiah: “All prophetic vision will become for you like the words in a sealed book that people will give to one who can read, and say: ‘Come read this’; he will answer, ‘I cannot,’ because it is sealed.” What is this sealed book if not the holy Gospel, wrapped in symbolic statements and figures, and by a certain profound secret far removed from human understanding? This is truly the book of which John says: “Then I saw in the right hand of the One who sat on the throne a book, with writing inside and out, and it was sealed up with seven seals.” And what are the seals with which the book of the Gospels is said to be sealed up, but the seven mysteries by which, to be sure, the whole range of the Lord’s providence is fulfilled, namely, the Lord’s Incarnation, his Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, Ascension into heaven, followed by the Judgment and lastly his Kingdom? And so, with these seals the book of the Gospels is sealed up in such a way that unless Christ had opened it, no one would be able to have access to it. And thus the text cited above continues: “For the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David, has won the right to open the book and break its seven seals.”

(5) Therefore, whoever takes a false oath should carefully consider that unless he repents and does satisfaction according to the canons, he so closes for himself the seven seals of the Gospel text, that neither the Lord’s Incarnation and Nativity, nor his Passion, Resurrection, or Ascension, nor the Judgment or the Kingdom will ever be able to benefit him. All of these he totally rejects, and so far as he is concerned reduces them to nothing, for in violating his oath he renounces the assistance of the Gospel, and thereby also the help of God.

(6) And so, I do not think it out of place if I add here what Richard, the prior of our monastery, a man of sterling virtue, told me only yesterday. “A man,” he said, “from the territory of Perugia, who had come to the end of his days, willed his estate to his two sons and to the same number of daughters in a sixfold proportion, so that of the divided inheritance he left two thirds to the males, while the females received one third. After the man’s death one of his sons also died, but the surviving brother, as if it were not enough that he did not divide his deceased brother’s property with his sisters, made a claim to their portion by bringing a false charge against them. For the more one’s possessions increase, so much greater is the cupidity of the owner. And then what happened? The case was brought to court, witnesses for the various parties came forward, the lawyers presented their arguments, the complaint was filed, the charge was heard, and legal claim was withdrawn by the opponents. At length, the parties met for further deliberation before the bench, allowing a certain priest, who favored the case of the man against his sisters, to claim that he was present when the dead man made his will. He took his oath, and so the case was solved, and on the testimony of one man the controversy was laid to rest.

(7) But when the priest came forward to testify under oath for the man against the women, and had already placed his hand on the book that was set before him, suddenly a horrible serpent fell from the tree which overshadowed them, and, entwining itself about the book, encompassed it with the coils of its scaly body. All were thunderstruck, astonished by this obvious portent, and the priest especially became rigid with fear and abjured the oath that he had taken, not to serve the truth but merely to win human favor. And thus the ancient enemy who had spewed the poison of his ill will into the heart of the priest, causing him to swear falsely, visibly proved that he was present when this oath was taken, using the figure of the beast that is associated with him. The women’s uncle, moreover, who knew about the affair, but to please their brother had suppressed the truth, upon leaving the court fell into a pit together with the horse on which he rode, and the animal, pinning him down, caused such serious damage to his whole body that he was almost at death’s door. Thus divine providence clearly showed that anyone who is unwilling to stand up for the truth with constancy of spirit, will also deservedly suffer a bodily fall.

(8) Therefore, my dear friend, do not suppress the truth, but with all your strength defend it in every undertaking and dispute. Whoever resists the truth to gain human favor is indeed guilty of denying Christ, who is Truth itself. Guard against false oaths, and if possible even restrain yourself from taking any oath. For just as one who has nothing to say, never lies, so for one who does not swear, it is impossible to commit the crime of perjury. For it is Truth itself who says: “Plain ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is all you need to say; anything beyond that comes from evil.” And so, avoid perjury lest you be compelled to find the book of man’s redemption closed against you.