The Presbyters Project

LXII. De usuris vel negotiorum lucris.

Si quis oblitus timorem Domini et sanctam scripturam quae dicit: Pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram, post hanc cognitionem magni concilii feneraverit et centesimas exegerit aut ex quolibet negotio turpia lucra quaesierit aut per diversas species vini vel frugis vel cuiuslibet rei emendo vel vendendo aliqua incrementa susceperit, depositus de gradu suo alienus habeatur a clero.

(ed. Barlowe 1950: 139)

LXII. On usuries and benefits from trade.

If someone having forgotten the fear of God and the Holy Scripture which says: "He hath not put his money to usury" [cf. Ps 15 (14):5] lends his money and demands an interest rate, or look for some filthy lucre, or receives increments from buying and selling of different kinds of wine and crop, or any other thing, he shall be demoted from his grade and be apart from the clergy.

(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

Cf. canon 17 of the Council of Nicaea (AD 325).

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Braga

About the source:

Author: Martin of Braga
Title: Collectio orientalium canonum, seu Capitula Martini, Capitula Martini, Collection of the Eastern canons
Origin: Braga (Iberian Peninsula), Nicaea (East)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

In the manuscript tradition the canons of the Second Council of Braga (Iberian Peninsula) in AD 572 are followed by the Eastern canons collected and translated into Latin by Martin of Braga (Iberian Peninsula). He was using a Greek collection, impossible to identify with any of the collections known today, which gathered the canons of the several Eastern councils. Martin quotes also the canons of the First Council of Toledo AD 400. Martin dedicated his work to Bishop Nitigisius of Lugo (Iberian Peninsula). Those two bishops met on the Second Council of Braga, and possibly the collection was composed for this occasion (Barlowe 1950: 84-87).

Edition:

C. Barlowe ed., Martini episcopi Bracarensis opera omnia, New Haven 1950.

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Economic status and activity - Buying & selling

Economic status and activity - Loans

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Demotion

Livelihood/income

Private law - Ecclesiastical

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1137, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1137