Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 295
The Visigothic law orders presbyters and deacons to prevent the fraudulent manumissions. The codification known as the Lex Visigothorum (issued and re-edited several times between 569 and 702 AD).
V.7.2.
 
II. ANTIQUA.
Si alienus servus vel commune mancipium manumittatur.
 
Si quis alienum servum vel commune mancipium manumiserit, in fraude domini libertas data non valeat. Ille vero, qui manumiserit alienum mancipium, alterum preter illum domino dare cogatur. Si vero dominus adquieverit, ut ille liber sit, duos vicarios servos pro manumisso servo percipiat, et libertas data habeat firmitatem. Hec eadem et de ancillis precipimus custodiri. Si quis sane vult ex integro manumittere commune mancipium, presbiterum, qui presens est, vel diaconum conmonemus, ne huiusmodi libertates se fieri presente permittant; quia hec manumissio stare non poterit. Si quis autem commune mancipium vult a iugo servitutis absolvere, prius cum consortibus suis dividat et sue vindicet potestati, aut certe cum his, qui ei consortes sunt, id fieri vel pretio vel precibus elaboret; et sic, si voluerit, presente presbitero vel diacono manumittat, et libertas data firmetur. Quod si aliquis coram sacerdote vel diacono commune mancipium ex integro manumiserit, proprietatis sue partem de mancipio amittat, et mancipium ad integrum consors ille, qui non manumisit, obtineat. Nam si partem suam, que in eodem mancipio illi debetur, absolvere voluerit, proiberi non poterit.
 
(ed. Zeumer 1902: 235-236)
V.7.2
 
II. ANCIENT LAW
 
If someone emancipates a slave belonging to one, or to several persons
 
 If anyone emancipates a slave of another or a slave belonging to several persons, this fraudulently given liberty from the master is not valid. A person who emancipated a slave of another shall give one to the master in his place. If, however, the master consents to the emancipation of this slave, he will get two substitute slaves for the one that was emancipated, and then the freedom granted in this way will be valid. The same shall be observed in case of female slaves. We remind presbyters or deacons, who are present at manumissions, that they should not permit the manumission if someone wants to emancipate a slave belonging to several persons, because such manumission cannot be valid. If anyone wants to remove someone's yoke of servitude, he shall first make terms with his associates and claim the full right of possession, having gained their consent by remuneration or request. And then, if he wants, he can free a slave in the presence of a presbyter or deacon, and the grant of freedom will be valid. Therefore if someone emancipates a slave in the presence of a priest (sacerdote) or a deacon in any other way, he shall lost his share, and a slave shall be wholly a possession of an associate that has not emancipated him. Because if one wants to waive his right to a slave jointly possessed, he cannot be forbidden.
 
(trans. by M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula

About the source:

Title: Lex Visigothorum, Liber iudiciorum, Liber iudiciorum sive Lex Visigothorum
Origin: Iberian Peninsula
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Lex Visigothorum is a codification of law first composed during the reign of King Leovigild (569-586) on the basis of the Code of Euric, but the basis of all extant manuscripts is its revised version from the reign of King Reccesvinth (649-672). The codification was also enlarged in the times of Kings Ervig (680-687) and Ecgica (687-702).
Edition:
K. Zeumer ed., Liber iudiciorum sive lex Visigothorum, Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Leges nationum Germanicarum 1, Hannover, Leipzig 1902, 33-456.
 
Translation:
The Visigothic Code (Forum Judicum), trans. S.P. Scott, Boston 1910
Bibliography:
Leges Visigothorum in: Bibliotheca legum regni Francorum manuscripta,  Karl Ubl (Ed.) assisted by Dominik Trump and Daniela Schulz, Cologne 2012. URL: http://www.leges.uni-koeln.de/en

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
    Private law - Secular
      Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER295, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=295