The Presbyters Project

XII.2.10

X. FLAVIUS GLORIOSUS RECCESSVINDUS REX.

Ne Iudei contra christianos testificentur , et quando ex illis progenitis testificari sit licitum .

Si coram hominibus reppertum mendacium et infamem facit et damnis adfligit, quanto magis in divina fallax fide perventus non erit penitus ad testimonium admittendus. Merito ergo testificari proibiti sunt Iudei, seu baptizati, sive non extiterint baptizati. De stirpe autem illorum progeniti si morum provitate et fidei plenitudine habeantur idonei, permittitur illis inter christianos veredica quidem testi.

(ed. Zeumer 1902: 416-417)

XII.2.10

X. GLORIOUS KING FLAVIUS RECCESVINTH.

No Jew shall testify against a Christian; and under what circumstances the descendants of Jews may testify.

If he who is convicted of having uttered a falsehood becomes infamous in the sight of all men, with how much more reason should he be excluded from giving testimony who denies the truth of the Divine Faith? Jews, whether baptized or unbaptized, are therefore forbidden to testify against Christians. The descendants of Jews, however, if they are of good morals, and adherents of the Faith, shall be permitted to give evidence among Christians; but not unless their morals and their belief shall be vouched for by either the king, a priest or a judge.

(trans. S.P. Scott 1910: 301)

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

About the source:

Title: Lex Visigothorum, Liber iudiciorum, Liber iudiciorum sive Lex Visigothorum
Origin: Toledo (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 origin of all extant manuscripts is its revised version from the reign of King Recceswinth (649-672). The codification was also enlarged in the times of King 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/lex/leges-visigothorum/

K. Schäferdiek, Die Kirche in den Reichen der Westgoten und Suewen bis zur Errichtung der westgotischen katholischen Staatskirche, Berlin 1967.

Categories:

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Public law - Secular

Relation with - Jew

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER631, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=631