Of the Second Decree

Martyrs Mirror in Modern English

Thirteenth Century

Of the Second Decree

By the chancellor of this Emperor, in the year 1230. (Same place, letter 25, Petri de Veneis).

In another letter of Peter de Veneis we find another decree of Frederic the Second, which reads as follows:

"We therefore decree and ordain that heretics, of whatever name, shall receive the punishment they deserve, throughout the empire, wherever the church shall condemn them as heretics and hand them over, or point them out, to the secular judge.

"But if any of those just named, after they are arrested, are deterred by the fear of death and desire to return to the unity of the Catholic faith, they shall, as the church ordinances require, be imprisoned for life, to do penance.

"Moreover, all heretics, in whatever city, village, or place of the realm they may be found by the inquisition sent by the Apostolic see, or by other zealous adherents of the Catholic faith, shall receive the same punishment.

"All those, then, who have jurisdiction there shall be bound, on the denunciation or notice of the inquisitors, or of other Catholics, to arrest them and keep them in close custody, until, after they have been condemned by the censure of the church, they shall punish them with death.

"We ordain the same punishment for those whom the crafty enemy stirs up to be their advocates, or who are their improper protectors."

At the end of the decree are these words: "But the heretics whom they shall point out to you, you shall each, in his jurisdiction, be bound to arrest and keep in close custody, so that, after the judgment of the church, they shall be punished as they deserve; knowing that, in carrying this out, if you will do your utmost together with these brothers (the Dominicans and Franciscans)* to wipe from our dominion the stain of this unheard-of heretical wickedness (so he calls the true faith), you will render to God a pleasing service, and to us a commendable one.

"But if anyone is slack or negligent in this, and unprofitable before the Lord, he too shall justly deserve punishment in our eyes." Given at Pavia.