Quote from Letter 4,32 to Fantinus, the defender. August 594.
(And) because he owed one hunderd and fifty gold coins, I wanted his [Cosmas, the debtor from Syria] creditors to make some sort of agreement with him. For the law states also that a free man should by no means be held for the sake of a debt, if there were no further items which might be added to the same debt. And so, as he asserts, it is possible for his creditors to consent to eighty gold coins. But because he is asking a lot for them to seek eighty gold coins from a person who has nothing, we have sent over sixty gold coins to you through your notary, so that, when you have careful talks with the same creditors, you may provide an account.
For they cannot hold his son, as they are said to be holding him, according to the laws. And, if it can be done, let them settle for something less than what we have given. And whatever remains of the same sixty gold coins, hand it over to Cosmas himself, so that he can live on it with his son.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 321
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Saturday, 27 August 2011
A Helping Hand
Letter 3,55 - to Cyprian, deacon. July 593
"Cosmas says that he is bound by so may debts from various dangerous exigencies that his own sons, he claims, are being detained by his creditors as surety. If this matter is so, it has certainly disturbed us. For this reason we encourage your Beloved to inquire into his case with the greatest detail, because it concerns money from the poor-box being given."
"Cosmas says that he is bound by so may debts from various dangerous exigencies that his own sons, he claims, are being detained by his creditors as surety. If this matter is so, it has certainly disturbed us. For this reason we encourage your Beloved to inquire into his case with the greatest detail, because it concerns money from the poor-box being given."
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Debts and Piety
Letter 3,21 - to Paschalis, Domitian and Castor, son of Urbicus, defender from Tivoli. February 593
"Its part of my duty to give advice to those who have lost their parents, so that I can give some help in those miseries of theirs that are justly the responsibility of the Church, thereby alleviating them.
Therefore, after a more precise calculation, we are certain that your father Urbicus, who was once a defender of the Sabine patrimony and of Carsoli, that had been entrusted to his care, has died in debt for quite a large sum.
Although all of his property was liable to the Church for this,yet it could not suffice to pay for what he has consumed.
Even so, with a regard to piety, we allow you to have and possess the property of that same father of yours, and we allow it to stand to your undoubted advantage in the future (..)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 249.
"Its part of my duty to give advice to those who have lost their parents, so that I can give some help in those miseries of theirs that are justly the responsibility of the Church, thereby alleviating them.
Therefore, after a more precise calculation, we are certain that your father Urbicus, who was once a defender of the Sabine patrimony and of Carsoli, that had been entrusted to his care, has died in debt for quite a large sum.
Although all of his property was liable to the Church for this,yet it could not suffice to pay for what he has consumed.
Even so, with a regard to piety, we allow you to have and possess the property of that same father of yours, and we allow it to stand to your undoubted advantage in the future (..)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 249.
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