| Unit 5: Early Middle Ages / Franks |
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| Making Peace in a Troubled World |
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| From "Peace of God, Proclaimed by Guy of Anjou, Bishop of Puy, 990." As reproduced in A Source Book for Medieval History., ed. Oliver J. Thatcher and Edgar H. McNeal (New York: Scribner, 1905), 412-414. |
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| In the name of the divine, supreme, and undivided Trinity. Guy of Anjou, by the grace of God bishop [of Le Puy], greeting and peace to all who desire the mercy of God. Be it known to all the faithful subjects of God, that because of the wickedness that daily increases among the people, we have called together certain bishops . . . , and many other bishops, princes and nobles. And since we know that only the peace-loving shall see the Lord, we urge all men, in the name of the Lord, to be sons of peace. 1. From this hour forth, no man in the bishoprics over which these bishops rule, and in these counties, shall break into a church, . . . except that the bishop may enter a church to recover the taxes that are due him from it. 2. Now man in the counties or bishoprics shall seize a horse, colt, ox, cow, or ass, or the burdens which it carries, or a sheep, goat, or pig, or kill any of them, unless he requires it for a lawful expedition. On an expedition a man may take what he needs to eat, but shall carry nothing home with him; and no one shall take material for fortifying or besieging a castle except from his own lands or subjects. 3. Clergymen shall not bear arms; no one shall injure monks or any unarmed person who accompany them; except that the bishop or the archdeacon may use such means as are necessary to compel them to pay the taxes which they owe them. 4. No one shall seize a peasant, man or woman, for the purpose of making him purchase his freedom, unless the peasant has forfeited his freedom. This is not meant to restrict the rights of a lord over the peasants living on his own lands or on lands which he claims. 5. From this hour forth no one shall seize ecclesiastical lands, whether those of a bishop, chapter, or monastery, and no one shall levy any unjust tax or toll from them; unless he holds them as precaria1 from the bishop or the brothers. 6. No one shall seize or rob merchants. 7. No layman shall exercise any authority in the matter of burials or ecclesiastical offerings; no priest shall take money for baptism, for it is the gift of the Holy Spirit. 8. If anyone breaks the peace and refuses to keep it, he shall be excommunicated and anathematized and cut off from the holy mother church, until he makes satisfaction; if he refuses to make satisfaction, no priest shall say mass or perform divine services for him, no priest shall bury him or permit him to be buried in consecrated ground; no priest shall knowingly give him communion; if any priest knowingly violates this decree he shall be deposed. |
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| 1Church lands whose revenues were granted to secular lords. |
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