Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow CHAP. XL.: In what Manner the Judiciary Forms were borrowed from the Decretals. - Complete Works, vol. 2 The Spirit of Laws

Return to Title Page for Complete Works, vol. 2 The Spirit of Laws

Search this Title:

CHAP. XL.: In what Manner the Judiciary Forms were borrowed from the Decretals. - Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, Complete Works, vol. 2 The Spirit of Laws [1748]

Edition used:

The Complete Works of M. de Montesquieu (London: T. Evans, 1777), 4 vols. Vol. 2.

Part of: Complete Works of Montesquieu, 4 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


CHAP. XL.

In what Manner the Judiciary Forms were borrowed from the Decretals.

But how comes it, some will say, that when the institutions were laid aside, the judicial forms of the canon law should be preferred to those of the Roman? It was because they had constantly before their eyes the ecclesiastic courts, which followed the forms of the canon law, and they knew of no court that followed those of the Roman law. Besides, the limits of the spiritual and temporal jurisdiction were at that time very little understood; there were* people who sued indifferently, and causes that were tried indifferently, in either court. It seems as if the temporal jurisdiction reserved no other cases exclusively to itself than the judgment of feudal matters , and of such crimes committed by laymen as did not relate to religion. For§ if on the account of conventions and contracts, they had occasion to sue in a temporal court, the parties might of their own accord, proceed before the spiritual tribunals; and as the latter had not a power to oblige the temporal court to execute the sentence, they commanded submission by means of excommunications. Under those circumstances, when they wanted to change the course of proceedings in the temporal court, they took that of the spiritual tribunals, because they knew it; but did not meddle with that of the Roman law, by reason, they were strangers to it: for in point of practice, people know only what is really practised.

[* ]Beaumanoir, chap. 11. page 458.

[]Widows, croises, &c. Beaumanoir, chap. 11. page 58.

[]See the whole eleventh chapter of Beaumanoir.

[]The spiritual tribunals had even laid hold of these, under the pretext of the oath, as may be seen by the famous Concordat between Philip Augustus, the clergy, and the barons, which is to be found in the ordinances of Lauriere.

[§ ]Beaumanoir, chap. 11. page 60.