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It
is right and necessary, o barons, that we should not be presumptuous
about our merits or about the state and merits of our whole
kingdom (regnum)
. . .
we are obligated to reestablish the
road to justice and pietas, when
we see that it has become significantly damaged. We are inspired by this
that He says by the gift of his largess, when he says:
"By me kings reign, and promulgators
of laws determine justice" [Proverbs
8:15 "Per me reges regnant, et legum
conditores iusta decernunt"]. For we
consider that nothing is more pleasing to God than if we straightforwardly
offer Him that which we have learnt Him to be, namely
mercy and justice.
In this offering the duty of kingship receives
a certain privilege of priesthood; Consequently a certain wise man who was
learned in
the law calls the interpreters of the law priests.
[Cuius merito quis nos sacerdotes appellet: iustitiam namque colimus et boni et aequi notitiam profitemur, aequum ab iniquo separantes, licitum ab illicito discernentes. Dig.1.1.1.1 (533 A.D.) Ulpian on the First Book of the Institutes (ca. 230 A.D.)] |