User:Adam Bishop/viam

Dei patris inmensa

...regi et populo Tartarorum viam agnoscere veritatis.

Dei patris inmensa benignitas humani generis casum, quod primi hominis culpa corruerat, ineffabili respiciens pietate, ac illum, quem diabolica prostravit invidia suggestione dolosa, volens ex caritate nimia misericorditer reparare, filium suum unigenitum, consubstantialem sibi, de celi excelso solio misit ad infimum mundi solum, qui preelecte virginis utero sancti Spiritus operatione conceptus et ibi veste carnis indutus humane indeque postmodum clausa materne porta virginitatis egressus, cunctis visibilem se ostendit.

Humana enim natura, cum esset rationalis, erat eterna veritate tanquam optimo suo cibo pascenda; set pena peccati mortalibus detenta vinculis ad hoc est diminutionis redacta, ut per coniecturas rerum visibilium ad intelligenda invisibilia niteretur cibi rationalis.

Creature ipsius conditor factus est visibilis habitu nostro non sine commutatione nature, ut visibilia sectantes ad se invisibilem, factus visibilis, revocaret, salubribus homines institutis informans, viamque vite ipsis perfecte indice doctrina demonstrans, dignatus est post sacre conversationis exempla et evangelice instructionis eloquia sub dire crucis supplicio mortem pati, ut penali vite presentis fine penam mortis perpetue, quam prothoplausti posteritas ipsius incurrerat transgressione, finiret, et de amaro sue mortis calice temporalis hauriret homo vite dulcedinem sempiterne.

Mediatorem namque inter nos et Deum et mortalitatem habere oportuit transeuntem et beatitudinem permanentem, ut per id, quod transit, congrueret morituris, et ad id, quod permanet, ex mortuis nos transferret.

Pro humani ergo redemptione generis se hostiam exhibens, illud, sue salutis hoste prostrato, de obprobrio servitutis eripuit ad gloriam libertatis, superne sibi patrie ostium reserando; et demum resurgens a mortuis ac in celum ascendens, vicarium sibi reliquit in terris, cui animarum curam, ut earum saluti, pro qua suam humiliaverat altitudinem, vigilanter intenderet et invigilaret attente, amoris eius constantia trine professionis argumento probata commisit, tradens sibi claves regni celorum, per quas ipse suique per eum successores potestatem aperiendi omnibus et claudendi eiusdem regni ianuam obtinerent.

Unde predicti vicarii disponente Domino nos licet inmeriti successores effecti, super omnia que nobis ex iniuncto incumbunt officio, ad vestram aliorumque salutem nostre intentionis dirigimus aciem, ad hanc precipue mentis nostre destinamus affectum, circa eam diligenti studio et studiosa diligentia sedulo vigilantes, ut errantes in viam veritatis educere omnesque lucrifacere Deo, sua nobis cooperante gratia, valeamus.

Verum quia humane conditionis renitente natura uno eodemque tempore diversis locis presentialiter adesse nequimus, ne ullatenus negligere videamur absentes, ad eos viros providos et discretos transmittimus vice nostra, ipsorum ministerio circa illos apostolice servitutis debitum exsolventes; propter quod ad vos dilectum filium fratrem Laurentium de Portugal. et socios eius latores presentium ordinis fratrum Minorum, viros religione conspicuos, honestate decoros et sacre scripture scientia preditos, ut ipsum Dei filium Iesum Christum salutaribus eorum eruditionibus agnoscentes, suum gloriosum nomen Christiane fidei observatione colatis, duximus destinandos.

Ideoque universitatem vestram monemus, rogamus et hortamur attente, quatinus eosdem fratres pro divina et nostra reverentia, immo potius nos in ipsis, benigne recipientes et honeste tractantes, eis super hiis, que vobis ex parte nostra dixerint, fidem indubitatam adhibere velitis, et cum ipsis de predictis tractatum fructuosum habentes, provideatis eisdem in eundo et redeundo de securo conductu et aliis necessariis, ut ad presentiam nostram, cum voluerint, tute valeant remeare.

Memoratos autem fratres, quos tamquam diu sub observantia regulari probatos et plene in scripturis sacris instructos inter alios preelegimus, quia utiliores vobis fore credidimus, tamquam salvatoris nostri humilitatem sectantes, ad vos duximus transmittendos, et si putassemus, quod fructuosiores et gratiosiores vobis existerent, vel aliquos ecclesiarum prelatos ad vos aut potentes alios misissemus.

Dat. Lugduni, III Non. Martii, anno II

"...to the king and people of the Tartars [that they may] acknowledge the way of truth.

The immense benevolence of God the father, considering with ineffable piety the fall of mankind, which came to ruin by the sin of the first man, and wishing with great love to mercifully revive him whom diabolic envy has made prostrate by deceitful suggestion, has sent his only-begotten son, sharing the same nature with him, from the highest throne of heaven to the lowest dirt of the world, he who, conceived in the womb of the pre-elected virgin by the grace of the Holy Spirit and endowed there with the clothing of human flesh, thenceforth appeared to all, having exited from the enclosed gate of his mother's virginity.

For human nature, although it was reasonable, ought to have been fed with the eternal truth as its best meal; but having been detained in mortal chains by the penalty of sin, it was reduced from decreasing to this(?), so that through interpretations of visible things it tried to understand the invisible matters of the reasonable meal.

The creator of that creature became visible in our fashion not without a change of nature, so that, made visible, he might recall those following visible things to himself while invisible, informing men with his teachings of salvation, and, showing them the way of perfect life with his teaching as proof, after his examples of sacred conversation and his speeches of evangelical instruction, he deigned to suffer death under the torture of the harsh cross, so that, with a penalty being the end of the present life, he might put an end to the penalty of perpetual death, which the descendants of the first man had incurred by their sin, and so that man might drink the sweetness of eternal life from the bitter chalice of his temporal life.

Mediatorem namque inter nos et Deum et mortalitatem habere oportuit transeuntem et beatitudinem permanentem, ut per id, quod transit, congrueret morituris, et ad id, quod permanet, ex mortuis nos transferret.

For it was necessary to have a mediator crossing between us and God and between mortality and permanent blessedness, so that through that which crosses over, he might join together with those about to die, and might transfer us from the dead to that which is permanent.

Therefore putting himself forward as a sacrifice for the redemption of mankind, with the enemy of man's salvation made prostrate, he rescued it from the shame of servitude to the glory of freedom, by opening the gate of the heavenly nation for it; and finally rising again from the dead and ascending into heaven, he left behind a vicar for mankind on earth, to whom the constancy of his love, proven by the evidence of his three-fold profession, committed the care of souls, so that he might vigilantly be attentive and attentively be vigilant to their salvation, for which he had humbled his loftiness, handing over to him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, through which he and his successors through him might obtain the power of opening and closing the gate of the same kingdom for everyone.

Whence we the aforementioned vicars, with God appointing, although we have been made successors undeservedly, concerning everything which is incumbent from the duty assigned to us, direct the glance of our intention to your salvation and the salvation of others, we fix the disposition of our mind especially to this, carefully vigilant concerning it with diligent zeal and zealous diligence, so that we would be well to educate those erring on the path of truth, and to make everyone a profit for God, with his grace cooperating with us.

But because, with the nature of the human condition resisting, we cannot be present face to face in many places at the same time, lest we seem to neglect anything while absent, we send to them honest and discreet men in our place, carrying out by their ministry the debt of apostolic servitude for them; because of which we have led to you our beloved son brother Lawrence of Portugal, and his associates, bearers of the present letters, of the Order of the Friars Minor, men conspicuous in religion, decorous in honesty and gifted with knowledge of sacred scripture, determined that recognizing Jesus Christ himself as the son of God in their teachings of salvation, you may worship his glorious name in observation of the Christian faith.

And therefore we warn, ask and urge all of you attentively, that kindly receiving those same brothers for our reverence and for divine reverence, or rather receiving us in them, and treating them honestly, you should wish to apply undoubted faith to them concerning these things, which they will tell you on our behalf, and having a fruitful treaty with them about the aforementioned things, you should provide secure conduct for the same men and other things necessary for coming and going, so that, when they wish, they may be able to return safely to our presence.

We led the aforementioned brothers, whom we chose before among others as long-proven under the observance of their rule and fully instructed in the sacred scriptures, to be sent to you because we believed they would be very useful to you, as followers of the humility of our saviour, and if we had thought that there were more fruitful and kinder men for you, we would have sent either some prelates of the church or other powerful men.

Written at Lyon, March 5, in the second year of our reign.

13 March 1245: viam agnoscere veritatis

Innocentius IV, Epistolae Epp. Saec. XIII, Vol. 2, Epist. 105, pag. 75, lin. 6 <...> regi et populo Tartarorum viam agnoscere veritatis. Cum non solum homines verum etiam animalia irrationalia nec non ipsa mundialis elementa machine quadam nativi federis sint unione coniuncta, exemplo supernorum spirituum, quorum agmina universorum conditor Deus perpetua pacifici ordinis stabilitate distinxit, mirari non inmerito cogimur vehementer, quod vos, sicut audivimus, multas tam Christianorum quam aliorum regiones ingressi, horribili eas desolatione vastatis, et adhuc continuato furore depopulatrices manus ad ulteriores extendere non cessantes, soluto cognationis vinculo naturalis, nec sexui nec etati parcendo, in omnes indifferenter animadversionis gladio desevitis. Nos igitur, pacifici regis exemplo cunctos in unitate pacis sub Dei timore vivere cupientes, universitatem vestram monemus, rogamus et hortamur attente, quatinus ab impugnationibus huiusmodi et maxime Christianorum persecutionibus de cetero penitus desistentes, super tot et tantis offensis divine maiestatis iram, quam ipsarum exacerbatione vos non est dubium graviter provocasse, per condigne satisfactionem penitentie complacetis; nec ex eo sumere debetis audatiam amplius seviendi, quod in alios potentie vestre furente mucrone omnipotens dominus diversas ante faciem vestram substerni permisit hactenus nationes, qui nonnunquam superbos in hoc seculo corripere ad tempus ideo pretermittit, ut si humiliari neglexerint per se ipsos, eorum nequitiam et punire temporaliter non postponat et nichilominus in futuro gravius ulciscatur. Et ecce dilectum filium fratrem I. et socios eius latores presentium, viros religione conspicuos, honestate decoros et sacre scripture scientia preditos, ad vos propter hoc duximus destinandos, quos pro divina reverentia, immo potius nos in ipsis, benigne recipiatis et honorifice pertractetis, fidem eis super hiis, que vobis ex parte nostra dixerint, adhibendo, et cum ipsis super predictis et specialiter de hiis que ad pacem pertinent tractatum fructuosum habentes, nobis, quid vos ad gentium exterminium moverit aliarum et quid ulterius intendatis, per eosdem fratres plenarie intimetis, providendo ipsis in eundo et redeundo de securo conductu et aliis necessariis, ut ad presentiam nostram tute valeant remeare. Memoratos autem fratres, quos etc. ut in proxima usque: alios misissemus. Dat. Lugduni, III Idus Martii, anno secundo.

22 November 1248: Viam cognoscere veritatis

Les registres d'Innocent IV publiés ou analysés d'après les manuscrits originaux du Vatican et de la Bibliothèque nationale, par Élie Berger , II (Paris, 1887), no. 4682, pp. 113-114. Bayonoy regi illustri, et nobilibus viris universis principibus et baronibus exercitus Tartarorum, viam cognoscere veritatis. Nuntios vestros, quos ad nostram presentiam destinastis, benigne recepimus, et ea que significastis nobis per ipsos intelleximus diligenter. Sane locum Dei licet immeriti , tenentes in terris, omnium salutem gentium ex imposito nobis officio quanta possumus vigilantia procurare debemus, ut quelibet rationalis creatura in mortali vivens corpore ad sui notitiam perveniat Creatoris, ipsumque fide sequens et opere possit secum post vite presentis curricula conregnare. Unde nos olim ne salutem vestram, licet in remotis agatis partibus, negligere videamur, nuntios nostros ad vos destinavimus, ut exponentes vobis fidem veram et rectam a mortis devio vos retraherent, et in viam vite dirigerent et salutis. Sed cum, nondum fidei Christiane illustrati lumine, adhuc in tenebris ignorantie ambuletis, Creatorem, Redemptorem et Salvatorem omnium Dei Filium Jhesum Christum minime agnoscentes, tanto de hoc (novit ipse Salvator) majori dolore turbamur intrinsecus, quanto per id gravius vobis imminere cognoscimus periculum animarum, presertim cum exposita iam vobis salutifere fidei veritate non possitis ulterius apud Deum super illius ignorantia excusari, nec de virium robore per quas multas hominum nationes permittente Domino superastis insultanter gloriari debetis, sed potius coram eo humiliare vos ipsos, et recognoscere multam patientiam ejus, qui tamdiu in vestris noxiis desideriis et actibus toleravit, expectando benigne ut errorum semitas relinquentes ad tramitem convertamini veritatis, propter quod recte formidare potestis ne in vos, si suam non agnoscatis omnipotentiam, sue flagellum iracundie tanquam nimium provocatus immittat. Ideoque nobilitatem vestram monemus, hortamur et sicut possumus obsecramus quatinus nostris salutaribus acquiescentes consiliis, et de profectu animarum vestrarum provide cogitantes, vias ad eternum ducentes interitum deseratis, aggredientes rectum iter per quod ad perempnis vite gaudia, duce ipso Christo Dei Filio qui vita et salus est omnium, pervenitur, et ut vobis ad habendam agnitionem omnium Conditoris gressus expeditior tribuatur, desistatis deinceps in cedem hominum, et maxime Cristianorum, exertum jamdudum dire persecutionis gladium exercere; abstinendo namque a talibus, que graviter oculos divine majestatis offendunt, facilius profecto ipsius gratiam et misericordiam poteritis invenire. Dat. Lugduni, x kalendas decembris, anno VI.

"To the illustrious king Bayonoy, and to all his noblemen the princes and barons of the army of the Tartars, that they may know the way of truth. We have received your messengers, who you sent to our presence, and we have diligently understood those things which you indicated to us through them. Since we hold the place of God on Earth, although we are not worthy, we ought to vigilantly attend to salvation of all people, as much as we are able from the duty imposed on us, so that any reasonable creature living in a mortal body may come to the notice of his Creator, and so that, following him in faith and works, he may be able to reign with him after the course of the present life. Whence we, lest we seem to neglect your salvation, although you rule in remote lands, once sent our messengers to you, so that, explaining to you the true and correct faith, they might bring you back from the road of death, and direct you to the way of life and salvation. But because you still walk in the darkness of ignorance, not yet enlightened by the light of the Christian faith, not recognizing at all Jesus Christ the son of God as Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour of all, as much as we are inwardly disturbed by this (the Saviour himself knows), so we understand that the danger of souls threatens you more seriously because of it, especially because with the truth of the salvation-bearing faith already explained to you, you are not able to be excused in the eyes of God due to ignorance of it, nor should you be insultingly proud about the strength of force through which you have conquered many nations of men with God permitting, but rather you should humble yourselves in his presence, and recognize his great patience, he who for so long tolerated your destructive desires and deeds, by benevolently waiting for you to turn away from the path of error towards the way of truth, because of which you are not able to be rightly afraid, lest, as if provoked too much, he threatens you with the whip of his wrath, if you do not recognize his omnipotence. And therefore we warn, urge, and beseech your nobility as much as we are able that, submitting to our advice about salvation, and thinking providently about the progression of your souls, you should abandon the roads leading you to eternal death, approaching the right journey through which the joys of eternal life are found, with Christ himself leading, who is the life and salvation of all, and, so that there may be assigned to you a more expedient path for gaining knowledge of the Creator of all, you should refrain from administering the sword of harsh persecution, long stretched forth for the slaughter of men, and especially of Christians; for by abstaining from such things, which gravely offend the eyes of divine majesty, you will surely more easily be able to find his grace and compassion. Written at Lyon, November 22, in the sixth year of our reign."

Translations

APPENDIX

Two BULLS OF POPE INNOCENT IV ADDRESSED TO THE EMPEROR

OF THE TARTARS 1

II

Seeing that not only men but even irrational animals, nay, the very elements which go to make up the world machine, are united by a certain innate law after the manner of the celestial spirits, all of which God the Creator has divided into choirs in the enduring stability of peaceful order, it is not without cause that we are driven to express in strong terms our amazement that you, as we have heard, have invaded many countries belonging both to Christians and to others and are laying them waste in a horrible desolation, and with a fury still unabated you do not cease from stretching out your destroying hand to more distant lands, but, breaking the bond of natural ties, sparing neither sex nor age, you rage against all indiscriminately with the sword of chastisement. We, therefore, following the example of the King of Peace, and

76 THE MONGOL MISSION

desiring that all men should live united in concord in the fear of God, do admonish, beg and earnestly beseech all of you that for the future you desist entirely from assaults of this kind and especially from the persecution of Christians, and that after so many and such grievous offences you conciliate by a fitting penance the wrath of Divine Majesty, which without doubt you have seriously aroused by such provocation; nor should you be em- boldened to commit further savagery by the fact that when the sword of your might has raged against other men Almighty God has up to the present allowed various nations to fall before your face; for sometimes He refrains from chastising the proud in this world for the moment, for this reason, that if they neglect to humble themselves of their own accord He may not only no longer put off the punishment of their wickedness in this life but may also take greater vengeance in the world to come. On this account we have thought fit to send to you our beloved son [John of Piano Carpini] and his companions the bearers of this letter, men re- markable for their religious spirit, comely in their virtue and gifted with a knowledge of Holy Scripture; receive them kindly and treat them with honour out of reverence for God, indeed as if receiving us in their persons, and deal honestly with them in those matters of which they will speak to you on our behalf, and when you have had profitable discussions with them concerning the aforesaid affairs, especially those pertaining to peace, make fully known to us through these same Friars what moved you to destroy other nations and what your intentions are for the future, fur- nishing them with a safe-conduct and other necessities on both their outward and return journey, so that they can safely make their way back to our presence when they wish.

Lyons, i3th March 1245