=XXIV.= _Concerning the Penalties to be Imposed upon Priests
and Judges who Neglect to Enforce the Laws against
the Jews._
=XXV.= _No Judge shall Presume to Investigate the Offences of
the Jews without the Knowledge of an Ecclesiastic._
=XXVI.= _Bishops shall be Immune from Punishment, when their
Priests do not Inform them of Such Things as Should
be Corrected._
=XXVII.= _Concerning the Mercy to be Shown by Princes towards
Those who have been Truly Converted to the Christian
Faith._
=XXVIII.= _Bishops shall Give to all Jews a Copy of this Book,
which has been Published for the Purpose of
Correcting their Errors; and their Confessions and a
Record of their Conversion, shall be Deposited among
the Archives of the Church._
=I. Concerning Old Laws Enacted Against the Transgressions of the Jews,
and the Confirmation of the Same.=
The perfidy and cunning of the Jewish heresy increases in criminality,
in the same proportion as attempts are made to abolish it by law.
And, as we are about to promulgate new edicts for the suppression of
these errors, it is now proper to first confirm those which have been
enacted by our predecessors; and in order the better to adapt the same
to the offences of the Jews, it is necessary for us to revise all
preceding edicts; so that, in this way, the new laws being collated
with the old ones, those which should be approved may be confirmed,
as is fitting; and, at the same time, the new statutes may be drawn
up so that they shall not conflict with those already in force, but
that all may be united, and the entire body of laws made clear for
the administration of justice. Thus, whenever edicts already in force
may be judged worthy of confirmation, and whatever new edicts we may
think it advisable to promulgate, may both become more manifest, and,
in this manner, by the application of both classes of laws, the truth
may be the more readily established. For example, we have found a law
among those formerly promulgated, which declares that all heresy must
be eradicated. It is reasonable and evident, however, that this must
be added to and amended, in such a way that if anyone induced by the
insanity of unbelief should treat with contempt any of its provisions,
no matter to what rank or station he may belong, and should attempt to
defend any perverse dogma in public, he shall be subjected to severe
penance, exiled, and his property confiscated for the benefit of the
king; and even if he should, at any time, renounce the errors of
his perverse sect, he shall under no circumstances be permitted to
return from exile; and his property shall be irrevocably held by those
upon whom the king has bestowed it. Where any Jew, deluded by blind
ignorance, retains the errors of his sect in his heart, and evinces a
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