Sedes apostolica, August 26, 1220

Grant of protection to Isaac Benveniste, Jewish physician of James I of Aragon.

To Azzachus Benveniste, Jew of Barcelona, physician of our dearest son in Christ, the illustrious king of Aragon.

The Apostolic See, like a loving mother, sometimes extends the breasts of charity, by which she nourishes her own children, even to outsiders, whom, by enlarging the place of her tent, she strives to bring forth in faith. Thus, if perhaps they are in some way moved to emulation, they may come into the adoption of sons, Christ may be formed in them, they may be conformed to him and they may adore the traces of his feet, whom they once disparaged.

For this reason, although the unbelief of the Jews, condemned to perpetual servitude because of the cry by which they wickedly called for the blood of Christ to be upon themselves and upon their children, has made itself unworthy of the breasts of his consolation, nevertheless, as we have learned from the letters of our venerable brothers, the Archbishop of Tarragona and the Bishops of Lleida and Tortosa, you, moved by divine fear, abstain from the detestable profits of usury, serve Catholic men to the best of your ability, live without complaint according to the Mosaic law and, out of a certain devotion, though an unformed one, ask for our defense and assistance.

Therefore, agreeing to the requests of our dearest son in Christ, James, illustrious king of Aragon, and of the aforesaid archbishop and bishops, we accept your petition out of Christian kindness and grant you the shield of our protection. We forbid anyone rashly to trouble you in person or property, so long as you abstain from blasphemies against Christ and his faith and from injuries against Christians.

Let no one, therefore, infringe this grant and prohibition of ours. If anyone should do so, etc.

Given at Orvieto, on the seventh day before the Kalends of September, in the fifth year of our pontificate.

Cum te sicut carissimum, August 27, 1220

Letter to King James I of Aragon approving, in part, his petition for Isaac Benveniste.

To J., illustrious king of Aragon.

Since we embrace you as a very dear son in Christ with arms of sincere affection, we gladly show ourselves favorable to you insofar as we can do so with God and with our own honor.

Therefore, having received the letters that your royal devotion sent to us on behalf of Azzachus, Jew of Barcelona, your physician, although we could not grant all the requests you made for him, nevertheless, in part and as was fitting, we have admitted them, and through their intervention we have decided to grant him the shield of our protection.

Accordingly, we admonish and exhort your royal serenity in the Lord, so that, persevering firmly in devotion to the Apostolic See, you may strive to show yourself such that its favor and grace may deservedly be increased toward you.

Given at Orvieto, on the sixth day before the Kalends of September, in the fifth year of our pontificate.

Illum te gerere, September 3, 1220

Mandate to the Archbishop of Tarragona to protect Isaac Benveniste.

To the Archbishop of Tarragona.

We believe that you bear such devotion toward the Roman Church, your mother, that you strive to honor more fully those whom she cherishes by the kindness of her grace.

Therefore, we have considered that your devotion should be asked and admonished. By apostolic writings, we command you that, for the sake of our request, you hold commended to you Azzachus, Jew of Barcelona, physician of our dearest son in Christ, James, illustrious king of Aragon, to whom we are known to have granted special favor at the request of the same king.

So far as it is in your power, do not permit him and his people, so long as they abstain from blasphemies against Christ and his faith and from injuries against Christians, to be unjustly burdened by anyone contrary to their rites and the custom of the land.

Given at Orvieto, on the third day before the Nones of September, in the fifth year of our pontificate.

Ad audientiam nostram, September 3, 1220

Mandate to the Archbishop of Tarragona and his suffragans about the Jewish badge in Aragon.

To the Archbishop of Tarragona and his suffragans.

It has come to our hearing, through the report of our dearest son in Christ, James, illustrious king of Aragon, that although the difference in clothing in his land has from ancient times so distinguished Jews of both sexes from Christians, and still does so distinguish them, that Jewish men cannot unknowingly mix with Christian women and Christian men cannot unknowingly mix with Jewish women, nevertheless some of you, under the pretext of the general council, are trying to compel those Jews to wear new signs.

This is being done not to avoid such excesses, but rather so that, under such an occasion, money may be extorted. Because of this, many Jews have left his land, to no small loss for him and his kingdom, and he fears that still others will leave.

Therefore, since we do not wish you to turn into a source of profit what was established in order to exclude the danger of condemned mixing under the cover of error, we command your fraternity by apostolic writings that, if their clothing so distinguishes them from Christians that they cannot damnably mix with one another through error, you are in no way to trouble them about wearing new signs.

Otherwise, you are to compel them, according to the statutes of the council, to be publicly distinguished from Christians by the character of their clothing, not so that you may secure your own advantage from this, but rather so that you may prevent dangers to souls.

Given at Orvieto, on the third day before the Nones of September, in the fifth year of our pontificate.