THE EIGHTH to the SEVENTEENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCILS

8. C ONSTANTINOPLE 2 (879) 1 13. L YONS 1 (1245) 98 1. Definition 1 2. Canons 9

9. L ATERAN 1 (1123) 26 14. L YONS 2 (1274) 124

10. L ATERAN 2 (1139) 30 15. V IENNE (1311) 124

11. L ATERAN 3 (1179) 36 16. C ONSTANCE (1414) 224

12. L ATERAN 4 (1215) 51 17. B ASLE (1431) 273

THE FOURTH COUNCIL of CONSTANTINOPLE (879) The 8th Ecumenical Council 869-870- Concilium Constantinopolitanum IV Definition Canons

DEFINITION DEFINITION

[THE GENERAL and ECUMENICAL COUNCIL of the CATHOLIC Conc. oecumenica et generalia Eccl. CHURCH - THE FOURTH COUNCIL of CONSTANTINOPLE, 869- cath. - Conc. Constantinopolitanum IV 870] a. 869-870 Sancta, magna et universalis synodus, THE holy, great and universal synod, which was assembled by God’s quae per divinam voluntatem et gratiam et sanctorum amicorum Christi will and the favour of our divinely approved emperors Basil and ac Deo confirmatorum imperatorum Constantine, the holy friends of Christ, in this royal and divinely nostrorum Basilii et Constantini congregata est in hac a Deo protected city and in the most famous church bearing the name of holy conservanda regia urbe, in and great Wisdom, declared the following. famosissimo templo sanctae ac magnae nominis Sophiae, definivit subter annexa. The Word, of one nature with the almighty God and Father, is he who Connaturale omnipotentis Dei et Patris Verbum, quod firmavit caelum sicut established heaven like a vault and fixed the ends of the earth and the cameram et construxit fines terrae ac place of all other things. He made it to be contingent and he rules, caeterorum universorum statum, ut insubstantialiter esset effecit et regit preserves and saves it. He says through the voice of the prophet, Isaiah: et continet et salvat, qui dicit per Lift up your eyes to heaven, because heaven has been fashioned like Isaiae prophetae vocem: Aspice in caelum sursum, quia caelum, ut fumus, smoke, but the earth shall wear out like a garment; its inhabitants shall solidatum est, terra autem ut perish like them; but my salvation shall last for ever and my justice shall vestimentum veterascet, qui autem habitant eam, sicut haec, morientur; 1 salutare autem meum in aeternum erit et iustitia mea non deficiet; qui propter not fail. He was made like us for our sake and has established on earth nos secundum nos factus est, et heavenly justice and said, Heaven and earth shall pass away but my caelestem iustitiam super terram plantavit et dixit: Caelum et terra words shall not pass away. He said to all who believed in him: If you transibunt, verba autem mea non continue in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know transibunt; qui dixit ad omnes, qui in eum crediderant: Si vos transieritis in the truth and the truth will make you free. verbo meo, veri discipuli mei eritis, et cognoscetis veritatem et veritas liberabit vos. Iste solus infinitae potentiae Dominus et Deus noster, multos quidem alios ab It was our God and Lord of infinite power alone who, just like a farmer olim et longe ante, homines mancipatos mendacio et veritatis of supreme wisdom and power, uprooted and scattered and rightfully inimicos in agro suo, id est in ecclesia, obliterated many others from an earlier time and from long ago who, mala zizania secundum evangelicam significationem seminantes, et given over to lies and in opposition to the truth, were sowing -- to use mundum frumentum divinae iustitiae the gospel image -- evil tares in his field, that is, in the church, and were operire tentantes, veluti quidem sapientissimus et omnipotentissimus trying to overwhelm the pure grain of divine justice. He always prepared agricola, evulsit atque disperdidit, et his manner of deliverance so as to give warning, he established his ad id, quod omnino non est, iure convertit; salutare autem suum justice and revealed it with greater clarity. semper ad monendum praeparavit, et iustitiam suam firmavit, et manifestiorem exhibuit. Sed nihil minus, et in instantibus temporibus zizaniorum satore per But nevertheless, in our time too, the sower of tares is trying to make the quosdam pravissimos et impiissimos homines ecclesiasticum agrum field of the church useless through some utterly depraved and impious inutilem reddere tentante; aequali people. With that one and the same providence, he has shown that this eadem que providentia et hunc field is worthy of compassion and snatched it from the filth of iniquity sollicitudine dignum exhibuit et a sordibus iniquitatis eripuit atque ad and called it back to its ancient purity. For, to destroy injustice and puritatem revocavit antiquam; reinforce divine justice, he has raised up, as an unwavering follower of piissimum enim et tranquillissimum imperatorem nostrum, qui divinae his commandments, a person proved to be incorrupt in both his iustitiae amator et iniustitiae hostis, et knowledge and his maintenance of the truth, our most devout and serene in mandatis eius manentem discipulum ipsius, demonstratum incorruptum et emperor, who is a friend of divine justice and an enemy of injustice. scientem et conservantem veritatem, excitavit ad iniustitiae peremptionem, et divinae iustitiae confirmationem. He, by means of the divine help and the overall favour of the church, has Qui per supernum auxilium et gratiam ecclesiastici tabernaculi, architectos a gathered together architects from the ends of the earth into this royal finibus orbis terrarum in hanc a Deo city, which must be built up by God, and has assembled a universal construendam et regiam urbem convocavit, et universalem synodum synod which, while guarding the strong defences of congregavit,  quae evangelicarum  the gospel sanctions, sanctionum  et Moysaicarum et  the laws of Moses and the prophets together with propheticarum legum,  the commands of the apostles  atque apostolicorum  and fathers as well as of  ac paternorum necnon et  the councils,  synodicorum mandatorum has revived the established forms of right conduct and proclaimed truth munimina custodiens, pietatis terminos renovavit et veritatem et iustitiam in and justice in the courts of the church. ecclesiasticis atriis praedicavit.

{recapitulation and reassertion of all previous ecumenical councils} Consequently, all of us bishops who have come to take part in the synod Hinc ergo et christianorum sinceram et immaculatam fidem et dogma and to strengthen the true and undefiled faith of Christians and the orthodoxae religionis omnes qui apud teaching of orthodox religion, we declare our belief in one God, in three eam convenimus sacrati roborantes, 2 credimus in unum Deum, in tribus consubstantialibus et divinis ac principalibus personis utputa quemadmodum tribus solibus invicem indissimilibus, vel in totidem persons consubstantial, divine and autonomous, as, for example, we may splendoribus unam luminis intuemur naturam; unum quidem et singularem look at the one nature of light in three suns not unlike each other or in Deum secundum rationem substantiae, the same number of dazzling objects. We confess, indeed, God to be trinum autem vel tria, si eum secundum rationem personarum one, unique in respect of substance, but threefold or three if we are praedicamus, et neque a se ut esse speaking of him in respect of persons, and we declare he has not factus, neque ab alio quomodolibet hoc accepisse fatemur; sed sine initio et received from himself that he has been made, nor in any way whatsoever aeternum, et solum semper from anyone else; but that he is alone, ever existing without beginning, exsistentem, et secundum eadem et similiter habentem, et nullam and eternal, ever the same and like to himself, and suffering no change commutationem vel conversionem or alteration, that he exists as the maker and source of all beings admittentem; factorem et conditorem omnium intelligibilium et sensibilium endowed with intelligence and feeling. For the holy and great synod of { existentem; sic enim et sancta et 1 } Nicaea spoke thus when expounding the creed: Light from light, true magna Nicaena synodus exponens fidei symbolum ait: Lumen de lumine, God, clearly declaring the Son to be from the Father who is true God, Deum verum, Filium de Deo vero Patre and the rest as the catholic church received it. We too, accepting this in manifeste praedicans, et reliqua, ut the identical meaning, anathematize as of unsound mind and an enemy catholica ecclesia accepit; quam et nos suscipientes uno sensu, vesanum et of the truth, Arius and all who, with him and following him, speculate veritatis inimicum Arium with faulty perceptions on the term “hetero-substantial”, that is otherness anathematizamus, et omnes qui cum ipso vel secundum ipsum de of substance and unlikeness, with reference to the divinely-ruling and thearchica et beata Trinitate to~g blessed Trinity. But no less do we accept the second, holy and universal heterousion~g id est alteritatem substantiae, et dissimilitudinem laesis synod {2 Constantinople I}, and we anathematize that adversary of the sensibus opinantur. Nihilominus autem Spirit or rather adversary of God, Macedonius; for we admit in the et secundam sanctam et universalem synodum suscipientes, distinction of persons no difference of substance between the Father, the pneumatomachum, quinimmo Son and the divine and autonomous Spirit, as the aforementioned theomachum anathematizamus Macedonium, neque in personarum heresiarchs did, nor do we confuse, like the lunatic Sabellius, the discretione differentiam substantiae persons in one and the same substance. Moreover, we also confess that Patris et Filii et divini et principalis Spiritus iuxta praedictos haeresiarchas the unique Word of God became incarnate and was made like us for our recipientes, neque in una eadem que sake, for it was not an angel or an envoy but the Lord himself who came substantia personas secundum amentissimum Sabellium and saved us and was made Emmanuel with us; and he was true God, confundentes; insuper et confitemur God of Israel and saviour of all, in accordance with the divine and unicum Dei Verbum incarnatum et factum fuisse propter nos secundum prophetic utterances. nos; non enim angelus, non legatus, sed ipse Dominus venit et salvavit nos, et nobis cum factus est Emmanuel; et iste erat Dominus verus, Deus Israel, et omnium salvator, secundum divinas et propheticas voces. For this reason we confess that Mary, most holy and without experience Unde et sanctissimam et nuptiarum ignaram Mariam, quae illum peperit, of marriage, who bore him, is properly and truly mother of God, just as proprie ac veraciter Dei genitricem the third universal synod, which first assembled at { 3 } Ephesus, fatemur, quemadmodum universalis tertia synodus, quae prius apud proclaimed. In union with that council we too anathematize Nestorius, Ephesum congregata est, praedicavit; that worshipper of the man and most self-opinionated individual who cum qua et nos hominis cultorem et iactantissimum atque iudaicum possessed a Jewish mentality. We teach that the one and same Christ and sensum habentem Nestorium Lord is twofold, that is, perfect God and perfect man, possessing in one anathematizamus, duplicem docentes unum eundem que Christum et person the differences of each nature but keeping their properties always Dominum, Deum scilicet perfectum et unchangeable and unconfused, just as the fourth, holy and universal hominem perfectum, in una persona utriusque naturae differentia, sed synod {4 Chalcedon } solemnly taught. In accepting this synod together proprietates inconvertibiles et with the three councils previously enumerated, just like the quadruplicity inconfusas perpetuo conservantem, quemadmodum et sancta universalis of the holy gospels, we anathematize the insane Eutyches and the mad quarta synodus dogmatizavit; quam Dioscorus. cum iam numeratis tribus conciliis tanquam sanctorum evangeliorum quaternitatem suscipientes, 3 anathematizamus delirum Eutychetem et vecordem Dioscorum. Quin et duas naturas in uno Christo In addition, proclaiming the two natures in the one Christ, according to secundum manifestiorem expositionem sanctae quintae universalis synodi the still clearer teaching of the fifth, holy and universal synod { 5 praedicantes, anathematizamus Constantinople II}, we anathematize Severus , Peter and Zoharas the Severum et Petrum et Zohoram Syrum; Origenem etiam qui vana sapuit, et Syrian, as well as Origen with his useless knowledge, Theodore of Theodorum Mopsuestiae; Didymum Mopsuestia and Didymus along with Evagrius, who also, although of the quoque pariter et Evagrium, qui etiam secundum easdem et diversas same or different opinions, were ensnared in the same pit of damnation. opiniones eodem perditionis irretiti sunt barathro. Et cum praedictis synodis consonantem et eadem sentientem Further, we accept the sixth, holy and universal synod {6 Constantinople sanctam et universalem sextam synodum suscipientes, quae in unius III}, which shares the same beliefs and is in harmony with the Christi duabus naturis consequenter previously mentioned synods in that it wisely laid down that in the two etiam duas operationes ac totidem voluntates sapienter asseveravit; natures of the one Christ there are, as a consequence, two principles of anathematizamus autem Theodorum action and the same number of wills. So, we anathematize Theodore qui fuit episcopus Pharan, et Sergium et Pyrrhum et Paulum et Petrum impios who was bishop of Pharan, Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paul and Peter, the unholy praesules Constantinopolitanorum prelates of the church of Constantinople, and with these, Honorius of ecclesiae, atque cum eis Honorium Romae, una cum Cyro Alexandriae, Rome, Cyrus of Alexandria as well as Macarius of Antioch and his necnon et Macarium Antiochiae ac disciple Stephen, who followed the false teachings of the unholy discipulum eius Stephanum, qui malae opinionis Apollinarii et Eutychetis ac heresiarchs Apollinarius, Eutyches and Severus and proclaimed that the Severi impiorum haeresiarcharum flesh of God, while being animated by a rational and intellectual soul, dogmata sectantes, sine operatione ac sine voluntate animatam anima was without a principle of action and without a will, they themselves rationabili et intellectuali Dei carnem, being impaired in their senses and truly without reason. For if the one sensibus laesis et revera sine ratione praedicaverunt; si enim Deus perfectus and same Christ and God exists as perfect God and perfect man, it is et homo perfectus unus idem Christus most certain that none of the natures which belong to him can exist et Deus exstitit, certissimum est quod nulla secundum partem naturarum, partially without a will or without a principle of action, but that he quae sunt ei, sine voluntate vel sine carried out the mystery of his stewardship when willing and acting in operatione consistat, sed secundum utramque substantiam volens et accordance with each substance; this is how the chorus of all God’s operans consummaverit magnum spokesmen, having knowledge of it from the apostles down to our own dispensationis mysterium, quemadmodum et omnium time, have constructed a colourful representation of that human form, deiloquorum chorus, ab apostolis assigning to each part of the one Christ natural properties distinct from usque ad nos hoc certissime sciens, etiam imaginem humanae illius formae each other, by which the meanings and conceptions of his divine nature depingens erexit, impendens utrique and of his human nature are believed beyond all doubt to remain without parti unius Christi distinctas invicem naturales proprietates, per quas procul confusion. dubio significationes et notiones divinae ipsius et humanae naturae inconfuse permanere creduntur. Sicut etiam septimam sanctam et universalem in Nicaea secundo We also know that the seventh, holy and universal synod, held for the celebratam synodum orthodoxe second time at {7} Nicaea, taught correctly when it professed the one dogmatizasse novimus, unum et eundem Christum dominum invisibilem and same Christ as both invisible and visible lord, incomprehensible and et visibilem professam, et comprehensible, unlimited and limited, incapable and capable of incomprehensibilem et comprehensibilem, et suffering, inexpressible and expressible in writing. incircumscriptum et circumscriptum, impassibilem etiam et passibilem, atque inscriptibilem et scriptibilem. In agreement with that synod, this holy and universal synod publicly Cui concordans et sancta haec et universalis synodus, magna voce anathematizes Anastasius , Constantine and Nicetas , that irrational anathematizat Anastasium, prelature whose name stinks, or, to put it better, that plain corruption; so Constantinum et Nicetam, irrationalem stercoralis nominis praesulatum vel, too Theodosius of Ephesus, Sisinnius Pastilas and Basil Tricacabus, not quod est magis dicendum, putredinem; forgetting Theodoret, Antony and John, once prelates of new Rome, the necnon et Theodosium Ephesium et Sisinnium Pastilam et Basilium royal city of Christians, but better called defamers of Christ. They Tricacabum, quin potius et declared by word and deed that, despite what the list of prophets Theodoretum et Antonium atque 4 Ioannem, quondam praesules novae Romae, regiae civitatis christianorum, immo Christi calumniatores; quem videlicet nequaquam valuisse idolorum proclaimed about Christ, he had been incapable of destroying the statues exterminare statuas, ut de eo pronuntiavit prophetarum catalogus, of the idols. Furthermore, we also anathematize Theodore, who was operibus et verbis praedicaverunt; called Krithinos, whom this great and holy synod summoned and adhuc etiam et Theodorum qui dictus est Crithinus, quem et haec sancta et condemned and loudly dinned an anathema into his ears. Similarly we magna synodus convocans et anathematize all those who agreed with or supported those who said that redarguens, magna voce anathema ipsius auribus intulit; simili quoque the Word of the divine incarnation came about and existed by fantasy modo anathematizamus et omnes and supposition, indeed that through the removal of the image of our consentaneos et fautores eorum, a quibus dicebatur quod sermo divinae Christ and saviour there came the simultaneous removal of the accepted incarnationis per phantasiam et form of the true body which bore God within it. Everything which putative factus exstiterit, per abolitionem scilicet imaginis Christi et cannot be grasped by the imagination is surely to be understood in two salvatoris nostri, simul etiam sublatae ways, either as not existing or as in fact existing but minimally formae cum ea verissimae illius et deiferae carnis; bifarie quippe understandable, inasmuch as being invisible and hidden. intelligitur omne quod nequaquam imagine comprehenditur, aut velut non exsistens, aut velut exsistens quidem, sed minime comprehensibile, utpote invisibile et obstrusum. Si quis igitur horum aliquid forte super Christo omnium nostrum Deo et Therefore, if anyone happens to have taught any of these things about salvatore perhibuerit, impius liquido declarabitur, quandoquidem unum Christ the God and saviour of us all, he will be clearly proclaimed an horum non fuisse factum secundum enemy of true religion, since the first of these declares that Emmanuel veritatem hominem Emmanuel ostendit, alterum vero factum quidem was not truly made man and the second declares that he was indeed man fuisse, sed humanis proprietatibus but lacked human qualities, laid aside the flesh he assumed and had caruisse et assumptam carnem deposuisse, ad divinam atque recourse in everything to his divine [nature] and to his incomprehensibilitatem per omnia incomprehensibility; this is alien to all the divinely inspired scriptures, recursum fecisse demonstrat, quod alienum est ab omnibus divinitus which also clearly state that he will come once more as judge of all, and inspiratis scripturis, quae etiam iterum he is to be seen in the same way as he was seen by his disciples and eum venturum iudicem omnium prorsus affirmant, similiter que apostles when he was taken up into heaven. videndum, quemadmodum visus est discipulis et apostolis suis ad caelos assumptus. Illud autem manichaeica opinione ac impietate plenum est, quo insensate That theory is full of Manichaean ideas and ungodliness inasmuch as it dicitur, de eo divini David eloquium foolishly declares that a saying of the divinely inspired David was pronuntiatum fuisse, et quod perhibet: spoken about Christ, in which it says, He has set his tabernacle in the In sole posuit tabernaculum suum, cum videlicet haec impietas abiectionem ac sun, since this impiety supposes that the casting off and laying aside of depositionem significari per id dominici the Lord’s deified body is meant. But the word of truth confidently says, ac deifici corporis opinetur; sed verbum veritatis et de pheronymo both concerning the well-named Manes and all those who share his Manete et de singulis qui cum eo thought and are authors of the heresy about the destruction of icons and sapiunt et iconomachicae sunt auctores haereseos, atque de aliis all other heresiarchs and enemies of religion: They have not known nor omnibus haeresiarchis ac impiis, understood, but they walked in darkness. fiducialiter ait: Non cognoverunt neque intellexerunt, sed in tenebris ambulaverunt. Etenim o qui derelinquitis vias rectas O you who abandon the right way and walk in the way of darkness, who et ambulatis in viis tenebrarum, o qui rejoice in wrongdoing and exult in evil conversion; O you whose paths laetamini in malis et exsultatis in eversione mala; quorum semitae are evil and steps crooked so that they take you far from the right way pravae sunt et curvi gressus eorum, ut and make you foreign to right thinking! Again, those who sowed what longe faciant a via recta et alienos a iusta sententia; et rursus: Qui a vento was corrupted by the wind have received destruction as their reward; and corrupta seminaverunt, et eversio again, He that trusts in lies feeds the winds: eorum excepit ea; et iterum: Qui innititur mendaciis, hic pascet ventos. and the same person runs after birds that fly away. For he has abandoned Idem autem ipse persequetur aves volantes: dereliquit enim vias vineae the rows of his vines, he wanders in the furrows of his field; for he suae, in axiis autem agri sui errat; 5 deambulat enim per inaquosum wanders through a waterless desert and a great parched plain, yet gathers desertum et terram extensam in siti, no fruit in his hands. congregat autem in manibus suis sterilitatem. Propter quod hos omnes transmittit For this reasons [the church] brands all these with an anathema and, anathemati, et dinumeratas nobis sanctas et universales septem synodos besides recognizing the seven, holy and universal synods already recipiens, et hanc octavam enumerated by us, has gathered together this eighth universal synod universalem synodum congregavit per gratiam omnipotentis Christi et Dei through the grace of our all powerful Christ and God and the piety and nostri, et pietatem ac studium zeal of our most serene and divinely strengthened emperor, to cut down tranquillissimi ac divinitus roborati imperatoris nostri ad excidendum et and destroy the shoots of injustice that have sprung up against those disperdendum per eas exortas synods, together with the evil stirrings and influences, in order to bring propagines iniustitiae ac iniquos nisus seu promotiones, ad efficiendum about peaceful order in the church and stability in the world. pacificum ecclesiae ordinem et orbis stabilitatem. For it is not only the removal of true teaching which knows how to Non enim sola verorum dogmatum destroy those of evil mind and to agitate and disturb the church, but also privatio novit perdere male opinantes, et tumultuari ac turbare ecclesiam, sed quibbling over the meaning of the divine commandments equally brings et divinorum mandatorum the same destruction on those who are not vigilant, and the world is praevaricationes nihilominus eandem perditionem non vigilantibus excitant, filled with storms and disturbances by those who are reckoned as et aestu ac fluctibus implent orbem, Christians. qui Christi appellatione censentur.

Quod etiam et per Photii miseri insipientiam et astutiam et malignam operationem per instantia tempora factum est; qui non per ostium, sed per This is what happened in recent times through the folly, cunning and evil fenestram in aulam ingressus ovium, machinations of the wretched Photius. He entered the sheepfold not quasi fur et latro, animarum grassator, quemadmodum dominicus sermo through the door but through a window, and, like a thief or a robber, a designat, omni tempore et omni destroyer of souls, as the Lord’s words indicate, has tried, on every fortitudine furari et mactare ac perdere rationabiles pecudes Christi tentavit, occasion and by every means, to steal, slaughter and destroy the right- multas que persequutiones operans, thinking sheep of Christ and, by engineering all manner of persecution, plures custodias et carceres ac rerum he has not ceased from contriving numerous arrests and imprisonments, publicationes atque longissimos exsulatus, et super haec confiscations of property, protracted periods of exile and, in addition to insimulationes, sed accusationes et these, accusations, charges, false testimonies and forgeries against all falsiloquia et scriptiones fictas, contra omnes zelatores pietatis et who worked for true religion and fought for the truth. For he, like propugnatores veritatis commentando another Severus or Dioscorus, engineered the expulsion of the most just, non destitit, iustissimum videlicet et legitimum atque canonicum summum lawful and canonically appointed high priest of the church of sacerdotem Constantinopolitanorum Constantinople, namely the most holy patriarch Ignatius, and like an ecclesiae, sanctissimum scilicet patriarcham Ignatium, ut alter quidam adulterous robber, breaking into his see and repeatedly submitting him to Severus seu Dioscorus expellere a thousand charges involving dethronement and as many anathemas, he machinans, et instar latronis adulteri sedem illius invadens, et mille roused continuous turmoil and storms for all the churches of Christ our depositoriis sententiis ac totidem saviour, in a multiplicity of ways. anathematibus affatim eum submittens atque multifarie multis que modis incessantem turbationem et aestum cunctis Christi et salvatoris nostri ecclesiis excitans. However, the salt of the earth has not lost its savour, nor has the eye of Verumtamen non est infatuatum sal terrae neque oculus ecclesiae penitus the church become completely darkened, nor has the light of true extenebratus, neque luminare, religion been extinguished by the spirits of wickedness; nor has the fire malitiae spiritibus, pietatis extinctum est, neque ignis divinae charitatis of divine charity lost its destroying and burning power over sinful and consumptoriam et incendentem worthless material, nor has the word of the Lord, which is sharper than a operationem peccabilis et levis materiae perdidit, neque sermo two-edged sword and a discerner of thoughts, been found ineffectual, Domini, qui est acutior gladio ancipiti nor did the foundation of solid stone collapse when submerged by et cogitationum discretor, inefficax inventus est, neque solidae petrae 6 fundamentum collusionibus vel inundationibus fluminum et pluviarum swollen waters and floods of rivers and storms, but the precious demersum concidit; sed lapis angularis et pretiosus, qui in Sion, id est in cornerstone, which was laid down in Sion, that is, in the church, upon ecclesia positus, super quem which the foundation stone of the apostles and prophets was laid for the fundamentum apostolorum et prophetarum in aedificationem building up of the church, in our time has sent out from every one of the ecclesiae positum est, multos quidem church’s established ranks, even into the ruling city, the new Rome, alios in generatione nostra emisit volubiles lapides super terram, ut many other stones rolling over the land, as the prophet says, to destroy propheta dicit, ab omni ordine catalogi and lay waste the intrigues of those who desired and attempted to ecclesiastici etiam in regnante urbe et Roma nova, confringentes scilicet et destroy truth and divine justice. conterentes machinamenta eorum, qui devastare veritatem et divinam iustitiam voluerunt et tentaverunt. Potius autem atque praecipue veluti quendam alterum angularem lapidem But with greater force and particular significance, Nicholas, the most illius quodammodo conservantem, quantum fieri potest, imaginalem blessed and aptly-named pope of old Rome, was sent from above as similitudinem contra Photii another cornerstone for the church, preserving as far as possible the propugnacula, tanquam a quodam excelso et perspicuo loco, Nicolaum figurative likeness, as from an exalted and pre-eminent place, to beatissimum et pheronymum papam confront the carefully organised opposition of Photius. By the missiles senioris Romae desursum misit, qui iaculis epistolarum suarum atque of his letters and speeches, he struck down the powerful leading verborum, et Photii fautores principes supporters of Photius and, reflecting a story of the old Testament, after ac potentes perculit, et versa vice veteris historiae, quemadmodum the manner of the zealot Phinehas, he pierced Photius with the lance of alterum quendam Madianitam Photium truth as if he were another Midianite defiling the assembly of Israel; and cum israelitide ecclesia moechantem, secundum zelatorem Phinees, veritatis he completely destroyed him on his not [added in Hrd [1]] agreeing to mucrone pupugit, et non accept the remedies of a healing discipline aimed at treating the scars acquiescentem remedia medicinalis disciplinae suscipere ad adulterii and healing the adulterous wound, and just as another Peter dealt with vulneris sanitatem et cicatricem Ananias and Sapphira, who stole what belonged to God, by an anathema consequendam, penitus interfecit atque cum coniuncta ei quasi included as it were in his priestly dignity, he committed him to death. sacerdotali dignitate per anathema, ut alter Petrus Ananiam et Saphyram, qui divina furati sunt, morti transmisit. Huius autem definitionibus et decretis innixus piissimus et Christi amicus imperator noster quem caelestis Imperator et Dominus maiestatis in Following these directives and decrees, the most religious friend of salutem orbis terrarum erexit, Photio quidem convenientem impertitus est Christ, our emperor, whom the heavenly Emperor and Lord of majesty locum, sanctissimum vero patriarcham has raised up for the salvation of the world, has consigned Photius to a Ignatium ad thronum proprium revocavit. Porro ad perfectam suitable place and recalled the most holy patriarch Ignatius to his rightful discretionem et distinctionem eius seat. Furthermore, for the perfect discernment and definition of what is quod bonum esse constat et expedit, vicarios etiam ex omnibus agreed to be good and is beneficial, he has gathered together vicars from patriarchalibus thronis, necnon et all the patriarchal seats and the whole college of bishops which is under omnem episcoporum catalogum, qui his authority. Those of us who came together have celebrated this great sub potestate sua degit, in idipsum collegit; qui videlicet convenientes and universal synod and, with much examination, testing and discussion, magnam hanc et universalem with due care and consistency, we have cut out with the sword of the celebravimus synodum, et cum multo scrutinio et probatione atque tractatu, spirit the roots of scandals and weeds along with their shoots, as we delimate ac convenienter, establish the truly innocent and most holy patriarch Ignatius in the scandalorum et zizaniorum radices una cum germinibus gladio spiritus controlling seat, while we condemn Photius, the interloper and illegal excidimus, insontem scilicet et occupier with all his supporters and promoters of evil. For almighty God sanctissimum patriarcham Ignatium in proprii throni cardine stabilientes, et says somewhere by the mouth of a prophet: Because of the wickedness Photium pervasorem atque adulterum of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will do no more to cum omnibus sequacibus suis et nequitiae fautoribus condemnantes. love them. Dicit enim quodam loco per prophetae vocem universorum Deus: Propter malitias adinventionum suarum de domo mea eiiciam eos; et ultra non addam ut diligam eos. 7 Doluit Ephrem, radices suas aruit, fructum ultra non afferet; et iterum: Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; and Chanaan in manu eius statera again: Canaan, there is a deceitful balance in his hand, he has loved iniustitiae, vim inferre dilexit, et dixit Ephrem: Verumtamen dives factus oppression. And Ephraim said: But yet I am become rich, I have found sum, inveni refrigerium mihi. Omnes for myself a place of repose: all his labours shall not find me, despite the labores eius non invenientes et propter iniustitias, quas peccavi, et iterum: Et iniquities that I have committed; and again: And the house of Jacob shall hereditabunt domus Iacob eos, qui possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be afire and the hereditate recuperant eos, et erit domus Iacob ignis, et domus Ioseph house of Joseph aflame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn flamma; domus autem Esau in them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor to the house of stipulam, et exardescent in eos et comedent eos, et non erit qui ignem Esau, for the Lord has spoken. ferat domui Esau, quia Dominus loquutus est. Miser namque Photius erat veraciter ut homo, qui non posuit Deum adiutorem suum, sed speravit in multitudine versutiarum suarum, et praevaluit in For the wretched Photius was truly like the person who did not make vanitate malitiarum suarum, secundum God his refuge; but trusted in the abundance of his cunning and sought veterem illum Ephrem, discedens a divinis iustificationibus; quem irridens refuge in the vanity of his iniquities, following the example of Ephraim et subsannans propheticus sermo, ita of old, in turning his back on the divine mercy; the word of the prophet dicit: Ephrem factus est subcinericius mocks and derides him, saying: Ephraim is become as bread baked panis, qui non reversatur, et manducaverunt alieni fortitudinem under ashes, that is not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength and eius. he knew it not, grey hairs also are spread upon him, and he is ignorant of it. He shall be humbled by the insult of Israel before his face; and in all Ipse autem non agnovit, et cani effloruerunt ei, et ipse non cognovit, et this he has not returned to the Lord, his God. Ephraim is become as a humiliabitur iniuria Israel in faciem dove, that called upon the table of Egypt and went to the Assyrians. ipsius, et in omnibus his non est conversus ad dominum Deum suum. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them as upon the birds of the air; I will bring them down, I will strike them to make their Ephrem columba, a mensa Aegyptum tribulation heard. invocabat, et in Assyrios ibat; cum profecti fuerint, immittam super eos rete meum, sicut volatilia caeli, et attraham et corripiam eos in auditionem tribulationis eorum. For Photius was lifted up to the heights of arrogance in attacking the In supremam quippe arrogantiam elatus est contra beatissimum papam most blessed pope of old Rome, Nicholas, and he vomited out the poison Nicolaum senioris Romae, malitiae of his evil. He gathered together false vicars from three supposedly suae venenum evomuit; et falsos vicarios trium quasi orientalium sedium eastern sees, set up what was thought to be a synodical council, and, congregans et concilium synodale, et making lists of the names of accusers and witnesses, fashioning profiles putabatur, constituens, et accusatorum ac testium componens nomina, et and speeches which seemed to be suited to each person who plays a part personas ac verba formans, quae in a synodical investigation, and making up, writing down and singulis eorum quasi aptari viderentur, qui in synodica iudicatione inveniuntur, organizing forged records as accounts of those proceedings, he had the et quasi monumenta horum libros audacity to anathematize the aforementioned most blessed pope falsidicos fingens et scribens atque componens, anathematizare Nicholas and all those in communion with him. Photius did this in such praesumpsit praedictum beatissimum a way that as a result all the existing bishops and priests, that is, the papam Nicolaum et omnes communicatores eius; ita ut ex hoc other patriarchal sees and all the clerics within them, were included in etiam universos, qui sub caelo erant the same anathema, for all were most certainly in communion with the pontifices et sacerdotes, id est et caeteras patriarchales sedes et leading bishop, and amongst them himself and his followers. The word omnem sacrum catalogum qui sub of the prophet condemns and refutes him when it says: They have ipsis degit, sub eodem comprehendere anathemate; erant enim omnes multiplied their transgressions, they have enacted extraneous laws and certissime communicatores praelati invoked their confession; and again: They conceived in their heart lying pontificis, in quibus eum et qui cum ipso sunt, propheticus sermo words and turned justice back, and righteousness has stood afar off from redarguens et diffamans ita dicit: them; for truth has been destroyed in their streets and they have been Multiplicaverunt ut impie agerent, et legerunt foris leges, et invocaverunt unable to follow the right path. Truth has disappeared and changed their confessionem; et rursus: Et meditati mind so that it cannot understand. sunt in corde suo sermones iniustos, et posuerunt retrorsum iudicium, et 8 iustitia longe recessit ab eis; quia consumpta est in viis eorum veritas et per vias rectas non potuerunt transire, et veritas sublata est, et transtulit mentem suam ut non intelligeret. And: He who turns from evil is attacked, and the Lord saw and it Et: Qui declinat a malo impugnatur, et vidit Dominus, et non placuit ei, quia displeased him because there was no judgment, and again: Thus says the non erat iudicium; et rursus: Haec dicit Lord: For three transgressions of Judah and for four, I will grant them no Dominus: super tribus impietatibus Iuda et super quattuor non convertam reprieve; because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not eum, pro eo quod repulerunt legem kept his statutes. Domini et praecepta eius non custodierunt. Hunc itaque qui sic affectavit, et talibus ac tot conatibus et Therefore, as regards the man who has acted in this way and has temeritatibus turbavit et concussit totam sanctam catholicam et disturbed and shaken the whole holy, catholic and apostolic church with apostolicam ecclesiam, et nullatenus so many brazen attacks of this kind, has utterly refused to be converted converti ac poenitere voluit, neque subdi decreto et iudicio sanctarum and repent, and has refused to submit to the decrees and judgment of the patriarchalium sedium consensit, ut holy patriarchal sees, just as long ago the most blessed pope Nicholas eum et multo ante anathematizavit beatissimus papa Nicolaus, ac deinde and then his successor, the most holy pope Hadrian, anathematized him, successor eius sanctissimus Adrianus so too this holy and universal synod has reproved him and put him under papa, ita et sancta haec et universalis synodus reprobavit et anathemati an ever severer anathema while addressing to him, in the person of all magis ac magis mandavit, dicens ad God’s people, the words of the prophet Isaiah: Just as a garment soiled eum ex persona cunctorum Dei per Isaiae prophetae vocem: Quomodo in blood will not be clean, so you will not be clean, for you have defiled vestimentum in sanguine the church of Christ and have been a source of scandal and destruction to coinquinatum non erit mundum, ita nec tu eris mundus; quia ecclesiam the people of God on many counts and in many ways. Christi adulterasti et populum Domini multis partibus et multis modis scandalizasti et perdidisti. Eos autem qui sic se non habent, sed We command that those who do not share this view, but give Photius illi faventes adhaerent, si quidem their willing support, if they are bishops or clerics, must be deposed for episcopi vel clerici sunt, in perpetuum depositos fore praecipimus; monachos ever; we anathematize monks or lay people, until such time as they are autem seu laicos anathematizamus, converted from their false ways and wickedness. quousque a sua seductione atque malitia convertantur.

Per aequam et regiam divinae iustitiae viam inoffense incedere volentes, veluti quasdam lampades semper lucentes et illuminantes gressus nostros, qui secundum Deum sunt, sanctorum patrum definitiones et sensus retinere debemus. Luci enim veraciter assimilatae sunt Quapropter et has ut secunda eloquia secundum magnum et divinorum canonum hortationes et sapientissimum Dionysium arbitrantes et existimantes, etiam de dehortationes, secundum quod discernitur melius a peiori, et eis cum divino David promptissime canamus: Mandatum Domini expediens atque proficuum ab eo quod lucidum illuminans oculos et: Lucerna pedibus meis lux tua, et non expedire, sed et obesse dignoscitur. lumen semitis meis; et cum Proverbiatore dicimus: Mandatum tuum lucidum, et lex tua lux: et cum magna voce cum Isaia clamamus ad dominum Deum, quia lux praecepta tua sunt super terram. CANONS

CANONS

Igitur regulas, quae sanctae catholicae 1. Therefore we declare that we are preserving and maintaining the ac apostolicae ecclesiae tam a sanctis canons which have been entrusted to the holy, catholic and apostolic famosissimis apostolis, quam ab orthodoxorum universalibus, nec non church by the holy and renowned apostles, and by universal as well as et localibus conciliis, vel etiam a local councils of orthodox [bishops], and even by any inspired father or quolibet deiloquo patre ac magistro ecclesiae tradita sunt, servare ac teacher of the church. Consequently, we rule our own life and conduct custodire profitemur; his et propriam by these canons and we decree that all those who have the rank of priests vitam et mores regentes, et omnem sacerdotii catalogum, sed et omnes qui and all those who are described by the name of Christian are, by christiano censentur vocabulo, poenis ecclesiastical law, included under the penalties and condemnations as et damnationibus et, e diverso, receptionibus ac iustificationibus quae well as, on the other hand, the absolutions and acquittals which have per illas prolatae sunt et definitae, been imposed and defined by them. For Paul, the great apostle, openly subiici canonice decernentes; tenere quippe traditiones, quas accepimus, urges us to preserve the traditions which we have received, either by sive per sermonem, sive per epistolam word or by letter, of the saints who were famous in times past. sanctorum qui antea fulserunt, Paulus admonet aperte magnus apostolus.

Obedite praepositis vestris et subiacete illis; ipsi enim pervigilant pro animabus vestris tamquam rationem 2. Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch reddituri, Paulus magnus apostolus praecipit. Itaque beatissimum papam over your souls, as persons who will have to give account, commands Nicolaum tamquam organum sancti Paul, the great apostle. So, having both the most blessed pope Nicholas Spiritus habentes, nec non et sanctissimum Hadrianum papam as the instrument of the holy Spirit and his successor, the most holy pope successorem eius, definimus atque Hadrian, we declare and order that everything which has been sancimus etiam omnia quae ab eis expounded and promulgated by them in a synod at various times, both synodice per diversa tempora exposita sunt et promulgata, tam pro for the defence and well-being of the church of Constantinople and of its defensione ac statu chief priest, namely Ignatius, its most holy patriarch, as well as for the Constantinopolitanorum ecclesiae, et summi sacerdotis eius, Ignatii videlicet expulsion and condemnation of Photius, the upstart and usurper, should sanctissimi patriarchae, quam etiam be maintained and observed together with the canons there set forth, pro Photii neophyti et invasoris expulsione ac condemnatione, servari unchanged and unaltered, and no bishop, priest or deacon or anyone semper et custodiri cum expositis from the ranks of the clergy should dare to overturn or reject any of capitulis immutilata pariter et illaesa, et nullum episcoporum, aut these things. presbyterorum, vel diaconorum, aut quempiam de catalogo clericorum evertere, vel reprobare aliquid horum audere. Quisquis autem post hanc definitionem nostram comprehensus fuerit spernens Whoever, then, shall be found, after these directives of ours, despising quidquam capitulorum et decretorum any of the articles or decrees which have been promulgated by these quae ab illis exposita sunt, si quidem sacerdos fuerit aut clericus, a proprio popes, must be stripped of his dignity and rank, if he is a priest or cleric; decidat honore simul et ordine: a monk or lay person, of whatever dignity, must be excommunicated monachus autem, vel laicus, cuiuscumque sit dignitatis, segregetur, until he repents and promises to observe all the decrees in question. donec poenitens profiteatur se conservaturum praedictorum editionem.

3.We decree that the sacred image of our lord Jesus Christ, the redeemer Sacram imaginem domini nostri Iesu Christi et omnium liberatoris et and saviour of all people, should be venerated with honour equal to that salvatoris aequo honore cum libro given to the book of the holy gospels. For, just as through the written sanctorum evangeliorum adorati decernimus. Sicut enim per syllabarum words which are contained in the book, we all shall obtain salvation, so eloquia, quae in libro feruntur, salutem through the influence that colours in painting exercise on the consequemur omnes, ita per colorum imaginariam operationem, et sapientes imagination, all, both wise and simple, obtain benefit from what is et idiotae cuncti, ex eo quod in 10 promptu est perfruuntur utilitate; quae before them; for as speech teaches and portrays through syllables, so too enim in syllabis sermo, haec et does painting by means of colours. It is only right then, in accordance scriptura, quae in coloribus est, with true reason and very ancient tradition, that icons should be praedicat et commendat; et dignum est, ut secundum congruentiam honoured and venerated in a derivative way because of the honour which rationis, et antiquissimam traditionem is given to their archetypes, and it should be equal to that given to the propter honorem, quia ad principalia ipsa referentur, etiam derivative sacred book of the holy gospels and the representation of the precious iconae honorentur, et adorentur aeque cross. ut sanctorum sacer evangeliorum liber, atque typus preciosae Crucis. Si quis ergo non adorat iconam salvatoris Christi, non videat formam If anyone then does not venerate the icon of Christ, the saviour, let him eius, quando veniet in gloria paterna glorificari et glorificare sanctos suos, not see his face when he comes in his father’s glory to be glorified and sed alienus sit a communione ipsius et to glorify his saints’, but let him be cut off from his communion and claritate: similiter autem et imaginem splendour; similarly the image of Mary, his immaculate mother and intemeratae matris eius et Dei genitricis Mariae; insuper et iconas mother of God, we also paint the icons of the holy angels just as divine sanctorum angelorum depingimus, scripture depicts them in words; we also honour and venerate those of quemadmodum eos figurat verbis divina scriptura; sed et the highly renowned apostles, prophets, martyrs and holy men as well as laudabilissimorum apostolorum, those of all the saints. Let those who are not so disposed be anathema prophetarum, martyrum, et sanctorum virorum, simul et omnium sanctorum, from the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit. et honoramus et adoramus. Et qui sic se non habent, anathema sint a Patre, et Filio, et Spiritu sancto.

Amorem principatus, utpote quamdam 4. In tearing up by the roots the love of power, as being an evil root malam radicem exortorum in ecclesia scandalorum, radicibus excidentes, nourishing the scandals which have arisen in the church, we condemn, eum qui temere et praevaricatorie ac with a just decree, him who boldly, cunningly and unlawfully, like a irregulariter, veluti quidam gravis dangerous wolf, leapt into the sheepfold of Christ; we are speaking lupus, in Christi ovile insiliit, Photium scilicet, qui mille tumultibus et about Photius, who has filled the whole world with a thousand upheavals turbationibus orbem terrae replevit, and disturbances. We declare that he never was nor is now a bishop, nor iusto decreto damnamus, promulgantes nunquam fuisse prius must those, who were consecrated or given advancement by him to any aut nunc esse episcopum, nec eos qui grade of the priesthood, remain in that state to which they were in aliquo sacerdotali gradu ab eo consecrati vel promoti sunt manere in promoted. Moreover, we debar from this kind of preferment those who eo ad quod provecti sunt: insuper et received from Photius the customary rescripts for promotion to special eos qui ab illo consuetas orationes ad praepositurae promotionem office. susceperunt, ab huiusmodi patrocinio coercemus. Sed et ecclesias quas, ut putatur, tam As for the churches which Photius and those who were ordained by him Photius quam ii qui ab ipso consecrati are thought to have consecrated and the altars which they are thought to sunt, dedicaverunt, vel si commotas mensas stabilierunt, rursus dedicari et have renovated after they had been torn down, we decree that they are to inthronizari atque stabiliri decernimus; be consecrated, anointed and renovated again. In sum, everything that omnibus maxime quae in ipso, et ab ipso ad sacerdotalis gradus was done in his person and by him, for the establishing or penalizing of acceptionem vel damnationem acta the sacerdotal state, has been abrogated. For the God of the whole sunt in irritum ductis. Dicit enim universorum Deus per prophetam: universe says through his prophet: Because you have rejected Quia in scientiam repulisti, et ego knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me and, You have repellam te, ne sacerdotio fungaris mihi; et oblita es legum Dei tui, et ego forgotten the laws of your God, I also will forget your children. The obliviscar filiorum tuorum. Si more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change secundum multitudinem eorum sic peccaverunt mihi, gloriam ipsorum in their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people; they bloat inhonorantiam ponam: peccata populi their souls with their iniquities. And again he says: Because Ephraim has mei comedent, et in iniustitiis suis accipient animas suas. Et iterum dicit: multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sins; 1 Quia multiplicavit Ephrem altaria in will write copiously about them. peccatum, facta sunt ei altaria delicta: scribam in ea multitudinem.

Omnem canonicam stabilitatem in ecclesiis semper manere in Christo providere cupientes, renovamus et confirmamus terminos et vacationes, 5. Since we desire to ensure, in Christ, that the stability of the canons quae olim a sanctis apostolis et beatis should always remain firm in the churches, we renew and confirm the patribus nostris editae, legem in ecclesia posuerunt, non oportere limits and conditions which were formerly decreed by the holy apostles antistitem promovere quemquam, qui and our holy fathers and which made it a law in the church that nobody, est vel secundum fidem, vel secundum sacerdotalem sortem neophytus, ne who is a neophyte in the faith or priestly office, should be made a inflatus, in iudicium incidat, et laqueum bishop, lest he be puffed up and fall into the judgment and snare of the diaboli, sicut dicit Apostolus. devil, as the Apostle says. Therefore, in accordance with the previous canons, we declare that nobody of senatorial rank or a secular way of Prioribus ergo canonibus concordantes, definimus; neminem de senatoria life, who has recently been admitted to the tonsure with the intention or dignitate, vel mundana conversatione expectation of the honour of becoming a bishop or patriarch, and who nuper tonsum super intentione vel expectatione pontificatus vel has been made a cleric or monk, should rise to such a level, even if he is patriarchatus honoris, clericum aut shown to have completed a considerable time in each stage of the divine monachum factum, ad huiusmodi scandere gradum, licet per singulos priesthood. For it is clear that the tonsure was not received for religious ordines divini sacerdotii plurimum reasons, love of God or hope of progressing along the path of the virtues, temporis fecisse probetur: neque enim propter religionem vel amorem Dei, but for love of glory and honour. We exclude such people still more aut propter expectationem transeundi rigorously if they are pushed forward by imperial backing. viam virtutum, sed ob amorem gloriae ac principatus tonsus huiusmodi reperitur: magis autem coercemus huiusmodi, si ab imperatoria dignitate ad hoc compellatur. Si vero quis per nullam suspicionem praedictae concupiscentiae expectationis, sed propter ipsum However, if someone gives no suspicion of seeking the worldly benefits bonum humilitatis, quae est circa just mentioned, but, prompted by the actual good of a humility which is Christum Iesum, abrenuntians mundo, fiat clericus, aut monachus, et omnem centered on Christ, renounces the world and becomes a cleric or monk gradum ecclesiasticum transigens, per and, while passing through every ecclesiastical grade, is found without definita nunc tempora irreprehensibilis inventus exstiterit et probatus, ita ut in reproach and of good character during the periods of time currently gradu lectoris annum compleat, in established, so that he completes one year in the order of lector, two in subdiaconi vero duos, sit que diaconus that of subdeacon, three as deacon and four as priest, this holy and tribus, et presbyter quatuor annis, bene placuit huic sanctae et universali universal synod has decreed that such a one may be chosen and synodo eligi hunc et admitti. Circa hos admitted. As for those who have remained religiously in the order of autem qui religiose morati sunt ordine clericorum, et monachorum, digni cleric or monk and have been judged worthy of the dignity and honour iudicati sunt pontificatus dignitate of the episcopacy, we reduce the aforesaid period of time to that which pariter et honore; praedictum tempus abbreviamus, nimirum secundum quod the superiors of these bishops approved at the time. If, however, anyone episcoporum praelati probaverint qui has been advanced to this supreme honour contrary to this directive of per tempora fuerint. Si vero praeter hanc definitionem nostram quisquam ours, he must be condemned and completely excluded from all priestly ad iam fatum supremum honorem functions, because he has been elevated contrary to the sacred canons. provectus exstiterit, reprobetur, et ab omni sacerdotali operatione prorsus abiiciatur, utpote qui extra sacros canones sit promotus.

6. It appears that Photius, after the sentences and condemnations most Quoniam quidem apparuit Photius post prolatam contra se iustissimam justly pronounced against him by the most holy pope Nicholas for his sententiam, et damnationem a criminal usurpation of the church of Constantinople, in addition to his sanctissimo papa Nicolao propter nequissimam invasionem other evil deeds, found some men of wicked and sycophantic character Constantinopolitanorum ecclesiae cum from the squares and streets of the city and proposed and designated aliis malis operibus suis, etiam quosdam nequam et adulatores de them as vicars of the three most holy patriarchal sees in the east. He plateis et vicis invenisse, et vicarios formed with these a church of evil-doers and a fraudulent council and set hos sanctissimarum trium patriarchalium sedium orientis in motion accusations and charges entailing deposition against the most 12 nominasse ac proposuisse, atque cum his ecclesiam malignantium, et concilium vanitatis colligens, blessed pope Nicholas and repeatedly, impudently and boldly issued depositorias accusationes et crimina anathemas against him and all those in communion with him. The contra beatissimum papam Nicolaum commovisse; et anathema procaciter records of all these things have been seen by us, records which were et audacter contra eum, et cunctos cobbled together by him with evil intent and lying words, and all of communicantes ei, saepe promulgasse, quorum quasi which have been burnt during this very synod. monumentorum libros nos quoque vidimus, ab ipso maligno opere ac fallaci dictatione consutos, qui etiam synodice ab igne consumpti sunt: Huius rei gratia pro cautela Therefore, to safeguard church order, we anathematize first and foremost ecclesiastici ordinis anathematizamus quidem primitus praedictum Photium the above-mentioned Photius for the reason given; next everyone who etiam propter huiuscemodi causam: henceforth acts deceitfully and fraudulently and falsifies the word of deinde vero et omnem qui amodo in calliditate fraudulenter egerit, et truth and goes through the motions of having false vicars or composes verbum veritatis adulteraverit, et books full of deceptions and explains them in favour of his own designs. falsos vicarios simulaverit, vel libros dictatus mendacis finxerit, et ad With equal vigour Martin, the most holy pope of Rome, a valiant propriorum favorem votorum contender for the true faith, rejected behaviour of this kind by a synodal commentatus fuerit, quemadmodum et fortissimus pietatis athleta Martinus, decree. sanctissimus papa Romanus, tales synodice pepulit.

Quod iustum est, et iuste exequendum, deiloquus Moyses 7. Moses, the divine spokesman, clearly declares in his law that what is evidenter lege promulgat. Cum bonum right should also be rightly executed, since a good act is not good unless non sit bonum, nisi secundum rationem efficiatur; bonum ergo it is carried out in accordance with reason. So it is indeed good and very profecto et valde proficuum est, advantageous to paint holy and venerable images as also to teach others sanctas et venerabiles iconas pingere, sed et proximos disciplinas divinae ac the disciplines of divine and human wisdom. But it is not good nor at all humanae sapientiae docere: non profitable for any of these things to be done by those who are unworthy. autem bonum est, nec omnino proficuum, ab indignis horum aliquid fieri. Huius rei gratia nequaquam iconas For this reason we declare and proclaim that those declared anathema by operari in sacris templis, sed neque in quovis loco docere anathematizatos ab this holy and universal synod may not, on any account, work on sacred hac sancta et universali synodo images in holy places of worship nor teach anywhere at all, until they definimus et promulgamus, usquequo a propria seductione ac malitia are converted from their error and wickedness. Whoever, therefore, after convertantur. Quisquis ergo post hanc this directive of ours, admits them in any way to paint sacred images in definitionem nostram ad picturae sanctarum imaginum in ecclesiis aut churches, or to teach, must be removed from office if he is a cleric; if he doctrinae actionem quoquo modo eos is a lay person, he must be excommunicated and debarred from taking admiserit, si quidem clericus fuerit, proprio gradu periclitetur, si vero part in the divine mysteries. laicus, separetur, et divinorum mysteriorum communione privetur.

8. The great apostle Paul says somewhere: All things are lawful for me, Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia expediunt, omnia mihi licent, sed non but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all omnia aedificant, dicit alicubi Paulus things are beneficial. Therefore, we ought to do everything for the magnus Apostolus. Igitur quoniam omnia ad utilitatem et perfectionem advantage and perfection of the holy church of God and nothing at all to sanctae Dei ecclesiae, et nihil omnino promote controversy and vainglory. Since a report has come to our ears per contentionem vel inanem gloriam facere debemus; et quoniam auditibus that not only heretics and those who have wrongly obtained the nostris fama sonuit, quod non solum patriarchate of Constantinople, but also the orthodox and legitimate haeretici, et ii qui sanctae Constantinopolitanorum ecclesiae patriarchs, demand and extract from the order of priests guarantees, sacerdotium sortiti, sed et orthodoxi ac written in their own hands, which are designed for the security, benefit legitimi patriarchae a sacerdotali catalogo propriae manus scripta facere 13 ad propriam tutelam, favorem que suum et quasi stabilitatem exigant et and, as it were, permanence of the above persons, it has therefore compellant; visum est sanctae huic et seemed good to this holy and universal synod that nobody at all should universali synodo, nequaquam id ex hoc a quopiam fieri, excepto eo quod do this from now on, with the exception of what is demanded at the time secundum formam et consuetudinem of episcopal consecrations, according to rule and custom, in order to pro sincera fide nostra tempore consecrationis episcoporum exigitur; witness to the purity of our faith; every other way of doing it is quod enim aliter fit, omnino non completely inappropriate and has no part in the building up of the expedit, sed neque ad aedificationem church. So whoever dares to nullify this directive of ours, either by ecclesiae pertinet. asking for such a document or by providing it to those who ask, shall Quisquis ergo ausus fuerit solvere hanc lose his own office. definitionem nostram, aut expetierit, aut paruerit expetentibus, honore proprio decidat.

Variam et diversam malitiam 9. From the very beginning the wretched Photius brought about in the antiquitus in ecclesia church of Constantinople an abundance of all kinds of wickedness. We Constantinopolitana infelix operatus est Photius. Didicimus enim, quod et have learnt that even before his tyrannical period in office he used to multo ante tyrannicum praesidiatum give documents, signed by his own hand, to his followers who were propriae manus subscriptionibus muniebat adhaerentes sibi clientes, ad learning the wisdom that has been made foolish by God, even though discendam sapientiam, quae a Deo this system was clearly a new invention and thoroughly alien to our holy stulta facta est, cum manifeste nova esset inventio, et sanctis patribus fathers and doctors of the church. nostris et magistris ecclesiae penitus aliena. Igitur quoniam omnem colligationem iniquitatis solvere, et chirographa violentorum contractuum dirumpere Since therefore they direct us to loose every bond of wickedness and to praecipiunt, definivit sancta et universalis synodus, neminem ex his make void enforced contracts, the holy and universal synod has declared omnibus a nunc tale tenere vel servare that nobody, from now on, should hold or keep such a contract, but all, chirographum, sed absque quolibet offendiculo indubitanter et intrepide without hindrance, hesitation or fear, may both teach and study if they tam docere, quam discere omnes, qui are competent for either task, with the exception of those who are found ad utrumque consistunt idonei, praeter eos qui erroris inveniuntur et to be enslaved to error or heretical beliefs since we strictly forbid such haereticae impietatis servituti redacti; persons to teach or to pursue studies. If anyone shall be found rejecting huiusmodi enim certissime et docere et discernere interdicimus. Si quis and transgressing against this directive, he shall lose his rank if he is a autem deprehensus fuerit hanc cleric; if a lay person, he shall be excommunicated as one who does not definitionem nostram spernens atque praevaricans, si quidem clericus est, a believe the Lord’s word which says, Whatever you bind on earth shall be proprio gradu decidat; laicus vero bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in sequestretur, utpote qui non credit dominico verbo perhibenti: heaven . Quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis, et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.

10. As divine scripture clearly proclaims, Do not find fault before you Divina manifesto clamante scriptura: Ante examinationem ne vituperes et investigate, and understand first and then find fault, and does our law intellige primum, et tunc increpa; et judge a person without first giving him a hearing and learning what he numquid lex nostra iudicat hominem, nisi prius audierit ab eo, et cognoverit, does?. Consequently this holy and universal synod justly and fittingly quid faciat? iuste et congruenter et declares and lays down that no lay person or monk or cleric should haec sancta et universalis synodus definit et statuit, quod nullus laicorum, separate himself from communion with his own patriarch before a vel monachorum, aut nullus ex careful enquiry and judgment in synod, even if he alleges that he knows catalogo clericorum, ante diligentem examinationem et synodicam of some crime perpetrated by his patriarch, and he must not refuse to sententiam a communione se separet include his patriarch’s name during the divine mysteries or offices. proprii patriarchae, licet criminalem quamlibet causam eius se nosse praetendat, sed neque recuset nomen 14 ipsius referre inter divina mysteria vel officia. Similiter autem episcopos et presbyteros, qui in exterioribus In the same way we command that bishops and priests who are in distant civitatibus et regionibus sunt, erga dioceses and regions should behave similarly towards their own proprios metropolitas affectare mandamus: quod etiam circa metropolitans, and metropolitans should do the same with regard to their patriarcham suum facere metropolitas own patriarchs. If anyone shall be found defying this holy synod, he is to oportet.Si vero quis adversus hanc sanctam synodum deprehensus fuerit be debarred from all priestly functions and status if he is a bishop or agere, si quidem episcopus aut clericus cleric; if a monk or lay person, he must be excluded from all communion est, ab omni sacerdotali operatione decidat et honore; monachus autem and meetings of the church until he is converted by repentance and aut laicus segregetur ab omni reconciled. ecclesiastica communione atque collegio, quousque conversus per poenitentiam recipiatur.

Veteri et novo testamento unam animam rationabilem et intellectualem 11. Though the old and new Testament teach that a man or woman has habere hominem docente, et omnibus one rational and intellectual soul, and all the fathers and doctors of the deiloquis patribus et magistris ecclesiae eamdem opinionem church, who are spokesmen of God, express the same opinion, some asseverantibus, in tantum impietatis have descended to such a depth of irreligion, through paying attention to quidem, malorum inventionibus dantes operam, devenerunt, ut duas eum the speculations of evil people, that they shamelessly teach as a dogma habere animas impudenter that a human being has two souls, and keep trying to prove their heresy dogmatizare, et quibusdam irrationalibus conatibus per by irrational means using a wisdom that has been made foolishness. sapientiam, quae stulta facta est, propriam haeresim confirmare pertentent. Itaque sancta haec et universalis synodus, veluti quoddam pessimum Therefore this holy and universal synod is hastening to uproot this zizanium, nunc germinantem nequam wicked theory now growing like some loathsome form of weed. opinionem, evellere festinans; imo vero ventilabrum in manu veritatis Carrying in its hand the winnowing fork of truth, with the intention of portans, et igni inextinguibili consigning all the chaff to inextinguishable fire, and making clean the transmittere omnem paleam, et aream Christi mundam exhibere volens, talis threshing floor of Christ, in ringing tones it declares anathema the impietatis inventores et patratores, et inventors and perpetrators of such impiety and all those holding similar his similia sentientes, magna voce anathematizat, et definit, atque views; it also declares and promulgates that nobody at all should hold or promulgat, neminem prorsus habere, preserve in any way the written teaching of the authors of this impiety. If vel servare quoquo modo statuta huius however anyone presumes to act in a way contrary to this holy and great impietatis auctorum. synod, let him be anathema and an outcast from the faith and way of life Si autem quis contraria gerere of Christians. praesumpserit huic sanctae et magnae synodo, anathema sit, et a fide atque cultura christianorum alienus.

Apostolicis et synodicis canonibus, 12. The apostolic and conciliar canons clearly forbid the nomination and promotiones et consecrationes episcoporum et potentia et consecration of bishops which have come about as a result of the power praeceptione principum factas penitus and intrigues of the civil authorities. Therefore we declare and proclaim, interdicentibus, concordantes in full agreement with them, that if any bishop has received his definimus et sententiam nos quoque proferimus, ut si quis episcopus per consecration through the manipulation and constraint of such persons, he versutiam vel tyrannidem principum should be deposed absolutely as one who has desired and consented to huiusmodi dignitatis consecrationem susceperit, deponatur omnimodis, have the gift of God not from the will of God and ecclesiastical law and utpote qui non ex voluntate Dei, et ritu decree, but from human beings and through their machinations as a ac decreto ecclesiastico, sed ex voluntate carnalis sensus ex hominibus result of the prompting of carnal desire. et per homines Dei donum possidere voluit vel consensit.

Quoniam quidem dicit alicubi divinum eloquium: Dignus est operarius 13. The divine word says, The worker is worthy of his pay For this mercede sua; huius rei gratia et nos reason we too decree and proclaim that the clerics of the great church [of decernimus, et promulgamus, ut magnae ecclesiae clerici, qui in Constantinople], who have served in the lower orders, may rise to the subiectis ordinibus morati sunt, ad higher grades and, if they have shown themselves worthy, may maiores gradus ascendant, et, si digni deservedly enjoy higher dignities, since some of those who now enjoy claruerint, melioribus perfrui mereantur honoribus, cum aliqui them either will be called through promotion to more important duties or eorum, qui in ipsis sunt, aut per will vacate them by dying. But those who do not belong to this particular incrementum ad superiora ministeria advocati fuerint, aut per communem clergy and yet insinuate themselves into it, must not receive the dignities naturae terminum dormientes and honours due to those who have laboured in it a long time, for in that defuerint; sed non ex illis, qui foris sunt, aliqui se his innectentes, debitas case the clerics of the church [of Constantinople] would be found to eis, qui multo tempore laboraverunt, have no promotion. dignitates vel honores recipiant; ac per hoc inveniantur ecclesiae clerici nullo modo proficere. Nullatenus autem habeant potestatem, qui principum domorum seu Those who manage the houses or estates of leading persons must by no suburbanarum rerum curam gesserint, inter clerum magnae ecclesiae colligi, means have the possibility of being admitted or inducted into the clergy vel constitui: nemo quippe Deo of the great church [of Constantinople]: No soldier on service for God militans saeculi negotiis implicatur. gets entangled in civilian pursuits. If indeed anyone, contrary to the Si vero quis praeter definitionem quam directive we have now issued, is promoted to any dignity whatsoever in nunc protulimus promotus fuerit in this great church, he must be excluded from all ecclesiastical dignity as quocumque magnae ecclesiae gradu, reprobetur omnimodis ab omni one who has been promoted contrary to the decision of the great synod. ecclesiastico gradu, tamquam qui contra magnam synodum provectus exstiterit.

Eos qui a divina gratia ad episcopale 14. We declare that those who are called by divine grace to the office of advocantur officium, tamquam bishop, since they bear the image and likeness of the holy hierarchies in imaginem et figuram ferentes sanctorum caelestium hierarchiarum, heaven, that is of the angels, in accordance with what is clearly an id est angelorum, secundum hierarchical dignity and function, should be held as worthy of all honour hierarchicum plane gradum et morem, omni honore dignos ab omnibus on the part of everyone, rulers and ruled alike. principibus et subditis sancimus haberi. Et nequaquam strategis, vel quibuslibet aliis principibus obvios We also declare that they must not go to meet a general or any other procul ab ecclesiis suis occurrere, sed neque semet a multo spatio de equis high official a long way from their churches, nor should they dismount vel mulis eiicere, aut cum timore ac from their horses or mules a long way off or bow down in fear and tremore procidere ac adorare; sed nec cum saecularibus principibus ad trembling and prostrate themselves; nor should they go to table for mensam intrare hora prandii, eosdem dinner with secular dignitaries and show the same honours as they do to quos illi honores strategis exhibentes, sed secundum congruentiam spiritalis generals, but according to what is in keeping with their own spiritual dignitatis, ac honoris sui, reddere dignity and honour, they should render to everyone his due: Tribute to quidem omnibus debita, cui vectigal, vectigal, cui honorem, honorem: whom tribute is due, honour to whom honour is due. They must show praeferri autem et multam a that the confessors of the emperors, who are friends of Christ, and those principibus amicorum Christi imperatorum venerationem, et who have the same dignity, deserve great respect from the leading reverentiam promereri confessores persons of those emperors. Thus the bishop will have the courage to eorum, et honoris similis exsistentes; ita ut fiduciam habeant episcopi reprimand generals and other leading officials and all other secular arguere strategos multoties, et alios authorities as often as he finds them doing something unjust or principes, atque omnem saeculi dignitatem, cum iniustum et unreasonable, and in this way to correct them and make them better. irrationabile agere quid illos invenerint, et per hoc corrigere et reddere meliores. But if some bishop, after the holy directive of this council, shall ignore Si vero aliquis episcopus, post 16 definitionem sanctam synodi, debitum the honour duly and canonically bestowed on him, and permits et canonice collatum sibi contempserit something to happen according to the old, debased and disordered honorem, et quid secundum veterem et inhumanam ac inordinatam custom which is contrary to what has now been declared, he must be consuetudinem, praeter quae nunc suspended for a year and the official involved is to be considered definita sunt, fieri permiserit, sequestretur anno uno, et princeps ille unworthy to take part in the mysteries or the means of grace for two duobus annis non mereatur percipere years. mysteriorum nec sanctificationum communionem.

Apostolicos et paternos canones renovans sancta haec universalis synodus, definivit neminem prorsus 15. This holy and universal synod, in renewing the canons of the episcopum vendere vel utcumque alienare cimelia et vasa sacrata, apostles and fathers, has decreed that no bishop may sell or in any way excepta causa olim ab antiquis dispose of precious objects or consecrated vessels except for the reason canonibus ordinata, videlicet quae accipiuntur in redemptionem laid down long ago by the ancient canons, that is to say, objects received captivorum; sed nec tradere salaria for the redemption of captives. They must not hand over endowments of ecclesiarum in emphyteutica pacta, churches by emphyteutic leases nor put on sale other agricultural nec alias rusticas possessiones venumdare, ac per hoc ecclesiasticos properties, thereby damaging ecclesiastical revenues. We decree that reditus laedere, quod ad propriam such revenues are for church purposes, the feeding of the poor and the utilitatem et ob escam pauperum et peregrinorum sustentationem esse assistance of pilgrims. However, bishops have full powers to improve decernimus: omnem vero and enlarge, as opportunity offers, the ecclesiastical properties which ecclesiasticarum rerum potestatem habentem et has meliorare, ac dilatare produce these revenues. Moreover, they have the right to apportion or prout oportuerit ecclesiastica loca, per bestow their own property on whomsoever they wish and choose, in quae reditus fiunt; et insuper propriarum rerum dispositionem, accordance with their own powers and rights of ownership. distribuere ac committere seu conferre quibuscumque voluerit et iudicaverit iuxta propriam potestatem ac dominatum. Quisquis autem apparuerit post hanc definitionem nostram contrarium quid Now that this decree has been made, whoever appears to have acted in a huic sanctae et universali synodo agere, deponatur ut praevaricator way contrary to this holy and universal synod, must be deposed on the divinarum legum et praeceptorum, grounds of violating divine law and precepts. Any sale which was made cassata videlicet omnino quae facta est in scriptis vel sine scriptis ab by the bishop, either in writing or otherwise, must be made entirely void, episcopo venditione, vel emphyteutica as well as any emphyteutic lease or any other act disposing of precious traditione, vel alia quavis alienatione, cimeliorum scilicet et salariorum objects or endowments. Whoever buys or acquires any of the locorum. Qui vero emerit aut aforementioned precious objects or endowments and does not restore to perceperit aliquid ex praedictis cimeliis vel salariis, et non restituerit ecclesiae the church what belongs to it and does not hand over for burning the iterum, quae ecclesiae sunt, vel non bills of sale or leases, is anathema until he does what has been reddiderit ad incidendam chartam venditionis vel emphyteuseos, sit determined by this holy and universal synod. anathema usquedum fecerit quod ab hac sancta et universali synodo confirmatum est. Si autem episcopus convictus fuerit If a bishop is found guilty of having built a monastery with the revenues construxisse monasterium de reditibus ecclesiasticis, tradat ipsum eidem of a church, he must hand over the monastery to the same church. But if ecclesiae monasterium, si vero de he built it from his own money or other sources, he may have it for his propriis rebus, aut de aliis quibusdam conventionibus, habeat id secundum whole life under his own jurisdiction and direction; he may also propriam potestatem et voluntatem bequeath it after his death to whomsoever he wishes, but it may not be omni vita sua; et post finem vitae dimittat et conferat hoc quibuscumque used as a secular dwelling. voluerit, non tamen saeculare diversorium fiat.

16. A matter which merits great sorrow, even many tears, has come to Magnis ululatibus et multis lacrimis dignum opus a multis fidelibus ad 17 nostros pervenit auditus: aiunt enim fuisse quosdam laicos, sub eo qui our ears from many of the faithful. They say that under the previous nuper imperavit, in ordine senatorio, qui secundum diversam imperatoriam emperor some laymen of the senatorial order were seen to plait their hair dignitatem videbantur capillorum and arrange it on their heads, and to adopt a kind of priestly dignity in comam circumplexam involvere atque reponere, et gradum quasi accordance with their different ranks at the emperor’s court. They did sacerdotalem per quaedam indusia et this by wearing various ornaments and articles of clothing which are vestimenta sacerdotalia sumere, et, ut proper to priests and, as it was thought, made themselves out to be putabatur, episcopos constituere, superhumeralibus, id est palliis, bishops by wearing a pallium over their shoulders and every other piece circumamictos, et omnem aliam of episcopal dress. They also adopted as their patriarch the one who took pontificalem indutos stolam; qui etiam proprium patriarcham adscribentes the leading role in these buffooneries. They insulted and made a eum qui in adinventionibus risum mockery of a variety of holy things, such as elections, promotions and moventibus praelatus et princeps erat, et insultabant, et illudebant quibusque consecrations of bishops, or by bringing up subtle but false accusations divinis, modo quidem electiones, against bishops, and condemning and deposing them, switching in turn promotiones et consecrationes, modo autem acute calumnias, damnationes from distress to collusion as prosecutors and defendants. et depositiones episcoporum, quasi ab invicem et per invicem miserabiliter et praevaricatorie agentes et patientes. Talis autem actio nec apud gentes a Such a way of behaving has never been heard of since time began, even saeculo unquam audita est, ita ut peiores et miserabiliores infidelibus among the pagans. It shows that those we have now brought to light are nationibus exhibeat et demonstret hos in a worse and more wretched state than the pagan nations. The sacred quos nunc manifestos effecimus: qua de re sancta et universalis synodus and universal synod, therefore, has declared and promulgated that these definivit et promulgavit, illos quidem attempts to do evil must be condemned as crimes, and no member of the malitiae nixus omnino ut scelestos abominari, neminem autem fidelium faithful who bears the name of Christian should henceforth attempt to do qui christiana censentur appellatione or tolerate such a thing, or to protect by silence anyone who has deinceps conari tale quid faciendi vel admittendi, aut silentio tegendi committed such an impious act. quemquam eorum qui huiusmodi operantur impietatem. Si vero quispiam imperator, vel potentum, aut magnatum, taliter If any emperor or any powerful or influential person should attempt to illudere divinis, et talem ac tantam mock holy things in such a way, or with evil intent to carry out or permit iniuriam impie in divinum sacerdotium such a great wrong to be done against the divine priesthood, he must facere vel admittere tentaverit, primo quidem arguatur a patriarcha illius first be condemned by the patriarch of the time, acting with his fellow temporis, et episcopis qui cum ipso bishops, and be excommunicated and declared unworthy to share in the fuerint, et segregetur, et indignus divinis mysteriis iudicetur; deinde vero divine mysteries, and then he must accept certain other corrective accipiat quosdam alios in duram practices and penances which are judged appropriate. Unless he repents observantiam labores, et poenas quae visae fuerint: et nisi celeriter se quickly, he must be declared anathema by this holy and universal synod poenitat, etiam anathema sit ab hac as one who has dishonoured the mystery of the pure and spotless faith. sancta et universali synodo, tamquam qui sincerae et immaculatae fidei mysterium dehonestaverit. Si vero, presumentibus quibusdam However, if the patriarch of Constantinople and his suffragan bishops huiusmodi nefas operari, patriarcha Constantinopolitanus, et suffraganei come to know of any others who have committed crimes of this kind and eius episcopi, quod factum fuerit neglect to act against them with the necessary zeal, they must be cognoscentes, neglexerint debitum deposed and debarred from the dignity of their priesthood. Those who in adversus eos ostendere zelum, deponantur, et a proprio sacerdotio ac any way have shown, or shall show in future, such impious conduct and honore pellantur: qui autem quoquo have not confessed it in any way and received the appropriate penance, modo huiusmodi ministraverunt vel ministraturi sunt impiissimae actioni, are declared excommunicate by this synod for three years; during the et minime confessi acceperint first year they must remain outside the church as public penitents, during conveniens epitimium, definivimus per triennium sequestratos esse, anno the second year they may stand inside the church among the. ranks of quidem uno extra ecclesiam flentes, the catechumens, during the third year they may join the faithful and alio vero anno intra ecclesiam stare usque ad catechumenos; porro tertio, thus become worthy of the sanctifying effects of the holy mysteries. consistere cum fidelibus, et ita dignos fieri mysteriorum sanctificationibus.

18 Sancta et universalis Nicaena prima synodus antiquam consuetudinem iubet servari per Aegyptum, et provincias quae sub ipsa sunt, ita ut 17. The first, holy and universal synod of Nicaea orders that the ancient horum omnium Alexandrinus episcopus custom should be preserved throughout Egypt and the provinces subject habeat potestatem dicens: “Quia et in Romanorum civitate huiusmodi mos to her, so that the bishop of Alexandria has them all under his authority; praevaluit”. Qua pro causa et haec it declares, “Because such a custom has prevailed in the city of Rome”. magna et sancta synodus tam in seniori et nova Roma, quam in sede Therefore this great and holy synod decrees that in old and new Rome Antiochiae ac Hierosolymorum, and the sees of Antioch and Jerusalem the ancient custom must be priscam consuetudinem decernit in omnibus conservari, ita ut earum preserved in all things, so that their prelates should have authority over praesules universorum all the metropolitans whom they promote or confirm in the episcopal metropolitanorum, qui ab ipsis promoventur, et sive per manus dignity, either through the imposition of hands or the bestowal of the impositionem, sive per pallii dationem, pallium; that is to say, the authority to summon them, in case of episcopalis dignitatis firmitatem accipiunt, habeant potestatem: necessity, to a meeting in synod or even to reprimand and correct them, videlicet ad convocandum eos, urgente when a report about some wrongdoing leads to an accusation. necessitate, ad synodalem conventum, vel etiam ad coercendum illos et corrigendum, cum fama eos super quibusdam delictis forsitan accusaverit. Sed quoniam sunt quidam metropolitanorum, qui ne secundum But since some metropolitans give as an excuse for not responding to the vocationem apostolici praesulis occurrant a mundi principibus se summons of their apostolic prelate that they are detained by their detineri sine ratione causantur, placuit temporal rulers, it has been decided that such an excuse will be utterly talem excusationem omnimodis esse invalid. For since a ruler frequently holds meetings for his own invalidam. purposes, it is intolerable that he should prevent leading prelates from Cum enim princeps pro suis causis going to synods for ecclesiastical business or hold some back from their conventus frequenter agat, impium est ut summos praesules ad synodos pro meetings. We have learnt, however, that such an obstacle and alleged ecclesiasticis negotiis celebrandum refusal of permission can come about in various ways at the suggestion impediant, vel quosdam a conciliis eorum prohibeant, licet tale of the metropolitan. impedimentum et fictam prohibitionem metropolitanorum suggestione diversis modis fieri didicerimus. Metropolitans have had the custom of holding synods twice a year and Consueverunt autem metropolitani bis in anno synodos facere, ideo que, sicut therefore, they say, they cannot possibly come to the chief one, that of dicunt, ad patriarchale penitus non the patriarch. But this holy and universal synod, without forbidding the posse concurrere caput. meetings held by the metropolitans, is conscious that the synods Sed sancta haec et universalis summoned by the patriarchal see are more necessary and profitable than synodus, nec concilia quae a the metropolitan ones, and so demands that they take place. A metropolitanis fiunt interdicens, multo magis illa novit rationabiliora esse ac metropolitan synod affects the good order of only one province, a utiliora metropolitanorum conciliis patriarchal synod often affects the good order of a whole civil diocese, quae a patriarchali sede congregantur, et idcirco haec fieri exigit: a and in this way the common good is provided for. So it is fitting that the metropolita quippe unius quidem common good take priority over a particular one, especially when the provinciae dispositio efficitur, a patriarcha vero saepe totius causa summons to meet has been issued by those of greater authority. The fact dioeceseos dispensatur ac per hoc is that certain metropolitans seem to regard with contempt the ancient communis utilitas providetur, propter quod et speciale lucrum propter custom and canonical tradition, by their not meeting together for the generale bonum postponi convenit, common good. Therefore the laws of the church demand, with severe cum a maioribus super haec facta penalties and leaving no loop-hole, that they comply with the summons fuerit advocatio. of their patriarchs whether they are summoned as a body or individually. Quamvis apud quosdam metropolitanorum antiqua consuetudo et canonica traditio per contemptum ipsorum postposita videantur, non currentibus eis ad communem profectum, quos leges ecclesiae severe condemnantes, omni excusatione remota, subiacere vocationibus proprii patriarchae, sive cum communiter, 19 sive cum sigillatim factae fuerint, exigunt. Illud autem tamquam perosum quiddam ab auribus nostris repulimus, We refuse to listen to the offensive claim made by some ignorant people quod a quibusdam imperitis dicitur, that a synod cannot be held in the absence of the civil authorities. The non posse synodum absque principali praesentia celebrari: cum nusquam reason for this is that the sacred canons have never prescribed the sacri canones convenire saeculares presence of secular rulers at synods but only the presence of bishops. principes in conciliis sanxerint, sed solos antistites. Unde nec interfuisse Hence we find that they have not been present at synods but only at illos synodis, exceptis conciliis universal councils. Furthermore, it is not right that secular rulers should universalibus, invenimus: neque enim fas est saeculares principes be observers of matters that sometimes come before the priests of God. spectatores fieri rerum quae sacerdotibus Dei nonnunquam eveniunt. Quisquis ergo metropolitanorum proprium patriarcham contempserit, et vocationi eius, quae sive ad unum Therefore, if any metropolitan ignores his patriarch and disobeys his solum, sive ad plures, sive ad omnes summons, whether addressed to him alone or to several or to all, unless sit, absque validissima aegrotatione vel paganorum incursu, non obedierit, prevented by a genuine illness or a pagan invasion, and for two whole et per totos duos menses post notitiam months after notice of the summons makes no attempt to visit his vocationis, ad proprium venire patriarcham minime festinaverit, vel si patriarch, or if he hides in some way or pretends he has no knowledge of quocumque modo latitare, aut non the patriarch’s summons, he must be excommunicated. If he shows the cognoscere nuntium ab illo missum tentaverit, segregetur: si vero intra same stubbornness and disobedience for a year, he must be unum annum eamdem contumaciam unconditionally deposed and suspended from all sacerdotal functions et inobedientiam demonstraverit, deponatur omnibus modis, et ab omni and excluded from the dignity and honour that belong to metropolitans. sacerdotali operatione decidat, atque a If any metropolitan disobeys even this directive, let him be anathema. dignitate et honore, qui metropolitanis convenit, propellatur. Is autem, qui huic definitioni non obedierit etiam, et a(nathema) s(it).

Placuit huic sanctae et magnae synodo ut res vel privilegia, quae Dei ecclesiis 18. This holy and great synod has decided that the goods or privileges ex longa consuetudine pertinent, et which belong to the churches of God as a result of long enduring custom sive a divae recordationis imperatoribus, sive ab aliis Dei and have been granted, whether in writing or not, by emperors of cultoribus in scriptis vel sine scriptis revered memory or by other religious people and possessed by the donata, et ab eis per annos triginta possessa sunt, nequaquam a potestate churches for thirty years, must in no way be removed by force on the praesulis earum quaecumque persona part of any secular person, or taken away by him on any pretext saecularis per potestatem subtrahat, aut per argumenta quaelibet auferat, whatsoever, from the jurisdiction of the prelate who has them. Whatever sed sint omnia in potestate ac usu is known to have been possessed by the churches for thirty years must praesulis ecclesiae, quaecumque intra triginta spatium annorum ab ecclesiis remain subject to the control and use of the prelate of the church. Any possessa fuisse noscuntur. secular person who acts in a way contrary to this present decree shall be ad judged as one who commits sacrilege and, until he reforms himself Quisquis ergo saecularium contra praesentem definitionem egerit, and restores or gives back the privileges and goods belonging to the tamquam sacrilegus iudicetur, et church, let him be anathema. donec se correxerit, et ecclesiae propria privilegia, seu res restituerit et reservaverit, a(nathema) s(it).

19. Paul, the great apostle, condemns greed as another form of idolatry Avaritiam utpote secundam idolatriam Paulus magnus execratur apostolus, and wants all who unite under the name of Christian to abstain from cunctos videlicet qui christiano every form of shameful love of gain. It is all the more wrong, therefore, vocabulo censentur ab omni turpi lucro abstinere volens; multo magis ergo iis for those who have the ministry of the priesthood to burden their fellow- qui sacerdotio et fungantur nefas est bishops and suffragans in any way whatsoever. coepiscopos et suffraganeos suos per 20 quemcumque modum gravare. Huius rei gratia definivit sancta haec et universalis synodus, nullum archiepiscoporum, aut For this reason this holy and universal synod has decreed that no metropolitanorum, relinquere propriam archbishop or metropolitan should leave his own church and visit other ecclesiam, et sub occasione quasi visitationis ad alias accedere, et churches under the pretext of an official visitation, nor abuse his potestate propria in inferiores abuti, et authority over other churches and consume the revenues which they consumere reditus qui apud illos inveniuntur ad ecclesiasticam have at their disposal and for feeding the poor, and thus, by a form of dispositionem et alimenta pauperum, greed, be a burden to the consciences of our brothers and fellow ac per hoc aggravare avaritiae modo conscientias fratrum et ministers. An exception is made in the case of hospitality, which may comministrorum nostrorum; excepta sometimes arise on account of necessary travel. But even then he must hosptitalitate, quae aliquando ex accept, with reverence and fear of God, nothing else than what is found necessario transitu fortassis accesserit; sed et tunc non alia, nisi ex iis quae ad prepared from that which is currently at hand. He should quickly praesens de compendio praeparata continue the journey he has undertaken without asking or demanding inveniuntur, cum reverentia et cum timore Dei dignanter accipiat; et any at all of the things which belong to that church or the suffragan maturius propositum iter perambulet, bishop. For if the sacred canons decree that every bishop should be nihil omnino eorum quae sunt ecclesiae illius vel suffraganei episcopi sparing in his use of what belongs to his own church, and should no way petens et exigens; si enim spend or consume the ecclesiastical revenues in an unfitting or unumquemque episcoporum ecclesiae propriae rebus cum multa parcitate uti, unreasonable way for his own advantage, what kind of impiety do you et nullatenus in proprias utilitates think he will be found guilty of if he has no scruples about going around importune ac sine ratione dispendere vel consumere reditus ecclesiasticos and burdening the churches entrusted to other bishops and thereby sacri canones decernunt, qua, putas, incurring the charge of sacrilege ? impietate iudicabitur dignus, qui aliis episcopis commissas ecclesias gravare vel ambire, et per hoc sacrilegii crimen incidere non formidat? Whoever attempts to do such a thing, after this directive of ours, shall Quisquis ergo post hanc definitionem nostram tale quid facere tentaverit, incur from the patriarch of the time the punishment commensurate with poenam subeat a patriarcha qui per his unjust and greedy behaviour, and shall be deposed and tempus fuerit, secundum congruentiam iniustitiae ac avaritiae excommunicated as the sacrilegious person he is or, to put it otherwise, suae, et deponatur et sequestretur ut as an idolater, according to the teaching of the great Apostle. sacrilegus, et aliter ut idolatra factus, iuxta magnum Apostolum.

Et hoc sancta nunc synodus didicit, 20. It has come to the ears of this holy synod that in certain places some, quod in quibusdam locis quidam propria usi auctoritate, ac sine on their own authority and without the agreement of those who are voluntate illorum quibus huiusmodi entrusted with such decisions, callously and mercilessly expel people dispositiones commissae sunt, audacter et tyrannice pellunt eos qui who have received some of their lands by emphyteusis, on the pretext per emphyteusim perceperint aliquid that the contract about the agreed rent has been broken. ex iis locis quae possederunt, occasione quasi ruptae fidei circa pensionis pactum. This must not be allowed to happen unless the person who made the Non autem licet omnimodis hoc fieri, nisi prius accipiat protestationem per emphyteutic contract first listens to the objections through the mediation quosdam idoneos et fideles homines is of some suitable and trustworthy persons. Then, if the leaseholder has qui emphyteusim contraxit: quod nisi dederit usque ad tres annos not paid for three years the rent due, he may be expelled from his lands. destinatum tributum census, But it is necessary, after the rent has been unpaid for three years, to go to propellatur a locis a se detentis. Oportet enim post trium annorum the authorities of the city or region and bring before them a charge census retentionem accedere ad against the person who obtained the emphyteutic lease, and to show how praepositos urbis vel regionis illius, et arguere in conspectu eorum eum qui he has defaulted. Only then, after the decision and judgment of the emphyteusim consecutus est, et officials, may the church take back its property. Nobody may effect the exhibere contemptum eius, et tunc sententia et iudicio praetorum recipiat confiscation of the aforesaid lands on his own initiative and authority, ecclesia propria in possessionem. Sed since this would be a sign of the worst form of profiteering and greed. nequaquam quisquam apud se vel per se faciat praedictorum ablationem locorum; suspectivum quippe tale, quin et multi turpis lucri et avaritiae 21 consistit indicium. Si quis ergo episcopus aut metropolita praeter hanc definitionem nostram So, if any bishop or metropolitan, contrary to this directive of ours, abstulerit aliquem locum a quoquam, confiscates any property from anyone, thinking he is protecting his own putans quod ecclesiam propriam defendat, sequestretur a proprio church, let him be suspended by his patriarch for a time, having first patriarcha per aliquod tempus, dans restored what he took away. If he persists in his disobedience to the primo quod per potestatem suam abstulit vel subripuit. Si vero decision of this holy universal synod, he must be completely removed contentiosus quis perstiterit, non from office. obediens his quae sanctae ac universali synodo visa sunt, deponatur omnimodis.

Dominicum sermonem, quem Christus sanctis apostolis et discipulis suis dixit, quia: Qui vos recipit, me recipit, et qui vos spernit, me spernit, ad omnes 21. We believe that the saying of the Lord that Christ addressed to his etiam qui post eos secundum ipsos holy apostles and disciples, Whoever receives you receives me, and facti sunt summi pontifices et pastorum principes in ecclesia whoever despises you despises me, was also addressed to all who were catholica dictum esse credentes, likewise made supreme pontiffs and chief pastors in succession to them definimus, neminem prorsus mundi potentium, quemquam eorum qui in the catholic church. Therefore we declare that no secular powers patriarchalibus sedibus praesunt should treat with disrespect any of those who hold the office of patriarch inhonorare, aut movere a proprio or seek to move them from their high positions, but rather they should throno tentare, sed omni reverentia et honore dignos iudicare: praecipue esteem them as worthy of all honour and reverence. This applies in the quidem sanctissimum papam senioris first place to the most holy pope of old Rome, secondly to the patriarch Romae, deinceps autem Constantinopoleos patriarcham, deinde of Constantinople, and then to the patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and vero Alexandriae, ac Antiochiae, atque Jerusalem. Furthermore, nobody else should compose or edit writings or Hierosolymorum. Sed nec alium quemcumque conscriptiones contra tracts against the most holy pope of old Rome, on the pretext of making sanctissimum papam senioris Romae, incriminating charges, as Photius did recently and Dioscorus a long time ac verba complicare et componere, sub occasione quasi diffamatorum ago. Whoever shows such great arrogance and audacity, after the quorumdam criminum, quod et nuper manner of Photius and Dioscorus, and makes false accusations in writing Photius fecit, et multo ante Dioscorus. Quisquis autem tanta iactantia et or speech against the see of Peter, the chief of the apostles, let him audacia usus fuerit, ut secundum receive a punishment equal to theirs. Photium vel Dioscorum, in scriptis vel sine scriptis iniurias quasdam contra sedem Petri apostolorum principis moveat, aequalem et eamdem quam illi condemnationem recipiat. Si vero quis aliqua saeculi potestate fruens vel potens pellere tentaverit praefatum apostolicae cathedrae If, then, any ruler or secular authority tries to expel the aforesaid pope of papam, aut aliorum patriarcharum the apostolic see, or any of the other patriarchs, let him be anathema. quemquam, anathema sit. Porro si synodus universalis fuerit congregata, Furthermore, if a universal synod is held and any question or et facta fuerit etiam de sancta controversy arises about the holy church of Rome, it should make Romanorum ecclesia quaevis ambiguitas et controversia, oportet inquiries with proper reverence and respect about the question raised and venerabiliter et cum convenienti should find a profitable solution; it must on no account pronounce reverentia de proposita quaestione sciscitari, et solutionem accipere, aut sentence rashly against the supreme pontiffs of old Rome. proficere, aut profectum facere, non tamen audacter sententiam dicere contra summos senioris Romae pontifices.

22. This holy and universal synod declares and decrees, in agreement Promotiones atque consecrationes episcoporum, concordans prioribus with earlier councils, that the promotion and consecration of bishops conciliis, electione ac decreto should be done by means of an election and decision of the college of episcoporum collegii fieri sancta haec et universalis synodus definit et statuit; bishops. So it promulgates as law that no lay authority or ruler may atque iure promulgat, neminem 22 laicorum principum vel potentum semet inserere electioni vel promotioni intervene in the election or promotion of a patriarch, a metropolitan or patriarchae, vel metropolitae, aut cuiuslibet episcopi, ne videlicet any bishop, lest there be any irregularity leading to improper confusion inordinata hinc et incongrua fiat or quarrelling, especially since it is wrong for any ruler or other lay confusio vel contentio, praesertim cum nullam in talibus potestatem person to have any influence in such matters. Rather he should be silent quemquam potestativorum vel and mind his own business until the election of the future bishop has ceterorum laicorum habere conveniat, sed potius silere ac attendere sibi, been completed with due process by the ecclesiastical assembly. But if usquequo regulariter a collegio any lay person is invited by the church to join in the discussion and to ecclesiae suscipiat finem electio futuri pontificis: si vero quis laicorum ad help with the election, he is permitted to accept the invitation with concertandum et cooperandum ab respect, if he so wishes. For in this way he may be able to promote a ecclesia invitatur, licet huiusmodi cum reverentia, si forte voluerit, worthy pastor in a regular manner, to the benefit of his church. obtemperare se asciscentibus; taliter enim sibi dignum pastorem regulariter ad ecclesiae suae salutem promoveat. Quisquis autem saecularium principum If any secular authority or ruler, or a lay person of any other status, et potentum, vel alterius dignitatis attempts to act against the common, agreed and canonical method of laicus, adversus communem ac consonantem atque canonicam election in the church, let him be anathema- this is to last until he obeys electionem ecclesiastici ordinis agere and agrees to what the church shows it wants concerning the election tentaverit, anathema sit, donec obediat et consentiat in hoc quod and appointment of its leader. ecclesia de electione ac ordinatione proprii praesulis se velle monstraverit.

Venit et hoc nunc ad aures nostras, quod quidam episcoporum a quibusdam rogati, possessiones, quae ad alias ecclesias pertinent, irrationabiliter conferant; et per hoc, 23. We have also learnt that some bishops, at the request of certain quantum possunt, ad propriam voluntatem in aliorum potestatem people, have unreasonably made a gift of properties belonging to other episcoporum usurpent. Hoc autem et churches. Thus they usurp the authority of other bishops, so far as they propheticam illis manifeste maledictionem acquiret, quae dixit: can. This conduct will clearly bring on them the curse of the prophet Vae qui coniungitis domum ad domum, who says, Woe to those who add house to house and field to field in et agrum ad agrum, ut proximo auferatis aliquid; et criminis eos order to defraud their neighbour, and it has made them guilty of sacrilegii reos constituit. Huius rei sacrilege. For this reason, this great and universal synod has decided that gratia placuit magnae huic et universali synodo, quod nullus fratrum no brother of ours in the episcopate or anyone else may transact such a et coepiscoporum nostrorum, vel wicked property deal, nor, if asked by someone, dispose of any property quisquam, talem sibi facere nequissimam locationem roget, vel ab belonging to other churches, nor install priests or any other clerics in aliquo ipse rogatus quamlibet churches that are not under his jurisdiction, without the permission of alienarum et extranearum conferat ecclesiarum possessionem, nec etiam the bishop responsible for the church in question. Furthermore, no constituat presbyteros aut quemlibet priests or deacons, who are consecrated for holy functions, should alium clericum in ecclesiis quae sibi subiectae non sunt, praeter perform, of their own accord and decision, any sacred functions in voluntatem episcopi cui ecclesia illa churches to which they have not been appointed from the beginning. commissa est. Sed neque quisquam presbyterorum vel diaconorum, qui This behaviour is unlawful and utterly alien to the canonical regulations. sacris officiis dediti sunt, ultro ac per se ecclesias ingrediens, sacrum aliquid operetur, in quibus ab initio sortem minime consecutus est; illicitum enim est hoc et omnimodis a canonicis praeceptionibus alienum. Whoever, after this declaration of ours, shall be seen to do any of these Quisquis ergo post hanc definitionem nostram visus fuerit faciens aliquid things which have now been forbidden, must be excommunicated for a horum quae nunc interdicta sunt, period of time, and the contractual arrangements, whether written or not, separetur aliquo indicto tempore, discisso videlicet et dirupto modis must be completely dissolved and abrogated because they were made in omnibus locatorio pacto, quod sive contravention of the canons. Likewise, the priest or deacon is to be scripto, sive sine scripto praeter canonem factum est. Similiter et suspended until he withdraws from the church to which he does not presbyter ille vel diaconus segregatus 23 sit, donec ab aliena recedat ecclesia. belong. But if he ignores the suspension, he must be got rid of Quod si et segregationem completely and dispossessed of every sacred office. contempserit, omnimodis deponatur, et ab omni honore sacrato deiiciatur.

Divini scriptura dicente: Maledictus 24. Divine scripture says, Cursed is everyone who does the work of the omnis homo qui facit opus Domini negligenter, quidam metropolitanorum Lord with slackness Yet some metropolitans have fallen into the depths in extremam negligentiam et desidiam of negligence and sloth. They summon the bishops subject to their delapsi, praeceptionibus suis subiectos jurisdiction and commit to them the divine offices of their own church as ad se adducunt episcopos, et committunt eis ecclesiae propriae well as litanies and all the sacred ministries which are personal to divina officia, et litanias, et cuncta themselves. The consequence is that they celebrate through the agency omnino sacra quae ad se pertinent ministeria; ita ut per illos celebrent of these bishops everything they should readily do themselves. In this omnia quae per semet alacriter agere way they make those who have merited the dignity of bishop seem like debuerint, ac per id eos, qui episcopalem dignitatem meruerunt, clerics in their service. quodammodo clericos sibi subiectos exhibeant. Vacant autem iidem praeter ecclesiasticas leges saecularibus curis These metropolitans, contrary to church law, give themselves to secular atque dispositionibus, dimittentes perseverare in orationibus et business and administration, failing to persevere in prayers and petitions obsecrationibus pro suis delictis ac for their own sins and the ignorance of their people. Some excuse this populi ignorantiis; quod nusquam apud aliquos penitus invenitur, cum sit behaviour even though it is utterly and completely contrary to canonical canonicis nimirum contrarium omnino regulations. What is still more serious, it is said that the bishops are told praeceptis: et, quod saevius est, quia suis stipendiis per distinctas mensium to complete the above ministries at allotted times each month at their vices praecipi dicuntur praedicta own expense. This is totally alien to all apostolic sanction. All this perficere ministeria; quod ab apostolico munimine modis omnibus makes such people worthy of the most severe condemnation possible, ostenditur alienum. Haec autem omnia for they are shown by their actions to be infected by a form of satanic magnis et multis ac vehementissimis damnationibus dignos huiusmodi pride and arrogance. statuunt; probantur enim tales per haec quae faciunt, etiam satanica iactantia et superbia languere. Quisquis ergo metropolitanorum post Any metropolitan who, after this directive of the holy and universal hanc sanctae ac universalis synodi definitionem eadem audacia vel synod, is consumed by a similar pride, arrogance or contempt and does superbia et contemptu abusus, non per not carry out with fear, promptitude and a good conscience the necessary se cum timore et alacritate, seu conscientia bona, debita ministeria in ministries in his own city, but seeks to carry them out through his propria civitate, sed per suffraganeos suffragan bishops, must be punished by his patriarch and be either episcopos suos efficere tentaverit, poenas exsolvat coram proprio reformed or deposed. patriarcha et aut corrigatur aut deponatur.

25. The holy synod has duly decided that the bishops, priests, deacons Et hoc debite sancta definivit, quatenus episcopi, presbyteri, diaconi and subdeacons of the great church [of Constantinople], who received et subdiaconi magnae ecclesiae, qui their consecration from Methodius and Ignatius, the most holy consecrationem Methodii et Ignatii sanctissimorum patriarcharum patriarchs, and became hard of heart like the arrogant and unfeeling habuerunt, et secundum insolens illud heart of Pharaoh, and even now are in complete disagreement with this et durissimum cor Pharaonis obdurati sunt, et usque nunc minime cum hac holy and universal synod and, while rejecting harmony with us in the sancta et universali synodo word of truth, have wholeheartedly supported the cause of the usurper convenerunt, sed nec nobis consonare in verbo veritatis voluerunt, quinimo Photius, must be deposed and suspended from all sacerdotal functions, invasori Photio concorditer just as the most blessed pope Nicholas decreed not long ago. On no consenserunt, depositi sint, et omnino sacerdotali operatione privati, account are such men to be readmitted into the ranks of the clergy, even quemadmodum nec multum ante if they wish in future to change their ways. An exception will be made in beatissimus papa Nicolaus iudicavit; et nequaquam tales in sacerdotii catalogo regard to receiving the means of holiness, and it is only our mercy which recipiantur, etiamsi ex hoc converti 24 voluerint; nisi in perceptione sanctificationum, qua dignos makes us think that they are worthy of this. They do not deserve to have nullatenus eos, nisi per multam the opportunity of being restored by their repentance to their former misericordiam, iudicamus; non enim sunt digni ad priorem honorem status, as is illustrated by the case of the odious Esau, though he begged restitutionis locum per poenitentiam in tears for that favour. invenire, secundum exosum illum Esau, licet cum lacrymis expetisset eam.

Placuit et hoc sanctae synodo, ut quicumque presbyter aut diaconus a 26. This holy synod has also decided that any priest or deacon who has proprio episcopo depositus fuerit, been deposed by his bishop for some crime, or who alleges he has propter aliquod crimen, vel si quamlibet iniustitiam se pati dixerit, et suffered some kind of injustice and is not satisfied with the judgment of non acquieverit iudicio proprii episcopi, his bishop, saying that he does not trust him and that he has been dicens eum suspectum se habere, et vel propter inimicitiam quam erga se wronged, either because of the enmity which the bishop has for him or tenuerit, vel propter gratiam quam aliis because of favours the bishop wants to bestow on certain others, such a quibusdam praestare voluerit, idcirco in se fuisse tale quid operatum, person has the right to have recourse to the metropolitan of his province potestatem habeat ad metropolitam and to denounce his deposition from office, which he thinks is unjust, or ipsius provinciae concurrere, et eam quam putat iniustam depositionem, vel any other injury. The metropolitan should be willing to take up such aliam laesionem denuntiare: cases and to summon the bishop who has deposed the cleric or injured metropolita vero ille libenter suscipiat huiuscemodi, et advocet episcopum him in any way. He should examine the case himself, with the help of qui deposuit, vel alio modo clericum other bishops, so as either to confirm the deposition of the cleric beyond laesit, et apud se cum aliis etiam episcopis negotii faciat examen, ad all doubt, or to quash it by means of a general synod and the judgment of confirmandum scilicet sine omni many persons. suspicione, vel destruendum per generalem synodum et multorum sententia clerici depositionem. Similiter etiam episcopos concurrere ad patriarchale caput decernimus, qui In the same way we decree that bishops may have recourse to the a metropolitis suis talia se pertulisse fatentur, ut apud patriarcham et patriarch, their head, if they complain that they have suffered similar metropolitas qui sub ipso sunt, iustam things from their metropolitan, so that the business in question may et sine suspicione sententiam quod movetur negotium accipiat. Insuper receive a just and right decision from their patriarch and the etiam nullo modo quisquam metropolitans under him. No metropolitan bishop may be judged by his metropolitanorum episcoporum a vicinis metropolitis episcopis neighbouring metropolitan bishops, even though it is alleged that he has provinciae suae iudicetur, licet committed serious crimes, but he may only be judged by his own quaedam incurrisse crimina perhibeatur, sed a solo patriarcha patriarch; we decree that this judgment will be just and beyond suspicion propria iudicetur: cuius sententiam because a number of esteemed people will be gathered around the rationabilem, et iudicium iustum, ac sine suspicione fore decernimus, eo patriarch, and for this reason his judgment will be fully ratified and quod apud eum honorabiliores quique confirmed. If anyone does not, agree with what we have promulgated, colligantur, ac per hoc ratum et firmum penitus sit quod ab ipso fuerit let him be excommunicated. iudicatum. Si quis autem non acquieverit iis quae a nobis edita sunt, excommunicatus exsistat.

27. We decree that, in ecclesiastical promotions and consecrations, the Secundum traditas formas per singulas provincias, ac regiones, et urbes, in marks which signify the rank to which each person belongs, should be ecclesiasticis promotionibus et kept, in accordance with the traditional usages of each province, region consecrationibus illa quae indicia et signa sunt ordinis qui unicuique inesse and city. Thus bishops who have been permitted to wear the pallium at videtur, retineri decernimus, ita ut certain times, may wear it at those times and places but should not abuse episcopi, quibus concessum est palliis uti certis temporibus, in eisdem so great and honourable a garment through pride, vainglory, human temporibus et locis, iis induantur, et conceit and self-love, by wearing it unnecessarily throughout the divine tanto et tali non abutantur amictu propter typhum, et inanem gloriam, et sacrifice and every other ecclesiastical ceremony. We decree that those humanum placorem, atque sui 25 amorem: omni videlicet tempore divini sacrificii, et omnis alius ecclesiastici mysterii, hunc inepte portantes. Illos autem qui reverenter monasticam vitam sectati sunt, et episcopalem who have devoutly embraced the monastic life and merited the dignity meruerunt honorem, conservare of a bishop, should keep the appearance and garments of the monastic schema, et amictum monachicorum indumentorum, et ipsam beatam vitam habit and that holy way of life. None of them has the right to lay aside decernimus: et nullus omnino habeat that type of dress out of pride and wilful arrogance, lest he is found potestatem deponere iam dictum schema, propter typhum et thereby to violate his personal vows. Just as the continual wearing of the arrogantem voluntatem, ne per hoc pallium shows the bishop as given to ostentation and vainglory, so the inveniatur propriorum transgressor pactorum: sicut enim ibi continuus laying aside of the monastic habit exposes him to the same charges. palliorum amictus fastigiosum et suae gloriae deditum demonstrat episcopum, ita et hic depositio ac denudatio monachici habitus nihilo minus eisdem submittit criminibus eum qui hoc fecisse captus exstiterit. Therefore, any bishop who wears the pallium outside the occasions Quisquis ergo episcopus praeter definita sibi scripto tempora se pallio stipulated in writing, or lays aside the monastic dress, must either be induerit, aut monasticarum vestium corrected or be deposed by his patriarch. schema deposuerit, aut corrigatur, aut a patriarcha proprio deponatur.

[1] J. Hardouin, Conciliorum collectio regia maxima adp. Philippi Labbei et p. Gabrielis Cossartii e Societate Jesu labores haud modica accessione facta et emendationibus pluribus additis ..., 12 vols. Paris 1714-1715 THE FIRST LATERAN COUNCIL (1123) The 9th Ecumenical Council CANONS [THE GENERAL and ECUMENICAL COUNCIL of the CATHOLIC Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium CHURCH - THE FIRST LATERAN COUNCIL, 1123] Lateranense I a. 1123 Sanctorum patrum exempla 1. Following the examples of the holy fathers and renewing them as we sequentes et officii nostri debito are bound by our office, by the authority of the apostolic see we innovantes ordinari quemquam per pecuniam in ecclesia dei vel altogether forbid anyone to be ordained or promoted in the church of God promoveri auctoritate sedis for money. If anyone indeed should have been ordained or promoted in apostolicae modis omnibus prohibemus. Si quis vero in ecclesia the church in such a fashion, let him be utterly deprived of the office ordinationem vel promotionem taliter acquired. adquisierit adquisita prorsus careat dignitate. A suis episcopis excommunicatos ab 2. We absolutely forbid those excommunicated by their own bishops to aliis episcopis abbatibus et clericis in be received into communion by other bishops, abbots and clergy communionem recipi procul dubio prohibemus. Nullus in episcopum nisi canonice 3. No one may consecrate as a bishop someone who is not canonically electum consecret. Quod si elected. If anyone should presume to do this, let both consecrator and praesumptum fuerit et consecratus et consecrator absque recuperationis consecrated be deposed beyond hope of restoration. spe deponatur. Nullus omnino archidiaconus aut archipresbyter sive praepositus vel 4 Absolutely no archdeacon, archpriest , provost or dean may grant to decanus animarum curam vel praebendas ecclesiae sine iudicio vel anyone the care of souls or prebends in a church without the decision or consensu episcopi alicui tribuat. consent of the bishop. Rather, as it is constituted by the holy canons, let Immo sicut sanctis canonibus constitutum est animarum cura et the care of souls and the dispensing of ecclesiastical affairs remain in the rerum ecclesiasticarum dispensatio decision and power of the bishop. Indeed, if anyone presumes to do in episcopi iudicio et potestate permaneat. Si quis vero contra hoc something against this, or to claim for himself the power which pertains facere aut potestatem quae ad to the bishop, let him be banished from the bounds of the church episcopum pertinet sibi vendicare praesumpserit ab ecclesiae liminibus arceatur. 5. The ordinations made by the heresiarch Burdinus , after he was Ordinationes quae a Burdino haeresiarcha postquam a Romana 26 ecclesia est damnatus quaecumque condemned by the Roman church, and whatever was afterwards done by etiam a pseudoepiscopis per eum pseudo-bishops ordained by him, we judge to be null and void. postea ordinatis factae sunt nos irratas esse iudicamus. Nullus in praepositum nullus in 6. No one except a priest may be ordained to the office of provost, archipresbyterum nullus in decanum archpriest or dean; no one except a deacon may be ordained to the office nisi presbyter nullus in archidiaconum nisi diaconus of archdeacon. ordinetur. Presbyteris diaconibus vel subdiaconibus concubinarum et 7. We absolutely forbid priests, deacons or subdeacons to live with uxorum contubernia penitus interdicimus et aliarum mulierum concubines and wives, and to cohabit with other women, except those cohabitationem praeter quas whom the council of Nicaea permitted to dwell with them solely on synodus Nicaena propter solas necessitudinum causas habitare account of necessity, namely a mother, sister, paternal or maternal aunt, permisit videlicet matrem sororem or other such persons, about whom no suspicion could justly arise amitam vel materteram aut alias huiusmodi de quibus nulla iuste valeat suspicio oriri. Praeterea iuxta beatissimi Stephani 8. We further resolve, in accordance with the statute of the most blessed papae sanctionem statuimus ut laici quamvis religiosi sint nullam tamen pope Stephen, that lay persons, however religious they may be, have no de ecclesiasticis rebus aliquid power to dispose of any ecclesiastical business; but following the disponendi habeant facultatem sed secundum apostolorum canones apostolic canons, let the bishop have the care of all ecclesiastical matters, omnium negotiorum and let him manage them as in the sight of God. Therefore if any prince ecclesiasticorum curam episcopus habeat et ea velut deo contemplante or other lay person should arrogate to himself the disposition or donation dispenset. Si quis ergo principum vel of ecclesiastical things or possessions, let him be regarded as aliorum laicorum dispositionem seu donationem rerum sive sacrilegious. possessionum ecclesiasticarum sibi vendicaverit ut sacrilegus videatur. Coniunctiones consanguineorum fieri 9. We prohibit unions between blood relatives, because both the divine prohibemus quoniam eas et divinae and secular laws prohibit them. For, the divine laws not only cast out et saeculi prohibent leges. Leges enim divinae hoc agentes et eos qui those doing this and their progeny but also call them accursed; the secular ex eis prodeunt non solum eiciunt laws call such people disreputable and deprive them of inheritance. We, sed maledictos appellant. Leges vero saeculi infames tales eos vocant et therefore, following our fathers, mark them with infamy and judge them ab hereditate repellunt.Nos itaque to be infamous. patres nostros sequentes infamia eos notamus et infames esse censemus. Eis qui Hierosolymam proficiscuntur et ad christianam gentem defendendam et tyrannidem infidelium debellandam efficaciter 10. [crusades] To those who set out for Jerusalem and offer effective auxilium praebuerint suorum peccatorum remissionem help towards the defence of the christian people and overcoming the concedimus et domos et familias tyranny of the infidels, we grant the remission of their sins, and we place atque omnia bona eorum in beati their houses and families and all their goods under the protection of Petri et Romanae ecclesiae protectione sicut a domino nostro blessed Peter and the Roman church, just as has been decreed by our lord papa Urbano statutum fuit pope Urban. Whoever dares to distrain or carry off their houses, families suscipimus. Quicumque ergo ea distrahere vel auferre quamdiu in via and goods, while they are on their way, shall be punished with illa morantur praesumpserint excommunication. Those who have put crosses on their clothes, with a excommunicationis ultione plectantur. Eos autem qui vel pro view to journeying to Jerusalem or to Spain, and have later taken them hierosolymitano vel pro Hispanico off, we command by our apostolic authority to wear the crosses again and itinere cruces sibi in vestibus posuisse noscuntur et eas dimisisse to complete the journey between this Easter and the following Easter. cruces iterato assumere et viam ab Otherwise, from that moment we cut them off from entry into church and instanti pascha usque ad sequens proximum pascha perficere forbid divine services in all their lands, apart from the baptism of infants apostolica auctoritate praecipimus. and confessions for the dying. Alioquin ex eos ab ecclesiae introitu sequestramus et in omnibus terris eorum divina officia praeter infantium baptisma et morientium poenitentias interdicimus. 11. With the advice of our brothers and of the whole curia, and also with Illam vero pravam defunctorum Porticanorum consuetudinem quae the wish and consent of the prefect, we order the abolition of that 27 hactenus ibi fuit ex fratrum nostrorum et totius curiae consilio necnon ex voluntate atque consensu immoral practice hitherto obtaining with respect to the dead Porticani, so praefecti removendam censemus ut that the goods of Porticani dwellers dying without heirs are not to be Porticanorum habitatorum sine heredibus morientium bona contra dispersed against the wishes of those dying. This, however, is to the morientis deliberationem minime extent that the Porticani remain obedient and faithful to the Roman pervadantur. Ita tamen ut Porticani in Romanae church and to us and our successors. ecclesiae et nostra nostrorum que successorum oboedientia et fidelitate permaneant. Sanctorum patrum canonibus consona sentientes oblationes de 12. In accordance with the canons of the holy fathers, we absolutely sacratissimo et reverendissimo altari forbid and prohibit the laity, under the penalty of anathema, to remove beati Petri et salvatoris et sanctae Mariae rotundae et sancti Nicolai the offerings from the most sacred and revered altars of blessed Peter and Barensis sancti Egidii aut de aliis of the Saviour and of St Mary Rotunda and of St Nicholas of Bari, of St omnium ecclesiarum altaribus sive crucibus a laicis auferri penitus Giles , or from the altars or crosses of all the other churches. By interdicimus et sub anathematis apostolic authority we forbid the fortification or taking hold of churches districtione prohibemus. Ecclesias a laicis incastellari aut in by lay persons . servitutem redigi auctoritate apostolica prohibemus. Quicumque monetam falsam scienter 13. Whoever knowingly makes or intentionally spends counterfeit fecerit aut studiose expenderit tamquam maledictus et pauperum money shall be separated from the communion of the faithful as one virorum oppressor et civitatis accursed, an oppressor of the poor and a disturber of the state. turbator a fidelium consortio separetur. Si quis romipetas et peregrinos 14. If anyone tries to attack pilgrims to Rome and foreigners visiting the apostolorum limina et aliorum shrines of the apostles and the oratories of other saints, or to rob them of sanctorum oratoria visitantes capere seu rebus quas ferunt spoliare vel the things they bring, or to trouble merchants with new exactions of tolls mercatores novis teloneorum seu and fees, let him be deprived of christian communion until he makes pedaticorum exactionibus molestare tentaverit donec satisfecerit reparation. communione careat christiana. Quicquid vero de pace et trevia dei 15. We confirm, with the authority of the holy Spirit, whatever has been vel de incendio seu de publicis stratis ab antecessoribus nostris Romanis determined by the Roman pontiffs our predecessors concerning the peace pontificibus constitutum est nos and truce of God or arson or the public highways. [1] sancti spiritus auctoritate confirmamus. Msi (as canon 14) and B (as canon 13) have a different text namely: Si quis treguam diffregerit usque If anyone should violate a truce, he is to be admonished up to three times tertio ad satisfactionem ab episcopo by the bishop to make reparation. If he acts in contempt of the third admoneatur.Quod si tertio admonitus satisfacere contempserit episcopus admonition to make reparation, the bishop, either with the counsel of the vel cum metropolitani consilio aut metropolitan or with two or one of the neighbouring bishops, shall cum duobus aut uno vicinorum episcoporum in rebellem declare the sentence of anathema on the rebel, and denounce him in anathematis sententiam dictet et per writing to the bishops all around scripturam episcopis circumquaque denuntiet. 16. Following in the footsteps of the holy fathers, we order by general Sanctorum etiam patrum vestigiis inhaerentes generali decreto decree, that monks be subject to their own bishops with all humility, and sancimus ut monachi propriis show due obedience and devoted submission to them in all things, as if to episcopis cum omni humilitate subiecti exsistant et eis uti magistris masters and shepherds of the church of God. They may not celebrate et ecclesiae dei pastoribus debitam masses in public anywhere. Moreover, let them completely abstain from oboedientiam et devotam in omnibus subiectionem exhibeant. Publicas public visitations of the sick, from anointings and even from hearing missarum sollemnitates nusquam confessions, for these things in no way pertain to their calling. Indeed, in celebrent. A publicis etiam infirmorum visitationibus the churches where their ministry is recognized, they may only have inunctionibus seu etiam poenitentiis priests who were ordained by their own bishop, to whom they will quod ad illorum nullatenus officium pertinet sese omnino abstineant. In answer for the care of souls which they have assumed. ecclesiis vero quibus ministrare noscuntur presbyteros nonnisi per manum sui episcopi habeant qui ei de suscepta animarum cura 28 respondeant. Msi (as canon 18) and B (as canon 17) have : Interdicimus abbatibus et monachis We forbid abbots and monks to give public penances, to visit the sick, to publicas poenitentias dare infirmos perform anointings and to chant public masses. They shall receive visitare et unctiones facere et missas publicas cantare. Chrisma et oleum chrism, holy oil, consecrations of altars and ordinations of clerics from consecrationes altarium ordinationes the bishops in whose dioceses they reside.[2] clericorum ab episcopis accipiant in quorum parochiis manent. Ad haec sanctae Romanae ecclesiae possessiones quietas servare per dei 17. In our desire to preserve in peace, by the grace of God, the gratiam cupientes praecipimus et possessions of the holy Roman church, we strictly forbid, under pain of sub districtione anathematis interdicimus ne aliqua militaris anathema, any military person to presume to seize or hold by force persona Beneventanam beati Petri Benevento, the city of blessed Peter. If anyone should dare otherwise, he civitatem praesumat invadere aut violenter retinere.Si quis aliter shall be bound by the chain of anathema. praesumpserit anathematis vinculo teneatur. The remaining canons are missing in alpha, and Msi has canons 18-19 together with canon 16. The first part of this canon (Priests ... pertain to the bishop) may belong to canon 16 (B). In parochialibus ecclesiis presbyteri 18. Priests are to be appointed to parish churches by the bishops, to per episcopos constituantur qui eis respondeant de animarum cura et de whom they shall answer for the care of souls and for those matters which iis quae ad episcopum pertinent. pertain to the bishop. They may not receive tithes or churches from lay Decimas et ecclesias a laicis non suscipiant absque consensu et persons without the consent and wish of the bishops; and if they presume voluntate episcoporum et si aliter to do otherwise, they shall be subject to the canonical penalty. praesumptum fuerit canonicae ultioni subiaceant. Servitium quod monasteria aut 19. We allow the service which monasteries and their churches have paid eorum ecclesiae a tempore Gregorii papae vii usque ad hoc tempus from the time of pope Gregory VII until now. We altogether forbid fecere et nos concedimus. abbots and monks to have the possessions of churches and bishops by a Possessiones ecclesiarum et episcoporum tricennales abbates vel thirty years provision. monachos habere omnimodis prohibemus. Paternarum traditionum exemplis commoniti pastoralis officii debitum 20. Having in mind the examples in the traditions of the fathers, and persolventes ecclesias cum bonis discharging the duty of our pastoral office, we decree that churches and suis tam personis quam possessionibus clericos videlicet ac what belongs to them, both persons and possessions, namely clerics, monachos eorum que conversos monks and their lay brothers, as well as those who come to pray and what oratores quoque cum suis nihilominus rebus quas ferunt tutos they bring with them, are to be under protection and not be harmed. If et sine molestia esse statuimus. anyone dares to act contrary to this and after recognizing his villainy, has Si quis autem contra hoc facere praesumpserit et postquam facinus not properly made amends within the space of thirty days, let him be suum recognoverit infra triginta banished from the bounds of the church and be smitten with the sword of dierum spatium competenter non emendaverit a liminibus ecclesiae anathema. arceatur et anathematis gladio feriatur. Presbyteris diaconibus subdiaconibus 21. We absolutely forbid priests, deacons, subdeacons and monks to have et monachis concubinas habere seu matrimonia contrahere penitus concubines or to contract marriages. We adjudge, as the sacred canons interdicimus contracta quoque have laid down, that marriage contracts between such persons should be matrimonia ab huiusmodi personis disiungi et personas ad poenitentiam made void and the persons ought to undergo penance. debere redigi iuxta sacrorum canonum diffinitionem iudicamus. 22. We condemn the alienations which have been made everywhere, Alienationes quae specialiter per [3] Ottonem Hieremiam seu forte especially by Otto , Jeremias, and perhaps Philip, of the property of the Philippum ubilibet de possessionibus exarchate of Ravenna. Moreover, we declare in general to be invalid the Ravennatis exarchatus factae sunt damnamus. Generaliter autem alienations made in whatever fashion by all persons, whether they were omnium per intrusionem seu intruded or were canonically elected in the name of a bishop or an abbot, canonice electorum sub episcopi nomine aut abbatis qui secundum who should be consecrated in accordance with the usage of his own usum ecclesiae suae consecrandus est alienationes quocunque modo 29 factas necnon personarum ordinationes ab eisdem sine communi consensu clericorum church, and the ordinations conferred by them without the consent of the ecclesiae sive per simoniam itidem clergy of the church or through simony. We also forbid absolutely that factas irritas iudicamus. Illud etiam per omnia interdicimus ut nullus any cleric should presume to alienate in any way his prebend or any clericus praebendam suam seu ecclesiastical benefice. Any such action in the past or the future shall be aliquod ecclesiasticum beneficium aliquo modo alienare praesumat. invalid and subject to canonical penalty.” Quod si praesumptum olim fuit vel aliquando fuerit irritum erit et canonicae ultioni subiacebit.

THE SECOND LATERAN COUNCIL (1139) The 10th Ecumenical Council CANONS [THE GENERAL and ECUMENICAL COUNCIL of the CATHOLIC Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium CHURCH - THE SECOND LATERAN COUNCIL, 1139] Lateranense a. II 113 1. We decree that if anyone has been ordained simoniacally, he is to Statuimus ut si quis simoniace ordinatus fuerit ab officio omnino forfeit entirely the office which he illicitly usurped. cadat quod illicite usurpavit. Si quis praebendam vel prioratum seu 2. If anyone has acquired, through payment, a prebend, priory, deanery or decanatum aut honorem vel promotionem aliquam ecclesiasticam any ecclesiastical honour or preferment, or a holy thing of the church of seu quodlibet sacramentum any kind, such as chrism or holy oil, or the consecrations of altars or ecclesiasticum utpote chrisma vel oleum sanctum consecrationes churches, where the execrable passion of avarice has been the motive, let altarium vel ecclesiarum interveniente him be deprived of the honour which he wrongly acquired, and let the exsecrabili ardore avaritiae per pecuniam acquisivit honore male buyer and seller and intermediary be stigmatised with the mark of acquisito careat. Et emptor atque infamy. And let nothing be demanded for sustenance or under the pretext venditor et interventor nota infamiae percellantur. Et nec pro pastu nec sub of any custom from anyone before or afterwards, nor should the person obtentu alicuius consuetudinis ante himself presume to give anything, since this is simony; but let him enjoy vel post a quoquam aliquid exigatur vel ipse dare praesumat quoniam freely and without any diminution the dignity and benefice which has simoniacum est. Sed libere et absque been conferred on him imminutione aliqua collata sibi dignitate atque beneficio perfruatur. 3. We utterly prohibit those who have been excommunicated by their A suis episcopis excommunicatos ab aliis suscipi modis omnibus bishops to be received by others. Indeed, whoever knowingly presumes prohibemus.Qui vero excommunicato to communicate someone who has been excommunicated, before he is antequam ab eo qui eum excommunicaverit absolvatur scienter absolved by the one who excommunicated him, is to be held liable to the communicare praesumpserit pari same sentence. sententiae teneatur obnoxius. Praecipimus etiam quod tam episcopi 4. We also enjoin that bishops as well as clergy take pains to be pleasing quam clerici in statu mentis in habitu corporis deo et hominibus placere to God and to humans in both their interior and exterior comportment. studeant et nec in superfluitate Let them give no offence in the sight of those for whom they ought to be scissura aut colore vestium nec in tonsura intuentium quorum forma et a model and example, by the excess, cut or colour of their clothes, nor exemplum esse debent offendant with regard to the tonsure, but rather, as is fitting for them, let them aspectum sed potius quae eos deceat sanctitatem prae se ferant. Quod si exhibit holiness. If after a warning from the bishops they are unwilling to moniti ab episcopis emendari change their ways, let them be deprived of their ecclesiastical benefices. noluerint ecclesiasticis careant beneficiis. 5. We enjoin that what was laid down in the sacred council of Chalcedon Illud autem quod in sacro Chalcedoniensi constitutum est be rigidly adhered to, namely, that the goods of deceased bishops are not concilio irrefragabiliter conservari to be seized by anyone at all, but are to remain freely at the disposal of praecipimus ut videlicet decedentium bona episcoporum a nullo omnino the treasurer and the clergy for the needs of the church and the hominum diripiantur sed ad opus succeeding incumbent. Therefore, from now on, let that detestable and ecclesiae et successoris sui in libera oeconomi et clericorum permaneant wicked rapacity cease. Furthermore, if anyone dares to attempt this potestate. Cesset igitur de cetero illa behaviour henceforth, he is to be excommunicated. And those who detestabilis et saeva rapacitas. Si quis autem amodo hoc attentare despoil the goods of dying priests or clerics are to be subject to the same praesumpserit excommunicationi 30 subiaceat. Qui vero morientium presbyterorum vel clericorum bona sentence. rapuerint simili sententiae subiiciantur. Decernimus etiam ut ii qui in ordine 6. We also decree that those in the orders of subdeacon and above who subdiaconatus et supra uxores have taken wives or concubines are to be deprived of their position and duxerint aut concubinas habuerint officio atque ecclesiastico beneficio ecclesiastical benefice. For since they ought to be in fact and in name careant. Cum enim ipsi templum dei temples of God, vessels of the Lord and sanctuaries of the holy Spirit, it vasa domini sacrarium spiritus sancti debeant esse et dici indignum est eos is unbecoming that they give themselves up to marriage and impurity. cubilibus et immunditiis deservire. Ad haec praedecessorum nostrorum Gregorii vii Urbani et Paschalis 7. Adhering to the path trod by our predecessors, the Roman pontiffs Romanorum pontificum vestigiis Gregory VII, Urban and Paschal, we prescribe that nobody is to hear the inhaerentes praecipimus ut nullus missas eorum audiat quos uxores vel masses of those whom he knows to have wives or concubines. Indeed, concubinas habere cognoverit. Ut that the law of continence and the purity pleasing to God might be autem lex continentiae et deo placens munditia in ecclesiasticis personis et propagated among ecclesiastical persons and those in holy orders, we sacris ordinibus dilatetur statuimus decree that where bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, canons regular, quatenus episcopi presbyteri diaconi subdiaconi regulares canonici et monks and professed lay brothers have presumed to take wives and so monachi atque conversi professi qui transgress this holy precept, they are to be separated from their partners. sanctum transgredientes propositum uxores sibi copulare praesumpserint For we do not deem there to be a marriage which, it is agreed, has been separentur. Huiusmodi namque contracted against ecclesiastical law. Furthermore, when they have copulationem quam contra ecclesiasticam regulam constat esse separated from each other, let them do a penance commensurate with contractam matrimonium non esse such outrageous behaviour. censemus. Qui etiam ab separati pro tantis excessibus condignam poenitentiam agant. 8. We decree that the selfsame thing is to apply also to women religious Id ipsum quoque de sanctimonialibus feminis si quod absit nubere if, God forbid, they attempt to marry. attentaverint observari decernimus. 9. Moreover, the evil and detestable practice has grown, so we Prava autem consuetudo prout accepimus et detestabilis inolevit understand, whereby monks and canons regular, after receiving the habit quoniam monachi et regulares and making their profession, are learning civil law and medicine with a canonici post susceptum habitum et professionem factam spreta beatorum view to temporal gain, in scornful disregard of the rules of their blessed magistrorum Benedicti et Augustini teachers Benedict and Augustine. In fact, burning with the fire of avarice, regula leges temporales et medicinam gratia lucri temporalis addiscunt. they make themselves the advocates of suits; and since they have to Avaritiae namque flammis accensi se neglect the psalmody and hymns, placing their trust in the power of fine patronos causarum faciunt. Et cum psalmodiae et hymnis vacare debeant rhetoric instead, they confuse what is right and what is wrong, justice and gloriosae vocis confisi munimine iniquity, by reason of the variety of their arguments. But the imperial allegationum suarum varietate iustum et iniustum fas nefas que confundunt. constitutions testify that it is truly absurd and reprehensible for clerics to Attestantur vero imperiales want to be experts in the disputes of law courts. We decree by apostolic constitutiones absurdum immo et opprobrium esse clericis si peritos se authority that lawbreakers of this kind are to be severely punished. There velint disceptationum esse forensium. are also those who, neglecting the care of souls, completely ignore their Huiusmodi temeratores graviter feriendos apostolica auctoritate state in life, promise health in return for hateful money and make decernimus. Ipsi quoque neglecta themselves healers of human bodies. And since an immodest eye animarum cura ordinis sui propositum nullatenus attendentes pro manifests an immodest heart, religion ought to have nothing to do with detestanda pecunia sanitatem those things of which virtue is ashamed to speak. Therefore, we forbid by pollicentes humanorum curatores se faciunt corporum. Cum que impudicus apostolic authority this practice to continue, so that the monastic order oculus impudici cordis sit nuntius illa and the order of canons may be preserved without stain in a state of life de quibus loqui erubescit honestas non debet religio pertractare. Ut ergo pleasing to God, in accord with their holy purpose. Furthermore, bishops, ordo monasticus et canonicus deo abbots and priors who consent to and fail to correct such an outrageous placens in sancto proposito inviolabiliter conservetur ne hoc practice are to be deprived of their own honours and kept from the ulterius praesumatur apostolica thresholds of the church. auctoritate interdicimus. Episcopi autem abbates et priores tantae enormitati consentientes et non corrigentes propriis honoribus spolientur et ab ecclesiae liminibus 31 arceantur.

Decimas ecclesiarum quas in usu pietatis concessas esse canonica demonstrat auctoritas a laicis 10. We prohibit, by apostolic authority, that the tithes of churches be possideri apostolica auctoritate possessed by lay people where canonical authority shows these were prohibemus. Sive enim ab episcopis vel regibus vel quibuslibet personis assigned for religious purposes. For whether they accept them from eas acceperint nisi ecclesiae bishops or kings, or any person whatsoever, let them know that they are reddiderint sciant se sacrilegii crimen committere et periculum aeternae committing the crime of sacrilege and incurring the threat of eternal damnationis incurrere. Praecipimus damnation, unless they hand them back to the church. We also direct that etiam ut laici qui ecclesias tenent aut eas episcopis restituant aut lay people who are in possession of churches must either restore them to excommunicationi subiaceant. the bishops or become subject to excommunication. We reiterate our Innovamus autem et praecipimus ut nullus in archidiaconum vel decanum decision that nobody is to hold the office of archdeacon or dean unless he nisi diaconus vel presbyter ordinetur. is ordained deacon or priest; and archdeacons, deans or provosts who are Archidiaconi vero decani vel praepositi qui infra ordines without these orders are to be deprived of the honour they have received, praenominatos exsistunt si if through disobedience they refuse to be ordained. Moreover, we forbid inoboedientes ordinari contempserint honore suscepto priventur. the aforesaid honours to be conferred on youths or those not yet in sacred Prohibemus autem ne adolescentibus orders; let them be conferred rather on those who are outstanding in vel infra sacros ordines constitutis sed qui prudentia et merito vitae prudence and integrity of life. We also enjoin that churches are not to be clarescunt praedicti concedantur entrusted to hired priests and that each and every church with sufficient honores. Praecipimus etiam ne conductitiis presbyteris ecclesiae means is to have its own priest committantur et unaquaeque ecclesia cui facultas suppetit proprium habeat sacerdotem.

Praecipimus etiam ut presbyteri clerici 11. We also prescribe that priests, clerics, monks, pilgrims, merchants monachi peregrini et mercatores et and peasants, in their coming and going and their work on the land, and rustici euntes et redeuntes et in agricoltura persistentes et animalia the animals with which they plough and carry seeds to the fields, and cum quibus aratur et semina portant their sheep , be left in peace at all times. ad agrum et oves omni tempore securi sint.

12. We decree that the truce is to be inviolably observed by all from Treguam autem ab occasu solis in quarta feria usque ad ortum solis in sunset on Wednesday until sunrise on Monday, and from Advent until secunda feria et ab adventu domini the octave of the Epiphany, and from Quinquagesima until the octave of usque ad octavas epiphaniae et a quinquagesima usque ad octavam Easter. If anyone tries to break the truce, and he does not comply after paschae ab omnibus inviolabiliter the third warning, let his bishop pronounce sentence of excommunication observari praecipimus. Si quis autem treguam frangere tentaverit post on him, and communicate his decision in writing to the neighbouring tertiam commonitionem si non bishops. Moreover let none of the bishops receive into communion the satisfecerit episcopus suus in eum excommunicationis sententiam dictet excommunicated person, but rather let each confirm the sentence et scriptam episcopis vicinis received in writing. If anyone presumes to infringe this, he will do so at annuntiet. Episcoporum autem nullus excommunicatum in communionem the risk of his position. Since a threefold cord is not quickly broken, we suscipiat immo scripto susceptam enjoin bishops, having regard for God alone and the salvation of the sententiam quisque confirmet. Si quis autem hoc violare praesumpserit people, and laying aside all timidity, to furnish each other with mutual ordinis sui periculo subiacebit. Et counsel and help towards firmly maintaining peace, and not to omit this quoniam funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur praecipimus ut episcopi ad duty by reason of any affection or aversion. For if anyone is found to be solum deum et salutem populi lukewarm in this work of God, let him incur the loss of his dignity habentes respectum omni tepiditate seposita ad pacem firmiter tenendam mutuum sibi consilium et auxilium praebeant neque hoc alicuius amore aut odio praetermittant. Quod si quis 32 in hoc dei opere tepidus inventus fuerit damnum propriae dignitatis incurrat.

Porro detestabilem et probrosam divinis et humanis legibus per 13. Furthermore, we condemn that practice accounted despicable and scripturam in veteri et novo blameworthy by divine and human laws, denounced by Scripture in the testamento abdicatam illam inquam insatiabilem foeneratorum old and new Testaments, namely, the ferocious greed of usurers; and we rapacitatem damnamus et ab omni sever them from every comfort of the church, forbidding any archbishop ecclesiastica consolatione sequestramus praecipientes ut nullus or bishop, or an abbot of any order whatever or anyone in clerical orders, archiepiscopus nullus episcopus vel to dare to receive usurers, unless they do so with extreme caution; but let cuiuslibet ordinis abbas seu quivis in ordine et clero nisi cum summa them be held infamous throughout their whole lives and, unless they cautela usurarios recipere praesumat. repent, be deprived of a christian burial. Sed in tota vita infames habeantur et nisi resipuerint christiana sepultura priventur.

Detestabiles autem illas nundinas vel 14. We entirely forbid, moreover, those abominable jousts and ferias in quibus milites ex condicto convenire solent et ad ostentationem tournaments in which knights come together by agreement and rashly virium suarum et audaciae temerarie engage in showing off their physical prowess and daring, and which congrediuntur unde mortes hominum et animarum pericula saepe often result in human deaths and danger to souls. If any of them dies on proveniunt omnino fieri interdicimus. these occasions, although penance and viaticum are not to be denied him Quod si quis eorum ibidem mortuus fuerit quamvis ei poscenti poenitentia when he requests them, he is to be deprived of a church burial. et viaticum non negetur ecclesiastica tamen careat sepultura.

Item placuit ut si quis suadente 15. In the same way we have decided to legislate that if anyone, at the diabolo huius sacrilegii reatum incurrerit quod in clericum vel instigation of the devil, incurs the guilt of the following sacrilege, that is, monachum violentas manus iniecerit to lay violent hands on a cleric or a monk, he is to be subject to the bond anathematis vinculo subiaceat et nullus episcoporum illum praesumat of anathema; and let no bishop presume to absolve such a person unless absolvere nisi mortis urgente periculo he is in immediate danger of death, until he has been presented before the donec apostolico conspectui praesentetur et eius mandatum apostolic See and submits to its decision. We also prescribe that nobody suscipiat. Praecipimus etiam ut in eos dare to lay hands on those who flee to a church or cemetery. If anyone qui ad ecclesiam vel coemeterium confugerint nullus omnino manum does this, let him be excommunicated. mittere audeat. Quod si fecerit excommunicetur.

Indubitatum est quoniam honores 16. It is undoubtedly the case that since ecclesiastical honours depend not ecclesiastici sanguinis non sunt sed meriti et ecclesia dei non hereditario on blood-relationships but on merit, and since the church of God awaits iure aliquem neque secundum carnem successors not on the basis of any right of inheritance, nor according to successorem expectat sed ad sua regimina et officiorum suorum the flesh, it requires virtuous, wise and devout persons for its dispensationes honestas sapientes et administration and the distribution of its offices. Therefore we prohibit, religiosas personas exposcit. Propterea auctoritate prohibemus by apostolic authority, anyone to exercise a claim over or to demand, by apostolica ne quis ecclesias hereditary right, churches, prebends, provostships, chaplaincies or any praebendas praeposituras capellanias aut aliqua ecclesiastica officia ecclesiastical offices. If anyone, unjustly and guilty of ambition, dares to hereditario iure valeat vindicare aut attempt this, he will be duly punished and deprived of the object of his expostulare praesumat. Quod si quis improbus aut ambitionis reus suit. attentare praesumpserit debita pena mulctabitur et postulatis carebit. 33

17. With good reason we entirely prohibit unions within the bounds of Sane coniunctiones consanguineorum omnino fieri prohibemus. Huiusmodi consanguinity; for the teachings of holy fathers and the holy church of namque incestum qui fere stimulante God detest incestuous behaviour of this kind, which (under the influence humani generis inimico in usum versus est sanctorum patrum instituta of the enemy of the human race) is engaged in nowadays. Even the et sacrosancta dei detestatur ecclesia. secular laws pronounce those born of such a union infamous, and refuse Leges etiam saeculi de tali contubernio natos infames them the right of inheritance pronuntiant et ab hereditate repellunt.

Pessimam siquidem et depopulatricem et horrendam incendiorum malitiam auctoritate dei et beatorum apostolorum Petri et 18. We completely detest and forbid, by the authority of God and the Pauli omnino detestamur et blessed apostles Peter and Paul, that most dreadful, devastating and interdicimus. Haec etenim pestis et hostilis vastitas omnes alias malicious crime of incendiarism For this pernicious and inimical depraedationes exsuperat. Quae calamity surpasses all other kinds of destruction. Nobody is unaware of quantum populo dei sit damnosa the extent to which it is injurious to the people of God and the damage it quantum que detrimentum animabus et corporibus inferat nullus ignorat. brings to souls and bodies. It is necessary, therefore, to oppose it and to Assurgendum est igitur et omni modo labour with all one’s might, that so great a harm and danger be eradicated laborandum ut tanta clades tanta que pernicies pro salute populi eradicetur and suppressed for the sake of the people. If anyone, then, after the et exstirpetur. Si quis igitur post huius publication of this prohibition of ours, from some wicked design born of nostrae prohibitionis promulgationem malo studio sive pro odio sive pro hate or vengeance, starts a fire or causes it to be started, or knowingly vindicta ignem apposuerit vel apponi provides counsel or help to those starting one, let him be fecerit aut appositoribus consilium vel auxilium scienter tribuerit excommunicated. And when an arsonist dies, he is to be deprived of a excommunicetur. Et si mortuus fuerit christian burial. Nor is he to be absolved unless, having first made incendiarius christianorum careat sepultura. Nec absolvatur nisi prius reparation for the loss according to his means, he swears that he will damno cui intulit secundum never raise a fire again. Moreover, let him be given the penance of facultatem suam resarcito iuret se ulterius ignem non appositurum. remaining a whole year in Jerusalem or Spain in the service of God. Poenitentia autem ei detur ut Hierosolymis aut in Hispania in servitio dei per annum integrum permaneat.

Si quis autem archiepiscopus vel 19. If any archbishop or bishop relaxes this decree, he is to make episcopus hoc relaxaverit damnum restitution for the loss and abstain from his episcopal office for a year. restituat et per annum ab officio episcopali abstineat.

Sane regibus et principibus facultatem 20. As is right, we do not deny to kings and princes the power to dispense faciendae iustitiae consultis justice, in consultation with the archbishops and bishops. archiepiscopis et episcopis non negamus. 21. We decree that sons of priests are to be removed from the ministries Presbyterorum filios a sacri altaris ministeriis removendos decernimus of the sacred altar unless they are living religiously in monasteries or nisi aut in coenobiis aut in canonicis canonries. religiose fuerint conversati. 22. Because there is one thing that conspicuously causes great Sane quia inter cetera unum est quod sanctam maxime perturbat ecclesiam disturbance to holy church, namely, false penance, we warn our brothers falsa videlicet poenitentia confratres in the episcopate and priests not to allow the souls of the laity to be nostros et presbyteros admonemus ne falsis poenitentiis laicorum animas deceived or dragged off to hell by false penances. It is agreed that a decipi et in infernum pertrahi penance is false when many sins are disregarded and a penance is patiantur. Falsam autem poenitentiam esse constat cum spretis pluribus de performed for one only, or when it is done for one sin in such a way that uno solo poenitentia agitur aut cum 34 sic agitur de uno ut non discedatur ab alio. Unde scriptum est qui totam the penitent does not renounce another. Thus it is written: Whoever keeps legem observaverit offendit autem in the whole law but fails in one point, has become guilty of all of it; this uno factus est omnium reus scilicet quantum ad vitam aeternam. Sicut evidently pertains to eternal life. Therefore, just as a person who is enim si peccatis esset omnibus entangled in all sins will not enter the gate of eternal life, so also if a involutus ita si in uno tantum maneat aeternae vitae ianuam non intrabit. person remains in one sin . False penance also occurs when the penitent Falsa etiam fit poenitentia cum does not resign a position at a court or in business which cannot be poenitens ab officio vel curiali vel negotiali non recedit quod sine carried on without sin, or if hate is harboured in his heart, or if the person peccato agi nulla ratione praevalet does not make amends to whomever he offended, or if an injured party aut si odium in corde gestetur aut si offenso cuilibet non satisfiat aut si does not pardon the offender, or if anyone unjustly carries arms. offendenti offensus non indulgeat aut si arma quis contra iustitiam gerat.

Eos autem qui religiositatis speciem 23. Those who, simulating a kind of religiosity, condemn simulantes domini corporis et sanguinis the sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood, sacramentum the baptism of children, baptisma puerorum sacerdotium et ceteros ecclesiasticos the priesthood and other ecclesiastical orders, and ordines et legitimarum damnant foedera legitimate marriages, nuptiarum tamquam haereticos ab ecclesia dei we expel from the church of God and condemn as heretics, and prescribe pellimus et damnamus et per potestates exteras coerceri that they be constrained by the secular powers. We also bind up their praecipimus. Defensores quoque defenders in the fetter of the same condemnation. ipsorum eiusdem damnationis vinculo innodamus.

Illud quoque adicientes praecipimus 24. We also prescribe that no sale-price is to be demanded for chrism, ut pro chrismatis olei sacri et holy oil and burials. sepulturae acceptione nullum venditionis pretium exigatur.

Si quis praeposituras praebendas vel 25. If anyone receives provostships, prebends or other ecclesiastical alia ecclesiastica beneficia de manu benefices from the hand of a lay person, let him be deprived of the laici acceperit indigne suscepto careat beneficio. Iuxta namque decreta benefice unworthily received. For the decrees of the holy fathers state sanctorum patrum laici quamvis that lay people, no matter how devout they may be, have no power of religiosi sint nullam tamen habent disponendi de ecclesiasticis disposal over ecclesiastical property. facultatibus potestatem.

26. We decree that the pernicious and detestable custom which has Ad haec perniciosam et detestabilem consuetudinem quarundam mulierum spread among some women who although they live neither according to quae licet neque secundum regulam the rule of blessed Benedict, nor Basil nor Augustine, yet wish to be beati Benedicti neque Basilii aut Augustini vivant sanctimoniales thought of by everyone as nuns, is to be abolished. For when, living tamen vulgo censeri desiderant according to the rule in monasteries, they ought to be in church or in the aboleri decernimus. Cum enim iuxta regulam degentes in coenobiis tam in refectory or dormitory in common, they build for themselves their own ecclesia quam in refectorio atque retreats and private dwelling-places where, under the guise of hospitality, dormitorio communiter esse debeant propria sibi aedificant receptacula et indiscriminately and without any shame they receive guests and secular privata domicilia in quibus sub persons contrary to the sacred canons and good morals. Because hospitalitatis velamine passim hospites et minus religiosos contra everyone who does evil hates the light, these women think that, hidden in sacros canones et bonos mores the tabernacle of the just , they can conceal themselves from the eyes of suscipere nullatenus erubescunt. Quia ergo omnis qui male agit odit lucem 35 ac per hoc ipsae absconditae in iustorum tabernaculo opinantur se the Judge who sees everything; so we prohibit in every way this posse latere oculos iudicis cuncta unrighteous, hateful and disgraceful conduct and forbid it to continue cernentis hoc tam inhonestum detestandum que flagitium ne ulterius under pain of anathema. fiat omnimodis prohibemus et sub poena anathematis interdicimus.

Simili modo prohibemus ne 27. In the same way, we prohibit nuns to come together with canons or sanctimoniales simul cum canonicis monks in choir for the singing of the office. vel monachis in ecclesia in uno choro conveniant ad psallendum.

Obeuntibus sane episcopis quoniam ultra tres menses vacare ecclesias 28. Since the decrees of the fathers prohibit churches to be left vacant for prohibent patrum sanctiones sub more than three months, we forbid under anathema the canons of the anathemate interdicimus ne canonici de sede episcopali ab electione episcopal see to exclude religious men from the election following on the episcoporum excludant religiosos death of the bishop; but let a virtuous and suitable person be elected as viros sed eorum consilio honesta et idonea persona in episcopum eligatur. bishop with their advice. Because if an election is held with these Quod si exclusis eisdem religiosis religious persons excluded, where this is done without their knowledge electio fuerit celebrata quod absque eorum assensu et convenientia and consent, it is null and void. factum fuerit irritum habeatur et vacuum.

Artem autem illam mortiferam et deo 29. We prohibit under anathema that murderous art of crossbowmen and odibilem ballistariorum et archers, which is hateful to God, to be employed against Christians and sagittariorum adversus christianos et catholicos exerceri de cetero sub Catholics from now on. anathemate prohibemus.

30. We render void the ordinances enacted by Peter Leoni and other Ad haec ordinationes factas a Petro et aliis schismaticis et haereticis schismatics and heretics, and deem them null. evacuamus et irritas esse censemus.

THE THIRD LATERAN COUNCIL (1179) The 11th Ecumenical Council

[THE GENERAL and ECUMENICAL COUNCIL of the CATHOLIC Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium CHURCH - THE THIRD LATERAN COUNCIL, 1139] Lateranense III a. 1179

CANONS

Licet de evitanda discordia in electione summi pontificis manifesta satis a nostris praedecessoribus constituta manaverint tamen quia 1. Although clear enough decrees have been handed down by our saepe post illa per improbae ambitionis audaciam gravem passa predecessors to avoid dissension in the choice of a sovereign pontiff, est ecclesia scissuram nos etiam ad nevertheless in spite of these, because through wicked and reckless malum hoc evitandum de consilio fratrum nostrorum et sacri ambition the church has often suffered serious division, we too, in order approbatione concilii aliquid to avoid this evil, on the advice of our brethren and with the approval of decrevimus adiungendum. Statuimus igitur ut si forte inimico homine the sacred council, have decided that some addition must be made. superseminante zizania inter Therefore we decree that if by chance, through some enemy sowing tares, cardinales de substituendo pontifice non potuerit concordia plena esse et there cannot be full agreement among the cardinals on a successor to the duabus partibus concordantibus tertia papacy, and though two thirds are in agreement a third party is unwilling pars noluerit concordare aut sibi alium to agree with them or presumes to appoint someone else for itself, that praesumpserit ordinare ille Romanus pontifex habeatur qui a duabus person shall be held as Roman pontiff who has been chosen and received partibus fuerit electus et receptus. Si by the two thirds. But if anyone trusting to his nomination by the third quis autem de tertiae partis nominatione confisus quia rem non party assumes the name of bishop, since he cannot take the reality, both potest sibi nomen episcopi usurpaverit he and those who receive him are to incur excommunication and be tam ipse quam qui eum receperint excommunicationi subiaceant et totius deprived of all sacred order, so that viaticum be denied them, except at sacri ordinis privatione mulctentur ita the hour of death, and unless they repent, let them receive the lot of ut viatici eis etiam nisi tantum in ultimis communio denegetur et nisi Dathan and Abiron, who were swallowed up alive by the earth. Further, if resipuerint cum Dathan et Abiron quos anyone is chosen to the apostolic office by less than two thirds, unless in terra vivos absorbuit accipiant portionem. Praeterea si a paucioribus the meantime he receives a larger support, let him in no way assume it, aliquis quam a duabus partibus fuerit and let him be subject to the foresaid penalty if he is unwilling humbly to electus ad apostolatus officium nisi maior concordia intercesserit refrain. However, as a result of this decree, let no prejudice arise to the nullatenus assumatur et praedictae canons and other ecclesiastical constitutions according to which the poenae subiaceat si humiliter noluerit abstinere. Ex hoc tamen nullum decision of the greater and senior part should prevail, because any doubt canonicis constitutionibus et aliis that can arise in them can be settled by a higher authority; whereas in the ecclesiasticis praeiudicium generetur in quibus maioris et senioris partis Roman church there is a special constitution, since no recourse can be debet sententia praevalere quia quod had to a superior. in eis dubium venerit superioris poterit iudicio definiri. In Romana vero ecclesia aliquid speciale constituitur quia non potest recursus ad superiorem haberi.

2. Renewing the decision taken by our predecessor of happy memory, Quod a praedecessore nostro felicis memoriae Innocentio factum est Innocent, we decree that the ordinances made by the heresiarchs innovantes ordinationes ab Octaviano Octavian and Guido , and also by John of Struma who followed them, et Guidone haeresiarchis necnon et Iohanne Strumensi qui eos secutus est and by those ordained by them, are void; and furthermore that if any have factas et ab ordinatis ab eis irritas received ecclesiastical dignities or benefices through the foresaid esse censemus adicientes etiam ut si qui dignitates ecclesiasticas seu schismatics, they are to be deprived of them. Moreover alienations or beneficia per praedictos schismaticos seizures of ecclesiastical property, which have been made by these receperunt careant impetratis. Alienationes quoque seu invasiones schismatics or by lay persons, are to lack all validity and are to return to quae per eosdem schismaticos sive the church without any burden to it. If anyone presumes to act against per laicos factae sunt de rebus ecclesiasticis omni careant firmitate et this, let him know that he is excommunicated. We decree that those who ad ecclesiam sine omni eius onere of their own accord have taken an oath to remain in schism are suspended revertantur. Si quis autem contraire praesumpserit excommunicationi se from sacred orders and dignities. noverit subiacere. Illos autem qui sponte iuramentum de tenendo schismate praestiterint a sacris ordinibus et dignitatibus decrevimus 37 manere suspensos.

Cum in sacris ordinibus et ministeriis 3. Since in holy orders and ecclesiastical ministries both maturity of age, ecclesiasticis et aetatis maturitas et a serious character and knowledge of letters should be required, much morum gravitas et scientia litterarum sit inquirenda multo fortius haec in more should these qualities be required in a bishop, who is appointed for episcopo oportet inquiri qui ad curam the care of others and ought to show in himself how others should live in positus aliorum in se ipso debet ostendere qualiter alios in domo the house of the Lord. Therefore, lest what has been done with regard to domini oporteat conversari. Eapropter certain persons through the needs of the time should be taken as a ne quod de quibusdam ex necessitate temporis factum est in exemplum precedent for the future, we declare by the present decree that no one trahatur a posteris praesenti decreto should be chosen bishop unless he has already reached the age of thirty, statuimus ut nullus in episcopum eligatur nisi qui iam trigesimum been born in lawful wedlock and also is shown to be worthy by his life aetatis annum egerit et de legitimo sit and learning. matrimonio natus qui etiam vita et scientia commendabilis demonstretur. Cum autem electus fuerit et confirmationem electionis acceperit et When he has been elected and his election has been confirmed, and he ecclesiasticorum bonorum has the administration of ecclesiastical property, after the time has passed administrationem habuerit decurso tempore de consecrandis episcopis a for the consecration of bishops as laid down by the canons let the person canonibus definito is ad quem to whom the benefices which he held belong, have the free disposition of spectant beneficia quae habuerat disponendi de illis liberam habeat them. Further, with regard to the inferior ministries, for instance that of facultatem. Inferiora etiam ministeria dean or archdeacon, and others which have the care of souls annexed, let utputa decanatus archidiaconatus et alia quae animarum curam habent no one at all receive them, or even the rule of parish churches, unless he annexam nullus omnino suscipiat sed has already reached his twenty-fifth year of age, and can be approved for nec parochialium ecclesiarum regimen nisi qui iam vigesimum quintum his learning and character. aetatis annum attigerit et qui scientia et moribus exsistat commendandus. Cum autem assumptus fuerit si When he has been nominated, if the archdeacon is not ordained deacon, archidiaconus in diaconum et decani et reliqui admoniti non fuerint praefixo and the deans (and the rest after due warning) are not ordained priests a canonibus tempore in presbyteros within the time fixed by the canons, let them be removed from that office ordinati et ab illo removeantur officio et alii conferatur qui et velit et possit and let it be conferred on another who is both able and willing to fulfill it convenienter illud implere. Nec prosit properly; and let them not be allowed the evasion of recourse to an illis appellationis diffugium si forte in transgressionem constitutionis istius appeal, should they wish by an appeal to protect themselves against a per appellationem voluerint se tueri. transgression of the constitution. We order that this should be observed Hoc sane non solum de promovendis sed de his etiam qui iam promoti sunt with regard to both past and future appointments, unless it is contrary to si canones non obsistant praecipimus the canons. Certainly if clerics appoint someone contrary to this rule, let observandum. Clerici sane si contra formam istam quemquam elegerint et them know that they are deprived of the power of election and are eligendi potestate tunc privatos et ab suspended from ecclesiastical benefices for three years. ecclesiasticis beneficiis triennio se noverint suspensos. For it is right that at least the strictness of ecclesiastical discipline should Dignum est enim ut quos timor dei a malo non revocat ecclesiasticae restrain those who are not recalled from evil by the fear of God. But if saltem coerceat severitas disciplinae. any bishop has acted in anyone’s interest contrary to this decree, or has Episcopus autem si cui fecerit aut fieri consenserit contra hoc in conferendis consented to such actions, let him lose the power of conferring the praedictis potestatem suam amittat. foresaid offices, and let these appointments be made by the chapter, or by Et per capitulum aut per metropolitanum si capitulum the metropolitan if the chapter cannot agree. concordare nequiverit ordinentur.

4. Since the apostle decided that he ought to support himself and those Cum apostolus se et suos propriis manibus decreverit exhibendos ut accompanying him by his own hands, so that he might remove the locum praedicandi auferret opportunity of preaching from false apostles and might not be pseudoapostolis et illis quibus praedicabat non exsisteret onerosus burdensome to those to whom he was preaching, it is recognized that it is grave nimis et emendatione fore a very serious matter and calls for correction that some of our brethren dignum dignoscitur quod quidam 38 fratrum et coepiscoporum nostrorum ita graves in procurationibus suis subditis exsistunt ut pro huiusmodi causa interdum ornamenta ecclesiastica subditi compellantur exponere et longi temporis victum and fellow bishops are so burdensome to their subjects in the brevis hora consumat. Quocirca procurations demanded that sometimes, for this reason, subjects are statuimus quod archiepiscopi parochias visitantes pro diversitate forced to sell church ornaments and a short hour consumes the food of provinciarum et facultatibus many days. Therefore we decree that archbishops on their visitations of ecclesiarum quadraginta vel quinquaginta evectionis numerum non their dioceses are not to bring with them more than forty or fifty horses or excedant. Cardinales vero viginti vel other mounts, according to the differences of dioceses and ecclesiastical viginti quinque non excedant episcopi resources; cardinals should not exceed twenty or twenty-five, bishops are viginti vel triginta nequaquam excedant archidiaconi quinque aut never to exceed twenty or thirty, archdeacons five or seven, and deans, as septem decani constituti sub ipsis their delegates, should be satisfied with two horses. Nor should they set duobus equis exsistant contenti. Nec cum canibus venatoriis et avibus out with hunting dogs and birds, but they should proceed in such a way proficiscantur sed ita procedant ut non that they are seen to be seeking not their own but the things of Jesus quae sunt sua sed quae Iesu Christi quaerere videantur. Nec sumptuosas Christ. Let them not seek rich banquets but let them receive with epulas quaerant sed cum gratiarum thanksgiving what is duly and suitably provided . We also forbid bishops actione recipiant quod honeste et competenter fuerit illis ministratum. to burden their subjects with taxes and impositions. But we allow them, Prohibemus etiam ne subditos suos for the many needs which sometimes come upon them, if the cause be talliis et exactionibus episcopi gravare praesumant. Sustinemus autem pro clear and reasonable, to ask for assistance moderated by charity. For multis necessitatibus quae aliquoties since the apostle says children ought not to lay up for their parents, but superveniunt ut si manifesta et rationabilis causa exstiterit cum parents for their children, it seems to be far removed from paternal caritate moderatum ab eis valeant affection if superiors are burdensome to their subjects, when like a auxilium postulare. Cum enim dicat apostolus non debent parentibus filii shepherd they ought to cherish them in all their needs. thesaurizare sed parentes filiis multum longe a paterna pietate videtur si praepositi suis subditis graves exsistant quos in cunctis necessitatibus pastoris more fovere debent. Archidiaconi autem sive decani nullas exactiones vel tallias in presbyteros Archdeacons or deans should not presume to impose charges or taxes on seu clericos exercere praesumant. priests or clerics. Indeed, what has been said above by way of permission Sane quod de praedicto numero evectionis secundum tolerantiam about the number of horses may be observed in those places where there dictum est in illis locis poterit are greater resources or revenues, but in poorer places we wish measure observari in quibus ampliores sunt reditus et ecclesiae facultates. In so to be observed that the visit of greater personages should not be a pauperioribus autem locis tantam burden to the humbler, lest by such a grant those who were accustomed volumus teneri mensuram ut ex accessu maiorum minores non to use fewer horses should think that the widest powers have been debeant gravari ne sub tali indulgentia granted to them. illi qui paucioribus equis uti solebant hactenus plurimam sibi credant potestatem indultam.

Episcopus si aliquem sine certo titulo 5. If a bishop ordains someone as deacon or priest without a definite title de quo necessaria vitae percipiat in from which he may draw the necessities of life, let the bishop provide diaconum vel presbyterum ordinaverit tamdiu necessaria ei subministret him with what he needs until he shall assign him the suitable wages of donec in aliqua ei ecclesia clerical service in some church, unless it happens that the person convenientia stipendia militiae clericalis assignet. Nisi forte talis qui ordained is in such a position that he can find the support of life from his ordinatur exstiterit qui de sua vel own or family inheritance. paterna hereditate subsidium vitae possit habere.

6. A most reprehensible custom has become established in certain places Reprehensibilis valde consuetudo in quibusdam partibus inolevit ut fratres 39 et coepiscopi nostri seu etiam archidiaconi quos appellaturos in causis suis existimant nulla penitus admonitione praemissa suspensionis vel excommunicationis in eos ferant sententiam. Alii etiam dum superioris whereby our brethren and fellow bishops and even archdeacons have sententiam et disciplinam canonicam passed sentence of excommunication or suspension, without any previous reformidant sine ullo gravamine appellationem obiciunt et ad admonition on those who they think will lodge an appeal. Others too, defensionem iniquitatis usurpant quod while they fear the sentence and canonical discipline of a superior, lodge ad subsidium innocentium dignoscitur institutum. Quocirca ne vel praelati an appeal without any real grounds and thus make use of a means valeant sine causa gravare subiectos ordained for the help of the innocent as a defence of their own vel subditi pro sua voluntate sub appellationis obtentu correctionem wrongdoing. Therefore to prevent prelates burdening their own subjects valeant eludere praelatorum praesenti without reason, or subjects at their will being able to escape the decreto statuimus ut nec praelati nisi correction of prelates under cover of an appeal, we lay down by this canonica commonitione praemissa suspensionis vel excommunicationis present decree that prelates should not pass sentence of suspension or sententiam proferant in subiectos nisi excommunication without a previous canonical warning, unless the fault forte talis sit culpa quae ipso genere suo excommunicationis poenam is such that by its nature it incurs the penalty of excommunication , and inducat. Nec subiecti contra that subjects should not recklessly have recourse to an appeal, contrary to disciplinam ecclesiasticam ante ingressum causae in vocem ecclesiastical discipline, before the introduction of their case. But if appellationis prorumpant. Si vero anyone believes that because of his own need he should make an appeal, quisquam pro sua necessitate crediderit appellandum competens ei let a proper limit be fixed for his making it, and if it happens that he fails ad prosequendam appellationem to do so within this limit, let the bishop freely use his own authority. If in terminus praefigatur infra quem si forte prosequi neglexerit libere tunc any business someone makes an appeal, but fails to appear when the episcopus sua auctoritate utatur. Si defendant has arrived, let him make a proper repayment of the autem in quocumque negotio aliquis appellaverit et eo qui appellatus fuerit defendant’s expenses, if he is in a position to do so; in this way, at least veniente qui appellaverit venire by fear, a person may be deterred from lightly making an appeal to the neglexerit si proprium quid habuit competentem ei recompensationem injury of another. But we wish that in religious houses especially this faciat expensarum ut hoc saltem should be observed, namely that monks or other religious, when they are timore perterritus in gravamen alterius non facile quis appellet. to be corrected for any fault, should not presume to appeal against the Praecipue vero in locis religiosis hoc regular discipline of their superior or chapter, but they should humbly volumus observari ne monachi sive quicumque religiosi cum pro aliquo and devoutly submit to what is usefully enjoined them for their salvation. excessu fuerint corrigendi contra regularem praelati sui et capituli disciplinam appellare praesumant sed humiliter ac devote suscipiant quod pro salute sua utiliter eis fuerit iniunctum.

7. Since in the body of the church everything should be treated with a Cum in ecclesiae corpore omnia debeant ex caritate tractari et quod spirit of charity, and what has been freely received should be freely gratis receptum est gratis impendi given, it is utterly disgraceful that in certain churches trafficking is said to horribile nimis est quod in quibusdam ecclesiis locum venalitas perhibetur have a place, so that a charge is made for the enthroning of bishops, habere ita ut pro episcopis vel abbots or ecclesiastical persons, for the installation of priests in a church, abbatibus seu quibuscumque personis ecclesiasticis ponendis in sede seu for burials and funerals, for the blessing of weddings or for other introducendis presbyteris in ecclesiam sacraments, and that he who needs them cannot gain them unless he first necnon pro sepulturis et exsequiis mortuorum et benedictionibus makes an offering to the person who bestows them. Some think that this nubentium seu aliis sacramentis is permitted in the belief that long standing custom has given it the force aliquid exigatur et ille qui indiget non possit ista percipere nisi manum of law. Such people, blinded by avarice, are not aware that the longer an implere curaverit largitoris. Putant unhappy soul is bound by crimes the graver they are. Therefore, so that plures ex hoc sibi licere quia legem moris de longa invaluisse this may not be done in the future, we severely forbid that anything be consuetudine arbitrantur non satis demanded for the enthronement of ecclesiastical persons or the institution quia cupiditate caecati sunt attendentes quod tanto graviora sunt of priests, for burying the dead as well as for blessing marriages or for crimina quanto diutius animam any other sacrament. But if anyone presumes to act against this, let him infelicem tenuerint alligatam. Ne igitur 40 hoc de cetero fiat et vel pro personis ecclesiasticis deducendis ad sedem vel sacerdotibus instituendis aut mortuis sepeliendis seu etiam nubentibus benedicendis seu etiam aliis sacramentis aliquid exigatur know that he will have his lot with Giezi , whose action he imitates by his districtius inhibemus. Si quis autem demand of a disgraceful present. Moreover we forbid bishops, abbots or contra hoc venire praesumpserit portionem cum Giezi se noverit other prelates to impose upon churches new dues, increase the old or habiturum cuius factum turpis muneris presume to appropriate to their own use part of the revenues, but let them exactione imitatur. Prohibemus insuper ne novi census ab episcopis readily preserve for their subjects those liberties which superiors wish to vel abbatibus aliis ve praelatis be preserved for themselves. If anyone acts otherwise, his action is to be imponantur ecclesiis nec veteres augeantur nec partem redituum suis held invalid. usibus appropriare praesumant sed libertates quas sibi maiores desiderant conservari minoribus quoque suis bona voluntate conservent. Si quis autem aliter egerit irritum quod fecerit habeatur.

Nulla ecclesiastica ministeria seu etiam beneficia vel ecclesiae alicui tribuantur seu promittantur antequam 8. Let no ecclesiastical ministries or even benefices or churches be vacent ne desiderare quis mortem assigned or promised to anyone before they are vacant, so that nobody proximi videatur in cuius locum et beneficium se crediderit successurum. may seem to wish for the death of his neighbour to whose position or Cum enim id etiam in ipsis gentilium benefice he believes himself to be the successor. For since we find this legibus inveniatur prohibitum turpe forbidden even in the laws of the pagans themselves, it is utterly nimis est et divini plenum animadversione iudicii si locum in dei disgraceful and calls for the punishment of God’s judgment if the hope of ecclesia futurae successionis future succession should have any place in God’s church when even exspectatio habeat quam etiam damnare ipsi gentiles homines pagans have taken care to condemn it. But whenever ecclesiastical curaverunt. Cum vero praebendas prebends or any offices happen to become vacant in a church, or are even ecclesiasticas seu quaelibet officia in aliqua ecclesia vacare contigerit vel now vacant, let them no longer remain unassigned and let them be etiam si modo vacant non diu conferred within six months on persons who are able to administer them maneant in suspenso sed infra sex menses personis quae digne worthily. If the bishop, when it concerns him, delays to make the administrare valeant conferantur. Si appointment, let it be done by the chapter; but if the election belongs to autem episcopus ubi ad eum spectaverit conferre distulerit per the chapter and it does not make the appointment within the prescribed capitulum ordinetur. Quod si ad time, let the bishop proceed according to God’s will, with the advice of capitulum electio pertinuerit et infra praedictum terminum hoc non fecerit religious men; or if by chance all fail to do so, let the metropolitan episcopus hoc secundum deum cum dispose of these matters without opposition from them and in accordance virorum religiosorum consilio exsequatur aut si omnes forte with God’s will. neglexerint metropolitanus de ipsis secundum deum absque illorum contradictione disponat.

9. Since we ought both to plant holy religion and in every way to cherish Cum et plantare sacram religionem et plantatam fovere modis omnibus it when planted, we shall never fulfil this better than if we take care to debeamus numquam hoc melius nourish what is right and to correct what stands in the way of the progress exsequemur quam si nutrire quae recta sunt et corrigere quae profectum of truth by means of the authority entrusted to us . Now we have learnt veritatis impediunt commissa nobis from the strongly worded complaints of our brethren and fellow bishops auctoritate curemus. Fratrum autem et coepiscoporum nostrorum that the Templars and Hospitallers, and other professed religious, vehementi conquestione comperimus exceeding the privileges granted them by the apostolic see have often quod fratres templi et hospitalis alii quoque religiosae professionis indulta disregarded episcopal authority, causing scandal to the people of God and sibi ab apostolica sede excedentes grave danger to souls. We are told that they receive churches from the privilegia contra episcopalem auctoritatem multa praesumunt quae hands of lay persons; that they admit those under excommunication and et scandalum generant in populo dei 41 et grave pariunt periculum animarum. Proponunt enim quod ecclesias recipiant de manibus laicorum excommunicatos et interdictos ad ecclesiastica sacramenta et sepulturam admittant in ecclesiis suis praeter eorum conscientiam et interdict to the sacraments of the church and to burial; that in their instituant et amoveant sacerdotes et churches they appoint and remove priests without the knowledge of the fratribus eorum ad eleemosynas quaerendas euntibus cum indultum sit bishop; that when the brothers go to seek alms, and it is granted that the eis ut in adventu eorum semel in anno churches should be open on their arrival once a year and the divine ecclesiae aperiantur atque in eis divina celebrentur officia plures ex eis services should be celebrated in them, several of them from one or more de una sive diversis domibus ad locum houses often go to a place under interdict and abuse the privileges interdictum saepius accedentes indulgentia privilegiorum in granted to them by holding divine service, and then presume to bury the celebrandis officiis abutuntur et tunc dead in the said churches. On the occasion also of the brotherhoods mortuos apud praedictas ecclesias sepelire praesumunt. Occasione which they establish in many places, they weaken the bishops’ authority, quoque fraternitatum quas in pluribus for contrary to their decision and under cover of some privileges they locis faciunt robur episcopalis auctoritatis enervant dum contra seek to defend all who wish to approach and join their brotherhood. In eorum sententiam sub aliquorum these matters, because the faults arise not so much with the knowledge or privilegiorum obtentu munire cunctos intendunt qui ad eorum fraternitatem advice of the superiors as from the indiscretion of some of the subjects, volunt accedere et se conferre. In his we have decreed that abuses should be removed and doubtful points quia non tam de maiorum conscientia vel consilio quam de minorum settled. We absolutely forbid that these orders and all other religious indiscretione quorundam exceditur et should receive churches and tithes from the hands of lay persons, and we removenda ea in quibus excedunt et quae dubietatem faciunt declaranda even order them to put away what they have recently received contrary to decrevimus. Ecclesias sane et decimas this decree. We declare that those who are excommunicated, or de manu laicorum sine consensu episcoporum tam illos quam interdicted by name, must be avoided by them and all others according to quoscumque alios religiosos recipere the sentence of the bishop. In churches which do not belong to them by prohibemus dimissis etiam quas contra tenorem istum moderno full right, let them present to the bishops the priests to be instituted, so tempore receperunt. Excommunicatos that while they are answerable to the bishops for the care of the people, et nominatim interdictos tam ab illis quam ab omnibus aliis iuxta they may give to their own members a proper account of temporal episcoporum sententiam statuimus matters. Let them not presume to remove those priests who have been evitandos. In ecclesiis suis quae ad appointed without first consulting the bishops. eos pleno iure non pertinent instituendos presbyteros episcopis praesentent ut eis quidem de plebis cura respondeant ipsis vero pro rebus temporalibus rationem exhibeant competentem. Institutos autem episcopis inconsultis non audeant removere. If the Templars or Hospitallers come to a church which is under an Si vero templarii sive hospitalarii ad ecclesiam interdictam venerint non interdict, let them be allowed to hold the services of the church only once nisi semel in anno ad ecclesiasticum a year and let them not bury there the bodies of the dead. With regard to admittantur officium nec tunc ibi corpora sepeliant defunctorum. De the brotherhoods we declare as follows: if any do not give themselves fraternitatibus hoc statuimus ut si non entirely to the said brothers but decide to keep their possessions, they are se praedictis fratribus omnino reddiderint sed in suis proprietatibus in no way on this account exempt from the sentence of the bishops, but duxerint remanendum propter hoc ab the bishops may exercise their power over them as over other episcoporum sententia nullatenus eximantur sed potestatem suam in parishioners whenever they are to be corrected for their faults. What has eos sicut in alios parochianos suos been said about the said brothers, we declare shall be observed with exerceant cum pro suis excessibus fuerint corrigendi. Quod autem de regard to other religious who presume to claim for themselves the rights praedictis fratribus dictum est de aliis of bishops and dare to violate their canonical decisions and the tenor of quoque religiosis qui praesumptione sua episcoporum iura praeripiunt et our privileges. If they do not observe this decree, let the churches in contra canonicas eorum sententias et which they dare so to act be placed under an interdict, and let what they tenorem privilegiorum nostrorum venire praesumunt praecipimus do be considered void. observari. Si autem contra hoc institutum venerint et ecclesiae in quibus ista praesumpserint subiaceant interdicto et quod egerint irritum 42 habeatur.

Monachi non pretio recipiantur in monasterio non peculium permittantur 10. Monks are not to be received in a monastery for money nor are they habere non singuli per villas et oppida allowed money of their own. They are not to be stationed individually in seu ad quascumque parochiales ponantur ecclesias sed in maiori towns or cities or parish churches, but they are to remain in larger conventu aut cum aliquibus fratribus communities or with some of their brethren, nor are they to await alone maneant nec soli inter saeculares homines spiritualium hostium among people of the world the attack of their spiritual foes, since conflictionem exspectent Salomone Solomon says, Woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not dicente vae soli quia si ceciderit non habet sublevantem. Si quis autem another to lift him up. If anyone when demanded gives something for his exactus pro sua receptione aliquid reception, let him not proceed to sacred orders and let the one who has dederit ad sacros ordines non ascendat. Is autem qui acceperit officii received him be punished by loss of his office. If he has money in his sui privatione mulctetur. Si vero possession, unless it has been granted him by the abbot for a specific peculium habuerit nisi ei ab abbate pro iniuncta fuerit administratione purpose, let him be removed from the communion of the altar, and any permissum a communione removeatur one who is found at his death with money in his possession is not to altaris et qui in extremis cum peculio inventus fuerit nec oblatio pro eo fiat receive burial among his brethren and mass is not to be offered for him. nec inter fratres recipiat sepulturam. We order that this is also to be observed with regard to other religious. Quod etiam de diversis religiosis praecipimus observari. Abbas etiam Let the abbot who does not exercise care in such matters know that he qui ista diligenter non curaverit officii will incur the loss of his office. Neither priories nor obediences are to be sui iacturam se noverit incursurum. Prioratus quoque sive oboedientiae handed over to anyone for a sum of money; otherwise both giver and pretii datione nulli tradantur alioqui et receiver are to be deprived of ministry in the church. Priors, when they dantes et accipientes a ministerio fiant ecclesiastico alieni. Priores vero cum have been appointed to conventual churches, are not to be changed in conventualibus ecclesiis fuerint except for a clear and reasonable cause, for instance if they are wastrels constituti nisi pro manifesta causa et rationabili non mutentur videlicet si or live immoral lives or have committed an offence for which they fuerint dilapidatores nec continenter clearly should be removed, or if on account of the demands of higher vixerint aut aliquid tale egerint pro office they should be transferred on the advice of their brethren. quo amovendi merito videantur aut si etiam pro necessitate maioris officii de consilio fratrum fuerint transferendi.

Clerici in sacris ordinibus constituti qui mulierculas suas in domibus suis incontinentiae nota tenuerint aut 11. Clerics in holy orders, who in open concubinage keep their mistresses obiciant eas et continenter vivant aut in their houses, should either cast them out and live continently or be ab officio et beneficio ecclesiastico fiant alieni. Quicumque incontinentia deprived of ecclesiastical office and benefice. Let all who are found illa quae contra naturam est propter guilty of that unnatural vice for which the wrath of God came down upon quam venit ira dei in filios diffidentiae et quinque civitates igne consumpsit the sons of disobedience and destroyed the five cities with fire, if they are deprehensi fuerint laborare si clerici clerics be expelled from the clergy or confined in monasteries to do fuerint eiciantur a clero vel ad poenitentiam agendam in monasteriis penance; if they are laymen they are to incur excommunication and be detrudantur si laici excommunicationi completely separated from the society of the faithful. If any cleric subdantur et a coetu fidelium fiant prorsus alieni. Monasteria praeterea without clear and necessary cause presumes to frequent convents of nuns, sanctimonialium si quisquam clericus let the bishop keep him away; and if he does not stop, let him be sine manifesta et necessaria causa frequentare praesumpserit per ineligible for an ecclesiastical benefice. episcopum arceatur et si non destiterit a beneficio ecclesiastico reddatur immunis.

12. Clerics in the subdiaconate and above and also those in minor orders, Clerici in subdiaconatu et supra et in minoribus quoque ordinibus si if they are supported by ecclesiastical revenues, should not presume to stipendiis ecclesiasticis sustentantur become advocates in legal matters before a secular judge, unless they coram iudice saeculari advocati in negotiis fieri non praesumant nisi 43 propriam vel ecclesiae suae causam fuerint prosecuti aut pro miserabilibus forte personis quae proprias causas happen to be defending their own case or that of their church, or acting administrare non possunt. Sed nec on behalf of the helpless who cannot conduct their own cases. Let clerics procurationes villarum aut iurisdictiones etiam saeculares sub not presume to take upon themselves the management of towns or even aliquibus principibus vel saecularibus secular jurisdiction under princes or seculars so as to become their viris ut iustitiarii eorum fiant clericorum quisquam assumere ministers of justice. If anyone dares to act contrary to this decree, and so praesumat. Si quis adversus hoc contrary to the teaching of the Apostle who says, No soldier of God gets tentaverit quoniam contra doctrinam apostoli est dicentis nemo militans entangled in secular affairs, and acts as a man of this world, let him be deo implicat se negotiis saecularibus deprived of ecclesiastical ministry, on the grounds that neglecting his et saeculariter agit ab ecclesiastico fiat ministerio alienus pro eo quod duty as a cleric he plunges into the waves of this world to please its officio clericali neglecto fluctibus princes. We decree in the strictest terms that any religious who presumes saeculi ut potentibus saeculi placeat se immergit. Districtius autem to attempt any of the above-mentioned things should be punished. decrevimus puniendum si religiosorum quisquam aliquid praedictorum audeat attentare.

Quia nonnulli modum avaritiae non 13. Because some, setting no limit to their avarice, strive to obtain several ponentes dignitates diversas ecclesiastical dignities and several parish churches contrary to the decrees ecclesiasticas et plures ecclesias parochiales contra sacrorum canonum of the holy canons, so that though they are scarcely able to fulfil one instituta nituntur adquirere ita ut cum office sufficiently they claim the revenues of very many, we strictly unum officium vix implere sufficiant stipendia sibi vindicent plurimorum ne forbid this for the future. Therefore when it is necessary to entrust a id de cetero fiat districtius inhibemus. church or ecclesiastical ministry to anyone, the person sought for this Cum igitur ecclesia vel ecclesiasticum ministerium committi debuerit talis ad office should be of such a kind that he is able to reside in the place and hoc persona quaeratur quae residere exercise his care for it himself. If the contrary is done both he who in loco et curam eius per se ipsum valeat exercere. Quod si aliter fuerit receives it is to be deprived of it, because he has received it contrary to actum et qui receperit quod contra the sacred canons, and he who gave it is to lose his power of bestowing it. sacros canones accepit amittat et qui dederit largiendi potestate privetur.

14. Because the ambition of some has now gone to such lengths that they Quia in tantum iam quorumdam processit ambitio ut non duas vel tres are said to hold not two or three but six or more churches, and since they sed sex aut plures ecclesias cannot devote the proper care to two, we order, through our brethren and perhibeantur habere nec duabus debitam possint provisionem most dear fellow bishops, that this be corrected, and with regard to this impendere per fratres et coepiscopos pluralism, so contrary to the canons, and which gives rise to loose nostros carissimos emendari praecipimus et de multitudine conduct and instability, and causes definite danger to the souls of those canonibus inimica quae dissolutionis who are able to serve the churches worthily, it is our wish to relieve their materiam et vagationis inducit et certum continet periculum animarum want by ecclesiastical benefices. Further, since some of the laity have eorum qui ecclesiis digne valeant become so bold that disregarding the authority of bishops they appoint deservire volumus ecclesiasticis beneficiis indigentiam sublevari. clerics to churches and even remove them when they wish, and distribute Praeterea quia in tantum quorumdam the property and other goods of the church for the most part according to laicorum processit audacia ut episcoporum auctoritate neglecta their own wishes, and even dare to burden the churches themselves and clericos instituant in ecclesiis et their people with taxes and impositions, we decree that those who from removeant etiam cum voluerint possessiones quoque atque alia bona now on are guilty of such conduct are to be punished by anathema. ecclesiastica pro sua plerumque Priests or clerics who receive the charge of a church from the hands of voluntate distribuant et tam ecclesias ipsas quam earum homines talliis et lay persons , without the authority of their own bishop, are to be deprived exactionibus praesumant gravare eos of communion, and if they persist, they are to be deposed from the qui amodo ista commiserint anathemate decernimus feriendos. ecclesiastical ministry and order. We firmly decree that because some of Presbyter autem sive clericus qui the laity force ecclesiastics and even bishops to come before their courts, ecclesiam per laicos sine proprii episcopi auctoritate receperit those who presume to do so in the future are to be separated from the tenendam communione privetur et si 44 perstiterit a ministerio ecclesiastico et ordine deponatur. Sane quia laici quidam ecclesiasticas personas et ipsos etiam episcopos suo iudicio communion of the faithful. Further we forbid lay persons, who hold tithes stare compellunt eos qui de cetero id to the danger of their souls, to transfer them in any way to other lay praesumpserint a communione fidelium decernimus segregandos. persons. If anyone receives them and does not hand them over to the Prohibemus etiam ne laici decimas church, let him be deprived of christian burial. cum animarum suarum periculo detinentes in alios laicos possint aliquo modo transferre. Si quis vero receperit et ecclesiae non tradiderit christiana sepultura privetur.

Cum in officiis caritatis illis primo teneamur obnoxii a quibus nos beneficium cognoscimus accepisse e 15. Although in duties of charity we are especially under obligation to ecclesiastici quidam clerici cum ab those from whom we know we have received a gift, on the contrary ecclesiis suis multa bona perceperint bona per ecclesias adquisita in alios certain clerics, after receiving many goods from their churches, have usus praesumunt transferre hoc igitur presumed to transfer these goods to other uses. We forbid this, knowing quia et antiquis canonibus constat inhibitum nos etiam nihilominus that it is also forbidden by ancient canons. Therefore, as we wish to inhibemus. Indemnitati itaque prevent damage to the churches, we order that such goods should remain ecclesiarum providere volentes sive intestati decesserint sive aliis conferre under the control of the churches, whether the clerics die intestate or wish voluerint penes ecclesias eadem bona to bestow them upon others. Besides, since in certain places certain praecipimus remanere. Praeterea quoniam quidam in quibusdam persons called deans are appointed for a fee and exercise episcopal partibus sub pretio statuuntur qui jurisdiction for a sum of money, by the present decree we declare that decani vocantur et pro certa pecuniae quantitate episcopalem iurisdictionem those who in future presume to do this should be deprived of their office exercent praesenti decreto statuimus and the bishop shall lose the power of conferring this office. ut qui de cetero id praesumpserit officio suo privetur et episcopus conferendi hoc officium potestatem amittat.

Cum in cunctis ecclesiis quod pluribus et senioribus fratribus visum fuerit incunctanter debeat observari grave nimis et reprehensione est dignum 16. Since in every church what is approved by the greater and senior part quod quarumdam ecclesiarum pauci of the brethren should unhesitatingly be observed, it is a very serious and quandoque non tam de ratione quam de propria voluntate ordinationem blameworthy matter that in certain churches a few persons, sometimes multoties impediunt et ordinationem not so much for a good reason as for their own will, frequently prevent an ecclesiasticam procedere non election and do not allow the ecclesiastical appointment to go forward. permittunt. Quocirca praesenti decreto statuimus ut nisi a paucioribus Therefore we declare by the present decree that unless some reasonable et inferioribus aliquid rationabile fuerit objection is shown by the smaller and junior party, apart from an appeal, ostensum appellatione remota semper praevaleat et suum consequatur whatever is determined by the greater and senior part of the chapter effectum quod a maiori et seniori should always prevail and should be put into effect. Nor let it stand in the parte capituli fuerit constitutum. Nec nostram constitutionem impediat si way of our decree if someone perchance says that he is under oath to forte aliquis ad conservandam preserve the custom of his church. For this is not to be called an oath but ecclesiae suae consuetudinem iuramento se dicat adstrictum. Non rather perjury, which is opposed to the advantage of the church and the enim dicenda sunt iuramenta sed decrees of the holy fathers. If anyone presumes to maintain under oath potius periuria quae contra utilitatem ecclesiasticam et sanctorum patrum such customs, which are neither supported by reason nor in accord with veniunt instituta. Si quis autem the sacred decrees, let him be denied the reception of the body of the huiusmodi consuetudines quae nec ratione iuvantur nec sacris congruunt Lord until he performs fit penance. institutis iurare praesumpserit donec congruam egerit poenitentiam a dominici corporis perceptione fiat alienus.

Quoniam in quibusdam locis 17. Since in certain places the founders of churches or their heirs abuse ecclesiarum fundatores aut heredes eorum potestate in qua eos ecclesia the power in which the church has supported them until now, and though hucusque sustinuit abutuntur et cum there ought to be one superior in the church of God they nevertheless in ecclesia dei unus debeat esse qui contrive to choose several without regard to subordination, and though praesit ipsi plures sine respectu subiectionis eligere moliuntur et cum there ought to be one rector in each church they nevertheless put forward una ecclesia unius debeat esse several in order to protect their own interests; for these reasons we rectoris pro sua defensione plurimos repraesentant quocirca praesenti declare by the present decree that if the founders support several decreto statuimus ut si forte in plures candidates, that one should be in charge of the church who is supported partes fundatorum se vota diffuderint ille praeficiatur ecclesiae qui by greater merits and is chosen and approved by the consent of the maioribus iuvatur meritis et plurium greater number. If this cannot be done without scandal, let the bishop eligitur et probatur assensu. Si autem hoc sine scandalo fieri nequiverit arrange in the manner that he sees best according to the will of God. He ordinet antistes ecclesiam sicut melius should also do this if the question of the right of patronage arises among secundum deum viderit ordinandam. Id ipsum etiam faciat si de iure several persons, and it has not been settled to whom it belongs within patronatus quaestio emerserit inter three months. aliquos et cui competat infra tres menses non fuerit definitum.

Quoniam ecclesia dei et in eis quae spectant ad subsidium corporis et in eis quae ad profectum veniunt 18. Since the church of God is bound to provide like a mother for those in animarum indigentibus sicut pia mater want, with regard to both the things which concern the support of the providere tenetur ne pauperibus qui parentum opibus iuvari non possunt body and those which lead to the progress of the soul, therefore, in order legendi et proficiendi opportunitas that the opportunity of learning to read and progress in study is not subtrahatur per unamquamque ecclesiam cathedralem magistro qui withdrawn from poor children who cannot be helped by the support of clericos eiusdem ecclesiae et their parents, in every cathedral church a master is to be assigned some scholares pauperes gratis doceat competens aliquod beneficium proper benefice so that he may teach the clerics of that church and the assignetur quo docentis necessitas poor scholars. Thus the needs of the teacher are to be supplied and the sublevetur et discentibus via pateat ad doctrinam. In aliis quoque way to knowledge opened for learners. In other churches and monasteries restituatur ecclesiis sive monasteriis si too, if anything in times past has been assigned in them for this purpose, retroactis temporibus aliquid in eis ad hoc fuerit deputatum. Pro licentia vero it should be restored. Let no one demand any money for a licence to docendi nullus omnino pretium exigat teach, or under cover of some custom seek anything from teachers, or vel sub obtentu alicuius consuetudinis ab eis qui docent aliquid quaerat nec forbid anyone to teach who is suitable and has sought a licence. Whoever docere quempiam expetita licentia qui presumes to act against this decree is to be deprived of ecclesiastical sit idoneus interdicat. Qui vero contra hoc venire praesumpserit a beneficio benefice. Indeed, it seems only right that in the church of God a person ecclesiastico fiat alienus. Dignum should not have the fruit of his labour if through self-seeking he strives to quidem esse videtur ut in ecclesia dei fructum laboris sui non habeat qui prevent the progress of the churches by selling the licence to teach. cupiditate animi dum vendit licentiam docendi ecclesiarum profectum nititur impedire.

19. It is recognized as a very serious matter, as regards the sin of those Non minus pro peccato eorum qui faciunt quam pro illorum detrimento who do it no less than the loss of those who suffer it, that in several parts qui sustinent grave nimis esse of the world the governors and officials of cities, and others too who are dignoscitur quod in diversis partibus mundi rectores et consules civitatum seen to have power, often impose on churches so many burdens and necnon et alii qui potestatem habere oppress them with such heavy and frequent impositions, that under them videntur tot ecclesiis frequenter onera imponunt et ita gravibus eas crebris the priesthood seems to be in a worse condition than it was under que exactionibus premunt ut Pharaoh, who had no knowledge of the divine law. He indeed, though he deterioris conditionis factum sub eis sacerdotium videatur quam sub reduced all others to slavery, left his priests and their possessions in their Pharaone fuerit qui divinae legis 46 notitiam non habebat. Ille quidem omnibus aliis servituti subiectis sacerdotes suos et eorum possessiones in pristina libertate dimisit et de publico eis alimoniam ministravit. Isti vero universa fere ancient freedom, and provided them with support from public funds. But onera sua imponunt ecclesiis et tot angariis eas affligunt ut illud eis quod these others impose burdens of nearly every kind upon the churches and Ieremias deplorat competere videatur afflict them with so many exactions that the lamentation of Jeremiah princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo. Sive quidem fossata sive seems to apply to them, The prince of provinces has become a tributary. expeditiones sive quaelibet alia sibi For whenever they think that entrenchments or expeditions or anything arbitrentur agenda de bonis else should be made, they wish that almost everything should be seized ecclesiarum clericorum et pauperum Christi usibus deputatis cuncta volunt from the goods assigned to the use of churches, clerics and Christ’s poor. fere compilari. Iurisdictionem etiam et They even so reduce the jurisdiction and authority of bishops and other auctoritatem episcoporum et aliorum praelatorum ita evacuant ut nihil prelates that these seem to retain no power over their own subjects. But potestatis eis in suis videatur though we must in this matter grieve for the churches, we must grieve hominibus remansisse super quo dolendum est pro ecclesiis. Dolendum none the less for those who seem to have utterly cast aside the fear of etiam nihilominus et pro ipsis qui God and respect for the ecclesiastical order. Therefore we strictly forbid timorem dei et ecclesiastici ordinis reverentiam videntur penitus them under pain of anathema to attempt such acts in future, unless the abiecisse. Quocirca sub anathematis bishop and clergy see the need or advantage to be so great that they districtione severius prohibemus ne de cetero talia praesumant attentare nisi believe that where the means of the laity are insufficient, aid should be episcopus et clerus tantam given voluntarily by the churches to relieve common needs. But if in necessitatem vel utilitatem aspexerint ut absque coactione ad relevandas future officials or others presume to continue such practices and after communes necessitates ubi laicorum warning refuse to stop, let both them and their supporters know that they non suppetunt facultates subsidia per ecclesias existiment conferenda. Si are excommunicated, and let them not be restored to the communion of autem consules aut alii de cetero id the faithful unless they make due satisfaction. praesumpserint et commoniti desistere forte noluerint tam ipsi quam eorum fautores excommunicationi se noverint subiacere nec communioni fidelium reddantur nisi satisfactionem fecerint competentem.

Felicis memoriae papae Innocentii et Eugenii praedecessorum nostrorum 20. Following the footsteps of our predecessors of happy memory, popes vestigiis inhaerentes detestabiles nundinas vel ferias quas vulgo Innocent and Eugenius, we forbid those abominable jousts and fairs, torneamenta vocant in quibus milites which are commonly called tournaments, in which knights come together ex condicto venire solent et ad ostentationem virium suarum et by agreement and rashly engage in showing off their physical prowess audaciae temerarie congrediuntur and daring, and which often result in human deaths and danger to souls. unde mortes hominum et animarum pericula saepe proveniunt fieri If any of them dies on these occasions, although forgiveness is not to be prohibemus. Quod si quis eorum denied him when he requests it, he is to be deprived of a church burial. ibidem mortuus fuerit quamvis ei poscenti venia non negetur ecclesiastica tamen careat sepultura.

21. We decree that truces are to be inviolably observed by all from after Treugas a quarta feria post occasum solis usque ad secundam feriam in sunset on Wednesday until sunrise on Monday, and from Advent until the ortum solis et ab adventu domini octave of the Epiphany, and from Septuagesima until the octave of usque ad octavas epiphaniae et a septuagesima usque ad octavas Easter. If anyone tries to break the truce, and he does not comply after the paschae ab omnibus inviolabiliter third warning, let his bishop pronounce sentence of excommunication observari praecipimus. Si quis autem treugam frangere tentaverit post and communicate his decision in writing to the neighbouring bishops. tertiam commonitionem si non Moreover, let no bishop receive into communion the excommunicated satisfecerit episcopus suus sententiam excommunicationis dictet et scriptam person, but rather let him confirm the sentence received in writing. If vicinis episcopis annuntiet. Episcopus 47 autem nullus excommunicatum in communionem suscipiat immo scripto susceptam sententiam quisque anyone presumes to infringe this, he will do so at the risk of his position. confirmet. Si quis autem hoc violare Since a threefold cord is not quickly broken, we enjoin bishops, having praesumpserit ordinis sui periculo subiaceat et quoniam funiculus triplex regard only for God and the salvation of the people, and laying aside all non facile rumpitur praecipimus ut timidity, to furnish each other with mutual counsel and help towards episcopi solum dei et salutis populi habentes respectum omni tepiditate firmly maintaining peace, and not to omit this duty by reason of any seposita ad pacem firmiter tenendam affection or aversion. For if anyone is found to be lukewarm in the work mutuum sibi consilium et auxilium praestent neque hoc alicuius amore of God, let him incur the loss of his dignity. vel odio praetermittant. Quod si quis in opere dei tepidus fuerit inventus damnum dignitatis suae incurrat.

Innovamus ut presbyteri monachi clerici conversi peregrini mercatores 22. We renew our decree that priests, monks, clerics, lay brothers, rustici euntes et redeuntes et in merchants and peasants, in their coming and going and their work on the agricultura exsistentes et animalia quae semina portant ad agrum land, and the animals which carry seeds to the field, should enjoy proper congrua securitate laetentur nec security, and that nobody should impose on anyone new demands for quisquam alicui novas pedagiorum exactiones sine auctoritate regum et tolls, without the approval of kings and princes, or renew those already principum consensu statuere aut imposed or in any way increase the old. If anyone presumes to act against statutas de novo tenere aut veteres augmentare aliquo modo temere this decree and does not stop after warning, let him be deprived of praesumat. Si quis autem contra hoc christian society until he makes satisfaction. venire praesumpserit et commonitus non destiterit donec satisfaciat communione careat christiana.

Cum dicat apostolus abundantiorem honorem membris infirmioribus deferendum ecclesiastici quidam quae 23. Although the Apostles says that we should pay greater honour to our sua sunt non quae Iesu Christi weaker members, certain ecclesiastics, seeking what is their own and not quaerentes leprosis qui cum sanis the things of Jesus Christ, do not allow lepers, who cannot dwell with the habitare non possunt et ad ecclesiam cum aliis convenire ecclesias et healthy or come to church with others, to have their own churches and coemeteria non permittunt habere nec cemeteries or to be helped by the ministry of their own priests. Since it is proprii iuvari ministerio sacerdotis. Quod quia procul a pietate christiana recognized that this is far from christian piety, we decree, in accordance esse dignoscitur de benignitate with apostolic charity, that wherever so many are gathered together under apostolica constituimus ut ubicumque tot simul sub communi vita fuerint a common way of life that they are able to establish a church for congregati qui ecclesiam sibi cum themselves with a cemetery and rejoice in their own priest, they should coemeterio constituere et proprio gaudere valeant presbytero sine be allowed to have them without contradiction. Let them take care, contradictione aliqua permittantur however, not to harm in any way the parochial rights of established habere. Caveant tamen ut iniuriosi veteribus ecclesiis de iure parochiali churches. For we do not wish that what is granted them on the score of nequaquam exsistant. Quod namque piety should result in harm to others. We also declare that they should not eis pro pietate conceditur ad aliorum iniuriam nolumus redundare. be compelled to pay tithes for their gardens or the pasture of animals. Statuimus etiam ut de hortis et nutrimentis animalium suorum decimas tribuere non cogantur.

24. Cruel avarice has so seized the hearts of some that though they glory Ita quorumdam animos occupavit saeva cupiditas ut cum glorientur in the name of Christians they provide the Saracens with arms and wood nomine christiano Sarracenis arma for helmets, and become their equals or even their superiors in ferrum et lignamina galearum deferant et pares eis aut etiam wickedness and supply them with arms and necessaries to attack superiores in malitia fiant dum ad Christians. There are even some who for gain act as captains or pilots in impugnandos christianos arma eis et necessaria subministrant. Sunt etiam galleys or Saracen pirate vessels. Therefore we declare that such persons qui pro sua cupiditate in galeis et 48 piraticis Sarracenorum navibus regimen et curam gubernationis exercent. Tales igitur a communione ecclesiae praecisos et should be cut off from the communion of the church and be excommunicationi pro sua iniquitate subiectos et rerum suarum per saeculi excommunicated for their wickedness, that catholic princes and civil principes catholicos et consules magistrates should confiscate their possessions, and that if they are civitatum privatione mulctari et capientium servos si capti fuerint fore captured they should become the slaves of their captors. We order that censemus. Praecipimus etiam ut per throughout the churches of maritime cities frequent and solemn ecclesias maritimarum urbium crebra et solemnis excommunicatio excommunication should be pronounced against them. Let those also be proferatur in eos. Excommunicationis under excommunication who dare to rob Romans or other Christians who quoque poenae subdantur qui Romanos aut alios christianos pro sail for trade or other honourable purposes. Let those also who in the negotiatione vel aliis causis honestis vilest avarice presume to rob shipwrecked Christians, whom by the rule navigio vectos aut capere aut rebus suis spoliare praesumunt. Illi etiam qui of faith they are bound to help, know that they are excommunicated christianos naufragia patientes quibus unless they return the stolen property. secundum regulam fidei auxilio esse tenentur damnanda cupiditate rebus suis spoliare praesumunt nisi ablata reddiderint excommunicationi se noverint subiacere.

Quia in omnibus fere locis crimen usurarum ita inolevit ut multi aliis 25. Nearly everywhere the crime of usury has become so firmly rooted negotiis praetermissis quasi licite usuras exerceant et qualiter utriusque that many, omitting other business, practise usury as if it were permitted, testamenti pagina condemnentur and in no way observe how it is forbidden in both the Old and New nequaquam attendant ideo constituimus ut usurarii manifesti nec Testament. We therefore declare that notorious usurers should not be ad communionem admittantur altaris admitted to communion of the altar or receive christian burial if they die nec christianam si in hoc peccato decesserint accipiant sepulturam sed in this sin. Whoever receives them or gives them christian burial should nec eorum oblationem quisquam be compelled to give back what he has received, and let him remain accipiat. Qui autem acceperit aut eos christianae tradiderit sepulturae et ea suspended from the performance of his office until he has made quae acceperit reddere compellatur et satisfaction according to the judgment of his own bishop. donec ad arbitrium sui episcopi satisfaciat ab officii sui maneat exsecutione suspensus.

26. Jews and Saracens are not to be allowed to have christian servants in Iudaei sive Sarraceni nec sub alendorum puerorum obtentu nec pro their houses, either under pretence of nourishing their children or for servitio nec alia qualibet causa service or any other reason. Let those be excommunicated who presume christiana mancipia in domibus suis permittantur habere. to live with them. We declare that the evidence of Christians is to be Excommunicentur autem qui cum eis accepted against Jews in every case, since Jews employ their own praesumpserint habitare. Testimonium quoque christianorum adversus witnesses against Christians, and that those who prefer Jews to Christians Iudaeos in omnibus causis cum illi in this matter are to lie under anathema, since Jews ought to be subject to adversus christianos testibus suis utantur recipiendum esse censemus Christians and to be supported by them on grounds of humanity alone. If et anathemate decernimus feriendos any by the inspiration of God are converted to the christian faith, they are quicumque Iudaeos christianis voluerint in hac parte praeferre cum in no way to be excluded from their possessions, since the condition of eos subiacere christianis oporteat et converts ought to be better than before their conversion. If this is not ab eis pro sola humanitate foveri. Si qui praeterea deo inspirante ad fidem done, we enjoin on the princes and rulers of these places, under penalty se converterint christianam a of excommunication, the duty to restore fully to these converts the share possessionibus suis nullatenus excludantur cum melioris conditionis of their inheritance and goods. conversos ad fidem esse oporteat quam antequam fidem acceperunt habebantur. Si autem secus factum fuerit principibus vel potestatibus eorumdem locorum sub poena excommunicationis iniungimus ut 49 portionem hereditatis et bonorum suorum ex integro eis faciant exhiberi.

Sicut ait beatus Leo licet ecclesiastica disciplina sacerdotali contenta iudicio cruentas non efficiat ultiones catholicorum tamen principum 27. As St. Leo says, though the discipline of the church should be constitutionibus adiuvatur ut saepe quaerant homines salutare remedium satisfied with the judgment of the priest and should not cause the dum corporale super se metuunt shedding of blood, yet it is helped by the laws of catholic princes so that evenire supplicium. Eapropter quia in Gasconia Albigesio et partibus people often seek a salutary remedy when they fear that a corporal Tolosanis et aliis locis ita haereticorum punishment will overtake them. For this reason, since in Gascony and the quos alii catharos alii Patrinos alii publicanos alii aliis nominibus vocant regions of Albi and Toulouse and in other places the loathsome heresy of invaluit damnata perversitas ut iam those whom some call the Cathars, others the Patarenes, others the non in occulto sicut aliqui nequitiam suam exerceant sed suum errorem Publicani, and others by different names, has grown so strong that they publice manifestent et ad suum no longer practise their wickedness in secret, as others do, but proclaim consensum simplices attrahant et infirmos eos et defensores eorum et their error publicly and draw the simple and weak to join them, we receptores anathemati decernimus declare that they and their defenders and those who receive them are subiacere et sub anathemate prohibemus ne quis eos in domibus under anathema, and we forbid under pain of anathema that anyone vel in terra sua tenere vel fovere vel should keep or support them in their houses or lands or should trade with negotiationem cum eis exercere praesumat. Si autem in hoc peccato them. If anyone dies in this sin, then neither under cover of our privileges decesserint non sub nostrorum granted to anyone, nor for any other reason, is mass to be offered for privilegiorum cuilibet indultorum obtentu nec sub aliacumque them or are they to receive burial among Christians. With regard to the occasione aut oblatio fiat pro eis aut Brabanters, Aragonese, Navarrese, Basques, Coterelli and Triaverdini , inter christianos recipiant sepulturam. De Brabantionibus et Aragonensibus who practise such cruelty upon Christians that they respect neither Navarriis Basculis Coterellis et churches nor monasteries, and spare neither widows, orphans, old or Triaverdinis qui tantam in christianos immanitatem exercent ut nec ecclesiis young nor any age or sex, but like pagans destroy and lay everything nec monasteriis deferant non viduis et waste, we likewise decree that those who hire, keep or support them, in pupillis non senibus et pueris nec cuilibet parcant aetati aut sexui sed the districts where they rage around, should be denounced publicly on more paganorum omnia perdant et Sundays and other solemn days in the churches, that they should be vastent similiter constituimus ut qui eos conduxerint vel tenuerint vel subject in every way to the same sentence and penalty as the above- foverint per regiones in quibus taliter mentioned heretics and that they should not be received into the debacchantur in dominicis et aliis communion of the church, unless they abjure their pernicious society and solemnibus diebus per ecclesias publice denuntientur et eadem heresy. omnino sententia et poena cum praedictis haereticis habeantur adstricti nec ad communionem recipiantur ecclesiae nisi societate illa pestifera et haeresi abiuratis. As long as such people persist in their wickedness, let all who are bound Relaxatos autem se noverint a debito fidelitatis et hominii ac totius obsequii to them by any pact know that they are free from all obligations of donec in tanta iniquitate permanserint loyalty, homage or any obedience. On these and on all the faithful we quicumque illis aliquo pacto tenentur annexi. Ipsis autem cunctis que enjoin, for the remission of sins, that they oppose this scourge with all fidelibus in remissionem peccatorum their might and by arms protect the christian people against them. Their iniungimus ut tantis cladibus se viriliter opponant et contra eos armis goods are to be confiscated and princes free to subject them to slavery. populum christianum tueantur. Those who in true sorrow for their sins die in such a conflict should not Confiscentur que eorum bona et liberum sit principibus huiusmodi doubt that they will receive forgiveness for their sins and the fruit of an homines subicere servituti. Qui autem eternal reward. We too trusting in the mercy of God and the authority of in vera poenitentia ibi decesserint et peccatorum indulgentiam et fructum the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, grant to faithful Christians who take mercedis aeternae se non dubitent up arms against them, and who on the advice of bishops or other prelates percepturos. Nos etiam de misericordia dei et beatorum seek to drive them out, a remission for two years of penance imposed on apostolorum Petri et Pauli auctoritate them, or, if their service shall be longer, we entrust it to the discretion of confisi fidelibus christianis qui contra eos arma susceperint et ad the bishops, to whom this task has been committed, to grant greater episcoporum seu aliorum praelatorum 50 consilium ad eos certaverint expugnandos biennium de poenitentia iniuncta relaxamus aut si longiorem ibi indulgence, according to their judgment, in proportion to the degree of moram habuerint episcoporum discretioni quibus huius rei cura fuerit their toil. We command that those who refuse to obey the exhortation of iniuncta committimus ut ad eorum the bishops in this matter should not be allowed to receive the body and arbitrium secundum modum laboris blood of the Lord. Meanwhile we receive under the protection of the maior eis indulgentia tribuatur. Illos autem qui admonitioni episcoporum in church, as we do those who visit the Lord’s sepulchre, those who fired by huiusmodi parte parere contempserint their faith have taken upon themselves the task of driving out these a perceptione corporis et sanguinis domini iubemus fieri alienos. Interim heretics, and we decree that they should remain undisturbed from all vero eos qui ardore fidei ad eos disquiet both in their property and persons. If any of you presumes to expugnandum laborem istum assumpserint sicut eos qui sepulchrum molest them, he shall incur the sentence of excommunication from the dominicum visitant sub ecclesiae bishop of the place, and let the sentence be observed by all until what has defensione recipimus et ab universis inquietationibus tam in rebus quam in been taken away has been restored and suitable satisfaction has been personis statuimus manere securos. Si made for the loss inflicted. Bishops and priests who do not resist such vero quispiam vestrum praesumpserit eos molestare per episcopum loci wrongs are to be punished by loss of their office until they gain the excommunicationis sententia feriatur pardon of the apostolic see. et tamdiu sententia servetur ab omnibus donec et ablata reddantur et de illatis damnis congrue iterum satisfaciat.

THE FOURTH LATERAN COUNCIL (1215) The 12th Ecumenical Council THE CANONS OF THE FOURTH LATERAN COUNCIL, 1215 Concilium Lateranense IV a. 1215 - Conciliorum Oecumenicorum Decreta, J. Alberigo, J.A. Dossetti, P.P. Joannou, C. Leonardi, P. Prodi, H. Jedin, (1973), pp. 230 – 271 From H. J. Schroeder, Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils: Text, Translation and Commentary, (St. Louis: B. Herder, 1937). pp. 236-296. [taken in part from the Internet Medieval Source Book]

1. Confession of Faith 2. On the error of abbot Joachim 3. On Heretics 4. On the pride of the Greeks towards the Latins 5. The dignity of the patriarchal sees 6. On yearly provincial councils 7. The correction of offences and the reform of morals 8. On inquests 9. On different rites within the same faith 10. On appointing preachers 11. On schoolmasters for the poor 12. On general chapters of monks 13. A prohibition against new religious orders 14. Clerical incontinence 15. Clerical gluttony and drunkeness 16. Decorum in the dress and behaviour of clerics 17. Dissolute prelates 18. Clerics to dissociate from shedding-blood 19. That profane objects may not be stored in churches 51 20. Chrism and the Eucharist to be kept under lock and key 21. On yearly confession to one’s own priest, yearly communion, the confessional seal 22. Physicians of the body to advise patients to call physicians of the soul 23. Churches are to be without a prelate for no more than 3 months 24. Democratic election of pastors 25. Invalid elections 26. Nominees for prelatures to be carefully screened 27. Candidates for the priesthood to be carefully trained and scrutinized 28. Who asks to resign must resign 29. Multiple benefices require papal dispensation 30. Penalties for bestowing ecclesiatical benefices on the unworthy 31. Canons’ sons cannot be canons where their fathers are 32. Parish priests to have adequate incomes 33. Renumeration for visitations to be reasonable 34. Prelates forbidden to procure ecclesiastical services at a profit 35. On appeal procedures 36. On interlocutory sentences 37. On Summons by Apostolic Letter 38. Written records of trials to be kept 39. On knowingly receiving stolen goods 40. True owner is the true possessor even if not possessing the object for a year 41. No one is to knowingly prescribe an object to the wrong party 42. Clerics and laity are not to usurp each others rights 43. Clerics cannot be forced to take oaths of fealty to those from whom they hold no temporalities 44. Only clerics may dispose of church property 45. Penalties for patrons who steal church goods or physically harm their clerics 46. Taxes cannot be levied on the Church, but the Church can volunteer contributions for the common good 47. On unjust excommunication 48. Challenging an ecclesiastical judge 49. Penalties for excommunication out of avarice 50. Prohibition of marriage is now perpetually restricted to the fourth degree 51. Clandestine marriages forbidden 52. On rejecting evidence from hearsay at a matrimonial suit 53. On those who give their fields to others to be cultivated so as to avoid tithes 54. Tithes should be paid before taxes 55. Tithes are to be paid on lands acquired, notwithstanding privileges 56. A parish priest shall not lose a tithe on account of some people making a pact 57. Interpreting the words of privileges 58. On the same in favour of bishops 59. Religious cannot give surety without permission of his abbot and convent 60. Abbots not to encroach on episcopal office 61. Religious may not receive tithes from lay hands 62. Regarding saint’s relics 63. On simony 64. Simony with regards to monks and nuns 65. Simony and extortion 66. Simony and avarice in clerics 67. Jews and excessive Usury 68. Jews appearing in public 52 69. Jews not to hold public offices 70. Jewish converts may not retain their old rite 71. Crusade to recover the holy Land ¤

CANON 1 Text: We firmly believe and openly confess that there is only one true Firmiter credimus et simpliciter confitemur quod unus solus est verus God, eternal and immense, omnipotent, unchangeable, deus aeternus et immensus incomprehensible, and ineffable, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; three omnipotens incommutabilis incomprehensibilis et ineffabilis pater Persons indeed but one essense, substance, or nature absolutely simple; et filius et spiritus sanctus tres quidem the Father (proceeding) from no one, but the Son from the Father only, personae sed una essentia substantia seu natura simplex omnino. ¤ Pater a and the Holy Ghost equally from both, always without beginning and nullo filius autem a solo patre ac end. The Father begetting, the Son begotten, and the Holy Ghost spiritus sanctus ab utroque pariter absque initio semper et fine. ¤ Pater proceeding; consubstantial and coequal, co-omnipotent and coeternal, generans filius nascens et spiritus the one principle of the universe, Creator of all things invisible and sanctus procedens consubstantiales et coaequales coomnipotentes et visible, spiritual and corporeal, who from the beginning of time and by coaeterni unum universorum His omnipotent power made from nothing creatures both spiritual and principium creator omnium invisibilium et visibilium spiritualium et corporalium corporeal, angelic, namely, and mundane, and then human, as it were, qui sua omnipotenti virtute simul ab common, composed of spirit and body. The devil and the other demons initio temporis utramque de nihilo condidit creaturam spiritualem et were indeed created by God good by nature but they became bad corporalem angelicam videlicet et through themselves; man, however, sinned at the suggestion of the mundanam ac deinde humanam quasi communem ex spiritu et corpore devil. This Holy Trinity in its common essense undivided and in constitutam. ¤ Diabolus enim et personal properties divided, through Moses, the holy prophets, and other daemones alii a deo quidem natura creati sunt boni sed ipsi per se facti servants gave to the human race at the most opportune intervals of time sunt mali. ¤ Homo vero diaboli the doctrine of salvation. suggestione peccavit. ¤ Haec sancta trinitas secundum communem essentiam individua et secundum personales proprietates discreta per Moysen et sanctos prophetas alios que famulos suos iuxta ordinatissimam dispositionem temporum doctrinam humano generi tribuit salutarem. And finally, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God made flesh by Et tandem unigenitus dei filius Iesus Christus a tota trinitate communiter the entire Trinity, conceived with the co-operation of the Holy Ghost of incarnatus ex Maria semper virgine Mary ever Virgin, made true man, composed of a rational soul and spiritus sancti cooperatione conceptus verus homo factus ex anima rationali et human flesh, one Person in two natures, pointed out more clearly the humana carne compositus una in way of life. Who according to His divinity is immortal and impassable, duabus naturis persona viam vitae manifestius demonstravit. ¤ Qui cum according to His humanity was made passable and mortal, suffered on secundum divinitatem sit immortalis et the cross for the salvation of the human race, and being dead descended impassibilis idem ipse secundum humanitatem factus est passibilis et into hell, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. But He mortalis quin etiam pro salute humani descended in soul, arose in flesh, and ascended equally in both; He will generis in ligno crucis passus et mortuus descendit ad inferos resurrexit come at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead and will a mortuis et ascendit in coelum. ¤ Sed render to the reprobate and to the elect according to their works. Who all descendit in anima resurrexit in carne ascendit que pariter in utroque shall rise with their own bodies which they now have that they may venturus in fine saeculi iudicare vivos receive according to their merits, whether good or bad, the latter eternal et mortuos et redditurus singulis secundum opera sua tam reprobis punishment with the devil, the former eternal glory with Christ. quam electis. ¤ Qui omnes cum suis propriis corporibus resurgent quae nunc gestant ut recipiant secundum merita sua sive bona fuerint sive mala illi cum diabolo poenam perpetuam et isti cum Christo gloriam sempiternam. There is one Universal Church of the faithful, outside of which there is Una vero est fidelium universalis ecclesia extra quam nullus omnino absolutely no salvation. In which there is the same priest and sacrifice, salvatur in qua idem ipse sacerdos et Jesus Christ, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament sacrificium Iesus Christus cuius corpus et sanguis in sacramento altaris sub 53 of the altar under the forms of bread and wine; the bread being changed speciebus panis et vini veraciter continentur transsubstantiatis pane in (transsubstantiatio) by divine power into the body, and the wine into the corpus et vino in sanguinem potestate blood, so that to realize the mystery of unity we may receive of Him divina ut ad perficiendum mysterium unitatis accipiamus ipsi de suo quod what He has received of us. And this sacrament no one can effect except accepit ipse de nostro. ¤ Et hoc utique the priest who has been duly ordained in accordance with the keys of the sacramentum nemo potest conficere nisi sacerdos qui fuerit rite ordinatus Church, which Jesus Christ Himself gave to the Apostles and their secundum claves ecclesiae quas ipse successors. concessit apostolis et eorum successoribus Iesus Christus. But the sacrament of baptism, which by the invocation of each Person of Sacramentum vero baptismi quod ad invocationem individuae trinitatis the Trinity, namely of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is effected in videlicet patris et filii et spiritus sancti water, duly conferred on children and adults in the form prescribed by consecratur in aqua tam parvulis quam adultis in forma ecclesiae a quocunque the Church by anyone whatsoever, leads to salvation. And should rite collatum proficit ad salutem. ¤ Et si anyone after the reception of baptism have fallen into sin, by true post susceptionem baptismi quisquam prolapsus fuerit in peccatum per veram repentance he can always be restored. Not only virgins and those poenitentiam semper potest reparari. ¤ practicing chastity, but also those united in marriage, through the right Non solum autem virgines et continentes verum etiam coniugati per faith and through works pleasing to God, can merit eternal salvation. fidem rectam et operationem bonam placentes deo ad aeternam merentur beatitudinem pervenire.

CANON 2 Text: We condemn, therefore, and reprobate the book or tract which Damnamus ergo et reprobamus libellum sive tractatum quem abbas Abott Joachim published against Master Peter Lombard concerning the Ioachim edidit contra magistrum unity or essense of the Trinity, calling him heretical and insane because Petrum Lombardum de unitate seu essentia trinitatis appellans ipsum he said in his Sentences that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are some haereticum et insanum pro eo quod in supreme entity in which there is no begetting, no begotten, and no suis dixit sententiis quoniam quaedam summa res est pater et filius et spiritus proceeding. Whence he asserts that he (Peter Lombard) attributed to sanctus et illa non est generans neque God not so much a trinity as a quaternity, namely, three Persons and that genita nec procedens unde asserit quod ille non tam trinitatem quam common essense as a fourth, clearly protesting that there is no entity quaternitatem adstruebat in deo that is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, neither is it essense or substance or videlicet tres personas et illam communem essentiam quasi quartam nature, though he concedes that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one manifeste protestans quod nulla res est essense, one substance, and one nature. But he says that such a unity is quae sit pater et filius et spiritus sanctus nec est essentia nec substantia not a true and proper (propriam) unity, but rather a collective one or one nec natura quamvis concedat quod by way of similitude, as many men are called one people and many pater et filius et spiritus sanctus sunt una essentia una substantia una que faithful one Church, according to the words: “The multitude of believers natura. ¤ Verum unitatem huiusmodi had but one heart and one soul” (Acts 4: 32); and, “He who is joined to non veram et propriam sed quasi collectivam et similitudinariam esse the Lord, is one spirit” (I Cor. 6: I7); similarly, “He that planteth and he fatetur quemadmodum dicuntur multi that watereth, are one” (I Cor- 3: 8); and, “So we being many, are one homines unus populus et multi fideles una ecclesia iuxta illud multitudinis body in Christ” (Rom. 12: 5). Again in the Book of Kings (Ruth): “My credentium erat cor unum et anima una people and thy people are one” (Ruth I: i6). To strengthen this teaching et qui adhaeret deo unus spiritus est cum illo. ¤ Item qui plantat et qui rigat he cites that most important word which Christ spoke concerning the unus sunt et omnes unum corpus faithful in the Gospel: will, Father, that they may be one, as we also are sumus in Christo. ¤ Rursus in libro regum populus meus et populus tuus one, that they may be made perfect in one” (John I7: 22 f.). For the unum sunt. ¤ Ad hanc autem faithful of Christ, he says, are not one in the sense that they are some sententiam adstruendam illud potissimum verbum inducit quod one thing that is common to all, but in the sense that they constitute one Christus de fidelibus inquit in evangelio Church by reason of the unity of the Catholic faith and one kingdom by volo pater ut sint unum in nobis sicut et nos unus sumus ut sint consummati in reason of the union of indissoluble charity, as we read in the canonical unum. ¤Non enim ut ait fideles Christi Epistle of St. John: “There are three who give testimony in heaven, the sunt unum id est una quaedam res Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; nd these three are one” (I John 5: quae communis sit omnibus hic modo sunt unum id est una ecclesia propter 7). And immediately it is added: “And there are three who give catholicae fidei unitatem et tandem testimony on earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three unum regnum propter unionem indissolubilis caritatis. ¤ are one” (I John 5: 8), as it is found in some codices. Quemadmodum in ica Ioannis epistola legitur quia tres sunt qui testimonium 54 dant in coelo pater et verbum et spiritus sanctus et hi tres unum sunt. ¤ Statim que subiungit et tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra spiritus aqua et sanguis et tres unum sunt sicut in codicibus quibusdam invenitur. But we, with the approval of the holy and general council, believe and Nos autem sacro et universali concilio approbante credimus et confitemur confess with Peter (Lombard) that there is one supreme entity, cum Petro quod una quaedam summa incomprehensible and ineffable, which is truly Father, Son, and Holy res est incomprehensibilis quidem et ineffabilis quae veraciter est pater et Ghost, together (simul) three persons and each one of them singly. And filius et spiritus sanctus tres simul thus in God there is only trinity, not quaternity, because each of the personae ac sigillatim quaelibet earundem et ideo in deo trinitas est three persons is that entity, namely, substance, essense, or divine nature, solummodo non quaternitas quia which alone is the principle of the universe and besides which there is quaelibet trium personarum est illa res videlicet substantia essentia sive no other. And that entity is not the one begetting or the one begotten or natura divina quae sola est the one proceeding, but it is the Father who begets, the Son who is universorum principium praeter quod aliud inveniri non potest et illa res non begotten, and the Holy Ghost proceeds, in order that there may be est generans neque genita nec distinctions in the Persons who unity in the nature. Though, therefore, procedens sed est pater qui generat filius qui gignitur et spiritus sanctus qui the Father is one (being), and the Son is another, and the Holy Ghost is procedit ut distinctiones sint in personis another, yet they are not different (non tamen aliud); but that which is et unitas in natura. ¤ Licet igitur alius sit pater alius filius alius spiritus the Father that is the Son and the Holy Ghost, absolutely the same, since sanctus non tamen aliud sed id quod according to the Orthodox and Catholic faith they are believed to be est pater est filius et spiritus sanctus idem omnino ut secundum orthodoxam consubstantial. For the Father begetting the Son from eternity imparted et catholicam fidem consubstantiales to Him His own substance, as He Himself testifies: “That which my esse credantur. ¤ Pater enim ab aeterno filium generando suam father hath given me, is greater than all” (John IO: 29). And it cannot- substantiam ei dedit iuxta quod ipse be said that He gave to Him a part of His substance and retained a part testatur pater quod dedit mihi maius est omnibus ac dici non potest quod for Himself, since the substance of the Father is indivisible, that is, partem suae substantiae illi dederit et absolutely simple. But neither can it be said that Father in begetting partem retinuerit ipse sibi cum substantia patris indivisibilis sit utpote transferred His substance to the Son, as if gave it to the Son without simplex omnino. ¤ Sed nec dici potest retaining it for Himself, otherwise He would cease to be a substance. It quod pater in filium transtulerit suam substantiam generando quasi sic is evident, therefore, that the Son in being begotten received without any dederit eam filio quod non retinuerit diminution the substance of the Father and thus the Father and Son as ipsam sibi alio desiisset esse substantia. ¤ Patet ergo quod sine ulla well as the Holy Ghost proceeding from both are the same entity. When diminutione filius nascendo therefore the Truth prays to the Father for the faithful, saying: “I will substantiam patris accepit et ita pater that they be one in us, even as we are one” (John 7: 22), this term “one” et filius habent eandem substantiam et sic eadem res est pater et filius necnon is understood first for the faithful, as implying a union of charity in et spiritus sanctus ab utroque grace, then for the divine persons, as implying a unity of identity in procedens. ¤ Cum ergo veritas pro fidelibus suis ad patrem orat volo nature; as the Truth says in another place: “Be you perfect, as your inquiens ut ipsi sint unum in nobis sicut heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5: 48); as if He would say more et nos unum sumus hoc nomen unum pro fidelibus quidem accipitur ut clearly: be perfect by the perfection of grace as your heavenly Father is intelligatur unio caritatis in gratia pro perfect by the perfection of nature, namely, each in his own way, personis vero divinis ut attendatur identitatis in natura unitas because between the Creator and the creature there cannot be a likeness quemadmodum veritas alibi ait estote so great that the unlikeness is not greater. If therefore anyone presume perfecti sicut et pater vester coelestis perfectus est ac si diceret manifestius to defend or approve the teaching of the aforesaid Joachim on this point, estote perfecti perfectione gratiae sicut let him be repressed by all as a heretic. pater vester coelestis perfectus est perfectione naturae utraque videlicet suo modo quia inter creatorem et creaturam non potest tanta similitudo notari quin inter eos maior sit dissimilitudo notanda. ¤ Si quis igitur sententiam sive doctrinam praefati Ioachim in hac parte defendere vel approbare praesumpserit tamquam haereticus ab omnibus confutetur. In this, however, we do not wish to derogate in anything from the In nullo tamen per hoc Florensi monasterio cuius ipse Ioachim exstitit monastery of Flora, which Joachim himself founded, since therein is institutor volumus derogari quoniam ibi 55 both the regular life and salutary observance, but chiefly because the et regularis institutio est et observantia salutaris maxime cum idem Ioachim same Joachim ordered that his writings be submitted to us to be omnia scripta sua nobis assignari approved or corrected by the judgment of the Apostolic See, dictating a mandaverit apostolicae sedis iudicio approbanda seu etiam corrigenda letter which he subscribed with his own hand, in which he firmly dictans epistolam cui propria manu confesses that he holds that faith which the Roman Church holds, which subscripsit in qua firmiter confitetur se illam fidem tenere quam Romana tenet by the will of God is the mother and mistress of all the faithful. We also ecclesia quae cunctorum fidelium reprobate and condemn the perverse teaching of he impious Amaury disponente domino mater est et magistra. ¤ Reprobamus etiam et (Almaricus, Amalricus) de Bene, whose mind the father of lies has so damnamus perversissimum dogma darkened that his teaching is to be regarded not so much heretical as impii Amalrici cuius mentem sic pater mendacii excaecavit ut eius doctrina insane. non tam haeretica censenda sit quam insana.

CANON 3 We excommunicate and anathematize every heresy that raises against Excommunicamus et anathemizamus omnem haeresim extollentem se the holy, orthodox and Catholic faith which we have above explained; adversus hanc sanctam orthodoxam condemning all heretics under whatever names they may be known, for catholicam fidem quam superius exposuimus condemnantes universos while they have different faces they are nevertheless bound to each haereticos quibuscumque nominibus other by their tails, since in all of them vanity is a common element. censeantur facies quidem habentes diversas sed caudas adinvicem Those condemned, being handed over to the secular rulers of their colligatas quia de vanitate conveniunt bailiffs, let them be abandoned, to be punished with due justice, clerics in id ipsum. ¤ Damnati vero saecularibus potestatibus praesentibus being first degraded from their orders. As to the property of the aut eorum balivis relinquantur condemned, if they are laymen, let it be confiscated; if clerics, let it be animadversione debita puniendi clericis prius a suis ordinibus degradatis ita applied to the churches from which they received revenues. But those quod bona huiusmodi damnatorum si who are only suspected, due consideration being given to the nature of laici fuerint confiscentur si vero clerici applicentur ecclesiis a quibus stipendia the suspicion and the character of the person, unless they prove their perceperunt. ¤ Qui autem inventi innocence by a proper defense, let them be anathematized and avoided fuerint sola suspicione notabiles nisi iuxta considerationes suspicionis by all 1-intil they have made suitable satisfaction; but if they have been qualitatem que personae propriam under excommunication for one year, then let them be condemned as innocentiam congrua purgatione monstraverint anathematis gladio heretics. Secular authorities, whatever office they may hold, shall be feriantur et usque ad satisfactionem admonished and induced and if necessary compelled by ecclesiastical condignam ab omnibus evitentur ita quod si per annum in censure, that as they wish to be esteemed and numbered among the excommunicatione perstiterint extunc faithful, so for the defense of the faith they ought publicly to take an velut haeretici condemnentur. ¤ Moneantur autem et inducantur et si oath that they will strive in good faith and to the best of their ability to necesse fuerit per censuram exterminate in the territories subject to their jurisdiction all heretics ecclesiasticam compellantur saeculares potestates quibuscumque fungantur pointed out by the Church; so that whenever anyone shall have assumed officiis ut sicut reputari cupiunt et authority, whether spiritual or temporal, let him be bound to confirm haberi fideles ita pro defensione fidei praestent publice iuramentum quod de this decree by oath. But if a temporal ruler, after having been requested terris suae iurisdictioni subiectis and admonished by the Church, should neglect to cleanse his territory of universos haereticos ab ecclesia denotatos bona fide pro viribus this heretical foulness, let him be excommunicated by the metropolitan exterminare studebunt ita quod amodo and the other bishops of the province. If he refuses to make satisfaction quandocumque quis fuerit in within a year, let the matter be made known to the supreme pontiff, that potestatem sive spiritualem sive temporalem assumptus hoc teneatur he may declare the ruler’s vassals absolved from their allegiance and capitulum iuramento firmare. ¤ Si vero may offer the territory to be ruled lay Catholics, who on the dominus temporalis requisitus et monitus ab ecclesia terram suam extermination of the heretics may possess it without hindrance and purgare neglexerit ab hac haeretica preserve it in the purity of faith; the right, however, of the chief ruler is foeditate per metropolitanum et ceteros comprovinciales episcopos to be respected as long as he offers no obstacle in this matter and excommunicationis vinculo innodetur. ¤ permits freedom of action. The same law is to be observed in regard to Et si satisfacere contempserit infra annum significetur hoc summo pontifici those who have no chief rulers (that is, are independent). Catholics who ut ex ipse vassallos ab eius fidelitate have girded themselves with the cross for the extermination of the denunciet absolutos et terram exponat catholicis occupandam qui eam heretics, shall enjoy the indulgences and privileges granted to those who exterminatis haereticis sine ulla contradictione possideant et in fidei 56 go in defense of the Holy Land. puritate conservent salvo iure domini principalis dummodo super hoc ipse nullum praestet obstaculum nec aliquod impedimentum opponat. ¤ Eadem nihilominus lege servata circa eos qui non habent dominos principales. ¤ Catholici vero qui crucis assumpto charactere ad haereticorum exterminium se accinxerint illa gaudeant indulgentia illo que sancto privilegio sint muniti quod accedentibus in terrae sanctae subsidium conceditur. We decree that those who give credence to the teachings of the heretics, Credentes vero praeterea receptores defensores et fautores haereticorum as well as those who receive, defend, and patronize them, are excommunicationi decernimus excommunicated; and we firmly declare that after any one of them has subiacere firmiter statuentes ut postquam quis talium fuerit been branded with excommunication, if he has deliberately failed to excommunicatione notatus si make satisfaction within a year, let him incur ipso jure the stigma of satisfacere contempserit infra annum ex ipso iure sit factus infamis nec ad infamy and let him not be admitted to public offices or deliberations, publica officia seu consilia nec ad and let him not take part in the election of others to such offices or use eligendos aliquos ad huiusmodi nec ad testimonium admittatur. ¤ Sit etiam his right to give testimony in a court of law. Let him also be intestable, intestabilis ut nec testandi liberam that he may not have the free exercise of making a will, and let him be habeat facultatem nec ad hereditatis successionem accedat. ¤ Nullus deprived of the right of inheritance. Let no one be urged to give an praeterea ipsi super quocumque account to him in any matter, but let him be urged to give an account to negocio sed ipse alii respondere cogatur. ¤ Quod si forte iudex exstiterit others. If perchance he be a judge, let his decisions have no force, nor eius sententia nullam obtineat let any cause be brought to his attention. If he be an advocate, let his firmitatem nec causae aliquae ad eius audientiam perferantur. ¤ Si fuerit assistance by no means be sought. If a notary, let the instruments drawn advocatus eius patrocinium nullatenus up by him be considered worthless, for, the author being condemned, let admittatur. ¤ Si tabellio eius instrumenta confecta per ipsum nullius them enjoy a similar fate. In all similar cases we command that the same penitus sint momenti sed cum auctore be observed. If, however, he be a cleric, let him be deposed from every damnato damnentur. ¤ Et in similibus idem praecipimus observari. ¤ Si vero office and benefice, that the greater the fault the graver may be the clericus fuerit ab omni officio et punishment inflicted. beneficio deponatur ut in quo maior est culpa gravior exerceatur vindicta. If any refuse to avoid such after they have been ostracized by the Si qui autem tales postquam ab ecclesia denotati fuerint evitare Church, let them be excommunicated till they have made suitable contempserint excommunicationis satisfaction. Clerics shall not give the sacraments of the Church to such sententia usque ad satisfactionem idoneam percellantur. ¤ Sane clerici pestilential people, nor shall they presume to give them Christian burial, non exhibeant huiusmodi pestilentibus or to receive their alms or offerings; otherwise they shall be deprived of ecclesiastica sacramenta nec eos christianae praesumant sepulturae their office, to which they may not be restored without a special indult tradere nec eleemosynas aut of the Apostolic See. Similarly, all regulars, on whom also this oblationes eorum accipiant. ¤Alioquin suo priventur officio ad quod numquam punishment may be imposed, let their privileges be nullified in that restituantur absque indulto sedis diocese in which they have presumed to perpetrate such excesses. apostolicae speciali. ¤ Similiter quilibet regulares quibus hoc etiam infligatur ut eorum privilegia illa dioecesi non serventur in qua tales excessus praesumpserint perpetrare But since some, under “the appearance of godliness, but denying the Quia vero nonnulli sub specie pietatis virtutem eius iuxta quod ait apostolus power thereof,” as the Apostle says (II Tim. 3: 5), arrogate to abnegantes auctoritatem sibi vendicant themselves the authority to preach, as the same Apostle says: “How praedicandi cum idem apostolus dicat quomodo praedicabunt nisi mittantur shall they preach unless they be sent?” (Rom. 10:15), all those omnes qui prohibiti vel non missi prohibited or not sent, who, without the authority of the Apostolic See praeter auctoritatem ab apostolica sede vel catholico episcopo loci or of the Catholic bishop of the locality, shall presume to usurp the susceptam publice vel privatim office of preaching either publicly or privately, shall be praedicationis officium usurpare praesumpserint excommunicationis excommunicated and unless they amend, and the sooner the better, they vinculo innodentur et nisi quantocius shall be visited with a further suitable penalty. We add, moreover, that resipuerint alia competenti poena plectantur. ¤ Adicimus insuper ut every archbishop or bishop should himself or through his archdeacon or quilibet archiepiscopus vel episcopus some other suitable persons, twice or at least once a year make the per se aut per archidiaconum suum vel 57 rounds of his diocese in which report has it that heretics dwell, and there idoneas personas honestas bis aut saltem semel in anno propriam compel three or more men of good character or, if it should be deemed parochiam in qua fama fuerit advisable, the entire neighborhood, to swear that if anyone know of the haereticos habitare circumeat et ibi tres vel plures boni testimonii viros vel presence there of heretics or others holding secret assemblies, or etiam si expedire videbitur totam differing from the common way of the faithful in faith and morals, they viciniam iurare compellat. ¤ Quod si quis ibidem haereticos sciverit vel will make them known to the bishop. The latter shall then call together aliquos occulta conventicula before him those accused, who, if they do not purge themselves of the celebrantes seu a communi conversatione fidelium vita et moribus matter of which they are accused, or if after the rejection of their error dissidentes eos episcopo studeat they lapse into their former wickedness, shall be canonically punished. indicare. ¤ Ipse autem episcopus ad praesentiam suam convocet accusatos But if any of them by damnable obstinacy should disapprove of the oath qui nisi se ab obiecto reatu purgaverint and should perchance be unwilling to swear, from this very fact let them vel si post purgationem exhibitam in pristinam fuerint relapsi perfidiam ice be regarded as heretics. puniantur. ¤ Si qui vero ex eis iuramenti religionem obstinatione damnabili respuentes iurare forte noluerint ex hoc ipso tamquam haeretici reputentur. We wish, therefore, and in virtue of obedience strictly command, that to Volumus igitur et mandamus et in virtute obedientiae districte carry out these instructions effectively the bishops exercise throughout praecipimus ut ad haec efficaciter their dioceses a scrupulous vigilance if they wish to escape canonical exequenda episcopi per dioeceses suas diligenter invigilent si icam effugere punishment. If from sufficient evidence it is apparent that a bishop is voluerint ultionem. ¤ Si quis enim negligent or remiss in cleansing his diocese of the ferment of heretical episcopus super expurgando de sua dioecesi haereticae pravitatis fermento wickedness, let him be deposed from the episcopal office and let negligens fuerit vel remissus cum id another, who will and can confound heretical depravity, be substituted. certis indiciis apparuerit et ab episcopali officio deponatur et in loco ipsius alter substituatur idoneus qui velit et possit haereticam confundere pravitatem.

CANON 4 Summary. Those baptized by the Latins must not be rebaptized by the Greeks. Though we wish to favor and honor the Greeks who in our days are Licet Graecos in diebus nostris ad obedientiam sedis apostolicae returning to the obedience of the Apostolic See by permitting them to revertentes fovere et honorare velimus retain their customs and rites in so far as the interests of God allow us, mores ac ritus eorum quantum cum domino possumus sustinendo in his in those things, however, that are a danger to souls and derogatory to tamen illis deferre nec volumus nec ecclesiastical propriety, we neither wish nor ought to submit to them. debemus quae periculum generant animarum et ecclesiasticae derogant After the Church of the Greeks with some of her accomplices and honestati. ¤Postquam enim Graecorum supporters had severed herself from the obedience of the Apostolic See, ecclesia cum quibusdam complicibus ac fautoribus suis ab obedientia sedis to such an extent did the Greeks begin hating the Latins that among apostolicae se subtraxit in tantum other things which they impiously committed derogatory to the Latins Graeci coeperunt abominari Latinos quod inter alia quae in derogationem was this, that when Latin priests had celebrated upon their altars, they eorum impie committebant si quando would not offer the sacrifice upon those altars till the altars had first sacerdotes Latini super eorum celebrassent altaria non prius ipsi been washed, as if by this they had been defiled. Also, those baptized by sacrificare volebant in illis quam ea the Latins the Greeks rashly presume to rebaptize, and even till now, as tamquam per hoc inquinata lavissent. ¤ Baptizatos etiam a Latinis et ipsi Graeci we understand, there are some who do not hesitate to do this. Desirous, rebaptizare ausu temerario therefore, of removing such scandal from the Church of God, and praesumebant et adhuc sicut accepimus quidam agere hoc non advised by the holy council, we strictly command that they do not verentur. ¤ Volentes ergo tantum ab presume to do such things in the future, but conform themselves as ecclesia dei scandalum amovere sacro suadente concilio districte praecipimus obedient children to the Holy Roman Church, their mother, that there ut talia de caetero non praesumant may be “one fold and one shepherd.” If anyone shall presume to act conformantes se tamquam obedientiae filii sacrosanctae Romanae ecclesiae contrary to this, let him be excommunicated and deposed from every matri suae ut sit unum ovile et unus office and ecclesiastical benefice. pastor. ¤ Si quis autem quid tale praesumpserit excommunicationis mucrone percussus ab omni officio et 58 beneficio ecclesiastico deponatur.

CANON 5 Summary. The council approves the existing order of the patriarchal sees and affirm, three of their privileges: their bishops may confer the pallium and may have the cross borne before them, and appeals may be taken to them. Renewing the ancient privileges of the patriarchal sees, we decree with Antiqua patriarchalium sedium privilegia renovantes sacra universali the approval of the holy and ecumenical council, that after the Roman synodo approbante sancimus ut post Church, which by the will of God holds over all others pre-eminence of Romanam ecclesiam quae disponente domino super omnes alias ordinariae ordinary power as the mother and mistress of all the faithful, that of potestatis obtinet principatum utpote Constantinople shall hold first place, that of Alexandria second, that of mater universorum Christi fidelium et magistra constantinopolitana primum Antioch third, and that of Jerusalem fourth, the dignity proper to each to Alexandrina secundum Antiochena be observed; so that after their bishops have received from the Roman tertium hierosolymitana quartum locum obtineant servata cuilibet propria pontiff the pallium, which is the distinguishing mark of the plenitude of dignitate ita quod postquam eorum the pontifical office, and have taken the oath of fidelity and obedience to antistites a Romano pontifice receperint pallium quod est plenitudinis him, they may also lawfully bestow the pallium upon their suffragans, officii pontificalis insigne praestito sibi receiving from them the canonical profession of faith for themselves, fidelitatis et obedientiae iuramento licenter et ipsi suis suffraganeis pallium and for the Roman Church the pledge of obedience. They may have the largiantur recipientes pro se standard of the cross borne before them everywhere, except in the city professionem icam et pro Romana ecclesia sponsionem obedientiae ab of Rome and wherever the supreme pontiff or his legate wearing the eisdem. ¤ Dominicae vero crucis insignia of Apostolic dignity is present. In all provinces subject to their vexillum ante se faciant ubique deferri nisi in urbe Romana et ubicumque jurisdiction appeals may be taken to them when necessary, saving the summus pontifex praesens exstiterit appeals directed to the Apostolic See, which must be humbly respected. vel eius legatus utens insigniis apostolicae dignitatis. ¤ In omnibus autem provinciis eorum iurisdictioni subiectis ad eos cum necesse fuerit provocetur salvis appellationibus ad sedem apostolicam interpositis quibus est ab omnibus humiliter deferendum.

CANON 6 SUMMARY Provincial synod, for the correction of abuses and the enforcement of canonical enactments must be held annually. To ensure this, reliable persons are to be appointed who will investigate such thin as need correction. In accordance with the ancient provisions of the holy Fathers, the Sicut olim a sanctis patribus noscitur institutum metropolitani singulis annis metropolitans must not neglect to hold with their suffragans the annual cum suis suffraganeis provincialia non provincial synods. In these they should be actuated with a genuine fear omittant concilia celebrare in quibus de corrigendis excessibus et moribus of God in correcting abuses and reforming morals, especially the morals reformandis praesertim in clero of the clergy, familiarizing themselves anew with the canonical rules, diligentem habeant cum dei timore tractatum icas regulas et maxime quae particularly those that are enacted in this general council, that they may statuta sunt in hoc generali concilio enforce their observance by imposing due punishment on transgressors. relegentes ut eas faciant observari debitam poenam transgressoribus That this may be done more effectively, let them appoint in each and infligendo. ¤ Ut autem id valeat every diocese prudent and upright persons, who throughout the entire efficacius adimpleri per singulas dioeceses statuant idoneas personas year shall informally and without any jurisdiction diligently investigate providas videlicet et honestas quae per such things as need correction or reform and faithfully present them to totum annum simpliciter et de plano absque ulla iurisdictione sollicite the metropolitan, suffragans, and others in the following synod, so that investigent quae correctione vel they may give prudent consideration to these and other matters as reformatione sint digna et ea fideliter perferant ad metropolitanum et circumstances demand; and in reference to those things that they decree, suffraganeos et alios in concilio let them enforce observance, publishing the decisions in the episcopal subsequenti ut super his et aliis prout utilitati et honestati congruerit provida synods to be held annually in each diocese. Whoever shall neglect to deliberatione procedant. ¤ Et quae statuerint faciant observari publicantes 59 comply with this salutary statute, let him be suspended from his office ea in episcopalibus synodis annuatim per singulas dioeceses celebrandis. and benefits till it shall please his superior to restore him. ¤Quisquis autem hoc salutare statutum neglexerit adimplere a suis beneficiis et executione officii suspendatur donec per superioris arbitrium eius relaxetur.

CANON 7 Summary No custom or appeal shall hinder prelates from correcting abuses and reforming the morals of their subjects. If the chapter neglects to correct the excesses of the canons, it shall devolve upon the bishop to do so. Prelates shall not use this statute as means of pecuniary gain. By an irrefragable decree we ordain that prelates make a prudent and Irrefragabili constitutione sancimus ut ecclesiarum praelati ad corrigendum earnest effort to correct the excesses and reform the morals of their subditorum excessus maxime subjects, especially of the clergy, lest their blood be demanded at their clericorum et reformandum mores prudenter et diligenter intendant ne hands. But that they may perform unhindered the duty of correction and sanguis eorum de suis manibus reform, we decree that no custom or apeal shall stand in the way of their requiratur. ¤ Ut autem correctionis et reformationis officium libere valeant efforts, unless they shall have exceeded the form to be observed in such exercere decernimus ut executionem cases. The abuses, however, of the canons of the cathedral church, the ipsarum nulla consuetudo vel appellatio valeat impedire nisi formam correction of which has by custom belonged to the chapter, shall, in excesserint in talibus observandam. ¤ those churches in which such a custom has hitherto prevailed, by the Excessus tamen icorum ecclesiae cathedralis qui consueverunt corrigi per advice or command of the bishop be corrected within a reasonable time capitulum per ipsum in illis ecclesiis specified by the bishop. Otherwise the bishop, having in mind the quae talem hactenus consuetudinem habuerunt ad commonitionem et interests of God, opposition notwithstanding, shall not delay to correct iussionem episcopi corrigantur infra them means of ecclesiastical censure according as the cura animarum terminum competentem ab episcopo praefigendum. ¤ Alioquin ex episcopus demands. Nor shall he neglect to correct the excesses also of the other deum habens prae oculis omni clerics (those assisting the canons) according as the cura animarum contradictione cessante ipsos prout animarum cura exegerit per censuram requires, due order, however, being observed in all things. If the canons ecclesiasticam corrigere non postponat without a manifest and reasonable cause, chiefly through contempt for sed et alios eorum excessus corrigere non omittat prout animarum causa the bishop, discontinue divine services, the bishop may, if he wishes, requirit debito tamen ordine in omnibus celebrate in the cathedral church, and on his complaint the metropolitan, observato. ¤ Caeterum si ici absque manifesta et rationabili causa maxime as delegated by us in this matter, shall so punish them with ecclesiastical in contemptum episcopi cessaverint a censure that for fear of a repetition of the punishment they will not divinis episcopus nihilominus si voluerit celebret in ecclesia cathedrali et presume to do such things in the future. Let the prelates of the churches, metropolitanus ad querelam ipsius therefore, be diligently on their guard that they do not convert this tamquam super hoc delegatus a nobis taliter eos per censuram ecclesiasticam salutary decree into a means of personal profit or other objectionable cognita veritate castiget quod poenae conduct, but let them enforce it earnestly and faithfully if they wish to metu talia de cetero non praesumant. ¤ Provideant itaque diligenter escape canonical punishment, for in this matter the Apostolic See, on ecclesiarum praelati ut hoc salutare the authority of the Lord, will be most vigilant. statutum ad quaestum pecuniae vel gravamen aliud non convertant sed illud studiose ac fideliter exequantur si icam voluerint effugere ultionem quoniam super his apostolica sedes auctore domino attentissime vigilabit.

CANON 8 SUMMARY: Reports of serious irregularities by prelates and inferior clerics must be investigated bv the superior. The accused must be given occasion to defend himself and, ii-found ‘guilty, must be punished accordingly. Text:. How and when a prelate ought to proceed in the inquiry and Qualiter et quomodo debeat praelatus procedere ad inquirendum et punishment of the excesses of subjects (that is, of clerics), is clearly puniendum subditorum excessus ex deduced from the authority of the New and Old Testaments, from which auctoritatibus novi et veteris testamenti colligitur evidenter ex the canonical decrees were afterward drawn, as we have long since quibus postea processerunt icae 60 clearly pointed out and now with the approval of the holy council sanctiones sicut olim aperte distinximus et nunc sacri approbatione confirm. For we read in the Gospel that the steward who was accused to concilii confirmamus. ¤ Legitur enim in his master of wasting his goods, heard him say: “How is it that I hear evangelio quod villicus ille qui diffamatus erat apud dominum suum this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship, for now thou canst be quasi dissipasset bona ipsius audivit ab steward no longer” (Luke i6: 2). And in Genesis the Lord said: “I will illo quid hoc audio de te redde rationem villicationis tuae iam enim non poteris go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is villicare. ¤ Et in genesi dominus ait come to me” (Gen. i8: 2i). From these authorities it is clearly proved descendam et videbo utrum clamorem qui venit ad me opere compleverunt. that not only when a subject (that is, a cleric of a lower rank) but also ¤Ex quibus auctoritatibus manifeste when a prelate is guilty of excesses and these should come to the ears of comprobatur quod non solum cum subditus verum etiam cum praelatus the superior through complaint and report, not indeed from spiteful and excedit si per clamorem et famam ad slanderous persons, but from those who are prudent and upright persons, aures superioris pervenerit non quidem a malevolis et maledicis sed a providis and not only once but often, he must in the presence of the seniors of the et honestis nec semel tantum sed church carefully inquire into the truth of such reports, so that if they saepe quod clamor innuit et diffamatio manifestat debet coram ecclesiae prove to be true, the guilty party may be duly punished without the senioribus veritatem diligentius superior being both accuser and judge in the matter. But, while this is to perscrutari. ¤ Et si rei poposcerit qualitas ica districtio culpam feriat be observed in regard to subjects, the observance must be stricter in delinquentis non tamquam sit actor et reference to prelates, who are, as it were, a ,target for the arrow. iudex sed quasi deferente fama vel denunciante clamore officii sui debitum Because they cannot please all, since by their very office they are bound exequatur. ¤ Licet autem hoc sit not only to rebuke but also at times to loose and bind, they frequently observandum in subditis diligentius tamen observandum est in praelatis qui incur the hatred of many and are subject to insidious attacks. The holy quasi signum sunt positi ad sagittam. ¤ fathers, therefore, wisely decreed that accusations against prelates must Et quia non possunt omnibus complacere cum ex officio teneantur be accepted with great reserve lest, the pillars being shattered, the non solum arguere sed etiam increpare edifice itself fall unless proper precaution be exercised by which quin etiam interdum suspendere nonnunquam vero ligare frequenter recourse not only to false but also malicious incrimination is precluded. odium multorum incurrunt et insidias They wished so to protect prelates that on the one hand they might not patiuntur. ¤ Ideo sancti patres provide statuerunt ut accusatio praelatorum be unjustly accused, and on the other hand that they might be on their non facile admittatur ne concussis guard, lest they should become haughtily delinquent; finding a suitable columnis corruat aedificium nisi remedy for each disease in the provision that a criminal accusation diligens adhibeatur cautela per quam non solum falsae sed etiam malignae which calls for a diminutio capitis, that is, degradation, is by no means criminationi ianua praecludatur. ¤ to be accepted, nisi legitima praecedat inscriptio. But when anyone shall Verum ita voluerunt providere praelatis ne criminarentur iniuste ut tamen have been accused on account of his excesses, so that the reports and caverent ne delinquerent insolenter whisperings arising therefrom cannot any longer be ignored without contra morbum utrumque invenientes congruam medicinam videlicet ut scandal or tolerated without danger, then steps, inspired not by hatred criminalis accusatio quae ad but by charity, must be taken without scruple toward an inquiry and diminutionem capitis id est degradationem intenditur nisi legitima punishment of his excesses. If it is a question of a grave offense, though praecedat inscriptio nullatenus not one that calls for a degradatio ab ordine, the accused must be admittatur. ¤ Sed cum super excessibus suis quisquam fuerit deprived absolutely of all administrative authority, which is in infamatus ita ut iam clamor ascendat accordance with the teaching of the Gospel, namely, that the steward qui diutius sine scandalo dissimulari non possit vel sine periculo tolerari who cannot render a proper account of his office as steward be deprived absque dubitationis scrupulo ad of his stewardship. He about whom inquiry is to be made must be inquirendum et puniendum eius excessus non ex odii fomite sed present, unless he absents himself through stubbornness; and the matter caritatis procedatur affectu. ¤ to be investigated must be made known to him, that he may have Quatenus si fuerit gravis excessus etsi non degradetur ab ordine ab opportunity to defend himself. Not only the testimony of the witnesses administratione tamen amoveatur but also their names must be made known to him, that he may be aware omnino quod est secundum evangelicam sententiam a villicatione who testified against him and what was their testimony; and finally, villicum amoveri qui non potest legitimate exceptions and replications must be admitted, lest by the villicationis suae dignam reddere rationem. ¤ Debet igitur esse praesens suppression of names and by the exclusion of exceptions the boldness of is contra quem facienda est inquisitio the defamer and the false witness be encouraged. The diligence of the nisi se per contumaciam absentaverit et exponenda sunt ei illa capitula de prelate in correcting the excesses of his subjects ought to be in quibus fuerit inquirendum ut facultatem proportion to the blameworthiness of allowing the offense to go habeat defendendi se ipsum et non 61 unpunished. Against such offenders, to say nothing of those who are solum dicta sed etiam nomina ipsa testium sunt ei ut quid et a quo sit guilty of notorious crimes, there can be a threefold course of procedure, dictum appareat publicanda necnon namely, by accusation, by denunciation, and by inquiry, in all of which, exceptiones et replicationes legitimae admittendae ne per suppressionem however, proper precaution must be exercised lest perchance by undue nominum infamandi per exceptionum haste grave detriment should result. The accusation must be preceded by vero exclusionem deponendi falsum audacia praebeatur. ¤ Ad corrigendos the legitima inscriptio, denunciation by the caritativa admonitio, and the itaque subditorum excessus tanto inquiry by the clamosa insinuatio (diffamatio); such moderation to be diligentius debet praelatus assurgere quanto damnabilius eorum offensas always used that the forma sententiae be governed by the forma judicii. desereret incorrectas contra quos ut de The foregoing, however, does not apply to regular clerics, who, when a notoriis excessibus taceatur etsi tribus modis possit procedi per accusationem reason exists, can be removed from their charges more easily and videlicet denunciationem et expeditiously. inquisitionem eorum ut tamen in omnibus diligens adhibeatur cautela ne forte per leve compendium ad grave dispendium veniatur sicut accusationem legitima praecedere debet inscriptio sic et denunciationem caritativa admonitio et inquisitionem clamosa insinuatio praevenire illo semper adhibito moderamine ut iuxta formam iudicii sententiae quoque forma dictetur. ¤Hunc tamen ordinem circa regulares personas non credimus usquequaque servandum quae cum causa requirit facilius et liberius a suis possunt administrationibus amoveri.

CANON 9 SUMMARY: In cities and dioceses where there are people of different languages, the bishop must provide suitable priests to minister to them. If necessity requires, let him appoint a vicar who shall be responsible to him. There may not, however, be two bishops in -the same diocese. Text: Since in many places within the same city and diocese there are Quoniam in plerisque partibus intra eandem civitatem atque dioecesim people of different languages having one faith but various rites and permixti sunt populi diversarum customs, we strictly command that the bishops of these cities and linguarum habentes sub una fide varios ritus et mores districte praecipimus ut dioceses provide suitable men who will, according to the different rites pontifices huiusmodi civitatum sive and languages, celebrate the divine offices for them, administer the dioecesum provideant viros idoneos qui secundum diversitates rituum et sacraments of the Church and instruct them by word and example. But linguarum divina officia illis celebrent et we absolutely forbid that one and the same city or diocese have more ecclesiastica sacramenta ministrent instruendo eos verbo pariter et than one bishop, one body, as it were, with several heads, which is a exemplo. ¤ Prohibemus autem omnino monstrosity. But if by reason of the aforesaid conditions an urgent ne una eadem que civitas sive dioecesis diversos pontifices habeat necessity should arise, let the bishop of the locality after due tanquam unum corpus diversa capita deliberation appoint a prelate acceptable to those races, who shall act as quasi monstrum. ¤ Sed si propter praedictas causas urgens necessitas vicar in the aforesaid matters and be subject to him all things. If anyone postulaverit pontifex loci catholicum shall act otherwise, let him consider himself excommunicated; and if praesulem nationibus illis conformem provida deliberatione constituat sibi even then he will not amend, let him be deposed from every vicarium in praedictis qui ei per omnia ecclesiastical ministry, and if need be, let the secular arm be employed, sit obediens et subiectus unde si quis aliter se ingesserit excommunicationis that such insolence may be curbed. se noverit mucrone percussum et si nec sic resipuerit ab omni ecclesiastico ministerio deponatur adhibito si necesse fuerit brachio saeculari ad tantam insolentiam compescendam.

62 SUMMARY: Bishops who are unable to preach the word of God to the people are to provide suitable men to do it for them. They must see to it that the needs of the clergy so appointed are supplied, otherwise their work will prove a failure. Text: Among other things that pertain to the salvation of the Christian Inter caetera quae ad salutem spectant populi christiani pabulum people, the food of the word of God is above all necessary, because as verbi dei permaxime sibi noscitur esse the body is nourished by material food, so is the soul nourished by necessarium quia sicut corpus materiali sic anima spirituali cibo nutritur eo spiritual food, since “not in bread alone doth man live but in every word quod non in solo pane vivit homo sed in that proceedeth from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4: 4). It often happens omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei. ¤ Unde cum saepe contingat quod that bishops, on account of their manifold duties or bodily infirmities, or episcopi propter occupationes because of hostile invasions or other reasons, to say nothing of lack of multiplices vel invaletudines corporales aut hostiles incursus seu occasiones learning, which must be absolutely condemned in them and is not to be alias ne dicamus defectum scientiae tolerated in the future, are themselves unable to minister the word of quod in eis est reprobandum omnino nec de caetero tolerandum per se ipsos God to the people, especially in large and widespread dioceses. non sufficiunt ministrare populo Wherefore we decree that bishops provide suitable men, powerful in verbum dei maxime per amplas dioeceses et diffusas generali work and word, to exercise with fruitful result the office of preaching; constitutione sancimus ut episcopi viros who in place of the bishops, since these cannot do it, diligently visiting idoneos ad sanctae praedicationis officium salubriter exequendum the people committed to them, may instruct them by word and example. assumant potentes in opere et sermone And when they are in need, let them be supplied with the necessities, qui plebes sibi commissas vice ipsorum cum per se idem nequiverint sollicite lest for want of these they may be compelled to abandon their work at visitantes eas verbo aedificent et the very beginning. Wherefore we command that in cathedral churches exemplo. ¤ Quibus ipsi cum indiguerint congrue necessaria ministrent ne pro as well as in conventual churches suitable men be appointed whom the necessariorum defectu compellantur bishops may use as coadjutors and assistants, not only in the office of desistere ab incoepto. ¤ Unde praecipimus tam in cathedralibus quam preaching but also in hearing confessions, imposing penances, and in in aliis conventualibus ecclesiis viros other matters that pertain to the salvation of souls. If anyone neglect to idoneos ordinari quos episcopi possint coadiutores et cooperatores habere comply with this, he shall be subject to severe punishment. non solum in praedicationis officio verum etiam in audiendis confessionibus et poenitentiis iniungendis ac caeteris quae ad salutem pertinent animarum. ¤ Si quis autem hoc neglexerit adimplere districtae subiaceat ultioni.

11 SUMMARY In every cathedral church and other churches also that have sufficient means, a master is to be appointed to instruct gratis the clerics and poor students. The metropolitan church ought to have a theologian who shall teach the clergy whatever pertains to the cura animarum (i.e. care of souls). Since there are some who, on account of the lack of necessary means, Quia nonnullis propter inopiam et legendi studium et opportunitas are unable to acquire an education or to meet opportunities for proficiendi subtrahitur in Lateranensi perfecting themselves, the Third Lateran Council in a salutary decree concilio pia fuit institutione provisum ut per unamquamque cathedralem provided that in every cathedral church a suitable benefice be assigned ecclesiam magistro qui clericos to a master who shall instruct gratis the clerics of that church and other eiusdem ecclesiae alios que scholares pauperes gratis instrueret aliquod poor students, by means of which benefice the material needs of the competens beneficium praeberetur quo master might be relieved and to the students a way opened to et docentis relevaretur necessitas et via pateret discentibus ad doctrinam. knowledge. But, since in many churches this is not observed, we, ¤Verum quoniam in multis ecclesiis id confirming the aforesaid decree, add that, not only in every cathedral minime observatur nos praedictum roborantes statutum adicimus ut non church but also in other churches where means are sufficient, a solum in qualibet cathedrali ecclesia competent master be appointed by the prelate with his chapter, or sed etiam in aliis quarum sufficere poterunt facultates constituatur elected by the greater and more discerning part of the chapter, who shall magister idoneus a praelato cum instruct gratis and to the best of his ability the clerics of those and other capitulo seu maiori ac saniori parte 63 churches in the art of grammar and in other branches of knowledge. In capituli eligendus qui clericos ecclesiarum ipsarum et aliarum gratis addition to a master, let the metropolitan church have also a theologian, in grammaticae facultate ac aliis who shall instruct the priests and others in the Sacred Scriptures and in instruat iuxta posse. ¤ Sane metropolitana ecclesia theologum those things especially that pertain to the cura animarum. To each nihilominus habeat qui sacerdotes et master let there be assigned by the chapter the revenue of one benefice, alios in sacra pagina doceat et in his praesertim informet quae ad curam and to the theologian let as much be given by the metropolitan; not that animarum spectare noscuntur. ¤ they thereby become canons, but they shall enjoy the revenue only so Assignetur autem cuilibet magistrorum a capitulo unius praebendae proventus long as they hold the office of instructor. If the metropolitan church et pro theologo a metropolitano cannot support two masters, then it shall provide for the theologian in tantundem non quod per hoc efficiatur icus sed tamdiu redditus ipsius the aforesaid manner, but for the one teaching grammar, let it see to it percipiat quamdiu perstiterit in that a sufficiency is provided by another church of its city or diocese. docendo. ¤ Quod si forte de duobus magistris metropolitana ecclesia gravetur theologo iuxta modum praedictum ipsa provideat grammatico vero in alia ecclesia suae civitatis sive dioecesis quod sufficere valeat faciat provideri.

12 SUMMARY: Provincial chapters of regulars are to be held every three years. All not canonically impeded must-attend. The chapters to be under the guidance of two Cistercians, and careful attention is to be given to the reform of the order and to regular observance. Visitation of monasteries and nunneries. Ordinaries must strive to ref’orm monasteries and ward off molestation of them by lay officials. Text: In every ecclesiastical province there shall be held every three In singulis regnis sive provinciis fiat de triennio in triennium salvo iure years, saving the right of the diocesan ordinaries, a general chapter of dioecesanorum pontificum commune abbots and of priors having no abbots, who have not been accustomed to capitulum abbatum atque priorum abbates proprios non habentium qui celebrate such chapters. This shall be held in a monastery best adapted non consueverunt tale capitulum to this purpose and shall be attended by all who are not canonically celebrare. ¤ Ad quod universi conveniant praepeditionem icam non impeded, with this restriction, however, that no one bring with him habentes apud unum de monasteriis ad more than six horses and eight persons. In inaugurating this new hoc aptum hoc adhibito moderamine ut nullus eorum plus quam sex evectiones arrangement, let two neighboring abbots of the Cistercian order be et octo personas adducat. ¤ Advocent invited to give them counsel and opportune assistance, since among autem caritative in huius novitatis primordiis duos Cisterciensis ordinis them the celebration of such chapters is of long standing. These two abbates vicinos ad praestandum sibi Cistercians shall without hindrance choose from those present two consilium et auxilium opportunum cum sint in huiusmodi capitulis celebrandis whom they consider the most competent, and these four shall preside ex longa consuetudine plenius over the entire chapter, so that no one of these four may assume the informati. ¤ Qui absque contradictione duos sibi de ipsis associent quos authority of leadership; should it become expedient, they may be viderint expedire. ¤ Ac ipsi quatuor changed by prudent deliberation. Such a chapter shall be celebrated for praesint capitulo universo ita quod ex hoc nullus eorum auctoritatem several consecutive days according the custom of the Cistercian order. praelationis assumat unde cum During its deliberations careful attention is to be given to the reform of expedierit provida possint deliberatione mutari. ¤ Huiusmodi vero capitulum the order and to regular observance, and what has been enacted with the aliquot certis diebus continue iuxta approval of the four shall be observed inviolably by all, excuses, morem Cisterciensium celebretur in quo diligens habeatur tractatus de contradictions, and appeals to the contrary notwithstanding. In each of reformatione ordinis et observantia these chapters the place for the holding of the following one is to be regulari et quod statutum fuerit illis quatuor approbantibus ab omnibus determined. All those in attendance, even if f or want of room many inviolabiliter observetur omni must occupy other houses, must live the vita communis and bear excusatione et contradictione ac appellatione remotis. ¤Proviso proportionately all common expenses. In the same chapter religious and nihilominus ubi sequenti termino prudent persons should be appointed who, in our name, shall visit every debeat capitulum celebrari. ¤ Et qui convenerint vitam ducant communem abbey in the province, not only of monks but also of nuns, according to et faciant proportionabiliter simul a form prescribed for them, correcting and reforming those things that omnes communes expensas ita quod si non omnes potuerint in eisdem saltem 64 need correction and reform; so that, if they should know that the rector plures simul in diversis domibus commorentur. ¤ Ordinentur etiam in of a locality ought to be removed from office, let them make it known to eodem capitulo religiosae ac his bishop, that he may procure his removal; but if he should neglect to circumspectae personae quae singulas abbatias eiusdem regni sive provinciae do it, then the appointed visitors shall refer the matter to the attention of non solum monachorum sed etiam the Apostolic See. We wish and command that canons regular observe monialium secundum formam sibi praefixam vice nostra studeant visitare this according to their order. But if in this new arrangement a difficulty corrigentes et reformantes quae should arise which cannot be disposed of by the aforesaid persons, let it correctionis et reformationis officio viderint indigere ita quod si rectorem be referred without scandal to the judgment of the Apostolic See; in the loci cognoverint ab administratione meantime let the other things that have been accomplished by amicable penitus amovendum denuncient episcopo proprio ut illum amovere deliberation be in. violably observed. Moreover, the diocesan ordinaries procuret. ¤ Quod si non fecerit ipsi must strive so to reform the monasteries subject to them, that when the visitatores hoc referant ad apostolicae sedis examen. ¤ Hoc ipsum regulares aforesaid visitors come to them they will find in them more that is icos secundum ordinem suum volumus worthy of commendation than of correction, taking special care lest the et praecipimus observare. ¤ Si vero in hac novitate quicquam difficultatis monasteries be oppressed by them with undue burdens. For, while we emerserit quod per praedictas personas wish that the rights of the superiors be respected, we do not on that nequeat expediri ad apostolicae sedis iudicium absque scandalo referatur account wish that injury be sustained by inferiors. We strictly command caeteris irrefragabiliter observatis quae diocesan bishops and persons attending the chapters, that with concordi fuerint deliberatione provisa. ¤ Porro dioecesani episcopi monasteria ecclesiastical censure-every appeal being denied-they restrain sibi subiecta ita studeant reformare ut advocates, patrons, vicegerents, rulers, consuls, nobles, and soldiers, and cum ad ea praedicti visitatores accesserint plus in illis inveniant quod all others, from molesting the monasteries either in persons or properties commendatione quam quod correctione and if perchance these persons should so molest, let the aforesaid sit dignum attentissime praecaventes ne per eos dicta monasteria indebitis bishops and chapter members not neglect to compel these latter to make oneribus aggraventur quia sic volumus satisfaction, that the monasteries may serve Almighty God more freely superiorum iura servari ut inferiorum nolimus iniurias sustinere. ¤ Ad hoc and peacefully. districte praecipimus tam dioecesanis episcopis quam personis que praeerunt capitulis celebrandis ut per censuram ecclesiasticam appellatione remota compescant advocatos patronos vicedominos rectores et consules magnates et milites seu quoslibet alios ne monasteria praesumant offendere in personis ac rebus. ¤ Et si forsitan offenderint eos ad satisfactionem compellere non omittant ut liberius et quietius omnipotenti deo valeant famulari. ¤

13 SUMMARY: The founding of new religious orders is forbidden. New monasteries must accept a rule already approved. A monk may not reside in different monasteries nor may one abbot preside over several monasteries. Lest too great a diversity of religious orders lead to grave confusion in Ne nimia religionum diversitas gravem in ecclesia dei confusionem inducat the Church of God, we strictly forbid anyone in the future to found a firmiter prohibemus ne quis de caetero new order, but whoever should wish to enter an order, let him choose novam religionem inveniat sed quicumque voluerit ad religionem one already approved. Similarly, he who would wish to found a new converti unam de approbatis assumat. monastery, must accept a rule already proved. We forbid also anyone to ¤Similiter qui voluerit religiosam domum fundare de novo regulam et presume to be a monk in different monasteries (that is, belong to institutionem accipiat de religionibus different monasteries), or that one abbot preside over several approbatis. ¤ Illud etiam prohibemus ne quis in diversis monasteriis locum monasteries. monachi habere praesumat nec unus abbas pluribus monasteriis praesidere.

65 Summary: Clerics, especially those in sacred orders, shall live chastely and virtuously. Anyone suspended for incontinency who presumes to celebrate the divine mysteries shall be forever deposed. Text: That the morals and general conduct of clerics may be better let all Ut clericorum mores et actus in melius reformentur continenter et caste vivere strive to live chastely and virtuously, particularly those in sacred orders, studeant universi praesertim in sacris guarding against every vice of desire, especially that on account of ordinibus constituti ab omni libidinis vitio praecaventes maxime illo propter which the anger of God came from heaven upon the children of quod ira dei venit de coelo in filios unbelief, so that in the sight of Almighty God they may perform their diffidentiae quatenus in conspectu dei omnipotentis puro corde ac mundo duties with a pure heart and chaste body. But lest the facility to obtain corpore valeant ministrare. ¤ Ne vero pardon be an incentive to do wrong, we decree that whoever shall be facilitas veniae incentivum tribuat delinquendi statuimus ut qui found to indulge in the vice of incontinence, shall, in proportion to the deprehensi fuerint incontinentiae vitio gravity of his sin, be punished in accordance with the canonical statutes, laborare prout magis aut minus peccaverint puniantur secundum icas which we command to be strictly and rigorously observed, so that he sanctiones quas efficacius et districtius whom divine fear does not restrain from evil, may at least be withheld praecipimus observari ut quos divinus timor a malo non revocat temporalis from sin by a temporal penalty. If therefore anyone suspended for this saltem poena a peccato cohibeat. ¤ Si reason shall presume to celebrate the divine mysteries, let him not only quis igitur hac de causa suspensus divina celebrare praesumpserit non be deprived of his ecclesiastical benefices but for this twofold offense solum ecclesiasticis beneficiis spolietur let him be forever deposed. Prelates who dare support such in their verum etiam pro hac duplici culpa perpetuo deponatur. ¤ Praelati vero qui iniquities, especially in view of money or other temporal advantages, tales praesumpserint in suis shall be subject to a like punishment. But if those. who according to the iniquitatibus sustinere maxime obtentu pecuniae vel alterius commodi practice of their country have not renounced the conjugal bond, fall by temporalis pari subiaceant ultioni. ¤ Qui the vice of impurity, they are to be punished more severely, since they autem secundum regionis suae morem non abdicarunt copulam coniugalem si can use matrimony lawfully. lapsi fuerint gravius puniantur cum legitimo matrimonio possint uti.

15 SUMMARY Clerics, who after being warned do not abstain from drunkenness, shall be suspended from their office and benefice. All clerics shall carefully abstain from drunkenness. Wherefore, let A crapula et ebrietate omnes clerici diligenter abstineant unde vinum sibi them accommodate the wine to themselves, and themselves to the wine. temperent et se vino nec ad bibendum Nor shall anyone be encouraged to drink, for drunkenness banishes quispiam incitetur cum ebrietas et mentis inducat exilium et libidinis reason and incites to lust. We decree, therefore, that that abuse be provocet incentivum. ¤ Unde illum absolutely abolished by which in some localities the drinkers bind abusum decernimus penitus abolendum quo in quibusdam partibus themselves suo modo to an equal portion of drink and he in their ad potus aequales suo modo se judgment is the hero of the day who out drinks the others. Should obligant potatores et ille iudicio talium plus laudatur qui plures inebriat et anyone be culpable in this matter, unless he heeds the warning of the calices faecundiores exhaurit. ¤ Si quis superior and makes suitable satisfaction, let him be suspended from his autem super his culpabilem se exhibuerit nisi a superiore commonitus benefice or office. satisfecerit competenter a beneficio vel officio suspendatur. We forbid hunting and fowling to all clerics; wherefore, let them not presume to keep dogs and birds for these purposes.

16 SUMMARY Clerics are not to engage in secular pursuits, attend unbecoming exhibitions, visit taverns, or play games of chance. Their clothing must be in keeping with their dignity. Clerics shall not hold secular offices or engage in secular and, above Venationem et aucupationem universis clericis interdicimus unde nec all, dishonest pursuits. They shall not attend the performances of mimics canes nec aves ad aucupandum habere and buffoons, or theatrical representations. They shall not visit taverns praesumant. ¤ Clerici officia vel commercia saecularia non exerceant except in case of necessity, namely, when on a journey. They are maxime inhonesta mimis ioculatoribus et histrionibus non intendant et 66 forbidden to play games of chance or be present at them. They must tabernas prorsus evitent nisi forte causa necessitatis in itinere constituti. ¤ have a becoming crown and tonsure and apply themselves diligently to Ad aleas vel taxillos non ludant nec the study of the divine offices and other useful subjects. Their garments huiusmodi ludis intersint. ¤ Coronam et tonsuram habeant congruentem et se must be worn clasped at the top and neither too short nor too long. They in officiis divinis et aliis bonis exerceant are not to use red or green garments or curiously sewed together gloves, studiis diligenter. ¤ Clausa deferant desuper indumenta nimia brevitate vel or beak-shaped shoes or gilded bridles, saddles, pectoral ornaments (for longitudine non notanda. ¤ Pannis horses), spurs, or anything else indicative of superfluity. At the divine rubeis aut viridibus necnon manicis aut sotularibus consuticiis seu rostratis office in the church they are not to wear cappas with long sleeves, and frenis sellis pectoralibus et calcaribus priests and dignitaries may not wear them elsewhere except in case of deauratis aut aliam superfluitatem gerentibus non utantur. ¤ Cappas danger when circumstances should require a change of outer garments. manicatas ad divinum officium intra Buckles may under no condition be worn, nor sashes having ornaments ecclesiam non gerant sed nec alibi qui sunt in sacerdotio vel personatibus of gold or silver, nor rings, unless it be in keeping with the dignity of constituti nisi iusti causa timoris their office. All bishops must use in public and in the church outer exegerit habitum transformari. ¤ Fibulas omnino non ferant neque garments made of linen, except those who are monks, in which case corrigias auri vel argenti ornatum they must wear the habit of their order; in public they must not appear habentes sed nec anulos nisi quibus competit ex officio dignitatis. ¤ with open mantles, but these must be clasped either on the back of the Pontifices autem in publico et in neck or on the bosom. ecclesia superindumentis lineis omnes utantur nisi monachi fuerint quos oportet deferre habitum monachalem. ¤ Palliis diffibulatis non utantur in publico sed vel post collum vel ante pectus hinc inde connexis.

17 SUMMARY. Prelates and clerics are commanded in virtue of obedience to celebrate diligently and devoutly the diurnal and nocturnal offices. Text: It is a matter for regret that there are some minor clerics and even Dolentes referimus quod non solum quidam minores clerici verum etiam prelates who spend half of the night in banqueting and in unlawful aliqui ecclesiarum praelati circa gossip, not to mention other abuses, and in giving the remainder to comessationes superfluas et confabulationes illicitas ut de aliis sleep. They are scarcely awakened by the diurnal concerts of the birds. taceamus fere medietatem noctis Then they hasten through matins in a hurried and careless manner. expendunt et somno residuum relinquentes vix ad diurnum concentum There are others who say mass scarcely four times a year and, what is avium excitantur transcurrendo worse, do not even attend mass, and when they are present they are undique continuata syncopa matutinum. ¤ Sunt et alii qui missarum engaged outside in conversation with lay people to escape the silence of celebrant solemnia vix quater in anno the choir; so that, while they readily lend their ears to unbecoming talk, et quod deterius est interesse contemnunt et si quando dum haec they regard with utter indifference things that are divine. These and all celebrantur intersunt chori silentium similar things, therefore, ,we absolutely forbid under penalty of fugientes intendunt externis collocutionibus laicorum dum que suspension, and strictly command in virtue of obedience that they auditum ad indebitos sermones celebrate diligently and devoutly the diurnal and nocturnal offices so far effundunt aures intentas non porrigunt ad divina. ¤ Haec igitur et similia sub as God gives them strength. poena suspensionis penitus inhibemus districte praecipientes in virtute obedientiae ut divinum officium diurnum pariter et nocturnum quantum eis deus dederit studiose celebrent pariter et devote.

18 SUMMARY Clerics may neither pronounce nor execute a sentence of death. Nor may they act as judges in extreme criminal cases, or take pa in matters connected with judicial tests and ordeals. No cleric may pronounce a sentence of death, or execute such a Sententiam sanguinis nullus clericus dictet aut proferat sed nec sanguinis sentence, or be present at its execution. If anyone in consequence of this vindictam exerceat aut ubi exercetur prohibition (hujusmodi occasions statuti) should presume to inflict intersit. ¤ Si quis autem huiusmodi occasione statuti ecclesiis vel personis 67 damage on churches or injury on ecclesiastical persons, let him be ecclesiasticis aliquod praesumpserit inferre dispendium per censuram restrained by ecclesiastical censure. Nor may any cleric write or dictate ecclesiasticam compescatur nec letters destined for the execution of such a sentence. Wherefore, in the quisquam clericus literas scribat aut dictet pro vindicta sanguinis chanceries of the princes let this matter be committed to laymen and not destinandas unde in curiis principum to clerics. Neither may a cleric act as judge in the case of the Rotarrii, haec solicitudo non clericis sed laicis committatur. ¤ Nullus quoque clericus archers, or other men of this kind devoted to the shedding of blood. No rottariis aut balistariis aut huiusmodi subdeacon, deacon, or priest shall practice that part of surgery involving viris sanguinum praeponatur nec illam chirurgiae artem subdiaconus diaconus burning and cutting. Neither shall anyone in judicial tests or ordeals by vel sacerdos exerceant quae ad hot or cold water or hot iron bestow any blessing; the earlier ustionem vel incisionem inducit nec quisquam purgationi aquae ferventis prohibitions in regard to dueling remain in force. vel frigidae seu ferri candentis ritum cuiuslibet benedictionis aut consecrationis impendat salvis nihilominus prohibitionibus de monomachiis sive duellis antea promulgatis.

19 SUMMARY: Household goods must not be stored in churches unless there be an urgent necessity. Churches, church vessels, and the like must be kept clean. Text: We do not wish to leave uncorrected the practice of certain clerics Relinqui nolumus incorrectum quod quidam clerici sic exponunt ecclesias who convert the churches into storehouses for their own household supellectilibus propriis et etiam alienis goods and also for those of others,”‘ so that the churches have the ut potius domus laicae quam dei basilicae videantur non considerantes appearance of the houses of lay people rather than of the house of God, quod dominus non sinebat ut vas not considering that the Lord does not permit the carrying of a vessel transferretur per templum. ¤ Sunt et alii qui non solum ecclesias dimittunt through the temple. There are also others who not only neglect to keep incultas verum etiam vasa ministerii et the churches clean but also leave the vessels, vestments, palls, and vestimenta ministrorum ac pallas altaris necnon et ipsa corporalia tam corporals so unclean that sometimes they are a source of aversion. immunda relinquunt quod interdum Wherefore, since the zeal of the house of God hath eaten us up (John 2: aliquibus sunt horrori. ¤ Quia vero zelus nos comedit domus dei firmiter I 7), we strictly forbid that household goods be placed in the churches, prohibemus ne huiusmodi supellectilia unless by reason of hostile invasion, sudden fire, or other urgent reasons in ecclesias admittantur nisi propter hostiles incursus aut incendia repentina it should become necessary to store them there. When, however, the seu alias necessitates urgentes ad eas necessity no longer exists, let them be returned to their proper place. We oporteat haberi refugium. ¤ Sic tamen ut necessitate cessante res in loca command also that the aforesaid churches, vessels, corporals, and pristina reportentur. ¤Praecipimus vestments be kept clean and bright. For it is absurd to tolerate in sacred quoque ut oratoria vasa corporalia et vestimenta praedicta munda et nitida things a filthiness that is unbecoming even in profane things. conserventur. ¤ Nimis enim videtur absurdum in sacris sordes negligere quae dedecerent etiam in prophanis.

20 SUMMARY: In all churches the Eucharist and the chrism must be kept under lock and .key. Those who neglect to do this, are to be suspended. Text: We decree that in all churches the chrism and the Eucharist be Statuimus ut in cunctis ecclesiis chrisma et eucharistia sub fideli kept in properly protected places provided with locks and keys, that they custodia clavibus adhibitis may not be reached by rash and indiscreet persons and used for impious conserventur ne possit ad illa temeraria manus extendi ad aliqua horribilia vel and blasphemous purposes. But if he to whom such guardianship nefaria exercenda. ¤ Si vero is ad quem pertains should leave them unprotected, let him be suspended from spectat custodia ea incaute reliquerit tribus mensibus ab officio suspendatur office for a period of three months. And if through his negligence an et si per eius incuriam aliquid execrable deed should result, let him be punished more severely. nefandum inde contigerit graviori subiaceat ultioni.

21 *** SUMMARY Everyone who has attained the age of reason is bound to 68 confess his sins at least once a year to his own parish pastor with his permission to another, and to receive the Eucharist at least at Easter. A priest who reveals a sin confided to him in confession is to be deposed and relegated to a monastery for the remainder of his life. All the faithful of both sexes shall after they have reached the age of Omnis utriusque sexus fidelis postquam ad annos discretionis discretion faithfully confess all their sins at least once a year to their pervenerit omnia sua solus peccata own (parish) priest and perform to the best of their ability the penance confiteatur fideliter saltem semel in anno proprio sacerdoti et iniunctam sibi imposed, receiving reverently at least at Easter the sacrament of the poenitentiam studeat pro viribus Eucharist, unless perchance at the advice of their own priest they may adimplere suscipiens reverenter ad minus in pascha eucharistiae for a good reason abstain for a time from its reception; otherwise they sacramentum nisi forte de consilio shall be cut off from the Church (excommunicated) during life and proprii sacerdotis ob aliquam rationabilem causam ad tempus ab eius deprived of Christian burial in death. Wherefore, let this salutary decree perceptione duxerit abstinendum. ¤ be published frequently in the churches, that no one may find in the plea Alioquin et vivens ab ingressu ecclesiae arceatur et moriens christiana careat of ignorance a shadow of excuse. But if anyone for a good reason sepultura. ¤ Unde hoc salutare should wish to confess his sins to another priest, let him first seek and statutum frequenter in ecclesiis publicetur ne quisquam ignorantiae obtain permission from his own (parish) priest, since otherwise he (the caecitate velamen excusationis other priest) cannot loose or bind him. assumat. ¤ Si quis autem alieno sacerdoti voluerit iusta de causa sua confiteri peccata licentiam prius postulet et obtineat a proprio sacerdote cum aliter ille ipsum non possit solvere vel ligare. Let the priest be discreet and cautious that he may pour wine and oil Sacerdos autem sit discretus et cautus ut more periti medici superinfundat into the wounds of the one injured after the manner of a skilful vinum et oleum vulneribus sauciati physician, carefully inquiring into the circumstances of the sinner and diligenter inquirens et peccatoris circumstantias et peccati per quas the sin, from the nature of which he may understand what kind of advice prudenter intelligat quale illi consilium to give and what remedy to apply, making use of different experiments debeat exhibere et cuiusmodi remedium adhibere diversis to heal the sick one. But let him exercise the greatest precaution that he experimentis utendo ad sanandum does not in any degree by word, sign, or any other manner make known aegrotum. ¤ Caveat autem omnino ne verbo vel signo vel alio quovis modo the sinner, but should he need more prudent counsel, let him seek it prodat aliquatenus peccatorem sed si cautiously without any mention of the person. He who dares to reveal a prudentiori consilio indiguerit illud absque ulla expressione personae sin confided to him in the tribunal of penance, we decree that he be not caute requirat quoniam qui peccatum only deposed from the sacerdotal office but also relegated to a in poenitentiali iudicio sibi detectum praesumpserit revelare non solum a monastery of strict observance to do penance for the remainder of his sacerdotali officio deponendum life. decernimus verum etiam ad agendam perpetuam poenitentiam in arctum monasterium detrudendum.

22 SUMMARY. Physicians of the body called to the bedside of the sick shall before all advise them to call for the physician of souls, so that, spiritual health being restored, bodily health will follow. Text: Since bodily infirmity is sometimes caused by sin, the Lord saying Cum infirmitas corporalis nonnumquam ex peccato proveniat dicente domino to the sick man whom he had healed: “Go and sin no more, lest some languido quem sanaverat vade et worse thing happen to thee” (John 5: 14), we declare in the present amplius noli peccare ne deterius aliquid tibi contingat decreto praesenti decree and strictly command that when physicians of the body are called statuimus et districte praecipimus to the bedside of the sick, before all else they admonish them to call for medicis corporum ut cum eos ad infirmos vocari contigerit ipsos ante the physician of souls, so that after spiritual health has been restored to omnia moneant et inducant quod them, the application of bodily medicine may be of greater benefit, for medicos advocent animarum ut postquam infirmis fuerit de spirituali the cause being removed the effect will pass away. We publish this salute provisum ad corporalis decree for the reason that some, when they are sick and are advised by medicinae remedium salubrius procedatur cum causa cessante cesset the physician in the course of the sickness to attend to the salvation of effectus. ¤ Hoc quidem inter alia huic their soul, give up all hope and yield more easily to the danger of death. causam dedit edicto quod quidam in 69 If any .physician shall transgress this decree after it has been published aegritudinis lecto iacentes cum eis a medicis suadetur ut de animarum by bishops, let him be cut off (arceatur) from the Church till he has salute disponant in desperationis made suitable satisfaction for his transgression. And since the soul is far articulum incidunt unde facilius mortis periculum incurrunt. ¤ Si quis autem more precious than the body, we forbid under penalty of anathema that a medicorum huius nostrae constitutionis physician advise a patient to have recourse to sinful means for the postquam per praelatos locorum fuerit publicata transgressor extiterit tamdiu recovery of bodily health. ab ingressu ecclesiae arceatur donec pro transgressione huiusmodi satisfecerit competenter. ¤ Ceterum cum anima sit multo pretiosior corpore sub interminatione anathematis prohibemus ne quis medicorum pro corporali salute aliquid aegroto suadeat quod in periculum animae convertatur. 23. If those to whom it Pertains neglect to elect a bishop for a cathedral within three months, then this duty devolves upon the next immediate superior. If he neglects to do so within three months, he shall be punished. That the ravenous wolf may not invade the Lord’s flock that is without Ne pro defectu pastoris gregem dominicum lupus rapax invadat aut in a pastor, that a widowed church may not suffer grave loss in its facultatibus suis ecclesia viduata grave properties, that danger to soul may be averted, and that provision may dispendium patiatur volentes in hoc occurrere periculis animarum et be made for the security of the churches, we decree that a cathedral or ecclesiarum indemnitatibus providere regular church must not be without a bishop for more than three months. statuimus ut ultra tres menses cathedralis vel regularis ecclesia If within this time an election has not been held by those to whom it praelato non vacet infra quos iusto pertains, though there was no impediment, the electors lose their right of impedimento cessante si electio celebrata non fuerit qui eligere voting, and the right to appoint devolves upon the next immediate debuerant eligendi potestate careant superior. Let the one upon whom this right to appoint devolves, having ea vice ac ipsa eligendi potestas ad eum qui proximo praeesse dignoscitur God before his eyes, not delay more than three months to provide devolvatur. ¤ Is vero ad quem devoluta canonically and with the advice of the chapter and other prudent men fuerit potestas dominum habens prae oculis non differat ultra tres menses the widowed church with a suitable pastor, if he wishes to escape cum capituli sui consilio et aliorum canonical punishment. This pastor is to be chosen from the widowed virorum prudentium viduatam ecclesiam de persona idonea ipsius church itself, or from another in case a suitable one is not found therein. quidem ecclesiae vel alterius si digna non reperiatur in illa ice ordinare si icam voluerit effugere ultionem. 24. Three forms or methods of election are recognized: the normal one by ballot, by compromise, and by quasi-inspiration. No one may vote by proxy. Since, on account of the different forms of elections which some Quia propter electionum formas diversas quas quidam invenire endeavor to employ, many impediments arise and great danger threatens conantur et multa impedimenta the widowed churches, we decree that when an election is to take place proveniunt et magna pericula imminent ecclesiis viduatis statuimus ut cum and all are present who ought, wish, and are able tobe present, let three electio fuerit celebranda praesentibus trustworthy members of the assembly be chosen who shall with care omnibus qui debent et volunt et possunt commode interesse collect secretly and one by one the votes of all; and when these have assumantur tres de collegio fide digni been written down, he is to be considered elected who has obtained all qui secreto et singulatim voces cunctorum diligenter exquirant et in or the majority of the votes of the chapter, absolutely no appeal being scriptis redacta mox publicent in allowed. Or the authority of making the choice may be entrusted to communi nullo prorsus appellationis obstaculo interiecto ut is collatione some confidential persons, who in the place of all may provide a pastor adhibita eligatur in quem omnes vel for the widowed church. An election in any other form is not valid, maior vel sanior pars capituli consentit. ¤ Vel saltem eligendi potestas aliquibus unless perchance there is absolute unanimity among the electors, as if by viris idoneis committatur qui vice divine inspiration. Whoever shall attempt to hold an election contrary to omnium ecclesiae viduatae provideant de pastore. ¤ Aliter electio facta non the aforesaid forms, shall for this time be deprived of his vote. We valeat nisi forte communiter esset ab absolutely forbid that anyone appoint a representative in the matter of an omnibus quasi per inspirationem divinam absque vitio celebrata. ¤ Qui election (that is, vote by proxy), unless he be canonically impeded and vero contra praedictas formas eligere cannot come, in which case, if need be, let him declare himself to that attentaverint eligendi ea vice potestate 70 effect on oath, and then he may choose one of his colleagues at the priventur. ¤Illud penitus interdicimus ne quis in electionis negotio procuratorem assembly to represent him. We also disapprove of clandestine elections, constituat nisi sit absens in eo loco de and decree that as soon as an election has it must be solemnly made quo debeat advocari iusto que impedimento detentus venire non public. possit. ¤ Super quo si fuerit opus fidem faciat iuramento et tunc si voluerit uni committat de ipso collegio vicem suam. ¤ Electiones quoque clandestinas reprobamus statuentes ut quam cito electio fuerit celebrata solemniter publicetur. 25. He who consents to the election of himself with the aid of the secular power becomes thereby ineligible, and the election is null. Whoever shall presume to consent to the election of himself through Quisquis electioni de se factae per saecularis potestatis abusum the abusive intervention of the secular authorities contrary to canonical consentire praesumpserit contra icam liberty, shall lose the advantage he has gained therefrom and shall be libertatem et electionis commodo careat et inelegibilis fiat nec absque ineligible in the future, nor may he be chose,, or raised to any other dispensatione possit ad aliquam eligi dignity without a dispensation. Those who presume to hold an election dignitatem. ¤ Qui vero electionem huiusmodi quam ipso iure irritam esse of this kind (that is, those who allow themselves to be influenced by censemus praesumpserint celebrare ab secular authorities), we declare to be ipso jure invalid, let them be officiis et beneficiis penitus per triennium suspendantur eligendi tunc absolutely suspended from offices and benefices for a period of three potestate privati. years, and during this time let them be deprived of the right of voting. 26. If a prelate through negligence has confirmed the election of an unworthy candidate for the guidance of souls, he is to lose the right of confirming the first successor of such a one and is also to be deprived of the revenue of his benefice, and the the one unworthily promoted is to be removed. If his action was prompted by malice, a severer penalty is to be imposed on him. Nothing is more injurious to the Church of God than the selection of Nihil est quod ecclesiae dei magis officiat quam quod indigni assumantur unworthy prelates for the direction of souls. Wishing, therefore, to apply praelati ad regimen animarum. ¤ the necessary remedy to this evil, we decree by an irrefragable Volentes igitur huic morbo necessariam adhibere medelam irrefragabili ordinance that when anyone has been elected for the guidance of souls, constitutione sancimus quatenus cum he to whom the confirmation of the election belongs shall carefully quisquam fuerit ad regimen animarum assumptus is ad quem pertinet ipsius investigate the process and circumstances of the election as well as the confirmatio diligenter examinet et person of the one elected, and only when everything proves to be electionis processum et personam electi ut cum omnia rite concurrerint satisfactory may he confirm. If through carelessness the contrary should munus ei confirmationis impendat. ¤ take place, then not only the one unworthily promoted is to be removed, Quia si secus fuerit incaute praesumptum non solum deiciendus est but the one also who furthered such promotion (by confirmation) is to indigne promotus verum etiam indigne be punished. The latter’s punishment, we decree, shall consist in this, promovens puniendus. ¤ Ipsum quoque decernimus hac animadversione puniri that when it is agreed that through negligence he confirmed a person ut cum de ipsius constiterit negligentia who lacks sufficient knowledge or is wanting in integrity of morals or is maxime si hominem insufficientis scientiae vel inhonestae vitae aut not of legitimate age, not only is he to lose the right of confirming the aetatis illegitimae approbaverit non first successor of such a person, but, that he may not in some case solum confirmandi primum successorem illius careat potestate escape punishment, he is also to be deprived of the revenues of his verum etiam ne aliquo casu poenam benefice till he be deemed worthy of pardon. If, however, the evidence effugiat a perceptione proprii beneficii suspendatur quousque si aequum fuerit shows that his action was inspired by malice, a severer punishment is to indulgentiam valeat promereri. ¤ Si be imposed on him. Bishops also, if they wish to escape canonical convictus fuerit in hoc per malitiam excessisse graviori subiaceat ultioni. punishment, shall take the necessary precaution to promote to sacred ¤Episcopi quoque tales ad sacros orders and ecclesiastical dignities only such as are qualified to discharge ordines et ecclesiasticas dignitates promovere procurent qui commissum worthily the duties of the office committed to them. Those who are sibi officium digne valeant adimplere si immediately subject to the Roman pontiff, must appear personally et ipsi icam cupiunt effugere ultionem. ¤ Caeterum qui ad Romanum pertinent before him for confirmation if this can be done conveniently, otherwise immediate pontificem ad percipiendam 71 they may send suitable persons from whom may be ascertained the sui confirmationem officii eius se conspectui si commode potest fieri necessary information regarding the process of the election and the personaliter repraesentent vel personas person of the one elected; so that only after a thorough investigation by transmittant idoneas per quas diligens inquisitio super electionis processu et the pope will those elected obtain the plenitude of their office, provided, electis possit haberi ut sic demum per of course, there be no canonical obstruction. Those who live at a great ipsius circumspectionem consilii sui plenitudinem assequantur officii cum distance, that is outside of Italy, if they have been elected unanimously, eis nihil obstiterit de icis institutis ita may in the meantime and by way of exception (dispensative), on quod interim valde remoti videlicet ultra Italiam constituti si electi fuerint in account of the needs of the churches, administer the respective offices in concordia dispensative propter matters spiritual and temporal, so, however that they alienate absolutely necessitates et utilitates ecclesiarum in spiritualibus et temporalibus nothing belonging to the churches. The consecration or benediction let administrent sic tamen ut de rebus them receive as has so far been the custom.” ecclesiasticis nil penitus alienent. ¤ Munus vero consecrationis seu benedictionis recipiant sicut hactenus recipere consueverunt. 27. Incompetent persons must not be promoted to the priesthood or given the direction of souls. Since the direction of souls is the art of arts, we strictly command that Cum sit ars artium regimen animarum districte praecipimus ut episcopi bishops, either themselves or through other qualified men, diligently promovendos in sacerdotes diligenter prepare and instruct those to be elevated to the priesthood in the divine instruant et informent vel per se ipsos vel per alios viros idoneos super divinis offices and in the proper administration of the sacraments of the Church. officiis et ecclesiasticis sacramentis If in the future they presume to ordain ignorant and unformed men (a qualiter ea rite valeant celebrare. ¤ Quoniam si ignaros et rudes de caetero defect that can easily be discovered), we decree that both those ordinare praesumpserint quod quidem ordaining and those ordained be subject to severe punishment. In the facile poterit deprehendi et ordinatores et ordinatos gravi decrevimus ordination of priests especially, it is better to have a few good ministers subiacere ultioni. ¤ Satius est enim than many who are no good, for if the blind lead the blind both will fall maxime in ordinatione sacerdotum paucos bonos quam multos malos into the pit (Matt. 15:14). habere ministros quia si caecus caecum duxerit ambo in foveam dilabuntur. 28. SUMMARY: He who seeks and obtains permission to resign must do so. Text: There are some who urgently seek permission to resign and after Quidam licentiam cedendi cum instantia postulantes ea obtenta cedere obtaining such permission neglect to do so. But since in requesting a praetermittunt. ¤ Sed cum in resignation they seemed to have in view the needs of the churches over postulatione cessionis huiusmodi aut ecclesiarum commoda quibus praesunt which they preside or their own salvation, neither of which we wish to aut salutem videantur propriam be impeded, whether by the sophistication of self-seeking or by mere attendisse quorum neutrum suasionibus aliquorum quaerentium instability, we decree that they be compelled to resign. quae sunt sua seu etiam levitate qualibet volumus impediri ad cedendum eos decernimus compellendos. 29. Anyone having a benefice with the cura animarum annexed, if he accepts another, shall lose the first; and if he attempts to retain it, he shall lose the other also. After the reception of the second benefice, the first may be freely conferred on another. If he to whom that collation belongs should delay beyond six months, then it shall devolve on another and the form shall indemnify the church for the losses incurred during the vacancy With much foresight it was prohibited in the Lateran Council that no De multa providentia fuit in Lateranensi concilio prohibitum ut nullus diversas one should, contrary to the sacred canons, accept several ecclesiastical dignitates ecclesiasticas et plures dignities or several parochial churches; otherwise the one receiving ecclesias parochiales reciperet contra sacrorum um instituta alioquin et should lose what he received, and the one who bestowed be deprived of recipiens sic receptum amitteret et the right of collation. But since, on account of the boldness and avarice largiendi potestate conferens privaretur. ¤ Quia vero propter of some, the aforesaid statute has thus far produced little or no fruit, we, praesumptiones et cupiditates wishing to meet the situation more clearly and emphatically, declare in quorundam nullus hactenus fructus aut rarus de praedicto statuto provenit nos 72 the present decree that whoever shall accept a benefice to which is evidentius et expressius occurrere cupientes praesenti decreto statuimus annexed the cura animamm after having previously obtained such a ut quicumque receperit aliquod benefice, shall ipso jure be deprived of this (the first one); and if beneficium habens curam animarum annexam si prius tale beneficium perchance he should attempt to retain it, let him be deprived of the other obtinebat eo sit iure ipso privatus et si one also. He to whom the collation of the first benefice belongs may forte illud retinere contenderit alio etiam spolietur. ¤Is quoque ad quem freely confer it, after the incumbent has accepted a second, on anyone prioris spectat donatio illud post whom he may deem worthy; should he delay to do so beyond a period receptionem alterius libere conferat cui merito viderit conferendum et si ultra of six months, then in accordance with the decree of the Lateran tres menses conferre distulerit non Council, let not only its collation devolve on another, but also let him be solum ad alium secundum statutum Lateranensis concilii eius collatio compelled to indemnify the church in question from his own resources devolvatur verum etiam tantum de suis equal to the amount of the revenues drawn from it during its vacancy. cogatur proventibus in utilitatem ecclesiae cuius illud est beneficium The same we decree is to be observed in regard to dignities assignare quantum a tempore (personatus), adding, that no one may presume to have several dignities vacationis ipsius constiterit ex eo esse perceptum. ¤ Hoc idem in personatibus in the same church, even though they have not the cura animarum decernimus observandum addentes ut annexed. Only in the case of eminent and learned persons who are to be in eadem ecclesia nullus plures dignitates aut personatus habere honored with major benefices, can the Apostolic See, if need be, grant a praesumat etiam si curam non habeant dispensation. animarum. ¤ Circa sublimes tamen et litteratas personas quae maioribus sunt beneficiis honorandae cum ratio postulaverit per sedem apostolicam poterit dispensari. 30. The provincial synod is to suspend from the collation of benefices those who after two admonitions confer benefices on unworthy persons. The removal of this suspension the pope reserves to himself or to the patriarch of the one suspended. It is a very inconsistent and grave matter that some bishops, when they Grave nimis est et absurdum quod quidem praelati ecclesiarum cum can promote suitable men to ecclesiastical benefices, do not fear to possint viros idoneos ad ecclesiastica choose unworthy ones, who lack integrity of morals and sufficient beneficia promovere assumere non verentur indignos quibus nec morum knowledge, following the carnal and inordinate affections for their honestas nec literarum scientia kindred rather than the judgment of reason. The great detriment that suffragatur carnalitatis sequentes affectum non iudicium rationis. ¤ Unde thus accrues to the churches no one of sound mind is ignorant of. quanta ecclesiis damna proveniant Wishing, therefore, to cure this disease, we command that unworthy nemo sanae mentis ignorat. ¤ Volentes igitur huic morbo mederi praecipimus persons be rejected and suitable ones, who will and can render to God ut praetermissis indignis assumant and the churches an acceptable service, be chosen; and let a careful idoneos qui deo et ecclesiis velint et valeant gratum impendere famulatum investigation in regard to this matter be made in the annual provincial fiat que de hoc in provinciali concilio synod. Anyone who has been found culpable after the first and second diligens inquisitio annuatim ita quod qui post primam et secundam admonition, let him be suspended by the synod from conferring correctionem fuerit repertus culpabilis benefices, and in the same synod let a prudent and upright person be a conferendis beneficiis per ipsum concilium suspendatur instituta in appointed who may take the place of the one suspended. The same is to eodem concilio persona provida et be observed in regard to the chapters that prove delinquent in this honesta quae suppleat suspensi defectum in beneficiis conferendis. ¤ Et matter. An offense of this kind on the part of a metropolitan must be hoc ipsum circa capitula quae in his made known by the synod to a higher superior. That this salutary deliquerint observetur. ¤ Metropolitani vero delictum superioris iudicio provision may be more effectively observed, such a sentence of relinquatur ex parte concilii suspension may by no means e removed except by the authority of the nunciandum. ¤ Ut autem haec salubris provisio pleniorem consequatur Roman pontiff or by the patriarch of the one suspended, that in this effectum huiusmodi suspensionis matter also the four patriarchal sees may be specially honored. sententia praeter Romani pontificis auctoritatem aut proprii patriarchae minime relaxetur ut in hoc quoque quatuor patriarchales sedes specialiter honorentur. 31. Illegitimate sons of canons may not be appointed heir fathers serve. Such appointments are invalid. To destroy that worst of corruptions that grown up in many churches, Ad abolendam pessimam quae in plerisque inolevit ecclesiis corruptelam 73 we strictly forbid that the sons of canons, especially the illegitimate firmiter prohibemus ne icorum filii maxime spurii ici fiant in saecularibus ones be made canons in the same secular churches in which their fathers ecclesiis in quibus instituti sunt patres. have been appointed. Such appointments, we decree are invalid; those ¤Et si fuerit contra praesumptum decernimus non valere. ¤ Qui vero tales who presume to make them, let them be suspended from their benefices ut dictum est icare praesumpserint a suis beneficiis suspendantur. 32. The rector of a church, notwithstanding the custom of bishops and patrons must have a sufficient portion of the revenues of the church. He who has a parochial church must serve it-himself. If another be annexed to it, a vicar must be the latter, who shall enjoy a portio congruens of its revenues. In some localities a vice has grown up, namely, that patrons of Exstirpandae consuetudinis vitium in quibusdam partibus inolevit quod parochial churches and some other persons (including bishops), arrogate scilicet patroni ecclesiarum to themselves the revenues of those churches, leaving to the priests parochialium et aliae quaedam personae proventus ipsarum sibi attached to them such a meager portion as to deprive them of a decent penitus vendicantes presbyteris subsistence. For we have learned from a source, the authority of which earundem servitiis deputatis relinquunt adeo exiguam portionem ut ex ea is unquestionable that in some places the parochial clergy receive for congrue nequeant sustentari. ¤ Nam ut sustenance only a quarta quartae, that is one sixteenth of the tithes. pro certo didicimus in quibusdam regionibus parochiales presbyteri pro Whence it is that in these localities there seldom is found a parochial sua sustentatione non obtinent nisi priest who possesses more than a very limited knowledge of letters. quartam quartae id est sextamdecimam decimarum. ¤ Unde fit Since therefore the mouth of the ox that threshes should not be muzzled, ut in his regionibus pene nullus and he who serves the altar should live by the altar, we decree that no inveniatur sacerdos parochialis qui vel modicam habeat peritiam literarum. ¤ custom on the part patron, or anybody else shall stand in the way of Cum igitur os bovis alligari non debeat priests receiving a portio sufficiens. triturantis sed qui altari servit vivere debeat de altari statuimus ut consuetudine qualibet episcopi vel patroni seu cuiuscumque alterius non obstante portio presbyteris ipsis sufficiens assignetur. He who has a parochial church must serve it himself and not entrust its Qui vero parochialem habet ecclesiam non per vicarium sed per se ipsum illi administration to a vicar, unless perchance there be a parochial church deserviat in ordine quem ipsius annexed to the prebend or dignity, in which case we grant that he who ecclesiae cura requirit nisi forte praebendae vel dignitati parochialis has such a prebend or dignity, since it behooves him to serve in the ecclesia sit annexa. ¤ In quo casu major church, may ask to have appointed for the parochial church a concedimus ut is qui talem habeat praebendam vel dignitatem cum suitable and irremovable vicar, who, as was said before, shall enjoy a oporteat eum in maiori ecclesia portio congruens of the revenues of that church; otherwise by the deservire in ipsa parochiali ecclesia idoneum et perpetuum studeat habere authority of this decree let him be deprived of it and let it be conferred vicarium ice institutum qui ut on another who will and can fulfil the aforesaid requirements. We also praedictum est congruentem habeat de ipsis ecclesiae proventibus portionem. ¤ absolutely forbid that anyone presume to confer fraudulently on another Alioquin illa se sciat huius decreti a pension as a benefice from the revenues of a church that ought to have auctoritate privatum libere alii conferenda qui velit et possit quod its own priest (proprius saceraos). praedictum est adimplere. ¤ Illud autem penitus interdicimus ne quis in fraudem de proventibus ecclesiae quae curam proprii sacerdotis debet habere pensionem alii quasi pro beneficio conferre praesumat. 33. Prelates may demand procurations only when they conduct visitations and then they must observe the restrictions of the Lateran Council. On their visitations they should devote themselves to preaching and reform. The procurationes [the hospitality or procuration extended to a bishop Procurationes quae visitationis ratione debentur episcopis archidiaconis vel and his assistants in the course of his canonical vistation] which by quibuslibet aliis etiam apostolicae sedis reason of visitation are due to bishops, archdeacons, and others, also to legatis aut nunciis absque manifesta et necessaria causa nullatenus exigantur legates and nuncios of the Apostolic See, are, except in a case of nisi quando praesentialiter officium manifest and urgent necessity, to be demanded only when they visitationis impendunt et tunc 74 personally conduct the visitation, and then they must observe the evectionum et personarum mediocritatem observent in Lateranensi restrictions made by the Lateran Council [III Lat, canon 4] in regard to concilio definitam. ¤ Hoc adhibito the number of horses and persons accompanying them. This restriction moderamine circa legatos et nuncios apostolicae sedis ut cum oportuerit eos being observed, should the legates and nuncios of the Apostolic See find apud aliquem locum moram facere it necessary to make a delay in any place, to avoid being too great a necessariam ne locus ille propter illos nimium aggravetur procurationes burden on the place, let them receive moderate procurations from other recipiant moderatas ab aliis ecclesiis churches or persons who have not yet been burdened in the way of vel personis quae nondum fuerunt de suis procurationibus aggravatae ita supplying such sustenance; so that the number of procurations may not quod numerus procurationum exceed the number of days of the delay, and should some procuration by numerum dierum quibus huiusmodi moram fecerint non excedat. ¤ Et cum itself not suffice, let two or more be united in one. Moreover, those aliqua non suffecerit per ipsam duae conducting the visitation shall not seek their own interests, but those of vel plures coniungantur in unam. ¤ Porro visitationis officium exercentes Jesus Christ, devoting themselves to preaching, exhortation, correction, non quaerant quae sua sunt sed quae and reform, that they may bring back fruit that perishes not. Whoever Iesu Christi praedicationi et exhortationi correctioni et reformationi shall presume to act contrary to this decree, shall not only return what vacando ut fructum referant qui non he received, but to the church that he so op pressed he shall also make perit. ¤ Qui autem contra hoc venire praesumpserit et quod acceperat compensation equivalent to his injustice. reddat et ecclesiae quam taliter aggravavit tantundem rependat 34. Prelates are not to take from their subjects more than is due to them. Those who act contrary to this must make restitution and also give an equal amount to the poor. The hospitality or procuration extended to the bishop and his assistants in the course of his canonical (fiocesan visitation. Since very many prelates, that they may provide papal legates and Quia praelati plerique ut procurationem aut servitium aliquod impendant legato others with procurations and the like, extort from their subjects more vel alii plus extorquent a subditis quam than they hand over to them (to the legates), and, chasing after gain to solvant et in eorum damnis lucra sectantes quaerunt praedam potius their own damnation, seek among their subjects plunder rather than quam subsidium in subiectis id de help, we forbid that this be done in the future. If anyone perchance caetero fieri prohibemus. ¤ Quod si quis forte praesumpserit et sic extorta should presume to act contrary to this decision, he shall not only restore restituat et tantundem cogatur what he has thus extorted, but he shall also be compelled to give an pauperibus elargiri. ¤ Superior autem cui super hoc fuerit querela deposita si equal amount to the poor. If the superior with whom a complaint in negligens fuerit in huiusmodi regard to this matter has been lodged, proves negligent in the execution executione statuti icae subiaceat of this decree, let him be subject to canonical punishment. ultioni. 35. An appellant, feeling that he has good grounds for an appeal before sentence, must make those grounds known to the judgc of the first instance. If sufficient, this is to be made known to the superior judge; if insufficient, the latter must return the appellant to the judge of the first instance. That proper respect may be shown the judges and that the interests of Ut debitus honor deferatur iudicibus et litigatoribus consulatur super laboribus the litigants in the matter of labor and expenses may be duly considered, et expensis statuimus ut ubi quis coram we decree that when anyone proceeds against an adversary before a idoneo iudice convenerit adversarium ille ante sententiam ad superiorem competent judge, he shall not without good reason appeal to a higher iudicem absque rationabili causa non judge before sentence is pronounced, but shall continue his case before provocet sed coram illo suam iustitiam prosequatur non obstante si dicat quod the same judge (that is, of the first instance), even if he say that he has ad superiorem iudicem nuncium sent a message to the superior judge or has received letters from the destinaverit aut etiam literas impetraverit ab eodem priusquam same, as long as the letters have not been given to the delegated judge. delegato fuerint assignatae.¤ Cum But if he thinks he has sufficient ground for an appeal, he must make autem ex rationabili causa putaverit appellandum coram eodem iudice known this ground to the same judge, and, if it be found legal, let it be causa probabili appellationis exposita made known to the superior judge; if the superior judge finds the ground tali videlicet quae si foret probata deberet legitima reputari superior de for an appeal insufficient, he must return the appellant to the judge of appellatione cognoscat et si minus eum the first instance, who shall condemn him to pay the expenses also of rationabiliter appellasse cognoverit illum ad inferiorem remittat et in 75 the other party. Otherwise let him proceed, saving, of course, the expensis alteri parti condemnet. ¤Alioquin ipse procedat salvis ordinances governing the causae majores, which must be referred to the constitutionibus de maioribus causis ad Apostolic See. sedem apostolicam perferendis. 36. If a judge from whose interlocutory sentence an appeal has been taken does not execute it, he can proceed with the principal cause. When an ordinary or delegated judge has pronounced a interlocutory Cum cessante causa cesset effectus statuimus ut sive iudex ordinarius sive sentence, the execution of which would be oppressive to to one of the delegatus aliquid comminando vel litigants, but following prudent counsel from carrying into effect this interloquendo protulerit quo executioni mandato alter litigantium gravaretur et threat or interlocutory sentence. He can proceed with the principal sano usus consilio ab huiusmodi cause, even if an appeal been taken from such a threat or interlocutory comminationis vel interlocutionis effectu destiterit libere in causae sentence (provided he be not suspected from another legitimate source), cognitione procedat non obstante si a so that the progress of the case may not be delayed by trifling tali comminatione vel interlocutione fuerit appellatum dummodo non sit ex circumstances. alia legitima causa suspectus ne processus negotii frivolis occasionibus retardetur. 37. No one may by means of Apostolic letters be summoned before a judge who is distant more than two days from his diocese, except with the consent of both parties or express mention is made of this decree. Without an order from the other party, such letters are invalid. Some, abusing the good will of the Apostolic See, attempt to obtain Nonnulli gratia sedis apostolicae abutentes literas eius ad remotos from it letters whereby their disputes may be referred to judges residing iudices impetrare nituntur ut reus at a remote distance. This they do to fatigue the accused with labor and fatigatus laboribus et expensis liti cedere vel importunitatem actoris expenses, that thus he may be compelled to yield in the matter under redimere compellatur. ¤ Cum autem dispute or by payment free himself from the vexations of the plaintiff. per iudicium iniuriis aditus patere non debeat quas iuris observantia interdicit Since however a legal trial ought not to open the door to injustice, as is statuimus ne quis ultra duas diaetas forbidden by the law, we decree that no one may by means of Apostolic extra suam dioecesim per literas apostolicas ad iudicium trahi possit nisi letters be summoned before a judge who is distant more than two days de assensu partium fuerint impetratae from his diocese, except with the consent of both parties or express vel expressam de hac constitutione mention is made of this decree. fecerint mentionem. There are also others who, turning themselves to a new kind of Sunt et alii qui se ad novum genus mercimonii convertentes ut vel sopitas commercialism, that they may revive old complaints or introduce new possint suscitare querelas aut novas questions, fabricate causes, on the strength of which they seek letters immittere quaestiones fingunt causas super quibus a sede apostolica literas from the Apostolic See without a mandate from the person for whom impetrant absque dominorum mandato they act, which letters they offer for sale either to the accused party that quas vel reo ne propter eas laborum vel expensarum dispendio molestetur aut with their aid he may not be exposed to the loss of labor and expenses, actori ut per ipsas adversarium indebita or to the plaintiff that with these he may fatigue his opponent by undue vexatione fatiget venales exponunt. ¤ Cum autem lites restringendae sint vexations. Since, however, disputes are to be restricted in number rather potius quam laxandae hac generali than multiplied, we decree that if anyone shall in the future presume to constitutione sancimus ut si quis super aliqua quaestione de caetero sine seek Apostolic letters upon any question without a special mandate from mandato speciali domini literas the person for whom he is acting, such letters shall be regarded as apostolicas impetrare praesumpserit et literae illae non valeant et ipse invalid, and he shall be punished as a falsifier, unless perchance it be a tanquam falsarius puniatur nisi forte de question of persons from whom a mandate ought not be legally illis personis exstiterit de quibus non required. debet exigi de iure mandatum. 38. A judge must employ a notary or two competent men to put in writing the acts of the judicial process, so that if a dispute arise regarding any action of the judge, the truth can be established by referring to these documents. If any difficulty should arise because of a neglect of this, let the judge be punished.

76 sometimes cannot prove the truth of a denial, because by the very nature iniqui iudicis innocens litigator quandoque non potest veram of things there is no direct proof of one denying a fact, that falsity may negationem probare cum negantis not prejudice the truth, and injustice may not prevail over justice, we factum per rerum naturam nulla sit directa probatio ne falsitas veritati decree that in an ordinary as well as extraordinary inquiry (judicium) let praeiudicet aut iniquitas praevaleat the judge always employ either a public person (if he can be had) or two aequitati statuimus ut tam in ordinario iudicio quam extraordinario iudex competent men who shall faithfully take down in writing all the acts of semper adhibeat aut publicam si potest the inquiry, namely, citations and delays, refusals and exceptions, habere personam aut duos viros idoneos qui fideliter universa iudicii petitions and replies, interrogations and confessions, the depositions of acta conscribant videlicet citationes witnesses and preesentation of documents, interlocutions, appeals, dilationes recusationes et exceptiones petitiones et responsiones renunciations, decisions, and other acts which take place must be written interrogationes confessiones testium down in convenient order, the time, places, and persons to be depositiones instrumentorum productiones interlocutiones designated. A copy of everything thus written is to be handed to each of appellationes renunciationes the parties, the originals are to remain in possession of the writers; so at conclusiones et caetera quae occurrunt competenti ordine conscribenda if a dispute should arise in regard to any action of the judge, the truth designando loca tempora et personas can be established by a reference to these documents. This provision is et omnia sic conscripta partibus tribuantur ita quod originalia penes made to protect the innocent party against judges who areimprudent and scriptores remaneant ut si super dishonest. A judge who neglects to observe this decree, if on account of processu iudicis fuerit suborta contentio per haec possit veritas this neglect some difficulty should arise, let him be duly punished by a declarari. ¤ Hoc adhibito moderamine superior judge; nor is there any presumption in favor of doing things his quatenus sic honestis et discretis deferatur iudicibus quod per improvidos way unless it be evident from legitimate documents in the case. et iniquos innocentum iustitia non laedatur. ¤ Iudex autem qui constitutionem istam neglexerit observare si propter eius negligentiam aliquid difficultatis emerserit per superiorem iudicem animadversione debita castigetur nec pro ipsius praesumatur processu nisi quatenus in causa legitimis constiterit documentis. 39. Anyone who knowingly accepts a stolen article must restore it to the one from whom it was taken. It often happens that a thief transfers to another what he has unjustly Saepe contingit quod spoliatus iniuste per spoliatorem in alium re translata taken, and the one robbed is rendered helpless in any process against the dum adversus possessorem non possessor to obtain restitution, because the claim of possession having subvenitur per restitutionis beneficium spoliato commodo possessionis amisso vanished on account of the difficulty or lack of proof, the right of propter difficultatem probationis ius ownership ceases. Wherefore, notwithstanding the rigor of the civil law, proprietatis amittit effectum. ¤Unde non obstante civilis iuris rigore sancimus ut we decree that if anyone in the future shall knowingly accept such an si quis de caetero scienter rem talem article, thus becoming a participant in the theft-for after all there is little acceperit cum spoliatori quasi succedat in vitium eo quod non multum intersit difference, especially when it is a question of danger to the soul, praesertim quoad periculum animae whether one holds unjustly or takes what belongs to another-the one detinere iniuste ac invadere alienum contra possessorem huiusmodi spoliato robbed is to be assisted to obtain restitution from such a possessor. per restitutionis beneficium succurratur. 40. The plaintiff is still the owner of the article that has for one year by violence or deceit been withheld from him. It sometimes happens that the plaintiff to whom, in consequence of the Contingit interdum quod cum actori ob contumaciam partis adversae non-appearance (contumacia, that is, disobedience) of the opposing adiudicatur causa rei servandae party, the possession of the object in dispute is judicially awarded, possessio propter rei potentiam sive dolum actor infra annum rem cannot on account of the violence or deceit of the accused obtain actual custodiendam nancisci non potest vel possession for a whole year, and thus, since in the opinion of many he is nactam amittit et sic cum secundum assertionem multorum verus non not after the lapse of a year to be regarded as the owner, the malice of efficeretur post lapsum anni possessor the accused gains the advantage. Therefore, that the condition of the reportat commodum de malitia sua reus. ¤ Ne igitur contumax melioris disobedient may not be better than that of the obedient, we decree that in quam obediens conditionis exsistat de the aforesaid case even after the lapse of a year the plaintiff is the true ica aequitate sancimus ut in casu praemisso actor verus constituatur owner. elapso anno possessor. 77 In general we forbid that decisions in ecclesiastical matters be referred Ad haec generaliter prohibemus ne super rebus spiritualibus to a layman, because it is not becoming that a layman should arbitrate in compromittatur in laicum quia non much matters. decet ut laicus in talibus arbitretur. 41. No prescription is valid unless it rests on good faith. Since all that is not of faith is sin (Rom. 14: 23), we decree that no Quoniam omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est synodali iudicio definimus prescription, whether canonical or civil, is valid unless it rests on good ut nulla valeat absque bona fide faith; because in a general way a prescription that cannot be maintained praescriptio tam ica quam civilis cum sit generaliter omni constitutioni atque without mortal sin is in conflict with all law and custom. Wherefore it is consuetudini derogandum quae absque essential that he who holds a prescription should at no time be aware of mortali non potest observari peccato. ¤ Unde oportet ut qui praescribit in nulla the fact that the object belongs to another. temporis parte rei habeat conscientiam alienae. 42. No cleric may so extend his jurisdiction as to become detrimental to secular justice. As desirous as we are that laymen do not usurp the rights of clerics, we Sicut volumus ut iura clericorum non usurpent laici ita velle debemus ne are no less desirous that clerics abstain from arrogating to themselves clerici iura sibi vindicent laicorum. ¤ the rights of laymen. Wherefore we forbid all clerics so to extend in the Quocirca universis clericis interdicimus ne quis praetextu ecclesiasticae future their jurisdiction under the pretext of ecclesiastical liberty as to libertatis suam de caetero prove detrimental to secular justice; but let them be content with the iurisdictionem extendat in praeiudicium iustitiae saecularis sed contentus laws and customs thus far approved, that the things that are Caesar’s exsistat constitutionibus scriptis et may be rendered to Caesar, and those that are God’s may by a just consuetudinibus hactenus approbatis ut quae sunt Caesaris reddantur Caesari division be rendered to God. et quae sunt dei deo recta distributione reddantur. 43. Clerics under no obligation to laymen in matters temporal are not bound to take an oath of fidelity to them. Some laymen (that is, princes) attempt to usurp too much of the divine Nimis de iure divino quidam laici usurpare conantur cum viros right when they compel ecclesiastical persons who are under no ecclesiasticos nihil temporale obligation to them in matters temporal, to take an oath of fidelity to detinentes ab eis ad praestandum sibi fidelitatis iuramenta compellunt. ¤ Quia them. Wherefore, since according to the Apostle, “To the Lord the vero secundum apostolum servus suo servant standeth or falleth” (Rom. 14: 4), we forbid by the authority of domino stat aut cadit sacri auctoritate concilii prohibemus ne tales clerici the sacred council that such clerics be forced by secular persons to take personis saecularibus praestare an oath of this kind. cogantur huiusmodi iuramentum. 44. Alienation of ecclesiastical properties by laymen without the legitimate 3sent of ecclesiastical authority is forbidden. Since no power to dispose of ecclesiastical properties has been given to Cum laicis quamvis religiosis disponendi de rebus ecclesiasticis nulla laymen, even though they be pious, their duty being to obey, not to sit attributa potestas quos subsequendi command, we regret that in some of them charity has grown so cold that manet necessitas non auctoritas imperandi dolemus sic in quibusdam ex they do not fear in their laws or rather monstrosities (confictionibus) to illis refrigescere caritatem quod attack the immunity of ecclesiastical property, which not only the holy immunitatem ecclesiasticae libertatis quam nedum sancti patres sed etiam fathers but also the secular princes have fortified with many privileges; principes saeculares multis privilegiis presuming illicitly that power not only in the matter of the alienation of munierunt non formidant suis constitutionibus vel potius fiefs and other ecclesiastical possessions and of the usurpation of confictionibus impugnare non solum de jurisdictions, but also in the matter of mortuaries and other things that feudorum alienatione ac aliarum possessionum ecclesiasticarum et seem annexed to the spiritual right. Wishing, therefore, in this matter to usurpatione iurisdictionum sed etiam secure the churches against loss and to provide against such injustice, de mortuariis necnon et aliis quae spirituali iuri videntur annexa illicite we decree with the approval of the sacred council that laws of this kind praesumendo. ¤ Volentes igitur super and appropriations of fiefs and other ecclesiastical properties made his ecclesiarum indemnitati consulere ac tantis gravaminibus providere without the legitimate consent of ecclesiastical persons under pretext of constitutiones huiusmodi et lay power, do not hold, since they cannot be called laws but rather want vindicationes feudorum seu aliorum bonorum ecclesiasticorum sine legitimo of law or destruction and usurpation of jurisdiction, and those having ecclesiasticarum personarum assensu recourse to such presumptions are to be checked ecclesiastical censure. praesumptas occasione constitutionis laicae potestatis cum non constitutio 78 sed destitutio vel destructio dici possit necnon usurpatio iurisdictionum sacri approbatione concilii decernimus non tenere praesumptoribus per censuram ecclesiasticam compescendis. 45. Patrons and others who exceed their rights in the matter of church government are to be restrained by censures. If they kill or mutilate a cleric, they shall lose their rights and to the fourth generation their posterity shall be excluded from clerical state. In some provinces patrons, vicegerents, and advocates of churches have In quibusdam provinciis ecclesiarum patroni seu vicedomini et advocati se in so far advanced in insolence that not only do they create difficulties and tantam insolentiam erexerunt quod non mischief when vacant churches are to be provided with competent solum cum vacantibus debet ecclesiis de pastoribus idoneis provideri pastors, but they also presume to administer the possessions and other difficultates ingerunt et malitias verum ecclesiastical goods at their own will; and what is worse, they do not etiam de possessionibus et aliis bonis ecclesiasticis pro sua voluntate fear to put the prelates to death. Since, therefore, what has been ordinare praesumunt et quod ordained as a means of defense must not br perverted into an instrument horrendum est dicere in necem praelatorum prorumpere non of destruction, we expressly forbid patrons, advocates, and vicegerents formidant. ¤ Cum igitur quod ad in the future to extend their jurisdiction in the aforesaid matter beyond defensionis subsidium est inventum ad depressionis dispendium non debeat what is permitted them by law. and should they act contrary to this, let retorqueri prohibemus expresse ne them be restrained by canonical penalties. With the approval of the holy patroni vel advocati seu vicedomini super praemissis de caetero plus council we decree that if patrons, advocates, feudal tenants, vicegerents, usurpent quam reperiatur in iure or other beneficiaries should presume either per se or per alios to kill or permissum. ¤ Et si contra praesumpserint districtissime per mutilate the rector of some church or another cleric of that church, the severitatem icam compescantur. ¤ patrons shall lose absolutely their right of patronage, the advocates their Sacri nihilominus concilii approbatione statuimus quatenus si patroni vel office of counselor, the feudal tenants their fief, the vicegerents their advocati aut feudatarii seu vicedomini vicegerency, and beneficiaries their benefice. That the punishments may seu alii beneficiati alicuius ecclesiae rectorem vel clericum alium ipsius not be impressed upon the memory less deeply than the excesses, not ecclesiae per se vel per alios occidere only shall their heirs be deprived of all favors accruing to them from the vel mutilare ausu nefando praesumpserint patroni ius patronatus aforesaid offices, but to the fourth generation the posterity of such shall advocati advocatiam feudatarii feudum be absolutely excluded from the clerical state, nor may they hold the vicedomini vicedominatum beneficiati beneficium prorsus amittant. ¤ Et ne office of prelate it, religious houses, unless by an act of mercy they have minus vindictae quam excessus received a dispensation. memoria prorogetur non solum de praemissis nil perveniat ad heredes sed etiam usque ad quartam generationem posteritates talium in clericorum collegium nullatenus admittantur nec in regularibus domibus alicuius praelationis assequantur honorem nisi cum eis fuerit misericorditer dispensatum.

46. Clerics should not contribute to the needs of cities and other localities, even where the resources of the lay people do not suffice, without first consulting the Roman pontiff. Laws by those excommunicated are null. Rulers remain excommunicated after the expiration of their term of office till they have made satisfaction. Against magistrates and rulers of cities and others who strive to oppress Adversus consules ac rectores civitatum et alios qui ecclesias et viros churches and ecclesiastical persons with taxes and other exactions, the ecclesiasticos talliis seu collectis et Lateran Council, [III Lat, canon 9] desiring to protect ecclesiastical exactionibus aliis aggravare nituntur volens immunitati ecclesiasticae immunity, prohibited actions of this kind under penalty of anathema, Lateranense concilium providere commanding that transgressors and their abetters punished with praesumptionem huiusmodi sub anathematis districtione prohibuit excommunication until they make suitable satisfaction. But, if the transgressores et fautores eorum bishop with his clergy should perceive such necessity or utility and excommunicationi praecipiens subiacere donec satisfactionem 79 without compulsion decide that the aid of the churches ought to be impendant competentem. ¤ Verum si quando forsan episcopus simul cum enlisted to meet the needs where the resources of the lay people do not clericis tantam necessitatem vel suffice, let the aforesaid lay people accept such assistance humbly, utilitatem prospexerint ut absque ulla coactione ad relevandas utilitates vel devoutly, and with gratitude. However, on account of the boldness of necessitates communes ubi laicorum some, let them first consult the Roman pontiff, to whom it belongs to non suppetunt facultates subsidia per ecclesias duxerint conferenda praedicti attend to common needs. But, if even this does not allay the malice of laici humiliter et devote recipiant cum some toward the Church of God, we add that the laws and enactments actionibus gratiarum. ¤ Propter imprudentiam tamen quorundam which have been promulgated by excommunicated persons in this Romanum prius consulant pontificem matter or by their orders, be considered null and void and at no time cuius interest communibus utilitatibus providere. ¤Quoniam vero nec sic whatever be regarded as valid. quorundam malitia contra dei ecclesiam conquievit adicimus ut constitutiones et sententiae quae ab excommunicatis huiusmodi vel de ipsorum mandato fuerint promulgatae inanes et irritae habeantur nullo unquam tempore valiturae. But, since fraud and deception ought not to protect anyone, let no one be Caeterum quia fraus et dolus alicui patrocinari non debent nullus vano deceived by the illusion that, although a ruler may incur anathema decipiatur errore ut infra tempus during the period of his incumbency, yet on the expiration of his term of regiminis sustineat anathema quasi post illud non sit ad satisfactionem office there will be no compulsion to make due satisfaction. For both he debitam compellendus. ¤ Nam et ipsum who refuses to make satisfaction and his successor, if they do not make qui satisfacere recusaverit et successorem ipsius si non satisfecerit satisfaction within a month, we decree that they remain bound by infra mensem manere decernimus ecclesiastical censure until they have made suitable satisfaction, since he ecclesiastica censura conclusum donec satisfecerit competenter cum succedat assumes the burden who is successor in the honor. in onere qui substituitur in honore.

47. Prelates are not to excommunicate subjects without a previous warning and without a reasonable cause; those guilty of this shall be punished. A subject also shall be punished who falsely protests that he has been unjustly excommunicated. With the approval of the holy council we prohibit the promulgation of Sacro approbante concilio prohibemus ne quis in aliquem excommunicationis the sentence of excommunication against anyone without a previous sententiam nisi competenti warning and in the presence of suitable persons by whom, if need be, commonitione praemissa et praesentibus idoneis personis per quas such admonition can be proved. Should anyone act contrariwise, even if si necesse fuerit possit probari monitio the sentence of excommunication is a just one, let him know that he is promulgare praesumat. ¤ Quod si contra praesumpserit etiamsi iusta forbidden entrance to the church for a period of one month, which fuerit excommunicationis sententia punishment, however, is to be altered should it be deemed advisable. ingressum ecclesiae per mensem unum sibi noverit interdictum alia nihilominus Let also proper precaution be taken against excommunicating anyone poena mulctandus si visum fuerit without a just and reasonable cause; should this perchance have expedire. ¤ Caveat etiam diligenter ne ad excommunicationem cuiusquam happened and he who imposed the sentence does not care to withdraw it absque manifesta et rationabili causa without complaint, then the one injured may take his complaint of procedat. ¤ Ad quam si forte taliter processerit et requisitus humiliter unjust excommunication to a superior, who, if there be no danger in processum huiusmodi non curaverit delay, shall send him back to the excommunicator with the command absque gravamine revocare gravatus apud superiorem deponat de iniusta that he absolve him within a specified time; otherwise he himself, excommunicatione querelam. ¤ Quod si should it seem fit, after the presentation of a sufficient reason, will grant absque periculo morae potest ad excommunicatorem illum cum suo him the required absolution either per se or per alium. When it is an mandato remittat infra competentem evident case against the excommunicator of unjust excommunication, terminum absolvendum alioquin ipse per se vel per alium prout viderit let him again be condemned to pay all the expenses and to repair all the expedire sufficienti cautione recepta damages incurred by the one unjustly excommunicated; if, however, the munus ei absolutionis impendat. ¤ Cum que adversus excommunicatorem de gravity of his fault demands it, let him be punished in accordance with iniusta excommunicatione constiterit the judgment of the superior, since it is not a trivial fault ‘to impose excommunicator condemnetur excommunicato ad interesse alias such a punishment on an innocent person, unless per chance he erred nihilominus si culpae qualitas from a probable cause, especially if there was apparently good ground postulaverit superioris arbitrio 80 for his action. But if against the sentence of excommunication no puniendus cum non levis sit culpa tantam infligere poenam insonti nisi reasonable proof was offered by the complainant, then for the unjust forsan erraverit ex causa probabili annoyance of his complaint let him condemned to pay the expenses and maxime si laudabilis opinionis existat. ¤ Verum si contra excommunicationis repair the damages, or else, let him be punished in accordance with the sententiam nihil rationabile fuerit a decision of the superior, unless perchance probable error likewise conquerente probatum et idem super iniusta conquestionis molestia per excuses him; and in regard to the matter for which he was poenam ad interesse vel alias excommunicated, through an adequate pledge let him be compelled to secundum superioris arbitrium condemnetur nisi forsan et ipsum make satisfaction, or let the original sentence be reimposed even for the probabilis error excuset et super eo pro purpose of forcing him to make condign satisfaction. But if the judge, quo iusta fuerit excommunicatione ligatus per cautionem receptam recognizing his error, is prepared to revoke such a sentence, and he on satisfacere compellatur vel in pristinam whom it was imposed appeals against such a revocation unless reducatur sententiam usque ad satisfactionem condignam inviolabiliter satisfaction is made, let him not heed the appeal unless it be an error observandam. ¤Si vero iudex suum about which there can be a just doubt, and then on the receipt of a recognoscens errorem paratus sit talem revocare sententiam et is pro quo lata satisfactory pledge that he will obey the summons of him to whom the fuerit ne absque satisfactione revocet appeal has been made, or of one delegated by him, let him absolve the illam appellet appellationi non deferat in hac parte nisi talis sit error de quo one excommunicated and thus he will in no way incur the penalties merito possit dubitari. Et tunc sufficienti prescribed; let him be careful, however, not to forge an error to the cautione recepta quod coram eo ad quem exstitit appellatum vel delegato detriment of another if he wishes to escape canonical punishment. ab ipso iuri parebit excommunicatum absolvat sic que poenae praescriptae minime subiacebit cavens omnino ne voluntate perversa in alterius praeiudicium mentiatur errorem si districtionis icae vult effugere ultionem. 48. Provision is made that no one may through frivolous refusal deny or reject the jurisdiction of his judge. By a special prohibition it has been provided that a sentence of Cum speciali sit prohibitione provisum ne quis in aliquem excommunicationis excommunication be promulgated against no one without a previous sententiam nisi competenti warning. Wishing to forestall any attempt on the part of the one thus commonitione praemissa promulgare praesumat volentes etiam providere ne warned to avoid, under pretext of deceitful refusal or appeal, the inquiry forte commonitus frustratoriae of the one giving the admonition, we decree that, should he assert that recusationis vel appellationis obtentu monentis declinare possit examen he entertains a suspicion in regard to the judge, let him in the presence statuimus quod si allegaverit se of the judge indicate the cause of his just suspicion, and let him with his iudicem habere suspectum coram eodem causam iustae suspicionis opponent, or if he has no opponent, with the judge, conjointly choose assignet. ¤ Et ipse cum adversario vel arbiters, or if together they cannot agree, let them choose without ill will si forte adversarium non habeat cum iudice arbitros communiter eligat aut si two, he one and the judge the other, who may inquire into the cause of forte communiter convenire non the suspicion; and if they cannot come to an agreement, let them ask for possunt eligant absque malitia ipse unum et ille alium qui de suspicionis a third party, so that what two of them decide may obtain greater causa cognoscant. ¤ Et si nequiverint in weight. Let them know also that, by reason of a strict precept enjoined unam concordare sententiam advocent tertium ut quod duo ex ipsis by us in virtue of obedience under witness of the divine judge, they are decreverint robur obtineat firmitatis. ¤ bound to execute this faithfully. If the true cause of the suspicion has Sciant quoque se ad id fideliter exequendum ex iniuncto a nobis in not been proved by them within a reasonable period of time, let the virtute obedientiae sub attestatione judge use his jurisdiction; but if it has been legitimately proved, then let divini iudicii districto praecepto teneri. ¤ Causa vero suspicionis legitima coram the judge with the consent of the one who suspected him commit the ipsis infra competentem terminum non matter to a competent person, or let him submit it to the superior, that probata sua iurisdictione iudex utatur. ¤ At ipsa probata legitime de recusatoris the latter may take such action in his regard as should be taken. assensu personae idoneae committat negocium recusatus vel ad superiorem transmittat ut in eo ipse procedat secundum quod fuerit procedendum. Moreover, in case the one warned should resort to an appeal, let no heed Porro commonito ad appellationem convolante si eius excessus evidentia be given to a provocation of this kind if from the evidence of the case or rei vel ipsius confessione aut alio modo from his confession or from another source his guilt has been clearly legitime fuerit manifestatus cum appellationis remedium non sit ad established, since the remedy of appeal was not instituted for the defensionem iniquitatis sed in praesidium innocentiae institutum non 81 defense of iniquity but for the protection of the innocent. If his guilt is est provocationi huiusmodi deferendum. ¤ Excessu quoque dubio doubtful, that he may not impede the process of the judge by recourse to exsistente ne frivolae appellationis a frivolous appeal, let him explain in the judge’s presence the probable diffugio appellans iudicis processum impediat coram eodem probabilem ground of the appeal, namely, such a ground as, if proved, would be causam appellationis exponat talem regarded as valid. If he has an opponent, the cause of the appeal is to be videlicet quae si foret probata deberet legitima reputari. ¤Et tunc si habuerit continued within a period fixed by the same judge, due consideration adversarium infra terminum secundum being given to the distance, time, and nature of the business; if h does locorum distantiam et temporis qualitatem et naturam negotii ab not care to continue it, then, notwithstanding the appeal, let the judge eodem iudice moderandum proceed with it. If there is no opponent and the cause of the appeal has appellationis causam prosequatur. ¤ Quam si prosequi non curaverit ex ipse been proved before the superior judge, let the latter exercise his iudex non obstante appellatione jurisdiction. But, if the appellant fails in his proof, then he case is to be procedat. ¤ Nullo autem adversario comparente cum ex suo iudex procedat returned to the judge from whom he deceitfully ‘appealed. officio appellationis causa coram superiore probata superior suae iurisdictionis officium exequatur. ¤ Sed si appellans in eius probatione defecerit ad eum a quo ipsum malitiose appellasse constiterit remittatur. These two aforesaid decrees, however, we do not wish to be applied to Caeterum has duas constitutiones praemissas nolumus ad regulares regulars, who have their own special observances. extendi qui suas habent observantias speciales. 49. The sentence of excommunication is not to be imposed with a view of satisfying greed, and anyone so guilty is to be severely punished. Under threat of the divine judge we absolutely forbid that anyone, Sub interminatione divini iudicii penitus interdicimus ut causa cupiditatis nullus impelled solely by greed, dare bind one with the chain of audeat excommunicationis vinculo excommunication or absolve one so bound, especially in those regions aliquem innodare vel absolvere innodatum in illis maxime regionibus in where it is customary, when the one excommunicated is absolved quibus ex consuetudine cum impose a pecuniary punishment on him; and we decree that when it is excommunicatus absolvitur pecuniaria poena mulctatur. ¤ Statuentes ut cum agreed that the sentence of excommunication was an unjust one. The excommunicationis sententiam excommunicator be compelled by ecclesiastical censure to restore the iniustam fuisse constiterit excommunicator ad restituendam money thus extorted; and, unless he was deceived by a probable error, pecuniam sic extortam per censuram let him make full compensation for the injury sustained. If he fails to do ecclesiasticam compellatur et nisi probabili fuerit errore deceptus this, let other penalties be imposed. tantumdem iniuriam passo persolvat et si forte solvendo non fuerit animadversione alia castigetur. 50. The prohibitions against marriage in the second and third degrees of affinity and against the union of the offspring from second marriages to a relative of the first usband, are removed. This prohibition does not apply beyond the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity. It must not be deemed reprehensible if human statutes change Non debet reprehensibile iudicari si secundum varietatem temporum sometimes with the change of time, especially when urgent necessity or statuta quandoque varientur humana common interest demands it, since God himself has changed in the New praesertim cum urgens necessitas vel evidens utilitas id exposcit quoniam Testament some things that He had decreed in the Old. Since, therefore, ipse deus ex his quae in veteri the prohibition against the contracting of marriage in secundo et tertio testamento statuerat nonnulla mutavit in novo. ¤ Cum igitur prohibitiones de genere affinitatis and that against the union of the offspring from second coniugio in secundo et tertio affinitatis marriages to a relative of the first husband, frequently constitute a genere minime contrahendo et de sobole suscepta ex secundis nuptiis source of difficulty and sometimes are a cause of danger to souls, that cognationi viri non copulanda prioris et by a cessation of the proibition the effect may cease also, we, with the difficultatem frequenter inducant et aliquando periculum pariant animarum approval of the holy council, revoking previous enactments in this ut cessante prohibitione cesset effectus matter, decree in the resent statute that such persons may in the future constitutiones super hoc editas sacri approbatione concilii revocantes contract marriage without hindrance. The prohibition also is not in the praesenti constitutione decernimus ut sic contrahentes de caetero libere 82 future to affect marriages beyond the fourth degree of consanguinity and copulentur. ¤ Prohibitio quoque copulae coniugalis quartum consanguinitatis et affinity; since in degrees beyond the fourth a prohibition of this kind affinitatis gradum de caetero non cannot be generally observed without grave inconvenience. This excedat quoniam in ulterioribus gradibus iam non potest absque gravi quaternary number agrees well with the prohibition of corporal wedlock dispendio huiusmodi prohibitio of which the Apostle says that “the wife hath not power of her own generaliter observari. ¤Quaternarius enim numerus bene congruit body, but the husband; and in like manner the husband also hath not prohibitioni coniugii corporalis de quo power of his own body, but the wife” (I Cor. 7: 4); because there are dicit apostolus quod vir non habet potestatem sui corporis sed mulier four humors in the body, which consists of four elements. Since neque mulier habet potestatem sui therefore the prohibition of conjugal union is restricted to the fourth corporis sed vir quia quatuor sunt humores in corpore quod constat ex degree, we wish that it remain so in perpetuum, notwithstanding the quatuor elementis. ¤ Cum ergo iam decrees already issued relative to this matter either by others or by usque ad quartum gradum prohibitio coniugalis copulae sit restricta eam ita ourselves, and should anyone presume to contract marriage contrary to esse volumus perpetuam non this prohibition, no number of years shall excuse him, since duration of obstantibus constitutionibus super hoc dudum editis vel ab aliis vel a nobis ut time does not palliate the gravity of sin but rather aggravates it, and his si qui contra prohibitionem huiusmodi crimes are the graver the longer he holds his unhappy soul in bondage . praesumpserint copulari nulla longinquitate defendantur annorum [ cf. I Lat, canon 5]. cum diuturnitas temporum non minuat peccatum sed augeat tanto que graviora sint crimina quanto diutius infelicem detinent animam alligatam. 51. Clandestine marriages and witness to them by a priest are forbidden. Marriages to be contracted must be published in the churches by the priests so that, if legitimate impediments exist, they may be made known. If doubt exists, let the contemplated marriage be forbidden till the matter is cleared up. Since the prohibition of the conjugal union in the three last degrees has Cum inhibitio copulae coniugalis sit in tribus ultimis gradibus revocata eam in been revoked, we wish that it be strictly observed in the other degrees. aliis volumus districte observari. ¤ Whence, following in the footsteps of our predecessors, we absolutely Unde praedecessorum nostrorum inhaerendo vestigiis clandestina forbid clandestine marriages; and we forbid also that a priest presume to coniugia penitus inhibemus prohibentes witness such. Wherefore, extending to other localities generally the etiam ne quis sacerdos talibus interesse praesumat. ¤ Quare particular custom that prevails in some, we decree that when marriages specialem quorundam locorum are to be contracted they must be announced publicly in the churches by consuetudinem ad alia generaliter prorogando statuimus ut cum the priests during a suitable and fixed time, so that if legitimate matrimonia fuerint contrahenda in impediments exist, they may be made known. Let the priests ecclesiis per presbyteros publice proponantur competenti termino nevertheless investigate whether any impediments exist. But when there praefinito ut infra illum qui voluerit et is ground for doubt concerning the contemplated union, let the marriage valuerit legitimum impedimentum opponat. ¤ Et ipsi presbyteri be expressly forbidden until it is evident from reliable sources what nihilominus investigent utrum aliquod ought to be done in regard to it. But if anyone should presume to impedimentum obsistat. ¤ Cum autem probabilis apparuerit coniectura contra contract a clandestine or forbidden marriage of this kind within a copulam contrahendam contractus prohibited degree, even through ignorance, the children from such a interdicatur expresse donec quid fieri debeat super eo manifestis constiterit union shall be considered illegitimate, nor shall the ignorance of the documentis. ¤ Si qui vero huiusmodi parents be pleaded as an extenuating circumstance in their behalf, since clandestina vel interdicta coniugia inire praesumpserint in gradu prohibito they by contracting such marriages appear not as wanting in knowledge etiam ignoranter soboles de tali but rather as affecting ignorance. In like manner the children shall be coniunctione suscepta prorsus illegitima censeatur de parentum considered illegitimate if both parents, knowing that a legitimate ignorantia nullum habitura subsidium impediment exists, presume to contract such a marriage in conspectu cum illi taliter contrahendo non expertes scientiae vel saltem ecclesiae (not clandestinely) in disregard of every prohibition. The affectatores ignorantiae videantur. ¤ parochial priest who deliberately neglects to forbid such unions, or any Pari modo illegitima proles censeatur si ambo parentes impedimentum scientes regular priest who presumes to witness them, let them be suspended legitimum praeter omne interdictum in from office for a period of three years and, if the nature of their offense conspectu ecclesiae contrahere praesumpserint. ¤ Sane parochialis demands it, let them be punished more severely. On those also who sacerdos qui tales coniunctiones presume to contract such marriages in a lawful degree, a condign prohibere contempserit aut quilibet 83 punishment is to be imposed. If anyone maliciously presents an etiam regularis qui eis praesumpserit interesse per triennium ab officio impediment for the purpose of frustrating a legitimate marriage, let him suspendatur gravius puniendus si not escape ecclesiastical punishment. culpae qualitas postulaverit. ¤Sed et iis qui taliter copulari praesumpserint etiam in gradu concesso condigna poenitentia iniungatur. ¤ Si quis autem ad impediendum legitimam copulam malitiose impedimentum obiecerit ecclesiasticam non effugiet ultionem. 52. In the matter of consanguinity and affinity, hearsay evidence is not to be relied on unless it comes from reputable persons to whom uprightness is a precious asset. Through some necessity the common mode of procedure in computing Licet ex quadam necessitate praeter communem formam alias fuerit the degree of consanguinity and affinity has been re placed by another, institutum ut in consanguinitatis et namely, hearsay testimony, since on account of the shortness of human affinitatis gradibus computandis valeret testimonium de auditu cum propter life eye-witnesses cannot be had in the matter of reckoning to the brevem hominum vitam testes de visu seventh degree. But, since we have learned from many instances and deponere non valerent usque ad gradum septimum computando quia from experience that, in consequence of this, legitimate marriages are tamen pluribus exemplis et certis beset with many dangers, we decree that in this matter hearsay witnesses experimentis didicimus ex hoc multa pericula contra legitima coniugia be not received in the future, since the prohibition now does not extend provenisse statuimus ne super hoc beyond the fourth degree, unless they be reputable persons to whom recipiantur testes de caetero de auditu cum iam quartum gradum prohibitio uprightness is a precious asset and who before the dispute arose non excedat nisi personae graves obtained their testimony from those gone immediately before, not from exstiterint quibus fides merito sit adhibenda et ante motam litem one indeed, since he would not suffice if he were living, but from two at testificata didicerint ab antiquioribus least, who must have been reliable persons, beyond suspicion and of quidem suis non utique uno cum non sufficeret ille si viveret sed duobus ad good faith, since it would be absurd to admit them if their informants minus nec ab infamibus et suspectis were worthy only of rejection. Not even if one person has obtained his sed a fide dignis et omni exceptione maioribus. ¤ Cum satis videretur testimony from many, or if an unreliable person has obtained his from absurdum illos admitti quorum men of good faith, must they be admitted as many and suitable repellerentur actiones. ¤ Nec tamen si unus a pluribus vel infames ab witnesses, since even in the ordinary judicial processes the statement of hominibus bonae famae acceperint one witness does not suffice, even though he shine in all the splendor of quod testentur tamquam plures et idonei testes debent admitti cum etiam gubernatorial dignity, and, moreover, legitimate acts are denied to secundum solitum ordinem iudiciorum persons of a disreputable character. Witnesses of this kind must declare non sufficiat unius testis assertio etiamsi praesidali dignitate praefulgeat on oath that in giving their testimony they are not actuated by hatred, et actus legitimi sint infamibus fear, love, or self interest; let them designate persons by their names or interdicti. ¤ Testes autem huiusmodi proprio iuramento firmantes quod ad by a satisfactory description or circumlocution, and distinguish by a ferendum in causa ipsa testimonium clear computation each degree on both sides, and let them include in odio vel timore vel amore vel commodo non procedant personas expressis their oath that they obtained their information from their forefathers and nominibus vel demonstratione sive believe it to be so. But neither do such witnesses suffice unless they circumlocutione sufficienti designent et declare on oath that they have seen persons who belonged to at least one ab utroque latere clara computatione gradus singulos distinguant et in suo of the aforesaid degrees and who acknowledged themselves blood nihilominus iuramento concludant se relatives. For it is more tolerable that some who have been united accepisse a suis maioribus quod deponunt et credere ita esse. ¤ Sed nec contrary to the laws of men be separated than that those who have been tales sufficiant nisi iurati deponant se legitimately united separate in violation of the laws of God. vidisse personas saltem in uno praedictorum graduum constitutas pro consanguineis se habere. ¤ Tolerabilius est enim aliquos contra statuta hominum copulatos dimittere quam coniunctos legitime contra statuta domini separare. 53. Owners who commit their estates to people that pursuant of their rites do not pay tithes, must be compelled to pay them in full. In some localities there dwell people who according to their rites are In aliquibus regionibus quaedam permixtae sunt gentes quae secundum not accustomed to pay tithes, though they are considered Christians. To suos ritus decimas de more non solvunt these some owners entrust the cultivation of their estates, in order to quamvis censeantur nomine christiano. 84 defraud the churches of tithes and thus realize greater profits. Wishing, ¤ His nonnulli domini praediorum ea tribuunt excolenda ut decimis therefore, to safeguard the churches against loss in this matter, we defraudantes ecclesias maiores inde decree that the owners may entrust to such people and in such a manner reditus assequantur. ¤Volentes igitur super his ecclesiarum indemnitatibus the cultivation of their estates, but they must without argument pay to providere statuimus ut ipsi domini the churches the tithes in full, and to this let them be compelled, if talibus personis et taliter sua praedia excolenda committant quod absque necessary, by ecclesiastical censure. All tithes due by reason of the contradictione decimas ecclesiis cum divine law or by reason of an approved local custom must be paid. integritate persolvant et ad id si necesse fuerit per censuram ecclesiasticam compellantur. ¤ Illae quippe decimae necessario sunt solvendae quae debentur ex lege divina vel loci consuetudine approbata. 54. The payment of tithes takes precedence over the payment of taxes and other expenses, and those who invert this order are to be punished. Since it is not in the power of man that the seed yield a return to the Cum non sit in homine quod semen serenti respondeat quoniam iuxta sower, because according to the words of the Apostle, “Neither he that verbum apostoli neque qui plantat est planteth is anything, nor he that watereth; but God who giveth the aliquid neque qui rigat sed qui incrementum dat deus ipso quidem de increase” (I Cor. 3: 7), the decayed seed producing much fruit, some mortificato semine plurimum fructum impelled too much by avarice strive to defraud in the matter of tithes, afferente nimis avare in decimis quidam defraudare nituntur census et deducting from the profits and first fruits taxes and other expenses on tributa quae interdum indecimata which at times they thus escape the payment of tithes. But since the praetereuntur de frugibus et primitiis educentes. ¤ Cum autem in signum Lord, as a sign of His universal dominion, formerly reserved tithes to universalis dominii quasi quodam titulo Himself by a special title, we, wishing to safeguard the churches against speciali sibi dominus decimas reservaverit nos et ecclesiarum loss and souls against danger, decree that by the prerogative of general dispendiis et animarum periculis dominion the payment of tithes precedes the payment of taxes and other obviare volentes statuimus ut in praerogativa dominii generalis expenses, or at least they to whom the taxes and other expenses are paid exactionem tributorum et censuum but from which the tithes have not been deducted, should be compelled praecedat solutio decimarum vel saltem hi ad quos census et tributa by ecclesiastical censure to pay the tithes to the churches to which they indecimata pervenerint quoniam res are legally due, since the obligation that attaches to a thing passes with cum onere suo transit ea per censuram ecclesiasticam decimare cogantur the thing from one possessor to another. ecclesiis quibus iure debentur. 55. The Cistercians and other monks must pay tithes to the churches from strange lands or from lands they may acquire in the future, even if they cultivate them with their own hands. Lately the abbots of the Cistercian order in general chapter assembled Nuper abbates Cisterciensis ordinis in generali capitulo congregati ad wisely decided in reference to our warning, that in the future the commonitionem nostram provide brethren of that order purchase no property on which tithes are due to statuerunt ne de caetero fratres ipsius ordinis emant possessiones de quibus the churches, unless it be for the purpose of establishing new decimae debentur ecclesiis nisi forte monasteries. And if such possessions have been given to them through pro monasteriis noviter fundandis. ¤ Et si tales possessiones eis fuerint pia the pious generosity of the faithful or bought for them for the purpose of fidelium devotione collatae aut emptae founding new monasteries, they may commit their cultivation to others pro monasteriis de novo fundandis committant excolendas aliis a quibus by whom the tithes will be paid to the churches, lest by reason of their ecclesiis decimae persolvantur ne privileges the churches be further oppressed. We decree, therefore, that occasione privilegiorum suorum ecclesiae ulterius praegraventur. ¤ from strange lands or from lands that they may acquire in the future, Decernimus ergo ut de alienis terris et though they cultivate them with their own hands or at their own amodo acquirendis etiam si eas propriis manibus aut sumptibus deinceps expense, they pay the tithes to the churches to which they were formerly excoluerint decimas persolvant paid, unless they make some other arrangement with those churches. We ecclesiis quibus ratione praediorum antea solvebantur nisi cum ipsis therefore, holding this decree acceptable and accepted, wish it to be ecclesiis aliter duxerint componendum. extended also to other regulars who enjoy similar privileges, and we ¤ Nos ergo statutum huiusmodi gratum et ratum habentes hoc ipsum ad alios ordain that the prelates of the churches be more willing and energetic in regulares qui gaudent similibus punishing evil doers and strive to observe their privileges better and privilegiis extendi volumus et mandamus ut ecclesiarum praelati more perfectly. proniores et efficaciores exsistant ad 85 exhibendum eis de suis malefactoribus iustitiae complementum eorum que privilegia diligentius et perfectius studeant observare. [Note by Schroeder: By the common law monks as well as laymen were obliged pay tithes from the fruits of their estates. This was the ancient discipline of the Church. The first who absolved monks from the obligation of paying tithes from their landed possessions seems to have been Gregory VII. Later, Paschal II exempted monks and canons regular from the payment of tithes from lands that they cultivated with their own hands. This privilege of Paschal was granted primarily in favor of the Cistercian Order, which in its beginnings was very poor. When later the order became immensely wealthy, especially in landed possessions, this privilege became the fruitful source of conflict between the Cistercian Order and the bishops. Hence it was enacted in this decree that from all strange lands and lands that may be acquired in the future, even if cultivated with their own hands or at their own expense, tfie Cistercians as well as other regulars who enjoy similar privileges, must pay tithes to the churches to which they were formerly paid or make some other arrangement with those churches. Thomassin, Vetus et nova ecclesiae discipline, P. III, lib. 1, cap. 9.] 56. It is forbidden to make contracts prejudicial to parochial churches. Many regular and secular clerics, we understand, when i sometimes Plerique sicut accepimus regulares et clerici seculares interdum cum vel they lease houses or grant fiefs, make a contract prejudicial to parochial domos locant vel feuda concedunt in churches, namely, that the administrator or feudal tenants pay the tithes praeiudicium parochialium ecclesiarum pactum adiciunt ut conductores et to them and choose burial among them. But, since this is prompted by feudatarii decimas eis solvant et apud avarice, we absolutely condemn a contract of this kind and declare that eosdem eligant sepulturam. ¤ Cum autem id de avaritiae radice procedat whatever has been received by means of such a contract must be pactum huiusmodi penitus reprobamus returned to the parochial church. statuentes ut quicquid fuerit occasione huiusmodi pacti perceptum ecclesiae parochiali reddatur. ¤ 57. Only members of a religious order and those who have given their possessions to the order, retaining for themselves only the usufruct, may be buried during the period of an interdict. To religious coming to an interdicted locality, only one church may be opened, and that merely once a year. That the privileges which the Roman Church has granted to some Ut privilegia quae quibusdam religiosis personis Romana concessit ecclesia religious may be maintained in their entirety, we take occasion to make permaneant inconvulsa quaedam in eis clear some things in regard to them, lest being misunderstood they lead declaranda duximus ne minus sane intellecta pertrahant ad abusum to abuse, by reason of which they may be rightly revoked, because he propter quem merito possint revocari deserves to lose privileges who abuses the benefits which they confer. quia privilegium meretur amittere qui permissa sibi abutitur potestate. ¤ Sane The Apostolic See has granted permission to some regulars that to those quibusdam regularibus sedes who have become members of their order, ecclesiastical burial may not apostolica indulsit ut iis qui eorum fraternitatem assumpserint si forsan be denied if the churches to which they belong should be under ecclesiae ad quas pertinent a divinis interdict, provided they themselves are not excommunicated or fuerint officiis interdictae ipsos que mori contingat sepultura ecclesiastica nominally interdicted; and they may, therefore, take their brethren, non negetur nisi excommunicati vel whom the prelates of the churches are not permitted to bury from their nominatim fuerint interdicti suos que confratres quos ecclesiarum praelati churches, to their own churches for burial, if they (the deceased apud ecclesias suas non permiserint confrères) were not nominally under excommunication or interdict. By sepeliri nisi excommunicati vel interdicti fuerint nominatim ipsi ad brethren we understand both those who, having lived in the world, gave ecclesias suas deferant tumulandos. themselves to their order and accepted its habit, and those who gave Hoc autem de illis confratribus intelligimus qui vel adhuc manentes in their possessions to the order, retaining for their own maintenance saeculo eorum ordini sunt oblati mutato 86 during life only the usufruct, who, however, may be buried from non habitu saeculari vel qui eis inter vivos sua bona dederunt retento sibi quandiu interdicted churches of regulars or others in which they may choose to in saeculo vixerint usufructu qui tantum be buried; it is not, however, to be understood of those who join their sepeliantur apud ipsorum regularium vel aliorum non interdictas ecclesias in fraternity and contribute annually no more than two or three denarii, for quibus elegerint sepulturam ne si de this would upset ecclesiastical order and discipline. Yet these also quibuslibet ipsorum fraternitatem assumentibus fuerit intellectum pro obtain a certain remission granted to them by the Apostolic See. duobus aut tribus denariis annuatim sibi collatis dissolvatur pariter et vilescat ecclesiastica disciplina. ¤ Certam tamen et ipsi remissionem obtineant ab apostolica sibi sede concessam. That other privilege also that has been granted to some regulars, namely, Illud etiam pro huiusmodi regularibus est indultum ut si qui fratrum suorum that when any of their brethren who have been sent by them to collect qui ab eis missi fuerint ad recipiendas (alms), arrive in any city, fortified town, or village, if perchance that fraternitates sive collectas in quamlibet civitatem castellum vel vicum place be under interdict, in view of their joyful arrival the churches may advenerint si forte locus ille a divinis sit be opened once a year for the celebration of the divine offices for those officiis interdictus in eorum iucundo adventu semel in anno aperiantur not under excommunication, we wish tt) be understood thus: that in ecclesiae ut exclusis excommunicatis each city, fortified town, or village, only one church of the same order divina ibi officia celebrentur. ¤ Sic intelligi volumus quod in eadem civitate may, as has been said, be opened to the brethren once a year; for though aut castro vel villa una tantum ecclesia the statement, that on their joyful arrival the churches may be opened, is eiusdem ordinis fratribus ut dictum est semel aperiatur in anno. ¤ Quia licet plural, yet it is not to be understood as referring to the churches of the pluraliter dictum sit quod in eorum same place separately, but to the churches of the aforesaid places iucundo adventu aperiantur ecclesiae non tamen ad ecclesias eiusdem loci collectively otherwise, if they should visit each church of the same divisim sed praedictorum locorum place, the interdict would be too much disregarded. Whoever shall coniunctim sano referendum est intellectu ne si hoc modo singulas presume to act contrary to these enactments, let him be subject to severe eiusdem loci ecclesias visitarent penalties.[cf. III Lat, canon 9] nimium vilipendi contingeret sententiam interdicti. Qui vero contra declarationes praescriptas quicquam sibi praesumpserint usurpare gravi subiaceant ultioni. 58. During a general interdict the bishops may within closed doors celebrate the divine services for those not affected by the interdict. The privilege that has been granted to some religious we concede also Quod nonnullis est religiosis indultum in favorem pontificalis officii ad episcopos to bishops, that, when the entire territory is under Interdict, those extendentes concedimus ut cum excommunicated and interdicted being excluded, they may sometimes commune terrae fuerit interdictum excommunicatis et interdictis exclusis with the doors closed, in a low voice and without the ringing of bells, possint quandoque ianuis clausis celebrate the divine offices, unless this is expressly covered by the suppressa voce non pulsatis campanis celebrare officia divina nisi hoc ipsum interdict. But we grant this to those only who in no way shared in the eis expresse fuerit interdictum. ¤ cause of the interdict or injected treachery or fraud, drawing out such a Verum hoc illis concedimus qui causam aliquam non praestiterint interdicto ne brief period to iniquitous loss. quicquam doli vel fraudis ingesserint tale compendium ad iniquum dispendium pertrahentes. 59. Religious are forbidden to go security for or to borrow money from anyone beyond a fixed sum without the consent of the abbot or the greater part of the chapter. What has been forbidden by the Apostolic See to some religious orders, Quod quibusdam religiosis a sede apostolica est prohibitum volumus et we wish and command to be extended to all, namely, that no religious mandamus ad universos extendi ne may, without the permission of the abbot and of the greater part of his quis videlicet religiosus absque abbatis et maioris partis sui capituli licentia pro chapter, go security for anyone or borrow money from anyone beyond aliquo fideiubeat vel ab alio pecuniam an amount fixed by common agreement; otherwise the convent is not mutuo accipiat ultra summam communi providentia constitutam. ¤ Alioquin non held in any degree responsible for such things, unless perchance it is teneatur conventus pro his aliquatenus evident that his action would redound to the advantage of the convent. respondere nisi forte in utilitatem domus ipsius manifeste constiterit Anyone who presumes to act contrary to this, let him be subject to redundasse et qui contra statutum 87 severe discipline. istud venire praesumpserit graviori disciplinae subdatur. 60. Abbots are forbidden to interfere in matters that belong to the jurisdiction of the bishops. From different parts of the world complaints of bishops come to us in Accendentibus ad nos de diversis mundi partibus episcoporum querelis regard to grave excesses of some abbots, who, not content within their intelleximus graves et grandes own spheres, extend their hands to those things that concern the quorundam abbatum excessus qui suis finibus non contenti manus ad ea quae episcopal office, deciding matrimonial cases, imposing public penances, sunt episcopalis dignitatis extendunt de granting letters of indulgences, and similar things, whence it sometimes causis matrimonialibus cognoscendo iniungendo publicas poenitentias happens that the episcopal authority is looked upon by many as concedendo etiam indulgentiarum something of trifling importance. Wishing, therefore, in these matters to literas et similia praesumendo unde contingit interdum quod vilescat safeguard the dignity of the bishops and the welfare of the abbots, we episcopalis auctoritas apud multos. ¤ absolutely forbid in the present decree that abbots presume to overreach Volentes igitur in iis et episcoporum dignitati et abbatum providere saluti themselves in such matters if they wish to escape canonical penalties, praesenti decreto firmiter prohibemus unless they can by a special concession or other legitimate reason ne quis abbatum ad talia se praesumat extendere si proprium voluerit defend themselves in matters of this kind. periculum evitare nisi forte quisquam eorum speciali concessione vel alia legitima causa super huiusmodi valeat se tueri. 61. Religious are forbidden to receive churches and tithes from laymen without the consent of the bishops. In churches that do not belong to them pleno jure, the priests must be appointed by the bishops on presentation. In the Lateran Council regulars were forbidden to receive churches and In Lateranensi concilio noscitur fuisse prohibitum ne quilibet regulares tithes from the hands of laymen without the consent of the bishops, and ecclesias seu decimas sine consensu under no circumstances to admit ad divina those excommunicated or episcoporum de manu praesumant recipere laicali nec excommunicatos vel nominally under interdict. [cf. III Lat, canon 9] Wishing to curb this evil nominatim interdictos admittant more effectively and provide that transgressors meet with condign aliquatenus ad divina. ¤ Nos autem id fortius inhibentes transgressores punishment, we decree that in churches that do not pleno jure belong to condigna curabimus animadversione them, they present to the bishops priests to be appointed in accordance puniri statuentes nihilominus quatenus in ecclesiis quae ad ipsos pleno iure with the statutes of that council, that they may be responsible to them in non pertinent iuxta eiusdem statuta those things that pertain to the cura animarum; in temporal affairs, concilii episcopis instituendos presbyteros repraesentent ut illis de however, let them render a satisfactory account to the monasteries. plebis cura respondeant. ¤ Ipsis vero Those who have been appointed, let them not dare remove without the pro rebus temporalibus rationem exhibeant competentem. ¤ Institutos approval of the bishops. We add, moreover, that care be taken to present vero removere non audeant episcopis such priests as are known for their uprightness and ability or whom the inconsultis. ¤ Sane adicimus ut illos repraesentare procurent quos vel probable testimony of the bishops recommends. conversatio reddit notos vel commendat probabile testimonium praelatorum. 62. Relics are not to be sold or put on exhibition, lest the people be deceived in regard to them. Seekers of alms are not to be admitted unless they can exhibit letters of the Apostolic See or of the bishops, and they may not preach anything not contained in the letters. On the occasion of the dedication of a-church, an indulgence of not more than one year may be granted; on the anniversary of the dedication-, it may not exceed forty days. From the fact that some expose for sale and exhibit promiscuously the Cum ex eo quod quidam sanctorum reliquias exponunt venales et eas relics of saints, great injury is sustained by the Christian religion. That passim ostendunt christianae religioni this may not occur hereafter, we ordain in the present decree that in the sit detractum saepius ne detrahatur in posterum praesenti decreto statuimus future old relics may not be exhibited outside of a vessel or exposed for ut antiquae reliquiae amodo extra sale. And let no one presume to venerate publicly new ones unless they capsam non ostendantur nec exponantur venales. ¤Inventas autem have been approved by the Roman pontiff. In the future prelates shall de novo nemo publice venerari 88 not permit those who come to their churches causa venerationis to be praesumat nisi prius auctoritate Romani pontificis fuerint approbatae. ¤ deceived by worthless fabrications or false documents as has been done Praelati vero de caetero non permittant in many places for the sake of gain. We forbid also that seekers illos qui ad eorum ecclesias causa venerationis accedunt vanis figmentis (quaestores) of alms, some of whom, misrepresenting themselves, aut falsis decipi documentis sicut et in preach certain abuses, be admitted, unless they exhibit genuine letters plerisque locis occasione quaestus fieri consuevit. ¤ Eleemosynarum quoque either of the Apostolic See or of the diocesan bishop, in which case they quaestores quorum quidam se alios may not preach anything to the people but what is contained in those mentiendo abusiones nonnullas in sua praedicatione proponunt admitti nisi letters. We give herewith a form which the Apostolic See commonly apostolicas vel dioecesani episcopi uses in granting such letters, that the diocesan bishops may model their literas veras exhibeant prohibemus. ¤ Et tunc praeter id quod in ipsis own upon it. The following is the form: continebitur literis nihil populo proponere permittantur. ¤ Formam vero quam communiter talibus apostolica sedes indulget duximus exprimendam ut secundum eam dioecesani episcopi suas literas moderentur. Forma litterarum praedicatorum Quoniam, ut ait Apostolus, omnes stabimus ante tribunal Christi, Ea siquidem talis est quoniam ut ait apostolus omnes stabimus ante tribunal recepturi prout in corpore gessimus, sive bonum sive malum fuerit, Christi recepturi prout in corpore oportet nos diem messionis extremae misericordiae operibus praevenire, gessimus sive bonum sive malum fuerit oportet nos diem messionis extremae ac aeternorum intuitu seminare in terris quod reddente Domino cum misericordiae operibus praevenire ac multiplicato fructu colligere debeamus in caelis; firmain spem, aeternorum intuitu seminare in terris quod reddente domino cum fiduciamque tenentes, quoniam “qui parce seminat, parce et metet, et multiplicato fructu colligere debeamus qui seminat in benedictionibus, de benedictionibus et metet in vitam in coelis firmam spem fiduciam que tenentes quoniam qui parce seminat aeternam parce et metet et qui seminat in benedictionibus de benedictionibus et metet in vitam aeternam. .” Cum igitur ad sustentationem fratrum et egenorum ad tale Cum igitur ad sustentationem fratrum et egenorum ad tale confluentium confluentium hospitals propriae non suppetant facultates, universitatem hospitale propriae non suppetant vestram monemus et exhortamur in Domino atque in remissionem vobis facultates universitatem vestram monemus et exhortamur in domino in’ jungimus peccatorum, quatenus de bonis a Deo vobis collatis pias atque in remissionem vobis iniungimus eleemosynas et grata eis caritatis subsidia erogatis, ut per subventionem peccatorum quatenus de bonis a deo vobis collatis pias eleemosynas et grata vestram ipsorum inopiae consulatur, et vos per haec et per alia bona, eis caritatis subsidia erogetis ut per quae Domino inspirante feceritis, ad aeterna possitis gaudia pervenire. subventionem vestram ipsorum inopiae consulatur et vos per haec et per alia bona quae domino inspirante feceritis ad aeterna possitis gaudia pervenire. Those who are assigned to collect alms must be upright and discreet, Qui autem ad quaerendas eleemosynas destinantur modesti sint et discreti nec must not seek lodging for the night in taverns or in other unbecoming in tabernis aut locis aliis incongruis places, nor make useless and extravagant expenses, and must avoid hospitentur nec inutiles faciant aut sumptuosas expensas caventes omnino absolutely the wearing of the habit of a false religious. ne falsae religionis habitum gestent. Since, through indiscreet and superfluous indulgences which some Ad haec quia per indiscretas et superfluas indulgentias quas quidam prelates of churches do not hesitate to grant, contempt is brought on the ecclesiarum praelati facere non keys of the Church, and the penitential discipline is weakened, we verentur et claves ecclesiae contemnuntur et poenitentialis decree that on the occasion of the dedication of a church an indulgence satisfactio enervatur decernimus ut of not more than one year be granted, whether it be dedicated by one cum dedicatur basilica non extendatur indulgentia ultra annum sive ab uno bishop only or by many, and on the anniversary of the dedication the solo sive a pluribus episcopis dedicetur remission granted for penances enjoined is not to exceed forty days. We ac deinde in anniversario dedicationis tempore quadraginta dies de iniunctis command also that in each case this number of days be made the rule in poenitentiis indulta remissio non issuing letters of indulgences which are granted from time to time, since excedat. ¤ Hunc quoque dierum numerum indulgentiarum literas the Roman pontiff who possesses the plenitude of power customarily praecipimus moderari quae pro observes this rule in such matters . quibuslibet causis aliquoties conceduntur cum Romanus pontifex qui plenitudinem obtinet potestatis hoc in talibus moderamen consueverit 89 observare. 63. It is simoniacal to demand something for the consecration of bishops, the blessing of abbots, and the ordination of clerics; nor is custom any excuse. We have learned with certainty that in many places and by many Sicut pro certo didicimus in plerisque locis et a plurimis personis quasi persons exactions and base extortions are made for the consecration of columbas in templo vendentibus fiunt bishops, the blessing of abbots, and the ordination of clerics, and that a exactiones et extorsiones turpes et pravae pro consecrationibus tax is fixed as to how much this one or that one is to receive and how episcoporum benedictionibus abbatum much this one or that one is to pay; and what is worse, some endeavor to et ordinibus clericorum est que taxatum quantum sit isti vel illi defend such baseness and depravity by an appeal to a custom of long quantum ve alteri vel alii persolvendum standing. Therefore, wishing to abolish such abuse, we absolutely et ad cumulum damnationis maioris quidam turpitudinem et pravitatem condemn a custom of this kind, which ought rather to be called huiusmodi nituntur defendere per corruption, firmly decreeing that neither for those conferring nor for the consuetudinem longo tempore observatam. ¤ Tantum igitur abolere things conferred shall anyone presume to demand or to extort something volentes abusum consuetudinem under any pretext whatsoever. Otherwise both he that has received and huiusmodi quae magis dicenda est corruptela penitus reprobamus firmiter he that has given a price of this kind, shall share the condemnation of statuentes ut pro iis sive conferendis Giezi and Simon. [cf. IV Kings 5:20-27, and Acts 8:9-24]. sive collatis nemo aliquid quocumque praetextu exigere ac extorquere praesumat. ¤ Alioquin et qui receperit et qui dederit huiusmodi pretium omnino damnatum cum Giezi et Simone condemnetur. 64. Religious are not to be received for a price. If this happens, both the one receiving and the one received shall, without hope of restoration, be removed from the community. Those who were received in such a manner before the publication of this decree, must be placed in other communities of the same order. Since the stain of simony has so infected many nuns that scarcely any Quoniam simoniaca labes adeo plerasque moniales infecit ut vix are received into the community without a price, doing this on the plea aliquas sine pretio recipiant in sorores of poverty to conceal that evil, we strictly forbid that this be done in the paupertatis praetextu volentes huiusmodi vitium palliare ne id de future, decreeing that whoever in the future shall be guilty of such caetero fiat penitus prohibemus irregularity, both the one receiving and the one received, whether statuentes ut quaecumque de caetero talem pravitatem commiserit tam subject or superioress, shall, without hope of restoration, be removed recipiens quam recepta sive sit subdita from their monastery to one of stricter observance to do penance for the sive praelata sine spe restitutionis de suo monasterio expellatur in locum remainder of their life. Those nuns, however, who have been so arctioris regulae ad agendum received before the publication of this decree, are to be removed from perpetuam poenitentiam retrudenda. ¤ De his autem quae ante hoc synodale the monasteries which they entered in a wrong manner and placed in statutum taliter sunt receptae ita others of the same order. But if on account of lack of room they cannot duximus providendum ut remotae de monasteriis quae perperam sunt perchance be conveniently placed elsewhere, lest they should to their ingressae in aliis locis eiusdem ordinis own loss become wanderers in the world, let them be received anew per collocentur. ¤ Quod si propter nimiam multitudinem alibi forte nequiverint modum dispensationis in the same monastery, and from the priority of commode collocari ne forte places which they held in the community let them be assigned to lower damnabiliter in saeculo evagentur recipiantur in eodem monasterio ones. This we decree is to be observed also with regar d to monks and dispensative de novo mutatis prioribus other regulars. But, lest they should attempt to excuse themselves on locis et inferioribus assignatis. ¤ Hoc etiam circa monachos et alios regulares grounds of simplicity or ignorance, we command the bishops to see to it decernimus observandum. ¤ Verum ne that this decree is published every year throughout their diocese. per simplicitatem vel ignorantiam se valeant excusare praecipimus ut dioecesani episcopi singulis annis hoc faciant per suas dioeceses publicari. 65. Bishops are not to demand anything for the appointment of pastors. Entrance into a monastery and burial must be free. We have heard it said of some bishops that on the death of rectors of Audivimus de quibusdam episcopis quod decedentibus ecclesiarum churches they place the churches under interdict and will not allow any rectoribus ipsas interdicto subiciunt nec patiuntur aliquos in eisdem institui 90 persons to be appointed to the vacancies till a certain sum of money has donec ipsis certa summa pecuniae persolvatur. ¤ Praeterea cum miles aut been paid them. Moreover, when a soldier or cleric enters a monastery clericus domum religionis ingreditur vel or chooses to be buried among religious, though he has left nothing to apud religiosos eligit sepulturam etiam si nihil loco religioso reliquerit the religious institution, difficulties and villainy are forced into service difficultates ingerunt et malitias donec till something in the nature of a gift comes into their hands. Since, aliquid muneris manus contingat eorum. ¤Cum igitur non solum a malo therefore, according to the Apostle we must abstain not only from evil sed etiam ab omni specie mali sit but also from every appearance of evil, we absolutely forbid exactions secundum apostolum abstinendum exactiones huiusmodi penitus of this kind. If any transgressor be found, let him restore double the inhibemus. Quod si quis transgressor amount exacted; this is to be placed faithfully at the disposal of those extiterit exacta duplicata restituat in utilitates locorum in quorum fuerint localities to whose detriment the exactions were made. soluta dispendium fideliter convertenda. 66. The sacraments must be administered freely. The bishops should exhort the people to retain pious customs. It has frequently come to the ears of the Apostolic See that some clerics Ad apostolicam audientiam frequenti relatione pervenit quod quidam clerici demand and extort money for burials, nuptial blessings, and similar pro exequiis mortuorum et things, and, if perchance their cupidity is not given satisfaction, they benedictionibus nubentium et similibus pecuniam exigunt et extorquent. ¤ Et si fraudulently interpose fictitious impediments. On the other hand, some forte cupiditati eorum non fuerit laymen, under the pretext of piety but really on heretical grounds, strive satisfactum impedimenta fictitia fraudulenter opponunt. ¤ E vero to suppress a laudable custom introduced by the pious devotion of the quidam laici laudabilem consuetudinem faithful in behalf of the church (that is, of giving freely something for erga sanctam ecclesiam pia devotione fidelium introductam ex fermento ecclesiastical services rendered). Wherefore, we forbid that such evil haereticae pravitatis nituntur infringere exactions be made in these matters, and on the other hand command that sub praetextu icae pietatis. ¤ Quapropter et pravas exactiones super pious customs be observed, decreeing that the sacraments of the Church his fieri prohibemus et pias be administered freely and that those who endeavor maliciously to consuetudines praecipimus observari statuentes ut libere conferantur change a laudable custom be restrained by the bishops of the locality ecclesiastica sacramenta sed per when once the truth is known. episcopum loci veritate cognita compescantur qui malitiose nituntur laudabilem consuetudinem immutare. 67. Jews should be compelled to make satisfaction for the tithes and offerings e churches, which the Christians supplied before their properties fell into of the Jews. The more the Christians are restrained from the practice of usury, the Quanto amplius christiana religio ab exactione compescitur usurarum tanto more are they oppressed in this matter by the treachery of the Jews, so gravius super his Iudaeorum perfidia that in a short time they exhaust the resources of the Christians. inolescit ita quod brevi tempore christianorum exhauriunt facultates. ¤ Wishing, therefore, in this matter to protect the Christians against cruel Volentes igitur in hac parte prospicere oppression by the Jews, we ordain in this decree that if in the future christianis ne a Iudaeis immaniter aggraventur synodali decreto statuimus under any pretext Jews extort from Christians oppressive and ut si de caetero quocumque praetextu immoderate interest, the partnership of the Christians shall be denied Iudaei a christianis graves et immoderatas usuras extorserint them till they have made suitable satisfaction for their excesses. The christianorum eis participium Christians also, every appeal being set aside, shall, if necessary, be subtrahatur donec de immoderato gravamine satisfecerint competenter. ¤ compelled by ecclesiastical censure to abstain from all commercial Christiani quoque si opus fuerit per intercourse with them. We command the princes not to be hostile to the censuram ecclesiasticam appellatione postposita compellantur ab eorum Christians on this account, but rather to strive to hinder the Jews from commerciis abstinere. ¤ Principibus practicing such excesses. Lastly, we decree that the Jews be compelled autem iniungimus ut propter hoc non sint christianis infesti sed potius a tanto by the same punishment (avoidance of commercial intercourse) to make gravamine Iudaeos studeant cohibere. satisfaction for the tithes and offerings due to the churches, which the ¤Ac eadem poena Iudaeos decernimus compellendos ad satisfaciendum Christians were accustomed to supply from their houses and other ecclesiis pro decimis et oblationibus possessions before these properties, under whatever title, fell into the debitis quas a christianis de domibus et possessionibus aliis percipere hands of the Jews, that thus the churches may be safeguarded against consueverant antequam ad Iudaeos loss. quocumque titulo devenissent ut sic ecclesiae conserventur indemnes.

91 68. Jews and Saracens of both sexes in every Christian province must be distinguished from the Christian by a difference of dress. On Passion Sunday and the last three days of Holy Week they may not appear in public. Text: In some provinces a difference in dress distinguishes the Jews or In nonnullis provinciis a christianis Iudaeos seu Saracenos habitus Saracens from the Christians, but in certain others such a confusion has distinguit diversitas sed in quibusdam grown up that they cannot be distinguished by any difference. Thus it sic quaedam inolevit confusio ut nulla differentia discernantur. ¤ Unde happens at times that through error Christians have relations with the contingit interdum quod per errorem women of Jews or Saracens, and Jews and Saracens with Christian christiani Iudaeorum seu Saracenorum et Iudaei seu Saraceni christianorum women. Therefore, that they may not, under pretext of error of this sort, mulieribus commisceantur. ¤ Ne igitur excuse themselves in the future for the excesses of such prohibited tam damnatae commixtionis excessus per velamentum erroris huiusmodi intercourse, we decree that such Jews and Saracens of both sexes in excusationis ulterius possint habere every Christian province and at all times shall be marked off in the eyes diffugium statuimus ut tales utriusque sexus in omni christianorum provincia of the public from other peoples through the character of their dress. et omni tempore qualitate habitus Particularly, since it may be read in the writings of Moses [Numbers publice ab aliis populis distinguantur cum etiam per Moysen hoc ipsum 15:37-41], that this very law has been enjoined upon them. legatur eis iniunctum. Moreover, during the last three days before Easter and especially on In diebus autem lamentationis et dominicae passionis in publicum Good Friday, they shall not go forth in public at all, for the reason that minime prodeant eo quod nonnulli ex some of them on these very days, as we hear, do not blush to go forth ipsis talibus diebus sicut accepimus ornatius non erubescunt incedere ac better dressed and are not afraid to mock the Christians who maintain christianis qui sacratissimae passionis the memory of the most holy Passion by wearing signs of mourning. memoriam exhibentes lamentationis signa praetendunt illudere non formidant. ¤ This, however, we forbid most severely, that any one should presume at Illud autem districtissime inhibemus ne in contumeliam redemptoris prosilire all to break forth in insult to the Redeemer. And since we ought not to aliquatenus praesumant. Et quoniam ignore any insult to Him who blotted out our disgraceful deeds, we illius dissimulare non debemus opprobrium qui probra nostra delevit command that such impudent fellows be checked by the secular princes praecipimus praesumptores huiusmodi by imposing them proper punishment so that they shall not at all per principes saeculares condignae animadversionis adiectione compesci presume to blaspheme Him who was crucified for us. ne crucifixum pro nobis praesumant aliquatenus blasphemare. [Note by Schroeder: In 581 the Synod of Macon enacted in 14 that from Thursday in Holy Week until Easter Sunday, .Jews may not in accordance with a decision of King Childebert appear in the streets and in public places. Mansi, IX, 934; Hefele-Leclercq, 111, 204. In 1227 the Synod of Narbonne in canon 3 ruled: “That Jews may be distinguished from others, we decree and emphatically command that in the center of the breast (of their garments) they shall wear an oval badge, the measure of one finger in width and one half a palm in height. We forbid them moreover, to work publicly on Sundays and on festivals. And lest they scandalize Christians or be scandalized by Christians, we wish and ordain that during Holy Week they shall not leave their houses at all except in case of urgent necessity, and the prelates shall during that week especially have them guarded from vexation by the Christians.” Mansi, XXIII, 22; Hefele-Leclercq V 1453. Many decrees similar to these in content were issued by synods before and after this Lateran Council. Hefele-Leclercq, V and VI; Grayzel, The Church and the Jews in the XIlIth Century, Philadelphia, 1933.] 69. Jews are not to be given public offices. Anyone instrumental in doing this is to be punished. A Jewish official is to be denied all intercourse with Christians. Since it is absurd that a blasphemer of Christ exercise authority over Cum sit nimis absurdum ut Christi blasphemus in christianos vim 92 Christians, we on account of the boldness of transgressors renew in this potestatis exerceat quod super hoc Toletanum concilium provide statuit general council what the Synod of Toledo (589) wisely enacted in this nos propter transgressorum audaciam matter, prohibiting Jews from being given preference in the matter of in hoc capitulo innovamus prohibentes ne Iudaei officiis publicis praeferantur public offices, since in such capacity they are most troublesome to the quoniam sub tali praetextu christianis Christians. But if anyone should commit such an office to them, let him, plurimum sunt infesti. ¤ Si quis autem officium eis tale commiserit per after previous warning, be restrained by such punishment as seems provinciale concilium quod singulis proper by the provincial synod which we command to be celebrated praecipimus annis celebrari monitione praemissa districtione qua convenit every year. The official, however, shall be denied the commercial and compescatur. ¤ Officiali vero huiusmodi other intercourse of the Christians, till in the judgment of the bishop all tamdiu christianorum communio in commerciis et aliis denegetur donec in that he acquired from the Christians from the time he assumed office be usus pauperum christianorum restored for the needs of the Christian poor, and the office that he secundum providentiam dioecesani episcopi convertatur quicquid fuerit irreverently assumed let him lose with shame. The same we extend also adeptus a christianis occasione officii to pagans. [Mansi, IX, 995; Hefele-Leclercq, III, 7.27. This 14 of sic suscepti et officium cum pudore dimittat quod irreverenter assumpsit. Toledo was frequently renewed.] ¤Hoc idem extendimus ad paganos. 70. Jews who have received baptism are to be restrained by the prelates from returning to their former rite. Some (Jews), we understand, who voluntarily approached the waters of Quidam sicut accepimus qui ad sacri undam baptismatis voluntarii holy baptism, do not entirely cast off the old man that they may more accesserunt veterem hominem omnino perfectly put on the new one, because, retaining remnants of the former non exuunt ut novum perfectius induant cum prioris ritus reliquias rite, they obscure by such a mixture the beauty of the Christian religion. retinentes christianae religionis But since it is written: “Accursed is the man that goeth on the two decorem tali commixtione confundant. ¤ Cum autem scriptum sit maledictus ways” (Ecclus. 2:14), and “a garment that is woven together of woolen homo qui terram duabus viis ingreditur and linen” (Deut. 22: ii) ought not to be put on, we decree that such et indui vestis non debeat lino lana que contexta statuimus ut tales per persons be in every way restrained b the prelates from the observance of praelatos ecclesiarum ab observantia the former rite, that, having given themselves of their own free will to veteris ritus omnimodo compescantur ut quos christianae religioni liberae the Christian religion, salutary coercive action may preserve them in its voluntatis arbitrium obtulit salutiferae observance, since not to know the way of the Lord is a lesser evil than coactionis necessitas in eius observatione conservet. ¤ Cum minus to retrace one’s steps after it is known. malum existat viam domini non agnoscere quam post agnitam retroire. [ 71] HOLY LAND DECREES A series of decrees dealing with the preparation of a crusade to the Holy Land. Desiring with an ardent desire to liberate the Holy Land from the hands Ad liberandam terram sanctam de manibus impiorum ardenti desiderio of the ungodly, we decree with the advice of prudent men who are fully adspirantes de prudentum virorum familiar with the circumstances of the times, and with the approval of consilio qui plene noverant circunstantias temporum et locorum the council, that all who have taken the cross and have decided to cross sacro approbante concilio diffinimus ut the sea, hold themselves so prepared that they may, on June 1 of the ita crucesignati se praeparent quod in calendas iunii sequentis post proximum year after next (1217), come together in the Kingdom of Sicily, some at omnes qui disposuerunt transire per Brundusium and others at Messana, where, God willing, we (the Pope) mare conveniant in regnum Siciliae. ¤ Alii sicut oportuerit et decuerit apud will be present personally to order and to bestow on the Christian army Brundusium et alii apud Messanam et the divine and Apostolic blessing. Those who decide to make the partes utrobique vicinas ubi et nos personaliter domino annuente journey by land, should strive to hold themselves prepared for the same disposuimus tunc adesse quatenus time; for their aid and guidance we shall in the meantime appoint a nostro consilio et auxilio exercitus christianus salubriter ordinetur cum competent legate a latere. Priests and other clerics who are with the benedictione divina et apostolica Christian army, subjects as well as prelates, must be diligent in prayer profecturus. ¤ Ad eundem quoque terminum se studeant praeparare qui and exhortation, teaching them (the crusaders) by word and example proposuerunt per terram proficisci. ¤ that they have always before their eyes the fear and love of God, lest Significaturi hoc interim nobis ut eis ad consilium et auxilium legatum idoneum they say or do something that might offend the majesty of the eternal de nostro latere concedamus. ¤ King. And should any have fallen into sin, let them quickly rise again Sacerdotes autem et alii clerici qui fuerint in exercitu christiano tam through true repentance, practicing humility both interiorly and subditi quam praelati orationi et 93 exteriorly, observing moderation in food as well as in clothing, avoiding exhortationi diligenter insistant docentes eos verbo pariter et exemplo dissensions and emulations, and divesting themselves of all malice and ut timorem et amorem semper habeant ill will, that being thus fortified with spiritual and material arms, they divinum ante oculos ne quid dicant aut faciant quod divinam maiestatem may fight with greater success against the enemies of the faith, not offendat. ¤ Et si aliquando lapsi fuerint indeed relying on their own strength but putting their trust in the power in peccatum per veram poenitentiam mox resurgant gerentes humilitatem of God. To the clerics we grant for a period of three years as complete cordis et corporis et tam in victu quam an enjoyment of their benefices as if they actually resided in them, and in vestitu mediocritatem servantes dissensiones et aemulationes omnino they may, if necessary, even give them as pledges during this time. vitando rancore ac livore a se penitus Therefore, that this undertaking may not be impeded or retarded, we relegatis ut sic spiritualibus et materialibus armis muniti adversus strictly command all prelates that each one in his own territory induce hostes fidei securius praelientur non de those who have laid aside the crusader’s cross to resume it, and sua praesumentes potentia sed de divina virtute sperantes. ¤Ipsis autem carefully to admonish them and others who have taken the cross, as well clericis indulgemus ut beneficia sua as those who happen to be engaged for this purpose, to renew their vows integre percipiant per triennium ac si essent in ecclesiis residentes et si to God, and if necessary to compel them by excommunication and necesse fuerit ea per idem tempus interdict to abandon all delay. pignori valeant obligare. Ne igitur hoc sanctum propositum impediri vel retardari contingat universis ecclesiarum praelatis districte praecipimus ut singuli per loca sua illos qui signum crucis deposuerunt resumere ac tam ipsos quam alios crucesignatos et quos adhuc signari contigerit ad reddendum vota sua domino diligenter moneant et inducant et si necesse fuerit per excommunicationis in personas et interdicti sententias in terras eorum omni tergiversatione cessante compellant illis dumtaxat exceptis quibus tale impedimentum occurrerit propter quod secundum sedis apostolicae providentiam votum eorum commutari debeat merito vel differri. Moreover, that nothing connected with the affairs of our Lord Jesus Ad haec ne quid in negotio Iesu Christi de contingentibus omittatur volumus et Christ be omitted, we wish and command that patriarchs, archbishops, mandamus ut patriarchae archiepiscopi bishops, abbots, and others who have the care of souls, diligently episcopi abbates et alii qui curam obtinent animarum studiose proponant explain the meaning of the crusade to those committed to them, sibi commissis verbum crucis adjuring-through the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one, only true, and obsecrantes per patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum unum solum verum eternal God-kings, dukes, princes, marquises, counts, barons, and other aeternum deum reges duces principes prominent men, as well as cities, villages, and towns, that those who marchiones comites et barones alios que magnates necnon communiones cannot go personally to the Holy Land, will furnish a suitable number of civitatum villarum oppidorum ut qui soldiers and, for a period of three years, in proportion to their resources, personaliter non accesserint in subsidium terrae sanctae competentem will bear the necessary expenses connected therewith for the remission conferant numerum bellatorum cum of their sins, as we have made known in the general letters already sent expensis ad triennium necessariis secundum proprias facultates in over the world and as will be,exprcssed in greater detail below. In this remissionem peccatorum suorum prout remission we wish not only those to participate who for this purpose in generalibus literis est expressum et ad maiorem cautelam etiam inferius furnish their own ships, but those also who undertake to build ships. To exprimetur. ¤ Huius remissionis those declining to render aid, if perchance any should be found to be so volumus esse participes non solum eos qui naves proprias exhibent sed etiam ungrateful to God, the Apostolic See firmly protests that on the last day illos qui propter hoc opus naves they will be held to render an account to us in the presence of a terrible studuerint fabricare. ¤ Renuentibus autem si qui forte tam ingrati fuerint judge. Let them first consider with what security they can appear in the domino deo nostro ex parte apostolica presence of the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, into whose firmiter protestemur ut sciant se super hoc nobis in novissimo districti hands the Father has given all things, if in this matter they refuse to examinis die coram tremendo iudice serve Him who was crucified for sinners, by whose favor they live, by responsuros prius tamen considerantes qua conscientia qua ve securitate whose benefits they are sustained, and by whose blood they were confiteri poterunt coram unigenito dei redeemed. filio Iesu Christo cui omnia pater dedit 94 in manus si ei pro peccatoribus crucifixo servire renuerint in hoc negocio quasi proprie sibi proprio cuius munere vivunt cuius beneficio sustentantur quin etiam cuius sanguine sunt redempti. But, lest we should seem to place grave and unbearable burdens on the Ne vero in humeros hominum onera gravia et importabilia imponere shoulders of the people, we ourselves (the Pope) donate to the cause videamur quae digito nostro movere what we have been able to save by strict economy, 30,000 pounds, nolimus similes illis qui dicunt utique sed non faciunt ecce nos de his quae besides a ship to convey the crusaders from Rome and vicinity and ultra necessaria et moderatas expensas 3,000 marks silver, the remnant of alms received from the faithful. The potuimus reservare triginta milia librarum in hoc opus concedimus et remainder we have given to Albert patriarch of Jerusalem, and to the donamus praeter navigium quod masters of the Temple and Hospital for the necessities of the Holy Land. crucesignatis de urbe atque vicinis partibus conferimus assignaturi With the approval of the council we further decree that absolutely all nihilominus ad hoc ipsum tria millia clerics, subjects as well as superiors, shall, in aid of the Holy Land and marcarum argenti quae apud nos de quorundam fidelium eleemosynis for a period of three years, pay into the hands of those appointed by the remanserunt aliis in necessitates et Apostolic See for this purpose, one twentieth part of ecclesiastical utilitates praedictae terrae per manus felicis memoriae abbatis revenues; some religious orders only being excepted and those (clerics) hierosolymitani patriarchae ac also who take or already have taken the crusader’s cross and are about magistrorum templi et hospitalis fideliter distributis. ¤ Cupientes autem to set out personally. We and our brethren, the cardinals of the Holy alios ecclesiarum praelatos necnon Roman Church, will pay one-tenth of our revenues. All are bound to the clericos universos et in merito et in praemio habere participes et consortes faithful observance of this under penalty of excommunication, so that ex communi concilii approbatione those who deliberately commit fraud in this matter will incur that statuimus ut omnes omnino clerici tam subditi quam praelati vigesimam penalty. partem ecclesiasticorum proventuum usque ad triennium conferant in subsidium terrae sanctae per manus eorum qui ad hoc apostolica fuerint providentia ordinati. ¤ Quibusdam dumtaxat religiosis exceptis ab hac praetaxatione merito eximendis illis similiter qui assumpto vel assumendo crucis signaculo sunt personaliter profecturi. ¤ Nos autem et fratres nostri sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinales plenarie decimam persolvemus sciant que se omnes ad hoc fideliter observandum per excommunicationis sententiam obligatos ita quod illi qui super hoc fraudem scienter commiserint sententiam excommunicationis incurrant. Since by the just judgment of the heavenly King it is only right that Sane quia iusto iudicio coelestis imperatoris obsequiis inhaerentes those who are associated with a good cause should enjoy a special speciali decet praerogativa gaudere privilege, we exempt the crusaders from collections, taxes, and other cum tempus proficiscendi annum excedat in modico crucesignati vel a assessments. Their persons and possessions, after they have taken the collectis vel talliis aliis que cross, we take under the protection of Blessed Peter and our own, gravaminibus sint immunes quorum personas et bona post crucem decreeing that they stand under the protection o f the archbishops, assumptam sub beati Petri et nostra bishops, and all the prelates of the Church. Besides, special protectors protectione suscipimus. ¤Statuentes ut sub archiepiscoporum episcoporum ac will be appointed, and, till their return or till their death shall have been omnium praelatorum ecclesiae certified, they shall remain unmolested, and if anyone shall presume the defensione consistant propriis nihilominus protectoribus ad hoc contrary, let him be restrained by ecclesiastical censure. specialiter deputandis ita ut donec de ipsorum obitu vel reditu certissime cognoscatur integra maneant et quieta. ¤ Et si quisquam contra praesumpserit per censuram ecclesiasticam compescatur.

95 In the case of crusaders who are bound under oath to pay interest, we Si qui vero proficiscentium illuc ad praestandas usuras iuramento tenentur command that their creditors be compelled to cancel the oath given and adstricti creditores eorum ut remittant to cease exacting interest. Should any creditor force the payment of eis praestitum iuramentum et ab usurarum exactione desistant eadem interest, we command that he be similarly forced to make restitution. praecipimus districtione compelli. ¤ We command also that Jews be compelled by the secular power to Quod si quisquam creditorum eos ad solutionem coegerit usurarum eum ad cancel interest, and, till they have done so, intercourse with them must restitutionem earum simili cogi be absolutely denied them by all Christians under penalty of animadversione mandamus. ¤ Iudaeos vero ad remittendas usuras per excommunication. For those who cannot be their departure pay their saecularem compelli praecipimus debts to the Jews, the secular princes shall provide such a delay that potestatem et donec illas remiserint ab universis Christi fidelibus per from the time of their departure till their return or till their death is excommunicationis sententiam eis known, they shall not be embarrassed with the inconvenience of paying omnino communio denegetur. ¤ His autem qui Iudaeis debita solvere interest. If a Jew has received security (for example, a piece of ground) nequeunt in praesenti sic principes for such a debt, he must, after deducting his own expenses, pay to the saeculares utili dilatione provideant quod post iter arreptum usquequo de owner the income from such security. Prelates who manifest negligence ipsorum obitu vel reditu certissime in obtaining justice for the crusaders and their servants, shall be subject cognoscatur usurarum incommoda non incurrant compulsis Iudaeis proventus to severe penalty. pignorum quos interim ipsi perceperint in sortem expensis deductis necessariis computare. ¤ Cum huiusmodi beneficium non multum videatur habere dispendii quod solutionem sic prorogat quod debitum non absorbet. ¤ Porro ecclesiarum praelati qui in exhibenda iustitia crucesignatis et eorum familiis negligentes exstiterint sciant se graviter puniendos. Since the corsairs and pirates too vehemently impede assistance to the Caeterum quia cursarii et piratae nimium impediunt subsidium terrae Holy Land by capturing and robbing those who go there and those sanctae capiendo et expoliando returning, we excommunicate them and their principal abetters and transeuntes ad illam et redeuntes ab ipsa nos speciales adiutores et fautores protectors, forbidding under threat of anathema that anyone knowingly eorum excommunicationis vinculo hold intercourse with them in any contract of buying and selling, and innodamus sub interminatione anathematis inhibentes ne quis cum eis enjoin upon the rulers of cities and their localities that they check and scienter communicet aliquo venditionis turn them away from this iniquity. And since an unwillingness to disturb vel emptionis contractu et iniungentes rectoribus civitatum et locorum suorum the perverse is nothing else than to favor them, and is also an indication ut eos ab hac iniquitate revocent et of secret association with them on the part of those who do not resist compescant. ¤ Alioquin quia nolle perturbare perversos nihil aliud est manifest crime, we wish and command that severe ecclesiastical quam fovere nec caret scrupulo punishment be imposed by the prelates on their persons and lands. We societatis occultae qui manifesto facinori desinit obviare in personas et excommunicate and anathematize, moreover, those false and ungodly terras eorum per ecclesiarum praelatos Christians who furnish the enemies of Christ and the Christian people severitatem ecclesiasticam volumus et praecipimus exerceri. with arms, iron, and wood for the construction of ships; those also who ¤Excommunicamus praeterea et sell them ships and who in the ships of the Saracens hold the post of anathematizamus illos falsos et impios christianos qui contra ipsum Christum pilot, or in any other way give them aid or advice to the detriment of the et populum christianum Saracenis arma Holy Land; and we decree that their possessions be confiscated and they ferrum et lignamina deferunt galearum. ¤ Eos etiam qui galeas eis vendunt vel themselves become the slaves of their captors. We command that this naves qui que in piraticis Saracenorum sentence be publicly announced in all maritime cities on all Sundays and navibus curam gubernationis exercent vel in machinis aut quibuslibet aliis festival days, and that to such people the church be not opened till they aliquod eis impendunt consilium vel return all that they have obtained in so reprehensible a traffic and give auxilium in dispendium terrae sanctae ipsarum rerum suarum privatione the same amount of their own -in aid of the Holy Land. In case they are mulctari et capientium servos fore not able to pay, then let them be punished in other ways, that by their censemus. ¤ Praecipientes ut per omnes urbes maritimas diebus chastisement others may be deterred from undertaking similar pursuits. dominicis et festivis huiusmodi sententia innovetur et talibus gremium non aperiatur ecclesiae nisi totum quod ex substantia tam damnata perceperint et tantundem de sua in subsidium praedictae terrae transmiserint ut 96 aequo iudicio in quo deliquerint puniantur. ¤ Quod si forte solvendo non fuerint alias sic reatus talium castigetur quod in poena ipsorum aliis interdicatur audacia similia praesumendi. Furthermore, under penalty of anathema, we forbid all Christians for a Prohibemus insuper omnibus christianis et sub anathemate period of four years to send their ships to Oriental countries, inhabited interdicimus ne in terras Saracenorum by the Saracens, in order that a greater number of ships may be available qui partes orientales inhabitant usque ad quadriennium transmittant aut to those who wish to go to the aid of the Holy Land, and that to the transvehant naves suas ut per hoc Saracens may be denied the benefits that they usually reap from such volentibus transfretare in subsidium terrae sanctae maior navigii copia commercial intercourse. praeparetur et Saracenis praedictis subtrahatur auxilium quod eis consuevit ex hoc non modicum provenire. Though tournaments have been, under certain penalties, generally Licet autem torneamenta sint in diversis conciliis sub certa poena forbidden by different councils, since however at this time they are a generaliter interdicta quia tamen hoc serious obstacle to the success of the crusade, we strictly prohibit em tempore crucis negotium per ea plurimum impeditur nos illa sub poena under penalty of excommunication for a period of three years. excommunicationis firmiter prohibemus usque ad triennium exerceri. But, since for the success of this undertaking it is above all else Quia vero ad hoc negotium exequendum est permaxime necessary that princes and Christian people maintain peace among necessarium ut principes populi themselves, we decree with the advice of the holy council that for four christiani adinvicem pacem observent sancta universali synodo suadente years peace be observed in the whole Christian world, so that through statuimus ut saltem per quadriennium the prelates discordant elements may be brought together in the fulness in toto orbe christiano servetur pax generaliter ita quod per ecclesiarum of peace, or at least to the strict observance of the truce. Those who praelatos discordantes reducantur ad refuse to acquiesce in this, are to be compelled by excommunication and plenam pacem aut firmam treguam inviolabiliter observandam. ¤ Et qui interdict, unless the malice that inspired their wrongdoings was such acquiescere forte contempserint per that they ought not to enjoy such peace. But, if by chance they despise excommunicationem in personas et interdictum in terras arctissime ecclesiastical censure, they have every reason to fear lest by the compellantur nisi tanta fuerit iniuriarum authority of the Church the secular power will be invoked against them malitia quod ipsi tali non debeant pace gaudere. ¤ Quod si forte censuram as disturbers of the affairs of the One crucified. ecclesiasticam vilipenderint poterunt non immerito formidare ne per auctoritatem ecclesiae circa eos tanquam perturbatores negocii crucifixi saecularis potentia inducatur. We, therefore, by the mercy of the omnipotent God, trusting in the Nos igitur omnipotentis dei misericordia et beatorum apostolorum authority of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, in virtue of that power Petri et Pauli auctoritate confisi ex illa of binding and loosing which God has conferred on us, though quam nobis licet indigne deus ligandi atque solvendi contulit potestate unworthy, grant to all who aid in this work personally and at their own omnibus qui laborem propriis personis expense, a full remission of their sins which they ,have sincerely subierint et expensis plenam suorum peccaminum de quibus liberaliter repented and orally confessed, and promise them when the just shall fuerint corde contriti et ore confessi receive their reward an increase of eternal happiness. To those who do veniam indulgemus et in retributione iustorum salutis aeternae pollicemur not personally go to the Holy Land, but at their own expense send there augmentum. ¤Eis autem qui non in as many suitable men as their means will permit, and to those also who personis propriis illuc accesserint sed in suis dumtaxat expensis iuxta go personally but at the expense of others, we grant a full remission of facultatem et qualitatem suam viros their sins. Participants of this remission are, moreover, all who in idoneos destinarint et illis similiter qui licet in alienis expensis in propriis proportion to their means contribute to the aid of the Holy Land, or in tamen personis accesserint plenam regard to what has been said give opportune advice and assistance. suorum concedimus veniam peccatorum. ¤ Huius quoque Finally, to all who in a spirit of piety aid in bringing to a successful remissionis volumus et concedimus issue this holy under. taking, this holy and general council imparts the esse participes iuxta qualitatem subsidii et devotionis affectum omnes benefits of its prayers and blessings that they may advance worthily to qui ad subventionem ipsius terrae de salvation. Amen. bonis suis congrue ministrabunt aut consilium et auxilium impenderint opportunum. ¤ Omnibus etiam pie proficiscentibus in hoc opere communi 97 universalis synodus omnium beneficiorum suorum suffragium impartitur ut eis digne proficiat ad salutem.

THE FIRST COUNCIL of LYONS (1245) The 13th Ecumenical Council Bull Deposing The Emperor Frederick II ; CONSTITUTIONS I 1. On rescripts 2. Those to whom cases should be entrusted 3. Curtailing legal expenses 4. On challenging elections etc. 5. Only unconditional votes valid 6. Jurisdiction of conservators 7. Legates and benefices 8. Judge delegates 9. On peremptory exceptions 10. The objection of robbery 11. No-show plaintiffs 12. On early possession for the sake of preservation 13. On the acceptability of negative assertions 14. The exception of major excommunication 15. On Judges Who Give Dishonest Judgment 16. On appeals 17. On the same 18. On employing assassins 19. On excommunication 1 20. On excommunication 2 21. On excommunication 3 22. On excommunication 4 II 1. Management of church debts 2. On help for the empire of Constantinople 3. Admonition to be made by prelates to the people in their charge 4. On the Tartars 5. On the crusade 1245-1245- Concilium Lugdunense I - Documenta Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium Lugdunense I a. 1245 BULL DEPOSING THE EMPEROR FREDERICK II Innocent 1, bishop, servant of the servants of God, in the presence of the Innocentius episcopus servus servorum Dei sacro praesente holy council, for an everlasting record. concilio ad rei memoriam sempiternam. Raised, though unworthy, to the highest point of the apostolic dignity, by Ad apostolicae dignitatis apicem licet indigni dignatione divinae maiestatis the will of the divine majesty, we ought to exercise a watchful, diligent and assumpti, omnium christianorum wise care of all Christians, to examine with close attention the merits of curam vigili sedula que solertia gerere ac intimae considerationis individuals and to weigh them in the balance of prudent deliberation, so oculo singulorum discernere merita

1 Pope Innocent IV 98 that we may raise by suitable favours those whom a rigorous and just et providae deliberationis statera librare debemus, ut quos iusti vigor examination shows to be worthy, and depress the guilty with due penalties, examinis dignos ostenderit, congruis weighing always the merit and the reward in a fair scale, repaying to each attollamus favoribus, quos autem reos poenis debitis deprimamus, the amount of penalty or favour according to the nature of his work. Indeed appendentes semper meritum et since the terrible conflict of war has afflicted some countries of the praemium aequa lance, retribuendo cuique iuxta qualitatem operis, christian world for a long time, as we desired with our whole heart the poenae vel gratiae quantitatem. peace and tranquillity of the holy church of God and of all the christian Sane cum dira guerrarum commotio nonnullas professionis christianae people in general, we thought that we should send special ambassadors, provincias diutius afflixisset, nos toto men of great authority, to 2 the secular prince who was the special cause of cupientes mentis affectu tranquillitatem et pacem ecclesiae this discord and suffering. He was the man whom our predecessor of happy sanctae Dei ac generaliter cuncto memory, Pope Gregory 3, had bound by anathema because of his excesses. populo christiano, ad praecipuum principem saecularem, huiusmodi The ambassadors we sent, men eager for his salvation, were our venerable dissensionis et tribulationis actorem, brethren Peter of Albano 4, at that time bishop of Rouen, William of Sabina a felicis recordationis Gregorio papa 5 6 praedecessore nostro pro suis , at that time bishop of Modena, and our beloved son William , cardinal- excessibus anathematis vinculo priest of the basilica of the Twelve Apostles and at that time abbot of Saint innodatum, speciales nuntios, magnae auctoritatis viros, videlicet Facundus. Through them we proposed to him, because we and our brethren venerabiles fratres Petrum desired to have peace with him and with all people, as far as lay in our Albanensem, tunc Rothomagensem archiepiscopum, et Guillelmum power, that we were ready to grant peace and tranquillity to him and also to Sabinensem, tunc quondam the rest of the whole world. Mutinensem, episcopos ac dilectum filium nostrum Guillelmum basilicae Duodecim apostolorum presbyterum cardinalem, tunc abbatem sancti Facundi, qui salutem zelabantur ipsius, duximus destinandos, facientes sibi proponi per ipsos, quod nos et fratres nostri quantum in nobis erat pacem per omnia se cum habere necnon cum omnibus hominibus optabamus, parati sibi pacem et tranquillitatem dare ac mundo etiam universo. Because the restitution of the prelates, clerics and all others whom he kept Et quia praelatorum, clericorum omnium que aliorum, quos detinebat in captivity, and of all both clerics and laymen whom he had taken in the captivos, et omnium tam clericorum galleys7, could especially lead the way to peace, we asked and begged him quam laicorum, quos coeperat in galeis, restitutio poterat esse pacis through our said ambassadors to set these prisoners free. This both he and plurimum inductiva, eum ut illos his envoys had promised before we had been called to the apostolic office. restitueret, cum hoc idem tam ipse quam sui nuntii, antequam ad Further we informed him that our ambassadors were ready on our behalf to apostolatus vocati essemus officium, hear and treat of peace, and even of satisfaction, should the emperor be promisissent, rogari et peti ab ipso fecimus per eosdem ac proponi ready to make it with regard to all those things for which he had incurred insuper, quod iidem parati pro nobis excommunication; and besides to offer him that if the church had injured erant audire et tractare pacem ac etiam audire satisfactionem, quam him in anything contrary to justice-though it did not believe it had done so facere vellet princeps de omnibus, -- it was ready to put it to rights and restore the proper position. If he said pro quibus vinculo erat that he had harmed the church in nothing unjustly, or that we had harmed excommunicationis astrictus, et 2 F(rederick) added in P

3 Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241)

4 Peter of Colmeiu, cardinal 1244-1253

5 William of Savoy, cardinal 1244-1251

6 William of Talliante, cardinal 1244-1250

7 On 3 May 1241 99 him contrary to justice, we were ready to call the kings, prelates and offerri praeterea, quod si ecclesia eum in aliquo contra debitum princes, both ecclesiastical and lay, to some safe place where either by laeserat, quod non credebat, parata themselves or by official representatives they might come together, and erat corrigere ac in statum debitum reformare. Et si diceret ipse, quod in that the church was ready on the advice of the council to satisfy him if in nullo contra iustitiam laeserat anything it had harmed him, and to recall the sentence of excommunication ecclesiam vel quod nos eum contra iustitiam laesissemus, parati eramus if it had been brought unjustly against him, and with all clemency and vocare reges, praelatos et principes mercy, in so far as it could be done without offence to God and its own tam ecclesiasticos quam saeculares ad aliquem tutum locum, ubi per se honour, to receive satisfaction from him for the injuries and wrongs done to vel solemnes nuntios convenirent, the church itself and its members through him. erat que parata ecclesia de consilio concilii sibi satisfacere, si eum laesisset in aliquo, ac revocare sententiam, si quam contra ipsum iniuste tulisset, et cum omni mansuetudine ac misericordia, quantum cum Deo et honore suo fieri poterat, recipere de iniuriis et offensis ipsi ecclesiae suis que per eum irrogatis gatis satisfactionem ab ipso. The church also wished to secure peace for his friends and supporters and Volebat etiam ecclesia omnes amicos suos sibi que adhaerentes in pace the enjoyment of full security, so that for this reason they should never ponere plena que securitate incur any danger. But though in our relations with him, for the sake of gaudere, ut numquam hac occasione possent aliquod subire discrimen. peace, we have always taken care to rely on paternal admonitions and Sed licet sic apud eum pro pace gentle entreaty, yet he, following the hardness of Pharaoh and blocking his paternis monitis et precum insistere curaverimus lenitate, idem tamen ears like an asp, with proud obstinacy and obstinate pride has despised such Pharaonis imitatus duritiam et prayers and admonitions. Furthermore on the Maundy Thursday previous obturans more aspidis aures suas, huiusmodi preces et monita elata to that which has just passed, in our presence and that of our brother obstinatione ac obstinata elatione cardinals, and in the presence of our dear son in Christ, the illustrious despexit. Et licet processu temporis 8 in die coenae Domini proximo nuper emperor of Constantinople , and of a considerable gathering of prelates, praeterita praecedente coram nobis before the senate and people of Rome and a very large number of others, et fratribus nostris, praesentibus carissimo in Christo filio nostro who on that day because of its solemnity had come to the apostolic see Constantinopolitano imperatore from different parts of the world, he guaranteed on oath, through the noble illustri, coetu quoque non modico praelatorum, senatoribus populo que count Raymond of Toulouse, and Masters Peter de Vinea and Thaddaeus of Romano et maxima multitudine Suessa, judges of his court, his envoys and proctors who had in this matter aliorum, qui eodem die propter solemnitatem ipsius de diversis a general commission, that he would keep our commands and those of the mundi partibus ad apostolicam church. However afterwards he did not fulfil what he had sworn. Indeed it sedem convenerant, quod staret nostris et ecclesiae mandatis per is likely enough that he took the oath, as can be clearly gathered from his nobilem virum Raymundum comitem following actions, with the express intention of mocking rather than Tholosanum ac magistros Petrum de Vinea et Tadeum de Suessa curiae obeying us and the church, since after more than a year he could not be suae iudices, nuntios et procuratores reconciled to the bosom of the church, nor did he trouble to make suos speciale super hoc ab ipso mandatum habentes, praestiterit satisfaction for the losses and injuries he had caused it, even though he was iuramentum, postmodum tamen asked to do this. For this reason, as we are unable without giving offence to quod iuraverat non implevit. Quin immo ea intentione ipsum Christ to bear any longer his wickedness, we are compelled, urged on by praestitisse probabiliter creditur, our conscience, justly to punish him. sicut ex factis sequentibus colligitur evidenter, ut eidem ecclesiae ac nobis illuderet potius quam pareret, cum anno et amplius iam elapso nec ad ipsius ecclesiae graemium revocari potuerit nec sibi de illatis ei damnis et iniuriis curaverit satisfacere, licet super hoc exstiterit requisitus. Propter quod non valentes absque gravi Christi offensa eius iniquitates amplius tolerare, cogimur urgente nos conscientia iuste animadvertere in eundem.

8 Baldwin II, Latin emperor in the east (d. 1261) 100 To say nothing about his other crimes, he has committed four of the Et ut ad praesens de ceteris eius sceleribus taceamus, quatuor greatest gravity, which cannot be hidden by evasion. For, he has often gravissima, quae nulla possunt celari failed to keep his oath; he deliberately broke the peace previously tergiversatione, commisit. Deieravit enim multotiens; pacem quondam established between the church and the empire; he committed a sacrilege inter ecclesiam et imperium by causing the arrest of cardinals of the holy Roman church and of prelates reformatam temere violavit; perpetravit etiam sacrilegium, capi and clerics of other churches, both religious and secular, who were coming faciens cardinales sanctae Romanae to the council which our predecessor had decided to summon; he is also ecclesiae ac aliarum ecclesiarum praelatos et clericos, religiosos et suspect of heresy, by proofs which are not light or doubtful but clear and saeculares, venientes ad concilium inescapable. quod idem praedecessor duxerat convocandum; de haeresi quoque non dubiis et levibus sed difficilibus et evidentibus argumentis suspectus habetur. It is clear that he has often been guilty of perjury. For, once when he was Plura siquidem eum commisisse periuria satis patet. Nam olim cum in staying in Sicily, before he had been elected to the dignity of emperor, in Siciliae partibus morabatur, the presence of Gregory of happy memory, cardinal deacon of Saint priusquam esset ad imperii 9 dignitatem electus, coram bonae Theodore and legate of the apostolic see, he took an oath of loyalty to our memoriae Gregorium sancti Theodori predecessor Pope Innocent10 of happy memory and his successors and the diacono cardinali, apostolicae sedis legato, felicis recordationis Roman church, in return for the grant of the kingdom of Sicily made to him Innocentio papae praedecessori by this same church. Likewise, as is said, after he had been elected to that nostro et successoribus eius ecclesiae que Romanae, pro same dignity and had come to Rome, in the presence of Innocent and his concessione regni Siciliae ab eadem brother cardinals and before many others, he renewed that oath, making his ecclesia sibi facta, fidelitatis praestitit iuramentum et, sicut pledge of hommage in the pope’s hands. Then, when he was in Germany dicitur, illud idem, postquam ad he swore to the same Innocent, and on his death to our predecessor Pope eandem dignitatem electus exstitit et 11 venit ad Urbem, coram eodem Honorius of happy memory and his successors and the Roman church Innocentio suis que fratribus, aliis itself, in the presence of the princes and nobles of the empire, to preserve multis praesentibus, ligium hominium in eius faciens manibus, as far as was in his power, the honours, rights and possessions of the innovavit. Deinde cum in Alamannia Roman church, and loyally to protect them, and without difficulty to see to esset, eidem Innocentio et, ipso defuncto, bonae memoriae Honorio the restoration of whatever came into his hands, expressly naming the said papae praedecessori nostro et eius possessions in the oath: afterwards he confirmed this when he had gained successoribus ac ipsi ecclesiae Romanae, praesentibus imperii the imperial crown. But he has deliberately broken these three oaths, not principibus atque nobilibus, iuravit without the brand of treachery and the charge of treason. For against our honores, iura et possessiones Romanae ecclesiae pro posse suo predecessor Gregory and his brother cardinals, he has dared to send servare ac protegere bona fide, et threatening letters to these cardinals, and in many ways to slander Gregory quod quaecumque ad manus suas devenirent, sine difficultate before his brother cardinals, as is clear from the letters which he then sent restituere procuraret, nominatis to them, and almost throughout the whole world, as it is said, he has expresse dictis possessionibus in huiusmodi iuramento; quod presumed to defame him. postmodum confirmavit, coronam imperii iam adeptus. Sed horum trium iuramentorum temerarius exstitit violator non sine proditionis nota et laesae crimine maiestatis. Nam contra praefatum praedecessorem Gregorium et fratres suos comminatorias litteras eisdem fratribus destinare ac dictum Gregorium apud fratres ipsos, sicut apparet per litteras ab eo tunc directas eisdem, et etiam, prout fertur, per universum fere orbem terrarum multipliciter diffamare

9 Gregory of Crescentio, cardinal 1205-1226

10 Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)

11 Honorius III (1216-1227) 101 praesumpsit. He also personally caused the arrest of our venerable brother Otto 12, Ac venerabilem fratrem nostrum Ottonem Portuensem, tunc sancti bishop of Porto, at that time cardinal deacon of Saint Nicholas in Carcere Nicolai in Carcere Tulliano diaconum Tulliano, and James of happy memory, bishop of Palestrina 13, legates of cardinalem, et bonae memoriae Iacobum Praenestinum episcopos, the apostolic see, noble and important members of the Roman church. He apostolicae sedis legatos, nobilia et had them stripped of all their goods, and after more than once being led magna ecclesiae Romanae membra, personaliter capi fecit et bonis shamefully through different places, committed to prison. Furthermore this omnibus spoliatos ac per diversa loca privilege which our lord Jesus Christ handed to Peter and in him to his non semel ignominiose deductos carceribus mancipari. Privilegium successors, namely, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, insuper, quod beato Petro et and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven, in which successoribus eius in ipso tradidit dominus Iesus Christus, videlicet: assuredly consists the authority and power of the Roman church, he did his quodcumque ligaveris super terram, best to diminish or take away from the church itself, writing that he did not erit ligatum et in coelis, et quodcumque solveris super terram, fear Pope Gregory’s condemnations. For, not only by despising the keys of erit solutum et in coelis, in quo the church he did not observe the sentence of excommunication utique auctoritas et potestas ecclesiae Romanae consistit, pro pronounced against him, but also by himself and his officials he prevented viribus diminuere vel ipsi ecclesiae others from observing that and other sentences of excommunication and auferre sategit, scribens se praefati Gregorii sententias non vereri, latam interdict, which he altogether set at nought. Also without fear he seized ab eo excommunicationem in ipsum territories of the said Roman church, namely the Marches, the Duchy, non solum contemptis ecclesiae clavibus non servando, verum etiam Benevento, the walls and towers of which he has caused to be demolished, per se ac officiales suos et illam et and others with few exceptions in parts of Tuscany and Lombardy and alias excommunicationis vel interdicti sententias, quas idem certain other places which he holds, and he still keeps hold of them. And as omnino contempsit, cogendo alios if it were not enough that he was clearly going against the aforesaid oaths non servare. Possessiones quoque praefatae Romanae ecclesiae, by such presumption, either by himself or through his officials he has videlicet Marchiam, Ducatum, forced the inhabitants of these territories to break their oath, absolving Beneventum, cuius muros et turres dirui fecit, ac alias quas in Tusciae ac them in fact, since he cannot do it in law, from the oaths of loyalty by Lombardiae partibus et quibusdam which they were bound to the Roman church, and making them aliis obtinebat locis, paucis exceptis, occupare non metuens, eas adhuc nonetheless forswear the said loyalty and take an oath of loyalty to himself. detinet occupatas. Et tamquam ei non sufficeret, quod manifeste contra iuramenta praemissa praesumendo talia veniebat, per se vel suos officiales earumdem possessionum homines deierare compulit, ipsos a iuramentis fidelitatis, quibus Romanae tenebantur ecclesiae, de facto, cum de iure non posset, absolvens et faciens eosdem fidelitatem nihilominus abiurare praedictam sibi que fidelitatis huiusmodi iuramenta praestare. It is absolutely clear that he is the violator of the peace. For, previously at a Pacis vero ipsum violatorem exsistere plene constat, quia cum time when peace had been restored between himself and the church, he olim tempore pacis inter ipsum et took an oath before the venerable John of Abbeville 14, bishop of Sabina, ecclesiam reformatae iurasset coram 15 bonae memoriae Ioanni de Abbatis and Master Thomas , cardinal priest of the title of Saint Sabina, in the Villa episcopo Sabinensi et magistro presence of many prelates, princes and barons, that he would observe and Thomasio tituli sanctae Sabinae presbytero cardinali, praesentibus obey exactly and without reserve all the commands of the church with multis praelatis, principibus et regard to those things for which he had incurred excommunication, after baronibus, quod staret et pareret

12 Otto of Montferrat, cardinal 1227-1251

13 James of Pecoraria, cardinal 1231-1244

14 John Halgrin, cardinal 1227-1238

15 Thomas de Episcopo, cardinal 1216-1243 102 the reasons of that excommunication had been set out in order before him. praecise absque ulla conditione omnibus mandatis ecclesiae super Then, when remitting every sanction and penalty to the Teutonic knights, iis, pro quibus erat vinculo the inhabitants of the kingdom of Sicily and any others who had supported excommunicationis astrictus, causis excommunicationis eiusdem the church against him, he guaranteed on his soul through Thomas, count expressis per ordinem coram eo, of Acerra, that he would never wrong them or cause them to be wronged on tunc omnibus Theotonicis, hominibus regni Siciliae ac quibuslibet aliis, qui the ground that they had supported the church. But he did not keep the ecclesiae contra ipsum adhaeserant, peace and violated these oaths without any sense of shame that he was omnem remittens offensam et poenam, et quod nullo tempore guilty of perjury. For afterwards he caused some of these very men, both offenderet vel offendi faceret ipsos nobles and others, to be captured; and after stripping them of all their pro eo quod ecclesiae adstiterant, praestari in anima sua per goods, he had their wives and children imprisoned; and contrary to the Thomasium comitem Acerrarum promise he had made to bishop John of Sabina and cardinal Thomas, he faciens iuramentum, postmodum pacem et iuramenta huiusmodi, invaded the lands of the church without hesitation, even though they nequaquam erubescens irretiri promulgated in his presence that henceforth he would incur sentence of periuriis, non servavit. Nonnullos enim ex ipsis hominibus tam nobiles excommunication if he broke his promise. And when these two quam alios postea capi fecit et, eis ecclesiastics, by their apostolic authority, ordered that neither by himself bonis suis omnibus spoliatis, uxores eorum et filios captivari ac terras nor through others should he hinder postulations, elections or ecclesiae contra promissionem, confirmations of churches and monasteries in the kingdom of Sicily from quam eisdem Ioanni Sabinensi episcopo et Thomasio cardinali being held freely in future according to the statutes of the general council; fecerat, irreverenter invasit, licet ipsi that henceforth nobody in the same kingdom should impose taxes or extunc in eum praesentem, si contraveniret, excommunicationis collections on ecclesiastical persons or their property; that in the same sententiam promulgarint. Et cum kingdom no cleric or ecclesiastical person should in future be brought iidem apostolica sibi auctoritate mandassent, ut nec per se nec per before a lay judge in a civil or criminal case, except for a suit in civil law alium impediret, quin postulationes, over feudal rights; and that he should make adequate compensation to the electiones et confirmationes ecclesiarum et monasteriorum in Templars, Hospitallers and other ecclesiastical persons for the loss and regno praefato libere de cetero injury inflicted upon them; he nevertheless refused to obey these fierent secundum statuta concilii generalis, et quod nullus deinceps in commands. eodem regno viris ecclesiasticis ac rebus eorum imponeret tallias vel collectas, quod que nullus ibidem clericus vel persona ecclesiastica de cetero in civili vel criminali causa conveniretur coram iudice saeculari, nisi super feudis quaestio civiliter haberetur, ac Templariis, Hospitalariis et aliis personis ecclesiasticis de damnis et iniuriis irrogatis eisdem satisfaceret competenter, ipse mandatum huiusmodi adimplere contempsit. It is clear that in the kingdom of Sicily eleven or more archiepiscopal and Liquet namque undecim aut plures archiepiscopales et multas many episcopal sees, abbacies and other churches are at present vacant, and episcopales sedes, abbatias quoque through his agency, as is patent, these have long been deprived of prelates, ac alias ecclesias vacare ad praesens in regno praedicto eas que to their own grave loss and the ruin of souls. And though perhaps in some procurante ipso, sicut aperte patet, churches of the kingdom elections have been held by chapters, since fuisse diutius praelatorum regimine destitutas in grave ipsarum however they have elected clerics who are Frederick’s dependants, it can praeiudicium et periculum be concluded in all probability that they did not have a free power of animarum. Et licet forte in aliquibus eiusdem regni ecclesiis electiones choice. Not only has he caused the possessions and goods of churches in sint a capitulis celebratae, quia the kingdom to be seized at his pleasure, but also the crosses, thuribles, tamen per illas eiusdem familiares clerici sunt electi, probabili potest chalices and other sacred treasures of theirs, and silk cloth, to be carried argumento concludi, quod facultatem off, like one who sets at nought divine worship, and although it is said that non habuerunt liberam eligendi. Ecclesiarum autem ipsius regni non they have been restored in part to the churches, yet a price was first exacted solum facultates et bona fecit prout for them. Indeed clerics are made to suffer in many ways by collections voluit occupari, sed etiam cruces, turibula, calices et alios sacros and taxes, and not only are they dragged before a lay court but also, as it is earum thesauros et pannos sericos asserted, they are compelled to submit to duels and are imprisoned, killed velut cultus divini contemptor and tortured to the disturbance and insult of the clerical order. Satisfaction auferri, licet ut dicitur ipsis ecclesiis, 103 has not been made to the said Templars, Hospitallers and ecclesiastical exacto tamen prius pro eis certo pretio, in parte fuerint restituti. persons for the loss and injury done to them. Clerici quippe collectis et talliis multipliciter affliguntur, nec solum trahuntur ad iudicium saeculare, sed ut asseritur coguntur subire duella, incarcerantur, occiduntur et patibulis cruciantur in confusionem et opprobrium ordinis clericalis. Praefatis autem Templariis, Hospitalariis et personis ecclesiasticis non est de damnis illatis eisdem et iniuriis satisfactum. It is also certain that he is guilty of sacrilege. For when the aforesaid Eum quoque certum est fore sacrilegii patratorem. Nam cum bishops of Porto and Palestrina, and many prelates of churches and clerics, praefati Portuensis et Praenestinus both religious and secular, summoned to the apostolic see to hold the episcopi et quam plures ecclesiarum praelati et clerici tam religiosi quam council which Frederick himself had previously asked for, were coming by saeculares ad apostolicam sedem sea, since the roads had been entirely blocked at his command, he stationed pro celebrando concilio, quod prius ipse petiverat, convocati per mare his son Enzo with a large number of galleys and, by means of many others venirent, viis terrae ipsis de mandato duly placed long beforehand, he laid an ambush against them in the parts of eius omnino praeclusis, idem destinato Ensio filio suo cum Tuscany on the coast; and so that he might vomit forth in more deadly multitudine galearum et per alias fashion the poison which had long gathered within him, by an act of quamplures longe antea serio praeparatas in partibus Tusciae sacrilegious daring he caused them to be captured; during their seizure maritimis insidiis positis contra eos, some of the prelates and others were drowned, a number were killed, some ut gravius posset virus vomere praeconceptum, ipsos ausu sacrilego were put to flight and pursued, and the rest were stripped of all their capi fecit, quibusdam praelatorum possessions, ignominiously led from place to place to the kingdom of ipsorum et aliis in huiusmodi captione submersis, nonnullis etiam Sicily, and there harshly imprisoned. Some of them, overcome by the filth interemptis et aliquibus hostili and beset by hunger, perished miserably. insecutione fugatis, reliquis autem bonis spoliatis omnibus et de loco ad locum in regnum Siciliae opprobriose deductis ac ibidem diris carceribus mancipatis. Quorum aliqui macerati squaloribus et inedia pressi miserabiliter defecerunt. Furthermore, he has deservedly become suspect of heresy. For, after he had Merito insuper contra eum de haeretica pravitate suspicio est incurred the sentence of excommunication pronounced against him by the exorta, cum postquam aforesaid John, bishop of Sabina, and cardinal Thomas, after the said pope excommunicationis sententiam a praefatis Ioanne episcopo Sabinensi Gregory had laid him under anathema, and after the capture of cardinals of et Thomasio cardinali prolatam the Roman church, prelates, clerics and others coming at different times to incurrit et dictus Gregorius papa ipsum anathematis vinculo innodavit, the apostolic see; he has despised and continues to despise the keys of the ac post ecclesiae Romanae church, causing the sacred rites to be celebrated or rather, as far as in him cardinalium, praelatorum et clericorum ac aliorum etiam diversis lies, to be profaned, and he has consistently asserted, as said above, that he temporibus ad sedem apostolicam does not fear the condemnations of the aforesaid pope Gregory. Besides, he venientium captionem, claves ecclesiae contempserit et is joined in odious friendship with the Saracens; several times he has sent contemnat, sibi faciens celebrari vel envoys and gifts to them, and receives the like from them in return with potius quantum in eo est prophanari divina, et constanter asseveraverit, expressions of honour and welcome; he embraces their rites; he openly ut superius est narratum, se praefati keeps them with him in his daily services; and, following their customs, he Gregorii papae sententias non vereri. Praeterea coniunctus amicitia does not blush to appoint as guards, for his wives descended from royal detestabili Sarracenis, nuntios et stock, eunuchs whom it is seriously said he has had castrated. And what is munera pluries destinavit eisdem et ab eis vicissim cum honorificentia et more loathsome, when he was in the territory overseas, after he had made ilaritate recepit ipsorum que ritus an agreement, or rather had come to a wicked understanding with the amplectitur, illos in cotidianis eius obsequiis notabiliter se cum tenens, sultan, he allowed the name of Mahomet to be publicly proclaimed day and eorumdem etiam more uxoribus night in the Lord’s temple. Recently, after the sultan of Babylon and his quas habuit de stirpe regia descendentibus, eunuchos, followers had brought serious loss and untold injury to the holy Land and praecipue quos, ut dicitur serio, its christian inhabitants, he caused the envoys of the sultan to be castrari fecerat, non erubuit deputare custodes. Et quod honourably received and lavishly entertained throughout the kingdom of execrabilius est, olim exsistens in 104 Sicily with, it is said, every mark of honour being paid to the sultan. Using partibus transmarinis, facta compositione quadam, immo the deadly and hateful service of other unbelievers against the faithful, and collusione verius cum soldano, securing a bond by friendship and marriage with those who, wickedly Machometi nomen in templo Domini diebus et noctibus publice proclamari making light of the apostolic see, have separated from the unity of the permisit. Et nuper nuntios soldani church, he brought about by assassins the death of the famous duke Ludwig Babiloniae, postquam idem soldanus 16 Terrae sanctae ac christianis of Bavaria , who was specially devoted to the Roman church, with habitatoribus eius per se ac suos disregard of the christian religion, and he gave his daughter in marriage to damna gravissima et inaestimabiles 17 iniurias irrogarat, fecit per regnum Vatatzes , that enemy of God and the church who, together with his Siciliae cum laudibus ad eiusdem counsellors and supporters, was solemnly separated by excommunication soldani extollentiam, sicut fertur, honorifice suscipi et magnifice from the communion of the faithful. procurari. Aliorum quoque infidelium perniciosis et horrendis obsequiis contra fideles abutens et illis qui damnabiliter vilipendentes apostolicam sedem ab unitate ecclesiae discesserunt, procurans affinitate ac amicitia copulari, clarae memoriae Ludovicum ducem Bavariae, specialem ecclesiae Romanae devotum, fecit, sicut pro certo asseritur, christiana religione despecta per assasinos occidi, et Batatio, Dei et ecclesiae inimico a communione fidelium per excommunicationis sententiam cum adiutoribus, consiliatoribus et fautoribus suis solemniter separato, filiam suam tradidit in uxorem. Rejecting the customs and actions of christian princes and heedless of Catholicorum vero principum actus et mores respuens, neglector salutis salvation and reputation, he gives no attention to works of piety. Indeed to et famae, pietatis operibus non say nothing of his wicked acts of destruction, though he has learnt to intendit. Quin immo, ut de suis nefariis dissolutionibus sileamus, oppress, he does not care mercifully to relieve the oppressed, and instead of cum didicerit opprimere, non curat holding out his hand in charity, as befits a prince, he sets about the oppressos misericorditer relevare, manu eius, ut decet principem, ad destruction of churches and crushes religious and other ecclesiastical eleemosynas non extenta, cum persons by constant affliction. Nor is he seen to have built churches, destructioni ecclesiarum institerit et religiosas ac alias ecclesiasticas iugi monasteries, hospitals or other pious places. Surely these are not light but attriverit afflictione personas; nec convincing proofs for suspecting him of heresy? The civil law declares that ecclesias nec monasteria nec hospitalia seu alia pia loca cernitur those are to be regarded as heretics, and ought to be subject to the construxisse. Nonne igitur haec non sentences issued against them, who even on slight evidence are found to levia, sed efficacia sunt argumenta de suspicione haeresis contra eum? have strayed from the judgment and path of the catholic religion. Besides cum tamen haereticorum vocabulo this the kingdom of Sicily, which is the special patrimony of blessed Peter illos ius civile contineri asserat et latis adversus eos sententiis debere and which Frederick held as a fief from the apostolic see, he has reduced to succumbere, qui vel levi argumento such a state of utter desolation and servitude, with regard to both clergy a iudicio catholicae religionis et tramite detecti fuerint deviare. and laity, that these have practically nothing at all; and as nearly all upright Praeter haec regnum Siciliae, quod people have been driven out, he has forced those who remain to live in an est speciale patrimonium beati Petri et idem princeps ab apostolica sede almost servile condition and to wrong in many ways and attack the Roman tenebat in feudum, iam ad tantam in church, of which in the first place they are subjects and vassals. He could clericis et laicis exinanitionem servitutem que redegit, quod eis also be rightly blamed because for more than nine years he has failed to paene penitus nihil habentibus et pay the annual pension of a thousand gold pieces, which he is bound to pay omnibus exinde fere probis eiectis, illos qui remanserunt ibidem sub to the Roman church for this kingdom. servili quasi conditione vivere ac Romanam ecclesiam, cuius principaliter sunt homines et vassalli, offendere multipliciter et hostiliter impugnare compellit. Posset etiam

16 Ludwig I, duke of Bavaria (1183-1231)

17 John III Vatatzes, Greek emperor in the east (1222-1254) 105 merito reprehendi, quod mille squifatorum annuam pensionem, in qua pro eodem regno ipsi ecclesiae Romanae tenetur, per novem annos et amplius solvere praetermisit. We therefore, after careful discussion with our brother cardinals and the Nos itaque super praemissis et quam pluribus aliis eius nefandis sacred council on his wicked transgressions already mentioned and many excessibus cum fratribus nostris et more besides, since though unworthy we hold on earth the place of Jesus sacro concilio deliberatione praehabita diligenti, cum Iesu Christi Christ, and to us in the person of the blessed apostle Peter has been said, vices licet immeriti teneamus in whatever you bind on earth etc., denounce the said prince, who has made terris nobis que in beati Petri apostoli persona sit dictum: quodcumque himself so unworthy of the empire and kingdoms and every honour and ligaveris super terram et cetera, dignity and who also, because of his crimes, has been cast out by God from memoratum principem, qui se imperio et regnis omni que honore ac kingdom and empire; we mark him out as bound by his sins, an outcast and dignitate reddidit tam indignum, qui deprived by our Lord of every honour and dignity; and we deprive him of que propter suas iniquitates a Deo ne regnet vel imperet est abiectus, them by our sentence. We absolve from their oath for ever all those who suis ligatum peccatis et abiectum are bound to him by an oath of loyalty, firmly forbidding by our apostolic omni que honore ac dignitate privatum a Domino ostendimus, authority anyone in the future to obey or heed him as emperor or king, and denuntiamus ac nihilominus decreeing that anyone who henceforth offers advice, help or favour to him sententiando privamus, omnes qui ei iuramento fidelitatis tenentur as to an emperor or king, automatically incurs excommunication. Let those adstricti, a iuramento huiusmodi whose task it is to choose an emperor in the same empire, freely choose a perpetuo absolventes, auctoritate apostolica firmiter inhibendo, ne successor to him. With regard to the aforesaid kingdom of Sicily, we shall quisquam de cetero sibi tamquam take care to provide, with the counsel of our brother cardinals, as we see to imperatori vel regi pareat vel intendat, et decernendo quoslibet, be expedient. qui deinceps ei velut imperatori aut regi consilium vel auxilium praestiterint seu favorem, ipso facto excommunicationis vinculo subiacere. Illi autem, ad quos in eodem imperio imperatoris spectat electio, eligant libere successorem. De praefato vero Siciliae regno providere curabimus cum eorumdem fratrum nostrorum consilio, sicut viderimus expedire. Given at Lyons on 17 July in the third year of our pontificate. Da(tum) Lugduni, XVI. Kal(endas) augusti, pontificatus nostri anno tertio. CONSTITUTIONS I 1.On rescripts Since in many articles of law failure to define their scope is blameworthy, Cum in multis iuris articulis infinitas reprobetur provide duximus after prudent consideration we decree that by the general clause “certain statuendum ut per generalem others” which frequently occurs in papal letters, no more than three or four clausulam quidam alii quae frequenter in litteris nostris inseritur persons are to be brought to court. The petitioner should state the names in ultra tres vel quatuor in iudicium non his first citation, lest by chance a place is left for fraud if the names can be trahantur. Quorum nomina in primo citatorio exprimat impetrator ne freely altered . fraudi locus forsitan relinquatur si circa ea possit libere variare. 2. Those to whom cases should be entrusted

106 By the present decree we ordain that the apostolic see or its legates should Praesenti decreto duximus providendum ne a sede apostolica not entrust cases to any persons except those who possess a dignity or vel legatis ipsius causae aliquibus belong to cathedrals or other collegiate churches of high standing; and such committantur nisi personis quae vel dignitate sint praeditae vel in cases are to be conducted only in cities or large and well-known places ecclesiis cathedralibus seu aliis where are to be found many men learned in the law. Judges who, contrary collegiatis honorabilibus institutae nec alibi quam in civitatibus vel locis to this statute, cite either one or both parties to other places may be magnis et insignibus ubi haberi disobeyed without penalty, unless the citation takes place with the consent valeat iuris copia peritorum causae huiusmodi agitentur. Iudicibus vero of both parties. qui contra hoc statutum ad alia loca alterutram partium citaverint vel utramque non pareatur impune nisi citatio de communi utriusque partis processerit voluntate. 3. Curtailing legal expenses As we wish, to the best of our power, to curtail the expenses of lawsuits by Dispendia litium aequitatis compendio volentes qua possumus shortening the legal process, extending the decree of Innocent III of happy industria coarctare statutum felicis memory on this matter, we decree that if anyone wishes to bring several recordationis Innocentii papae tertii super hoc editum ampliantes personal claims against another, he must be careful to gain letters on all decrevimus ut si quis contra alium these claims to the same judges and not to different ones. If anyone acts plures personales movere voluerit quaestiones non ad diversos iudices contrary to this, his letters and the processes initiated by them are to lack sed ad eosdem super omnibus all validity; besides if he has caused inconvenience to the defendant by huiusmodi quaestionibus litteras studeat impetrare. Qui vero them, he is to be condemned to pay the legal expenses. Also if the contrarium fecerit omni commodo defendant during the course of the same trial declares that he has a charge careat litterarum nec processus valeat habitus per easdem alias si against the plaintiff, he ought, through benefit either of reconvention or of eum per ipsas fatigaverit in expensis convention, if he prefers to obtain letters against him, to have his case tried legitimis condemnetur. Reus quoque si eodem durante iudicio actorem before the same judges, unless he can reject them as being suspect. If he sibi obnoxium dixerit reconventionis acts contrary to this, he should suffer the same penalty. beneficio vel conventionis si litteras contra eum impetrare maluerit de iure suo debet apud eosdem iudices experiri nisi eos ut suspectos poterit recusare simili poena si contrafecerit puniendus. 4. On challenging elections etc. We decree that if anyone attacks an election, postulation or provision Statuimus ut si quis electionem postulationem vel provisionem already made, bringing some objection to the form or the person, and factam impugnat in formam obiciens should happen to appeal to us in this matter, both the objector and the aliquid vel personam et propter hoc ad nos appellari contingat tam is qui defendant, and in general all those who are concerned and whom the case opponit quam qui defendit et affects, either by themselves or by their procurators instructed for the case, generaliter omnes quorum interest et quos causa contingit per se vel per should make their way to the apostolic see within a month of the lodging of procuratores ad causam instructos the objection. But if one party does not come after twenty days, and the ad sedem apostolicam a die obiectionis iter arripiant infra other party has arrived and is waiting, the case about the election may mensem. Sed si pars aliqua non proceed according to law, notwithstanding the absence of anyone. We wish venerit post viginti dies post adventum alterius partis exspectata and command that this is to be observed in dignities parsonages and in electionis negotio non obstante canonries. We also add that anyone who does not fully prove the objection cuiusquam absentia sicut de iure fuerit procedetur. Haec autem in he has brought regarding the form, shall be condemned to pay the expenses dignitatibus personatibus et which the other party claims to have incurred on this account. But anyone canonicis observari volumus et mandamus. Adicimus etiam ut qui who fails to prove his objection against the person, should know that he is non plene probaverit quod in forma suspended from ecclesiastical benefices for three years, and if within that opponit ad expensas quas propter hoc pars altera fecisse docuerit time he continues to act with similar reckless conduct, that by the law itself condemnetur. Qui vero in probatione he is deprived of these benefices for ever, and he is to have no hope or defecerit eius quod in personam obicit a beneficiis ecclesiasticis confidence of mercy in this matter, unless it is established by the clearest triennio noverit se suspensum. Atque proof that a probable and sufficient cause excuses him from a malicious si infra illud tempus propria se temeritate ingesserit tunc illis ipso accusation. iure perpetuo sit privatus nullam super hoc de misericordia spem aut fiduciam habiturus nisi 107 manifestissimis constiterit documentis quod ipsum a calumniae vitio causa probabilis et sufficiens excuset. 5. Only unconditional votes valid In elections, postulations and ballots, from which the right of election In electionibus et postulationibus ac scrutiniis ex quibus ius oritur eligendi arises, we completely disapprove of conditional, alternative and indefinite vota conditionalia alternativa et votes, and we decree that the said votes are to be held invalid, and that the incerta penitus reprobamus statuentes ut huiusmodi votis pro election is to be determined by unconditional votes; for the power of non adiectis habitis ex puris decision of those who do not express a clear opinion is transferred to the consensibus celebretur electio voce illorum qui non pure consenserint ea others . vice in alios recidente. 6. Jurisdiction of conservators We decree that conservators, whom we frequently appoint, may defend Statuimus ut conservatores quos plerumque concedimus a manifestis from manifest injury and violence those whom we entrust to their iniuriis et violentiis defendere possint protection, but that their power does not extend to other matters which quos eis committimus defendendos nec ad alia quae iudicialem require a judicial investigation. indaginem exigunt suam valeant extendere potestatem. 7. Legates and benefices We are required by our office to watch for remedies for our subjects, Officii nostri debitum remediis invigilat subiectorum quia dum because while we relieve their burdens and remove their stumbling blocks, eorum excutimus onera dum so we rest in their ease and enjoy their peace. Therefore we enact by the scandala removemus nos in ipsorum quiete quiescimus et fovemur in present decree that legates of the Roman church, however much they hold pace. Proinde praesenti decreto the full power of legates whether they have been sent by us or claim the statuimus ut ecclesiae Romanae legati quantumcumque plenam dignity of that office on behalf of their own churches, have no power from legationem obtineant sive a nobis the office of legate of conferring benefices, unless we have judged that this missi fuerint sive suarum ecclesiarum praetextu legationis sibi is specially to be granted to a particular one. We do not, however, wish this vendicent dignitatem ex ipsius restriction to hold with our brother cardinals while acting as legates, legationis munere conferendi beneficia nullam habeant potestatem because just as they rejoice in a prerogative of honour, so we wish them to nisi hoc alicui specialiter duxerimus exercise a wider authority. indulgendum. Quod tamen in fratribus nostris legatione fungentibus nolumus observari quia sicut honoris praerogativa laetantur sic eos auctoritate fungi volumus ampliori. 8. Judge delegates The law seems to be clear that a judge delegate, unless he has received a Iuris esse ambiguum non videtur iudicem delegatum qui a sede special concession for the purpose from the apostolic see, cannot order apostolica ad hoc mandatum non either of the parties to appear in person before him, unless it be a criminal receperit speciale iubere non posse alterutram partium coram se case or, in order to obtain a statement of the truth or an oath regarding personaliter in iudicio comparere nisi calumny, the necessity of the law demands that the parties appear before causa fuerit criminalis vel nisi pro veritate dicenda vel iuramento him. calumniae faciendo iuris necessitas partes coram eo personaliter exegerit praesentari. 9. On peremptory exceptions The objection of a peremptory exception or of any major defence Exceptionis peremptoriae seu defensionis cuiuslibet principalis concerning the trial of a case, raised before the contestation of the suit, cognitionem negotii continentis ante shall not prevent or hold up the contestation, unless the objector makes an litem contestatam obiectus nisi de re iudicata vel transacta seu finita exception concerning a matter already judged or concluded or brought to a excipiat litigator litis contestationem solution, even though the objector says that the rescript would not have fieri non impediat nec retardet licet dicat obiector non fuisse rescriptum been granted if the grantor had been aware of the things which are adverse obtentum si quae sunt impetranti to the plaintiff. opposita fuissent exposita deleganti. 10. The objection of robbery

108 We are well aware of the frequent and persistent complaint that the Frequens et assidua nos querela circumstrepit quod spoliationis exception of robbery, sometimes maliciously introduced in trials, hinders exceptio nonnumquam in iudiciis and confuses ecclesiastical cases. For while the exception is admitted, calumniose proposita causas ecclesiasticas impedit et perturbat. sometimes appeals are introduced. Thus the hearing of the chief case is Dum enim exceptioni insistitur interrupted and often comes to nothing. Thus we who are ever ready to take appellationes interponi contingit. Et sic intermittitur et plerumque labours upon ourselves so that we may win peace for others, wishing to perimitur causae cognitio principalis. limit lawsuits and to remove material for malicious accusations, decree that Et propterea nos qui voluntarios labores appetimus ut quietem aliis in civil suits a judge is not to hold up the proceedings of the major issue on praeparemus finem litibus cupientes account of an objection of robbery brought by anyone except the plaintiff. imponi et calumniae materiam amputari statuimus ut in civilibus But if the defendant declares in civil suits that he has been robbed by the negotiis spoliationis obiectione quae plaintiff, or in criminal cases by anyone at all, then he must prove his ab alio quam ab actore facta proponitur iudex in principali assertion within fifteen days after the day on which the claim is put procedere non postponat. Sed si in forward; otherwise he is to be condemned to pay the expenses which the civilibus ab actore in criminalibus autem se spoliatum reus asserat a plaintiff has incurred on this account, after a judicial estimate has been quocumque infra quindecim dierum made, or let him be punished otherwise if the judge thinks right. By the spatium post diem in quo proponitur quod asseruit comprobabit alioquin word “robbed” we wish to be understood in this case a criminal accusation in expensis quas actor interim ob hoc whereby someone declares that he has been stripped by violence of all his fecerit iudiciali taxatione praehabita condemnetur. Alias si aequum iudici substance or a greater part of it. This we think is the only honest visum fuerit puniendus. Illum autem interpretation of the canons, for we ought not to meet our opponents either spoliatum intelligi volumus in hoc casu cum criminaliter accusatur qui naked or without arms. For the one stripped has the advantage that he tota substantia sua vel maiori parte cannot be stripped again. Among the schoolmen the matter is debated, ipsius per violentiam se destitutum affirmat. Et secundum hoc loqui whether one who has been robbed by a third party can bring an exception canones sano credendum est against his accuser, or whether a time should be granted him by the judge intellectu quia nec nudi contendere nec inermes inimicis opponere non within which he should ask for restitution, lest perchance he should wish to debemus. Habet enim spoliatus continue in this state in order to evade every accuser, and this we think is privilegium ut non possit exui iam nudatus. Solet autem inter fully according to justice. If he does not seek restitution within the time scholasticos dubitari si spoliatus a granted, or does not bring his case to a conclusion even though he could do tertio de spoliatione contra suum so, then he can be accused regardless of the exception of robbery. In accusatorem excipiat an ei tempus a iudice debeat indulgeri infra quod addition to this we decree that robbery of private goods cannot in any way restitutionem imploret. Ne forte sic be brought up against one for ecclesiastics or vice versa. velit exsistere ut omnem accusatorem eludat quod satis aequitati consonum aestimamus. Et si infra tempus indultum restitutionem non petierit et causam cum potuerit non perduxerit ad finem non obstante spoliationis exceptione deinceps poterit accusari. Ad haec sancimus ut rerum privatarum spoliatio agenti super ecclesiasticis vel e nullatenus apponatur. 11. No-show plaintiffs A plaintiff who does not take the trouble to come on the date for which he Actor qui venire ad terminum ad quem citari adversarium fecerat non has caused his appeal to be cited, should be condemned on his arrival to curavit venienti reo in expensis pay the expenses incurred by the defendant on account of this, and he is not propter hoc factis legitime condemnetur ad citationem aliam to be admitted to another citation unless he gives a sufficient surety that he nisi sufficienter caveat quod in will appear on the date. termino compareat minime admittendus. 12. On early possession for the sake of preservation

109 We decree that a person who, in order to obtain a dignity, parsonage or Eum qui super dignitate personatu vel beneficio ecclesiastico obtinendis ecclesiastical benefice, brings a suit against the possessor, may not be cum alio litigat possessore ob partis admitted to possession of it for the sake of its preservation, on the grounds adversae contumaciam causa rei servandae in ipsorum possessionem of the other’s contumacy; this is to prevent his entering upon it from statuimus non mittendum ne per hoc appearing irregular. But in this case the divine presence may make up for ad ea ingressus patere valeat vitiosus sed liceat in hoc casu the absence of the contumacious one, so that though the suit is not opposed, contumacis absentiam divina the matter may be brought to the proper conclusion after a careful replente praesentia etiam lite non contestata diligenter examinato examination. negotio ipsum fine debito terminare. 13. On the acceptability of negative assertions We decree that negative assertions, which can only be proved by the Statuimus ut positiones negativas quae probari non possunt nisi per admission of the opponent, may be accepted by the judges if they see this confessionem adversarii iudices to be expedient in the interests of equity. admittere possint si aequitate suadente viderint expedire. 14. The exception of major excommunication After due consideration our holy mother the church decrees that the Pia consideratione statuit mater ecclesia quod maioris exception of a major excommunication should hold up the suit and delay excommunicationis exceptio in the agents, in whatever part of the proceedings it is produced. Thus quacumque parte iudiciorum opposita lites differat et repellat ecclesiastical censure will be the more feared, the danger of communion agentes ut ex hoc magis censura avoided, the vice of contumacy checked, and those excommunicated, while ecclesiastica timeatur et communionis periculum evitetur they are excluded from the acts of the community, may the more easily be contumaciae vitium reprimatur et brought, through a sense of shame, to the grace of humility and excommunicati dum a communibus actibus excluduntur rubore suffusi ad reconciliation. But with the growth of human evil what was provided as a humilitatis gratiam et reconciliationis remedy has turned to harm. For while in ecclesiastical cases this exception effectum facilius inclinentur. Sed hominum succrescente malitia quod is frequently brought up through malice, it happens that business is delayed provisum est ad remedium transit ad and the parties worn out by toil and expense. Therefore, since this has crept noxas. Dum enim in causis ecclesiasticis frequentius haec in like a general plague, we think it right to apply a general remedy. Thus if exceptio per malitiam opponatur anyone brings up the objection of excommunication, he should set out the contingit differri negotia et partes fatigari laboribus et expensis. kind of excommunication and the name of the person who imposed the Proinde quia morbus iste quasi penalty. He must know that he is bringing the matter into public notice, and communis irrepsit dignum duximus communem adhibere medelam. Si he must prove it with the clearest evidence within eight days, not counting quis igitur excommunicationem the day on which he brings it forward. If he does not prove it, the judge opponat speciem ipsius et nomen excommunicatoris exponat sciturus should not fail to proceed in the case, condemning the accused to repay the eam rem se deferre in publicam sum which the plaintiff shows he has incurred, after an estimate has been notionem quam infra octo dierum spatium die in quo proponitur made. If however later, while the hearing continues and the proof is minime computato probare valeat progressing, an exception is made either with regard to the same apertissimis documentis. Quod si non probaverit iudex in causa procedere excommunication or another and is proved, the plaintiff is to be excluded non omittat reum in expensis quas from the proceedings until he has deserved to gain the grace of absolution, actor ob hoc diebus illis se fecisse docuerit praehabita taxatione and all that has gone before shall nevertheless be regarded as valid; condemnans. Si vero postmodum provided that this exception is not put forward more than twice, unless a instantia durante iudicii et probandi copia succedente de eadem new excommunication has arisen or a clear and ready proof has come to excommunicatione vel alia excipiatur light concerning the old. If such an exception is brought forward after the iterum et probetur actor in case has been decided though it will prevent the execution it will not sequentibus excludatur donec meruerit absolutionis gratiam weaken the verdict, with the qualification that, if the plaintiff has been obtinere his quae praecesserunt publicly excommunicated, and the judge knows this at any time, then even nihilominus in suo robore duraturis. Proviso ut ultra duas vices non haec if the accused shall not make an exception on this score, the judge should proponatur exceptio praeterquam si not delay in removing the plaintiff from his office. excommunicatio nova emerserit vel evidens et prompta probatio supervenerit de antiqua. Sed si post rem iudicatam talis exceptio proponatur executionem impediet sed sententia quae praecessit non minus robur debitum obtinebit eo tamen salvo ut si actor excommunicatus sit publice et hoc 110 iudex noverit quandocumque etsi de hoc reus non excipiat iudex actorem ex suo officio repellere non postponat. 15. On Judges Who Give Dishonest Judgment Since before the judgment seat of the eternal king a person will not be held Cum aeterni principis tribunal illum reum non habeat quem iniuste iudex guilty when a judge unjustly condemns him, according to the words of the condemnat testante propheta nec prophet, the Lord will not condemn him when he is judged, ecclesiastical damnabit eum cum iudicabitur illi caveant ecclesiastici iudices et judges must take care and be on the watch that in the process of justice prudenter attendant ut in causarum dislike has no power, favour does not take an undue place, fear is banished, processibus nihil vendicet odium nihil vel favor usurpet timor exsulet and reward or hope of reward does not overturn justice. Let them bear the praemium aut expectatio praemii scales in their hands and weigh with an equal balance, so that in all that is iustitiam non evertat. Sed stateram gestent in manibus lances appendant done in the court, especially in forming and giving the verdict, they may aequo libramine ut in omnibus quae have God only before their eyes following the example of him who when in causis agenda fuerint praesertim in concipiendis sententiis et ferendis entering the tabernacle referred the complaints of the people to the Lord to prae oculis habeant solum deum judge according to his command. If any ecclesiastical judge, whether illius imitantes exemplum qui querelas populi tabernaculum ordinary or delegated, careless of his reputation and seeking his own ingressus ad dominum referebat ut honour, acts against his conscience and justice in any way to the injury of secundum eius imperium iudicaret. Si quis autem iudex ecclesiasticus one party in his judgment, whether from favour or from base motives, let ordinarius aut delegatus famae him know that he is suspended from the exercise of his office for a year prodigus et proprii persecutor honoris contra conscientiam et and he is to be condemned to pay to the injured party the damages contra iustitiam in gravamen partis incurred; further, let him know that if during the period of his suspension alterius in iudicio quicquam fecerit per gratiam vel per sordes ab he sacrilegiously takes part in the sacred rites of the church, he is caught in executione officii per annum noverit the noose of irregularity according to the canonical sanctions, from which se suspensum ad aestimationem litis parti quam laeserit nihilominus he can be freed only by the apostolic see, saving the other constitutions condemnandus sciturus quod si which assign and inflict punishment on judges who give dishonest suspensione durante damnabiliter ingesserit se divinis irregularitatis judgment. For it is right that he who dares to offend in so many ways laqueo se involvet secundum should suffer a multiple penalty. canonicas sanctiones a quo nonnisi per sedem poterit apostolicam liberari salvis aliis constitutionibus quae iudicibus male iudicantibus poenas gerunt et infligunt. Dignum est etenim ut qui in tot praesumit offendere poena multiplici castigetur. 16. On appeals It is our earnest wish to lessen lawsuits and to relieve subjects of their Cordi nobis est lites minuere et a laboribus relevare subiectos. troubles. Therefore we decree that if anyone thinks that he should appeal to Sancimus igitur ut si quis in iudicio us in a court of law or outside it because of an interlocutory decree or a vel extra super interlocutoria vel gravamine ad nos duxerit grievance, let him at once put in writing the reason for his appeal, seeking a appellandum causam appellationis in writ which we order to be granted him. In this writ the judge is to declare scriptis assignare deproperet petens apostolos quos ei praecipimus the reason for the appeal, and why the appeal has not been granted or exhiberi. In quibus appellationis whether it was granted out of respect for a superior. After this let time be causam iudex exprimat et cur appellatio non sit admissa vel si granted to the appellant, according to distance and the nature of the persons appellationi forsitan ex superioris and the business, to follow up his appeal. If the appellee wishes it and the reverentia sit delatum. Post haec appellatori secundum locorum principals petition for it, let them approach the apostolic see, either by distantiam personarum et negotii themselves or through agents who have been instructed and given a qualitatem tempore prosecutionis indulto si appellatus voluerit et commission to act, bringing with them the reasons and documents relating principales petierint per se vel per to the case. Let them come so prepared that if it seems good to us, when the procuratores instructos cum mandato ad agendum rationibus et matter of the appeal has been dealt with or committed to the parties for munimentis ad causam spectantibus agreement, the principal case may proceed, insofar as it can and should by accedant ad sedem apostolicam sic parati ut si nobis visum fuerit law; without however any change in what tradition has ordained about expedire finito appellationis articulo appeals from definitive sentences. If the appellant does not observe the vel partium voluntati comisso procedatur in negotio principali above provisions, he is not to be reckoned an appellant and he must return quantum poterit et de iure debebit his quae in appellationibus a 111 to the examination of the former judge, and is to be condemned to pay the definitivis sententiis interpositis antiquitas statuit non mutatis. Quod legitimate expenses. If the appellee disregards this statute, he shall be si appellator quae praemissa sunt proceeded against as contumacious, as regards both the costs and the case, non observet reputabitur non appellans et ad prioris iudicis redibit in so far as this is allowed by the law. Indeed it is right that the laws should examen in expensis legitimis raise their hands against someone who mocks the law, judge and litigant. condemnandus. Si autem appellatus contempserit hoc statutum in eum tamquam contumacem tam in expensis quam in causa quantum a iure permittitur procedatur. Iustum est equidem ut in eum iura consurgant qui ius iudicem et partem eludit. 17. On the same When reasonable grounds for suspicion have been noted against a judge, Legitima suspicionis causa contra iudicem assignata et arbitris a and arbitrators have been chosen by the parties according to the form of partibus secundum formam iuris law to investigate it, it often happens that when the two arbitrators fail to electis qui de ipsa cognoscant saepe contingit quod ipsis in idem agree and do not summon a third one, with whom both or one of them can convenire nolentibus nec tertium proceed to settle the matter as they are obliged, the judge brings a sentence advocantibus cum quo ambo vel alter eorum procedant ad decisionem of excommunication against them, which they through dislike or favour for ipsius negotii ut tenentur iudex long disregard. Thus the case itself, interrupted more than it should be, proferat excommunicationis sententiam contra eos quam ipsi tum does not proceed to a settlement of the principal business. As it is our wish propter odium tum propter favorem therefore to apply a necessary remedy for a disease of this nature, we diutius vilipendunt. Quare causa ipsa plus debito prorogata non proceditur decree that a fitting time-limit should be fixed by the judge for the two ad cognitionem negotii principalis. arbitrators, so that within it they may either agree or by consent summon a Volentes igitur morbo huiusmodi necessariam adhibere medelam third one, with whom both or one of them may put an end to the suspicion. statuimus ut ipsis arbitris per Otherwise the judge thenceforth shall proceed in the principal business. iudicem competens terminus praefigatur infra quem in idem conveniant vel tertium concorditer advocent cum quo ambo vel alter ipsorum eiusdem suspicionis negotium terminare procurent. Alioquin iudex extunc in principali negotio procedere non omittat. 18. On employing assassins The son of God, Jesus Christ, for the redemption of the human race Pro humani redemptione generis de summis coelorum ad ima mundi descended from the height of heaven to the lowest part of the world and descendens et mortem tandem underwent a temporal death. But when after his resurrection he was about subiens temporalem dei filius Iesus Christus ne gregem sui pretio to ascend to his Father, that he might not leave the flock redeemed by his sanguinis gloriosi redemptum glorious blood without a shepherd, he entrusted its care to the blessed ascensurus post resurrectionem ad patrem absque pastore desereret apostle Peter, so that by the firmness of his own faith he might strengthen ipsius curam beato Petro apostolo ut others in the christian religion and kindle their minds with the ardour of suae stabilitate fidei ceteros in christiana religione firmaret eorum devotion to the works of their salvation. Hence we who by the will of our que mentes ad salutis suae opera Lord, though without merit of our own, have been made successors of this accenderet devotionis ardore commisit. Unde nos eiusdem apostoli apostle and hold on earth, though unworthy, the place of our Redeemer, effecti disponente domino licet should always be careful and vigilant in the guarding of that flock and be immeriti successores et ipsius redemptoris locum in terris forced to direct our thoughts continuously to the salvation of souls by quamquam indigne tenentes circa removing what is harmful and doing what is profitable. Thus casting off the gregis eiusdem custodiam sollicitis excitari vigiliis et animarum saluti sleep of negligence and with the eyes of our heart ever vigilant, we may be iugis accensione cogitationis able to win souls to God with the cooperation of his grace. Since therefore intendere submovendo noxia et agendo profutura debemus ut there are people who with a terrible inhumanity and loathsome cruelty excusso a nobis negligentiae somno thirst for the death of others and cause them to be killed by assassins, and nostri que cordis oculis diligentia sedula vigilantibus animas ipsas deo thus bring about not only the death of the body but also of the soul, unless lucrifacere sua nobis cooperante the abundant divine grace prevents it, we wish to meet such danger to gratia valeamus. Cum igitur illi qui sic horrenda inhumanitate souls, so that the victims may be defended beforehand by spiritual arms detestanda que saevitia mortem and all power may be bestowed by God for justice and the exercise of right sitiunt aliorum ut ipsos faciant per assassinos occidi non solum 112 judgment, and to strike those wicked and reckless people with the sword of corporum sed mortem procurent etiam animarum nisi eas exuberans ecclesiastical punishment, so that the fear of punishment may set a limit to gratia divina praevenerit ut sint their audacity. We do so especially since some persons of high standing, armis spiritualibus praemuniti ac omnis potestas tribuatur a domino fearing to be killed in such a way, are forced to beg for their own safety ad iustitiam rectum que iudicium from the master of these assassins, and thus so to speak to redeem their life exercendum nos tanto periculo volentes occurrere animarum et tam in a way that is an insult to christian dignity. Therefore, with the approval nefarios praesumptores of the sacred council, we decree that if any prince, prelate or any ecclesiasticae animadversionis mucrone ferire ut metus poenae ecclesiastical or secular person shall cause the death of any Christian by meta huiusmodi praesumptionis such assassins, or even command it -- even though death does not follow exsistat praesertim cum nonnulli magnates taliter perimi formidantes from this-or receives, defends or hides such persons, he automatically coacti fuerint securitatem ab incurs the sentence of excommunication and of deposition from dignity, eorumdem assasinorum domino impetrare sic que. Ab eo non absque honour, order, office and benefice, and these are to be conferred on others christianae dignitatis opprobrio by those who have the right to do so. Let such a one with all his worldly redimere quodammodo vitam suam sacri concilii approbatione statuimus goods be cast out for ever by all christian people as an enemy of religion, ut quicumque princeps praelatus seu and after it has been established by reasonable evidence that so loathsome a quaelibet alia ecclesiastica seu saecularis persona quempiam crime has been committed, no other sentence of excommunication, christianorum per praedictos deposition or rejection shall in any way be needed. assasinos interfici fecerit vel etiam mandaverit quamquam mors ex hoc forsitan non prosequatur aut eos receptaverit vel defenderit seu occultaverit excommunicationis et depositionis a dignitate honore ordine officio et beneficio incurrat sententias ipso facto et ista libere aliis per illos ad quos illorum collatio pertinet conferantur. Sit etiam cum suis bonis mundanis omnibus tamquam christianae religionis aemulus a toto christiano populo perpetuo diffidatus et postquam probabilibus constiterit documentis aliquod scelus tam execrabile commisisse nullatenus alia excommunicationis vel depositionis seu diffidationis adversus eum sententia requiratur. 19. On excommunication 1 Since the aim of excommunication is healing and not death, correction and Cum medicinalis sit excommunicatio non mortalis disciplinans non not destruction, as long as the one against whom it is pronounced does not eradicans dum tamen is in quem lata treat it with contempt, let an ecclesiastical judge proceed with caution, so fuerit non contemnat caute provideat iudex ecclesiasticus ut in ea ferenda that in pronouncing It he may be seen as one who acts with a correcting ostendat se prosequi quod and healing hand. Whoever pronounces an excommunication, therefore, corrigentis est et medentis. Quisquis ergo excommunicat in scriptis should do this in writing and should write down expressly the reason why proferat et causam expresse the excommunication was pronounced. He is bound to hand over a copy of conscribat propter quam excommunicatio proferatur. this written document to the one excommunicated within a month after the Exemplum vero scripturae huiusmodi date of sentence, if requested to do so. As to this request, we wish a public teneatur excommunicato tradere infra mensem post diem sententiae document to be drawn up or testimonial letters to be furnished, sealed with si fuerit requisitus. Super qua an official seal. If any judge rashly violates this constitution, let him know requisitione fieri volumus publicum instrumentum vel literas that he is suspended for one month from entering a church or attending testimoniales confici sigillo divine services. The superior to whom the one excommunicated has authentico consignatas. Si quis autem iudicum huiusmodi recourse, should readily remove the excommunication and condemn the constitutionis temerarius violator judge who pronounced it to repay the expenses and all losses, or punish exsistat per mensem unum ab ingressu ecclesiae et divinis noverit him in other ways with a fitting penalty, so that judges may learn by the se suspensum. Superior vero ad lesson of punishment how serious it is to hurl the bolt of excommunication quem recurritur sententiam ipsam sine difficultate relaxans latorem without due consideration. We wish the same to be observed in sentences excommunicationis ad expensas et of suspension and interdict. Let prelates of churches and all judges take omne interesse condemnet vel alias puniat animadversione condigna ut 113 care that they do not incur the foresaid penalty of suspension. But if it poena docente discant iudices quam grave sit excommunicationis happens that they take part m divine offices as before, they will not escape sententias sine maturitate debita irregularity according to the canonical sanctions, in a matter where fulminare. Et haec eadem in suspensionis et interdicti sententiis dispensation cannot be granted except by the sovereign pontiff. volumus observari. Caveant autem ecclesiarum praelati et iudices universi ne praedictam suspensionis poenam incurrant. Quod si contigerit eos divina officia prosequi sicut prius irregularitatem non effugiant iuxta canonicas sanctiones super qua nonnisi per summum pontificem poterit dispensari. 20. On excommunication 2 The question is sometimes asked whether, when a person who asks to be Solet a nonnullis in dubium revocari an cum aliquis per superiorem absolved by a superior by way of precaution, asserting that the sentence of absolvi postulat ad cautelam dum in excommunication pronounced against him is void, the act of absolution se latam excommunicationis sententiam asserit esse nullam sine should be performed for him without objection; and whether one who contradictionis obstaculo munus ei declares before such absolution that he will prove in a court of law that he debeat absolutionis impendi et an ante absolutionem huiusmodi qui se was excommunicated after a legitimate appeal, or that an intolerable offert in iudicio probaturum se post mistake was clearly expressed in the sentence, should be avoided in all appellationem legitimam excommunicatione innodatum vel things except in what concerns the proof. To the first question we decree intolerabilem errorem in sententia that the following is to be observed: absolution is not to be refused to the fuisse patenter expressum sit in ceteris excepto probationis illius petitioner, even though the pronouncer of the sentence or the adversary articulo evitandus. In prima igitur opposes it, unless he says that the petitioner was excommunicated for a dubitatione sic statuimus observandum ut petenti absolutio manifest offence, in which case a limit of eight days is to be granted to the non negetur quamvis in hoc one saying this. If he proves his objection, the sentence is not to be set excommunicator vel adversarius se opponat nisi eum excommunicatum aside unless there is sufficient guarantee of amendment or an adequate pro manifesta dicat offensa in quo assurance that the petitioner will appear in court if the offence with which casu terminus octo dierum indulgebitur sic dicenti. Ut si he is charged is still doubtful. To the second question, we decree that he probaverit quod opponit nec who is allowed to submit a proof, as long as the matter of proof is in relaxetur sententia nisi prius sufficiens praestetur emenda vel dispute, is to be avoided in all matters in the court in which he is engaged competens cautio de parendo si as an agent, but outside the court he may take part in offices, postulations, offensa dubia proponatur. In secunda vero quaestione statuimus ut is qui elections and other lawful acts. ad probandum admittitur pendente probationis articulo in ceteris quae ut actor in iudiciis acceptaverit interim evitetur extra iudicium vero in officiis postulationibus et electionibus et aliis legitimis actibus nihilominus admittatur. 21. On excommunication 3 We decree that no judge should presume to pronounce, before a canonical Statuimus ut nullus iudicum participantes cum excommunicatis warning, a sentence of major excommunication upon persons who ab eo in locutione et aliis quibus associate, in speech or other ways by which an associate incurs a minor ligatur participans excommunicatione minori ante excommunication, with persons already excommunicated by the judge; commonitionem canonicam saving those decrees which have legitimately been promulgated against excommunicare maiori praesumat salvis constitutionibus contra illos those who presume to associate with one condemned for grievous crime. legitime promulgatis qui in crimine But it the excommunicated person becomes hardened in speech or other praesumunt participare damnato. Quod si ex locutione et aliis quibus ways by which an associate incurs a minor excommunication, the judge participans labitur in minorem can, after canonical warning, condemn such associates with a similar excommunicaturus fortius indurescat poterit iudex post commonitionem censure. Otherwise excommunication pronounced against these associates canonicam huiusmodi participantes is not to have any binding power, and those who pronounce it may fear the consimili damnare censura. Aliter autem in participantes penalty of the law. excommunicatio prolata non teneat et proferentes poenam legitimam poterunt formidare. 22. On excommunication 4 114 Since there is danger that bishops and their superiors in the execution of Quia periculosum est episcopis et eorum superioribus propter their pontifical office, which is often their duty, may incur in some case an executionem pontificalis officii quod automatic sentence of interdict or suspension, we have thought it right, frequenter incumbit ut in aliquo casu interdicti vel suspensionis incurrant after careful consideration, to decree that bishops and other higher prelates sententiam ipso facto nos in no way incur, because of any decree, sentence or order, the aforesaid deliberatione provida duximus statuendum ut episcopi et alii sentence by reason of the law itself, unless there is express mention in them superiores praelati nullius of bishops and superiors. In the constitution Solet a nonnullis, previously constitutionis occasione sententiae seu mandati praedictam incurrant promulgated by us, it is laid down that when someone offers in court to sententiam nullatenus ipso iure nisi prove that a sentence of excommunication was passed against him after a in ipsis de episcopis et superioribus expressim mentio habeatur. Huic legitimate appeal, he is not to be avoided during the period of proof in etiam adicimus sanctioni ut illud matters which lie outside the court, such as elections, postulations and quod in constitutione solet a nonnullis a nobis hactenus offices. To this we add that this constitution should not be extended to the promulgata fuerat constitutum ut sentences of bishops and archbishops, but what was previously observed in cum aliquis se offert in iudicio probaturum post appellationem such actions should be observed in the future for these too. legitimam excommunicationis se sententia innodatum pendente probationis articulo in iis quae extra iudicium agitantur electionibus postulationibus officiis ac aliis actibus legitimis non debeat evitari ad episcoporum et archiepiscoporum sententias nullatenus extendatur sed illud obtineat in futurum quod olim in talibus actibus exstitit observatum. II [2.] 1. Management of church debts Our pastoral care incites and urges us to look to the interest of those Cura nos pastoralis sollicitat et hortatur ut lapsis consulamus churches which have fallen into debt, and to provide by a salutary ecclesiis et ne labantur in posterum constitution that this should not happen for the future. The abyss of usury provideamus constitutione salubri. Cum igitur usurarum vorago multas has almost destroyed many churches, and some prelates are found to be ecclesias paene destruxerit et very careless and remiss in the payment of debts, especially those nonnulli praelati circa solutionem debitorum praesertim a suis contracted by their predecessors, too ready to contract heavier debts and praedecessoribus contractorum mortgage the property of the church, slothful in guarding what has been negligentes inveniantur admodum et remissi ac ad contrahenda maiora acquired, and preferring to win praise for themselves by making some debita et obligandas res ecclesiae small innovation than to guard their possessions, recover what has been nimis proni desides etiam in custodiendis rebus inventis malentes thrown away, restore what is lost and repair damage. For this reason, so in propriam laudem modicum novi that they may not be able for the future to excuse themselves for an facere quam bona custodire dimissa recuperare deperdita restaurare ac inefficient administration and to throw the blame on their predecessors and resarcire ruinas nos ne de cetero se others, we lay down the following rules, with the approval of the present de administratione minus utili excusare ac in praedecessores sive council. Bishops, abbots, deans and others who exercise a lawful and alios fundere valeant culpam suam common administration, within one month after they have assumed office, praesentis concilii approbatione sancimus ut pontifices abbates having first informed their immediate superior, so that he may be present decani ceteri que legitimam et either in person or through some suitable and faithful ecclesiastical person, communem administrationem gerentes infra unum mensem in the presence of the chapter or convent especially summoned for this postquam administrationem adierint purpose, must see that an inventory is made of the goods that belong to the intimato prius proximo superiori ut per se. Vel per aliquam personam administration they have taken up. In this the movable and immovable ecclesiasticam idoneam et fidelem goods, books, charters, legal instruments, privileges, ornaments or fittings intersit praesentibus que capitulo vel conventu propter hoc specialiter of the church, and all things which belong to the equipment of the estate, evocatis inventarium rerum whether urban or rural, as well as debts and credits, are to be carefully administrationis susceptae confici faciant in quo mobilia et immobilia written down. Thus, what was the condition of the church or the libri chartae instrumenta privilegia administration when they took it up, how they governed it during their ornamenta seu paramenta ecclesiastica et cuncta quae ad incumbency, and what was its state when they laid it down by death or instructionem urbani fundi seu rustici withdrawal, may be clearly known to the superior, if necessary, and those pertinent necnon debita ac credita who are appointed for the service of the church. Archbishops who have no diligentissime conscribantur ut in quo statu ecclesiam vel administrationem 115 superior except the Roman pontiff, are to see to it that for this purpose they susceperint et procedente tempore gubernarint ac in morte vel cessione summon one of their suffragans, either in person or through another, as is dimiserint per superiorem si necesse expressed above, and abbots and other lesser exempt prelates, a fuerit et eos qui sunt ecclesiarum deputati servitiis liquido cognoscatur. neighbouring bishop, who is to claim no right for himself in the exempt Archiepiscopi vero qui praeter church. The said inventory is to be furnished with the seals of the new Romanum pontificem superiorem non habent aliquem ex suffraganeis incumbent and his chapter, and of the archbishop’s suffragan or the ut personaliter vel per alium ut est neighbouring bishop called for the purpose. It is to be preserved in the expressum superius et abbates ac alii praelati minores exempti unum archives of the church with due safeguards. Moreover a transcript of this vicinum episcopum qui nihil iuris in inventory is to be given to both the new incumbent and the prelate exempta ecclesia sibi vindicet ad id studeant evocare dictum que summoned for the above purpose, and is to be similarly sealed. inventarium tam substituti praelati quam sui collegii necnon et superioris suffraganei seu vicini episcopi ad hoc vocatorum muniatur sigillis in archivis ecclesiae cum cautela debita conservandum et nihilominus inventarii eiusdem transcriptum tam idem institutus quam praelatus ad hoc vocatus penes se habeat simile sigillatum. Existing goods are to be carefully guarded, their administration carried out Inventa quoque custodiantur fideliter et de ipsis administratio digna in a worthy manner, and the debts which have been found are to be geratur et comperta debita de speedily paid, if possible, from the movable possessions of the church. If mobilibus ecclesiae si fieri potest cum celeritate solvantur. Si vero these movable goods are not sufficient for a speedy payment, all revenues mobilia non sufficiant ad solutionem are to be directed to the payment of debts that are usurious or burdensome; celerem faciendam omnes proventus in solutionem convertantur only necessary expenses are to be deducted from these revenues, after a debitorum quae usuraria fuerint vel reasonable estimate has been made by the prelate and his chapter. But if the etiam onerosa deductis de ipsis proventibus expensis dumtaxat debts are not burdensome or usurious, a third part of these revenues is to be necessariis praelato collegio que set aside for this obligation, or a greater part with the agreement of those rationabiliter computandis. Si autem debita non fuerint onerosa vel whom we have said must be summoned to take the inventory. usuraria tertia pars eorundem proventuum vel maior cum illorum consilio quos ad conficiendum inventarium vocandos diximus pro satisfactione huiusmodi deputentur. Further we strictly forbid, with the authority of the same council, those Porro eiusdem concilii auctoritate firmiter inhibemus ne praedicti mentioned above to mortgage to others their persons or the churches personas suas vel ecclesias sibi entrusted to them, or to contract debts on behalf of themselves or the commissas pro aliis obligent nec pro se vel ipsis ecclesiis contrahant churches which may be a source of trouble. If evident necessity and the debita quibus possit imminere reasonable advantage of their churches should persuade them, then prelates gravamen. Si vero evidens urgeat necessitas vel ecclesiarum with the advice and consent of their superiors, and archbishops and exempt rationabilis suadeat utilitas praelati abbots with the advice and consent of those already mentioned and of their cum superiorum archiepiscopi et abbates exempti cum praedictorum chapter, may contract debts which, if possible, are not usurious and which collegiorum que suorum concilio et are never in fairs or public markets. The names of the debtors and creditors consensu debita non usuraria si potest fieri nunquam tamen in and the reason why the debt was contracted are to be included in the nundinis vel mercatis publicis written contract, even if it is turned to the advantage of the church, and for contrahant et contractuum litteris debitorum et creditorum nomina et this purpose we wish that in no way ecclesiastical persons or churches causas quare contrahatur debitum should be given as security. Indeed the privileges of churches, which we etiam si in utilitatem ecclesiae sit conversum et ad id personas command should be faithfully guarded in a safe place, are never to be ecclesiasticas vel ecclesias given as securities, nor are other things, except for necessary and useful nullatenus volumus obligari. Privilegia siquidem ecclesiarum quae debts contracted with the full legal forms mentioned above. securo loco fideliter custodiri mandamus nequaquam pignori obligentur nec etiam res aliae nisi forte pro necessariis et utilibus debitis cum praedicta solemnitate contractis.

116 That this salutary constitution should be kept unbroken, and the advantage Ut autem haec salubris constitutio inviolabiliter observetur et fructus which we hope from it may be clearly seen, we consider that we must lay appareat quem ex ipsa provenire down by an inviolable decree that all abbots and priors as well as deans and speramus ordinandum duximus et irrefragabiliter statuendum quod those in charge of cathedrals or other churches, at least once a year in their omnes abbates et priores necnon et chapters, should render a strict account of their administration, and a decani vel praepositi cathedralium seu aliarum ecclesiarum semel written and sealed account should be faithfully read out in the presence of saltem in anno in ipsorum collegiis the visiting superior. Likewise archbishops and bishops are to take care districtam suae administrationis faciant rationem et coram superiore each year to make known to their chapters with due fidelity the state of visitante conscripta et consignata administration of the goods belonging to their households, and bishops to huiusmodi ratio fideliter recitetur. Archiepiscopi vero et episcopi statum their metropolitans, and metropolitans to the legates of the apostolic see, or administrationis bonorum ad to others to whom the visitation of their churches has been assigned by the mensam propriam pertinentium similiter singulis annis capitulis suis same see. Written accounts are always to be kept in the treasury of the et nihilominus episcopi church for a record, so that in the accounts a careful comparison can be metropolitanis et metropolitani legatis apostolicae sedis vel aliis made between future years and the present and past; and the superior may quibus fuerit ab eadem sede suarum learn from this the care or negligence of the administration. Let the ecclesiarum visitatio delegata insinuare debita fidelitate procurent. superior requite any negligence, keeping God only before his eyes and Computationes vero conscriptae putting aside love, hate and fear of humans, with such a degree and kind of semper in thesauro ecclesiae ad memoriam reserventur ut in correction that he may not on this account receive from God or his superior computatione annorum sequentium or the apostolic see condign punishment. We order that this constitution is praeteriti temporis et instantis diligens habeatur collatio ex qua to be observed not only by future prelates but also by those already superior administrantis diligentiam promoted. vel negligentiam comprehendat quam siquidem negligentiam solum deum habens prae oculis hominis amore odio vel timore postpositis tanta et tali animadversione castiget quod nec a deo nec a suo superiori vel sede apostolica mereatur propter hoc recipere ultionem. Non solum autem a futuris praelatis sed etiam a iam promotis praesentem constitutionem praecipimus observari. [2.] 2. On help for the empire of Constantinople Though we are engaged in difficult matters and distracted by manifold Arduis mens nostra occupata negotiis curis que distracta diversis anxieties, yet among those things which demand our constant attention is inter cetera circa quae attentionis the liberation of the empire of Constantinople. This we desire with our invigilat oculo ad constantinopolitani liberationem imperii suae whole heart, this is ever the object of our thoughts. Yet though the considerationis aciem specialiter apostolic see has eagerly sought a remedy on its behalf by earnest dirigit hanc ardenti desiderio concupiscit erga eam iugi cogitatione endeavour and many forms of assistance, though for long Catholics have versatur et licet apostolica sedes pro striven by grievous toils, by burdensome expense, by care, sweat, tears and ipsa grandis diligentiae studio et multiplicis subventionis remedio bloodshed, yet the hand that extended such aid could not wholly, hindered ferventer institerit ac diu catholici by sin, snatch the empire from the yoke of the enemy. Thus not without non sine gravibus laboribus et onerosis sumptibus anxiis que cause we are troubled with grief. But because the body of the church would sudoribus et deflenda sanguinis be shamefully deformed by the lack of a loved member, namely the effusione certarint nec tanti auxilii dextera imperium ipsum totaliter de aforesaid empire, and be sadly weakened and suffer loss; and because it inimicorum iugo potuerit could rightly be assigned to our sloth and that of the church, if it were impedientibus peccatis eripere propter quod non immerito dolore deprived of the support of the faithful, and left to be freely oppressed by its turbamur. Quia tamen ecclesiae enemies; we firmly propose to come to the help of the empire with swift corpus ex membri causa cari videlicet imperii praefati carentia and effective aid. Thus at the same time as the church eagerly rises to its notam probrosae deformitatis assistance and stretches out the hand of defence, the empire can be saved incurreret et sustineret debilitatis dolendae iacturam posset que digne from the dominion of its foes, and be brought back by the Lord’s guidance nostrae ac ipsius ecclesiae desidiae to the unity of that same body, and may feel after the crushing hammer of imputari si fidelium destitueretur suffragio et relinqueretur hostibus its enemies the consoling hand of the church its mother, and after the libere opprimendum firma intentione blindness of error regain its sight by the possession of the catholic faith. It proponimus eidem imperio efficaci et 117 is the more fitting that prelates of churches and other ecclesiastics should celeri subsidio subvenire ut ecclesia ferventi ad illius exurgente be watchful and diligent for its liberation, and bestow their help and succursum manum que porrigente assistance, the more they are bound to work for the increase of the faith and munitam imperium ipsum de adversariorum dominio erui valeat et of ecclesiastical liberty, which could chiefly come about from the liberation reduci auctore domino ad eiusdem of the empire; and especially because while the empire is helped, assistance corporis unitatem sentiat que post conterentem inimicorum malleum is consequently rendered to the holy Land. dexteram matris ecclesiae consolantem et post assertionis erroneae caecitatem visum catholicae fidei possessione resumat. Ad liberationem autem ipsius eo magis ecclesiarum praelatos alios que viros ecclesiasticos vigiles et intentos exsistere ac opem et operam convenit exhibere quo amplius eiusdem fidei et ecclesiasticae libertatis augmentum quod per liberationem huiusmodi principaliter proveniret procurare tenentur. Maxime quia dum praedicto subvenitur imperio consequenter subsidium impenditur terrae sanctae. Indeed, so that the help to the empire may be speedy and useful, we decree, Sane ut festina fiat et utilis imperio praefato subventio ex communi with the general approval of the council, that half of all incomes of concilii approbatione statuimus ut dignities parsonages and ecclesiastical prebends, and of other benefices of medietas omnium proventuum tam dignitatum et personatuum quam ecclesiastics who do not personally reside in them for at least six months, praebendarum ecclesiasticarum whether they hold one or more, shall be assigned in full for three years to aliorum que beneficiorum ecclesiasticarum personarum illarum the help of the said empire, having been collected by those designated by quae in ipsis residentiam non faciunt the apostolic see. Those are exempt who are employed in our service or in personalem per sex menses ad minus sive unum habeant sive plura that of our brother cardinals and of their prelates, those who are on eis qui nostris et fratrum nostrorum pilgrimages or in schools, or engaged in the business of their own churches ac suorum praelatorum immorantur obsequiis aut sunt in peregrinatione at their direction, and those who have or will take up the badge of the cross vel scholis seu ecclesiarum suarum for the aid of the holy Land or who will set out in person to the help of the negotia de ipsorum mandato procurant aut assumpserunt vel said empire; but if any of these, apart from the crusaders and those setting assument crucis signaculum in out, receive from ecclesiastical revenues more than a hundred silver marks, praedictae terrae vel personaliter in eiusdem imperii proficiscentur they should pay a third part of the remainder in each of the three years. succursum exceptis et si. Aliqui This is to be observed notwithstanding any customs or statutes of churches eorundem exceptorum praeter huiusmodi crucesignatos et to the contrary, or any indulgences granted by the apostolic see to these proficiscentes de reditibus churches or persons, confirmed by oath or any other means. And if by ecclesiasticis ultra valentiam centum marcarum argenti percipiunt chance in this matter any shall knowingly be guilty of any deceit, they shall annuatim tertia pars residui ipsius incur the sentence of excommunication. imperii subsidio colligenda per eos qui ad hoc apostolica fuerint ordinati providentia usque ad triennium integre deputentur non obstantibus quibuscumque consuetudinibus vel statutis ecclesiarum seu quibuslibet indulgentiis ipsis ecclesiis vel personis ab apostolica sede concessis iuramento aut quacunque firmitate alia roboratis. Et si forte super hoc fraudem scienter commiserint sententiam excommunicationis incurrant.

118 We ourselves, from the revenues of the church of Rome, after first Nos vero de obventionibus ecclesiae Romanae deducta prius ex eis deducting a tenth from them to be assigned to the aid of the holy Land, will decima succursu terrae deputanda assign a tenth part in full for the support of the said empire. Further, when praedictae decimam pro dicti subventione imperii plenarie help is given to the empire, assistance is given in a very particular way and tribuemus. Porro cum idem iuvatur directed to the recovery of the holy Land, while we are striving for the imperium auxilium praestatur potissime ipsi terrae ac ad liberation of the empire itself. Thus trusting in the mercy of almighty God recuperationem eius praecipue and the authority of his blessed apostles Peter and Paul, from the power of insistitur dum ad ipsius liberationem imperii laboratur de omnipotentis dei binding and loosing which he conferred upon us though unworthy, we misericordia et beatorum Petri et grant pardon of their sins to all those who come to the help of the said Pauli apostolorum eius auctoritate confisi ex illa quam nobis licet empire, and we desire they may enjoy that privilege and immunity which is indignis ligandi atque solvendi granted to those who come to the help of the holy Land. contulit potestate omnibus eidem imperio succurrentibus illam suorum peccaminum veniam indulgemus ipsos que illo privilegio ea que volumus immunitate gaudere quae praedictae terrae subvenientibus conceduntur. [2.] 3. Admonition to be made by prelates to the people in their charge In the belief that it is for ever our native country, from times long past all Perennis obtentu patriae a longis retro temporibus pro redimenda the children of the church have not only poured out countless sums of terra quam dei filius aspersione sui money but have also freely shed their blood to recover the holy Land, sanguinis consecravit universitas filiorum ecclesiae non solum which the Son of God has consecrated with the shedding of his own blood. expensas innumeras sed This we learn, sad at heart, from what has happened across the sea where inaestimabilem cruoris affluentiam noscitur effudisse sicut ex eo moesti the unbelievers fight against the faithful. Since it is the special prayer of the corde colligimus quod pridem contra apostolic see that the desire of all for the redemption of the holy Land may, fideles pugnantibus impiis accidit in partibus transmarinis. Verum cum if God so wills, be speedily accomplished, we have made due provision, in propter hoc sit in sedis apostolicae order to win God’s favour, to arouse you to this task by our letter. voto potissimum ut de ipsius redemptione terrae communis Therefore we earnestly beg all of you, commanding you in our lord Jesus desiderii cito deo propitio proveniat Christ, that by your pious admonitions you should persuade the faithful complementum digne providimus ut ad procurandum dei favorem negotio committed to your care, in your sermons or when you Impose a penance vos nostris litteris excitemus. upon them, granting a special indulgence, as you see it to be expedient, that Rogamus itaque universos vos et obsecramus in domino Iesu Christo in their wills, in return for the remission of their sins, they should leave mandantes quatenus singuli vestrum something for the help of the holy Land or the eastern empire. You are fideles populos vestrae curae commissos in vestris carefully to provide that what they give for this support by way of money, praedicationibus vel quando through reverence of our crucified Lord, is faithfully preserved in definite poenitentiam ipsis iniungitis piis monitis inducatis concessa super hoc places under your seal, and that what is bequeathed for this purpose in prout expedire videritis indulgentia other forms is accurately recorded in writing. May your own devotion carry speciali ut in testamentis quae pro tempore fecerint aliquid in terrae out this work of piety, in which the only aim is God’s cause and the sanctae vel imperii Romaniae salvation of the faithful, so readily that with full assurance you may look at subsidium pro suorum peccaminum remissione relinquant attentius least for the reward of glory from the hand of the divine judge. provisuri ut quod ipsi ad crucifixi reverentiam habendo respectum in pecunia pro huiusmodi subventione dederint in certis locis sub sigillis vestris conservari fideliter et illa quae in rebus aliis ad hoc legata fuerint diligenter in scriptis redigi faciatis. Hoc autem pietatis opus in quo sola causa dei quaeritur et salus fidelium procuratur sic vestra sinceritas promptis prosequatur affectibus ut tandem securi de manu superni iudicis caelestis gloriae praemium expectetis. [2.] 4. On the Tartars

119 deepest sorrow when any people by aim and action go against our wishes, aliqui sic nostro in hac parte obviant desiderio affectu contrario et effectu and strive with all their might to blot out utterly this religion from the face quod ipsum cultum delere penitus de of the world. Indeed the wicked race of the Tartars, seeking to subdue, or terrae superficie omni studio tota que potentia moliuntur. Sane rather utterly destroy the christian people, having gathered for a long time Tartarorum gens impia christianum past the strength of all their tribes, have entered Poland, Russia, Hungary populum subiugare sibi vel potius perimere appetens collectis iam and other christian countries. So savage has been their devastation that dudum suarum viribus nationum their sword spared neither sex nor age, but raged with fearful brutality upon Poloniam Rusciam Ungariam alias que christianorum regiones ingressa all alike. It caused unparalleled havoc and destruction in these countries in sic in eas depopulatrix insaevit ut its unbroken advance; for their sword, not knowing how to rest in the gladio eius nec aetati parcente nec sexui sed in omnes indifferenter sheath, made other kingdoms subject to it by a ceaseless persecution. As crudelitate horribili debacchante time went on, it could attack stronger christian armies and exercise its inaudito ipsas exterminio devastarit ac aliorum regna continuato savagery more fully upon them. Thus when, God forbid, the world is progressu illa sibi eodem in vagina bereaved of the faithful, faith may turn aside from the world to lament its otiari gladio nesciente incessabili persecutione substernit ut followers destroyed by the barbarity of this people. Therefore, so that the subsequenter in robore fortiores horrible purpose of this people may not prevail but be thwarted, and by the exercitus christianos invadens suam plenius in ipsos possit saevitiam power of God be brought to the opposite result, all the faithful must exercere sic que orbato quod absit carefully consider and ensure by their earnest endeavour that the Tartar fidelibus orbe fides exorbitet dum sublatos sibi gemuerit ipsius gentis advance may be hindered and prevented from penetrating any further by feritate cultores. Ne igitur tam the power of their mailed arm. Therefore, on the advice of the holy council, detestanda gentis eiusdem intentio proficere valeat sed deficiat auctore we advise, beg, urge and earnestly command all of you, as far as you can, deo potius et contrario concludatur carefully to observe the route and approaches by which this people can eventu ab universis christicolis attenta est consideratione enter our land, and by ditches, walls or other defences and fortifications, as pensandum et procurandum studio you think fitting, to keep them at bay, so that their approach to you may not diligenti ut sic illius impediatur processus quod nequeat ad ipsos easily be open. Word of their arrival should previously be brought to the ulterius quantumcumque potenti apostolic see. Thus we may direct the assistance of the faithful to you, and armato brachio pertransire. Ideo que sacro suadente concilio universos thus you may be safe against the attempts and raids of this people. For to vos monemus rogamus et hortamur the necessary and useful expenses which you should make for that purpose, attente mandantes quatenus viam et we shall contribute handsomely, and we shall see that contributions are aditus unde in terram nostram gens ipsa posset ingredi solertissime made in proportion by all christian countries, for in this way we may meet perscrutantes illos fossatis et muris common dangers. Nevertheless, in addition to this, we shall send similar seu aliis aedificiis aut artificiis prout expedire videritis taliter praemunire letters to all Christians through whose territories this people could make its curetis quod eiusdem gentis ad vos approach. ingressus patere de facili nequeat. Sed prius apostolicae sedi suus denuntiari possit adventus ut ea vobis fidelium destinante succursum contra conatus et insultus gentis ipsius tuti esse adiutore domino valeatis. Nos enim in tam necessariis et utilibus expensis quas ob id feceritis contribuemus magnifice ac ab omnibus christianorum regionibus cum per hoc occurratur communibus periculis proportionaliter contribui faciemus et nihilominus super his aliis christifidelibus per quorum partes habere posset aditum gens praedicta litteras praesentibus similes destinamus. [2.] 5 [On the crusade] Deeply sorrowful at the grievous dangers of the holy Land, but especially Afflicti corde pro deplorandis terrae sanctae periculis sed pro illis at those which have recently happened to the faithful settled there, we seek praecipue quae constitutis in ipsa with all our heart to free it from the hands of the wicked. Thus with the fidelibus noscuntur noviter accidisse ad liberandum ipsam deo propitio de approval of the sacred council, in order that the crusaders may prepare impiorum manibus totis affectibus themselves, we lay it down that at an opportune time, to be made known to aspiramus diffinientes sacro approbante concilio ut ita all the faithful by preachers and our special envoys, all who are ready to crucesignati se praeparent quod cross the sea should gather at suitable places for this purpose, so that they opportuno tempore universis 120 may proceed from there with the blessing of God and the apostolic see to insinuando fidelibus per praedicatores et nostros nuntios the assistance of the holy Land. Priests and other clerics who will be in the speciales omnes qui disposuerint christian army, both those under authority and prelates, shall diligently transfretare in locis idoneis ad hoc conveniant. De quibus in eiusdem devote themselves to prayer and exhortation, teaching the crusaders by terrae subsidium cum divina et word and example to have the fear and love of God always before their apostolica benedictione procedant. Sacerdotes autem et alii clerici qui eyes, so that they say or do nothing that might offend the majesty of the fuerint in exercitu christiano tam eternal king. If they ever fall into sin, let them quickly rise up again subditi quam praelati orationi et exhortationi diligenter insistant through true penitence. Let them he humble in heart and in body, keeping docentes eos verbo pariter et to moderation both in food and in dress, avoiding altogether dissensions exemplo ut timorem et amorem domini semper habeant ante oculos and rivalries, and putting aside entirely any bitterness or envy, so that thus ne quid dicant aut faciant quod armed with spiritual and material weapons they may the more fearlessly aeterni regis maiestatem offendat. Et si quando in peccatum lapsi fuerint fight against the enemies of the faith, relying not on their own power but per veram poenitentiam mox rather trusting in the strength of God. Let nobles and the powerful in the resurgant gerentes humilitatem cordis et corporis et tam in victu army, and all who abound in riches, be led by the holy words of prelates so quam in vestitu mediocritatem that, with their eyes fixed on the crucified one for whom they have taken servantes dissensiones et aemulationes omnino vitando up the badge of the cross, they may refrain from useless and unnecessary rancore ac livore a se penitus expenditure, especially in feasting and banquets, and let they give a share relegatis ut sic spiritualibus et materialibus armis muniti adversus of their wealth to the support of those persons through whom the work of hostes fidei securius praelientur non God may prosper; and on this account, according to the dispensation of the de sua praesumentes potentia sed de divina virtute sperantes. Nobiles prelates themselves, they may be granted remission of their sins. We grant quidem et potentes exercitus ac to the aforesaid clerics that they may receive the fruits of their benefices in omnes divitiis abundantes piis praelatorum monitis inducantur ut full for three years, as if they were resident in the churches, and if intuitu crucifixi pro quo crucis necessary they may leave them in pledge for the same time. signaculum assumpserunt ab expensis inutilibus et superfluis sed ab illis praecipue quae fiunt in comessationibus et conviviis abstinentes eas commutent in personarum illarum subsidium per quas dei negotium valeat prosperari et eis propter hoc iuxta praelatorum ipsorum providentiam peccatorum suorum indulgentia tribuatur. Praedictis autem clericis indulgemus ut beneficia sua integre percipiant per triennium ac essent in ecclesiis residentes et si necesse fuerit ea per idem tempus valeant pignori obligare. To prevent this holy proposal being impeded or delayed, we strictly order Ne igitur hoc sanctum propositum impediri vel retardari contingat all prelates of churches, each in his own locality, diligently to warn and universis ecclesiarum praelatis induce those who have abandoned the cross to resume it, and them and districte praecipimus ut singuli per loca sua illos qui signum crucis others who have taken up the cross, and those who may still do so, to carry deposuerunt resumere ac tam ipsos out their vows to the Lord. And if necessary they shall compel them to do quam alios crucesignatos et quos adhuc signari contigerit ad this without any backsliding, by sentences of excommunication against reddendum domino vota sua their persons and of interdict on their lands, excepting only those persons diligentius moneant et inducant et si necesse fuerit per who find themselves faced with an impediment of such a kind that their excommunicationis in personas et vow deservedly ought to be commuted or deferred in accordance with the interdicti sententias in terras ipsorum omni tergiversatione cessante directives of the apostolic see. In order that nothing connected with this compellant. Ad haec ne quid in business of Jesus Christ be omitted, we will and order patriarchs, negotio Iesu Christi de contingentibus omittatur volumus et archbishops, bishops, abbots and others who have the care of souls to mandamus ut patriarchae preach the cross zealously to those entrusted to them. Let them beseech archiepiscopi episcopi abbates et alii qui curam obtinent animarum kings, dukes, princes, margraves, counts, barons and other magnates, as studiose proponant commissis sibi well as the communes of cities, vills and towns -- in the name of the Father, populis verbum crucis obsecrantes per patrem et filium et spiritum Son and holy Spirit, the one, only, true and eternal God -- that those who sanctum unum solum verum do not go in person to the aid of the holy Land should contribute, according aeternum deum reges duces 121 to their means an appropriate number of fighting men together with their principes marchiones comites et barones alios que magnates necnon necessary expenses for three years, for the remission of their sins, in communia civitatum villarum et accordance with what has already been explained in general letters and will oppidorum ut qui personaliter non accesserint in subsidium terrae be explained below for still greater assurance. We wish to share in this sanctae competentem conferant remission not only those who contribute ships of their own but also those numerum bellatorum cum expensis ad triennium necessariis secundum who are zealous enough to build them for this purpose. To those who proprias facultates in remissionem refuse, if there happen to be any who are so ungrateful to our lord God, we suorum peccaminum prout in generalibus litteris quas pridem per firmly declare in the name of the apostle that they should know that they orbem terrae misimus est expressum will have to answer to us for this on the last day of final judgment before et ad maiorem cautelam inferius etiam exprimetur. Huius enim the fearful judge. Let them consider beforehand, however, with what remissionis volumus esse participes knowledge and with what security it was that they were able to confess non solum eos qui ad hoc naves proprias exhibebunt sed illos etiam before the only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, to whom the Father qui propter hoc opus naves gave all things into his hands, if in this business, which is as it were studuerint fabricare. Renuentibus autem si qui forte tam ingrati fuerint peculiarly his, they refuse to serve him who was crucified for sinners, by domino deo nostro ex parte whose beneficence they are sustained and indeed by whose blood they have apostolica firmiter protestemur ut se sciant super hoc nobis in novissimo been redeemed. districti examinis die coram tremendo iudice responsuros prius tamen considerantes qua scientia qua ve securitate comparere poterunt coram unigenito dei filio Iesu Christo cui omnia dedit pater in manus si ei pro peccatoribus crucifixo servire renuerint in hoc negotio quasi proprie sibi proprio cuius munere vivunt cuius beneficio sustentantur quin etiam cuius sanguine sunt redempti. We therefore decree, with the general approval of the council, that all Ceterum ex communi concilii approbatione statuimus ut omnes clerics, both those under authority and prelates, shall give a twentieth of the omnino clerici tam subditi quam revenues of their churches for a full three years to the aid of the holy Land, praelati vigesimam ecclesiarum proventuum usque ad triennium by means of the persons appointed by the apostolic see for this purpose; the integre conferant in subsidium terrae only exceptions being certain religious who are rightly to be exempted sanctae per manus eorum qui ad hoc apostolica fuerint providentia from this taxation and likewise those persons who have taken or will take ordinati quibusdam dumtaxat the cross and so will go in person. We and our brothers, cardinals of the religiosis exceptis ab hac praestatione merito eximendis illis holy Roman church, shall pay a full tenth. Let all know, moreover, that que similiter qui assumpto vel they are obliged to observe this faithfully under pain of excommunication, assumendo crucis signaculo sunt personaliter profecturi. Nos et fratres so that those who knowingly deceive in this matter shall incur the sentence nostri sanctae Romanae ecclesiae of excommunication. Because it is right that those who persevere in the cardinales plenarie decimam persolvemus sciant que se omnes ad service of the heavenly ruler should in all justice enjoy special privilege, hoc fideliter observandum per the crusaders shall therefore be exempt from taxes or levies and other excommunicationis sententiam obligatos ita quod illi qui super hoc burdens. We take their persons and goods under the protection of St Peter fraudem scienter commiserint and ourself once they have taken up the cross. We ordain that they are to be sententiam excommunicationis incurrant. Sane quia iusto iudicio protected by archbishops, bishops and all prelates of the church of God, coelestis imperatoris obsequiis and that protectors of their own are to be specially appointed for this inhaerentes speciali decet praerogativa gaudere crucesignati a purpose, so that their goods are to remain intact and undisturbed until they collectis vel talliis aliis que are known for certain to be dead or to have returned. If anyone dares to act gravaminibus sint immunes quorum personas et bona post crucem contrary to this, let him be curbed by ecclesiastical censure. assumptam sub beati Petri et nostra protectione suscipimus statuentes ut sub archiepiscoporum episcoporum et omnium praelatorum ecclesiae dei defensione consistant propriis nihilominus protectoribus ad hoc specialiter deputandis ita ut donec de ipsorum reditu vel obitu certissime cognoscatur integra maneant et quieta et si quisquam 122 contra praesumpserit per censuras ecclesiasticas compescatur. If any of those setting out are bound by oath to pay interest, we ordain that Si qui vero proficiscentium illuc ad praestandas usuras iuramento their creditors shall be compelled by the same punishment to release them tenentur adstricti creditores eorum from their oath and to desist from exacting the interest; if any of the ut eis remittant praestitum iuramentum et ab usurarum creditors does force them to pay the interest, we command that he be exactione desistant eadem forced by similar punishment to restore it. We order that Jews be praecipimus districtione compelli. Quod si quisquam creditorum eos ad compelled by the secular power to remit interest, and that until they do so solutionem coegerit usurarum eum all intercourse shall be denied them by all Christ’s faithful under pain of ad restitutionem earum simili cogi animadversione mandamus. Iudaeos excommunication. Secular princes shall provide a suitable deferral for vero ad remittendas usuras per those who cannot now pay their debts to Jews, so that after they have saecularem compelli praecipimus potestatem et donec illas remiserint undertaken the journey, and until there is certain knowledge of their death ab universis christifidelibus per or of their return, they shall not incur the inconvenience of paying interest. excommunicationis sententiam eis omnino communio denegetur. Iis qui The Jews shall be compelled to add to the capital, after they have deducted Iudaeis nequeunt solvere debita in their necessary expenses, the revenues which they are meanwhile receiving praesenti sic principes saeculares utili dilatione provideant quod post from property held by them on security. For, such a benefit seems to entail iter arreptum quousque de ipsorum not much loss, inasmuch as it postpones the repayment but does not cancel reditu vel obitu cognoscatur usurarum incommoda non incurrant the debt. Prelates of churches who are negligent in showing justice to compulsis Iudaeis proventus crusaders and their families should know that they will be severely pignorum quos ipsi interim perceperint in sortem expensis punished. deductis necessariis computare cum huiusmodi beneficium non multum videatur habere dispendii quod solutionem sic prorogat quod debitum non absorbet. Porro ecclesiarum praelati qui in exhibenda iustitia crucesignatis et eorum familiis negligentes exstiterint sciant se graviter puniendos. Furthermore, since corsairs and pirates greatly impede help for the holy Land, by capturing and plundering those who are travelling to and from it, we bind with the bond of excommunication them and their principal helpers and supporters. We forbid anyone, under threat of anathema, knowingly to communicate with them by contracting to buy or to sell; and we order rulers of cities and their territories to restrain and curb such persons from this iniquity. Otherwise, since to be unwilling to disquiet evildoers is none other than to encourage them, and since he who fails to oppose a manifest crime is not without a touch of secret complicity, it is our wish and command that prelates of churches exercise ecclesiastical severity against their persons and lands. We excommunicate and anathematise, moreover, those false and impious Christians who, in opposition to Christ and the christian people, convey arms and iron and timber for galleys; and we decree that those who sell them galleys or ships, and those who act as pilots in pirate Saracen ships, or give them any help or advice by way of machines or anything else, to the detriment of the holy Land, are to be punished with deprivation of their possessions and are to become the slaves of those who capture them. We order this sentence to be renewed publicly on Sundays and feast-days in all maritime towns; and the bosom of the church is not to be opened to such persons unless they send in aid of the holy Land all that they received from this damnable commerce and the same amount of their own, so that they are punished in proportion to their sins. If perchance they do not pay, they are to be punished in other ways in order that through their punishment others may be deterred from venturing upon similar rash actions. In addition, we prohibit and on pain of anathema forbid all Christians, for four years, to send or take their ships across to the lands of the Saracens who dwell in the east, so that by this a greater supply of shipping may be made ready for those wanting to cross over to help the holy Land, and so that the aforesaid Saracens may be deprived of the not inconsiderable help which they have been accustomed to receiving from this. Although tournaments have been forbidden in a general way on pain of a fixed penalty at various councils, we strictly forbid them to be held for three years, under pain of excommunication, because

123 the business of the crusade is much hindered by them at this present time. Because it is of the utmost necessity for the carrying out of this business that rulers and christian peoples keep peace with each other, we therefore ordain, on the advice of this holy and general synod, that peace be generally kept in the whole christian world for four years, so that those in conflict shall be brought by the prelates of churches to conclude a definitive peace or to observe inviolably a firm truce. Those who refuse to comply shall be most strictly compelled to do so by an excommunication against their persons and an interdict on their lands, unless the malice of the wrongdoers is so great that they ought not to enjoy peace. If it happens that they make light of the church’s censure, they may deservedly fear that the secular power will be invoked by ecclesiastical authority against them, as disturbers of the business of him who was crucified. We therefore, trusting in the mercy of almighty God and in the authority of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, do grant, by the power of binding and loosing that God has conferred upon us, albeit unworthy, unto all those who undertake this work in person and at their own expense, full pardon for their sins about which they are heartily contrite and have spoken in confession, and we promise them an increase of eternal life at the recompensing of the just. To those who do not go there in person but send suitable men at their own expense, according to their means and status, and likewise to those who go in person but at others’ expense, we grant full pardon for their sins. We grant to share in this remission, according to the amount of their help and the intensity of their devotion, all who shall contribute suitably from their goods to the aid of the said Land or who give useful advice and help regarding the above. Finally, this holy and general synod imparts the benefit of its prayers and blessings to all who piously set out on this enterprise in order that it may contribute worthily to their salvation.

THE SECOND COUNCIL of LYONS (1274) The 14th Ecumenical Council CONSTITUTIONS

Constitution I

Constitution II 1. On the supreme Trinity and the catholic faith 2. On election and the power of the elected person (and on forcing the electors to elect speedily) 15. On the circumstances of ordination and the quality of ordinands 16. On bigamists 17. On the office of ordinary judge 19. On pleading 21. On prebends and dignities 22. On not alienating the property of the church 23. On religious houses, that they are to be subject to the bishop 24. On taxes and procurations 25. On the immunity of churches 26. On usury 28. On wrongs and the loss caused 29. On the sentence of excommunication

CONSTITUTIONS 1274-1274- Concilium Lugdunense II - Documenta Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium 124 Lugdunense II a. 1274 [1a]. Zeal for the faith, fervent devotion and compassionate love ought Zelus fidei fervor devotionis et compassionis pietas excitare debent to rouse the hearts of the faithful, so that all who glory in the name of corda fidelium ut omnes qui christiano Christian grieved to the heart by the insult to their redeemer, should rise nomine gloriantur de sui contumelia redemptoris tacti dolore cordis vigorously and openly in defence of the holy Land and support for intrinsecus potenter et patenter God’s cause. Who, filled with the light of the true faith and thinking exsurgant ad terrae sanctae praesidium et adiutorium causae dei. Quis verae fidei over with filial affection the marvellous favours conferred on the human luce perfusus pia mente revolvens eximia race by our saviour in the holy Land, would not burn with devotion and beneficia quae salvator noster in terra sancta humano genere contulit devotione charity, and sorrow deeply with that holy Land, portion of the Lord’s non ferveat et caritate non ardeat et illi inheritance ? Whose heart will not soften with compassion for her, from terrae sanctae quae funiculus est hereditatis dominicae ex intimis so many proofs of love given in that land by our creator? Alas! the very visceribus et toto mentis non land in which the Lord deigned to work our salvation and which, in compatiatur affectu. Cuius cor non emollient ad compassionem ipsius a order to redeem humanity by payment of his death, he has consecrated creatore nostro in terra ipsa tot iudicia by his own blood, has been boldly attacked and occupied over a long caritatis ostensa. Sed heu proh dolor ipsa terra in qua dominus salutem nostram period by the impious enemies of the christian name, the blasphemous dignatus est operari et quam ut hominem and faithless Saracens. They not only rashly retain their conquest, but commercio mortis suae redimeret proprio sanguine consecravit per nefandissimos lay it waste without fear. hostes nominis christiani blasphemos et perfidos Sarracenos audacia secuta occupata diutius et temere detinetur et intrepide devastatur. They slaughter savagely the christian people there to the greater offence Trucidatur in ea inhumaniter populus christianus et ad maiorem contumeliam of the creator, to the outrage and sorrow of all who profess the catholic creatoris et iniuriam et dolorem omnium faith. “Where is the God of the Christians ?” is the Saracens’ constant qui fide catholica profitentur. Ubi sit deus christianorum improperant multis reproach, as they taunt them. Such scandals, which neither mind can opprobriis christicolas insultantes. Ista et fully conceive nor tongue tell, inflamed our heart and roused our alia quae circa hoc nec animus sufficit plene concipere vel lingua referre courage so that we who from experience overseas have not only heard accenderunt cor nostrum et excitaverunt of those events but have looked with our eyes and touched with our animum ut nos qui in transmarinis partibus praemissa non tantum hands, might rise to avenge, as far as we can, the insult to the crucified audivimus sed oculis nostris aspeximus one. Our help will come from those afire with zeal of faith and et manus nostrae contractaverunt exsurgeremus quantum se possibilitatis devotion. Because the liberation of the holy Land should concern all nostrae conatus extendit ad vindicandam who profess the catholic faith, we convoked a council, so that after iniuriam crucifixi illorum interveniente auxilio quos ad hoc zelus fidei et consultation with prelates, kings, princes and other prudent men, we devotionis accendet. Et quia praefatae might decide and ordain in Christ the means for liberating the holy terrae liberatio tangere debet omnes qui fidem catholicam profitentur concilium Land. We also proposed to lead back the Greek peoples to the unity of mandavimus evocari ut deliberatione the church; proudly striving to divide in some way the Lord’s seamless habita in eodem cum praelatis regibus et principibus et aliis prudentibus viris illa tunic, they withdrew from devotion and obedience to the apostolic see. statueremus et ordinaremus in Christo We purposed also a reform of morals, which have become corrupt per quae dictae terrae liberatio proveniret et nihilominus reducerentur owing to the sins of both clergy and people. In everything we have Graecorum populi ad ecclesiae unitatem mentioned he to whom nothing is impossible will direct our acts and qui superba cervice nitentes scindere quodammodo inconsutilem domini counsels; when he wills, he makes what is difficult easy, and levelling tunicam se a sedis apostolicae devotione by his power the crooked ways, makes straight the rough going. Indeed, ac oboedientia subtraxerunt et reformarentur mores qui sunt peccatis in order the more readily to effect our plans, having regard to the risks exigentibus et clero et populo quam from wars and dangers of journeys for those whom we judged should be plurimum deformati illo in praemissis omnibus nostros actus et consilia summoned to the council, we did not spare ourself and our brothers but dirigente cui nihil est impossibile sed rather sought hardships so that we might arrange rest for others. We cum vult res difficiles faciles facit et aspera sua virtute complanans prava came to the city of Lyons with our brothers and curia, believing that in dirigit in directa. Sane ut praemissa this place those summoned to the council might meet with less exertion perduci possent liberius ad effectum and expense. We came undertaking various dangers and troubles, attendentes guerrarum pericula et viarum discrimina quae subire poterant running many risks, to where all those summoned to the council were illis quos ad idem concilium duximus assembled, either in person or through suitable representatives. We held evocandos nobis et nostris fratribus non parcentes sed appetentes labores frequent consultations with them about help for the holy Land, and they, spontaneos ut quietem aliis praeparare 125 zealous to avenge the insult to the Saviour, thought out the best ways to possemus ad civitatem Lugdunensem in qua credebamus ad concilium evocatos succour the said Land and gave, as was their duty, advice and insight. [ I minori onere laborum et expensarum b]. convenire accessimus cum fratribus nostris et curia nostra periculis variis ac diversis incommoditatibus et multis discriminibus praegravati ubi convenientibus tam per se quam per procuratores idoneos universis ad ipsum concilium evocatis frequenter de praefatae terrae subsidio deliberavimus cum eisdem et quod debuerint ad vindictam iniuriae salvatoris accensi pro ipsius terrae succursu vias excogitantes laudabiles probatu dederunt consilia et discreta Having listened to their advice, we rightly commend their resolutions Nos autem auditis eorum consiliis ipsorum voluntates et affectus laudabiles and praiseworthy enthusiasm for the liberation of that Land. Lest, quos ostendunt de terrae liberatione however, we seem to lay on others’ shoulders heavy burdens, hard to praedictae merito commendamus. Sed ne in humeros hominum onera gravia et bear, which we are unwilling to move with our finger, we begin with importabilia imponere videamur quae ourself; declaring that we hold all we have from God’s only-begotten digito nostro movere nolimus incipientes a nobis ipsis qui profitemur nos omnia Son, Jesus Christ, by whose gift we live, by whose favour we are quae habemus possidere ab unigenito sustained, by whose blood even we have been redeemed. We and our dei filio Iesu Christo cuius munere vivimus cuius beneficio sustentamur quin brothers, the cardinals of the holy Roman church, shall pay fully for six etiam cuius sanguine redempti sumus successive years a tenth of all our ecclesiastical revenues, fruits and nos et fratres nostri sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinales plenarie usque ad vi incomes for the aid of the holy Land. With the approval of this sacred annos continuos de omnibus reditibus council, we decree and ordain that for the said six years, beginning from fructibus et proventibus nostris ecclesiasticis pro praedictae terrae the next feast of the birthday of blessed John the Baptist, all subsidio decimam persolvamus ecclesiastical persons of whatever rank or pre-eminence, condition, approbante hoc sacro concilio statuentes et ordinantes quod usque ad praedictos order, or religious state or order-and we wish none to invoke for vi annos ab instanti festo nativitatis beati themselves and their churches any privileges or indults, in whatever Ioannis baptistae proximo continue numerandos ab omnibus personis form of words or expression these were granted, rather we recall ecclesiasticis quacumque dignitate completely those we have granted till now--shall pay wholly and praefulgeant seu cuiuscumque praeeminentiae conditionis vel ordinis without any reduction a tenth of all ecclesiastical revenues, fruits and aut status religionis vel ordinis quibus. Et incomes of each year in the following way: that is, half on the feast of eorum ecclesiis nulla privilegia vel indulgentias sub quacumque verborum the Lord’s birth and the other half on the feast of blessed John the forma vel expressione concessa volumus Baptist. In order to observe more carefully the reverence due to him suffragari sed ea quae adhuc concessimus penitus revocamus de whose undertaking this is, in himself and in his saints and especially in omnibus reditibus fructibus et the glorious Virgin whose intercession we ask in this and in our other proventibus ecclesiasticis anni cuiuslibet terminis infrascriptis medietas scilicet in needs, and in order that there may be a fuller subsidy for the holy Land, festo nativitatis domini et alia medietas we order that the constitution of Pope Gregory our predecessor of happy in festo beati Ioannis baptistae integre sine diminutione qualibet decima memory against blasphemers be inviolably observed. The fines persolvatur. Ut ei cuius negotium agitur prescribed in this constitution are to be exacted in full through the reverentia debita in se ac sanctis suis et authorities of the place where blasphemy is committed, and through praecipue in virgine gloriosa quorum in his et aliis suffragio utimur servetur others who exercise temporal jurisdiction there. Coercive measures, if attentius sit que plenior terrae subventio necessary, are to be taken through diocesan and other local ordinaries. praedictae constitutionem felicis recordationis Gregorii papae The money is to be assigned to the collectors for the subsidy. praedecessoris nostri contra blasphemos editam praecipimus inviolabiliter observari poenam que pecuniarum in ipsa statutam per potestates locorum in quibus blasphemia committitur ceteros que qui inibi iurisdictionem temporalem exercent coactiones si necesse fuerit per dioecesanos et aliorum locorum ordinarios ad exhibenda integraliter exigi et dicti subsidii collectoribus assignari in idem subsidium convertenda.

126 Moreover, we strictly command confessors who hear confessions by Confessoribus insuper ex parte ordinaria vel ex privilegio confessiones audientibus ordinary jurisdiction or by privilege to prompt and enjoin on their districte mandamus ut confitentibus sibi penitents to give the said money to the holy Land in full satisfaction for suggerant et iniungant quod de pecunia praedicta eidem terrae plenariam their sins; and they should persuade those making wills to leave, in satisfactionem impendant inducant etiam proportion to their means, some of their goods for aid to the holy Land. confitentes ultimas voluntates quod in testamentis suis pro modo facultatum We direct also that in each church there should be placed a box fitted suarum aliquid de bonis suis pro subsidio with three keys, the first to be kept in the possession of the bishop, the terrae sanctae relinquant. In singulis nihilominus ecclesiis truncum concavum second in that of the priest of the church, the third in that of some poni praecipimus tribus clavibus conscientious lay person. The faithful are to be instructed to place their consignatum prima penes episcopum secunda penes ecclesiae sacerdotem alms, as the Lord inspires them, in this box for the remission of their tertia penes aliquem religiosum laicum sins. Mass is to be sung publicly in the churches once a week, on a conservandis et in eo fideles quilibet iuxta quod dominus eorum mentibus certain day to be announced by the priest, for the remission of such sins inspiraverit suas eleemosynas ponere in and especially of those offering alms. Besides these measures, to remissionem suorum peccaminum moneantur et in ipsis ecclesiis semel in provide more assistance for the holy Land, we exhort and urge kings hebdomade pro remissione huiusmodi and princes, marquises, counts and barons, magistrates, governors and peccatorum et praesertim offerentium eleemosynas certa die quam tum other secular leaders to arrange that in the lands subject to their sacerdos pronuntiet populo missa publice jurisdiction each of the faithful pays a coin to the value of a tournois or decantetur. Praeter haec ut terrae sanctae plenius succurratur exhortamur of one sterling in accordance with the customs or circumstances of the et suadere intendimus monitis et region, and they should order a further small tax of no burden to anyone exhortationibus reges et principes marchiones comites et barones for the remission of sins; these contributions are to be made each year in potestates capitaneos et alios aid of the holy Land, so that just as nobody may excuse himself from quoscumque terrarum duces ut ordinetur in terris suis cuiuslibet iurisdictioni eorum compassion for the wretched state of the holy Land, nobody may be subiectis quod a singulis fidelibus unus dismissed from contributing or shut out from meriting. Also, lest these denarius ad valorem turonensis vel unius sterlingi iuxta consuetudinem vel prudent arrangements concerning the subsidy to the holy Land be condicionem regionis et alia modica sine hindered by anyone’s fraud or malice or craft, we excommunicate and cuiuscumque gravamine in remissione peccaminum iniungentes annis singulis in anathematise one and all who knowingly offer hindrance, directly or ipsius terrae subsidium persolvatur ut indirectly, publicly or secretly, to the payment, as described above, of sicut nullus excusare se potest quin the tithes in aid of the holy Land. teneatur compati statui miserabili terrae sanctae sic nec aliquis excutiatur subsidio nec a merito excludatur. Etiam ne quod provide ordinatum est de praedictae terrae subsidio impediri contingat fraude vel malitia vel ingenio alicuius excommunicamus et anathemizamus omnes et singulos qui scienter impedimentum praestiterint directe vel indirecte publice vel occulte quominus praestentur decimae sicut superius est expressum in praedictae terrae subsidium. Furthermore, since corsairs and pirates greatly impede those travelling Ceterum quia cursarii et piratae nimium impediunt capiendo et spoliando to and from that Land, by capturing and plundering them, we bind with transeuntes ad illam et redeuntes de illa the bond of excommunication them and their principal helpers and nos eos et principales adiutores et fautores eorum excommunicationis supporters. We forbid anyone, under threat of anathema, knowingly to vinculo innodamus sub interminatione communicate with them by contracting to buy or sell. We also order anathematis inhibentes ne quis cum eis communicet scienter in aliquo contractu rulers of cities and their territories to restrain and curb such persons venditionis vel emptionis. Iniungimus from this iniquity; otherwise it is our wish that prelates of churches etiam rectoribus civitatum et locorum ut eos ab iniquitate revocent et compescant exercise ecclesiastical severity in their land. We excommunicate and alioquin in terra ipsorum per ecclesiarum anathematise, moreover, those false and impious Christians who, in praelatos severitatem ecclesiasticam volumus exerceri. Excommunicamus opposition to Christ and the christian people, convey to the Saracens praeterea et anathemizamus eos falsos arms and iron, which they use to attack Christians and timber for their et impios christianos qui contra Christum et populum christianum Sarracenis arma galleys and other ships; and we decree that those who sell them galleys et ferrum quibus christianos impugnant or ships, and those who act as pilots in pirate Saracen ships, or give et lignamina galearum et aliorum vasorum navigalium deferunt et eos them any help or advice by way of machines or anything else to the etiam qui galeas eis vendunt vel naves 127 detriment of Christians and especially of the holy Land, are to be qui que in piraticis Sarracenorum navibus curam gubernationis exercent vel in punished with deprivation of their possessions and are to become the machinis aut quibuslibet aliis aliquod eis slaves of those who capture them. We order this sentence to be renewed impendunt consilium vel auxilium in christianorum dispendium specialiter publicly on Sundays and feast-days in all maritime towns; and the terrae sanctae ipsos rerum suarum bosom of the church is not to be opened to such persons unless they privatione mulctari et capientium servos fieri censemus. Praecipientes ut per send in aid of the holy Land all that they received from this damnable omnes urbes maritimas diebus dominicis commerce and the same amount of their own, so that they are punished et festivis huiusmodi sententia publice innovetur et talibus ecclesiae gremium in proportion to their sins. If perchance they do not pay, they are to be non aperiatur nisi totum quod de punished in other ways in order that through their punishment others commercio tam damnato perceperint et tantundem de suo in subsidium terrae may be deterred from venturing upon similar rash actions. In addition, sanctae transmittant ut aequo iudicio in we prohibit and on pain of anathema forbid all Christians, for six years, quo delinquunt puniantur. Quod si forte solvendo non fuerint sic alias reatus to send or take their ships across to the lands of the Saracens who dwell talium castigetur quod in poena ipsorum in the east, so that by this a greater supply of shipping may be made aliis interdicatur audacia similia praesumendi. Prohibemus insuper ready for those wanting to cross over to help the holy Land, and so that omnibus christianis et sub anathemate the aforesaid Saracens may be deprived of the considerable help which interdicimus ne in terris Sarracenorum qui partes orientales inhabitant usque ad they have been accustomed to receiving from this. Because it is of the vi annos transmeant aut transvehant utmost necessity for the carrying out of this business that rulers and naves suas ut per hoc volentibus transfretare in subsidium terrae sanctae christian peoples keep peace with each other, we therefore ordain, with maior copia navigii praeparetur et the approval of this holy and general synod, that peace be generally kept Sarracenis subtrahatur auxilium quod eis consuevit ex hoc non modicum in the whole world among Christians, so that those in conflict shall be provenire. Et quia ad hoc negotium led by the prelates of churches to observe inviolably for six years a prosequendum permaxime est necessarium ut principes et populi definitive agreement or peace or a firm truce. Those who refuse to christiani ad pacem observent hac sancta comply shall be most strictly compelled to do so by a sentence of universali synodo approbante statuimus ut in toto orbe inter christianos pax excommunication against their persons and an interdict on their lands, generaliter observetur ita quod per unless the malice of the wrongdoers is so great that they ought not to ecclesiarum praelatos discordantes ducantur ad plenam concordiam sive enjoy peace. If it happens that they make light of the church’s censure, pacem aut ad firmam treugam per vi they may deservedly fear that the secular power will be invoked by annos inviolabiliter observandam et qui ecclesiastical authority against them as disturbers of the business of him acquiescere forte contempserint per excommunicationis sententiam in who was crucified. We therefore, trusting in the mercy of almighty God personas et interdictum in terras and in the authority of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, do grant, by arctissime compellantur nisi tanta fuerit iniuriatorum malitia quod tali non the power of binding and loosing that God has conferred upon us, albeit debeant pace gaudere. Quod si forte unworthy, unto all those who undertake this work of crossing the sea to censuram ecclesiasticam vilipenderint poterunt non immerito formidare ne per aid the holy Land, in person and at their own expense, full pardon for auctoritatem ecclesiae contra eos their sins about which they are truly and heartily contrite and have tamquam perturbatores negotii crucifixi saecularis potentia inducatur. Nos igitur spoken in confession, and we promise them an increase of eternal life at de omnipotentis dei misericordia et the recompensing of the just. To those who do not go there in person but beatorum Petri et Pauli auctoritate confisi ex illa quam nobis licet indignis deus send suitable men at their own expense, according to their means and ligandi atque solvendi contulit potestate status, and likewise to those who go in person but at others’ expense, we omnibus qui transfretandi pro subsidio terrae sanctae in propriis personis grant full pardon for their sins. We wish to grant to share in this laborem subierint et in expensis plenam remission, according to the nature of their help and the intensity of their suorum peccaminum de quibus veraciter fuerint corde contriti et ore confessi devotion, all who shall contribute suitably from their goods to the aid of veniam indulgemus et retributionem the said Land, or who give useful advice and help regarding the above, iustorum salutis aeternae pollicemur augmentum. Eis autem qui non in and all who make available their own ships for the help of the holy propriis personis illic accesserint sed in Land or who undertake to build ships for this purpose. Finally, this suis dumtaxat expensis iuxta facultatem et qualitatem suam viros idoneos dutiful and holy general synod imparts the benefit of its prayers and destinaverint et illis similiter qui licet in blessings to all who piously set out on this enterprise in order that it alienis expensis in propriis tamen personis accesserint plenam suorum may contribute to their salvation. ‘ [Id]. concedimus veniam peccatorum. Huiusmodi quoque remissionis volumus et concedimus esse participes iuxta qualitatem subsidii et devotionis affectum omnes qui ad subventionem 128 ipsius terrae de bonis suis congrue ministrabunt aut circa praedicta consilium et auxilium impenderint oportunum nec omnes illos qui pro subsidio terrae sanctae naves proprias exhibebunt aut eos qui propter hoc opus naves studuerint fabricare. Omnibus etiam pie proficientibus in hoc opere pia et sancta universalis synodus orationum et beneficiorum suffragium impertitur ut eis digne proficiat ad salutem. Not to us but to the Lord we give glory and honour; let us also thank Non nobis sed domino damus gloriam et honorem et ipsi gratias reddamus quod him that to so sacred a council a very great number of patriarchs, ad tam sacrum concilium patriarcharum primates, archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors provosts, deans, primatum archiepiscoporum episcoporum abbatum priorum praepositorum archdeacons and other prelates of churches, both personally and by decanorum archidiaconorum et aliorum suitable procurators, and the procurators of chapters, colleges and ecclesiarum praelatorum tam per se quam per procuratores idoneos nec convents, have assembled at our call. However, although for the happy capitulorum collegiorum et conventuum pursuit of so great an enterprise their advice would be useful, and their procuratorum ad vocationem nostram copiosa multitudo convenit. Sane licet presence as beloved sons is so delightful, filling us in a certain way with pro felici prosecutione tanti negotii esset spiritual joy, there are difficulties for some as to staying on. Various eorum consilium oportunum et in ipsorum tanquam dilectorum filiorum inconveniences result from their great number; we do not wish them to praesentia delectemur et quodammodo suffer any longer the squeezing of the enormous crowd; and their spirituali gaudio affluamus contra nonnullos tamen eorum propter varia absence may be harmful to them and their churches. A certain prudent incommoda quae ipsorum copiositas love moves us to decide with our brothers’ advice how to lighten the ingerit ne prae turba nimia se diutius comprimant et eorum absentia ipsis et burden of these representatives, while pursuing our object no less ipsorum ecclesiis posset esse damnosa ardently or zealously. We therefore have decided that all patriarchs, quadam provida pietate commoti de fratrum nostrorum consilio super hoc primates, archbishops, bishops, abbots and priors whom we summoned salubriter providere decrevimus ut sic specially and by name are to remain, they are not to depart without our eorum gravaminibus occurratur quod prosecutio huius negotii quod ferventi special leave before the council ends. The other non-mitred abbots and spiritu et sollicitudine indefessa priors and the other abbots and priors, who were not summoned by us prosequimur nullatenus derogetur. Omnes igitur patriarchas primates specially and by name, and the provosts, deans, archdeacons and other archiepiscopos episcopos abbates et prelates of churches, and the procurators of any prelates, chapters, priores per nos nominatim et specialiter evocatos sic remanere decrevimus ut colleges and convents, have our gracious leave to depart with the ante diffinitum concilium absque nostra blessing of God and our own. We commission all who so depart to speciali licentia non discedant. Ceteris vero abbatibus et prioribus non mitratis leave enough procurators, as described below, to receive our commands et aliis abbatibus et prioribus qui per nos and both the decrees of our present council and any other decrees that non fuerunt nominatim et specialiter evocati necnon praepositis decanis may, with God’s inspiration, be issued in the future. Thus, all so archidiaconis et aliis ecclesiarum departing are to leave behind the following adequate number of praelatis ac quorumque praelatorum procurators: namely, four from the realm of France, four from the realm capitulorum collegiorum et conventuum procuratoribus recedendi ex dei et nostra of Germany, four from the realms of the Spains, four from the realm of benedictione clementer licentiam England one from the realm of Scotland , two from the realm of Sicily, impertimur mandantes ut omnes taliter recedentes primitus prout infra scribitur two from Lombardy, one from Tuscany, one from the states of the procuratores sufficientes dimittant ad church, one from the realm of Norway, one from the realm of Sweden, suscipienda nostra mandata et ea quae in praesenti nostro concilio ordinata sunt one from the realm of Hungary , one from the realm of Dacia, one from et in futurum auctore domino contigerit the realm of Bohemia, one from the duchy of Poland. Furthermore , it ordinari. Omnes scilicet de regno Franciae taliter recedentes quattuor de has come to our ears that some archbishops, bishops and other prelates, regno Alamaniae quattuor de regnis when they were summoned by us to the council, asked an excessive Yspaniarum quattuor de regno Angliae quattuor de regno Scotiae unum de contribution from their subjects and committed great extortion, regno Siciliae duos de Lambardia duos de imposing heavy taxes on them. Some of these prelates, although they Tuscia unum de terris ecclesiae unum de regno Norbegiae unum de regno Sueviae made great exactions, did not come to the council. Since it neither was unum de regno Ungariae unum de regno nor is our intention that prelates in coming to the council should Daciae unum de regno Boemiae unum de ducatu Poloniae unum procuratores associate the virtue of obedience with the oppression of their subjects, sufficientes dimittant. Ad haec ad nos ex we admonish prelates one and all with great firmness, that none may quorundam relatione pervenit quod presume to use the council as a pretext for burdening his subjects with nonnulli archiepiscopi et episcopi alii que 129 taxes or exactions. If in fact some prelates have not come to the council praelati ea occasione quod ipsos ad concilium mandavimus evocari petentes and have made demands on the pretext of coming, it is our will and a subditis immoderatum subsidium multa precise command that they make restitution without delay. Those extorserunt ab eis graves ipsis tallias imponentes quorum aliqui licet a however who have oppressed their subjects, demanding excessive subiectis multa exegerint ad concilium contributions, should take care to make amends to them without non venerunt. Verumtamen cum nostrae intentionis non exstiterit nec exsistat ut creating difficulties, and so fulfil our commands that we do not have to praelati ad concilium veniendo sociarent apply a remedy by our authority. oboedire bonum cum gravamine subditorum monemus praelatos omnes et singulos eis firmiter innuentes quatinus nullus eorum occasione praemissa subditos suos talliis vel exactionibus gravare praesumat. Si vero aliqui non venerunt ad concilium et a subditis suis ea occasione aliquid exegerint volumus et praecise mandamus quod ea occasione quae receperunt ab eis restituant sine mora. Illi autem qui gravaverunt subditos ab eis subsidia immoderata petendo eisdem satisfacere sine qualibet difficultate procurent mandatum nostrum taliter impleturi quod non oporteat ut super hoc auctoritate nostra remedium apponatur. II 1. On the supreme Trinity and the catholic faith 1. We profess faithfully and devotedly that the holy Spirit proceeds Fideli ac devota professione fatemur quod spiritus sanctus aeternaliter ex eternally from the Father and the Son, not as from two principles, but as patre et filio non tanquam ex duobus from one principle; not by two spirations, but by one single spiration. principiis sed tanquam ex uno principio non duabus spirationibus sed unica This the holy Roman church, mother and mistress of all the faithful, has spiratione procedit. Hoc professa est till now professed, preached and taught; this she firmly holds, preaches, hactenus praedicavit et docuit hoc firmiter tenet praedicat profitetur et professes and teaches; this is the unchangeable and true belief of the docet sacrosancta Romana ecclesia orthodox fathers and doctors, Latin and Greek alike. But because some, mater omnium fidelium et magistra. Hoc habet orthodoxorum patrum atque on account of ignorance of the said indisputable truth, have fallen into doctorum Latinorum pariter et various errors, we, wishing to close the way to such errors, with the Graecorum incommutabilis et vera sententia. Sed quia nonnulli propter approval of the sacred council, condemn and reprove all who presume irrefragabilis praemissae ignorantiam to deny that the holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the veritatis in errores varios sunt prolapsi nos huiusmodi erroribus viam Son, or rashly to assert that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and praecludere cupientes sacro approbante the Son as from two principles and not as from one. concilio damnamus et reprobamus omnes qui negare praesumpserint aeternaliter spiritum sanctum ex patre et filio procedere sive etiam temerario ausu asserere quod spiritus sanctus ex patre et filio tanquam ex duobus principiis et non tanquam ex uno procedat. 2. On election and the power of the elected person 2. Where there is greater danger, there must certainly be greater Ubi periculum maius intenditur ibi procul dubio est plenius consulendum. Quam foresight. We learn from the past how heavy are the losses sustained by gravibus autem sit onusta dispendiis the Roman church in a long vacancy, how perilous it is; we see this all quot et quantis sit plena periculis ecclesiae Romanae prolixa vacatio exacti too clearly when we wisely consider the crises undergone. Reason temporis consideratio edocet et therefore openly challenges us, while we devote ourselves skilfully to considerata prudenter illius discrimina manifestant. Hinc nos evidens evocat the reform of lesser evils, certainly not to leave without appropriate ratio ut dum reformandis etiam remedy those of greater danger. We judge therefore that everything minoribus nostra sollerter vacet intentio ea quae periculosiora sunt nequaquam wisely instituted by our predecessors and especially by Pope Alexander absque remedio reformationis accomode III of happy memory, for avoiding discord in the election of the Roman relinquamus. Ideo que omnia quae pro vitanda discordia in electione Romani pontiff, should remain altogether intact. We intend in no way to detract pontificis a nostris sunt praedecessoribus from this legislation, but to supply by the present constitution what et praecipue a felicis recordationis Alexandro papa tertio salubriter instituta experience has shown to be missing. omnino immota in sua firmitate manere censentes nihil enim illis detrahere 130 intendimus sed quod experientia deesse probavit praesenti constitutione supplere. With the approval of the sacred council , we decree that if the pope dies Sacro concilio approbante statuimus ut si eumdem pontificem in civitate in qua in a city where he was residing with his curia, the cardinals present in cum sua curia residebat diem claudere that city are obliged to await the absent cardinals, but for ten days only. contingat extremum cardinales qui fuerint in civitate ipsa praesentes When these days have passed, whether those absent have arrived or not, absentes expectare decem diebus all are to assemble in the palace where the pope lived. Each is to be tantummodo teneantur. Quibus elapsis sive absentes venerint sive non extunc content with one servant only, clerical or lay, at choice. We allow omnes conveniant in palatio in quo idem however those in evident need to have two, with the same choice. In this pontifex habitabat contenti singuli singulis tantummodo servientibus clericis palace all are to live in common in one room, with no partition or vel laicis prout duxerint eligendum. Illis curtain. Apart from free entry to a private room, the conclave is to be tamen quibus patens necessitas id suggerit indulgeri duos habere completely locked, so that no one can enter or leave. No one may have permittimus eiusdem electionis arbitrio access to the cardinals or permission to talk secretly with them, nor are reservato. In eodem autem palatio unum conclave nullo intermedio pariete seu they themselves to admit anyone to their presence, except those who, by alio velamine omnes habitent in consent of all the cardinals present, might be summoned only for the communi quod servato libero ad secretam cameram aditu ita claudatur business of the imminent election. It is not lawful for anyone to send a undique ut nullus illud intrare valeat vel messenger or a written message to the cardinals or to any one of them. exire nulli ad eosdem cardinales aditus pateat vel facultas secrete loquendi cum Whoever acts otherwise, sending a messenger or a written message, or eis nec ipsi aliquos ad se venientes speaking secretly to one of the cardinals, is to incur automatic admittant nisi eos qui de voluntate omnium cardinalium inibi praesentium excommunication. In the conclave some suitable window is to be left pro iis tantum quae ad electionis open through which the necessary food may be served conveniently to instantis negotium pertinent vocarentur. Nulli etiam fas sit ipsis cardinalibus vel the cardinals, but no entry for anyone is to be possible through this way. eorum alicui nuntium mittere vel scripturam. Qui vero contra fecerit scripturam mittendo vel nuntium aut cum aliquo ipsorum secreto loquendo ipso facto sententiam excommunicationis incurrat. In conclavi tamen praedicto aliqua fenestra competens dimittatur per quam eisdem cardinalibus ad victum necessaria commode ministrentur sed per eam nulli ad ipsos patere possit ingressus. If, which God forbid, within three days after the cardinals have entered Verum si quod absit infra tres dies postquam ut praedicitur conclave the said conclave, the church has not been provided with a shepherd, praedictum iidem cardinales intraverint they are to be content for the next five days, every day both at dinner non fuerit ipsi ecclesiae de pastore provisum per spatium quinque dierum and supper, with one dish only. If these days also pass without the immediate sequentium singulis diebus election of a pope, henceforth only bread, wine and water are to be tam in prandio quam in cena uno solo ferculo sint contenti. Quibus provisione served to the cardinals until they do provide a pope. While the election non facta decursis extunc tantummodo is in process, the cardinals are to receive nothing from the papal panis vinum et aqua ministrentur eisdem donec eadem provisio subsequatur. treasury, nor any other revenue coming from whatever source to the Provisionis quoque huiusmodi pendente church while the see is vacant. Everything during this period remains in negotio dicti cardinales nihil de camera papae recipiant nec de aliis eidem the custody of him to whose faithfulness and care the treasury has been ecclesiae tempore vacationis entrusted, to be kept by him for the disposal of the future pope. Those obvenientibus undecunque sed ea omnia ipsa vacatione durante sub eius cuius who have accepted something are obliged from then on to abstain from fidei et diligentiae camera eadem est receiving any of the revenues due to them until they have made full commissa custodia maneant per eum dispositioni futuri pontificis reservanda. restitution of what they have accepted in this way. The cardinals are to Qui autem aliquid receperint teneantur devote their time so carefully to hastening the election as to occupy extunc a perceptione quorumlibet redituum ad ipsos spectantium abstinere themselves with no other business whatever unless perhaps there occurs donec de receptis taliter plenariam such an urgent necessity as the defence of the states of the church or satisfactionem impendant. Iidem quoque cardinales accelerandae provisioni sic some part of them, or there be threat of such a great and evident danger vacent attentius quod se nequaquam de that it seems to each and all the cardinals present, by general consent, alio negotio intromittant nisi forsan necessitas adeo urgens incideret quod that they should quickly counteract it. eos oporteret de terra ipsius ecclesiae defendenda vel eius parte aliqua 131 providere vel nisi aliquod tam grande tam evidens periculum immineret quod omnibus et singulis cardinalibus praesentibus concorditer videretur illi celeriter occurrendum. Of course if one of the cardinals does not enter the conclave, which we Sane si aliquis de praedictis cardinalibus conclave praedictum ut supra exprimitur have described above, or having entered leaves without evident cause of non intraverit aut intrans absque illness, the others, without in any way searching for him and without re- manifesta causa infirmitatis exierit ipso minime requisito nec in eiusdem admitting him to the election, may proceed freely to elect the next pope. electionis negotio ulterius admittendo If in fact, owing to sudden illness, one of them leaves the conclave, the per alios ad eligendum substituendum pontificem libere procedatur. Si vero election may proceed without the need for his vote, even while the infirmitate superveniente idem conclave illness lasts. But if after regaining his health or even before, he wishes aliquem ex eis exire contingat ipsa etiam infirmitate durante poterit eius suffragio to return, or even if other absentees, for whom a wait of ten days should non requisito procedi. Sed si ad alios post be made as we have said, come on the scene while the election is still sanitatem sibi redditam seu antea redire voluerit vel etiam si alii absentes quos undecided, that is, before the church has been provided with a shepherd, per decem dies diximus expectandos they are to be admitted to the election in the state in which they find it; supervenerint re integra videlicet antequam eidem ecclesiae sit de pastore they are to keep the rules with the others as regards enclosure, servants, provisum in eodem negotio in illo statu in food and drink and everything else. quo ipsum invenerint admittantur praemissa tam de clausura quam de servientibus cibo ac potu et reliquis cum aliis servaturi. If the Roman pontiff happens to die outside the city in which he resided Porro si quando Romanum pontificem extra civitatem praedictam in qua erat with his curia, the cardinals are obliged to assemble in the city in whose cum sua curia residens contigerit ab hac territory or district the pontiff died, unless perhaps the city lies under luce migrare teneantur cardinales in civitate in cuius territorio seu districtu interdict or persists in open rebellion against the Roman church. In idem pontifex obiit convenire nisi sit which case they are to meet in another city, the nearest which is neither forsitan interdicta vel contra ecclesiam Romanam in aperta rebellione persistat. under interdict nor openly rebellious. In this city also, the same rules Quo casu in alia viciniori conveniant quae about waiting for absentees, living together, enclosure and everything similiter nec interdicto subiaceat nec sit ut praedicitur aperte rebellis. In hac else, in the episcopal palace or any other residence specified by the etiam civitate tam quoad exspectationem cardinals, are to be observed as above when the pope dies in the city absentium quam quoad habitationem communem clausuram et cetera omnia where he resided with his curia. in domo episcopali vel alia qualibet eisdem cardinalibus deputanda eadem observentur quae superius obeunte dicto pontifice in ea in qua cum sua residebat curia sunt expressa. Moreover, since it is not enough to make laws unless there is someone Praeterea quia parum est iura condere nisi sit qui eadem tueatur adiciendo to see that they are kept, we further ordain that the lord and other rulers sancimus ut dominus alii que rectores et and officials of the city where the election of the Roman pontiff is to be officiales civitatis illius in qua Romani pontificis celebranda fuerit electio held, by the power given to them by our authority and the approval of auctoritate nostra et eiusdem the council, are to enforce the observance of everything prescribed approbatione concilii potestate sibi tradita praemissa omnia et singula plene above in every detail, fully and inviolably without any deceit and ac inviolabiliter sine fraude ac dolo aliquo trickery, but they may not presume to restrict the cardinals beyond what faciant observari nec cardinales ultra quam praemittitur artare praesumant. has been said. As soon as the said lord, rulers and officials hear of the Super iis autem taliter observandis supreme pontiff’s death, they are to take an oath as a body, in the statim audito summi pontificis obitu coram clero et populo civitatis ipsius ad presence of the clergy and people specially mustered for the purpose, to hoc specialiter convocandis praestent observe these prescriptions. If it happens that they commit fraud in this corporaliter iuramentum. Quod si forte in praemissis vel circa ea fraudem matter or do not observe the regulations with care, of whatever pre- commiserint aut ipsa diligenter non eminence, condition or status they may be, they lose all privileges; they observaverint cuiuscumque sint praeeminentiae conditionis aut status are automatically subject to the bond of excommunication and are omni cessante privilegio eo ipso forever infamous; and they are permanently excluded from all honours, excommunicationis sint vinculo innodati et perpetuo sint infames nec unquam eis nor may they be admitted to any public office. We have decreed that portae dignitatis pateant nec ad aliquod over and above this they are automatically deprived of the fiefs goods publicum officium admittantur. Ipsos insuper feudis et bonis ceteris que quae and all they hold from the same Roman church or any other churches, ab eadem Romana vel quibuslibet aliis this property returns fully and freely to the churches themselves, to be ecclesiis obtinent ipso facto decrevimus 132 without any opposition at the disposal of the administrators of those esse privatos ita quod ad ecclesias ipsas plene ac libere revertantur churches. The city itself is to be not only laid under interdict but also administratorum earumdem ecclesiarum deprived of its episcopal dignity. arbitrio sine contradictione aliqua disponenda. Civitas vero praedicta non solum sit interdicto supposita sed et pontificali dignitate privata. Furthermore , since when a disordered passion enslaves the will or some Ceterum quia cum arbitrium vel inordinatus captivat affectus vel ad pledge compels it to one way of acting, the election is null from lack of certum aliquid obligationis cuiusque freedom, we implore the cardinals through the tender mercy of our necessitas adigit cessat electio dum libertas adimitur eligendi cardinales God’, and we call them to witness through the sprinkling of his precious eosdem obsecrantes per viscera blood, that they consider very carefully what they are about to do. They misericordiae dei nostri per aspersionem sui pretiosi sanguinis obtestamur ut are electing the vicar of Jesus Christ, the successor of Peter, the ruler of pensantes attentius quid eis imminet the universal church, the guide of the Lord’s flock. They are to lay aside cum agitur de creatione vicarii Iesu Christi successoris Petri rectoris all the disorder of private affection, to be free from any bargain, universalis ecclesiae gregis dominici agreement or pledge; they are not to consider any promise or directoris omni privatae affectionis inordinatione deposita et cuiuslibet understanding, to have no regard for their mutual advantage or that of pactionis conventionis obligationis their friends. They are not to look after their own interests or their necessitate necnon condicti et intendimenti contemplatione cessantibus individual convenience. Without any constraint on their judgment other non in se reciprocent considerationis than God, they are to seek purely and freely the public good, with the intuitum vel in suos. Non quae sua sunt quaerant non commodis privatis election alone in mind. They are to use every endeavour and care that is intendant sed nullo artante ipsorum in possible. Their one aim is to provide, by their service and speedily, what eligendo iudicium nisi deo puris et liberis mentibus nuda electionis conscientia is so useful and necessary for the whole world, a fitting spouse for the utilitatem publicam libere prosequantur church. Those who act otherwise are subject to the divine retribution, omni conatu et sollicitudine prout possibilitas patitur id acturi tantummodo their fault never to be pardoned except after severe penance. We ut eorum ministerio acceleretur utilis et invalidate all bargains, agreements, pledges, promises and pernecessaria totius mundi provisio idoneo celeriter eidem ecclesiae sponso understandings, whether confirmed by oath or any other bond; we dato. Qui autem secus egerint divinae nullify all these and decree that such have no force whatever. No one is subiaceant ultioni eorum culpa nisi gravi propter hoc peracta poenitentia constrained in any way to observe them, nor anyone to fear that by nullatenus abolenda. Et nos nihilominus transgressing them he is breaking faith. Rather he deserves praise, for pactiones conventiones obligationes condicta et intendimenta omnia sive even human law testifies that such transgressions are more acceptable to iuramenti sive cuiuslibet alterius sint God than the keeping of the oath. vinculo firmitatis innexa cassamus irritamus et viribus decernimus omnino carere ita ut nullus ad illa observanda quomodolibet sit astrictus nec quisquam ex eorum transgressione notam vereatur fidei non servatae sed non indignae laudis titulum potius mereatur cum lex etiam humana testetur deo magis transgressiones huiusmodi quam iurisiurandi observationes acceptas. Since the faithful should rely not so much on human resource, however Quia vero fidelibus non est tam de sollicita quantumcumque inventione solicitous, than on the urgency of humble and devoted prayer, we make fidendum quam de instantia orationis an addition to this decree. In all the cities and important places, as soon humilis et devotae sperandum huic adicimus sanctioni ut in omnibus as the death of the pope becomes known, solemn exequies are to be civitatibus ceteris que locis insignibus ubi celebrated for him by clergy and people. After this, every day until primum de memorati pontificis obitu certitudo claruerit a clero et populo undoubted news is brought that the church truly has her pastor, there is solemnibus pro eo exequiis celebratis to be humble and devoted prayer to the Lord, that he who makes peace singulis diebus donec de ipsius ecclesiae provisione indubitatus rumor pertulerit in his high heaven may so unite the hearts of the cardinals in their veritatem humiles preces fundantur ad choice that provision may be made for the church swiftly, dominum apud eum devotis orationibus insistatur ut ipse qui concordiam facit in harmoniously, unanimously and beneficially, for the salvation of souls sublimibus suis sic efficiat eorumdem and the advantage of the whole world. And lest this salutary decree be cardinalium corda in eligendo concordia quod provisio celer concors et utilis prout disregarded on pretext of ignorance, we strictly order patriarchs, animarum salus exigit et totius requirit archbishops, bishops, other prelates of churches, and all who have orbis utilitas ex ipsorum unanimitate sequatur. Et ne tam salubre praesentis faculties to explain the word of God, that they should often gather sanctionis edictum ignorantiae negligi 133 together the clergy and people for the purpose of urging them in praetextu contingat districte praecipimus ut patriarchae archiepiscopi episcopi et sermons to pray earnestly and repeatedly for a swift and happy outcome alii ecclesiarum praelati ceteri que quibus of the conclave. With the same authority they should prescribe not only concessum est proponere verbum dei clerum et populum propter hoc frequent prayer but also, as circumstances recommend, the observance specialiter frequentius congregandos in of fasting. suis sermonibus ad supplicum precum suffragia pro celeri et felici exitu tanti negotii frequentanda sollerter hortentur et ipsis eadem auctoritate non solum orationum frequentiam sed et observantiam prout circumstantiae pensandae suaserint ieiuniorum indicant. 3 That we may, as far as possible, close the way to evil practices in Ut circa electiones postulationes et provisiones ecclesiasticas viam malitiis ecclesiastical elections, postulations and provisions, and that churches prout est possibile praecludamus nec may not have long and dangerous vacancies or the provision of diutius periculose vacent ecclesiae vel personatuum dignitatum et aliorum parsonages, dignities and other ecclesiastical benefices be delayed, we ecclesiasticorum beneficiorum provisio make this perpetual decree. When opponents to elections, postulations differatur edicto perpetuo providemus ut si quando aliqui electionibus or provisions raise difficulties against the form of the election, postulationibus vel provisionibus se postulation or provision, or against the persons of the electors or of the opponunt proponendo aliqua contra electionis postulationis seu provisionis one elected or of him for whom the provision was to be made or has formam aut personas eligentium vel been made, and for these reasons make an appeal, the appellants are to electi sive illius cui provisio erat facienda vel facta et propter hoc contigerit express in a public document or letter of appeal every individual appellari appellantes in instrumento objection they intend to make against the form or persons. They shall do publico seu litteris super appellatione confectis omnia et singula exprimant this in the presence of a qualified person or persons bearing witness to quae in formam intendunt obicere vel the truth on the above points, and they shall personally swear that they personas coram personis authenticis aut persona quae super hoc testimonium believe what they say to be true and can prove it. If this is not done, perhibeant veritati corporali praestito both the objectors and, during the time of appeal or afterwards, their iuramento quod credunt ea quae sic exprimunt esse vera et se posse probare. adherents are to know that the power of objecting anything not Alioquin tam opponentes quam tempore expressed in these letters or documents is forbidden to them, unless appellationis interpositae vel postmodum adhaerentes eisdem obiciendi aliqua there is some new evidence or there suddenly appears means of proving quae non fuerint in huiusmodi litteris vel the former objections, or some facts of the past have newly come to the instrumentis expressa potestatem sibi noverint interdictam nisi aliquid postea knowledge of the objectors, facts of which at the time of the appeal the forsan emerserit vel super antiquis appellants probably could have been, and in fact were, ignorant. They supervenerit probandi facultas aut aliqua antiqua in opponentium notitiam de novo are to establish their good faith concerning this ignorance and the pervenerint quae appellantes subsequent possibility of proof by taking an oath personally, adding in appellationis emissae tempore verisimiliter ignorare potuerint et etiam the same oath that they believe they have sufficient proof. It is our will ignorarint. Super huiusmodi autem certainly that the penalties imposed by Pope Innocent IV of happy ignorantia et superveniente facultate probandi fidem per proprium memory on those who do not fully substantiate their objections against praestandum corporaliter faciant the form or the person, shall remain in force. iuramentum hoc adiciendo in iuramento eodem quod ad ea probanda credunt se sufficientes probationes habere. Illa sane quae felicis recordationis Innocentius papa iv contra non plene probantes ea quae in formam vel personam obiecerant statuit in suo volumus robore permanere. 4 Blind greed and criminal, dishonest ambition, seizing on certain Avaritiae caecitas et damnandae ambitionis improbitas aliquorum animos minds, drive them to the rash attempt to usurp by ingenious fraud what occupantes eos in illam temeritatem they know is forbidden to them by the law. Some, indeed, are elected to impellunt ut quae sibi a iure interdicta noverunt exquisitis fraudibus usurpare the government of churches and, because the law forbids any conentur. Nonnulli siquidem ad regimen interference in the administration of churches before the election has ecclesiarum electi quia eis iure prohibente non licet se ante been confirmed, contrive to have the churches entrusted to themselves confirmationem electionis celebratae de as procurators and managers. Since it is not good to give way to human ipsis administrationi ecclesiarum ad quas vocantur ingerere ipsam sibi tanquam trickery, we wish to take wider precautions in this general constitution. procuratoribus seu oeconomis committi We decree that none may henceforth presume, before confirmation of procurant. Cum itaque non sit malitiis hominum indulgendum nos latius his election, to conduct or accept the administration of an office to providere volentes hac generali 134 which he has been elected, or to interfere in it, under the pretext of constitutione sancimus ut nullus de cetero administrationem dignitatis ad management or procuratorship or some other newly invented disguise, quam electus est priusquam celebrata de in things spiritual or temporal, directly or through others, in part or in ipso electio confirmetur sub oeconomatus vel procurationis nomine whole. We decree that all who act otherwise are by that very fact aut alio de novo quaesito colore in deprived of the right they would have acquired by the election. spiritualibus vel temporalibus per se vel per alium pro parte vel in totum gerere vel recipere aut illi se immiscere praesumat omnes illos qui secus fecerint iure si quod eis per electionem quaesitum fuerit decernentes eo ipso privatos. 5. Not only do the laws bear witness but also experience, that effective Quam sit ecclesiis ipsarum dispendiosa vacatio quam periculosa etiam esse teacher of reality, makes clear how damaging to churches is their soleat animabus non solum iura testantur vacancy, how dangerous it usually is to souls. Desirous, then, of sed et magistra rerum efficax experientia manifestat. Cupientes itaque counteracting the long duration of vacancies by suitable remedies, we competentibus remediis vacationum make a perpetual decree that after there has been an election in any diuturnitatibus obviare hoc perpetuo decreto statuimus ut si quando fuerit church, the electors are obliged to inform the elect as soon as electio in aliqua ecclesia celebrata conveniently possible and to ask his consent. The elect in his turn is to electores electionem ipsam quam citius commode poterunt electo praesentare ac give it within a month from the day of being informed. If the elect petere consensum ipsius electus vero delays beyond this, he is to know that from then on he is deprived of the illum adhibere infra mensem a tempore praesentationis huiusmodi teneantur. right he would have acquired from his election, unless perhaps his Quem si electus ipse praestare ultra condition is such that he cannot consent to his election without his distulerit iure si quod ei ex sua electione fuerat acquisitum extunc se noverit eo superior’s leave, on account of a prohibition or some disposition of the ipso privatum nisi forsan ea sit electae apostolic see . The elect or his electors must then earnestly seek and personae conditio ut electioni de se celebratae absque superioris sui licentia gain the superior’s leave as quickly as his presence or absence will ex prohibitione seu quavis provisione permit. Otherwise, if the time has expired, even with the allowance sedis apostolicae consentire non possit. Quo casu idem electus seu electores made for the presence or absence of the superior, and permission has ipsius consentiendi licentiam ab eius not been obtained, the electors are then free to proceed to another superiore cum ea celeritate quam superioris ipsius praesentia vel absentia election. Furthermore, any elect must ask for confirmation of his permiserit petere studeant et habere. election within three months after giving consent. If without lawful Alioquin si lapso tempore pro eiusdem superioris praesentia vel absentia ut impediment he omits to do this within such a three-month period, the praemittitur moderando huiusmodi election is by that very fact null and void. licentiam eos nequaquam obtinere contingat electores extunc ad electionem aliam procedendi liberam habeant facultatem. Ceterum quivis electus infra tres menses post consensum electioni de se celebratae praestitum confirmationem electionis ipsius petere non omittat. Quod si iusto impedimento cessante infra huiusmodi trimestre tempus omiserit electio eadem eo ipso viribus vacuetur. 6. We declare, with the force of a perpetual decree, that they who in an Perpetuae sanctionis oraculo declaramus quod scienter in electionibus nominantes election vote knowingly for an unworthy candidate are not deprived of indignum propter suffragium in scrutinio the power of electing, unless they have so far persisted as to make the praestitum nisi adeo in eo perstiterint quod ex eo votis eorum communis election depend on their votes, even though in nominating an unworthy electio subsequatur nequaquam eligendi person they have deliberately acted against their consciences and may potestate privantur licet pro eo quod indignum nominando scienter contra rightly fear divine retribution and a punishment, in accordance with the conscientias suas agunt et divinam offence, from the apostolic see. vindictam et apostolicae ultionis motum quem qualitas facti suaserit possint non immerito formidare. 7. We decree that nobody, after voting for someone whose election Nulli licere decernimus postquam in scrutinio nominaverit aliquem et electio follows, or after giving consent to an election made by others, may fuerit subsecuta vel postquam oppose him concerning the election itself, except for reasons coming to praestiterit electioni de ipso ab aliis celebratae consensum illum super light afterwards, or unless the elect’s evil character previously hidden electione ipsa nisi ex causis postea from the objector is now disclosed, or the existence of some other emergentibus impugnare vel nisi ei morum ipsius antea celata de novo hidden vice or defect, of which in all probability he could have been pandatur improbitas seu alicuius alterius 135 ignorant, is revealed. He is however to guarantee his good faith latentis vitii vel defectus quae verisimiliter ignorare potuerit veritas regarding this lack of knowledge by oath. reveletur. De huiusmodi autem ignorantia fidem proprio faciat iuramento. 8. If after two scrutinies one part of the electors is to be found more than Si quando contigerit duabus electionibus celebratis partem alteram eligentium double the number of the other, we by this decree take away from the duplo maiorem numero inveniri contra minority all power of imputing lack of zeal, merit or authority to the electores qui partem reliquam sic excedunt ad extenuationem zeli meriti majority or their candidate. We do not however forbid such objections vel auctoritatis ipsorum reliquis vel as would render null, in virtue of the law itself, the election of the electo ab eis aliquid opponendi omnem praesenti decreto interdicimus candidate so opposed. facultatem. Si quid autem opponere voluerint quod votum illius cui opponitur nullum redderet ipso iure id eis non intelligimus interdictum. 9. The constitution of Pope Alexander IV, our predecessor of happy Quamvis constitutio felicis recordationis Alexandri papae iv praedecessoris nostri memory, rightly includes cases about episcopal elections, and those causas electionum episcopalium seu arising therefrom, in the category of major cases and asserts that their super electionibus episcoporum exortas non immerito maioribus causis judicial inquiry subsequent to any appeal falls to the apostolic see. We, annumerans cognitiones ipsarum per however, wishing to curb both the rash boldness and unbridled appellationes quaslibet devolvi asserat ad apostolicae sedis examen nos tamen frequency of appeals, have considered that we should make provision et temerariam appellantium audaciam et by this general constitution. If someone appeals extrajudicially with an effrenatam appellationum frequentiam refrenare volentes hac generali evidently frivolous motive in the aforesaid elections or in others which constitutione duximus providendum ut si concern dignities higher than the episcopate, such an appeal is by no extra iudicium in praedictis electionibus vel in aliis de dignitatibus episcopatu means to go before the apostolic see. maioribus celebratis expressa causa manifeste frivola contigerit appellari per appellationem huiusmodi nequaquam ad sedem eamdem negotium devolvatur. When however in the business of such elections an appeal is made in Sed cum in electionum earumdem negotiis in iudicio vel extra iudicium writing, judicially or extrajudicially, from a credible motive which on appellatur in scriptis ex causa probabili proof ought to be considered legitimate, such business is to be brought quae probata deberet legitima reputari ad sedem ipsam huiusmodi negotia to the apostolic see. Furthermore, it is lawful for the parties in these deferantur. Ceterum in praemissis cases, provided there is no malice, to withdraw from such appeals casibus liceat partibus ab huiusmodi appellationibus nulla tamen interveniente before they are laid before the said see. Subordinate judges, who were pravitate recedere antequam praefatae competent for these cases, should on withdrawal of the appeal first of all sedi fuerint praesentatae. Inferiores autem iudices quorum erat ipsarum inquire carefully whether there has been any irregularity. If they find causarum cognitio appellatione cessante such, they are to have no further dealings with the case itself, but shall an in hoc pravitas intercesserit ante omnia diligenter inquirant et si eam set for the parties a suitable fixed term in which they are to present intercessisse reppererint se de causis themselves with all their acts and records to the apostolic see. I ipsis nullatenus intromittant sed praefigant dictis partibus terminum peremptorium competentem in quo cum omnibus actis et monimentis suis apostolico se conspectui repraesentent. 10. If among other objections against the elect or nominee or candidate Si forte inter cetera quae obiciuntur electo aut postulato seu alias to be promoted in any other way to some dignity, it is said that he promovendo ad aliquam dignitatem clearly lacks the requisite knowledge or has some other obvious evidentem scientiae vel alium personae defectum opponi contingat in discussione personal defect, we decree that there is to be an invariable order in obiectorum illum statuimus ordinem discussing the objections. The candidate is to be examined first of all incommutabiliter observandum ut promovendus super defectu ipso ante concerning the alleged defect, the outcome deciding whether other omnia subiciatur examini cuius eventus objections are to be considered or not. If the result of the said examinandis aliis aut dabit initium aut negabit. Ceterum si praemissi examinis examination shows that the objections concerning the alleged defect are exitus huiusmodi oppositiones docuerit devoid of truth, we exclude the objectors altogether from pursuing veritate destitui opponentes omnino a prosecutione causae in qua talia further the case in which they have made their objections, and we obiecerunt excludimus et perinde puniri decree that they are to be punished exactly as if they had thoroughly decernimus ac penitus in probatione failed to prove any of their objections. omnium quae obiecerant defecissent. 11. All those who presume to oppress clerics or any other ecclesiastical Sciant cuncti qui clericos vel quaslibet alias personas ecclesiasticas ad quos in 136 persons having the right of election in certain churches, monasteries or aliquibus ecclesiis monasteriis aut aliis piis locis spectat electio pro eo quod other pious places, because they have refused to elect the person for rogati seu alias inducti eum pro quo whom they were asked or urged to vote, or who presume to oppress rogabantur sive inducebantur eligere noluerunt vel consanguineos eorum aut their relatives or the said churches, monasteries or other places, robbing ipsas ecclesias monasteria seu loca them of benefices or other property, either directly or through others, or cetera beneficiis sive aliis bonis suis per se vel per alios spoliando seu alias taking revenge in other ways, are to know that they incur automatic iniuste persequendo gravare excommunication. praesumpserint se ipso facto excommunicationis sententia innodatos. 12 We decree by a general constitution that one and all, however high Generali constitutione sancimus universos et singulos qui regalia their rank, who try to usurp the royal privileges, the custody or guard, or custodiam sive guardiam advocationis the title of advocate or defender, in churches, monasteries and any other vel defensionis titulum in ecclesiis monasteriis sive quibuslibet aliis piis locis pious places, and presume to take possession of their property during a de novo usurpare conantes bona vacancy, lie under automatic sentence of excommunication. The clerics ecclesiarum monasteriorum aut locorum ipsorum vacantium occupare praesumunt of the churches, the monks of the monasteries, and the other persons in quantaecunque dignitatis honore the above places, who abet these offences, are automatically praefulgeant clericos etiam ecclesiarum monachos monasteriorum et personas excommunicated in the same way. ceteras locorum eorumdem qui haec fieri procurant eo ipso excommunicationis sententiae subiacere. We indeed strictly forbid those clerics who do not oppose, as they Illos vero clericos qui se ut debent talia facientibus non opponunt de proventibus ought, those who act in such a way, to receive any income from these ecclesiarum seu locorum ipsorum pro churches or places during the time they have allowed the usurpation to tempore quo praemissa sine debita contradictione permiserint aliquid happen without opposition. Those who claim these rights by the percipere districtius inhibemus. Qui foundation of the churches or of the other places, or by reason of autem ab ipsarum ecclesiarum ceterorum que locorum fundatione vel ex ancient custom, are prudently to avoid abusing their rights and take care antiqua consuetudine iura sibi huiusmodi that their agents do not abuse them, so that they appropriate nothing vendicant ab illorum abusu sic prudenter abstineant et suos ministros in eis beyond what pertains to the fruits or revenues accruing during the sollicite faciant abstinere quod ea quae vacancy, and do not allow the dilapidation of the other property of non pertinent ad fructus sive reditus provenientes vacationis tempore non which they claim to be the guardians but preserve it in good condition. usurpent nec bona cetera quorum se asserunt habere custodiam dilabi permittant sed in bono statu conservent. 13. The canon promulgated by Pope Alexander III, our predecessor of Licet canon a felicis recordationis Alexandro papa iii praedecessore nostro happy memory, decreed among other things that nobody is to be editus inter cetera statuerit ut nullus appointed parish priest until he is twenty-five and approved as to regimen ecclesiae parochialis suscipiat nisi vigesimum quintum annum aetatis knowledge and morals; and that after his appointment, if he has not attigerit ac scientia et moribus been ordained priest within the time fixed by the canons, despite being commendandus exsistat quod que talis ad regimen assumptus huiusmodi si warned to this effect, he is to be removed from office and it is to be monitus non fuerit praefixo a canonibus conferred on someone else. Since many neglect to observe this canon, tempore in presbyterum ordinatus a regiminis eiusdem amoveatur officio et we wish their dangerous negligence to be made good by observance of alii conferatur quia tamen in the law. We therefore decree that nobody is to be appointed parish priest observatione canonis memorati se multi exhibent negligentes nos periculosam unless he is suitable by knowledge, morals and age. Any appointments negligentiam volentes iuris executione from now of those younger than twenty-five are to lack all validity. The suppleri praesenti decreto statuimus ut nullus ad regimen parochialis ecclesiae person appointed is obliged to reside in the parish church of which he assumatur nisi sit idoneus scientia has become rector, in order that he may take more diligent care of the moribus et aetate decernentes collationes de parochialibus ecclesiis hiis flock entrusted to him. Within a year of being appointed to his charge qui non attigerunt vigesimum quintum he is to have himself ordained to the priesthood. If within that time he annum de cetero faciendas viribus omnino carere. Is etiam qui ad huiusmodi has not been ordained, he is deprived of his church, even without regimen assumetur ut gregis sibi crediti previous warning, by authority of the present constitution. As to diligentius gerere curam possit in parochiali ecclesia cuius rector exstiterit residence, as above described, the ordinary may grant a dispensation for residere personaliter teneatur et infra a time and for a reasonable cause. annum a sibi commissi regiminis tempore numerandum se faciat ad sacerdotium promoveri. Quod si infra idem tempus promotus non fuerit ecclesia sibi commissa nulla etiam praemissa 137 monitione sit praesentis constitutionis auctoritate privatus. Super residentia vero ut praemittitur facienda possit ordinarius gratiam dispensative ad tempus facere prout causa rationabilis id exposcet. 14. No one may henceforth presume to give a parish church “in Nemo deinceps parochialem ecclesiam alicui non constituto in aetate legitima et commendam” to anyone under the lawful age and not ordained priest. sacerdotio commendare praesumat nec Such a commendatory may have only one parish church and there must tali etiam nisi unam et evidenti necessitate vel utilitate ipsius ecclesiae be an evident need or advantage for the church itself. We declare, suadente. Huiusmodi autem however, that such a commendam, even when properly made, is not to commendam ut praemittitur rite factam declaramus ultra semestris temporis last more than six months. We decree that any contrary procedure spatium non durare statuentes quicquid relating to commendams of parish churches is invalid by law. secus de commendis ecclesiarum parochialium actum fuerit esse irritum ipso iure. 15. On the circumstances of ordination and the quality of ordinands 15. We decree that those who knowingly or with affected ignorance or Eos qui clericos parochiae alienae absque superioris ordinandorum licentia scienter on any other pretext presume to ordain clerics of another diocese seu affectata ignorantia vel quocumque without permission of the ordinands’ superior, are suspended for a year alio figmento quaesito praesumpserint ordinare per annum a collatione ordinum from conferring any orders. The penalties prescribed by law against decernimus esse suspensos iis quae iura those so ordained are to remain in full vigour. We also grant the faculty statuunt contra taliter ordinatos in suo robore duraturis. Clericis quoque to clerics of the dioceses of bishops thus suspended, after their parochiae taliter suspensorum postquam suspension has become public, freely to receive orders meanwhile from eorum suspensio fuerit manifesta absque ipsorum etiam licentia interim recipiendi neighbouring bishops, even without their own bishop’s leave, but in ordines ab aliis vicinis episcopis alias other respects canonically. tamen canonice liberam concedimus facultatem. 16. On bigamists 16. Putting an end to an old debate by the present declaration, we Altercationis antiquae praesentis declarationis oraculo decidentes bigamos declare that bigamists are deprived of any clerical privilege and are to omni privilegio clericali declaramus esse be handed over to the control of the secular law, any contrary custom nudatos et coercioni fori saecularis addictos consuetudine contraria non notwithstanding. We also forbid bigamists under pain of anathema to obstante. Ipsis quoque sub anathemate wear the tonsure or clerical dress. prohibemus deferre tonsuram vel habitum clericalem. 17. On the office of ordinary judge 17. If canons wish to suspend the celebration of divine worship, as is Si canonici a divinis cessare voluerint prout in ecclesiis aliquibus sibi ex their claim from custom or otherwise in certain churches, they are consuetudine vel alias vendicant obliged, before taking any steps to suspend the celebration, to express antequam ad cessationem huiusmodi quoquo modo procedant in instrumento their reasons for this in a confirmation of authenticity. They are to publico vel patentibus litteris sigillorum consign this document or letter to the person against whom the suorum aut alterius authentici munimine roboratis cessationis ipsius causam suspension is directed. They are to know that if they suspend services exprimant et illud vel illas ei contra quem without this formality or the reason expressed is not canonical, they cessare intendunt assignent scituri quod si hoc praetermisso cessaverint vel causa shall restore all the income they have received, during the time of the quam expresserint non fuerit inventa suspension, from the church in which the suspension has taken place. canonica omnia quae de quibuscumque proventibus illius ecclesiae in qua They shall in no way receive anything owing to them for that period but cessatum fuerit cessationis tempore make it over to the church in question. They will, moreover, be obliged perceperunt restituent. Illa vero quae pro eodem tempore debentur eisdem nullo to make restitution for the loss or injustice done to the person whom modo percipient sed ipsi ecclesiae they intended to punish. If however their cause is judged to be cedere ac nihilominus ei contra quem cessaverant de damnis et iniuriis canonical, the one who occasioned the suspension is to be sentenced to satisfacere tenebuntur. Si autem causa compensate the said canons and the church from which divine service eadem canonica fuerit iudicata is qui occasionem cessationi dederat ad omne has been withdrawn through his fault. The superior is to adjudicate the interesse dictis canonicis et ecclesiae cui compensation and it is to be used for the benefit of divine worship. debitum officium eius est culpa subtractum ad certam quantitatem Nevertheless we utterly rebuke the detestable abuse and horrible taxandam et in divini cultus augmentum impiety of those who treating with irreverent boldness crucifixes and convertendam superioris arbitrio condemnetur. Ceterum detestabilem images or statues of the blessed Virgin and other saints, throw them to abusum horrendae indevotionis illorum 138 the ground in order to emphasise the suspension of divine worship, and qui crucis beatae virginis aliorum ve sanctorum imagines seu statuas leave them under nettles and thorns. We forbid severely any sacrilege of irreverenti ausu tractantes eas in this kind. We decree that those who disobey are to receive a hard aggravationem cessationis huiusmodi prosternunt in terram urticis spinis que retributive sentence which will so chastise the offenders as to suppress supponunt penitus reprobantes aliquid the like arrogance in others. tale de cetero fieri districtius prohibemus statuentes ut in eos qui contra fecerint ultrix procedat dura sententia quae delinquentes sic graviter puniat quod alios a similium praesumptione compescat. 18. Local ordinaries must strictly compel their subjects to produce the Ordinarii locorum subditos suos plures dignitates vel ecclesias quibus animarum dispensations by which they hold canonically, as they assert, several cura imminet obtinentes seu personatum dignities or churches to which is annexed the cure of souls, or a aut dignitatem cum alio beneficio cui cura similis est annexa districte parsonage or dignity together with another benefice to which a similar compellant dispensationes auctoritate cure is annexed. These dispensations are to be shown within a time quarum huiusmodi ecclesias personatus seu dignitates canonice tenere se proportionate to the situation as judged by the ordinaries themselves. If asserunt infra tempus pro facti qualitate without just reason no dispensation has been shown within that time, the ipsorum ordinariorum moderandum arbitrio exhibere. Quod si forte iusto churches, benefices, parsonages or dignities which it is now obvious are impedimento cessante nullam held unlawfully without dispensation, are to be conferred freely on dispensationem infra idem tempus contigerit exhiberi ecclesiae beneficia suitable persons by those who have the right. If on the other hand the personatus seu dignitates quae sine dispensation shown seems clearly sufficient, the holder is not to be dispensatione aliqua eo ipso illicite detineri constabit per eos ad quos troubled in any way in the possession of these benefices canonically eorumdem collatio pertinet libere obtained. The ordinary is however to make provision that neither the personis idoneis conferantur. Ceterum si dispensatio exhibita sufficiens evidenter care of souls in those churches, parsonages or dignities is neglected nor appareat exhibens nequaquam in the benefices themselves are defrauded of the services owing to them. If beneficiis huiusmodi quae canonice obtinet molestetur. Provideat tamen there is doubt whether the dispensation is sufficient, recourse should be ordinarius qualiter nec animarum cura in had to the apostolic see, to which judgment belongs concerning its eisdem ecclesiis personatibus seu dignitatibus negligatur nec beneficia ipsa benefices. Ordinaries, moreover, in bestowing parsonages, dignities and debitis obsequiis defraudentur. Si vero de other benefices involving the cure of souls, are to take care not to confer dispensationis exhibitae sufficientia dubitetur super hoc erit ad sedem one on someone already holding several similar benefices, unless an apostolicam recurrendum cuius est obviously sufficient dispensation is shown for those already held. Even aestimare quem modum sui beneficii esse velit. In conferendis insuper then, we wish the ordinary to confer the benefice only if it appears from personatibus dignitatibus et aliis the dispensation that the beneficiary may lawfully retain this parsonage, beneficiis curam habentibus animarum annexam iidem ordinarii diligentiam illam dignity or benefice together with those he already holds, or if he is observent ut personatum dignitatem vel prepared freely to resign those he already holds. If not, the bestowing of aliquod beneficium similem curam habens alicui plura similia obtinenti non such parsonages, dignities and benefices is to be of no consequence ante conferre praesumant quam eis whatever. ‘ super obtentis dispensatio evidenter sufficiens ostendatur. Qua etiam ostensa ita demum ad collationem procedi volumus si appareat per eamdem quod is cui est collatio facienda huiusmodi personatum dignitatem vel beneficium retinere licite valeat cum obtentis vel si ea quae sic obtinet libere ac sponte resignet. Aliter autem de personatibus dignitatibus et beneficiis talibus facta collatio nullius penitus sit momenti. 19. On pleading 19 It seems that we must counteract promptly the crafty dragging-out of Properandum nobis visum est ut malitiosis litium protractionibus lawsuits. We hope to do this effectively by giving suitable remedial occurratur quod speramus efficaciter directives to those who offer their services in legal matters. Since the provenire si eos qui circa iudicia suum ministerium exhibent ad id congruis things that have been beneficially provided by legal sanction concerning remediis dirigamus. Cum igitur ea quae advocates seem to have fallen into disuse, we renew the same sanction ad hoc salubriter fuerant circa patronos causarum legali sanctione provisa by the present constitution, with some addition and modification. We desuetudine abolita videantur nos decree that each and every advocate in the ecclesiastical forum, whether sanctionem eandem praesentis redivivae constitutionis suffragio cum aliqua tamen 139 before the apostolic see or elsewhere, is to swear on the holy gospels adiectione necnon et moderamine renovantes statuimus ut omnes et singuli that in all ecclesiastical causes and others in the same forum, of which advocationis officium in foro ecclesiastico they have assumed or will assume the defence, they will do their utmost sive apud sedem apostolicam sive alibi exercentes praestent tactis sacrosanctis for their clients in what they judge to be true and just. They are also to evangeliis iuramentum quod in omnibus swear that at whatever part of the process they find out that the cause causis ecclesiasticis et aliis in eodem foro tractandis quarum assumpserunt which they had accepted in good faith is unjust, they will cease to patrocinium vel assument omni virtute defend it; they will rather abandon it altogether, having nothing further sua omni que ope id quod verum et iustum existimaverint suis clientulis to do with it, and will inviolably observe the rest of the above sanction. inferre procurent nihil in hoc studii quod Proctors also are to be bound by a similar oath. Both advocates and eis sit possibile relinquentes quod que in quacunque parte iudicii eis innotuerit proctors are obliged to renew this oath every year in the forum in which improbam fore causam quam in sua fide they have assumed office. receperant amplius non patrocinabuntur eidem immo ab ea omnino recedent a communione illius se penitus separantes reliquis quae circa haec sunt in eadem sanctione statuta inviolabiliter observandis. Procuratores insuper iuramento simili astringantur. Those who come before the apostolic see or to the court of some Huiusmodi quoque iuramentum tam advocati quam procuratores in foro in ecclesiastical judge, in which they have not yet taken such an oath, in quo idem assumpserunt officium order to act as advocate or proctor in some individual case, are to take a teneantur annis singulis iterare. Qui vero ad eamdem sedem veniunt vel ad curiam like oath, in each case, at the beginning of the litigation. Advocates and cuiuslibet ecclesiastici iudicis in qua proctors who refuse to swear in the above way are forbidden to practise nondum tale praestiterant iuramentum accedunt in aliquibus singularibus causis while their refusal persists. If they deliberately violate their oath, patrocinium vel procurationis counsellors who have knowingly encouraged an unjust cause incur, in ministerium praestituri praestent in singulis causis eisdem mota controversia addition to the guilt of perjury, the divine and our malediction, from simile iuramentum. Advocati autem et which they cannot be absolved unless they restore double the amount procuratores qui iuxta praedictam formam iurare noluerint executionem they accepted for such evil work as advocate, proctor or counsel. They officiorum suorum huiusmodi noluntate are moreover obliged to make restitution for the loss caused to the durante sibi noverint interdictam. Quod si iuramentum praestitum violare parties wronged by their unjust ministry. Furthermore, lest insatiate praesumpserint praeter reatum periurii greed drive some into contempt for these sound decrees, we strictly consiliarii etiam qui scienter iniquam causam foverint divinam et nostram forbid an advocate to accept more than twenty tournois pounds for any maledictionem incurrant a qua non aliter case, a proctor more than twelve, as salary or even on the pretext of a liberentur nisi duplum eius restituerint quod pro tam iniquis advocatione reward for winning. Those who accept more are not in any way to procuratione vel consilio receperunt ac acquire ownership of the excess, but are obliged to restitution; none of nihilominus de damnis quae per iniqua huiusmodi ministeria partibus irrogarunt this penalty of restitution can be remitted in evasion of the present illis satisfacere teneantur. Ceterum ne constitution. In addition, advocates who thus violate the present cupiditatis ardor aliquos ad haec salubria statuta contemnenda praecipiet constitution are to be suspended from their office for three years. districtius inhibemus ne aliquis Proctors, on the other hand, shall be denied permission to exercise their advocatus in quacunque causa ultra viginti procurator vero ultra duodecim office in a court of law. libras turonensium recipere salarii nomine vel etiam sub palmarii colore praesumant. Qui autem ultra receperint nequaquam dominium eorum quae praedictam quantitatem excedunt acquirant sed ad restitutionem integram teneantur illorum ita quod nihil horum ad quae restituenda eos teneri praemisimus in fraudem praesentis constitutionis remitti possit eisdem. Et insuper advocati constitutionem praesentem taliter violantes ab advocationis officio triennio suspendantur. Procuratores vero extunc sibi sciant cuiuslibet procurationis in iudicio licentiam denegatam. 20. On what is done by force or because of fear 20. We annul by authority of this constitution any absolution from Absolutionis beneficium ab excommunicationis sententia vel sentence of excommunication or any recall of it, or of suspension or quamcumque revocationem ipsius aut even of interdict, which has been extorted by force or fear. Lest suspensionis seu etiam interdicti per vim 140 boldness increase when violence goes unpunished, we decree that those vel metum extorta praesentis constitutionis auctoritate omnino viribus who have extorted such an absolution or withdrawal by force or fear lie vacuamus. Ne autem sine vindicta under sentence of excommunication. violentiae crescat audacia eos qui absolutionem sive revocationem huiusmodi vi vel metu extorserint excommunicationis sententiae decernimus subiacere. 21. On prebends and dignities 21. We have decreed that the statute of Pope Clement IV, our Statutum felicis recordationis Clementis papae iv praedecessoris nostri de predecessor of happy memory, that dignities and benefices which dignitatibus et beneficiis in curia Romana become vacant in the Roman curia are to be conferred by nobody other vacantibus nequaquam per alium quam per Romanum pontificem conferendis than the Roman pontiff, is to be modified as follows. Those who have decrevimus taliter moderandum ut ii ad the conferring of these benefices and dignities may confer them validly, quos eorumdem beneficiorum et dignitatum spectat collatio statuto non notwithstanding the said statute, but not till a month after the day on obstante praedicto demum post mensem which the dignities and benefices have become vacant, and then only by a die quo dignitates seu beneficia ipsa vacaverint numerandum ea conferre themselves personally or, if they are at a distance, through their vicar- valeant tantummodo per seipsos vel ipsis generals in their dioceses, to whom this charge has been canonically agentibus in remotis per suos vicarios generales in eorum dioecesibus entrusted . 5 exsistentes quibus id canonice sit commissum. 22. On not alienating the property of the church 22. By this well-considered decree we forbid each and every prelate to Hoc consultissimo prohibemus edicto universos et singulos praelatos ecclesias submit, subject or subordinate the churches entrusted to him, their sibi commissas bona immobilia seu iura immovable property or rights, to lay people without the consent of his ipsarum laicis submittere subicere seu supponere absque capituli sui consensu chapter and the special leave of the apostolic see. It is not a question of et sedis apostolicae licentia speciali non granting the property or rights in emphyteusis or otherwise alienating concedendo bona ipsa vel iura in emphitheosim seu alias alienando in them in the form and in the cases permitted by the law. What is forma et casibus a iure permissis sed forbidden is the establishment or recognition of these laity as superiors constituendo vel recognoscendo seu profitendo ab illis ea tanquam a from whom the property and rights are held, or making them the superioribus se tenere seu ab ipsis protectors, an arrangement which is called in the vernacular of certain eadem advocando prout in quibusdam partibus vulgariter dicitur avoer vel ipsos places “to avow”, that is, the laity are appointed patrons or advocates of patronos sive advocatos ecclesiarum seu the churches or their property, either perpetually or for a long period. bonorum ipsorum perpetuo aut ad tempus non modicum statuendo. We decree that all such contracts of alienation, even when fortified by Contractus autem omnes etiam oath, penalty or any other confirmation, which are made without the iuramenti poenae vel alterius cuiuslibet firmitatis adiectione vallatos quos de above leave and consent, and any consequences of these contracts, are talibus alienationibus sine huiusmodi entirely null; no right is conferred, no cause for prescription is provided. licentia et consensu contigerit celebrari et quicquid ex eis secutum fuerit We decree moreover that prelates who disobey are automatically decernimus adeo viribus omnino carere suspended for three years from office and administration, and clerics ut nec ius aliquod tribuant nec praescribendi etiam causam parent. Et who know that the prohibition has been violated but fail to give notice nihilominus praelatos qui secus egerint of it to the superior, are automatically suspended for three years from ipso facto ab officio et administratione clericos etiam qui scientes contra receiving the fruits of benefices they hold in the church so oppressed. inhibitionem praedictam aliquid esse The laity indeed, who have hitherto forced prelates, chapters of praesumptum id superiori denuntiare neglexerint a perceptione beneficiorum churches or other ecclesiastical persons to make these submissions, are quae in ecclesia sic gravata obtinent to be bound by sentence of excommunication, unless after suitable triennio statuimus esse suspensos. Laici vero qui praelatos vel capitula admonition, having given up the submission they exacted through force ecclesiarum seu alias personas or fear, they set free the churches and return the property thus ecclesiasticas ad submissiones huiusmodi faciendas hactenus surrendered to them. Those also who in future shall compel prelates or compulerunt nisi post competentem other ecclesiastical persons to make such submissions are also to be monitionem remissa submissione quam excommunicated, whatever be their condition or status. Even when per vim vel metum exegerant ecclesias et bona ecclesiastica eis submissa taliter contracts have been or will be made with the due leave and consent, or in sua libertate dimittant illi etiam qui de on the occasion of such contracts, the laity are not to transgress the cetero praelatos vel personas easdem ad talia facienda compulerint cuiuscumque limits set by the nature of the contract itself or the law on which the sint conditionis aut status contract is based. Those indeed who act otherwise, unless after lawful excommunicationis sint sententia innodati. Ex contractibus praeterea super 141 admonition they desist from such usurpation restoring also what they praemissis huiusmodi licentia et consensu intervenientibus hactenus initis have usurped, incur automatic excommunication, and henceforward the vel quos in futurum iniri continget seu way is open, if need be, to lay their land under ecclesiastical interdict. occasione illorum laici ultra id quod eis ex natura contractuum ipsorum vel adhibita in illis lege permittitur aliquid non usurpent. Qui vero secus egerint nisi legitime moniti ab huiusmodi usurpatione destiterint restituendo etiam quae taliter usurparant eo ipso sententiam excommunicationis incurrant et extunc ad supponendum terram ipsorum si opus fuerit ecclesiastico interdicto libere procedatur. 23. On religious houses, that they are to be subject to the bishop 23 A general council by a considered prohibition averted the excessive Religionum diversitatem nimiam ne confusionem induceret generale diversity of religious orders, lest it might lead to confusion. Afterwards, concilium consulta prohibitione vitavit. however, not only has the troublesome desire of petitioners extorted Sed quia non solum importuna petentium inhiatio illarum postmodum their multiplication, but also the presumptuous rashness of some has multiplicationem extorsit verum etiam produced an almost unlimited crowd of diverse orders, especially aliquorum praesumptuosa temeritas diversorum ordinum praecipue mendicant, which have not yet merited the beginnings of approval. We mendicantium quorum nondum therefore renew the constitution, and severely prohibit that anyone approbationes meruere principium effrenatam quasi multitudinem adinvenit found henceforth a new order or form of religious life, or assume its repetita constitutione districtius habit. We perpetually forbid absolutely all the forms of religious life inhibentes ne aliquis de cetero novum ordinem aut religionem inveniat vel and the mendicant orders founded after the said council which have not habitum novae religionis assumat merited confirmation of the apostolic see, and we suppress them in so cunctas affatim religiones et ordines mendicantes post dictum concilium far as they have spread. As to those orders, however, confirmed by the adinventos qui nullam confirmationem apostolic see and instituted after the council, whose profession, rule or sedis apostolicae meruerunt perpetuae prohibitioni subicimus et quatenus constitutions forbid them to have revenues or possessions for their processerant revocamus. Confirmatos fitting support but whose insecure mendicancy usually provides a living tamen per sedem eamdem post idem concilium institutos quibus ad congruam through public begging, we decree that they may survive on the sustentationem reditus aut possessiones following terms. The professed members of these orders may continue habere professio sive regula vel constitutiones quaelibet interdicunt sed in them if they are willing not to admit henceforth anyone to profession, per quaestum publicum tribuere victum nor to acquire a new house or land, nor to have power to alienate the solet incerta mendicitas modo subsidere decernimus infrascripto ut professoribus houses or land they have, without special leave of the apostolic see. We eorumdem ordinum ita liceat in illis reserve these possessions for the disposal of the apostolic see, to be used remanere si velint quod nullum deinceps ad eorum professionem admittant nec de for aid to the holy Land or for the poor or to be turned to other pious novo domum aut aliquem locum uses through local ordinaries or others commissioned by the apostolic acquirant nec domos seu loca quae habent alienare valeant sine sedis see. If the above conditions are violated, neither the reception of persons eiusdem licentia speciali. Nos enim ea nor the acquisition of houses or land nor the alienation of these or other dispositioni sedis apostolicae reservamus in terrae sanctae subsidium vel property is valid, and in addition excommunication is incurred. pauperum aut alios pios usus per locorum ordinarios vel eos quibus sedes ipsa commiserit convertenda. Si vero secus praesumptum fuerit nec personarum receptio nec domorum vel locorum acquisitio aut ipsorum ceterorum que bonorum alienatio valeat et nihilominus contrarium facientes sententiam excommunicationis incurrant. We also forbid absolutely to members of these orders, in regard to Personis quoque ipsorum ordinum omnino interdicimus quoad extraneos externs, the office of preaching and hearing confessions and the right of praedicationis et audiendae confessionis burial. Of course we do not allow the present constitution to apply to the officium ac etiam sepulturam. Sane ad praedicatorum et minorum ordines quos orders of Preachers and Minors; their approval bears witness to their evidens ex eis utilitas ecclesiae universali evident advantage to the universal church. Furthermore, we grant that proveniens perhibet approbatos praesentem non patimur constitutionem the order of Carmelites and that of the Hermits of Saint Augustine, the extendi. Ceterum Carmelitarum et institution of which preceded the said general council , may remain as eremitarum sancti Augustini ordines quorum institutio dictum concilium they are, until other regulations are made for them. We intend in fact to generale praecessit in suo statu manere 142 provide both for them and for the other orders, even the non- concedimus donec de ipsis fuerit aliter ordinatum. Intendimus siquidem tam de mendicants, as we shall see to be for the good of souls and for the good illis quam de reliquis etiam non state of the orders. We grant also a general permission to members of mendicantibus ordinibus prout animarum saluti et eorum statui expedire viderimus orders to which this present constitution applies, to pass to the other providere. Ad haec personis ordinum ad approved orders on this condition: no order is to transfer itself wholly to quos constitutio praesens extenditur transeundi ad reliquos ordines another, no community is to transfer itself and its possessions wholly to approbatos licentiam concedimus another, without special permission from the apostolic see. ‘ generalem ita quod nullus ordo ad alium vel conventus ad conventum se ac loca totaliter transferat sedis eiusdem permissione super hoc specialiter non obtenta. 24. On taxes and procurations 24 The boldness of wicked people demands that we should not be Exigit perversorum audacia ut non simus sola delictorum prohibitione contenti sed satisfied with merely forbidding offences, but should inflict punishment poenam etiam delinquentibus on the offenders. The constitution of Pope Innocent IV, our predecessor imponamus. Constitutionem itaque felicis recordationis Innocentii papae iv of happy memory, forbade procurations to be received in the form of praedecessoris nostri editam super non money, or the acceptance of gifts by pastoral visitors and their recipiendis in pecunia procurationibus et super receptione munerum visitantibus attendants. It is said that many rashly transgress this constitution. We eorum que familiis interdicta quam wish it to be inviolably observed and have decreed that it should be multorum fertur temeritas praeterire volentes inviolabiliter observari eam strengthened by adding a penalty. We decree that one and all who decrevimus poenae adiectione iuvandam presume, because of the procuration owing to them by reason of a statuentes ut universi et singuli qui ob procurationem sibi ratione visitationis visitation, to exact money or even to accept money from someone debitam exigere pecuniam vel etiam a willing; or to violate the constitution in another way by accepting gifts volente recipere aut alias constitutionem ipsam recipiendo munera sive visitationis or, without making the visitation, accepting procurations in food or officio non impenso procurationem in anything else; are obliged to give back double of what they have victualibus aut aliquid aliud procurationis occasione violare praesumpserint received to the church from which they received it, and this within a duplum eius quod receperint ecclesiae a month. If they do not, from that time patriarchs, archbishops and qua id receptum fuerit infra mensem reddere teneantur alioquin extunc bishops who put off restoration of the double payment beyond the said patriarchae archiepiscopi episcopi period, are to know that entry into the church is forbidden them; and duplum ipsum ultra praedictum tempus restituere differentes ingressum sibi lower clergy are to know that they are suspended from office and ecclesiae interdictum. Inferiores vero ab benefice until they have made full satisfaction of this double to the officio et beneficio noverint se suspensos quousque de duplo huiusmodi gravatis burdened churches; the remission, liberality or kindness of the givers is ecclesiis plenariam satisfactionem to avail nothing. impendant nulla eis in hoc dantium remissione liberalitate seu gratia valitura. 25. On the immunity of churches 25 Holiness befits the house of the Lord; it is fitting that he whose Decet domum domini sanctitudo decet ut cuius in pace factus est locus eius sit abode has been established in peace should be worshipped in peace and cultus cum debita veneratione pacificus. with due reverence. Churches, then, should be entered humbly and Sit itaque ad ecclesias humilis et devotus ingressus sit in eis quieta conversatio devoutly; behaviour inside should be calm, pleasing to God, bringing deo grata inspicientibus placida quae peace to the beholders, a source not only of instruction but of mental considerantes non solum instruat sed reficiat. Convenientes ibidem nomen illud refreshment. Those who assemble in church should extol with an act of quod est super omne nomen a quo aliud special reverence that name with is above every name, than which no sub coelo non est datum hominibus in quo salvos fieri credentes oporteat other under heaven has been given to people, in which believers must be nomen videlicet Iesu Christi qui salvum saved, the name, that is, of Jesus Christ, who will save his people from faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum exhibitione reverentiae specialis attollant their sins. Each should fulfil in himself that which is written for all that et quod generaliter scribitur ut in nomine at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious Iesu omne genu flectatur singuli singulariter in seipsis implentes name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the mass, praecipue dum aguntur missarum sacra everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a mysteria gloriosum illud nomen quandocumque recolitur flectant genua bow of his head. In churches the sacred solemnities should possess the cordis sui quod vel capitis inclinatione whole heart and mind; the whole attention should be given to prayer. testentur. Attendantur in locis ipsis intentis praecordiis sacra solemnia Here where it is proper to offer heavenly desires with peace and calm, devotis animis orationibus intendatur. let nobody arouse rebellion, provoke clamour or be guilty of violence. Nullus in locis eisdem in quibus cum pace ac quiete vota convenit celebrari 143 The consultations of universities and of any associations whatever must seditionem excitet conclamationem moveat impetum ve committat. Cessent cease to be held in churches, so also must public speeches and in illis universitatum et societatum parliaments. Idle and, even more, foul and profane talk must stop; quarumlibet consilia conciones et publica parlamenta. Cessent vana et multo chatter in all its forms must cease. Everything, in short, that may disturb fortius foeda et prophana colloquia. divine worship or offend the eyes of the divine majesty should be Cessent confabulationes quaelibet. Sint postremo quaecunque alia divinum absolutely foreign to churches, lest where pardon should be asked for turbare possunt officium aut oculos our sins, occasion is given for sin, or sin is found to be committed. No divinae maiestatis offendere ab ipsis prorsus extranea ne ubi peccatorum est more business is to be conducted in churches or their cemeteries, venia postulanda ibi peccandi detur especially they are not to have the bustle of markets and public squares. occasio aut deprehendantur peccata committi. Cessent in ecclesiis earum que All noise of secular courts must be stilled. The laity are not to hold their cimiteriis negotiationes et praecipue trials in churches, more especially criminal cases. The church is not to nundinarum ac fori cuiusque tumultus. Omnis in eis saecularium iudiciorum be a place for lay judicial inquiries. Local ordinaries should see that all strepitus conquiescat. Nulla inibi causa this is observed, persuade where persuasion is needed, suppress by their per laicos criminalis maxime agitetur. Sint loca eadem a laicorum cognitionibus authority what is forbidden by this canon. They should also depute for aliena. Ordinarii locorum haec faciant this purpose persons in the churches who are most assiduous and observari suadenda suadeant interdicta huius canonis auctoritate compescant ad suitable for the above aims. Moreover, the proceedings of secular haec alios etiam in ecclesiis ipsis magis judges, and in particular the sentences passed in these sacred places, are assiduos et ad praemissa idoneos deputando. Et nihilominus processus to lack all validity. Those indeed who impudently defy the above iudicum saecularium ac specialiter prohibitions, in addition to the sanctions imposed by ordinaries and their sententiae prolatae in eisdem locis omni careant robore firmitatis. Qui vero deputies, will have to fear the sternness of the divine retribution and our praemissas inhibitiones animo petulanti own until, having confessed their guilt, they have firmly resolved to contempserint praeter processum ordinariorum et deputandorum ab ipsis avoid such conduct for the future. divinae ultionis et nostrae poterunt acrimoniam formidare donec suum confessi reatum a similibus firmato proposito deliberaverint abstinere. 26. On usury 26. Wishing to close up the abyss of usury, which devours souls and Usurarum voraginem quae animas devorat et facultates exhaurit swallows up property, we order under threat of the divine malediction compescere cupientes constitutionem that the constitution of the Lateran council against usurers be inviolably Lateranensis concilii contra usurarios editam sub divinae maledictionis observed. Since the less convenient it is for usurers to lend, the more interminatione praecipimus inviolabiliter their freedom to practise usury is curtailed, we ordain by this general observari. Et quia quo minor feneratoribus aderit fenerandi constitution as follows. Neither a college, nor other community, nor an commoditas eo magis adimetur fenus individual person, of whatever dignity, condition or status, may permit exercendi libertas hac generali constitutione sancimus ut nec collegium those foreigners and others not originating from their territories , who nec alia universitas vel singularis persona practise usury or wish to do so, to rent houses for that purpose or to cuiuscunque sit dignitatis conditionis aut status alienigenas et alios non oriundos occupy rented houses or to live elsewhere. Rather, they must expel all de terris ipsorum publice pecuniam such notorious usurers from their territories within three months, never fenebrem exercentes aut exercere volentes ad hoc domos in terris suis to admit any such for the future. Nobody is to let houses to them for conducere vel conductas habere aut alias usury, nor grant them houses under any other title . Those indeed who habitare permittat sed huiusmodi usurarios manifestos omnes infra tres act otherwise, if they are ecclesiastical persons, patriarchs, archbishops menses de terris suis expellant or bishops, are to know that they incur automatic suspension; lesser numquam aliquos tales de cetero admissuri. Nemo illis ad fenus individual persons, excommunication, colleges or other communities, exercendum domos locet vel sub alio interdict. If they remain obdurate throughout a month, their territories titulo quocunque concedat. Qui vero contrarium fecerint si personae fuerint shall lie henceforth under ecclesiastical interdict as long as the usurers ecclesiasticae patriarchae archiepiscopi remain there. Furthermore, if they are layfolk, they are to be restrained episcopi suspensionis minores vero personae singulares excommunicationis from such transgression through their ordinaries by ecclesiastical collegium autem seu alia universitas censure, all privileges ceasing interdicti sententiam ipso facto se noverint incursuros. Quam si per mensem animo sustinuerint indurato terrae ipsorum quandiu in eis iidem usurarii commorantur extunc ecclesiastico subiaceant interdicto. Ceterum si laici fuerint per suos 144 ordinarios ab huiusmodi excessu omni privilegio cessante per censuram ecclesiasticam compescantur. 27 Although notorious usurers give orders in their wills that restitution Quamquam usurarii manifesti de usuris quas receperant satisfieri expressa be made for their usurious gains, either in express terms or in general, quantitate vel indistincte in ultima ecclesiastical burial is nevertheless to be refused until full restitution has voluntate mandaverint nihilominus tamen eis sepultura ecclesiastica been made as far as the usurer’s means allow, or until a pledge has been denegetur donec vel de usuris ipsis fuerit given of fitting restitution. This pledge is to be given to those to whom prout patiuntur facultates eorum plenarie satisfactum vel illis quibus est facienda restitution is due, if they themselves or others who can receive for them restitutio si praesto sint ipsi aut alii qui are present. If they are absent, the pledge is to be given to the local eis possint acquirere vel eis absentibus loci ordinario aut eius vices gerenti sive ordinary or his vicar or the rector of the parish where the testator lives, rectori parochiae in qua testator habitat in the presence of trustworthy persons from the parish (the ordinary, coram aliquibus fidedignis de ipsa parochia quibus quidem ordinario vicario vicar and rector, as just mentioned, shall have permission to receive et rectori praedicto modo cautionem such pledge in their name by authority of the present constitution, so huiusmodi eorum nomine liceat praesentis constitutionis auctoritate that these ecclesiastics have the right to action). The pledge may also be recipere ita quod illis proinde actio given to a public servant commissioned by the ordinary. If the sum acquiratur aut servo publico de ipsius ordinarii mandato idonee de restitutione owing from usury is openly known, we wish this sum always to be facienda sit cautum. Ceterum si expressed in the pledge, if the amount is not clearly known, the sum is receptarum usurarum sit quantitas manifesta illam semper in cautione to be determined by the receiver of the pledge . The receiver must make praedicta exprimi volumus alioquin aliam his estimate at not less than the probable amount; if he does otherwise, recipientis cautionem huiusmodi arbitrio moderandam. Ipse tamen scienter non he is obliged to restitution for anything still owing. We decree that all minorem quam verisimiliter creditur religious and others who presume to grant ecclesiastical burial to moderetur et si secus fecerit ad satisfactionem residui teneatur. Omnes notorious usurers, contrary to this decree, are subject to the penalty autem religiosos et alios qui manifestos promulgated against usurers at the Lateran council . Nobody is to assist usurarios contra praesentis sanctionis formam ad ecclesiasticam admittere ausi at the wills of notorious usurers or hear their confessions or absolve fuerint sepulturam poenae in Lateranensi them, unless they have made restitution for their usury or have given a concilio contra usurarios promulgatae statuimus subiacere. Nullus fitting guarantee, as far as they can, as described above. The wills made manifestorum usurariorum testamentis in any other way by notorious usurers have no validity, but are by law intersit aut eos ad confessionem admittat sive ipsos absolvat nisi de usuris null and void. satisfecerint vel de satisfaciendo pro suarum viribus facultatum praestent ut praemittitur idoneam cautionem. Testamenta quoque manifestorum usurariorum aliter facta non valeant sed sint irrita ipso iure. 28. On wrongs and the loss caused 28. The distraints which in the vernacular are called “reprisals”, by Etsi pignorationes quas vulgaris elocutio represalias nominat in quibus alius pro which some people are burdened in place of others, have been forbidden alio praegravatur tanquam graves by the civil constitution as oppressive and contrary to the laws and legibus et aequitati naturali contrariae civili sint constitutione prohibitae ut natural equity. In order, however, that offenders may have greater fear tamen earum prohibitio in personis of breaking the law where ecclesiastical persons are concerned, in ecclesiasticis tanto amplius timeatur quanto in illis specialius inhibentur eas accordance with the more particular prohibition of reprisals against concedi contra personas praedictas seu them, we severely forbid the granting of reprisals against ecclesiastical bona ipsarum aut quantumcumque generaliter praetextu cuiusvis persons or their goods. By this present decree we also forbid the consuetudinis quam potius reputamus extension of such reprisals, perhaps granted universally on pretext of abusum forte concessas ad illas extendi praesenti decreto districtius inhibemus. some custom which we would prefer to call an abuse, to these persons. Illi autem qui contra fecerint adversus Those who act otherwise, by granting distraints or reprisals against such personas easdem pignorationes seu represalias concedendo vel extendendo persons or extending the grant to include them, unless they revoke such ad eas nisi praesumptionem huiusmodi presumption within a month, incur sentence of excommunication, if revocaverint a concessionis vel extensionis tempore infra mensem si they are individuals; they are to be laid under ecclesiastical interdict, if personae singulares fuerint sententiam they are a community. excommunicationis incurrant si vero universitas ecclesiastico subiaceat interdicto. 29. On the sentence of excommunication 145 29. The constitution of Pope Innocent IV, our predecessor of happy Constitutionem felicis recordationis Innocentii papae iv praedecessoris nostri memory, forbids that those who communicate with excommunicated quae prohibet participantes persons in matters carrying only a minor excommunication should be excommunicatis ea participatione quae solam minorem excommunicationem bound, without first receiving canonical admonition, by a major inducit monitione canonica non excommunication; the sentence of excommunication thus promulgated praemissa maiori excommunicatione ligari decernens promulgatam aliter does not bind. In order to remove any scruple of ambiguity, we declare excommunicationis sententiam non that the admonition is canonical only if, after all other formalities have tenere ad tollendum omnem ambiguitatis scrupulum declarantes decernimus ita been duly observed, it names the persons admonished. We decree also demum monitionem esse canonicam in that in the course of the admonitions required for the sentence to be hoc casu si aliis rite servatis eos qui monentur exprimat nominatim. promulgated canonically, the judges, whether they give three Statuimus quoque ut inter monitiones admonitions or one for all three, should observe fitting intervals of some quas ut canonicae promulgetur excommunicationis sententia statuunt days, unless the urgency of the situation counsels otherwise. iura permitti iudices sive monitionibus tribus utantur sive una pro omnibus observent aliquorum dierum competentia intervalla nisi facti necessitas ea suaserit aliter moderanda. 30. By the present general decree we declare that the benefit of Praesenti generali declaramus edicto beneficium relaxationis ad cautelam provisional absolution does not in any way apply to cities, villages or quoad interdicti sententias in civitates any other places against which a general interdict has been promulgated. castra vel quaelibet alia loca generaliter promulgatas locum aliquatenus non habere. 31. Whoever, from the fact that a sentence of excommunication, Quicunque pro eo quod in reges principes barones nobiles ballivos vel quoslibet suspension or interdict has been promulgated against kings, princes, ministros eorum aut quoscunque alios barons, nobles, bailiffs or their agents or anyone else, gives leave to excommunicationis suspensionis seu interdicti sententia fuerit promulgata someone to kill, capture or molest, in their persons or goods or in those licentiam alicui dederint occidendi of their relatives, those who have published such sentences, or on whose capiendi seu alias in personis aut bonis suis vel suorum gravandi eos qui tales account the sentences were published, or who observe such sentences or sententias protulerunt sive quorum sunt refuse to communicate with those so excommunicated, unless they occasione prolatae vel easdem sententias observantes seu taliter revoke in time such permission, automatically fall under sentence of excommunicatis communicare nolentes excommunication. If property has been seized on the occasion of such nisi licentiam ipsam re integra revocaverint vel si ad bonorum permission, the same sentence is incurred unless the goods are returned captionem occasione ipsius licentiae sit within eight days or satisfaction is made for the loss. All who have processum nisi bona ipsa sint infra octo dierum spatium restituta aut satisfactio dared to make use of the permission, or commit on their own initiative pro ipsis impensa in excommunicationis any of the above crimes for which we have forbidden permission to be sententiam incidant ipso facto. Eadem quoque sint sententia innodati omnes qui given, are bound by the same sentence. Those who remain under this ausi fuerint praedicta licentia data uti vel sentence of excommunication for two months cannot henceforth obtain aliquid praemissorum ad quae committenda licentiam dari prohibuimus absolution except through the apostolic see. alias committere suo motu. Qui autem in eadem sententia permanserint duorum mensium spatio extunc ab ea non possint nisi per sedem apostolicam absolutionis beneficium obtinere. THE COUNCIL of VIENNE (1311) The 15th Ecumenical Council BULLS OF CLEMENT V ON THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR [1.1] Vox in excelso - 22 March 1312; [1.2] Ad providam - 2 May 1312; [1.3] Considerantes - 6 May 1312; [1.4] Nuper in concilio - 16 May 1312; [1.5] 1 Dec 1312; [1.6] Licet dudum - 18 Dec 1312; [1.7] 31 Dec 1312; [1.8] Licet pridem - 13 Jan 1313 DECREES 1.1. Vox in excelso - 22 March 1312

2.1 Soul is Form of Body 2.28 Errors of Beghards or Beguines 2.29 Usury is a Sin 146 1311-1312- Concilium Viennense - Documenta Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Conc. Uiennense a. 1311-1312 [de Templariorum ordine et Terrae sanctae negozio] [Bulls and ordinances of the Roman curia concerning the order of the Templars and the business of the holy Land] [1.1]. Clement, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an Clemens episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Vox everlasting record. A voice was heard from on high, of lamentation in excelso audita est lamentationis and bitter weeping, for the time is coming, indeed has come, when the fletus et luctus quia venit tempus, tempus venit quo per prophetam Lord shall complain through his prophet: This house has aroused my conqueritur dominus: in furorem et anger and wrath, so that I will remove it from my sight because of the indignationem mihi facta est domus haec. Auferetur de conspectu meo evil of its sons, for they have provoked me to anger turning their backs propter malitiam filiorum suorum quia to me, not their faces, and setting up their idols in the house in which me ad iracundiam provocabant vertentes ad me terga et non facies my name is invoked, to defile it. They have built the high places of ponentes idola sua in domo in qua Baal in order to consecrate their sons to idols and demons. They have invocatum est nomen meum ut polluerent ipsam. Aedificaverunt sinned deeply as in the days of Gibeah. When I learnt of such deeds of excelsa Baal ut initiarent et horror, at the dread of such notorious scandal -- for who ever heard of consecrarent filios suos idolis atque daemoniis. Profunde peccaverunt sicut such infamy? who ever saw the like? -- I fell down at hearing it, I was in diebus Gabaa. Ad tam horrendum dismayed at seeing it, my heart grew embittered and darkness auditum tantum que horrorem vulgatae infamiae quod quis umquam overwhelmed me. Hark, a voice of the people from the city! a voice audivit tale quis vidit huic simile corrui from the temple! the voice of the Lord rendering recompense to his cum audirem contristatus sum cum viderem amaruit cor meum tenebrae enemies. The prophet is compelled to exclaim: Give them, Lord, a exstupefecerunt me. Vox enim populi barren womb and dry breasts. Their worthlessness has been revealed de civitate vox de templo vox domini reddentis retributionem inimicis suis. because of their malice. Throw them out of your house, and let their Exclamare propheta compellitur: da eis roots dry up; let them not bear fruit, and let not this house be any more domine da eis vulvam sine liberis et ubera arentia. Nequitiae eorum a stumbling block of bitterness or a thorn to hurt. revelatae sunt propter malitiam ipsorum. De domo tua eice illos et siccetur radix eorum fructum nequaquam faciant non sit ultra domus haec offendiculum amaritudinis et spina dolorem inferens. Not slight is the fornication of this house, immolating its sons, giving Non enim parva est fornicatio eius immolantis filios suos dantis illos et them up and consecrating them to demons and not to God, to gods consecrantis daemoniis et non deo diis whom they did not know. Therefore this house will be desolate and in quos ignorabant. Propterea in solitudinem et opprobrium in disgrace, cursed and uninhabited, thrown into confusion and levelled maledictionem et in desertum erit to the dust, lowly, forsaken, inaccessible, spurned by the anger of the domus haec confusa nimis et adaequata pulveri novissima deserta Lord, whom it has despised; let it not be lived in but reduced to a et invia et arens ab ira domini quem wilderness. Let everyone be astonished at it and hiss at all its wounds. contempsit non habitetur sed redigatur in solitudinem et omnes super eam For the Lord did not choose the people on account of the place, but the stupeant et sibilent super universis place on account of the people. Therefore the very place of the temple plagis eius. Non enim propter locum gentem sed propter gentem locum was made to share in the punishment of the people, as the Lord elegit dominus. Ideo et ipse locus proclaimed openly to Solomon when he built the temple for him, to templi particeps factus est populi malorum ipso domino ad Salomonem Solomon who was filled with wisdom like a river: But if your sons aedificantem sibi templum qui turn aside from me, not following and honouring me but going instead impletus est quasi flumine sapientia apertissime praedicante: si aversione after strange gods and worshipping them, then I will cut them off from aversi fueritis filii vestri non sequentes before me and expel them from the land which I have given to them; et colentes me sed abeuntes et colentes deos alienos et adorantes and the temple which I have consecrated to my name I will cast out of ipsos proiciam eos a facie mea et my sight, and it will become a proverb and a byword among all expellam de terra quam dedi eis et templum quod sanctificavi nomine peoples. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and shall hiss, and meo a facie mea proiciam et erit in shall say, “Why has the Lord done thus to this temple and to this proverbium et in fabulam et populis in exemplum. Omnes transeuntes 147 house?” And they will say : “Because they forsook the Lord their God videntes stupebunt et sibilabunt et dicent quare sic fecit dominus templo who bought and redeemed them, and followed instead Baal and other et domui huic. Et respondebunt quia gods, worshipping and serving them. Therefore the Lord has brought recesserunt a domino deo suo qui emit et redemit eos et secuti sunt Baal et all this evil upon them’”. deos alienos et adoraverunt eos et coluerunt. Idcirco induxit dominus super ipsos hoc malum grande. Indeed a little while ago, about the time of our election as supreme Sane dudum circa nostrae promotionis ad apicem summi pontificatus initium pontiff before we came to Lyons for our coronation, and afterwards, etiam antequam Lugdunum ubi both there and elsewhere, we received secret intimations against the recepimus nostrae coronationis insignia veniremus et post tam ibi master, preceptors and other brothers of the order of Knights Templar quam alibi secreta quorundam nobis of Jerusalem and also against the order itself. These men had been insinuatio intimavit quod magister praeceptores et alii fratres ordinis posted in lands overseas for the defence of the patrimony of our lord militiae templi hierosolymitani et etiam Jesus Christ, and as special warriors of the catholic faith and ipse ordo qui ad defensionem patrimonii domini nostri Iesu Christi outstanding defenders of the holy Land seemed to carry the chief fuerant in transmarinis partibus burden of the said holy Land. For this reason the holy Roman church constituti et speciales fidei catholicae pugiles et terrae sanctae praecipui honoured these brothers and the order with her special support, armed defensores ipsius terrae negotium them with the sign of the cross against Christ’s enemies, paid them the gerere principaliter videbantur propter quod sacrosancta Romana ecclesia highest tributes of her respect, and strengthened them with various eosdem fratres et ordinem specialis exemptions and privileges; and they experienced in many and various favoris plenitudine prosequens eos adversus Christi hostes crucis armavit ways her help and that of all faithful Christians with repeated gifts of signaculo multis exaltavit honoribus et property. Therefore it was against the lord Jesus Christ himself that diversis libertatibus et privilegiis communivit et tam ipsius quam they fell into the sin of impious apostasy, the abominable vice of cunctorum Christi fidelium manus cum idolatry, the deadly crime of the Sodomites, and various heresies. Yet multiplici erogatione bonorum sentiebant multifarie multis que modis it was not to be expected nor seemed credible that men so devout, who propter hoc adiutrices contra ipsum were outstanding often to the shedding of their blood for Christ and dominum Iesum Christum in scelus apostasiae nefandae detestabile were seen repeatedly to expose their persons to the danger of death, idolatriae vitium exsecrabile facinus who even more frequently gave great signs of their devotion both in Sodomorum et haereses varias erant lapsi. Sed quia non erat verisimile nec divine worship and in fasting and other observances, should be so credibile videbatur quod viri tam unmindful of their salvation as to commit such crimes. The order, religiosi qui praecipue pro Christi nomine suum saepe sanguinem moreover, had a good and holy beginning; it won the approval of the effuderunt ac personas suas mortis apostolic see. The rule, which is holy, reasonable and just, had the periculis frequenter exponere videbantur qui que magna tam in deserved sanction of this see. For all these reasons we were unwilling divinis officiis quam in ieiuniis et aliis to lend our ears to insinuation and accusation against the Templars; we observantiis devotionis signa had been taught by our Lord’s example and the words of canonical frequentius praetendere videbantur suae sic essent salutis immemores scripture. quod talia perpetrarent praesertim cum idem ordo bonum et sanctum initium habuerit et a sede apostolica gratiam approbationis perceperit et per sedem eandem ipsius ordinis regula utpote sancta rationabilis atque iusta meruerit approbari eiusmodi insinuationi et delationi ipsorum eiusdem domini nostri exemplis et canonicae scripturae doctrinis edocti aurem noluimus inclinare. Then came the intervention of our dear son in Christ, Philip, the Deinde vero carissimus in Christo filius noster Philippus rex Francorum illustris illustrious king of France. The same crimes had been reported to him. cui eadem fuerant facinora nuntiata He was not moved by greed. He had no intention of claiming or non typo avaritiae cum de bonis templariorum nihil sibi vindicare aut appropriating for himself anything from the Templars’ property; appropriare intenderit immo ea in rather, in his own kingdom he abandoned such claim and thereafter regno suo dimisit manum suam exinde totaliter amovendo sed fidei released entirely his hold on their goods. He was on fire with zeal for orthodoxae fervore suorum the orthodox faith, following in the well marked footsteps of his progenitorum vestigia clara sequens accensus de praemissis quantum licite ancestors. He obtained as much information as he lawfully could. potuit se informans ad instruendum et Then, in order to give us greater light on the subject, he sent us much informandum nos super his multas et 148 valuable information through his envoys and letters. The scandal magnas nobis informationes per suos nuntios et litteras destinavit. Infamia against the Templars themselves and their order in reference to the vero contra templarios ipsos et crimes already mentioned increased. There was even one of the ordinem eorumdem increbrescente validius super sceleribus antedictis et knights, a man of noble blood and of no small reputation in the order, quia etiam quidam miles eiusdem who testified secretly under oath in our presence, that at his reception ordinis magnae nobilitatis et qui non levis opinionis in dicto ordine the knight who received him suggested that he deny Christ, which he habebatur coram nobis secrete iuratus did, in the presence of certain other knights of the Temple, he deposuit quod ipse in receptione sua ad recipientis suggestionem furthermore spat on the cross held out to him by this knight who praesentibus quibusdam aliis militibus received him. He also said that he had seen the grand master, who is militiae templi negavit Christum et exspuit super crucem sibi a dicto still alive, receive a certain knight in a chapter of the order held recipiente ostensam. Dixit etiam se overseas. The reception took place in the same way, namely with the vidisse quod magister militiae templi qui vivit adhuc recepit in conventu dicti denial of Christ and the spitting on the cross, with quite two hundred ordinis ultramarino quemdam militem brothers of the order being present. The witness also affirmed that he eodem modo scilicet cum abnegatione Christi et exspuitione super crucem heard it said that this was the customary manner of receiving new praesentibus bene ducentis fratribus members: at the suggestion of the person receiving the profession or eiusdem ordinis et audivit dici quod sic in receptione fratrum dicti ordinis his delegate, the person making profession denied Jesus Christ, and in servabatur quod ad recipientis vel ad abuse of Christ crucified spat upon the cross held out to him, and the hoc deputati suggestionem qui recipiebatur Iesum Christum negabat two committed other unlawful acts contrary to christian morality, as et super crucem sibi ostensam the witness himself then confessed in our presence. exspuebat in vituperium Christi crucifixi et quaedam alia faciebant recipiens et receptus quae non sunt licita nec christianae conveniunt honestati prout ipse tunc confessus exstitit coram nobis. We were duty-bound by our office to pay heed to the din of such grave Urgente nos ad id officii nostri debito vitare nequivimus quin tot et tantis and repeated accusations. When at last there came a general hue and clamoribus accomodaremus auditum. cry with the clamorous denunciations of the said king and of the Sed cum demum fama publica deferente ac clamosa insinuatione dicti dukes, counts, barons, other nobles, clergy and people of the kingdom regis necnon et ducum comitum et of France, reaching us both directly and through agents and officials, baronum et aliorum nobilium clericorum quoque et populi dicti regni we heard a doleful tale: that the master, preceptors and other brothers Francorum ad nostram propter hoc of the order as well as the order itself had been involved in these and tam per se quam per procuratores et syndicos praesentiam venientium ad other crimes. This seemed to be proved by many confessions, nostram quod dolenter referimus attestations and depositions of the master, of the visitor of France, and audientiam pervenisset quod magister praeceptores et alii fratres dicti ordinis of many preceptors and brothers of the order, in the presence of many et ipse ordo praefatis et pluribus aliis prelates and the inquisitor of heresy. These depositions were made in erant criminibus irretiti et praemissa per multas confessiones attestationes the kingdom of France with our authorisation, edited as public et depositiones praefati magistri documents and shown to us and our brothers. Besides, the rumour and visitatoris Franciae ac plurium praeceptorum et fratrum ordinis clamour had grown to such insistence that the hostility against both the praelibati coram multis praelatis et order itself and the individual members of it could not be ignored haereticae pravitatis inquisitore auctoritate apostolica praecedente in without grave scandal nor be tolerated without imminent danger to the regno Franciae factas habitas et faith. Since we though unworthy, represent Christ on earth, we receptas et in publicam scripturam redactas nobis que et fratribus nostris considered that we ought, following in his footsteps, to hold an ostensas probari quodammodo inquiry. We called to our presence many of the preceptors, priests, viderentur ac nihilominus fama et clamores praedicti in tantum knights and other brothers of the order who were of no small invaluissent et etiam ostendissent tam reputation. They took an oath, they were adjured urgently by the contra ipsum ordinem quam contra personas singulares eiusdem quod sine Father, Son and holy Spirit; we demanded, in virtue of holy obedience, gravi scandalo praeteriri non poterat invoking the divine judgment with the menace of an eternal nec absque imminenti fidei periculo tolerari nos illius cuius vices licet malediction, that they tell the pure and simple truth. We pointed out immeriti in terris gerimus vestigiis that they were now in a safe and suitable place where they had nothing inhaerentes ad inquirendum de praedictis ratione praevia duximus to fear in spite of the confessions they had made before others. We procedendum multos que de wished those confessions to be without prejudice to them. In this way praeceptoribus presbyteris militibus et we made our interrogation and examined as many as seventy-two, aliis fratribus dicti ordinis reputationis 149 many of our brothers being present and following the proceedings non modicae in nostra praesentia constitutos praestito ab eis nihilominus attentively. We had the confessions taken down by notary and iuramento et eis cum affectione non recorded as authentic documents in our presence and that of our modica per patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum sub ostentatione divini iudicii brothers. After some days we had these confessions read in consistory ac interminatione maledictionis in the presence of the knights concerned. Each was read a version in aeternae in virtute sanctae oboedientiae adiuratis quod tunc in his own language; they stood by their confessions, expressly and loco tuto et idoneo constituti ubi nihil spontaneously approving them as they had been read out. eos timere oportebat non obstantibus confessionibus per eos coram aliis factis per quas eisdem confitentibus nullum fieri praeiudicium volebamus super praemissis meram et plenam nobis dicerent veritatem super his interrogavimus et usque ad numerum septuaginta duorum examinavimus multis ex fratribus nostris nobis assistentibus diligenter eorum que confessiones per publicas manus in authenticam scripturam redactas illico in nostra et dictorum fratrum nostrorum praesentia ac deinde interposito aliquorum dierum spatio in consistorio legi fecimus coram ipsis et illas in suo vulgari cuilibet eorum exponi qui perseverantes in illis eas expresse et sponte prout recitatae fuerant approbarunt. After this, intending to make a personal inquiry with the grand master, Post quae cum generali magistro visitatore Franciae et praecipuis the visitor of France and the principal preceptors of the order, we praeceptoribus praefati ordinis commanded that the grand master, the visitor of France and the chief intendentes super praemissis inquirere per nos ipsos ipsum generalem preceptors of Outremer, Normandy, Aquitaine and Poitou be presented magistrum et visitatorem Franciae ac to us while we were at Poitiers. Some of them, however, were ill at the terrae ultramarinae Normanniae Aquitaniae ac Pictaviae praeceptores time and could not ride a horse nor conveniently be brought to our maiores nobis Pictavis exsistentibus presence. We wished to know the truth of the whole matter and mandavimus praesentari. Sed cum quidam ex eis sic infirmabantur tunc whether their confessions and depositions, which were said to have temporis quod aequitare non poterant been made in the presence of the inquisitor of heresy in the kingdom nec ad nostram praesentiam commode adduci nos scire volentes de of France and witnessed by certain public notaries and many other praemissis omnibus veritatem et an good men, and which were produced in public and shown to us and vera essent quae continebantur in eorum confessionibus et depositionibus our brothers by the inquisitor, were true. We empowered and quas coram inquisitore pravitatis commanded our beloved sons Berengar, cardinal, then with the title of haereticae in regno Franciae supradicto praesentibus quibusdam Nereus and Achilleus, now bishop of Frascati, and Stephen, cardinal notariis publicis et multis aliis bonis priest with the title of saint Cyriacus at the Baths, and Landulf, viris dicebatur fecisse nobis et fratribus nostris per ipsum inquisitorem sub cardinal deacon with the title of saint Angelo, in whose prudence, manibus publicis exhibitas et ostensas experience and loyalty we have the fullest confidence, to make a dilectis filiis nostris Berengario tunc tituli Nerei et Achillei nunc episcopo careful investigation with the grand master, visitor and preceptors, Tusculano et Stephano tituli sancti concerning the truth of the accusations against them and individual Cyriaci in thermis presbytero et Landulfo titulo sancti Angeli diacono persons of the order and against the order itself. If there was evidence, cardinalibus de quorum prudentia it was to be brought to us; the confessions and depositions were to be experientia et fidelitate indubitatam fiduciam obtinemus commisimus et taken down in writing by a public notary and presented to us. The mandavimus ut ipsi cum praefatis cardinals were to grant absolution from the sentence of magistro generali visitatore ac praeceptoribus inquirerent tam contra excommunication, according to the form of the church, to the master, ipsos et singulares personas ipsius visitor and preceptors -- a sentence incurred if the accusations were ordinis generaliter quam contra ipsum ordinem super praemissis cum true -- provided the accused humbly and devoutly requested diligentia veritatem et quidquid super absolution, as they ought to do. his invenirent nobis referre ac eorum confessiones et depositiones per manum publicam in scriptis redactas nostro apostolatui deferre ac praesentare curarent eidem magistro ac visitatori et praeceptoribus 150 beneficium absolutionis a sententia excommunicationis quam pro praemissis si vera essent incurrerant si absolutionem humiliter ac devote peterent ut debebant iuxta formam ecclesiae impensuri. The cardinals went to see the grand master, the visitor and the Qui cardinales ad ipsos generalem magistrum visitatorem et praeceptores preceptors personally and explained the reason for their visit. Since personaliter accedentes eis sui these men and other Templars resident in the kingdom of France had adventus causam exposuerunt. Et quoniam personae ipsorum et aliorum been handed over to us because they would freely and without fear of templariorum in regno Franciae anyone reveal the truth sincerely to the cardinals, the cardinals by our consistentium nobis traditae fuerant quod libere absque metu cuiusquam apostolic authority enjoined on them this duty of telling the truth. The plene ac pure super praemissis master, the visitor and the preceptors of Normandy, Outremer, omnibus ipsis cardinalibus dicerent veritatem eis auctoritate apostolica Aquitaine and Poitou, in the presence of the three cardinals, four iniunxerunt. Qui magister visitator et notaries and many other men of good repute, took an oath on the holy praeceptores terrae Normanniae ultramarinae Aquitaniae et Pictaviae gospels that they would tell the truth, plainly and fully. They deposed coram ipsis tribus cardinalibus one by one, in the cardinals’ presence, freely and spontaneously, praesentibus quatuor tabellionibus publicis et multis aliis bonis viris ad without any compulsion or fear. They confessed among other things sancta dei evangelia ab eis corporaliter that they had denied Christ and spat upon the cross at their reception tacta praestito iuramento quod super praemissis omnibus meram et plenam into the order of the Temple. Some of them added that they themselves dicerent veritatem coram ipsis had received many brothers using the same rite, namely with the singulariter libere ac sponte absque coactione qualibet et terrore denial of Christ and the spitting on the cross. There were even some deposuerunt et confessi fuerunt inter who confessed certain other horrible crimes and immoral deeds, we cetera Christi abnegationem ac exspuitionem super crucem cum in say nothing more of these at present. The knights confessed also that ordine templi recepti fuerunt et the content of their confessions and depositions made a little while ago quidam ex eis se sub eadem forma scilicet cum abnegatione Christi et before the inquisitor was true. These confessions and depositions of exspuitione super crucem fratres the grand master, visitor and preceptors were edited as a public multos etiam recepisse. Sunt etiam quidam ex eis quaedam alia horribilia document by four notaries, the master and the others being present and et inhonesta confessi quae subticemus also certain men of good repute. After some days, the confessions ad praesens. Dixerunt praeterea et confessi fuerunt ea vera esse quae in were read to the accused on the orders and in the presence of the eorum confessionibus et depositionibus cardinals; each knight received an account in his own language. They continentur quas dudum fecerant coram inquisitore praefato. Quae persisted in their confessions and approved them, expressly and confessiones et depositiones dictorum spontaneously, as they had been read out to them. After these generalis magistri visitatoris et confessions and depositions, they asked from the cardinals absolution praeceptorum in scripturam publicam per quatuor tabelliones publicos from the excommunication incurred by the above crimes; humbly and redactae in ipsorum magistri visitatoris devoutly, on bended knee, with hands joined, they made their petition et praeceptorum et quorumdam aliorum bonorum virorum praesentia with many tears. Since the church never shuts her heart to the sinner ac deinde interposito aliquorum dierum who returns, the cardinals granted absolution by our authority in the spatio coram ipsis eisdem lectae fuerunt de mandato et in praesentia customary form of the church to the master, visitor and preceptors on cardinalium praedictorum et in suo abjuration of their heresy. On their return to our presence, the vulgari expositae cuilibet eorumdem. Qui perseverantes in illis eas expresse cardinals presented to us the confessions and depositions of the et sponte prout recitatae fuerant master, visitor and preceptors in the form of a public document, as has approbarunt. Et post confessiones et depositiones huiusmodi ab ipsis been said. They also gave us a report on their dealings with these cardinalibus ab excommunicatione knights. quam pro praemissis incurrerant absolutionem flexis genibus manibus que complexis humiliter et devote ac cum lacrimarum effusione non modica petierunt. Ipsi vero cardinales quia ecclesia non claudit gremium redeunti ab iisdem magistro visitatore et praeceptoribus haeresi abiurata expresse ipsis secundum formam ecclesiae auctoritate nostra absolutionis beneficium impenderunt ac deinde ad nostram praesentiam redeuntes confessiones et depositiones 151 praelibatorum magistri visitatoris et praeceptorum in scripturam publicam redactas per manus publicas ut est dictum nobis praesentarunt et quae cum dictis magistro visitatore et praeceptoribus fecerant retulerunt. From these confessions, depositions and report we find that the Ex quibus confessionibus et depositionibus et relatione invenimus master, the visitor and the preceptors of Outremer, Normandy, saepe fatum magistrum visitatorem Aquitaine and Poitou have often committed grave offences, although terrae ultramarinae Normanniae Aquitaniae et Pictaviae praeceptores in some have erred less frequently than others. We considered that such praemissis et circa praemissa licet dreadful crimes could not and should not go unpunished without insult quosdam ex eis in pluribus et alios in paucioribus graviter deliquisse. to almighty God and to every Catholic. We decided on the advice of Attendentes autem quod scelera tam our brothers to hold an enquiry into the above crimes and horrenda transire incorrecta absque omnipotentis dei et omnium transgressions. This would be carried out through the local ordinaries catholicorum iniuria non poterant nec and other wise, trustworthy men delegated by us in the case of debebant decrevimus de fratrum nostrorum consilio per ordinarios individual members of the order; and through certain prudent persons locorum ac per alios fideles ac of our considered choice in the case of the order as a whole. After this, sapientes viros ad hoc deputandos a nobis contra singulares personas ipsius investigations were made both by the ordinaries and by our delegates ordinis necnon et contra dictum into the allegations against individual members, and by the inquisitors ordinem per certas discretas personas quas ad hoc duximus deputandas appointed by us into those against the order itself, in every part of the super praemissis criminibus et world where the brothers of the order have usually lived. Once made excessibus inquirendum. Post haec tam per ordinarios quam per deputatos and sent to us for examination, these investigations were very a nobis contra singulares personas carefully read and examined, some by us and our brothers, cardinals of dicti ordinis et per inquisitores quos ad hoc duximus deputandos contra ipsum the holy Roman church others by many very learned, prudent, ordinem per universas mundi partes in trustworthy and God-fearing men, zealous for and well-trained in the quibus consueverint fratres dicti ordinis habitare inquisitiones factae catholic faith, some being prelates and others not. This took place at fuerunt et illae quae factae contra Malaucene in the diocese of Vaison. ordinem praelibatum fuerant ad nostrum examen remissae quaedam per nos et fratres nostros sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinales aliae vero per multos viros valde litteratos prudentes fideles deum timentes et fidei catholicae zelatores et exercitatos tam praelatos quam alios apud Malausanam Vacionensis dioeceseos fuerunt valde diligenter lectae et examinatae solerter. Later we came to Vienne where there were assembled already very Post quae dum venissemus Viennam et essent iam quamplures patriarchae many patriarchs, archbishops, selected bishops, exempt and non- archiepiscopi episcopi electi abbates exempt abbots, other prelates of churches, and procurators of absent exempti et non exempti et alii ecclesiarum praelati necnon et prelates and of chapters, all present for the council we had summoned. procuratores absentium praelatorum et In the first session we explained to them our reasons for calling the capitulorum ibidem pro convocato a nobis concilio congregati nos post council. After this, because it was difficult indeed almost impossible, primam sessionem quam inibi cum for the cardinals and all the prelates and procurators gathered for the dictis cardinalibus et cum praefatis praelatis et procuratoribus tenuimus in council to meet in our presence in order to discuss how to proceed in quo causas convocationis concilii the matter of the Templars, we gave orders as follows. Certain eisdem duximus exponendas quia erat difficile immo fere impossibile patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, exempt and non-exempt abbots, other praefatos cardinales et universos prelates of churches, and procurators from all parts of Christendom, of praelatos et procuratores in praesenti concilio congregatos ad tractandum de every language nation and region, were concordantly chosen out of all modo procedendi super et in facto seu the prelates and procurators at the council. The choice was made from negotio fratrum ordinis praedictorum in nostra praesentia convenire de those believed to be among the more skilful, discreet and apt for mandato nostro ab universis praelatis consultation on such an important affair and for discussing it with us et procuratoribus in hoc concilio exsistentibus certi patriarchae and the above-mentioned cardinals. After this we had the attestations archiepiscopi episcopi abbates exempti received during the inquiry read publicly in the presence of the et non exempti et alii ecclesiarum praelati et procuratores de universis prelates and procurators. This reading went on during several days, for christianitatis partibus quarumcumque 152 as long as they wished to listen, in the place assigned for the council, linguarum nationum et regionum qui de peritioribus discretioribus et namely the cathedral church. Afterwards the said attestations and the idoneioribus ad consulendum in tali et summaries made from them were considered and examined, not in a tanto negotio et ad tractandum una nobis cum et cum cardinalibus perfunctory manner but with great care, by many of our venerable antedictis tam solemne factum sive brethren, by the patriarch of Aquileia, by archbishops and bishops of negotium credebantur electi concorditer et assumpti fuerunt. Post the present sacred council who were specially chosen and delegated quae praefatas attestationes super for the purpose, and by those whom the whole council had chosen inquisitionem ordinis praelibati receptas coram ipsis praelatis et very carefully and earnestly. procuratoribus per plures dies et quantum ipsi voluerunt audire publice legi fecimus in loco ad tenendum concilium deputato videlicet in ecclesia cathedrali et subsequenter per multos venerabiles fratres nostros patriarcham Aquileiensem archiepiscopos et episcopos in praesenti sacro concilio exsistentes electos et deputatos ad hoc per electos a toto concilio cum magna diligentia et sollicitudine non perfunctorie sed moratoria tractatione dictae attestationes ac rubricae super his factae visae perlectae et examinatae fuerunt. We convoked therefore the said cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops and Praefatis itaque cardinalibus patriarchis archiepiscopis et episcopis bishops, the exempt and non-exempt abbots, and the other prelates and abbatibus exemptis et non exemptis et procurators elected by the council to consider this affair, and we asked aliis praelatis et procuratoribus ab aliis ut praemittitur electis propter them, in the course of a secret consultation in our presence, how we praemissum negotium in nostra should proceed, taking special account of the fact that certain praesentia constitutis facta per nos propositione et consultatione secreta Templars were presenting themselves in defence of their order. The qualiter esset in eodem negotio greater part of the cardinals and nearly the whole council, that is those procedendum praesertim cum quidam templarii ad defensionem eiusdem who were elected by the whole council and were representing the ordinis se offerrent maiori parti whole council on this question, in short the great majority, indeed cardinalium et toti fere concilio illis videlicet qui a toto concilio ut four-fifths among every nation taking part, were firmly convinced, and praemittitur sunt electi et quoad hoc the said prelates and procurators advised accordingly, that the order vices totius concilii repraesentant vel parti multo maiori quinimo quatuor vel should be given an opportunity to defend itself and that it could not be quinque partibus eorundem condemned, on the basis of the proof provided thus far, for the cuiuscumque nationis in concilio exsistentium indubitatum videbatur et heresies that had been the subject of the inquiry, without offence to ita dicti praelati et procuratores sua God and injustice. Certain others on the contrary said that the brothers consilia dederunt quod ipsi ordini defensio dari deberet et quod ipse ordo should not be allowed to make a defence of their order and that we de haeresibus de quibus inquisitum est should not give permission for such a defence, for if a defence were contra ipsum per ea quae hactenus sunt probata absque offensa dei et allowed or given there would be danger to a settlement of the affair iuris iniuria condemnari nequeat aliis and no small prejudice to the interests of the holy Land. There would quibusdam e contra dicentibus dictos fratres non esse ad defensionem dicti be dispute, delay and putting off a decision, many different reasons ordinis admittendos nec nos dare were mentioned. Indeed although legal process against the order up to debere defensionem eidem si enim ut dicebant praemissi eiusdem ordinis now does not permit its canonical condemnation as heretical by defensio admittatur vel detur ex hoc definitive sentence, the good name of the order has been largely taken ipsius negotii periculum et non modicum terrae sanctae subsidii away by the heresies attributed to it. Moreover, an almost indefinite detrimentum sequeretur et altercatio number of individual members, among whom are the grand master the et retardatio ac decisionis ipsius negotii dilatio ad haec multas rationes visitor of France and the chief preceptors, have been convicted of such et varias allegantes. Verum licet ex heresies, errors and crimes through their spontaneous confessions. processibus habitis contra ordinem These confessions render the order very suspect, and the infamy and memoratum ipse ut haereticalis per diffinitivam sententiam canonice suspicion render it detestable to the holy church of God, to her condemnari non possit quia tamen prelates, to kings and other rulers, and to Catholics in general. It is idem ordo de illis haeresibus quae imponuntur eidem est plurimum also believed in all probability that from now on there will be found no diffamatus et quia quasi infinitae good person who wishes to enter the order, and so it will be made personae illius ordinis inter quas sunt 153 useless to the church of God and the carrying on of the undertaking to generalis magister visitator Franciae et maiores praeceptores ipsius per eorum the holy Land, for which service the knights had been destined. confessiones spontaneas de praedictis Furthermore, the putting off of a settlement or arrangement of this haeresibus erroribus et sceleribus sunt convictae quia etiam ipsae affair of the Templars, for which we had set ourselves a final decision confessiones dictum ordinem reddunt or sentence to be promulgated in the present council, would lead in all valde suspectum et quia infamia et suspicio praelibatae dictum ordinem probability to the total loss, destruction and dilapidation of the reddunt ecclesiae sanctae dei et Templars’ property. This has for long been given, bequeathed and praelatis eiusdem ac regibus aliis que principibus et caeteris catholicis nimis granted by the faithful for the aid of the holy Land and to oppose the abominabilem et exosum quia etiam enemies of the christian faith. verisimile creditur quod amodo bona non reperiretur persona quae dictum ordinem vellet intrare propter quae ipse ordo ecclesiae dei ac prosecutioni negotii terrae sanctae ad cuius servitium fuerant deputati inutilis redderetur quoniam insuper ex dilatione decisionis seu ordinationis dicti negotii ad quam faciendam vel sententiam promulgandam terminus peremptorius fuerat in praesenti concilio praefatis ordini et fratribus assignatus a nobis bonorum templi quae dudum ad subsidium terrae sanctae et impugnationem inimicorum fidei christianae a Christi fidelibus data legata et concessa fuerunt totalis amissio destructio et dilapidatio ut probabiliter There were therefore two opinions: some said that sentence should creditur sequeretur inter eos qui dicunt ex nunc contra dictum ordinem pro immediately be pronounced, condemning the order for the alleged dictis criminibus condemnationis crimes, and others objected that from the proceedings taken up to now sententiam promulgandam et alios qui dicunt ex processibus praehabitis the sentence of condemnation against the order could not justly be contra dictum ordinem condemnationis passed. After long and mature deliberation, having in mind God alone sententiam iure ferri non posse longa et matura deliberatione praehabita and the good of the holy Land without turning aside to right or to left, solum deum habentes prae oculis et ad we elected to proceed by way of provision and ordinance, in this way utilitatem negotii terrae sanctae respectum habentes non declinantes scandal will be removed, perils avoided and property saved for the ad dexteram vel sinistram viam help of the holy Land. provisionis et ordinationis duximus eligendam per quam tollentur scandala vitabuntur pericula et bona conservabuntur subsidio terrae sanctae. We have taken into account the disgrace, suspicion, vociferous reports Considerantes itaque infamiam suspicionem clamosam insinuationem and other attacks mentioned above against the order, also the secret et alia supradicta quae contra ordinem reception into the order, and the divergence of many of the brothers faciunt supradictum necnon et occultam et clandestinam receptionem from the general behaviour, way of life and morals of other Christians. fratrum ipsius ordinis differentiam que We have noted here especially that when new members are received, multorum fratrum eiusdem a communi conversatione vita et moribus aliorum they are made to swear not to reveal the manner of their reception to Christi fidelium in eo maxime quod anyone and not to leave the order; this creates an unfavourable recipientes aliquos in fratres sui ordinis receptos in ipsa receptione presumption. We observe in addition that the above have given rise to professionem emittere faciebant et grave scandal against the order, scandal impossible to allay as long as iurare modum receptionis nemini revelare nec religionem illam exire ex the order continues to exist. We note also the danger to faith and to quibus contra eos praesumitur souls, the many horrible misdeeds of so many brothers of the order, evidenter attendentes insuper grave scandalum ex praedictis contra and many other just reasons and causes, moving us to the following ordinem praelibatum subortum fuisse decision. quod non videretur posse sedari eodem ordine remanente necnon et fidei et animarum pericula et quamplurimorum fratrum dicti ordinis horribilia multa facta et multas alias rationes iustas et causas quae nostrum ad infrascripta movere animum rationabiliter 154 The majority of the cardinals and of those elected by the council, a et debite potuerunt quia et maiori parti dictorum cardinalium et praedictorum proportion of more than four-fifths, have thought it better, more a toto concilio electorum plus quam expedient and advantageous for God’s honour and for the preservation quatuor vel quinque partibus eorumdem visum est decentius et of the christian faith, also for the aid of the holy Land and many other expedientius et utilius pro dei honore valid reasons, to suppress the order by way of ordinance and provision et pro conservatione fidei christianae ac subsidio terrae sanctae multis que of the apostolic see, assigning the property to the use for which it was aliis rationibus validis sequendam fore intended. Provision is also to be made for the members of the order potius viam ordinationis et provisionis sedis apostolicae ordinem saepe fatum who are still alive. This way has been found preferable to that of tollendo et bona ad usum ad quem safeguarding the right of defence with the consequent postponement of deputata fuerant applicando de personis etiam ipsius ordinis quae judgment on the order. We observe also that in other cases the Roman vivunt salubriter providendo quam church has suppressed other important orders for reasons of far less defensionis iuris observationes et negotii prorogationes animadvertentes gravity than those mentioned above, with no fault on the part of the quoque quod alias etiam sine culpa brethren. Therefore, with a sad heart, not by definitive sentence, but by fratrum ecclesia Romana fecit interdum alios ordines solemnes ex apostolic provision or ordinance, we suppress, with the approval of the causis incomparabiliter minoribus sacred council, the order of Templars, and its rule, habit and name, by quam sint praemissae cessare non sine cordis amaritudine et dolore non per an inviolable and perpetual decree, and we entirely forbid that anyone modum diffinitivae sententiae sed per from now on enter the order, or receive or wear its habit, or presume modum provisionis seu ordinationis apostolicae praefatum templi ordinem to behave as a Templar. If anyone acts otherwise, he incurs automatic et eius statum habitum atque nomen excommunication. Furthermore, we reserve the persons and property irrefragabili et perpetuo valitura tollimus sanctione ac perpetuae for our disposition and that of the apostolic see. We intend with divine prohibitioni subicimus sacro concilio grace, before the end of the present sacred council, to make this approbante districtius inhibentes ne quis dictum ordinem de cetero intrare disposition to the honour of God the exaltation of the christian faith vel eius habitum suscipere vel portare and the welfare of the holy Land. We strictly forbid anyone, of aut pro templario gerere se praesumat. Quod si quis contra fecerit whatever state or condition, to interfere in any way in this matter of excommunicationis incurrat the persons and property of the Templars. We forbid any action sententiam ipso facto. Porro nos personas et bona eadem nostrae ac concerning them which would prejudice our arrangements and apostolicae sedis ordinationi et dispositions, or any innovation or tampering. We decree that from now dispositioni quam gratia divina favente on any attempt of this kind is null and void, whether it be made ad dei honorem et exaltationem fidei christianae ac statum prosperum knowingly or in ignorance. Through this decree, however, we do not terrae sanctae facere intendimus wish to derogate from any processes made or to be made concerning antequam praesens sacrum terminetur concilium reservamus inhibentes individual Templars by diocesan bishops and provincial councils, in districtius ne quis cuiuscumque conformity with what we have ordained at other times. Let nobody conditionis vel status exsistat se de personis vel bonis huiusmodi therefore ... If anyone ... aliquatenus intromittat vel circa ea in ordinationis sive dispositionis nostrae per nos ut praemittitur faciendae praeiudicium aliquod faciat innovet vel attentet decernentes exnunc irritum et inane si secus a quoquam scienter vel ignoranter contigerit attentari. Per hoc tamen processibus factis vel faciendis circa singulares personas ipsorum templariorum per dioecesanos episcopos et provincialia concilia prout per nos alias exstitit ordinatum nolumus derogari. Nulli ergo ... Si quis .... Given at Vienne on 22 March in the seventh year of our pontificate. Datum Viennae xi calendas aprilis pontificatus nostri anno septimo. [1.2]. For an everlasting record. It belongs to Christ’s vicar, exercising Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Ad providam Christi vicarii praesidentis in his vigilant care from the apostolic watch-tower, to judge the changing specula apostolicae dignitatis conditions of the times, to examine the causes of the affairs which circumspectionem pertinet vices pensare temporum emergentium crop up and to observe the characters of the people concerned. In this negotiorum causas discutere ac way he can give due consideration to each affair and act opportunely; personarum attendere qualitates ut ad singula debitum dirigens necessariae he can tear out the thistles of vice from the field of the Lord so that considerationis intuitum et opportunae virtue may increase; and he can remove the thorns of false dealing so manum operationis apponens de agro 155 as to plant rather than to destroy. He transfers slips dedicated to God domini sic vitiorum tribulos eruat ut virtutes amplificet sic praevaricantium into the places left empty by the eradication of the harmful thistles. By spinas tollat ut evellendo plus plantet thus transferring and uniting in a provident and profitable way, he quam destruat et in loca vacua per eradicationem nocentium tribulorum brings a joy greater than the harm he has caused to the people devota deo plantaria transferendo uprooted; true justice has compassion for sorrow. By enduring the potiorem praebeat de provisa et utili eorumdem locorum unione et harm and replacing it profitably, he increases the growth of the virtues translatione laetitiam quam vera and rebuilds what has been destroyed with something better. iustitia quae compassionem habet doloris intulerit detrimentum personarum locorum huiusmodi per ruinam sic enim sufferendo quod officit et subrogando quod proficit virtutum profectus amplificat et sublata de medio meliori sub rogatione restaurat. A little while ago we suppressed definitively and perpetually the order Dudum siquidem ordinem domus militiae templi ierosolimitani propter of the Knights Templar of Jerusalem because of the abominable, even magistrum et fratres ceteras que unspeakable, deeds of its master, brothers and other persons of the personas dicti ordinis in quibuslibet mundi partibus consistentes variis et order in all parts of the world. These men were spattered with indecent diversis non tam nefandis quam errors and crimes, with depravity- they were blemished and stained. infandis proh dolor errorum et scelerum obscenitatibus pravitatibus We are silent here as to detail because the memory is so sad and maculis et labe respersos quae propter unclean. With the approval of the sacred council we abolished the tristem et spurcidam eorum memoriam praesentibus subticemus eius que constitution of the order, its habit and name, not without bitterness of ordinis statum habitum atque nomen heart. We did this not by definitive sentence, since this would be non sine cordis amaritudine et dolore sacro approbante concilio non per unlawful according to the inquiries and processes carried out, but by modum diffinitivae sententiae cum apostolic provision or ordinance. We issued a strict prohibition that eam super hoc secundum inquisitiones et processus super hiis habitos non nobody might henceforth enter the order or wear its habit or presume possemus ferre de iure sed per viam to behave as a Templar. Anyone doing otherwise incurred automatic provisionis seu ordinationis apostolicae irrefragabili et perpetuo valitura excommunication. substulimus sanctione ipsum prohibitioni perpetuae supponentes districtius inhibendo ne quis dictum ordinem de cetero intrare vel eius habitum suscipere vel portare aut pro templario gerere se praesumeret. Quod si quis contrafaceret excommunicationis incurreret sententiam ipso facto. We commanded, by our apostolic authority, that all the property of the Universa etiam bona ordinis praelibati apostolicae sedis ordinationi et order be left to the judgment and disposition of the apostolic see. We dispositioni auctoritate apostolica strictly forbade anyone, of whatever state or condition, to interfere in duximus reservanda inhibentes districtius ne quis cuiuscumque any way regarding the persons or property of the order or to act in conditionis vel status existeret se de prejudice of the direction or disposition of the apostolic see in this personis vel bonis huiusmodi aliquatenus intromitteret vel circa ea in matter, or to alter or even to tamper; we decreed all attempts of this praeiudicium ordinis seu dispositionis kind to be henceforth null and void, whether made knowingly or in apostolicae per sedem eamdem ut praemittitur faciendae aliquid faceret ignorance. innovaret vel etiam attentaret decernentes ex tunc irritum et inane si secus a quoquam scienter vel ignoranter contingeret attentari Afterwards we took care lest the said property, which over a long ac postmodum ne dicta bona quae dudum ad subsidium terrae sanctae et period had been given, bequeathed, granted and acquired from the impugnationem inimicorum fidei worshippers of Christ for the help of the holy Land and to assail the christianae a Christi cultoribus data legata concessa et acquisita fuerunt enemies of the christian faith, should be left without management and debita gubernatione carentia tamquam perish as belonging to nobody or be used in ways other than those vacantia deperirent vel converterentur in usus alios quam in illos ad quos intended by the pious devotion of the faithful. There was the further fuerant pia devotione fidelium danger that tardiness in our arrangements and dispositions might lead deputata vel propter tarditatem ordinationis et dispositionis huiusmodi to destruction or dilapidation. We therefore held difficult, lengthy and eorum destructio vel dilapidatio varied consultations and discussions with our brothers, the cardinals of sequeretur cum fratribus nostris the holy Roman church, with patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and sanctae Romanae ecclesiae 156 prelates, with certain outstanding and distinguished persons, and with cardinalibus necnon patriarchis archiepiscopis episcopis et praelatis ac the procurators at the council of the chapters, convents, churches and etiam cum nonnullis excellentibus et monasteries, and of the remaining absent prelates, in order that, illustribus personis cum reliquorum quoque absentium praelatorum et through this painstaking deliberation, a wholesome and beneficial etiam capitulorum et conventuum disposal of the said property might be made to the honour of God, the ecclesiarum et monasteriorum procuratoribus in dicto concilio increase of the faith, the exaltation of the church, the help of the holy constitutis habuimus ardua morosa et Land, and the salvation and peace of the faithful. After especially long diversa consilia et tractatus ut per huiusmodi consiliorum et tractatuum carefully thought out, deliberate and complete consultations, for many deliberationem praehabitam just reasons, we and the said fathers and patriarchs, archbishops, diligentem dictorum bonorum ordinatio et dispositio ad honorem dei bishops, other prelates, and the outstanding and distinguished persons, augmentum fidei exaltationem then present at the council, finally came to a conclusion. The property ecclesiae dictae terrae subsidium salutem quoque fidelium et quietem should become forever that of the order of the Hospital of saint John salubris et utilis proveniret post que of Jerusalem, of the Hospital itself and of our beloved sons the master utique longa praemeditata provisa et matura consilia suadentibus plurimis and brothers of the Hospital, in the name of the Hospital and order of iustis causis nostra et dictorum patrum these same men, who as athletes of the Lord expose themselves to the necnon patriarcharum archiepiscoporum episcoporum et danger of death for the defence of the faith, bearing heavy and perilous aliorum praelatorum ac excellentium et losses in lands overseas. illustrium personarum praedictorum in dicto concilio tunc praesentium deliberationes et consilia in hoc finaliter resederunt ut praedicta bona ordini hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani et ipsi hospitali ac dilectis filiis magistro et fratribus hospitalis eiusdem nomine hospitalis et ordinis eorumdem qui tamquam athletae domini pro defensione fidei se periculis mortis iugiter exponentes onerosa nimis et periculosa dispendia continue perferunt in partibus transmarinis in perpetuum unirentur. We have observed with the fullness of sincere charity that this order of Nos igitur inter cetera mundi loca in quibus vigere dinoscitur observantia the Hospital and the Hospital itself is one of the bodies in which regularis dictum ordinem hospitalis et religious observance flourishes. Factual evidence tells us that divine ipsum hospitale sincerae caritatis plenitudine prosequentes ac worship is fervent, works of piety and mercy are practised with great attendentes quod sicut evidentia facti earnestness, the brothers of the Hospital despise the attractions of the docet in eo divinis obsequiis ferventer insistitur pietatis et misericordiae world and are devoted servants of the most High. As fearless warriors opera vigilantibus studiis exercentur of Christ they are ardent in their efforts to recover the holy Land, fratres hospitalis ipsius mundanis spretis illecebris devotum impendentes despising all human perils. We bear in mind also that the more altissimo famulatum ac pro plentifully they are supplied with means, the more will the energy of recuperatione terrae praedictae tamquam intrepidi Christi pugiles the master and brothers of the order and Hospital grow, their ardour ferventibus studiis et desideriis increase and their bravery be strengthened to repel the insults offered intendentes quaelibet ducunt humana pericula in contemptum considerantes to our Redeemer and to crush the enemies of the faith. They will be quoque quod ex hoc tanto eorumdem able to carry more lightly and easily the burdens demanded in the magistri et fratrum dictorum ordinis et hospitalis crescet strenuitas animorum execution of such an enterprise. They will therefore, not unworthily, fervor augebitur et ipsorum roborabitur be made more watchful and apply themselves with greater zeal. fortitudo ad propulsandas nostri redemptoris iniurias et hostes eiusdem fidei conterendos quanto ipsorum potentia in opulentioribus facultatibus augmentata onera quae prosecutionis tanti negotii necessitas exigit levius et facilius poterunt supportare et propterea non indigne vigiles redditi studiis que sollicitis excitati In order that we may grant them increased support, we bestow on ut ad sui status opem et operam impendamus eodem sacro approbante them, with the approval of the sacred council, the house itself of the concilio ipsam domum militiae templi Knights Templar and the other houses, churches, chapels, oratories, ceteras que domos ecclesias capellas oratoria civitates castra villas terras cities, castles, towns, lands, granges, places, possessions, jurisdictions, grangias et loca possessiones 157 revenues, rights, all the other property, whether immovable, movable iurisdictiones redditus atque iura omnia que alia bona immobilia et or self-moving, and all the members together with their rights and mobilia vel se moventia cum omnibus belongings, both beyond and on this side of the sea, in each and every membris iuribus et pertinentiis suis ultra et citra mare ac in universis et part of the world, at the time when the master himself and some quibuslibet mundi partibus consistentia brothers of the order were arrested as a body in the kingdom of quae ipse ordo et dicti magister et fratres ipsius ordinis militiae templi France, namely in October 1308. The gift is to include everything tempore quo ipse magister et nonnulli which the Templars had, held or possessed of themselves or through ex eisdem fratribus militiae templi in regno Franciae communiter capti others, or which belonged to the said house and order of Knights fuerunt videlicet anno domini Templar, or to the master and brothers of the order as also the titles, millesimo trecentesimo octavo mense octobris per se vel quoscunque alios actions and rights which at the time of their arrest belonged in any way habebant tenebant et possidebant vel to the house, order or persons of the order of Knights Templar, or ad eosdem domum et ordinem militiae templi et dictos magistrum et fratres could belong to them, against whomsoever of whatever dignity, state ipsius ordinis militiae templi or condition, with all the privileges, indults, immunities and liberties quomodolibet pertinebant necnon nomina actiones et iura quae praedicto with which the said master and brothers of the house and order of tempore captionis ipsorum eisdem Knights Templar, and the house and order itself, had been legitimately domui ordini vel personis ipsius ordinis militiae templi quocumque modo endowed by the apostolic see or by catholic emperors, kings and competebant vel competere poterant princes, or by other members of the faithful, or in any other way. All contra quoscumque cuiuscunque dignitatis status vel conditionis this we present, grant, unite, incorporate, apply and annex in exsisterent cum omnibus privilegiis perpetuity, by the fullness of our apostolic power, to the said order of indulgentiis immunitatibus et libertatibus quibus praefati magister et the Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem and to the Hospital itself. fratres dictorum domus et ordinis militiae templi et ipsa domus et ordo per sedem apostolicam vel per catholicos imperatores reges et principes et fideles alios vel quocumque alio modo erant legitime communiti eidem ordini hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani et ipsi hospitali donamus concedimus unimus incorporamus applicamus et annectimus in perpetuum de apostolicae plenitudine potestatis We except the property of the said former order of Knights Templar in exceptis bonis quondam dicti ordinis ipsius militiae templi consistentibus in the kingdoms and lands of our beloved sons in Christ, the illustrious regnis et terris carissimorum in Christo kings of Castile, Aragon, Portugal and Majorca, outside the kingdom filiorum nostrorum Castellae Aragoniae Portugaliae et Maioricarum regum of France. We reserve this property, from the said gift, grant, union, illustrium extra regnum Franciae quae application, incorporation and annexation, to the disposal and a donatione concessione unione applicatione incorporatione et regulation of the apostolic see. We wish the prohibition made a little annexione praedictis specialiter while ago by other proceedings of ours to remain in full force. Nobody excipienda duximus et etiam excludenda ex nihilominus dispositioni of any state or condition may intervene in any way as regards these et ordinationi sedis apostolicae persons and property in prejudice to the regulation or disposition of reservantes inhibitionem dudum per alios processus nostros factam ne quis the apostolic see. We wish that our decree concerning these persons videlicet cuiuscumque conditionis vel and property in the kingdoms and lands of the above kings should status existeret se de personis et bonis huiusmodi aliquatenus intromitteret vel remain in full force until the apostolic see makes another arrangement. circa ea in praeiudicium ordinationis seu dispositionis sedis Occupiers and unlawful detainers of the property, irrespective of state, eiusdem faciendae de illis necnon decreti nostri interpositionem quoad condition, eminence or dignity, even if this is pontifical, imperial or personas et bona in dictis regnis et royal, unless they abandon the property within a month after it is terris eorumdem regum proxime expressorum consistentia omnino called for by the master and brothers of the Hospital, or by any of manere volentes in pleno robore them, or by their procurators [. . .]. The property must be fully and firmitatis quousque de bonis et rebus praedictis in eisdem regnis et terris freely restored to the order of Hospitallers and to the said Hospital, or consistentibus per dispositionem sedis to the master, priors, preceptors or brothers of the said Hospital, in any eiusdem fuerit aliter ordinatum occupatores quoque dictorum bonorum regions or provinces, or to any of them individually, or to their aut illicitos detentores cuiuscumque procurator or procurators, in the name of the said order of Hospitallers, status conditionis excellentiae vel even if the priors, preceptors and brothers and their procurators or any dignitatis exstiterint etiam si pontificali 158 one of them have no special mandate from the master of the Hospital, imperiali vel regali praefulgeant dignitate nisi infra unius mensis provided that the procurators hold or show a special commission from spatium postquam super hoc per the priors and preceptors or from any one of them, in the provinces or dictos magistrum et fratres ipsius hospitalis vel ipsorum quemlibet aut regions in which these priors and preceptors have been delegated. procuratorem seu procuratores eorum fuerint requisiti dicta bona dimiserint illa que plene et libere restituerint ordini ipsius hospitalis et eidem hospitali aut magistro seu prioribus vel praeceptoribus aut fratribus hospitalis eiusdem in quibuscunque partibus et provinciis constitutis eorum que singulis vel procuratori seu procurationibus eorumdem eiusdem ordinis ipsius hospitalis nomine etiamsi dicti priores praeceptores et fratres ipsius hospitalis et procuratores ipsorum et eorum quilibet a dicto magistro ipsius hospitalis mandatum super hoc specialiter non haberent dummodo procuratores praedicti a dictis prioribus et praeceptoribus vel eorum singulis in provinciis et partibus in quibus huiusmodi priores et praeceptores exstiterint deputati mandatum super hoc habuerint vel ostenderint speciale. The priors, preceptors and brothers are obliged to give a full reckoning Qui omnes et singuli videlicet priores et praeceptores et fratres dicto to the master concerning everything: conduct, actions, receipts and magistro procuratores vero praedicti negotiations. The procurators are to render a similar account to the eisdem prioribus et praeceptoribus eorum que singulis a quibus super hiis priors and preceptors, and to each one of them, by whom they were fuerint deputati plenum super omnibus delegated. All who have knowingly given counsel, aid or favour to the gestis actis receptis et procuratis per eos quomodolibet in hac parte occupiers and detainers mentioned above concerning such occupation computum et rationem ponere et or detention, publicly or secretly, lie under excommunication. reddere teneantur necnon omnes qui scienter occupatoribus et detentoribus Chapters, colleges or governing bodies of churches and monasteries, praelibatis in occupatione vel and the corporations of cities, castles, towns and other places, as well detentione huiusmodi dederint consilium auxilium vel favorem publice as the cities, castles, towns and other places themselves which were at vel occulte excommunicationis capitula fault in this, and the cities, castles and places in which the detainers vero collegia seu conventus ecclesiarum et monasteriorum necnon and occupiers hold temporal lordship, if such temporal lords place universitates civitatum castrorum obstacles to the giving up of the property and its restoration to the villarum et aliorum locorum et ipsas civitates castra villas et loca quae in master and brothers of the Hospital, in the name of the Hospital, not hiis culpabilia exstiterint ac etiam desisting from such conduct within a month after the property is called civitates castra et loca in quibus detentores et occupatores huiusmodi for, are automatically laid under interdict. They cannot be absolved dominium obtinuerint temporale si from this until they offer full satisfaction. Moreover the occupiers and huiusmodi domini temporales in dimittendo bona praedicta et detainers and those who have given them counsel, aid or favour, restituendo illa magistro et fratribus whether individuals or the chapters, colleges or governing bodies of ordinis et hospitalis eiusdem nomine hospitalis ipsius obstaculum churches or monasteries, as also the corporations of cities, castles, adhibebunt et infra dictum mensem ab lands or other places, incur, in addition to the above-mentioned huiusmodi praemissis non destiterint postquam super hoc ut praemittitur penalties, automatic deprivation of everything they hold as fiefs from fuerint requisiti ipso facto interdicti the Roman or other churches. These fiefs are to revert freely without sententiis decernimus subiacere a quibus absolvi non possint donec super opposition to the churches concerned, and the prelates or rulers of hiis plenam et debitam satisfactionem those churches may dispose of the fiefs at will, as they judge will be to curaverint exhibere et nihilominus occupatores et detentores huiusmodi the advantage of the churches. Let nobody therefore . . . If anyone . . . vel praestantes eisdem ut praemittitur auxilium consilium vel favorem sive singulares personae sive capitula collegia seu conventus ecclesiarum et monasteriorum ac universitates civitatum castrorum terrarum vel aliorum locorum exstiterint praeter poenas praescriptas omnibus quae a 159 Romana vel aliis ecclesiis quibuscumque tenent in feudum ipso facto decernimus fore privatos sive privata ita quod ad ecclesias ad quas spectant illa libere sine contradictione aliqua revertantur earum que ecclesiarum praelati sive rectores de ipsis pro sua voluntate disponant sicut utilitati ecclesiarum ipsarum viderint expedire. Nulli ergo ... Si quis .... Given at Vienne on 2 May in the seventh year of our pontificate. Dat(um) Viennae vi nonas maii pontificatus nostri anno septimo. Continued in E: We therefore commission you by our apostolic letters, that acting Quocirca discretioni vestrae per apostolica scripta mandamus quatenus together or in pairs or singly, directly or through one or more others, vos vel duo aut unus vestrum per vos you induct the master or priors or preceptors or brothers of the vel per alium seu alios praefatos magistrum seu priores vel Hospital, or any individual member, or their procurator or procurators, praeceptores aut fratres hospitalis in the name of the Hospital, into possession of the house of the eiusdem vel ipsorum quemlibet aut procuratorem seu procuratores eorum Knights Templar and of their other houses, churches, chapels, nomine hospitalis ipsius in corporalem oratories, cities, castles, towns, lands, granges, places, possessions, possessionem dictorum domus militiae templi ceterarum que domorum jurisdictions, revenues and rights to all their other movable, ecclesiarum capellarum oratorium immovable and self-moving property, with all their members, rights civitatum castrorum villarum terrarum grangiarum et locorum possessionum and belongings, both on the near and far side of the sea and in every iurisdictionum reddituum atque iurium part of the world, which the order, master and brothers of the Knights omnium aliorum bonorum mobilium et immobilium vel se moventium cum Templar had, held or possessed, directly or through others, at the time omnibus membris iuribus et of their arrest. The Hospitallers are to be inducted by our authority and pertinentiis suis ultra et citra mare ac in universis et quibuslibet mundi defended afterwards; occupiers, detainers, administrators and partibus consistentium quae ipse ordo conservators are to be removed. You are to ask a full account from et dicti magister et fratres ipsius ordinis militiae templi praedicto those who have been delegated by apostolic authority and any other, tempore huiusmodi captionis eorum including those sub-delegated, to care for the aforesaid property. The per se vel quoscumque alios habebant et possidebant vel ad eosdem domum account is to comprise all the fruits, revenues, incomes, rights and et ordinem militiae templi et dictos accretions. The occupiers or detainers, administrators, conservators magistrum et fratres ipsius ordinis militiae templi quomodolibet and others, unless within the prescribed time they abandon the pertinebant inducatis auctoritate property and revenues, and restore them freely and fully to the order of nostra et defendatis inductos amotis praedictis occupatoribus et the Hospital and to the same Hospital, or to the master, prior, detentoribus ac administratoribus et preceptors or brothers of the Hospital, in the regions and provinces in conservatoribus in bonis ipsis auctoritate apostolica et quavis alia which the property has been, including to each of them individually, or deputatis et quibuslibet aliis ab eisdem to their procurator or procurators, in the name of the Hospital, as said eis que faciatis de illorum fructibus redditibus proventibus iuribus et above, as well as those who give help, counsel or favour to the obventionibus universis integre occupiers, detainers, administrators or conservators, are to be responderi occupatores seu detentores excommunicated by you, if they are individuals; but if they are administratores conservatores et alios praedictos nisi infra dictum terminum chapters, colleges, convents or corporations, as well as the cities, ut praemittitur bona et redditus castles, towns and places themselves at fault in this, and those in praedicta dimiserint illa que libere et plene restituerint ordini ipsius which the detainers and occupiers have temporal dominion and are hospitalis et eidem hospitali aut obstructive when asked to abandon the property and restore it to the magistro seu prioribus vel praeceptoribus aut fratribus hospitalis master and brothers of the Hospital, in the name of the Hospital, and eiusdem in partibus et provinciis ubi refuse to desist from such conduct within a month, you are to lay them bona huiusmodi fuerint constitutis eorum que singulis vel procuratori seu under interdict. The offenders are also to be deprived of all property procuratoribus eorumdem ipsius which they hold in fief from the Roman or any other church. You will hospitalis nomine ut superius est praemissum ac praestantes give notice everywhere where you think it useful and have it occupatoribus seu detentoribus ac announced by others that the excommunicated persons are to be administratoribus et conservatoribus huiusmodi auxilium consilium vel strictly avoided until they have made suitable satisfaction and merited favorem si singulares personae absolution. No exception is to be made on account of any indult from excommunicationis si vero capitula collegia seu conventus seu the apostolic see to the effect that they cannot be laid under interdict, universitates exstiterint et ipsas 160 suspended or excommunicated by apostolic letters which do not make civitates castra villas et loca quae in hiis culpabilia fuerunt ac etiam an express, full and word for word declaration. You are also to civitates castra et loca in quibus suppress any other objectors, if there be such, by ecclesiastical detentores et occupatores huiusmodi dominium obtinuerint temporale si censure, disregarding appeals. It is our will also and we decree by our huiusmodi domini temporales in apostolic authority, that with the present instruction you all and singly dimittendo bona praedicta et restituendo illa magistro et fratribus are given power and jurisdiction in every detail of this matter. You hospitalis eiusdem ipsius hospitalis may from now proceed freely as if this same jurisdiction were nomine obstaculum adhibebunt et infra dictum mensem ab huiusmodi perpetuated by citation or by any other lawful way. The jurisdiction praemissis non duxerint ut praedicitur shall be considered perpetuated as though the case were no longer desistendum tamdiu interdicti per vos latis sententiis subiacere et nihilominus undecided. Each of you may continue the part which has been left omnibus bonis quae a Romana vel aliis unfinished by one of your colleagues, in spite of his opposition and ecclesiis quibuscumque tenent in feudum fore privatos seu privata per unhampered, notwithstanding the constitution of pope Boniface VIII, omnia loca in quibus expedire videritis our predecessor of happy memory, as often and whenever this is denuntietis et faciatis ab aliis nuntiari dictos que excommunicatos arctius suitable. Given as above. evitari donec super hiis congrue satisfecerint et absolutionis meruerint beneficium obtinere non obstante si aliquibus a praedicta sit sede indultum quod interdici suspendi vel excommunicari non possint per litteras apostolicas non facientes plenam et expressam ac de verbo et cetera contradictores etiam alios si qui fuerint per censuram ecclesiasticam appellatione postposita compescendo. Volumus autem et apostolica auctoritate decernimus quod a data praesentium sit vobis et cuilibet vestrum in praedictis omnibus et singulis potestas et iurisdictio attributa ut ex nunc in eis et eorum quolibet ita libere procedere valeatis ac si eadem iurisdictio per citationem vel modum alium perpetuata legitimum exstitisset et quasi re non integra perpetuata praefata iurisdictio censeatur quod que unusquisque vestrum articulum per collegarum suorum aliquem inchoatum felicis recordationis Bonifatii papae viii praedecessoris nostri contraria constitutione cessante prosequi libere valeat etiam eodem collega vivente nec impedimento aliquo praepedito quotiens et quando fuerit opportunum. Datum Viennae vi nonas maii pontificatus nostri anno septimo. [1.3]. Clement, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for assurance in Clemens episcopus servus servorum dei ad certitudinem praesentium et the present and for future record. The inquiries and various processes memoriam futurorum. Considerantes commissioned not long ago by the apostolic see through all parts of dudum inquisitiones et processus varios de mandato sedis apostolicae Christendom against the former order of Knights Templar and its per universas partes christianitatis individual members, concerning accusation of heresies, brought them contra ordinem quondam militiae templi et ipsius singulas personas into grave disrepute. In particular there was the accusation that the habitos sive factos super haeresibus de brothers of the former order at, and sometimes after, their reception quibus ipsi erant graviter infamati et specialiter super eo quod fratres denied Christ and spat in his dishonour on a cross held out to them, eiusdem quondam ordinis dum in ipso and sometimes trampled it underfoot. The master of the order, the recipiebantur ordine ac interdum post receptionem eorum Christum negare visitor of France, the chief preceptors and many brothers of the order et in eius opprobrium super crucem confessed at their trial to these heresies. The confessions cast grave sibi ostensam spuere et eam interdum conculcare pedibus dicebantur quod suspicion on the order. In addition, the widespread disgrace, the strong que generalis magister ipsius ordinis suspicion, and the clamorous charges of the prelates, dukes, visitator Franciae ac maiores ipsius ordinis praeceptores necnon et communes, barons and counts of the kingdom of France also gave quamplures fratres eiusdem in iudicio grave scandal which could hardly be allayed without suppression of confessi fuerunt de haeresibus 161 the order. There were many other just reasons mentioned in the legal supradictis quod que ipsae confessiones dictum ordinem valde process which influenced us. We therefore, with the approval of the suspectum reddebant attendentes sacred council, our heart filled with great bitterness and sorrow, insuper infamiam divulgatam suspicionem vehementem necnon suppressed and abolished the said former order of the Temple and its praelatorum ducum communitatum constitution, habit and name and we forbade its restoration. We did baronum ac comitum regni Franciae insinuationem clamosam grave quoque this, not by definitive sentence since we could not legally do this scandalum ex praedictis contra according to the inquiries and processes mentioned above, but by ordinem praelibatum subortum quod non videbatur posse sedari eodem apostolic provision and ordinance. We reserved the persons and ordine remanente animadvertentes property of the order to the decision and disposal of the apostolic see. que multas alias iustas rationes et causas quae ad id nostrum moverunt In doing so, however, we had no intention of derogating from the animum de quibus in processu super processes made or to be made concerning individual persons or hoc habito continetur cum gravi cordis amaritudine ac dolore non per modum brothers of the said former order by diocesan bishops and provincial diffinitivae sententiae cum eam super councils, as we have ordained elsewhere. hoc secundum inquisitiones et processus praedictos non possemus ferre de iure sed per viam provisionis et ordinationis apostolicae praefatum quondam templi ordinem ac eius statum habitum atque nomen substulimus removimus et cassavimus ac perpetuae prohibitioni subiecimus sacro concilio approbante personas et bona eiusdem ordinis ordinationi et dispositioni sedis apostolicae reservantes per hoc tamen processibus factis vel faciendis circa singulares personas aut fratres eiusdem quondam ordinis per dioecesanos episcopos et provincialia concilia prout per nos alias ordinatum exstitit noluimus derogari. Now therefore we wish to provide more suitably for individual Nunc igitur volentes circa singulares easdem personas aut fratres plenius persons or brothers. We reserved lately for our own disposition the sicut expedit providere fratres ipsos master of the former order, the visitor of France and the chief omnes praeter magistrum quondam dicti ordinis visitatorem Franciae et preceptors of the holy Land, Normandy, Aquitaine, Poitou and the terrae sanctae Normanniae et province of Provence, as well as brother Oliver de Penne, a knight of Aquitaniae ac Pictaviae et provinciae Provinciae magnos praeceptores quos the said former order, whom henceforth we reserve to the disposition dudum dispositioni nostrae specialiter of the apostolic see. We have decided that all the other brothers should reservavimus et fratrem Oliverium de Penna dicti quondam ordinis militem be left to the judgment and disposition of provincial councils, as we quem ex nunc dispositioni sedis have indeed done until now. We wish judgment to be given by these apostolicae reservemus iudicio et dispositioni conciliorum provincialium councils in accordance with the different cases of individuals. Thus sicut et hactenus fecimus duximus those who have been legally acquitted, or will be acquitted in the relinquendos volentes iuxta diversitatem conditionum ipsorum per future, shall be supplied with the goods of the former order whereby eadem concilia cum eis procedi they can live as becomes their state. With those who have confessed videlicet quod illis qui sunt iam supradictis erroribus sententialiter concerning the above errors, we wish the provincial councils prudently absoluti vel in posterum exigente to temper justice with mercy: the situation of these men and the extent iustitia absolventur de bonis praefati quondam ordinis unde iuxta status sui of their confessions are to be duly weighed. With regard to those who decentiam substentari valeant are impenitent and have relapsed, if any -- which God forbid -- be ministretur circa eos autem qui de praefatis erroribus sunt confessi found among them, justice and canonical censure are to be observed. consideratis eorum conditionibus modo As for those who even when questioned have denied their involvement que confessionis eorum pensato volumus a praefatis conciliis prout in the above errors, the councils are to observe justice and equity eorum circumspectioni videbitur according to the canons. With the approval of the sacred council, we rigorem iustitiae cum affluenti misericordia mitigari circa hereby cite those who have not yet been questioned and who are not impenitentes et relapsos si qui quod held by the power or authority of the church but are perhaps fugitives, deus avertat inventi fuerint inter eos iustitia aut censura canonica to appear in person before their diocesans within a year from today. observanda quoad illos vero qui etiam This we assign them as a precise and final limit. They are to undergo suppositi quaestionibus se praedictis esse involutos erroribus negaverint per an examination by their diocesans, receiving a just judgment from the eadem concilia servari et fieri volumus 162 said councils according to their deserts. Great mercy however is to be quod iustum fuerit et aequitas canonum suadebit. Eos autem cum shown and observed both to these last and to those previously quibus adhuc non est super dictis mentioned, except the relapsed and impenitent. They should also be erroribus inquisitum et qui sub manu vel potestate ecclesiae non habentur provided from the property of the order with the necessities of life; all sed sunt forsitan fugitivi sacri the brothers of the former order, whenever they return to the approbatione concilii praesentium tenore citamus ut a die praesenti infra obedience of the church and as long as they persist in that obedience, annum quem ad hoc eis pro termino shall be maintained as becomes the circumstances of their state. All of praeciso et peremptorio assignamus coram dioecesanis suis curent them shall be placed in houses of the former order or in monasteries of personaliter comparere subituri eorum other religious, at the expense however of the former order itself examen prout iustitia suadebit ac secundum praedictorum conciliorum according to the judgment of the said provincial councils; but many of iudicium pro meritis recepturi magna them shall not be placed together at the same time in one house or tamen tam circa eos quam circa alios supra expressos praeterquam contra monastery. relapsos et impenitentes misericordia adhibita et servata et eo semper proviso quod de bonis dicti quondam ordinis provideatur in necessariis tam istis quam illis et etiam omnibus eiusdem quondam ordinis fratribus quandocumque ad ecclesiae oboedientiam venerint et quamdiu in oboedientia eadem persisterint iuxta status sui conditiones et decentiam eorumdem ipsis omnibus in domibus praefati quondam ordinis aut in religiosorum aliorum monasteriis ad expensas tamen ipsius quondam ordinis iuxta dictorum conciliorum arbitrium collocandis ita tamen quod in una domo uno ve monasterio nullatenus multi simul ponantur. We order also and strictly command all those with whom and by Mandamus etiam et districte praecipimus omnibus apud quos et per whom the brothers of the former order are detained, to surrender them quos fratres dicti quondam ordinis freely whenever required to do so by the metropolitans and the detinentur ut eos libere restituant et dimittant quandocumque per ordinaries of the brothers. If within the year those cited do not appear metropolitanos et ordinarios fratrum before the diocesans, as stated above, they incur automatically ipsorum fuerint super hoc requisiti. Quod si infra praefatum annum coram sentence of excommunication; and because in a case especially dioecesanis praedictis praemisso modo concerning the faith, contumacy adds strong presumption to suspicion, citati non curaverint ut praemittitur comparere eo ipso sententiam the contumacious who stubbornly remain excommunicate for a year excommunicationis incurrant et quia in are henceforth to be condemned as heretics. This citation of ours is causa praesertim fidei contumacia suspicioni praesumptionem adicit made of set purpose and we wish the brothers to be obliged by it as if vehementem si sic contumaces they had received a special citation personally, for as vagabonds they excommunicationem praedictam per annum animo sustinuerint pertinaci ex can in no way be found or at least not easily. In order, then, to prevent tunc velut haeretici condemnentur. all subterfuge, we publish our edict in the present sacred council. And Verum huiusmodi nostrae citationis edictum quod fit ideo ex certa scientia in order to bring this citation more assuredly to the knowledge of the facimus et eo fratres praedictos arctari brothers themselves and to the general knowledge of all, we shall have volumus ac si essent per speciales citationes personaliter apprehensi quia papers or parchments containing the citation and sealed with our bull ut vagabundi nullatenus possent aut hung or fastened to the doors of the principal church of Vienne. This saltem non faciliter inveniri ut contra citationis eiusdem processum omnis will secure a loud and widespread publication of this citation, so that calumniae tollatur occasio in praesenti the brothers whom the citation concerns can claim no excuse that the sacro concilio publicamus. Et ut ipsa talis citatio certius ad fratrum ipsorum citation has not reached them or that they were ignorant of it, since it et communem omnium notitiam is improbable that what is so openly made public to all can remain deducatur cartas sive membranas processum citationis huiusmodi unknown or hidden to them. Furthermore, in order to observe greater continentes bulla que nostra bullatas in precaution, we order the local diocesans to make public this edict of maioris ecclesiae Viennensis appendi vel affigi ostiis faciemus quae our citation, as soon as conveniently possible, in their cathedrals and citationem huiusmodi suo quasi sonoro in the churches at the most conspicuous places in their dioceses. praeconio et patulo iudicio publicabunt ita quod fratres praedicti quos citatio ipsa contingit nullam possint 163 excusationem praetendere quod ad eos ipsa citatio non pervenerit vel quod ignorarint eamdem cum non sit verisimile remanere apud eos incognitum vel occultum quod tam patenter omnibus publicatur. Ceterum ut circa hoc cautela plenior observetur dioecesanis locorum praecipimus ut in suis cathedralibus ac locorum insignium dioecesium suarum ecclesiis huiusmodi nostrae citationis edictum cum primum commode poterunt faciant publicari. Given at Vienne on 6 May 1312 in the seventh year. [1.4]. To all the administrators and guardians of the property of the Universis administratoribus et curatoribus ad administrandum et former house and order of the Knights Templar, delegated by apostolic conservandum bona quondam domus and any other authority. Recently we held, as the Lord so disposed, a et ordinis militiae templi apostolica et quacumque auctoritate alia deputatis general council at Vienne. There we gave long and careful ubicumque consistentia. Nuper in consideration to the disposal of the former house and order of the generali concilio per nos Viennae disponente domino celebrato post Knights Templar. We thought it more acceptable to the most High, longam deliberationem praehabitam et more honourable to those who worship in the true faith, and more maturam acceptabilius fore credentes altissimo magis honorabile fidei useful for the aid of the holy Land, to grant this property to the order orthodoxae cultoribus ac subventioni of the Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem, rather than to give it or terrae sanctae utilius exstimantes bona quondam domus et ordinis even attach it to a new order to be created. There were some, however, militiae templi ordini hospitalis sancti who asserted that it would be better to confer the property on an order Ioannis ierosolimitani concedere quam ordini de novo creando unire aut etiam to be newly created than to attach it to the order of the Hospital, and so applicare consilium deliberationis we were unable to obtain the result we hoped for. At last, however, by nostrae providit sed quia tunc aliquibus asserentibus utilius fore bona ipsa God’s favour, on 2 May of this present month, with the approval of the ordini noviter creando conferre quam sacred council, we judged that the property should be granted and dicti hospitalis ordini applicare tunc noster affectus speratum effectum attached and even united to the said Hospital or order. We made an super hoc obtinere nequivit. Tandem exception, for certain reasons, of the Templars’ property in the vero sic per dei gratiam actum fore dinoscitur quod vi nonas praesentis kingdoms and lands of our beloved sons in Christ, the illustrious kings mensis maii eodem sacro approbante . . . of Castile, . . . of Aragon, . . . of Portugal, and . . . of Majorca’, concilio hospitali seu ipsius hospitalis ordini supradictis praefata bona outside the kingdom of France. We reserved this property for our concedenda et applicanda duximus et disposition and that of the apostolic see, until some other arrangement etiam unienda bonis eiusdem ordinis militiae templi in regnis et terris be made by us and the apostolic see for its use to aid the holy Land. carissimorum in Christo filiorum nostrorum ... Castellae ... Aragonum ... Portugaliae et Maioricarum regum illustrium extra regnum Franciae consistentibus dumtaxat exceptis quae ab unione concessione et applicatione huiusmodi ex certis causis excipienda duximus et etiam excludenda ipsa dispositioni nostrae et sedis apostolicae specialiter reservantes quousque de illis aliter pro dictae terrae subsidio per nostram et dictae sedis providentiam exstiterit ordinatum. We therefore strictly command all of you, by apostolic ordinance, to Quocirca universitati vestrae per apostolica scripta districte mandamus restore in full, in the name of the said Hospital and order, this property quatenus bona praedicta cum with the revenue gathered from it, after all expenses have been paid, to redditibus inde perceptis deductis deducendis expensis eisdem magistro the master and brothers of the Hospital, or to restore individual items et fratribus aut singula eorum singulis to the said Hospital’s individual priors or preceptors of the provinces dicti hospitalis prioribus seu praeceptoribus provinciarum aut or cities or dioceses or places in which the property lies, or to the civitatum vel dioecesium seu locorum procurator or procurators of one or more of them, according to the in quibus bona ipsa consistunt seu procuratori vel procuratoribus terms of your commission, within a month of being so required. For eorumdem sive ipsorum alicuius prout this the master, brothers, priors and preceptors, or their procurator or cuiuslibet vestrum curae et administrationi commissa fuerunt cum 164 procurators, shall fittingly commend you, and we shall rightly ab eis vel eorum aliquo super hoc fueritis requisiti infra unum mensem a acknowledge your prompt and devoted obedience. tempore requisitionis huiusmodi nomine dictorum hospitalis et ordinis integraliter restituere et assignare curetis ita quod magister et fratres ac priores et praeceptores seu procurator vel procuratores praedicti de vobis in hac parte digne se valeant commendare nos que in vobis devotae oboedientiae promptitudinem merito cognoscamus. Given at Livron in the diocese of Valence on 16 May in the seventh Dat(um) Liverone Valentin(ensis) dioecesis xvii kal(endas) iunii anno year.{1} septimo. [1.5].{2} Our redeemer, the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Redemptor noster unigenitus dei filius dominus Iesus Christus in tantum Syon Christ, loved so much the daughter of Zion, the holy Land, that he filiam videlicet terram sanctam dilexit chose her as his inheritance and his own patrimony. He therefore, quod eam sibi in hereditatem et proprium patrimonium praeelegit hanc clothed with our flesh, honoured her with his presence and consecrated itaque ipse nostrae Carnis indumento her by the shedding of his precious blood. But we mourn and bitterly vestitus sua decoravit praesentia sui que pretiosissimi aspersione sanguinis lament that so noble an inheritance of our redeemer has been turned consecravit. Sed lugendum est proh over to strangers and laid low by the frenzy of the Babylonian dolor et amare dolendum quod tam praeclara nostri redemptoris hereditas persecutor, trampled underfoot by the feet of the defiled. She is versa est ad alienos et Babilonici dishonoured by the vile grasp of the unclean Saracens, faithless persecutoris furore confusa iacet coinquinatorum pedibus conculcata et enemies of the christian name. She has been occupied and wretchedly per immundissimos Sarracenos hostes retained, the christian people have been savagely slaughtered. To the perfidos nominis christiani vilissima ipsorum contrectatione polluta insult of the creator, to the outrage and sorrow of all Christendom, the occupata miserabiliter detinetur et name of Christ is horribly blasphemed by the filthy and detestable trucidato in ea immaniter populo christiano ad maiorem contumeliam conduct of the enemy. This sad region therefore weeps under the lash creatoris totius que christianitatis and repeatedly laments to the vicar of Christ about this intolerable iniuriam et dolorem ab hostium ipsorum abhominanda spurcitia persecution. Wounded by her disgrace, she pleads with christian blasfematur ibidem horribiliter nomen princes and the catholic people. She uncovers her wounds to those Christi. Lamentatur itaque diris afflicta flagellis regio ipsa tristis et de from whom she awaits the work of the healer. She demands liberation intolerabili persecutione quam patitur from those for whose salvation the author of salvation bore within her lamenta multiplicans clamat ad Christi vicarium christianos principes et borders the suffering of the cross. All this and more besides, which the plebem catholicam interpellat mind cannot fully conceive nor the tongue tell, rose to our heart and opprobriis sauciata eis quoque sua vulnera detegit a quibus exspectat roused our mind as soon as we were called by divine favour, though operam medicantis illorum dexteram unworthy, to the summit of apostolic dignity. We gazed tenderly at the vindicem expetit pro quorum salute salutis auctor in ea crucis pertulit doleful state of the holy Land and we applied ourselves to think out passionem. Hiis igitur et aliis circa haec remedies by which, with the aid of heaven, that Land, freed from the quae animus nequit plene concipere nec lingua referre ad cor enemy’s criminal hands, might see, after the darkness of so many ascendentibus et excitantibus mentem tribulations, the bright times of longed-for peace nostram quam primo ad apostolicae dignitatis apicem fuimus licet indigni divina dignatione vocati statum lugubrem dictae terrae piae considerationis oculo intuentes studuimus cogitare remedia quibus ope comite caelestis auxilii terra ipsa de scelestis hostis manibus liberata sibi post tantarum tribulationum tenebras possent serena quietis optatae tempora provenire. For this and other holy works acceptable to God, to be advanced by Ad quod et alia pia et deo accepta opera ope suae omnipotentiae his almighty power, we convoked a general council in the city of promovenda fecimus apud civitatem Vienne{3}. Then, together with our brothers the cardinals of the holy Viennensem generale concilium convocari. Postmodum vero cum Roman church, the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and other prelates fratribus nostris sanctae Romanae and our beloved sons in Christ the illustrious kings Philip of the ecclesiae cardinalibus patriarchis quoque archiepiscopis et episcopis Franks and Louis of Navarre, who were present at the council, as also praelatis necnon carissimis in Christo 165 some other eminent men and the procurators of the remaining absent filiis nostris Philippo Francorum et Ludovico Navarrae illustribus qui suam prelates and of chapters, convents, churches and monasteries, exhibuerunt in concilio memorato assembled at the council, we held a long, complete and careful praesentiam et nonnullis aliis excellentibus viris ac reliquorum discussion on bringing aid to the holy Land. At last we resolved, with absentium praelatorum et etiam the council’s approval, to succour the holy Land by a general crusade. capitulorum conventuum ecclesiarum et monasteriorum procuratoribus in Intending to use our apostolic power zealously to this end, and having ipso concilio congregatis longum duly weighed all we have said, we judged, with the approval of the maturum et diligentem tractatum habuimus super iuvando negotio dictae sacred council, that a tithe should be imposed by our apostolic terrae et tandem de ipsius authority on all ecclesiastical revenues and incomes throughout the approbatione concilii deliberavimus ut eidem terrae per subsidium generalis world. Only the persons and places belonging to the Hospital of saint passagii succurratur. Ad quod nos John of Jerusalem and the other military orders were to be exempted. manum apostolicae potestatis apponere sollicitis studiis intendentes The tithe was to be collected and paid for six years to be reckoned praemissis omnibus digna from 1 January last, in fixed installments, as we should find best, and consideratione pensatis decimam omnium ecclesiasticorum reddituum et to be directed to helping the holy Land and opposing the infidels and proventuum per universas mundi the enemies of the catholic faith.{4} partes personis et locis hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani et aliorum militarium ordinum dumtaxat exceptis usque ad sex annos a kalendis ianuarii proximo praeteritis computandos auctoritate apostolica eodem sacro approbante concilio duximus propterea imponendam per certos sicut nobis videretur expediens colligendam terminos et solvendam ac in dictae terrae subsidium et alias contra inimicos et infideles catholicae fidei convertendam. But actually we reflected of late that our letters concerning the Verum nos nuper considerantes attentius quod litterae nostrae super imposition, collection and payment of the tithe had not reached you by huiusmodi impositione collectione et I January, nor could easily do so in a short time, on account of the solutione decimae ad vos infra kalendas non pervenerant supradictas great distance of those parts from the Roman curia. Wishing, then, to nec etiam in brevi propter longam a consult your ease and convenience, we have decreed that the six years Romana curia partium illarum distantiam commode pervenire are to begin in your region on I October next. We therefore ask, valebant et propterea revelationibus et admonish and earnestly exhort you, also commanding you strictly by commoditatibus vestris in hac parte benigne prospicere cupientes apostolic ordinance in virtue of obedience, to pay without difficulty praedictos sex annos in eisdem the tithe for six years beginning from I October. The tithe is to be paid partibus vestris in kalendis octobris futuri decrevimus inchoandos. Quare in the customary way, namely for the first half of the first year on 1 universitatem vestram rogamus October next, and for the second half on I April immediately monemus et hortamur attentius vobis nihilominus per apostolica scripta in following, and in the same way for each of the remaining five years. virtute oboedientiae districtius Each of you is to pay it in full from your ecclesiastical revenues and iniungentes quatenus praefatam decimam per eosdem sex annos a incomes. If you fail to pay the tithe within the above periods, each of dictis kalendis octobris ut praedicitur you automatically incurs sentences similar to those pronounced for inchoandos iuxta morem solitum per infrascriptos terminos videlicet pro nonpayment by you or by the suitable and trustworthy persons medietate primi anni dictorum sex delegated by you to collect the tithe in your cities and dioceses. annorum in eisdem kalendis octobris et pro reliqua medietate ipsius anni in kalendis aprilis ex tunc proxime secuturi et sic per singulos reliquos quinque annos per similes terminos absque difficultatis obstaculo vos et quilibet vestrum de redditibus et proventibus vestris ecclesiasticis sine diminutione qualibet persolvatis. Quod si forsan in eisdem terminis defeceritis in solutione decimae supradictae vos et quemlibet vestrum similes sententias quas per vos vel alium seu alias personas idoneas et fideles deputandam seu deputandas a vobis ad eandem decimam in vestris 166 civitatibus et dioecesibus colligendam in non solventes illam in terminis supradictis proferri contigerit incurrere volumus ipso facto. Furthermore, you are to collect the tithe from our beloved sons, the Et vos nihilominus a dilectis filiis abbatibus prioribus decanis abbots, priors, deans, archdeacons, provosts, archpriests and other archidiaconis praepositis prelates of churches, the chapters, colleges and convents of the archipresbyteris et aliis ecclesiarum praelatis capitulis collegiis et Cistercians, Cluniacs, Premonstratensians, of saint Benedict and saint conventibus Cisterciensibus Augustine, of the Carthusians, Grandmontines and other orders, and Cluniacensibus praemonstratensibus sanctorum Benedicti et Augustini other non-exempt secular and regular ecclesiastical persons, in your Cartusiensibus Grandimontensibus et cities and dioceses, that is, each of you in each city and diocese. The aliorum ordinum ceteris que personis ecclesiasticis saecularibus et priors, preceptors, masters and other persons and the places of the regularibus non exemptis per vestras Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem and of the other military orders are civitates et dioeceses constitutis videlicet singuli vestrum in singulis to be the only exceptions made. The tithe is to be collected by you or eisdem civitatibus et dioecesibus by other suitable and trustworthy persons delegated by you for this prioribus et praeceptoribus magistris et aliis personis ac locis hospitalis sancti service in each of your cities and dioceses. It is altogether our wish Ioannis ierosolimitani et aliorum and command that you should delegate such persons. We entrust to militarium ordinum eorundem dumtaxat exceptis per vos vel them and command them by this document to claim and collect it in huiusmodi aliam seu alias personas full by our authority, in each of the cities and dioceses where they are idoneas et fideles quam vel quas ad huiusmodi collectionis ministerium in delegated, from our beloved sons the abbots, priors, deans, provosts, singulis eisdem vestris civitatibus et archdeacons, archpriests and other prelates of churches, and the dioecesibus assumendam duxeritis vel etiam assumendas ipse que et earum exempt chapters, colleges and convents of the above-mentioned singulae quas omnino per vos ad hoc orders, in your cities and dioceses. Only the priors, preceptors, volumus et praecipimus deputari quibus ve id tenore praesentium masters, persons and places of the Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem committimus et mandamus in singulis and of the said other military orders are to be excepted. praedictis civitatibus et dioecesibus ubi taliter assumptae fuerint a dilectis filiis abbatibus prioribus decanis praepositis archidiaconis archipresbyteris et aliis ecclesiarum praelatis capitulis collegiis et conventibus eorundem ordinum exemptis dictarum vestrarum civitatum et dioecesium praeterquam ab eisdem prioribus praeceptoribus magistris personis et locis hospitalis sancti Ioannis et aliorum militarium ordinum praedictorum huiusmodi decimam iuxta praedictum morem per annos et terminos memoratos de redditibus et proventibus suis ecclesiasticis auctoritate nostra integraliter exigere The tithe is to be claimed and collected in full from the ecclesiastical et colligere dictae que etiam assumptae personae decimam quam revenues and incomes, by our authority, in the customary way ut praedicitur ab ipsis tam exemptis according to the years and periods mentioned above. The delegates are quam non exemptis exigi et colligi contigerit per easdem singulis videlicet to collect it from both the exempt and the non-exempt: each is to hand vestrum a quibus taliter assumptae over and assign it for each period to the person among you by whom fuerint per eosdem terminos seu pro eis quam cito commode poterunt omni he was delegated, without delay or as soon as he conveniently can. mora et dilatione postpositis fideliter et You are to compel them by ecclesiastical censure, without any appeal, integre tradere et assignare quas ad reddendum vobis computum de to give you an account of the money claimed and collected from the exactis et collectis a praedictis non aforesaid non-exempt persons, as well as to hand over and assign the exemptis ac traditionem et assignationem huiusmodi decimae per tithe claimed and collected from both the exempt and the non-exempt. eas ab eisdem exemptis et non Public instruments are to be drawn up and other due precautions taken exemptis exactae et collectae ut praemittitur faciendam per censuram concerning the handing over and assigning of the tithe. In this way, ecclesiasticam appellatione cessante when needed, it can be established how much, from whom, when and cogatis de ipsarum traditione et assignatione huiusmodi confectis for what period the delegates received the money and how much, publicis instrumentis aliis que debitis when and for what period they handed over and assigned it to each of cautelis adhibitis per quae cum opus you. fuerit constare valeat quantum et a 167 quibus quando et pro quo tempore prefatae assumptae personae de decima ipsa receperint quantum que de illa quando ac pro quo tempore singulis vestrum tradiderint et assignaverint studeatis. The money which has been duly claimed and collected by you and Quam quidem decimam tam per vos et easdem personas ab aliis exemptis et your delegates from the exempt and non-exempt persons and has been non exemptis ut praemittitur handed over to you, including that which has been claimed and exigendam et colligendam cum exacta et collecta exstiterit vobis que illa collected by your delegates from the said exempt persons, as etiam quam per dictas personas a mentioned above, and also the money which you will pay from your praefatis exemptis exigi et colligi contigerit tradita et assignata fuerit ut own revenues and incomes, is to be put away by each of you, together superius est expressum quam illa with your cathedral chapter, beneath the church or even elsewhere, as quam de dictis vestris redditibus et proventibus persolvetis singuli vestrum you think best, in some more becoming and safe place. Here, at your una cum capitulo suae cathedralis expense and that of the chapter, you will have it guarded carefully and ecclesiae infra ecclesiam ipsam aut etiam alibi prout magis expedire faithfully, to be consigned by each of you to our delegates as and cognoverint in aliquo decentiori et when shall seem good to us, for the business of the holy Land and the tuitiori loco repositam suis et ipsius capituli expensis faciant diligenter et service of the faith. fideliter custodiri per eosdem singulos vestrum illi vel illis quem vel quos ad id deputandum seu deputandos duxerimus prout et quando nobis videbitur pro huiusmodi terrae ac fidei praedictarum negotiis assignandam. In order that you may more easily and effectively collect this tithe, we Ut igitur facilius et efficacius super exactione et collectione huiusmodi grant by this document full and unrestricted power to each of you to decimae debitus subsequatur effectus constrain by ecclesiastical censure directly or through your delegates, vobis et singulis vestrum abbates priores decanos praepositos et alios disregarding any appeal, the abbots, priors, deans, provosts and other supradictos non exemptos in eisdem aforesaid non-exempt persons, in your cities and dioceses. We grant vestris civitatibus et dioecesibus per vos vel praedictas personas per vos ut the same power to your delegates, in each city or diocese for which praemittitur assumendas eisdem vero they have been delegated, with regard to the abbots, priors, deans, personis abbates priores decanos praepositos et alios praelibatos provosts and other aforesaid exempt persons. This power may also be exemptos in singulis eisdem civitatibus used to constrain any opponents and rebels. In addition, we grant full et dioecesibus in quibus deputatae fuerint necnon quoscunque alios and unrestricted power to you to absolve in your cities and dioceses, contradictores et rebelles per after satisfaction has been made, the aforesaid non-exempt persons, censuram ecclesiasticam appellatione postposita compescendi et insuper and to your delegates regarding the aforesaid exempt persons who, vobis et singulis vestrum in eisdem because of non-payment of the tithe in due time, are bound by vestris civitatibus et dioecesibus illis ex non exemptis praedictis ac praefatis sentences of excommunication, suspension or interdict; also to assumendis personis et earum cuilibet dispense from irregularity contracted by celebrating divine worship or illis ex praedictis exemptis qui occasione praedictae decimae tempore taking part in it while bound by one or more of the above sentences. In debito non solutae order that you and your delegates may have a reward for the labours excommunicationum suspensionum vel interdicti fuerint ligati sententiis undertaken, we enjoin on you the above things in remission of your post satisfactionem de illa exhibitam sins. iuxta formam ecclesiae absolutionis beneficium impendendi et dispensandi cum eis qui dictis ligati sententiis vel earum aliqua celebrando divina vel immiscendo se illis sicut prius maculam irregularitatis contraxerint plenam et liberam concedimus tenore praesentium potestatem. The tithe is to be paid even if the apostolic see has granted an indult to Et ut tam vos quam dictae personae ad dictam colligendam decimam per vos you or some of you, or to the abbots, priors and other aforesaid exempt ut praemittitur deputandae fructum de or non-exempt persons, or to anyone else, that you are not obliged and vestris laboribus reportetis praemissa vobis et eis in remissionem iniungimus compelled to pay, or that you cannot be laid under interdict, peccatorum. Non obstantibus si vobis suspension or excommunication by apostolic letters which have not vel vestrum aliquibus aut abbatibus prioribus et aliis supradictis exemptis made full and express mention of this indult and its tenor word for et non exemptis vel quibuscunque aliis word, or of the names of your orders, localities and persons. The same ab eadem sit sede indultum quod ad 168 applies to any privileges, indulgences, exemptions and apostolic letters solutionem alicuius decimae minimae teneamini et ad id compelli aut quod which have been granted generally or specially in any form of words interdici suspendi vel excommunicari by the said apostolic see to any dignities, orders, places or persons, non possitis per litteras apostolicas quae de indulto huiusmodi et toto eius and of which and their whole tenor there should be made in our letters tenore de verbo ad verbum ac de word for word, special, full and express mention. Consider, besides, propriis ordinum locorum et personarum vestrarum nominibus that in these duties you are engaged in God’s business, and that you plenam et expressam non fecerint are acting in the sight of him who sees all. You will therefore be mentionem seu quibuslibet privilegiis indulgentiis exemptionibus et litteris obliged to render an account to him and to us; we intend to use all apostolicis quibuscunque dignitatibus diligence in this matter. You will receive due reward from both him ordinibus locis vel personis generaliter vel specialiter sub quacunque forma and us. You should therefore act prudently and carefully, not only to vel conceptione verborum a sede avoid the danger of punishment and confusion, but also to gain the memorata concessis de quibus quorum que totis tenoribus de verbo ad glory of praise and well-deserved reward. verbum in nostris litteris specialis plena et expressa mentio sit habenda. Praeterea considerantes quod in praemissis negotium dei persequimini et in conspectu agitis eius qui cuncta discernit sibi que necnon et nobis qui circa hoc omnem diligentiam intendimus adhibere tenebimini reddere rationem ab utroque pro meritis recepturi sic prudenter in illis et sollicite gerere sic que diligenter et consulte vos habere curetis quod non solum vitetis penae confusionis que discrimina sed laudis gloriam ac retributionis condignae mercedem consequi valeatis. It is our wish also that each of you oblige the persons delegated by you Volumus insuper quod quilibet vestrum de praemissis diligenter et sollicite for collecting the tithe, to swear that they will be diligent and careful prosequendis personas easdem per in their work and to use this formula: “I swear . . . by you, lord . . ., eum ad dictam colligendam decimam deputatas iurare faciat in hac forma: who am delegated by the authority of the apostolic see and by the iuro ego ... a vobis domino ... same see itself to claim, collect and receive a tithe of all ecclesiastical auctoritate sedis apostolicae ac etiam ab eadem sede deputatus collector ad revenues and incomes from all exempt and non-exempt ecclesiastical exigendum colligendum et persons in your city and diocese, that I will faithfully claim, collect, recipiendum decimam omnium reddituum et proventuum receive and guard this tithe which has been imposed by the apostolic ecclesiasticorum ab omnibus personis see for the business of the holy Land and of the catholic faith. Only the ecclesiasticis exemptis et non exemptis in civitate et dioecesi vestris priors, preceptors masters and other persons and places of the Hospital prioribus praeceptoribus magistris et of saint John of Jerusalem and of the other military orders are aliis personis ac locis hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani et aliorum excepted. I shall not give way in this to any person, of whatever militarium ordinum dumtaxat exceptis dignity, status or condition, whether from entreaty, fear, gratitude, constitutis pro terrae sanctae ac fidei catholicae negotiis ab eadem sede favour or any other cause. I shall restore and consign the full tithe to impositam quod fideliter exigam you at your order. I shall render a final and integral account colligam et recipiam atque custodiam ipsam decimam non deferendo in hiis concerning everything in detail, namely to you regarding what I have alicui personae cuiusvis dignitatis claimed, collected and received from non-exempt persons, and to the status conditionis aut dignitatis exsistat prece timore gratia vel favore delegate or delegates of the holy see regarding exempt persons. If you seu quacunque de causa et integre lay down your office in this matter, I shall do the same according to vobis restituam et assignabo cum id a vobis recepero in mandatis et super the orders of your successor. So may God help me and these holy omnibus et singulis videlicet a gospels of God.” praedictis non exemptis vobis ab eisdem vero exemptis per me exactis collectis et receptis illi vel illis quem vel quos praefata sedes ad id deputandum duxerit seu etiam deputandos reddam finalem et integram rationem et si contingat vos officium quod in praemissis geritis dimittere haec eadem faciam iuxta mandatum illius qui substituetur in eodem officio sic me deus adiuvet et 169 haec sancta dei evangelia. Given at Avignon on 1 December in the eighth year. Dat(um) Avinione kal(endis) decembris anno octavo. [1.6]. For future record. Not long ago, in the general council at Ad memoriam futurorum. Licet dudum Viennae in generali concilio constituti Vienne, we transferred, with the approval of the sacred council, the bonis ordinis quondam templi cum suis property, rights, privileges, indults, immunities and liberties of the iuribus privilegiis indulgentiis immunitatibus et libertatibus prius in former order of the Temple to the order of the Hospital of saint John ordinem hospitalis sancti Ioannis of Jerusalem. For the sake of greater peace and concord between ierosolimitani per nos sacro concilio approbante translatis pro pace et prelates of churches and other clergy on the one hand, and the brothers concordia inter ecclesiarum praelatos of the order of the Hospital on the other, as also for other justifiable ceteros que viros ecclesiasticos et fratres ordinis dicti hospitalis reasons, we suspended, in the last session of the council, all the stabiliendis promptius et firmandis privileges granted to the Hospital by the apostolic see, and with them certis ad hoc aliis nihilominus probabilibus concurrentibus causis as a necessary consequence the privileges of the former Temple, omnia privilegia praefato ordini which should be thought of as belonging to the said Hospital and hospitalis per sedem apostolicam dudum concessa et per consequens transferred to it. We excepted the privilege of exemption, if they had procul dubio privilegia quondam templi any. We wished these privileges to be suspended at our good pleasure. quae censeri debebant hospitalis et debent velut iam in ipsum ordinem There are some, however, who assert on insufficient grounds that the hospitalis translata excepto tamen suspension of these privileges of the Hospital does not extend to the exemptionis privilegio si quod habebant in ultima eiusdem concilii privileges of the former order of the Temple. Although there is not the sessione omnino duxerimus faintest reason for such an assertion, we wish to remove from their suspendenda ea que voluerimus usque ad voluntatis nostrae beneplacitum minds the slightest doubt that it was our intention, by the said manere suspensa quidam tamen minus suspension of the privileges of the order of the Hospital, to suspend plene praemissa in rationis examine deducentes asserere non verentur the privileges of the former Temple, which have become by the suspensionem huiusmodi ipsorum transference those of the Hospital itself. We declare therefore by our privilegiorum hospitalis praedicti ad ipsius ordinis templi quondam apostolic authority and decree that these, like the other privileges of privilegia non extendi. Quamquam the Hospital, are and remain suspended. autem assertioni talium non suffragetur etiam color alicuius probabilis rationis nos tamen a cordibus eorundem volentes cuiusvis dubii materiam submovere nostrae fuisse intentionis per suspensionem praedictam privilegiorum ordinis hospitalis privilegia quondam templi suspendere quae iam erant per translationem praedictam ipsius ordinis hospitalis affecta auctoritate apostolica declaramus ac illa esse decernimus sicut et alia privilegia hospitalis et remanere suspensa. Indeed, before the suspension, it was said in general by some of our Sane licet per aliquos fratres nostros sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinales brothers cardinals of the holy Roman church, to many of the prelates pluribus ex praelatis qui ad concilium assembled at the general council, that there would be a suspension of generale convenerant ante suspensionem praefatam dictum fuerit the Hospital’s privileges until everything that was still uncertain in communi quod ipsa privilegiorum among the said prelates and other clergy, with regard to concord, hospitalis suspensio fieret quousque omnia circa concordiam causas et lites lawsuits and disputes, had been completely settled. We observed, quae inter dictos praelatos et alios however, that if it was necessary to await the end of all these lawsuits viros ecclesiasticos erant dubia essent completa et perfecta integraliter and disputes, one little case might generate grave prejudice against the duratura nos tamen attendentes quod Hospitallers, and great loss might result from the continuing si finis causarum et litium huiusmodi deberet omnium expectari posset per suspension of their privileges. We reflected that this might provide unam modicam causam ipsi ordini material for many misrepresentations. In the last session of the hospitalariorum grave praeiudicium generari et sua privilegia diutius non council, therefore, wishing to obviate such greater dangers, we judged absque eorum grandi dispendio it fitting to make known orally, clearly and openly, even for a third remanere suspensa considerantes nihilominus quod istud posset time, so that each and all might clearly understand, that we wished the materiam multis ministrare calumniis said suspension of the privileges of the order of the Hospital to in dicta sessione ultima volentes tantis periculis obviare viva voce clare et continue until we willed otherwise. We intend with the Lord’s help to aperte promendum duximus hoc etiam 170 consider what is good for both sides and to make provision for both tertio ut ab omnibus et singulis plene posset intelligi repetendo nos velle prelates and other clergy on the one hand, and the Hospitallers on the dictam suspensionem privilegiorum other, so that neither will have reason for complaint but both will ordinis hospitalis praedicti usque ad nostrum beneplacitum perdurare receive due satisfaction. Let nobody therefore ... intendentes cooperante domino sic utrorumque pensatis utilitatibus nostrae disponere beneplacitum voluntatis quod et praelatis et personis aliis ecclesiasticis ac ipsis hospitalariis sic providebitur in praemissis quod neutri supererit conquerendi materia quin immo potius poterunt utrique merito contentari. Nulli ergo .... Given at Avignon on 18 December in the eighth year. Dat(um) Avinione xv kal(endas) ianuarii anno octavo. [1.7]. For an everlasting record. Not long ago, under the Lord’s Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Dudum in generali concilio Viennensi per nos providence, we held a general council at Vienne, at which we disponente domino celebrato sublato suppressed the former order of the Knights Templar of Jerusalem. We quondam militiae templi ierosolimitani ordine ac cassato bona praefati ordinis granted, attached and joined the Templar possessions, with the illis quae in regnis et terris approval of the sacred council, to the order of the Hospital of saint carissimorum in Christo filiorum nostrorum ... Castellae ... Aragoniae ... John of Jerusalem, for the help of the holy Land; with the exception, Portugaliae et ... Maioricarum regum for certain reasons, of their property lying in the kingdoms and lands illustrium extra tamen regnum Franciae consistunt ex certis causis of our beloved sons in Christ, the illustrious kings . . . of Castile, . . . of dumtaxat exceptis ac ipsis nostrae et Aragon, . . . of Portugal and . . . of Majorca, outside the kingdom of sedis apostolicae dispositioni quousque de illis per nostram et dictae sedis France, which we reserved for our disposal and that of the apostolic providentiam ordinaremus aliter see until we made other arrangements. Then, in the same council, we specialiter reservatis ordinis hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani in terrae made some sound provisions for furthering the cause of the holy Land sanctae subsidium concessisse and others by which quarrels, scandals and discord might be applicasse et univisse meminimus sacro concilio approbante ac deinde in prevented, and continuous peace and concord be established, between eodem concilio nonnulla quae prelates of churches and other clergy on the one hand and the brothers promotionem negotii eiusdem terrae sanctae respiciunt quaedam etiam per of the Hospital on the other. We also made provision on other points quae inter ecclesiarum praelatos relating to the reform of the order of the Hospital. ceteros que viros ecclesiasticos ac fratres praedicti ordinis hospitalis via praecluderetur litigiis scandalis et discordiis perpetua que pax posset inter ipsos et concordia stabiliri necnon et certa alia quae ad reformationem praefati ordinis hospitalis pertinent providimus salubriter ordinanda. Actually, business has pressed upon us. It is like an ocean pouring into Verum quia occupationes imminere quae velut mare ad sedem praedictam the apostolic see. The waters of care constantly harass our heart. We confluunt et indesinenter cor nostrum have not been permitted until now, and are still not permitted, to put exagitant ordinationes huiusmodi iuxta nostrum desiderium non sinerunt into execution the arrangements we desire. In order that the fruit of hactenus nec adhuc permittunt such sound proposals may not perish through oblivion or pressure of executioni votivae mandari ne oblivione vel occupatione qualibet business, but rather may be gathered up, by the Lord’s will, at the fructus ordinationum tam salubrium opportune time, we have had the headings of these projected decrees pereat sed potius oportuno tempore dante domino colligatur capitula inserted into the present document. Their drift is as follows. We wish huiusmodi faciendarum ordinationum that the transfer of property of the former order of the Temple to the praesentibus inseri fecimus quorum tenores tales sunt. Ut ex applicatione order of the Hospital may, by our provision, be of advantage to the bonorum ordinis quondam templi ad holy Land. We also wish that quarrels, scandals and discord be ordinem hospitalis cum provisionis nostrae ministerio promoveatur et prevented between prelates and other clergy on the one hand and the prosperetur sicut optamus negotium brothers of the order on the other; that lasting concord be established terrae sanctae ac inter praelatos et ceteros viros ecclesiasticos dicti que between them; and that the order and its members be reformed, if and fratres ordinis via praecludatur litigiis as this seems good. We have therefore made three special provisions scandalis et discordiis perpetua que stabiliatur concordia inter eos et ordo regarding the order of the Hospital. ipse ac professores ipsius si et prout expedire videbitur reformentur circa eundem ordinem tria providimus 171 specialiter ordinanda The first has to do with the holy Land. We shall have an exact and et ut primo agatur de hiis quae faciunt ad promotionem negotii terrae sanctae careful enquiry made into the past and present possessions of the order bona praefati ordinis tam antiqua of the Hospital and their exact annual value. We shall wish to know quam nova et ipsorum valorem annuum exacta exquiri diligentia fully the annual value of each old and new house of the order, and how faciemus sollicite inquirentes et much this represents each year in terms of assistance to the holy Land. omnino scire volentes quantum quaelibet ipsius ordinis domus sive On completion of this valuation, and taking into account the necessary antiqua sive nova valeat annuatim et local expenditure, we shall oblige the order to maintain continuously de quanto possit quolibet anno terrae sanctae subsidio respondere quo facto in the holy Land a certain number of brothers and knights. iuxta existimationem et valorem bonorum ipsorum et habita ratione de expensis in locis et propter loca ipsius ordinis necessario faciendis ad tenendum perpetuo in terra sancta certum fratrum et militum numerum eundem ordinem astringemus. These brothers and knights are to labour effectively and strive to win Qui quidem fratres et milites ad acquirendum terram eandem et the holy Land and keep it, as far as God grants. We shall arrange and acquisitam etiam conservandum provide that very few brothers of the order remain on this side of the quantum deus dederit laborent efficaciter et intendant ordinato per sea. These shall be only those required to govern the houses of the nos et proviso quod citra mare fratres order and those who are old, sick or unfit for war. The young and the eiusdem ordinis paucissimi morabuntur videlicet soli ad regenda loca ipsius strong, who are able to fight, shall be required to go and stay overseas ordinis necessarii et alii senes et so that the holy Land may have its needs met. The order will thus valetudinarii et inhabiles ad bellandum iuvenes autem et fortes ad bellandum pursue the purpose for which it was instituted, as is only right and habiles mittentur et tenebuntur fitting. In this way it will not reserve for itself great wealth or many necessario ultra mare ut sic terra sancta recipiat quod sibi debetur ipse persons of quality. Rather, the order will lose all occasion for pride or que ordo id ad quod institutus est sicut the prosecution of idle enterprises, since the brothers and knights who decet et expedit prosequatur non relicta sibi secundum haec ex divitiis drag their feet on this side of the sea will be far fewer than before. The aut personarum qualitate vel property remaining behind will also be heavily and more than usually multitudine sed adempta potius superbiendi licentia vel otiosa opera burdened as a result of our above-mentioned provisions. prosequendi cum longe pauciores ipsius ordinis fratres et milites sint citra mare moram tracturi quam hactenus morabantur bona que praedicta multum et longe plus solito onerata sint eis iuxta provisionem de qua praemittitur remansura. We cannot impose on our successors the continuation of the above Verum etsi successoribus nostris quod praemissa servari faciant necessitatem policy. Yet, in order to make this course of action possible and easier imponere non possimus ut eis tamen for them, we shall have the annual value of each house registered ad hoc occasionem demus et facilitatem etiam praeparemus exactly in the Roman curia, and also the service which it will be able valorem annuum singularum domorum to provide each year for the holy Land, and the fixed number of praedictarum et servitium etiam de quo singulis annis poterunt terrae brothers and knights required to stay overseas. We shall arrange that sanctae subsidio respondere necnon et the registered material be kept permanently with the papal registers certum fratrum et militum numerum qui ultra mare ut praemittitur morari under our bull. Further, that there be no lack of carefulness or caution debebunt faciemus in Romana curia in this matter, we shall send the registered material under our bull to cum exacta diligentia regestrari et regestrata cum regestris papalibus sub all christian kings to be permanently kept by them in order that if it bulla etiam nostra ordinabimus should happen -- though may it not -- that this ordinance is not perpetuo conservari ac ut etiam nulla super hoc desit diligentia vel cautela observed by the Hospitallers, the kings themselves, being informed in praemissa ut praedicitur regestrata ad the above manner, may more quickly and fully know where the reges omnes christianos per eos perpetuo conservanda sub bulla nostra observance of this ordinance has ceased. As a result, they will also be mittemus ut si forte quod absit moved to take care that it is observed. contigerit ordinationem huiusmodi per praefatum ordinem non servari reges ipsi de praedictis modo informati praemisso citius et plenius possint cognoscere in quo cessabitur ab observantia ordinationis praedictae et ex hoc etiam per consequens 172 inducantur ut ordinationem ipsam facere observari procurent. Secondly, in order to establish tranquility and peace, as was said Secundo autem ad tranquillitatem et pacem stabiliendam ut supra dictum above, between the churches with their prelates and the order of the est inter ecclesias et praelatos cum Hospital, we shall see that all the privileges of the order are fully ordine saepefato taliter providebimus videlicet quod omnia ipsius ordinis shown to us. And although we have no intention whatsoever of taking privilegia volumus et faciemus nobis away its exemption, if the order has such, or of granting exemption, if integraliter exhiberi. Et licet exemptionem si eam ipse ordo habeat the order has none, we shall altogether take away any privileges, if tollere vel si non habeat concedere such there be, which are odious or provide matter for quarrels, discord minime intendamus privilegia tamen si qua habeat odiosa vel materiam litibus or scandals. If we happen to find areas of uncertainty which it is not aut discordiis sive scandalis advisable to remove, we shall clarify. In addition, we shall delegate in ministrantia omnino tollemus dubia si qua forte quae tolli non expediat each province two of its prelates and one of our clerics or another invenerimus declarando et nihilominus cleric to provide more fully for concord, giving them full and ad provisionem concordiae pleniorem in qualibet provincia duos de ipsa unrestricted powers, so that simply and easily, and without the din of a praelatos et unum de clericis nostris court of law, they may hear and settle or make peace between the vel aliis deputabimus dantes eisdem plenam et liberam potestatem ut parties in all disputes and cases that have arisen or might arise for any simpliciter et de plano et sine strepitu reason between the aforesaid order and the churches and any et figura iudicii lites omnes et causas inter praefatum ordinem et ecclesias ecclesiastics with regard to churches, tithes, first-fruits, procurations ac quascunque personas ecclesiasticas and any property or rights whatsoever. This is to include questions motas et quae moveri possent super ecclesiis decimis et primitiis concerning the property and rights of the former order of the Temple. procurationibus et rebus quibuscunque The parties may be summoned or not as they wish; charges may be et iuribus quacunque ratione vel causa etiam propter bona vel iura dicti laid or not, as they please. Before or after the delegates’ decision there ordinis quondam templi vocatis vel can be no appeal. Whatever they do or decide shall altogether be etiam si voluerint non vocatis partibus facta informatione vel non facta sicut regarded as done or decided by us. eis placuerit audiant et decidant vel inter partes ipsas componant ita quod ab ipsis ante vel post sententiam vel decisionem eorum appellari non possit sed quod ab eis factum fuerit et decisum omnino perinde habeatur ac si factum et decisum esset a nobis. We shall also grant to them the power of regulating the procurations Quibus etiam potestatem concedemus ordinandi ut procurationes in locis owed by the order to the bishops in different places so that, when and diversis ab ipso ordine episcopis as seems good to them, they are converted into an annual payment as debitae ubi et sicut eis expedire videbitur in annuum censum pecuniam money to be paid by the order to the bishops. The bishops, on eisdem episcopis solvendam ab ordine receiving such payments, are bound to visit at their own expense, at a convertantur ita quod ipsi episcopi censum talem recipientes loca a time suitable for them, the places making them. If this regulation does quibus vel propter quae censum ipsum not seem useful, the bishops will receive on visitation the procurations recipient in suis debeant visitare expensis cum eis hoc videbitur owed to them by the churches of the order, if these are able to pay oportunum. Quod si ordinationem them. If a church cannot pay the full procuration, the above delegates huiusmodi fieri visum non fuerit expedire recipient episcopi cum will make an estimate of the amount payable to the bishop as the visitabunt procurationes sibi debitas in procuration for that church. We shall also ordain that all churches ecclesiis ipsius ordinis quae sufficientes fuerint ad eas solvendas. which have annexed to them the cure of souls and belonged to the In aliis autem quae ad plenas order of the Hospital on account of any right of the Temple, or even on procurationes solvendas sufficientes non fuerint taxabitur per superius account of any other rights which belong or shall belong to the deputatos ad quid solvendum Hospital, shall be subject in all spiritual matters to their diocesans, episcopis pro procurationibus tales ecclesiae teneantur. Item ordinabimus notwithstanding any privilege of exemption. Indeed, in order that quod omnes ecclesiae curam everything decreed above may be fulfilled more quickly and without animarum habentes annexam quae ad ordinem hospitalis templi quoquo iure evasion on the part of the order, and that our good will may appear to spectabant et etiam aliae quae ad everyone, we suspend entirely from now all the privileges for long ordinem hospitalis nunc spectant seu spectabunt in posterum subsint de granted by the apostolic see to the order, except for the privilege of cetero in omnibus quoad spiritualia exemption, if possessed, and we wish them to remain suspended at our dioecesanis eorum exemptionis cuiuslibet privilegio non obstante. pleasure. Verum ut omnia superius ordinata 173 citius et sine omni ordinis praefati diffugio compleantur et ut bona voluntas nostra circa praedicta clarius omnibus elucescat omnia privilegia praefato ordini per sedem apostolicam dudum concessa excepto tamen exemptionis privilegio si quod habent omnino ex nunc suspendemus et suspensa manere volemus usque ad nostrae beneplacitum voluntatis. Thirdly, concerning the order of the Hospital itself, we shall be Tertium circa praefatum ordinem per nos ut praedicitur ordinandum cedet making decrees regarding its regulation and reform. We shall be ad regulationem et reformationem seeing and examining carefully the rules, statutes, form of government ipsius videlicet quod ordinationes statuta et statum et processum ipsius and progress of the order itself and of its members. We shall approve ordinis et personarum eiusdem and confirm what is good. We shall clarify doubtful points that we videbimus et examinabimus diligenter et approbando ac confirmando bona find in need of revision in the order itself and in its personnel, both declarando que dubia illa correctionis head and members. We shall restore the norm of truth, justice and lima egentia tam in ordine quam personis ipsius in capite et membris regular observance with the equilibrium of reason and equity, to the inveniemus ipsa ad veritatis et iustitiae advantage and welfare of the order and for the help of the holy Land. morum et regularis observantiae normam cum rationis et aequitatis In this way the order itself will be preserved from decay and kept in a libratione et prout utilitati et bono healthy and prosperous condition. statui eiusdem ordinis expedierit et terrae sanctae subsidio reducemus ut sic ordo ipse et praeservetur a casu et in statu salubri et prospero conservetur. The prelates of France, after the above intentions had been explained Sane super eo quod praelati regni Franciae nobis postquam fuerunt eis to them, petitioned that we should take away the privilege of suprascripta exposita supplicarunt ut exemption, if the order of the Hospital possessed it, or at least suspend exemptionis privilegium si quod habeat dictus ordo tollamus vel saltem in such exemption, just as we have decreed the suspension of the order’s dubio suspendamus sicut et alia other privileges. These prelates also declared that, as long as the eiusdem ordinis privilegia superius ordinavimus suspendenda et super eo unlettered and simple brothers of the order remain under the care of etiam quod proposuerunt iidem their simple priests, and the prelates themselves are unacquainted with praelati quamdiu fratres praefati ordinis illitterati et simplices sub cura the brothers’ deeds and consciences, they can be in grave danger of suorum sacerdotum simplicium losing their souls through having the privilege of exemption, if they do remanebunt et praelati ipsi eorum facta et conscientias ignorabunt poterit in fact possess it. Our reply is that because of shortness of time we are ipsis fratribus esse in grave animarum unable here to formulate a full and determinate decree. As soon as we dispendium seu periculum quod remaneat eis exemptionis privilegium can conveniently do so we shall with the Lord’s help decree and si quod habent respondemus et provide in this matter. Also, as these prelates earnestly petitioned us, it dicimus quod propter temporis brevitatem super praemissis non is our will and decree that just as individual catholic kings shall possumus plene ac deliberate aliquod receive in writing the valuation of the order’s revenues and the other ordinare sed quam citius commode poterimus utiliter dante domino relevant information, so each province ought to have and shall have ordinabimus et providebimus super eis. the same document. Item sicut iidem praelati nobis supplicare curarunt ordinamus et volumus quod sicut iuxta praemissa singuli reges catholici habebunt scripturam valorem reddituum ipsius ordinis et alia de quibus supra circa hoc agitur continentem ita unaquaeque provincia habere debeat et habeat eandem scripturam. Also, in accordance with the petition of these prelates, we decree and Item iuxta supplicationem praelatorum ipsorum ordinamus et volumus quod determine that the compositions pending or made within the last ten compositiones pendentes et factae a years, which were extorted from churches and ecclesiastics through decem annis citra ac per metum dictorum ordinum hospitalis et templi fear of the order of the Hospital and the order of the former Temple, quondam ab ecclesiis et ecclesiasticis do not disadvantage or harm the said churches and ecclesiastics in any personis extortae ipsis ecclesiis et personis non obstent vel in aliquo way, and that if two prelates and a non-prelate delegated by us cannot noceant quod que si duo praelati et reach agreement, then whatever is decided by one of the prelates and alius non praelatus a nobis ut praemittitur deputandi super agendis the non-prelate, or decreed by them by way of composition or 174 agreement, shall have effect and full validity. Also, we wish to be as coram eis in idem non poterunt concordare valeat et plenam habeat gracious as possible to the said prelates. Therefore we shall allow the firmitatem quod ab uno de praelatis two prelates delegated by us to raise in ready money the procurations ipsis et tertio non praelato iudicatum fuerit aut in via compositionis vel of their dioceses while absent, and we shall have the non-prelate concordiae ordinatum. Item provided for in money from the property of the former order of the supplicationi dictorum praelatorum quantum commode possumus Temple. We shall also decree in accordance with the petition of the condescendentes concedemus duobus prelates of France, that Hospitallers who publicly receive praelatis ut praemittitur deputandis a nobis circa praemissa procurationes excommunicated persons or those under interdict or notorious usurers suarum dioecesium in absentia for ecclesiastical burial, or for solemnizing their marriages or having levandas in pecunia numerata et tertio non praelato faciemus de bonis ordinis them solemnized or permitting them to be solemnized in their quondam templi in pecunia provideri. churches against the law, or for administering the sacraments to Item iuxta supplicationem eorundem praelatorum ordinabimus quod outside parishioners or permitting this in their churches, incur hospitalarii excommunicatos aut automatic excommunication. And we strictly forbid the Hospitallers to interdictos publice aut eosdem vel usurarios manifestos ad ecclesiasticam trouble anyone unduly by use of apostolic letters. We shall also sepulturam recipientes aut matrimonia decree, in accordance with the petition of the same prelates, against sollemnizantes vel sollemnizari facientes aut permittentes in suis the building of new churches or chapels, the erecting of bell-towers ecclesiis contra iura aut sacramenta and the making of cemeteries; we shall provide adequate laws on these ecclesiastica alienis parochianis ministrantes vel ministrari in suis subjects to be observed by the Hospitallers. ecclesiis permittentes excommunicationis sententiam ipso facto incurrant. Et prohibemus eis districte ne per litteras apostolicas aliquos indebite vexare praesumant. Item iuxta supplicationem eorundem praelatorum super non constituendis novis ecclesiis vel capellis aut non erigendis campanis et cimiteriis faciendis ordinabimus et providebimus iura sufficienter super hoc edita per ipsos hospitalarios observari. Given at Avignon on 31 December in the eighth year of our Dat(um) Avinione II kal(endas) ianuarii pontificatus nostri anno octavo. pontificate {5} [1.8]. For an everlasting record. Some time ago, in the general council Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Licet pridem in generali concilio Viennae held at Vienne under the Lord’s inspiration, we suppressed the former auctore domino celebrato post order of the Temple for certain good reasons as explained in the letter dissolutionem quondam ordinis templi ex certis rationabilibus causis factam of suppression. After long and careful deliberations with our brothers prout in dissolutionis eiusdem litteris and the whole council, we bestowed on the order of the Hospital of seriosius continetur post longa praemeditata et matura consilia saint John of Jerusalem, on the Hospital itself and on our beloved fratrum nostrorum necnon et totius sons, the master and brothers of the Hospital, in the name of the concilii generalis ordini hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani et ipsi Hospital and of the order of these men, who as the Lord’s athletes hospitali ac dilectis filiis magistro et expose themselves unfailingly to the danger of death in defence of the fratribus hospitalis eiusdem nomine hospitalis et ordinis eorundem qui faith and have borne and still bear heavy loss overseas, the house of tanquam athletae domini strenue pro the Knights Templar and their other houses, churches, chapels, defensione fidei se periculis mortis iugiter exponentes onerosa nimis et oratories, cities, castles, towns, lands, granges and all their other periculosa dispendia pertulerunt et movable, immovable and self-moving property, together with all the continue perferunt in partibus transmarinis ipsam domum militiae members and rights and all that belongs to them, beyond and on this templi ceteras que domos ecclesias side of the sea and in all parts of the world, which the former order capellas oratoria civitates castra villas terras grangias omnia que alia bona and its master and brothers had and comprised at the time when the immobilia mobilia vel se moventia cum master himself and some of the brothers were arrested as a body in the omnibus membris iuribus et pertinentiis suis ultra et citra mare ac kingdom of France, namely in October 1308. in universis et quibuslibet mundi partibus consistentia quae quondam ordo ipse magister et fratres ipsius ordinis militiae templi tempore quo magister ipse et nonnulli ex eisdem fratribus dicti ordinis militiae templi in regno Franciae capti fuerunt communiter videlicet anno domini 175 millesimo trecentesimo octavo mense octobris The property includes that which the Templars had of themselves or per se vel quoscunque alios habebant tenebant et possidebant vel ad through others, and anything belonging to them in any way, with all eosdem pertinebant vel quomodolibet their rights, privileges, indults, immunities, liberties, honours and competere poterant vel debebant cum suis iuribus privilegiis indulgentiis charges. We donated and united all this forever to the Hospital and immunitatibus et libertatibus honoribus incorporated it into the Hospital, with the approval of the sacred et oneribus universis donaverimus concesserimus univerimus council and from the fullness of our apostolic power, for the help of incorporaverimus et applicaverimus in the holy Land. However, whatever rights belonged to kings, princes, perpetuum eodem sacro approbante concilio de apostolicae plenitudine prelates, barons, nobles and any other Catholics, before the arrest of potestatis adiecto in donatione the master of the former order of the Temple and of some other concessione unione incorporatione et applicatione praedictis quod bonis ipsis brothers, were to remain. We excepted from the said donation, union iuribus honoribus et oneribus suis and incorporation the property of the former order of the Temple in salvis remanentibus ordini praefato hospitalis sancti Ioannis ierosolimitani the kingdoms and lands of our beloved sons in Christ, the illustrious pro subsidio terrae sanctae principibus kings ... of Castile, ... of Aragon, ... of Portugal, and ... of Majorca, praelatis baronibus nobilibus et quibuslibet catholicis aliis iura lying outside the kingdom of France, which we reserved with good quaecunque quae sibi ante captionem reason for the disposal of the apostolic see. praedictam magistri quondam ordinis templi et nonnullorum aliorum fratrum eiusdem ordinis competebant exceptis dumtaxat a donatione unione ac incorporatione praedictis bonis quondam dicti ordinis templi in regnis et terris carissimorum in Christo filiorum nostrorum ... Castellae ... Aragoniae ... Portugaliae ac ... Maioricarum regum illustrium extra dictum regnum Franciae consistentibus quae ex causa a praedictis unione et incorporatione quo ad tunc duximus excludenda In the letter of donation, union and incorporation, however, through ipsis dispositioni et ordinationi sedis apostolicae reservatis in litteris tamen the carelessness, neglect or engagements of the scribe or secretary, concessionis donationis et mention was omitted of the non-violation of the rights of kings, incorporationis huiusmodi incuria seu negligentia aut occupatione scribae princes, prelates and other persons concerned. Lest therefore any sive scriptoris earum de oneribus et doubt arises in the future from such an omission concerning these iuribus regibus principibus praelatis et aliis supradictis competentibus quod charges and rights, and any prejudice be generated against the said salva eis remanere debeant fuit mentio kings, princes, prelates, barons, nobles and other persons, we, who praetermissa. Ne igitur ex omissione tali possit in posterum super dictis desire that everyone retains his rights unimpaired, wishing to provide a oneribus et iuribus dubitatio aliqua suitable remedy in the matter for the said kings, princes, prelates, suboriri dictis que regibus principibus praelatis baronibus nobilibus et barons, nobles and any other Catholics, declare that we have made the personis aliis praeiudicium aliquod above donation, union and incorporation to the order of the Hospital of generari nos qui iura cuique sua cupimus illesa servari volentes super saint John of Jerusalem, and to the Hospital itself and its master and hoc dictis regibus principibus praelatis brothers, in the name of the said Hospital and order, in the way baronibus nobilibus et quibusvis catholicis aliis de oportuno remedio expressed above. We determine and decree of our certain knowledge providere declaramus nos donationem that, without violation of the property of the former order of the unionem ac incorporationem praefatas fecisse dicto ordini hospitalis sancti Temple donated to the order of the Hospital, together with all its Ioannis ierosolimitani ac ipsi hospitali privileges, indults, immunities, liberties, rights, honours and charges, et magistro ac fratribus hospitalis eiusdem nomine hospitalis et ordinis for the help of the holy Land, nevertheless whatever rights belonged to eorundem sub modis et forma qui sunt kings, princes, prelates, barons, nobles and any other Catholics, at the superius expressati volentes et ex certa scientia decernentes quod time of the said arrest of the master and some brothers of the Temple, praefatis bonis dicti quondam ordinis remain intact, unimpaired and exactly as they would be in everything templi saepefato ordini hospitalis cum omnibus privilegiis indulgentiis as if they had been distinctly and expressly mentioned in the said letter immunitatibus libertatibus iuribus of donation, union and incorporation. Let nobody therefore . . . honoribus et oneribus remanentibus pro terrae sanctae subsidio semper salvis regibus principibus praelatis baronibus nobilibus et quibuslibet 176 catholicis aliis iura quaecunque quae dictae captionis tempore competebant eisdem salva sibi remaneant et per omnia illibata consistant ac perinde quo ad omnia censeantur ac si praemissa distincte et particulariter expressata in dictae donationis concessionis unionis et incorporationis litteris extitissent. Nulli ergo .... Given at Avignon on 13 January in the eighth year.{6} Dat(um) Avinione idus ianuarii anno octavo DECREES [2.1]. Adhering firmly to the foundation of the catholic faith, other Fidei catholicae fundamento praeter quod teste apostolo nemo potest aliud than which, as the Apostle testifies, no one can lay, we openly profess ponere firmiter inhaerentes aperte with holy mother church that the only begotten Son of God, subsisting cum sancta matre ecclesia confitemur unigenitum dei filium in his omnibus in eternally together with the Father in everything in which God the quibus deus pater exsistit una cum Father exists, assumed in time in the womb of a virgin the parts of our patre aeternaliter subsistentem partes nostrae naturae simul unitas ex quibus nature united together, from which he himself true God became true ipse in se verus deus exsistens fieret man: namely the human, passible body and the intellectual or rational verus homo humanum videlicet corpus passibile et animam intellectivam seu soul truly of itself and essentially informing the body. And that in this rationalem ipsum corpus vere per se et assumed nature the Word of God willed for the salvation of all not essentialiter informantem assumpsisse ex tempore in virginali thalamo ad only to be nailed to the cross and to die on it, but also, having already unitatem suae hypostasis et personae. breathed forth his spirit, permitted his side to be pierced by a lance, so Et quod in hac assumpta natura ipsum dei verbum pro omnium operanda that from the outflowing water and blood there might be formed the salute non solum affigi cruci et in ea one, immaculate and holy virginal mother church, the bride of Christ, mori voluit sed etiam emisso iam spiritu perforari lancea sustinuit latus as from the side of the first man in his sleep Eve was fashioned as his suum ut exinde profluentibus undis wife, in this way, to the determinate figure of the first and old Adam, aquae et sanguinis formaretur unica et immaculata ac virgo sancta mater who according to the Apostle is a type of the one who was to come, ecclesia coniunx Christi sicut de latere the truth might correspond in our last Adam, that is to say in Christ. primi hominis soporati Eva sibi in conjugium est formata ut sic certae This, we say, is the truth, fortified by the witness of that huge eagle figurae primi et veteris Adae qui which the prophet Ezechiel saw flying over the other gospel animals, secundum apostolum est forma futuri in nostro novissimo Adam id est namely blessed John the apostle and evangelist, who relating the event Christo veritas responderet. Haec est and order of this sacrament, said in his gospel : But when they came to inquam veritas illius praegrandis aquilae vallata testimonio quam Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, propheta vidit Ezechiel animalibus but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there ceteris evangelicis transvolantem beati Ioannis videlicet apostoli et came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness - his evangelistae qui sacramenti huius rem testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth -- that you also gestam narrans et ordinem in evangelio suo dixit: ad Iesum autem may believe. cum venissent ut viderunt eum iam mortuum non fregerunt eius crura sed unus militum lancea latus eius aperuit et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua. Et qui vidit testimonium perhibuit et verum est testimonium eius et ille scit quia vera dicit ut et vos credatis. We, therefore, directing our apostolic attention, to which alone it Nos igitur ad tam praeclarum testimonium ac sanctorum patrum et belongs to define these things, to such splendid testimony and to the doctorum communem sententiam common opinion of the holy fathers and doctors, declare with the apostolicae considerationis ad quam dumtaxat haec declarare pertinet approval of the sacred council that the said apostle and evangelist, aciem convertentes sacro approbante John, observed the right order of events in saying that when Christ was concilio declaramus praedictum apostolum et evangelistam Ioannem already dead one of the soldiers opened his side with a spear. rectum in praemissis factae rei Moreover, with the approval of the said council, we reject as ordinem tenuisse narrando quod Christo iam mortuo unus militum erroneous and contrary to the truth of the catholic faith every doctrine lancea latus eius aperuit. Porro or proposition rashly asserting that the substance of the rational or doctrinam omnem seu positionem temere asserentem aut vertentem in intellectual soul is not of itself and essentially the form of the human dubium quod substantia animae body, or casting doubt on this matter. In order that all may know the rationalis seu intellectivae vere ac per se humani corporis non sit forma velut 177 truth of the faith in its purity and all error may be excluded, we define erroneam ac veritati catholicae fidei inimicam praedicto sacro approbante that anyone who presumes henceforth to assert defend or hold concilio reprobamus diffinientes ut stubbornly that the rational or intellectual soul is not the form of the cunctis nota sit fidei sincerae veritas ac praecludatur universis erroribus human body of itself and essentially, is to be considered a heretic. aditus ne subintrent quod quisquis deinceps asserere defendere seu tenere pertinaciter praesumpserit quod anima rationalis seu intellectiva non sit forma corporis humani per se essentialiter tanquam haereticus sit censendus. All are faithfully to profess that there is one baptism which regenerates Ad hoc baptisma unicum baptizatos omnes in Christo regenerans est sicut all those baptized in Christ, just as there is one God and one faith’. We unus deus ac fides unica ab omnibus believe that when baptism is administered in water in the name of the fideliter confitendum quod celebratum in aqua in nomine patris et filii et Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, it is a perfect means of spiritus sancti credimus esse tam salvation for both adults and children. Yet because, as regards the adultis quam parvulis communiter perfectum remedium ad salutem. effect of baptism in children, we find that certain theologians have Verum quia quantum ad effectum held contrary opinions, some saying that by baptism guilt is indeed baptismi in parvulis reperiuntur doctores quidam theologi opiniones remitted in infants but grace is not conferred, others on the contrary contrarias habuisse quibusdam ex ipsis asserting that both guilt is remitted and the virtues and sanctifying dicentibus per virtutem baptismi parvulis quidem culpam remitti sed grace are infused with regard to habit though for the time being not gratiam non conferri aliis e contra with regard to use, we, considering the general efficacy of Christ’s asserentibus quod et culpa eisdem in baptismo et virtutes ac informans death, which through baptism is applied in like manner to all the gratia infunduntur quoad habitum etsi baptised, choose, with the approval of the sacred council, the second non pro illo tempore quoad usum nos autem attendentes generalem opinion, which says that sanctifying grace and the virtues are efficaciam mortis Christi quae per conferred in baptism on both infants and adults, as more probable and baptisma applicatur pariter omnibus baptizatis opinionem Secundam quae more in harmony with the words of the saints and of modern doctors dicit tam parvulis quam adultis conferri of theology. in baptismo informantem gratiam et virtutes tanquam probabiliorem et dictis sanctorum ac doctorum modernorum theologiae magis consonam et concordem sacro approbante concilio duximus eligendam. [2.2]. Abbots and other religious holding any major ecclesiastical Abbates aut alii religiosi quibuslibet administrationibus praesidentes office may not, when it is a question of priories or other places subject occasione prioratuum seu aliorum to them, bring an action against anyone on the authority of letters of locorum subditorum eisdem nullum auctoritate sedis apostolicae vel the apostolic see or its legates, except in such places and before such legatorum ipsius quomodolibet valeant persons as is permitted to the priors and other persons in charge of the convenire nisi ubi et coram quibus prioratuum et locorum ipsorum priories and other places. Nor is anything else of this kind permissible prioribus aut aliis gubernatoribus hoc in the case of places belonging to the table maintenance of these liceret. Nec occasione locorum ad mensas pertinentium eorundem aliud abbots and other religious, except when these places have special ipsis super hoc liceat quam si loca ipsa officials in charge of them. If anyone presumes to molest someone in sic praemissa speciales sub eis gubernatores haberent. Si quis autem contravention of the above, he is to be condemned by the judge of the aliquem contra haec vexare case to pay the expenses and for any damage. Any process contrary to praesumpserit in expensis sibi et interesse per iudicem coram quo this decree is null and void. vexatio fiet huiusmodi condemnetur omnis que processus contra praemissa sit irritus ipso iure. [2.3]. Although the chief official of a bishop, or a religious obtaining Etsi principalis officialis episcopi aut religiosus conventualem obtinens the office of conventual prior (even though that office is not prioratum quamvis ad prioratum customarily elective), may be delegated by the apostolic see or its eundem prior non consueverit per electionem assumi a sede apostolica legate, nevertheless we do not wish this to be observed in the cases of vel legato eiusdem dari valeat an official-forane or of a religious who is the claustal prior of his delegatus in officiali tamen foraneo aut religioso monasterii sui priore claustrali monastery. nequaquam hoc volumus observari.

178 disposition within the time prescribed by the Lateran council, the local alia beneficia ad eorum dispositionem spectantia cum vacant interdum diocesan bishops shall supply for this negligence by their own committere negligunt vel conferre infra authority in the case of the non-exempt, and by apostolic authority in tempus in Lateranensi concilio constitutum dioecesani locorum in non the case of the exempt. Those which have customarily been governed exemptis sua in exemptis vero by the secular clergy shall be conferred on secular clerics, those which apostolica auctoritate negligentiam super hoc suppleant eorundem have usually been entrusted to or conferred on only religious shall be prioratus ecclesias administrationes et conferred on the religious of the monasteries whose prelates were beneficia huiusmodi illa videlicet quae consueverunt per saeculares clericos negligent. The diocesan bishops, by the same authority, shall in no gubernari saecularibus clericis alia way permit the said prelates to apply such priories, churches, offices vero quae religiosis dumtaxat committi sunt solita vel conferri religiosis or benefices to their table maintenance, to impose new payments or to monasteriorum quorum praelati increase the old ones any new ones imposed or old ones increased huiusmodi negligentes fuerint conferendo. Eadem quoque auctoritate shall be paid back. By the said priories, churches, offices and dioecesani suffulti nullo modo benefices we mean those that are not for the table maintenance of their permittant quod iidem praelati prioratus ecclesias administrationes prelates and customarily have their own priors, administrators or aut beneficia huiusmodi applicent rectors, even though these priors and administrators can be freely mensis suis pensiones ve novas eis imponant aut veteres augeant sive recalled, if necessary, to the cloister. quae ipsis de novo impositae sive auctae solvantur. Praemissa vero de prioratibus ecclesiis administrationibus et beneficiis intelligimus quae non sunt de mensa praelatorum ipsorum sed speciales priores administratores seu rectores consueverunt habere licet priores seu administratores huiusmodi libere possint ad claustrum cum oportuerit revocari. In this matter we have decided to uphold the constitution of our In quibus etiam constitutionem Bonifacii papae viii praedecessoris predecessor pope Boniface VIII, which prohibits the property of nostri bona beneficiorum vacantium vacant benefices to be appropriated by prelates or anyone else, as well occupari a praelatis vel aliis prohibentem ac nihilominus in as that other constitution of the same Boniface which forbids any prioratibus huiusmodi et ecclesiis illud religious to have several priories or churches with the cure of souls, Bonifacii eiusdem statutum quod religiosum quemcunque pluribus even though the cure is exercised by someone other than himself and praeesse prohibet prioratibus aut there is no danger to souls for the priories. ecclesiis curam animarum habentibus etiamsi cura ipsa non per eum sed per alium habeat exerceri locum sibi censuimus vendicare licet etiam eisdem prioratibus cura non immineat supra. dicta [2.5]. So that those who are obliged to divine office in cathedrals or Ut ii qui divinis in cathedralibus vel collegiatis saecularibus ecclesiis sunt secular collegiate churches, or will be so obliged in the future, may be mancipati officiis vel mancipabuntur in more readily moved to receive sacred orders, we decree that nobody posterum ad suscipiendos sacros ordines propensius inducantur henceforth may have in such churches a voice in the chapter, even statuimus ut nullus de cetero in though this is freely granted to him by the others, unless he has huiusmodi ecclesiis vocem in capitulo habeat etiamsi hoc sibi ab aliis libere received at least the subdiaconate. Moreover, those who now hold concedatur nisi saltem in peacefully dignities, parsonages, offices or prebends to which certain subdiaconatus ordine fuerit constitutus. Illi vero qui dignitates orders are annexed, or will hold them in future, shall have no voice in personatus officia vel praebendas the chapter unless, having no just impediment, they receive the quibus certi ordines sunt annexi pacifice nunc obtinent in eisdem corresponding orders within a year. They shall receive only half the ecclesiis vel obtinuerint in futurum nisi payment made to those who assist at certain hours, all customs and iusto impedimento cessante ad huiusmodi ordines se promoveri statutes to the contrary notwithstanding. The penalties, moreover, fecerint infra annum extunc donec ad which are decreed by law against those refusing to be promoted to eos promoti fuerint nullo modo vocem in capitulo habeant earumdem. Ipsis orders, are to remain in force. que distributionum quae dantur his qui certis horis intersunt pars dimidia subtrahatur non obstantibus quibuslibet consuetudinibus vel statutis poenis aliis quae contra tales promoveri ad ordines recusantes 179 statuuntur in iure nihilominus in suo robore permansuris. [2.6]. We wish to check, in the cases mentioned below, the expensive Dispendiosam prorogationem litium quam interdum ex subtili ordinis prolongation of lawsuits which, as experience teaches us, arises iudiciarii observatione causarum docet sometimes from overprecise observance of judicial order. We experientia provenire restringere in subscriptis casibus cupientes therefore decree that in cases concerning elections, postulations, or statuimus ut in causis super provisions, concerning dignities, parsonages, offices, canonries, electionibus postulationibus vel provisionibus aut super dignitatibus prebends or any other church benefices, concerning tithes, even when personatibus officiis canonicatibus vel those obliged to pay them have been admonished and can be corrected prebendis seu quibusvis beneficiis ecclesiasticis aut super decimis ad by ecclesiastical censure, and concerning matrimony or usury and quarum etiam praestationem possunt anything connected with it, that a simple, easy process shall be valid qui tenentur ad eas praemoniti censura ecclesiastica coerceri nec non super without the noise and rhetoric of a court of justice. We wish this matrimoniis vel usuris et eas quoquo decree to apply not only to future business but also to the present, and modo tangentibus ventilandis procedi valeat de cetero simpliciter et de plano even to cases awaiting appeal. ac sine strepitu iudicii et figura volentes non solum ad futura negotia sed ad praesentia et adhuc etiam per appellationem pendentia hoc extendi. [2.7].Although it is generally forbidden by the sacred canons for a Quamvis sacris canonibus sit generaliter interdictum ne quis bishop to exercise jurisdiction in a diocese other than his own, we episcopus iurisdictionem in dioecesi nevertheless make an exception for bishops who have been driven exerceat aliena nos tamen episcopis qui a suis sedibus protervia impiorum from their sees by the insolence of the ungodly and do not dare, from expulsi non audent propter metum fear of their persecutors, to reside in their cities and dioceses or in any persequentium in suis civitatibus vel dioecesibus aut earum parte aliqua part of them, nor to exercise their jurisdiction there directly or through residere nec iurisdictionem ad se others. Lest the wrong done to their churches by their expulsions spectantem per se vel per alium inibi exercere ne iniuria in eorum remains unpunished, we have considered it necessary to permit that in expulsione ipsorum irrogata ecclesiis other dioceses, from cities or other prominent places near their hoc praetextu remaneat impunita duximus indulgendum ut in churches, where they will be able to reside securely and to exercise dioecesibus alienis in civitatibus freely their jurisdiction they may freely proceed against their expellers videlicet vel locis insignibus suis ecclesiis vicinioribus in quibus poterunt and their counsellors and supporters, as justice shall advise. (The cities secure morari et iurisdictionem suam and places must be such as are untroubled by these expellers and their libere exercere possint contra suos expulsores et eorum in hac parte counsellors and supporters. They are to be cited personally or to the consiliarios et fautores dummodo bishop’s house, if this can be done safely; if not, they are to be cited civitates ve loca huiusmodi eisdem expulsoribus consiliariis et fautoribus publicly in the cathedral church of the place or of their domicile.) sint secura et ipsi personaliter vel ad domum si hoc tute fieri valeat alioquin publice in ecclesia cathedrali loci vel domicilii eorumdem citati fuerint libere procedere prout iustitia suadebit. If however the bishops have not dared to cite their expellers or their Si vero dicti episcopi ausi non fuerint huiusmodi suos expulsores vel eorum counsellors or supporters in this way, or if these have maliciously consiliarios aut fautores dicto modo frustrated their being cited, it is lawful for the bishops to cite the citare vel ipsi malitiose impedimentum praestiterint ne potuerint sic citari expellers, counsellors and supporters, or to have them cited, on licitum sit eisdem episcopis ut Sundays and festivals when the people assemble for divine worship, so expulsores consiliarios et fautores eosdem diebus aliquibus dominicis vel that the accused may be presumed in all probability to have learned of festivis cum populus convenerit ad the citation. This shall take place publicly in the churches of the cities divina ut sic facta citatio ad eos pervenire verisimilius praesumatur or other prominent places, and then the bishops shall proceed against citent vel citari faciant publice in their persecutors, if they refuse to appear in the bishops’ presence ecclesiis civitatum vel locorum insignium praedictorum et procedant within a suitable fixed time, just as if the citation had been made deinde contra ipsos si citati taliter legally elsewhere. We grant also to those bishops, lest justice suffer, statuto ipsis peremptorio termino competenti coram eisdem episcopis authority to exercise full jurisdiction over their subjects from the other noluerint comparere ac si citati dioceses in which they have to stay, provided that they cannot or dare legitime alias exstitissent. Eisdem etiam episcopis indulgemus ut inter not do this, either directly or through someone else, in their own suos subditos ne ob defectum iustitiae dioceses. The subjects, however, excluding the expellers or their dispendium aliquod patiantur possint counsellors and supporters, should not have to travel more than two in dioecesibus alienis in quibus moram 180 days’ journey from the boundary of their diocese. It is our will also traxerint dummodo per se vel per alium hoc in suis propriis dioecesibus that the bishops first seek permission from the diocesans of their facere non audeant vel non possint places of exile; if they are not able to obtain this, they may iurisdictionem suam omnimodam exercere ita tamen quod subditi qui nevertheless proceed as we have said. Of course if the said bishops expulsores vel eorum fautores aut have asserted that they did not dare to cite the expellers or their consiliarii non fuerint ultra duas diaetas a fine suae dioecesis non counsellors and supporters, personally or to the bishop’s house, or trahantur. Volumus insuper ut ante publicly in their cathedral church, as has been said, or that they omnia a dioecesanis locorum in quibus moram traxerint petant licentiam in maliciously prevented the citation, or that the bishops cannot or dare praemissis quam si obtinere not exercise jurisdiction in their dioceses either directly or through nequiverint procedant nihilominus prout superius est expressum. Sane si someone else against these persecutors, then we wish these assertions praedicti episcopi asseruerint se non to be reliable, strictly enjoining the bishops, under threat of the divine fuisse ausos praefatos expulsores consiliarios vel fautores personaliter judgment, that they do not assert or invent anything false or deceptive. vel ad domum aut publice ut The neighbouring bishops, when asked by the exiled bishops, should praemittitur in eorum ecclesia cathedrali citare vel ipsos malitiose give notice or have notice given throughout their dioceses of the praestitisse impedimentum ne per eos verdicts and the legal processes which the exiled bishops have judged potuerint sic citari aut quod in suis dioecesibus iurisdictionem per se vel necessary. No prejudice shall arise from the passage of time, or for alium contra ipsos exercere nequeunt any other reason, to the local ordinaries or to anyone else having vel non audent stari super his volumus assertionibus eorundem ipsis districtius jurisdiction in these places where the expelled bishops also exercise iniungentes sub interminatione divini jurisdiction. iudicii ne circa praemissa contra conscientiam quicquam mendaciter aut dolose asserant vel confingant. Eorundem autem episcoporum sententias et processus quos in praemissis casibus in aliis dioecesibus duxerint faciendos denuncient seu denunciari faciant per suas dioeceses convicini episcopi cum ab eis fuerint requisiti. Per praemissa quoque nullum ex transcursu temporis quanticunque vel alias quoquo modo locorum dioecesanis vel aliis quibuscunque iurisdictionem habentibus in locis praemissis in quibus praedicti episcopi sic expulsi iurisdictionem ut praedicitur exercebunt praeiudicium generetur. [2.8]. We strictly command local ordinaries to admonish by name Dioecesanis locorum districte praecipimus ut clericos carnificum seu three times clerics who publicly and personally engage in the macellariorum aut tabernariorum butcher’s trade or conduct taverns, that they cease to do so within a officium publice et personaliter exercentes nominatim et tertio reasonable time to be fixed by the ordinary and never resume such moneant ut sic ab huiusmodi officiis trades. If after admonition they do not leave off or if they resume them infra convenientem terminum monentium ipsorum arbitrio at any time, then as long as they persist in the above ways of life those moderandum desistant et quod ipsa who are married shall automatically lose all clerical privileges, and nullo unquam tempore reassumant. Qui si taliter moniti ab his non those who are unmarried shall automatically lose their clerical destiterint aut ipsa ut praemissum est privileges relating to things, and if the latter go about in every way as exercendo resumpserint quandocunque coniugati omnino non laymen they shall also lose automatically their personal privileges as coniugati vero in rebus et si omnino clerics. As for other clerics who apply themselves publicly to secular incedant ut laici in personis privilegium clericale quamdiu praemissis institerint commerce and trade or any occupation inconsistent with the clerical eo ipso amittant. Adversus vero alios state, or who carry arms, the ordinaries are to be diligent in observing clericos negotiationibus vel commerciis saecularibus vel officiis non the canons, so that these clerics may be restrained from such miscon convenientibus clericali proposito duct and they themselves may not be guilty of reprehensible publice insistentes vel arma portantes sic canonica servare studeant instituta negligence. quod et illi ab excessibus compescantur huiusmodi et ipsi de damnabili circa haec negligentia nequeant reprehendi. [2.9]. Since he who abandons the dress proper to his order, and puts on Quoniam qui abiectis vestibus proprio congruentibus ordini alias assumere et other clothes and wears them in public, without a good reason, renders in publico portare rationabili causa 181 himself unworthy of the privileges of that order, we ordain by the cessante praesumit professorum illius ordinis praerogativa se reddit indignum present constitution that any cleric wearing striped or variegated praesenti constitutione sancimus quod clothes in public, without a good reason, is automatically suspended, if quicunque clericus virgata vel partita veste publice utetur nisi causa he is beneficed, from receiving the revenues of his benefices for a rationabilis subsit si beneficiatus period of six months. If however he does not have a benefice but is in exstiterit per sex menses a perceptione fructuum beneficiorum sacred orders below the priesthood, he becomes automatically quae obtinet sit eo ipso suspensus. Si disqualified for the same period from obtaining an ecclesiastical vero beneficiatus non fuerit in sacris tamen ordinibus citra sacerdotium benefice. The same penalty applies to other clerics having the tonsure constitutus per idem tempus reddatur yet wearing such clothes in public. He who holds a dignity, a eo ipso inhabilis ad ecclesiasticum beneficium obtinendum. Idem quoque parsonage or another benefice to which the cure of souls is annexed, as censemus de clericis aliis vestem also any other priests and religious, whose outward garb should reveal talem simul et tonsuram publice deferentibus clericalem. Dignitatem their inner integrity, who without reasonable cause wear such clothing vero personatum seu beneficium aliud in public, or appear thus with a woollen band or linen cap on their obtinens cui cura immineat animarum nec non ceteri in sacerdotio constituti heads, are, if beneficed, automatically suspended for a year from ac religiosi quilibet quos oportet per receiving the revenues of their benefices. Such other priests and decentiam habitus extrinseci morum intrinsecam honestatem ostendere si religious are also disqualified for the same period from obtaining any praeterquam ex causa rationabili ecclesiastical benefices. These and any other clerics who wear a gown publice vestem ferant huiusmodi aut infulam seu pileum lineum publice or tabard which is furred to the edge and so short that the lower portent in capite sint eo ipso garment is clearly seen, if they are secular clergy or religious with beneficiati videlicet a perceptione fructuum beneficiorum quae obtinent administrative posts, are obliged to give the gown to the poor within a suspensi per annum. Ceteri vero month. The other religious who do not have administrative posts are sacerdotes et religiosi quilibet per idem tempus reddantur inhabiles ad obliged within the same period to consign the gown to their superiors, quodcunque beneficium ecclesiasticum to be used for some pious purpose. If this is not done, the above obtinendum. Sed et tales et ceteri quicunque clerici utentes epitogio seu penalties, of suspension in the case of the beneficed clergy and of tabardo foderato usque ad oram et ita disqualification in the case of the rest, are incurred for the above brevi quod vestis inferior notabiliter videatur epitogium ipsum saeculares period of time. To this penalty we add that clerics, especially those clerici et religiosi administrationem with benefices, may not wear in public chequered, red or green boots. habentes teneantur infra mensem dare pauperibus. Ceteri vero religiosi administrationem non habentes infra idem tempus illud teneantur suis superioribus assignare in pios usus aliquos convertendum alioquin beneficiati suspensionis ceteri vero inhabilitatis poenas praedictas per idem tempus se noverint incurrisse. Huic insuper adicimus sanctioni ut clerici praesertim beneficiati caligis scacatis rubeis aut viridibus publice non utantur. [2.10]. The following decretal, published a little while ago by our Dudum a Bonifacio papa viii praedecessore nostro infra scripta predecessor pope Boniface VIII, was revoked by our predecessor pope edita decretali Benedictus papa xi Benedict XI. Since, as results have proved, the revocation did not praedecessor noster aliam illius revocatoriam promulgavit quae quia ut bring with it the peace hoped for by its author, but rather stimulated probavit effectus nedum pacis ab the discord which it was designed to allay, we annul it altogether and auctore ipsius speratae fructum non attulit quin immo discordiae pro qua renew, with the insistence and approval of the sacred council, the said sedanda processerat fomentum non decretal published by Boniface which runs as follows. modicum ministravit nos eam omnino cassantes aliam a praefato Bonifacio editam sacro instante et approbante concilio innovamus subicientes tenorem illius qui dignoscitur esse talis “Boniface, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Bonifacius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. “Having been placed by the divine clemency on the chair of pastoral Super cathedram praeeminentiae pastoralis divina disponente clementia preeminence, burdened though we are by the many arduous affairs constituti etsi multis et arduis quae in which flow like a torrent from all directions into the Roman curia, amplum Romanae curiae alveum undique confluunt quasi torrens summoned by many cares distracted by many proposals, we praegravemur negotiis curis excitemur 182 nevertheless aim ardently and devote ourselves with ever-active innumeris cogitationibus plurimis distrahamur circa id tamen ferventibus solicitude so that, to the glory of the divine name, the exaltation of the votis intendimus vacamus instantius ac catholic faith and the profit of faithful souls, after the thornbushes of operosae studium sollicitudinis impertimur ut ad divini nominis disagreement have been rooted out and the intricacies of quarrels gloriam exaltationem catholicae fidei removed, the tranquility of peace may thrive with the ardour of et profectum fidelium animarum praecisis radicitus dissidiorum vepribus charity, and unity of heart and mind may grow and persist, between et litigiorum anfractibus omnino the bishops charged with the care and rule of the Lord’s flock and subductis inter ecclesiarum antistites ad curam et regimen gregis dominici other persons in the clerical state. We know, and experience teaches deputatos ceteras que personas quas us, that only in time of peace is the author of peace duly worshipped, ordo clericalis includit pacis tranquillitas vigeat fervor caritatis nor are we ignorant that dissensions and scandals prepare the way to exaestuet invalescat concordiae unitas wicked acts, stir up rancour and hatred, and give boldness to evil animorum identitas perseveret. Scimus enim et ex evidentia facti colligimus living. For a long time past there has existed between prelates and quod non nisi in pacis tempore bene rectors or priests and clerics of parish churches throughout the colitur pacis auctor nec ignoramus quod dissensiones et scandala pravis different provinces of the world on the one hand, and the friars actibus aditum praeparant rancores et Preacher and Minor on the other, grave and dangerous discord, odia suscitant et illicitis moribus ausum praebent. Ab olim siquidem inter produced by that enemy of peace, the sower of cockle, in the matters praelatos et rectores seu sacerdotes ac of preaching to the faithful, hearing their confessions, enjoining clericos parochialium ecclesiarum per diversas mundi provincias constitutos penances, and burying the dead who choose to be buried in the ex una parte et praedicatorum et churches or lands of the friars. minorum ordinum fratres ex altera pacis aemulo satore zizaniae procurante gravis et periculosa discordia exstitit suscitata super praedicationibus fidelium populis faciendis eorum confessionibus audiendis poenitentiis iniungendis eisdem et tumulandis defunctorum corporibus qui apud fratrum ipsorum ecclesias sive loca noscuntur eligere sepulturam. “As an affectionate father rightly suffers with his children, we Nos autem pii patres more laudabili moleste ferentes incommoda filiorum carefully considered and turned over in our mind the great danger and reducentes ad exactae considerationis loss that such discord brings, and how detestable it is in the sight of examen ac infra pecoris claustra sollicite revolventes quam sit plena the divine majesty. We therefore intend with all the energy of fatherly periculis quam onusta dispendiis quam care to eradicate and remove it wholly, so that with the Lord’s favour que in divinae maiestatis conspectu reddatur exosa discordia supra dicta et it may never revive in the future. We desire greatly that this business, propterea intendentes paternae so close to our heart, may be beneficially and speedily completed by sollicitudinis studio illam prorsus evellere ac omnimode submovere apostolic sagacity. After careful deliberation with our brothers, we nullis unquam futuris temporibus decree and ordain, with the advice of our brothers and by our apostolic favente domino suscitandam grandi quoque desiderio cupientes ut authority, to the honour of God and the exaltation of the catholic faith huiusmodi negotium quod potissime and for the peaceful condition of the aforesaid parties and the salvation insidet cordi nostro finem salubrem et celerem per apostolicae solertiae of the souls of the faithful, that the friars of the said orders may freely studium consequatur diligenti cum preach and explain the word of God to the clergy and the people in fratribus nostris deliberatione praehabita super eo ad honorem dei et their churches and other places as also in public places, except at that exaltationem catholicae fidei quietum hour only when the local prelates wish to preach or have someone to statum partium praedictarum ac salutis animarum fidelium give a special sermon in their presence; at this hour they shall not incrementum de ipsorum fratrum preach, except the prelates decide otherwise and give special consilio auctoritate apostolica statuimus et ordinamus ut dictorum permission. In institutes of general studies, where it is customary to ordinum fratres in ecclesiis et locis give a special sermon to the clergy on certain days, at funerals, and on eorum ac in plateis communibus libere valeant clero et populo praedicare ac special feasts of the friars, they are at liberty to preach, unless perhaps proponere verbum dei hora illa during the hour when it is customary to preach to the clergy in the dumtaxat excepta in qua locorum praelati praedicare voluerint vel coram above places the bishop or a higher prelate should summon the clergy se facere solemniter praedicari in qua in general to his presence, or for some urgent reason should assemble praedicare cessabunt praeterquam si aliud de praelatorum ipsorum them. In parish churches, however, the said friars may not preach or voluntate processerit ac licentia 183 explain God’s word, unless invited or called to do so by the priests of speciali. In studiis autem generalibus ubi sermones ad clerum ex more fieri the parishes, and with their good will and assent, or having asked and solent diebus illis quibus praedicari obtained permission, unless the bishop or higher prelate should solemniter consuevit ad funera etiam mortuorum et in festis specialibus sive through them commission a friar to preach. peculiaribus eorundem fratrum possunt iidem fratres et liceat eis libere praedicare nisi forte illa hora qua solet ad clerum in praedictis locis dei verbum proponi episcopus vel praelatus superior clerum ad se generaliter convocaret aut ex aliqua ratione vel causa clerum ipsum duceret congregandum. In ecclesiis autem parochialibus fratres illi nullatenus audeant vel debeant praedicare vel proponere verbum dei nisi fratres praedicti a parochialibus sacerdotibus invitati fuerint vel vocati et de ipsorum beneplacito et assensu seu petita licentia fuerit et obtenta nisi episcopus vel praelatus superior per eosdem fratres praedicari mandaret. “By the same authority we also decree and ordain that in each city and Statuimus etiam et ordinamus auctoritate praedicta ut in singulis diocese in which the friars have houses, or in neighbouring cities and civitatibus et dioecesibus in quibus dioceses where they have no houses, the masters and priors provincial loca fratrum ipsorum consistere dignoscuntur vel in civitatibus et of the Preachers or their vicars, and the ministers general and dioecesibus locis ipsis vicinis in quibus provincial and the guardians of the Minors, should gather in the loca huiusmodi non habentur magistri priores provinciales praedicatorum aut presence of the prelates of those places either personally or through eorum vicarii et generales et friars whom they judge will be suitable delegates, and humbly request provinciales ministri et custodes minorum ordinum praedictorum ad that friars chosen for the purpose may freely hear the confessions of praesentiam praelatorum eorundem those of the prelates’ subjects who wish to confess to them, may locorum se conferant per se vel per fratres quos ad hoc idoneos fore impose salutary penances as they shall think right in God’s eyes, and putaverint humiliter petituri ut fratres may grant absolution to them, with the leave, favour and good will of qui ad hoc electi fuerint in eorum civitatibus et dioecesibus confessiones the prelates. The masters, priors, provincials and ministers of the subditorum suorum confiteri sibi orders are then to choose diligently sufficient persons who are volentium audire libere valeant et huiusmodi confitentibus prout suitable, of approved life, discreet, modest and skilled for such a secundum deum expedire cognoverint salutary ministry and office. These they are to present or have poenitentias imponere salutares atque eisdem absolutionis beneficium presented to the prelates that by their leave, favour and good will, they impendere de licentia gratia et may hear the confessions of those wishing to confess to them in the beneplacito eorundem. Ac deinde praefati magistri priores provinciales et prelates’ cities and dioceses, impose salutary penances and grant ministri ordinum praedictorum eligere absolution, as has been said above. They are by no means to hear studeant personas sufficientes idoneas vita probatas discretas modestas atque confessions outside the cities and dioceses for which they were peritas ad tam salubre ministerium et appointed. We want them to be appointed for cities and dioceses, not officium exsequendum quas sic ab ipsis electas repraesentent vel faciant for provinces. The number of persons to be chosen for this ministry praesentari praelatis ut de eorum ought to be in proportion to that which the number of clergy and licentia gratia et beneplacito in civitatibus et dioecesibus eorundem people demands. huiusmodi personae sic electae confessiones confiteri sibi volentium audiant imponant poenitentias salutares et beneficium absolutionis in posterum impendant prout superius est expressum extra civitates et dioeceses in quibus fuerint deputatae per quas eas volumus et non per provincias deputari confessiones nullatenus auditurae. Numerus autem personarum assumendarum ad huiusmodi officium exercendum esse debet prout universitas cleri et populi ac multitudo vel paucitas exigit eorundem. “If the prelates grant the permission requested for hearing confessions, Et si iidem praelati petitam licentiam 184 the said masters, ministers and others shall receive it with thanks, and confessionum huiusmodi audiendarum concesserint illam praefati magistri the persons chosen should carry out the duties entrusted to them. If the ministri et alii cum gratiarum recipiant prelates do not accept one of the friars presented to them, another may actione dictae que personae sic electae commissum sibi officium and should be presented in his place. But if the prelates issue a general exsequantur. Quod Si forte iam dicti refusal to the friars chosen, we graciously grant, from the fullness of praelati quemquam ex dictis fratribus praesentatis eisdem ad huiusmodi our apostolic power, that they may freely and lawfully hear the officium nollent habere vel non confessions of those wishing to confess to them and impose salutary ducerent admittendum eo amoto vel subtracto loco ipsius similiter eisdem penances, and then impart absolution. By this permission, however, praesentandus praelatis possit et we by no means intend to give more ample power to such friars than is debeat alius subrogari. Si vero iidem praelati praefatis fratribus ad granted by law to the parish clergy, unless perhaps the prelates of the confessiones ut praemittitur audiendas churches think that such power should be given to them. electis huiusmodi exhibere licentiam recusarint nos exnunc ipsis ut confessiones sibi confiteri volentium libere licite que audire valeant et eisdem poenitentias imponere salutares atque eisdem beneficium absolutionis impertiri gratiose concedimus de plenitudine apostolicae potestatis. Per huiusmodi autem concessionem nequaquam intendimus personis seu fratribus ipsis ad id taliter deputatis potestatem in hoc impendere ampliorem quam in eo curatis vel parochialibus sacerdotibus est a iure concessa nisi forsan eis ecclesiarum praelati uberiorem in hac parte gratiam specialiter ducerent faciendam. “To this decree and regulation of ours we add that the friars of the said Huiusmodi quoque statuto et ordinationibus nostris adicimus ut orders may provide free burial everywhere in their churches and fratres dictorum ordinum in ecclesiis cemeteries, that is they may receive for burial all who have chosen vel locis suis ubilibet constitutis liberam ut sequitur habeant these places for their burial. Yet, lest parish churches and their clergy, sepulturam videlicet quod omnes ad whose office it is to administer the sacraments and to whom it belongs eam recipere valeant qui sepeliri elegerint in locis et ecclesiis by law to preach God’s word and to hear the confessions of the memoratis. Verum ne parochiales faithful, should be denied their due and necessary benefits, since the ecclesiae et ipsarum curati sive rectores qui ministrare habent labourer deserves his wages, we decree and ordain by the same ecclesiastica sacramenta quibus apostolic authority, that the friars are obliged to give the parish clergy noscitur de iure competere praedicare seu proponere verbum dei et a fourth part of all the income from funerals and from everything left confessiones fidelium debitis et to them, expressly or not, for whatever definite purpose, even from necessariis beneficiis defraudentur cum operariis mercedis exhibitio such bequests of which a fourth or canonical part is not claimed by debeatur auctoritate apostolica custom or by law, and also a fourth part of bequests made at the death constituimus et ordinamus eadem ut dictorum ordinum fratres de or at the point of death of the giver, whether directly or through a third obventionibus omnibus tam party. We set and also limit this amount to the fourth part by our funeralibus quam quibuscunque et quomodocunque relictis distincte vel apostolic authority. The friars are to see to it that bequests are not left indistincte ad quoscunque certos vel to others from whom this fourth part is not owed, to the advantage or determinatos usus de quibus etiam quarta sive canonica portio dari sive interest of the friars themselves, nor go in this way as gifts to these exigi non consuevit vel non debet de others; and that they do not arrange for that which would be given at iure nec non de datis vel qualitercunque donatis in morte seu death or in illness to the friars, to be given to themselves while the mortis articulo in infirmitate donantis donors are healthy. We intend to prevent anything of this kind by vel dantis de qua decesserit quomodocunque directe vel indirecte binding the friars’ consciences, so that if, which God forbid, any fratribus ipsis vel aliis pro eisdem deceit or fraud has been practised by the friars themselves, contrary to quartam partem quam auctoritate apostolica taxamus et etiam limitamus their obligation to the said priests, rectors and pastors, a strict account parochialibus sacerdotibus et will be demanded at the last judgment. The rectors of parishes, pastors ecclesiarum rectoribus seu curatis largiri integre teneantur facturi et and prelates may not, however, exact more than this portion, nor are curaturi quod nec alii nec aliis a quibus the friars obliged to pay more, nor may they be compelled by anyone quarta huiusmodi minime deberetur ad to do so. ipsorum fratrum utilitatem vel 185 commodum huiusmodi fiant relicta aut in eos taliter data vel donata procedant seu quod in morte vel ab infirmis huiusmodi dandum vel donandum fratribus ipsis exsisteret in eorundem dantium vel donantium sanitate sibi dari vel donari procurent. In quibus per ipsos vitandis eorum intendimus conscientias onerare ut si quod absit per fratres ipsos dolo vel fraude quicquam in hac parte agi fortasse contigerit praeter id quod eos propterea dictis sacerdotibus rectoribus et curatis teneri volumus etiam districta ratio in extremi iudicii examine requiratur ab eis. Ultra portionem autem huiusmodi nihil valeant parochiales rectores curati et praelati exigere supra dicti neque illis dicti fratres amplius impendere sint adstricti neque ad id a quoquam possint aliqualiter coerceri. “In order that everything may go forward evenly and peacefully with Nos etenim ut in cunctis aequaliter et pacifice favente domino procedatur the Lord’s favour, we revoke, void, annul and invalidate completely universa privilegia gratias indulgentias all the privileges, favours and indults granted orally or in writing, in verbo seu scripto sub quacunque forma vel expressione seu conceptione any form or expression of words, by ourself or our predecessors as verborum a nobis vel praedecessoribus Roman pontiffs to any of the said orders, and also customs, nostris Romanis pontificibus cuicunque ordinum praedictorum concessa nec agreements and contracts, in so far as these are contrary to the above non consuetudines conventiones provisions or any one of them. We declare all such privileges to be statuta et pacta in quantum sunt praemissis vel alicui praemissorum null and void. Furthermore, by this present decree, we earnestly ask contraria ea penitus revocamus and exhort, indeed we strictly command, all prelates of churches, of vacuamus cassamus et irritamus quin immo cassa vacua et irrita nunciamus whatever pre-eminence, status or dignity, and the parish priests, et decernimus nullius prorsus exsistere pastors and rectors, out of their reverence for God and the apostolic firmitatis. Ceterum universos ecclesiarum praelatos cuiuscunque see, to show friendliness to these orders and their members, not being praeeminentiae status vel dignitatis difficult, severe, hard or austere to the friars, but rather gracious, exsistant ac sacerdotes parochiales et curatos sive rectores praedictos favourable and kind, showing them a spirit of holy generosity. They praesentium tenore rogamus et should accept the friars as suitable fellow-workers in the office of hortamur attente nihilominus que eis districte praecipiendo mandamus preaching and explaining God’s word and in everything else quatenus pro divina et apostolicae mentioned above, admitting them with ready kindness and affection to sedis reverentia praedictos ordines et professores eorum habentes affectu a share in their labours, so as to increase their reward of eternal benevolo commendatos fratribus ipsis happiness and the fruitful harvest of souls. Nor let them be unaware non se difficiles graves duros aut asperos sed potius favorabiles that if perhaps they act otherwise, the kindness of the apostolic see, propitios ac benignos pia que which honours these orders and their members with great favour and munificentia liberales se studeant exhibere sic eos in praedicationis holds them in its heart, will with good reason be roused against them, officio et propositionibus verbi dei ac in nor can it tolerate with good will such behaviour without applying a omnibus aliis supra dictis tanquam cooperatores eorum idoneos et suitable remedy. The indignation, moreover, of the heavenly king, the laborum suorum participes prompta just rewarder, whom the friars serve with all earnestness, will not be benignitate recipiant ac affectuose admittere non omittant ut proinde illis lacking.” aeternae beatitudinis praemium augeatur et animarum salutis incrementa felicia procurentur. Nec ipsos lateat quod si secus ab eis agi fortasse contigerit in hac parte apostolicae sedis benignitas quae ordines et professores eosdem ubere favore prosequitur et gerit in visceribus caritatis contra eos non immerito turbaretur nec eadem aequanimiter pati posset quin super hoc provisionis opportunae remedium adhiberet ipsos que nihilominus coelestis indignatio principis digna pro meritis rependentis 186 cuius obsequia fratrum ipsorum sedulitas curiosa prosequitur minime praeteriret. [2.11]. There are religious who presume to usurp by cunning fraud, or Religiosi quicunque qui novalium aut alias decimas ecclesiis debitas ad eos under a feigned title, tithes on newly tilled land or other tithes owing ex aliqua causa legitima non to churches, to which they have no legal claim, or who do not permit spectantes appropriare sibi praesumpserint aut exquisitis or even forbid tithes to be paid to the churches on animals belonging fraudibus sive coloribus usurpare seu to their familiars and shepherds or others whose animals intermingle qui de animalibus familiarium et pastorum suorum vel aliorum etiam with their flocks, or on animals which they buy in many places and animalia ipsa eorum gregibus then hand over to the keeping of sellers or others, thus defrauding the immiscentium seu qui de animalibus quae in fraudem ecclesiarum in churches, or on land the cultivation of which they have entrusted to pluribus locis emunt empta que others. If such religious, after claim has been made by those whom it tradunt venditoribus vel aliis ab ipsis tenenda seu qui de terris quas tradunt concerns, do not desist within a month from the above practices, or if aliis excolendas decimam solvi they do not make fitting satisfaction to the defrauded churches within ecclesiis non permiserint aut prohibuerint nisi post requisitionem per two months, they are and remain suspended from their offices, eos quorum intererit super hoc eis administrative posts and benefices until they have desisted and made factam a praemissis destiterint infra mensem aut si de iis quae contra satisfaction, as stated above. If these religious have no administrative praemissa usurpare vel retinere posts or benefices, they incur, in place of suspension, the sentence of praesumpserint infra duos menses damnificatis ecclesiis emendam non excommunication, from which they cannot receive absolution before fecerint competentem sint et tamdiu making due satisfaction, notwithstanding privileges to the contrary. maneant ab officiis administrationibus et beneficiis suis suspensi donec We do not wish, however, this decree to apply where animals are held destiterint et satisfecerint ut superius by oblates of the religious, provided that these oblates have given est expressum. Quod si religiosi huiusmodi administrationes vel themselves and their possessions to the religious. beneficia non habeant eo casu quo alii supra dicti suspensionis ipsi sententiam excommunicationis incurrant ante satisfactionem condignam nullatenus absolvendi privilegiis non obstantibus quibuscunque. Ceterum praemissa extendi nolumus ad animalia quae per religiosorum ipsorum donatos seu oblatos tenentur dum tamen illi religiosis eisdem cum effectu donaverint aut obtulerint se et sua. [2.12]. If a tithe on the benefices of anyone be granted for a time, the Si beneficiorum decima cuiusvis simpliciter concedatur ad tempus tithe can and should be raised in accordance with the customary secundum taxationem decimae in illis valuing of the tithe in the regions in which the grant is made, and in partibus in quibus fiet concessio consuetam et ad monetam currentem the money generally current. We do not wish the chalices of churches, communiter ipsa decima levari poterit books and other equipment destined for divine worship to be taken or et debebit. Nec per collectores levatores sive exactores ipsius received as security or distraint by the collectors, raisers or exactors of decimae ecclesiarum calices libros et the tithe, nor are such objects to be distrained or seized in any way. alia ornamenta divinis officiis deputata ex causa pignoris vel distractionis capi vel recipi volumus nec distrahi seu quomodolibet occupari. [2.13]. In order that those who profess poverty in any order may Ut professores cuiusvis paupertatis ordinis eo libentius in qua vocati sunt persevere more readily in the vocation to which they have been called, vocatione persistere transeuntes que and that those who have gone over to a non-mendicant order may ad non mendicantium ordinem in eodem conservari quietius studeant apply themselves to live there more peacefully the more the ambition quo in ipsis discordiarum et which produces discord and division is checked, we decree, with the schismatum productiva ambitio reprimetur sacro concilio approbante approval of the sacred council, that any mendicants, who even with statuimus mendicantes quoslibet qui apostolic authority shall go over to non-mendicant orders in the future ad non mendicantium ordines etiam auctoritate apostolica transibunt in or have hitherto done so, even though they now hold the office of prior posterum qui ve hactenus transiverunt or obedientiary or other offices, or have any care or government of quamvis nunc prioratus administrationes vel officia aut curam souls in the non-mendicant order, shall have no voice or place in the animarum vel regimen quodcunque chapter, even though this be granted freely to them by the others. They obtineant inibi vocem aut locum in may not continue to hold the office of prior or obedientiary or other capitulo non habere etiamsi hoc sibi ab 187 offices previously held, even as vicar or minister or deputy, nor may aliis libere concedatur ad prioratus quoque administrationes aut they have the care or government of souls either directly or on behalf quaecunque in antea non assumi of others. All actions contrary to this decree shall be automatically null officia etiam tanquam vicarios seu ministros vel locum aliorum tenentes and void, notwithstanding any privilege whatsoever. We do not quod que animarum curam et regimen however wish this constitution to extend to those mendicant orders nec pro se possint nec pro aliis exercere. Quicquid autem in which the apostolic see has allowed to continue on condition that they contrarium attentatum fuerit sit irritum admit no more persons to profession, and to which it has granted a ipso iure quovis privilegio non obstante. Ad illorum autem general permission for passing to other approved orders. mendicantium ordines quos apostolica sedes eo modo subsistere voluit ut eorum professoribus ita in illa remanere liceret quod nullum extunc admitterent ad professionem eorum quibus que concessit licentiam generalem ad approbatos alios ordines transeundi praesentem nolumus constitutionem extendi. [2.14]. That nothing unbecoming or corrupt find its way into that field Ne in agro dominico sacra videlicet monachorum nigrorum religione of the Lord, namely the sacred order of the black monks, or anything indecorum aliquid obrepat aut vitiosum grow into a ruinous crop, but rather that the flowers of honour and quicquam perniciose in segetem coalescat sed ut in illa potius flores integrity may there produce much fruit, we decree as follows. honoris et honestatis fructus in ubertate succrescant eis We forbid the monks all excess or irregularity with regard to clothes, in vestibus inordinatum omnem seu exquisitum ornatum aut cultum nec food, drink, bedding and horses. We decree that the upper garment non in cibis et potibus equitaturis et next to their habit should be black, brown or white, according to the lectisterniis quemvis notabilem interdicentes excessum statuimus ut custom of the region in which they live. The quality of the cloth superior vestis ipsorum habitui should not exceed monastic moderation, nor should they seek what is proxima nigri bruni aut albi coloris exsistat iuxta morem apud eos servari expensive and fine, but what is practical. The garment itself should be solitum in regione qua degunt. Nec in round and not slit, neither too long nor too short; it should have broad qualitate panni regularis excedatur modestia nec quaeratur quod sleeves extending to the hands, not sewn or buttoned in any way. The pretiosius et subtilius sed quod utilius monks should be content with an almuce of black cloth or fur in place valet inveniri. Sit etiam vestis ipsa rotunda per circuitum et non scissa of a hood together with the hood of the habit which they wear, or by nec longitudine nimia aut brevitate arrangement of the abbot they may wear unpretentious hoods which notanda largas etiam manicas habeat usque ad pugnum protensas non are open over the shoulders. They should not wear silk in place of fur. consutitias vel quomodolibet They may use large summer shoes or high boots for their footwear. botonatas. Almutiis de panno nigro vel pellibus caputiorum loco cum caputiis None shall presume to wear an ornate belt, knife or spurs, or ride a habitus quem gestaverint sint contenti horse with the saddle highly ornamented with nails or sumptuous in iuxta tamen dispositionem abbatis scissis super humeros et honestis any other way, or with a decorative iron bridle. caputiis uti possint. In vestibus sendatum pro foderaturis non portent. Estivalibus largis aut botis altis pro calceamentis utantur. Nullus zonam cultellum calcaria cum ornatu deferre aut cum sella clavorum ornatu decorata superfluo vel nimis alias sumptuosa sive cum freno ferraturam ad ornatum habente equitare praesumat. In communities in which there are twelve monks or more, the abbot, Rursus in locis in quibus fuerit congregatio duodecim monachorum prior or other superior may wear within the monastery walls a frock of aut supra infra septa monasterii abbas the cloth customarily used for the frocks and cowls of the monastery; prior aut alius praesidens portet flocum de panno pro flocis aut cucullis in ipso other monks in monasteries where frocks are customarily worn should monasterio consueto monachi vero alii use them also. In other monasteries, however, and in houses and in monasteriis in quibus flocos soliti sunt portare debent etiam uti eis. In priories where there is a smaller community, they should wear cowls aliis autem monasteriis et infra domos which are closed and of becoming appear ance. When the abbots, et alios prioratus ubi non est tanta congregatio monachorum cucullas priors or other superiors and other monks set footoutside the clausas deferant et honestas. Cum monastery, they should wear a frock or a cowl or a closed cloak; if vero abbates priores aut alios they wear the cloak, they should wear underneath it a cowl or, if they praesidentes et monachos alios extra 188 prefer, a scapular. When they put on albs or sacred vestments in order monasterium proficisci continget flocum cucullam aut capam clausam to minister at the divine offices, or when they are engaged in work, habeant et subtus capam si eam they may wear the scapular. Lest any uncertainty arises from the portaverint cucullam deferant aut si maluerint scapulare. Cum autem ad different meanings in different regions of the world of the words cowl serviendum in divinis officiis albis vel and frock, we declare that by cowl we understand a long and full habit sacris vestibus induentur aut cum occupabuntur in operibus uti eis liceat without sleeves, and by frock we understand a habit with long full scapulari. Verum ne ex diversa sleeves. acceptione quam in diversis regionibus huiusmodi vocabula flocus videlicet et cuculla dicuntur habere haesitandi circa praemissa materia relinquatur cucullae nomine habitum longum et amplum sed manicas non habentem nomine vero floci habitum qui longas et amplas habet manicas nos intelligere declaramus. At least once every month, both inside and outside the monastery, Sane singulis mensibus tam in monasteriis quam extra sublata each and all of the monks must go to confession, and on the first occasione quacunque ad confessionem Sunday of each month they should receive communion in the saltem semel accedant omnes et singuli monachi et in prima dominica monastery, except for some reason which they should make known to mensis cuiuslibet in monasteriis the abbot, prior or confessor in the monastery; they should abide by semper communicent nisi ex causa forte quam abbati priori aut his decision. When the rule is read in chapter, it is to be explained in poenitentiariis monasteriorum non the vernacular by him who presides, or by someone else appointed by differant intimare eorum que iudicio vel abstineant vel accedant. Regula him, for the sake of the younger monks. The novices shall have a quoque cum in capitulo legitur ab illo competent instructor in the divine offices and in regular observance. qui praeest ipsi capitulo vel alio cui hoc ipse iniunxerit propter iuniores vulgariter exponatur. Novitiis etiam fidelis deputetur instructor tam in divinis officiis quam in observantia regulari. All shall always abstain from hunting and fowling. They shall not be Porro a venationibus et aucupationibus omnes semper abstineant nec eis present at them, nor presume to have hunting-dogs or birds of prey in interesse aut canes vel aves venaticos their keeping or in that of others, nor permit familiars living with them per se vel alios tenere praesumant nec a familiaribus se cum morantibus to keep them, unless the monastery has woods, game preserves or teneri permittant nisi saltus vivaria vel warrens, or has the right to hunt on property belonging to others, in garenas proprias vel ius venandi in alienis haberent in quibus cuniculi vel which there might be rabbits or other wild animals. They are then ferae aliae forsan essent quo casu hoc permitted to keep such dogs and birds, as long as they do not keep the eis permittitur dum tamen infra monasteria seu domos quas inhabitant hunting-dogs in the monastery or the houses in which they live or aut eorum clausuras venaticos canes within the cloister, and the monks themselves do not appear at the non teneant nec venationi praesentiam hunt. exhibeant personalem. If someone rashly violates the above regulations, he shall be subject to Si quis autem praemissorum temerarius exstiterit violator regulari the regular discipline. If he presumes to wear unlaced high shoes, or a subiaceat disciplinae et nihilominus si hood not open as aforesaid, he is also suspended from conferring sotulares non corrigiatos et altos aut caputia ut praefertur non fissa portare benefices for a year, if he is an abbot or a prior who does not have an praesumpserit siquidem abbas vel abbot above him; if anyone else, he is suspended for a year from prior non habens abbatem proprium fuerit per annum se noverit a administrative office, if he holds any. beneficiorum collatione suspensum si vero alius fuerit ab administratione si quam obtinet sit per annum suspensus. If he has no administrative office, he is automatically disqualified for a Quod si nullam habeat eo ipso per annum reddatur inhabilis ad year from holding such office or an ecclesiastical benefice. If any are administrationem et ecclesiasticum deliberately present at rowdy hunting or fowling or occupied in other beneficium obtinendum. Si qui vero eorum venationi aut aucupationi ways with dogs and birds, they incur automatic suspension and clamose vel alias cum canibus aut disqualification, according to the above distinction of persons, for two avibus ex proposito interfuerint iuxta praemissam personarum distinctionem years. If the abbot or prior has been suspended from conferring dictarum suspensionis et inhabilitatis benefices, this devolves, with the counsel and assent of the community poenas per biennium ipso facto incurrant. Abbate autem vel priore a or its greater part, on the claustral prior. collatione ut praemittitur beneficiorum 189 suspenso ad priorem claustralem cum consilio et assensu conventus vel maioris partis ipsius eorundem beneficiorum collatio devolvatur. Some monks, as we hear, throw off the sweet yoke of regular Quia vero nonnulli monachorum ipsorum sicut accepimus suavi iugo observance and leave their monasteries, feigning that they cannot observantiae regularis abiecto securely remain there, or under some other pretext, to wander about interdum propriis relictis monasteriis se in eis secure morari non posse the courts of princes. Unless these monks’ superiors grant them the fingentes vel alio colore quaesito per pension or subsidy which they ask for, the monks conspire against curias principum evagando discurrunt et nisi a praelatis eorum petita pensio their superiors, betray them or otherwise oppress them, bring about vel subventio assignetur eisdem their capture and imprisonment, have their own monasteries burned, conspirantes in illos eis que proditionem vel alia gravia imponentes and occasionally even presume to seize in whole or in great part the eos capi et incarcerari ipsorum que property of the monastery. We wish to counter such unprincipled monasteria comburi procurant et interdum monasteriorum ipsorum bona audacity. We forbid, by this perpetual edict, that monks and canons in totum vel in partem non modicam regular who are not administrators should presume, without special occupare praesumunt nos eorum in hac parte reprobis ausibus obviare leave of their superiors, to betake themselves to the courts of princes. volentes hoc edicto perpetuo If, in order to do harm to their superiors or monasteries, they presume prohibemus ne monachi aut regulares canonici administrationem aliquam non to go to such courts, we determine that they incur automatic habentes ad curias principum absque excommunication. We nevertheless strictly enjoin on their superiors to speciali praelatorum suorum licentia se conferre praesumant. Quod si ut suis restrain them with all diligence from visiting the said courts and from praelatis aut monasteriis damnum any wandering about; they are to correct severely those who do not aliquod inferant ad dictas curias se conferre praesumpserint obey. We decree that monks who keep arms inside their monastery, excommunicationis sententiam eos without leave of their abbot, incur the same sentence. incurrere volumus ipso facto praelatis eorum districte nihilominus iniungentes ut ipsos a praedictarum curiarum accessu et aliis quibuslibet vagationibus et discursu diligenter compescere ac super hoc non parentes eisdem severe corrigere non omittant. Praefatae quoque sententiae monachos infra septa monasteriorum sine licentia abbatum suorum arma tenentes decernimus subiacere. Following in the footsteps of our predecessors, we forbid by a Ad haec praedecessorum nostrorum vestigiis inhaerentes perpetuo perpetual edict that monks presume to live alone in houses and priories prohibemus edicto ne monachi singuli of which they have charge. If the incomes of such priories and houses in singulis sibi commissis administrationibus vel prioratibus do not suffice for the support of two, then, unless the abbots make habitare praesumant.Sed si proventus them sufficient, let the local ordinaries, with the advice and consent of prioratuum seu administrationum huiusmodi duobus forte non suppetant the abbots, unite these houses and priories with neighbouring places iidem prioratus seu administrationes belonging to the monasteries, or with offices of the monasteries, or nisi per abbates ad sustentationem duorum sufficientes reddantur locis with one another, as will be most convenient. The monks of the places aliis vicinioribus ad eorum monasteria which will be united to others are first to be recalled to their pertinentibus vel ipsorum monasteriorum officiis aut inter se monastery, and due provision is to be made, from the incomes of the invicem prout erit commodius cum said places, for the clergy who are to serve there. Furthermore, consilio et assensu abbatum per locorum ipsorum ordinarios uniantur conventual priories cannot be conferred or entrusted to anyone under monachis locorum quae aliis unientur twenty-five, and non-conventual priories having the care of souls, prioribus ad claustrum primitus revocandis et clericis servituris ibidem even if that care is exercised by secular priests, to anyone under de locorum ipsorum proventibus twenty. Those who hold priories of either kind are to have themselves provisione debita facienda. Ceterum prioratus conventuales alicui nisi ordained priest within a year from the time of their collation or vigesimum quintum annum attigerit commission and taking possession, or before the age of twenty-five if alii vero curam animarum habentes etsi cura ipsa per saeculares habeat they are entrusted with or collated to non-conventual priories when presbyteros exerceri cuiquam nisi they are under that age. If they have not done this, and are without vigesimum annum peregerit conferri nequeant aut committi. Qui autem reasonable excuse, they are deprived of the said priories, even without prioratus istos vel illos habuerint infra previous admonition, and the priories may not be conferred on them annum computandum a tempore again that time. Nobody may be given or entrusted with a priory or an collationis seu commissionis sibi factae 190 administrative post unless he has previously made profession in a de eis et possessionis eorum adeptae vel infra vigesimum quintum aetatis monastic order. Those appointed to priories or administrative posts suae annum si ante annum ipsum non outside the monastery are not permitted to remain in the monastery conventuales prioratus eis commisi fuerint aut collati se faciant ad and are obliged to reside where they hold office, notwithstanding any sacerdotium promoveri. Quod si contrary custom, unless they are excused for a time from this cessante rationabili causa non fecerint eo ipso nulla etiam monitione residence for some reasonable cause, such as studies. In order to praemissa praedictis prioratibus sint promote divine worship, we decree that every monk, at the command privati qui ipsis iterum ea vice nullatenus conferantur. Sane prioratus of his abbot, should have himself raised to all the sacred orders, unless aliquis sive administratio committi there is some lawful excuse. Further, in order that the monks may not alicui vel conferri non possit nisi expresse professus fuerit ordinem be deprived of the opportunity to make progress in knowledge, there monachalem neque prioratus aut should be in each monastery which has sufficient means a suitable administrationes extra monasteria obtinentes permittantur in monasteriis master to instruct them carefully in the primary branches of sed teneantur in ipsis prioratibus seu knowledge. administrationibus quacunque non obstante consuetudine residere nisi ex studiorum vel alia causa rationabili ad tempus forte ab huiusmodi residentia excusentur. Ad ampliationem autem cultus divini statuimus quod monachi quilibet ad monitionem abbatis se faciant ad omnes ordines sacros excusatione cessante legitima promoveri. Rursus ut ipsis monachis proficiendi in scientia via opportuna non desit in singulis ipsorum monasteriis quibus ad hoc suppetunt facultates idoneus teneatur magister qui eos in primitivis scientiis instruat diligenter. All the foregoing, and those things which our predecessor pope Praemissa igitur omnia et ea nihilominus quae felicis recordationis Innocent III of happy memory decreed for greater religious observance Innocentius papa iii praedecessor in the monastic state, regarding clothing, poverty, silence, the eating of noster circa statum monachorum ipsorum pro uberiori cultu meat, the triennial chapter, and anything else, we approve, renew and observantiae regularis quoad usum expressly wish and decree to be strictly observed. camisiarum abdicationem proprietatis silentium et esum Carnium ac de eorum capitulis de triennio in triennium celebrandis et etiam quoad quaelibet alia statuit quae omnia innovamus et approbamus expresse volumus et statuimus firmiter observari. [2.15]. Considering that where discipline is despised, religion suffers Attendentes quod ubi gubernaculum disciplinae contemnitur restat ut religio shipwreck, we have thought it especially necessary to provide that naufragetur providendum censuimus such contempt produces nothing discordant in those who have esse praecipue ne per contemptum huiusmodi in his quae se Christo voto dedicated themselves to Christ by vow, staining the good name of celebri desponderunt quicquam religious life and offending the divine majesty. We therefore, with the reperiatur incongruum quod in regularis ponat honestatis gloria approval of this sacred council, have judged it wise to decree that maculam et divinam merito possit every convent of nuns should be visited each year by their ordinary as offendere maiestatem. Hoc igitur sacro approbante concilio duximus follows: exempt convents subject to the apostolic see alone, by the statuendum ut singula monialium authority of that see; non-exempt convents by the ordinary’s authority, monasteria per ordinarios exempta videlicet quae ita sedi apostolicae quod and other exempt convents, by the authority to whom they are subject. nulli alii subiecta noscuntur apostolica The visitors are to be very careful that the nuns -- some of whom, to non exempta vero ordinaria auctoritate ac exempta alia per alios quibus our sorrow, we have heard are transgressors -- do not wear silk, subsunt annis singulis debeant visitari. various furs or sandals; do not wear their hair long in a horn-shaped Visitatores autem huiusmodi sollicitudinis studium diligenter style, nor make use of striped and multicoloured caps, do not attend impendant ut moniales ipsae quarum dances and the banquets of seculars, do not go walking through the nonnullas dolentes audivimus in subscriptis excedere pannis sericis streets and towns by day or night; and do not lead a luxurious life in variorum foderaturis sandalitiis other ways. They shall carefully withdraw the nuns from the excesses comatis et cornutis crinibus scacatis et virgatis caputiolis non utantur non and allurements of this world and persuade them to devote themselves choreas non festa saecularium 191 in their convents to the cultivation of the virtues which is due to the prosequantur non die noctu ve per vicos et plateas incedant aut Lord. We order the visitors to compel the nuns to observe all this by voluptuosam alias vitam ducant eas suitable measures, notwithstanding exemptions and privileges of any que sollertius retrahant ab insolentiis quibuslibet et mundi huius illecebris ac kind, without prejudice however to these exemptions in other respects. inducant easdem ad impendendum in We also decree that anyone chosen for the office of abbess in those monasteriis suis devotum et debitum virtutum domino famulatum. Ad quae convents where it is customary for abbesses to be blessed, should omnia observanda moniales easdem receive that blessing within a year from the time of her confirmation in non obstantibus exemptionibus et privilegiis quibuscunque quibus tamen office. If she does not, unless there be reasonable cause, she has quoad alia nolumus praeiudicium completely lost her right, and provision is to be made canonically for generari per illos de quibus supra dictum est compelli iubemus remediis the monastery to be provided with an abbess by those to whom this opportunis. Statuimus insuper ut belongs. quaevis ad regimen abbatiarum assumptae in monasteriis in quibus abbatissae sunt solitae benedici infra annum a suae confirmationis tempore computandum munus benedictionis suscipiant alioquin a iure suo nisi subsit causa rationabilis prorsus se noverint cecidisse per illos ad quos id pertinet provisione de abbatissis monasteriis ipsis canonice facienda. We also order, by our apostolic authority, that those women who are Illas quoque mulieres quae vulgo dicuntur canonicae saeculares et ut commonly called secular canonesses and who lead a life like that of saeculares canonici vitam ducunt non secular canons, making no renunciation of private property and no renunciantes proprio nec professionem aliquam facientes per locorum profession, should be visited by the local ordinaries, who are to visit ordinarios si exemptae non fuerint sua the non-exempt on their own authority and the exempt on the authority si vero exemptae fuerint apostolica auctoritate praecipimus visitari per hoc of the apostolic see. By this, however, we are not intending to approve tamen non intendentes earum statum the status, rule or order of secular canonesses. We command the regulam seu ordinem approbare. Ipsos autem visitatores notariis duobus et visitors, in making their visitation, to be content with two notaries and personis duabus suae ecclesiae two persons from their own church and four other men of undoubted quatuor que viris aliis honestis utique et maturis praecipimus in ea quam honour and maturity. Those who presume to hinder the visitors in their visitando facient inquisitione fore task or any part of it, unless they repent on being admonished, incur contentos. Si qui vero visitatores ipsos in praemissis impedire praesumpserint automatic excommunication, notwithstanding any privileges, statutes seu aliquo praemissorum nisi moniti and customs to the contrary. ‘ resipiscant ipso facto excommunicationis sententiam se noverint incursuros privilegiis statutis et consuetudinibus quibuslibet in contrarium minime valituris. [2.16]. The women commonly known as Beguines, since they promise Cum de quibusdam mulieribus beguinabus vulgariter nuncupatis quae obedience to nobody, nor renounce possessions, nor profess any cum nulli promittant oboedientiam nec approved rule are not religious at all, although they wear the special propriis renuncient neque profiteantur aliquam regulam approbatam dress of Beguines and attach themselves to certain religious to whom religiosae nequaquam exsistunt they have a special attraction. We have heard from trustworthy sources quanquam habitum qui beguinarum dicitur deferant et adhaereant that there are some Beguines who seem to be led by a particular religiosis aliquibus ad quos specialiter insanity. They argue and preach on the holy Trinity and the divine trahitur affectio earundem nobis fide digna relatione insinuatum exstiterit essence, and express opinions contrary to the catholic faith with regard quod earum aliquae quasi perductae in to the articles of faith and the sacraments of the church. These mentis insaniam de summa trinitate ac divina essentia disputent et praedicent Beguines thus ensnare many simple people, leading them into various ac circa fidei articulos et ecclesiastica errors. They generate numerous other dangers to souls under the cloak sacramenta opiniones catholicae fidei contrarias introducant et multos super of sanctity. We have frequently received unfavourable reports of their his decipientes simplices eos in errores teaching and justly regard them with suspicion. With the approval of diversos inducant alia que quam plura periculum animarum parientia sub the sacred council, we perpetually forbid their mode of life and quodam velamine sanctitatis faciant et remove it completely from the church of God. We expressly enjoin on committant nos tam ex his quam ex aliis de ipsarum opinione sinistra these and other women, under pain of excommunication to be incurred frequenter auditis eas merito automatically, that they no longer follow this way of life under any suspectas habentes statum earundem form, even if they adopted it long ago, or take it up anew. We strictly sacro approbante concilio perpetuo 192 forbid, under the same penalty, the religious mentioned above, who duximus prohibendum et a dei ecclesia penitus abolendum eisdem et aliis are said to have favoured these women and persuaded them to adopt mulieribus quibuscunque sub poena the Beguinage way of life, to give in any way counsel, help or favour excommunicationis quam in contrarium facientes incurrere volumus to women already following this way of life or taking it up anew; no ipso facto iniungentes expresse ne privilege is to avail against the above. Of course we in no way intend statum huiusmodi dudum forte ab ipsis assumptum quoquo modo sectentur by the foregoing to forbid any faithful women, whether they promise ulterius vel ipsum aliquatenus de novo chastity or not, from living uprightly in their hospices, wishing to live assumant. Praedictis vero religiosis per quos eaedem mulieres in huiusmodi a life of penance and serving the Lord of hosts in a spirit of humility. beguinagii statu foveri et ad ipsum This they may do, as the Lord inspires them. suscipiendum induci dicuntur sub simili excommunicationis poena quam eo ipso quod secus egerint se noverint incursuros districtius inhibemus ne mulieres aliquas praedictum statum ut praemittitur dudum assumptum sectantes aut ipsum de novo forsitan assumentes quomodocunque admittant ipsis super eo sectando vel assumendo praebentes ullo modo consilium auxilium vel favorem nullo contra praemissa privilegio valituro. Sane per praedicta prohibere nequaquam intendimus quin si fuerint fideles aliquae mulieres quae promissa continentia vel etiam non promissa honeste in suis conversantes hospitiis poenitentiam agere voluerint et virtutum domino in humilitatis spiritu deservire hoc eisdem liceat prout dominus ipsis inspirabit. [2.17]. It happens now and then that those in charge of hospices, leper- Quia contingit interdum quod xenodochiorum leprosariarum houses almshouses or hospitals disregard the care of such places and eleemosynariarum seu hospitalium fail to loosen the hold of those who have usurped the goods, rectores locorum ipsorum cura postposita bona res et iura ipsorum possessions and rights of these places. They indeed permit them to slip interdum ab occupatorum et and be lost completely and the buildings to fall into ruin. They have no usurpatorum manibus excutere negligunt quin immo ea collabi et care that these places were founded and endowed by the faithful so deperdi domos et aedificia ruinis that the poor and lepers might find a home and be supported by the deformari permittunt et non attento quod loca ipsa ad hoc fundata et revenues. They have the barbarity to refuse this charity, criminally fidelium erogationibus dotata fuerunt turning the revenues to their own use, even though that which has been ut pauperes infecti que lepra reciperentur inibi et ex proventibus given by the faithful for a certain purpose should, except by authority sustentarentur illorum id renuunt of the apostolic see, be applied to that purpose and no other. Detesting inhumaniter facere proventus eosdem in usus suos damnabiliter convertentes such neglect and abuse, we decree, with the approval of the sacred cum tamen ea quae ad certum usum council, that they to whom the duty belongs by right or by statute laid largitione sunt destinata fidelium ad illum debeant non ad alium salva down at the foundation of these places, or by lawful custom, or by quidem sedis apostolicae auctoritate privilege of the apostolic see, should strive to reform these places in converti nos incuriam et abusum huiusmodi detestantes hoc sacro all that has been referred to above. They are to restore what has been concilio approbante sancimus ut hi ad seized, lost and alienated. They should compel the persons in charge to quos id de iure vel statuto in ipsorum fundatione locorum apposito aut ex receive the poor people and maintain them in accordance with the consuetudine praescripta legitime vel resources and revenues of the places. If they are remiss in this, we privilegio sedis apostolicae pertinet loca ipsa studeant in praedictis enjoin on the local ordinaries, even if the institutions enjoy the omnibus salubriter reformare ac privilege of exemption, to fulfil each and all of the foregoing, either occupata deperdita et alienata indebite in statum reduci debitum faciant et ad directly or through others, and to compel the nonexempt rectors by ipsarum miserabilium personarum their own authority and the exempt and otherwise privileged rectors by receptionem et sustentationem debitam iuxta facultates et proventus the authority of the apostolic see. Those who object, of whatever state locorum ipsorum rectores praedictos or condition they may be, and those who give them counsel, help or compellere non omittant. In quo si forte commiserint negligentiam vel favour, are to be checked by ecclesiastical censure and other legal defectum ordinariis locorum remedies. By this, however, we do not impair the validity of iniungimus ut etiamsi pia loca exemptions or privileges in relation to other matters. praedicta exemptionis privilegio 193 munita consistant per se ipsos vel alios impleant omnia praemissa et singula et rectores eosdem utique non exemptos propria exemptos vero et alios privilegiatos apostolica ad id auctoritate compellant contradictores cuiuscunque status aut conditionis exsistant ac praebentes eisdem circa praemissa consilium auxilium vel favorem per censuram ecclesiasticam et aliis iuris remediis compescendo nullum tamen per hoc exemptionibus seu privilegiis ipsis quoad alia praeiudicium generando. In order that the above may be more readily observed, none of these Ut autem praemissa promptius observentur nullus ex locis ipsis places shall be conferred as benefices on secular clerics, even though saecularibus clericis in beneficium this may have been observed as a custom (which we utterly condemn), conferatur etiamsi de consuetudine quam reprobamus penitus hoc fuerit unless it was otherwise determined at the foundation or unless the post observatum nisi in illorum fundatione is to be filled by election. But let these institutions be governed by secus constitutum fuerit seu per electionem sit de rectore locis prudent suitable men of good repute, who have the knowledge, good huiusmodi providendum. Sed eorum will and ability to rule the institutions, to take care of their property gubernatio viris providis idoneis et boni testimonii committatur qui sciant velint and defend their rights to advantage, to distribute their revenues et valeant loca ipsa bona eorum ac faithfully for the use of needy persons, and who are not likely to divert iura utiliter regere et eorum proventus et reditus in personarum usum the property to other uses. We lay these responsibilities on the miserabilium fideliter dispensare et consciences of those entrusted with these places, calling on the witness quos in usus alios bona praedicta convertere praesumptio verisimilis non of the divine judgment. Those who are entrusted with the government exsistat in quibus sub obtestatione or administration of such places shall also take an oath, after the divini iudicii illorum ad quos dictorum locorum commissio pertinet manner of guardians, and make inventories of the property belonging conscientias oneramus. Illi etiam to the place, and give an account each year of their administration to quibus dictorum locorum gubernatio seu administratio committetur ad the ordinaries or others to whom these places are subject, or to their instar tutorum et curatorum representatives. If anyone attempts to act otherwise, we decree that the iuramentum praestare ac de locorum ipsorum bonis inventaria conficere et appointment, provision or arrangement is null and void. ordinariis seu aliis quibus subsunt loca huiusmodi vel deputandis ab eis annis singulis de administratione sua teneantur reddere rationem. Quod si secus a quoquam fuerit attentatum collationem provisionem seu ordinationem ipsam carere decernimus omni robore firmitatis. We do not wish, however, the foregoing to apply to the hospices of Praemissa vero ad hospitalia militarium ordinum aut religiosorum etiam military or religious orders. For these hospices we order those in aliorum extendi minime volumus charge of them, in virtue of holy obedience, to provide in them for the quorum tamen hospitalium rectoribus in sanctae oboedientiae virtute poor in accordance with the institutes and ancient observances of their mandamus ut in illis secundum suorum orders, and to show themselves duly hospitable. They shall be ordinum instituta et antiquas observantias providere pauperibus et compelled to do this by strict disciplinary measures of their superiors, hospitalitatem debitam in illis tenere notwithstanding any statute or custom. Furthermore, our intention is procurent ad quod per superiores eorum arcta districtione cogantur that, if there are hospices which have had from old times an altar or statutis aut consuetudinibus altars and a cemetery, with priests who celebrate divine services and quibuslibet non obstantibus in praemissis. Ceterum nostrae administer the sacra ments to the poor, or if the parish priests have intentionis exsistit quod si qua sint been accustomed to do this, theseancient customs are to be retained. hospitalia altare vel altaria et coemeterium ab antiquo habentia et presbyteros celebrantes et sacramenta ecclesiastica pauperibus ministrantes seu si parochiales rectores consueverint in illis exercere praemissa antiqua consuetudo servetur quoad exercenda et ministranda spiritualia supra. dicta [2.18]. We wish the constitution to be observed which forbids that Ut constitutio quae ad ecclesiam aliquam quemvis etiam ad anyone even at the presentation of exempt religious, be admitted to 194 some church, contrary custom notwithstanding, unless a portion of the exemptorum praesentationem admitti consuetudine non obstante contraria revenues of that church has been assigned to him in the presence of the prohibet nisi praesentato de diocesan bishop, wherewith he may be able to meet his obligations to proventibus eiusdem ecclesiae talis coram dioecesano portio fuerit the bishop and have a suitable means of livelihood. We are therefore assignata unde iura possit episcopalia taking care, with the approval of the sacred council, to explain the solvere et sustentationem habere congruam sicut expedit observetur constitution and to add certain considerations. Thus we strictly forbid, ipsam declarare ac quaedam adicere adjuring the divine judgment, diocesan bishops to admit anyone consulta huiusmodi sacri concilii approbatione providimus dioecesanis presented by any ecclesiastical person having the right of presentation sub obtestatione divini iudicii districtius to some church, unless within a certain suitable period, set beforehand inhibentes ne praesentatum aliquem per quamcunque personam by the bishop for the presenter, the one presented is assigned, in the ecclesiasticam ius praesentandi ad bishop’s presence, a suitable portion of the revenues. If the one ecclesiam aliquam habentem admittant nisi intra certum terminum presenting neglects to assign this within the period, we decree, lest this competentem per dioecesanos ipsos neglect harm the presentee, that the bishop should then admit him, praesentantibus praefigendum ipsi praesentato fuerit coram eis ut unless there is some other canonical obstacle, and the power of praescribitur congrua de proventibus assigning is to devolve on the bishop as a penalty against the ecclesiae portio assignata. Quam si forsan iidem praesentantes intra presenter. We admonish however the diocesan bishops, adjuring the terminum ipsum assignare neglexerint divine judgment, and we lay it on their consciences, that they act justly ne factum eorum noceat praesentato statuimus ut extunc dioecesani in assigning this portion, nor are they to be knowingly swayed by debeant praesentatum nisi aliud hatred or favour or in any other way to assign more or less than what canonicum obsistat admittere et in poenam praesentantium ad is due. Of course in the churches of priories or of other places, regular dioecesanos ipsos potestas as well as secular, in which religious or others, to whom the revenues assignationis huiusmodi devolvatur. Praecipimus autem dioecesanis eisdem belong, have been accustomed to carry the burdens mentioned above sub ipsius obtestatione divini iudicii the above instructions are not to be observed; but the said religious ipsorum que conscientias oneramus quod moderationem portionis ipsius and others are obliged to undertake all the burdens which would lie debite faciant nec odio vel favore vel upon the permanent priests or vicars if the portion had been assigned alias in pluri vel minori circa illam scienter excedant. Sane in prioratuum to them, to treat the priests and vicars correctly, and to provide them vel aliorum tam regularium quam with adequate and fitting sustenance. We wish the diocesan bishops to saecularium locorum ecclesiis in compel the religious and others by ecclesiastical censure to full quibus religiosi vel alii ad quos eorum reditus pertinere noscuntur praedicta observance of all this, including the assignation of a just portion by the consueverunt onera supportare bishop if the religious and others fail to do this themselves, praemissa nullatenus observentur sed onera omnia quae ecclesiarum ipsarum notwithstanding any exemptions, privileges, customs or statutes, perpetuis presbyteris aut vicariis which we wish to be of no avail to the religious and others with regard incumberent si dicta eis assignatio facta esset religiosi et alii supra dicti to the above. plene subire ac presbyteros seu vicarios ipsos decenter tractare nec non sustentationem eis praestare sufficientem et congruam teneantur. Ad quae omnia integraliter adimplenda et nihilominus ad observationem debitam assignationis per dioecesanum in casu alio ut praemittitur faciendae religiosos praedictos et alios quoslibet a dioecesanis eisdem ecclesiastica volumus censura compelli non obstantibus exemptionibus aut aliis quibuslibet privilegiis consuetudinibus vel statutis quae circa praemissa vel eorum aliquod religiosis ipsis aut in nullo volumus suffragari. [2.19]. Since it is only reasonable that those who enjoy advantages Cum sit naturae consonum illos non recusare onera qui rerum commoda should not refuse the burdens connected with them, we decree by the complectuntur hac in perpetuum following inviolable constitution that any religious who have in any valitura constitutione sancimus ut religiosi quicunque pro monasteriis et way obtained monasteries or churches, should take care to pay the ecclesiis quae ad eos quocunque sunt procurations of legates of the apostolic see and the obligations to titulo devoluta procurationes legatorum sedis apostolicae ac iura bishops and others which were in force before they took possession, episcopalia et alia praestari pro ipsis 195 unless they are excused by privilege of the apostolic see, exemption or antequam ad eos pervenissent solita prompte solvere studeant nisi forsan other lawful cause. We do not wish, however, that such privileges or sedis apostolicae privilegio exemptione exemptions should be extended to monasteries or churches which they vel alia causa legitima ab his se valeant excusare. Privilegia vero seu may happen to acquire in the future. exemptiones huiusmodi ad monasteria seu ecclesias quae ad eos obvenire continget in posterum volumus non extendi. [2.20]. We have heard with sorrow that prelates visiting the Ad nostrum quod dolentes referimus pervenit auditum quod ecclesiarum monasteries of the Cistercian order, although charitably received and praelati ad monasteria Cisterciensis courteously served with all that is needful, are nevertheless not content ordinis accedentes licet ab eis caritative recipiantur et eis curialiter with the food prescribed by the monastic rule. Contrary to the necessaria ministrentur cibis tamen privileges of the said order they demand meat and if it is not served to regularibus non contenti contra privilegia dicti ordinis Carnes petunt et them, they obtain it by force. Although they receive suitable alms in si eis non ministrentur auferunt these monasteries, the prelates procure more for themselves against violenter et licet in locis eisdem fiant eleemosynae competenter ipsi tamen the will of the religious, sometimes even in places where neither praelati ipsis religiosis invitis alias custom nor law provide a title to procurations. They demand and eleemosynas faciunt etiam in aliquibus locis in quibus procurationes non extort money for their horses to be shoed, even when this is habent de consuetudine vel de iure. unnecessary, and their cooks demand and extort money by reason of Pro equitaturis quoque ferrandis licet ferris non egeant et coci eorum sui their office; nor do they observe the arrangements made between the officii ratione pecuniam exigunt et prelates and the monks concerning procurations. extorquent nec compositiones super procurationibus inter praelatos ipsos et eos initas eis servant. In receiving the procurations they are so oppressive that in one short Ipsis etiam in recipiendis procurationibus ita graves exsistunt hour they consume what would last the community for a long time. quod ipsis in eorum monasteriis et They have with them, while they are receiving the procurations, their ecclesiis procuratores recipientibus longi temporis victum brevis hora hunting-dogs, falcons and hawks. Unless their demands are met, the consumit et dum procurationes doors of monasteries or churches are often violently broken and the recipiunt canes venaticos falcones et accipitres se cum habent et nisi ornaments of the church are carried off. Without any privilege from voluntati satisfiat eorum valvae the apostolic see they receive several procurations in one day monasteriorum seu ecclesiarum per violentiam saepe franguntur et occasionally paid in money, even without making a visitation; and on ornamenta ecclesiae exportantur the occasion of these procurations they often demand from the monks plures que procurationes recipiunt una die sedis apostolicae privilegio non what these are not obliged to pay them, laying on the monks an suffulti interdum in pecunia numerata intolerable burden. There are also some prelates who impose on visitationis etiam officio non impenso et occasione dictarum procurationum exempt and other religious the greater part of procurations due to iidem praelati ab ipsis frequenter nuncios of the apostolic see and other extraordinary burdens, in order exigunt quae illis solvere non tenentur intolerabilia eisdem gravamina to free themselves and secular priests, without any consultation with cumulantes. Sunt et nonnulli qui the religious about dividing the load. In many other ways the said procurationes nunciorum apostolicae sedis alia que extraordinaria onera prelates oppress exempt monasteries and churches which are subject to exemptis et aliis religiosis pro maiori these monasteries in both civil and canon law, in receiving their parte imponunt ut se ac presbyteros liberent saeculares religiosos ad procurations and in imposing unaccustomed burdens. ordinandum huiusmodi onerum distributionem minime assumentes. In multis etiam aliis praefati praelati exempta monasteria et ipsorum ecclesias utroque illis iure subiectas gravant in procurationibus recipiendis et oneribus insolitis imponendis. We wish therefore to provide a suitable remedy for this state of affairs. Nos igitur super his volentes de opportuno remedio providere sacri We decree, with the approval of the sacred council, that if the bishops approbatione concilii duximus come to the said monasteries not for visitation but for hospitality, they statuendum ut si episcopi non causa visitationis sed caritativae should receive graciously the refreshment offered in charity to them. hospitalitatis ad monasteria venerint But if the bishops come to these monasteries and receive the supra dicta victualia gratiose recipiant quae caritatis gratia eis fuerint procurations due to them by common law custom, privilege or any ministrata. Ipsis autem episcopis ad other law, they may if they wish be served with meat on days when it monasteria venientibus supra dicta et procurationes ibidem recipientibus sibi is permitted, in the houses of the monasteries if these are available, but 196 outside the monastic precincts, notwithstanding any privilege to the debitas de iure communi consuetudine privilegio vel iure alio speciali in contrary; if the houses are not available, they may be served within the domibus ipsorum monasteriorum extra monastic precincts but not inside the religious door, as it is called. Nor tamen septa ipsorum existentibus si quae fuerint ad hoc aptae alioquin do we consider it unbecoming if the fragments which are collected intra septa ipsa non tamen intra from the tables of the bishops and the members of their households are portam quam regularem appellant Carnium pro congruentia temporis si collected up and given by the bishops’ almoners to the poor of the voluerint privilegio non obstante area. The prelates are carefully to refrain from all the other quocunque cibaria ministrentur. Nec inconveniens reputamus si fragmenta oppressions mentioned above, if they wish to avoid the indignation of quae de mensis ipsorum episcoporum God and of the apostolic see. et suorum familiarium colliguntur per ipsorum episcoporum eleemosynarios ibidem pauperibus erogentur. Ab aliis autem gravaminibus expressis superius praelati diligenter abstineant si dei et apostolicae sedis indignationem voluerint evitare. [2.21]. By the present constitution we order local ordinaries, when the Praesenti constitutione iubemus ut locorum dioecesani contra eos qui ab matter becomes known to them, to publish or have published by their ecclesiis vel personis ecclesiasticis pro subjects the sentences of excommunication and interdict pronounced earum rebus propriis quas non negotiandi causa deferunt aut deferri by law against those who, either on their own initiative or at the faciunt vel transmittunt pedagia vel command of others, exact or extort tolls or imposts, to the danger of guidagia suo vel alieno nomine exigunt vel extorquent in animarum suarum their own souls and the disadvantage of those they oppress, from periculum et eorum a quibus ea churches or ecclesiastical persons for goods that are their own, which exigunt praeiudicium et gravamen excommunicationis et interdicti they are not carrying or having carried or sending for the purposes of sententias a iure prolatas postquam de trade. They shall continue to publish such sentences until restitution is his ipsis constiterit omnino publicent vel a suis subditis tamdiu publicari made for the exactions and fitting satisfaction is given. donec illi sic exacta restituerint et de transgressione huiusmodi satisfecerint competenter. [2.22]. We are gravely disturbed that, owing to the negligence of some Gravi nimirum turbatione movemur quod ex nonnullorum rectorum rectors, their subjects fear no punishment and so are encouraged in bad negligentia quae dum spem behaviour. Many ministers of churches have cast aside clerical impunitatis permittit multam nutrire pestilentiam consuevit in subditis modesty. They ought to offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of plerique ecclesiarum ministri modestia their lips, in purity of conscience and devotion of mind. Instead they ordinis clericalis abiecta dum offerre deo sacrificium laudis fructum presume to say or chant the canonical hours in a hurried manner, labiorum suorum in puritate omitting parts, mingling with them conversation which is mostly vain, conscientiae et animi devotione deberent horas canonicas dicere seu profane and unbecoming. They come late to choir, or often leave the psallere transcurrendo syncopando church without good reason before the end of the office, occasionally extranea quidem et plerumque vana profana et inhonesta intermiscendo carrying birds or having them carried and bringing hunting-dogs with colloquia tarde ad chorum them. As if regardless of their clerical obligations, they presume to conveniendo seu ecclesiam ipsam absque rationabili causa ante finem celebrate or be present at office, even though tonsured and vested, officii exeundo frequenter aves with an utter lack of devotion. interdum portando seu faciendo portari canes que se cum ducendo venaticos ac quasi nihil praetendentes de clericali militia in corona vestibus et tonsura divina etiam celebrare aut eis interesse nimis indevote praesumunt. There are some, both clergy and laity, especially on the vigil of certain Nonnulli etiam tam clerici quam laici praesertim in festorum certorum feasts when they ought to be in church persevering in prayer, who are vigiliis dum in ecclesiis deberent not afraid to hold licentious dances in the cemeteries of the churches orationi insistere non verentur in ipsis earum que coemeteriis choreas facere and occasionally to sing ballads and perpetrate many excesses. From dissolutas et interdum canere this sometimes there follows the violation of churches and cemeteries, cantilenas ac multas insolentias perpetrare ex quibus ecclesiarum et disgraceful conduct and various crimes; and the liturgical office is coemeteriorum violationes inhonesta greatly disturbed, to the offence of the divine majesty and the scandal varia que delicta quandoque sequuntur et ecclesiasticum plerumque of the people nearby. In many churches also the vessels, vestments and perturbatur officium in divinae other articles necessary for divine worship are, considering the maiestatis offensam et adstantium churches’ means, unworthy. scandalum populorum. In multis 197 insuper ecclesiis cum vasis vestimentis et ceteris ornamentis ad divinum cultum necessariis indecentibus utique pensatis earum facultatibus deservitur. We do not wish these transgressions to increase and become a bad Ne igitur transgressiones invalescant huiusmodi aliis que veniant in example to others. We therefore, with the approval of the sacred exemplum sacri concilii approbatione council, forbid these practices. We decree that those whose duty it is -- hoc fieri prohibentes sancimus ut illi ad quos id pertinet et in eorum si utique namely the local ordinaries for the non-exempt and the superiors for exempti non sint negligentiam vel the exempt and otherwise privileged-must exercise watchful, care to defectum locorum ordinarii si vero exempti fuerint aut alias circa hoc get rid of all negligence and carelessness, to reform the above- privilegiati superiores ipsorum omni mentioned things and to correct each of them. Also, the day and night negligentia vel incuria penitus relegata circa reformanda praemissa et eorum office is to be devoutly chanted at the proper hours in cathedrals and in singula corrigenda nec non ut in regular and collegiate churches, and in other churches it is to be cathedralibus regularibus et collegiatis ecclesiis horis debitis devote psallatur fittingly and duly celebrated, if ordinaries and superiors wish to avoid in aliis vero convenienter et debite the indignation of God and of the apostolic see. They are to curb, if celebretur divinum diurnum et nocturnum officium si dei et they have jurisdiction, those who oppose correction, by ecclesiastical apostolicae sedis indignationem censure and other suitable remedies. In this and other matters which evitare voluerint sollicitam curent diligentiam adhibere contradictores concern the worship of God and the reform of morals, and also the per censuram ecclesiasticam honourable reputation of churches and cemeteries, they are to see to it, dummodo ad eos illam exercere pertineat aliis que opportunis remediis as far as duty binds them, that the sacred canons are inviolably compescendo facientes prout ad eos observed, and they shall take care to be well acquainted with these spectat in his et aliis quae ad divinum cultum et morum reformationem canons.’ pertinent ac ecclesiarum et coemeteriorum respiciunt honestatem sacrorum statuta canonum ad quae scienda diligens curent adhibere studium irrefragabiliter observari. [2.23]. We think it altogether right and fitting that clerics, both Dignum prorsus et congruum arbitrantes quod clerici tam religiosi religious and others, who belong to the household of a cardinal of the quam alii cardinalium sacrosanctae holy Roman church or of any bishop in communion with the apostolic Romanae ecclesiae ac quorumcumque pontificum gratiam et communionem see, should join with them in the divine office. We therefore concede, apostolicae sedis habentium with the approval of the sacred council, that these clerics may lawfully commensales domestici se possint ipsis in divinis officiis coaptare ut illud say the same office as the cardinal or bishop, nor are they obliged to quod iidem cardinales seu pontifices say any other. dicunt officium licite dicere valeant nec ad dicendum aliquod aliud teneantur sacri approbatione concilii indulgemus. [2.24]. Among the cares lying heavily on us there is one on which we Inter sollicitudines nostris humeris incumbentes perpeti cura revolvimus reflect constantly: how we may lead the erring into the way of truth ut errantes in viam veritatis inducere and win them for God with the help of his grace. This is what we seek ipsos que lucrifacere deo sua nobis cooperante gratia valeamus hoc est earnestly and longingly, to this we direct our mind with great zeal, to quod profecto desideranter exquirimus this we are alert with an ever-attentive enthusiasm. We are in no doubt ad id nostrae mentis sedulo destinamus affectum ac circa illud that to attain our desire, the word of God should be fittingly explained diligenti studio et studiosa diligentia and preached to great advantage. Nor are we unaware that the word of vigilamus. Non ambigimus autem quin ad huiusmodi nostrum desiderium God is learned in vain and returns empty to the speaker if it is directed assequendum divinorum eloquiorum to the ears of those ignorant of the speaker’s language. We are sit expositio congrua ipsorum que fidelis praedicatio admodum therefore following the example of him whom we, though unworthy, opportuna. Sed nec ignoramus quin et represent on earth. He wished that his apostles, going through the haec promi noscantur inaniter vacua que redire si auribus linguam loquentis whole world to evangelize, should have a knowledge of every tongue. ignorantium proferantur. Ideo que illius We desire earnestly that holy church should be well supplied with cuius vicem in terris licet immeriti gerimus imitantes exemplum qui ituros catholic scholars acquainted with the languages most in use by per universum mundum ad unbelievers. These scholars should know how to train unbelievers in evangelizandum apostolos in omni linguarum genere fore voluit eruditos. the christian way of life, and to make them members of the christian Viris catholicis notitiam linguarum body through instruction in the faith and reception of sacred baptism. habentibus quibus utuntur infideles praecipue abundare sanctam affectamus ecclesiam qui infideles 198 ipsos sciant et valeant sacris institutis instruere christicolarum que collegio per doctrinam christianae fidei ac susceptionem sacri baptismatis aggregare. In order, then, that skill in these languages be attained by suitable Ut igitur peritia linguarum huiusmodi possit habiliter per instructionis instruction, we have stipulated, with the approval of the sacred efficaciam obtineri hoc sacro council, that schools be established for the following languages approbante concilio scholas in subscriptarum linguarum generibus wherever the Roman curia happens to reside and also at Paris, Oxford, ubicunque Romanam curiam residere Bologna and Salamanca: that is, we decree that in each of these places contigerit nec non in Parisiensi et Oxoniensi Bononiensi et Salamantino there should be catholic scholars with adequate knowledge of Hebrew, studiis providimus erigendas Arabic and Chaldaic. There are to be two experts for each language in statuentes ut in quolibet locorum ipsorum teneantur viri catholici each place. They shall direct the schools, make faithful translations of sufficientem habentes Hebraicae books from these languages into Latin, and teach others those Arabicae et Chaldaeae linguarum notitiam duo videlicet uniuscuiusque languages with all earnestness, passing on a skilful use of the linguae periti qui scholas regant inibi language, so that after such instruction these others may, God et libros de linguis ipsis in Latinum fideliter transferentes alios linguas inspiring, produce the harvest hoped for, propagating the saving faith ipsas sollicite doceant earum que among the heathen peoples. The salaries and expenses of these peritiam studiosa in illos instructione transfundant ut instructi et edocti lecturers in the Roman curia will be provided by the apostolic see, sufficienter in linguis huiusmodi those at Paris by the king of France, and those at Oxford, Bologna and fructum speratum possint deo auctore producere fidem propugnaturi Salamanca by the prelates, monasteries, chapters, convents, exempt salubriter in ipsos populos infideles. and nonexempt colleges, and rectors of churches, of England, Quibus equidem in Romana curia legentibus per sedem apostolicam in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, of Italy, and of Spain respectively. The studiis vero Parisiensi per regem burden of contributing shall be imposed on each in accordance with Franciae in Oxoniensi Angliae Scotiae Hiberniae ac Waliae in Bononiensi per the needs of the faculties, notwithstanding any contrary privileges and Italiae in Salamantino per Hispaniae exemptions, which however we do not wish to be impaired in other praelatos monasteria capitula conventus collegia exempta et non respects. exempta et ecclesiarum rectores in stipendiis et sumptibus volumus provideri contributionis onere singulis iuxta facultatum exigentiam imponendo privilegiis et exemptionibus quibuscunque contrariis nequaquam obstantibus quibus tamen nolumus quoad alia praeiudicium generari. [2.25]. It is an insult to the holy name and a disgrace to the christian Cedit quidem in offensam divini nominis et opprobrium fidei christianae faith that in certain parts of the world subject to christian princes quod in quibusdam mundi partibus where Saracens live, sometimes apart, sometimes intermingled with principibus christianis subiectis in quibus interdum seorsum interdum Christians, the Saracen priests commonly called Zabazala, in their vero permixtim cum christianis temples or mosques, in which the Saracens meet to adore the infidel habitant Sarraceni sacerdotes eorum Zabazala vulgariter nuncupati in Mahomet, loudly invoke and extol his name each day at certain hours templis seu mesquitis suis ad quae from a high place, in the hearing of both Christians and Saracens and iidem Sarraceni conveniunt ut ibidem adorent perfidum Machometum diebus there make public declarations in his honour. There is a place, singulis certis horis in loco aliquo moreover, where once was buried a certain Saracen whom other eminenti eiusdem Machometi nomen christianis et Sarracenis audientibus Saracens venerate as a saint. A great number of Saracens flock there alta voce invocant et extollunt ac quite openly from far and near. This brings disrepute on our faith and ibidem verba quaedam in illius honorem publice profitentur ad locum gives great scandal to the faithful. These practices cannot be tolerated insuper ubi olim quidam sepultus any further without displeasing the divine majesty. We therefore, with exstitit Sarracenus quem ut sanctum Sarraceni alii venerantur et colunt the sacred council’s approval, strictly forbid such practices henceforth magna Sarracenorum earundem in christian lands. We enjoin on catholic princes, one and all, who hold partium et etiam aliarum confluit publice multitudo ex quibus nostrae sovereignty over the said Saracens and in whose territory these fidei non modicum detrahitur et grave practices occur, and we lay on them a pressing obligation under the in cordibus fidelium scandalum generatur. Cum autem haec in divinae divine judgment that, as true Catholics and zealous for the christian maiestatis displicentia non sint faith, they give consideration to the disgrace heaped on both them and ullatenus toleranda sacro approbante other Christians. They are to remove this offence altogether from their concilio ipsa in terris christianorum 199 territories and take care that their subjects remove it, so that they may districtius fieri deinceps inhibemus universis et singulis principibus thereby attain the reward of eternal happiness. They are to forbid catholicis sub quorum dominio dicti expressly the public invocation of the sacrilegious name of Mahomet. Sarraceni morantur et fiunt praedicta sub obtestatione divini iudicii obnoxius They shall also forbid anyone in their dominions to attempt in future iniungentes quatenus ipsi tanquam the said pilgrimage or in any way give countenance to it. Those who veri catholici et christianae fidei seduli zelatores opprobrium quod tam ipsis presume to act otherwise are to be so chastised by the princes for their quam ceteris christicolis per praemissa irreverence, that others may be deterred from such boldness. ingeritur debita consideratione pensantes ipsum ut proinde aeternae beatitudinis praemium assequantur de terris suis omnino auferant et a suis subditis auferri procurent inhibendo expresse ne praefata invocatio seu professio nominis ipsius sacrilegi Machometi publice aut peregrinatio praelibata ab aliquo in eorum exsistente dominio audeat attentari de cetero vel quomodolibet sustineri. Hi vero qui secus praesumpserint taliter ob divinam reverentiam castigentur ab ipsis quod alii eorum exemplo perterriti a praesumptione simili arceantur. [2.26]. The apostolic see has received many complaints that some Multorum querela sedis apostolicae pulsavit auditum quod nonnulli inquisitors, appointed by it to suppress heresy, have overstepped the inquisitores per sedem eandem contra limits of the power given to them. They occasionally so enlarge their pravitatem haereticam deputati metas sibi traditas excedentes sic interdum authority that what has been wisely provided by the apostolic see for extendunt suae potestatis officium ut the growth of the faith, oppresses the innocent under pretext of piety quod in augmentum fidei per circumspectam eiusdem sedis and results in harm to the faithful. The work of the inquisition will be vigilantiam salubriter est provisum the more successful the more solemnly, diligently and cautiously its dum sub pietatis specie gravantur innoxii cedat in fidelium detrimentum. investigations are prosecuted. We decree therefore, for the glory of Propter quod ad dei gloriam et God and the increase of the faith, that this work will be done by both augmentum eiusdem fidei ut negotium inquisitionis huiusmodi eo prosperetur diocesan bishops and by inquisitors appointed by the apostolic see. All felicius quo deinceps eiusdem labis worldly affection hatred and fear shall be put aside, as also any indago solemnius diligentius et cautius peragetur ipsum tam per dioecesanos seeking of temporal advantage. We decree that the bishops and the episcopos quam per inquisitores a inquisitors may act independently of one another. They may summon, sede apostolica deputatos omni carnali amore odio vel timore ac cuiuslibet arrest or hold for sake-keeping, even securing those arrested hand and commodi temporalis affectione semotis foot if it seems necessary. For this we hold them responsible. They decernimus exerceri sic quod quilibet de praedictis sine alio citare possit et may also inquire about those concerning whom inquiry seems right arrestare sive capere ac tutae before God and just. The bishop, however, without the inquisitor, or custodiae mancipare ponendo etiam in compedibus vel manicis ferreis si ei the inquisitor without the diocesan bishop or his officer or the delegate visum fuerit faciendum super quo of the chapter when the see is vacant, may not commit to harsh or ipsius conscientiam oneramus nec non inquirere contra illos de quibus pro close imprisonment, which seems more like punishment than custody, huiusmodi negotio secundum deum et or subject anyone to torture or pronounce sentence on anyone, if they iustitiam viderit expedire. Duro tamen tradere carceri sive arcto qui magis ad can have access to each other within eight days after seeking it; any poenam quam ad custodiam videatur contravention of this has no legal validity. If nevertheless the bishop, vel tormentis exponere illos aut ad sententiam procedere contra eos or the delegate of the chapter when the see is vacant, cannot or will not episcopus sine inquisitore aut personally meet the inquisitor, or if the inquisitor cannot or will not inquisitor sine episcopo dioecesano aut eius officiali vel episcopali sede personally meet either of the other two, the matter may be entrusted to vacante capituli super hoc delegato si their proxies or settled by counsel and consent through letters. sui adinvicem copiam habere valeant intra octo dierum spatium postquam se invicem requisierint non valebit et si secus praesumptum fuerit nullum sit et irritum ipso iure. Verum si episcopus vel eius capituli sede vacante delegatus cum inquisitore aut inquisitor cum altero eorundem propter praemissa nequeat aut nolit personaliter convenire possit episcopus vel eius seu capituli sede vacante 200 delegatus inquisitori et inquisitor episcopo vel eius delegato seu sede vacante illi qui ad hoc per capitulum fuerit deputatus super illis committere vices suas vel suum significare per litteras consilium et consensum. In regard to the custody of prisons for heretics, commonly called walls Sane quia circa custodiam carcerum haereticalium qui muri in quibusdam in certain regions, we have realized that much deceit has been partibus vulgariter nuncupantur multas practised of late, and we wish to obviate this. We decree that any such fraudes dudum intelleximus perpetratas nos volentes super hoc prison or wall, which we wish for the future to be for the joint use of providere statuimus ut quilibet talis bishop and inquisitor, shall have two principal guards, discreet, carcer vel murus quem de cetero episcopo et inquisitori praedictis diligent and trustworthy, one to be appointed and provided for by the volumus fore communem duos bishop, the other by the inquisitor. Each of these guards may have a custodes habeat principales discretos industrios et fideles unum quem volet loyal and trustworthy assistant. For each room of the prison there will episcopus et providebit eidem alium de be two different keys, one held by each guard. He may entrust or quo voluerit inquisitor cui etiam providebit et quilibet praedictorum subdelegate his key to his assistant for the purpose of ministering to custodum sub se alium bonum et the prisoners. Furthermore, the guards, before they assume office, fidum poterit habere ministrum. In quolibet etiam conclavi eiusdem shall, in the presence of both the bishop, or the chapter while the see is carceris sive muri erunt duae claves vacant, and the inquisitor, or their substitutes, take an oath on the holy diversae quarum unam unus aliam alius tenebit praedictorum custodum et gospels, which they shall touch, that they will use all diligence and eam cum officio ministrandi quae care in their duty of guarding those placed or to be placed in their incarceratis fuerint ministranda suo poterit committere vel subdelegare custody on account of the crime of heresy; that one guard shall say ministro. Porro coram episcopo vel nothing in secret to a prisoner out of hearing of the other guard; that capitulo sede vacante et inquisitore praedictis vel substitutis ab eis they will administer faithfully and without any deduction the custodes supra dicti antequam suum provisions which the prisoners receive from the administration and officium exsequantur iurabunt ad sancta dei evangelia corporaliter a se those that they may be offered by relatives, friends or other tacta quod in custodia immuratorum et trustworthy persons, unless there is an order to the contrary from the aliorum pro crimine supra dicto in sua custodia positorum et ponendorum bishop and the inquisitor or their deputies, and that in this matter there omnem diligentiam et sollicitudinem will be no fraud. The assistants of the guards shall take the same oath quam poterunt fideliter adhibebunt. Et quod alicui incarcerato nihil unus in in the presence of the same persons before exercising their office. And secreto loquetur quin hoc audiat alter since it often happens that bishops have their own prisons, not shared custos. Et quod provisionem quam incarcerati recipiunt ex ordinatione with inquisitors, we wish and strictly command that the guards communi et illud quod a parentibus et appointed by the bishop, or by the chapter while the see is vacant, and amicis vel aliis personis fidelibus their assistants, shall take a similar oath before the inquisitors or their offeretur eisdem nisi episcopi et inquisitoris vel suorum substitutes. Notaries of the inquisition shall also swear in the presence commissariorum ordinatio refragetur of the bishop and the inquisitor or their substitutes, to exercise the ipsis fideliter et absque deminutione aliqua ministrabunt nec in his fraudem office of notary faithfully. The same shall hold good of other persons aliquam adhibebunt. Et idem necessary for the carrying out of this duty. iuramentum et coram eisdem personis ministri custodum priusquam suum exerceant officium exhibebunt. Et quia saepe contingit episcopos proprios habere carceres sibi et dictis inquisitoribus non communes volumus et districte praecipimus ut custodes ad incarceratorum pro dicto crimine custodiam per episcopos vel sede vacante per capitulum deputandi et eorum ministri coram dictis inquisitoribus vel substitutis ab eis praestent simile iuramentum. Notarii quoque inquisitionis coram episcopo et inquisitore vel substitutis ab eis iurabunt suum officium fideliter exercere. Et idem fiet de aliis personis necessariis ad praedictum officium exsequendum. While it is a grave offence not to work for the extermination of heresy Verum quia nimis est grave ad exterminationem pravitatis praedictae when this monstrous infection requires action, it is also a grave non agere quod ipsius contagiosa 201 offence and deserving of severe punishment to impute maliciously enormitas agendum requirit grave est quoque et damnatione dignissimum such wickedness to the innocent. We therefore order bishops, malitiose insontibus eandem imponere inquisitors and their substitutes, in virtue of holy obedience and under pravitatem episcopo et inquisitori praedictis ac aliis ad dicti threat of eternal damnation, that they proceed discreetly and promptly exsecutionem officii substituendis ab against those suspected of heresy, while not imputing maliciously or eis in virtute sanctae oboedientiae et sub interminatione maledictionis deceitfully such a disgraceful crime to an innocent person, or accusing aeternae praecipimus ut sic discrete et him of hindering them in the execution of their office. If they fail, prompte contra suspectos vel diffamatos de huiusmodi pravitate because of hatred, favour, affection, money or temporal advantage, to procedant quod malitiose aut proceed against someone when they ought, against justice and their fraudulenter tantam labem seu quod ipsos in exsecutione officii inquisitionis conscience, then the bishop or superior is suspended from office for impediat falso alicui non imponant. three years and others incur automatic excommunication, in addition Quod si odii gratiae vel amoris lucri aut commodi temporalis obtentu contra to other punishments imposed in accordance with the gravity of the iustitiam et conscientiam suam offence. The same penalties apply if they presume for the same omiserint contra quemquam procedere ubi fuerit procedendum super reasons to disturb someone with the imputation that he is a heretic or huiusmodi pravitate aut obtentu has hindered them in their duties. They shall obtain absolution from eodem pravitatem ipsam vel impedimentum officii sui alicui this excommunication only from the Roman pontiff, except at the hour imponendo eum super hoc of death, and then after making satisfaction. No privilege shall avail in praesumpserint quoquo modo vexare praeter alias poenas pro qualitate this matter. We wish of course, with the approval of the sacred culpae imponendas eisdem episcopus council, that any other rulings made by our predecessors concerning aut superior suspensionis ab officio per triennium alii vero excommunicationis the office of the inquisition and not in conflict with the above are to sententias eo ipso incurrant. A qua remain in full force. quidem excommunicationis sententia qui eandem incurrerint nisi per Romanum pontificem nequeant praeterquam in mortis articulo et tunc satisfactione praemissa absolutionis beneficium obtinere nullo in hac parte privilegio suffragante. Alia sane quae circa praemissum inquisitionis officium a nostris sunt praedecessoribus instituta quatenus decreto non obviant sacri approbatione concilii roborata in sua volumus firmitate manere. [2.27]. We do not wish the splendour of the faith to be obscured, as it Nolentes splendorem solitum negotii fidei per actus indiscretos et improbos were by a dark shadow, by the indiscreet and wicked acts of any quorumvis inquisitorum haereticae inquisitors of heresy. We therefore decree, with the approval of this pravitatis quasi tenebrosi fumi caligine obfuscari hoc sacro concilio sacred council, that nobody below the age of forty may be entrusted approbante statuimus nullis extunc nisi with the office of inquisitor. We enjoin very strictly on all qui quadragesimum aetatis annum attigerint officium inquisitionis commissaries of inquisitors or of bishops or, in vacant sees, of praedictae committi inquisitoribus et chapters that they do not, under pretext of the office of the inquisition, tam ipsorum quam episcoporum seu capitulorum sede vacante super hoc extort money by any unlawful means from anyone, or knowingly deputatis commissariis quibuscunque attempt to apply the property of churches, on account of the offences districtius iniungentes ne praetextu officii inquisitionis quibusvis modis ab of clerics, even to the treasury of a church. If the commissaries aliquibus pecuniam extorqueant nec disobey, we place them automatically under sentence of scienter attentent ecclesiarum bona ob clericorum delictum praedicti excommunication. They cannot be absolved, except at the moment of occasione officii fisco etiam ecclesiae death, until they have made full satisfaction to those from whom they applicare. Quod si secus in his vel eorum altero fecerint have extorted the money; all privileges, pacts and remissions are of no excommunicationis sententiae eos avail. Notaries and officials of the inquisition, as also the brethren and subiacere decernimus ipso facto a qua non possint absolvi praeterquam in associates of the inquisitors and commissaries, who have secret mortis articulo donec illis a quibus knowledge that the inquisitors and commissaries have committed such extorserint plene satisfecerint de pecunia sic extorta nullis privilegiis extortions, if they wish to avoid the indignation of God and of the pactis aut remissionibus super hoc apostolic see as well as offence to both, shall strive to correct the valituris. Notarii vero et officiales dicti officii nec non fratres et socii culprits severely in secret. If they have such knowledge as to be able inquisitorum et commissariorum to offer proof if need be, they should earnestly report the matter to the ipsorum qui dictos inquisitores aut relevant superiors of the inquisitors and commissaries, and these commissarios secrete noverint talia 202 superiors are obliged to remove from office those found guilty and commisisse si indignationem dei et apostolicae sedis vitare voluerint et then duly to punish or correct them in other ways. Superiors of offensam ipsos graviter arguere et inquisitors who fail to do this are to be informed of this decree by the corrigere studeant in secreto. Quod si taliter ea sciverint ut ea probare local ordinaries, whom we strictly order in virtue of holy obedience to valeant si sit opus haec praelatis make known these affairs to the apostolic see. Furthermore, we strictly inquisitorum et commissariorum eorundem ad quos id pertinebit forbid the inquisitors themselves to abuse in any way the concession to nunciare sollicite debeant qui equidem carry arms, or to have any but the necessary officials for praelati inquisitores et commissarios praedictos reos inde repertos ab officiis accomplishing the duties of their office. amovere et amotos alias punire debite seu corrigere teneantur. Praelatis autem inquisitorum id negligentibus agere praemissa omnia nunciari per praedictos locorum ordinarios volumus quibus ut ea in apostolicae sedis notitiam perferant in virtute sanctae oboedientiae districte praecipimus et mandamus. Porro inquisitoribus ipsis districtius inhibemus ut nec abutantur quomodolibet concessione portationis armorum nec officiales nisi sibi necessarios habeant tales qui se conferant ad sua cum inquisitoribus ipsis officia exsequenda. [2.28]. We entertain in our heart a deep longing that the catholic faith Ad nostrum qui desideranter in votis gerimus ut fides catholica nostris prosper in our time and that the perverseness of heresy be rooted out prosperetur temporibus et pravitas of christian soil. We have therefore heard with great displeasure that haeretica de finibus fidelium exstirpetur non sine displicentia grandi an abominable sect of wicked men, commonly called Beghards, and of pervenit auditum quod secta quaedam faithless women, commonly called Beguines, has sprung up in the abominabilis quorundam hominum malignorum qui beguardi et realm of Germany. This sect, planted by the sower of evil deeds, holds quarundam infidelium mulierum quae and asserts in its sacrilegious and perverse doctrine the following beguinae vulgariter appellantur in regno Alemanniae procurante satore errors. malorum operum damnabiliter insurrexit tenens et asserens doctrina sua sacrilega et perversa inferius designatos errores. First, that a person in this present life can acquire a degree of Primo videlicet quod homo in vita praesenti tantum et talem perfectionis perfection which renders him utterly impeccable and unable to make gradum potest acquirere quod further progress in grace. For, as they say, if someone could always reddetur penitus impeccabilis et amplius in gratia proficere non valebit. make further progress, he could become more perfect than Christ. Nam ut dicunt si quis semper posset proficere posset aliquis Christo perfectior inveniri. Secondly, that it is not necessary to fast or pray after gaining this Secundo quod ieiunare non oportet hominem nec orare postquam gradum degree of perfection, for then the sensitive appetite has been so perfectionis huiusmodi fuerit assecutus perfectly subjected to the spirit and to reason that one may freely grant quia tunc sensualitas est ita perfecte spiritui et rationi subiecta quod homo the body whatever pleases it. potest libere corpori concedere quicquid placet. Thirdly, that those who have reached the said degree of perfection and Tertio quod illi qui sunt in praedicto gradu perfectionis et spiritu libertatis spirit of liberty, are not subject to human obedience nor obliged to any non sunt humanae subiecti commandments of the church, for, as they say, where the spirit of the oboedientiae nec ad aliqua praecepta ecclesiae obligantur quia ut asserunt Lord is, there is freedom. ubi spiritus domini ibi libertas. Fourthly, that a person can gain in this life final beatitude in every Quarto quod homo potest ita finalem beatitudinem secundum omnem degree of perfection that he will obtain in the life of the blessed. gradum perfectionis in praesenti assequi sicut eam in vita obtinebit beata. Fifthly, that any intellectual nature in itself is naturally blessed, and Quinto quod quaelibet intellectualis natura in se ipsa naturaliter est beata that the soul does not need the light of glory to elevate it to see God quod que anima non indiget lumine and enjoy him blissfully. gloriae ipsam elevante ad deum videndum et eo beate fruendum. Sixthly, that the practice of the virtues belongs to the state of Sexto quod se in actibus exercere virtutum est hominis imperfecti et imperfection and the perfect soul is free from virtues. 203 perfecta anima licentiat a se virtutes. Seventhly, that to kiss a woman is a mortal sin since nature does not Septimo quod mulieris osculum cum ad hoc natura non inclinet est mortale incline one to it, but the act of intercourse is not a sin, especially in peccatum actus autem carnalis cum ad time of temptation, since it is an inclination of nature. hoc natura inclinet peccatum non est maxime cum tentatur exercens. Eighthly, that at the elevation of the body of Jesus Christ, they ought Octavo quod in elevatione corporis Iesu Christi non debent assurgere nec not to rise or show reverence to it; it would be an imperfection for eidem reverentiam exhibere them to come down from the purity and height of their contemplation asserentes quod esset imperfectionis eisdem si a puritate et altitudine suae so far as to think about the ministry or sacrament of the eucharist, or contemplationis tantum descenderent about the passion of Christ as man. quod circa ministerium seu sacramentum eucharistiae aut circa passionem humanitatis Christi aliqua cogitarent. With the counterfeit appearance of sanctity they say and do other Nonnulla etiam alia sub simulata quadam sanctitatis specie dicunt things also that offend the eyes of the divine majesty’ and constitute a faciunt et committunt quae oculos grave danger to souls. Since the duty of the office committed to us divinae maiestatis offendunt et grave in se continent periculum animarum. obliges us to exstirpate from the catholic church this detestable sect Cum autem ex debito commissi nobis and the above execrable errors, lest they be further propagated and officii huiusmodi sectam detestabilem et praemissos ipsius exsecrandos corrupt the hearts of the faithful, we condemn and utterly reject, with errores ne propagentur ulterius et per the approval of the sacred council, the sect itself and the errors eos corda fidelium damnabiliter corrumpantur exstirpare ab ecclesia described above, and we strictly forbid anyone henceforth to hold, catholica necessario habeamus nos approve or defend the errors. We decree that those who act otherwise sacro approbante concilio sectam ipsam cum praemissis erroribus are to be punished with canonical censure. The diocesans and the damnamus et reprobamus omnino inquisitors of heresy for the regions where these Beghards and inhibentes districtius ne quis ipsos de cetero teneat approbet vel defendat. Beguines live, are to exercise their office with special care concerning Eos autem qui secus egerint them, making inquiries about their life and behaviour and about their animadversione canonica decernimus puniendos. Porro dioecesani et illarum beliefs in relation to the articles of faith and the sacraments of the partium inquisitores haereticae church. They are to impose due punishment on those whom they find pravitatis in quibus beguardi et beguinae huiusmodi commorantur guilty, unless there is voluntary abjuration of the above errors and suum officium circa eos diligenter repentance with fitting satisfaction. exerceant inquirentes de vita et conversatione ipsorum qualiter ve sentiant de articulis fidei et ecclesiae sacramentis. In illos vero quos culpabiles repererint nisi abiuratis sponte praedictis erroribus poenituerint et satisfactionem exhibuerint competentem debitam exerceant ultionem. [2.29]. Serious suggestions have been made to us that communities in Ex gravi ad nos insinuatione pervenit quod quorundam communitates certain places, to the divine displeasure and injury of the neighbour, in locorum in offensam dei et proximi ac violation of both divine and human law, approve of usury. By their contra iura divina pariter et humana usurariam approbantes quodammodo statutes, sometimes confirmed by oath, they not only grant that usury pravitatem per statuta sua iuramento may be demanded and paid, but deliberately compel debtors to pay it. quandoque firmata usuras exigi et solvi nedum concedunt sed ad By these statutes they impose heavy burdens on those claiming the solvendas eas debitores scienter return of usurious payments, employing also various pretexts and compellunt ac iuxta ipsorum continentiam statutorum gravia ingenious frauds to hinder the return. We, therefore, wishing to get rid plerumque usuras repetentibus onera of these pernicious practices, decree with the approval of the sacred aliis que utendo super his diversis coloribus et fraudibus exquisitis council that all the magistrates, captains, rulers, consuls, judges, repetitionem impediunt earundem. Nos counsellors or any other officials of these communities who presume igitur perniciosis his ausibus obviare volentes sacro approbante concilio in the future to make, write or dictate such statutes, or knowingly statuimus ut quicunque communitatum decide that usury be paid or, if paid, that it be not fully and freely ipsarum potestates capitanei rectores consules iudices consiliarii aut alii restored when claimed, incur the sentence of excommunication. They quivis officiales statuta huiusmodi de shall also incur the same sentence unless within three months they cetero facere scribere vel dictare aut quod solvantur usurae vel quod solutae delete from the books of their communities, if they have the power, cum repetuntur non restituantur plene statutes of this kind hitherto published, or if they presume to observe ac libere scienter iudicare 204 in any way these statutes or customs. Furthermore, since money- praesumpserint sententiam excommunicationis incurrant eandem lenders for the most part enter into usurious contracts so frequently etiam sententiam incursuri nisi statuta with secrecy and guile that they can be convicted only with difficulty, huiusmodi hactenus edita de libris communitatum ipsarum si super hoc we decree that they be compelled by ecclesiastical censure to open potestatem habuerint infra tres their account books, when there is question of usury. If indeed menses deleverint aut si ipsa statuta sive consuetudines effectum eorum someone has fallen into the error of presuming to affirm pertinaciously habentes quoquo modo that the practice of usury is not sinful, we decree that he is to be praesumpserint observare. Ceterum quia feneratores sic ut plurimum punished as a heretic; and we strictly enjoin on local ordinaries and contractus usurarios occulte ineunt et inquisitors of heresy to proceed against those they find suspect of such dolose quod vix convinci possunt de usuraria pravitate ad exhibendum cum error as they would against those suspected of heresy. de usuris agetur suarum codices rationum censura ipsos decernimus ecclesiastica compellendos. Sane si quis in illum errorem inciderit ut pertinaciter affirmare praesumat exercere usuras non esse peccatum decernimus eum velut haereticum puniendum locorum nihilominus ordinariis et haereticae pravitatis inquisitoribus districtius iniungentes ut contra eos quos de errore huiusmodi diffamatos invenerint aut suspectos tanquam contra diffamatos vel suspectos de haeresi procedere non omittant. [2.30]. Complaints, loud, frequent and incessant come to us from Frequens et assidua nos quorundam religiosorum querela circumstrepit certain religious that very many prelates -- bishops, their superiors and quod plerique episcopi et eorum others-unjustly disturb in many ways the peace of the religious. Some superiores et ceteri ecclesiarum praelati ipsorum religiosorum quietem of them seize and imprison exempt religious when the law does not iniuste in subsequentibus multipliciter permit this. Some, by threat of severe penalties, hinder those who owe inquietant. Quidam enim exemptos capiunt et incarcerant in casibus non tithes or revenues to exempt religious from paying and prevent people concessis a iure. Quidam per gravium from hearing their masses. They suspend, interdict and interminationem poenarum impediunt ne debentes exemptis decimas seu excommunicate without reasonable cause the millers of the religious, redditus illos solvant eisdem neve their cooks, servants, vassals, and members of household, and anyone aliqui missas eorum audiant. Molentes in molendinis et coquentes in furnis who has any relation with them, occasionally also seizing unlawfully eorum servientes quoque et vasallos et their goods. They in no way submit to the appeals which the said domesticos eorundem vel alios qualitercunque contrahentes et exempt religious sometimes make with good reason, because of the participantes cum ipsis suspendunt foregoing or other oppressions. They now and then seize the interdicunt et excommunicant absque causa rationabili pro libito voluntatis appellants on the occasion of these appeals, or they have them seized bona illorum interdum nihilominus and thrown into prison. illicite occupantes. Et appellationibus quas praedicti exempti ob praedicta vel alia gravamina rationabiliter interponunt quandoque minime deferentes appellantes occasione appellationum huiusmodi interdum capiunt aut capi faciunt et carceri mancipari. There are some prelates, moreover, who without lawful cause do not Quidam praeterea capellanos in ecclesiis pleno iure spectantibus ad permit chaplains to celebrate nor to administer the sacraments to the eosdem licet nulla causa subsit parishioners in churches belonging fully and lawfully to the exempt legitima celebrare non sinunt nec ministrare parochianis ecclesiastica religious. There are even some prelates who with indiscreet haste sacramenta. Nonnulli etiam indebite unjustly suspend, excommunicate, seize and imprison exempt abbots, abbates monachos et conversos exemptos nec non et clericos ipsis monks and laybrothers, as also clerics legally subject to them, and lay pleno iure subiectos si eis non pareant under interdict their churches and houses, if they do not obey even in in his etiam in quibus non tenentur eisdem inconsulta facilitate matters where there is no obligation. In addition, the prelates exceed suspendunt excommunicant capiunt et all measure in claiming charitable aid from the exempt religious incarcerant ac loca et ecclesias interdicunt ipsorum. In exigendo themselves and from those subject to them. Contrary to law they make insuper ab ipsis exemptis ipsorum que demands which are unjust and unusual. They lay new taxes and unfair subditis subsidia caritatis excedunt 205 burdens on parish churches in which exempt religious have the right of nimium contra eos. Et insolitas ac indebitas ipsis contra iura exactiones patronage. They do not permit legal actions and decisions justly made imponunt. Novos census et indebita in favour of the exempt religious, by delegates of the apostolic see or onera parochialibus imponunt ecclesiis in quibus exempti ius obtinent by conservators, to be made public or to be put into execution by their patronatus. Processus iuste factos seu subjects. They restrain public notaries from drawing up instruments, sententias iuste latas a delegatis sedis apostolicae vel a conservatoribus pro judges from administering justice, and lawyers from giving counsel or exemptis publicari seu exsecutioni aid in the suits or legal business of the exempt religious. mandari a suis subditis non permittunt. Tabellionibus publicis inhibent ne instrumenta conficiant et iudicibus ne iustitiam faciant ac iurisperitis ne consilium vel auxilium praebeant in causis seu negotiis eorundem. The prelates also refuse to admit to orders or benefices those presented Praesentatos per exemptos ad ordines vel beneficia quorum praesentatio ad by exempt religious who have the right of presentation, unless the eos pertinet nolunt admittere nisi presenters profess obedience in the greeting of the letter of praesentantes ponant oboedientiam in salutatione litterarum quas pro presentation. Furthermore, these prelates, when the churches for which huiusmodi praesentatione monasteries have the right of patronage become vacant, turn away the transmittunt. Ecclesiis quoque vacantibus in quibus monasteria ius suitable persons presented to them and appoint people who are obtinent patronatus repulsis personis incompetent and unworthy. Certain prelates confer churches, which idoneis praesentatis ad eas personas instituunt inhabiles et indignas. have the cure of souls and belong to the table maintenance of abbots, Quidam etiam ecclesias curam and the revenues of which they sometimes hand over for a rent to animarum habentes ad mensam abbatum spectantes quarum fructus secular clerics, on their own clergy at the death of those secular quandoque clericis saecularibus clerics, even though the churches because of this are not truly vacant. tradunt seu concedunt ad firmam clericis ipsis decedentibus suis Some prelates appropriate unjustly for themselves the rights of monks conferunt clericis quamquam ipsae in churches belonging to monasteries, and so regulate the disposal of propter hoc ecclesiae in veritate non vacent. Nonnulli quoque in ecclesiis the revenues that not enough remains for the livelihood of the rectors. monachorum iura ipsorum iniuste sibi appropriant et de ipsorum redditibus ut volunt ordinant ita quod rectoribus earum non remanet unde valeant sustentari. Some prelates, armed and with standards hoisted, destroy the mills and Quidam cum armis et erecto vexillo molendina et alia bona contra iustitiam other property of exempt religious, disregarding all justice, even when destruunt exemptorum quae etiam the religious have been in possession from time immemorial. Prelates tanto tempore possederunt quod de contrario memoria non exsistit. Mittunt also often send their relatives and nephews to the monasteries in their que frequenter ad monasteria suarum cities and dioceses, occasionally with their animals and herdsmen, civitatum et dioecesum suos consanguineos et nepotes et interdum with the demand that they be provided for. Often also prelates compel animalia sua cum custodibus ut eis de abbots and priors of monasteries to grant the possessions of their bonis monasteriorum debeat provideri. Abbates insuper et priores monasteries or priories to their kindred and nephews either perpetually monasteriorum frequenter compellunt or for a period; these grants or pensions we wish to be of no ut suis consanguineis et nepotibus monasteriorum suorum seu prioratuum consequence in law. They also compel the abbots and priors to present possessiones concedant in perpetuum to them for vacant churches in which the monks have the right of vel ad tempus quas quidem concessiones vel pensiones nos nullas patronage, and occasionally to receive into their order, their friends, esse volumus ipso iure. Eosdem kindred and nephews. Frequently also they permit and tacitly consent quoque abbates et priores quandoque compellunt ad praesentandum sibi ad to the seizure, in the prelates’ temporal domains, of movable and ecclesias vacantes in quibus ius immovable property of the monasteries in cases not permitted by law, obtinent patronatus et ad monachandum interdum suos by the prelates’ soldiers, vassals and secular officials. They also familiares consanguineos vel nepotes. outrage in various other ways both the clerical and lay persons of the Frequenter etiam permittunt et tacite consentiunt quod in suo dominio monasteries. temporali per milites vasallos et ipsorum temporales officiales monasteriorum bona mobilia et immobilia per violentiam occupentur in casibus non permissis a iure et aliae variae iniuriae personis ecclesiasticis et monasteriorum hominibus irrogentur. 206 Besides, the prelates occasionally deprive unjustly of their benefices Praeterea interdum iniuste abbates priores ac alios beneficiatos beneficiis abbots, priors and others, so that if they can take the revenues of the suis privant ut si fructus beneficiorum benefices in the first year, under pretext of a privilege which they illorum percipere valeant primo anno praetextu privilegii quod asserunt se claim to have, then they may be able to receive the first year’s habere quod usque ad certum tempus revenues of vacant benefices for a certain time. Not content with this, fructus beneficiorum vacantium possint percipere primi anni. Quibus they seize unlawfully horses, cattle, treasure and other property of non contenti equos boves thesaurum monasteries and vacant benefices which should be reserved for et alia bona monasteriorum et beneficiorum vacantium illicite posterity. Some prelates sell for a time to knights and other powerful occupant quae essent futuris persons the revenues and incomes of their dignities, in order to successoribus reservanda. Quidam militibus et aliis potentibus dignitatum oppress the neighbouring exempt religious more heavily by means of suarum redditus et proventus vendunt these people. Some even destroy monasteries without just cause. ad tempus ut per ipsos exempti vicini fortius opprimantur. Nonnulli etiam Others often seize houses, hospitals and other property of the indebite monasteria dirimunt. Alii monasteries, both movable and immovable, and retain what they have domos et hospitalia et alia bona monasteriorum mobilia et immobilia seized. Many times also, without just cause, they prevent exempt frequenter occupant et detinent religious from repairing their houses. Certain prelates enact statutes occupata. Pluries quoque sine causa iusta impediunt ne exempti loca sua derogatory to the privileges of the exempt religious. And in general, valeant reparare. Quidam statuta very many prelates unjustly inflict grave injury and loss on religious, faciunt per quae derogatur privilegiis exemptorum. Et generaliter quam especially on those who are exempt and have privileges: on their plures praelati religiosis praesertim persons, property and rights, both spiritual and temporal. exemptis et privilegiatis in personis et rebus suis ac iuribus spiritualibus et temporalibus graves inferunt contra iustitiam et eorum privilegia iniurias et iacturas. Since however there is for both regulars and seculars, for superiors Verum quia una est regularium et saecularium praelatorum et and subjects, for exempt and non-exempt, one universal church, subditorum exemptorum et non outside of which there is no salvation, for all of whom there is one exemptorum universalis ecclesia extra quam nullus omnino salvatur quorum Lord, one faith and one baptism, it is right that all who are of the same omnium unus est dominus una fides et body should be of one will, and as brethren bound to one another by unum baptisma decet ut omnes qui eiusdem sunt corporis unius etiam sint the bond of charity. It is right therefore that both prelates and others, voluntatis et sicut fratres adinvicem exempt and non-exempt, should be content with their rights and vinculo caritatis sint adstricti. Decet igitur ut et praelati et alii tam exempti abstain from inflicting injury or loss on one another. We therefore quam non exempti suis iuribus sint strictly command, by the present decree, all prelates of churches that contenti et alter in alterius iniuriam non prosiliat seu iacturam. Universis they desist altogether from the oppression described above, and see to itaque praelatis ecclesiarum praesentis it that their subjects do likewise. They are to treat religious men, sanctionis edicto districte praecipiendo mandamus quatenus ipsi a praedictis whether exempt or having privileges or non-exempt, both mendicant gravaminibus omnino cessantes et and non-mendicant, with charity, and they are to encourage them. cessare suos subditos facientes viros religiosos exemptos privilegiatos et They are to respect their rights and privileges as inviolable. And since non exemptos mendicantes et non what is specially forbidden is feared more than what is forbidden mendicantes caritative tractent et foveant et sua iura et privilegia merely in general, we forbid most strictly that prelates presume to inviolabiliter eis servent. Et quoniam hinder in any way abbots, priors and other religious from going to plus solet timeri quod specialiter quam quod generaliter inhibetur eisdem their general or provincial chapters. praelatis districtissime inhibemus ut abbates priores et alios religiosos ne ad sua generalia vel provincialia vadant capitula impedire quomodolibet non praesumant. [2.31 ]. Religious who presume to administer the sacrament of Religiosi qui clericis aut laicis sacramentum unctionis extremae vel extreme unction or the eucharist to clerics or lay people or to eucharistiae ministrare matrimonia ve solemnise marriages, without the special leave of the parish priest, or solemnizare non habita super his parochialis presbyteri licentia speciali to absolve those excommunicated by canon law, except in cases aut qui excommunicatos a canone expressed in law or granted to them by privilege of the apostolic see, praeterquam in casibus a iure expressis vel per privilegia sedis or those excommunicated by sentences promulgated by provincial or apostolicae concessis eisdem vel a synodal statutes, or (to use their own words) to absolve anyone from sententiis per statuta provincialia aut synodalia promulgatis seu ut verbis punishment and guilt, incur automatic excommunication. They are to 207 be absolved only by the apostolic see. The local ordinaries are to eorum utamur a poena et culpa absolvere quemquam praesumpserint announce publicly that they are excommunicated, once this is excommunicationis incurrant established, until notified of their absolution. The religious can make sententiam ipso facto per sedem apostolicam dumtaxat absolvendi quos no valid appeal in this matter to any exemption or privilege. We also etiam locorum ordinarii postquam de strictly forbid religious, in virtue of holy obedience and under threat of hoc eis constiterit excommunicatos faciant publice nunciari donec de eternal malediction, to disparage prelates in their sermons or to draw absolutione ipsorum eis fuerit facta the laity away from their churches, to publish false indulgences, to fides nullo religiosis eisdem super hoc exemptionis vel alio privilegio restrain testators, when present at the making of their wills, from suffragante. Quibus etiam in virtute making due restitutions or legacies to their mother churches, or to sanctae oboedientiae et sub interminatione maledictionis aeternae bring about that money legacies, or money owed or perhaps unjustly districtius inhibemus ne in sermonibus taken, should come or be bequeathed to themselves or to other suis ecclesiarum praelatis detrahant aut etiam retrahant laicos ab individuals of their order, or to their houses, to the detriment of other ecclesiarum suarum frequentia vel people. Nor are they to absolve anyone in cases reserved to the accessu seu indulgentias pronuncient indiscretas neve cum confectionibus apostolic see or to the local ordinaries. They are not to annoy testamentorum intererunt a unreasonably ecclesiastical persons who prosecute justice against restitutionibus debitis aut legatis matricibus ecclesiis faciendis retrahant them, especially before judges delegated by us, nor are they to bring testatores nec legata vel debita aut them to court in more than one place, especially if these places are male ablata incerta sibi aut aliis singularibus sui ordinis vel conventibus distant. in aliorum praeiudicium fieri seu erogari procurent nec etiam in casibus sedi apostolicae aut locorum ordinariis reservatis quemquam absolvere aut personas ecclesiasticas praesertim coram iudicibus delegatis a nobis suam contra eos iustitiam prosequentes vexare indebite aut ad loca plura et praesertim multum remota convenire praesumant. Those who presume to act contrary to this decree are subject for two Si qui vero praemissa vel aliquod de praemissis attentare praesumpserint months to the penalties usually imposed by their rule or statutes on per duos menses subiaceant poenis those who commit grave crimes or faults. Dispensation shall not be illis quae secundum eorum regulam vel statuta pro gravibus criminibus seu granted without manifest necessity. Their superiors, besides, unless culpis eis consueverunt imponi super after these excesses they make full satisfaction within a month to the quibus absque manifesta necessitate cum eis non valeat dispensari. churches or ecclesiastical persons harmed or offended, after being Ceterum praelati eorum nisi de his required to do so, incur automatic suspension until they have made quae occasione praemissorum excessuum ad eos quoquo modo due satisfaction, notwithstanding statutes or privileges of whatever pervenerint ecclesiis aut personis tenor. Of course the religious who have been granted permission by ecclesiasticis damnificatis vel laesis satisfactionem plenariam exhibuerint the aposto lic see to administer the sacraments to members of their infra mensem postquam super hoc household or to the poorin their hospices, are not affected by this fuerint requisiti suspensionis sententiam usque ad satisfactionem decree. debitam eo ipso incurrant non obstantibus praemissis statutis aut quibuslibet privilegiis cuiuscunque tenoris exsistant. [2.32]. With the approval of the sacred council, we grant by this Sane religiosis illis quibus est ab apostolica sede concessum ut present constitution to an archbishop passing through, or perhaps familiaribus suis domesticis aut turning aside, to exempt localities of his diocese to have the cross pauperibus in hospitalibus suis degentibus sacramenta possint carried openly before him, to bless the people, to hear the divine ecclesiastica ministrare nullum ex offices there privately or publicly, also to celebrate them in pontificals praemissis volumus quoad hoc praeiudicium generari. Archiepiscopo and to have them celebrated in his presence without pontificals, per quaevis loca exempta suae notwithstanding any contrary privilege. In like manner we grant to a provinciae facienti transitum aut ad ea forsan declinanti ut crucem ante se bishop that in exempt localities of his diocese he may bless the people, libere portari faciat benedicat populo hear the divine offices and celebrate them there, as also have them divina officia privatim vel publice ibidem audiat et ea etiam in celebrated in his presence. Under pretext of this concession, however, pontificalibus celebret et faciat in sua the archbishop or bishop may exercise no other jurisdiction in the praesentia sine pontificalibus celebrari exempt or privileged localities. He is not to annoy the exempt or quovis privilegio contrario non 208 privileged persons, there should be no cause for complaint and nothing obstante sacro approbante concilio praesentis constitutionis serie duximus prejudicial to the exemption or privileges of the religious. The concedendum. Simili modo archbishop or bishop does not acquire by this decree any other right. concedimus episcopo ut in locis eisdem suae dioecesis possit populo benedicere audire divina officia et ea etiam celebrare et in sua praesentia facere celebrari sic tamen quod praetextu concessionis huiusmodi in locis ipsis exemptis vel circa hoc privilegiatis nullam aliam iurisdictionem idem archiepiscopus vel episcopus exerceat nec personis exemptis vel privilegiatis molestiam inferat vel gravamen nullum que exemptioni vel privilegiis eorundem aliud praeiudicium generetur nec ipsis archiepiscopo vel episcopo ius aliud quomodolibet acquiratur. [2.33]. If anyone at the instigation of the devil has committed the Si quis suadente diabolo in hoc sacrilegii genus proruperit quod sacrilege of wrongfully and rashly striking a bishop, or of seizing or quemvis pontificem iniuriose vel banishing him, or has ordered these things to be done, or approved temere percusserit aut ceperit seu banniverit vel haec mandaverit fieri them when done by others, or been an accomplice, or given advice or aut facta ab aliis rata habuerit vel shown favour, or knowingly defended the guilty, and has not incurred socius in his fuerit facientis aut consilium in his dederit aut favorem excommunication by canons already published, he is excommunicated seu scienter defensaverit eundem in by this our present constitution, notwithstanding any custom to the illis casibus de praedictis in quibus excommunicationem per iam editos contrary. Indeed, with the approval of the sacred council, we consider canones non subiret sit huius nostrae such a custom to be a corruption, and the culprit may be absolved by constitutionis auctoritate non obstante quacunque consuetudine quam the supreme pontiff only, except at the moment of death. In addition, reputamus approbante sacro concilio he shall lose all fiefs, leases, offices and benefices, whether spiritual or potius corruptelam anathematis mucrone percussus a quo nequeat nisi temporal, which he holds from the church over which the offended per summum pontificem praeterquam bishop presides. All these shall revert freely to that church. The in articulo mortis absolvi. A feudis insuper locationibus officiis et offender’s descendants in the male line to the second generation shall beneficiis spiritualibus sive be disqualified, without hope of dispensation, from holding temporalibus quae ab ecclesia cui sic offensus praeest episcopus obtinet ecclesiastical benefices in the city and diocese of the bishop. The cadat hoc ipso ac ad eandem offender’s estates also, when within one diocese, shall lie under ecclesiam libere revertantur. Ipsius filii per masculinam descendentes lineam interdict until he has made due satisfaction. The place where the usque ad generationem Secundam captured bishop is detained shall likewise be under interdict for as omni spe dispensationis adempta reddantur ipso facto inhabiles ad long as he remains detained. If the criminal’s estates include two or ecclesiastica beneficia in civitate et more dioceses, then the diocese of his principal domicile and the dioecesi in quibus idem episcopus praesidet obtinenda. Terra quoque diocese where the crime was committed, if the land is his, and two ipsius dum tamen ultra unam other dioceses which belong to his territory and are nearest to the dioecesim non contineat usque ad condignam satisfactionem eiusdem place of the crime, shall he under the same interdict. nec non locus aut loca in quibus captus episcopus detinebitur quamdiu detentio ipsa in eisdem duraverit ecclesiastico subiaceant interdicto. Quod si terra eiusdem duas dioeceses vel ultra contineat dioecesis domicilii principalis ipsius et illa etiam in qua fuerit delictum commissum si sua sit et duae aliae quae sub ipso sint eidem loco magis vicinae interdicto subiaceant supra. Since his confusion will increase the more his offence is known, his dicto Et quia eo maior erit ipsius confusio quo sua fuerit culpa patentior excommunication will be announced in public, with the ringing of quousque dignam satisfactionem bells and candles burning, until he has made due satisfaction, in all the praestiterit per omnes illius loci in quo commissum est facinus nec non places where the crime was committed, as also in the churches of the civitatum et dioecesum vicinarum neighbouring cities and dioceses, on all Sundays and feast days. And ecclesias quibuslibet diebus dominicis et festivis pulsatis campanis et when he is to receive absolution, let him be well prepared to undergo candelis accensis excommunicatus 209 the punishment imposed and, with the help of God, to perform the publice nuncietur. Et cum absolvendus fuerit sufficienter et idonee caveat penance enjoined on him. The city, moreover, that has committed any quod inferendae poenae parebit et of the crimes described above against its bishop, shall be placed under auxiliante domino poenitentiam peraget iniungendam. Civitas autem the above-mentioned interdict until it has made satisfaction. The quae praemissa vel eorum aliquod in authorities, counsellors, bailiffs, magistrates, advocates, consuls, episcopum suum commiserit interdicto donec satisfecerit subiaceat governors and officials of any description who are at fault in this memorato. Potestas vero consiliarii affair, are likewise subject to excommunication from which they can ballivus scabini advocati consules rectores et officiales ipsius quocunque be absolved only in the manner stated above. All these instructions nomine censeantur in praemissis shall be observed all the more strictly in dealing with those who kill culpabiles exsistentes similiter excommunicationis sententiae a qua bishops, since they should be punished more severely than the nisi ut praemittitur non valeant offenders already mentioned and merit greater indignation. absolutionis obtinere beneficium sint subiecti. Quae omnia tanto magis in episcoporum interfectoribus sunt servanda quanto in eos severior quam in praefatos poena debet exsurgere et gravioris indignationis aculeus desaevire. Let nobody be surprised that we do not inflict heavier punishment on Nec super haec quisquam miretur quod praemissa perpetrantibus poenas those who perpetrate the above crimes. Alas! shameful to relate, these non inferimus graviores. Licet enim crimes are of frequent occurrence, and for the many men of violence quod dicere pudet haec proh dolor frequenter occurrant multis que an example is needed. The punishment of the offender ought to be in grassantibus opus esset exemplo et ex proportion to the dignity of the person wronged. Bishops are called dignitate offensi poenam metiri deceat offendentis episcopi enim dicuntur most holy, are Christ’s ambassadors, spiritual fathers, our brothers and sanctissimi Christi legati exsistunt fellow bishops, the acknowledged pillars of the church. The spirituales sunt patres nostri que fratres et coepiscopi columnae punishment, then, ought to be heavy, proportionate to the guilt of one comprobantur ecclesiae quare gravem who violates the dignity of such an eminent person. However, we wish oporteret esse poenam culpae violantis dignitatem tantae praeeminentiae to mitigate the severity of the punishment for the present, being adaequandam volumus tamen ad prepared to impose other penalties if we see that the offenders’ praesens in poenarum exaggeratione temperare rigorem ad poenas alias insolence demands such action. If of course anyone involved in the processuri si protervitatem above cases has been absolved at the moment of death from delinquentium hoc exposcere videamus. Sane si quis in aliquo excommunication, he shall incur automatically the same sentence if casuum praedictorum fuerit ab after recovery he does not, as soon as conveniently possible, present excommunicationis sententia in mortis articulo absolutus nisi postquam himself before the Roman pontiff in order to receive humbly his pristinae restitutus fuerit sanitati quam commands, as justice shall advise. Although this has been fully cito commode poterit conspectui Romani pontificis se praesentare enough provided for elsewhere in the law, we thought it well to make curaverit eius mandatum humiliter this addition, lest someone from ignorance of the law should busy recepturus prout iustitia suadebit in eandem excommunicationis himself to find excuses. sententiam reincidat ipso facto. Quamvis enim super hoc satis plene in iure alibi sit provisum ne tamen aliquis in hoc ex ignorantia iuris se satagat excusare hoc expresse praemissis duximus adnectendum. [2.34]. Many serious complaints have reached us that some who hold Multorum ad nos gravis querela deduxit quod nonnulli obtinentes temporal power do not hesitate to capture ecclesiastics frequently and temporale dominium viros saepe detain them with sacrilegious audacity until they resign their ecclesiasticos capere captos que donec sua resignent beneficia aut ne citati ad benefices, nor to prevent those summoned to the apostolic see by apostolicam sedem ab homine vel a someone or by law from going there, for the most part seizing them as iure venire ad ipsam valeant ausu detinere sacrilego non verentur citatos they depart. In view of the great offence to our honour and that of the eosdem in exitu eorum districtuum ut apostolic see, as also to the peace and welfare of ecclesiastical plurimum capientes. Considerantes igitur quantum ex his tam nostro et persons, not to speak of the damnable scandal, we, with the approval apostolicae sedis honori quam of the sacred council, decree that, in addition to the penalty attached personarum ecclesiasticarum quieto et prospero statui non sine damnanda by the canon to such deeds, those who bring them about, if prelates, exempli pernicie derogetur sacro are suspended for three years from receiving the revenues of their approbante concilio statuimus ut churches. If they are lower clergy, they are automatically deprived of praeter sententiam canonis quam 210 their benefices. Those who have brought about their own capture by facientes et fieri procurantes praemissas incurrere dignoscuntur the secular power -- this, we have heard, sometimes occurs -- as a procurantes ipsi personae pretext for not obeying a summons to the apostolic see, are to incur the ecclesiasticae exsistentes a perceptione fructuum ecclesiarum same penalty. Resignations of benefices extorted in the above manner, suarum si fuerint praelati triennio sint although accepted and ratified by the prelates of those who resign, suspensi. Quod si inferiores exstiterint eo ipso obtentis beneficiis sint privati have no validity whatever. We enjoin on local ordinaries that, after illis poenam incursuris eandem qui ne learning that subjects of theirs have incurred these penalties, they do citati ut praemittitur ad sedem apostolicam veniant sed ut se obtentu not delay in publishing them and, as far as it concerns them, they put huiusmodi a veniendo excusent a the penalties into execution. potestate saeculari se capi ut interdum contingisse audivimus procurarint. Sane resignationes beneficiorum modo supra dicto extortas licet a resignantium ipsorum praelatis receptae aut ratae habitae fuerint nullius omnino decernimus esse firmitatis locorum ordinariis iniungentes ut postquam eis constiterit aliquos sibi subiectos poenam et sententiam incurrisse praemissas ipsas publicare non differant exsecutioni que debitae prout ad eos pertinuerit demandare. [2.35]. Desiring to restrain those whom the rewards of virtue do not Cupientes eos quos ad observantiam iurium virtutum praemia non inducunt induce to observe the law, by the addition of new penalties and by fear tam adiectarum exaggeratione of those to be added, we decree that transgressors of the constitution poenarum quam adiciendarum de novo formidine a temerariis ausibus which forbids mendicant religious to acquire houses or places of any refrenare transgressores constitutionis kind, or to exchange those already acquired or transfer them to others quae religiosis mendicantibus domos ad habitandum vel loca quaecunque de under any title of alienation, are automatically subject to novo recipere recepta hucusque excommunication. mutare vel ea transferre in alios cuiusvis alienationis titulo interdicit illos etiam religiosos qui aliqua ut audientes a decimarum ecclesiis debitarum solutione retrahant in sermonibus suis vel alibi proferre praesumunt excommunicationis subiacere sententiae decernimus ipso facto. The same sentence of excommunication is incurred by those religious Et quia nisi fiat quod bonum est a malo abstinere non sufficit religiosis who presume in their sermons or otherwise to restrain their hearers omnibus iniungimus sub obtestatione from due payment of tithes to churches. And since it is not enough to divini iudicii et interminatione maledictionis aeternae ut quoties abstain from evil unless good is done, we enjoin on all religious, populo praedicabunt in prima dominica invoking the divine judgment and under threat of eternal malediction, quarta et ultima quadragesimae et in festis adscensionis dominicae that whenever they preach to the people on the first, fourth and last pentecostes nativitatis beati Ioannis Sundays of Lent, and on the feasts of the Ascension of the Lord, baptistae assumptionis et nativitatis beatissimae virginis Mariae matris dei Pentecost, the Birthday of blessed John the Baptist, the Assumption audientes expresse studeant informare and the Birthday of the most blessed virgin Mary, the mother of God, si ab ecclesiarum rectoribus vel vicariis aut loca tenentibus eorundem requisiti they take care to exhort their hearers expressly, if required by the fuerint nec non et his quorum rectors or vicars of the churches or those taking their place, and also to confessiones audient conscientiam facere quod decimas solvere non inform the consciences of their penitents in confession, that they have omittant. Quod si forte in the obligation to pay tithes. If the religious knowingly evade this duty praedicationibus hoc ipsum supra dictis diebus suadere scienter in their sermons on the above-mentioned days, they are to receive a omiserint per superiores eorum severe rebuke from their superiors. We also strictly command the graviter arguantur. Quibus etiam superioribus in virtute sanctae superiors, in virtue of holy obedience, to enact laws in accordance oboedientiae districte praecipimus ut with which they may so severely punish transgressors that their contra taliter omittentes statuta poenalia faciant secundum quae sic punishment may be an example for others. The constitution of our acriter puniant transgressores quod predecessor of happy memory pope Gregory IX, dealing with this poena eorum sit ceteris in exemplum constitutione bonae memoriae Gregorii matter, is to remain in full force. Those who knowingly have neglected papae ix praedecessoris nostri circa 211 to inform the consciences of penitents with regard to payment of these haec edita in suo nihilominus robore duratura. Qui vero scienter tithes, are automatically to remain suspended from preaching until postposuerint confitentibus they inform the consciences of their penitents, if they can conveniently conscientiam facere de solvendis huiusmodi decimis ab officio do this. They are to incur automatic excommunication if they presume praedicationis tamdiu maneant ipso to preach without atoning for their neglect as above. We do not facto suspensi donec confitentibus ipsis si hoc ipsum sibi dicendi however wish this to apply to the religious of monasteries, or the commode facultatem habuerint rectors of churches, who are in receipt of tithes. conscientiam fecerint exinde excommunicationis incursuri sententiam ipso facto si praedicare praesumpserint praedicta negligentia ut praemittitur non purgata ad religiosos tamen monasteriorum vel rectores ecclesiarum decimas percipientium nolumus hoc extendi. Rash violators of the constitution which forbids religious and secular Sane temerarios violatores constitutionis illius quae religiosis et clerics to induce anyone to vow, swear, pledge or otherwise promise clericis saecularibus prohibet ne that they will choose a burial place beside their churches or, having aliquos ad vovendum iurandum vel fide interposita seu alias promittendum made this choice, that they will not alter it, incur automatically the inducant ut sepulturam apud eorum same sentence of excommunication (the penalty in the said ecclesias eligant vel iam electam ulterius non immutent similem constitution is to remain in force); they are not to be absolved except sententiam poena in dicta by the apostolic see, except at the moment of death, notwithstanding constitutione contenta in suo perdurante robore incurrere volumus any privileges or statutes of whatever tenor. ipso facto ab alio quam a sede apostolica praeterquam in mortis articulo nullatenus absolvendos nullis privilegiis aut statutis cuiuscunque tenoris exsistant super his valituris. [2.36]. Grave complaint has been made to us by prelates that certain Gravis ad nos praelatorum querela perduxit quod nobiles quidam et nobles and temporal lords, when their territory has been laid under domini temporales terris eorum ecclesiastical interdict, have masses and other divine offices celebrated ecclesiastico suppositis interdicto nedum in locorum suorum capellis sed publicly and solemnly not only in the chapels of their houses, but also et in collegiatis et aliis insignium in collegiate churches and other churches of prominent places. They locorum ecclesiis missas et alia divina officia publice et solemniter faciunt invite and, what is worse, sometimes compel now these, now those, to celebrari ad officia eadem celebranda celebrate the offices. Not content with these excesses, they have nunc hos nunc illos vocantes et interdum quod est deterius people summoned, even those under interdict, by the ringing of bells compellentes his que non contenti and by the public crier, to hear these masses. Some of the lords and excessibus per campanarum non solum pulsationem sed et voce nobles are not afraid to order people, for the most part their own praeconia populos etiam interdictos ut subjects, although they are publicly under excommunication and interdicti non obstante sententia ad audiendas missas huiusmodi veniant interdict, not to leave the churches while mass is being celebrated, faciunt evocari. Nonnulli quoque even though the celebrants urge their departure. It therefore happens ipsorum suis plerumque subiectis ne licet excommunicationis vel interdicti frequently that mass is left unfinished to the offence of God and the sententia publice sint innodati de scandal of clergy and people. In order, then, that excesses so grave ecclesiis dum in ipsis missarum celebrantur solemnia instantibus etiam may not be imitated because the transgressors are left unpunished, we celebrantibus exeant praecipere non excommunicate, with the approval of the sacred council, all those who verentur ex quo frequenter contingit quod non sine dei offensa cleri que ac shall presume to compel anyone in any way in places under interdict populi scandalo ipsa missarum to celebrate the divine offices, or to summon people in the above way solemnia remanent inexpleta. Ne igitur excessus sic graves excedentium to hear them, especially those under excommunication or interdict. impunitate trahantur ab aliis in The same penalty is imposed on those who forbid persons publicly exemplum praesumptores praefatos qui locis interdicto suppositis excommunicated or under interdict to leave the church during mass quemquam de cetero divina celebrare when warned to do so by the celebrant, also on those publicly officia quomodolibet cogere aut qui modo praedicto ad officia eadem excommunicated and those under interdict who presume to remain in audienda aliquos excommunicationis church when named by the celebrant and warned that they must leave. praesertim vel interdicti ligatos sententia evocare seu qui ne The excommunications can be remitted only by the apostolic see. excommunicati publice aut interdicti de ecclesiis dum in ipsis missarum aguntur solemnia a celebrantibus 212 moniti ut exeant prohibere nec non excommunicatos publice et interdictos qui in ipsis ecclesiis nominatim a celebrantibus ut exeant moniti remanere praesumpserint excommunicationis sententia a qua per sedem dumtaxat apostolicam possint absolvi sacro approbante concilio innodamus. [2.37]. The friars Minor receive into their churches to hear the divine Cum ex eo quod religiosi viri fratres minores in suis recipiunt ecclesiis ad offices in time of interdict brothers and sisters of the third order, audienda divina officia tempore instituted by blessed Francis; they are called continent or of penance. interdicti fratres et sorores de ordine tertio quem beatus Franciscus instituit Since this practice generates scandal in the minds of others who are exsistentes qui continentes seu de excluded, thus debasing ecclesiastical censure and weakening the poenitentia nuncupantur scandalum aliorum qui ab his excluduntur force of an interdict, we strictly forbid the friars Minor to admit mentibus generetur censura vilescat henceforth in any way to their churches for the divine offices in time ecclesiastica et minoris auctoritatis interdicti sententia reputetur eisdem of interdict any of the above-mentioned persons, even if they or the fratribus minoribus districtius friars have privileges of any kind in this matter; we in no way favour inhibemus ne de cetero aliquem vel aliquos praedictorum etiamsi super hoc such privileges. If the friars infringe this decree, they lie under hi vel illi privilegiis quibuscunque automatic excommunication, from which they can only be absolved by muniti exstiterint quae ipsis in nullo prorsus quoad hoc volumus suffragari the Roman pontiff or, if they have made satisfaction, by the local ad divina in suis ecclesiis tempore bishops, whom we wish to act in this matter by our authority. interdicti quoquo modo admittant. Quod si fecerint eo ipso excommunicationis sententiae se noverint subiacere a qua per alium quam per Romanum pontificem vel satisfactione praemissa per locorum episcopos quos auctoritate apostolica fungi volumus in hac parte absolutionis beneficium nequeant obtinere. [2.38]. I came out of paradise, I said: I will water my garden of plants. Exivi de paradiso dixi rigabo hortum plantationum ait ille coelestis agricola Thus speaks the heavenly cultivator, who is truly the source of qui vere fons sapientiae verbum dei a wisdom, God’s Word, begotten by the Father from eternity, yet patre in patre manens genitum ab aeterno novissime diebus istis remaining in the Father. In these last days, made flesh in the womb of fabricante spiritu in utero virginis Caro a virgin by the operation of the holy Spirit, he went forth to the factum exivit homo ad opus arduum redemptionis humani generis arduous work of redeeming the human race, giving himself to peragendum exemplar se dando humanity as the model of a heavenly life. But because so often people, coelestis vitae praebens hominibus semetipsum. Verum quia plerumque overcome by the anxieties of this mortal life, turned their mental gaze mortalis vitae sollicitudinibus pressus away from such a model, our true Solomon has made in the realm of homo mentis adspectum ab exemplaris huiusmodi intuitu divertebat verus the church militant, among other gardens, a garden of delight, far from noster Salomon in solio militantis the stormy waves of the world, in which people might devote ecclesiae hortum voluptatis inter ceteros quendam fecit a procellosis themselves with greater peace and security to contemplating and mundi fluctibus elongatum in quo imitating the works of the exemplar, and he himself entered this world quietius ac securius vacaretur contemplandis servandis que that he might refresh it with the fertile waters of his spiritual grace and huiusmodi operibus exemplaris in hunc teaching. mundum introivit ipse ut rigaret ipsum foecundis aquis spiritualis gratiae et doctrinae. This garden is the holy religion of the friars Minor which, enclosed Hic hortus siquidem est fratrum minorum sancta religio quae muris within the firm walls of regular observance, is content with God alone regularis observantiae firmiter undique and is constantly enriched with fresh shoots, her sons. Entering this circumclusa intra se solo contenta deo adornatur abunde novellis garden, the beloved Son of God gathers the myrrh and spices of plantationibus filiorum. Ad hunc mortification and penance which by their marvellous fragrance diffuse veniens dilectus dei filius mortificantis paenitentiae myrrham metit cum to everyone the perfume of an attractive sanctity. This is that form and aromatibus quae suavitate mira rule of the heavenly life sketched by that eminent confessor of Christ, universis odorem attrahentis sanctimoniae circumfundunt. Haec est saint Francis, who taught his sons its observance by both word and illa coelestis vitae forma et regula example. The observers of that holy rule, men of zeal and devotion, as quam descripsit ille confessor Christi both pupils and true sons of so great a father, aspired and still ardently eximius sanctus Franciscus ac 213 aspire to observe that rule faithfully in all its purity and fullness. They servandam a suis filiis verbo docuit pariter et exemplo. Quia vero dictae perceived certain particulars of which the interpretation was doubtful, sanctae regulae professores ac and they prudently had recourse to the apostolic see for clarification. aemulatores devoti ut et alumni et veri filii tanti patris affectabant sicut et Receiving assurance from that see, to which their very rule proclaims ferventer affectant ad purum et ad allegiance, they were able to serve the Lord, free from all doubt, in the plenum praemissam regulam firmiter observare attendentes quaedam quae fullness of charity. Several Roman pontiffs, our predecessors, dubium poterant afferre sensum in rightfully heeded their pious and just requests; they defined doubtful ipsius regulae serie contineri pro ipsorum declaratione habenda points, promulgating certain interpretations and making some recurrerunt prudenter olim ad apicem concessions, as they thought good for the consciences of the friars and apostolicae dignitatis ut certificati per ipsam cuius pedibus etiam per ipsam the purity of religious observance. But because there are devout regulam sunt subiecti possent domino consciences which very often fear sin where it does not exist, and pulsis cunctis dubiis cum plena caritate conscientiae deservire. Horum autem dread any turning in the way of God, the previous clarifications have piis ac iustis supplicationibus plures not fully quietened the consciences of all the friars. There are still praedecessores nostri Romani pontifices successive sicut dignum erat some points belonging to their rule and state of life where doubts arise, applicantes aures et animum as many have often told us in public and private consistories. For this declaraverunt ea quae dubia videbantur ediderunt nonnulla et reason the friars themselves have humbly entreated us to clarify aliqua concesserunt sicut expedire opportunely the doubts which have arisen and those which may arise videbant fratrum conscientiis ac purae observantiae status. Verum quia in the future, thus applying a remedy by the kindness of the apostolic plerumque ubi culpa non est eam see. timere solent conscientiae timoratae quae in via dei quodcunque devium expavescunt non sunt ad plenum ex dictis declarationibus dictorum omnium fratrum conscientiae quietatae quin circa aliqua ad regulam ipsorum que statum pertinentia dubitationum in ipsis fluctus aliqui generentur et oriantur sicut ad aures nostras pluries et de quampluribus in publicis et privatis consistoriis est perlatum. Quapropter per ipsos fratres nobis exstitit humiliter supplicatum quatenus praedictis dubiis quae occurrerunt et quae possunt occurrere in futurum adhibere opportuna declarationis remedia de benignitate sedis apostolicae curaremus. We have from a tender age had a warm devotion to those who profess Nos igitur cuius animus ab aetate tenera pia devotione efferbuit ad this rule and to the whole order. Now that, though unworthy, we bear huiusmodi professores regulae et ad the office of universal pastor, we are the more roused to cherish them ordinem ipsum totum nunc autem ex communi cura pastoralis regiminis and to honour them more kindly and attentively, the more often we quam immeriti sustinemus ad ipsos consider and reflect on the plentiful harvest reaped continually from fovendos dulcius et attentius gratiosis favoribus prosequendos tanto their exemplary lives and wholesome teaching for the good of the provocamur ardentius quanto universal church. Moved by the pious intentions of the petitioners, we frequentius intenta mente revolvimus fructus uberes quos ex eorum have directed our efforts to carry out diligently what they ask. We exemplari vita et salutari doctrina toti have had a careful examination made of these doubts by several universali ecclesiae continue cernimus provenire tam pia supplicantium archbishops, bishops, masters in theology and other learned, prudent intentione commoti ad peragendum and discreet men. diligenter quod petitur studia nostra duximus convertenda ipsa que dubia per plures archiepiscopos et episcopos et in theologia magistros et alios literatos providos et discretos examinari fecimus diligenter. At the beginning of the rule it is said: “The rule and life of the friars Cum igitur in primis ex eo quod in dictae regulae principio habetur: Minor is this, to observe the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ, by living regula et vita fratrum minorum haec in obedience without property and in chastity”2. Also, further down: est scilicet domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctum evangelium observare in “Having completed a year of probation, let them be received to oboedientia vivendo sine proprio et in obedience, promising always to observe this life and rule”3. Also, castitate item infra finito vero anno probationis recipiantur ad towards the end of the rule: “Let us observe poverty, humility and the 214 gospel of our lord Jesus Christ, which we have firmly promised”4. oboedientiam promittentes vitam istam semper et regulam observare There was uncertainty whether the friars of the order were obliged to item circa finem regulae paupertatem all the precepts and counsels of the gospel by profession of their rule. et humilitatem et sanctum evangelium domini nostri Iesu Christi quod firmiter Some said they were obliged to all. Others, however, asserted that they promisimus observemus fuit were obliged to three only, namely “to live in obedience, in chastity haesitatum an fratres eiusdem ordinis ad omnia tam praecepta quam consilia and without property”, and to what was stated as obligatory in the rule. evangelii ex professione suae regulae With regard to this article we follow in the footsteps of our teneantur quibusdam dicentibus quod ad omnia aliis autem asserentibus predecessors and, giving this article further clarification, we answer quod ad sola illa tria consilia videlicet the doubt as follows. Since every determinate vow must have a vivere in oboedientia in castitate et sine proprio et ad ea quae sub verbis defined object, he who vows to follow the rule cannot be considered obligatoriis ponuntur in regula obliged by his vow to those evangelical counsels which are not obligantur nos circa hunc articulum praedecessorum nostrorum vestigiis mentioned in the rule. And indeed this is shown to have been the inhaerentes ipsum que articulum intention of blessed Francis the founder, from the fact that he laid quoad aliquid clarius prosequentes dictae haesitationi duximus down certain counsels in the rule but omitted others. For if by those respondendum quod cum votum words, “The rule and life of the friars Minor is this” etc. he had determinatum cuiuslibet habeat cadere sub certo vovens regulam non potest intended to oblige them to all the evangelical counsels, it would have dici teneri ex vi voti huiusmodi ad ea been superfluous and futile to include some of them and not others. consilia evangelica quae in regula non ponuntur. Et quidem beati Francisci conditoris regulae haec probatur fuisse intentio ex hoc quod quaedam evangelica consilia in regula posuit aliis praetermissis. Si enim per illud verbum: regula et vita fratrum minorum haec est et cetera intendisset eos ad omnia consilia evangelica obligare superflue et nugatorie quaedam eorum suppressis ceteris in regula expressisset. Cum autem natura termini restrictivi hoc habeat quod sic excludit ab ipso extranea quod cuncta ad ipsum pertinentia concludit declaramus et dicimus quod dicti fratres non solum ad illa tria vota nude et absolute accepta ex professione suae regulae obligantur sed etiam tenentur ad ea omnia implenda quae sunt pertinentia ad haec tria praedicta quae regula ipsa ponit. However, since the nature of a restrictive term demands the exclusion Nam si ad haec tria praedicta tantum praecise et nude promittentes se of everything foreign to it but includes everything belonging to it, we servare regulam vivendo in declare that the friars are bound by the profession of their rule not only oboedientia castitate et sine proprio et non etiam ad omnia contenta in regula to those three vows simply and solely, but also to everything related to quae haec tria modificant arctarentur them expressed in the rule itself. For if the friars were obliged to pro nihilo et vane proferrentur haec verba: promitto semper hanc regulam observe the three vows precisely and no more, in their promise to observare ex quo ex his verbis nulla observe the rule by living in “obedience, chastity and without obligatio nasceretur. Nec tamen putandum est quod beatus Franciscus property”, and not also to observe everything contained in the rule that professores huius regulae quantum ad is relevant to those vows, then the words “I promise to observe always omnia contenta in regula modificantia tria vota seu ad alia in ipsa expressa this rule” would be useless, as implying no obligation. We must not intenderit aequaliter esse obligatos think, however, that blessed Francis intended to impose on those who quin potius aperte discrevit quod quoad quaedam ipsorum ex vi verbi profess this rule the same obligation regarding everything in the rule transgressio est mortalis et quoad relating to the three vows, or anything else contained in the rule. quaedam alia non cum ad quaedam ipsorum verbum apponat praecepti vel Rather, he made a clear distinction: in some matters his words imply aequipollentis eidem et quoad aliqua that transgression is a mortal sin, in others not, since he applies to verbis aliis sit contentus. some the word “precept” or its equivalent, while elsewhere he is content to use other expressions. Besides those things laid down in the rule expressly in words of Item quia praeter ea quae expresse verbo praecepti ac exhortationis seu precept or exhortation or admonition, there are some things in the monitionis ponuntur in regula nonnulla 215 imperative mood in either a negative or an affirmative form. verbo imperativi modi negative vel affirmative apposito inseruntur Concerning these, there has been up to now some doubt as to whether hactenus exstitit dubitatum an they are of precept. This doubt is not made less but rather increased by tenerentur ad ista ut ad habentia vim praecepti et quia ut intelleximus non the declaration of our predecessor pope Nicholas III’ of happy minuitur hoc dubium sed augetur ex eo memory, that the friars are obliged by rule to those evangelical quod felicis recordationis Nicolaus papa iii praedecessor noster noscitur counsels which the rule expresses in form of precept or prohibition or declarasse quod fratres ipsi ex equivalent words and, in addition, to the observance of everything that professione suae regulae sunt adstricti ad ea consilia evangelica quae in ipsa the rule imposes in words of obligation. The friars therefore begged regula praeceptorie vel inhibitorie seu that we would, for their peace of conscience, graciously define which sub verbis aequipollentibus exprimuntur et nihilominus ad eorum of these matters should be considered equivalent to precepts and omnium observantiam quae ipsis in obligatory. We therefore, delighted by their sincerity of conscience, eadem regula sub verbis obligatoriis inducuntur supplicaverunt praedicti observing that in matters affecting salvation the safer path is to be fratres ut ad ipsorum conscientias taken in order to avoid grave remorse of conscience, say that, although servandas declarare quae horum censeri debeant praeceptis the friars are not obliged to observe everything expressed by the rule aequipollentia ac obligatoria in the imperative mood in the way that they are obliged to observe dignaremur. Nos itaque qui in sinceris horum conscientiis delectamur matters which are explicitly or equivalently of precept, it is right for attendentes quod in his quae animae them, if they are to observe the rule strictly in its purity, to salutem respiciunt ad vitandos graves remorsus conscientiae pars securior acknowledge that they are bound to observe in this way the injunctions est tenenda dicimus quod licet fratres noted below. non ad omnium quae sub verbis imperativi modi ponuntur in regula sicut ad praeceptorum seu praeceptis aequipollentium observantiam teneantur expedit tamen ipsis fratribus ad observandam puritatem regulae et rigorem quod ad ea sicut ad aequipollentia praeceptis se noverint obligatos quae hic inferius adnotantur. In order to summarise these things which appear equivalent to Ut autem haec quae videri possunt aequipollentia praeceptis ex vi verbi precepts, in virtue of the words or at least of the subject-matter, or of vel saltem ratione materiae de qua both, we declare the following to be of obligation for the friars, as agitur seu ex utroque sub compendio habeantur declaramus quod illud quod expressed in the rule: not having more tunics than one “with a hood, ponitur in regula de non habendo and one without a hood”2, not wearing shoes, and not riding a horse plures tunicas quam unam cum caputio et aliam sine caputio item de except in case of necessity; that the friars “wear cheap clothes”5; that non portandis calceamentis et de non they fast “from the feast of all saints to Christmas”6 and on Fridays; equitando extra casum necessitatis item quod fratres vilibus induantur that “clerics recite the divine office according to the rite of the holy item quod ieiunare a festo omnium Roman church”7; that ministers and guardians take great care “of the sanctorum usque ad natale domini et in sextis feriis teneantur item quod needs of the sick and of the friars’ clothing”8, that, “if a friar falls ill, clerici faciant divinum officium the other friars are to wait on him”9; that “the friars are not to preach secundum ordinem sanctae Romanae ecclesiae item quod ministri et in the diocese of a bishop when he has forbidden them this”; that custodes pro necessitatibus infirmorum “nobody ventures at all to preach to the people unless he has been et fratribus induendis sollicitam curam gerant item quod si quis fratrum in examined, approved and appointed for this by the minister general” or infirmitatem ceciderit alii fratres by others having authority according to the aforesaid declaration; that debent ei servire item quod fratres non praedicent in episcopatu alicuius “friars who know that they cannot observe the rule in detail, may and episcopi cum ab eo fuerit contradictum should have recourse to their ministers”3; and everything laid down in item quod nullus audeat penitus populo praedicare nisi a generali the rule regarding the form of the habit of both novices and professed ministro vel aliis quibus secundum friars, the manner of reception, and profession, except for the habit of declarationem praedictam id competit fuerit examinatus approbatus et ad novices with regard to those admitting them (here the rule which says hoc institutus item quod fratres qui “according to God it may seem otherwise”4 may be followed). The cognoscerent se non posse praemissam regulam specialiter order generally has judged, holds and has held from of old that observare debeant et possint ad suos wherever in the rule there occurs the words “they shall be bound”, ministros recurrere item quod omnia quae ponuntur in regula ad formam there is a precept and the friars ought to act as bound by precept. habitus tam novitiorum quam etiam professorum nec non ad receptionis modum ac professionem spectantia 216 nisi recipientibus quoad habitum novitiorum sicut dicit regula secundum deum aliter videatur haec inquam omnia sunt a fratribus tanquam obligatoria observanda. Item ordo communiter sensit tenet et tenuit ab antiquo quod ubicunque ponitur in regula hoc vocabulum teneantur obtinet vim praecepti et observari debet a fratribus sicut tale. The confessor of Christ, when prescribing the practice of the friars and Ceterum quia Christi confessor praedictus agendorum ac servandorum their ministers in relation to the reception of those entering the order, circa recipiendos ad ordinem ministris said in the rule: “The friars and their ministers shall take care not to be et fratribus modum praebens dixit in regula quod caveant fratres et eorum solicitous about their temporal goods, but leave them free to do with ministri ne sint solliciti de rebus suis them whatever the Lord inspires them to do; the ministers may have temporalibus ut libere faciant de eis quicquid ipsis a domino fuerit leave, however, to send them to some God-fearing men, if counsel be inspiratum licentiam tamen habeant needed, who may advise them how to give their goods to the poor”5. ipsi ministri mittendi eos ad aliquos deum timentes si consilium requiratur Many of the friars were uncertain, and still are, whether they may quorum consilio sua bona pauperibus receive anything from those who enter, if it is given; whether they may erogentur dubitaverunt et dubitant multi fratrum an liceat ipsis de bonis without fault persuade them to give to individuals and friaries; and ingredientium quicquam recipere si whether the ministers themselves or the friars ought to give advice donetur et si ad dandum personis et conventibus possint eos inducere sine concerning the disposal of property, when there are other suitable culpa si etiam ad disponendum de advisers to whom the entrants can be sent. We observe attentively that distributione rerum talium debeant ipsi ministri seu fratres dare consilium ubi saint Francis intended to banish from his disciples, whose rule he had ad consulendum alii quam ex ipsis ad based on a very strict poverty, all affection for the temporal goods of quos ingressuri mittantur possint idonei inveniri. Nos autem those entering the order, especially in using the above words in order considerantes attente intendisse that, on the part of the friars, reception into the order might appear sanctum Franciscum suae regulae professores quos fundaverat in holy and pure. They should be seen to have no eye to their temporal maxima paupertate ab affectu goods, but only to deliver the novices up to the divine service. We say temporalium rerum ipsorum ingredientium per dicta verba that both ministers and friars ought to abstain from persuasion to give specialiter et totaliter elongare ut them the property, and also from advice as to its distribution. They quantum est ex parte fratrum ipsorum receptio ad ordinem sancta et should send those who seek counsel to God-fearing men of another purissima appareret et ne aliquo modo state, not to friars. In this way all will see them truly as zealous and oculum viderentur habere ad bona eorum temporalia sed ad ipsos tantum perfect observers of their father’s sound tradition. Since however the divino servitio mancipandos dicimus de rule itself wishes those entering to be free to do as the Lord inspires cetero debere tam ministros quam fratres ceteros a dictis inductionibus ad concerning their property, it does not seem unlawful for the friars to sibi dandum et suasionibus nec non et receive something, in view of their needs and in accordance with the dandis circa distributionem consiliis aforesaid declaration, if the entrant freely wishes to give it, as he abstinere cum per hoc ad timentes deum status alterius mitti debeant non would to other poor people by way of alms. The friars however do ad fratres ut vere cunctis pateant esse well to take care, in accepting such offerings, that they do not create tam salubris instituti paterni studiosi zelatores seduli et perfecti. Cum vero an unfavourable impression by the amount they receive. facere de rebus suis quod dominus inspirabit ipsamet regula ingredientibus liberum velit esse non videtur quin liceat eis recipere consideratis scilicet eorum necessitatibus et moderationibus declarationis iam dictae si quid de bonis suis intrans sicut et ceteris pauperibus per modum eleemosynae libere velit dare. Cavere tamen in acceptatione oblatorum talium decet fratres ne ex receptorum quantitate notabili praesumi possit sinister oculus contra ipsos.

217 to express this more clearly, however, we say that it is not lawful to vilibus induantur nos que praedicta verba declaraverimus aequipollere have more tunics, except when this is necessary in accordance with the praeceptis volentes haec determinari rule, as our said predecessor has more fully explained. As for the plenius dicimus quantum ad numerum tunicarum quod pluribus uti non licet poverty of the clothes, both of the habit and of the inner clothing, it is nisi in necessitatibus quae haberi to be judged in relation to the customs and observances of the country, possunt ex regula secundum quod hunc passum memoratus praedecessor as to the colour of the cloth and the price. There cannot be one noster plenius declaravit. Vilitatem standard for every region. We think that this poverty in dress should autem vestium tam habitus quam interiorum tunicarum illam intelligi be entrusted to the judgment of the ministers and guardians; they must debere dicimus quae secundum form their own consciences, but see to it that poverty in dress is consuetudinem vel conditionem patriae debeat quantum ad colorem maintained. In the same way we leave it to the judgment of the panni et pretium vilitatis merito ministers and guardians as to when the friars have need to wear shoes. reputari. Non enim quoad regiones omnes potest determinatus unus modus in talibus assignari. Huiusmodi etiam vilitatis iudicium ministris et custodibus seu guardianis duximus committendum eorum super hoc conscientias onerantes ita tamen quod servent in vestibus vilitatem. Quorum etiam ministrorum custodum et guardianorum iudicio eodem modo relinquimus pro qua necessitate possint ipsi fratres calceamenta portare. The rule refers to two periods: “from the feast of all saints until Deinde cum duobus temporibus adnotatis in regula scilicet a festo Christmas”, and especially in Lent, when the friars are obliged to fast. omnium sanctorum usque ad We find inserted in the rule: “at other times they are not obliged to nativitatem domini et maxime quadragesimae in quibus ieiunare fast, with the exception of Fridays”3. From these statements some tenentur inseratur in eadem regula have concluded that the friars are not obliged to observe any other aliis autem temporibus non teneantur nisi sexta feria ieiunare et ex hoc fasts except from propriety. We declare that they are not obliged to voluerunt aliqui dicere quod dicti fast at other times except at the times established by the church. For it ordinis fratres non tenentur nisi ex condecentia ad alia ieiunia quam ad is not probable that either he who instituted the rule or he who ista declaramus debere intelligi eos confirmed it intended to dispense the friars from observing the fasting non teneri ad ieiunium aliis temporibus praeterquam in ieiuniis ab ecclesia days to which the general law of the church obliges other Christians. constitutis. Non est enim verisimile quod vel institutor regulae vel etiam confirmator absolvere ipsos intenderit a servandis illis ieiuniis ad quae de communi statuto ecclesiae obligantur ceteri christiani. When St Francis, wishing his friars to be completely detached from Porro cum dictus sanctus volens fratres suos super omnia a denariis seu money, commanded “firmly all the friars not to accept money in any pecunia esse totaliter alienos praecepit manner, either directly or through some other person”4, this same firmiter fratribus universis ut nullo modo denarios vel pecuniam recipiant predecessor of ours, in his interpretation, defined the cases and the per se vel per interpositam personam ways in which the friars cannot and ought not to be called receivers of istum que articulum declarans idem praedecessor noster casus et modos money against the rule and sincerity of their order. We declare that the posuerit quibus servatis a fratribus non friars must take the greatest care that they have no recourse to those possunt dici nec debent per se vel per alium pecuniae receptatores contra who give money or their agents in ways other than those defined by regulam vel sui ordinis puritatem our said predecessor, lest they deservedly be called transgressors of dicimus fratres teneri cavere summopere quod pro aliis causis et the precept and rule. For when there is a general prohibition, anything sub modis aliis quam ponat dicti not expressly granted is understood to be refused. For this reason, all praedecessoris nostri declaratio ad dantes pecunias sive deputatos collection of money and acceptance of offerings in church or nuncios non recurrant ne si secus ab elsewhere, boxes for storing offerings or gifts of money, and any other ipsis attentatum fuerit transgressores praecepti et regulae merito possint recourse to money or those who have it which is not allowed by the dici. Nam ubi aliquid alicui generaliter said declaration, is, we say, completely and absolutely forbidden. prohibetur quod expresse non conceditur intelligitur denegatum. Recourse to special friends is expressly allowed in only two cases, Quocirca quaestus omnis pecuniae ac according to the rule. These are “the needs of the sick and the clothing oblationum pecuniarum receptio in of the friars”‘. Our said predecessor kindly and wisely extended this ecclesia vel alibi cippi vel trunci 218 permission, in view of their needy life, to other wants of the friars ordinati ad offerentium seu donantium pecunias reponendas nec non et which can occur or even be pressing when there are no alms. The quicunque recursus alius ad pecunias friars however are to observe that for no other reasons except the seu habentes ipsas qui per declarationem praedictam non above or those of a similar kind, may they have recourse to such conceditur haec inquam omnia sunt eis friends, either on the road or elsewhere, whether their friends simpliciter interdicta. Cum etiam recursus ad amicos speciales expresse themselves give the money or their representatives, messengers or tantum in duobus casibus secundum trustees, whatever name they are given, even if the ways granted by regulam concedatur videlicet pro necessitatibus infirmorum et fratribus the above declaration are entirely observed. induendis id que pie et rationabiliter considerata necessitate vitae ad alias necessitates fratrum pro tempore occurrentes cessantibus eleemosynis seu etiam ingruentes saepe dictus praedecessor noster duxerit extendendum attendant fratres praefati quod pro nullis causis aliis quam praedictis vel similibus in via vel alibi recurrere licet eis ad amicos huiusmodi sive sint dantes pecunias seu deputati per ipsos sive nuncii vel depositarii seu alio quovis nomine appellentur etiamsi concessi per eandem declarationem modi circa pecuniam integre servarentur. The confessor of Christ wished above all that those who professed his Denique cum idem confessor summe affectaverit suae regulae professores rule should be completely detached from love and desire of earthly totaliter esse abstractos ab affectu et things, and in particular from money and its use, as is proved by his desiderio terrenorum et specialiter a pecunia et eius usu totaliter inexpertos constantly repeating in the rule the prohibition of accepting money. sicut probat prohibitio de recipienda When, therefore, the friars need, for the reasons mentioned above, to pecunia in regula saepius repetita curare fratres vigilanter necesse est have recourse to those who have money, destined for their needs, quod cum e causis praedictis et modis whether they are their principal benefactors or their envoys, these ad habentes pecunias deputatas pro ipsorum necessitatibus recurrere friars should so behave in the eyes of all as to show that they are oportebit ad tenentes ipsas quicunque completely unconcerned as regards money, as indeed it does not hi fuerint principales vel nuncii in omnibus sic se gerant quod se cunctis belong to them. Therefore such actions as to order that the money be ostendant in dictis pecuniis sicut nec spent and in what way, to exact an account, to ask for the return of the habent penitus nil habere. Quapropter praecipere quod et qualiter pecunia money in any way, to put it away or have it put away, and to carry a expendatur computum que exigere de money-box or its key, are unlawful for the friars. These actions belong expensa eam quomodocunque repetere sive deponere aut deponi properly to the owners who gave the money and to their agents. facere capsulam pecuniae vel eius clavem deferre hos actus et consimiles sibi fratres illicitos esse sciant. Praedicta enim facere ad solos dominos pertinet qui dederunt et eos quos ipsi deputaverunt ad hoc ipsum. When the saint expressed the manner of the friars’ poverty in the rule, Proinde cum vir sanctus paupertatis praemissae in regulam modum he said: “The friars should make nothing their own, neither house nor exprimens dixerit in eadem: fratres land nor anything, but go confidently to seek alms as pilgrims and nihil sibi approprient nec domum nec locum nec aliquam rem sed tanquam strangers serving the Lord in poverty and humility”2. This is also the peregrini et advenae in hoc saeculo in renunciation defined by certain of our predecessors as Roman pontiffs, paupertate et humilitate domino famulantes vadant pro eleemosyna to be understood both specifically and in general. These pontiffs have confidenter sic que declaratum exstitit therefore accepted for themselves and for the Roman church the per nonnullos praedecessores nostros Romanos pontifices hanc absolute ownership of everything granted, offered or given to the expropriationem intelligi debere tam in friars, leaving them simply the right of use. Yet we have been asked to speciali quam etiam in communi propter quod et rerum omnium examine certain practices that are said to go on in the order and seem concessarum oblatarum et donatarum repugnant to the vow of poverty and the sincerity of the order. fratribus quas et quarum usum facti scilicet ordini vel ipsis fratribus licet habere proprietatem et dominium in se et Romanam ecclesiam receperunt dimisso ipsis fratribus in eis tantummodo usu facti simplicis ad 219 nostrum fuerunt deducta examen quae in ordine fieri dicebantur et videbantur praedicto voto et puritati ordinis repugnare videlicet ut ea prosequamur The following are the practices which we believe are in need of ex ipsis quae remedio credimus indigere quod se institui heredes non remedy. The friars not only allow themselves to inherit, but even bring solum sustinent sed procurant item this about. They sometimes accept annual revenues so high that the quod redditus annuos recipiunt interdum in tam notabili quantitate friaries concerned can live completely on them. When their affairs, quod conventus habentes totaliter inde even of a temporal kind, are debated in the courts, they assist the vivunt item quod cum ipsorum negotia etiam pro rebus temporalibus in curiis advocates and procurators; in order to encourage them, they present agitantur assistunt advocatis et themselves in person. They accept the office of executor of wills and procuratoribus et ad instigandum eosdem se ibidem personaliter carry it out. They sometimes meddle with settlements involving usury repraesentant item quod exsecutiones or unjust acquisition and the restitution to be made. Sometimes they ultimarum suscipiunt voluntatum et gerunt se que intromittunt quandoque have not only extensive gardens but also large vineyards, from which de usurarum vel male ablatorum they collect great quantities of vegetables and wine to sell. At the time dispositionibus seu restitutionibus faciendis item quod alicubi non solum of harvest they collect so much corn and wine by begging or buying, excessivos hortos sed etiam vineas storing them in their cellars and granaries, that they can live off them magnas habent de quibus tam de oleribus quam de vino multum without begging for the rest of the year. They build churches or other colligitur ad vendendum item quod edifices, or have them built, of such size, style and costliness that they temporibus messium vel vindemiarum sic copiose granum et vinum seem to be the abodes of the wealthy not of the poor. The friars in very mendicando vel aliunde emendo many places have so many church ornaments and so obviously colliguntur a fratribus et in cellariis et granariis reconduntur quod per anni precious ones as to surpass in this the great cathedrals. They also residuum et absque eorum accept indiscriminately horses and arms offered to them at funerals. mendicatione possunt transigere vitam suam item quod ecclesias vel alia aedificia faciunt vel procurant fieri in quantitate et curiositate figurae et formae ac sumptuositate notabiliter excessiva sic quod non videntur habitacula pauperum sed magnatum. Paramenta etiam ecclesiastica in plerisque locis tam multa habent et tam notabiliter pretiosa quod excedunt in his magnas ecclesias cathedrales. Equos insuper et arma eis oblata in funeribus recipiunt indistincte. Yet the community of friars, and in particular the rulers of the order, Tamen communitas fratrum et specialiter rectores ipsius ordinis asserted that the above abuses, or most of them, did not exist in the asserebant quod praedicta seu plura order and any friars found guilty in such matters are punished ex ipsis in ordine non fiebant quod et si qui reperiuntur rei in talibus rigide rigorously. Moreover, very strict laws were passed long ago in the puniuntur nec non contra talia ne fiant order to prevent such abuses. Wishing, therefore, to provide for the sunt facta pluries ab antiquo statuta in ordine multum stricta. Cupientes igitur consciences of the friars and to remove, as far as we can, all doubt nos ipsorum fratrum providere from their hearts, we give the following replies. conscientiis et cuncta dubia quantum possibile nobis est de ipsorum pectoribus removere ad praedicta modo qui sequitur respondemus. For a way of life to be authentic, outward actions must correspond to Cum enim ad veritatem vitae pertineat ut id quod exterius agitur interiorem the interior attitude of mind. The friars, therefore, who have torn mentis dispositionem et habitum themselves away from temporal possessions by so great a repraesentet necesse habent fratres qui se expropriatione tanta a renunciation, must abstain from all that is or may seem to be contrary temporalibus abstraxerunt ab omni eo to that renunciation. Now, heirs acquire not only use of their quod dictae expropriationi esset vel posset videri contrarium abstinere. inheritance but, in time, ownership also, and the friars cannot acquire Quia igitur in successionibus transit anything for themselves in particular or for their order in general. We non solum usus rei sed et dominium suo tempore in heredes fratres autem therefore declare that the absoluteness of their vow renders the friars praefati nihil sibi in speciali acquirere altogether incapable of such inheritance, which of its nature extends vel eorum ordini possunt etiam in communi declarando dicimus quod both to money and to other movable and immovable goods. Nor may successionum huiusmodi quae etiam they allow themselves to be left or accept as a legacy the value of such ex sui natura indifferenter ad inheritance, or a great part of it, so that it could be presumed that this pecuniam et etiam ad alia mobilia et 220 was done by deceit; indeed, we absolutely forbid this. immobilia se extendunt considerata sui puritate voti nullatenus sunt capaces. Nec licet eis valorem hereditatum talium vel tantam earum partem quod praesumi posset hoc in fraudem fieri quasi sub modo et forma legati sibi dimitti facere vel sic dimissa recipere quin potius ista sic fieri ab ipsis simpliciter prohibemus. Since annual revenues are considered by law as immovable goods, and Cum que annui redditus inter immobilia censeantur a iure ac are contrary to poverty and mendicancy, there is no doubt that the huiusmodi redditus obtinere paupertati friars may not accept or have revenues of any kind, given their state of et mendicitati repugnet nulla dubitatio est quod praedictis fratribus redditus life, just as they may not have possessions or even their use, since this quoscunque sicut et possessiones vel use is not granted to them. eorum etiam usum cum eis non reperiatur concessus recipere vel habere conditione considerata ipsorum non licet. Further, not only what is known to be evil, but also everything which Amplius cum non solum quod malum esse dignoscitur sed et omne quod has the appearance of evil, should be specially avoided by perfect speciem habet mali sit a viris perfectis men. Now, to be present in court and urge their case, when the law is specialiter evitandum ex talibus autem assistentiis in curiis et instigationibus concerned with matters of advantage to them, leads people to believe cum de rebus agitur in ipsorum from external appearances that the friars present are seeking commoda convertendis creduntur verisimiliter ex his quae foris patent de something as their own. In no way, therefore, ought the friars who quibus habent homines foris iudicare in profess this rule and vow, to meddle in legal processes in such courts. ipsis rebus fratres assistentes aliquid quaerere tanquam suum nullo modo By abstention they will be thought well of by outsiders, and they will debent huiusmodi voti et regulae live up to the purity of their vow and avoid scandal to their neighbour. professores se talibus curiis et litigiosis actibus immiscere ut et testimonium Indeed, the friars are to be complete strangers not only to the habeant ab his qui foris sunt et puritati acceptance, possession, ownership or use of money, but even to any satisfaciant voti sui ac evitetur per hoc scandalum proximorum. Verum etiam handling of it, as our said predecessor has repeatedly and clearly said cum dicti ordinis fratres non solum a in his interpretation of the rule. Also, the members of this order cannot receptione proprietate dominio sive usu ipsius pecuniae verum etiam a go to law for any temporal thing. The friars may therefore not lend contrectatione qualibet ipsius et ab ea themselves to such legal processes, but rather consider them forbidden sint penitus alieni quemadmodum saepe dictus praedecessor noster in by the purity of their state, because these activities cannot be declaratione huiusmodi regulae plane concluded without litigation and the management or administration of dixit cum que dicti ordinis professores pro nulla re temporali possint in iudicio money. Nevertheless they do not act in a manner contrary to their state experiri praedictis fratribus non licet if they give advice for the execution of these affairs, since this advice nec competit quin potius considerata sui puritate status debent sibi scire does not confer upon them any jurisdiction or legal authority or interdictum quod huiusmodi administration with regard to temporal goods. exsecutionibus et dispositionibus se exponant cum haec saepius absque litigio et contrectatione vel administratione pecuniae nequeant expediri. Verumtamen in his exsequendis dari consilium ipsorum statui non obsistit cum ex hoc ipsis circa bona temporalia nulla iurisdictio sive actio in iudicio sive dispensatio tribuatur. Certainly it is not only lawful but very reasonable that the friars who Licet vero non solum sit licitum sed et multum conveniens rationi quod devote themselves to the spiritual works of prayer and study should fratres qui in laboribus spiritualibus have gardens and open spaces for recollection and recreation, and orationis et studii sedulo occupantur hortos et areas habeant competentes sometimes in order to provide a bodily distraction after their spiritual ad recollectionem vel recreationem sui labours, as also to cultivate vegetables for their needs. To keep et interdum ad se ipsos post labores huiusmodi corporaliter deducendos nec gardens, however, in order to cultivate vegetables and other garden non ad habenda necessaria hortalitia produce for sale, and vines likewise, is inconsistent with the rule and pro se ipsis habere tamen hortos aliquos ut colantur ac olera ac alia purity of their order. Our said predecessor has declared and also hortalitia pretio distrahantur nec non et ordained that if, for this kind of use, someone were to leave a field or a vineas repugnat suae regulae et ordinis puritati. Secundum quod dictus vineyard or something of this nature to the friars, they should refrain praedecessor declaravit ac etiam 221 absolutely from accepting it, since to have such things in order to ordinavit quod si talia ad usus proxime dictos ut puta agrum vel vineam ad receive the price of the produce in season is similar to having an colendum et consimilia fratribus income. legarentur per omnem modum fratres a receptione talium abstinerent cum etiam praemissa habere ut pretium fructuum suis temporibus habeatur ad naturam et formam proventuum appropinquet. Again, saint Francis has shown, both by the example of his life and by Rursus cum praedictus sanctus tam in exemplis vitae quam verbis regulae the words of his rule, that he wishes his brothers and sons, relying on ostenderit se velle quod fratres sui et divine providence, to cast their burden on the Lord, who feeds the filii divinae providentiae innitentes suos in deum iacerent cogitatus qui birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. It is volucres coeli pascit quae non not likely, then, that he would have wished them to have granaries or congregant in horrea nec seminant nec metunt non est verisimile voluisse wine-cellars, when they hope to live by daily begging. And for that ipsum eos habere granaria vel cellaria reason they should not lay by provisions from some slight fear, but ubi quotidianis mendicationibus deberent sperare posse transigere only when it is very probable from experience that they will not vitam suam. Et idcirco non ex timore otherwise find the necessities of life. We therefore consider that the levi relaxare se debent ad congregationes et conservationes decision should be left to the consciences of the ministers and huiusmodi faciendas sed tunc tantum guardians, both as a body and separately in their offices and cum esset multum credibile ex iam expertis quod non possent vitae guardianships, acting with the advice and consent of the guardian and necessaria aliter invenire. Hoc autem two discreet older priests from a house of the order in the area. ministrorum et custodum simul et separatim in suis administrationibus et custodiis cum guardiani et duorum de conventu loci discretorum sacerdotum et antiquorum in ordine fratrum consilio et assensu duximus iudicio relinquendum eorum super hoc specialiter conscientias onerantes. The saint wished to establish his friars in the greatest poverty and Hinc est etiam quod cum vir sanctus fratres suos in paupertate summa ac humility, both in inclination and in fact, as practically the whole rule humilitate fundare voluerit quoad proclaims. It is only right, then, that they should in no way build, or affectum pariter et effectum sicut fere regula tota clamat convenit ipsis quod allow to be built, churches or edifices of any kind which, in relation to nullo modo deinceps fieri faciant vel the numbers of friars living there, might be considered excessive in fieri sustineant ecclesias vel alia quaecumque aedificia quae number or in size. We therefore wish that, everywhere in the order, the considerato fratrum inhabitantium friars should be satisfied with buildings which are modest and humble, numero excessiva in multitudine et magnitudine debeant reputari. Ideo lest outward appearances, which strike the eye, should contradict the que volumus quod ubique in suo ordine great poverty promised by the heart. deinceps temperatis et humilibus aedificiis sint contenti ne huic tantae paupertati promissae quod patet oculis contrarium foris clamet. Although church ornaments and vessels are ordained to the honour of Quamvis etiam paramenta et vasa ecclesiastica ad honorem divini God’s name, for which purpose God created everything, yet he who nominis ordinentur propter quem discerns what is secret looks chiefly at the heart of those who serve omnia fecit ipse deus tamen qui absconditorum est cognitor ad animum him, not at their hands. He does not wish to be served through things sibi ministrantium respicit principaliter which jar with the professed life-style of his servants. The friars non ad manum nec per illas sibi vult serviri quae suorum servitorum should therefore be content with vessels and church ornaments which conditioni et statui dissonarent propter are seemly in appearance and sufficient in size and number. Excess, quod sufficere debent eis vasa et paramenta ecclesiastica decentia in costliness or over-elaboration in these or in anything else does not numero et in magnitudine sufficientia become the friars’ profession or state of life. Everything which smacks competenter. Superfluitas autem aut nimia pretiositas vel quaecumque of treasure and abundance detracts, in the eyes of people, from the curiositas in his seu aliis quibuscunque profession of such great poverty. We therefore wish and command the non potest ipsorum professioni vel statui convenire. Cum enim haec friars to observe what we have said. sapiant thesaurizationem seu copiam paupertati tantae quoad humanum iudicium derogant manifeste. Quapropter praemissa servari a fratribus volumus et mandamus. As for the presents of horses and arms, we decree that everywhere and Circa equorum vero et armorum 222 in everything the aforesaid declaration concerning alms of money be oblationes illud decernimus in omnibus et per omnia observandum quod per observed. declarationem praedictam in pecuniariis noscitur eleemosynis diffinitum. From the above matters, however, there has arisen among the friars an Ex praemissis autem succrevit non parum scrupulosa quaestio inter uneasy question, namely, whether their rule obliges them to a strict fratres videlicet utrum ex suae and meagre use of things. Some of the friars believe and say that, just professione regulae obligentur ad arctum et tenuem sive pauperem as they are vowed to a very strict renunciation of ownership, they are usum rerum quibusdam ex ipsis also enjoined the greatest restraint in the use of things. Other friars on credentibus et dicentibus quod sicut quoad dominium rerum habent ex voto the contrary assert that by their profession they are not obliged to any abdicationem arctissimam ita ipsis restrained use that is not expressed in the rule; they are however quoad usum arctitudo maxima et exilitas est indicta aliis in contrarium obliged to a temperate use, in the same way as other Christians and asserentibus quod ex professione sua even more fittingly. Wishing, then, to give peace to the friars’ ad nullum usum pauperem qui non exprimatur in regula obligantur licet consciences and to put an end to these disputes, we declare that the teneantur ad usum moderatum friars Minor in professing their rule are obliged specially to the strict temperantiae sicut et magis ex condecenti quam ceteri christiani. and restrained use expressed in the rule. To say, however, as some are Volentes itaque conscientiarum said to assert, that it is heretical to hold that a restricted use of things is praedictorum fratrum providere quieti et his altercationibus finem dare or is not included in the vow of evangelical poverty, this we judge to declarando dicimus quod fratres be presumptuous and rash. minores ex professione suae regulae specialiter obligantur ad arctos usus seu pauperes qui in ipsorum regula continentur et eo obligationis modo sub quo continet seu ponit regula dictos usus. Dicere autem sicut aliqui asserere perhibentur quod haereticum sit tenere usum pauperem includi vel non includi sub voto evangelicae paupertatis praesumptuosum et temerarium iudicamus. Finally, when the rule states by whom and where the minister general Demum quia ex eo quod dicta regula per quos et ubi fieri debeat ministri should be elected, it makes no mention at all of the election or generalis electio tradens nullam facit appointment of provincial ministers. There can arise some uncertainty de ministrorum provincialium electione vel institutione penitus mentionem oriri among the friars on this point. We wish them to be able to go forward super hoc poterat dubitatio inter with clarity and security in all they do. We therefore declare, decree fratres nos volentes posse ipsos clare ac secure procedere in omnibus factis and ordain in this constitution of perpetual validity, that when a suis declaramus statuimus etiam et province is to be provided with a minister, his election belongs to the ordinamus in hac constitutione in perpetuum valitura ut cum alicui provincial chapter. It shall hold the election the day after assembling. provinciae de ministro fuerit The confirmation of the election belongs to the minister general. If this providendum ipsius ministri electio penes capitulum provinciale resideat election is made by ballot, and the votes are divided in such a way that quam idem capitulum die sequenti qua several ballots are made without agreement, then the choice made by fuerit congregatum facere teneatur ipsius autem electionis confirmatio ad the numerical majority of the chapter (leaving aside considerations of ministrum pertineat generalem. Et si zeal or merit), notwithstanding objections of any kind from the other quidem ad electionem huiusmodi per formam scrutinii procedatur et votis in side, is to be confirmed or invalidated by the minister general. Having diversa divisis electiones plures in first given careful consideration to the matter, in accordance with his discordia celebrari contingat illa quae a maiori parte capituli numero nulla zeli office, he shall take counsel with discreet members of the order, so vel meriti collatione aut consideratione that a decision is made which is pleasing to God. If the minister habita fuerit celebrata exceptione seu contradictione quacunque alterius general invalidates the election, the provincial chapter shall vote again. partis non obstante per dictum If the chapter does not elect its minister on the day mentioned, the generalem ministrum de consilio discretorum de ordine prius tamen ex minister general shall freely provide a provincial minister. There are, officio prout spectat ad ipsum diligenti however, certain provinces -- Ireland, Greece and Rome -- which are examinatione praemissa confirmetur vel etiam infirmetur prout eis said to have had until now, for just reasons, another way of providing secundum deum visum fuerit expedire. the provincial minister. In these cases, if the minister general and the Et si fuerit infirmata ad capitulum provinciale electio huiusmodi general chapter judge, with good reason, that the provincial minister revertatur. Ceterum si capitulum should be appointed by the minister general, with the advice of good memoratum die praedicta ministrum 223 religious of the order, rather than by the election of the provincial eligere praetermittat extunc ministri provincialis provisio ad generalem chapter, this shall be done without dispute for the provinces of Ireland, ministrum libere devolvatur. Verum si Rome and Greece when the previous provincial minister dies or is ministro praedicto et capitulo generalibus ex certa manifesta ac relieved of office on this side of the sea; there shall be no deceit, rationabili causa videretur aliquando in partiality or fraud, the burden resting on the consciences of those who provinciis ultramarinis Hyberniae seu Graeciae seu Romae in quibus decide the appointment. As for the dismissal of provincial ministers, hactenus alius providendi modus we wish the order to retain the procedure which has been customary dicitur ex causa certa et rationabili fuisse servatus expedire ministrum up to now. For the rest, if the friars are without a minister general, his provincialem per ministrum generalem duties shall be carried out by the vicar of the order until there is a new cum proborum ordinis consilio potius quam per capituli praedicti electionem minister general. Further, if there be any attempted violation of this praefici in provinciis Hyberniae etiam decree concerning the provincial minister, such action shall be ultramarinis irrefragabiliter in Romana vero vel Graeca quando minister dictae automatically null and void. provinciae moreretur vel absolveretur citra mare illa vice servetur absque dolo partialitate et fraude super quo eorum conscientias oneramus quod super hoc dictus minister cum dictorum proborum consilio duxerit ordinandum. In destitutione vero dictorum ministrorum provincialium servari volumus quod super hoc hactenus de ipso ordine exstiterit observatum. Ceterum si contingeret eosdem ministro generali carere per vicarium ordinis fiat super hoc quod faciendum fuerit per eundem ministrum usque quo provisum fuerit de generali ministro. Porro si quid de huiusmodi ministro provinciali secus attentari forte contigerit illud ipso facto sit irritum et inane. Let nobody therefore ... If anyone however ...’ Nulli igitur .... Si quis autem ....

THE COUNCIL of CONSTANCE (1414) The 16th Ecumenical Council

1414-1414- Concilium Constantiense - Documenta Concilia oecumenica et generalia Ecclesiae catholicae - Concilium Constantiniense a. 1414-1418 SESSION 1 - 16 November 1414 [On the matters to be treated in the council, in which order and by which officials [12 ]] John, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for future record. Wishing to Ioannes episcopus servus servorum dei ad futuram rei memoriam. carry out those things which were decreed at the council of Pisa [13 ] by our Intendentes ad executionem eorum predecessor of happy memory, pope [14 ] Alexander V, regarding the quae per felicis recordationis Alexandrum papam v summoning of a new general council, we earlier convoked this present praedecessorem nostrum in concilio council by letters of ours, the contents of which we have ordered to be Pisano decreta fuerunt circa convocationem concilii generalis inserted here: iterum faciendam alias praesens concilium convocavimus per nostras litteras quarum tenorem hic duximus inserendum: John, bishop ... [15 ] Ioannes episcopus .... We have therefore come together with our venerable brothers, cardinals of et subinde cum venerabilibus fratribus nostris sanctae Romanae 224 the holy Roman church, and our court to this city of Constance at the ecclesiae cardinalibus et nostra curia ad hanc civitatem appointed time. Being present here by the grace of God, we now wish, with Constantiensem venimus tempore the advice of this sacred synod, to attend to the peace, exaltation and reform constituto. Et nunc per dei gratiam hic of the church and to the quiet of the christian people. existentes cum huius sacrae synodi consilio intendimus insistere ad pacem exaltationem et reformationem ecclesiae ac tranquillitatem populi christiani. In such an arduous matter it is not right to rely on one’s own strength, but Et quia in hac re tam ardua non est propriis viribus aliquid rather trust should be placed in the help of God. Therefore, in order to begin praesumendum sed de dei adiutorio with divine worship, we decreed, with the approval of this sacred council, confidendum ideo a cultu divino inchoantes hoc sacro approbante that a special mass for this purpose should be said today. This mass has now concilio ordinavimus quod hac ipsa been duly celebrated, by the grace of God. We now decree that such a mass die specialis missa ad hoc constituta diceretur. shall be celebrated collegially in this and every other collegiate church of this Sicuti per dei gratiam nunc city whether secular or regular, once a week, namely each Friday, for the celebrata est. Quam etiam missam constituimus in duration of this sacred council. Moreover, in order that the faithful may hac et in singulis aliis ecclesiis devote themselves to this holy celebration most fervently, whereby they will collegiatis secularibus et regularibus huius civitatis semel in hebdomade feel themselves refreshed by a more abundant gift of grace, we relax, videlicet feria quinta hoc sacro mercifully in the Lord, the following amounts of enjoined penance to each concilio durante collegialiter celebrari. and every one of them who is truly penitent and has confessed: for each Et ut eo ferventius huic sacrae mass, one year to the celebrating priest and forty days to those present at it. celebrationi fideles insistant quo ampliori gratiae munere senserint Furthermore, we exhort our venerable brothers, cardinals of the holy Roman se refectos omnibus et singulis vere church, as well as patriarchs, archbishops and bishops, and our beloved poenitentibus et confessis videlicet sacerdotibus dictas missas chosen sons, abbots and others in the priesthood, devoutly to celebrate this celebrantibus pro singulis missis mass once every week, in order that the aforesaid divine aid may be unum annum interessentibus vero quadraginta dies de iniunctis sibi implored; and we grant the same indulgences to the celebrant and to those poenitentiis misericorditer in present at the mass. We exhort in the Lord, moreover, each and all who glory domino relaxamus. Ad cuius etiam missae in the name of Christ, in order that the desired outcome to so great a matter celebrationem exhortamur may be obtained, to give themselves diligently to prayer, fasting, almsgiving venerabiles fratres nostros sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinales nec and other pious works, so that God may be placated by our and their non patriarchas archiepiscopos humility, and so deign to grant a happy outcome to this sacred gathering. episcopos ac dilectos filios electos abbates caeteros que in sacerdotio constitutos ut et ipsi ad impetrandum praedictum divinum auxilium cum devotione singulis septimanis praedictam missam semel celebrent quibus celebrantibus et celebrationi interessentibus similes indulgentias elargimur. Exhortamur etiam in domino omnes et singulos qui christi nomine gloriantur ut ad obtinendam optatam consummationem tantae rei diligenter insistant orationibus ieiuniis eleemosynis et aliis piis operibus ut deus ex nostra et ipsorum humilitate placatus dignetur felicem exitum huic sacrae congregationi concedere. Considering, moreover, that a council should specially treat of those matters Praeterea considerantes quod precipuum agendum in concilio which concern the catholic faith, according to the praiseworthy practices of secundum laudabiles observantias the early councils, and aware that such things demand diligence, sufficient antiquorum conciliorum est de his quae concernunt catholicam fidem time and study, on account of their difficulty, we therefore exhort all those et attendentes quod talia propter who are well versed in the sacred scriptures to ponder and to treat, both suam arduitatem exigant diligentiam tempus sufficiens ac within themselves and with others, about those things which seem to them studium exhortamur omnes useful and opportune in this matter. Let them bring such things to our notice habentes peritiam sacrarum litterarum ut diligenter se cum et and to that of this sacred synod, as soon as they conveniently can, so that at a 225 suitable time there may be decided what things, it seems, should be held and cum aliis illa cogitent atque tractent quae eis videbuntur ad hanc rem what repudiated for the profit and increase of the same catholic faith. utilia et opportuna quamprimum commode poterunt illa ad nostram et huius sacrae synodi notitiam perducant ut tempore opportuno possint ea determinari quae videbuntur tenenda vel repudianda pro utilitate et incremento ipsius catholicae fidei. Let them especially ponder on the various errors which are said to have Et specialiter cogitent circa nonnullos errores qui a certis sprouted in certain places at various times, especially on those which are said temporibus dicuntur in nonnullis to have arisen from a certain John called Wyclif. partibus pullulasse et maxime circa illos qui ortum dicuntur habuisse a quodam Ioanne dicto Wicleff. We exhort, moreover, all Catholics assembled here and others who will come Insuper etiam exhortamur omnes catholicos hic congregatos et alios to this sacred synod that they should seek to think on, to follow up and to ad hanc sacram synodum venturos bring to us, and to this same sacred synod, those matters by which the body ut velint diligenter cogitare et prosequi et ad nos et eamdem of Catholics may be led, if God is willing, to a proper reformation and to the sacram synodum perducere ea per desired peace. For it is our intention and will that all who are assembled for quae possit etiam congregatio catholicorum ad debitam this purpose may say, consult about and do, with complete freedom, each and reformationem et optatam all of the things that they think pertain to the above. tranquillitatem deo iuvante perduci. Nostrae namque intentionis et voluntatis est ut omnes hac de causa congregati cum omnimoda libertate possint dicere consulere et facere omnia et singula quae ad praemissa putaverint pertinere. In order, however, that a rule may be observed in the procedure of this sacred Ut autem notus sit modus qui in huius sacrae synodi processu synod with regard to what things are to be said and decided, the action to be servandus est tam quoad ea quae taken and the regulating of customs, we think that recourse should be had to dicenda et determinanda erunt quam etiam quoad gestum et the practices of the ancient fathers, which are best learned from a canon of morum compositionem putamus in the council of Toledo, the contents of which we have decided to insert here hoc recurrendum ad observantias antiquorum patrum quae maxime [16 ] : colliguntur ex canone Toletani concilii cuius tenorem hic duximus inserendum Nobody should shout at or in any way disturb the Lord’s priests when they : in loco benedictionis considentes domini sacerdotes nullus debet aut sit in the place of blessing. Nobody should cause disturbance by telling idle indiscretis vocibus perstrepere aut stories or jokes or, what is even worse, by stubborn disputes. As the apostle quibuslibet tumultibus perturbare nullus etiam fabulis vanis vel risibus says, if anyone thinks himself religious and does not bridle his tongue but et quod est deterius obstinatis deceives his heart, then his religion is vain. For, justice loses its reverence disceptationibus tumultuosas debet voces effundere.Si quis enim ut ait when the silence of the court is disturbed by a crowd of turbulent people. As apostolus putat se religiosum esse the prophet says, the reverence due to justice shall be silence. Therefore non refrenans linguam suam sed seducens cor suum huius vana est whatever is being debated by the participants, or is being proposed by religio. persons making an accusation, should be stated in quiet tones so that the Cultum enim suum iustitia perdit quando silentia iudicii hearers’ senses are not disturbed by contentious voices and they do not obstrepentium turba confundit weaken the authority of the court by their tumult. Whoever thinks that the dicente propheta erit cultus iustitiae silentium. aforesaid things should not be observed while the council is meeting, and Debet ergo quicquid aut disturbs it with noise or dissensions or jests, contrary to the things forbidden considentium consultationibus agitur aut ab accusantium parte here, shall leave the assembly, dishonourably stripped of the right to attend, proponitur mitissima verborum according to the precept of the divine law (whereby it is commanded: drive relatione proferri ut nec contentiosis vocibus sensus audientium turbetur out the scoffer, and strife will go out with him), and he shall be under et iudicii vigorem de tumultu sentence of excommunication for three days. enervent.Quicumque ergo in conventu concilii haec quae praemissa sunt violanda crediderit et contra haec interdicta aut tumultu aut contumeliis vel risibus concilium perturbaverit iuxta divinae legis edictum quo 226 praecipitur eiice derisorem et exibit cum eo iurgium cum omni dedecore de consessione abstractus a communi coetu recedat et trium dierum excommunicationis sententiam ferat. Since it may happen that some of the participants will not be in their rightful Et quoniam contingere potest quod aliqui ex considentibus non erunt in seats, we decree, with this sacred council’s approval, that no prejudice shall sedibus debitis collocati eodem arise to any church or person as a result of this seating arrangement. sacro approbante concilio decernimus quod ex sessione huiusmodi nulli ecclesiae vel personae praeiudicium generetur. Since certain ministers and officials are required in order that this council Quia vero ad prosecutionem huius concilii requiruntur certi ministri et may proceed, we therefore depute, with this sacred council’s approval, those officiales ideo hoc sacro approbante named below, namely our beloved sons... [17 ] concilio deputamus infra scriptos videlicet dilectos filios .... SESSION 2 - 2 March 1415 [John XXIII publicly offers to resign the papacy] SESSION 3 - 26 March 1415 [Decrees on the integrity and authority of the council, after the pope s flight [18 ]] For the honour, praise and glory of the most holy Trinity, Father and Son and Ad honorem laudem et gloriam sanctissimae trinitatis patris et filii holy Spirit, and to obtain on earth, for people of good will, the peace that was et spiritus sancti pacem que in terris divinely promised in God’s church, this holy synod, called the sacred general hominibus bonae voluntatis divinitus promissam in dei ecclesia council of Constance, duly assembled here in the holy Spirit for the purpose consequendum haec sancta of bringing union and reform to the said church in its head and members, synodus sacrum generale concilium Constantiense nuncupata pro discerns declares, defines and ordains as follows. unione et reformatione dictae ecclesiae in capite et in membris fienda in spiritu sancto hic debite congregata decernit declarat diffinit et ordinat ut sequitur. First, that this synod was and is rightly and properly summoned to this city of Et primo quod ipsa synodus fuit et est recte et rite convocata ad hunc Constance, and likewise has been rightly and properly begun and held. locum civitatis Constantiensis et similiter recte et rite initiata et celebrata. Next, that this sacred council has not been dissolved by the departure of our Item quod per recessum domini nostri papae de hoc loco lord pope from Constance, or even by the departure of other prelates or any Constantiensi vel etiam per other persons, but continues in its integrity and authority, even if decrees to recessum aliorum praelatorum seu aliorum quorumcumque non est the contrary have been made or shall be made in the future. dissolutum hoc sacrum concilium sed remanet in sua integritate et auctoritate etiam si quae ordinationes factae essent in contrarium vel fierent in futurum. Next, that this sacred council should not and may not be dissolved until the Item quod istud sacrum concilium non debet dissolvi nec dissolvatur present schism has been entirely removed and until the church has been usque ad perfectam exstirpationem reformed in faith and morals, in head and members. praesentis schismatis et quousque ecclesia sit reformata in fide et in moribus in capite et in membris. Next, that this sacred council may not be transferred to another place, except Item quod ipsum sacrum concilium non transferatur ad alium locum nisi for a reasonable cause, which is to be debated and decided on by this sacred ex causa rationabili et de consilio council. huius sacri concilii deliberanda et concludenda. Next, that prelates and other persons who should be present at this council Item quod praelati et alii qui debent interesse huic concilio non recedant may not depart from this place before it has ended, except for a reasonable de hoc loco ante finitum concilium cause which is to be examined by persons who have been, or will be, deputed nisi ex causa rationabili examinanda per deputatos seu deputandos ab by this sacred council. When the reason has been examined and approved, hoc sacro concilio. Qua causa they may depart with the permission of the person or persons in authority. examinata et approbata possint recedere cum licentia eius vel When the individual departs, he is bound to give his power to others who illorum qui habebit vel habebunt stay, under penalty of the law, as well as to others appointed by this sacred auctoritatem: et tunc recedens 227 council, and those who act to the contrary are to be prosecuted. teneatur dimittere potestatem suam aliis remanentibus sub poenis iuris et aliis per hoc sacrum concilium indicendis et contra eos exsequendis. SESSION 4 - 30 March 1415 [Decrees of the council on its authority and integrity, in the abbreviated form read out by cardinal Zabarella] In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and holy Spirit In nomine sanctae et individuae trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus Amen. This holy synod of Constance, which is a general council, for the sancti Amen. eradication of the present schism and for bringing unity and reform to God’s haec sancta synodus Constantiensis generale concilium faciens pro church in head and members, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit to the exstirpatione praesentis schismatis praise of almighty God, ordains, defines, decrees, discerns and declares as et unione ac reformatione ecclesiae dei in capite et in membris fienda follows, in order that this union and reform of God’s church may be obtained ad laudem omnipotentis dei in the more easily, securely, fruitfully and freely. spiritu sancto legitime congregata ad consequendum facilius securius uberius et liberius unionem et reformationem ecclesiae dei ordinat diffinit statuit decernit et declarat ut sequitur. First, that this synod, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, constituting a Et primo quod ipsa synodus in spiritu sancto legitime congregata general council, representing the catholic church militant, has power generale concilium faciens immediately from Christ, and that everyone of whatever state or dignity, ecclesiam catholicam militantem repraesentans potestatem a christo even papal, is bound to obey it in those matters which pertain to the faith and immediate habeat cui quilibet the eradication of the said schism. [19 ] cuiuscumque status vel dignitatis etiam si papalis exsistat obedire tenetur in his quae pertinent ad fidem et exstirpationem dicti schismatis. Next, that our most holy lord pope John XXIII may not move or transfer the Item quod sanctissimus dominus noster papa Ioannes xxiii Romanam Roman curia and its public offices, or its or their officials, from this city to curiam et officia publica illius vel another place, nor directly or indirectly compel the persons of the said offices illorum officiarios de hac civitate ad alium locum non mutet aut to follow him, without the deliberation and consent of the same holy synod; transferat seu personas dictorum this refers to those officials or offices by whose absence the council would officiorum ad sequendum eum directe vel indirecte cogat sine probably be dissolved or harmed. If he has acted to the contrary in the past, deliberatione et consensu ipsius or shall in the future, or if he has in the past, is now or shall in the future sanctae synodi et hoc quoad illos officiarios vel illa officia per quorum fulminate any processes or mandates or ecclesiastical censures or any other absentiam concilium verisimiliter penalties against the said officials or any other adherents of this council, to dissolveretur vel laederetur. Et si contrarium fecisset seu faceret in the effect that they should follow him then all is null and void and in no way futurum aut aliquos processus seu are the said processes, censures and penalties to be obeyed, inasmuch as they mandata contra dictos officiarios vel alios quoscumque huic concilio are null and void, and they are invalid. The said officials are rather to adhaerentes etiam censuras exercise their offices in the said city of Constance, and to carry them out ecclesiasticas aut alias poenas quascumque continentes ut ipsum freely as before, as long as this holy synod is being held in the said city. sequantur fulminasset fulminaret seu fulminaverit totum sit irritum et inane nec eisdem processibus censuris et poenis tamquam irritis et inanibus quomodolibet obediendum fore et ea et eos irritat. Quin immo dicti officiarii in dicta civitate Constantiensi suis officiis utantur et illa exerceant libere ut prius quamdiu ipsa sancta synodus in eadem civitate celebrabitur. Next, that all translations of prelates, and depositions of the same, or of any Item quod omnes et singulae translationes praelatorum nec non other beneficed persons, revocations of commendams and gifts, admonitions, privationes eorumdem aut aliorum ecclesiastical censures, processes, sentences, acts and whatever has been or beneficiatorum quorumcumque commendarum ac donationum will be done or accomplished by our aforesaid lord and his officials or revocationes monitiones censurae commissaries, from the time of his departure, to the injury of the council or ecclesiasticae processus sententiae acta et gesta gerenda agenda et 228 its adherents, against the supporters or participants of this sacred council, or fienda per praefatum dominum nostrum ac suos officiarios seu to the prejudice of them or any one of them, in whatever way they may have commissarios in laesionem concilii been or shall be made or done, against the will of the persons concerned, are seu adhaerentium eidem a tempore sui recessus contra adhaerentes in virtue of the law itself null, quashed, invalid and void, and of no effect or huic sacro concilio vel exsistentes in moment, and the council by its authority quashes, invalidates and annuls eodem aut in ipsorum praeiudicium seu alicuius eorumdem them. quomodolibet ipsis invitis facta vel fienda factae vel facti faciendae vel faciendi ipso iure sint nulla cassa irrita et inania cassae irritae et inanes ac nullius roboris vel momenti et sua auctoritate cassat irritat et annullat. [Next, it was declared and decided that three persons should be chosen from [Item fuit declaratum et conclusum quod de qualibet natione eligantur each nation who know both the reasons of those wishing to depart and the tres qui cognoscant de causis punishments that ought to be inflicted on those departing without permission. recedere volentium et poenis recedentium sine licentia [20 ]] infligendis]. Next, that for the sake of unity new cardinals should not be created. Item quod pro bono unionis non creentur novi cardinales. Moreover, lest for reasons of deceit or fraud some persons may be said to Et ne fraude vel dolo dicantur facti have been made cardinals recently, this sacred council declares that those dudum cardinales aliqui declarat sacrum concilium pro non persons are not to be regarded as cardinals who were not publicly recognised cardinalibus haberi qui non erant and held to be such at the time of our lord pope’s departure from the city of cardinales publice reputati et tenti tempore recessus eiusdem domini Constance. nostri papae a civitate Constantiensi. SESSION 5 - 6 April 1415 The famous Haec Sancta decree contradicting Vatican 1 on papal primacy/infallibility. [Decrees of the council, concerning its authority and integrity, which had been abbreviated by cardinal Zabarella at the preceding session, against the wishes of the nations, and which are now restored, repeated and confirmed by a public decree] In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and holy In nomine sanctae et individuae trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus Spirit. Amen. sancti Amen. This holy synod of Constance, which is a general council, for the eradication haec sancta synodus Constantiensis generale concilium faciens pro of the present schism and for bringing unity and reform to God’s church in exstirpatione praesentis schismatis head and members, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit to the praise of et unione ac reformatione ecclesiae dei in capite et in membris fienda almighty God, ordains, defines, decrees, discerns and declares as follows, in ad laudem omnipotentis dei in order that this union and reform of God’s church may be obtained the more spiritu sancto legitime congregata ad consequendum facilius securius easily, securely, fruitfully and freely. uberius et liberius unionem ac reformationem ecclesiae dei ordinat diffinit statuit decernit et declarat ut sequitur. First it declares that, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, constituting a Et primo declarat quod ipsa in spiritu sancto legitime congregata general council and representing the catholic church militant, it has power generale concilium faciens et immediately from Christ; and that everyone of whatever state or dignity, ecclesiam catholicam militantem repraesentans potestatem a christo even papal, is bound to obey it in those matters which pertain to the faith, the immediate habet cui quilibet eradication of the said schism and the general reform of the said church of cuiuscumque status vel dignitatis etiam si papalis exsistat obedire God in head and members. tenetur in his quae pertinent ad fidem et exstirpationem dicti schismatis ac generalem reformationem dictae ecclesiae dei in capite et in membris. Next, it declares that anyone of whatever condition, state or dignity, even Item declarat quod quicumque cuiuscumque conditionis status papal, who contumaciously refuses to obey the past or future mandates, dignitatis etiam si papalis exsistat statutes, ordinances or precepts of this sacred council or of any other qui mandatis statutis seu ordinationibus aut praeceptis huius 229 legitimately assembled general council, regarding the aforesaid things or sacrae synodi et cuiuscumque alterius concilii generalis legitime matters pertaining to them, shall be subjected to well-deserved penance, congregati super praemissis seu ad unless he repents, and shall be duly punished, even by having recourse, if ea pertinentibus factis vel faciendis obedire contumaciter contempserit necessary, to other supports of the law. nisi resipuerit condignae poenitentiae subiiciatur et debite puniatur etiam ad alia iuris subsidia si opus fuerit recurrendo. Next, the said holy synod defines and ordains that the lord pope John XXIII Item diffinit et ordinat dicta sancta synodus quod dominus Ioannes may not move or transfer the Roman curia and its public offices, or its or papa xxiii Romanam curiam et their officials, from the city of Constance to another place, nor directly or officia publica illius seu illorum officiarios de hac civitate indirectly compel the said officials to follow him, without the deliberation Constantiensi ad alium locum non and consent of the same holy synod. If he has acted to the contrary in the mutet aut transferat seu personas dictorum officiariorum ad past, or shall in the future, or if he has in the past, is now or shall in the future sequendum eum directe vel fulminate any processes or mandates or ecclesiastical censures or any other indirecte cogat sine deliberatione et consensu ipsius sanctae synodi. Et penalties, against the said officials or any other adherents of this sacred si contrarium fecisset aut faceret in council, to the effect that they should follow him, then all is null and void futurum aut aliquos processus seu mandata contra dictos officiarios and in no way are the said processes, censures and penalties to be obeyed, aut alios quoscumque huic sacro inasmuch as they are null and void. The said officials are rather to exercise concilio adhaerentes etiam censuras ecclesiasticas vel alias their offices in the said city of Constance, and to carry them out freely as poenas quascumque continentes ut before, as long as this holy synod h being held in the said City. ipsum sequantur fulminasset fulminaret seu fulminaverit totum sit irritum et inane nec eisdem processibus censuris et poenis tamquam irritis et inanibus quomodolibet obediendum fore. Quin immo dicti officiarii in dicta civitate Constantiensi suis officiis utantur et illa exerceant libere ut prius quamdiu ipsa sancta synodus in eadem civitate celebrabitur. Next, that all translations of prelates, or depositions of the same, or of any Item ordinat et diffinit quod omnes et singulae translationes other beneficed persons, officials and administrators, revocations of praelatorum nec non privationes commendams and gifts, admonitions, ecclesiastical censures, processes, eorundem aut aliorum beneficiatorum officialium sentences and whatever has been or will be done or accomplished by the administratorum quarumcumque aforesaid lord pope John or his officials or commissaries, since the beginning commendarum ac donationum revocationes monitiones censurae of this council, to the injury of the said council or its adherents, against the ecclesiasticae processus sententiae supporters or participants of this sacred council, or to the prejudice of them et quaecumque acta gesta gerenda agenda aut fienda per praefatum or of any one of them, in whatever way they may have been or shall be made dominum Ioannem papam aut suos or done, against the will of the persons concerned, are by this very fact, on officiarios vel commissarios in laesionem dicti concilii seu the authority of this sacred council, null, quashed, invalid and void, and of no adhaerentium eidem a tempore effect or moment, and the council by its authority quashes, invalidates and inchoationis eiusdem concilii et contra adhaerentes huic sacro annuls them. concilio vel exsistentes in eodem aut in ipsorum seu alicuius eorumdem praeiudicium quomodolibet ipsis invitis facta seu facienda factae aut facti faciendae vel faciendi auctoritate huius sacri concilii ipso facto sint nulla cassa irrita et inania cassae irritae et inanes ac nullius roboris vel momenti et eadem auctoritate cassat irritat et annullat. Next, it declares that the lord pope John XXIII and all the prelates and other Item declarat quod dominus Ioannes papa xxiii et omnes praelati et alii persons summoned to this sacred council, and other participants in the same ad hoc sacrum concilium vocati et synod, have enjoyed and do now enjoy full freedom, as has been apparent in alii in eodem concilio exsistentes in plenaria libertate fuerunt et the said sacred council, and the opposite has not been brought to the notice of exsistunt ut visum est dicto sacro the said summoned persons or of the said council. The said sacred council concilio nec ad notitiam dictorum vocatorum seu dicti concilii testifies to this before God and people. [21 ] 230 contrarium deductum est et hoc testificatur dictum sacrum concilium coram deo et hominibus. SESSION 6 - 17 April 1415 [At this session there were, among other minor deliberations, decrees about admitting the office of proctor in the matter of pope John XXIII’s renunciation of the papacy and about the citing of Jerome of Prague.] SESSION 7 - 2 May 1415 [At this session it was decreed that pope John should be publicly summoned and that the summons of Jerome of Prague, now charged with contumacy, should be repeated.] SESSION 8 - 4 May 1415 This most holy synod of Constance, which is a general council and Sacrosancta Constantiensis synodus generale concilium faciens et represents the catholic church and is legitimately assembled in the holy ecclesiam catholicam repraesentans Spirit, for the eradication of the present schism and the elimination of the ad exstirpationem praesentis schismatis errorum que et errors and heresies which are sprouting beneath its shade and for the reform haeresium sub eius umbra of the church, make this perpetual record of its acts. pullulantium eliminationem et reformationem ecclesiae in spiritu sancto legitime congregata ad perpetuam rei memoriam. [Sentence condemning various articles of John Wyclif] We learn from the writings and deeds of the holy fathers that the catholic Fidem catholicam sine qua ut ait apostolus impossibile est placere faith without which (as the Apostle says) it is impossible to please God , has deo a falsis eiusdem fidei cultoribus often been attacked by false followers of the same faith, or rather by perverse immo perversis impugnatoribus et superba curiositate intendentibus assailants, and by those who, desirous of the world’s glory, are led on by plus sapere quam oportet mundi proud curiosity to know more than they should; and that it has been defended gloriam cupientibus oppugnatam saepius et contra illos per fideles against such persons by the church’s faithful spiritual knights armed with the ecclesiae milites spirituales opposito shield of faith. Indeed these kinds of wars were prefigured in the physical scuto fidei defensatam fuisse sanctorum patrum scripturis atque wars of the Israelite people against idolatrous nations. Therefore in these gestis instruimur. spiritual wars the holy catholic church, illuminated in the truth of faith by the Haec quippe bellorum genera in bellis carnalibus Israelitici populi rays of light from above and remaining ever spotless through the Lord’s adversus gentes idololatras providence and with the help of the patronage of the saints, has triumphed praesignata fuerunt. In his itaque spiritualibus bellis most gloriously over the darkness of error as over profligate enemies. In our sancta ecclesia catholica in fidei times, however, that old and jealous foe has stirred up new conflicts so that veritate superni luminis radiis illustrata domino providente et the approved ones of this age may be made manifest. Their leader and prince sanctorum patrocinio opem ferente was that pseudo-christian John Wyclif. He stubbornly asserted and taught semper immaculata permanens erroris tenebris velut hostibus many articles against the christian religion and the catholic faith while he profligatis gloriosissime triumphavit. was alive. We have decided that forty-five of the articles should be set out on Nostris vero temporibus vetus ille et invidus hostis nova certamina ut this page as follows. probati temporis huius manifesti fiant suscitavit quorum dux et princeps exstitit quondam Ioannes Wicleff pseudochristianus: qui dum viveret adversus religionem christianam et fidem catholicam pertinaciter asseruit et dogmatizavit plures articulos quorum quadragintaquinque huic paginae duximus inserendos qui sequuntur. 1. The material substance of bread, and similarly the material substance of Substantia panis materialis et similiter substantia vini materialis wine, remain in the sacrament of the altar. manent in sacramento altaris. 2. The accidents of bread do not remain without their subject in the said Accidentia panis non manent sine subiecto in eodem sacramento. sacrament. 3. Christ is not identically and really present in the said sacrament in his Christus non est in eodem sacramento identice et realiter in own bodily persona. propria persona corporali. 4. If a bishop or a priest is in mortal sin, he does not ordain or confect or Si episcopus vel sacerdos est in peccato mortali non ordinat non 231 consecrate or baptise. conficit non consecrat nec baptizat. 5. That Christ instituted the mass has no basis in the gospel. Non est fondatum in evangelio quod christus missam ordinarit. 6. God ought to obey the devil. Deus debet obedire diabolo. 7. If a person is duly contrite, all exterior confession is superfluous and Si homo debite fuerit contritus omnis confessio exterior est sibi useless for him. superflua et inutilis. 8. If a pope is foreknown as damned and is evil, and is therefore a limb of Si papa sit praescitus et malus et per consequens membrum diaboli the devil, he does not have authority over the faithful given to him by non habet potestatem super fideles anyone, except perhaps by the emperor. ab aliquo sibi datam nisi forte a Caesare. 9. Nobody should be considered as pope after Urban VI. Rather, people Post Urbanum vi non est aliquis recipiendus in papam sed vivendum should live like the Greeks, under their own laws. est more Graecorum sub legibus propriis. 10. It is against sacred scripture for ecclesiastics to have possessions. Contra scripturam sacram est quod viri ecclesiastici habeant possessiones. 11. No prelate should excommunicate anyone unless he first knows that Nullus praelatus debet aliquem excommunicare nisi prius sciat eum the person has been excommunicated by God; he who does so thereby esse excommunicatum a deo: et qui becomes a heretic and an excommunicated person. sic excommunicat fit haereticus ex hoc vel excommunicatus. 12. A prelate excommunicating a cleric who has appealed to the king or Praelatus excommunicans clericum qui appellavit ad regem vel ad the king’s council is thereby a traitor to the king and the kingdom. concilium regni eo ipso traditor est regis et regni. 13. Those who stop preaching or hearing the word of God on account of Illi qui dimittunt praedicare sive verbum dei audire propter an excommunication issued by men are themselves excommunicated excommunicationem hominum sunt and will be regarded as traitors of Christ on the day of judgment. excommunicati et in die iudicii traditores christi habebuntur. 14. It is lawful for any deacon or priest to preach the word of God without Licet alicui diacono vel presbytero praedicare verbum dei absque authorisation from the apostolic see or from a catholic bishop. auctoritate sedis apostolicae vel episcopi catholici. 15. Nobody is a civil lord or a prelate or a bishop while he is in mortal sin. Nullus est dominus civilis nullus est praelatus nullus est episcopus dum est in peccato mortali. 16. Secular lords can confiscate temporal goods from the church at their Domini temporales possunt ad arbitrium suum auferre bona discretion when those who possess them are sinning habitually, that is temporalia ab ecclesia to say sinning from habit and not just in particular acts. possessionatis habitualiter delinquentibus id est ex habitu non solo actu delinquentibus. 17. The people can correct sinful lords at their discretion. Populares possunt ad suum arbitrium dominos delinquentes corrigere. 18. Tithes are purely alms, and parishioners can withhold them at will on Decimae sunt purae eleemosynae et parochiani possunt propter account of their prelates’ sins. peccata suorum praelatorum ad libitum suum eas auferre. 19. Special prayers applied by prelates or religious to a particular person Speciales orationes applicatae uni personae per praelatos vel avail him or her no more than general prayers, if other things are religiosos non plus prosunt eidem equal. quam generales caeteris paribus. 20. Whoever gives alms to friars is thereby excommunicated. Conferens eleemosynam fratribus est excommunicatus eo facto. 21. Whoever enters any religious order whatsoever, whether it be of the Si quis ingreditur religionem privatam qualemcumque tam possessioners or the mendicants, makes himself less apt and suitable possessionatorum quam for the observance of God’s commands. mendicantium redditur ineptior et inhabilior ad observantiam mandatorum dei. 22. Saints who have founded religious orders have sinned in so doing. Sancti instituentes religiones privatas sic instituendo peccaverunt. 23. Members of religious orders are not members of the christian religion. Religiosi viventes in religionibus privatis non sunt de religione christiana. 24. Friars are bound to obtain their food by manual work and not by Fratres tenentur per labores manuum victum acquirere et non 232 begging. [22 ] per mendicitatem. 25. All are simoniacs who bind themselves to pray for people who help Omnes sunt simoniaci qui se obligant orare pro aliis eis in them in temporal matters. temporalibus subvenientibus. 26. The prayer of someone foreknown as damned profits nobody. Oratio praesciti nulli valet. 27. All things happen from absolute necessity. Omnia de necessitate absoluta eveniunt. 28. Confirming the young, ordaining clerics and consecrating places have Confirmatio iuvenum clericorum ordinatio locorum consecratio been reserved to the pope and bishops because of their greed for reservantur papae et episcopis temporal gain and honour. propter cupiditatem lucri temporalis et honoris. 29. Universities, places of study, colleges, degrees and academic exercises Universitates studia collegia graduationes et magisteria in in these institutions were introduced by a vain pagan spirit and benefit eisdem sunt vana gentilitate the church as little as does the devil. introducta et tantum prosunt ecclesiae sicut diabolus. 30. Excommunication by a pope or any prelate is not to be feared since it Excommunicatio papae vel cuiuscumque praelati non est is a censure of antichrist. timenda quia est censura antichristi. 31. Those who found religious houses sin, and those who enter them Peccant fundantes claustra et ingredientes sunt viri diabolici. belong to the devil. 32. It is against Christ’s command to enrich the clergy. Ditare clerum est contra christi mandatum. 33. Pope Silvester and the emperor Constantine erred in endowing the Silvester papa et Constantinus imperator erraverunt ecclesiam church. dotando. 34. All the members of mendicant orders are heretics, and those who give Omnes de ordine mendicantium sunt haeretici et dantes eis them alms are excommunicated. eleemosynam sunt excommunicati. 35. Those who enter a religious or other order thereby become incapable Ingredientes religionem aut aliquem ordinem eo ipso inhabiles sunt ad of observing God’s commands, and consequently of reaching the observandum divina praecepta et kingdom of heaven, unless they leave them. per consequens perveniendi ad regna caelorum nisi apostataverint ab eisdem. 36. The pope with all his clerics who have property are heretics, for the Papa cum omnibus clericis suis possessionem habentibus sunt very reason that they have property; and so are all who abet them, haeretici eo quod possessionem namely all secular lords and other laity. habent et omnes consentientes eis omnes scilicet domini saeculares et caeteri laici. 37. The Roman church is Satan’s synagogue; and the pope is not the Ecclesia Romana est synagoga satanae nec papa est immediatus et immediate and proximate vicar of Christ and the apostles. proximus vicarius christi et apostolorum. 38. The decretal letters are apocryphal and seduce people from Christ’s Decretales epistolae sunt apocryphae et seducunt a christi faith, and clerics who study them are fools. fide et clerici sunt stulti qui student eas. 39. The emperor and secular lords were seduced by the devil to endow the Imperator et domini saeculares seducti sunt a diabolo ut ecclesiam church with temporal goods. dotarent de bonis temporalibus. 40. The election of a pope by the cardinals was introduced by the devil. Electio papae a cardinalibus per diabolum est introducta. 41. It is not necessary for salvation to believe that the Roman church is Non est de necessitate salutis credere Romanam ecclesiam esse supreme among the other churches. [23 ] supremam inter alias ecclesias. 42. It is ridiculous to believe in the indulgences of popes and bishops. Fatuum est credere indulgentiis papae et episcoporum. 43. Oaths taken to confirm civil commerce and contracts between people Iuramenta illicita sunt quae fiunt ad roborandum humanos contractus et are unlawful. commercia civilia. 44. Augustine, Benedict and Bernard are damned, unless they repented of Augustinus Benedictus Bernardus damnati sunt nisi poenituerint de having owned property and of having founded and entered religious hoc quod habuerunt possessiones orders; and thus they are all heretics from the pope down to the lowest et instituerunt et intraverunt religiones et sic a papa usque ad religious. infimum religiosum omnes sunt haeretici. 45. All religious orders alike were introduced by the devil. Omnes religiones indifferenter introductae sunt a diabolo. 233 [Condemnation of Wyclif’s books] This same John Wyclif wrote books called by him Dialogus and Trialogus Idem que Ioannes Wicleff libros dialogum et trialogum per ipsum and many other treatises, works and pamphlets in which he included and nominatos et plures alios tractatus taught the above and many other damnable articles. He issued the books for volumina et opuscula composuit in quibus praescriptos et plures alios public reading, in order to publish his perverse doctrine, and from them have damnabiles inseruit et dogmatizavit followed many scandals, losses and dangers to souls in various regions, articulos. Quos libros ad sui perversi dogmatis especially in the kingdoms of England and Bohemia. Masters and doctors of publicationem publice legendos the universities and houses of study at Oxford and Prague, opposing with exposuit ex quibus insuper multa scandala damna animarum que God’s strength these articles and books, later refuted the above articles in pericula in diversis regionibus scholastic form. They were condemned, moreover, by the most reverend praesertim Angliae et Bohemiae regnis secuta sunt. fathers who were then the archbishops and bishops of Canterbury, York and Adversus quos articulos atque libros Prague, legates of the apostolic see in the kingdoms of England and of in dei virtute exsurgentes magistri et doctores universitatum et Bohemia. The said archbishop of Prague, commissary of the apostolic see in studiorum Oxoniensis et Pragensis this matter, also judicially decreed that the books of the same John Wyclif articulos praedictos scholastice diu post reprobaverunt. were to be burnt and he forbade the reading of those that survived. Reverendissimi insuper patres archiepiscopi et episcopi pro tempore Cantuariensis et Eboracensis sedis apostolicae legati in Angliae et Pragensis in Bohemiae regnis condemnarunt. Libros etiam eiusdem Ioannis Wicleff comburendos fore dictus archiepiscopus Pragensis sedis apostolicae commissarius in hac parte sententialiter iudicavit et eorum qui superessent prohibuit lectionem. After these things had again been brought to the notice of the apostolic see Rursus his ad notitiam sedis apostolicae et generalis concilii and a general council, the Roman pontiff condemned the said books, treatises deductis Romanus pontifex in and pamphlets at the lately held council of Rome [24 ] , ordering them to be concilio Romano ultimo celebrato dictos libros tractatus et opuscula publicly burnt and strictly forbidding anyone called a Christian to dare to condemnavit iubens illos publice read, expound, hold or make any use of any one or more of the said books, concremari districtius inhibendo ne quis christi nomine insignitus volumes, treatises and pamphlets, or even to cite them publicly or privately, auderet aliquem vel aliquos seu except in order to refute them. In order that this dangerous and most foul aliqua ex dictis libellis voluminibus et tractatibus ac opusculis legere doctrine might be eliminated from the church’s midst, he ordered, by his exponere vel tenere aut illis apostolic authority and under pain of ecclesiastical censure, that all such quomodolibet uti vel illos nisi in ipsorum reprobationem allegare books, treatises, volumes and pamphlets should be diligently sought out by publice vel occulte. the local ordinaries and should then be publicly burnt; and he added that if Et ut de medio ecclesiae illa periculosa spurcissima que doctrina necessary those who do not obey should be proceeded against as if they were eliminaretur iussit omnes per promoters of heresy. locorum ordinarios libros tractatus volumina et opuscula huiusmodi auctoritate apostolica per censuram ecclesiasticam etiam si opus esset cum adiectione quod contra non parentes procederetur tanquam contra fautores haeresis diligenter inquiri et repertos ac reperta ignibus publice concremari. This sacred synod has had the aforesaid forty-five articles examined and Haec autem sancta synodus praefatos articulos frequently considered by many most reverend fathers, cardinals of the quadragintaquinque examinari fecit Roman church, bishops, abbots, masters of theology, doctors in both laws et saepius recenseri per plures reverendissimos patres ecclesiae and many notable persons. After the articles had been examined it was found, Romanae cardinales episcopos as indeed is the case, that some of them, indeed many, were and are abbates magistros in theologia doctores iuris utriusque et plures notoriously heretical and have already been condemned by holy fathers, notabiles in multitudine copiosa. others are not catholic but erroneous, others scandalous and blasphemous, Quibus articulis examinatis fuit repertum prout in veritate est some offensive to the ears of the devout and some rash and seditious. It was aliquos et plures ex ipsis fuisse et also found that his books contain many other similar articles and introduce esse notorios haereticos et a sanctis 234 into God’s church teaching that is unsound and hostile to faith and morals. patribus dudum reprobatos alios non catholicos sed erroneos alios This holy synod, therefore, in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, in ratifying scandalosos et blasphemos and approving the sentences of the aforesaid archbishops and of the council quosdam piarum aurium offensivos nonnullos eorum temerarios et of Rome, repudiates and condemns for ever, by this decree, the aforesaid seditiosos. articles and each one of them in particular, and the books of John Wyclif Compertum est etiam libros eius plures alios articulos continere called by him Dialogus and Trialogus, and the same author’s other books, similium qualitatum doctrinam que volumes, treatises and pamphlets (no matter what name these may go under, in dei ecclesia vesanam et fidei ac moribus inimicam inducere. and for which purpose this description is to be regarded as an adequate Propterea in nomine domini nostri listing of them). It forbids the reading, teaching, expounding and citing of the Iesu christi haec sancta synodus sententias praedictorum said books or of any one of them in particular, unless it is for the purpose of archiepiscoporum ac concilii Romani refuting them. It forbids each and every Catholic henceforth, under pain of ratificans et approbans praedictos articulos et eorum quemlibet libros anathema, to preach, teach or affirm in public the said articles or any one of eiusdem dialogum et trialogum per them in particular, or to teach, approve or hold the said books, or to refer to eumdem Ioannem Wicleff nominatos et alios eiusdem auctoris them in any way, unless this is done, as has been said, for the purpose of libros volumina tractatus et refuting them. It orders, moreover, that the aforesaid books, treatises, opuscula quocumque nomine censeantur quos hic haberi vult pro volumes and pamphlets are to be burnt in public, in accordance with the sufficienter expressis hoc perpetuo decree of the synod of Rome, as stated above. This holy synod orders local decreto reprobat et condemnat eorumdem librorum et cuiuslibet ordinaries to attend with vigilance to the execution and due observance of ipsorum lectionem doctrinam these things, insofar as each one is responsible, in accordance with the law expositionem et allegationem nisi ad eorum reprobationem omnibus and canonical sanctions. christi fidelibus prohibendo: inhibens omnibus et singulis catholicis sub anathematis interminatione ne de cetero dictos articulos aut ipsorum aliquem audeat publice praedicare dogmatizare vel tenere sive libros ipsos docere approbare et tenere vel quomodolibet nisi ad eorum reprobationem ut dictum est allegare: iubens illos libros et tractatus volumina et opuscula praelibata publice concremari prout decretum fuerat in synodo romana sicut superius est expressum. Super quibus et exsequendis et debite conservandis mandat praedicta sancta synodus ordinariis locorum vigilanter intendere prout ad quemlibet pertinet secundum iura et canonicas sanctiones. [Condemnation of 260 other articles of Wyclif] [25 ] When the doctors and masters of the university of Oxford examined the Quia vero libris praedictis diligenter examinatis per doctores et aforesaid written works, they found 260 articles in addition to the 45 articles magistros universitatis studii that have been mentioned. Some of them coincide in meaning with the 45 Oxoniensis ultra dictos quadragintaquinque articulos articles, even if not in the forms of words used. Some of them, as has been ducentos sexaginta extra pendentes said, were and are heretical, some seditious, some erroneous, others rash, collegerunt quorum aliqui cum supradictis in sententia coincidunt some scandalous, others unsound, and almost all of them contrary to good licet non in eadem forma verborum: morals and the catholic truth. They were therefore condemned by the said et sicut de aliis superius dictum est quidam ipsorum erant et sunt university in correct and scholastic form. This most holy synod, therefore, haeretici quidam seditiosi quidam after deliberating as mentioned above, repudiates and condemns the said erronei alii temerarii nonnulli scandalosi alii insani nec non omnes articles and each one of them in particular; and it forbids, commands and pene contra bonos mores et decrees in the same way as for the other 45 articles. We order the contents of catholicam veritatem fuerunt propterea per dictam universitatem these 260 articles to be included below [26 ] . scholastice et debite reprobati. Haec igitur synodus sacrosancta cum deliberatione qua supra praedictos articulos et eorum quemlibet reprobat et condemnat inhibens mandans et decernens 235 prout de aliis xlv superius est expressum. Eorumdem ducentorum sexaginta articulorum tenores duximus inferius inserendos. [The council pronounces John Wyclif a heretic, condemns his memory and orders his bones to be exhumed] Furthermore, a process was begun, on the authority or by decree of the Insuper quia auctoritate sive decreto Romani concilii mandato Roman council, and at the command of the church and of the apostolic see, que ecclesiae et sedis apostolicae after a due interval of time, for the condemnation of the said Wyclif and his datis dilationibus debitis processum fuit super condemnatione dicti memory. Invitations and proclamations were issued summoning those who Wicleff et suae memoriae edictis wished to defend him and his memory, if any still existed. However, nobody propositis denunciationibus que ad vocandum eos qui eumdem sive appeared who was willing to defend him or his memory. Witnesses were eius memoriam defendere vellent si examined by commissaries appointed by the reigning lord pope John and by qui penitus exsisterent nullus vero comparuit qui eumdem vel suam this sacred council, regarding the said Wyclif’s final impenitence and memoriam defensaret. obstinacy. Legal proof was thus provided, in accordance with all due Examinatis insuper testibus super impoenitentia finali pertinacia que observances, as the order of law demands in a matter of this kind, regarding dicti Wicleff per commissarios his impenitence and final obstinacy. This was proved by clear indications deputatos per dominum Ioannem papam modernum et hoc sacrum from legitimate witnesses. This holy synod, therefore, at the instance of the concilium servatis que servandis procurator-fiscal and since a decree was issued to the effect that sentence prout in tali negotio postulat ordo iuris de eius impoenitentia ac finali should be heard on this day, declares, defines and decrees that the said John pertinacia per evidentia signa Wyclif was a notorious and obstinate heretic who died in heresy, and it testibus legitimis comprobata fuit legitime facta fides. anathematises him and condemns his memory. It decrees and orders that his Propterea instante procuratore body and bones are to be exhumed, if they can be identified among the fiscali edicto que proposito ad audiendam sententiam ad hunc corpses of the faithful, and to be scattered far from a burial place of the diem haec sancta synodus declarat church, in accordance with canonical and lawful sanctions. definit et sententiat eumdem Ioannem Wicleff fuisse notorium haereticum pertinacem ac in haeresi decessisse anathematizando ipsum pariter et suam memoriam condemnando. Decernit que et ordinat corpus et eius ossa si ab aliis fidelium corporibus discerni possint exhumari et procul ab ecclesiastica sepultura iactari secundum canonicas et legitimas sanctiones. SESSION 9 - 13 May 1415 [Pope John is publicly summoned for the second time and an inquiry against him is decreed.] SESSION 10 - 14 May 1415 [John XXIII is summoned for the third time, he is accused of contumacy and is suspended from the papacy.] SESSION 11 - 25 May 1415 [Pope John XXIII is publicly charged and forty-four articles against him are produced.] SESSION 12 - 29 May 1415 [Decree stating that the process for electing a pope, if the see happens to be vacant, may not begin without the council’s express consent [27 ] ] This most holy general synod of Constance, representing the catholic church, Sacrosancta generalis Constantiensis synodus ecclesiam legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, for the eradication of the present catholicam repraesentans ad schism and errors, for bringing about the reform of the church in head and exstirpationem praesentis schismatis et errorum ecclesiae que members, and in order that the unity of the church may be obtained more reformationem in capite et in easily, quickly and freely, pronounces, determines, decrees and ordains that membris faciendam in spiritu sancto legitime congregata ad facilius if it happens that the apostolic see becomes vacant, by whatever means this celerius liberius et utilius unionem ecclesiae consequendam pronunciat 236 may happen, then the process of electing the next supreme pontiff may not decernit statuit et ordinat quod si contingat sedem apostolicam begin without the deliberation and consent of this sacred general council. If quovis modo vacare in prima illius the contrary is done then it is by this very fact, by the authority of the said vacatione ad electionem futuri summi pontificis nullo modo sacred council, null and void. Nobody may accept anyone elected to the procedatur sine deliberatione et papacy in defiance of this decree, nor in any way adhere to or obey him as consensu huius sacri generalis concilii. pope, under pain of eternal damnation and of becoming a supporter of the Et si contrarium fieret illud sit ipso said schism. Those who make the election in such a case, as well as the facto auctoritate dicti sacri concilii irritum et inane. person elected, if he consents, and those who adhere to him, are to be Nullus que electum contra hoc punished in the forms prescribed by this sacred council. The said holy synod, decretum in papam recipiat nec illi ut papae quomodolibet adhaereat moreover, for the good of the church’s unity, suspends all positive laws, even vel oboediat sub poena fautoriae those promulgated in general councils, and their statutes, ordinances, dicti schismatis et maledictionis aeternae: puniantur que hoc casu customs and privileges, by whomsoever they may have been granted, and eligentes et electus si consentiat ac penalties promulgated against any persons, insofar as these may in any way illi adhaerentes poenis per hoc sacrum concilium ordinandis. impede the effect of this decree. Suspendit que dicta sancta synodus pro bono unionis ecclesiae omnia iura positiva etiam in conciliis generalibus edita et ipsorum statuta ordinationes consuetudines que et privilegia quibuscumque concessa et poenas contra quoscumque editas in quantum effectum dicti decreti impedire possent quoquo modo. [Sentence deposing pope John XXIII] In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and holy Spirit In nomine sanctae et individuae trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus Amen. This most holy general synod of Constance, legitimately assembled in sancti Amen. the holy Spirit, having invoked Christ’s name and holding God alone before sacrosancta generalis Constantiensis synodus in spiritu its eyes, having seen the articles drawn up and presented in this case against sancto legitime congregata invocato the lord pope John XXIII, the proofs brought forward, his spontaneous christi nomine solum deum prae oculis habens visis articulis in hac submission and the whole process of the case, and having deliberated causa contra dominum Ioannem maturely on them, pronounces, decrees and declares by this definitive papam xxiii formatis et oblatis ac probationibus eorumdem factis sentence which it commits to writing: that the departure of the aforesaid lord eiusdem submissione spontanea pope John XXIII from this city of Constance and from this sacred general una cum toto processu huius causae habita matura deliberatione super council, secretly and at a suspicious hour of the night, in disguised and eisdem per hanc sententiam indecent dress, was and is unlawful, notoriously scandalous to God’s church definitivam quam profert in scriptis pronunciat decernit et declarat and to this council, disturbing and damaging for the church’s peace and recessum per praefatum dominum unity, supportive of this long-standing schism, and at variance with the vow, Ioannem papam xxiii ab hac civitate Constantiensi et dicto sacro generali promise and oath made by the said lord pope John to God, to the church and concilio clandestine de nocte hora to this sacred council; that the said lord pope John has been and is a suspecta in habitu dissimulato et indecenti factum fuisse et esse notorious simoniac, a notorious destroyer of the goods and rights not only of illicitum ecclesiae dei et dicto the Roman church but also of other churches and of many pious places, and concilio notorie scandalosum pacis et unionis ipsius ecclesiae an evil administrator and dispenser of the church’s spiritualities and turbativum et impeditivum temporalities; that he has notoriously scandalised God’s church and the schismatis inveterati nutritivum a voto promissione et iuramento per christian people by his detestable and dishonest life and morals, both before ipsum dominum Ioannem papam his promotion to the papacy and afterwards until the present time, that by the deo et ecclesiae et huic sacro concilio praestitis deviativum ipsum above he has scandalised and is scandalising in a notorious fashion God’s que dominum Ioannem papam church and the christian people; that after due and charitable warnings, simoniacum notorium bonorum que et iurium nedum Romanae sed frequently reiterated to him, he obstinately persevered in the aforesaid evils aliarum ecclesiarum et plurium and thereby rendered himself notoriously incorrigible; and that on account of aliorum locorum piorum dilapidatorem notorium malum que the above and other crimes drawn from and contained in the said process spiritualium et temporalium against him, he should be deprived of and deposed from, as an unworthy, ecclesiae administratorem et useless and damnable person, the papacy and all its spiritual and temporal dispensatorem fuisse et esse suis detestabilibus inhonestis que vita et administration. moribus ecclesiam dei et populum 237 christianum notorie scandalizantem ante eius assumptionem ad papatum et post usque ad ista tempora: ipsum que per praemissa ecclesiam dei et populum christianum notorie scandalizasse et scandalizare post que monitiones debitas et charitativas iteratis et crebris vicibus eidem factas in praemissis malis pertinaciter perseverasse se que ex hoc notorie incorrigibilem reddidisse ipsum que propter praemissa et alia crimina in processu dictae causae contra eum deducta et contenta tamquam indignum inutilem et damnosum a papatu et omni eius administratione spirituali et temporali amovendum privandum et deponendum fore. The said holy synod does now remove, deprive and depose him. It declares Et eum dicta sancta synodus amovet privat et deponit universos each and every Christian, of whatever state, dignity or condition, to be et singulos christicolas cuiuscumque absolved from obedience, fidelity and oaths to him. It forbids all Christians status dignitatis vel conditionis exsistant ab eius oboedientia henceforth to recognise him as pope, now that as mentioned he has been fidelitate et iuramento absolutos deposed from the papacy, or to call him pope, or to adhere to or in any way declarando. Inhibendo insuper universis to obey him as pope. The said holy synod, moreover, from certain knowledge christifidelibus ne eumdem a papatu and its fullness of power, supplies for all and singular defects that may have ut praemittitur sic depositum de cetero in papam recipiant seu eum occurred in the above-mentioned procedures or in any one of them. It papam nominent aut illi tamquam condemns the said person, by this same sentence, to stay and remain in a papae adhaereant seu quoquo modo oboediant. good and suitable place, in the name of this sacred general council, in the Et nihilominus ex certa scientia et safe custody of the most serene prince lord Sigismund, king of the Romans de plenitudine potestatis supplet dicta sancta synodus omnes et and of Hungary, etc., and most devoted advocate and defender of the singulos defectus si qui forsan in universal church, as long as it seems to the said general council to be for the praemissis vel aliquo praemissorum intervenerint. good of the unity of God’s church that he should be so condemned. The said Eum que ad standum et morandum council reserves the right to declare and inflict other punishments that should in aliquo bono loco et honesto sub custodia tuta serenissimi principis be imposed for the said crimes and faults in accordance with canonical domini Sigismundi Romanorum et sanctions, according as the rigour of justice or the counsel of mercy may Hungariae et caetera regis et universalis ecclesiae advocati et advise. defensoris devotissimi nomine dicti sacri concilii generalis quamdiu dicto sacro concilio generali pro bono unionis ecclesiae dei videbitur condemnandum fore et eadem sententia condemnat. Alias vero poenas quae pro dictis criminibus et excessibus inferri deberent iuxta canonicas sanctiones dictum concilium arbitrio suo reservat declarandas et infligendas secundum quod rigor iustitiae vel misericordiae ratio suadebit. [Decree to the effect that none of the three contenders for the papacy may be re-elected as pope] The said holy synod decrees, determines and ordains for the good of unity in Item decernit statuit et ordinat dicta sancta synodus pro bono unionis God’s church that neither the lord Baldassare de Cossa, recently John XXIII, ecclesiae dei quod nullo umquam nor Angelo Correr nor Peter de Luna, called Gregory XII and Benedict XIII tempore reeligantur in papam dominus Balthasar de Cossa nuper by their respective obediences, shall ever be re-elected as pope. If the Ioannes xxiii nec Angelus de Corario contrary happens, it is by this very fact null and void. Nobody, of whatever Gregorius xii nec Petrus de Luna Benedictus xiii in suis oboedientiis dignity or pre-eminence even if he be emperor, king, cardinal or pontiff, may nuncupati. ever adhere to or obey them or any one of them, contrary to this decree, Et si contrarium fieret id sit ipso facto irritum et inane. under pain of eternal damnation and of being a supporter of the said schism. Nullus que cuiuscumque dignitatis Let those who presume to the contrary, if there are any in the future, also be vel praeminentiae etiam si imperiali regali cardinalatus vel pontificali 238 firmly proceeded against in other ways, even by invoking the secular arm. dignitate praefulgeat eis vel eorum alteri contra hoc decretum ullo [28 ] umquam tempore oboediat seu adhaereat sub poena fautoriae dicti schismatis et maledictionis aeternae ad quas contra praesumptores si qui in posterum fuerint etiam cum invocatione brachii saecularis et alias rigide procedatur SESSION 13 - 15 June 1415 [Condemnation of communion under both kinds, recently revived among the Bohemians by Jakoubek of Stribro] In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and holy in nomine sanctae et individuae trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus Spirit, Amen. Certain people, in some parts of the world, have rashly dared sancti Amen. to assert that the christian people ought to receive the holy sacrament of the cum in nonnullis mundi partibus quidam temerarie asserere eucharist under the forms of both bread and wine. They communicate the praesumant populum christianum laity everywhere not only under the form of bread but also under that of debere sacrum eucharistiae sacramentum sub utraque panis et wine, and they stubbornly assert that they should communicate even after a vini specie suscipere et non solum meal, or else without the need of a fast, contrary to the church’s custom sub specie panis sed etiam sub specie vini populum laicum passim which has been laudably and sensibly approved, from the church’s head communicent etiam post coenam downwards, but which they damnably try to repudiate as sacrilegious. vel alias non ieiunum et communicandum esse pertinaciter Therefore this present general council of Constance, legitimately assembled asserant contra laudabilem in the holy Spirit, wishing to provide for the safety of the faithful against this ecclesiae consuetudinem rationabiliter comprobatam quam error, after long deliberation by many persons learned in divine and human tamquam sacrilegam damnabiliter law, declares, decrees and defines that, although Christ instituted this reprobare conantur a capite incipiendo: hinc est quod hoc venerable sacrament after a meal and ministered it to his apostles under the praesens Constantiense concilium forms of both bread and wine, nevertheless and notwithstanding this, the generale in spiritu sancto legitime congregatum adversus hunc praiseworthy authority of the sacred canons and the approved custom of the errorem saluti fidelium providere church have and do retain that this sacrament ought not to be celebrated after satagens matura plurium doctorum tam divini quam humani iuris a meal nor received by the faithful without fasting, except in cases of deliberatione praehabita declarat sickness or some other necessity as permitted by law or by the church. decernit et definit quod licet christus post coenam instituerit et Moreover, just as this custom was sensibly introduced in order to avoid suis apostolis ministraverit sub various dangers and scandals, so with similar or even greater reason was it utraque specie panis et vini hoc venerabile sacramentum tamen hoc possible to introduce and sensibly observe the custom that, although this non obstante sacrorum canonum sacrament was received by the faithful under both kinds in the early church, auctoritas laudabilis et approbata consuetudo ecclesiae servavit et nevertheless later it was received under both kinds only by those confecting servat quod huiusmodi it, and by the laity only under the form of bread. For it should be very firmly sacramentum non debet confici post coenam neque a fidelibus recipi non believed, and in no way doubted, that the whole body and blood of Christ are ieiunis nisi in casu infirmitatis aut truly contained under both the form of bread and the form of wine. alius necessitatis a iure vel ab Therefore, since this custom was introduced for good reasons by the church ecclesia concesso vel admisso. Et sicut haec consuetudo ad vitanda and holy fathers, and has been observed for a very long time, it should be aliqua pericula et scandala held as a law which nobody may repudiate or alter at will without the rationabiliter introducta est sic potuit simili aut maiori ratione church’s permission. To say that the observance of this custom or law is introduci et rationabiliter observari sacrilegious or illicit must be regarded as erroneous. Those who stubbornly quod licet in primitiva ecclesia huiusmodi sacramentum reciperetur assert the opposite of the aforesaid are to be confined as heretics and severely a fidelibus sub utraque specie punished by the local bishops or their officials or the inquisitors of heresy in tamen postea a conficientibus sub utraque et a laicis tantummodo sub the kingdoms or provinces in which anything is attempted or presumed specie panis suscipiatur cum against this decree, according to the canonical and legitimate sanctions that firmissime credendum sit et nullatenus dubitandum integrum have been wisely established in favour of the catholic faith against heretics christi corpus et sanguinem tam sub and their supporters. specie panis quam sub specie vini veraciter contineri. Unde cum huiusmodi consuetudo ab ecclesia et sanctis patribus rationabiliter introducta et 239 diutissime observata sit habenda est pro lege quam non licet reprobare aut sine ecclesiae auctoritate pro libito innovare. Quapropter dicere quod hanc consuetudinem aut legem observare sit sacrilegum aut illicitum censeri debet erroneum: et pertinaciter asserentes oppositum praemissarum tamquam haeretici arcendi sunt et graviter puniendi per dioecesanos locorum seu officiales eorum aut inquisitores haereticae pravitatis in regnis seu provinciis in quibus contra hoc decretum aliquid fuerit forsan attentatum aut praesumptum iuxta canonicas et legitimas sanctiones in favorem catholicae fidei contra haereticos et eorum fautores salubriter adinventas.

[That no priest, under pain of excommunication, may communicate the people under the forms of both bread and wine] This holy synod also decrees and declares, regarding this matter, that Item ipsa sancta synodus decernit et declarat super ista materia instructions are to be sent to the most reverend fathers and lords in Christ, reverendissimis in christo patribus patriarchs, primates, archbishops, bishops, and their vicars in spirituals, et dominis patriarchis primatibus archiepiscopis episcopis et eorum in wherever they may be, in which they are to be commissioned and ordered on spiritualibus vicariis ubilibet the authority of this sacred council and under pain of excommunication, to constitutis processus esse dirigendos in quibus eis punish effectively those who err against this decree. They may receive back committatur et mandetur into the church’s fold those who have gone astray by communicating the auctoritate huius sacri concilii sub poena excommunicationis ut people under the forms of both bread and wine, and have taught this, effectualiter puniant eos contra hoc provided they repent and after a salutary penance, in accordance with the decretum excedentes. Eos vero qui in communicando measure of their fault, has been enjoined upon them. They are to repress as populum sub utraque specie panis heretics, however, by means of the church’s censures and even if necessary et vini exorbitaverunt et sic faciendum esse docuerunt si ad by calling in the help of the secular arm, those of them whose hearts have poenitentiam redeant ad gremium become hardened and who are unwilling to return to penance. ecclesiae suscipiant iniuncta eis pro modo culpae poenitentia salutari. Qui vero ex illis ad poenitentiam redire non curaverint animo indurato per censuras ecclesiasticas per eos ut haeretici sunt coercendi invocato etiam ad hoc si opus fuerit auxilio brachii saecularis. ======From this point on the council becomes a duly convened ecumenical council, all previous sessions being ultra-vires. SESSION 14 - 4 July 1415 [29 ] [Uniting of the followers of pope Gregory XII and of the former pope John XXIII, now that both men have abdicated] In order that the reunion of the church may be possible and that a beginning Cum principium cuiuslibet rei potissima pars sit ut principium may be made which is fitting and pleasing to God, since the most important decens et amabile deo et possibilis part of any matter is its beginning, and in order that the two obediences-- ecclesiae reintegratio fiat sacrosancta generalis synodus namely the one claiming that the lord John XXIII was formerly pope and the Constantiensis in spiritu sancto other claiming that the lord Gregory XII is pope--may be united together congregata legitime ecclesiam catholicam repraesentans ut istae under Christ as head, this most holy general synod of Constance, legitimately duae oboedientiae videlicet illa assembled in the holy Spirit and representing the catholic church, accepts in quae profitetur dominum Ioannem xxiii olim fuisse papam et illa quae all matters the convoking, authorising, approving and confirming that is now profitetur dominum Gregorium xii 240 being made in the name of the lord who is called Gregory XII by those esse papam unanimiter una alteri et altera alteri coniungantur sub capite obedient to him, insofar as it seems to pertain to him to do this, since the christo dictas convocationem certainty obtained by taking a precaution harms nobody and benefits all, and auctorizationem approbationem et confirmationem nomine illius domini it decrees and declares that the aforesaid two obediences are joined and qui in sua oboedientia dicitur united in the one body of our lord Jesus Christ and of this sacred universal Gregorius xii nunc factas quantum ad ipsum spectare videtur quia general council, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy abundans ad certitudinem pro bona Spirit. cautela nemini nocet sed omnibus prodest in omnibus et per omnia admittit et aliquo modo has supradictas duas oboedientias coniunctas et unitas esse decernit et declarat in uno corpore domini nostri Iesu christi et huius sacri universalis concilii generalis in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. [Decree stating that the election of the Roman pontiff is to be made in the manner and form to be laid down by the sacred council, and that the council shall not be dissolved until the election of the next Roman pontiff has been made] The most holy general synod of Constance, etc., enacts, pronounces, ordains Sacrosancta generalis synodus Constantiensis et caetera ut and decrees, in order that God’s holy church may be provided for better, ecclesiae sanctae dei eo melius more genuinely and more securely, that the next election of the future Roman sincerius et securius provideatur statuit pronunciat ordinat et pontiff is to be made in the manner, form, place, time and way that shall be decernit quod proxima electio futuri decided upon by the sacred council; that the same council can and may Romani pontificis fiat modo forma loco tempore et materia per sacrum henceforth declare fit, accept and designate, in the manner and form that then concilium ordinandis. seems suitable, any persons for the purposes of this election, whether by Et quod idem concilium possit et valeat in futurum quascumque active or by passive voice, of whatever state or obedience they are or may personas cuiuscumque status vel have been, and any other ecclesiastical acts and all other suitable things, oboedientiae sint aut fuerint ad electionem huiusmodi active et notwithstanding any proceedings, penalties or sentences; and that the sacred passive et alios quoscumque actus council shall not be dissolved until the said election has been held. The said ecclesiasticos et omnia alia opportuna non obstantibus holy synod therefore exhorts and requires the most victorious prince lord quibuscumque processibus poenis Sigismund, king of the Romans and of Hungary, as the church’s devoted aut sententiis habilitare recipere et deputare modo et forma quibus advocate and as the sacred council’s defender and protector, to direct all his tunc videbitur expedire. efforts to this end and to promise on his royal word that he wishes to do this Quod que sacrum concilium non dissolvatur donec electio huiusmodi and to order letters of his majesty to be made out for this purpose. fuerit celebrata. Exhortans dicta sancta synodus invictissimum principem dominum Sigismundum Romanorum et Hungarorum regem pariter et requirens quatenus tamquam pius ecclesiae advocatus et sacri concilii defensor et protector omnem ad hoc operam efficaciter impendat et verbo regio velle facere hoc promittat ac litteras suae maiestatis desuper fieri decernat. [The council approves Gregory XII’s resignation] The most holy general synod of Constance, legitimately assembled in the Sacrosancta generalis synodus Constantiensis in spiritu sancto holy Spirit, representing the universal catholic church, accepts, approves and legitime congregata universalem commends, in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit, the cession ecclesiam catholicam repraesentans cessionem renunciationem et renunciation and resignation made on behalf of the lord who was called resignationem pro parte illius Gregory XII in his obedience, by the magnificent and powerful lord Charles domini qui in sua oboedientia dicebatur Gregorius xii iuris tituli et Malatesta. here present, his irrevocable procurator for this business, of the possessionis quod quem et quam right, title and possession that he had, or may have had, in regard to the habuit in papatu vel si quod quem vel quam habuit in papatu nunc per papacy. [30 ] magnificum et potentem dominum Carolum de Malatestis hic 241 praesentem eius ad hoc procuratorem irrevocabilem pro eodem domino qui dicebatur Gregorius xii factas admittit approbat et collaudat in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. SESSION 15 - 6 July 1415 [Sentence condemning 260 articles Wyclif] [31 ] The books and pamphlets of John Wyclif, of cursed memory, were carefully Sacrosancta Constantiensis synodus generalis ecclesiam catholicam examined by the doctors and masters of Oxford university. They collected repraesentans ad exstirpationem 260 unacceptable articles from these books and pamphlets and condemned schismatis errorum que et haeresium in spiritu sancto legitime them in scholastic form. This most holy general synod of Constance, congregata auditis diligenter et representing the catholic church, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit for examinatis libris et opusculis damnatae memoriae Ioannis Wicleff the purpose of extirpating schism, errors and heresies, has had all these per doctores et magistros studii articles examined many times by many most reverend fathers, cardinals of generalis Oxoniensis qui de eisdem libris et opusculis ducentos et the Roman church, bishops, abbots, masters of theology, doctors of both sexaginta reprobos excerpendo laws, and very many other notable persons from various universities. It was collegerunt et scholastice reprobarunt articulos quos omnes found that some, indeed many, of the articles thus examined were and are haec sacra synodus fecit examinari notoriously heretical and have already been condemned by holy fathers, et saepius recenseri per plures reverendissimos patres ecclesiae some are offensive to the ears of the devout and some are rash and seditious. Romanae cardinales episcopos This holy synod, therefore, in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, repudiates abbates magistros in theologia doctores utriusque iuris et alios and condemns, by this perpetual decree, the aforesaid articles and each one plures notabiles diversorum of them in particular; and it forbids each and every Catholic henceforth, generalium studiorum numero copioso. under pain of anathema, to preach, teach, or hold the said articles or any one Quibus articulis sic examinatis fuit of them. The said holy synod orders local ordinaries and inquisitors of heresy et est repertum aliquos et plures ex ipsis fuisse et esse notorie to be vigilant in carrying out these things and duly observing them, insofar as haereticos et dudum a sanctis each one is responsible, in accordance with the law and canonical sanctions. patribus reprobatos quosdam piarum aurium offensivos nonnullos Let anyone who rashly violates the aforesaid decrees and sentences of this eorumdem temerarios et seditiosos. sacred council be punished, after due warning, by the local ordinaries on the Propterea in nomine domini nostri Iesu christi haec sancta synodus authority of this sacred council, notwithstanding any privilege. [32 ] praedictos articulos et eorum quemlibet hoc perpetuo decreto reprobat et condemnat: inhibens omnibus et singulis catholicis sub anathematis interminatione ne de cetero dictos articulos aut ipsorum aliquem audeant praedicare dogmatizare offerre vel tenere. Super quibus exsequendis et debite conservandis mandat praedicta sancta synodus ordinariis locorum ac inquisitoribus haereticae pravitatis vigilanter intendere prout ad quemlibet pertinet secundum iura et canonicas sanctiones. Si quis vero praemissorum huius sacri concilii decretorum et sententiarum temerarius violator exstiterit animadversione debita per locorum ordinarios quocumque privilegio non obstante sacri huius auctoritate concilii puniatur. [Articles of John Wyclif selected from the 260] 1. Just as Christ is God and man at the same time, so the consecrated host is Sicut christus est simul deus et homo sic hostia consecrata est at the same time the body of Christ and true bread. For it is Christ’s body at simul corpus christi et verus panis. least in figure and true bread in nature; or, which comes to the same thing, it Quia est corpus christi ad minimum in figura et panis verus in natura vel is true bread naturally and Christ’s body figuratively. quod idem sonat est verus panis naturaliter et corpus christi figuraliter. 2. Since heretical falsehood about the consecrated host is the most important Cum mendacium haereticum de hostia consecrata inter haereses 242 point in individual heresies, I therefore declare to modern heretics, in order singulas teneat principatum ut ipsa ab ecclesia exstirpetur secure that this falsehood may be eradicated from the church, that they cannot denuncio modernis haereticis quod explain or understand an accident without a subject. And therefore all these non possunt declarare nec intelligere accidens sine subiecto. heretical sects belong to the number of those who ignore the fourth chapter Et ideo omnes istae sectae of John: We worship what we know. haereticae in capitulo ignorantium Ioannis quartum: nos adoramus quod scimus. 3. I boldly foretell to all these sects and their accomplices that even by the Audacter praenostico omnibus istis sectis et suis complicibus quod non time Christ and all the church triumphant come at the final judgment riding defendant fidelibus quod at the trumpet blast of the angel Gabriel, they shall still not have proved to sacramentum erit accidens sine subiecto antequam christus et tota the faithful that the sacrament is an accident without a subject. triumphans ecclesia venerit in finali iudicio equitans super flatum angeli Gabrielis. 4. Just as John was Elias in a figurative sense and not in person, so the bread Sicut Ioannes figuraliter fuit Elias et non personaliter sic panis in altari on the altar is Christ’s body in a figurative sense. And the words, This is my figuraliter est corpus christi. body, are unambiguously figurative, just like the statement “John is Elias”. Et absque omni ambiguitate haec est figurativa locutio: hoc est corpus meum sicut ista locutio: Ioannes est Elias. 5. The fruit of this madness whereby it is pretended that there can be an Fructus istius dementiae qua fingitur accidens sine subiecto foret accident without a subject is to blaspheme against God, to scandalise the blasphemare in deum scandalizare saints and to deceive the church by means of false doctrines about accidents. sanctos et illudere ecclesiae per mendacia accidentis. 6. Those who claim that the children of the faithful dying without Definientes parvulos fidelium sine sacramentali baptismo decedentes sacramental baptism will not be saved, are stupid and presumptuous in non fore salvandos sunt in hoc saying this. stolidi et praesumptuosi. 7. The slight and short confirmation by bishops, with whatever extra Levis et brevis confirmatio episcoporum cum additis ritibus solemnised rites, was introduced at the devil’s suggestion so that the people tantum solemnizatis est ex motione might be deluded in the church’s faith and the solemnity and necessity of diaboli introducta ut populus in fide ecclesiae illudatur et episcoporum bishops might be believed in the more. solemnitas aut necessitas plus credatur. 8. As for the oil with which bishops anoint boys and the linen cloth which Quantum ad oleum quo episcopi ungunt pueros et peplum lineum goes around the head, it seems that this is a trivial rite which is unfounded in quod complexum est capiti videtur scripture; and that this confirmation, which was introduced after the apostles, quod sit ritus levis infundabilis ex scriptura. Et quod ista confirmatio blasphemes against God. introducta super apostolos blasphemat in deum. 9. Oral confession to a priest, introduced by Innocent [33 ] , is not as Confessio vocalis facta sacerdoti introducta per Innocentium non est necessary to people as he claimed. For if anyone offends his brother in tam necessaria homini ut definit. thought, word or deed, then it suffices to repent in thought, word or deed. Quia si quis solum cogitatu verbo vel opere offenderet fratrem suum solo cogitatu verbo opere sufficit poenitere. 10. It is a grave and unsupported practice for a priest to hear the confessions Grave est et infundabile presbyterum audire confessionem of the people in the way that the Latins use. populi modo quo Latini utuntur. 11. In these words, You are clean, but not all are, the devil has laid a snare of In his verbis vos mundi estis sed non omnes posuit diabolus pedicam the unfaithful ones in order to catch the Christian’s foot. For he introduced infidelium qua pedem caperet private confession, which cannot be justified, and after the person’s malice christiani. Introduxit enim confessionem has been revealed to the confessor, as he decreed in the law, it is not revealed privatam et infundabilem. to the people. Et postquam illa confessori nota fuit ut legem statuit quod non prodatur populo malitia sic confessi. 12. It is a probable conjecture that a person who lives rightly is a deacon or a Coniectura probabilis est quod talis qui rite vivit est diaconus vel priest. For just as I infer that this person is John, so I recognise by a probable sacerdos. conjecture that this person, by his holy life, has been placed by God in such Sicut enim coniicio quod iste est Ioannes sic probabili coniectura an office or state. cognosco quod iste sancte vivendo constitutus est a deo in tali officio sive statu. 243 13. The probable evidence for such a state is to be taken from proof provided Non ex testificatione hominis ordinantis sed ex iustificatione by the person’s deeds and not from the testimony of the person ordaining operis capienda est probabilis him. For God can place someone in such a state without the need of an evidentia talis status. Deus enim potest sine tali instrument of this kind, no matter whether the instrument is worthy or instrumento digno vel indigno unworthy. There is no more probable evidence than the person’s life. personam aliam in tali statu constituere. Therefore if there is present a holy life and catholic doctrine, this suffices for Nec est probabilior evidentia quam the church militant. (Error at the beginning and at the end.) ex vita. Ideo habita vita sancta et doctrina catholica satis est ecclesiae militanti. Error in principio et fine. 14. The bad life of a prelate means that his subjects do not receive orders and Conversatio mala praelati subtrahit acceptationem ordinum et aliorum the other sacraments. They can receive them from such persons, however, sacramentorum a subditis. when there is urgent need, if they devoutly beseech God to supply on behalf Qui tamen necessitate urgente possent hoc ab eis capere of his diabolical ministers the actions and purpose of the office to which they supplicando pie quod deus suppleat have bound themselves by oath. per ministros suos diabolos opus vel finem officii ad quod iurant. 15. People of former times would copulate with each other out of desire for Antiqui ex cupiditate temporalium ex spe mutuorum iuvaminum aut ex temporal gain or for mutual help or to relieve concupiscence, even when they causa excusandae libidinis licet had no hope of offspring; for they were truly copulating as married persons. desperent de prole copulentur ad invicem nam vere matrimonialiter [34 ] copulantur. 16. The words, I will take you as wife, are more suitable for the marriage Haec verba: accipiam te in uxorem eligibiliora sunt in contractu contract than, I take you as wife. And the first words ought not to be annulled matrimoniali quam ista: ego te by the second words about the present, when someone contracts with one accipio in uxorem. Et quod contrahendo cum una per wife in the words referring to the future and afterwards with another wife in haec verba de futuro et post cum those referring to the present. alia per haec verba de praesenti non debent frustrari verba prima per verba secundaria de praesenti. 17. The pope, who falsely calls himself the servant of God’s servants, has no Papa qui se falso nominat servum servorum dei sub nullo gradu est in status in the work of the gospel but only in the work of the world. If he has opere evangelii sed mundano. any rank, it is in the order of demons, of those who serve God rather in a Et si sit in ordine aliquo est in ordine daemonum deo plus culpabiliter blameworthy way. servientium. 18. The pope does not dispense from simony or from a rash vow, since he is Papa non dispensat cum simonia vel voto temerario cum ipse sit capitalis the chief simoniac who rashly vows to preserve, to his damnation, his status simoniacus vovens temerarie here on the way. (Error at the end.) servare statum suum damnabiliter hic in via. Error in fine. 19. That the pope is supreme pontiff is ridiculous. Christ approved such a Quod papa sit summus pontifex est ridiculum. Et christus nec in Petro dignity neither in Peter nor in anyone else. nec in alio talem approbavit dignitatem. 20. The pope is antichrist made manifest. Not only this particular person but Papa est patulus antichristus. Non solum illa persona simplex sed also the multitude of popes, from the time of the endowment of the church, multitudo paparum a tempore of cardinals, of bishops and of their other accomplices, make up the donationis ecclesiae cardinalium episcoporum et suorum complicum composite, monstrous person of antichrist. This is not altered by the fact that aliorum est antichristi persona Gregory and other popes, who did many good and fruitful things in their composita monstruosa. Non tamen repugnat quin Gregorius lives, finally repented. et alii papae qui in vita sua fecerunt multa bona de genere fructuoso finaliter poenitebant. 21. Peter and Clement, together with the other helpers in the faith, were not Petrus et Clemens cum ceteris adiutoribus in fide non fuerunt popes but God’s helpers in the work of building up the church of our lord papae sed dei adiutores ad Jesus Christ. aedificandam ecclesiam domini nostri Iesu christi. 22. To say that papal pre-eminence originated with the faith of the gospel is Quod ex fide evangelii ista papalis praeminentia coepit ortum est as false as to say that every error arose from the original truth. aeque falsum sicut quod ex prima veritate error quilibet exortus. 23. There are twelve procurators and disciples of antichrist: the pope, Duodecim sunt procuratores et 244 cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, officials, deans, discipuli antichristi: papa cardinales patriarchae archiepiscopi episcopi monks, canons with their two-peaked hats, the recently introduced pseudo- archidiaconi officiales decani friars, and pardoners. monachi bifurcati canonici pseudofratres introducti iam ultimo et quaestores. 24. It is clear that whoever is the humbler, of greater service to the church, Patet luce clarius quod quicumque est humilior ecclesiae servicinior et and the more fervent in Christ’s love towards his church, is the greater in the in amore christi quoad suam church militant and to be reckoned the most immediate vicar of Christ. ecclesiam amacinior est in ecclesia militante maior et proximus christi vicarius reputandus. 25. Whoever holds any of God’s goods unjustly, is taking the things of others Omnis iniuste occupans quodcumque bonum dei capit by rapine, theft or robbery. rapina furto vel latrocinio aliena. 26. Neither the depositions of witnesses, nor a judge’s sentence, nor physical Nec testium depositio nec iudicis sententiatio nec corporalis possession, nor inheritance, nor an exchange between persons, nor a gift, nor possessio sicut nec descensus all such things taken together, confer dominion or a right to anything upon a haereditarius nec humana commutatio sive donatio confert person without grace. (An error, if it is understood as referring to sanctifying homini sine gratia dominium vel ius grace.) ad aliquid vel omnia ista simul. Error si intelligatur de gratia gratum faciente. 27. Unless the interior law of charity is present, nobody has more or less Nisi adsit lex charitatis intrinsecus nemo propter chartas vel bullas authority or righteousness on account of charters or bulls. We ought not to habet habilitatem vel iustitiam plus lend or give anything to a sinner so long as we know that he is such, for thus vel minus. Nos non debemus praestare aut we would be assisting a traitor of our God. donare aliquid peccatori dum cognoscimus ipsum esse talem. Quia sic foveremus proditorem dei nostri. 28. Just as a prince or a lord does not keep the title of his office while he is in Sicut princeps vel dominus tempore quo est in peccato mortali non mortal sin, except in name and equivocally, so it is with a pope, bishop or sortitur nomen illius officii nisi priest while he has fallen into mortal sin. nomine tenus et satis aequivoce sic nec papa episcopus vel sacerdos dum lapsus fuerit in mortali. 29. Everyone habitually in mortal sin lacks dominion of any kind and the licit Omnis habituatus in peccato mortali caret quocumque dominio et usu use of an action, even if it be good in its kind. licito operis etiam boni de genere. 30. It is known from the principles of the faith that a person in mortal sin, Ex principiis fidei est per se notum quod quidquid homo in mortali sins mortally in every action. peccato fecerit peccat mortaliter. 31. In order to have true secular dominion, the lord must be in a state of Ad verum saeculare dominium requiritur iustitia dominantis hic righteousness. Therefore nobody in mortal sin is lord of anything. quod nullus exsistens in peccato mortali est dominus alicuius rei. 32. All modern religious necessarily become marked as hypocrites. For their Omnes religiosi moderni se ipsos necessitant ut hypocrisi maculentur. profession demands that they fast, act and clothe themselves in a particular Ad hoc enim sonat sua professio ut way, and thus they observe everything differently from other people. sic ieiunent ut sic induant et ut sic faciant quidquid differenter ab aliis observant. 33. All private religion as such savours of imperfection and sin whereby a Omnis privata religio sapit ut sic imperfectionem et peccatum quo person is indisposed to serve God freely. homo indisponitur ad deo libere serviendum. 34. A private religious order or rule savours of a blasphemous and arrogant Religio sive regula privata sapit praesumptionem blasphemam et presumption towards God. And the religious of such orders dare to exalt arrogantem supra deum. themselves above the apostles by the hypocrisy of defending their religion. Et religiosi talium ordinum per hypocrisin defensionis suae religionis praesumunt se supra apostolos exaltare. 35. Christ does not teach in scripture about any kind of religious order in Christus non docet in scriptura aliquam speciem ordinis de capitulo antichrist’s chapter. Therefore it is not his good pleasure that there should be antichristi. such orders. The chapter is composed, however, of the following twelve Et ideo non est de suo beneplacito quod sint tales. types: the pope, cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, Capitulum autem istud in istis officials, deans, monks, canons, friars of the four orders, and pardoners. speciebus duodecim continetur quae sunt papa cardinales 245 patriarchae archiepiscopi episcopi archidiaconi officiales decani monachi canonici fratres de quatuor ordinibus et quaestores. 36. I infer as evident from the faith and works of the four sects--which are Ex fide et operibus quatuor sectarum quae sunt clerus the caesarean clergy, the various monks, the various canons, and the friars- caesareus varius monachus varius that nobody belonging to them is a member of Christ in the catalogue of the canonicus atque fratres evidenter elicio quod nulla persona istarum saints, unless he forsakes in the end the sect which he stupidly embraced. est membrum christi in sanctorum catalogo nisi in fine dierum deseruerit acceptatam stolide sectam suam. 37. Paul was once a pharisee but abandoned the sect for the better sect of Paulus quondam pharisaeus propter meliorem sectam christi de eius Christ, with his permission. This is the reason why cloistered persons, of licentia sectam illam dereliquit. whatever sect or rule, or by whatever stupid vow they may be bound, ought Et haec ratio quare claustrales cuiuscumque sectae fuerint vel freely to cast off these chains, at Christ’s command, and freely join the sect obligationis aut quocumque of Christ. iuramento stulto astricti debent libere ex mandato christi exuere ista vincula et induere libere sectam christi. 38. It is sufficient for the laity that at some times they give tithes of their Sufficit laicis quod quandoque dant servis dei decimas suorum produce to God’s servants. In this way they are always giving to the church, proventuum. even if not always to the caesarean clergy deputed by the pope or by his Et cum istis paribus semper dant ecclesiae licet non semper clero dependents. caesareo a papa vel suis subditis assignato. 39. The powers that are claimed by the pope and the other four new sects are Potestas quae fingitur a papa et aliis quatuor novis sectis sunt fictae et pretended and were diabolically introduced in order to seduce subjects; such ad seducendum subditos diabolice are excommunications by caesarean prelates, citations, imprisoning, and the introductae ut praelatorum caesareorum excommunicatio sale of money rents. citatio incarceratio et redditus pecuniarum venditio. 40. Many simple priests surpass prelates in such power. Indeed, it appears to Multi sacerdotes simplices superant praelatos in huiusmodi potestate. the faithful that greatness of spiritual power belongs more to a son who Immo videtur fidelibus quod imitates Christ in his way of life than to a prelate who has been elected by magnitudo potestatis spiritualis plus consequitur filium imitatorium cardinals and similar apostates. christi in moribus quam praelatum qui per cardinales et tales apostatas est electus. 41. The people may withhold tithes, offerings and other private alms from Subtrahat populus decimas oblationes et alias privatas unworthy disciples of Christ, since God’s law requires this. The curse or eleemosynas ab indignis antichristi censure imposed by antichrist’s disciples is not to be feared but rather is to be discipulis cum hoc facere debeat de lege dei. Nec est timenda sed received with joy. The lord pope and bishops and all religious or simple gaudenter acceptanda maledictio clerics, with titles to perpetual possession, ought to renounce them into the vel censura quam inferunt discipuli antichristi. hands of the secular arm. If they stubbornly refuse, they ought to be Dominus papa episcopi omnes compelled to do so by the secular lords. religiosi vel puri clerici titulo perpetuae possessionis dotati debent renunciare illis in manibus brachii saecularis. Quod si pertinaciter noluerint per saeculares dominos debent cogi. 42. There is no greater heretic or antichrist than the cleric who teaches that it Non est maior haereticus vel antichristus quam ille clericus qui is lawful for priests and levites of the law of grace to be endowed with docet quod licitum est sacerdotibus temporal possessions. The clerics who teach this are heretics or blasphemers et levitis legis gratiae dotari in possessionibus temporalibus et si if ever there were any. sunt aliqui haeretici vel blasphemi sunt illi clerici qui hoc docent. 43. Temporal lords not only can take away goods of fortune from a church Non solum possunt domini temporales auferre bona fortunae that is habitually sinning, nor is it only lawful for them to do so, but indeed ab ecclesia habitualiter delinquente they are obliged to do so under pain of eternal damnation. nec solum hoc eis licet sed debent hoc facere sub poena damnationis aeternae. 44. God does not approve that anyone be judged or condemned by civil law. Deus non approbat quemquam 246 damnari civiliter vel civiliter iudicari. 45. If an objection is made against those who oppose endowments for the Si fiat obiectio contra impugnantes dotationem ecclesiae de Benedicto church, by pointing to Benedict, Gregory and Bernard, who possessed few Gregorio et Bernardo qui pauca temporal goods in poverty, it may be said in reply that they repented at the temporalia in pauperie possidebant dicitur quod illi finaliter poenitebant. end. If you object further that I merely pretend that these saints finally Si iterum obiicias quod fingo repented of their falling away from God’s law in this way, then you may sanctos istos de ista declinatione a lege domini finaliter poenitere doce teach that they are saints and I will teach that they repented at the end. tu quod sint sancti et ego docebo quod finaliter poenitebant. 46. If we ought to believe in sacred scripture and in reason, it is clear that Si scripturae sacrae et rationi debemus credere patet quod Christ’s disciples do not have the authority to exact temporal goods by means discipuli christi non habent of censures, and those who attempt this are sons of Eli and of Belial. potestatem coacte exigendi temporalia per censuras sed hoc tentantes sunt filii Heli filii Belial. 47. Each essence has one suppositum, following which another suppositum, Quaelibet essentia habet unum suppositum secundum quod equal to the first, is produced. This is the most perfect immanent action producitur aliud suppositum par possible to nature. priori. Et ista est actio immanens perfectissima possibilis naturae. 48. Each essence, whether corporeal or incorporeal, is common to three Quaelibet essentia sive corporea sive incorporea est communis tribus supposita; and the properties, the accidents and the operations inhere in suppositis et omnibus illis insunt common in all of them. communiter proprietates accidentia et operationes. 49. God cannot annihilate anything, nor increase or diminish the world, but Deus nihil potest annihilare nec mundum maiorare vel minorare sed he can create souls up to a certain number, and not beyond it. animas usque ad certum numerum creare et non ultra. 50. It is impossible for two corporeal substances to be co-extensive, the one Impossibile est duas substantias corporeas coextendi unam continue continuously at rest in a place and the other continuously penetrating the quiescentem localiter et aliam body of Christ at rest. corpus christi quiescens continue penetrantem. 51. Any continuous mathematical line is composed of two, three or four Linea aliqua mathematica continua componitur ex duobus tribus vel contiguous points, or of only a simply finite number of points; and time is, quatuor punctis immediatis aut was and will be composed of contiguous instants. It is not possible that time solum ex punctis simpliciter finitis vel tempus est fuit vel erit and a line, if they exist, are composed of in this way. (The first part is a compositum ex instantibus philosophical error, the last part is an error with regard to God’s power.) immediatis. Item non est possibile quod tempus et linea si sint taliter componantur. Prima pars est error in philosophia sed ultima errat circa divinam potentiam. 52. It must be supposed that one corporeal substance was formed at its Imaginandum est unam substantiam corpoream in principio beginning as composed of indivisibles, and that it occupies every possible suo ductam esse ex indivisibilibus place. compositam et occupare omnem locum possibilem. 53. Every person is God. Quilibet est deus. 54. Every creature is God. Quaelibet creatura est deus. 55. Every being is everywhere, since every being is God. Ubique omne ens est cum omne ens sit deus. 56. All things that happen, happen from absolute necessity. Omnia quae eveniunt absolute necessario eveniunt. 57. A baptised child foreknown as damned will necessarily live long enough Infans praescitus et baptizatus necessario vivet diutius et peccabit to sin in the holy Spirit, wherefore it will merit to be condemned for ever. in spiritum sanctum ratione cuius Thus no fire can burn the child until that time or instant. merebitur ut perpetuo condemnetur. Et ita nullus ignis ipsum potest comburere pro hoc tempore vel instanti. 58. I assert as a matter of faith that everything that will happen, will happen Ut fidem asseram quod omnia quae evenient de necessitate evenient. of necessity. Thus if Paul is foreknown as damned, he cannot truly repent; Sic paulus praescitus non potest that is, he cannot cancel the sin of final impenitence by contrition, or be vere poenitere hoc est contritione peccatum finalis impoenitentiae under the obligation not to have the sin. delere aut ipsum non habere 247 debere. [Sentence against John Hus] The most holy general council of Constance, divinely assembled and Sacrosanctum generale concilium Constantiense divinitus representing the catholic church, for an everlasting record. Since a bad tree is congregatum et ecclesiam wont to bear bad fruit, as truth itself testifies, so it is that John Wyclif, of catholicam repraesentans ad perpetuam rei memoriam. cursed memory, by his deadly teaching, like a poisonous root, has brought Quia teste veritate arbor mala forth many noxious sons, not in Christ Jesus through the gospel, as once the fructus malos facere consuevit hinc est quod vir damnatae memoriae holy fathers brought forth faithful sons, but rather contrary to the saving faith Ioannes Wicleff sua mortifera of Christ, and he has left these sons as successors to his perverse teaching. doctrina non in christo Iesu per evangelium ut olim sancti patres This holy synod of Constance is compelled to act against these men as fideles filios genuere sed contra against spurious and illegitimate sons, and to cut away their errors from the christi salutarem fidem velut radix virulenta plures genuit filios Lord’s field as if they were harmful briars, by means of vigilant care and the pestiferos quos sui perversi knife of ecclesiastical authority, lest they spread as a cancer to destroy others. dogmatis reliquit successores. Adversus quos haec sancta synodus Although, therefore, it was decreed at the sacred general council recently Constantiensis tamquam contra held at Rome [35 ] that the teaching of John Wyclif, of cursed memory, spurios et illegitimos filios cogitur insurgere et eorum errores ab agro should be condemned and the books of his containing this teaching should be dominico tamquam vepres nocivas burnt as heretical; although his teaching was in fact condemned and his cura pervigili et cultro auctoritatis ecclesiasticae resecare ne ut cancer books burnt as containing false and dangerous doctrine; and although a serpant in perniciem aliorum. decree of this kind was approved by the authority of this present sacred Cum itaque in sacro generali concilio nuper Romae celebrato council [36 ] ; nevertheless a certain John Hus, here present in person at this decretum fuerit doctrinam sacred council, who is a disciple not of Christ but rather of the heresiarch damnatae memoriae Ioannis Wicleff damnandam esse et libros eius John Wyclif, boldly and rashly contravening the condemnation and the huiusmodi doctrinam continentes decree after their enactment, has taught, asserted and preached many errors fore tamquam haereticos comburendos et doctrinam ipsam and heresies of John Wyclif which have been condemned both by God’s damnatam et libros eius tamquam church and by other reverend fathers in Christ, lord archbishops and bishops doctrinam insanam et pestiferam includentes combustos fuisse cum of various kingdoms, and masters in theology at many places of study. He effectu et huiusmodi decretum has done this especially by publicly resisting in the schools and in sermons, huius sacri auctoritate concilii fuerit approbatum nihilominus tamen together with his accomplices, the condemnation in scholastic form of the quidam Ioannes Huss in hoc sacro said articles of John Wyclif which has been made many times at the concilio hic personaliter constitutus university of Prague, and he has declared the said John Wyclif to be a non christi sed potius Ioannis Wicleff haeresiarchae discipulus post et catholic man and an evangelical doctor, thus supporting his teaching, before contra damnationem et decretum a multitude of clergy and people. He has asserted and published certain huiusmodi ausu temerario contraveniens errores eius plures et articles listed below and many others, which are condemned and which are, haereses tam ab ecclesia dei quam as is well known, contained in the books and pamphlets of the said John Hus. etiam a ceteris olim reverendis in christo patribus dominis archiepiscopis et episcopis diversorum regnorum et magistris in theologia plurium studiorum condemnatos dogmatizavit asseruit et praedicavit praesertim condemnationi scholasticae ipsorum articulorum Ioannis Wicleff factae pluries in universitate Pragensi cum suis complicibus in scholis et in praedicationibus publice resistendo ac ipsum Ioannem Wicleff virum catholicum et doctorem evangelicum in favorem eius doctrinae coram multitudine cleri et populi declaravit: certos etiam articulos infrascriptos et plures alios merito damnabiles tamquam catholicos asseruit et publicavit qui in libris ipsius Ioannis Huss et opusculis notorie continentur. Full information has been obtained about the aforesaid matters, and there has Quapropter habita prius plenaria informatione de praemissis et been careful deliberation by the most reverend fathers in Christ, lord diligenti deliberatione cardinals of the holy Roman church, patriarchs archbishops, bishops and reverendissimorum in christo 248 other prelates and doctors of holy scripture and of both laws, in large patrum dominorum sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalium numbers. This most holy synod of Constance therefore declares and defines patriarcharum archiepiscoporum that the articles listed below, which have been found on examination, by episcoporum et ceterorum praelatorum et doctorum sacrae many masters in sacred scripture, to be contained in his books and pamphlets paginae et iuris utriusque in written in his own hand, and which the same John Hus at a public hearing, multitudine copiosa haec sacrosancta synodus Constantiensis before the fathers and prelates of this sacred council, has confessed to be declarat et diffinit articulos contained in his books and pamphlets, are not catholic and should not be infrascriptos qui habita collatione per plures magistros in sacra pagina taught to be such but rather many of them are erroneous, others scandalous, reperti fuerunt contineri in eius libris others offensive to the ears of the devout, many of them are rash and et opusculis manu propria scriptis et quos etiam idem Ioannes Huss in seditious, and some of them are notoriously heretical and have long ago been publica audientia coram patribus et rejected and condemned by holy fathers and by general councils, and it praelatis huius sacri concilii confessus fuit in suis libris et strictly forbids them to be preached, taught or in any way approved. opusculis contineri non esse Moreover, since the articles listed below are explicitly contained in his books catholicos nec tamquam tales esse dogmatizandos sed ex eis plures or treatises, namely in the book entitled De ecclesia and in his other esse erroneos alios scandalosos pamphlets, this most holy synod therefore reproves and condemns the aliquos piarum aurium offensivos plures que eorum esse temerarios aforesaid books and his teaching, as well as the other treatises and pamphlets et seditiosos et nonnullos written by him in Latin or in Czech, or translated by one or more other eorumdem esse notorie haereticos et iam dudum a sanctis patribus et persons into any other language, and it decrees and determines that they generalibus conciliis reprobatos et should be publicly and solemnly burnt in the presence of the clergy and damnatos ipsos que praedicare dogmatizare aut quomodolibet people in the city of Constance and elsewhere. On account of the above, approbare districte inhibendo. moreover, all his teaching is and shall be deservedly suspect regarding the Sed cum infrascripti articuli expresse contineantur in libris seu faith and is to be avoided by all of Christ’s faithful tractatibus suis videlicet in libro quem intitulavit de ecclesia et aliis suis opusculis ideo libros praedictos et doctrinam suam et singulos alios tractatus et opuscula in latino sive vulgari Bohemico per ipsum editos aut in quocumque alio idiomate per alium vel alios translatos haec sacrosancta synodus reprobat atque damnat ipsos comburendos publice et solemniter in praesentia cleri et populi in civitate Constantiensi et alibi decernit et definit adiiciens propter praemissa omnem eius doctrinam merito esse et fore suspectam de fide et ab omnibus christi fidelibus evitandam. . In order that this pernicious teaching may be eliminated from the midst of Et ut de medio ecclesiae illa perniciosa doctrina eliminetur haec the church, this holy synod also orders that local ordinaries make careful sancta synodus prorsus iubet per inquiry about treatises and pamphlets of this kind, using the church’s locorum ordinarios tractatus et opuscula huiusmodi per censuram censures and even if necessary the punishment due for supporting heresy, ecclesiasticam etiam si sit opus cum and that they be publicly burnt when they have been found. This same holy adiectione poenae et fautoriae haereseos diligenter inquiri et synod decrees that local ordinaries and inquisitors of heresy are to proceed repertos ignibus publice concremari. against any who violate or defy this sentence and decree as if they were Si quis autem huius sententiae ac decreti violator aut contemptor persons suspected of heresy. exstiterit statuit eadem sancta synodus per locorum ordinarios et inquisitores haereticae pravitatis contra talem vel tales veluti suspectum vel suspectos de haeresi procedendum. [Sentence of degradation against J. Hus] Moreover, the acts and deliberations of the inquiry into heresy against the Visis insuper actis et actitatis in causa inquisitionis de et super aforesaid John Hus have been examined. There was first a faithful and full haeresi contra praedictum Ioannem account made by the commissioners deputed for the case and by other Huss habitis et factis et habita prius fideli et plenaria commissariorum in masters of theology and doctors of both laws, concerning the acts and huiusmodi causa deputatorum deliberations and the depositions of very many trustworthy witnesses. These relatione aliorum que magistrorum 249 depositions were openly and publicly read out to the said John Hus before in theologia et iuris utriusque doctorum in de et super actis the fathers and prelates of this sacred council. It is very clearly established actitatis et dictis testium fide from the depositions of these witnesses that the said John has taught many dignorum et plurimorum quae dicta ipsi Ioannis Huss palam et publice evil, scandalous and seditious things, and dangerous heresies, and has lecta fuerunt coram patribus et publicly preached them during many years. This most holy synod of praelatis huius sacri concilii per quorum testium dicta apertissime Constance, invoking Christ’s name and having God alone before its eyes, constat eumdem Ioannem multa therefore pronounces, decrees and defines by this definitive sentence, which mala scandalosa et seditiosa et periculosas haereses dogmatizasse is here written down, that the said John Hus was and is a true and manifest et publice per multa annorum heretic and has taught and publicly preached, to the great offence of the curricula praedicasse christi nomine invocato haec sacrosancta synodus divine Majesty, to the scandal of the universal church and to the detriment of Constantiensis solum deum prae the catholic faith, errors and heresies that have long ago been condemned by oculis habens per hanc definitivam sententiam quam profert in his God’s church and many things that are scandalous, offensive to the ears of scriptis pronunciat decernit et the devout, rash and seditious, and that he has even despised the keys of the declarat dictum Ioannem Huss fuisse et esse verum et manifestum church and ecclesiastical censures. He has persisted in these things for many haereticum ipsum que errores et years with a hardened heart. He has greatly scandalised Christ’s faithful by haereses ab ecclesia dei dudum damnatos et damnatas ac plurima his obstinacy since, bypassing the church’s intermediaries, he has made scandalosa piarum aurium offensiva appeal directly to our lord Jesus Christ, as to the supreme judge, in which he temeraria et seditiosa dogmatizasse et publice praedicasse in non has introduced many false, harmful and scandalous things to the contempt of modicam offensam divinae the apostolic see, ecclesiastical censures and the keys. This holy synod maiestatis ac universalis ecclesiae scandalum et fidei catholicae therefore pronounces the said John Hus, on account of the aforesaid and detrimentum claves etiam ecclesiae many other matters, to have been a heretic and it judges him to be considered et censuras ecclesiasticas vilipendisse in quibus per annos and condemned as a heretic, and it hereby condemns him. It rejects the said multos perstitit animo indurato appeal of his as harmful and scandalous and offensive to the church’s christi fideles per suam pertinaciam nimium scandalizans cum jurisdiction. It declares that the said John Hus seduced the christian people, appellationem ad dominum nostrum especially in the kingdom of Bohemia, in his public sermons and in his Iesum christum tamquam ad supremum iudicem omissis writings; and that he was not a true preacher of Christ’s gospel to the same ecclesiasticis mediis interposuerit in christian people, according to the exposition of the holy doctors, but rather qua multa falsa et iniuriosa posuit et was a seducer. scandalosa ipsius sedis apostolicae censurarum ecclesiasticarum et clavium in contemptum. Idcirco propter praemissa et alia plura praefatum Ioannem Huss haereticum fuisse haec sancta synodus pronunciat et tamquam haereticum iudicandum et condemnandum fore iudicat et condemnat per praesentes: dictam que appellationem tamquam iniuriosam et scandalosam et illusoriam iurisdictioni ecclesiasticae reprobando ipsum que Ioannem Huss populum christianum maxime in regno Bohemiae in praedicationibus suis publicis et scripturis per eum compilatis seduxisse ac eiusdem populi christiani non veracem praedicatorem evangelii christi secundum expositionem sanctorum doctorum sed fuisse verius seductorem. Since this most holy synod has learnt from what it has seen and heard, that Verum quia per ea quae haec sacrosancta synodus vidit et audivit the said John Hus is obstinate and incorrigible and as such does not desire to cognovit eumdem Ioannem Huss return to the bosom of holy mother the church, and is unwilling to abjure the pertinacem et incorrigibilem et adeo talem quod non cupiebat ad heresies and errors which he has publicly defended and preached, this holy gremium sanctae matris ecclesiae synod of Constance therefore declares and decrees that the same John Hus is redire neque haereses et errores per eum publice defensatos et to be deposed and degraded from the order of the priesthood and from the praedicatos velle abiurare idcirco other orders held by him. It charges the reverend fathers in Christ, the haec sancta synodus Constantiensis 250 archbishop of Milan and the bishops of Feltre Asti, Alessandria, Bangor and eumdem Ioannem Huss ab ordine sacerdotali et aliis ordinibus quibus Lavour with duly carrying out the degradation in the presence of this most exsistit insignitus deponendum et holy synod, in accordance with the procedure required by law. degradandum fore declarat et decernit: committens nihilominus reverendis in christo patribus archiepiscopo Mediolanensi Feltrensi Astensi Alexandrino Bangorensi et Vaurensi episcopis ut in praesentia huius sacrosanctae synodi dictam degradationem secundum quod ordo iuris requirit debite exsequantur. [Sentence condemning J. Hus to the stake] This holy synod of Constance, seeing that God’s church has nothing more Haec sancta synodus constantiensis Ioannem Huss attento quod ecclesia that it can do, relinquishes John Hus to the judgment of the secular authority dei non habeat ultra quod agere and decrees that he is to be relinquished to the secular court. valeat iudicio saeculari relinquit et ipsum curiae saeculari relinquendum fore decernit. [Condemned articles of J. Hus] 1. There is only one holy universal church, which is the total number of those Unica est sancta universalis ecclesia quae est praedestinatorum predestined to salvation. It therefore follows that the universal holy church is universitas. only one, inasmuch as there is only one number of all those who are Et infra sequitur universalis sancta ecclesia tantum est una sicut predestined to salvation. tantum unus est numerus omnium praedestinatorum. 2. Paul was never a member of the devil, even though he did certain acts Paulus numquam fuit membrum diaboli licet fecerit quosdam actus which are similar to the acts of the church’s enemies. actibus ecclesiae malignantium consimiles. 3. Those foreknown as damned are not parts of the church, for no part of the Praesciti non sunt partes ecclesiae cum nulla pars eius ab ea finaliter church can finally fall away from it, since the predestinating love that binds excidat eo quod praedestinationis the church together does not fail. charitas quae ipsam ligat non excidit. 4. The two natures, the divinity and the humanity, are one Christ. Duae naturae divinitas et humanitas sunt unus christus. 5. A person foreknown to damnation is never part of the holy church, even if Praescitus etsi aliquis sit in gratia secundum praesentem iustitiam he is in a state of grace according to present justice; a person predestined to tamen numquam est pars sanctae salvation always remains a member of the church, even though he may fall ecclesiae: et praedestinatus semper manet membrum ecclesiae licet away for a time from adventitious grace, for he keeps the grace of aliquando excidat a gratia predestination. adventitia sed non a gratia praedestinationis. 6. The church is an article of faith in the following sense: to regard it as the Sumendo ecclesiam pro convocatione praedestinatorum sive convocation of those predestined to salvation, whether or not it be in a state sit in gratia sive non secundum of grace according to present justice. praesentem iustitiam isto modo ecclesia est articulus fidei. 7. Peter neither was nor is the head of the holy catholic church. Petrus non fuit nec est caput sanctae ecclesiae catholicae. 8. Priests who live in vice in any way pollute the power of the priesthood, Sacerdotes quomodolibet criminose viventes sacerdotii polluunt and like unfaithful sons are untrustworthy in their thinking about the potestatem et sicut filii infideles church’s seven sacraments, about the keys, offices, censures, customs, sentiunt infideliter de septem sacramentis ecclesiae de clavibus ceremonies and sacred things of the church, about the veneration of relics, officiis censuris moribus and about indulgences and orders. caeremoniis et sacris rebus ecclesiae veneratione reliquiarum indulgentiis et ordinibus. 9. The papal dignity originated with the emperor, and the primacy and Papalis dignitas a Caesare inolevit et papae praefectio et institutio a institution of the pope emanated from imperial power. Caesaris potentia emanavit. 10. Nobody would reasonably assert of himself or of another, without Nullus sine revelatione assereret rationabiliter de se vel de alio quod revelation, that he was the head of a particular holy church; nor is the Roman esset caput ecclesiae particularis pontiff the head of the Roman church. sanctae: nec Romanus pontifex est caput Romanae ecclesiae. 11. It is not necessary to believe that any particular Roman pontiff is the head Non oportet credere quod iste quicumque particularis Romanus of any particular holy church, unless God has predestined him to salvation. pontifex sit caput cuiuscumque 251 particularis ecclesiae sanctae nisi deus eum praedestinaverit. 12. Nobody holds the place of Christ or of Peter unless he follows his way of Nemo gerit vicem christi vel Petri nisi sequatur eum in moribus cum life, since there is no other discipleship that is more appropriate nor is there nulla alia sequela sit pertinentior another way to receive delegated power from God, since there is required for nec aliter recipiat a deo procuratoriam potestatem: quia ad this office of vicar a similar way of life as well as the authority of the one illud officium vicarii requiritur et instituting. morum conformitas et instituentis auctoritas. 13. The pope is not the manifest and true successor of the prince of the Papa non est manifestus et verus successor principis apostolorum apostles, Peter, if he lives in a way contrary to Peter’s. If he seeks avarice, he Petri si vivit moribus contrariis is the vicar of Judas Iscariot. Likewise, cardinals are not the manifest and Petro: et si quaerit avaritiam tunc est vicarius Iudae Iscarioth. Et pari true successors of the college of Christ’s other apostles unless they live after evidentia cardinales non sunt the manner of the apostles, keeping the commandments and counsels of our manifesti et veri successores collegii aliorum apostolorum christi lord Jesus Christ. nisi vixerint more apostolorum servantes mandata et consilia domini nostri Iesu christi. 14. Doctors who state that anybody subjected to ecclesiastical censure, if he Doctores ponentes quod aliquis per censuram ecclesiasticam refuses to be corrected, should be handed over to the judgment of the secular emendandus si corrigi noluerit authority, are undoubtedly following in this the chief priests, the scribes and saeculari iudicio est tradendus pro certo sequuntur in hoc pontifices the pharisees who handed over to the secular authority Christ himself, since scribas et phariseos qui christum he was unwilling to obey them in all things, saying, It is not lawful for us to nolentem eis oboedire in omnibus dicentes nobis non licet interficere put any man to death; these gave him to the civil judge, so that such men are quemquam ipsum saeculari iudicio even greater murderers than Pilate. tradiderunt eo quod tales sunt homicidae graviores quam Pilatus. 15. Ecclesiastical obedience was invented by the church’s priests, without the Oboedientia ecclesiastica est oboedientia secundum express authority of scripture. adinventionem sacerdotum ecclesiae praeter expressam auctoritatem scripturae. 16. The immediate division of human actions is between those that are Divisio immediata humanorum operum est quod sint vel virtuosa virtuous and those that are wicked. Therefore, if a man is wicked and does vel vitiosa: quia si homo est vitiosus something, he acts wickedly; if he is virtuous and does something, he acts et agit quicquam tunc agit vitiose et si est virtuosus et agit quicquam virtuously. For just as wickedness, which is called crime or mortal sin, tunc agit virtuose. infects all the acts of a wicked man, so virtue gives life to all the acts of a Quia sicut vitium quod crimen dicitur sive mortale peccatum inficit virtuous man. universaliter actus hominis vitiosi sic virtus vivificat omnes actus hominis virtuosi. 17. A priest of Christ who lives according to his law, knows scripture and has Sacerdos christi vivens secundum legem eius et habens scripturae a desire to edify the people, ought to preach, notwithstanding a pretended notitiam et affectum ad excommunication. And further on: if the pope or any superior orders a priest aedificandum populum debet praedicare non obstante praetensa so disposed not to preach, the subordinate ought not to obey. excommunicatione. Et infra: quod si papa vel aliquis praepositus mandet sacerdoti sic disposito non praedicare non debet subditus oboedire. 18. Whoever enters the priesthood receives a binding duty to preach; and this Quilibet praedicantis officium de mandato accipit qui ad sacerdotium mandate ought to be carried out, notwithstanding a pretended accedit: et illud mandatum debet excommunication. exsequi praetensa excommunicatione non obstante. 19. By the church’s censures of excommunication, suspension and interdict Per censuras ecclesiasticas excommunicationis suspensionis et the clergy subdue the laity, for the sake of their own exaltation, multiply interdicti ad suam exaltationem avarice protect wickedness and prepare the way for antichrist. The clear sign clerus populum laicalem sibi suppeditat avaritiam multiplicat of this is the fact that these censures come from antichrist. In the legal malitiam protegit et viam praeparat proceedings of the clergy they are called fulminations, which are the antichristo. Signum autem evidens est quod ab principal means whereby the clergy proceed against those who uncover antichristo tales procedant censurae antichrist’s wickedness, which the clergy has for the most part usurped for quas vocant in suis processibus fulminationes quibus clerus itself. 252 principalissime procedit contra illos qui denudant nequitiam antichristi quam clerus pro se maxime usurpavit. 20. If the pope is wicked, and especially if he is foreknown to damnation, Si papa est malus et praesertim si est praescitus tunc ut Iudas then he is a devil like Judas the apostle, a thief and a son of perdition and is apostolus est diabolus fur et filius not the head of the holy church militant since he is not even a member of it. perditionis et non est caput sanctae militantis ecclesiae cum nec sit membrum eius. 21. The grace of predestination is the bond whereby the body of the church Gratia praedestinationis est vinculum quo corpus ecclesiae et and each of its members is indissolubly joined with the head. quodlibet eius membrum iungitur ipso capiti insolubiliter. 22. The pope or a prelate who is wicked and foreknown to damnation is a Papa vel praelatus malus et praescitus est aequivoce pastor et pastor only in an equivocal sense, and truly is a thief and a robber. vere fur et latro. 23. The pope ought not to be called “most holy” even by reason of his office, Papa non debet dici sanctissimus etiam secundum officium quia alias for otherwise even a king ought to be called “most holy” by reason of his rex etiam deberet dici sanctissimus office and executioners and heralds ought to be called “holy”, indeed even secundum officium et tortores et praecones dicerentur sancti: immo the devil would be called “holy” since he is an official of God. etiam diabolus deberet vocari sanctus cum sit officiarius dei. 24. If a pope lives contrary to Christ, even if he has risen through a right and Si papa vivit contrarie christo etiamsi ascenderet per ritam et legitimate election according to the established human constitution, he would legitimam electionem secundum have risen by a way other than through Christ, even granted that he entered constitutionem humanam vulgatam tamen aliunde ascenderet quam per upon office by an election that had been made principally by God. For, Judas christum dato etiam quod intraret Iscariot was rightly and legitimately elected to be an apostle by Jesus Christ per electionem a deo principaliter factam. Nam Iudas Iscarioth rite et who is God, yet he climbed into the sheepfold by another way. legitime est electus a deo Iesu christo ad apostolatum et tamen ascendit aliunde in ovile ovium. 25. The condemnation of the forty-five articles of John Wyclif, decreed by Condemnatio quadragintaquinque articulorum Ioannis Wicleff per the doctors, is irrational and unjust and badly done and the reason alleged by doctores facta est irrationabilis et them is feigned, namely that none of them is catholic but each one is either iniqua et male facta et ficta est causa per eos allegata videlicet heretical or erroneous or scandalous. quod nullus ex eis sit catholicus sed quilibet eorum aut est haereticus aut erroneus aut scandalosus. 26. The viva voce agreement upon some person, made according to human Non eo ipso quo electores vel maior pars eorum consenserunt viva voce custom by the electors or by the greater part of them, does not mean by itself secundum ritus hominum in that the person has been legitimately elected or that by this very fact he is the personam aliquam eo ipso illa persona est legitime electa vel quod true and manifest successor or vicar of the apostle Peter or of another apostle eo ipso est verus et manifestus in an ecclesiastical office. For, it is to the works of the one elected that we successor vel vicarius Petri apostoli vel alterius apostoli in officio should look irrespective of whether the manner of the election was good or ecclesiastico. bad. For, the more plentifully a person acts meritoriously towards building Unde sive electores bene vel male elegerunt operibus electi debemus up the church, the more copiously does he thereby have power from God for credere. Nam eo ipso quo quis this. copiosius operatur meritorie ad profectum ecclesiae habet a deo ad hoc copiosius potestatem. 27. There is not the least proof that there must be one head ruling the church Non est scintilla apparentiae quod oporteat esse unum caput in in spiritual matters who always lives with the church militant. spiritualibus regens ecclesiam quod semper cum ipsa militante ecclesia conversetur. 28. Christ would govern his church better by his true disciples scattered Christus sine talibus monstruosis capitibus per suos veraces throughout the world, without these monstrous heads. discipulos sparsos per orbem terrarum melius suam ecclesiam regularet. 29. The apostles and faithful priests of the Lord strenuously governed the Apostoli et fideles sacerdotes domini strenue in necessariis ad church in matters necessary for salvation before the office of pope was salutem regularunt ecclesiam introduced, and they would continue to do this until the day of judgment if-- antequam papae officium foret introductum sic facerent deficiente which is very possible--there is no pope. per summe possibile papa usque ad 253 diem iudicii. 30. Nobody is a civil lord, a prelate or a bishop while he is in mortal sin. Nullus est dominus civilis nullus est praelatus nullus est episcopus dum est in peccato mortali. [Sentence condemning John Petit’s proposition, “Any tyrant-’] This most holy synod wishes to proceed with special care to the eradication Praecipua sollicitudine volens haec sacrosancta synodus ad of errors and heresies which are growing in various parts of the world, as is exstirpationem errorum et its duty and the purpose for which it has assembled. It has recently learnt that haeresium in diversis mundi partibus invalescentium procedere various propositions have been taught that are erroneous both in the faith and sicut tenetur et ad hoc collecta est as regards good morals, are scandalous in many ways and threaten to subvert nuper accepit quod nonnullae assertiones erroneae in fide et bonis the constitution and order of every state. Among these propositions this one moribus ac multipliciter scandalosae has been reported: Any tyrant can and ought to be killed, licitly and totius que reipublicae statum et ordinem subvertere molientes meritoriously, by any of his vassals or subjects, even by means of plots and dogmatizatae sunt inter quas haec blandishments or flattery, notwithstanding any oath taken, or treaty made assertio delata est: quilibet tyrannus potest et debet licite et with the tyrant, and without waiting for a sentence or a command from any meritorie occidi per quemcumque judge. This holy synod, wishing to oppose this error and to eradicate it vassalum suum vel subditum etiam per insidias et blanditias vel completely, declares, decrees and defines, after mature deliberation, that this adulationes non obstante doctrine is erroneous in the faith and with regard to morals, and it rejects and quocumque praestito iuramento seu confoederatione facta cum eo non condemns the doctrine as heretical, scandalous and seditious and as leading expectata sententia vel mandato the way through perjury to frauds, deceptions, lies and betrayals. It declares, iudicis cuiuscumque. Adversus hunc errorem satagens decrees and defines, moreover, that those who stubbornly assert this very haec sancta synodus insurgere et pernicious doctrine are heretics and are to be punished as such according to ipsum funditus tollere praehabita deliberatione matura declarat canonical and legitimate sanctions. [37 ] decernit et definit huiusmodi doctrinam erroneam esse in fide et in moribus ipsam que tamquam haereticam scandalosam seditiosam et ad fraudes deceptiones mendacia proditiones periuria vias dantem reprobat et condemnat. Declarat insuper decernit et definit quod pertinaciter doctrinam hanc perniciosissimam asserentes sunt haeretici et tamquam tales iuxta canonicas et legitimas sanctiones puniendi. SESSION 16 - 11 July 1415 [Deliberation about the council’s legates due to depart with the emperor Sigismund for Spain; minor deliberations about the conduct of the council’s business.] SESSION 17 - 15 July 1415 [The emperor’s imminent departure from the council is treated of; the council offers prayers for his success.] SESSION 18 - 17 August 1415 [Decrees about various matters to be decided by the council: power is given to judges to make decisions, and for pairs of them to hear cases; that bulls of the council are to be obeyed; that forgers of conciliar bulls are to be punished in the same way as forgers of apostolic letters; that letters are to be despatched regarding the graces granted by the former pope John, except expectative and exceptional graces; ambassadors to Italy are appointed.] SESSION 19 - 23 September 1415 [Jerome of Prague finally abjures his faith publicly and solemnly. There is promulgated at this session an Ordinance between the friars Minor of the strict observance and others of the common life, to put an end to the discords which have arisen in certain provinces; another Ordinance by which cases of heresy are committed to certain judges. It is also decreed that, 254 notwithstanding safe conducts of emperors and kings and others, a competent judge can inquire into heresy; that the lord vice-chancellor shall expedite the Caroline constitution [38 ] under a bull of the council; that those with benefices who are attending the council shall receive the fruits of their benefices in their absence, that the letters regarding provisions to patriarchal, metropolitan and other churches, which were granted by the former pope John before his suspension, shall be despatched.] SESSION 20 - 21 November 1415 [A warning is decreed against the duke of Austria, on behalf of the bishop of Trent.] SESSION 21 - 30 May 1416 [Sentence condemning Jerome of Prague] In the name of the Lord, Amen. Christ our God and saviour, the true vine In nomine domini Amen. christus deus et salvator noster vitis whose Father is the vine-dresser, said when teaching his disciples and other vera cuius pater agricola est followers in these matters: If anyone does not abide in me, he shall be cast discipulos ceteros que fideles suos in illis instituens inquit: si quis in me forth as a branch and shall wither. This holy synod of Constance is following non manserit mittetur foras sicut the teaching and carrying out the commands of this sovereign teacher and palmes et arescet. Cuius summi doctoris et magistri master in this case of inquiry into heresy which was started by the same holy doctrinam sequens et praecepta synod. It notes the public talk and loud outcry against the said master Jerome exsequens haec sancta synodus Constantiensis in causa inquisitionis of Prague, master of arts, layman. From the acts and proceedings of the case haereticae pravitatis per eamdem it is evident that the said Jerome has held, asserted and taught various sanctam synodum mota fama publica referente et clamorosa heretical and erroneous articles, which were long ago condemned by holy insinuatione ministrante contra fathers, some of which are blasphemous, others scandalous and others magistrum Hieronymum dictum de Praga magistrum in artibus laicum offensive to the ears of the devout as well as rash and seditious. They were ex cuius causae actis et processibus long ago asserted, preached and taught by John Wyclif and John Hus, of constat eumdem Hieronymum tenuisse asseruisse et dogmatizasse cursed memory, and were included in various of their books and pamphlets. nonnullos articulos haereticos et These articles, doctrines and books of the aforesaid John Wyclif and John erroneos dudum a sanctis patribus reprobatos quosdam vero Hus, as well as the memory of Wyclif, and finally the person of Hus, were blasphemos alios scandalosos alios condemned and damned by this same holy synod and its sentence of heresy. piarum aurium offensivos temerarios et seditiosos dudum per damnatae memoriae viros Ioannem Wicleff et Ioannem Huss assertos praedicatos et dogmatizatos ac in nonnullis eorum libris et opusculis insertos. Qui que articuli doctrina et libri praefatorum Ioannis Wicleff et Ioannis Huss ac Wicleff memoria denique Hussi persona per eamdem sanctam synodum et eius sententiam de haeresi condemnati et damnatae fuerunt. The said Jerome later, during the course of this inquiry, in this holy synod, Quam que damnationis sententiam idem Hieronymus postmodum approved and consented to this sentence of condemnation and acknowledged pendente huius inquisitionis causa and professed the true, catholic and apostolic faith. He anathematised all in eadem sancta synodo cognoscens et profitens veram heresy, especially that for which he had been defamed-and he confessed catholicam et apostolicam fidem himself defamed--and which John Wyclif and John Hus had taught and held approbavit et eidem consensit: anathematizavit que omnem in the past in their works, sermons and pamphlets, and on account of which haeresim praecipue eam de qua the said Wyclif and Hus, together with their dogmas and errors, had been erat infamatus et se confitebatur infamatum et quam praeteritis condemned as heretical by this same holy synod, and their teaching likewise temporibus dogmatizaverunt et condemned. He professed acceptance of every condemnation of the aforesaid tenuerunt Ioannes Wicleff et Ioannes Huss in suis opusculis things and swore that he would remain in the truth of the faith, and that if he sermonibus et libellis: et propter ever dared to think or preach anything to the contrary then he wished to quam seu quas dicti Wicleff et Huss cum suis dogmatibus et erroribus submit to the severity of canon law and to be bound to eternal punishment. ab eadem sancta synodo damnati fuerant tamquam haeretici et eorum 255 He offered and gave this profession of his, written in his own hand to this doctrina similiter damnata praemissorum que omnem holy synod. Many days after his profession and abjuration, however, like a damnationem professus est et dog returning to its vomit, he asked for a public hearing to be granted to him iuravit se in hac fidei veritate permansurum et si ipse aliquando in this same holy synod, in order that he might vomit forth in public the quicquam contra sentire vel deadly poison which lay hidden within his breast. The hearing was granted to praedicare praesumpserit canonum severitati subiacere et aeternae him and he asserted, said and professed in effect, at a public assembly of the poenae voluit obligari. same synod, that he had wrongly consented to the aforesaid sentence Illam que suam professionem manu sua conscriptam eidem sanctae condemning the said Wyclif and John Hus and that he had lied in approving synodo obtulit atque dedit. the sentence. Post quas professionem et abiurationem multis transactis diebus sicut canis ad vomitum rediens ut virus pestilentissimum quod in suo latebat pectore publice evomeret audientiam publicam sibi dari in eadem sancta synodo postulavit. Qua sibi concessa in eadem synodo publice congregata asseruit dixit et professus est in effectu quod praefatae sententiae damnationis dictorum Wicleff et Ioannis Huss inique consenserat et illam sententiam approbando mentitus fuerat. He did not fear to state that he had lied. Indeed, he revoked now and for Nec verebatur se confiteri mentitum: quin immo confessionem eternity his confession, approval and profession regarding the condemnation approbationem et professionem of the two men. He asserted that he had never read any heresy or error in the suas super illorum damnatione revocabat nunc et in aeternum: books of the said Wyclif and John Hus, even though it was clearly proved, asserens se in libris dictorum Wicleff before his profession to the sentence on the two men, that he had carefully et Ioannis Huss nullam umquam haeresim vel errorem legisse licet studied, read and taught their books and it is clear that many errors and ante sententiam fuerit professus et heresies are contained in them. The said Jerome professed, however, that he probatum sit evidenter ipsum libros eorum diligenter studuisse legisse held and believed what the church holds and believes regarding the et dogmatizasse et in quibus sacrament of the altar and the transubstantiation of the bread into the body of constat plures errores et haereses contineri. Christ, saying that he believed in Augustine and the other doctors of the Verum idem Hieronymus de church more than in Wyclif and Hus. It is evident from the above that the sacramento altaris et transubstantiatione panis in corpus said Jerome adhered to the condemned Wyclif and Hus and their errors, and christi professus est se tenere et that he was and is a supporter of them. This holy synod has therefore decreed credere quod ecclesia credit et tenet dicens se plus credere and now declares that the said Jerome is to be cast away as a branch that is Augustino et ceteris ecclesiae rotten, withered and separated from the vine; and it pronounces, declares and doctoribus quam Wicleff et Huss. Constat insuper ex praemissis condemns him as a heretic who has relapsed into heresy and as an eumdem Hieronymum praedictis excommunicated and anathematised person. Wicleff et Huss damnatis et eorum erroribus adhaerere illorum que fautorem fuisse et esse: propter quae eadem sancta synodus eumdem Hieronymum palmitem putridum aridum in vite non manentem foras mittendum decrevit et decernit: ipsum que haereticum et in haeresim relapsum excommunicatum anathematizatum pronunciat declarat et damnat. SESSION 22 - 15 October 1416 [The treaty of Narbonne, between the king of Aragon, the emperor and the envoys of the council, is confirmed [39 ] : the king of Aragon withdraws obedience from Benedict XIII and recognises the council of Constance through his envoys.] SESSION 23 - 5 November 1416 [Beginning of the process against Peter de Luna, called Benedict XIII in his obedience.] 256 SESSION 24 - 28 November 1416 [A citation against Peter de Luna, called Benedict XIII in his obedience, is decreed.] SESSION 25 - 14 December 1416 [The envoys of the Spanish count of Foix are united with the council in accordance with the terms of the treaty of Narbonne.] SESSION 26 - 24 December 1416 [The envoys of the king of Navarre are united with the council in accordance with the terms of the treaty of Narbonne.] SESSION 27 - 20 February 1417 [The dispute between Frederick, duke of Austria, and the bishop of Trent is discussed: a report is made on the carrying out of the warning decreed in session 20.] SESSION 28 - 3 March 1417 [The Trent dispute is concluded: Frederick, duke of Austria, is condemned.] I The articles of Narbonne concerning the unity of the church, which were agreed between the emperor Sigismund and the envoys of the council of Constance on the one side, and the envoys of the kings and princes of Benedict XIII’s obedience on the other side, were published by the council in a general assembly on 13 December 1415 (see Hardt 4,584). They are printed in Hardt 2, 542-554. SESSION 29 - 8 March 1417 [Peter de Luna is accused of contumacy.] SESSION 30 - 10 March 1417 [The process against Peter de Luna continues.] SESSION 31 - 31 March 1417 [A warning is decreed against Philip, count of Vertus, at the request of the bishop of Asti. Other minor deliberations take place.] SESSION 32 - 1 April 1417 [Peter de Luna is again accused of contumacy and an inquiry about him is established.] SESSION 33 - 12 May 1417 [The process against Peter de Luna, who is deemed contumacious, continues.] SESSION 34 - 5 June 1417 [Everything is made ready for the condemnation of Peter de Luna.] SESSION 35 - 18 June 1417 [The envoys of the king of Castile are united with the council in accordance with the terms of the treaty of Narbonne.] SESSION 36 - 22 July 1417 [It is decreed that Peter de Luna is to be cited to hear the council’s sentence.] SESSION 37 - 26 July 1417 [Definitive sentence whereby Peter de Luna, pope Benedict XIII, is divested of the papacy and deprived of the faith.]

257 May this judgment come forth from the face of him who sits on the throne, De vultu eius hoc iudicium prodeat qui sedet in throno et ex eius ore and from his mouth proceeds a double-edged sword, whose scales are just procedit gladius bis acutus cuius and weights are true, who will come to judge the living and the dead, our statera iusta est et aequa sunt pondera qui venturus est iudicare lord Jesus Christ, Amen. The Lord is just and loves just deeds, his face looks vivos et mortuos domini nostri Iesu on righteousness. But the Lord looks on those who do evil so as to cut off christi amen. Iustus est dominus et iustitias dilexit their remembrance from the earth. Let there perish, says the holy prophet, the aequitatem vidit vultus eius. memory of him who did not remember to show mercy and who persecuted Vultus quidem domini super facientes mala ut perdat de terra the poor and needy. How much more should there perish the memory of memoriam eorum. Peter de Luna, called by some Benedict XIII, who persecuted and disturbed Pereat inquit sanctus propheta memoria illius qui non est all people and the universal church? For, how greatly he has sinned against recordatus facere misericordiam et God’s church and the entire christian people, fostering, nourishing and qui persecutus est hominem inopem et mendicum. continuing the schism and division of God’s church How ardent and frequent Quanto magis pereat illius qui have been the devout and humble prayers, exhortations and requests of kings, omnes homines et ecclesiam universalem persecutus est et princes and prelates with which he has been warned in charity, in accordance turbavit Petri de Luna Benedicti XIII with the teaching of the gospel, to bring peace to the church, to heal its a nonnullis nuncupati memoria. Qui quantum in ecclesiam dei et wounds and to reconstitute its divided parts into one structure and one body, universum populum christianum as he had sworn to do, and as for a long time it was within his power to do ! peccaverit schisma et divisionem ecclesiae dei fovens nutriens atque He was unwilling, however, to listen to their charitable admonitions. How continuans: quantis quam que many were the persons afterwards sent to attest to him! Because he did not frequentibus devotis et humilibus regum principum et praelatorum listen at all even to these, it has been necessary, in accordance with the precibus exhortationibus et aforesaid evangelical teaching of Christ, to say to the church, since he has requisitionibus charitative iuxta doctrinam evangelicam admonitus not listened even to her, that he should be treated as a heathen and a fuerit ut pacem daret ecclesiae et publican. All these things have been clearly proved by the articles coming illius sanaret vulnera et eius partes divisas in unam compaginem et from the inquiry into faith and the schism held before this present synod, corpus unum reficeret regarding the above and other matters brought against him, as well as by quemadmodum ipse iuraverat erat que et diu fuit in sua potestate: their truth and notoriety. quos tamen charitative corripientes nullatenus voluit exaudire quot sint postmodum testes adhibiti quibus etiam minime exauditis necesse fuit secundum praedictam christi evangelicam doctrinam dicere ecclesiae quam quia etiam non audivit habendus sit tamquam ethnicus et publicanus: capitula in causa inquisitionis fidei et schismatis coram praesenti sancta synodo generali super praemissis et aliis contra eum edita ac illorum veritas et notorietas declaravit manifeste. The proceedings have been correct and canonical, all the acts have been Super quibus rite et canonice processo ac omnibus rite actis ac correctly and carefully examined and there has been mature deliberation. diligenter inspectis habita que super Therefore this same holy general synod, representing the universal church ipsis deliberatione matura eadem sancta generalis synodus and sitting as a tribunal in the aforesaid inquiry, pronounces, decrees and universalem ecclesiam declares by this definitive sentence written here, that the same Peter de Luna, repraesentans in dicta inquisitionis causa pro tribunali sedens called Benedict XIII as has been said, has been and is a perjurer, a cause of pronunciat decernit et declarat per scandal to the universal church, a promoter and breeder of the ancient hanc definitivam sententiam in his scriptis eumdem Petrum de Luna schism, that long established fission and division in God’s holy church, an Benedictum XIII ut praemittitur obstructer of the peace and unity of the said church, a schismatic disturber nuncupatum fuisse et esse periurum universalis ecclesiae and a heretic, a deviator from the faith, a persistent violator of the article of scandalizatorem fautorem et the faith One holy catholic church, incorrigible, notorious and manifest in his nutritorem inveterati schismatis inveteratae scissurae et divisionis scandal to God’s church, and that he has rendered himself unworthy of every ecclesiae sanctae dei pacis et title, rank, honour and dignity, rejected and cut off by God, deprived by the unionis eiusdem ecclesiae impeditorem et turbatorem law itself of every right in any way belonging to him in the papacy or schismaticum et haereticum a fide 258 pertaining to the Roman pontiff and the Roman church, and cut off from the devium et articuli fidei unam sanctam catholicam ecclesiam catholic church like a withered member. This same holy synod, moreover, as violatorem pertinacem cum a precautionary measure, since according to himself he actually holds the scandalo ecclesiae dei incorrigibilem notorium et papacy, deprives, deposes and casts out the said Peter from the papacy and manifestum atque omni titulo gradu from being the supreme pontiff of the Roman church and from every title, honore et dignitate se reddidisse indignum a deo eiectum et rank, honour, dignity, benefice and office whatsoever. It forbids him to act praecisum et omni iure eidem in henceforth as the pope or as the supreme and Roman pontiff. It absolves and papatu et Romano pontifici ac Romanae ecclesiae quomodolibet declares to be absolved all Christ’s faithful from obedience to him, and from competente ipso iure privatum et ab every duty of obedience to him and from oaths and obligations in any way ecclesia catholica tamquam membrum aridum praecisum. made to him. It forbids each and every one of Christ’s faithful to obey, Ipsum que Petrum quatenus de respond to or attend to, as if he were pope, the said Peter de Luna, who is a facto papatum secundum se tenet eadem sancta synodus papatu et notorious, declared and deposed schismatic and incorrigible heretic, or to summo ecclesiae Romanae sustain or harbour him in any way contrary to the aforesaid, or to offer him pontificio omni que titulo gradu honore dignitate beneficiis et officiis help, advice or good will. This is forbidden under pain of the offender being quibuscumque ad omnem cautelam counted as a promoter of schism and heresy and of being deprived of all privat et deponit et abiicit. Eidem que inhibet ne deinceps pro benefices, dignities and ecclesiastical or secular honours, and under other papa aut Romano et summo penalties of the law, even if the dignity is that of a bishop, a patriarch, a pontifice se gerat omnes que christicolas ab eius oboedientia et cardinal, a king or the emperor. If they act contrary to this prohibition, they omni debito oboedientiae ipsius are by this very fact deprived of these things, on the authority of this decree atque iuramentis et obligationibus eidem quomodolibet praestitis and sentence, and they incur the other penalties of the law. absolvit et absolutos fore declarat ac omnibus et singulis christi fidelibus inhibet sub poena fautoriae schismatis et haeresis atque privationis omnium beneficiorum dignitatum et honorum ecclesiasticorum et mundanorum et aliis poenis iuris etiam si episcopalis et patriarchalis cardinalatus regalis sit dignitas ac imperialis quibus si contra hanc inhibitionem fecerint sint auctoritate huius decreti et sententiae ipso facto privati et alias iuris incurrant poenas ne eidem Petro de Luna schismatico et haeretico incorrigibili notorio declarato et deposito tamquam papae oboediant pareant vel intendant aut eum quovis modo contra praemissa sustineant vel receptent sibi que praestent auxilium consilium vel favorem. This holy synod, moreover, declares and decrees that all and singular Declarat insuper et decernit omnes et singulas inhibitiones omnes que prohibitions and all processes, sentences, constitutions, censures and any processus sententias constitutiones other things whatsoever that were issued by him and might impede the et censuras et alia quaecumque per eum factos factas et facta quae aforesaid, are without effect; and it invalidates, revokes and annuls them; possent praemissis obviare irritos saving always the other penalties which the law decrees for the above cases. irritas irrita atque irritat revocat et annullat: ceteris poenis quas in praemissis casibus iura statuunt semper salvis. SESSION 38 - 28 July 1417 [Decree about the right to vote of the deputies of the kings of Castile and Aragon, concerning which agreement had not been reached among the said deputies in the previous session; decrees about other lesser matters.] SESSION 39 - 9 October 1417 [On general councils] The frequent holding of general councils is a pre-eminent means of Frequens generalium conciliorum celebratio agri dominici praecipua cultivating the Lord’s patrimony. It roots out the briars, thorns and thistles of cultura est quae vepres spinas et heresies, errors and schisms, corrects deviations, reforms what is deformed tribulos haeresium errorum et schismatum exstirpat excessus 259 and produces a richly fertile crop for the Lord’s vineyard. Neglect of corrigit deformata reformat et vineam domini ad frugem councils, on the other hand, spreads and fosters the aforesaid evils. This uberrimae fertilitatis adducit illorum conclusion is brought before our eyes by the memory of past times and vero neglectus praemissa disseminat atque fovet. reflection on the present situation. For this reason we establish, enact, decree Haec praeteritorum temporum and ordain, by a perpetual edict, that general councils shall be held recordatio et consideratio praesentium ante oculos nostros henceforth in the following way. The first shall follow in five years ponunt. immediately after the end of this council, the second in seven years Propter hoc edicto perpetuo sancimus statuimus decernimus immediately after the end of the next council, and thereafter they are to be atque ordinamus ut amodo concilia held every ten years for ever. They are to be held in places which the generalia celebrentur: ita quod primum a fine huius concilii in supreme pontiff is bound to nominate and assign within a month before the quinquennium immediate sequens end of each preceding council, with the approval and consent of the council, secundum vero a fine illius immediate sequentis concilii in or which, in his default, the council itself is bound to nominate. Thus, by a septennium et deinceps de certain continuity, there will always be either a council in existence or one decennio in decennium perpetuo celebrentur in locis quae summus expected within a given time. If perchance emergencies arise, the time may pontifex per mensem ante finem be shortened by the supreme pontiff, acting on the advice of his brothers, the cuiuslibet concilii approbante et consentiente concilio vel in eius cardinals of the Roman church, but it may never be prolonged. defectu ipsum concilium deputare et assignare teneatur. Ut sic per quamdam continuationem semper aut concilium vigeat aut per termini pendentiam exspectetur: quem terminum liceat summo pontifici de fratrum suorum sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalium consilio ob emergentes forte casus abbreviare sed nullatenus prorogetur. Moreover, he may not change the place assigned for the next council without Locum autem pro futuro concilio celebrando deputatum absque evident necessity. If an emergency arises whereby it seems necessary to evidenti necessitate non mutet. change the place--for example in the case of a siege, war, disease or the like-- Sed si forte casus aliquis occurreret quo necessarium videretur ipsum then the supreme pontiff may, with the consent and written endorsement of locum mutari puta obsidionis his aforesaid brothers or of two-thirds of them, substitute another place guerrae pestis aut similis tunc liceat summo pontifici de praedictorum which is suitable and fairly near to the place previously assigned. It must, fratrum suorum aut duarum partium however, be within the same nation unless the same or a similar impediment ipsorum consensu atque subscriptione alium locum prius exists throughout the nation. In the latter case he may summon the council to deputato loco viciniorem et aptum another suitable place which is nearby but within another nation, and the sub eadem tamen natione subrogare nisi idem vel simile prelates and other persons who are customarily summoned to a council will impedimemtum per totam illam be obliged to come to it as if it had been the place originally assigned. The nationem vigeret. Et tunc ad aliquem alium viciniorem supreme pontiff is bound to announce and publish the change of place or the alterius nationis locum aptum shortening of time in a legal and solemn form within a year before the date huiusmodi concilium poterit convocare: ad quem praelati et alii assigned, so that the aforesaid persons may be able to meet and hold the qui ad concilium solent convocari council at the appointed time. accedere teneantur ac si a principio locus ille fuisset deputatus. Quam tamen loci mutationem vel termini abbreviationem teneatur summus pontifex legitime et solenniter per annum ante praefixum terminum publicare et intimare ut ad ipsum concilium celebrandum possint praedicti statuto termino convenire. [Provision to guard against future schisms] If it happens--though may it not!--that a schism arises in the future in such a Si vero quod absit in futurum schisma oriri contingeret ita quod way that two or more persons claim to be supreme pontiffs, then the date of duo vel plures pro summis the council, if it is more than a year off, is to be brought forward to one year pontificibus se gererent a die quo ipsi duo vel plures insignia ahead; calculating this from the day on which two or more of them publicly pontificatus publice assumpserint assumed the insignia of their pontificates or on which they began to govern. seu administrare coeperint intelligatur ipso iure terminus 260 All prelates and others who are bound to attend a council shall assemble at concilii tunc forte ultra annum pendens ad annum proximum the council without the need for any summons, under pain of the law’s breviatus. sanctions and of other penalties which may be imposed by the council, and Ad quod omnes praelati et ceteri qui ad concilium ire tenentur sub poenis let the emperor and other kings and princes attend either in person or through iuris et aliis per concilium official deputies, as if they had been besought, through the bowels of the imponendis absque alia convocatione conveniant necnon mercy of our lord Jesus Christ, to put out a common fire. Each of those imperator ceteri que reges et claiming to be the Roman pontiff is bound to announce and proclaim the principes vel personaliter aut per solemnes nuncios tamquam ad council as taking place at the end of the year, as mentioned, in the previously commune incendium assigned place; he is bound to do this within a month after the day on which exstinguendum per viscera misericordiae domini nostri Iesu he came to know that one or more other persons had assumed the insignia of christi ex nunc exorati concurrant. the papacy or was administering the papacy; and this is under pain of eternal Et quilibet ipsorum pro Romano pontifice gerentium infra mensem a damnation, of the automatic loss of any rights that he had acquired in the die qua scientiam habere potuit papacy, and of being disqualified both actively and passively from all alium vel alios assumpsisse papatus insignia vel in papatu administrasse dignities. He is also bound to make the council known by letter to his rival teneatur sub intimatione claimant or claimants, challenging him or them to a judicial process, as well maledictionis aeternae et amissione iuris si quod forte sibi quaesitum as to all prelates and princes, insofar as this is possible. He shall go in person esset in papatu quam ipso facto to the place of the council at the appointed time, under pain of the aforesaid incurrat et ultra hoc ad quaslibet dignitates active et passive sit penalties, and shall not depart until the question of the schism has been fully inhabilis concilium ipsum ad settled by the council. None of the contenders for the papacy, moreover shall terminum anni praedictum in loco prius deputato indicere et publicare preside as pope at the council. et per suas litteras competitori vel competitoribus ipsum vel ipsos provocando ad causam et ceteris praelatis ac principibus quantum in eo fuerit intimare nec non termino praefixo sub poenis praedictis ad concilii locum personaliter se transferre nec inde discedere donec per concilium causa schismatis plenarie sit finita hoc adiuncto quod nullus ipsorum contendentium de papatu in ipso concilio ut papa praesideat. Indeed, in order that the church may rejoice more freely and quickly in one Quin immo ut tanto liberius et citius ecclesia unico et indubitato pastore undisputed pastor, all the contenders for the papacy are suspended by law as gaudeat sint ipsi omnes de papatu soon as the council has begun, on the authority of this holy synod, from all contendentes postquam dictum concilium inceptum fuerit administration; and let not obedience be given in any way by anyone to them, auctoritate huius sacrae synodi ipso or to any one of them until the question has been settled by the council. iure ab omni administratione suspensi nec eis aut eorum alteri donec causa ipsa per concilium terminata fuerit a quoquam sub poena fautoriae schismatis quomodolibet oboediatur. If it happens in the future that the election of a Roman pontiff is brought Quod si forte electionem Romani pontificis per metum qui caderet in about through fear, which would weigh upon even a steadfast man, or constantem seu impressionem de through pressure, then we declare that it is of no effect or moment and cannot cetero fieri contingat ipsam nullius decernimus efficaciae vel momenti be ratified or approved by subsequent consent even if the state of fear ceases. nec posse per sequentem The cardinals, however, may not proceed to another election until a council consensum etiam metu praedicto cessante ratificari vel approbari. has reached a decision about the election, unless the person elected resigns or Non tamen liceat cardinalibus ad dies. If they do proceed to this second election, then it is null by law and both aliam electionem procedere nisi ille qui fuit electus forte renunciet vel those making the second election and the person elected, if he embarks upon decedat donec per generale his reign as pope, are deprived by law of every dignity, honour and rank-- concilium de electione illa fuerit iudicatum. even cardinalatial or pontifical--and are thereafter ineligible for the same, Et si procedant nulla sit electio ipso even the papacy itself; and nobody may in any way obey as pope the second iure sint que sic secundo eligentes et electus si se papatui ingesserit person elected, under pain of being a fosterer of schism. In such a case the omni dignitate honore et statu council is to provide for the election of a pope. It is lawful, however, and etiam cardinalatus et pontificali ipso indeed all the electors are bound, or at least the greater part of them, to move iure privati et inhabiles de cetero ad 261 to a safe locality and to make a statement about the said fear. The statement easdem ac etiam ad papatum nec aliquis eidem secundo electo ut is to be made in a prominent place before public notaries and important papae sub poena fautoriae persons as well as before a multitude of the people. They are to do this as schismatis oboediat quoquo modo. Et eo casu concilium de electione quickly as they can without danger to their persons, even if there is a threat papae provideat illa vice: sed liceat of danger to all their goods. They shall state in their allegation the nature and immo et teneantur electores omnes aut saltem maior pars eorum quam extent of the fear and shall solemnly swear that the allegation is true that they cito sine periculo personarum believe they can prove it and that they are not making it out of malice or poterunt etiam si periculum omnium bonorum immineat se transferre ad calumny. Such an allegation of fear cannot be delayed in any way until after locum tutum et metum praedictum the next council. allegare coram notariis publicis et notabilibus personis ac multitudine populi in loco insigni: ita tamen quod allegantes metum huiusmodi habeant in illius metus allegationem exprimere speciem et qualitatem dicti metus et iurare solemniter quod metus taliter allegatus sit verus et quod credant se ipsum posse probare et quod per malitiam vel per calumniam huiusmodi metum non proponant. Nec ultra proximum futurum concilium ullo modo differri possit allegatio dicti metus. After they have moved and have alleged the fear in the above form, they are Teneantur insuper postquam se transtulerunt et metum bound to summon the person elected to a council. If a council is not due for allegaverunt modo praedicto more than a year after their summons, then its date shall be brought forward provocare sic electum ad concilium. Quod concilium si ultra annum by the law itself to only a year ahead, in the way explained above. The pendeat a die provocationis elected person is bound under pain of the aforesaid penalties, and the huiusmodi intelligatur ad annum ut supra ipso iure terminus cardinals under pain of automatically losing the cardinalate and all their abbreviatus. benefices, to announce and proclaim the council within a month after the Et nihilominus teneatur electus ipse sub poenis praedictis et cardinales summons, in the way mentioned above, and to make it known as soon as sub poena amissionis cardinalatus possible. The cardinals and other electors are bound to come in person to the et omnium beneficiorum suorum quam ipso facto incurrant infra place of the council, at a suitable time, and to remain there until the end of mensem a die provocationis the affair. concilium ipsum indicere et publicare ut supra dicitur et quam citius poterunt intimare: ac cardinales ipsi ceteri que electores ad locum concilii tempore convenienti personaliter se transferre et usque ad finem causae exspectare teneantur. The other prelates are bound to answer the cardinals’ summons, as Teneantur que praelati ceteri ut supra ad convocationem mentioned above, if the person elected fails to issue a summons. The latter cardinalium tantum si forte electus will not preside at the council since he will have been suspended by law from convocare cessaret accedere: qui sic electus in concilio ipso non all government of the papacy from the time the council begins, and he is not praesideat quin immo sit a termino to be obeyed by anyone in any matter under pain of the offender becoming a initiandi concilii ipso iure ab omni administratione papatus suspensus promoter of schism. If the aforesaid emergencies arise within a year before nec sibi a quoquam sub poena the beginning of a council-namely that more than one person claim to be fautoriae schismatis quomodolibet oboediatur. pope or that someone has been elected through fear or pressure--then those Quod si infra annum ante diem who claim to be pope, or the one elected through fear or pressure, as well as indicti concilii contingant supradicti casus videlicet quod plures se the cardinals, are deemed by law as having been summoned to the council. gerant pro papa vel quod unus per They are bound, moreover, to appear in person at the council, to explain their metum seu per impressionem eligatur censeantur ipso iure tam case and to await the council’s judgment. But if some emergency happens gerentes se pro papa quam electus during the above occurrences whereby it is necessary to change the place of per metum seu impressionem et cardinales ad dictum concilium the council--for example a siege or war or disease or some such--then provocati: teneantur que in ipso nevertheless all the aforesaid persons, as well as all prelates and others who concilio comparere personaliter causam exponere et iudicium are obliged to attend a council, are bound to assemble at a neighbouring concilii exspectare. 262 place suitable for the council, as has been said above. Moreover, the greater Sed si dictis casibus occurrentibus continget forte casus aliquis quo part of the prelates who have moved to a particular place within a month may necessarium sit locum concilii specify it as the place of the council to which they and others are bound to mutare ut obsidionis vel guerrae aut pestis aut similis teneantur come, just as if it had been the place first assigned. The council, after it has nihilominus tam omnes supradicti thus been summoned and has assembled and become acquainted with the quam omnes praelati ceteri que qui ad concilium ire tenentur ad locum cause of the schism, shall bring a suit of contumacy against the electors or proximiorem ut praemittitur qui sit those claiming to be pope or the cardinals, if perchance they fail to come. It habilis ad concilium convenire possit que maior pars praelatorum shall then pronounce judgment and shall punish, even beyond the aforesaid qui infra mensem ad locum certum penalties and in such a way that the fierceness of the punishment acts as an declinaverint illum sibi et aliis pro loco concilii deputare ad quem example to others, those who are to blame--no matter of what state or rank or ceteri convenire teneantur ac si a pre-eminence, whether ecclesiastical or secular, they may be--in starting or principio fuisset deputatus. Concilium autem ut praefertur fostering the schism, in their administering or obeying, in their supporting convocatum et congregatum de those who governed or in making an election against the aforesaid huiusmodi schismatis causa cognoscens et in contumacia prohibition, or who lied m their allegations of fear. electorum seu gerentium se pro papa vel cardinalium si forte venire neglexerint litem dirimat causam que definiat et culpabiles in schismate procurando seu nutriendo vel in administrando aut oboediendo vel administrantibus favendo seu contra interdictum superius eligendo vel calumniosos in allegando metum etiam ultra praedictas poenas cuiuscumque status gradus seu praeeminentiae exsistant ecclesiasticae vel mundanae personae sic puniat ut vindictae rigor transeat ceteris in exemplum. The disturbance caused by fear or pressure at a papal election corrodes and Ut autem metus seu impressionis molestia in electione papae eo divides, in a lamentable way, the whole of Christianity. In order that it may formidolosius evitetur quo toti be assiduously avoided, we have decided to decree, in addition to what has christianitati lamentabilius eorum incussio seu factio perpetratur: ultra been said above, that if anyone brings to bear or causes, or procures to be praedicta specialiter duximus brought about, fear or pressure or violence of this kind upon the electors in a statuendum quod si quis huiusmodi metum vel impressionem aut papal election, or upon any one of them, or has the matter ratified after it has violentiam electoribus ipsis vel been done, or advises or acts in support of it, or knowingly receives or alicui eorum in electione papae intulerit seu fecerit aut fieri defends someone who has done this, or is negligent in enforcing the penalties procuraverit vel factum ratum mentioned below--no matter of what state or rank or pre-eminence the habuerit aut in hoc consilium dederit vel favorem facientem ve offender may be, even if it be imperial or regal or pontifical, or any other scienter receptaverit vel ecclesiastical or secular dignity he may hold--then he automatically incurs defensaverit aut negligens in exsecutione poenarum inferius the penalties contained in pope Boniface VIII’s constitution which begins memoratarum exstiterit Felicis, and he shall be effectively punished by them. cuiuscumque status gradus aut praeeminentiae fuerit etiamsi imperiali regali pontificali aut alia quavis ecclesiastica aut saeculari praefulgeat dignitate illas poenas ipso facto incurrat quae in constitutione felicis recordationis Bonifacii papae VIII quae incipit felicis continentur illis que effectualiter puniatur. Any city--even if it be Rome itself, though may it not be!--or any other Civitas vero etiam si quod absit urbs Romana fuerit seu alia quaevis corporation that gives aid, counsel or support to someone who does these universitas quae talia facienti things, or that does not have such an offender punished within a month, auxilium vel consilium dederit aut favorem vel infra mensem saltem insofar as the enormity of the crime demands and there exists the possibility taliter delinquentem prout tanti of inflicting the punishment, shall automatically be subject to ecclesiastical facinoris enormitas exegerit et facultas ei affuerit non duxerit interdict. Furthermore the city, apart from the one mentioned above, shall be puniendum eo ipso subiaceat deprived of the episcopal dignity, notwithstanding any privileges to the ecclesiastico interdicto. Et 263 contrary. We wish, moreover, that this decree be solemnly published at the nihilominus praeter dictam urbem pontificali ut supra fit mentio eo end of every general council and that it be read out and publicly announced ipso sit dignitate privata non before the start of a conclave, wherever and whenever the election of a obstantibus privilegiis quibuscumque. Roman pontiff is about to take place. Volumus insuper quod in fine cuiuslibet concilii generalis hoc decretum solemniter publicetur necnon quandocumque et ubicumque Romani pontificis electio imminebit facienda ante ingressum conclavis legatur et publice intimetur. [On the profession to be made by the pope] Since the Roman pontiff exercises such great power among mortals, it is Quanto Romanus pontifex eminentiori inter mortales fungitur right that he be bound all the more by the incontrovertible bonds of the faith potestate tanto clarioribus ipsum and by the rites that are to be observed regarding the church’s sacraments. decet fidei vinculis et sacramentorum ecclesiasticorum We therefore decree and ordain, in order that the fullness of the faith may observandis ritibus alligari. shine in a future Roman pontiff with singular splendour from the earliest Eapropter ut in futuro Romano pontifice in suae creationis moments of his becoming pope, that henceforth whoever is to be elected primordiis singulari splendore luceat Roman pontiff shall make the following confession and profession in public, plena fides statuimus et ordinamus quod deinceps quilibet in Romanum in front of his electors, before his election is published. pontificem eligendus antequam sua electio publicetur coram suis electoribus publice confessionem et professionem faciat infra scriptas: In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and holy in nomine sanctae et individuae trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus Spirit. Amen. In the year of our Lord’s nativity one thousand etc., I, N., sancti Amen. elected pope, with both heart and mouth confess and profess to almighty anno a nativitate domini millesimo et cetera Ego N. electus in papam God, whose church I undertake with his assistance to govern, and to blessed omnipotenti deo cuius ecclesiam Peter, prince of the apostles, that as long as I am in this fragile life I will suo praesidio regendam suscipio et beato Petro apostolorum principi firmly believe and hold the catholic faith, according to the traditions of the corde et ore confiteor et profiteor apostles, of the general councils and of other holy fathers, especially of the quamdiu in hac fragili vita constitutus fuero me firmiter eight holy universal councils-namely the first at credere et tenere fidem catholicam secundum traditiones apostolorum generalium conciliorum et aliorum sanctorum patrum maxime autem sacrorum octo conciliorum universalium videlicet primi Nicaea, the second at nicaeni Secundi Constantinople, the third at Constantinopolitani tertii Ephesus, the fourth at Ephesini quarti Chalcedon, the fifth and sixth at Chalcedonensis quinti et sexti item Constantinople, the seventh at Constantinopolitani septimi item Nicaea and the eighth at Nicaeni octavi quoque Constantinople--as well as of the general councils at the Constantinopolitani nec non Lateran, Lateranensis Lyons and Lugdunensis et Vienne, Viennensis generalium etiam conciliorum. and I will preserve this faith unchanged to the last dot and will confirm, Et illam fidem usque ad unum apicem immutilatam servare et defend and preach it to the point of death and the shedding of my blood, and usque ad animam et sanguinem likewise I will follow and observe in every way the rite handed down of the confirmare defensare et praedicare ritum que pariter sacramentorum ecclesiastical sacraments of the catholic church. This my profession and ecclesiasticorum catholicae confession, written at my orders by a notary of the holy Roman church, I ecclesiae traditum omnimode prosequi et observare. have signed below with my own hand. I sincerely offer it on this altar N. to Hanc autem professionem et you, almighty God, with a pure mind and a devout conscience, in the confessionem meam per notarium scriniarium sanctae Romanae presence of the following. Made etc. ecclesiae me iubente scriptam propria manu subscripsi et tibi 264 omnipotenti deo pura mente et devota conscientia super tali altari N. sinceriter offero in praesentia talium ac talium. [That prelates may not be translated without their consent] When prelates are translated, there is commonly both spiritual and temporal Actum et cetera Cum ex praelatorum translationibus loss and damage of a grave nature for the churches from which they are ecclesiae de quibus transferuntur transferred. The prelates, moreover, sometimes do not maintain the rights plerumque gravibus in spiritualibus et temporalibus subiaceant and liberties of their churches as carefully as they otherwise might, out of dispendiis et iacturis praelati fear of being translated. The importunity of certain people who seek their quoque nonnumquam iura et libertates ecclesiarum translationis own good, not that of Jesus Christ, may mean that the Roman pontiff is formidine non adeo solerter ut alias deceived in such a matter, as one ignorant of the facts, and so is easily led prosequantur ac ad importunitatem quorumdam quae sua et non quae astray. We therefore determine and ordain, by this present decree, that Iesu christi sunt quaerentium henceforth bishops and superiors ought not to be translated unwillingly Romanus pontifex forsan ut homo facti nescius in huiusmodi without a grave and reasonable cause which, after the person in question has circumveniatur ut alias leviter been summoned, is to be inquired into and decided upon with the advice of inclinetur: praesentibus statuimus et ordinamus invitorum the cardinals of the holy Roman church, or the greater part of them, and with episcoporum et superiorum their written endorsement. Lesser prelates, such as abbots and others with translationes absque magna et rationabili causa quae vocata parte perpetual benefices, ought not to be changed, moved or deposed without a cognita fuerit et decisa de consilio just and reasonable cause that has been inquired into. sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalium vel maioris partis et cum subscriptione eorumdem de cetero fieri non debere. Inferiores vero ut abbates alii que perpetuo beneficiati absque iusta et rationabili causa cognita immutari amoveri seu privari non debeant. We add, moreover, that for abbots to be changed the written endorsement of Adiicientes quod in mutationibus abbatum subscriptio cardinalium the cardinals is necessary--just as it is necessary for bishops, as has been interveniat sicut in episcopis est said-saving, however, the constitutions and privileges of any churches, praemissum salvis constitutionibus et privilegiis ecclesiarum et monasteries and orders. monasteriorum et ordinum quorumcumque. [On spoils and procurations] Papal reservations as well as the exacting and receiving of procurations Cum per papam facta reservatio et exactio et perceptio procurationum which are due to ordinaries and other lesser prelates, by reason of a ordinariis et aliis inferioribus visitation, and of spoils on deceased prelates and other clerics, are seriously praelatis debitarum ratione visitationis nec non et spoliorum detrimental to churches, monasteries and other benefices and to churchmen. decedentium praelatorum aliorum We therefore declare, by this present edict, that it is reasonable and in the que clericorum gravia ecclesiis monasteriis et aliis beneficiis public interest that reservations made by the pope, as well as exactions and ecclesiasticis que personis afferant collections of this kind made by collectors and others appointed or to be detrimenta: praesenti declaramus edicto rationi fore consentaneum ac appointed by apostolic authority, are henceforth in no way to occur or to be reipublicae accomodum tales per attempted. Indeed, procurations of this kind, as well as spoils and the goods papam reservationes ac per collectores et alios auctoritate of any prelates found at their deaths, even if they are cardinals or members of apostolica deputatos seu the papal household or officials or any other clerics whatsoever, in the deputandos exactiones seu perceptiones de cetero nullo modo Roman curia or outside it, no matter where or when they die, are to belong to fieri seu attentari: quin immo and to be received by, fully and freely, those persons to whom they would procurationes huiusmodi et quorumcumque praelatorum etiam and ought to belong with the ending of the aforesaid reservations, mandates cardinalium vel ipsius papae and exactions. We forbid the exaction of such spoils on prelates even inferior familiarium vel officialium et aliorum quorumcumque clericorum ones and others, which are outside and contrary to the form of common law. in curia Romana vel extra However, the constitution of pope Boniface VIII of happy memory, ubicumque et quandocumque decedentium spolia seu bona eorum beginning Praesenti, which was published with this specially in mind, is to mortis tempore reperta plane et remain in force. libere pertineant illis et per illos recipiantur quibus alias praefatis reservationibus mandatis et exactionibus cessantibus competerent ac pertinere deberent. 265 Praelatis etiam inferioribus et aliis huiusmodi spoliorum exactiones praeter et contra iuris communis formam fieri interdicimus constitutione tamen felicis recordationis Bonifacii papae VIII quae incipit praesenti super hoc edita specialiter in suo robore duratura. SESSION 40 - 30 OCTOBER 1417 [Reforms to be made by the pope together with the council before it is dissolved] The most holy synod of Constance [40 ] declares and decrees that the future Sacrosancta synodus Constantiensis statuit et decernit quod futurus supreme Roman pontiff, who by God’s grace is to be elected very soon, summus Romanus pontifex per dei together with this sacred council or those to be deputed by the individual gratiam de proximo assumendus cum hoc sacro concilio vel nations, is bound to reform the church in its head and in the Roman curia, deputandis per singulas nationes according to justice and the good government of the church, before this debeat reformare ecclesiam in capite et curia Romana secundum council is dissolved, under the topics contained in the following articles, aequitatem et bonum regimen which were at various times put forward by the nations by way of reforms. ecclesiae antequam hoc concilium dissolvatur super materiis articulorum alias per nationes in reformatoriis oblatorum qui sequuntur. 1. First, the number, quality and nationality of the lord cardinals. Primo de numero qualitate et natione dominorum cardinalium. 2. Next, reservations of the apostolic see. Item de reservationibus sedis apostolicae. 3. Next, annates, common services and petty services. Item de annatis communibus servitiis et minutis. 4. Next, collations to benefices and expectative graces. Item de collationibus beneficiorum et gratiis exspectativis. 5. Next, the cases that are, or are not, to be heard at the Roman curia. Item de causis in Romana curia tractandis vel non. 6. Next, appeals to the Roman curia. Item de appellationibus ad Romanam curiam. 7. Next, the offices of chancery and penitentiary. Item de officiis cancellariae et poenitentiariae. 8. Next, exemptions and incorporations made at the time of the schism. Item de exemptionibus et incorporationibus tempore schismatis factis. 9. Next, commendams. Item de commendis. 10. Next, confirmation of elections. [41 ] Item de confirmationibus electionum. 11. Next, intercalary fruits. Item de fructibus medii temporis. 12. Next, not alienating goods of the Roman church and of other churches. Item de non alienandis bonis Romanae ecclesiae et aliarum ecclesiarum. 13. Next, for what reasons and how a pope can be corrected or deposed. Item propter quae et quomodo papa possit corrigi vel deponi. 14. Next, the eradication of simony. Item de exstirpatione simoniae. 15. Next, dispensations. Item de dispensationibus. 16. Next, revenues of the pope and the cardinals. Item de provisione papae et cardinalium. 17. Next, indulgences. Item de indulgentiis. 18. Next, tithes. Item de decimis. With this addition, that when the nations have deputed their representatives Hoc adiecto quod facta per nationes deputatione praedicta liceat aliis de as mentioned above, the others may freely return to their own countries with papae licentia libere ad propria the pope’s permission. remeare. [That the election of the Roman pontiff may be begun, notwithstanding the absence of Peter de Luna’s cardinals] The most holy general synod of Constance notes what was previously agreed Sacrosancta generalis Constantiensis synodus attendens upon at Narbonne concerning the church’s unity and the admission to this ea quae dudum Narbonae pro synod of the cardinals of the obedience of Peter de Luna, called Benedict unione ecclesiae de admittendis in eadem synodo cardinalibus 266 XIII in his obedience. It notes, too, that after the notorious expulsion of the oboedientiae Petri de Luna olim Benedicti XIII in sua oboedientia said Peter de Luna, the aforesaid cardinals who had been summoned before nuncupati concordata fuerunt quod the expulsion according to the terms of the agreement, did not come within que post notoriam eiectionem dicti Petri de Luna praefati cardinales three months and more after the aforesaid expulsion. The synod therefore dudum secundum eadem decrees and declares that, notwithstanding their absence, it will proceed to concordata ante eiectionem huiusmodi vocati infra tres menses the election of the Roman pontiff on the authority of the said synod and et amplius a die eiectionis according to what has been decided by the same synod. It declares, however, praedictae exspectati non venerunt statuit et decernit fore ad that if they arrive before the election of the future supreme pontiff has been electionem Romani pontificis iuxta completed, and if they adhere to the council, they are to be admitted to the decernenda per eamdem synodum eiusdem synodi auctoritate aforesaid election together with the other cardinals, according to the procedendum ipsorum absentia non directives of the law and what shall be decided by the council. obstante: quos si ante consummatam electionem futuri summi pontificis venerint et eidem concilio adhaeserint iuxta iuris dispositionem et decernenda per concilium una cum aliis ad electionem praedictam admittendos esse declarat. [On the manner and form of electing the pope] For the praise, glory and honour of almighty God and for the peace and unity Ad laudem gloriam et honorem omnipotentis dei ad pacem et of the universal church and of the whole christian people. The election of the unitatem universalis ecclesiae ac future Roman and supreme pontiff is soon to be held. We wish that it may be totius populi christiani. Ut electio futuri romani et summi confirmed with greater authority and by the assent of many persons and that, pontificis proxime celebranda mindful as we are of the state of the church, no doubts or scruples may later firmiori auctoritate et plurium roboretur assensu et ne attento remain in people’s minds regarding the said election but rather that a secure, statu ecclesiae super dicta electione true full and perfect union of the faithful may result from it. Therefore this in posterum ulla retractatio ullus scrupulus in mentibus hominum most holy general synod of Constance, mindful of the common good and resideat sed ex illa sequatur unio with the special and express consent and the united wish of the cardinals of certa vera plenissima et perfecta fidelium sacrosancta generalis the holy Roman church present at the same synod, and of the college of synodus Constantiensis communi cardinals and of all the nations at this present council, declares, ordains and utilitate pensata de speciali et expresso consensu et voluntate decrees that, for this time only, at the election of the Roman and supreme concordi sanctae Romanae pontiff, there shall be added to the cardinals six prelates or other honourable ecclesiae cardinalium in eadem synodo exsistentium et collegii churchmen in holy orders, from each of the nations currently present and eorumdem ac omnium nationum named at the same synod, who are to be chosen by each of the said nations praesentis concilii statuit ordinat et decernit quod hac vice dumtaxat ad within ten days. This same holy synod gives power to all these people, eligendum Romanum et summum insofar as it is necessary, to elect the Roman pontiff according to the form pontificem una cum cardinalibus sex praelati vel aliae honorabiles here laid down. That is to say, the person is to be regarded as the Roman personae ecclesiasticae in sacris pontiff by the universal church without exception who is elected and ordinibus constitutae de qualibet natione in eadem synodo pro nunc admitted by two-thirds of the cardinals present at the conclave and by two- exsistente et nominata quos seu thirds of those from each nation who are to be and have been added to the quas quaelibet ipsarum nationum pro se ad hoc infra decem dies cardinals. duxerit eligendos seu eligendas ipsis cardinalibus adiungantur. Quibus omnibus eadem sancta synodus eligendi Romanum pontificem secundum formam hic expressam quatenus opus est tribuit potestatem: videlicet quod ille absque ulla exceptione ab universali ecclesia Romanus pontifex habeatur qui a duabus partibus cardinalium in conclavi exsistentium et a cuiuslibet nationis duabus partibus eisdem cardinalibus adiungendorum et tunc adiunctorum electus fuerit et receptus. Moreover, the election is not valid nor is the person elected to be regarded as Quod que non valeat electio nec electus pro summo pontifice supreme pontiff unless two-thirds of the cardinals present at the conclave, habeatur nisi duae partes 267 and two-thirds of those from each nation who should be and have been added cardinalium in conclavi exsistentium et cuiuslibet nationis duae partes to the same cardinals, agree to elect him as Roman pontiff. The synod also cum cardinalibus ad eligendum declares, ordains and decrees that the votes of any persons cast at the election adiungendorum et tunc adiunctorum consentiant et are null unless, as has been said, two-thirds of the cardinals, and two-thirds consenserint in Romanum of those from each nation who should be and have been added to them, pontificem eligendum. Statuit insuper ordinat et decernit agree, directly or by way of addition, upon one person. This must be added, quod vota quorumcumque in moreover, that the prelates and other persons who should be and have been electione huiusmodi emittenda sint nulla nisi ut praemittitur duae added to the cardinals for the election, are bound to observe all and singular partes cardinalium et duae partes apostolic constitutions, even penal ones, which have been promulgated cuiuslibet nationis adiungendorum et tunc adiunctorum praedictorum regarding the election of the Roman pontiff, just as the cardinals themselves principaliter aut per accessionem in are bound to observe them, and they are bound to their observance. The said unum concurrant. Hoc etiam adiecto quod praelati et electors, both cardinals and others, are also bound to swear, before they alii cum ipsis cardinalibus ad proceed to the election, that in attending to the business of the election, they electionem huiusmodi adiungendi et tunc adiuncti omnes et singulas will proceed with pure and sincere minds--since it is a question of creating constitutiones apostolicas etiam the vicar Jesus Christ, the successor of the blessed Peter, the governor of the poenales circa electionem Romani pontificis editas atque universal church and the leader of the Lord’s flock--and that they firmly consuetudines observari consuetas believe it will benefit the public good of the universal church if they entirely quemadmodum ipsi cardinales observare teneantur et ad illorum prescind from all affection for persons of any particular nation, or other observantiam adstringantur. inordinate affections, as well as from hatred and graces or favours bestowed, Teneantur insuper iurare et iurent dicti electores et cardinales et alii in order that by their ministry a beneficial and suitable pastor may be antequam ad electionem procedant provided for the universal church. quod in huiusmodi electionis negotio attendentes quid eis imminebit cum de creatione agitur vicarii Iesu christi successoris beati Petri universalis ecclesiae rectoris gregis dominici directoris puris et sinceris mentibus et quantum credent publicae utilitati universalis ecclesiae proficere omni cuiuscumque nationis personae vel alio inordinato affectu odio gratia vel favore abiectis procedere: ut eorum ministerio de utili et idoneo universalis ecclesiae provideatur pastore. This same holy synod, mindful of this notorious vacancy in the Roman Ordinat insuper statuit et decernit eadem sancta synodus quod infra church, fixes and assigns the next ten days for all and singular cardinals of decem dies ex tunc continue the holy Roman church, whether present here or absent, and the other numerandos quos decem dies omnibus et singulis sanctae electors mentioned above, to enter into the conclave which is to be held in Romanae ecclesiae cardinalibus this city of Constance, in the commune’s principal building which has praesentibus et absentibus ac ceteris electoribus supradictis already been allocated for this purpose. The synod ordains, declares and attenta Romanae ecclesiae notoria decrees that within these next ten days the aforesaid electors, both cardinals vacatione ad intrandum conclave in hac civitate Constantiensi in maiori and others mentioned above, must enter into the conclave for the purpose of domo communitatis eiusdem holding the election and of doing and carrying out all the other matters civitatis ad hoc iam ordinata praefigit et assignat praefati according as the laws ordain and decree in all things, besides those electores cardinales et alii mentioned above regarding the cardinals and other electors, concerning the supradicti intrent ipsum conclave ad electionem huiusmodi celebrandam election of a Roman pontiff. The same holy synod wishes all these laws to cetera que faciendum et remain in force after the above matters have been observed. For this time, prosequendum quemadmodum in ceteris praeter praemissa de however, it approves, ordains, establishes and decrees this particular form cardinalibus et aliis electoribus in and manner of election. The same holy synod, in order to remove all electione Romani pontificis iura statuunt et decernunt. scruples, makes and declares fit for actively and passively carrying out all Quae omnia praemissis observatis legitimate acts at the same synod, insofar as this is necessary, all those who vult eadem sancta synodus in suo robore permanere. are present at the same synod as well as those who will come and adhere to Hanc autem formam et hunc it, always saving the other decrees of this same sacred council, and it will modum electionis approbat ordinat supply for any defects, if perchance any shall occur in the above, statuit et decernit pro hac vice: et 268 notwithstanding any apostolic constitutions, even those published in general ad omnem scrupulum submovendum eadem sancta councils, and other constitutions to the contrary. synodus et singulos in eadem synodo praesentes et venturos qui eidem synodo adhaerebunt ad omnes actus legitimos in eadem synodo agendos active et passive quatenus opus est habilitat et habiles esse declarat ceteris eiusdem sacri concilii decretis semper salvis supplens omnes defectus si qui forsan intervenerint in praemissis apostolicis etiam et in generalibus conciliis editis constitutionibus et aliis in contrarium facientibus non obstantibus quibuscumque. SESSION 41 - 8 November 1417 [Everything is prepared for the start of the conclave to elect a pope. On 11 November cardinal Oddo Colonna is elected pontiff as Martin V.] SESSION 42 - 28 December 1417 [In this session a bull of Martin V was approved regarding Baldassare Cossa, formerly pope, who was earlier deprived of his see and imprisoned by the council but who is now to be set free] SESSION 43 [42 ] - 23 MARCH 1418 [Certain statutes promulgated on the reform of the church] On exemptions Martin, bishop and servant of the servants of God. We note that from the Martinus episcopus servus servorum dei attendentes quod a tempore time of the death of pope Gregory XI, our predecessor of happy memory, obitus felicis recordationis Gregorii some Roman pontiffs, or those who claimed to be and were reputed as such papae XI praedecessoris nostri nonnulli Romani pontifices aut pro in their various obediences, either of their own will or on account of the Romanis pontificibus se gerentes et importunity of petitioners, have granted exemption from the jurisdiction of in suis diversis oboedientiis reputati pro sua voluntate aut per their ordinaries to certain churches, monasteries, chapters, convents, priories, importunitatem petentium benefices, places and persons, which were in no way exempt in the time of nonnullas ecclesias monasteria capitula conventus prioratus the said Gregory, to the great detriment of the ordinaries in question. We beneficia loca et personas a wish to avoid damage of this kind. We therefore revoke, with the approval of iurisdictionibus ordinariorum tempore dicti Gregorii nullatenus this sacred council, all exemptions that were first granted after the said exemptas vel exempta de novo a Gregory XI’s death, by any persons whomsoever claiming to be Roman dictorum ordinariorum iurisdictionibus exemerunt in grave pontiffs, even if perchance we ourselves with full knowledge approved or ipsorum ordinariorum praeiudicium: renewed the exemptions, without the party in question being heard, to any nos volentes huiusmodi praeiudicio obviare omnes exemptiones cathedral churches, monasteries (even those that were exempt but were later ecclesiarum cathedralium made subject to a monastery of a different order or tradition), chapters, monasteriorum capitulorum conventuum praepositurarum convents, prelacies, benefices, places and persons whatsoever, if they had beneficiorum locorum et enjoyed no exemption before they were exempted in this way, but were personarum quorumcumque etiamsi ex praedictis aliquod monasterium simply subject to ordinary jurisdiction, and had no beginning before that fuerit exemptum et postea time. We except, however, exemptions that were made or granted either by subiectum monasterio diversi habitus vel coloris a tempore obitus way of confirmation, increase or addition, or concerning which the matter dicti Gregorii XI per quoscumque was ordained by the competent authority, after the interested parties had pro Romanis pontificibus se gerentes etiam si per nos forsan presented themselves and been heard, or to which the ordinaries consented, approbatae fuerint ex certa scientia to a whole order or to churches, monasteries, chapters, convents, benefices vel innovatae parte non vocata de novo factas quae tamen ante and places founded after the aforesaid time by way of or on condition of exemptionem huiusmodi nulla exemption or with a new foundation in mind, or to universities and colleges exemptione gaudebant sed simpliciter subiiciebantur ordinariae of scholars. We also revoke, with the approval of this sacred council, all iurisdictioni nullum que ante illud perpetual exemptions granted by the pope through inferior persons. We tempus initium habuerant exceptis 269 revoke them even if unresolved suits about them are pending, and we end etiam exemptionibus quae uni toti ordini et quae ecclesiis monasteriis these suits. We return the churches, monasteries and other aforesaid places to capitulis conventibus beneficiis sive the former jurisdiction of their ordinaries. locis a praedicto tempore sub exemptionis modo aut conditione fundatis aut contemplatione novae fundationis seu universitatibus studiorum generalium aut collegiis scholarium aut per modum confirmationis augmenti aut additionis factae fuerint aut concessae aut super quibus praesentibus et auditis quorum intererat auctoritate competenti ordinatum fuerit seu in quibus ordinarii consenserint et omnes exemptiones perpetuas per inferiores a papa factas sacro approbante concilio revocamus etiam si super his lis pendeat indecisa ipsam penitus exstinguentes ecclesias monasteria et alia loca praedicta in pristinam ordinariorum iurisdictionem reducimus. We do not wish to prejudice by this in any way other exemptions held or Ceteris autem exemptionibus ante obitum dicti Gregorii habitis vel granted before the death of the said Gregory. In future, however, we do not concessis nullum volumus per hoc intend to grant exemptions unless the case has been examined and the praeiudicium generari. Insuper non intendimus interested parties have been summoned. exemptiones de cetero facere nisi causa cognita et vocatis quorum interest. On unions and incorporations Martin, etc. It is not possible to give a certain rule about unions and Martinus et cetera Uniones et incorporationes a tempore obitus incorporations made or granted after Gregory XI’s death. We shall therefore Gregorii XI factas seu concessas revoke them, with due regard to justice, even though the authority of the cum certa regula dari non possit ad querelas eorum quorum interest nisi apostolic see may have been involved, on the plea of the interested parties, fuerint impetrantes beneficia sic unless they were made for good and true reasons or unless the interested unita si non ex rationabilibus causis et veris factae fuerint licet persons themselves have obtained benefices united in this way. apostolicae sedis auctoritas intervenerit revocabimus iustitia mediante. On intercalary fruits Martin, etc. Next, we leave the fruits and revenues coming from churches, Martinus et cetera Item fructus et proventus ecclesiarum monasteries and benefices during a vacancy to be disposed of in accordance monasteriorum beneficiorum with the law and customs or privileges. We forbid them to be applied to us or vacationis tempore obvenientes iuris et consuetudinis vel privilegii to the apostolic camera. dispositioni relinquimus illos que nobis vel apostolicae camerae prohibemus applicari. On simoniacs Martin, etc. Many constitutions have been issued in the past against the evil Martinus et cetera Multae contra simoniacam pravitatem ab olim of simony, but they have not been able to eradicate the disease. We wish to factae sunt constitutiones quibus attend carefully to this matter in the future according as we are able to. We morbus ille non potuit exstirpari. Nos volentes de cetero ut possumus therefore declare, with the approval of this sacred council, that persons attentius providere sacro ordained in a simoniacal fashion are automatically suspended from approbante concilio declaramus quod ordinati simoniace ab exercising their orders. Simoniacal elections, postulations, confirmations and exsecutione suorum ordinum sint eo provisions that are henceforth made to or in respect of any churches, ipso suspensi. Electiones autem postulationes monasteries, dignities, parsonages, offices or ecclesiastical benefices are confirmationes et quaevis rendered null by the law itself and nobody acquires any rights through them. provisiones simoniacae ecclesiarum monasteriorum dignitatum Those who have been thus promoted, confirmed or provided may not receive personatuum officiorum et their fruits but are bound to restore them as though they had received things beneficiorum ecclesiasticorum quorumcumque deinceps factae that had been unjustly taken. We decree, moreover, that both those who give nullae sint ipso iure nullum que per 270 and those who receive money in this matter of simony automatically incur illas ius cuiquam acquiratur nec promoti confirmati aut provisi the sentence of excommunication, even though their rank be pontifical or faciant fructus suos sed ad illorum cardinalatial. restitutionem tamquam inique ablatorum percipientes teneantur. Statuentes insuper quod dantes et recipientes eo ipso facto sententiam excommunicationis incurrant etiam si pontificali aut cardinalatus praefulgeant dignitate. On dispensations Martin, etc. Since benefices are granted by reason of the duties attached to Martinus et cetera Quoniam beneficia propter officia them, we consider it absurd that those who obtain benefices refuse or neglect conceduntur reputamus absurdum to carry out their duties. We therefore revoke, with the approval of this ut qui beneficia obtinent recusent aut negligant officium exercere. sacred council, all dispensations, granted by any persons whomsoever Nos igitur sacro approbante concilio claiming to be Roman pontiffs, to any persons elected to, confirmed in or omnes dispensationes a quibuscumque pro romanis provided to churches, monasteries, conventual priories, deaneries, pontificibus se gerentibus concessas archdeaconries or any other benefices for which a particular order ought to quibuscumque electis confirmatis seu provisis ad ecclesias monasteria be bestowed, or to which one is attached, whereby the persons in question prioratus conventuales decanatus are dispensed from receiving the episcopal consecration or the abbatial archidiaconatus et alia quaecumque beneficia quibus certus ordo debitus blessing or the other orders that ought to be bestowed or are attached. This est vel annexus aut de illis ne does not include, however, the dispensations granted according to the form munus consecrationis episcopi seu benedictiones abbatis aut ceteros of Boniface VIII’s constitution beginning Cum ex eo We decree that within debitos aut annexos ordines six months from the publication of this our constitution, for those who are suscipiant praeter illas quae secundum formam constitutionis presently holding such appointments, and within the time laid down by the Bonifacii VIII quae incipit cum ex eo law for those who will hold them in the future, the persons concerned are to factae sunt revocamus. Statuentes ut qui de praesenti illos have themselves consecrated or blessed or promoted to some other required vel illa obtinent infra sex menses a order. Otherwise they are deprived by the law itself of the said churches, die publicationis huiusmodi constitutionis nostrae et qui in monasteries, dignities, parsonages, offices and benefices. These may then be posterum obtinebunt infra freely conferred on other persons or provision may be made for them. terminum iuris se faciant consecrari aut benedici sive ad alium debitum However, other published constitutions on this matter are to remain in force. ordinem promoveri. Alioquin sint illi ipsis ecclesiis monasteriis dignitatibus personatibus officiis et beneficiis praedictis ipso iure privati et aliis libere conferantur aut provideatur de illis ceteris constitutionibus circa hoc editis in suo robore duraturis. On tithes and other dues Martin, etc. We command and order the strict observance of the laws which Martinus et cetera Praecipimus et mandamus iura quae prohibent forbid tithes and other dues to be imposed on churches and ecclesiastics by inferioribus a papa decimas et alia persons lower than the pope. For ourselves, moreover, we shall in no way onera ecclesiis et personis ecclesiasticis imponi districtius impose them generally on the whole clergy unless there is a grave and observari. serious reason and an advantage for the universal church in doing so, and Per nos autem nullatenus imponentur generaliter super totum then with the advice, consent and written endorsement of our brothers, the clerum nisi ex magna et ardua cardinals of the holy Roman church, and the prelates whose advice can causa et utilitate universalem ecclesiam concernente et de conveniently be obtained. This should not happen especially in any kingdom consilio consensu et subscriptione or province where the prelates in question, or the majority of them, have not fratrum nostrorum sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalium et been consulted or have not consented. In this way they may only be levied by praelatorum quorum consilium ecclesiastics acting on the authority of the apostolic see. commode haberi poterit. Nec specialiter in aliquo regno vel provincia inconsultis praelatis illius regni vel provinciae et ipsis non consentientibus vel eorum maiori parte et eo casu per personas ecclesiasticas et auctoritate apostolica dumtaxat leventur. On the life and probity of clerics 271 Martin, etc. Among the various faults of clerics and prelates this one has Martinus et cetera Inter ceteros clericorum et praelatorum excessus especially taken root, namely that many of them despise an appearance of hoc maxime inolevit quod spreta in ecclesiastical decency in their dress and delight in what is unbecoming. They vestibus forma ecclesiasticae honestatis plurimi delectantur esse seek to conform to the laity and they exhibit outwardly in their dress deformes et cupiunt laicis whatever they are thinking in their minds. Therefore, with the approval of conformari et quidquid mente gerunt habitu profitentur. this sacred council, we renew and order the careful observance of all the laws Unde praeter cetera quae circa currently in force regarding the clothing, tonsure and habits of clerics, as to vestes tonsuram et habitus clericorum tam in formis quam in both shape and colour, and their hair-styles and the style and uprightness of coloribus atque comam seu capillos their lives. These laws have been heeded far too little by both the secular and vitam que et honestatem clericorum iura statuunt et quae nimium the regular clergy. Especially we order to be utterly abolished, with the same collapsa sunt tam in saecularibus council’s approval, the abuse whereby in certain regions some clerics and quam in regularibus sacro approbante concilio innovamus et churchmen, both secular and regular, and even (which we deplore still more) praecipimus diligentius observari. prelates of churches, wear long gloves that are unnecessarily large and Illum specialiter abusum eodem approbante concilio decernimus sumptuous, extending to their elbows, and clothes with slits at the back and penitus abolendum quod in sides, with furs covering the edges even of the slit parts. Moreover, they are quibusdam partibus nonnulli clerici et personae ecclesiasticae not afraid to attend the divine offices in churches--even in the churches in saeculares et regulares etiam quod which they are beneficed--in such clothes together with their surplices and magis exsecramur praelati ecclesiarum manicas ad cubitum other garments worn for worship and the church’s services. We condemn this pendentes et longas cum magna et unbecoming way of dressing for all churchmen and we forbid the wearing of sumptuosa superfluitate vestes etiam scissas retro et in lateribus such garments. Those who do otherwise are to be punished as transgressors cum foderaturis ultra oram of the canons. We decree in particular that if any beneficed person, or any excedentibus etiam in scissuris deferunt et cum talibus in ecclesiis holder of an office in a church, dares to attend the divine office in such cum suppelliciis ac aliis vestibus ad clothing, then he shall know that he is suspended from receiving his cultum et officium ecclesiasticum ordinatis etiam intra ecclesias ipsas ecclesiastical incomes for one month for each such occasion, and the fruits of in quibus beneficiati exsistunt non these incomes are to be applied to the fabric of the church in question. verentur divinis officiis interesse. Hanc vestium deformitatem in quibuscumque personis ecclesiasticis reprobamus ac usum talium inhibemus contrarium autem facientes ut transgressores canonum puniantur: specialiter statuentes ut quicumque beneficiatus aut officium in ecclesia gerens in habitu huiusmodi divinis officiis praesumpserit interesse pro qualibet vice a perceptione proventuum ecclesiasticorum per mensem noverit se suspensum fructus que illi fabricae illius ecclesiae applicentur. Martin, etc. We decree and declare with the approval of this sacred council, Martinus et cetera Decernimus et declaramus sacro approbante that the demands of this same sacred council. regarding the articles contained concilio per decreta statuta et in the reform decree promulgated on Saturday 30 October [43 ] of last year, ordinata tam lecta in praesenti sessione quam concordata cum have been and are met by the various decrees, statutes and ordinances, both singulis nationibus eiusdem concilii those which have been read out in this present session and those upon which et quae in nostra cancellaria poni volumus et litteras in forma publica agreement has been reached with the individual nations of the council. [44 ] sub sigillo vicecancellarii nostri We wish these decrees, statutes and ordinances to be deposited in our volentibus habere confici atque tradi huic sacro concilio super chancellery and that letters in public form, under the seal of our vice- articulis contentis in decreto super chancellor, be drawn up and handed over to those who wish to have them. fienda reformatione die sabbati 30 mensis octobris proxime praeteriti promulgato fuisse et esse iam satisfactum. SESSION 44 - 19 April 1418 [Decree on the place of the next council] Martin, etc. We wish and desire to put into effect a decree of this general Martinus et cetera Cupientes et etiam volentes decreto huius council [45 ] which lays down, among other things, that general councils generalis concilii satisfacere inter alias disponenti quod omnimode 272 must always be held in the place which the supreme pontiff, with the consent generalia concilia celebrentur in loco quem summus pontifex per and approval of the council, is bound to depute and assign, within the month mensem ante finem huius concilii before the end of this council, as the place for the next council after the end approbante et consentiente concilio deputare et assignare teneatur pro of the present one. With the consent and approval of this present council, we loco dicti proxime futuri concilii therefore, by this present decree, depute and assign the city of Pavia for this celebrandi a fine praesentis concilii supradicti: eodem consentiente et purpose, and we ordain and decree that prelates and others who ought to be approbante concilio civitatem summoned to general councils are obliged to go to Pavia at the aforesaid Papiensem tenore praesentium deputamus et etiam assignamus time. Let nobody therefore ... If anyone however . . . Given and enacted at statuentes et decernentes quod Constance, in the place of this public session . . . praelati et alii qui ad generalia concilia debent convocari tempore praedicto civitatem ipsam Papiensem accedere teneantur. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... Datum et actum Constantiae in loco sessionis publicae .... SESSION 45 [46 ] - 22 April 1418 [Sentence dissolving the council, and the granting of indulgences] Martin, etc. We dissolve the council, as the sacred council itself requires, for Martinus et cetera Hoc etiam requirente praesente sacro concilio reasons that are certain, reasonable and just. We give permission, with the ex certis et rationabilibus et iustis council’s approval, to each and every person at the council to return home. causis ipsum concilium absolvimus omnibus que et singulis in eo Furthermore, on the authority of almighty God and of his blessed apostles existentibus ad propria remeandi Peter and Paul and on our authority, we grant to each and every person who ipso approbante concilio licentiam impertimur. has taken part in this sacred council and its business a full absolution of all Item auctoritate dei omnipotentis ac his sins, once in his life, provided he takes advantage of the absolution in the beatorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum eius et nostra concedimus omnibus correct form within two months of his hearing about it. We grant the same at et singulis qui in hoc sacro concilio the hour of death. This is to be understood as applying to both lords and et causa ipsius interfuerunt absolutionem plenariam in vita members of their households; provided that they fast on each Friday for a omnium peccatorum semel ita quod year from the day they come to know of this indulgence, in the case of those quilibet de praedictis infra duos menses postquam ad eius notitiam who seek the absolution for while they are alive, and for another year in the huiusmodi concessio pervenit possit case of those who seek it for the hour of death, unless they are legitimately dictum beneficium absolutionis assequi in forma. prevented from doing so, in which case they should perform other pious Similem concessionem facimus in works. After the second year, they ought to fast on Fridays until the end of mortis articulo. Et intelligimus tam de dominis their lives or to perform other pious works. Let nobody therefore . . . If quam de familiaribus eorumdem sic anyone however . . . Given and enacted at Constance in the place of this tamen quod a die notitiae praesentium pro absolutione in vita public session. .. ieiunent per annum feria sexta et pro absolutione in mortis articulo per alium annum nisi legitime fuerint impediti quo casu habeant alia opera pietatis peragere. Post Secundum vero annum debeant etiam usque ad finem vitae feria sexta ieiunare vel aliqua opera pietatis peragere. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... Datum et actum Constantiae in loco sessionis publicae ....

THE COUNCIL of BASLE (1431) The 17th Ecumenical Council

273 SESSION 1 14 December 1431 The holy synod of Basel, representing the universal church, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit under the presidency of the most reverend father in Christ lord Julian, cardinal deacon of St Angelo of the holy Roman church, legate of the apostolic see, for the glory of almighty God, the exaltation of the catholic faith and the progress of the christian religion, laying its foundation on the cornerstone Christ Jesus, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, calls to mind that the holy general synod of Constance, celebrated in the holy Spirit, esteeming it salutary and beneficial that general councils should be frequent in the holy church of God, established this by its decree as follows: The frequent holding of general councils . . . 2 Hence for the execution of that decree, the city of Pavia in Italy was chosen for the general council to be held at the end of the five years immediately following. At the decreed time that council was indeed inaugurated in the said city of Pavia and thence it was translated for certain reasons to the city of Siena. In that general council which was begun in Pavia and was held in the city of Siena, this city of Basel was chosen and duly assigned for the next future general council to be held after the seven-year period from the end of the council of Siena, as is stated in the public instrument then composed about this succession. [Establishment of the holy council of Basel] The most reverend lord legate in his desire to fulfil the apostolic commission since at the time when the beginning of the council was imminent he was immersed in the expedition against the pestilential heresy of the Hussites for the sake of the faith, had his vicegerents despatched to this city and thereafter with all possible speed came himself to this city, in order that, with the help of God’s grace, he might fulfil in this general council the office of legate laid upon him, as our most holy lord Eugenius IV, pope by divine providence, had by a series of letters of his holiness enjoined on him. In this city, during more than three months, he held several congregations with prelates and others who had arrived in the city for the said general council, and he had discussions about the establishment and holding of the council. Finally it was decreed that the present solemn session should be held, in which, firstly, since from the above it is manifest that this city is the place deputed for the general council and the date for it to be held is already past, and the authority of the most holy apostolic see is not lacking, it decrees, defines and declares that in this city and place the general council is canonically fixed and founded, and that all, both prelates and others who by right or custom are obliged to attend general councils, are bound to come to its celebration. [Purpose of the council of Basel] Seeing that all things direct their actions more immediately and intensely the more knowledge they have of their destined purpose, so this holy synod, after intense meditation and thought on the needs of the christian religion and after mature and ordered deliberation, decrees that, with the help of God from whom all good things comet, it will pursue with all its zeal and attention these three ends. First that, with the banishment of the darkness of all heresies from the bounds of the christian people, the light of catholic truth, by the generosity of Christ the true light, may be resplendent. Secondly that, after due thought and with the help of the author of peace, the christian people, freed from the madness of wars by which -- with the sower of weeds doing his work -- it is affected and divided in various parts of the world, may be brought back to a peaceful and tranquil state. Thirdly, as the vine of Christ has already almost run wild on account of the multitude of thistles and thorns of vices crowding in upon it, to cut them back through the endeavour of necessary cultivation, with the work from on high of the evangelical husbandman, so that it may flourish again and produce with happy abundance the fruits of virtue and esteem. Since such great benefits as these cannot be hoped for without a generous flow of heavenly grace, it earnestly exhorts in the Lord all Christ’s faithful that for the happy achievement of the aforesaid they should urge the divine majesty with devout prayers, fasts and almsgiving that the good and merciful God, placated by such humble submission, may deign with his accustomed goodness to grant to this sacred council the desired completion of all these things, imposing this on them unto the remission of their sins. 274 SESSION 2 15 February 1432 The holy general synod of Basel, representing the church militant, for an everlasting record. To the praise of almighty God and the glory and honour of the blessed and undivided Trinity, for the extirpation of heresies and errors, for the reformation of morals in head and members of the church of God, and for the pacification of kings and kingdoms and other Christians in discord among themselves through the instigation of the author of discords, the synod, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, decrees, establishes, defines, declares and ordains as follows. [Decree that the council of Basel is legitimately begun] First, that the same sacred synod of Basel, by the decrees and ordinances of the sacred general councils of Constance and of Siena, and by the action of apostolic authority, was and is duly and legitimately begun and assembled in this place of Basel. And lest anyone should doubt about the power of the same sacred synod of Basel, this same synod in this present session ordains and decrees that two declarations from the decrees of the synod of Constance are to be inserted among its other decrees already issued or to be issued. The text of the first of these declarations is as follows, First it declares . . . 1; that of the other is this, Next it declares . . . I Therefore, presupposing also some other decrees of the council of Constance, especially the one beginning The frequent, which were read out in a former session of this sacred synod of Basel, the said synod of Basel decrees and declares that, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, for the extirpation of heresies and a general reformation of morals in the church in head and members, and also for procuring peace among Christians, as is stated above, no one of whatever authority, even if he is distinguished by the dignity of the papacy, could or should have in the past, or can or ought to now or in the future, dissolve or transfer the said synod of Basel to another locality or prorogue it to another date without the deliberation and consent of the same synod of Basel. SESSION 3 29 April 1432 [Impossibility of the dissolution of the council is decreed] This holy council, considering that the aforesaid dissolution of the council was enacted contrary to the decrees of the council of Constance, and that it leads to a serious danger of subversion of the faith as well as disturbance and harm for the state of the church and scandal for the whole christian people, decreed that the dissolution could not be made. Since, therefore, the dissolution is no obstacle at all, the prosecution of what has been praiseworthily set in motion for the stability of the faith and the salvation of the christian people should, with the grace of the holy Spirit, be proceeded with. But since the aforesaid bishop of Lausanne and the dean of Utrecht, on their return, did not bring back from the most holy lord pope the desired reply, although the said most holy lord pope had been entreated, appealed to, required, requested and with every insistence very often implored not only by the aforesaid messengers in the name of the council but also by the most serene lord Sigismund, king of the Romans and loyal supporter of the church, so this holy synod, relying on the decrees of the sacred council of Constance, whose words are these, That the holy synod . . . ‘ decreed in this solemn session to make its demands to the most holy lord pope and also to the most reverend lord cardinals in the way and style as follows. This holy synod, therefore, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, beseeches the aforesaid most blessed lord pope Eugenius with all reverence and insistence and through the tender mercy of Jesus Christ entreats, requires implores and warns him to revoke in fact the alleged dissolution as in fact it was issued, and in the same way as he made the dissolution to send and publish over the different parts of the world the revocation, and completely to desist from every obstacle against the said council: indeed more, to favour and assist the council, as is his duty, and to offer it every support and opportune help, and to come in person within three months -- an interval which it assigns and determines as a peremptory limit -- if his physical state so allows. But if it does not, in his place and stead he should nominate some person or persons and send them with plenary power for each and 275 every question in this council up to its very end through each and all of its acts gradually and successively. Otherwise, if his holiness should fail to do this, which is a thing that in no way is to be expected of the vicar of Christ, the holy synod will see to it that provision is made for the necessities of the church as shall seem just and as the holy Spirit shall dictate, and will proceed in accordance with what befits both divine and human law. In the same way it beseeches, requires, implores and warns the aforesaid most reverend lord cardinals, who as the chief hinges of the church of God should apply their minds with great fervour to these things, that they should bring earnest pressure to bear on the lord pope about the aforesaid things, and should favour, aid and help this sacred council in every opportune way. And since their presence, in view of their authority, great prudence and practical experience, is highly expedient for this sacred council, it requires and warns and cites the lord cardinals and each of them in particular that, canonical impediment ceasing, they shall come to the said council within three months from the notification by this present decree, which interval it precisely and peremptorily assigns and determines for the triple canonical monition. Otherwise, since failure to come to the sacred general council so as to aid the church in its great necessities will without doubt be judged as contributing to the danger of a serious challenge to the catholic faith and to the harm of the whole church, this holy council at the expiry of the stated interval will take proceedings against those who have failed to come, since their contumacy demands this, according as the order of divine as well as human law shall dictate and allow, and will take steps, with the help of the most High, to provide for the necessities of the church. In the aforesaid however, the said synod has no intention of including the most reverend lord cardinal of holy Cross as long as he is engaged in negotiations for peace between the kingdoms of France and England; but in respect of the most reverend lord cardinals of Plasencia and of Foix, as they are commonly called, and the cardinal of St Eustathius, since they are in nearer localities, it limits the above-mentioned interval to two months. Further the holy synod orders all lord patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and other prelates of churches, and clerics, notaries and ecclesiastical personages, as also other faithful of Christ, of every status, dignity, grade and condition, and it requires and requests all princes and lords, even if they possess imperial, regal, ducal or any other authority, who shall have been requested regarding the above, that in virtue of holy obedience, under threat of the divine judgment and under pain of excommunication, they should report, intimate and notify all and each of the aforesaid things to the said most holy lord pope and to the most reverend lord cardinals, and should have them reported, intimated and notified to these people in person, if they have safe and convenient access to them. Where personal access is not possible, this is to be done by affixing notices drawn up by a public notary, if this can be done safely, to their residences and also on the door of the apostolic palace and on the churches of St John Lateran, St Peter’s and St Mary Maggiore; or failing that, on the chief churches of the cities of Sutri Viterbo and Siena, or three other neighbouring cities, as it shall seem better. This holy synod decrees that these places are suitable for the execution of all the aforementioned. Yet this holy synod, desiring to meeting future eventualities and to avoid all waste of time, since delay in these matters is fraught with danger, ordains and decrees that a decree of admonition and citation of this kind, after it has been read out in this solemn session and published, shall be affixed to the doors of the cathedral church of Basel so that, should it happen that its intimation cannot be effected in any of the ways outlined above, in that case, as by a public edict, for four months to be calculated from this day, the publication, monition and citation shall be considered as performed in respect of all its effects, so that all its effects are obtained and it binds those to whom it is directed as if it had been insinuated and presented in person, the above peremptory force and threats being considered here as inserted. Further, this holy council declares and insists that, despite the aforesaid delays, since a legal summons has already been issued by the decrees of the council of Constance, and since the urgency of the situation suggests the following, as does also the nature of what is to be accomplished in the continuation of the council and of the things to be done in it, it means to proceed in anorderly, due and 276 mature manner, and for that reason not to be remiss in any way in the process. Lastly, this holy synod decrees citations for all prelates and others who are obliged to come to a general council, and each and all generals of orders and also inquisitors of heresy, with the delay of a fixed term or terms as it shall seem good to the deputies, with penalties and censures and suitable conditions. SESSION 4 20 June 1432 The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church. By this decree we indicate to all that to each and every priest, baron, noble, soldier and citizen and every other man of whatever status, condition or rank from the kingdom of Bohemia and the marquisate of Moravia, from Prague and the cities and other places of the same, and to all other ecclesiastical and secular persons who, male or female, will be sent with them to the general council of Basel and are about to set out, to all these persons under whatever name they are listed or can be called, within however the number of two hundred persons, by the force of this present decree we grant and give our fullest and perfect safe-conduct and we bestow a most genuine security for their coming to this city of Basel and their abiding, staying and resting here, and for their treating with us on affairs suitably committed to them and their arranging, concluding and ending them. We allow them to perform the divine offices in their lodgings without any obstacle on our part; so that also, on account of their presence, neither on their journey nor in any other place of their journey, in coming, remaining or returning, nor in the city itself of Basel, will cessation from divine offices be imposed in any way in the form of an interdict. Further, they will be allowed freely to propose and explain in the general council or synod of Basel, by word of mouth or in writing, the four articles on whose clarity they insist; to prove, support and recommend them with quotations from the sacred scriptures and the blessed doctors and, if need be, to reply to the objections of the general synod or to argue about them with one or several from the council or to discuss them in a charitable way without any impediment; with reproach, abuse and taunt being totally excluded, observing the form and the ways specified and mutually agreed between our envoys and the messengers of the aforesaid kingdom and marquisate in the city of Eger; and specifically that in the case of the four articles proposed by them, the divine law, the apostolic practice of Christ and of the primitive church, and the councils and doctors truly founding themselves on the same, will be accepted in the council of Basel as the most true and impartial judge. Whether these discussions are or are not brought to a conclusion, whenever by the order or permission of their superiors they, or any one of them, shall choose to return home, then straightaway, without any refusal, condition or delay, they may return freely and safely at their pleasure, with their goods, honour and persons intact, but with the knowledge of the deputies of the council so that suitable provision may be made, without guile or fraud, for their safety. Moreover, in this safe-conduct of theirs we wish all clauses to be included and contained, and to be held as included, which are necessary and opportune for full, efficacious and sufficient safety in coming, staying and returning; we express these things clearly in order to secure and keep the good of peace. If any one or several of them, whether coming on their journey to us in Basel or while staying here or on their return, shall commit (may it not be so) some heinous crime by which the benefit of security conceded to them could be annulled and quashed, we wish, admit and concede that those arrested in a deed of such sort shall straightaway be punished only by their own people, not by others, by an adequate censure and a sufficient penalty to be approved and praised by us, with the form, conditions and ways of their security remaining completely unimpaired. Similarly if any of ours, whether on their way to us in Basel or while staying here or returning, shall commit (may it not be so) some heinous crime through which the benefit of the security conceded to them could be annulled or quashed, we wish that those arrested in a crime of this sort shall straightaway be punished only by us and our people, not by others, by an adequate censure and a sufficient penalty to be approved and praised by the lord ambassadors and envoys, with the present form, conditions and ways of the security remaining completely unimpaired. 277 We wish also that it be allowed to each and every ambassador as often as it is opportune or necessary, to leave the city of Basel in order to take the air and to return to it, and freely to send and despatch their messengers to any place for the arrangement of necessary affairs and to receive a messenger or messengers as often as it suits them, in such a way that they are accompanied by the deputies of the council who will provide for their safety. Further, neither in discussions, public sermons or other conferences can or may our side, in prejudice, derogation or depreciation of the case of the four articles, employ or procure in the locality of the city of Basel any terms that tend to disorder. These safe-conducts and assurances are to remain in force from the moment when, and for as long as, they are received into the care of our protection, to be brought to Basel, and in all the period of their staying here: and again on the conclusion of a sufficient hearing, an interval of twenty days having been set in advance, when they shall request it, or after the hearing the council shall decide, we shall, with God’s help and without any guile or fraud, let them return from Basel to Tuschkau, Tachov or Engelsberg, to whichever of these places they prefer to go. Also for all of Christ’s faithful, especially for the most holy lord the Roman pontiff, the most serene prince the lord Sigismund, king of the Romans etc. , the venerable lord cardinals, archbishops and bishops and lord abbots, prelates and clerics as well as for the most illustrious princes, kings, dukes, marquises, counts, barons and noble soldiers, universities, and communities of cities, castles and towns, and their councillors, magistrates, officials and others of whatever condition and status, whether ecclesiastical or secular, under whatever name they go, and for the subjects of all the aforesaid and every part of them, we promise in good faith and guarantee that all of us and every one of the aforesaid persons will observe and guard the prescribed security and the form of their safe- conduct in all its conditions, points and clauses elaborated above, inviolably and unbroken in good faith and with pure heart. Further, we promise that we neither wish nor ought on any alleged occasion, covertly or overtly, to employ any authority, power, law, statute or privilege of laws or canons or of any councils whatever, especially of Constance and Siena, in whatever form of words they may be expressed, to any prejudice of the safe-conduct or assurance and the public hearing which we have granted to them. But if we or anyone of us, of whatever condition or status or pre-eminence, shall violate in any detail or clause the form and way of the above assurance and safe-conduct (which, however, may the Almighty deign to avert), and a suitable penalty shall not have followed straightaway, to be fittingly approved and praised by their judgment, let them hold us, as indeed they can, to have incurred all penalties which by divine and human law or by custom violators of such safe- conducts incur, without any excuse or any challenge from this side . [If the apostolic see becomes vacant while the council is in progress, the election may not be held outside the council]’ The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, bears in mind that it pertains to the duty of providence to foresee the future with clear-sighted consideration and to take wholesome steps against what could bring harm to the common good. The synod is intent upon the extirpation of heresies, peace among the people of Christ and the reformation of morals, with the grace of the holy Spirit, as is really necessary in view of the present situation. It has summoned the venerable fathers in Christ, the cardinals of the holy Roman church, to this sacred council, convinced that their presence at it is fruitful in many ways in view of their authority, wisdom and knowledge of affairs. If, then, as obedient sons they are coming to the council when the apostolic see falls vacant elsewhere, such a situation would redound to the benefit of the church but the obedient cardinals would be serving the council to their own disadvantage, whereas everyone knows that obedience should bring with it not disadvantage but an increase of benefit and honour. Lest disobedience may seem to be to the advantage of some who fail to come, this holy synod, with purposeful anticipation and for the above and other reasons which can and should motivate a prudent mind establishes, decrees and defines that, in the event of a vacancy of the apostolic see while this sacred council is in progress, the election of the supreme pontiff shall be held in the place of this 278 sacred council, and it forbids it to be held elsewhere. The synod also decrees that any attempt against this by any authority whatsoever, be it even papal, notwithstanding any constitutions issued or to be issued or anything else acting to the contrary, even if there should be special mention in so many words or a confirmation on oath, which the synod rejects with full knowledge, is null and void and of no force or importance by law; and that those who attempt such things shall be disqualified in both active and passive voice with respect to the election of a Roman pontiff and for every other dignity, and deprived perpetually of all dignities which they hold, and shall automatically incur the mark of infamy as well as sentence of excommunication. If any such pretended election should be attempted, then both the one allegedly elected and his supporters as well as those who treat him as elected incur in the same way the above-mentioned penalties. The said synod reserves to itself, except at the moment of death, absolution of everyone who in any way shall incur the said sentences or any one of them. It declares that the present decree shall bind and come into force after forty days following its publication. SESSION 5 9 August 1432 [In this session there were approved rules about the organization of the council: On cases and the procurator of the faith; Judges are deputed for the general examination of cases; That members of the council may not be brought to trial outside the place of this council; Officials are appointed. ] SESSION 6 6 September 1432 [This session was devoted to reading: Petition of the promoters of the council against the pope and the cardinals. ] SESSION 7 6 November 1432 [Interval for a papal election] The most holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Earlier this holy synod issued a decree about the election of a Roman pontiff if a vacancy of the apostolic see occurs during this sacred council. It is entitled, It pertains to the duty of providence . . . , and is to be found in full in the fourth session. However, a doubt about that decree has occurred to some, namely that the interval of ten days which the constitution of the council of Lyons fixed for the cardinals of the holy Roman church to enter the conclave, might elapse and be too restricted at least by the time that notification of the vacancy reaches this council. For, the interval would seems to be too rigid and too short for many of the cardinals who may be away in localities distant from this council. Moreover this holy synod wishes to eliminate all grounds for doubt and to provide carefully for what is conducive to the peace and unity of God’s holy church, and with all modesty and due maturity to proceed with what is known in this matter, as in all things to promote the exaltation of the catholic faith and the general reformation and peace of the christian people, for which the council is legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit. It therefore decrees that in the case of a vacancy of the apostolic see in the lifetime of this present council, nothing shall be done for the election of a Roman pontiff before the expiry of sixty days from the day of the vacancy. SESSION 8 18 December 1432 [Decree that there ought to be only one council] The most holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Just as there is only one holy catholic church, as Christ her spouse says, My dove, my perfect one, is only one, and as an article of the faith declares, since unity does not tolerate division, so there can be only one general council representing the holy catholic church. Since, therefore, by decrees of the sacred general councils of Constance and of Siena and by the approval of two Roman pontiffs, namely Martin V and Eugenius IV of happy memory, a general council was instituted and established in this city of Basel and assembled legitimately in the holy Spirit, it is clear that during this council another general council cannot exist elsewhere. Whoever

279 therefore, during the lifetime of this sacred council shall presume to raise and hold another assembly with the title of a general council, is convicted of raising and holding a conventicle of schismatics and not a council of the catholic church. Therefore this holy council warns and exhorts all Christ’s faithful, of whatever status or rank they may be, even if papal, imperial or regal, under the adjuration of the divine judgment which holy scripture relates in the case of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, authors of schism, and it strictly commands and forbids them in virtue of holy obedience and under the penalties laid down by the law, not to hold or summon, during this sacred council, another assembly with the title of a general council, which in reality would not be a council, nor to go to or to take part in or in any way to have recourse to it as if it were a general council, even under the pretext of any promise or oath, nor to hold or esteem it to be or even to call it a general council, even if it claims to have been summoned or shall try in the future to be summoned. If any ecclesiastical person, even a cardinal of the holy Roman church, or anyone else of whatever status, rank or condition he may be, shall dare to go to or stay in Bologna or any place with a pretended general council, during this present council, he shall automatically incur sentence of excommunication and deprivation of all benefices, dignities and offices and disqualification from them; and the dignities, offices and benefices of such persons may be freely disposed of by those to whom this pertains by law even if SESSION 9 22 January 1433 [This session was entirely taken up with the solemn reception of the emperor Sigismund. ] SESSION 10 19 February 1433 [This session was almost entirely taken up with reading: Accusation of contumacy of the pope. ] SESSION 11 27 April 1433 [For the permanent validity of the authority of general councils] The holy general council of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Since the frequent holding of general councils, as a principal means of cultivating the Lord’s field affects the universal church, every effort should be made that all obstacles that could impede so holy an institution are removed with great care. Hence this holy synod, obeying the decree of the council of Constance beginning The frequent, and anxious that no scandals such as unhappily have occurred in our day should spring up again in the future, to the detriment of the church, establishes and decrees that the Roman pontiff, who ought to be the first in working in the Lord’s vineyard and in drawing others to work by his example, should take part in general councils in person or by a legate or legates a latere who is or are to be chosen in consultation with and with the consent -- which is not to be just by word of mouth -- of two-thirds of the cardinals. Also, all ecclesiastical persons who by law or custom ought to attend general councils are bound henceforward to come in person without further summons to general councils, both by force of the constitution The frequent and by the authority of this sacred council of Basel or of some other future council legitimately assembled, unless they are prevented by a legitimate impediment, in which case they are bound to send suitable persons with a sufficient mandate. If the Roman pontiff or other above- mentioned persons fail to do this, or in any way take means to impede change, prorogue or dissolve the council, and shall not have repented with real satisfaction within four months, thereafter the pope will be automatically suspended from the papal administration and the other persons from the administration of their dignities; the papal administration will devolve by law upon the sacred council. If they persist with hardened hearts under the aforesaid penalties for a further two months after the said four months, then the general council shall proceed against both the Roman pontiff and the above- mentioned persons up to and including the penalty of deprivation. [That everybody is free to come to the council] This holy synod decrees that, notwithstanding any prohibition, even from the Roman pontiff, there is freedom for absolutely all persons, of whatsoever status or condition they may be, even if they are

280 cardinals of the Roman church, to go to general councils; and that the Roman pontiff is bound to grant permission to those who wish to go to general councils, especially to the aforesaid cardinals, if they request it. [The council explains the phrase about prorogation of the council, and annuls attempts to the contrary, including future attempts] This holy synod also declares that those words “it may never be prorogued”, contained in the said decree, are to be understood so prohibitively that it cannot be prorogued even by a pope, and that a council actually assembled cannot be dissolved or moved from place to place by a Roman pontiff without the express consent of the council itself, and it quashes, voids and annuls anything that may be attempted in the future against this or even in disparagement or obstruction of this general council or of the persons, prelates and supporters of it, by deprivation, translation and ecclesiastical censures or in any other way. [That the council may not be dissolved or moved without the express consent of two-thirds of each deputation, etc. ] For certain reasonable causes it decrees that the present council of Basel cannot be dissolved or moved from place to place by anybody, even by the pope, unless there is obtained the express consent of two- thirds of each deputation, after a scrutiny of the votes of individual members, and then the approval of two-thirds of the general congregation, after a similar scrutiny of the votes of individual members, and finally a declaration is to be made in a public session. It prays through the tender mercy of Jesus Christ, and by the sprinkling of his precious blood it adjures all members of this sacred council, both present and future, that in no way they give their consent to a dissolution or allow a change of place, except for just and manifest reasons, before the reform in head and members has been completed, in so far as this can reasonably be achieved. [That the place of the council should be chosen a month before the dissolution, and the phrase “in ten years” is clarified] In accordance with the ordinance of the council of Constance, it wishes that the place of the future council should be chosen at least a month before the date of the dissolution. It also declares, as a precaution, that the phrase “in ten years” which is used in the said constitution should be understood in this way, namely that the ten years should be completely finished, and when it is fully completed the authorization to hold a general council begins. If it happens for any reason that those who are obliged to attend general councils do not come at the beginning, it declares that the said authorization to hold the council does not thereby cease, but that it should be held as soon as it conveniently can. But so that it cannot be deferred for a long time, this council decrees that for twenty days before the end of the said ten years, or of some other interval if perhaps this should reasonably be determined by the council, the Roman pontiff in person or through his legate or legates, and the archbishop in whose province or diocese the council is to be held and all the prelates who are within four days’ journey of the place of the forthcoming council, provided there is no canonical impediment, in person or, if that cannot be, through suitable men constituted as proxies for this purpose, are obliged to present themselves so as to negotiate about the disposition of the place and other preliminaries of the council. On the day appointed for the opening of the council, those present shall celebrate a solemn mass of the holy Spirit, and the council shall be considered constituted and begun from that day. However, on account of the many necessities that can occur for those coming to a council, this holy synod exhorts those who shall be present not to bring difficult questions to a conclusion until after a reasonable wait for those absent and a fitting interval of time, rather, with divine fear as a guide, let everything proceed with due gravity, as the great mass of business of the universal church demands and requires. In those cases in which, according to the decree of Constance, the pope may, with the consent of the cardinals of the holy Roman church, change the place of a future council, it determines that, should the pope fail to do this, the college of cardinals may supply for the defect, on condition however that two-thirds of

281 the cardinals agree, keeping, , nevertheless to the procedure contained in the said decree The frequent. The said cardinals shall swear by God and their consciences that they are making the change of place, if indeed they decide this, for the clear reasons that are mentioned in the decree The frequent. [That the electors of a pope before entering the conclave shall swear that, if one of them is elected, he will observe the said decrees]’ So that the aforesaid may be put into execution the more easily, the holy synod determines that the electors of a Roman pontiff are bound, before entering the conclave, to swear to God and to promise the church that, should one of them be chosen as pope, he will observe the above decrees, statutes and ordinances, and to the best of his ability will endeavour to fulfil them really and effectively adding that whoever in future years shall be chosen as Roman pontiff must swear, among the other things which he must profess according to the decree of the council of Constance beginning Since the Roman pontiff, effective observance of the present decree. Later, in his first public consistory, he is bound to make again the same profession and let him also profess that, if he violates what is contained in this decree or commits a notorious crime which scandalizes the church, he will subject himself to the judgment of a general council. Both he and the college of cardinals shall insert this profession in the letters which they customarily send throughout the world on the accession of a new pope. [That this decree should be published in synods] So that nobody may plead ignorance of this wholesome and necessary decree, the holy synod orders, in virtue of holy obedience, all metropolitan bishops to have this decree read and published in provincial and synodal councils, and superiors of religious to have it read and published in their general chapters. 2 SESSION 12 13 July 1433 [Decree on elections and confirmations of bishops and prelates] Just as in building a house the architect’s chief concern is to lay such a foundation that the edifice built on it will endure immovable, so in the general reformation of the church the principal preoccupation of this holy synod is that the pastors set over the church may be such that, like pillars and bases, they will firmly uphold the church by the strength of their doctrine and merits. The office enjoined on prelates manifestly shows how great care should be taken in their election, for they are appointed for the government of souls for which our lord Jesus Christ died and shed his precious blood. Therefore the sacred canons promulgated under the Spirit of God, providentially established that each church and college or convent should elect a prelate for itself. Adhering to these prescriptions this holy synod, assembled in the same Spirit, establishes and defines that a general reservation of all metropolitan, cathedral, collegiate and monastic churches and elective dignities ought not to be made or used by the Roman pontiff in the future, always with the exception of reservations contained in the body of law and those which may arise in territories mediately or immediately subject to the Roman church by reason of direct or beneficial dominion. Rather, provision should duly be made for the aforesaid metropolitan, cathedral, monastic and collegiate churches and elective dignities, when they are vacant, by canonical elections and confirmations in conformity with the dispositions of the common law, without thereby derogating from statutes, privileges and reasonably customs, all postulations in the disposition of the common law remaining intact. This holy synod also decrees that it will be in conformity with reason and beneficial for the common good that the Roman pontiff should attempt nothing contrary to this salutary decree, except for an important, reasonable and manifest cause, which is to be specified expressly in an apostolic letter. So that this salutary decree may be more strictly adhered to, the same holy synod wishes that, among other things that the Roman pontiff shall profess on assuming office, he shall swear to observe inviolably this decree. Since prelates should be such as is described above, those with the right of electing them should be very careful that they make a worthy election in the presence of God and of the people, and let them be most solicitous to elect such persons as can fill so great an office. Let them remember that if they act 282 in so important an affair either fraudulently or carelessly or without regard for the fear of God, they will be the authors and cause of evil pastors and will therefore share in the penalties which the evil pastors themselves will suffer in the severe judgment of God. Since the endeavour of human fragility can effect nothing without the help of almighty God, from whom every good endowment and every perfect gift comes down, those in whose hands lies the election of a pontiff or an abbot shall meet in church on the day of the election in order to hear with great devotion a mass of the holy Spirit, whom they will humbly petition to deign to inspire them to elect a worthy pastor. The more devoutly they approach the act of election, the more readily they will merit that grace, so let them confess and reverently receive the sacrament of the eucharist. When they have entered the place of the election of any prelate who is to be chosen through election, they shall swear in the hands of the president of the chapter, and the president in the hands of his immediate subordinate, in these words: I, N. , swear and promise to almighty God and to such and such a saint (according to the dedication of the church) to elect the person who I believe will be the more useful to the church in spiritual and temporal things, and not to give a vote to anyone who I think is procuring the election for himself by the promise or gift of some temporal thing, or by making a request in person or through another, or in any other way directly or indirectly. He who appoints a procurator to elect a certain person shall take the same oath and shall confess and communicate; so also shall a procurator with a general mandate for election in matters in which by common law he can be appointed a procurator in the business of such an election. The oath shall be taken also by those who may have made an agreement about the election of a future prelate, and they too are obliged to confess and to communicate. If they do not do so, for that occasion they shall be deprived by law of the power of electing. Thereupon let them elect to the said prelacy a man of lawful age, of serious character and adequate education, already in sacred orders and suitable in other respects in accordance with canonical regulations. If the election is made in another way and of a different kind of person than the above or by the wickedness of simony, the election shall be invalid and null by law. Those electing simoniacally shall be automatically subject to perpetual deprivation of the right of electing, besides other penalties. Others shall be subject to canonical penalties. Those elected simoniacally and those who take part in such a simoniacal election, as well as the electors and those confirmed shall automatically incur the penalty of excommunication in horror of so great a crime. Moreover, those so elected and confirmed cannot be absolved from such guilt and excommunication unless they freely resign the churches and dignities which they had disgracefully obtained, and they are rendered perpetually disqualified from acquiring them again. In order to remove every root of ambition this holy synod implores through the tender mercy of Jesus Christ and most earnestly exhorts kings and princes, communities and others of whatever rank or dignity, ecclesiastical or secular, not to write letters to electors or to provide petitions for someone who will get such petitions or letters for himself or for another, and much less to resort to threats or pressure or anything else whereby the process of election would be rendered less free. Similarly, in virtue of holy obedience, it is enjoined on electors not to elect anyone on the strength of such letters, petitions, threats or pressure. When the election has been completed and presented to the person who has the right of confirmation, if a co-elected person or an objector to the election shows himself, he should be summoned by name to discuss the matter of the disputed election. Usually a public announcement should be made in the church in which the election was held, in accordance with the constitution of Boniface VIII of happy memory. Whether or not a co-elected person or an objector appears, the confirmer should proceed in virtue of his office, as is done in the business of the inquisition, using diligence in the due examination and discussion of the form of the election, of the merits of the one elected and of all the circumstances. The confirmation or the annulment of the election should be done in a judicial manner. So that the whole process may be clean and without blemish or even a suspicion of it, the confirmer should altogether refrain, personally as well as through others, from presuming to demand anything at all or even to receive free offerings in return for the confirmation or under the pretext of homage,

283 subvention, gratitude or any other excuse of supposed custom or privilege. For notaries and scribes in such cases, let a moderate fee be levied which is proportionate to the work of writing and not to the value of the prelacy. If the said confirmers shall confirm elections in contravention of the above regulations or in respect of unsuitable persons or involving simony, such confirmations are automatically null. This is to be the case for the occasion, for those who confirm persons other than as stated above: but for the stain of simony, if they have incurred it, they automatically incur sentence of excommunication, from which they cannot be absolved except by the Roman pontiff’, except at the point of death. This holy synod exhorts the supreme pontiff, since he should be the mirror and standard of all sanctity and purity, not to demand or accept anything at all for confirming elections referred to him. Otherwise, if he scandalizes the church by notorious and repeated contraventions, he will be delated to a future council. However, for the burdens which he must carry for the government of the universal church, and for the sustenance of the cardinals of the holy Roman church and of other necessary officials, this holy council will make due and suitable provision before its dissolution. If it does not make any provision in this way, then those churches and benefices which hitherto paid a certain tax on the entry into office of a new prelate, shall be obliged thenceforward to pay in parts half of this tax for the year after their peaceful possession; this provision shall continue until the sustenance of the said pope and cardinals is otherwise provided for. By these ordinances the same synod does not intend any prejudice to the holy Roman and universal church or to any other church. SESSION 13 11 September 1433 [In this session there was read out, Accusation of contumacy of the pope made by the promoters of the sacred council; the time-limit already intimated to Eugenius IV for him to come to Basel and to abrogate his decree dissolving the council was deferred; finally a new Decree for the protection of members was approved. ] SESSION 14 7 November 1433 [In this session there was made, Another deferral, for ninety days, of the monition to the pope, to which were added two proposals, one regarding the revoking of the suspension of the council. the other regarding Eugenius IV’s assent to the council. ] SESSION 15 26 November 1433 [On provincial and synodal councils] The holy general council of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Already this holy synod has promulgated a most salutary decree on the stability and authority of general councils, the frequent holding of which is a principal means of cultivating the Lord’s field. Indeed, since there is no doubt that episcopal synods and provincial councils form part of this same cultivation, inasmuch as the ancient canons decreed that they should be frequent, so this holy synod, desiring that ancient and praiseworthy customs should be observed in our age, establishes and commands that an episcopal synod should be held yearly in every diocese after the octave of Easter, or on another day according to diocesan custom, at least once a year where custom does not prescribe two, by the diocesan in person unless he is prevented by a canonical impediment, in which case by a vicar who is fitted for the task. This synod should last at least two or three days, or as the bishops deem to be necessary. On the first day, when the diocesan and all those who are obliged to be present at the synod have assembled, during or after the celebration of mass, the diocesan or another in his name shall expound the word of God, exhorting all to strive after good behaviour and refrain from vice, and to strive after what pertains to ecclesiastical discipline and each one’s duties, and especially that those who have the care of souls should instruct the people subject to them in doctrine and with salutary exhortations on Sundays and feast-days. Then there should be read out the provincial and synodal statutes and, among

284 other things, a comprehensive treatise on how the sacraments should be administered and other useful points for the instruction of priests. Then the diocesan himself should diligently inquire into the life and morals of his subjects and check with suitable correction the evil of simony, usurious contracts, concubinage, fornication and all other faults and excesses. He should revoke alienations of ecclesiastical property forbidden by law, and he should correct and reform abuses of clerics and other subjects who have failed in respect of the divine office and the wearing of proper dress. Since many scandals often arise because Pope Boniface VIII’s constitution Periculoso on the enclosure of nuns is not observed, the diocesan should insist that this enclosure be strictly observed in accordance with that constitution; also that all religious subject to the diocesan should inviolably observe the rules and constitutions of their orders, especially that all ownership is renounced by them. Also let nothing be demanded simoniacally at their reception into a religious order. A chief care of the bishop at the synod should be to make inquiry and to apply proper remedies lest any teaching that is heretical, erroneous, scandalous or offensive to pious ears, or fortune-telling, divinations incantations, superstitions or any diabolic inventions, infiltrate into his diocese. Let there be appointed synodal witnesses, who should be serious, prudent and honest men, filled with zeal for God’s law, in a number proportionate to the area of the diocese, or others with their powers if none are appointed for this, who may be removed by the diocesan if they seem to him to be unsuitable and he may appoint others (as he thinks fit). They shall be obliged to take an oath in the hands of the diocesan himself or of his vicar, as is stated in the canon Episcopus in synodo; they shall travel round the diocese for a year and shall refer what they have seen to be in need of correction and reform to those whose duty it is to correct and reform. If these matters are not corrected and reformed, they shall refer them to a subsequent synod, when proper remedies should be applied. Besides what the diocesan hears from the synodal witnesses or others exercising their office, he should himself inquire assiduously about the faults of his subjects and so confront the guilty with the discipline of needed correction that it may serve as an example to others inclined to do evil. Also, in every province within two years of the end of a general council, and thereafter at least once in every three years, a provincial council should be held in a safe place. It should be attended by both the archbishop and all his suffragans and others who are obliged to take part in such provincial councils, after a due summons has been issued to them. If a bishop is prevented by a canonical impediment, he should designate his procurator, not only to excuse and justify his absence, but also to participate in the council in his name and to report back what the council decides. Otherwise the bishop is automatically suspended from receiving half the fruits of his church for one year: these should be effectively diverted to the fabric of his church by someone deputed in the council itself. Others who fail to attend are to be punished at the decision of the council and other penalties of the law are to remain in force. Provincial councils are not to be held while a general council is sitting and for six months beforehand. At the beginning of a provincial council the metropolitan or someone in his name during the celebration of mass or afterwards, shall deliver an exhortation calling to mind the things that pertain to the ecclesiastical state and especially the episcopal office and warning all the participants that, as the prophet says, if any soul is lost by their fault his blood will be required by the Lord at their hands. In particular, there should be a strict warning that orders and benefices should be conferred, without any simony, on worthy and deserving persons whose lives are sufficiently well known. Above all, the greatest care and mature inquiry should be used when entrusting the care of souls. Ecclesiastical property on no account should be used for illegal purposes, but for the glory of God and the conservation of churches and, following the holy canons, with a primary concern for the poor and needy, mindful that at the tribunal of the eternal judge they will have to give an account of all of it to the very last farthing. In these councils there should be, according to the regulations of the law, a careful investigation into the correction of faults, the reform of the morals of subjects and especially the conduct of bishops in conferring benefices, confirming elections, administering orders, deputing confessors, preaching to the people, punishing the faults of their subjects and observing episcopal synods, and in any other points respecting the episcopal office and the jurisdiction and administration 285 of bishops in spiritual and temporal matters, especially whether they keep their hands clean of the stain of simony, in order that all those who are found to have transgressed in the aforesaid matters may be corrected and punished by the council. A similar careful inquiry should be instituted about the metropolitan himself in all these respects, and the council should explain clearly to him his faults and defects, admonishing and imploring him that since he is called and ought to be the father of others, he should altogether desist from such failings. Even so, the council should send straightaway to the Roman pontiff, or to another of his superiors if he has one, a written account of the investigation made about him, so that he may receive punishment and fitting reform from the Roman pontiff or other superior. Besides, if there are discords, quarrels and feuds among some which could disturb the peace and tranquillity of the province, the holy council should strive to pacify them and seek watchfully, as would a dutiful father, for peace and agreement among its sons. If discords of this sort arise between kingdoms, provinces and principalities, the holy bishops of God should straightaway arrange the simultaneous convocation of provincial councils and, in combining their respective counsel and help, strive to banish whatever promotes discord; they should not cease from this out of love or hatred for anyone, but raising the eyes of their minds to God alone and the salvation of their people and putting aside all half-heartedness, they should be intent on the sacred work of peace. Moreover, in a provincial synod that immediately precedes a forthcoming general council, thought should be given to all that is likely to be dealt with in that general council, to the glory of God and the good of the province and the salvation of the christian people. Let a suitable number of people be elected at it to go in the name of the whole province to the next general council; let them be provided for by a grant or in some other way, according to the law and the judgment of the provincial council; in such a way, however, that those wishing to go to the council or their clergy, in addition to those deputed as above, shall in no way be disadvantaged thereby. Also, let there be read out in each provincial council those things which the canonical regulations order to be read out in them, so that they may be observed inviolably and transgressors may be duly punished. If metropolitans and diocesans fail to celebrate provincial and episcopal synods at the aforesaid time, after the cessation of any legal impediment, they shall lose half of all fruits and revenues accruing to them by reason of their churches, and these shall be applied immediately to the fabric of their churches. If they persist in such neglect for three consecutive months, they shall automatically be suspended from their offices and benefices. After these intervals of time have elapsed, with the aforesaid penalties, the senior bishop in the province of the metropolitan, or the person in orders who is highest in dignity below a bishop, unless by custom or privilege it pertains to another, is obliged to supply for this failure to hold the said provincial and episcopal synods. Moreover, this holy synod bids all superiors of religious communities and orders of all kinds, who are responsible for holding chapters, to hold them at the appointed times, under the aforesaid penalties, and to see that they are held; and let them aim in them, in accordance with canonical sanctions and the constitutions of the orders, at a true reform of the individual communities and orders, so that thereafter regular observance may duly flourish in all monasteries in accordance with their rules and constitutions, and in particular that the three fundamental vows of profession may be strictly observed. By the aforesaid, however, the holy synod does not mean to derogate in any way from anyone’s rights. SESSION 16 5 February 1434 [This session declares the adherence of Pope Eugenius to the council, with the usual ceremonies; Eugenius’s bull Dudum sacrum, and three other bulls abrogated by that bull, are incorporated into the acts. ] SESSION 17 26 April 1434 [On the admission of the presidents into the council in the name of the lord pope Eugenius IV] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, admits the beloved sons of the church Nicholas, priest of the title of holy Cross in Jerusalem,

286 and Julian, deacon of St Angelo, cardinals of the holy Roman church, the venerable John, archbishop of Taranto, and Peter, bishop of Padua, and the beloved son of the church Louis, abbot of St Justina of Padua, as presidents in this sacred council in the name, stead and place of the most holy lord pope Eugenius IV, to have the fullest authority and effect throughout, but only on the following conditions: they are to be without any coercive jurisdiction, and the way of proceeding hitherto observed in this council is to remain unchanged, especially what is contained in the ordinances of this sacred council beginning, First, there shall be four deputations, as there are, among which all from the council shall be distributed equally as far as is possible, etc. It also ordains that apart from on a Friday, which is the ordinary day for a general congregation, another general congregation cannot be called unless at least three of the deputations agree to this beforehand. And then the presidents should be informed, or one of them, so that they may announce the programme. If they do not, one of the promoters of the council or someone from the deputations shall announce the programme. All from the council shall come to the congregation. On the other occasions, if the three deputations do not agree, nobody shall come to that congregation; and whatever is done there shall be null and void. The same with regard to a session. When what has been agreed upon by the deputations has been read out in the general congregation, the first of the presidents there present, even if another or others of them are absent, shall conclude the matter in accordance with the ordinances of the sacred council. If he or another of the presidents then presiding refuses to do this, the next prelate in the order of seating shall conclude the matter. If he is unwilling, let another in succession do it. If it happens that none of the presidents comes to a congregation or a session of the general council, then the first prelate, as indicated above, shall fulfil the office of president for that day. Also, all the acts of this sacred council shall be made and despatched under the name and seal of this council, as has been done until now. SESSION 1 8 26 June 1434 [On the renewal of the decree of the council of Constance about the authority and power of general councils] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. It is well known that it redounds to the great benefit of the catholic church that its authority, which was earlier declared in the sacred council of Constance and to which all are obliged to submit, should be manifested frequently and the attention of all should be drawn to it. Just as councils of the past were accustomed to renew the salutary institutions and declarations of previous synods, so this holy synod too renews that necessary declaration on the authority of general councils, which was promulgated in the said council of Constance in the words that follow: First it declares . . . and Next it declares , SESSION 19 7 September 1434 [On the agreement between the council and the Greeks about union] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. As a dutiful mother is ever anxious about the health of her children and is uneasy until any dissension among them has been quietened, so and to a much greater extent holy mother church, which regenerates its children to eternal life, is wont to strive with every effort that all who go by the name of Christian may put aside all quarrelling and may guard in fraternal charity the unity of the faith, without which there can be no salvation. It has therefore been a primary care of this holy synod from the beginning of its meeting to put an end to the recent discord of the Bohemians and the ancient discord of the Greeks, and to bind them to us in the same permanent bond of faith and charity. We invited in all charity to this sacred council, through our letters and envoys, first the Bohemians, since they are nearer, and then the Greeks, so that the holy union might be achieved. Although many from the beginning thought that the Bohemian affair was not only difficult but almost impossible and judged our labours to be a waste of time and useless, nevertheless our lord Jesus Christ, to whom nothing is impossible, has so safely directed the business until now that the

287 invitation to the Bohemians has been of much greater benefit to holy church than the many powerful armies which frequently invaded their country. This fills us with greater hope to pursue the union with the Greeks with all confidence and perseverance. We approach this task the more willingly because we perceive the Greeks to be very inclined to this union. For as soon as the most serene emperor of the Greeks and the patriarch of Constantinople were approached by our envoys, straightaway they appointed to this holy synod three outstanding men from those who seem to be of great authority among them -- the first of whom was indeed a blood-relative of the emperor -- with a sufficient commission from the emperor himself signed by his own hand and with a golden seal, and furnished with letters of the patriarch. Both in a general congregation and in the presence of our commissaries they expressed the most fervent desire of the emperor, the patriarch and the whole eastern church for this union. They urge and daily stimulate us in a wonderful way to pursue this holy work, strongly and persistently affirming two things: that union is only possible in a universal synod in which both the western church and the eastern church meet, and that union will assuredly follow if matters proceed in that synod in the way that is agreed below. We were filled with joy and gladness when we heard this. For what happier and more glorious thing could ever happen to the catholic church than that so many eastern peoples, who seem to be about equal in number to those of our faith, should be joined with us in the unity of faith ? What could be more useful and fruitful to the christian people, since the beginning of the church, than for an inveterate and destructive schism to be completely eradicated ? Moreover, we trust that with God’s help another benefit will accrue to the christian commonwealth; because from this union, once it is established, there is hope that very many from the abominable sect of Mahomet will be converted to the catholic faith. What, then, should not be attempted and done by Christ’s faithful for so holy and salutary an objective? What Catholic is not in duty bound to risk not only the passing substance of this world but even his body and soul for such an advance of the christian name and the orthodox faith? Wherefore, we venerable cardinals of the holy Roman church, presidents of the apostolic see, casting all our thought on God, who alone does great wonders, deputed the patriarch of Antioch and a suitable number of archbishops, bishops, abbots, masters and doctors to treat of this question with the ambassadors of the Greeks and to look for a way to reach a solution. After these men had frequently met and discussed among themselves and with the envoys, they reached the conclusions given below. These conclusions, in accordance with the custom of this council, were seriously debated by the deputations and ratified by a general congregation. Their contents, together with the chrysobull of the lord emperor, are as follows. [Agreement of the deputies of the sacred council with the ambassadors of the Greeks] The ambassadors of the most serene lord emperor of the Greeks and of the lord patriarch of Constantinople, namely the lord Demetrius protonostiarius Palaeologus Metotides, the venerable Isidore abbot of the monastery of St Demetrius, and the lord John Dissipatus of the household of the same emperor, meeting together with the lord deputies of the sacred council, first declared that if the western church would agree that this synod should be held in Constantinople, the eastern church would meet there at its own expense and there would be no need for the western church to pay any expenses to eastern prelates. Indeed, the lord emperor himself would, within his limits, provide for Latin prelates on their way to Constantinople. But if it was preferred that the prelates of the eastern church should come to Latin territories for the said synod, then for legitimate reasons the western church would have to meet the expenses of the eastern church. Since the said lord deputies for many reasons believed that this union would be more conveniently arranged in the city of Basel, where in fact the council was sitting, they frequently and urgently pressed the lord envoys that this place should be chosen for the holy union and offered to pay the necessary expenses for this. The envoys replied that since the instructions given to them by the emperor and the patriarch contained limitations on certain places, they would not choose the city of Basel because it was not mentioned in the instructions. The deputies of the sacred council, aware of the holy and perfect intention of the council 288 not to spare any labour and expenditure for the honour of God and the advance of the catholic faith, judged it inexpedient to miss so great a good merely on a question of place. So they agreed, subject to the council’s consent, to one of the places named below with the condition, which is detailed later, that one or more persons should be sent to the lord emperor, the patriarch and others to persuade them by cogent reasons to agree to the city of Basel. The nominated places are these: Calabria, Ancona or another maritime territory; Bologna, Milan or another Italian city; and outside Italy, Buda in Hungary, Vienna in Austria or in the last place, Savoy. The lord deputies agreed with the lord ambassadors in what follows, subject to the council’s consent. First, the ambassadors promised that the emperor of the Greeks, the patriarch of Constantinople, the other three patriarchs and the archbishops, bishops and other ecclesiastics who can conveniently come, will come to the synod. Likewise, representatives will come from all the kingdoms and territories subject to the churches of the Greeks, with full power and authority which shall be confirmed by oath and suitable documents by both the secular authorities and the prelates. Also, the sacred council shall send one or more ambassadors with eight thousand ducats for the holding of a congregation of the prelates of the eastern church in Constantinople. The eight thousand ducats will be paid out by the ambassadors of the sacred council, as it shall seem good to the lord emperor or to the ambassadors themselves; but in such a way that, if the said prelates refuse to come to Constantinople or, having come to Constantinople, refuse to go to the synod, then the emperor shall be bound to restore to the said ambassadors whatever they may have expended on this matter. Also, that the western church shall pay the expenses of four large galleys, of which two shall be from Constantinople and two from elsewhere, to convey to our port at the appropriate time the emperor, the patriarchs and the prelates of the eastern church with their suites, to the number of seven hundred persons, and to return them to Constantinople. The western church shall pay the expenses for this in the following way. For the expenses of the emperor and of seven hundred persons from Constantinople to our last port, it will give the emperor fifteen thousand ducats. From the said last port to the place of the said council, and thereafter as long as they remain at the synod and until their return to Constantinople, it will give to the emperor with the said seven hundred persons fair expenses. Also that within the ten months after next November, the sacred council shall be obliged to send two large galleys and two lighter ones to Constantinople with three hundred crossbowmen. On these galleys shall travel the ambassadors of the sacred council and the lord Demetrius protonostiarius Palaeologus, chief of the lord emperor’s ambassadors. These ambassadors of the sacred council will have with them fifteen thousand ducats to be given to the lord emperor for the expenses that he and the patriarchs, prelates and others who are coming, to the number of seven hundred persons, shall incur between Constantinople and the last port at which they shall put in, as mentioned above. Also, the said ambassadors of the sacred council who are to travel on the galleys will arrange that ten thousand ducats are at hand to be expended, if necessary, on the defence of the city of Constantinople against any danger that the Turks might cause the city during the lord emperor’s absence; this money will be expended by someone deputed by the said ambassadors of the sacred council in proportion to the necessity. Also, the said ambassadors of the sacred council will pay the cost of two light galleys and three hundred crossbowmen for the defence of the city of Constantinople in the lord emperor’s absence, and shall ensure that the crews of the said galleys and the crossbowmen take an oath in the hands of the emperor that they will serve him faithfully. Their captains shall be appointed by the emperor. Also, that the said ambassadors shall have for the expenses of the two large galleys what is usually expended in arming such galleys. Also, the ambassadors of the sacred council who are to go with the said galleys to Constantinople, shall name to the lord emperor the port at which they should finally land and the place, from among those listed above, where the said universal synod shall be held. They will, however, strive with all their might that the city of Basel be chosen, as is to be hoped. Also, this sacred council of Basel will remain meanwhile at Basel, and shall not be dissolved as long as there is no legitimate impediment; 289 but if a legitimate impediment arises, which may God avert, it may transfer itself for its continuation to another city, in accordance with the decree The frequent . If the lord emperor is not satisfied with this place, then within one month after he has landed at the said last port, the sacred council will transfer itself to one of the said places nominated by the same council, as was said above. Also that, in any event, all the above shall be fulfilled by both parties; and all the above shall be effected in a really stable way and with the greatest force and security that is possible for the sacred council, namely by a decree and under a seal. Also, when all the aforesaid matters have been concluded and agreed and, as was said, fully confirmed, the supreme pontiff should give his express consent by his patent bulls. Everything above is to be understood in good faith, without fraud or deceit and without legitimate or manifest impediment. If all the clauses are fulfilled, the said ambassadors of the Greeks shall state and promise that assuredly the above persons will come even if there should be war and threats to their city, and in confirmation of all this they will deliver to the sacred council a chrysobull of the said emperor, and on behalf of the said emperor they and the others shall take an oath, in writing and signed, in pledge of their firm and true belief that the universal holy synod ought to take place with God’s help, unless there intervenes the death of the emperor or some obvious and real obstacle that cannot be escaped or avoided. Lastly, the ambassadors of the Greeks were requested to explain the meaning of some terms contained in their instructions. First, what they understand by “universal synod”. They replied that the pope and the patriarchs ought to be present at the synod either in person or through their procurators; similarly other prelates ought to be present either in person or through representatives; and they promised, as is stated above, that the lord emperor of the Greeks and the patriarch of Constantinople will participate in person. “Free and inviolate”, that is each may freely declare his judgment without any obstacle or violence. “Without contention”, that is without quarrelsome and ill-tempered contention; but debates and discussions which are necessary, peaceful, honest and charitable are not excluded. “Apostolic and canonical”, to explain how these words and the way of proceeding in the synod are to be understood, they refer themselves to what the universal synod itself shall declare and arrange. Also that the emperor of the Greeks and their church shall have due honour, that is to say, what it had when the present schism began, always saving the rights, honours, privileges and dignities of the supreme pontiff and the Roman church and the emperor of the Romans. If any doubt arises, let it be referred to the decision of the said universal council. There follows the text of the chrysobull of the said emperor translated from Greek into Latin, Whereas there were sent . . . 1; and the letter of the lord patriarch of Constantinople with a leaden seal translated from Greek into Latin, which is as follows, Joseph by the grace of God archbishop of Constantinople . . . we receive the letter of your reverence . . . 2 By the authority of the universal church, therefore, this holy synod by this present decree approves, ratifies, confirms, determines and decrees the above clauses and agreements, and it promises to observe each and all of them and to keep them intact, as is said above. As they lead to an increase of the orthodox faith and the benefit of the catholic church and the whole christian people, they should be most welcome and acceptable to all who love the faith of Christ. Since, as has been said above, the Greeks for a variety of reasons request that the most holy lord pope Eugenius IV should expressly consent to these clauses and agreements, lest on this account so great a good should be let slip, this holy synod implores and begs Eugenius in all charity, and through the tender mercy of Jesus Christ it requests and demands with all possible insistence, that he expresses his assent, for the benefit of the faith and of ecclesiastical unity, to the aforesaid clauses and agreements, which have already been approved and ratified by a synodal decree, by his bulls in the customary style of the Roman curia. [Decree on Jews and neophytes] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. This holy synod following in the footsteps of our saviour Jesus Christ, desires in deepest charity that all may acknowledge the truth of the gospel and thereafter abide in it faithfully. By these salutary instructions it desires to provide measures whereby Jews and other 290 infidels may be converted to the orthodox faith and converts may remain steadfastly in it. It therefore decrees that all diocesan bishops should depute persons well trained in scripture, several times a year, in the places where Jews and other infidels live, to preach and expound the truth of the catholic faith in such a way that the infidels who hear it can recognise their errors. They should compel infidels of both sexes who have reached the age of discretion, to attend these sermons under pain both of being excluded from business dealings with the faithful and of other apposite penalties. But the bishops and the preachers should behave towards them with such charity as to gain them for Christ not only by the manifestation of the truth but also by other kindnesses. The synod decrees that Christians of whatever rank or status who in any way impede the attendance of Jews at these sermons, or who forbid it, automatically incur the stigma of being supporters of unbelief. Since this preaching will be more fruitful in proportion to the linguistic skill of the preachers, we decree that there must be faithful observance of the constitution of the council of Vienne, which ordered the provision in certain universities of teachers of the Hebrew, Arabic, Greek and Chaldean languages. So that this may be more adhered to, we wish that the rectors of these universities should add to what they swear to on taking office, that they will endeavour to observe the said constitution. It should be clearly laid down, at the councils of the provinces in which these universities are situated, that the teachers of the said languages are to be adequately recompensed. Furthermore, renewing the sacred canons, we command both diocesan bishops and secular powers to prohibit in every way Jews and other infidels from having Christians, male or female, in their households and service, or as nurses of their children; and Christians from joining with them in festivities, marriages, banquets or baths, or in much conversation, and from taking them as doctors or agents of marriages or officially appointed mediators of other contracts. They should not be given other public offices, or admitted to any academic degrees, or allowed to have on lease lands or other ecclesiastical rents. They are to be forbidden to buy ecclesiastical books, chalices, crosses and other ornaments of churches under pain of the loss of the object, or to accept them in pledge under pain of the loss of the money that they lent. They are to be compelled, under severe penalties, to wear some garment whereby they can be clearly distinguished from Christians. In order to prevent too much intercourse, they should be made to dwell in areas, in the cities and towns, which are apart from the dwellings of Christians and as far distant as possible from churches. On Sundays and other solemn festivals they should not dare to have their shops open or to work in public. [About those who desire conversion to the faith] If any of them wishes to be converted to the catholic faith, all his goods, both movable and immovable, shall remain intact and unharmed in his possession. But if his goods were acquired by usury or illicit dealings, and the persons to whom restitution ought to be made are known, it is absolutely necessary that this restitution be made, since the sin is not forgiven unless the illegal object is restored. However, if these persons are no longer an issue because the church has turned the goods to pious uses, this holy synod, acting for the universal church, grants in favour of the baptism received that the goods should remain with the church as a pious use, and it forbids both ecclesiastics and secular persons, under pain of divine anathema, to cause or allow to be caused any vexation on this count under any pretext whatsoever, but they should regard it as a great gain to have won such persons for Christ. Moreover since, as it is written, if anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him ?, this holy synod through the tender mercy of God exhorts all, both ecclesiastics and secular persons, to stretch out helping hands to such converts if they are poor or in need at the time of their conversion. Bishops should exhort Christians to aid these converts and should themselves support them from the income of churches, as far as they can, and from what passes through their hands for the benefit of the poor, and they should defend them with fatherly solicitude from detraction and invective. Since by the grace of baptism converts have been made fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, and since regeneration in the spirit is of far greater worth than birth in the flesh, 291 we determine by this edict that they should enjoy these privileges, liberties and immunities, of the cities and localities in which they are regenerated by holy baptism, which others obtain merely by reason of birth and origin. Let the priests who baptise them and those who receive them from the sacred font carefully instruct them, both before and after their baptism, in the articles of the faith and the precepts of the new law and the ceremonies of the catholic church. Both they and the bishops should strive that, at least for a long time, they do not mingle much with Jews or infidels lest, as occurs with convalescents from illness, a small occasion may make them fall back into their former perdition. Since experience shows that social communication between converts renders them weaker in our faith, and has been found to damage much their salvation, this holy synod exhorts local ordinaries to exercise care and zeal that they are married to born-Christians, in so far as this seems to promote an increase of the faith. Converts should be forbidden, under pain of severe penalties, to bury the dead according to the Jewish custom or to observe in any way the sabbath and other solemnities and rites of their old sect. Rather, they should frequent our churches and sermons, like other Catholics, and conform themselves in everything to christian customs. Those who show contempt for the above should be delated to the diocesan bishops or inquisitors of heresy by their parish priests, or by others who are entrusted by law or ancient custom with inquiring into such matters, or by anyone else at all. Let them be so punished, with the aid of the secular arm if need be, as to give an example to others. There should be careful inquiry into all these things in provincial councils and synods, and an opportune remedy should be applied not only to negligent bishops and priests but also to converts and infidels who scorn the above. If anyone, of whatever rank or status, shall encourage or defend such converts against being compelled to observe the christian rite or anything else mentioned above, he shall incur the penalties promulgated against abettors of heretics. If converts fail to correct themselves after a canonical warning, and as Judaizers are found to have returned to their vomit, let proceedings be taken against them as against perfidious heretics in conformity with the enactments of the sacred canons. If there have been granted to Jews or infidels, or perhaps shall be granted to them in the future, any indults or privileges by any ecclesiastics or secular persons, of whatever status or dignity, even papal or imperial, which tend in any way to the detriment of the catholic faith, the christian name or anything mentioned above, this holy synod decrees them quashed and annulled; the apostolic and synodal decrees and constitutions enacted about the above remaining in force. In order that the memory of this holy constitution may be perpetually retained and that nobody may be able to claim ignorance of it, the holy synod orders that it should be promulgated at least once a year during divine service in all cathedral and college churches and other holy places where the faithful gather in large numbers. SESSION 20 22 January 1435 [Decree on concubinaries] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. We are inclined to grant requests for authentic statutes and decrees in proportion to the likelihood that they will be observed. For this reason we ordered to be extracted from our acts and recorded in this present document, at the request of the beloved sons of the church N. and N. , who assert that they need texts of this kind for judicial and extra-judicial purposes, the texts of the constitutions transcribed below, which we issued some time ago and promulgated in the cathedral church of Basel on 22 January 1435 and incorporated into our acts. They are as follows. Any cleric of whatsoever status, condition, religious order or dignity, even if it be episcopal or some other pre-eminence, who, after receiving notice of this constitution, as he may be presumed to have done, for two months after its publication in cathedral churches, which bishops are bound to arrange, after the constitution has come to his notice, still persists as a public concubinary, shall automatically be suspended for three months from the fruits of all his benefices. These fruits shall be consigned by his superior to the fabric or some other evident need of the churches from which the fruits come. His superior is bound to admonish him, as soon as he is aware that he is a public concubinary, to dismiss 292 his concubine within a very short time. If he does not dismiss her, or having dismissed her takes her again or another woman, this holy synod orders his superior to deprive him of all his benefices. These public concubinaries moreover, shall be disqualified from receiving any goods, dignities, benefices or offices until such time as, after dismissing their concubines and an evident emendation of their lives, they shall have received a dispensation from their superiors. Those who receive a dispensation and then return to public concubinage, as to their vomit, shall be totally debarred from the above without any hope of another dispensation. If those who are responsible for correcting such people fail to punish them, as stated above, their superiors shall punish properly both them for their neglect and the others for their concubinage. Severe measures must be taken also in provincial and synodal councils against both those who neglect to punish and those who are reputed offenders, even by suspension from the conferment of benefices or some other adequate penalty. Those who are found by provincial councils or their superiors to deserve deprivation for public concubinage, but who can be deprived only by the supreme pontiff, should be referred immediately to the supreme pontiff together with the process of inquiry. The same diligence and inquiry should be employed by general and provincial chapters in respect of their subjects: and other penalties established against them and other non-public concubinaries are to remain in force. By “public” is meant not only someone whose concubinage is made notorious by a judicial sentence or a legal confession or by a notoriety that no subterfuge can conceal, but also anyone who keeps a woman suspected of incontinence and of ill repute and who, after being admonished by his superior, does not dismiss her. Because in some regions there are persons with ecclesiastical jurisdiction who are not ashamed to accept bribes from concubinaries for allowing them to wallow in their filth, this holy synod commands, under pain of eternal malediction, that henceforth they shall not tolerate or dissemble such conduct in any way by agreement, composition or promise; otherwise, in addition to the aforesaid penalty for negligence, they shall be strictly obliged and compelled to give to pious causes double what they have received in this way. Prelates should take every care to segregate from their subjects concubines and women of doubtful repute, even by recourse to the secular arm if need be, and they should not allow children born of such concubinage to live with their fathers. This holy synod also orders that this constitution is to be published in the aforesaid synods and chapters, and that stern warning should be given to subjects to dismiss their concubines. It also enjoins on all secular men, even if they are of royal rank, not to interpose any obstacle whatever under any excuse to prelates who proceed, in virtue of their office, against their subjects for concubinage. Moreover, since fornication of every kind is forbidden by divine law and is to be avoided under pain of mortal sin, this holy synod warns all lay people, both married and single, to abstain from concubinage. That man is most blameworthy who has a wife but goes to another woman. If a single man cannot abstain, let him marry, as the apostle advises. Let those responsible strive with all their strength, by salutary advice and canonical sanctions, for the observance of this divine precept. [Excommunicates are not to be shunned unless specifically named] To avoid scandals and many dangers and to relieve timorous consciences, this holy synod decrees that henceforth nobody shall be obliged to abstain from communion with anyone in the administration and reception of sacraments or in any other sacred or profane matters, or to shun someone or to observe an ecclesiastical interdict, on the ground of any ecclesiastical sentence, censure, suspension or prohibition that has been promulgated in general by a person or by the law, unless the sentence, prohibition, suspension or censure was specifically or expressly promulgated or pronounced by a judge against a specified person, college, university, church or place, or if it is clear that someone has incurred a sentence of excommunication with such notoriety that it cannot be concealed or in any way excused in law. For the synod wishes such persons to be avoided in accordance with canonical sanctions. By this, however, it does not intend any relief or favour to those so excommunicated, suspended, interdicted or prohibited. [Interdicts are not to be imposed lightly] 293 Since an undiscriminating promulgation of interdicts has led to many scandals, this holy synod determines that no city, town, castle, vill or place may be laid under an ecclesiastical interdict except by reason or through the fault of the places themselves or of their lord, governors or officials. Such places cannot be laid under an interdict by any ordinary or delegated authority by reason or through the fault of any other private person, unless the person has been previously excommunicated and denounced, or publicly named in a church, and the lords or governors or officials of the places, though requested by the authority of a judge, have not effectively evicted the excommunicated person within two days or made him give satisfaction. If he is evicted after two days, or retires or gives satisfaction, divine services may be resumed straightaway. This applies also to dependencies of the place. So that lawsuits may be brought to a speedier end, a second appeal is hereby forbidden if it is a question of the same complaint or if the appeal is made from the same interlocutory sentence which does not have the force of a final judgment. Anyone who makes a frivolous or unjust appeal before the final judgment shall be condemned by the appeal judge to pay to the party appealed against the sum of fifteen gold florins of the treasury, in addition to the expenses, damages and interest. SESSION 21 9 June 1435 [On annates] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. In the name of the holy Spirit the paraclete, this holy synod decrees that in future, both in the Roman curia and elsewhere, for the confirmation of elections, admission of postulations and provision of presentations and for collations, dispositions, elections, postulations, presentations, even if made by layfolk, institutions, installations and investitures, in respect of cathedral and metropolitan churches, monasteries, dignities, benefices and any ecclesiastical offices whatsoever, and for sacred orders, blessings and pallia, nothing whatsoever is to be exacted, either before or after, for sealing the bull of the letters, or for common annates, minor services, first fruits or dues, or under any other title or name, or on the pretext of any custom, privilege or statute, or for any other reason or occasion, directly or indirectly. Only the writers abbreviators and registrars of the letters or minutes shall receive a suitable salary for their work. If anyone dares to contravene this sacred canon by demanding, giving or promising anything, he shall incur the penalty inflicted on simoniacs and shall acquire no right or title to the dignities or benefices thus obtained. Obligations, promises, censures and mandates, and whatever is done to the prejudice of this most salutary decree, are to be deemed null and void. Even if, which God forbid, the Roman pontiff, who beyond all others should carry out and observe the canons of universal councils, should scandalize the church by acting contrary to this sanction, he should be delated to a general council. Others are to be punished by their own superiors with a fitting penalty, proportionate to their offence, in accordance with canonical sanctions. [About those in peaceful possession] Whoever has been in possession for the last three years, not through violence but with a specious title, peacefully and without a lawsuit, of a prelacy, dignity, benefice or office, or shall have possession of them in the future, cannot be disturbed afterwards in his claim or possession by anyone, even by reason of a newly enacted law, except in the case of warfare or some other legitimate impediment, which he must protest and intimate in accordance with the council of Vienne. A lawsuit in this case is to be understood as regards future controversies, if the proceedings have reached the execution of the citation, the exhibition of his right in the judgment and the observance of all the terms. Ordinaries, however, should make careful inquiry to see that nobody possesses a benefice without a title. If they find such a person, they shall declare that the right does not belong to him, and they shall give the right either to him, if they think fit, unless he is an intruded person or violent or undeserving in some other way, or to some other suitable person. [How the divine office is to be celebrated in church] 294 A person who is about to make a request to a secular prince takes pains to compose himself and his words by decent dress, becoming gesture, regulated speech and close attention of mind. How much more careful ought he to be in all these things when he is about to pray to almighty God in a sacred place! The holy synod therefore decrees that in all cathedral and collegiate churches, at suitable times and at the sound of a bell, the divine praises shall be reverently celebrated by everyone through all the hours, not hurriedly but gravely and slowly and with reasonable pauses, especially in the middle of each verse of the psalms, and with a suitable distinction between solemn and ferial offices. Those who recite the canonical hours shall enter the church wearing an ankle-length gown and a clean surplice reaching below the middle of the shin-bone or a cloak, according to the different seasons and regions, and covering their heads not with a cowl but with an amice or a biretta. Having arrived in the choir, they shall behave with such gravity as the place and the duty demand, not gossiping or talking among themselves or with others, nor reading letters or other writings. They have gathered there to sing, so they should not keep their mouths shut rather all of them, especially those with more important functions, should sing to God eagerly in psalms, hymns and canticles. When “Glory be to the Father and, to the Son and to the holy Spirit” is being recited, all shall rise. Whenever mention is made of the glorious name of Jesus, at which every knee should bow in heaven, on earth and under the earth, they shall bow their heads. Nobody should read or say the office there privately during the public chanting of the hours in common, for not only does this take away due honour from the choir but also it distracts the singers. To ensure that these things and whatever else concerns the performance of the divine office and the discipline of the choir are duly observed, the dean, or the person whose duty it is, shall carefully keep watch, looking round, to see if there is anything not in order. Transgressors shall be punished with the penalty of that hour in which the offence was committed, or even more severely, as the gravity of the fault demands. [The times at which each one should be in choir] Whoever is not present at matins before the end of the psalm Come let us exult at the other hours before the end of the first psalm, and at mass before the last Lord have mercy, until the end, except in cases of necessity and then only with the permission of the president of the choir, is to be considered absent from that hour, saving however any stricter regulations of churches in this regard. The same is to be observed with regard to those who do not remain in processions from the start until the finish. To ensure observance of this, someone, who shall be under oath to act honestly and to spare none, should be deputed with the duty of noting individuals who are absent at the appointed times. This holy synod also orders that in churches in which stipends are not allotted for individual hours, a deduction should be made from the gross revenues of delinquents so that their emoluments are more or less proportionate to their labours, thus destroying the abuses whereby anybody present at only one hour gets a full day’s stipend and presidents or deans or other officials, from the mere fact of being officials, receive the daily stipends even when absent for purposes other than those of their church. [How the canonical hours should be recited outside choir] This holy synod admonishes all holders of benefices, or those in holy orders, since they are bound to the canonical hours, if they wish their prayers to be acceptable to God, to recite the day and night offices, not in a mumble or between their teeth, nor swallowing or abbreviating their words, nor intermingling conversation and laughter, but, whether they are alone or with others, reverently and distinctly and in such a place as will not diminish devotion, for which they ought to dispose and prepare themselves, as the scripture says: Before prayer prepare your soul, and do not be like someone who tempts God. [About those who wander about the church during services] Any holder of a benefice in a church, especially of a major one, if he is seen wandering around inside or outside the church during the divine services, strolling or chatting with others, shall automatically forfeit his attendance not only for that hour but also for the whole day. If after being corrected once he

295 does not stop, let him be deprived of his stipends for a month, or, if he is obstinate, let him be subjected to a heavier penalty so that in the end he is forced to desist. Also, noisy comings and goings in the church should not be allowed to impede or disturb the divine service. Regulars who err in these matters in conventual churches should be punished with a heavy penalty at the judgment of their superior. [About a notice-board hanging in the choir] So that everything may be well ordered in the house of God and that each person may know what he has to do, let there be affixed a notice-board permanently hanging in the choir, with information on it of the duties of each canon or other benefice-holder as regards reading or singing at the individual hours during the week or a longer time. Anyone who fails to do in person or by proxy what is prescribed there, shall forfeit for each hour the stipend of one day. [On those who at mass do not complete the creed, or sing songs, or say mass in too low a voice or without a server] There are abuses in some churches whereby the “I believe in one God”, which is the symbol and profession of our faith, is not sung to the end, or the preface or the Lord’s prayer is omitted, or secular songs are sung in the church, or masses (including private ones) are said without a server, or the secret prayers are said in so low a voice that they cannot be heard by the people nearby. These abuses are to stop and we decree that any transgressors shall be duly punished by their superiors. [About those who pledge divine worship] We abolish also that abuse, so manifestly incompatible with divine worship, whereby some canons of churches, having contracted debts, bind themselves to their creditors in such a way that, if they do not pay their debts by a fixed time there will be a cessation of divine services. We declare this obligation null even if it has been confirmed by oath. We decree that those who make these illicit agreements shall automatically lose for three months their revenues, which shall be applied to their church They shall receive no emoluments from their church until they resume the divine services. [On holding chapters at the same time as the principal’ mass] This holy synod forbids chapters and other meetings of canons to be held, or chapter business to be transacted, at the same time as the principal mass, especially on solemn feasts, unless an urgent and manifest necessity suddenly occurs. Whoever summons the chapter for that time shall be suspended from receiving his daily stipends for a week, and the canons shall forego their stipends for that hour. [On not performing spectacles in churches] In some churches, during certain celebrations of the year, there are carried on various scandalous practices. Some people with mitre, crozier and pontifical vestments give blessings after the manner of bishops. Others are robed like kings and dukes; in some regions this is called the feast of fools or innocents, or of children. Some put on masked and theatrical comedies, others organize dances for men and women, attracting people to amusement and buffoonery. Others prepare meals and banquets there. This holy synod detests these abuses. It forbids ordinaries as well as deans and rectors of churches, under pain of being deprived of all ecclesiastical revenues for three months, to allow these and similar frivolities, or even markets and fairs, in churches, which ought to be houses of prayer, or even in cemeteries. They are to punish transgressors by ecclesiastical censures and other remedies of the law. The holy synod decrees that all customs, statutes and privileges which do not accord with these decrees, unless they add greater penalties, are null. SESSION 22 15 October 1435 [On the condemnation of the book of friar Augustine of Rome, archbishop of Nazareth] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. The main reason, among other pious aims, why this holy synod

296 assembled was to preserve the truth of the catholic faith and to eradicate errors and heresies. Therefore the chief goal of our activity is, as soon as we learn of the spread of something that can harm the purity of the christian faith or in any way obscures the brilliance of the light in the minds of the faithful, to eradicate it completely and carefully to clear the Lord’s field of noxious weeds and brambles. This holy synod therefore condemns and censures a certain book by master Augustine, commonly called “of Rome”, archbishop of Nazareth. Its first treatise is entitled, “On the sacrament of the unity of Jesus Christ and the church, or on the whole Christ”; the second, “On Christ the head and his glorious sovereignty”, another, “On the charity of Christ towards the elect and his infinite love”. The holy synod condemns and censures the book as containing teaching that is unsound and erroneous in the faith, as well as its defenders. The holy synod especially condemns and censures, in the book, the assertion which is scandalous, erroneous in the faith and offensive to the ears of the pious faithful, namely: Christ sins daily and has sinned daily from his very beginning, even though he avers that he does not understand this as of Christ our saviour, head of the church, but as referring to his members, which together with Christ the head form the one Christ, as he asserts. Also, the propositions, and ones similar to them, which the synod declares are contained in the articles condemned at the sacred council of Constance, namely the following. Not all the justified faithful are members of Christ, but only the elect, who finally will reign with Christ for ever. The members of Christ, from whom the church is constituted, are taken according to the ineffable foreknowledge of God; and the church is constituted only from those who are called according to his purpose of election. To be a member of Christ, it is not enough to be united with him in the bond of charity, some other union is needed. Also the following. The human nature in Christ is really Christ. The human nature in Christ is the person of Christ. The intimate cause that determines the human nature in Christ is not really distinguished from the nature that is determined. The human nature in Christ is without doubt the person of the Word; and the Word in Christ, once the nature has been assumed, is really the person who assumes. The human nature assumed by the Word in a personal union is truly God, natural and proper. Christ according to his created will loves the human nature united to the person of the Word as much as he loves the divine nature. Just as two persons in God are equally lovable, so the two natures in Christ, the human and the divine, are equally lovable on account of the common person. The soul of Christ sees God as clearly and intensely as God sees himself. These propositions and others springing from the same root, which are to be found in the said book, this holy synod condemns and censures as erroneous in the faith. Lest it come to pass that any of the faithful fall into error on account of such teaching, the synod strictly forbids anyone to teach, preach, defend or approve the teaching of the said book, especially the aforesaid condemned and censured propositions, and its supporting treatises. It decrees that transgressors shall be punished as heretics and with other canonical penalties. By these measures the synod intends to detract in nothing from the sayings and writings of the holy doctors who discourse on these matters. On the contrary, it accepts and embraces them according to their true understanding as commonly expounded and declared by these doctors and other catholic teachers in the theological schools. Nor does the synod intend by this judgment to prejudice the person of the said author since, though duly summoned, he gave reasons for being absent, and in some of his writings and elsewhere he has submitted his teaching to the church’s judgment. Further, this holy synod orders all archbishops, bishops, chancellors of universities and inquisitors of heresy, who are responsible in this matter, to ensure that nobody has the said book and supporting treatises or presumes to keep them with him, rather he shall consign them to these authorities, so that they may deal with them in accordance with the law: otherwise let such persons be proceeded against with canonical censures. SESSION 23 26 March 1436 [On the election of the supreme pontiff]

297 The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Since a good shepherd is the salvation of his flock, it is the duty of this sacred synod to strive, with all the diligence that human law can contrive, that the Roman pontiff, who is first in the Lord’s flock and the supreme shepherd, should be and continue to be such as to provide for the salvation of all souls and the benefit of the whole christian world and to fulfil worthily so great an office. Therefore it renews the constitutions about the election of Roman pontiffs which sacred councils and supreme pontiffs have issued and it adds to them some further salutary norms. It decrees that whenever the apostolic see falls vacant, all the cardinals of the holy Roman church who are present in the place where the election of the supreme pontiff is to be held, shall meet together on the tenth day after the see becomes vacant in some chapel or place near the conclave. From there they shall process behind a cross, two by two, devoutly singing the Veni creator Spiritus, and enter the place of the conclave, each taking with him not more than two necessary attendants. In view of the ceremonies, two clerics may also be admitted, at least one of whom shall be a notary. The chamberlain together with the deputies for the custody of the conclave shall ensure that nobody, apart from the aforesaid persons, enters the conclave. After the cardinals have entered and the doors have been closed, the chamberlain shall enter with the deputies and carefully examine the cells of all the cardinals. He shall remove any food and edibles found there, except medicines of the sick and infirm. He shall ensure a careful guard whenever he leaves and closes the door, and each day he shall closely inspect the food being brought in for the cardinals and allow only what seems necessary for moderate refreshment, without prejudice to the decrees passed in the fourth and seventh sessions of this sacred council. On the next day all the cardinals, in the presence of all those in the conclave, shall hear a mass of the holy Spirit and receive the eucharist. Before the voting begins, they shall swear before the holy gospels in these words: I, N. , cardinal of . . . , swear and promise to almighty God, Father, Son and holy Spirit, and to blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, that I shall elect as pontiff the person who I think will be beneficial to the universal church in both spiritual and temporal matters and suitable for so great a dignity; I shall not give my vote to anyone who I have reason to think is directly or indirectly aiming at getting himself elected, by his promising or giving some temporal thing or by asking in person or through another or in any other way whatsoever; and I shall not make obeisance to anyone elected as pontiff before he takes the oath prescribed by this council of Basel; so help me God, to whom on the day of tremendous judgment I shall have to give an account of this oath and all my deeds After this each cardinal shall submit a ballot-card, on which he shall nominate a maximum of three persons. If he nominates more than one person, the second and third persons shall be from outside the college of cardinals. There shall not be more than one ballot on any day and it shall be held immediately after the mass. When the ballot-cards have been read, they shall be burnt straightaway unless two-thirds of the votes are for the same person. No approach shall be made to anyone until six ballots have been completed. During this time let the cardinals reflect and seriously ponder how much merit or loss to themselves, how much fruit or damage to the christian people, how much good or evil, they will be causing by their choice of a pontiff. There is nothing, indeed, by which they can more merit the grace or the wrath of our lord Jesus Christ than when they are setting his vicar over his sheep, which he loved so much as to suffer the torments of the cross and to die for them. [On the profession of the supreme pontiff] The holy synod decrees that the person elected as pope is obliged to express his consent to the election in the manner stated below. It is fitting that this consent should be made to the cardinals, if the person elected is present in the curia, or to one of the cardinals or someone mandated by them if he is not present there, in the presence of a notary and at least ten persons. After he has been informed of the election, he is bound to act within a day of the demand. If he does not do so, his election is annulled and the cardinals must proceed in the Lord’s name to another election. But if he expresses his consent,

298 as stated above, the cardinals shall straightaway make due obeisance to him as supreme pontiff. Once the obeisance has been made by the cardinals, nobody has any right to challenge his pontificate. [Form of consent] In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit. I, N. , elected pope, with both heart and mouth confess and profess to almighty God, whose church I undertake with his assistance to govern, and to blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, that as long as I am in this fragile life I will firmly believe and hold the catholic faith, according to the tradition of the apostles, of general councils and of other holy fathers, especially of the eight holy universal councils -- namely the first at Nicaea, the second at Constantinople, the third which was the first at Ephesus, the fourth at Chalcedon, the fifth and sixth at Constantinople, the seventh at Nicaea and the eighth at Constantinople -- as well as of the general councils at the Lateran, Lyons, Vienne, Constance and Basel, and to preserve intact this faith unchanged to the last dot, and to defend and preach it to the point of death and the shedding of my blood, and likewise to follow and observe in every way the rite handed down of the ecclesiastical sacraments of the church. I promise also to labour faithfully for the defence of the catholic faith, the extirpation of heresies and errors, the reform of morals and the peace of the christian people. I swear also to continue with the holding of general councils and the confirmation of elections in accordance with the decrees of the holy council of Basel. I have signed this profession with my own hand; I offer it on the altar with a sincere mind to you almighty God, to whom on the day of tremendous judgment I shall have to give an account of this and all my deeds; and I will repeat it at the first public consistory. ‘So that this salutary institution may not fade from the supreme pontiff’s memory with the passage of time, every year on the anniversary of his election or of his coronation, the first cardinal present shall, during mass, publicly and in a loud voice address the supreme pontiff thus: Most holy father, may your holiness heed and carefully ponder the promise which you made to God on the day of your election. He shall then read out the promise and shall continue as follows: May your holiness, therefore, for the honour of God, for the salvation of your soul and for the good of the universal church, strive to observe to your utmost all these things in good faith and without guile or fraud. Recall whose place it is that you hold on earth, namely of him who laid down his life for his sheep, who thrice asked the blessed Peter if he loved him, before he entrusted his sheep to him’, and who, as the just judge whom nothing secret escapes, will exact from you an account of everything to the very last farthing. Remember what blessed Peter and his successors as pontiffs did: they thought only of the honour of God, the spread of the faith, the public good of the church and the salvation and benefit of the faithful; finally, imitating their master and Lord they did not hesitate to lay down their lives for the sheep entrusted to them. Do not lay up for yourself or your kinsfolk treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves and robbers break in, but lay up for yourself treasure in heaven. Do not be an accepter of persons or of blood-ties or of homeland or of nation. All people are children of God and have been equally entrusted to your care and safe-keeping. Say after the example of Christ: Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother. In distributing dignities and benefices put before yourself neither the flesh nor gifts nor anything temporal at all, but solely God and the virtues and merits of people. Exercise ecclesiastical discipline in correcting faults, mindful of what grace Phinehas merited and what punishment Eli, the one for avenging injuries to God, the other for pretending not to know them. Defend, help and support the poor and needy. Show a fatherly charity to all. After the solemnities of his coronation, and each year after the anniversary of his election, the supreme pontiff shall carefully discuss with his brethren, for at least eight consecutive days, how he shall carry out his solemn promises to God. In the first place, therefore, he should examine where in the world the christian religion is being persecuted by Turks, Saracens, Tartars and other infidels; where heresy or schism or any form of superstition flourishes, in which provinces there has been a decline in morals and observance of the divine precepts and in the right way of living, in both ecclesiastical and secular 299 matters, where ecclesiastical liberty is infringed; among which kings, princes and peoples enmity, wars and fears of war are rife; and like a dutiful father he should strive with his brethren carefully to provide remedies. When these affairs of an universal character have been settled, let him deal with those nearer at hand. Let him begin by reforming and ordering in an exemplary way his house, his household and the Roman curia, where and in so far as this is necessary, so that from the visible reform of the church which is the head of all others, lesser churches may draw purity of morals and no occasion may be given for calumny and malicious talk. Making diligent inquiry in person and through others about both important and lesser persons, he should allow no delay or pretence in correcting whatever is found in need of reform, remembering that the sin is twofold, the one being committed, the other and far more serious being its consequences. For whatever is done there is easily made into an example. That is why, if the head is sick, disease enters into the rest of the body. The papal household and court should be a kind of clear mirror, so that all who look at it form themselves and live according to its example. Thereafter let him banish and eradicate any traces of simony, filthy concubinage or whatever may offend God or scandalize people. He should take care that officials do not exercise their offices badly or oppress anybody or extort anything by threats or illegal means, and that those in charge of the officials do not let their excesses go unpunished. They should not tolerate clothes and colours which are forbidden by the sacred canons. Let him instruct the Roman clergy, who are chiefly and immediately subject to him, in all ecclesiastical decorum, admonishing them that God’s approval depends not on the parade and splendour of clothes but on humility, docility, purity of mind, simplicity of heart, holiness of behaviour and the other virtues which commend their possessor to God and to people. Let him enact reforms especially so that the divine services may be observed in the churches of Rome with all seemly devotion and discipline. He should also instruct the people of Rome, which is his own parish, and direct them in the way of salvation. He should bid the cardinals to visit and reform their titular churches and parishes as befits their office. He should appoint some prelate of great learning and of proven and exemplary life as his vicar in the city, to take his place in the episcopal care of the clergy and people, and he should often inquire about whether he is fulfilling his task. Next, let him reflect carefully with the same brethren on the good and wholesome administration of the temporalities of the Roman church and let him ensure that the provinces, cities, towns, castles and lands subject to the Roman church are justly and peacefully ruled with such moderation that the difference between government by ecclesiastics and by secular princes is like that between a father and a master. He should not aim at gain, but cherishing all with paternal charity he should esteem them not as subjects but as sons and daughters. Since he has charge of their spiritual and temporal well-being, he must watch to get rid of all factions and seditious groups -- especially of Guelphs and Ghibellines and other similar parties -- which breed destruction to both souls and bodies. He must strive, employing spiritual and temporal penalties of all possible kinds, to remove all causes of dissension and to keep people united for the defence of the church. To govern the provinces and chief cities, he should appoint cardinals or prelates of untarnished reputation who will seek not financial gain but justice and peace for their subjects. Their legation shall last for two, or at most three, years. When their legation has ended, since it is right that each one should give an account of his stewardship, one or more outstanding men shall be appointed to review their administration and to hear the complaints and petitions of the inhabitants and to render justice; these shall refer what they cannot easily effect to the pope, and he shall strive to find out what the former have done and to punish any illegal actions, so that their successors may learn from their example to avoid illegalities. Officials should be allotted a suitable salary on which they can live honestly, to prevent them turning their hand to what is illicit. The supreme pontiff should often inquire how his legates, governors and commissars, as well as deputies and feudatories of the Roman church, rule their subjects and whether they oppress them with new taxes and exactions. He should not tolerate any austere measure or unjust burden being laid on his subjects’ necks. For it would be wicked to allow those whom the pope should rule as a father to be 300 treated tyranically by others. He should ensure that statutes and ancient constitutions by which provinces and districts have been well governed in the past are kept intact. But if any have subsequently been issued unreasonably or from envy or partiality, they should be cancelled or altered when the reasons for doing so have been understood. Within a year from the day of his election, the Roman pontiff shall summon spokesmen and proctors of the provinces and chief cities of the Roman church and shall question them closely, with fatherly affection, about the following: the state and condition of their territories, how they were governed in the time of his predecessor, whether they are being oppressed by any unjust burden, and what should be done for their good government. Then let him apply to them as to sons remedies which will provide for their benefit and security and for the common good. He should not shrink from repeating this at least every two years. Among the other things that feudatories, captains, governors, senators, castellans and other high officials of Rome and of the lands of the church customarily swear to, there should be added at the time of their installation an oath that, when the papacy is vacant, they will hold their cities, lands, places, citadels, castles and peoples at the command of the cardinals, in the name of the Roman church, and that they will freely and without opposition hand them over to the same. Lest the supreme pontiff may seem to be influenced by carnal affection rather than by right reason, and to avoid the scandals that sad experience shows often arise, in future he shall not make or allow to be made anyone related to him by blood or affinity to the third degree inclusive a duke, marquis, count, feudatory, emphyteutic tenant, deputy, governor, official or castellan of any province, city, town, castle, fortress or place of the Roman church, nor give them any jurisdiction or power over them, nor appoint them captains or leaders of men under arms. The cardinals must never agree with a supreme pontiff attempting to act otherwise, and his successor as pontiff shall withdraw and revoke anything done in this way. In accordance with the constitution of Pope Nicholas IV, the holy synod decrees that half of all fruits, revenues, proceeds, fines, penalties and taxes deriving from all the lands and places subject to the Roman church belongs to the cardinals of the holy Roman church, and that the institution and dismissal of all rulers and governors and guardians, howsoever they may be called, who are in charge of the aforesaid lands and places, and also of the collectors of the said fruits, should be made with the advice and agreement of the cardinals. The holy synod therefore admonishes the cardinals to protect the lands and subjects of the Roman church from harm and oppression and, mindful of their peace, safety and good government, to recommend them, if need be, to the supreme pontiff. While it is true that the supreme pontiff and the cardinals should give careful attention to all the territories of the Roman church, nevertheless the city of Rome should be at the centre of their concern. For there the holy bodies of blessed Peter and Paul and of innumerable martyrs and saints of Christ repose; there is the seat of the Roman pontiff, from which he and the Roman empire take their name; thither all Christians flock for the sake of devotion. They should feel for it a special love and affection, as being peculiarly their daughter and principal parish, so that it should be governed in peace, tranquillity and justice and should suffer no damage to its churches, walls and roads and the security of its streets. Hence this holy synod decrees that from the sum total of the income and proceeds of the city, an adequate portion shall be set aside for the preservation of the churches, walls, roads and bridges and the security of the streets in the city itself and the district; this money is to be administered by men of proven reputation who are to be chosen on the advice of the cardinals. The supreme pontiff calls himself the servant of the servants of God; let him prove it in deeds. As long as people from all parts have recourse to him as to a common father, he should give them all easy access. Let him set aside at least one day in the week for a public audience, when he shall listen with patience and kindness to all, especially the poor and oppressed, and shall grant their prayers as much as he can with God’s help, and shall assist all with kind advice and help as each one has need and as a father does for his children. If he is prevented by some bodily need, he shall entrust this task to some cardinal or other noteworthy person who will report everything to him, and he shall order all officials of the curia, especially the vice-chancellor, the penitentiary and the chamberlain, to expedite business

301 for the poor with speed and free of charge, bearing in mind the apostolic charity of Peter and Paul, who pledged themselves to remember the poor . He should attend a public mass on Sundays and feast- days, and after it for a while he should give audience to the needy. He should hold a public consistory each week, or at least twice a month, to treat of the business of cathedral churches, monasteries, princes and universities and other important affairs. But he should refer lawsuits and lesser matters to the vice-chancellor. He should keep himself free of lawsuits and lesser business as far as he can, so as to be freer to attend to major issues. Since the cardinals of the holy Roman church are considered to be part of the body of the Roman pontiff, it is extremely expedient for the common good that, following ancient custom, serious and difficult questions should hereafter be settled on their advice and direction after mature deliberation, especially the following: decisions on matters of faith; canonizations of saints, erections, suppressions, divisions, subjections or unions of cathedral churches and monasteries; promotions of cardinals; confirmations and provisions relating to cathedral churches and monasteries; deprivations and translations of abbots, bishops and superiors; laws and constitutions; legations a latere or commissions or envoys and nuncios functioning with the authority of legates a latere; foundations of new religious orders; new exemptions for churches, monasteries and chapels, or the revocation of those already granted without prejudice to the decree of the holy council of Constance about not transferring prelates against their will. [On the number and qualities of cardinals] Since the cardinals of the holy Roman church assist the supreme pontiff in directing the christian commonweal, it is essential that such persons be appointed as may be, like their name, real hinges on which the doors of the universal church move and are upheld. The sacred synod therefore decrees that henceforth their number shall be so adjusted that it is not a burden to the church which now, owing to the malice of the times, is afflicted by many serious inconveniences) or cheapened by being too large. They should be chosen from all the regions of Christianity, as far as this is convenient and possible, so that information on new things in the church may be more easily available for mature consideration. They should not exceed twenty-four in number, including the present cardinals. Not more than a third of them at any given time shall be from one nation, not more than one from any city or diocese. None shall be chosen from that nation which now has more than a third of them, until its share has been reduced to a third. They should be men outstanding in knowledge, good conduct and practical experience, at least thirty years old, and masters, doctors or licentiates who have been examined in divine or human law. At least a third or a quarter of them should be masters or licentiates in holy scripture. A very few of them may be sons, brothers or nephews of kings or great princes; for them an appropriate education will suffice, on account of their experience and maturity of behaviour. Nephews of the Roman pontiff, related to him through his brother or sister, or of any living cardinal shall not be made cardinals; nor shall bastards or the physically handicapped or those stained by a reputation of crime or infamy. There can, however, be added to the aforesaid twenty-four cardinals, on account of some great necessity or benefit for the church, two others who are outstanding in their sanctity of life and excellence of virtues, even if they do not possess the above-mentioned degrees, and some distinguished men from the Greeks, when they are united to the Roman church. The election of cardinals shall not be made by oral votes alone, rather only those shall be chosen who, after a genuine and publicized ballot, obtain the collegial agreement, signed with their own hands, of the majority of the cardinals. For this purpose let an apostolic letter be drawn up with the signatures of the cardinals. The decree of this sacred council beginning Also since the multiplication of cardinals, etc., which was published in the fourth session, is to remain in force. When cardinals receive the insignia of their dignity, whose meaning is readiness to shed their blood if necessary for the good of the church, they shall take the following oath in a public consistory, if they are in the curia, or publicly in the hands of some bishop commissioned for this purpose by an apostolic letter containing the oath, if they are not in the curia.

302 I,N., recently chosen as a cardinal of the holy Roman church, from this hour henceforward will be faithful to blessed Peter, to the universal and Roman church and to the supreme pontiff and his canonically elected successors. I will labour faithfully for the defence of the catholic faith, the eradication of heresies errors and schisms, the reform of morals and the peace of the christian people. I will not consent to alienations of property or goods of the Roman church or of other churches or of any benefices, except in cases allowed by law, and I will strive to the best of my ability for the restoration of those alienated from the Roman church. I will give neither advice nor my signature to the supreme pontiff except for what is according to God and my conscience. I will faithfully carry out whatever I am commissioned to do by the apostolic see. I will maintain divine worship in the church of my title and will preserve its goods: so help me God. For the preservation of the titular churches of the cardinals, some of which have sadly deteriorated both in divine worship and in their buildings, to the shame of the apostolic see and of the cardinals themselves, this holy synod decrees that from the revenues and incomes of the territories of the Roman church -- half of which belongs to the cardinals in accordance with the constitution of Pope Nicholas, as was said above -- a tenth of what each cardinal receives shall be applied each year to his titular church. Moreover, each cardinal shall leave to his titular church, either in his lifetime or at his death, enough for the upkeep of one person. If he fails to do so, regarding both this and the said tenth, all his goods shall be sequestrated until due satisfaction has been made. We place the burden of carrying this out on the first cardinal of the order in which he died. Each cardinal present in the curia should make an annual visitation of his titular church in person; each one not present should make it through a suitable deputy. He should also inquire carefully concerning the clergy and the people of his dependent churches, and make useful provision with regard to the divine worship and the goods of these churches as well as the life and conduct of the clergy and parishioners, about whom, since they are his sheep, he will have to render an account at the severe judgment of God. As regards the time of the visitation and other things, let him observe what is laid down in our decree on synodal councils. Although both the dignity itself and the cardinal’s own promise urge him to toil at the holy tasks just mentioned, yet results will be greater if the tasks are spread among individuals. Therefore cardinal- bishops shall inquire about what regions are infected with new or old heresies, errors and superstitions; cardinal-priests shall inquire about where conduct, observance of the divine commandments and ecclesiastical discipline are lax; cardinal-deacons shall inquire about which kings, princes and peoples are troubled by actual or possible wars. Like busy bees, both with the supreme pontiff and among themselves, they should promote these holy works with diligence and in detail, striving to provide a remedy where this is needed. The supreme pontiff for his part, as the common father and pastor of all, should have investigations made everywhere not only when requested to do so but also on his own initiative and he should apply salutary medicines, as best he can, for all the illnesses of his children. If the cardinals ever notice that a pope is negligent or remiss or acting in a way unbefitting his state, though may this never happen, with filial reverence and charity they shall beg him as their father to live up to his pastoral office, his good name and his duty. First, let one or some of them warn him that if he does not desist they will delate him to the next general council, and if he does not amend they shall all do this as a college together with some notable prelates. For the well-being of the supreme pontiff and the common good they should not fear the hostility of the supreme pontiff himself or anything else, provided they act with reverence and charity. Much more so, if it comes to the pope’s notice that some cardinal is acting wrongly and reprehensibly, he should correct him, always with paternal charity and according to evangelical teaching. Thus, acting in charity towards each other, one to another, a father to his sons and sons to their father, let them direct the church with exemplary and salutary government. Let the cardinals both publicly and privately treat with kindness and respect prelates and all others, especially distinguished persons who come to the Roman curia, and let them present their business to the supreme pontiff freely and graciously. Since the cardinals assist him who is the common father of 303 all, it is very unseemly for them to become accepters of persons or advocates. Hence this holy synod forbids them to exercise any favouritism as collateral judges, even if they take their origin from a favoured region. Neither should they be biased protectors or defenders of princes or communities or others against anyone, whether paid or unpaid, but putting aside all sentiment let them assist the pope in pacifying quarrels with harmony and justice. The holy synod urges and commends them to promote the just business of princes and anybody else, especially religious and the poor, without charge and without seeking reward, as an act of charity. Let them preserve with readiness and kindness the gravity and modesty that befits their dignity. Let them maintain towards all people godliness which, according to the Apostle, is profitable in every way. Although they should not neglect their kinsfolk, especially if they are deserving and poor, they should not load them with a mass of goods and benefices to the scandal of others. Let them beware of pouring out on flesh and blood, beyond the bounds of necessity, goods coming from the churches. If the pontiff notices such strutting among the great, he should reprimand and object, as is fitting, and he will be blameworthy if he fails to correct, in keeping with his office, whatever needs correction. The household, table, furniture and horses of both pope and cardinals should not be open to blame as regards quantity, state, display or any other excess. The house and its contents should be on a moderate scale, a model of frugality and not a source of scandal. Both the supreme pontiff and the cardinals, as well as other bishops, should strive to observe the constitution of blessed Gregory which was published at a general synod and which this holy synod now renews the sense of which is as follows: Though the life of a pastor should be an example to disciples, the clergy for the most part do not know the private life-style of their pontiff, even though secular youths know it; we therefore declare by this present decree that certain clerics and even monks should be selected to minister in the pontifical chamber, so that he who is in the seat of government may have witnesses who will observe his true private behaviour and will draw an example of progress from this regular sight. Let them also pay attention to the words of Pope Paschal: “Let bishops spend their time in reading and prayer and always have with them priests and deacons and other clerics of good reputation, so that, following the Apostle and the instructions of holy fathers, they may be found without blame.”3 It does not profit the commonweal for cases other than those concerning elections to cathedral churches or monasteries, or princes or universities or similar matters, to be assigned by the pope or the chancery to cardinals, since they should devote themselves to the greater problems of the universal church. Lesser cases, therefore, should be sent to the court of the Rota, which was instituted for this purpose. Neither the pope nor cardinals should in future send their officials to prelates who have been confirmed or provided, as it were to accept gifts, lest they allow others to do what is unfitting for themselves to do. Something that has happened in the past -- namely a sum of money or something else is subtracted from the goods of a dead cardinal, as a charge for the ring given to him on the assignment of his titular church -- is not to occur in the future, since the labours of cardinals for the commonweal merit rather obsequies from public funds, if they are poor. [On elections] Already this holy synod, with its abolition of the general reservation of all elective churches and dignities, has wisely decreed that provision should be made for them by canonical elections and confirmations. It wishes also to forbid special and particular reservations of elective churches and dignities, whereby free elections and confirmations can be prevented; and to ensure that the Roman pontiff will attempt nothing against this decree, except for an important, persuasive and clear reason, which should be expressed in detail in an apostolic letter. However, much has been done against the intention of this decree and without the required reason, resulting in serious scandals already and the likelihood of even more serious ones in the future. This holy synod wishes to prevent this and does not want the purpose of the decree, which was to remove every obstacle to canonical elections and confirmations, to be deprived of its effect. It therefore decrees that elections should assuredly be held in the said churches without any impediment or obstacle and that, after they have been examined in 304 accordance with common law and the dispositions of our decree, they shall be confirmed. However, if perhaps on occasion it should happen that an election is made which in other respects is canonical but which, it is feared, will lead to trouble for the church or the country or the common good, the supreme pontiff, when the election is referred to him for confirmation, if he is convinced that there exists such a most pressing reason, after mature discussion and then with the signed votes of the cardinals of the Roman church or the majority of them declaring that the reason is true and sufficient, may reject the election and refer it back to the chapter or convent for them to institute another election, from which such consequences are not to be feared, within the legal time or otherwise according to the distance of the place. [On reservations] The numerous reservations of churches and benefices hitherto made by supreme pontiffs have turned out to be burdensome to churches. Therefore this holy synod abolishes all of them both general and special or particular -- for all churches and benefices whatsoever that were customarily provided for by an election or a collation or some other disposition -- which were introduced either by the additional canons Ad regimen and Execrabilis or by rules of the chancery or by other apostolic constitutions, and it decrees that never again shall they exist, with the exception only of reservations expressly contained in the corpus of law and those which occur in the lands mediately or immediately subject to the Roman church by reason of direct or beneficial dominion. [On Clementine “Letters”]3 Although apostolic and other letters may state that someone has renounced, or been deprived of, a dignity, benefice or right, or has done something for which a right of his has been taken away, nevertheless letters of this sort should not prejudice him, even though they are based on the status or the intention of the person making the statement, unless proof is forthcoming from witnesses or other legitimate documents. SESSION 24 14 April 1436 [About business with the Greeks and about indulgences, etc.] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Our ambassadors to the most serene emperor of the Romans and the most reverend lord patriarch of Constantinople, who were sent to Constantinople on behalf and in the name of this holy synod, for various reasons promised to present the terms which were concluded and signed by the two sides on another occasion in this holy synod regarding the manner of holding a universal and ecumenical council of both churches, and to exhibit them with effect, under the customary leaden seal of this holy synod, with the present date and containing the following text word for word. This holy synod, unwilling to omit anything that might help the union of Christ’s churches, accepts, approves, ratifies and confirms by this present decree the said promise of its ambassadors and includes in this document the said terms word for word as was promised by the said ambassadors, as follows. The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Among the various works necessary for the whole christian people for which this holy council was assembled, the union of the western and eastern churches of Christ is the chief and greatest. Rightly, therefore, from the very start of its proceedings, this holy synod has made every effort to achieve this. For, as quickly as possible it sent its ambassadors with letters to the most serene emperor of the Greeks and the most reverend patriarch of Constantinople, to exhort them with all charity and insistence that they should send some persons with full authority to treat with us on the way to achieve the said holy union. As soon as they were asked, they appointed to this holy synod three outstanding men from those who seem to be of great authority among them -- the first of whom was indeed a blood-relative of the emperor -- with a sufficient commission from the emperor himself signed by his own hand and with a golden seal, and furnished with letters of the patriarch. 305 Both in a general congregation and in the presence of our commissaries they expressed the most fervent desire of the emperor, the patriarch and the whole eastern church for this union. They urge and daily stimulate us in a wonderful way to pursue this holy work, strongly and persistently affirming two things: that union is only possible in a universal synod in which both the western church and the eastern church meet, and that it is to be hoped that this union will follow if matters proceed in that synod in the way that is agreed below. We were filled with joy and gladness when we heard this. Therefore we venerable cardinals of the holy Roman church, presidents of the apostolic see, casting all our thoughts on God, who alone does great wonders, deputed the patriarch of Antioch and a suitable number of archbishops, bishops, abbots, masters and doctors to treat of this question with the ambassadors of the Greeks and to look for a way to reach a solution. After these men had frequently met and discussed among themselves and with the ambassadors, they reached the conclusions given below. These conclusions, in accordance with the custom of this council, were seriously debated by the deputations and ratified by a general congregation. Their contents, together with the chrysobull of the lord emperor, are as follows: The ambassadors of the most serene lord emperor, etc., which is given at length in the council’s decree which is included above. But because the period of time mentioned above, within which the aforesaid things should have been fulfilled, has elapsed, not through the fault of either party but because of various intervening negotiations, this holy synod therefore accepts the period of time agreed by the most serene emperor of the Greeks and the most reverend patriarch of Constantinople on the one side, and by the ambassadors of this sacred council on the other, namely the year beginning this coming month of May, so that for the whole of this May until the following year each of the two parties is prepared to carry out the aforesaid points, and each accepts and promises that it will fulfil for its part, within the said time, whatever is included in the above-mentioned terms. [Safe-conduct for the Greeks given by the sacred council of Basel to the lord emperor of the Greeks and the patriarch of Constantinople] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church. In our western region and the obedience of the Roman church, a universal and ecumenical synod is to be held, under God’s inspiration, at which both the western church and the eastern church will meet in accordance with the agreement reached at this holy synod and later ratified in Constantinople. In order that the sincerity of our intention towards the eastern church may be manifest to all, and that all possible suspicion as regards the security and freedom of those coming to it may be removed, this holy synod of Basel by this present decree, in the name and on behalf of the entire western church and of all in that church of every status, including those of imperial, regal or pontifical rank or of any lower spiritual or secular dignity, authority or office, decrees, gives and concedes a full and free safe-conduct to the most serene emperor of the Greeks, the most reverend patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and others up to the number of seven hundred persons, whether of imperial, regal, archiepiscopal or any other rank, dignity or condition, who are coming or shall come to the aforesaid universal and ecumenical council in the west. This holy synod, by this decree, receives and has received into its safe-keeping each and all of the said people, as regards their persons, honours and everything else, in the kingdoms, provinces, lordships, territories, communities, cities, castles, towns, vills and places of our obedience of the western church in which they shall stay or through which they shall pass. It promises and concedes to each and all of them, by this present synodal edict, free and safe permission to approach and enter the city or place in which the said holy universal council will be held; to stay, remain, reside and dwell there with all the immunities, liberties and securities which those of the obedience of the western church dwelling there will have; of debating, arguing and alleging rights and authorities and of saying, doing and treating of, freely and without hindrance from anyone, anything else that may seem to them useful and apt for the union of the churches of Christ.

306 They may at will go out and return from the said town or place safely, freely and without restraint, once or often or as many times as any of them may wish, singly or together, with or without their goods and money, with every real or personal obstacle ceasing and being put aside, even if the said union does not come about, though may that not be so. In the latter case and in every other outcome, the most serene emperor, the lord patriarchs and other aforesaid persons will be taken back to Constantinople, at our expense and in our galleys, without any delay or obstacle, with the same honours, good will and friendship with which they were brought to the said universal council, whether or not union resulted from the council. All this is notwithstanding any differences, disagreements or dissensions about the aforesaid matters, or any of them in particular, which exist at present or could arise in the future between the said western and eastern churches, that is, between the Roman church and those subject and attached to it, and the aforesaid most serene emperor and others attached to the church of Constantinople; notwithstanding any judgments, decrees, condemnations, laws or decretals of any kind that have been or shall be made or issued; notwithstanding any crimes, excesses, faults or sins that may be committed by any of the aforesaid persons; and notwithstanding anything else, even if it is something for which a special mention in this decree is necessary. If one or some of ours should harm one or more of them, though may it not happen, or should molest them in their persons, honour, property or anything else, the miscreant shall be sentenced by us or ours to make adequate and reasonable satisfaction to the injured party. And conversely, if any of them harms any of ours, he shall be sentenced by them to make adequate and reasonable satisfaction to the injured party, in accordance with the customs of both parties. As regards other crimes, excesses and faults, each party will institute proceedings and pass judgment on its own members. This holy synod exhorts all Christ’s faithful and furthermore commands, by the authority of the universal church and in virtue of the holy Spirit and of holy obedience, all prelates, kings, dukes, princes, officials, communities and other individuals, of whatever status, condition or dignity, who are members of our western church, to observe inviolably each and all of the above things and, far as they can, to have them observed; and to honour and treat with favour and reverence, and to have so honoured and treated, both individually and together, the most serene emperor, the patriarch and each and all of the other aforesaid persons on their way to and from the said council. If any doubt arises about the safe-conduct and its contents, it shall be decided by a declaration of the universal synod which is to be held. This holy synod, for its part, wishes the safe-conduct to remain in force until the most serene emperor, the patriarch and other aforesaid persons with their nobles and suites to the number of seven hundred persons, as was stated, and with their goods and chattels, have returned to Constantinople. If anyone attempts to act in any way contrary to the aforesaid or any part of it, let him know that he will incur the indignation of almighty God and of the said holy synod. SESSION 25 7 May 1437 [On the places for the future ecumenical council for the Greeks] The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. Recently this holy synod among the various tasks for which the inscrutable providence of the divine majesty has deigned, by the invocation of the holy Spirit the paraclete, to bring it together and to employ it in the cultivation of the Lord’s field, turning its mind like a watchful farmer and clearly perceiving how deplorable and abiding has been the division in God’s church over the profession of the same faith by the eastern and western churches, conceived high hope and confidence in the most merciful goodness of him with whom nothing is impossible, and who generously and without restraint gives to all who duly ask him, to bring about the unity of the catholic faith between these churches. It decided, therefore, to apply the resources of its diligence more fully, grudging no labour or expense, because it was convinced that thence would follow the greater praise and glory of almighty God, a more fruitful salvation of souls and a greater increase of the faith. Desirous of undertaking this most salutary project of union, with the help of the grace of the 307 holy Spirit it invited and exhorted to come to the project, through various envoys and letters, the most serene emperor of the Romans, the venerable patriarch of Constantinople, the other prelates and the rest of the Greek people. The emperor, the patriarch and others of the Greeks received these exhortations with eagerness, their hearts inclined and influenced by the grace of the most High. Sincerely zealous to embark on this project of union, they decided to send to this holy synod their solemn envoys and spokesmen, who were furnished with an adequate mandate with the golden seal and signature of the emperor and the leaden seal of the patriarch, devoutly expressing their most fervent desire for this unity of faith. This holy synod concluded with them, in various preliminary meetings and deliberations about the execution of this salutary task of union, certain mutually agreed decrees and terms highly useful and necessary for this purpose, which were recorded above and were promulgated in a session of this holy synod in the cathedral of Basel. Thereafter this holy synod wished to implement these decrees and terms by all necessary and suitable means, and therefore to proceed to choosing a place for the coming ecumenical council, to which the aforesaid emperor, the patriarch and others of the Greeks could and should come. After many propositions about these and other topics relevant to this holy matter had been considered by the various deputations of this holy synod, and after the votes of their members on these points had been counted, finally in a general congregation summoned for this purpose in the said cathedral, as is customary, in which the votes of the individuals were again counted, it was found that more than two-thirds of them had voted for Basel, Avignon or Savoy. After they had invoked the grace of the holy Spirit and celebrated a mass, they agreed that due and earnest pressure should be exerted on the emperor, the patriarch and other aforesaid Greeks, with the many good reasons being put before them, so that they might agree to Basel as the place for the ecumenical council, and that if they rejected Basel, it should be held at Avignon. If Avignon proved impossible, it should be held in Savoy. Therefore, in order that each and all of the aforesaid points might be brought to fruition, with all the solemnity normally employed in this sacred council of Basel in expediting matters of importance, while the fathers are seated in the cathedral of Basel after the mass, this holy synod decrees, wishes, ordains and declares that the future ecumenical council ought to be held at the due and agreed time in the city of Basel or, if that is rejected, in the city of Avignon or otherwise in Savoy, in accordance with the above-mentioned agreement; and that the emperor, the patriarch and other aforesaid Greeks, as detailed in the said terms and decrees, and all other persons of whatever rank, status, dignity or pre- eminence who ought by right or custom to take part in general councils, including those of episcopal rank, are bound and obliged to come to and take part in that ecumenical council, especially so that this salutary work might be completed. This holy synod wishes, declares and decrees this nomination and choice to be firm, fixed and unchangeable. Any modification, ordinance, disposition, nomination or choice to the contrary that may be made by this holy council or by one or more other persons, whatever their authority, even if it be papal, is utterly invalid; and this holy synod from its certain knowledge as from now quashes, revokes and annuls any such measures, and denounces them as quashed, null and of no effect, and it wishes them to be of no effect and holds them so now, in so far as they impede or oppose in whole or in part the said choice. Also this holy synod from its certain knowledge supplies for any defect that may exist in the aforesaid things or in any of them in particular. Furthermore, since this very difficult undertaking, which will bear great fruit in God’s church, as well as the transport and maintenance of the aforesaid Greeks, cannot be accomplished without heavy expenses, it is right and fitting that all of Christ’s faithful, especially ecclesiastics, should contribute generously from the substance of the patrimony of our lord Jesus Christ entrusted to them, for the conclusion of so happy a venture. This holy synod therefore imposes on each and every ecclesiastical person, both exempt and non-exempt under whatever form or words, even the order of St John of Jerusalem, of whatever status, dignity, rank, order or condition, even if they are cardinals or bishops, a tenth of all their ecclesiastical fruits and revenues -- only daily distributions being excepted -- from their churches, monasteries, dignities, offices and other ecclesiastical benefices. This tenth has already

308 been imposed and agreed upon in a general congregation of this holy synod, and this holy synod now decrees and declares that it is to be imposed, and by this decree it imposes it. Furthermore, the said holy synod decrees, wishes, ordains and declares that the venerable bishops John of Luebeck, Luis of Viseu, Delfino of Parma and Louis of Lausanne, envoys of this holy synod, have full power for bringing the Greeks to the place of the ecumenical council, and for the majority of them then present to choose and nominate the Latin port which is most suitable and nearest to the places chosen and nominated above, and to which the said Greeks ought to direct themselves. The synod concedes this power to them by this present decree in accordance with the form of the other letters granted to them in this affair. Finally the same holy synod wishes, ordains and decrees, for the due and desired execution of the aforesaid points and what follows from them, and for the fuller security of the said envoys and of the council, that, at the request of these envoys or of their agents, any other suitable, useful and necessary letters shall be granted, drawn up and despatched in due and correct form by the synod’s chancery under the synod’s seal. The holy general synod of Basel, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, representing the universal church, for an everlasting record. This holy synod from its outset, in order that those things might be accomplished which general councils are instituted to achieve with the assistance of the holy Spirit, devoted very great care to promoting union between the western and eastern peoples so that, as the church of God has suffered innumerable disasters from the long-standing dissension, the greatest profit might ensue from fraternal union. Therefore it sent envoys to Constantinople for the promotion of this holy work. They returned with the ambassadors of the most serene emperor of the Romans and of the venerable patriarch of Constantinople. After many meetings and mature deliberation on this subject, certain terms were agreed between this sacred council and those ambassadors and were confirmed by a decree in a public session. By these terms this holy synod bound itself to send envoys with certain sums of money, two large and two smaller galleys and three hundred crossbowmen within a fixed time, and to nominate through these envoys one of the places mentioned in the decree for the ecumenical council, where the emperor and the patriarch with seven hundred persons would meet with us to bring about this holy union. However, since the time-limit for accomplishing the above is imminent, this holy synod, desirous of fulfilling its promises completely and of bringing to its desired goal this holy endeavour which is the most salutary of all works in these times, came to the following conclusion in its discussions and then in a general congregation: namely, that Florence or Udine in Friuli should be put into the council’s hands, or else that there should be chosen for the ecumenical council some other safe place which is mentioned in the decree and is convenient for the pope and the Greeks, that is to say whichever of the aforesaid places shall be quickest to collect and send the galleys, the sums of money and other requisites with the necessary securities. The port would be Venice, Ravenna or Rimini; whichever of them the emperor and the patriarch of Constantinople prefer. Also, so that the clergy are not burdened uselessly, the tenth shall not be decreed or exacted until the Greeks have arrived at one of the above- mentioned ports. Also, that the sacred council should remain in this city during the whole time covered by the decree. Also, that the legates and presidents of the apostolic see, after they have summoned such fathers as shall seem good to them, shall choose the envoys for accompanying the Greeks and for carrying out the aforesaid things; these envoys ought to urge forcibly the choice of this city of Basel. Therefore, in order that each and all of the above may attain due effect, with the assistance of divine grace, in this public and solemn session this holy synod wishes, decrees and declares that the aforesaid decision is definite and valid, to be adhered to and to be implemented. It quashes, voids and annuls, and declares to be quashed, void and null, whatever has been or shall be done, or may be attempted, by any person or persons contrary to the above or its consequences or whatever could in any way impede their execution. And it wishes that the aforesaid apostolic legates and presidents shall compose in due form and under the seal of the council suitable letters for the execution of the above, and shall expedite whatever else may be necessary and appropriate for this holy enterprise.

309 SESSION 1 8 January 1438 [Declaration of cardinal Nicholas Albergati, president of the council] We, Nicholas, legate of the apostolic see, announce that we preside Nos Nicolaus apostolicae sedis legatus pronunciamus pro sanctissimo domino on behalf of our most holy lord pope Eugenius IV in this sacred nostro papa Eugenio iv in hac sacra synod which was translated from Basel to the city of Ferrara and is synodo de Basilea ad civitatem Ferrariensem translata iam que legitime already legitimately assembled, and that the continuation of this congregata praesidere et hodie videlicet translated synod has been effected today 8 January, and that the octava die mensis ianuarii continuationem ipsius translatae synodi factam esse a synod is and ought to be continued from today onwards for all the dicta que die in antea continuandam esse purposes for which the synod of Basel was convened, including et continuari debere ad omnia ad quae Basiliensis synodus congregata fuerit being the ecumenical council at which the union of the western and etiam pro ycumenico concilio in quo de the eastern church is treated and with God’s help achieved. unione occidentalis et orientalis ecclesiae agatur et auctore domino perficiatur. SESSION 2 10 January 1438 [On the legitimate continuation of the council of Ferrara, against the assembly at Basel] For the praise of almighty God, the exaltation of the catholic faith Ad laudem omnipotentis dei exaltationem catholice fidei pacem que et and the peace, tranquillity and unity of the whole christian people. tranquillitatem et unitatem totius populi This holy universal synod, through the grace of God authorized by christiani sancta universalis sinodus per ipsius dei gratiam auctorizante beatissimo the most blessed lord pope Eugenius IV, legitimately assembled in domino Eugenio papa iv in hac civitate the holy Spirit in this city of Ferrara, represents the universal Ferrarie in spiritu sancto legitime congregata universalem ecclesiam church. Its president, on behalf and in the name of the said most representans presidente vice et nomine holy lord Eugenius, is the most reverend father and lord in Christ ipsius sanctissimi domini Eugenii reverendissimo in christo patre et domino lord Nicholas, cardinal-priest of the holy Roman church of the title domino Nicolao tituli sancte crucis in of holy Cross in Jerusalem, legate of the apostolic see. It adheres to Iherusalem sancte Romane ecclesie presbytero cardinali apostolice sedis the firm foundation of him who said to the prince of the apostles: legato illius inherens firmissimo You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. It is eager fundamento qui apostolorum principi dixit: tu es Petrus et super hanc petram to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, so that we edificabo ecclesiam meam sollicita might be one body and one spirit, just as we were called in the one servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis ut simus unum corpus et unus spiritus hope of our calling. It records that much was done in days past sicut vocati sumus in una spe vocationis both at the former council of Basel and after its translation by nostre attendens que multa superiori tempore acta tam apud olim Basiliense some staying on there without any authority, and also by the said concilium et post illius translationem per most blessed pope lord Eugenius, especially in respect of the aliquos nulla ibidem auctoritate perseverantes quam per prefatum business of the most holy union of the western and the eastern beatissimum papam dominum Eugenium church, namely the following: the decree of the nineteenth session presertim circa negocium sanctissime unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie of the former council of Basel beginning As a dutiful mother, to videlicet decretum decimenone sessionis which the most holy lord Eugenius gave his assent by his letter; olim dicti Basiliensis concilii quod incipit sicut pia mater cui sanctissimus ipse also an agreed proposal on the choice of a place to which the dominus Eugenius assensum per suas council of Basel should be translated which was agreed upon and literas prebuit item quamdam cedulam conventionalem super electione loci pro confirmed by all the fathers in common and which led to the concilii Basiliensis translatione facienda decree of the twenty-fifth session of the former council, which inter patres communi omnium assensu firmatum et concordatum cuius vigore ad begins This holy synod from its outset etc. and which the pope decretum vigesime quinte sessionis olim himself, urged on by the envoys of the Greeks, accepted and dicti concilii processum est quod ita confirmed by his letter given in a general consistory at Bologna exorditur hec sancta synodus inter sue congregationis exordia et cetera et quod and published in the presence of these envoys, also the letter of the constanter a Graecorum oratoribus same most blessed Eugenius dated 18 September last, issued in a requisitus sanctissimus ipse pontifex per suas literas in generali consistorio Bononie general consistory at Bologna and solemnly read out at the datas oratoribus presentibus publicatas beginning of the continuation of this synod, by which the pope confirmavit pariter et recepit item literas eiusdem beatissimi Eugenii sub die xiv with the counsel and consent of the most reverend cardinals of the kalendas octobris proximi preteriti in holy Roman church and with the approval of the prelates then in generali consistorio Bononie publicatas in exordio que huius continuate sinodi the curia, transferred the council to this city of Ferrara; also the solemniter lectas quibus Basiliense 310 letter of the declaration of the same, dated 30 December, concilium de consilio et assensu reverendissimorum sancte Romane immediately following the said translation; all of which this holy ecclesie cardinalium prelatis etiam tunc in synod has ordered to be registered verbatim in its acts as a curia existentibus et laudantibus ad hanc civitatem Ferrariensem transtulit item permanent record, as is contained in these same acts. literas declarationis eiusdem iii kalendas ianuarii translationem predictam proxime subsecutas que omnia hec sancta synodus in actis eiusdem ad perpetuam rei memoriam de verbo ad verbum registrari mandavit prout in eisdem actibus continetur All these facts and many more have been duly pondered and quibus omnibus et aliis plurimis debita meditatione pensatis ac per diversos maturely discussed in various meetings. This holy synod declares tractatus mature discussis declarat that the aforesaid translation and declaration were and are translationem et declarationem predictas fuisse et esse legitimas iustas rationabiles legitimate, just and reasonable, and were and are made from urgent ac urgentissima necessitate ad tollendum necessity so as to remove an obstacle to the most holy union of the impedimentum sanctissime unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie atque western and the eastern church, to prevent a schism already etiam ad evitandum scissuram in dei threatening in God’s church, and for the manifest benefit of the ecclesia iam imminentem pro evidenti que utilitate totius reipublice christiane fuisse whole christian commonwealth, and that therefore this holy synod et esse factas et consequenter hanc ipsam was legitimately assembled and established in the holy Spirit in sanctam synodum ad ea omnia pro quibus dictum olim Basiliense concilium ab initio this city of Ferrara for all the purposes for which the said former fuerat institutum presertim pro futuro council of Basel was instituted at its beginning, and especially to ycumenico concilio pro ipsa sanctissima unione predicta in presenti civitate be the future ecumenical council for the aforesaid most holy union; Ferrarie in spiritu sancto esse legitime and that it ought to continue and to proceed to all the aforesaid congregatam et stabilitam continuationem que deinceps ac prosecutionem ad matters. This holy synod therefore praises, accepts and approves predicta omnia debere habere the translation and the consequent declaration, as mentioned translationem ipsam cum declaratione ut premittitur subsequuta laudat suscipit et above. It exhorts in the Lord and requires of each and all of the approbat exhortans in domino et present and future members of the holy synod to apply themselves requirens omnia et singula eius sancte sinodi supposita presentia et futura to the above things with earnest care and serious study. quatenus circa predicta pervigili cura ac sollicito studio intendant. By the generosity of him who has begun in us a good work, may Ex quibus ipso largiente qui cepit in nobis opus bonum ad eius gloriam et salutem everything be directed and done for his glory and the salvation of totius populi christiani cuncta dirigantur et the whole christian people. fiant. This holy synod further declares that, since the well known Declarat insuper hec sancta synodus quod cum notoria necessitas supradictarum necessity of the above reasons demanded and impelled the said causarum ipsum sanctissimum dominum most holy lord Eugenius to that translation, the matter in no way Eugenium ad translationem ipsam exegerit et impulerit sub decreto octave et falls within the decrees of the eighth, the eleventh or any other undecime vel cuiuscumque alterius session of the former council of Basel. sessionis dicti olim Basiliensis concilii ullatenus non includi. It decrees that the assembly at Basel, and every other assembly Decernens que congregationem illam Basilee et omnem aliam que ibi vel alibi which may perchance convene there or elsewhere under the name sub nomine generalis concilii forsitan of a general council, rather is and ought to be considered a convenerit illegitimam potius et reprobam cumulationem et conventiculam esse spurious gathering and conventicle, and can in no way exist with censendam et censeri debere nulla que the authority of a general council. auctoritate generalis concilii posse consistere. It quashes, invalidates and annuls, and declares to be invalid, Omnia insuper et singula que ab ipso translationis tempore in ipsa Basiliensi quashed, null and of no force or moment, each and all of the things civitate sub nomine generalis concilii acta done in the city of Basel in the name of a general council after the sunt aut ibi vel alibi sub nomine generalis concilii ut premittitur in futurum forsitan said translation, and whatever may be attempted there or elsewhere attentari contigerit cassat irritat et in the future in the name of a general council. annullat irrita que cassa et nulla nullius que roboris vel momenti esse decernit. But if in the matter of the Bohemians something useful has been Si quid tamen in materia Bohemorum post translationem predictam per dictos achieved by the said people assembled at Basel after the said Basilee congregatos utiliter actum fuisse translation, it intends to approve that and supply for defects. cognoverit id etiam cum suppletione defectuum approbare intendit. 311 In order that each and all of the members of the holy synod may be Ut autem omnia et singula ipsius sancte synodi supposita ab omni gravamine tuta kept safe from every annoyance and may serve God in good works serventur omni que timoris molestie et without anxiety, free from all fear, harassment and injury, this holy iniurie suspicione remota in bonis etiam operibus deo secure deserviant omnes synod absolves, frees and dispenses, and declares to be absolved que et singulos qui quocumque nomine and freed, and the oaths to be dispensed from, each and all of those vel causa olim Basiliensi synodo super obligationibus aut vinculis quibuscumque who, under whatsoever plea or cause, bound themselves to the se adstrinxerint iuramentis quibus plena former synod of Basel by oaths, with obligations and et libera facultas huic sancte synodo obediendi et eius honorem et commodum commitments, whereby their full and free right to obey this present prosequendi impediretur vel scrupulus illis holy synod and to promote its honour and good might be impeded quocumque modo induceretur ab illis absolvit liberat atque relaxat absolutos and they might have scruples of some kind. que ac liberos esse ac iniuramenta relaxata declarat. This holy synod also ordains and decrees that nobody of Statuit etiam hec sancta synodus ordinat et decernit quod nemo cuiuscumque whatsoever rank or dignity, by any ordinary or delegated status aut dignitatis existat ordinaria jurisdiction for any cause or occasion, except by the jurisdiction of quavis vel delegata nisi a sede apostolica iurisdictione ex quacumque causa vel the apostolic see, shall dare to disturb, harass or molest, in their occasione eos omnes vel eorum singulos dignities, offices, administrations, privileges, honours, benefices tam seculares quam religiosos etiam ordinum mendicantium qui nunc in and other goods, each and all of those, both seculars and religious, presenti synodo existunt vel erunt in including members of mendicant orders, who are or shall be at this posterum aut qui Romanam sequuntur curiam cum inproximo ex sanctissimi present synod, or who follow the Roman curia and will soon be at domini Eugenii cum curia sua ad civitatem this synod on account of the move of the most holy lord Eugenius istam translatione indicta per affixionem cedularum secundum ipsius curie with his curia to this city, which has been announced by the antiquam consuetudinem in ipsa synodo posting up of notices in accordance with the ancient custom of the futuri sint in eorum dignitatibus officiis administrationibus privilegiis honoribus curia. beneficiis bonis que aliis inquietare molestare aut perturbare presumat. But if, under any pretext, directly or indirectly, any should Si qui vero quocumque etiam quesito colore directe vel indirecte predictorum presume to molest any of the said persons in their dignities, aliquem vel aliquos in dictis eorum offices, administrations, honours, privileges, benefices or other dignitatibus officiis administrationibus honoribus privilegiis beneficiis bonis que goods, or to prevent them from freely enjoying their jurisdiction, aliis turbare presumpserint aut ne fruits and emoluments as they did before, or to confer on others iurisdictione fructibus et eorum emolumentis ut antea fecerunt libere uti their dignities, offices, administrations, honours and benefices, on valeant impediendo aut dignitates officia the plea of some deprivation, this holy synod intends that each and administrationes honores et beneficia ipsa etiam cuiuscumque privationis causa vel all of them, even if they are cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, colore quesitis aliis conferendo omnes et bishops or persons with some other dignity, or chapters, colleges, eorum singulos etiamsi cardinali patriarchali archiepiscopali vel episcopali convents or universities, shall incur automatically and without the vel quavis alia dignitate prefulgeant aut need for a previous warning sentences of excommunication, capitula collegia conventus vel universitates fuerint nulla alia monitione suspension and interdict, absolution from which is reserved to the premissa excommunicationis suspensionis Roman pontiff alone, except at the hour of death. et interdicti sententias ipso facto intendit incurrere quorum absolutionem nisi in mortis articulo soli Romano pontifici reservat Moreover the synod decrees that those who do not repent within decernens nihilominus quod si infra tres dies collationem vel collationes ipsos vel three days after making these conferrals or placing these obstacles, impedimenta predicta proxime sequentes by fully restoring those whose dignities, offices, administrations, non resipuerint illos quorum dignitates officia administrationes honores et honours and benefices they conferred, or whom they impeded in beneficia contulerint vel quibus alias other ways, as stated above, to all their churches and benefices as impedimenta ut supra prestiterint plenarie ut prius fuerant reintegrando suis ecclesiis they held them before, whether they held them by title, in et beneficiis quibuscumque sive illas aut commendam or in administration; and also each and all of those illa in titulum commendam seu administrationem habuerint eos insuper who presume to accept collation to the aforesaid dignities, offices, omnes et singulos qui dignitatum administrations, honours and benefices, even if they were made officiorum administrationum honorum et beneficiorum predictorum collationes motu proprio, or to take possession of them in person or through etiam motu proprio factas acceptare aut others, or to hold such action as valid; all these persons are possessionem per se vel per alios intrare automatically deprived by law, if they previously had any claim in aut ratas habere presumpserint iure etiam 312 them, of all their other benefices, whether they held them by title, si quod in illis antea sibi competiisset omnibus que aliis suis beneficiis que in in commendam or in administration, and they are rendered titulum commendam vel administrationem perpetually disqualified from them and all other benefices, and tenuerint ipso facto privatos ad illa omnia que alia perpetuo inhabiles fore et per they can be restored and habilitated only by the Roman pontiff. solum Romanum pontificem restitui et habilitari posse. This holy synod, moreover, warns and requires each and all of Monet insuper et requirit hec sancta sinodus omnes et singulos qui in those who are obliged by law or custom to take part in general generalibus conciliis de iure et councils, to come as soon as possible to this present synod at consuetudine interesse tenentur quatenus ad ipsam presentem Ferrariensem Ferrara, which will continue, as noted above, for the speedy synodum ut premittitur continuandam pro attainment of the aforesaid purposes. iis de quibus supra dictum est exequendis quamprimum se conferre procurent. SESSION 31 15 February 1438 [Ecclesiastical penalties against members of the Basel synod] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. The duties of the pastoral office over which we preside by divine Exposcit debitum pastoralis officii cui divina favente clemencia licet mercy, despite our lack of merit, demand that we repress by insufficientibus meritis presidemus ut opportune remedies the nefarious excesses of evil-minded persons, nepharios malignorum excessus illorum presertim qui tranquillum ecclesie statum especially those who, unless prevented, strive to force the peaceful in varias periculosas que nisi obvietur state of the church into various dangerous storms and disturbances procellas et perturbaciones impellere satagunt et Petri naviculam operire and who endeavour to overturn the barque of Peter, and that we moliuntur oportunis remediis reprimamus inflict due retribution for their excesses, lest boasting of their ac ne in sua malicia gloriantes aliis occasionem malignandi prebeant pro malice they give occasion to others to commit mischief. For it is a excessibus per eos commissis debite crime to be slack in punishing crimes that harm many people, as ulcionis penam infligamus. Nam ut canonice continent sanctiones in culpis canonical regulations state. que multorum trahunt iacturam culpa est relaxare vindictam. Thus, the former council of Basel debated the choice of a place for Sane cum in sacro olim Basiliensi concilio de loci electione pro futuro ycumenico the future ecumenical council. Those on whom the power of concilio ageretur et per eos ad quod choosing the place devolved, passed a decree which was accepted potestas eligendi locum erat devoluta factum esset decretum ipsum que by the ambassadors of our most dear son in Christ John, emperor ambassiatores carissimi in christo filii of the Greeks, and of our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of nostri Iohannis imperatoris Grecorum et venerabilis fratris Ioseph patriarche Constantinople. Some persons chose Avignon or another place, but Constantinopolitani ibidem existentes the said ambassadors protested that most assuredly they did not acceptassent ac nonnullis Avinionem vel alium locum nominantibus ad quem want to go there, declaring as certain that the said emperor and prefati oratores nullo modo ire velle patriarch would by no means go to the said sacred council unless protestabantur asserentes pro certo prefatos imperatorem et patriarcham ad we attended in person. Those who asked for Avignon, afraid that dictum concilium nisi personaliter the Greeks certainly would not come to them, dared to concoct a interessemus nullatenus accessuros predicti qui Avinionem petebant veriti certain decree or notorious pamphlet, which they call a monition, Grecos ipsos ad eos nequaquam ituros against us, even though it is null and indeed leads to serious quoddam decretum sive libellum famosum quod monitorium appellant adversus nos scandal and a split in the church, disrupting this holy work of licet nulliter et de facto in grave union with the Greeks. scandalum et scissuram ecclesie in tan que sancti operis unionis videlicet Grecorum perturbacionem conflare In order to preserve the unity of the church and to promote the said ausi sunt nos pro unitate ecclesie conservanda et dicta unione Grecorum union with the Greeks, we, for just, necessary and pressing consequenda predictum Basiliense reasons, with the advice and assent of our venerable brothers the concilium ex iustis racionabilibus necessariis ac urgentibus causis de cardinals of the holy Roman church, and with the advice and consilio et assensu venerabilium fratrum approval of very many of our venerable brothers the archbishops, nostrorum sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalium quamplurimis venerabilibus bishops, beloved chosen sons and abbots who were present at the fratribus nostris archiepiscopis episcopis apostolic see, translated the said council of Basel, by our apostolic et dilectis filiis electis et abbatibus apud sanctam sedem apostolicam existentibus authority and in a fixed manner and form, to the city of Ferrara, id laudantibus et consulentibus ad which is suitable for the Greeks and for us, so that those at Basel civitatem Ferrariensem et Grecis et nobis accommodam sub certis modo et forma ut 313 might duly recoil from their scandalous actions, as is contained at illi a tam scandaloso processu merito resipiscerent apostolica auctoritate greater length in the letter composed for the occasion’ . transtulimus prout in litteris superinde confectis latius continetur. But they, spurning every avenue of peace, persevering in their Ipsi vero omnem viam pacis spernentes et in suo obstinato proposito perseverantes obstinate purpose, scorning the letter of the said translation and et litteras dicte translacionis ac omnia in everything contained in it, and piling evil upon evil, not only eis contenta parvipendentes ac mala malis cumulantes non solum racionabilem rejected our reasonable translation made for the said most just and translacionem nostram ex predictis urgent reasons, as stated above, but even dared with renewed iustissimis et urgentissimis causis ut premittitur factam non acceptarunt sed ut obstinacy to warn us to withdraw the said translation within a fixed infra certum tempus et sub suspensionis time and under pain of suspension. Yet this would have been pena predictam translacionem revocaremus monere iterata temeritate nothing less than to force us to abandon the prosecution of such a sunt ausi. Quod quidem nil aliud erat holy work so much desired by all Christians. quam ut tam sancti operis tam que christianis omnibus optabilis prosecucionem deserere cogeremur. When we realized this, with grief of heart, since we saw that Hiis non sine animi nostri displicentia intellectis cum ea omnia non solum in everything tended to the destruction of the holy task of union and destructionem tam sancti operis sed in to an open split in the church, as was said above, we declared that manifestam ecclesie scissuram ut premittitur tendere videremus the translation had been made by us from necessity, that the translacionem per nos tam necessario conditions attached to it had been regularized, and that the council factam et condiciones in illa appositas purificatas fuisse ac ipsum Ferrariense at Ferrara ought to begin and legitimately continue, as is stated concilium inchoari ac legitimam more fully in another letter of ours . prosequucionem haberi debere prout in aliis nostris litteris plenius continetur declaravimus To open this council at Ferrara we sent our beloved son Nicholas, ad illud que inchoandum dilectum filium nostrum Nicolaum tituli sancte crucis cardinal-priest of the holy Roman church of the title of holy Cross, sancte Romane ecclesie presbyterum legate of us and the apostolic see. cardinalem nostrum ac apostolice sedis legatum destinavimus. This council at Ferrara, legitimately assembled and with many Quod quidem in non parvo prelatorum numero legitime congregatum in publica prelates, solemnly declared in a public session that the said sessione translacionem et declaracionem translation and declaration were and are legitimate, just and predictas legitimas iustas ac racionabiles ac urgenti necessitate ad tollendum reasonable, and were made from urgent necessity so as to remove impedimentum prefate sanctissime an obstacle to the said most holy union between the western and unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie ac eciam ad evitandam scissuram in dei the eastern church and to avoid an impending split in God’s church ecclesia nunc imminentem pro evidenti for the evident benefit of the whole christian commonwealth, as is utilitate tocius reipublice christiane fuisse et esse factas solenniter declaravit prout crystal clear from the decree made about it. ex serie decreti superinde confecti liquido constat. Meanwhile, informed that the aforesaid emperor, patriarch and Interea cerciores facti predictos imperatorem patriarcham et Grecos Greeks were approaching the shores of Italy, under God’s littoribus Italie appropinquare ad hoc guidance we came to this council at Ferrara with the firm intention ipsum sacrum Ferrariense concilium deo duce ea intencione et firmo proposito and purpose of effectively pursuing, with God’s help, not only the venimus ut non solum hoc sancte unionis work of holy union but also the objectives for which the council of opus sed ad illa etiam propter que concilium Basilee fuerat congregatum Basel had assembled. realiter et cum effectu adiuvante domino prosequeremur. In view of all this, our beloved son Julian, cardinal-priest of the Ad que etiam advertens dilectus filius noster Iulianus tituli sancte Sabine title of St Sabina, legate of the apostolic see, strongly urged the presbyter cardinalis apostolice sedis aforesaid people at Basel to withdraw from such flagrant scandals. legatus cum predictos ut a tam manifestis scandalis abstinerent multis validissimis But because of their obstinacy of mind he was without effect. racionibus hortaretur et pro eorum Then, seeing them ready to precipitate still worse scandals in obstinata mente nullatenus exaudiretur sed eos magis ad illa scandala in dei God’s church, he departed so as not to appear to approve their ecclesia perpetranda paratos aspiceret ne impiety. They, for their part, paid no attention to this. Ignorant of illorum impietati assistere videretur inde discessit. Illi vero neque id considerantes how to direct their steps in the way of peace and justice, although et nescientes in semitis pacis et iusticie they were already aware that the Greeks were utterly unwilling to dirigere gressus suos iam que cerciores effecti Grecos nullatenus ad eos accedere come to them and were approaching the shores of Italy, they velle ac littoribus Italie appropinquare in 314 persevered in their hardness of heart. Since they could in no other sua cordis duricia perseverantes cum dictam Grecorum unionem pro qua nobis way prevent and disrupt the union with the Greeks, for which they cum totis viribus ingenio et industria should have been labouring with us with all their strength and laborare ac nobis assistere debuissent aliter impedire et disturbare nequirent mind and assisting us, they added bad to worse and went to such a peiora peioribus adiicientes ad tantum pitch of rashness and insolence that, even though many of the temeritatis et audacie sunt progressi ut nos a papali administracione suspensos envoys of kings and princes who were at Basel execrated so esse plurimis regum et principum wicked a deed and protested against it, they dared to declare with oratoribus qui basilee erant tam nephandum scelus execrantibus et in sacrilegious arrogance that we were suspended from the contrarium protestantibus ausu sacrilego administration of the papacy and to proceed to various other declarare et ad alia plura licet nulliter et things, albeit everything was null. de facto procedere presumpserint. So we, conscious that their excesses are so notorious that they Nos igitur attendentes excessus eorum adeo notorios esse ut non possint aliqua cannot be hidden by any subterfuge, and that error that is not tergiversacione celari quod que error cui resisted appears to be approved and throws wide open to non resistitur approbari videtur et latum pandit delinquentibus sinum qui eorum delinquents a door that no longer guards against their intrusions, conatibus non resistit ac nequeuntes and unable without grave offence to our lord Jesus Christ and his absque gravi offensa domini nostri ihesu christi et ecclesie sue sancte tot et tantos holy church to tolerate further so many grievous excesses which excessus qui presertim sanctam et are seen especially to impede, disrupt and utterly destroy the holy optatissimam unionem Grecorum impedire disturbare et penitus tollere videantur and most desired union with the Greeks, we decree against the ulterius tolerare adversus prefatos in aforesaid remnant at Basel, in virtue of the most High and with the Basilea existentes hoc sancto approbante concilio in virtute altissimi decernimus approval of this holy council, the steps that should be taken with iusticia mediante quantum oporteat justice. procedendum. Hence we decree and declare, after mature deliberation with this Quapropter matura deliberacione cum hac sancta synodo prehabita omnes et holy synod and with its approval, that each and all of those singulos Basilee sub pretensi concilii meeting in Basel, in spite of the aforesaid translation and nomine quod verius conventiculum dici debet contra translacionem et declaration, under the pretended name of a council which more declaracionem predictas convenientes ac accurately should be called a conventicle, and daring to perpetrate tam scandalosa et nepharia presumentes eciamsi cardinalatu patriarchali such scandalous and nefarious deeds, whether they are cardinals, archiepiscopali episcopali abbaciali aut patriarchs archbishops, bishops or abbots or of some other alia quavis dignitate ecclesiastica vel seculari prefulgeant penas ecclesiastical or secular dignity, have already incurred the penalties excommunicacionis privationis dignitatum instanced in our said letter of translation, namely beneficiorum et officiorum inhabilitacionis ad futura in dictis nostris litteris excommunication, privation of dignities and disqualification from translacionis contentas hoc sacro benefices and offices in the future. approbante concilio incidisse decernimus et declaramus. We also decree and declare to be null and void and of no force or Decernentes insuper et declarantes irritum et inane ac nullius roboris vel moment, whatever has been attempted by them in the name of a momenti quicquid per eos tam circa council or otherwise since the day of the translation made by us, or predicta quam contra curiam nostram sequentes vel in sacro Ferrariensi concilio shall be attempted in the future, in respect of the aforesaid matters existentes a die translacionis per nos facte or against those who follow our curia or are at this sacred council sub nomine concilii vel alias attemptatum fuerit vel in posterum quomodolibet at Ferrara. contigerit attemptari. We also command, with the approval of this council, under the Mandantes preterea ipso eciam approbante concilio sub dictis penis et same penalties and censures and in virtue of their oath by which censuris et in virtute prestiti iuramenti quo they are bound to the holy apostolic see, each and all of the sancte sedi apostolice tenentur astricti omnibus et singulis cardinalibus cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, elected persons, abbots patriarchis archiepiscopis episcopis electis and all others of whatsoever condition, status or rank who are et abbatibus et ceteris cuiuscunque condicionis status et gradus existant in meeting in the said city of Basel under the pretext of a council, dicta civitate Basiliensi sub prefato really and effectively to leave the said city within thirty days of the pretextu concilii convenientibus quatinus infra triginta dies a die dati huius decreti date of this decree. We also order the mayor of the citizens, the debeant realiter et cum effectu ab ipsa councillors and the magistrates ruling the city of Basel and the civitate recessisse precipientes quoque magistro civium consulibus scabinis governors and other officials, whatever name they go under, to civitatem Basiliensem regentibus et expel the aforesaid persons who have not left the city within the gubernatoribus ceteris que officialibus said thirty days and really and effectively to eject them. quocunque nomine censeantur quatinus 315 infra predictum triginta dierum terminum predictos non recedentes a civitate prefata expellant et a se realiter et cum effectu abiciant. If they fail to do this within the said thirty days, we decree that Quod si infra predictum terminum facere omiserint omnes et singulos regentes et each and all of the said rulers and officials automatically incur officiales predictos excommunicacionis sentence of excommunication, and the people and the city populum vero et civitatem prefatos ecclesiastici interdicti sententias incurrere automatically incur sentence of ecclesiastical interdict; we decernimus ipso facto quorum specially reserve to ourself absolution from the sentences of absolucionem nisi in mortis articulo interdicti vero relaxacionem nobis excommunication, except at the hour of death, and the lifting of the specialiter reservamus. Omnibus et interdict. We order and command, in virtue of holy obedience and singulis ad quorum noticiam hec pervenerint in virtute sancte obediencie et under pain of excommunication, each and all of those to whom this sub excommunicacionis pena precipimus notice shall come that, if the aforesaid persons meeting in Basel et mandamus ut si predicti in Basilea convenientes cives que ipsi nobis non and the citizens are obstinately disobedient towards us, nobody obedientes fuerint contumaces nullus post should approach the city of Basel after the said thirty days and they dictum terminum ad dictam civitatem Basiliensem accedat sed ipsis denegent should deny them all commerce and all articles needed for human mercimonia et cuncta ad usum hominum use. necessaria. Merchants of all kinds, who have gone to Basel on account of the Mercatores quoque qui causa dicti olim concilii ibi convenerunt cuiuscunque former council, shall depart under the same pain of condicionis existant sub eadem excommunication. If there are some who ignore these orders of excommunicacionis pena inde omnino discedant. Si qui vero hec nostra mandata ours, daring perhaps to convey goods after the time-limit to those contempserint elapso dicto termino at Basel persisting in contumacy, since it is written that the Basiliensibus in contumacia persistentibus aliqua forsan portare presumentes cum righteous plundered the ungodly, such persons may be despoiled scriptum sit: iusti tulerunt spolia impiorum without penalty by any of the faithful and their goods shall be possint tales huiusmodi bonis a quibuscunque christifidelibus impune ceded to the first takers. spoliari bona que ipsa prius capiencium dominio cedant. However, because the church never closes its bosom to returning Verumtamen quia redeuntibus gremium suum nunquam claudit ecclesia si predicti sons, if the said people meeting in Basel, or some of them, repent in Basilea convenientes vel ipsorum aliqui and depart from the said city within the said interval of thirty days infra predictum terminum triginta dierum a die date presencium ut premittitur ad from the date of this present decree, then with the approval of this cor redierint et a dicta civitate recesserint sacred council we remit and fully cancel the aforesaid penalties as predictas penas quoad obedientes predicto sacro concilio approbante for obedient sons and we wish, decree and order that they and their remittimus et plenarie relaxamus eas que consequences are to be regarded as without force from the date of pro infectis ab earum data et quecumque inde secuta haberi volumus decernimus et their imposition, and we supply with the council’s approval for all mandamus supplentes prefato approbante defects, if perhaps there are any in respect of solemnity of the law concilio omnes defectus si qui forsan ex solennitate iuris in premissis vel ex or of omission. Let nobody therefore ... If anyone however ... omissione aliqua intervenissent. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... SESSION 42 9 April 1438 [Eugenius IV and the fathers of the council at Ferrara declare the council at Ferrara to be legitimate and ecumenical] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. It befits us to render thanks to almighty God who, mindful of his Magnas omnipotenti deo gratias referre nos convenit qui antique miserationis sue past mercies, always bestows on his church even richer growth non immemor ecclesiam suam and, although he allows her to be tossed on occasions by the waves fecundioribus semper cumulat incrementis et licet hanc iactari interdum of trials and tribulations, yet never permits her to be submerged but temptationum ac pressurarum fluctibus keeps her safe amid the mountainous waters, so that by his mercy sinat nunquam tamen patitur mergi sed inter undarum moles inviolabilem servat she emerges from the various vicissitudes even stronger than facit que ineffabili clementia sua ut inter before. angustias varias robustior illa semper assurgat. For behold, the western and eastern peoples, who have been Ecce enim occidentales et orientales populi diu ab invicem separati unum separated for long, hasten to enter into a pact of harmony and concordie et unitatis fedus inire festinant et qui a se ipsis longo se dissidio avulsos 316 unity; and those who were justly distressed at the long dissension ut equum erat moleste ferebant post multa tandem secula ipso utique auctore a that kept them apart, at last after many centuries, under the impulse quo omne datum optimum provenit sancte of him from whom every good gift comes, meet together in person unionis desiderio corporaliter hoc in loco conveniunt. in this place out of desire for holy union. We are aware that it is our duty and the duty of the whole church Nostrum autem et totius ecclesie munus est et esse intelligimus viribus omnibus to strain every nerve to ensure that these happy initiatives make eniti ut hec felicia cepta iugi solicitudine progress and have issue through our common care, so that we may felicem progressum exitum que consequantur ut cooperatores dei et esse deserve to be and to be called co-operators with God. et dici mereamur. Finally, our most dear son John Palacologus, emperor of the Denique carissimus filius noster Iohannes Paleologus Romeorum imperator una cum Romans, together with our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of venerabili fratre Ioseph Constantinople, the apocrisiaries of the other patriarchal sees and a Constantinopolitano patriarcha et aliarum patriarchalium sedium apocrisiariis magna great multitude of archbishops, ecclesiastics and nobles arrived at que cum archiepiscoporum et their last port, Venice, on 8 February last. There, the said emperor ecclesiasticorum nobilium que multitudine octava februarii mensis proxime preteriti expressly declared, as he had often done before, that for good Venetias ad ultimum scilicet applicuit reasons he could not go to Basel to celebrate the ecumenical or portum ubi sicut antea sepius fecerat Basileam iustis ex causis ratione universal council, and he intimated this by a letter to those ycumenici seu universalis concilii assembled at Basel. He exhorted and required all of them to go to celebrandi se ire non posse patenter expressit id que Basilee congregatis per Ferrara, which had been chosen for the council, to carry through litteras intimavit exhortans ac requirens the pious task of this holy union. omnes uti Ferrariam ad huiusmodi concilium celebrandum electam pro peragendo tam pio sanctissime huius unionis opere sese transferrent. We have always had this holy union close to our heart and have Nos itaque quibus hec sacratissima unio cordi semper fuit qui que hanc summo sought with all our strength to bring it about. Therefore we intend studio perfici cupimus decretum to carry out with care, as is our duty, the decree of the council of Basiliensis concilii cum Grecis ipsis conventum electionem que loci pro Basel, to which the Greeks agreed, as well as the choice of a place ycumenico celebrando concilio in for the ecumenical council, which was made at the council of Basiliensi synodo factam ac per nos postea Bononie instantibus etiam ipsorum Basel and which was later confirmed by us at Bologna at the imperatoris et patriarche nuntiis urging of the envoys of the said emperor and patriarch, and any confirmatam et queque alia ad ipsum sancte unionis opus spectantia ut est other things pertaining to this work of holy union. officii et debiti nostri exequi diligenter intendimus. Therefore we decree and declare, in every way and form as best we Omni igitur modo et forma quibus melius possumus decernimus et declaramus can, with the assent of the said emperor and patriarch and of all accedente consensu dictorum imperatoris those in the present synod, that there exists a holy universal or et patriarche omnium que in presenti existentium synodo sacram esse ecumenical synod in this city of Ferrara, which is free and safe for universalem seu ycumenicam synodum in all; and therefore it should be deemed and called such a synod by hac Ferrariensi civitate omnibus libera et secura sic que dictam synodum ab all, in which this holy business of union will be conducted without omnibus reputari et appellari debere in any quarrelsome contention but with all charity and, as we hope, qua sine ulla rixosa contentione et pertinacia atque cum omni caritate will be brought by divine favour to a happy conclusion together sacrum hoc unionis negotium tractandum with the other holy tasks for which the synod is known to have et deo propitio ut speramus felici fine claudendum est una cum sanctis operibus been instituted. reliquis ad que peragenda synodus ista noscitur instituta. SESSION 5’ 10 January 1439 [Decree translating the council of Ferrara to Florence] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. It is fitting that the site of an ecumenical council, in which men Decet ycumenici concilii locum ad quem viri electi ex toto christiano orbe chosen from the whole christian world meet together, should be conveniunt talem esse in quo inter alia such that in it, among other human necessities, there should be the hominibus necessaria hoc potissimum sit aeris salubritas ne ob aeris infecti most important of all, namely healthy air. Otherwise, because of contagionem pestiferam quam cuncti the pest-laden contagion of infected air which all people naturally naturaliter metuunt et fugiunt hii qui in concilio presentes sunt abire inde re fear and flee, those present at the council may be forced to depart infecta compellantur absentes vero illuc 317 with nothing accomplished and the absent will refuse to attend. accedere recusent. Expedit profecto eos qui ad res arduas in Assuredly it is right that those who come together at synods to synodis pertractandas confluunt omni alia treat of difficult questions should be free from every anxiety and cura omni que timore vacuos esse ut rebus publicis quiecius liberius que fear, so that they may be able in greater peace and freedom to give intendant. their attention to the matters of public concern. We would, indeed, have preferred that the universal council which Optavissemus quidem ipsum universale concilium quod in hac inchoavimus we initiated in this city should continue here, and that the union of civitate apud eandem continuare et in ea the eastern and western churches should be brought to its happy perfectam orientalis et occidentalis ecclesiarum unionem consummare and desired conclusion in this city, where we initiated it. When the feliciter et ibi finem optatum imponere ubi plague afflicted this city last autumn, pressure was exerted by inicium dedimus et quamquam cum pestis proximo autumno hanc urbem affligeret a some for the transferral of the synod to a non-infected locality. plerisque instancia fieret ut synodus ipsa Nothing was done, however, because it was hoped that the plague ad locum transferretur non infectum quia tamen sicut assolet adveniente hyeme would cease with the advent of winter, as it usually does. illam prorsus cessare sperabatur usque ad hunc diem dilatum exstitit. Since in fact the plague continues from day to day and it is feared Cum vero illa in dies perseveret timeatur que verisimiliter proximo vere atque that it will gain strength when spring and summer come, all judge estate vehemencius invalescere omnes and advise that a move must be made without delay to some non- iudicant consulunt que non modo utile sed necessarium fore ut ad alium hoc morbo infected place. For this and several other good reasons, with the liberum confestim migrandum sit locum agreement of our dear son John Palaeologus, emperor of the quocirca ex hac et aliis nonnullis racionabilibus causis consencientibus Romans, and of our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of carissimo filio nostro Ioanne Paleologo Constantinople, and with the approval of the council: Romeorum imperatore ac venerabili fratre nostro Ioseph patriarcha Constantinopolitano sacro approbante In the name of the Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit, with the full securities and safe-conducts which we gave to all at concilio ipsam ycumenicam seu universalem synodum ab hac civitate the beginning of the sacred council, we transfer and declare to be Ferrariensi ad civitatem Florentinam transferred as from now this ecumenical or universal synod from omnibus manifeste liberam securam pacificam et quietam aeris que salubritate this city of Ferrara to the city of Florence, which is manifestly free letantem et ad quam inter Tirrenum for all, safe, peaceful and tranquil, and enjoying healthy air, and Adriaticum que mare optime situm ab orientalibus et occidentalibus commode which, situated as it is between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas, is accedi potest harum serie in nomine excellently situated for easy access for both easterners and trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus sancti ex nunc transferimus et translatam esse westerners. Let nobody therefore . .. If anyone however . . . decernimus cum hiis plenis securitatibus et salvis conductibus quos inicio sacri concilii cunctis prebuimus. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... SESSION 6 6 July 1439 [Definition of the holy ecumenical synod of Florence] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. With the agreement of our most dear son John Palaeologus, Consentiente ad infrascripta carissimo filio nostro Iohanne Paleologo Romeorum illustrious emperor of the Romans, of the deputies of our imperatore illustri et locatenentibus venerable brothers the patriarchs and of other representatives of the venerabilium fratrum nostrorum patriarcharum et ceteris orientalem eastern church, to the following. ecclesiam repraesentantibus. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice. For, the wall that Letentur caeli et exultet terra. Sublatus est enim de medio paries qui divided the western and the eastern church has been removed, occidentalem orientalem que dividebat peace and harmony have returned, since the corner-stone, Christ, ecclesiam et pax atque concordia rediit illo angulari lapide christo qui fecit utraque who made both one, has joined both sides with a very strong bond unum vinculo fortissimo caritatis et pacis of love and peace, uniting and holding them together in a covenant utrumque iungente parietem et perpetue unitatis federe copulante ac continente of everlasting unity. After a long haze of grief and a dark and post que longam meroris nebulam et unlovely gloom of long-enduring strife, the radiance of hoped-for dissidii diuturni atram ingratam que caliginem serenum omnibus unionis union has illuminated all. optate iubar illuxit. Let mother church also rejoice. For she now beholds her sons Gaudeat et mater ecclesia que filios suos hactenus invicem dissidentes iam videt in 318 hitherto in disagreement returned to unity and peace, and she who unitatem pacem que rediisse et que antea in eorum separatione amarissime flebat hitherto wept at their separation now gives thanks to God with ex ipsorum modo mira concordia cum inexpressible joy at their truly marvellous harmony. Let all the ineffabili gaudio omnipotenti deo gratias referat. Cuncti gratulentur fideles ubique faithful throughout the world, and those who go by the name of per orbem et qui christiano censentur Christian, be glad with mother catholic church. For behold, nomine matri catholice ecclesie colletentur. western and eastern fathers after a very long period of Ecce enim occidentales orientales que disagreement and discord, submitting themselves to the perils of patres post longissimum dissensionis atque discordiae tempus se maris ac sea and land and having endured labours of all kinds, came terrae periculis exponentes omnibus que together in this holy ecumenical council, joyful and eager in their superatis laboribus ad hoc sacrum ycumenicum concilium desiderio desire for this most holy union and to restore intact the ancient sacratissime unionis et antique caritatis love. In no way have they been frustrated in their intent. After a reintegrande gratia leti alacres que convenerunt. long and very toilsome investigation, at last by the clemency of the Et intentione sua nequaquam frustrati holy Spirit they have achieved this greatly desired and most holy sunt. Post longam enim laboriosam que union. Who, then, can adequately thank God for his gracious indaginem tandem spiritus sancti gifts?’ Who would not stand amazed at the riches of such great clementia ipsam optatissimam sanctissimam que unionem consecuti divine mercy? Would not even an iron breast be softened by this sunt. immensity of heavenly condescension? Quis igitur dignas omnipotentis dei beneficiis gratias referre sufficiat. Quis tante divine miserationis divitias non obstupescat. Cuius vel ferreum pectus tanta superne pietatis magnitudo non molliat. These truly are works of God, not devices of human frailty. Hence Sunt ista prorsus divina opera non humane fragilitatis inventa atque ideo they are to be accepted with extraordinary veneration and to be eximia cum veneratione suscipienda et furthered with praises to God. To you praise, to you glory, to you divinis laudibus prosequenda. Tibi laus tibi gloria tibi gratiarum actio thanks, O Christ, source of mercies, who have bestowed so much christe fons misericordiarum qui tantum good on your spouse the catholic church and have manifested your boni sponse tue catholice ecclesie contulisti atque in generatione nostra tue miracles of mercy in our generation, so that all should proclaim pietatis miracula demonstrasti ut enarrent your wonders. Great indeed and divine is the gift that God has omnes mirabilia tua. Magnum siquidem divinum que munus bestowed on us. We have seen with our eyes what many before nobis deus largitus est oculis que vidimus greatly desired yet could not behold. quod ante nos multi cum valde cupierint adspicere nequiverunt. For when Latins and Greeks came together in this holy synod, they Convenientes enim latini ac Greci in hac sacrosancta synodo ycumenica magno all strove that, among other things, the article about the procession studio invicem usi sunt ut inter alia etiam of the holy Spirit should be discussed with the utmost care and articulus ille de divina spiritus sancti processione summa cum diligentia et assiduous investigation. Texts were produced from divine assidua inquisitione discuteretur. scriptures and many authorities of eastern and western holy Prolatis vero testimoniis ex divinis scripturis plurimis que auctoritatibus doctors, some saying the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and sanctorum doctorum orientalium et the Son, others saying the procession is from the Father through occidentalium aliquibus quidem ex patre et filio quibusdam vero ex patre per filium the Son. All were aiming at the same meaning in different words. procedere dicentibus spiritum sanctum et The Greeks asserted that when they claim that the holy Spirit ad eandem intelligentiam aspicientibus omnibus sub diversis vocabulis Greci proceeds from the Father, they do not intend to exclude the Son; quidem asseruerunt quod id quod dicunt but because it seemed to them that the Latins assert that the holy spiritum sanctum ex patre procedere non hac mente proferunt ut excludant filium Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as from two principles sed quia eis videbatur ut aiunt Latinos and two spirations, they refrained from saying that the holy Spirit asserere spiritum sanctum ex patre et filio procedere tanquam ex duobus principiis et proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Latins asserted that duabus spirationibus ideo abstinuerunt a they say the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son not dicendo quod spiritus sanctus ex patre procedat et filio. with the intention of excluding the Father from being the source Latini vero affirmarunt non se hac mente and principle of all deity, that is of the Son and of the holy Spirit, dicere spiritum sanctum ex patre filio que procedere ut excludant patrem quin sit nor to imply that the Son does not receive from the Father, because fons ac principium totius deitatis filii the holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, nor that they posit two scilicet ac spiritus sancti aut quod id quod spiritus sanctus procedit ex filio filius a principles or two spirations; but they assert that there is only one patre non habeat sive quod duo ponant 319 principle and a single spiration of the holy Spirit, as they have esse principia seu duas spirationes sed ut unum tantum asserant esse principium asserted hitherto. Since, then, one and the same meaning resulted unicam que spirationem spiritus sancti from all this, they unanimously agreed and consented to the prout hactenus asseruerunt. Et cum ex his omnibus unus et idem eliciatur veritatis following holy and God-pleasing union, in the same sense and with sensus tandem in infrascriptam sanctam one mind. et deo amabilem eodem sensu eadem que mente unionem unanimiter concordarunt et consenserunt. In the name of the holy Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit, we In nomine igitur sancte trinitatis patris filii et spiritus sancti hoc sacro universali define, with the approval of this holy universal council of approbante Florentino concilio diffinimus Florence, that the following truth of faith shall be believed and ut hec fidei veritas ab omnibus christianis credatur et suscipiatur sic que omnes accepted by all Christians and thus shall all profess it: that the holy profiteantur quod spiritus sanctus ex patre Spirit is eternally from the Father and the Son, and has his essence et filio eternaliter est et essentiam suam suum que esse subsistens habet ex patre and his subsistent being from the Father together with the Son, and simul et filio et ex utroque eternaliter proceeds from both eternally as from one principle and a single tanquam ab uno principio et unica spiratione procedit declarantes quod id spiration. We declare that when holy doctors and fathers say that quod sancti doctores et patres dicunt ex the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son, this bears patre per filium procedere spiritum sanctum ad hanc intelligentiam tendit ut the sense that thereby also the Son should be signified, according per hoc significetur filium quoque esse to the Greeks indeed as cause, and according to the Latins as secundum Grecos quidem causam secundum Latinos vero principium principle of the subsistence of the holy Spirit, just like the Father. subsistentie spiritus sancti sicut et patrem. And since the Father gave to his only-begotten Son in begetting Et quoniam omnia que patris sunt pater ipse unigenito filio suo gignendo dedit him everything the Father has, except to be the Father, so the Son praeter esse patrem hoc ipsum quod has eternally from the Father, by whom he was eternally begotten, spiritus sanctus procedit ex filio ipse filius a patre eternaliter habet a quo etiam this also, namely that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Son. eternaliter genitus est. We define also that the explanation of those words “and from the Diffinimus insuper explicationem verborum illorum filio que veritatis Son” was licitly and reasonably added to the creed for the sake of declarande gratia et imminente tunc declaring the truth and from imminent need. necessitate licite ac rationabiliter symbolo fuisse appositam. Also, the body of Christ is truly confected in both unleavened and Item in azimo sive fermentato pane triticeo corpus christi veraciter confici leavened wheat bread, and priests should confect the body of sacerdotes que in altero ipsum domini Christ in either, that is, each priest according to the custom of his corpus conficere debere unumquemque scilicet iuxta sue ecclesie sive occidentalis western or eastern church. Also, if truly penitent people die in the sive orientalis consuetudinem. love of God before they have made satisfaction for acts and Item si vere penitentes in dei caritate decesserint antequam dignis penitentie omissions by worthy fruits of repentance, their souls are cleansed fructibus de commissis satisfecerint et after death by cleansing pains; and the suffrages of the living omissis eorum animas penis purgatoriis post mortem purgari et ut a penis faithful avail them in giving relief from such pains, that is, huiusmodi releventur prodesse eis sacrifices of masses, prayers, almsgiving and other acts of devotion fidelium vivorum suffragia missarum scilicet sacrificia orationes et elemosinas which have been customarily performed by some of the faithful for et alia pietatis officia que a fidelibus pro others of the faithful in accordance with the church’s ordinances. aliis fidelibus fieri consueverunt secundum ecclesie instituta. Also, the souls of those who have incurred no stain of sin Illorum que animas qui post baptisma susceptum nullam omnino peccati whatsoever after baptism, as well as souls who after incurring the maculam incurrerunt illas etiam que post stain of sin have been cleansed whether in their bodies or outside contractam peccati maculam vel in suis corporibus vel eisdem exute corporibus their bodies, as was stated above, are straightaway received into prout superius dictum est sunt purgate in heaven and clearly behold the triune God as he is, yet one person celum mox recipi et intueri clare ipsum deum trinum et unum sicuti est pro more perfectly than another according to the difference of their meritorum tamen diversitate alium alio merits. But the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal perfectius. Illorum autem animas qui in actuali sin, or in original sin alone, go down straightaway to hell to be mortali peccato vel solo originali decedunt punished, but with unequal pains. We also define that the holy mox in infernum descendere penis tamen disparibus puniendas. apostolic see and the Roman pontiff holds the primacy over the Item diffinimus sanctam apostolicam whole world and the Roman pontiff is the successor of blessed sedem et Romanum pontificem in universum orbem tenere primatum et Peter prince of the apostles, and that he is the true vicar of Christ, ipsum pontificem Romanum successorem 320 the head of the whole church and the father and teacher of all esse beati Petri principis apostolorum et verum christi vicarium totius que ecclesie Christians, and to him was committed in blessed Peter the full caput et omnium christianorum patrem ac power of tending, ruling and governing the whole church, as is doctorem existere et ipsi in beato Petro pascendi regendi ac gubernandi contained also in the acts of ecumenical councils and in the sacred universalem ecclesiam a domino nostro canons. Iesu christo plenam potestatem traditam esse quemadmodum etiam in gestis ycumenicorum conciliorum et in sacris canonibus continetur. Also, renewing the order of the other patriarchs which has been Renovantes insuper ordinem traditum in canonibus ceterorum venerabilium handed down in the canons, the patriarch of Constantinople should patriarcharum ut patriarcha be second after the most holy Roman pontiff, third should be the Constantinopolitanus Secundus sit post sanctissimum Romanum pontificem tertius patriarch of Alexandria, fourth the patriarch of Antioch, and fifth vero Alexandrinus quartus autem the patriarch of Jerusalem, without prejudice to all their privileges Antiochenus et quintus Hierosolymitanus salvis videlicet privilegiis omnibus et and rights. iuribus eorum. SESSION 7 4 September 1439 [Decree of the council of Florence against the synod at Basel] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. Moses, the man of God, was zealous for the well-being of the Moyses vir dei populi sibi commissi salutem zelans timens que ne ob people entrusted to him. He feared that God’s wrath would be seditiosum schisma Chore Dathan et roused against them if they followed Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Abiron ira dei in ipsam populum si illos sequeretur insurgeret iussu domini dixit their seditious schism. Therefore he said to the whole people, at the ad plebem universam: recedite a Lord’s command: depart from the tents of these wicked men and tabernaculis hominum impiorum et nolite tangere que ad eos pertinent ne touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins. For he involvamini in peccatis eorum senserat had perceived, under the Lord’s inspiration, that those seditious enim ipso domino inspirante seditiosos et schismaticos illos ultionem gravissimam and schismatic men would incur a grievous retribution, as was excepturos sicut postmodum rei demonstrated afterwards when even the earth could not bear with monstravit eventus dum nec ipsa terra eos potuit sustinere sed iusto dei iudicio them but by God’s just judgment swallowed them up, so that they illos absorbuit ut descenderent in fell alive into hell. infernum viventes. Similarly we too to whom, though unworthy, the lord Jesus Christ Sic et nos quibus licet immeritis dominus Ihesus christus populum suum committere has deigned to entrust his people, as we hear of the abominable dignatus est audientes illud execrabile crime that certain wicked men dwelling in Basel have plotted in scelus quod quidam perditi homines Basilee commorantes ad scindendam these days so as to breach the unity of holy church, and since we sancte ecclesie unitatem proximis diebus fear that they may seduce some of the unwary by their deceits and machinati sunt metuentes que ne quos incautos seducant fraudibus et venenis inject them with their poisons, are forced to proclaim in like words inficiant ad ipsum domini nostri Ihesu to the people of our lord Jesus Christ entrusted to us, depart from christi populum nobis creditum clamare pari voce compellimur: recedite a the tents of these wicked men, particularly since the christian tabernaculis hominum impiorum maxime people is far more numerous than the Jewish people of those days, cum longe amplior sit plebs christiana quam illa tunc iudeorum ecclesia sanctior the church is holier than the synagogue, and the vicar of Christ is quam synagoga et christi vicarius ipso superior in authority and status even to Moses. Moyse auctoritate et dignitate superior. This impiety of those at Basel we began to foresee long ago, when Quam Basiliensium impietatem dudum previdere cepimus quandoquidem illud we observed the council of Basel already lapsing into tyranny; tunc Basiliense concilium intuebamur iam when many, including those of lower status, were forced to go to it in tyrannidem prolabi dum multi etiam inferioris gradus ad illud tunc veniendum and to stay at the whim of that faction of agitators; when the votes standum que pro libito factionis auctorum and decisions of some of them were being extorted by various cogerentur dum nonnullorum vota et iudicia diversis artibus extorquerentur alii tricks and others were being suborned by lies and deceits, as they mendaciis et fraudibus seducerentur dum abandoned almost everything to conspiracies, cabals, monopolies conspirationibus coniurationibus monopoliis et conventiculis pene omnia and cliques, and from a long-standing rivalry with the papacy cederent et pro ambitione papatus sought to prolong the duration of the council; when, finally, diuturna protractio eius concilii querebatur ubi denique innumere novitates innumerable novelties, irregularities, deformities and ills were inordinationes deformitates et quasi perpetrated, to which there concurred even clerics in lower orders, infinita patrabantur mala ad que etiam clerici infra sacros ordines constituti 321 the ignorant and inexperienced, vagabonds, quarrellers, fugitives, ignorantes inexperti vagi discoli profugi apostate de criminibus condemnati et de apostates, condemned criminals, escapees from prison, those in carceribus fugientes nobis et suis rebellion against us and their own superiors, and other such human superioribus rebelles et reliqua istiusmodi hominum monstra concurrerent qui ab monsters, who brought with them every stain of corruption from ipsis scelerum magistris omnem those teachers of evil-doing. corruptionis labem trahebant. We directed our attention also to that most holy work of union Advertimus etiam ad illud sanctissimum opus unionis orientalis ecclesie quod per with the eastern church, which seemed to us to be greatly quorundam factiosorum fraudem omnino endangered by the deceit of certain factious persons, and we periclitari videbamus et idcirco tantis malis quantum in nobis erat providere wished to provide as best we could for so many evils. For these cupientes ex predictis et aliis and other just and necessary reasons which are stated in full in the rationabilibus et necessariis causis de quibus in decreto translationis plene decree of translation, with the advice of our venerable brothers the continetur prefatum tunc Basiliense cardinals of the holy Roman church, and with the approval of very concilium de venerabilium fratrum nostrorum sancte Romane ecclesie many venerable brothers and sons, archbishops, bishops, elected cardinalium consilio plurimis venerabilibus persons, abbots and other prelates of churches, masters and fratribus et dilectis filiis archiepiscopis episcopis electis abbatibus et aliis doctors, we transferred the aforesaid council of Basel to this city of ecclesiarum prelatis ac magistris et Ferrara, where we established with the Lord’s help an ecumenical doctoribus id laudantibus ad civitatem Ferrariensem transtulimus ubi etiam cum council of the western and the eastern church. occidentali et orientali ecclesia concilium ycumenicum domino disponente fundavimus. Afterwards, when the plague came and continued unabated, under Deinde morbo pestis superveniente et continuante ad hanc civitatem the inspiration of grace and with the approval of the same holy Florentinam eius gratia annuente eodem council, we transferred the council to this city of Florence. Here sacro concilio approbante transtulimus in quo ipse piissimus et clementissimus deus the most gracious and merciful God showed his wonders. For, the ostendit mirabilia sua ut scilicet schisma most disastrous schism, which had endured in God’s church for illud pernitiosissimum quod in dei ecclesia per quingentos fere annos cum maximo almost five hundred years to the immense harm of the whole of tocius christianitatis detrimento duraverat Christianity, and for the elimination of which very many of our et ad illud extirpandum plurimi sancti Romani pontifices predecessores nostri predecessors as Roman pontiffs and many kings and princes and multi que reges et principes et alii other Christians in past times had laboured very hard, at last, after christiani magnis olim laboribus et impensis durissime insudarunt post multas public and private discussions in both places and many other tandem in utroque loco disputationes labours, was removed and the most holy union of the Greeks and publicas et privatas diversos tractatus et labores multiplices sublatum fuerit et the Latins was happily achieved, as is described more fully in the sanctissima Latinorum et Grecorum unio decree about this which was drawn up and solemnly promulgated. feliciter consummata prout in decreto superinde confecto et solemniter promulgato plenius continetur. Returning fervent thanks for this to the eternal God and sharing our Ex qua re ipsi eterno deo inexhaustas gratias referentes omni que fideli populo joy with all the faithful, we offered to God a sacrifice of jubilation congratulantes obtulimus illi hostiam and praise. For we saw that not just one nation like the Hebrew iubilationis et laudis. Vidimus enim non gentem unam veluti hebreorum populum people was being summoned to the promised land, but peoples of ad terram promissionis evocari sed many races, nations and tongues were hastening to the one multarum gentium populos nationes et linguas ad unum divine veritatis eloquium utterance and merit of the divine truth. Through this, great hope is meritum que concurrere per quod etiam forthcoming that the sun of justice, rising in the east, will spread iam magna spes redditur ut ipse sol iusticie in oriente oriens ad aliarum the beams of its light to pierce the darkness of many other races, multarum gentium etiam infidelium even of infidels, and the salvation of the Lord may reach to the tenebras radios sue lucis extendat fiat que ends of the earth. salus domini usque ad extremum terre. Already indeed, by God’s providence, we have excellent pledges Cuius quidem rei iam optimas arras deo disponente tenemus dum ipse omnipotens of this. For almighty God has granted that, by our means, deus per operam nostram Armenorum representatives of the Armenians with full powers have recently oratores ex longissimis septentrionis partibus ad nos et apostolicam sedem et come from most distant northern parts to us and the apostolic see sacrum hoc concilium hiis diebus cum and to this holy council. They regard and venerate us as no other pleno mandato pervenire concessit qui nos non aliter quam beatum Petrum than blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, they recognize the holy apostolorum principem intuentes ac see as mother and mistress of all the faithful, and they profess that venerantes ipsam que sanctam sedem veluti matrem omnium fidelium et 322 they have come to the holy see and to the aforesaid council for magistram recognoscentes ad eam et prefatum concilium pro spirituali cibo et spiritual food and the truth of sound doctrine. For this too we have sane doctrine veritate se venisse professi given many thanks to our God. sunt. But the mind recoils from recording what troubles, attacks and Ob quam rem deo nostro iterum gratias multas retulimus. persecutions we have suffered in the course of this divine Sed quas in prefato divino opere molestias undertaking until now, not indeed from Turks or Saracens but from quas impugnationes quas denique persecutiones non quidem a Teuchris aut those who call themselves Christians. Blessed Jerome reports that Sarracenis sed a vocatis christianis from the time of Hadrian until the reign of Constantine there was hucusque passi fuerimus horret animus commemorare. set up and worshipped by the pagans at the place of the Lord’s Refert beatus Hieronymus quod ab resurrection an image of Jupiter and on the rock of the crucifixion Hadriani temporibus usque ad imperium Constantini in loco resurrectionis dominice a marble statue of Venus, since the authors of persecution thought simulacrum Iovis et in crucis rupe statua that they could take away from us our faith in the resurrection and Veneris ex marmore a gentibus posita colebatur existimantibus persecutionis the cross if they polluted the holy places with their idols. auctoribus tollere nobis fidem resurrectionis et crucis si sancta loca per ydola polluissent. Much the same has happened in these days against us and the Non dissimile a Basiliensibus illis hominibus perditissimis nobis et ecclesie church of God, at the hands of those desperate men at Basel, dei hiis diebus fieri contigit nisi quod illud except that what was then done by pagans ignorant of the true God a paganis et verum deum ignorantibus factum est hoc ab hiis qui cognoverunt et is now the work of men who have known him and hated him Their oderunt et idcirco superbia eorum iuxta pride, then, according to the prophet, is ever rising, all the more prophetam ascendit semper in eo periculosius quod sub reformationis specie dangerously in that it is under the cloak of reform, which in truth quam in se semper horruerunt venena they have always abhorred, that they spread their poisons. diffundunt. In the first place, those who were the authors of all the scandals in Primum quidem postquam hii qui omnis scandali patratores Basilee fuerunt Grecis Basel have failed in their promises to the Greeks. For they knew in promissione defecerant cum per from the envoys of the Greeks and the eastern church that our most ipsorum Grecorum et ecclesie orientalis oratores plane intelligerent carissimum in dear son in Christ John Palaeologus, illustrious emperor of the christo filium nostrum Iohannem Romans, and Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople of happy Paleologum Romeorum imperatorem illustrem et bone memorie Ioseph memory, and the other prelates and persons of the eastern church Constantinopolitanum patriarcham wished to proceed to the place which had been legally chosen for reliquos que tam prelatos quam alios orientalis ecclesie ad locum pro the ecumenical council by our legates and presidents and other ycumenico celebrando concilio per nostros notable persons present there, whose right it was to choose the site legatos et presidentes alios que ex prestantioribus ibidem existentibus ad in accordance with the agreement which had been approved by the quos ius eligendi locum iuxta common consent of the council after serious disagreements among conventionem communi eiusdem concilii consensu firmatam post graves its members. Whereupon we, for our part, confirmed the choice of suppositorum eius dissensiones place in a general consistory at Bologna and we sent to devolutum erat legitime electum accedere velle cum que etiam nos hanc ipsam loci Constantinople, at great labour and expense, the galleys and other electionem ad supplicationem et things necessary for this holy work of union. instantiam maximam dictorum oratorum in generali consistorio Bononie confirmasse ac galeas et alia necessaria pro huius sanctissime unionis opere multis laboribus et impensis versus Constantinopolim When they learnt of this, they dared to decree against us and the destinare percepissent quoddam detestabile monitorium seu citatorium quo aforesaid cardinals a detestable admonition or citation, so as to sanctum hoc opus interciperent contra nos block the holy work, [and to send it to the aforesaid emperor and et prefatos cardinales decernere ausi sunt [illud que ad prefatos imperatorem et patriarch of Constantinople, so that they and all others] might be patriarcham Constantinopolim mittere ut deterred from coming. Yet they knew full well that there was no ipsos et omnes alios] omnino a veniendo diverterent. chance of them going to any place other than the one which had been chosen for the site, as stated above. Then, when they realized that the aforesaid emperor and patriarch Sciebant enim illos ad alium locum quam electum ut premittitur nullo pacto and others were already on their way to us for this work of holy venturos. union, they tried to lay another wicked snare to catch this divine Deinde cum predictos imperatorem et patriarcham ac reliquos pro ipso 323 project. That is, they produced against us a sacrilegious sentence of sanctissime unionis opere ad nos iam venire percepissent alium impietatis suspension from the administration of the papacy. Finally, those laqueum huic tam divine rei iniicere sunt leaders of scandal, very few in number, most of them of the lowest conati dum quandam sacrilegam suspensionis ab administratione papatus rank and reputation, in their intense hatred of true peace, piling assertam sententiam contra nos iniquity on top of iniquity lest they should enter into the justice of protulerunt. Postremo memorati scandalorum duces numero quidem the Lord, when they saw that the grace of the holy Spirit was paucissimi quorum plerique conditionis working in us towards union with the Greeks, swerving away from infime et nominis vere pacis odiosissimi iniquitatem super iniquitatem apponentes the straight line into paths of error, held a so-called session on 16 ut non intrarent in iusticiam domini dum May last asserting that they were obeying certain decrees, although spiritus sancti gratiam pro ipsorum Grecorum unione iam in nobis operari these were passed at Constance by only one of the three conspicerent a recta linea per anfractus obediences after the flight of John XXIII, as he was called in that erroris exhorbitantes pretensam quandam decimoseptimo kal(endas) iunii proxime one obedience, at a time of schism. preteriti sessionem fecerunt in quibusdam decretis licet per unam tantum ex tribus obedientiis post recessum Iohannis xxiii sic in eadem obedientia nuncupati Constancie schismate tunc vigente editis inherere Alleging obedience to those decrees, they proclaimed three se dicentes tres propositiones quas fidei veritates vocant quasi nos et omnes propositions which they term truths of the faith, seemingly to make principes ac prelatos et alios fideles et heretics of us and all princes and prelates and other faithful and devotos apostolice sedis hereticos facerent protulerunt quarum tenor devout adherents of the apostolic see. The propositions are the sequitur in haec verba: veritas de following. potestate concilii generalis universalem ecclesiam representantis supra papam et quemlibet alterum declarata per Constanciense et hoc Basiliense generalia concilia est veritas fidei catholice. “The truth about the authority of a general council, representing Veritas hec quod papa concilium generale universalem ecclesiam representans actu the universal church, over a pope and anyone else whatsoever, legitime congregatum super declaratis in declared by the general councils of Constance and this one of prefata veritate aut aliquo eorum sine eius consensu nullatenus auctoritate potest Basel, is a truth of the catholic faith. The truth that a pope cannot dissolvere aut ad aliud tempus prorogare by any authority, without its consent, dissolve a general council aut de loco ad locum transferre est veritas fidei catholice. representing the universal church, legitimately assembled for the Veritatibus predictis pertinaciter reasons given in the above-mentioned truth or for any of them, or repugnans est censendus hereticus. prorogue it to another time or transfer it from place to place, is a truth of the catholic faith. Anyone who persists in opposing the aforesaid truths is to be considered a heretic.” In this, those utterly pernicious men, masking their malice with the In hoc perniciosissimi dum suam malignitatem sub veritatis fidei fuco rosy colour of a truth of the faith, gave to the council of Constance colorant Constanciense concilium in an evil and mischievous meaning completely opposed to its true malum ac reprobum sensum et a sua doctrina penitus alienum pertrahunt teaching, imitating in this the teaching of other schismatics and ceterorum schismaticorum et hereticorum heretics who always amass for their support fabricated errors and doctrinam sequentes qui confictos errores et impia dogmata ex divinis scripturis et impious dogmas drawn from their perverse interpretation of the sanctis patribus perverse intellectis divine scriptures and the holy fathers. semper sibi astruere moliuntur. Finally, completely perverting their mind and turning away their Denique avertentes penitus sensum suum et declinantes oculos suos ne viderent eyes from looking to heaven or remembering righteous judgments, celum neque recordarentur iudiciorum after the manner of Dioscorus and the infamous synod of Ephesus, iustorum more Dioscori et damnate Ephesine synodi ad quandam venenatam they proceeded to a declaratory sentence of deprivation, as they execrabilem que asserte declarationis seu claimed, from the dignity and office of the supreme apostolate, a privationis sententiam a dignitate et officio summi apostolatus inexpiabili poisonous and execrable pronouncement involving an unforgivable quodam scelere processerunt cuius crime. Here we will take the tenor of that sentence, abhorrent to tenorem omni pie menti horribilem haberi hic volumus pro sufficienter expresso every pious mind, as sufficiently expressed. They omitted nothing, nichil omittentes quantum in eis fuit quin as far as was in their power, that might overthrow this hoc incomparabile unionis bonum in totum incomparable good of union. everterent. 324 O miserable and degenerate sons! O wicked and adulterous O miseros et degeneres filios. O pravam et adulteram generationem. generation! What could be more cruel than this impiety and Quid hac impietate et iniquitate crudelius. iniquity? Can anything more detestable, more dreadful and more Quid detestabilius horribilius atque insanius excogitari poterat. mad be imagined? Earlier on they were the ones who said that Dixerant olim nichil melius nichil gloriosius nothing better, nothing more glorious and fruitful had ever been atque fructuosius hac sanctissima unione ab exordio nascentis ecclesie in populo seen or heard of in the christian people, from the very birth of the christiano visum vel auditum fuisse neque church, than this most holy union, and that to further it there expedire in re illa de loco contendendum fore sed pro ea consequenda nedum huius should be no contention about the place, but rather to achieve it the mundi substantiam sed et corpus atque wealth of this world as well as body and soul should be hazarded, animam exponi debere pro hoc toto orbe clamantes et ad id commoventes populum proclaiming this aloud to the whole world and urging the christian christianum velut in suis decretis et people to it, as their decrees and letters fully state. But now they epistolis plene continetur nunc vero tam furiose tam impie quantum in eis est persecute exactly this as furiously and as impiously as they can, so ittidem persequuntur ut ad illud Basiliense that the devils of the entire world seem to have flocked together to latrocinium tocius orbis demonia that conventicle of brigands at Basel. confluisse videantur. So far almighty God has not allowed their iniquity and its lying Et licet illorum iniquitatem sibi semper mentitam omnipotens deus hucusque inconsistencies to prevail. But seeing that they are striving with all prevalere non permiserit cum tamen ad their strength to bring it to success, even to the point of setting up eam complendam usque ad abhominationem desolationis in dei the abomination of desolation in God’s church, we can in no way ecclesia viribus omnibus studeant nos qui pretend to ignore these things without most serious offence to God sine gravissima dei offensa et imminenti periculo confusionis et abhominationis in and imminent danger of confusion and abomination in God’s dei ecclesia talia dissimulare nullo modo church. In keeping with our pastoral office, at the urging of many valemus iuxta pastoralis officii nostri debitum multis etiam zelo dei succensis who are fired with zeal for God, we wish to put a stop to such evils nos ad hoc ipsum impellentibus tantis and, as far as we can, to take appropriate and salutary measures to malis obviare volentes ac quantum in nobis est oportune et salubriter providere eliminate from God’s church this execrable impiety and most execrabilem que impietatem ac pestem destructive pestilence. pernitiosissimam a dei ecclesia eliminare Following in the steps of our predecessors who, as Pope Nicholas predecessorum nostrorum sequentes vestigia qui ut scribit sancte memorie of holy memory writes, were accustomed to annul councils which Nicolaus papa soliti sunt concilia etiam had been conducted improperly, even those of universal pontiffs, universorum pontificum nequiter celebrata cassare sicut in universali contigit synodo as occurred at the second universal synod at Ephesus, inasmuch as Ephesina secunda quam beatissimus Leo the blessed pope Leo summoned it but later established the council papa summovit et Chalcedonensem instituit of Chalcedon. We renew by our apostolic authority, with the approval of this holy solenne et salubre declarationis decretum contra sacrilegos illos auctoritate council of Florence, the solemn and salutary decree against those apostolica in sacro Ferrariensi generali sacrilegious men, which was issued by us in the sacred general concilio quinto decimo kal(endas) marcii per nos editum hoc sacro Florentino council of Ferrara on 15 February. By that decree we declared concilio approbante innovamus per quod among other things, with the approval of the said sacred council of quidem inter alia omnes et singulos Basilee sub pretensi concilii nomine quod Ferrara, that each and every person at Basel who, in the name of a verius conventiculum esse diximus contra pretended council which we called more accurately a conventicle, translationem et declarationem nostras contravenientes et illa scandalosa et dared to perpetrate those scandalous and wicked deeds in nefaria presumentes etiamsi cardinalatus contravention of our translation and declaration, whether they are patriarchali archiepiscopali episcopali abbatiali aut aliqua quavis dignitate cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, abbots or of some other ecclesiastica vel seculari prefulgerent ecclesiastical or secular dignity, has incurred the penalties of excommunicationis privationis dignitatum beneficiorum et officiorum ac excommunication, privation of dignities, benefices and offices and inhabilitationis ad futura penas in dictis disqualification for the future, which are instanced in our letter of nostris litteris translationis contentas translation. Now we decree and declare again that all the things done or ipso sacro Ferrariensi approbante concilio incidisse declaravimus decernentes etiam attempted by those impious men presently in Basel, which were nunc ac declarantes quecumque per mentioned in our said decree of Ferrara, and each and all of the dictos impios homines Basilee existentes facta et attemptata de quibus in prefato things done, performed or attempted by the same men since then, nostro Ferrariensi decreto fit mentio especially in the two so-called sessions or rather conspiracies similiter omnia et singula per predictos ex post facta gesta et attemptata specialiter 325 which have just been mentioned, and whatever may have followed in duabus pretensis sessionibus seu verius conspirationibus ultimo nominatis ac from these things or from any of them, or may follow in the future, quidquid ex eis vel ab ea forsan secutum as coming from impious men who have no authority and have been sit et in futurum sequi posset tanquam ab impiis hominibus et nullam potestatem rejected and reprobated by God, were and are null, quashed, habentibus sed a deo eiectis et reprobatis invalid, presumptuous and of no effect, force or moment. fuisse et esse nulla cassa et irrita With the approval of the sacred council we condemn and reject, ut de facto presumpta ac nullis penitus effectus roboris vel momenti ipsas que and we proclaim as condemned and rejected, those propositions propositiones superius descriptas iuxta quoted above as understood in the perverse sense of the men at pravum ipsorum basiliensium intellectum quem facto demonstrant veluti sano sacre Basel, which they demonstrate by their deeds, as contrary to the scripture et sanctorum patrum et ipsius sound sense of sacred scripture, the holy fathers and the council of Constanciensis concilii sensui contrarium necnon prefatam assertam declarationis Constance itself; and likewise the aforesaid so-called sentence of seu privationis sententiam cum omnibus declaration or deprivation, with all its present and future inde secutis et que in futurum sequi possent tanquam impias et scandalosas consequences, as impious and scandalous and tending to open necnon in manifestam dei ecclesie schism in God’s church and to the confusion of all ecclesiastical scissuram ac omnis ecclesiastici ordinis et christiani principatus confusionem order and christian government. tendentes ipso sacro approbante concilio damnamus et reprobamus ac damnatas et reprobatas nunciamus. Also, we decree and declare that all of the aforesaid persons have Decernimus etiam et declaramus omnes et singulos predictos fuisse et esse been and are schismatics and heretics, And that as such they are schismaticos et hereticos et ultra penas in assuredly to be punished with suitable penalties over and above the prefato Ferrariensi concilio declaratas tanquam tales cum omnibus eorum penalties imposed at the aforesaid council of Ferrara, together with fautoribus vel defensoribus cuiuscunque all their supporters and abettors, of whatever ecclesiastical or status conditionis et gradus ecclesiastici vel secularis extiterint etiam si secular status, condition or rank they may be, even cardinals, cardinalatus patriarchali archiepiscopali patriarchs, archbishops, bishops or abbots or those of any other episcopali abbatiali aut alia quavis dignitate prefulgeant ut cum predictis dignity, so that they may receive their deserts with the aforesaid Chore Datan et Abiron meritam accipiant Korah, Dathan and Abiram Let nobody therefore ... If anyone portionem penis condignis omnino puniendos. however ... Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... SESSION 8 22 November 1439 [Bull of union with the Armenians] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. All people everywhere who go by the name of Christian: Exultate deo adiutori nostro iubilate deo Exult in God our helper, rejoice in the God of Jacob. Behold the Iacob omnes ubique qui nomine censemini christiano. Lord once again, mindful of his mercy had deigned to remove Ecce enim iterum dominus recordatus from his church another stumbling block which has endured for misericordie sue alium dissidii lapidem noningentis et amplius inveteratum annis more than nine centuries. He who makes peace in the heavens and de ecclesia sua auferre dignatus est. is peace on earth for people of good will, has granted in his Et qui facit concordiam in sublimibus et in terra pax est hominibus bone voluntatis inexpressible mercy that most desired union with the Armenians. optatissimam Armenorum unionem sua Blessed be the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, the father ineffabili miseratione concessit. Benedictus deus et pater domini nostri of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our Ihesu christi pater misericordiarum et tribulation. For the most merciful Lord, seeing his church buffeted deus totius consolationis qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra. about by strong whirlwinds, some times at the hands of those who Intuens namque piissimus dominus are outside, at other times at the hands of those within, deigns in ecclesiam suam modo ab his qui foris sunt modo ab his qui intra non parvis agitari many ways every day to console and strengthen her so that she turbinibus ut inter ipsas respirare may be able to breathe freely in the midst of her troubles and to angustias et ad resistendum fortiores essurgere valeat multis eam quotidie rise more robust to resist. modis consolari et roborare dignatur.

326 Some time ago God established that great union with the Greeks, Nam et pridem magnam illam Grecorum unionem multas longe late que who include many races and tongues spread far and wide. Today continentium nationes et linguas hodie God has confirmed in the same bond of faith and charity with the vero hanc ipsam Armenici populi qui per septentrionem et orientem in magna copia apostolic see this union with the Armenians, who are a very diffusus est in eodem fidei et caritatis numerous people spread over the north and east. These indeed are vinculo cum sede apostolica stabilivit. Hec profecto tam magna et mira sunt such great and wondrous benefactions of divine providence that divine pietatis beneficia ut non solum pro the human mind cannot render worthy thanks for either of them, utroque sed ne quidem pro altero satis dignas sue maiestati referre gratias possit still less for both together. intellectus humanus. Who would not be overwhelmed with admiration at the Quis non vehementer admiretur uno eodem que tam brevi tempore duo sic preclara et achievement in this council, within so short a time, of two such tot seculis desiderata opera in hoc sacro brilliant feats which have been longed for over centuries ? Truly concilio fuisse tam feliciter consummata. Vere a domino factum est istud et est this is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful in our eyes. For how mirabile in oculis nostris. could human prudence or diligence have brought to completion Que enim hominum prudentia vel industria nisi gratia dei et cepisset et perfecisset has such great exploits as these are, unless the favour of God had given tales ac tantas res explere potuisset. them their beginning and end? Let us, then, together and with all our hearts bless the Lord who Laudemus iugiter et toto corde benedicamus dominum qui facit mirabilia alone does great wonders, let us sing with the spirit, let us sing magna solus ipsi que psallamus spiritu with our minds and our mouths and let us give thanks in deeds, as psallamus et mente ore que et opere quantum sinit humana fragilitas pro tantis far as human weakness allows, for such great gifts. Let us pray and muneribus gratias agamus orantes et beseech that, as the Greeks and the Armenians have been made one obsecrantes ut quemadmodum ipsi Greci atque Armeni unum cum ecclesia Romana with the Roman church, so also may other nations be, especially effecti sunt ita fiant et cetere nationes those signed with the seal of Christ, and that finally the whole presertim christi caractere insignite et totus denique populus christianus omnibus odiis christian people, after all hatreds and wars have been extinguished, bellis que extinctis mutua invicem pace ac may rest and rejoice together in mutual peace and brotherly love. fraterna caritate quiescat et gaudeat. Rightly we hold that the Armenians deserve great praise. As soon Ipsos autem Armenos magnis laudum preconiis dignos esse merito censemus. as they were invited by us to this synod, in their eagerness for Ut primum enim a nobis ad synodum ecclesiastical unity, at the cost of many labours and much toil and accersiti sunt tanquam ecclesiastice avidi unitatis spectabiles devotos et doctos perils at sea, they sent to us and this council from very distant oratores suos cum sufficienti mandato de parts, their notable, dedicated and learned envoys with sufficient suspiciendo videlicet quicquid spiritus sanctus hanc sanctam synodum powers to accept, namely whatever the holy Spirit should inspire illustraverit ex remotissimis regionibus per this holy synod to achieve. multos labores maris que pericula ad nos et hoc sacrum concilium destinarunt. We, for our part, with all our attention as befits our pastoral office Nos vero tota mente ut nostrum pastorale decebat officium cupientes tam sanctum and desiring to bring this holy work to a successful conclusion, perficere opus sepe cum ipsis oratoribus frequently conversed with their envoys about this holy union. To de hac sancta unione contulimus. Et ne vel parva huic sancte rei dilatio avoid even the slightest delay in this holy project, we nominated fieret deputavimus de omni statu huius from every rank of this sacred council experts in divine and human sacri concilii viros iuris divini et humani doctissimos qui cum omni cura studio que law to treat of the matter with the envoys with all care, study and et diligentia rem istam cum ipsis diligence, closely inquiring of them about their faith in respect of pertractarunt oratoribus ab eis accurate inquirentes eorum fidem tam circa divine the unity of the divine essence and the Trinity of divine persons, unitatem essentie et divinarum also about the humanity of our lord Jesus Christ, the seven personarum trinitatem quam domini nostri Ihesu christi humanitatem et septem sacraments of the church and other points concerning the orthodox ecclesie sacramenta et alia ad fidem faith and the rites of the universal church. orthodoxam et ritus universalis ecclesie pertinentia. So, after many debates, conferences and disputations, after a Multis itaque adhibitis disputationibus collationibus et tractatibus post que non thorough examination of the written authorities which were mediocrem testimoniorum inspectionem produced from fathers and doctors of the church, and after que ex sanctis ecclesie patribus et doctoribus deducta sunt et earum de discussion of the questions at issue, at length, so that in future quibus agebatur rerum discussionem there could be no doubt about the truth of the faith of the tandem expedire iudicavimus ne ulla in futurum de fidei veritate apud ipsos Armenians and that they should think in every way like the Armenos hesitatio esse valeat atque idem per omnia sapiant cum sede apostolica 327 apostolic see and that the union should be stable and lasting with unio que ipsa stabilis ac perpetua sine ullo scrupulo perseveret ut sub quodam brevi no cause for hesitation whatsoever we judged it advantageous, compendio orthodoxe fidei veritatem with the approval of this sacred council of Florence and the quam super premissis Romana profitetur ecclesia per hoc decretum sacro hoc agreement of the said envoys, to give in this decree a summary of approbante Florentino concilio ipsis the truth of the orthodox faith that the Roman church professes oratoribus ad hoc etiam consentientibus traderemus. about the above. In the first place, then, we give them the holy creed issued by the Imprimis ergo damus eis sanctum symbolum a centum quinquaginta hundred and fifty bishops in the ecumenical council of episcopis in ycumenico Constantinople, with the added phrase and the Son, which for the Constantinopolitano concilio editum cum illa additione filio que ipsi symbolo sake of declaring the truth and from urgent necessity was licitly declarande veritatis gratia et urgente and reasonably added to that creed, which runs as follows: I necessitate licite ac rationabiliter apposita cuius tenor talis est: credo .... Hoc autem believe . . . I We decree that this holy creed should be sung or read sanctum symbolum sicut apud latinos mos within the mass at least on Sundays and greater feasts, as is the est ita decernimus per omnes Armenorum ecclesias intra missarum solennia singulis Latin custom, in all Armenian churches. saltem diebus dominicis et maioribus festivitatibus decantari vel legi. In the second place, we give them the definition of the fourth Secundo tradimus eis diffinitionem quarti concilii Calcedonensis in quinto postea et council of Chalcedon about two natures in the one person of sexto universalibus conciliis renovatam de Christ, which was later renewed in the fifth and sixth universal duabus naturis in una christi persona cuius tenor talis est: sufficeret .... councils. It runs as follows: This wise and saving creed ... Thirdly, Tertio diffinitionem de duabus the definition about the two wills and two principles of action of voluntatibus duabus que christi operationibus in predicto sexto concilio Christ promulgated in the above-mentioned sixth council, the tenor promulgatam cuius tenor est: sufficeret of which is This pious and orthodox creed, and the rest which quidem et reliqua que in ipsa diffinitione concilii Calcedonensis superius enarrata follows in the above-mentioned definition of the council of sequuntur usque ad finem post quem Chalcedon until the end, after which it continues thus: And we sequitur in hunc modum: et duas .... proclaim Fourth, apart from the three synods of Nicaea, Constantinople and Quarto quoniam hactenus ipsi Armeni preter has tres Nicenam the first of Ephesus, the Armenians have accepted no other later Constantinopolitanam et Ephesinam universal synods nor the most blessed Leo, bishop of this holy see, primam synodos nullas alias universales postea celebratas nec ipsum beatissimum by whose authority the council of Chalcedon met. For they claim huius sancte sedis antistitem Leonem that it was proposed to them that both the synod of Chalcedon and cuius auctoritate ipsa Calcedonensis synodus extitit congregata susceperunt the said Leo had made the definition in accordance with the asserentes eisdem fuisse suggestum tam condemned heresy of Nestorius. So we instructed them and synodum ipsam Calcedonensem quam memoratum Leonem secundum declared that such a suggestion was false and that the synod of damnatam Nestorii heresim diffinitionem Chalcedon and blessed Leo holily and rightly defined the truth of fecisse instruximus eos et declaravimus huiusmodi falsam fuisse suggestionem two natures in the one person of Christ, described above, against ipsam que synodum Calcedonensem et the impious tenets of Nestorius and Eutyches. We commanded that beatissimum Leonem sancte et recte veritatem de duabus in una persona for the future they should hold and venerate the most blessed Leo, christi naturis superius descriptam who was a veritable pillar of the faith and replete with all sanctity diffinivisse contra impia Nestorii et Euticis dogmata iniunximus que ut ipsum and doctrine, as a saint deservedly inscribed in the calendar of the beatissimum Leonem qui vere fidei saints; and that they should reverence and respect, like the rest of columna fuit et omni sanctitate et doctrina refertus tanquam sanctum et in cathalogo the faithful, not only the three above-mentioned synods but also all sanctorum merito descriptum de cetero other universal synods legitimately celebrated by the authority of reputent et venerentur atque non solum dictas tres synodos sed omnes alias the Roman pontiff. universales auctoritate Romani pontificis legitime celebratas sicut et ceteri fideles reverenter suscipiant.

328 Fifthly, for the easier instruction of the Armenians of today and in Quinto ecclesiasticorum sacramentorum veritatem pro ipsorum Armenorum tam the future we reduce the truth about the sacraments of the church presentium quam futurorum faciliori to the following brief scheme. There are seven sacraments of the doctrina sub hac brevissima redigimus formula nove legis septem sunt new Law, namely baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, sacramenta videlicet baptismus extreme unction, orders and matrimony, which differ greatly from confirmatio eucaristia penitentia extrema unctio ordo et matrimonium que multum a the sacraments of the old Law. The latter were not causes of grace, sacramentis differunt antique legis. but only prefigured the grace to be given through the passion of Illa enim non causabant gratiam sed eam solum per passionem christi dandam esse Christ; whereas the former, ours, both contain grace and bestow it figurabant. on those who worthily receive them. The first five of these are Hec vero nostra et continent gratiam et ipsam digne suscipientibus conferunt. directed to the spiritual perfection of each person in himself, the Horum quinque prima ad spiritualem last two to the regulation and increase of the whole church. uniuscuiusque hominis in se ipso perfectionem duo ultima ad totius ecclesie regimen multiplicationem que ordinata sunt. For, by baptism we are reborn spiritually; by confirmation we Per baptismum enim spiritualiter renascimur per confirmationem augemur grow in grace and are strengthened in faith. Once reborn and in gratia et roboramur in fide. strengthened, we are nourished by the food of the divine eucharist. Renati autem et roborati nutrimur divine eucaristie alimonia. But if through sin we incur an illness of the soul, we are cured Quod si per peccatum egritudinem spiritually by penance. Spiritually also and bodily as suits the soul, incurrimus anime per penitentiam spiritualiter sanamur. by extreme unction. By orders the church is governed and Spiritualiter etiam et corporaliter prout spiritually multiplied; by matrimony it grows bodily. anime expedit per extremam unctionem. Per ordinem vero ecclesia gubernatur et multiplicatur spiritualiter per matrimonium corporaliter augetur. All these sacraments are made up of three elements: namely, things Hec omnia sacramenta tribus perficiuntur videlicet rebus tanquam materia verbis as the matter, words as the form, and the person of the minister tanquam forma et persona ministri who confers the sacrament with the intention of doing what the conferentis sacramentum cum intentione faciendi quod facit ecclesia. church does. If any of these is lacking, the sacrament is not Quorum si aliquod desit non perficitur effected. sacramentum. Three of the sacraments, namely baptism, confirmation and orders, Inter hec sacramenta tria sunt baptismus confirmatio et ordo que caracterem id est imprint indelibly on the soul a character, that is a kind of stamp spirituale quoddam signum a ceteris which distinguishes it from the rest. Hence they are not repeated in distinctivum imprimunt in anima indelebile. the same person. The other four, however, do not imprint a Unde in eadem persona non reiterantur. character and can be repeated. Reliqua vero quatuor caracterem non imprimunt et reiterationem admittunt. Holy baptism holds the first place among all the sacraments, for it Et cum per primum hominem mors introierit in universos nisi ex aqua et is the gate of the spiritual life; through it we become members of spiritu renascamur non possumus ut inquit Christ and of the body of the church. Since death came into the veritas in regnum celorum introire. Materia huius sacramenti est aqua vera et world through one person, unless we are born again of water and naturalis nec refert frigida sit an calida. the spirit, we cannot, as Truth says, enter the kingdom of heaven. Forma autem est ego te baptizo in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. The matter of this sacrament is true and natural water, either hot or Non tamen negamus quin et per illa verba cold. The form is: I baptize you in the name of the Father and of baptizetur talis servus christi in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti vel the Son and of the holy Spirit. But we do not deny that true baptizatur manibus meis talis in nomine baptism is conferred by the following words: May this servant of patris et filii et spiritus sancti verum perficiatur baptisma. Christ be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of Quoniam cum principalis causa ex qua the holy Spirit; or, This person is baptized by my hands in the baptisma virtutem habet sit sancta trinitas instrumentalis autem sit minister qui tradit name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit. Since the exterius sacramentum si exprimitur actus holy Trinity is the principle cause from which baptism has its qui per ipsum exercetur ministrum cum sancte trinitatis invocatione perficitur power and the minister is the instrumental cause who exteriorly sacramentum. bestows the sacrament, the sacrament is conferred if the action is Minister huius sacramenti est sacerdos cui ex officio competit baptizare in casu performed by the minister with the invocation of the holy Trinity. autem necessitatis non solum sacerdos The minister of this sacrament is a priest, who is empowered to vel diaconus sed etiam laicus vel mulier immo paganus et hereticus baptizare baptize in virtue of his office. But in case of necessity not only a potest dummodo formam servet ecclesie 329 priest or a deacon, but even a lay man or a woman, even a pagan et facere intendat quod facit ecclesia. Huius sacramenti effectus est remissio and a heretic, can baptize provided he or she uses the form of the omnis culpe originalis et actualis omnis church and intends to do what the church does. The effect of this quoque pene que pro ipsa culpa debetur propterea baptizatis nulla pro peccatis sacrament is the remission of all original and actual guilt, also of preteritis iniungenda est satisfactio sed all penalty that is owed for that guilt. Hence no satisfaction for past morientes antequam culpam aliquam committant statim ad regnum celorum et sins is to be imposed on the baptized, but those who die before dei visionem perveniunt. they incur any guilt go straight to the kingdom of heaven and the vision of God. The second sacrament is confirmation. Its matter is chrism made Secundum sacramentum est confirmatio cuius materia est crisma confectum ex from oil and balsam blessed by a bishop, the oil symbolizing the oleo quod nitorem significat conscientie et gleaming brightness of conscience and balsam symbolizing the balsamo qui odorem significat bone fame per episcopum benedicto. odour of a good reputation. The form is: I sign you with the sign of Forma autem est signo te signo crucis et the cross and I confirm you with the chrism of salvation in the confirmo te crismate salutis in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit. The Ordinarius minister est episcopus. ordinary minister is a bishop. Whereas a simple priest can use Et cum ceteras unctiones simplex sacerdos valeat exhibere hanc nonnisi other unctions, only a bishop ought to confer this one, because it is episcopus debet conferre quia de solis said only of the apostles, whose place is held by bishops, that they apostolis legitur quorum vicem tenent episcopi quod per manus impositionem gave the holy Spirit by the imposition of hands, as this text from spiritum sanctum dabant quemadmodum the Acts of the Apostles shows: Now when the apostles at actuum apostolorum lectio manifestat. Cum enim audissent inquit apostoli qui Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they erant Iherosolimis quia recepisset Samaria sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them verbum dei miserunt ad eos Petrum et Iohannem qui cum venissent oraverunt that they might receive the holy Spirit; for it had not yet come pro eis ut acciperent spiritum sanctum down upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the nondum enim in quenquam illorum venerat sed baptizati tantum erant in name of the lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and nomine domini Ihesu tunc imponebant they received the holy Spirit’. manum super illos et accipiebant spiritum sanctum. In place of this imposition of hands confirmation is given in the Loco autem illius manus impositionis in ecclesia datur confirmatio. church. We read that sometimes for a reasonable and really urgent Legitur tamen aliquando per apostolice cause, by dispensation of the apostolic see, a simple priest has sedis dispensationem ex rationabili et urgenti admodum causa simplicem conferred this sacrament of confirmation with chrism prepared by sacerdotem crismate per episcopum a bishop. The effect of this sacrament is that a Christian should confecto hoc administrasse confirmationis sacramentum. boldly confess the name of Christ, since the holy Spirit is given in Effectus autem huius sacramenti est quia this sacrament for strengthening just as he was given to the in eo datur spiritus sanctus ad robur sicut datus est apostolis die penthecostes ut apostles on the day of Pentecost. Therefore the candidate is videlicet christianus audacter christi enjoined on the forehead, which is the seat of shame, not to shrink confiteatur nomen. Ideo que in fronte ubi verecundie sedes from confessing the name of Christ and especially his cross, which est confirmandus inungitur ne christi is a stumbling block for Jews and a folly for gentiles, according to nomen confiteri erubescat et precipue crucem eius que iudeis est scandalum the Apostle, and for this reason he is signed with the sign of the gentibus autem stultitia secundum cross. apostolum propter quod signo crucis signatur. The third is the sacrament of the eucharist. Its matter is wheat Tertium est eucaristie sacramentum cuius materia est panis triticeus et vinum de bread and wine from the vine, to which a very little water is added vite cui ante consecrationem aqua before the consecration. Water is added thus because it is believed, modicissima admisceri debet. Aqua autem ideo admiscetur quoniam in accordance with the testimony of holy fathers and doctors of the iuxta testimonia sanctorum patrum ac church manifested long ago in disputation, that the Lord himself doctorum ecclesie pridem in disputatione exhibita creditur ipsum dominum in vino instituted this sacrament in wine mixed with water, and because it aqua permixto hoc instituisse befits the representation of the Lord’s passion. For the blessed sacramentum deinde quia hoc convenit dominice passionis representationi. pope Alexander, fifth after blessed Peter, says: “In the oblations of Inquit enim beatus Alexander papa v a the sacraments which are offered to the Lord within the beato Petro: in sacramentorum oblationibus que intra missarum solemnia solemnities of masses, only bread and wine mixed with water are domino offeruntur panis tantum et vinum to be offered in sacrifice. There should not be offered in the chalice aqua permixtum in sacrificium offerantur. Non enim debet in calice domini aut 330 of the Lord either wine only or water only but both mixed together, vinum solum aut aqua sola offerri sed utrunque permixtum quia utrunque id est because both blood and water are said to have flowed from sanguis et aqua ex latere christi Christ’s side’; also because it is fitting to signify the effect of this profluxisse legitur tum etiam quod convenit ad significandum huius sacrament, which is the union of the christian people with Christ. sacramenti effectum qui est unio populi For, water signifies the people according to those words of the christiani ad christum. Aqua enim populum significat secundum Apocalypse: many waters, many peoples. And Pope Julius, second illud apochalipsis aque multe populi multi. after blessed Silvester, said: The chalice of the Lord, by a precept Et Iulius papa ii post beatum Silvestrum ait Calix dominicus iuxta canonum of the canons, should be offered mixed of wine and water, because preceptum vino et aqua permixtus debet we see that the people is understood in the water and the blood of offerri quia videmus in aqua populum intelligi in vino vero ostendi sanguinem Christ is manifested in the wine; hence when wine and water are christi ergo cum in calice vinum et aqua mingled in the chalice, the people are made one with Christ and the miscetur christo populus adunatur et fidelium plebs in quem credit copulatur et mass of the faithful are linked and joined together with him in Cum ergo tam sancta Romana ecclesia a whom they believe. Since, therefore, both the holy Roman church beatissimis apostolis Petro et Paulo edocta quam relique omnes Latinorum Grecorum taught by the most blessed apostles Peter and Paul and the other que ecclesie in quibus omnis sanctitatis et churches of Latins and Greeks, in which the lights of all sanctity doctrine lumina claruerunt ab initio nascentis ecclesie sic servaverint et modo and doctrine have shone brightly, have behaved in this way from servent inconveniens admodum videtur ut the very beginning of the growing church and still do so, it seems alia quevis regio ab hac universali et rationabili discrepet observantia. very unfitting that any other region should differ from this Decernimus igitur ut etiam ipsi Armeni se universal and reasonable observance. We decree, therefore, that the cum universo orbe christiano conforment eorum que sacerdotes in calicis oblatione Armenians should conform themselves with the whole christian paululum aque prout dictum est vino world and that their priests shall mix a little water with the wine in admisceant. Forma huius sacramenti sunt verba the oblation of the chalice, as has been said. The form of this salvatoris quibus hoc confecit sacrament are the words of the Saviour with which he effected this sacramentum. Sacerdos enim in persona christi loquens sacrament. A priest speaking in the person of Christ effects this hoc conficit sacramentum. sacrament. For, in virtue of those words, the substance of bread is Nam ipsorum verborum virtute substantia panis in corpus christi et substantia vini in changed into the body of Christ and the substance of wine into his sanguinem convertuntur. blood. In such wise, however, that the whole Christ is contained Ita tamen quod totus christus continetur both under the form of bread and under the form of wine, under sub specie panis et totus sub specie vini sub qualibet quoque parte hostie any part of the consecrated host as well as after division of the consecrate et vini consecrati separatione consecrated wine, there is the whole Christ. The effect of this facta totus est christus. Huius sacramenti effectus quem in anima sacrament, which is produced in the soul of one who receives it operatur digne sumentis est adunatio worthily, is the union of him or her with Christ. Since by grace a hominis ad christum. Et quia per gratiam homo christo person is incorporated in Christ and is united with his members, incorporatur et membris eius unitur the consequence is that grace is increased by this sacrament in consequens est quod per hoc sacramentum in sumentibus digne gratia those who receive it worthily, and that every effect that material augeatur omnem que effectum quem food and drink produce for corporal life -- sustaining, increasing, materialis cibus et potus quoad vitam agunt corporalem sustentando augendo repairing and delighting -- this sacrament works for spiritual life. reparando et delectando sacramentum For in it, as Pope Urban said, we recall the gracious memory of our hoc quoad vitam operatur spiritualem in quo ut inquit Urbanus papa gratam Saviour, we are withdrawn from evil, we are strengthened in good Salvatoris nostri recensemus memoriam a and we receive an increase of virtues and graces. malo retrahimur confortamur in bono et ad virtutum et gratiarum proficimus incrementum.iungitur. The fourth sacrament is penance. Its matter is the acts of the Quartum sacramentum est penitentia cuius quasi materia sunt actus penitentis penitent, which are threefold. The first is contrition of heart, which qui in tres distinguuntur partes quarum includes sorrow for sin committed, with the resolve not to sin prima est cordis contritio ad quam pertinet ut doleat de peccato commisso again. The second is oral confession, which implies integral cum proposito non peccandi de cetero. confession to the priest of all sins that are remembered. The third is Secunda est oris confessio ad quam pertinet ut peccator omnia peccata satisfaction for sins in accordance with the judgment of the priest quorum memoriam habet suo sacerdoti which is ordinarily done by prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The confiteatur integraliter. Tertia est satisfactio pro peccatis form of this sacrament are the words of absolution which the priest secundum arbitrium sacerdotis que pronounces when he says: I absolve you. The minister of this quidem precipue fit per orationem 331 sacrament is a priest with authority to absolve, which is either ieiunium et elemosinam. Forma huius sacramenti sunt verba ordinary or by commission of a superior. absolutionis que sacerdos profert cum dicit ego te absolvo. Minister huius sacramenti est sacerdos habens auctoritatem absolvendi vel ordinariam vel ex commissione superioris. Effectus huius sacramenti est absolutio a peccatis. The fifth sacrament is extreme unction. Its matter is olive oil Quintum sacramentum est extrema unctio cuius materia est oleum olive per blessed by a priest. This sacrament should not be given to the sick episcopum benedictum. unless death is expected. The person is to be anointed on the Hoc sacramentum nisi infirmo de cuius morte timetur dari non debet qui in his following places: on the eyes for sight, on the ears for hearing, on locis ungendus est in oculis propter visum the nostrils for smell, on the mouth for taste or speech, on the in auribus propter auditum in naribus propter odoratum in ore propter gustum hands for touch, on the feet for walking, on the loins for the vel locutionem in manibus propter tactum pleasure that abides there. The form of this sacrament is: Through in pedibus propter gressum in renibus propter delectationem ibidem vigentem. this anointing and his most pious mercy may the Lord pardon you Forma huius sacramenti est hec per istam whatever you have done wrong by sight, and similarly for the other unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam indulgeat tibi dominus members. The minister of the sacrament is a priest. Its effect is to quicquid deliquisti per visum et similiter in cure the mind and, in so far as it helps the soul, also the body. aliis membris. Minister huius sacramenti est sacerdos. Blessed James the apostle said of this sacrament: Any one of you Effectus vero est mentis sanatio et in who is sick should send for the elders of the church, and they shall quantum anime expedit ipsius etiam corporis. pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. The De hoc sacramento inquit beatus iacobus prayer of faith will save the sick person and the Lord will raise him apostolus: infirmatur quis in vobis inducat presbyteros ecclesie ut orent super eum up again: and if he is in sins, they will be forgiven him. ungentes eum oleo in nomine domini et oratio fidei salvabit infirmum et alleviabit eum dominus et si in peccatis sit dimittentur ei. The sixth is the sacrament of orders. Its matter is the object by Sextum est sacramentum ordinis cuius materia est illud per cuius traditionem whose handing over the order is conferred. So the priesthood is confertur ordo. bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten Sicut presbyteratus traditur per calicis cum vino et patene cum pane with bread; the diaconate by the giving of the book of the gospels; porrectionem. the subdiaconate by the handing over of an empty chalice with an Diaconatus vero per libri evangeliorum dationem. empty paten on it; and similarly for the other orders by allotting Subdiaconatus vero per calicis vacui cum things connected with their ministry. The form for a priest is: patena vacua superposita traditionem. Et similiter de aliis per rerum ad ministeria Receive the power of offering sacrifice in the church for the living sua pertinentium assignationem. and the dead, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Forma sacerdotii est talis accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in holy Spirit. The forms for the other orders are contained in full in ecclesia pro vivis et mortuis in nomine the Roman pontifical. The ordinary minister of this sacrament is a patris et filii et spiritus sancti. Et sic de aliorum ordinum formis prout in bishop. The effect is an increase of grace to make the person a pontificali Romano late continetur. suitable minister of Christ. Ordinarius minister huius sacramenti est episcopus. Effectus est augmentum gratie ut quis sit ydoneus christi minister. The seventh is the sacrament of matrimony, which is a sign of the Septimum est sacramentum matrimonii quod est signum coniunctionis christi et union of Christ and the church according to the words of the ecclesie secundum apostolum dicentem: apostle: This sacrament is a great one, but I speak in Christ and in sacramentum hoc magnum est ego autem dico in christo et in ecclesia. the church. The efficient cause of matrimony is usually mutual Causa efficiens matrimonii regulariter est consent expressed in words about the present. A threefold good is mutuus consensus per verba de presenti expressus. attributed to matrimony. The first is the procreation and bringing Assignatur autem triplex bonum up of children for the worship of God. The second is the mutual matrimonii. Primum est proles suscipienda et faithfulness of the spouses towards each other. The third is the educanda ad cultum dei. indissolubility of marriage, since it signifies the indivisible union Secundum est fides quam unus coniugum alteri servare debet. of Christ and the church. Although separation of bed is lawful on Tertium indivisibilitas matrimonii propter account of fornication, it is not lawful to contract another marriage, hoc quod significat indivisibilem 332 since the bond of a legitimately contracted marriage is perpetual. coniunctionem christi et ecclesie. Quamvis autem ex causa fornicationis liceat thori separationem facere non tamen aliud matrimonium contrahere fas est cum matrimonii vinculum legitime contracti perpetuum sit. Sixthly, we offer to the envoys that compendious rule of the faith Sexto compendiosam illam fidei regulam per beatissimum Athanasium editam ipsis composed by most blessed Athanasius, which is as follows: prebemus oratoribus cuius tenor talis est Whoever wills to be saved, before all things it is necessary that he quicunque vult salvus esse ante omnia opus est ut teneat catholicam fidem quam holds the catholic faith. Unless a person keeps this faith whole and nisi quisque integram inviolatam que undefiled, without doubt he shall perish eternally. The catholic servaverit absque dubio in eternum peribit. faith is this, that we worship one God in the Trinity, and the Trinity Fides autem catholica hec est ut unum in unity, neither confounding the persons nor dividing the deum in trinitate et trinitatem in unitate veneremur neque confundentes personas substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the neque substantiam separantes. Son, and another of the holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, Alia est enim persona patris alia filii alia spiritus sancti sed patris et filii et spiritus of the Son and of the holy Spirit is one, the glory equal, and the sancti una est divinitas equalis gloria majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such coeterna maiestas. Qualis pater talis filius talis spiritus is the holy Spirit. The Father uncreated the Son uncreated and the sanctus. holy Spirit uncreated. The Father infinite, the Son infinite and the Increatus pater increatus filius increatus spiritus sanctus. holy Spirit infinite. The Father eternal, the Son eternal and the holy Immensus pater immensus filius Spirit eternal. Yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As immensus spiritus sanctus. Eternus pater eternus filius eternus also they are not three uncreateds nor three infinites, but one spiritus sanctus. uncreated and one infinite. Likewise the Father is almighty, the Et tamen non tres eterni sed unus eternus. Son is almighty and the holy Spirit is almighty. Yet they are not Sicut non tres increati nec tres immensi three almighties, but one almighty. Likewise the Father is God, the sed unus increatus et unus immensus. Similiter omnipotens pater omnipotens Son is God and the holy Spirit is God. Yet they are not three gods, filius omnipotens spiritus sanctus. but one God. Likewise the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord and the Et tamen non tres omnipotentes sed unus omnipotens. holy Spirit is Lord. Ita deus pater deus filius deus spiritus sanctus. Et tamen non tres dii sed unus est deus. Ita dominus pater dominus filius dominus spiritus sanctus. Yet they are not three lords, but one Lord. For just as we are Et tamen non tres domini sed unus est dominus. compelled by the christian truth to acknowledge each person by Quia sicut singillatim unamquanque himself to be God and Lord, so we are forbidden by the catholic personam deum ac dominum confiteri christiana veritate compellimur ita tres religion to say there are three gods or three lords. The Father is deos aut dominos dicere catholica made by none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is from the religione prohibemur. Pater a nullo est factus nec creatus nec Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. The holy Spirit is genitus. from the Father and the Son; not made nor created nor begotten, Filius a patre solo est non factus nec creatus sed genitus. but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, Spiritus sanctus a patre et filio non factus not three sons; one holy Spirit, not three holy spirits. And in this nec creatus nec genitus sed procedens. Unus ergo pater non tres patres. Trinity nothing is before or after, nothing is greater or less; but the Unus filius non tres filii. whole three persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. So that in Unus spiritus sanctus non tres spiritus sancti. all things, as has been said above, the unity in Trinity and the Et in hac trinitate nichil prius aut posterius Trinity in unity is to be worshipped. Whoever, therefore, wishes to nichil maius aut minus sed tote tres persone coeterne sibi sunt et coequales. be saved, let him think thus of the Trinity. Ita ut per omnia sicut iam supradictum est et unitas in trinitate et trinitas in unitate veneranda sit. Qui vult ergo salvus esse ita de trinitate sentiat.

333 It is also necessary for salvation to believe faithfully the Sed necessarium est ad eternam salutem ut incarnationem quoque domini nostri incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ. The right faith, therefore, is ihesu christi fideliter credat. that we believe and confess that our lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Est ergo fides recta ut credamus et confiteamur quia dominus noster ihesus is God and man. God, of the substance of the Father, begotten christus dei filius deus et homo est. before the ages; and man, of the substance of his mother, born in Deus est ex substantia patris ante secula genitus et homo ex substantia matris in the world. Perfect God, perfect man, subsisting of a rational soul seculo natus. and human flesh. Equal to the Father according to his Godhead, Perfectus deus perfectus homo ex anima rationali et humana Carne subsistens. less than the Father according to his humanity. Although he is God Equalis patri secundum divinitatem minor and man, he is not two, but one Christ. One, however, not by patre secundum humanitatem. Qui licet deus sit et homo non duo tamen conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by the taking of sed unus est christus. humanity into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, Unus autem non conversione divinitatis in Carnem sed assumptione humanitatis in but by unity of person. For as a reasoning soul and flesh is one deum. man, so God and man is one Christ. He suffered for our salvation Unus omnino non confusione substantie sed unitate persone. and descended into hell. Nam sicut anima rationalis et Caro unus est homo ita deus et homo unus est christus. Qui passus est pro salute nostra descendit ad inferos. On the third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven Tertia die resurrexit a mortuis. Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. Thence he patris omnipotentis. shall come to judge the living and the dead. At his coming all shall Inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. rise again with their bodies, and shall give an account of their own Ad cuius adventus omnes homines deeds. Those who have done good shall go into eternal life, but resurgere habent cum corporibus suis et reddituri sunt de factis propriis rationem those who have done evil shall go into eternal fire. et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam. Qui vero mala in ignem eternum. This is the catholic faith. Unless a person believes it faithfully and Hec est fides catholica quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiter que crediderit salvus esse firmly, he cannot be saved. non poterit. Seventhly, the decree of union concluded with the Greeks, which Septimo decretum unionis cum Grecis consummate pridem in hoc sacro was promulgated earlier in this sacred ecumenical council of ycumenico Florentino concilio Florence and which is as follows: Let the heavens be glad . . . ‘ promulgatum cuius tenor talis est: letentur celi .... Eighthly, there was discussion with the Armenians about, among Octavo cum inter alia sit etiam cum ipsis Armenis disputatum quibus diebus other things, the days on which the following feasts should be festivitates annuntiationis beate Marie kept: the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary, the birth of virginis nativitatis beati Iohannis Baptiste et consequenter nativitatis et blessed John the Baptist and, in consequence, the birth and the circumcisionis domini nostri Ihesu christi circumcision of our lord Jesus Christ and his presentation in the ac presentationis eiusdem in templo seu purificationis beate virginis Marie celebrari temple (or the purification of the blessed virgin Mary). The truth debeant satis que dilucide veritas was made quite clear by the testimonies of fathers and by the patefacta fuerit tam sanctorum patrum testimoniis quam consuetudine ecclesie custom of the Roman church and all other churches among Latins Romane et omnium aliarum universaliter and Greeks. Therefore, lest the rites of Christians be at variance in apud Latinos et Grecos ne igitur in tantis celebritatibus dispar sit christianorum such great celebrations, whence a threat to charity could arise, we ritus unde perturbande caritatis occasio decree that, as something consonant with truth and reason, the posset oriri decernimus tanquam veritati et rationi consentaneum ut iuxta totius Armenians too should solemnly celebrate, according to the reliqui orbis observantiam ipsi etiam observance of the rest of the world, the following feasts on the Armeni festum annuntiationis beate Marie die vicesima quinta martii nativitatis beati following days: the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary on 25 Iohannis Baptiste vicesima quarta iunii March, the birth of blessed John the Baptist on 24 June, the birth of nativitatis vero secundum Carnem salvatoris nostri vicesima quinta our Saviour on 25 December, his circumcision on 1 January, the decembris circumcisionis eiusdem prima epiphany on 6 January, and the presentation of our Lord in the ianuarii epiphanie sexta eiusdem ianuarii presentationis domini in templo seu temple (or the purification of the mother of God) on 2 February. purificationis dei genitricis Secunda februarii debeant solenniter celebrare. After all these matters had been explained, the aforesaid His omnibus explicatis predicti Armenorum oratores nomine suo et sui Armenians, in their own name and in the name of their patriarch 334 and of all Armenians, with all devotion and obedience accept, patriarche et omnium Armenorum hoc saluberrimum synodale decretum cum admit and embrace this salutary synodal decree with all its omnibus suis capitulis declarationibus chapters, declarations, definitions, traditions, precepts and statutes diffinitionibus traditionibus preceptis et statutis omnem que doctrinam in ipso and all the doctrine contained in it, and also whatever the holy descriptam necnon quicquid tenet et apostolic see and the Roman church holds and teaches. They also docet sancta sedes apostolica et Romana ecclesia cum omni devotione et obedientia accept with reverence all those doctors and holy fathers approved acceptant suscipiunt et amplectuntur. by the Roman church. Indeed, they hold as reprobated and Illos quoque doctores et sanctos patres quos ecclesia Romana approbat ipsi condemned whatever persons and things the Roman church reverenter suscipiunt. reprobates and condemns. They promise that as true sons of Quascunque vero personas et quicquid ipsa ecclesia Romana reprobat et damnat obedience, in the name as above, they will faithfully obey the ipsi pro reprobatis et damnatis habent. ordinances and commands of the apostolic see. Profitentes tanquam veri obedientie filii nomine quo supra ipsius sedis apostolice ordinationibus et iussionibus fideliter obtemperare. When the aforesaid decree had been solemnly read out in our and Lecto autem solenniter in nostra et huius sancte synodi presentia memorato the holy synod’s presence, straightaway our beloved son Narses, decreto mox dilectus filius Narses an Armenian, in the name of the said envoys, publicly recited the Armenus nomine ipsorum oratorum in ydiomate Armeno publice hec que following in Armenian and thereupon our beloved son Basil of the sequuntur legit que incontinenti dilectus order of friars Minor, the interpreter between us and the filius Basilius ordinis Minorum noster et ipsorum Armenorum communis interpres Armenians, publicly read it out in Latin as follows. publice sermone latino in hunc modum ex scripto legit: beatissime pater et sanctissima synode. Most blessed father and most holy synod. Recently the whole of Totum hoc sanctum decretum quod nunc latine coram vestra publice lectum est this holy decree, which has now been read out in Latin in your presentia fuit nobis pridie de verbo ad presence, was clearly explained and interpreted to us word by word verbum in nostro ydiomate clare expositum et interpretatum quod quidem in our language. It was and is completely acceptable to us. To optime nobis placuit ac placet. disclose our understanding more fully, however, we repeat its Ad maiorem autem nostre mentis expressionem eius effectum summatim contents in summary. repetimus. The following is contained in it. First, you give to our people of the In ipso continetur primo qualiter populo nostro Armenorum traditis sanctum Armenians the holy creed of Constantinople, with the added phrase symbolum Constantinopolitanum cum illa and the Son, to be sung or read within the mass in our churches at additione filio que ut in ecclesiis nostris diebus saltem dominicis maioribus que least on Sundays and greater feasts. Secondly, the definition of the festivitatibus intra missarum solemnia fourth universal council of Chalcedon about two natures in the one decantari seu legi debeat. Secundo diffinitionem quarti universalis person of Christ. Thirdly, the definition about the two wills and concilii Calcedonensis de duabus naturis principles of action of Christ which was promulgated in the sixth in una christi persona. Tertio diffinitionem de duabus christi universal council. voluntatibus et operationibus in sexto universali concilio promulgatam. Fourthly, you declare that the synod of Chalcedon and most Quarto declaratis quod ipsa Calcedonensis synodus et beatissimus Leo papa recte de blessed pope Leo rightly defined the truth about two natures in the duabus in una persona christi naturis one person of Christ against the impious doctrines of Nestorius and veritatem diffinierunt contra impia Nestorii et Euticis dogmata. Eutyches. You order that we should venerate most blessed Leo as Iubetis que ut ipsum beatissimum Leonem holy and a pillar of the faith and that we should reverently accept tanquam sanctum et fidei columnam veneremur atque non solum has tres not only the synods of Nicaea, Constantinople and the first of synodos Nicenam Constantinopolitanam et Ephesus, but also all other synods legitimately celebrated . . Ephesinam primam sed et omnes alias universales auctoritate Romani pontificis authority of the Roman pontiff. legitime celebratas reverenter suscipiamus. Fifthly, a short scheme of the seven sacraments of the church, Quinto brevem formulam septem sacramentorum ecclesie videlicet baptismi namely baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme confirmationis eucaristie penitentie unction, orders and matrimony indicating the matter, the form and extreme unctionis ordinis et matrimonii declarando que sit cuiuslibet sacramenti the minister of each; and that while the chalice is being offered in materia forma et minister quod que in the sacrifice of the altar a little water should be mixed with the sacrificio altaris dum calix offertur vino paululum aque admisceri debet. wine. 335 Sixthly, a compendious rule of the faith of most blessed Sexto quandam compendiosam beatissimi Athanasii fidei regulam que incipit: Athanasius, which begins: Whoever wills to be saved etc. quicunque vult salvus esse et cetera Seventhly, the decree of union concluded with the Greeks, which Septimo decretum unionis concluse cum Grecis in hoc sacro concilio pridem was promulgated earlier in this sacred council, recording how the promulgatum continens qualiter spiritus holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, and that sanctus ex patre et filio eternaliter procedit et quod illa additio filio que licite the phrase and the Son was licitly and reasonably added to the et rationabiliter ipsi symbolo creed of Constantinople. Constantinopolitano fuit apposita. Also that the body of the Lord is effected in leavened or Quod que in pane triticeo azimo vel fermentato corpus domini conficitur. unleavened wheat bread; and what is to be believed about the pains Quid etiam credendum sit de penis of purgatory and hell, about the life of the blessed and about purgatorii et inferni ac vita beata et de suffragiis que pro defunctis fiunt. suffrages offered for the dead. In addition, about the plenitude of Item de plenitudine potestatis sedis power of the apostolic see given by Christ to blessed Peter and his apostolice tradita a christo beato Petro et suis successoribus atque de ordine successors, . . . . . about the order of the patriarchal sees. patriarchalium sedium. Eighthly, you decree that the following feasts should be kept on Octavo decernitis ut de cetero Armeni has festivitates infrascriptis diebus more the following days, in accordance with the custom of the universal universalis ecclesie celebrare debeant church: the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary on 25 March, videlicet annuntiationem beate Marie virginis vicesima quinta martii nativitatem the birth of blessed John the Baptist on 24 June, the birth of our beati Iohannis Baptiste vicesima quarta Saviour on 25 December, his circumcision on I January, the iunii nativitatem salvatoris nostri secundum Carnem vicesima quinta epiphany on 6 January, and the presentation of the Lord in the decembris circuncisionis eiusdem prima temple (or the purification of blessed Mary) on 2 February. ianuarii epiphanie sexta eiusdem ianuarii presentationis domini in templo seu purificationis beate Marie Secunda februarii. Therefore we envoys, in our own name and in the name of our Nos igitur oratores nomine nostro nostri que reverendi patriarche et omnium reverend patriarch and of all Armenians, with all devotion and Armenorum sicut et vestra sanctitas in obedience accept, admit and embrace, just as your holiness affirms ipso decreto attestatur hoc saluberrimum synodale decretum cum omnibus suis in the decree, this most salutary synodal decree with all its capitulis declarationibus diffinitionibus chapters, declarations, definitions, traditions, precepts and statutes traditionibus preceptis et statutis omnem que doctrinam in ipso descriptam necnon and all the doctrine contained in it, and also whatever the holy quicquid tenet et docet sancta sedes apostolic see and the Roman church holds and teaches. We accept apostolica et Romana ecclesia cum omni devotione et obedientia acceptamus with reverence all those doctors and holy fathers approved by the suscipimus et amplectimur. Roman church. Indeed we hold as reprobated and condemned Illos quoque doctores et sanctos patres quos ecclesia Romana approbat whatever persons and things the Roman church reprobates and reverenter suscipimus. condemns. We promise that as true sons of obedience, in the name Quascunque vero personas et quicquid ipsa ecclesia Romana reprobat ac damnat of the above, we will faithfully obey the ordinances and commands nos pro reprobatis ac damnatis habemus of this apostolic see. profitentes tanquam veri obedientie filii nomine quo supra ipsius sedis apostolice ordinationibus et iussionibus fideliter obtemperare. SESSION 9 23 March 1440 [Monition of the council of Florence against the antipope Felix V] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. Many examples of holy fathers of the old and the new Multa sanctorum patrum veteris et novi Testament warn us that we should not pass over in silence or leave testamenti exempla nos admonent ut crimina presertim gravia et que in completely unpunished specially grave crimes which lead to the scandalum ac divisionem publicam scandal and public division of the people entrusted to us. For if we tendunt populi nobis commissi neque pretereamus silentio neque ullatenus delay to pursue and avenge what is grievously offensive to God, impunita relinquamus. we thereby provoke the divine patience to wrath. For, there are sins Si ea enim quibus vehementer deus offenditur insequi vel ulcisci differimus ad for which it is a sin to be slack about their retribution. It is indeed irascendum itaque divinitatis patientiam right and eminently reasonable, in the opinion of holy fathers, that provocamus. Nam et culpe nonnulle sunt in quibus those who despise divine commands and disobey paternal culpa est relaxare vindictam. enactments should be corrected with really severe penalties, so that Iustum quidem est ac rationi consonum iuxta sanctorum patrum sententiam ut qui 336 others may fear to commit the same faults and that all may rejoice divina contemnunt mandata et inobedientes paternis existunt in fraternal harmony and take note of the example of severity and sanctionibus severioribus corrigantur probity. For if -- though may it never be -- we are negligent about vindictis quatenus et ceteri talia committere vereantur et omnes gaudeant ecclesiastical vigilance and activity, idleness ruins discipline and fraterna concordia cuncti que sumant the souls of the faithful will suffer great harm. Therefore, rotting severitatis et honestatis exemplum. Nam si quod absit ecclesiasticam flesh should be cut away and mangy sheep driven out sollicitudinem vigorem que negligimus perdit desidia disciplinam et animabus fidelium per maxime nocebitur. Resecande sunt ergo putride Carnes et scabiosa ovis a grege repellenda est ne tota domus massa corpus et pecora ardeant corrumpantur et pereant. He cannot have God as his father If he does not hold the unity of Habere non potest deum patrem qui universalis ecclesie non tenet unitatem the church i he who does not agree with the body of the church and non potest cum aliquo convenire qui cum the whole brotherhood, cannot agree with anyone. Since Christ corpore ipsius ecclesie et cum universa fraternitate non convenit. suffered for the church and since the church is the body of Christ, Si autem cum propter ecclesiam christus without doubt the person who divides the church is convicted of passus sit et ecclesia sit corpus christi non est dubium quod qui ecclesiam dividit lacerating the body of Christ. Hence the avenging will of the Lord christi corpus lacerare convincitur. went forth against schismatics like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Hinc in schismaticos illa vindicta domini voluntate profecta ut Chore Dathan et who were swallowed up together by an opening in the ground for Abiron contra virum dei Moysen schisma instigating schism against Moses, the man of God, and others were facientes hiatu terre una absorpti sunt ceteris celesti igne consumptis idololatria consumed by fire from heaven; idolatry indeed was punished by vero gladio punita est et exustio libri the sword; and the burning of the book was requited by the bellica cede et peregrina captivitate slaughter of war and imprisonment in exile. vindicata. Finally, how indivisible is the sacrament of unity! How bereft of Denique quam sit inseparabile unitatis sacramentum et quam sine spe sint hope, and how punished by God’s indignation with the direst loss, perditionem que sibi maximam de are those who produce schism and, abandoning the true spouse of indignatione dei acquirant qui schisma faciunt et relicto vero ecclesie sponso sibi the church, set up a pseudo-bishop! Divine scripture declares this pseudoepiscopum constituunt in libris in the book of Kings, which says that when ten tribes had separated regum scriptura divina declarat ubi cum a tribu Iuda et Beniamin decem tribus scisse themselves from the tribe of Judah and Benjamin and abandoned fuissent et relicto suo rege alterum sibi their king, setting up for themselves another king: the Lord was foras constituissent indignatus est inquit dominus omni semini Israel et dedit eos in indignant with all the descendants of Israel and gave them over to direptionem donec abiiceret eos a facie destruction till he cast them away from his face. It says that the sua. Indignatum dominum esse dixit et eos in Lord was indignant and gave over to destruction those who split perditionem dedisse qui ab unitate off from unity and set up for themselves another king. Indeed, so dissipati alterum sibi regem constituissent et tanta indignatio domini extitit adversus great was the wrath of God against those who had brought about a illos qui schisma fecerant ut etiam cum schism that even when the man of God had been sent to Jeroboam homo dei ad Ieroboam missus esset qui ea peccata sua exprobraret atque ultionem to reprove his sins and to predict a future vengeance, the man of futuram prediceret panem apud illos God was forbidden to eat bread with them or to drink water and edere et aquam bibere vetaretur quod cum non custodisset et contra preceptum when he did not obey this order of the Lord and dined, domini prandisset statim divina censura straightaway the divine retribution struck him and he was killed by percussus est ut inde regrediens impetu ac morsu Leonis in itinere necaretur. a lion on his return journey. Hence, as blessed Jerome declares, Ex quibus ut beatus Hieronymus asserit nobody should doubt that the crime of schism is very wicked since nullus iam dubitaverit facinus schismatis sceleratius esse commissum cum sit it is avenged so severely. gravius vindicatum. In days gone by, in the holy general council of Constance, that Sane cum olim in sacro generali concilio Constantiensi veteranum illud ac chronic and disastrous schism, which had cruelly and daily perniciosissimum schisma quod ecclesiam afflicted God’s church and the christian religion with great loss of dei et christianam religionem magno cum animarum interitu et non solum hominum souls, not only of individual persons but also in entire cities and sed multarum quoque urbium et provinces, was at last settled by the ineffable mercy of God and the provinciarum strage crudeli et diuturno morbo afflixerat atque vexaverat fuisset unbounded labours and hardships of many kings and princes, both per omnipotentis dei ineffabilem ecclesiastical and secular, many universities and others of Christ’s misericordiam multorum que regum et principum tam ecclesiasticorum quam faithful, and at great expense. With the election of lord Martin of secularium multarum insuper 337 happy memory and, after his death, the undisputed, genuine, universitatum aliorum que christi fidelium infinitis laboribus et angustiis expensarum unanimous and canonical elevation of your holiness to the summit que profluviis tandem aliquando sedatum of the apostolate, the universal church seemed to be enjoying a et universalis ecclesia tam per electionem felicis recordationis domini Martini quam greatly desired peace. post eius obitum per indubitatam sinceram unanimem atque canonicam sanctitatis vestre ad apostolatus apicem assumptionem crederetur optata cunctis pace gaudere. But behold! Again we are compelled with copious tears to say with Ecce rursus cum Ieremia propheta multis cum lacrimis dicere compellimur: Jeremiah the prophet: we looked for peace, but behold disturbance. expectavimus pacem et ecce turbatio. And again with Isaiah: we looked for light, but behold darkness. Et iterum cum Isaia: expectavimus lucem et ecce tenebre. Some sons of perdition and disciples of iniquity, who were few in Nonnulli siquidem perditionis filii et numbers and of little authority, tried at Basel with all their iniquitatis alumni pauci numero et auctoritate leves Basilee etiam post strength, guile and cunning, even after the translation of the former translationem concilii quod ibidem council which had been made canonically and legitimately by your aliquandiu viguerat per sanctitatem vestram iustis et evidentibus urgentibus et holiness for just, evident, urgent and necessary reasons, to prevent necessariis ex causis canonice et legitime the most holy union with the Greeks and the whole eastern church, factam primo sanctissimam et universo populo christiano desideratissimam which was ardently desired by the whole christian people. Grecorum et totius orientalis ecclesie unionem totis viribus ac omni dolo astu et fallacia impedire conati sunt. For after the said authors of the scandals who remained in Basel Nam cum predicti scandalorum patratores qui Basilee remanserant ipsis Grecis in had failed to fulfil their promise to the Greeks, when they learnt promissione defecissent et ab ipsorum from the envoys of the Greeks and the eastern church that the most Grecorum et orientalis ecclesie oratoribus percepissent serenissimum principem serene prince lord John Palaeologus, emperor of the Romans, and dominum Iohannem Paleologum Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople of happy memory, with many Romeorum imperatorem et bone memorie Ioseph Constantinopolitanum patriarcham other prelates and men of the eastern church were about to come to cum aliis plurimis prelatis ceteris que the place chosen for the ecumenical council, and that your holiness orientalis ecclesie viris ad locum pro celebrando ycumenico concilio electum had despatched many prelates and envoys with galleys at great esse venturos ac sanctitatem vestram expense and outlay, they dared to decree, with a view to preventing plures prelatos et oratores cum nonnullis galeis multis que cum sumptibus et the arrival of the said emperor and Greeks, a detestable monition expensis destinasse ad disturbandum against your holiness and my most reverend lords, the lord prefatorum imperatoris et Grecorum adventum quoddam detestabile cardinals of the holy Roman church. monitorium contra sanctitatem vestram et reverendissimos dominos meos dominos sancte Romane ecclesie cardinales decernere ausi sunt Afterwards, when they learnt that the said emperor and patriarch et ex post cum predictos imperatorem et patriarcham alios que orientales venire and other easterners were coming, they issued against your percepissent quamdam sacrilegam holiness a kind of sacrilegious decree of suspension from the suspensionis ab administratione papatus contra vestram sanctitatem de facto administration of the papacy. sententiam protulerunt. Despite these and other wicked attempts and sacrilegious acts, on Quibus aliis que eorum nefariis conatibus ausibus que sacrilegis non obstantibus account of the constant solicitude displayed by you and this sacred cum vestra huius que sacri concilii council and after great labours and many disputations, at last the pervigili cura multis que laboribus assumptis variis que disputationibus divine mercy granted that the above-mentioned schism of the adhibitis tandem divina misericordia Greeks and the eastern church, which had lasted for almost five concessisset ut predictum Grecorum et orientalis ecclesie schisma quod per hundred years to the great harm of the whole christian people, quingentos ferme annos maxima cum should be removed from the midst of the church and that the most totius populi iactura christiani duraverat de medio ecclesie tolleretur et optatissima desired union of the western and the eastern church, which was unio que fieri vix posse credebatur hardly thought possible, should follow with the utmost harmony occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie summa cum concordia sequeretur ex tam sanctis from your and this sacred council’s holy work. This ought to be vestris et huius sacri concilii operibus qui greatly admired and venerated with the highest praise and the joy potius vehementissime admirari et summis cum laudibus et exultationis iubilo of exultation, as all the rest of the christian religion had done, and prout tota reliqua christiana religio fecerat thanks should be returned to the most High for so admirable a gift. venerari debeant et gratias altissimo de But they became more hard-hearted and obstinate, preferring even tam admirabili dono referre crudeliores et 338 at the cost of ruining the whole christian world to fan into flames obstinatiores effecti volentes potius predicte nequissime bellue eorum iam the conflagration, which they had already begun, of their aforesaid conceptum incendium cum totius most wicked monster. They adopted an attitude of opposition and, reipublice christiane ruina ad executionem deducere in reprobum sensum dati fame prodigal of their good name and enemies to their own honour, they sue prodigi et proprii persecutores honoris strove to their utmost with pestilential daring to rend the unity of prefecti temeritate pestifera unitatem sancte Romane et universalis ecclesie ac the holy Roman and universal church and the seamless robe of inconsutilem domini tunicam quantum in Christ’, and with serpentlike bites to lacerate the womb of the eis est scindere moliti sunt et ipsius pie et sancte matris uterum viperinis morsibus pious and holy mother herself. dilaniare. The leader and prince of these men and the architect of the whole Horum dux et princeps ac totius tam nefarii operis architectus extitit nefarious deed was that first-born son of Satan, the most primogenitus ille satane infelicissimus unfortunate Amadeus, once duke and prince of Savoy. He Amedeus olim Sabaudie dux et princeps qui iam diu ista animo suo premeditans et meditated this scheme for long. Several years ago, as is widely ut a plerisque asseritur prestigiis said, he was seduced by the trickery, soothsayings and phantoms sortilegiis ac phantasmatibus nonnullorum infelicium hominum ac muliercularum qui of certain unfortunate men and women of low reputation suo salvatore relicto retro post satanam (commonly called wizards or witches or Waldensians and said to conversi demonum illusionibus seducuntur qui vulgari nomine stregnes vel stregones be very numerous in his country), who had forsaken their Saviour seu waldenses nuncupantur et quorum in to turn backwards to Satan and be deceived by demonic illusions, patria sua permagna copia esse narratur seductus dudum ante aliquos annos ut to have himself raised up to be a monstrous head in God’s church. monstruosum se caput in dei ecclesia erigi He adopted the cloak of a hermit, or rather of a most false aliquando faceret eremite habitum vel potius falsissimi hypocrite assumpsit et hypocrite, so that in sheep’s clothing, like a lamb he might assume sub ovina pelle agni specie lupi feritatem the ferocity of a wolf. Eventually he joined the people at Basel. By induceret ac demum procedente tempore ipsis Basilee existentibus confederatus vi force, fraud, bribery, promises and threats he prevailed on the fraude pretio pollicitationibus et minis majority of those at Basel, who were subject to his sway and magnam ipsorum Basileensium partem que sue ditioni seu tyrannidi subdita erat tyranny, to proclaim him as an idol and Beelzebub, the prince of ut se in idolum et Beelzebub ipsorum these new demons, in opposition to your holiness, the true vicar of novorum demoniorum principem adversus sanctitatem vestram verissimum christi Christ and the undoubted successor of Peter in God’s church. vicarium et Petri successorem indubitatum in dei ecclesia indixit. Thus that most ill-starred Amadeus, a man of insatiable and Itaque eumdem infelicissimum Amedeum insatiabilis et inaudite cupiditatis unheard of greed, whom avarice (which, according to the Apostle, hominem et quem semper avaritia que is the service of idols) has always blinded, was set up as an idol secundum apostolum est idolorum servitus excecavit illa sceleratissima and like a statue of Nebuchadnezzar in God’s church by that most synagoga perditissimorum hominum wicked synagogue, those offscourings of forsaken men, that colluvies et totius christianitatis erubescenda sentina certis ad hoc shameful cesspool of all Christianity, from among whom certain nefandissimis hominibus vel potius heinous men, or rather demons hiding under the form of men, had demonibus sub hominum specie et figura latentibus pro electoribus seu verius been deputed as electors or rather as profaners. He himself, prophanatoribus deputatis tandem et agitated by the furies of his own crimes and sinking into the depth idolum et veluti quandam Nabuchodonosor statuam in dei ecclesia of all evils, said after the manner of Lucifer: I will set my throne in erexit ipse que etiam suorum facinorum the north and I shall be like the most High. He grasped with avid furiis agitatus in profundum malorum omnium descendens more Luciferi ponam and detestable greed at the above-mentioned election, or rather inquit sedem meam in aquilone et ero profanation made of him, which he had earlier sought with intense similis altissimo. Et sic predictam electionem immo verius fever of mind and anguish of heart. He did not shrink from prophanationem de se factam que per adopting and wearing papal robes, ornaments and insignia, from prius tanto mentis estu et animi anxietate quesiverat summa et detestabili aviditate behaving, holding himself and acting as Roman and supreme amplectens papalia indumenta ornamenta pontiff, and from having himself venerated as such by the people. et insignia assumere et induere ac pro Romano et summo pontifice se gerere Further, he was not afraid to write and despatch to many parts of tenere et exercere et a quibusdam pro tali the world letters which were sealed with a leaden seal after the venerari se facere non exhorruit et insuper litteras suas bulla plumbea manner of the Roman pontiffs. By these letters, in which he calls Romanorum pontificum more bullatas in himself Felix even though he is the most unhappy of mortals, he quibus se Felicem cum sit omnium mortalium infelicissimus appellat et cum tries to spread the poisons of his faction among the people of quibus in plebem christi diversa suarum Christ. partium venena conatur effundere ad 339 quamplura et diversa mundi loca scribere et destinare similiter non expavit. What complaint or accusation am I to make first, most blessed Quid hic primum querar beatissime pater et sacratissima synode aut quid primum father and most holy synod? With what force of speech, grief of accusem aut qua vi vocis qua gravitate mind or outpouring of words am I to deplore so great a crime? verborum quo dolore animi quo nimbo aut qua orationis procella tantum facinus What rich discourse could suitably bewail or express this most foul deplorem. deed? Assuredly no account can equal the grossness of the act, for Que oratio tanta affluentie ubertate decurrens scelus hoc teterrimum nedum the magnitude of so heinous a crime transcends the power of satis digne defleverit seu expresserit. speech. Non potest profecto hec res pro magnitudine facinoris enarrari. Vincit namque officium lingue tanti sceleris magnitudo. But, as I see it, most blessed father and most reverend and Sed ut video beatissime pater et reverendissimi reverendi que patres iam reverend fathers, now is the hour not for lament but for remedy. tempus est magis remedii quam querele. For behold, holy mother church was basking in true unity and Ecce enim sancta mater ecclesia que in persona sanctitatis tue sui indubitati peace, in the person of your holiness her undoubted spouse, when sponsi sincera per prius unitate et pace the fountain of tears was opened. To you, her spouse, and to you gaudebat reseratis lacrimarum fontibus multis cum suspiriis ac singultibus ad te most reverend and reverend fathers, who share in solicitude and sponsum suum ad vos reverendissimos et have been summoned to this sacred and ecumenical council, she is reverendos patres qui estis in parte sollicitudinis et ad hoc sacrum et forced to cry and shout with many sighs and sobs: Have pity on ycumenicum concilium evocati clamare et me, have pity on me, at least you my fiends’. For my bowels are vociferare compellitur: miseremini mei miseremini mei saltem vos amici mei. full of bitterness. For the foxes destroy the vineyard of the God of Viscera namque mea amaritudine sunt hosts, and the impious rend the seamless robe of Christ. Let God repleta. Nam vineam dei sabaoth vulpes therefore arise, let all his enemies be scattered. And you, most exterminant et christi inconsutilem blessed father, since all these things are so manifest, public and tunicam impii lacerant. Exurgat ergo deus et dissipentur omnes notorious that they cannot be hidden by any evasion or defended inimici eius. by excuses, arise in the power of the most High, together with this Et tu beatissime pater cum omnia adeo manifesta sint predicta publica et notoria sacred council, and judge the cause of your spouse and be mindful quod nulla possint tergiversatione celari of your sons. Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one. Set nec excusatione defendi in virtute altissimi una cum hoc sacro concilio out, proceed prosperously and reign, and say with the psalmist: I consurge et iudica causam sponse tue et will pursue my enemies and crush them, and I shall not return until memor esto filiorum tuorum. Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum I consume them. I shall consume and crush them and they will not potentissime. rise; they will fall at my feet. For it is wrong that so wicked a deed Intende prospere procede et regna et dic una cum psalmista: persequar inimicos and so detestable a precedent should be allowed to pass by meos et conteram et non revertar donec disguised, lest perhaps unpunished daring and malice find an consumam eos. Consumam et confringam et non imitator, but rather let the example of punished trangressions deter consurgent cadent sub pedibus meis. others from offending. Nec enim decet tam nefarium facinus abominandum que portentum sub dissimulatione transire ne forte impunita temeritas atque malitia inveniat successorem sed potius punite transgressionis exemplar retrahat alios ab offensa. Therefore your holiness and this sacred synod, following the Exemplo itaque ipsius Moysi viri dei sanctitatem vestram et hanc sanctam example of Moses the man of God, must say to the whole christian synodum universe plebi christiane people: Depart from the tents of these impious men. Follow also dicendum est: recedite a tabernaculis hominum impiorum. the example of blessed pope Leo, your predecessor, who moved Exemplo etiam beatissimi Leonis pape the second council of Ephesus and Dioscorus with his supporters predecessoris tui qui Secundam Ephesinam synodum submovit et to Chalcedon, where he instituted a synod which condemned them, Dioscorum suos que fautores et sequaces and of your other predecessors as supreme pontiff, who in Chalcedonensi quam postea instituit synodo condemnavit aliorum que continuously rising up in God’s church have eliminated heresies summorum pontificum predecessorum and schisms, with their instigators, followers and supporters, from tuorum qui semper insurgentes in dei ecclesia hereses et schismata cum the church of God and the communion of the faithful, which is the ipsorum auctoribus fautoribus sequacibus most sacred body of Christ, and have afflicted them with many a dei ecclesia et communione fidelium 340 other condign penalties at the demand of justice. sacratissimo christi corpore eliminarunt et aliis multiplicibus et condignis penis exigente iustitia afflixerunt. With the approval and help of this sacred ecumenical council, Hanc novam rabiem in tuam et sancte Romane ecclesie sponse tue iniuriam et avenge with condign penalties this new frenzy which has become totius christiani populi apertissimum inflamed to your injury and that of the holy Roman church, your scandalum conflatam hoc sacro ycumenico approbante et auxiliante spouse, and to the notorious scandal of the whole christian people. concilio condigna penarum exaggeratione By the authority of almighty God and of the blessed apostles Peter ulciscere et predictos impios tam prodigiosi sceleris patratores una cum and Paul and by your own authority, remove and separate from eorum heresiarcha infelicissimo et vero in God’s holy church, by a perpetual anathema, the aforesaid wicked dei ecclesia antichristo cum que omnibus eorum fautoribus adherentibus et perpetrators of this prodigious crime and their unfortunate sequacibus et presertim nefandissimis heresiarch and veritable antichrist in God’s church together with eius electoribus seu verius prophanatoribus omnipotentis dei et all their supporters, adherents and followers and especially his beatorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum eius execrable electors or rather profaners. et tua auctoritate perpetuo anathemate a liminibus sancte dei ecclesie remove et segrega. May he and all the aforesaid be cast out like an antichrist and an Abiiciatur ipse omnes que predicti sicut antichristus et invasor et destructor totius invader and a destroyer of the whole of Christianity. Let no appeal christianitatis nec aliqua ei omnibus que in this matter ever be allowed to him or to them. Let them and their predictis super hoc aliquando audientia reservetur sint que ab omni ecclesiastico posterity and successors be deprived without appeal of every et mundano gradu et dignitate ecclesiastical or secular rank and dignity whatsoever. Let all of quacumque ipsi eorum que posteri et successores sine reclamatione privati them be condemned by a perpetual anathema and omnes que perpetuo anathemate et excommunication and may they be counted among the wicked who excommunicatione damnati existant et cum impiis qui in iudicio non resurgent will not rise at the judgment. May they feel the anger of God computentur omnipotentis dei contra se against them. May they feel the rage of saints Peter and Paul, iram sentiant et sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli quorum presumunt whose church they dare to throw into confusion, both in this life ecclesiam confundere in hac vita et in and in the next. May their dwelling be a desolation, let no one futura furorem sentiant fiat habitatio eorum deserta et in eorum habitaculis dwell in their tents. May their children be orphans and their wives nullus inhabitet. be widows. May the world fight against them and all the elements be opposed Fiant filii eorum orphani et uxores eorum viduae. to them, so that they may be cast out, destroyed and eliminated by Orbis terrarum pugnet contra eos et all and so that, as they grovel in permanent penury, death may omnia sint eis elementa contraria adeo quod abiiciantur exterminentur et deservedly be their refuge and life their punishment. May the abominentur ab omnibus ut eis perpetua merits of all the saints cast them into confusion and display open egestate sordentibus sit merito mors solatium et vita supplicium et omnium vengeance on them in their lifetime. May they receive a deserved sanctorum merita illos confundant et in fate with Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Finally, unless they repent hac vita super eos apertam vindictam ostendant et cum Chore Dathan et Abiron from their hearts, perform deeds worthy of repentance and make debitam portionem suscipiant et tandem worthy satisfaction to your holiness and the universal church for nisi ad cor reversi dignos penitentie fructus egerint et sanctitati tue et the enormity of their sins, may they be thrust with the wicked into universali ecclesie pro tantorum reatuum the everlasting darkness, doomed by the just judgment of God to immanitate digne satisfecerint cum impiis in infernas tenebras recondantur ad eternal torments. eterna supplicia digno dei iudicio destinati. May the grace of almighty God protect all of us and all Christ’s Nos autem omnes et universos christi fideles qui predictos heresiarchas eorum faithful who execrate with merited blasphemies the aforesaid que nefandissimum idolum et antichristum heresiarchs and their abominable idol and antichrist, who meritis blasphemiis exsecramur et te christi vicarium et dignissime ecclesie acknowledge you as Christ’s vicar and spouse of his most worthy sponsum confitemur et devota reverentia church, and who venerate you with devout reverence and constant et constanti fide et obedientia veneramur omnipotentis dei gratia protegat et faith and obedience. By the authority of blessed Peter and Paul and auctoritas beatorum Petri et Pauli et tua your authority, may we and they be absolved from all bonds of ab omnibus peccatorum vinculis absolvat et in hac peregrinatione omnibus sins, be filled with all blessings on our pilgrimage and finally be benedictionibus repleat et sua tandem led by his ineffable mercy to eternal joys. Amen. ineffabili miseratione ad eterna gaudia perducat Amen. For our part, as soon as we were aware from the reports of nos vero ut primum fide dignorum relatione tantam percepimus impietatem 341 trustworthy people that so great an impiety had been committed, foris commissam magno quidem prout decebat dolore et merore afflicti sumus we were afflicted with grief and sadness, as was to be expected, tum pro tanto ecclesie scandalo nuper both for the great scandal to the church and for the ruin of the souls exorto tum pro animarum eorum qui talia perpetrarunt interitu et presertim ipsius of its perpetrators, especially Amadeus that antichrist whom we Amedei antichristi quem in visceribus used to embrace in the depths of charity and whose prayers and complectabamur caritatis cuius que preces et desideria quantum cum deo wishes we always strove to meet in so far as we could in God. potuimus exaudire semper curavimus et Already for some time we had it in mind to provide salutary cum iam dudum adversus huiusmodi abominationem iuxta nostri pastoralis remedies, in accordance with our pastoral office, against an officii debitum in animo geramus abomination of this sort. Now, however, challenged publicly salutaribus providere remediis nunc tamen publice in facie ecclesie ad before the church to confront these evils, we propose to rise to the occurrendum his malis requisiti celerius defence of the church and tackle this great crime more quickly and atque instantius pro defensione ecclesie insurgere et tanto sceleri obviare more urgently. disponimus. Therefore, in order that so enormous and execrable a deed may, Quamobrem ut res ista tam enormis et execrabilis in ipso ortu adiuvante domino with the help of God whose cause is at stake, be destroyed from its cuius res agitur radicitus exstirpetur una very roots, we are applying, in conjunction with this holy council cum hoc sacro concilio sine cunctatione qua possumus iuxta canonicas sanctiones and with the least possible delay, a remedy in accordance with the adhibemus remedium. holy canons. We are aware that the above petition of the promoter and the Attendentes igitur memoratam promotoris et procuratoris petitionem esse iustam ac procurator is just and in conformity with both divine and human divino et humano iuri consonam licet law, and although the aforesaid crimes and excesses are so very predicta scelera et excessus sint usque adeo publica et notoria quod nulla possint public and notorious that nothing can conceal them and no further tergiversatione celari nec alia foret information is required; Nevertheless, for greater precaution and informatio necessaria ad maiorem tamen cautelam certitudinem que premissorum certainly about the above, we commissioned, with the approval of sacro approbante concilio nonnullis this sacred council, some noteworthy persons from every rank in insignibus viris ex omni ipsius concilii statu commisimus ut se de premissis the council to seek information about the above and to refer their diligenter informarent et que per findings to us and the sacred council. huiusmodi reperirent informationem nobis et ipsi sacro concilio referrent. Those so commissioned fulfilled their task of investigation with Iidem vero commissarii super premissis quantum pertinet ad huiusmodi the care demanded by a schismatical depravity of this kind and schismatice pravitatis indagationem faithfully reported to us and the sacred council in a synodal diligenti habita inquisitione nobis et ipsi sacro concilio in synodali congregatione congregation what they had found out by the interrogation of ea que per fide dignarum personarum trustworthy persons. In such public, manifest and notorious examinationem repererant fideliter retulerunt. matters, action could have been taken against the said infamous Et tamen quamvis super his tam publicis and scandalous men without waiting further, by means of severe manifestis et notoriis sine alia expectatione per penarum severitatem penalties in accordance with canonical sanctions. Nevertheless we iuxta sanctiones canonicas in predictos and this holy synod, imitating the mercy of God who desires not flagitiosos et scandalosos homines animadverti potuisset nihilominus nos et the death of the sinner but rather that he be converted and live, hec sancta synodus omnipotentis dei have decided to show all possible mercy and to act, in so far as we imitantes clementiam qui non vult mortem peccatoris sed ut magis convertatur et can, in such a way that the proposed mildness may recall them to vivat omni qua possumus pietate uti heart and lead them to recoil from the above-mentioned excesses, decrevimus et quantum in nobis est agere ut proposita mansuetudinis via ad cor and so that when at last they return to the bosom of the church like revertatur et a predictis resipiscatur the prodigal son, we may receive them with kindness and embrace excessibus ut ipsos tandem sicut filium illum prodigum ad gremium ecclesie them with fatherly love. revertentes benigne suscipiamus et paterna caritate amplectamur. Therefore, through the tender mercy of our God and by the Ipsum igitur Amedeum antichristum et prefatos electores seu verius shedding of the precious blood of our lord Jesus Christ, in whom prophanatores et quoscumque eidem and by whom the redemption of the human race and the foundation Amedeo credentes adherentes receptatores et quoquomodo faventes per of holy mother church were effected, from the depths of our hearts viscera misericordie dei nostri et per we exhort, beg and beseech the antichrist Amadeus and the aspersionem pretiosi sanguinis domini nostri Ihesu christi in quo et per quem aforesaid electors, or rather profaners, and whoever else believes humani generis redemptio et sancte in, adheres to, receives or in any way supports him, straightaway to matris ecclesie edificatio facta est ex toto 342 stop violating the church’s unity for which the Saviour prayed so corde hortamur precamur et obsecramus ut ipsius ecclesie unitatem pro qua ipse earnestly to the Father, and to cease from rending and lacerating salvator tam instanter oravit ad patrem the fraternal charity and peace which the same Redeemer, as he violare amodo desistant fraternam quoque dilectionem ac pacem quam totiens et was about to leave this world, repeatedly and so insistently tam accurate idem redemptor transiturus commended to his disciples and without which neither prayers nor ex hoc mundo discipulis commendavit et sine qua nec orationes nec ieiunia nec fasts nor alms are acceptable to God, and utterly to desist as eleemosine deo accepte sunt scindere et quickly as possible from the aforesaid destructive and scandalous lacerare expavescant et a predictis quantocius tam perniciosis et scandalosis excesses, and so to find with us and this sacred council, if they prorsus desistant excessibus inventuri really obey as they are bound to do, the affection of a father in profecto apud nos et hoc sacrum concilium si effectualiter paruerint prout respect of everything. tenentur paterne in omnibus caritatis affectum However, so that fear of penalties and harshness of discipline may et ut ipsos si forte iustitie et virtutis amor a peccato non retrahat penarum terror et force them if perchance love of justice and virtue does not rigor coerceat discipline prefatos withdraw them from sin, with the approval of this sacred council Amedeum antichristum electores immo prophanatores credentes adherentes we demand and warn the antichrist Amadeus and the aforesaid receptatores et quomodolibet faventes electors, or rather profaners, and believers, adherents, receivers and eodem sacro approbante concilio requirimus et monemus et in virtute supporters, and we strictly enjoin and order him and them in virtue sancte obedientie ac sub of holy obedience and under the penalties of anathema, heresy, anathematizationis et criminum heresis ac schismatis et lese maiestatis in schism and treason which have been inflicted in any ways against quibuscumque contra tales ab homine vel such persons, whether by men or by the law: a iure inflictis penis districte precipiendo mandamus That within fifty days immediately following the publication of quatenus infra quinquaginta dies ab affixione presentium immediate sequentes this letter, the antichrist Amadeus should cease from acting any ipse Amedeus antichristus pro Romano more and designating himself as the Roman pontiff and should not, pontifice ulterius se gerere ac nominare desistat nec per alios quantum in ipso est in so far as he can, allow himself to be held and called such by haberi ac nominari pro tali se patiatur others, and should not dare hereafter in any way to use papal insigniis que papalibus ac aliis ad Romanum pontificem quoquomodo insignia and other things belonging in any way to the Roman spectantibus nullatenus uti de cetero pontiff; And that the aforesaid electors, or rather profaners, and presumat memorati vero electores immo prophanatores adherentes receptatores ac adherents, receivers and supporters should no longer, either in faventes ulterius ipsi Amedeo in hoc person or through others, directly or indirectly or under any schismatis crimine non assistant nec credant adhereant vel faveant quoquo pretext, aid, believe in, adhere to or support the said Amadeus in modo per se vel per alios directe vel this crime of schism. indirecte nec quovis quesito colore. Rather, both Amadeus himself and the aforesaid electors, Sed tam ipse Amedeus quam predicti electores credentes adherentes believers, adherents and supporters should hold, recognize and receptatores et fautores nos in verum reverence us as the true Roman pontiff and vicar of Christ and Romanum pontificem ac christi vicarium et Petri legitimum successorem habeant legitimate successor of Peter, and should reverently obey and recognoscant et venerentur nobis que maintain us as father and pastor of their souls, and should take care tamquam patri et pastori animarum suarum reverenter pareant et intendant legitimately to notify us and this sacred council about these matters ac de iis infra predictum terminum nos et within the appointed interval of time, so that no scruple of doubt hoc sacrum concilium legitime certificare studeant ita ut de eorum vera obedientia may remain about their genuine obedience. nullus dubitationis scrupulus valeat remanere. If Amadeus and the said electors, believers, adherents, receivers Si Amedeus eligentes credentes adherentes receptatores ac faventes and supporters shall act otherwise -- though may it not be so -- and predicti secus quod absit egerint seu do not effectively fulfil each and all of the aforesaid points within premissa omnia et singula infra terminum predictum cum effectu non adimpleverint the appointed time, we wish and decree that from then as from now ex tunc prout ex nunc huiusmodi penas they automatically incur the stated penalties. incurrere ipso facto volumus ac decernimus. Moreover, on the fifteenth day after the aforesaid interval of time, Et nihilominus faventes predicti coniunctim seu divisim quinta decima die if it is not a feast, otherwise on the following non-feast day, the prefatum terminum sequente si non fuerit aforesaid supporters all together or singly shall appear in person feriata alias proxime sequente non feriata compareant personaliter coram nobis et before us and the aforesaid council where we shall then be, to be prefato concilio ubi tunc erimus ad seen and heard individually and even by name. Thus we now cite videndum et audiendum se et quemlibet 343 them for that day, to be declared schismatics, blasphemers and as eorum etiam nominatim quos et sic citamus ad diem eumdem declarari heretics, to be punished as traitors, and to have incurred the schismaticos blasphemos et tamquam aforesaid censures and penalties, and others to be inflicted, hereticos et reos crimine lese maiestatis fore puniendos ac censuras et penas according as it shall seem good and justice shall persuade: predictas incurrisse et alias infligi prout visum fuerit et iustitia suadebit Notifying the same people and any of them individually, whether certificantes eosdem et eorum quemlibet quod sive venerint sive non et se paruisse or not they come, that if they shall not have shown that they have non ostenderint ad declarationem obeyed, we shall proceed with justice to declaring the aforesaid predictarum penarum iustitia mediante procedemus eorum contumacia vel penalties, notwithstanding their contumacy or absence, with the absentia non obstante progressuri ulterius intention of proceeding further to aggravation and re-aggravation, ad aggravationem et reaggravationem prout iustitie rigor postulaverit et eorum as the rigour of justice shall demand and their merits require. demerita exegerint. In order that this monition and citation of ours may be brought to Ut autem huiusmodi nostra monitio ac citatio ad eorumdem monitorium ac the attention of the authors of their monition and citation and of citatorium aliorum que quorum interest other interested persons, we shall have sheets of paper or notitiam deducantur cartas sive membranas eam continentes ecclesie membranes of parchment containing it affixed to the doors or gates beate Marie Novelle de Florentia et palatii of the church of St Mary Novella in Florence, of our palace nostri apud eamdem ecclesiam siti et ecclesie cathedralis Florentine portis sive situated near that church and of the cathedral church of Florence. ianuis affigi faciemus que monitionem These will make known this monition as if by a sonorous town- eamdem suo quasi sonoro preconio ac patulo indicio publicabunt ut iidem moniti crying and a public notice, in order that after such notification quod ad ipsos non pervenerit et eamdem these people may not be able to pretend that it did not reach them monitionem ignoraverint nullam possint pretendere excusationem vel ignorantiam or that they were ignorant of it, since it is unlikely that what is allegare cum non sit verosimile quod ad made known so obviously to all should remain unknown or hidden eos remaneret incognitum vel occultum to them. quod tam patenter omnibus publicatur. We wish and we decree by our apostolic authority that this our Volumus autem et apostolica auctoritate decernimus quod huiusmodi nostra monition promulgated on the said doors and gates shall have as monitio in eisdem valvis seu portis much value and be as immutable and as binding on the said intimata perinde valeat et plenum robur obtineat firmitatis dictos que monitos warned people, notwithstanding any contrary constitution, as if it perarctet quacumque constitutione had been intimated and disclosed to each and all of the warned contraria non obstante ac si eisdem monitis et eorum singulis intimata ac people in person and in their presence. insinuata personaliter et presentialiter extitisset. Finally, lest the aforesaid warned and cited persons allege as a Ne tandem moniti et citati predicti ipsum concilium et curiam Romanam cloak of excuse that the council and the Roman curia, the common communem omnibus patriam locum sibi fatherland of all, is an unsafe place for them and that, because of minus tutum et propter premissa alias ve inimicitias vel ex causis aliis imminere the above-mentioned things or other enmities or other reasons, periculum in veniendo stando et redeundo danger threatens them in their coming, staying and returning, we ad excusationis sue velamen forsan allegent ipso tenore presentium reassure them by this present letter and we require and exhort by securantes universos et singulos the same letter all patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and other patriarchas archiepiscopos episcopos et alios ecclesiarum monasteriorum prelatos prelates of churches and monasteries, clerics and ecclesiastical et clericos ac personas ecclesiasticas persons as well as dukes, marquises, princes, rulers, captains and necnon duces marchiones principes potestates capitaneos et quoscumque any other officials and their lieutenants, as also the communities alios officiales et eorum loca tenentes and corporations of cities, castles, towns, vills and other places, necnon communitates universitates civitatum castrorum oppidorum villarum and we strictly command the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and et aliorum locorum tenore presentium other prelates and our other subjects that they are not to inflict any requirimus et exhortamur ipsis que patriarchis archiepiscopis episcopis et aliis injury or harm on the aforesaid warned persons and their goods prelatis ceteris que subditis nostris and property nor, to the best of their power, to allow such to be districte mandamus quatenus prefatis monitis et bonis aut rebus eorum nullam inflicted by others. Let nobody therefore . . . If anyone however . . . inferant nec ab aliis quantum in eis fuerit permittant inferri iniuriam vel offensam. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... SESSION 10 27 May 1440

344 [Eugenius IV exhorts the members of the synod at Basel to desist from their opposition] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. In the opinion of holy fathers, public sinners ought to be Quoniam iuxta sanctorum patrum publicly censured so that others may stand in fear. Accordingly, sentenciam publice peccantes coram omnibus arguendi sunt ut ceteri timorem we and this sacred council of Florence recently censured and habeant pridem pro publico pestiferi denounced in public before the church, in synodal form, the scismatis delicto adversus sanctam sedem apostolicam et sanctam Romanam authors and abettors of the pestilential sin of schism against the ecclesiam omnium christianorum matrem holy apostolic see and the holy Roman church, the mother and et magistram per Amedeum olim Sabaudie ducem et suos complices mistress of all Christians, which was perpetrated by Amadeus, perpetrato ipsos tanti sceleris auctores et once duke of Savoy, and his accomplices. It would have been in eorum sequaces palam et in facie ecclesie una cum hoc sacro Florentino concilio conformity with the sacred canons to have passed a sentence of synodaliter redarguimus et detestati due severity straightaway on those notoriously sacrilegious fuimus. Quamquam iuxta sacros canones in ipsos persons. However, desiring their conversion and salvation rather manifestos ac notorios sacrilegos mox than their punishment, we begged, warned and required of them, debite severitatis sentencia proferri potuisset nihilominus ipsorum magis with all the charity and mildness we could, to reflect and to recoil conversionem quam vindictam et salutem from such great iniquity, promising them pardon and favour and a pocius quam punicionem cupientes cum quanta potuimus caritate ac father’s affection. But if they refused to heed these dutiful mansuetudine ipsos rogavimus monuimus admonitions, we decreed that they should be punished with et requisivimus ut ad cor redirent et a tanta iniquitate resipiscerent pollicendo penalties proportionate to so great an outrage, as is contained in the eis veniam graciam que et paterne monition promulgated against them, which is as follows. pietatis affectum alias si huiusmodi piissimis nollent monitis acquiescere penis tanto flagicio dignis ipsos decernebamus esse plectendos prout in monitorio adversus eos promulgato plenius continetur cuius tenor in hunc sequitur modum. SESSION 11 4 February 1442 [Bull of union with the Copts] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. Sing praises to the Lord for he has done gloriously; let this Cantate domino quoniam magnifice fecit be known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of annuntiate hoc in universa terra. Exulta et lauda habitatio Syon quoniam Zion, for great in your midst is the holy one of Israel. To sing and magnus in medio tui sanctus israhel. to exult in the Lord certainly befits the church of God for his great Cantare profecto et exultare in domino decet ecclesiam dei pro hac grandi magnificence and the glory of his name, which the most merciful magnificentia et gloria nominis sui quam God has deigned to bring about on this very day. It is right, indeed, hodierna die clementissimus deus operari dignatus est. to praise and bless with all our hearts our Saviour, who daily builds Toto siquidem corde laudare et up his holy church with new additions. His benefactions to his benedicere salvatorem nostrum nos convenit qui sanctam ecclesiam suam christian people are at all times many and great and manifest more novis quotidie accumulat incrementis. clearly than the light of day his immense love for us. Yet if we Quanquam autem in populum christianum sua beneficia omni tempore multa ac look more closely at the benefactions which the divine mercy has magna sint que luce clarius suam erga nos deigned to effect in most recent times, we shall assuredly be able immensam caritatem ostendunt si tamen accurate inspicimus que et quanta his to judge that in these days of ours the gifts of his love have been diebus novissimis divina clementia facere more in number and greater in kind than in many past ages. dignatus est iudicare certe poterimus hoc nostro tempore plura ac maiora quam a multis retroactis etatibus sue caritatis munera extitisse. For in less than three years our lord Jesus Christ by his Ecce enim nondum exacto triennio in hac sancta ycumenica synodo saluberrimam indefatigable kindness, to the common and lasting joy of the whole trium magnarum nationum unionem of Christianity, has generously effected in this holy ecumenical dominus noster Ihesus christus sua infatigabili pietate ad commune perenne synod the most salutary union of three great nations. Hence it has que totius christianitatis gaudium tam come about that nearly the whole of the east that adores the copiose effecit. Unde actum est ut totus fere oriens qui glorious name of Christ and no small part of the north, after gloriosum christi nomen adorat ac non parva septentrionis portio post longa 345 prolonged discord with the holy Roman church, have come dissidia cum sancta Romana ecclesia in eodem fidei ac caritatis vinculo iam together in the same bond of faith and love. For first the Greeks convenerint. and those subject to the four patriarchal sees, which cover many Primo etenim Greci et hi qui subsunt quatuor patriarchalibus sedibus multas races and nations and tongues, then the Armenians, who are a race gentes nationes que et ydiomata of many peoples, and today indeed the Jacobites, who are a great continentibus deinde Armeni multorum populorum gens hodie vero Iacobini magni people in Egypt, have been united with the holy apostolic see. etiam per Egiptum populi sancte sedi apostolice uniti sunt. Nothing is more pleasing to our Saviour, the lord Jesus Christ, than Et cum nichil salvatori nostro domino Ihesu christo gratius sit quam mutua inter mutual love among people and nothing can give more glory to his homines caritas nichil que nomini suo name and advantage to the church than that Christians, with all gloriosius atque ecclesie utilius esse possit quam ut christiani omni inter se sublato discord between them banished, should come together in the same dissidio in eadem simul fidei puritate purity of faith. Deservedly all of us ought to sing for joy and to conveniant merito nos omnes et cantare pre gaudio et iubilare in domino debemus exult in the Lord; we whom the divine clemency has made worthy quos ut tantam christiane fidei to see in our days such great splendour of the christian faith. With magnificentiam diebus nostris videremus divina miseratio dignos effecit. the greatest readiness we therefore announce these marvellous Summa igitur cum alacritate annuntiamus facts to the whole christian world, so that just as we are filled with magnalia hec in universa christianorum terra ut sicut nos pro gloria dei et unspeakable joy for the glory of God and the exaltation of the exaltatione ecclesie gaudio inenarrabili church, we may make others participate in this great happiness. repleti sumus ita et alios tante letitie participes faciamus ut omnes uno ore Thus all of us with one voice may magnify and glorify God and magnificemus et glorificemus deum et sue may return abundant and daily thanks, as is fitting, to his majesty maiestati prout dignum est magnas quotidianas que gratias agamus pro tot for so many and so great marvellous benefits bestowed on his holy tantis que mirabilibus beneficiis hac etate church in this age. He who diligently does the work of God not ecclesie sue sancte collatis. Et quoniam qui opus dei diligenter exercet only awaits merit and reward in heaven but also deserves generous non modo meritum ac retributionem in glory and praise among people. Therefore we consider that our celis expectat sed et apud homines amplam gloriam laudem que meretur venerable brother John, patriarch of the Jacobites, whose zeal for venerabilem fratrem nostrum Iohannem this holy union is immense, should deservedly be praised and Iacobinorum patriarcham huius sancte unionis cupidissimum a nobis et tota extolled by us and the whole church and deserves, together with ecclesia merito laudandum et extollendum his whole race, the general approval of all Christians. Moved by ac communi omnium christianorum favore cum tota sua gente dignum iudicamus. us, through our envoy and our letter, to send an embassy to us and Is enim a nobis per nostrum oratorem ac this sacred synod and to unite himself and his people in the same litteras excitatus ut ad nos et hanc sanctam synodum legationem mitteret et faith with the Roman church, he sent to us and this synod the se ac suam gentem in eadem cum beloved son Andrew, an Egyptian, endowed in no mean degree ecclesia Romana fide uniret dilectum filium Andream natione Egiptium abbatem with faith and morals and abbot of the monastery of St Anthony in monasterii sancti Antonii apud Egiptum in Egypt, in which St Anthony himself is said to have lived and died. quo et habitasse et mortuus esse sanctus The patriarch, fired with great zeal, ordered and commissioned him ipse Antonius perhibetur religione et moribus non mediocriter institutum ad nos reverently to accept, in the name of the patriarch and his Jacobites, et ipsam synodum destinavit cui the doctrine of the faith that the Roman church holds and preaches, devotionis zelo accensus imposuit atque commisit ut fidei doctrinam quam sancta and afterwards to bring this doctrine to the patriarch and the Romana ecclesia tenet et predicat nomine Jacobites so that they might acknowledge and formally approve it ipsius patriarche et suorum Iacobinorum reverenter susciperet deferendam postea and preach it in their lands. per eum ad ipsum patriarcham et Iacobinos ut et ipsi eandem agnoscerent ratam que haberent et in suis regionibus predicarent. We, therefore, to whom the Lord gave the task of feeding Christ’s Nos igitur quibus voce domini commissum est pascere oves christi ipsum Andream sheep’, had abbot Andrew carefully examined by some outstanding abbatem per nonnullos huius sacri concilii men of this sacred council on the articles of the faith, the insignes viros super articulis fidei et sacramentis ecclesie et quibusque ad sacraments of the church and certain other matters pertaining to salutem spectantibus diligenter examinari salvation. At length, after an exposition of the catholic faith to the fecimus et tandem quantum visum est fore necessarium exposita eidem abbati abbot, as far as this seemed to be necessary, and his humble sancte Romane ecclesie fide catholica et acceptance of it, we have delivered in the name of the Lord in this per ipsum humiliter acceptata hanc que sequitur veram necessariam que solemn session, with the approval of this sacred ecumenical doctrinam hodie in hac solenni sessione 346 council of Florence, the following true and necessary doctrine. sacro approbante ycumenico concilio Florentino in nomine domini tradidimus. First, then, the holy Roman church, founded on the words of our Imprimis igitur sacrosancta Romana ecclesia domini et salvatoris nostri voce Lord and Saviour, firmly believes, professes and preaches one true fundata firmiter credit profitetur et God, almighty, immutable and eternal, Father, Son and holy Spirit; predicat unum verum deum omnipotentem incommutabilem et one in essence, three in persons; unbegotten Father, Son begotten eternum patrem et filium et spiritum from the Father, holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the sanctum unum in essentia trinum in personis patrem ingenitum filium ex patre Son; the Father is not the Son or the holy Spirit, the Son is not the genitum spiritum sanctum ex patre et filio Father or the holy Spirit, the holy Spirit is not the Father or the procedentem patrem non esse filium aut spiritum sanctum filium non esse patrem Son; the Father is only the Father, the Son is only the Son, the holy aut spiritum sanctum spiritum sanctum Spirit is only the holy Spirit. non esse patrem aut filium sed pater tantum pater est filius tantum filius est spiritus sanctus tantum spiritus sanctus est. The Father alone from his substance begot the Son; the Son alone Solus pater de substantia sua genuit filium. is begotten of the Father alone; the holy Spirit alone proceeds at Solus filius de solo patre est genitus. once from the Father and the Son. These three persons are one God Solus spiritus sanctus simul de patre procedit et filio he tres persone sunt unus not three gods, because there is one substance of the three, one deus non tres dii quia trium est una essence, one nature, one Godhead, one immensity, one eternity, substantia una essentia una natura una divinitas una immensitas una eternitas and everything is one where the difference of a relation does not omnia que sunt unum ubi non obviat prevent this. Because of this unity the Father is whole in the Son, relationis oppositio. Propter hanc unitatem pater est totus in whole in the holy Spirit; the Son is whole in the Father, whole in filio totus in spiritu sancto filius est totus the holy Spirit; the holy Spirit is whole in the Father, whole in the in patre totus in spiritu sancto spiritus sanctus est totus in patre totus in filio. Son. No one of them precedes another in eternity or excels in Nullus alium aut precedit eternitate aut greatness or surpasses in power. The existence of the Son from the excedit magnitudine aut superat potestate. Father is certainly eternal and without beginning, and the Eternum quippe et sine initio est quod procession of the holy Spirit from the Father and the Son is eternal filius de patre extitit et eternum ac sine initio est quod spiritus sanctus de patre and without beginning. Whatever the Father is or has, he has not filio que procedit. from another but from himself and is principle without principle. Pater quicquid est aut habet non habet ab alio sed ex se et est principium sine Whatever the Son is or has, he has from the Father and is principle principio. from principle. Whatever the holy Spirit is or has, he has from the Filius quicquid est aut habet habet a patre et est principium de principio. Father together with the Son. But the Father and the Son are not Spiritus sanctus quicquid est aut habet two principles of the holy Spirit, but one principle, just as the habet a patre simul et filio. Sed pater et filius non duo principia Father and the Son and the holy Spirit are not three principles of spiritus sancti sed unum principium sicut creation but one principle. pater et filius et spiritus sanctus non tria principia creature sed unum principium. Therefore it condemns, reproves, anathematizes and declares to be Quoscunque ergo adversa et contraria sentientes damnat reprobat et outside the body of Christ, which is the church, whoever holds anathematizat et a christi corpore quod opposing or contrary views. Hence it condemns Sabellius, who est ecclesia alienos esse denuntiat. Hinc damnat Sabellium personas confused the persons and altogether removed their real distinction. confundentem et ipsarum distinctionem It condemns the Arians, the Eunomians and the Macedonians who realem penitus auferentem damnat arrianos eunomianos macedonianos solum say that only the Father is true God and place the Son and the holy patrem verum deum esse dicentes filium Spirit in the order of creatures. It also condemns any others who autem et spiritum sanctum in creaturarum ordine collocantes. make degrees or inequalities in the Trinity. Damnat et quoscunque alios gradus seu inequalitatem in trinitate facientes. Most firmly it believes, professes and preaches that the one true Firmissime credit profitetur et predicat unum verum deum patrem et filium et God, Father, Son and holy Spirit, is the creator of all things that spiritum sanctum esse omnium visibilium are, visible and invisible, who, when he willed it, made from his et invisibilium creatorem qui quando voluit bonitate sua universas tam spiritales own goodness all creatures, both spiritual and corporeal, good quam corporales condidit creaturas bonas indeed because they are made by the supreme good, but mutable quidem quia a summo bono facte sunt sed mutabiles quia de nichilo facte sunt because they are made from nothing, and it asserts that there is no nullam que mali asserit esse naturam quia nature of evil because every nature, in so far as it is a nature, is omnis natura in quantum natura est bona est. good. It professes that one and the same God is the author of the 347 old and the new Testament -- that is, the law and the prophets, and Unum atque eundem deum veteris ac novi testamenti hoc est legis et prophetarum the gospel -- since the saints of both testaments spoke under the atque evangelii profitetur auctorem inspiration of the same Spirit. It accepts and venerates their books, quoniam eodem spiritu sancto inspirante utriusque testamenti sancti locuti sunt whose titles are as follows. quorum libros suscipit et veneratur qui titulis sequentibus continentur. Five books of Moses, namely Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Quinque Moysi id est Genesi Exodo Levitico Numeris Deuteronomio Iosue Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Iudicum Ruth quatuor Regum duobus Kings, two of Paralipomenon, Esdras, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Paralipomenon Esdra Neemia Tobia Iudith Hester Iob Psalmis David Parabolis Esther, Job, Psalms of David, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Ecclesiaste Canticis Canticorum Sapientia Songs, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Ecclesiastico Isaya Ieremia Baruch Ezechiele Daniele duodecim Prophetis Ezechiel, Daniel; the twelve minor prophets, namely Hosea, Joel, Minoribus id est Osee Iohele Amos Abdia Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Iona Michea Naum Abachuc Sophonia Ageo Zacharia Malachia duobus Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; two books of the Maccabees; the four Machabeorum quatuor Evangeliis Mathei gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; fourteen letters of Paul, Marci Luce Iohannis quatuordecim Epistolis Pauli ad Romanos duabus ad to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Corinthios ad Galatas ad Ephesios ad Ephesians, to the Philippians, two to the Thessalonians, to the Philipenses duabus ad Thesalonicenses ad Colocenses duabus ad Thimotheum ad Colossians, two to Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, to the Hebrews; Titum ad Philemonem ad Hebreos Petri two letters of Peter, three of John, one of James, one of Jude; Acts duabus tribus Iohannis una Iacobi una Iude actibus apostolorum et apocalipsi of the Apostles; Apocalypse of John. Iohannis. Hence it anathematizes the madness of the Manichees who posited Propterea maniceorum anathematizat insaniam qui duo prima principia two first principles, one of visible things, the other of invisible posuerunt unum visibilium aliud things, and said that one was the God of the new Testament, the invisibilium et alium novi testamenti deum alium veteris esse dixerunt. Firmiter credit other of the old Testament. It firmly believes, professes and profitetur et predicat unam ex trinitate preaches that one person of the Trinity, true God, Son of God personam verum deum dei filium ex patre genitum patri consubstantialem et begotten by the Father, consubstantial and coeternal with the coeternum in plenitudine temporis quam Father, in the fullness of time which the inscrutable depth of divine divini consilii inscrutabilis altitudo disposuit propter salutem humani generis counsel determined, for the salvation of the human race, took a real veram hominis integram que naturam ex and complete human nature from the immaculate womb of the immaculato utero Marie virginis assumpsisse et sibi in unitatem persone virgin Mary, and joined it to himself in a personal union of such copulasse tanta unitate ut quicquid ibi dei great unity that whatever is of God there, is not separated from est non sit ab homine separatum et quicquid est hominis non sit a deitate man, and whatever is human is not divided from the Godhead, and divisum sit que unus et idem indivisus he is one and the same undivided, each nature perduring in its utraque natura in suis proprietatibus permanente deus et homo dei filius et properties, God and man, Son of God and son of man, equal to the hominis filius equalis patri secundum Father according to his divinity, less than the Father according to divinitatem minor patre secundum humanitatem immortalis et eternus ex his humanity, immortal and eternal through the nature of the natura divinitatis passibilis et temporalis Godhead, passible and temporal from the condition of assumed ex conditione assumpte humanitatis. humanity. It firmly believes, professes and preaches that the Son of God was Firmiter credit profitetur et predicat dei filium in assumpta humanitate ex virgine truly born of the virgin in his assumed humanity, truly suffered, vere natum vere passum vere mortuum et truly died and was buried, truly rose from the dead, ascended into sepultum vere ex mortuis resurrexisse in celum ascendisse sedere que ad dexteram heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father and will come at the patris et venturum in fine seculorum ad end of time to judge the living and the dead. i It anathematizes, vivos mortuos que iudicandos. Anathematizat autem execratur et damnat execrates and condemns every heresy that is tainted with the omnem heresim contraria sapientem. contrary. First it condemns Ebion, Cerinthus, Marcion, Paul of Et primum damnat Ebionem Cherintum Marcionem Paulum Samosatenum Fotinum Samosata, Photinus and all similar blasphemers who, failing to see omnes que similiter blasfemantes qui the personal union of the humanity with the Word, denied that our percipere non valentes unionem personalem humanitatis ad verbum lord Jesus Christ was true God and professed him to be simply a Ihesum christum dominum nostrum verum man who by a greater participation in divine grace, which he had deum esse negaverunt ipsum purum hominem confitentes qui divine gratie received through the merit of his holier life, should be called a participatione maiore quam sanctioris vite divine man. merito suscepisset divinus homo diceretur. 348 It anathematizes also Manes and his followers who, imagining that Anathematizat etiam Maniceum cum sectatoribus suis qui dei filium non verum the Son of God took to himself not a real body but a phantasmal corpus sed fantasticum sumpsisse one completely rejected the truth of the humanity in Christ, somniantes humanitatis in christo veritatem penitus sustulerunt necnon Valentinus, who declared that the Son of God took nothing from Valentinum asserentem dei filium nichil de his virgin mother but that he assumed a heavenly body and passed virgine matre cepisse sed corpus celeste sumpsisse atque ita transisse per uterum through the virgin’s womb like water flowing down an aqueduct; virginis sicut per aqueductum defluens Arius, who by his assertion that the body taken from the virgin had aqua transcurrit. Arrium etiam qui asserens corpus ex no soul, wanted the Deity to take the place of the soul; and virgine assumptum anima caruisse voluit Apollinarius who, realizing that if the soul informing the body loco anime fuisse deitatem. Apollinarem quoque qui intelligens si were denied there would be no true humanity in Christ, posited anima corpus informans negetur in christo only a sensitive soul and held that the deity of the Word took the humanitatem veram ibidem non fuisse solam posuit animam sensitivam sed place of the rational soul. It anathematizes also Theodore of deitatem verbi vicem rationalis anime Mopsuestia and Nestorius, who asserted that the humanity was tenuisse. Anathematizat etiam Theodorum united to the Son of God through grace, and hence that there are Mopsuestenum atque Nestorium two persons in Christ just as they profess there are two natures, asserentes humanitatem dei filio unitam esse per gratiam et ob id duas in christo since they could not understand that the union of the humanity to esse personas sicut duas fatentur esse the Word was hypostatic and therefore they denied that he had naturas cum intelligere non valerent unionem humanitatis ad verbum received the subsistence of the Word. For according to this ypostaticam extitisse et propterea blasphemy the Word was not made flesh but the Word dwelt in negarent verbi subsistentiam accepisse. Nam secundum hanc blasfemiam non flesh through grace, that is, the Son of God did not become man verbum Caro factum est sed verbum per but rather the Son of God dwelt in a man. gratiam habitavit in Carne hoc est non dei filius homo factus est sed magis dei filius habitavit in homine. It also anathematizes, execrates and condemns the archimandrite Anathematizat etiam execratur et damnat Euticem archimandritam qui cum Eutyches who, when he understood that the blasphemy of intelligeret iuxta Nestorii blasfemiam Nestorius excluded the truth of the incarnation, and that it was veritatem incarnationis excludi et propterea oportere quod ita dei verbo therefore necessary for the humanity to be so united to the Word of unita esset humanitas ut deitatis et God that there should be one and the same person of the divinity humanitatis una esset eadem que persona ac etiam capere non posset stante and the humanity; and also because, granted the plurality of pluralitate naturarum unitatem persone natures, he could not grasp the unity of the person, since he posited sicut deitatis et humanitatis in christo unam posuit esse personam ita unam one person in Christ of divinity and humanity; so he affirmed that asseruit esse naturam volens ante there was one nature, suggesting that before the union there was a unionem dualitatem fuisse naturarum sed in unam naturam in assumptione transisse duality of natures which passed into a single nature in the act of maxime blasfemia et impietate concedens assumption, thereby conceding a great blasphemy and impiety that aut humanitatem in deitatem aut deitatem in humanitatem esse conversam. either the humanity was converted into the divinity or the divinity Anathematizat etiam execratur et damnat into the humanity. It also anathematizes, execrates and condemns Macharium Anthiocenum omnes que similia sapientes qui licet vere de Macarius of Antioch and all others of similar views who, although naturarum dualitate et persone unitate they are orthodox on the duality of natures and the unity of person, sentiret tamen circa christi operationes enormiter oberravit dicens in christo yet have gone enormously wrong on Christ’s principles of action utriusque nature unam fuisse operationem by declaring that of the two natures in Christ, there was only one unam que voluntatem. Hos omnes cum heresibus suis principle of action and one will. The holy Roman church anathematizat sacrosanta Romana anathematizes all of these and their heresies and affirms that in ecclesia affirmans in christo duas esse Christ there are two wills and two principles of action. voluntates duas que operationes. It firmly believes, professes and preaches that never was anyone, Firmiter credit profitetur et docet neminem unquam ex viro femina que conceived by a man and a woman, liberated from the devil’s conceptum a dyaboli dominatu fuisse dominion except by faith in our lord Jesus Christ, the mediator liberatum nisi per fidem mediatoris dei et hominum Ihesu christi domini nostri qui between God and humanity, who was conceived without sin, was sine peccato conceptus natus et mortuus born and died. He alone by his death overthrew the enemy of the humani generis hostem peccata nostra delendo solus sua morte prostravit et human race, cancelling our sins, and unlocked the entrance to the regni celestis introitum quod primus homo heavenly kingdom, which the first man by his sin had locked peccato proprio cum omni successione perdiderat reseravit quem aliquando against himself and all his posterity. All the holy sacrifices venturum omnia veteris testamenti sacra 349 sacraments and ceremonies of the old Testament had prefigured sacrificia sacramenta ceremonie presignarunt. that he would come at some time. It firmly believes, professes and teaches that the legal prescriptions Firmiter credit profitetur et docet legalia veteris testamenti seu mosaice legis que of the old Testament or the Mosaic law, which are divided into dividuntur in ceremonias sacra sacrificia ceremonies, holy sacrifices and sacraments, because they were sacramenta quia significandi alicuius futuri gratia fuerant instituta licet divino cultui instituted to signify something in the future, although they were illa etate congruerent significato per illa adequate for the divine cult of that age, once our lord Jesus Christ domino nostro ihesu christo adveniente cessasse et novi testamenti sacramenta who was signified by them had come, came to an end and the cepisse. Quemcunque etiam post sacraments of the new Testament had their beginning. Whoever, passionem in legalibus spem ponentem et illis velut ad salutem necessariis se after the passion, places his hope in the legal prescriptions and subdentem quasi christi fides sine illis submits himself to them as necessary for salvation and as if faith in salvare non posset peccasse mortaliter. Non tamen negat a christi passione usque Christ without them could not save, sins mortally. It does not deny ad promulgatum evangelium illa potuisse that from Christ’s passion until the promulgation of the gospel they servari duntamen minime ad salutem necessaria crederentur. could have been retained, provided they were in no way believed Sed post promulgatum evangelium sine to be necessary for salvation. But it asserts that after the interitu salutis eterne asserit non posse servari. promulgation of the gospel they cannot be observed without loss of Omnes ergo post illud tempus eternal salvation. Therefore it denounces all who after that time circumcisionis et sabbati reliquorum que legalium observatores alienos a christi fide observe circumcision, the sabbath and other legal prescriptions as denuntiat et salutis eterne minime posse strangers to the faith of Christ and unable to share in eternal esse participes nisi aliquando ab his erroribus resipiscant. salvation, unless they recoil at some time from these errors. Omnibus igitur qui christiano nomine Therefore it strictly orders all who glory in the name of Christian, gloriantur precipit omnino quocunque tempore vel ante vel post baptismum a not to practise circumcision either before or after baptism, since circumcisione cessandum quoniam sive whether or not they place their hope in it, it cannot possibly be quis in ea spem ponat sive non sine interitu salutis eterne observari omnino observed without loss of eternal salvation. non potest. With regard to children, since the danger of death is often present Circa pueros vero propter periculum mortis quod potest sepe contingere cum and the only remedy available to them is the sacrament of baptism ipsis non possit alio remedio subveniri nisi by which they are snatched away from the dominion of the devil per sacramentum baptismi per quod eripiuntur a dyaboli dominatu et in dei and adopted as children of God, it admonishes that sacred baptism filios adoptantur admonet non esse per is not to be deferred for forty or eighty days or any other period of quadraginta aut octuaginta dies seu aliud tempus iuxta quorundam observantiam time in accordance with the usage of some people, but it should be sacrum baptisma differendum sed conferred as soon as it conveniently can; and if there is imminent quamprimum commode fieri potest debere conferri ita tamen quod mortis danger of death, the child should be baptized straightaway without imminente periculo mox sine ulla dilatione any delay, even by a lay man or a woman in the form of the baptizentur etiam per laicum vel mulierem in forma ecclesie si desit sacerdos church, if there is no priest, as is contained more fully in the decree quemadmodum in decreto Armenorum on the Armenians. plenius continetur. It firmly believes, professes and teaches that every creature of God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because according to the word of the Lord not what goes into the mouth defiles a person, and because the difference in the Mosaic law between clean and unclean foods belongs to ceremonial practices, which have passed away and lost their efficacy with the coming of the gospel. It also declares that the apostolic prohibition, to abstain from what Illam etiam apostolorum prohibitionem ab immolatis simulacrorum et sanguine et has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is suffocato dicit illi tempori congruisse quo strangled, was suited to that time when a single church was rising ex Iudeis atque gentilibus qui antea diversis ceremoniis moribus que vivebant from Jews and gentiles, who previously lived with different una surgebat ecclesia ut cum Iudeis etiam ceremonies and customs. This was so that the gentiles should have gentiles aliquid communiter observarent et in unum dei cultum fidem que some observances in common with Jews, and occasion would be conveniendi preberetur occasio et offered of coming together in one worship and faith of God and a dissensionis materia tolleretur cum Iudeis propter antiquam consuetudinem sanguis cause of dissension might be removed, since by ancient custom et suffocatum abhominabilia viderentur et 350 blood and strangled things seemed abominable to Jews, and esu immolaticii poterant arbitrari gentiles ad ydolatriam redituros. gentiles could be thought to be returning to idolatry if they ate Ubi autem eo usque propagata est sacrificial food. In places, however, where the christian religion christiana religio ut nullus in ea Iudeus carnalis appareat sed omnes ad ecclesiam has been promulgated to such an extent that no Jew is to be met transeuntes in eosdem ritus evangelii with and all have joined the church, uniformly practising the same ceremonias que conveniant credentes omnia munda mundis illius apostolice rites and ceremonies of the gospel and believing that to the clean prohibitionis causa cessante etiam all things are clean, since the cause of that apostolic prohibition cessavit effectus. Nullam itaque cibi naturam has ceased, so its effect has ceased. It condemns, then, no kind of condemnandam esse denuntiat quem food that human society accepts and nobody at all neither man nor societas admittit humana nec inter animalia discernendum per quemcunque woman, should make a distinction between animals, no matter how sive virum sive mulierem et quocunque they died; although for the health of the body, for the practice of genere mortis intereant quamvis pro salute corporis pro virtutis exercitio pro virtue or for the sake of regular and ecclesiastical discipline many regulari et ecclesiastica disciplina possint things that are not proscribed can and should be omitted, as the et debeant multa non negata dimitti quia iuxta apostolum omnia licent sed non apostle says all things are lawful, but not all are helpful. omnia expediunt. It firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are Firmiter credit profitetur et predicat nullos extra ecclesiam catholicam existentes non outside the catholic church, not only pagans but also Jews or solum paganos sed nec iudeos aut heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go hereticos atque scismaticos eterne vite fieri posse participes sed in ignem into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his eternum ituros qui paratus est dyabolo et angels, unless they are joined to the catholic church before the end angelis eius nisi ante finem vite eidem fuerint aggregati tantum que valere of their lives; that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is of such ecclesiastici corporis unitatem ut solis in importance that only for those who abide in it do the church’s ea manentibus ad salutem ecclesiastica sacramenta proficiant et ieiunia elemosine sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and ac cetera pietatis officia et exercitia militie other works of piety and practices of the christian militia produce christiane premia eterna parturiant neminem que quantascunque elemosinas eternal rewards; and that nobody can be saved, no matter how fecerit et si pro christi nomine sanguinem much he has given away in alms and even if he has shed his blood effuderit posse salvari nisi in catholice in the name of Christ, unless he has persevered in the bosom and ecclesie gremio et unitate permanserit. the unity of the catholic church. It embraces, approves and accepts the holy synod of 318 fathers at Amplectitur autem approbat et suscipit sanctam Nicenam synodum trecentorum Nicaea, which was convened in the time of our predecessor most decem et octo patrum temporibus blessed Silvester and the great and most pious emperor beatissimi Silvestri predecessoris nostri et magni Constantini piissimi principis Constantine. In it the impious Arian heresy and its author was congregatam in qua impia heresis arriana condemned and there was defined that the Son of God is cum suo auctore damnata est et diffinitum est filium dei patri esse consubstantialem consubstantial and coeternal with the Father. et coeternum. It also embraces, approves and accepts the holy synod of 150 Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit sanctam Constantinopolitanam synodum fathers at Constantinople, which was convoked in the time of our centum quinquaginta patrum beatissimi predecessor most blessed Damasus and the elder Theodosius and Damasi predecessoris nostri et Theodosii senioris tempore convocatam que impium which anathematized the impious error of Macedonius, who Macedonii anathematizavit errorem qui asserted that the holy Spirit is not God but a creature. Those whom spiritum sanctum non deum sed creaturam asserebat. Quos damnant they condemn, it condemns; what they approve, it approves; and in damnat quod approbant approbat et per every respect it wants what was defined there to remain unchanged omnia vult ibidem diffinita illesa et inviolata subsistere. and inviolate. It also embraces, approves and accepts the first holy synod of 200 Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit sanctam primam Ephesinam synodum fathers at Ephesus, which is third in the order of universal synods ducentorum patrum que tertia est in and was convoked under our predecessor most blessed Celestine ordine universalium synodorum sub beatissimo Celestino predecessore nostro and the younger Theodosius. In it the blasphemy of the impious et Theodosio iuniore convocatam in qua Nestorius was condemned, and there was defined that the person of impii Nestorii est damnata blasfemia diffinitum que est domini nostri Ihesu our lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is one and that the christi veri dei et veri hominis unam esse blessed ever-virgin Mary should be preached by the whole church personam et beatam Mariam semper virginem non solum christotochon sed not only as Christ-bearer but also as God-bearer, that is as mother etiam theotochum hoc est non tantum of God as well as mother of the man. hominis sed dei genitricem ab omni 351 ecclesia predicandam. But it condemns, anathematizes and rejects the impious second Damnat autem anathematizat et respuit impiam Secundam Ephesinam synodum synod of Ephesus, which was convened under our predecessor sub beatissimo Leone predecessore nostro most blessed Leo and the aforesaid emperor. In it Dioscorus, et prefato principe congregatam in qua Dioscorus Alexandrinus antistes Euticis bishop of Alexandria, defender of the heresiarch Eutyches and heresiarche defensor et sancti Flaviani impious persecutor of holy Flavian, bishop of Constantinople, with Constantinopolitani pontificis impius persecutor execrandam illam synodum ad cunning and threat led the execrable synod to an approval of the approbationem euticiane impietatis arte et Eutychian impiety. minis attraxit. It also embraces, approves and accepts the holy synod of 630 Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit sanctam Calcedonensem synodum fathers at Chalcedon, which is fourth in the order of universal quartam in ordine universalium synods and was held in the time of our predecessor most blessed synodorum sexcentorum et triginta patrum temporibus prefati beatissimi Leo and the emperor Marcian. In it the Eutychian heresy and its Leonis predecessoris nostri et Martiani author Eutyches and its defender Dioscorus were condemned, and principis celebratam in qua heresis euticiana cum suo auctore Eutice et there was defined that our lord Jesus Christ is true God and true Dioscoro defensore damnata est et man and that in the one and same person the divine and human diffinitum est dominum nostrum Ihesum christum esse verum deum et verum natures remain entire, inviolate, incorrupt, unconfused and distinct, hominem et in una eadem que persona the humanity doing what befits man, the divinity what befits God. divinam humanam que naturas integras inviolatas incorruptas inconfusas Those whom they condemn, it condemns; those whom they distinctas que mansisse humanitate approve, it approves. agente que hominis sunt et deitate que dei. Quos damnat damnatos habet quos approbat approbatos. It also embraces, approves and accepts the fifth holy synod, the Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit sanctam quintam synodum Secundo apud second of Constantinople, which was held in the time of our Constantinopolim tempore beatissimi predecessor most blessed Vigilius and the emperor Justinian. In it Vigilii predecessoris nostri et Iustiniani principis celebratam in qua sacri the definition of the sacred council of Chalcedon about the two Calcedonensis concilii diffinitio de duabus natures and the one person of Christ was renewed and many errors naturis et una persona christi renovata est multi que Origenis errores suorum que of Origen and his followers, especially about the penitence and sequacium presertim de demonum liberation of demons and other condemned beings, were refuted aliorum que damnatorum penitentia et liberatione reprobati atque damnati sunt. and condemned. It also embraces, approves and accepts the third holy synod of 150 Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit sanctam tertiam Constantinopolitanam fathers at Constantinople, which is sixth in the order of universal synodum centum quinquaginta patrum synods and was convened in the time of our predecessor most que sexta est in ordine universalium synodorum temporibus beatissimi blessed Agatho and the emperor Constantine IV. In it the heresy of Agathonis predecessoris nostri et Macarius of Antioch and his adherents was condemned, and there Constantini iv huius nominis principis congregatam in qua Macharii Anthioceni was defined that in our lord Jesus Christ there are two perfect and et sectatorum heresis condemnata est et complete natures and two principles of action and also two wills, diffinitum est in domino nostro Ihesu christo duas esse perfectas integras que although there is one and the same person to whom the actions of naturas et duas operationes duas etiam each of the two natures belong, the divinity doing what is of God, voluntates licet esset una eadem que persona cui utriusque nature competerent the humanity doing what is human. actiones deitate agente que dei sunt et humanitate que hominis sunt. It also embraces, approves and accepts all other universal synods Amplectitur etiam approbat et suscipit omnes alias universales synodos which were legitimately summoned, celebrated and confirmed by auctoritate Romani pontificis legitime the authority of a Roman pontiff, and especially this holy synod of congregatas ac celebratas et confirmatas et presertim hanc sanctam Florentinam in Florence, in which, among other things, most holy unions with the qua inter alia Grecorum atque Armenorum Greeks and the Armenians have been achieved and many most sanctissima unio consummata est et multe circa utramque unionem salutary definitions in respect of each of these unions have been saluberrime diffinitiones edite sunt prout issued, as is contained in full in the decrees previously in decretis desuper promulgatis plene continetur quorum tenor in hunc modum promulgated, which are as follows: Let the heavens be glad . . . 1; sequitur. Exult in God . 2 Letentur celi .... Exultate deo .... However, since no explanation was given in the aforesaid decree Verum quia in suprascripto decreto Armenorum non est explicata forma 352 of the Armenians in respect of the form of words which the holy verborum quibus in consecratione corporis et sanguinis domini sacrosancta Romana Roman church, relying on the teaching and authority of the ecclesia apostolorum Petri et Pauli apostles Peter and Paul, has always been wont to use in the doctrina et auctoritate firmata semper uti consuevit illam presentibus duximus consecration of the Lord’s body and blood, we concluded that it inserendam. should be inserted in this present text. It uses this form of words in In consecratione corporis domini hac utitur forma verborum: hoc est enim corpus the consecration of the Lord’s body: For this is my body. And of meum. his blood: For this is the chalice of my blood, of the new and Sanguinis vero: hic est enim calix sanguinis mei novi et eterni testamenti everlasting covenant, which will be shed for you and for many misterium fidei qui pro vobis et pro multis unto the remission of sins . effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Whether the wheat bread, in which the sacrament is confected, has Panis vero triticeus in quo sacramentum conficitur an eo die an antea decoctus sit been baked on the same day or earlier is of no importance nichil omnino refert dummodo enim panis whatever. For, provided the substance of bread remains, there substantia maneat nullatenus dubitandum est quin post predicta verba should be no doubt at all that after the aforesaid words of consecrationis corporis a sacerdote cum consecration of the body have been pronounced by a priest with intentione conficiendi prolata mox in verum christi corpus transsubstantietur. the intention of consecrating, immediately it is changed in substance into the true body of Christ. It is asserted that some people reject fourth marriages as Quoniam nonnullos asseritur quartas nuptias tanquam condemnatas respuere condemned. Lest sin is attributed where it does not exist, since the ne peccatum ubi non est esse putetur cum apostle says that a wife on her husband’s death is free from his law secundum apostolum mortuo viro mulier sit ab eius lege soluta et nubendi cui vult and free in the Lord to marry whom she wishes, and since no in domino habeat facultatem nec distinction is made between the deaths of the first, second and third distinguat mortuo primo Secundo vel tertio declaramus non solum Secundas ac husbands, we declare that not only second and third marriages but tertias sed et quartas atque ulteriores si also fourth and further ones may lawfully be contracted, provided aliquod canonicum impedimentum non obstet licite contrahi posse. there is no canonical impediment. We say, however, that they would be more commendable if Commendatiores tamen dicimus si ulterius a coniugio abstinentes in castitate thereafter they abstain from marriage and persevere in chastity permanserint quia sicut virginitatem because we consider that, just as virginity is to be preferred in viduitati ita nuptiis castam viduitatem laude ac merito preferendam esse praise and merit to widowhood, so chaste widowhood is preferable censemus. to marriage. After all these explanations the aforesaid abbot Andrew, in the His omnibus explicatis prefatus Andreas abbas nomine dicti patriarche ac proprio name of the aforesaid patriarch and of himself and of all the et omnium iacobinorum hoc saluberrimum Jacobites, receives and accepts with all devotion and reverence this synodale decretum cum omnibus suis capitulis declarationibus diffinitionibus most salutary synodal decree with all its chapters, declarations, traditionibus preceptis et statutis omnem definitions traditions, precepts and statutes and all the doctrine que doctrinam in ipso descriptam necnon quicquid tenet et docet sancta sedes contained therein, and also whatever the holy apostolic see and the apostolica et Romana ecclesia cum omni Roman church holds and teaches. He also reverently accepts those devotione et reverentia suscipit et acceptat. doctors and holy fathers whom the Roman church approves, and he Illos quoque doctores et sanctos patres holds as rejected and condemned whatever persons and things the quos ecclesia Romana approbat ipse reverenter suscipit quascunque vero Roman church rejects and condemns, promising as a son of true personas et quicquid ipsa Romana obedience, in the name of the above persons, faithfully and always ecclesia reprobat et damnat ipse pro reprobatis et damnatis habet profitens to obey the regulations and commands of the said apostolic see. tanquam vere obedientie filius nomine quo supra ipsius sedis apostolice ordinationibus et iussionibus fideliter et semper obtemperare. SESSION 12 14 October 1443 [Eugenius IV convokes the Lateran council, that is, the continuation of the council of Florence] Eugenius. Convocation of the Lateran council. For an everlasting Eugenius indictio concilii Lateranensis. Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. By the infinite clemency and pity of the redeemer of the Humani generis redemptoris dei et domini human race, our God and lord Jesus Christ, by whose ineffable nostri Ihesu christi cuius ineffabili providentia totum ecclesie corpus providence the whole body of the church is sanctified and ruled sanctificatur et regitur ac per ipsius 353 and through whose aid -- which surpasses our merits and exceeds assistenciam preter merita nostra et ultra quam aut expetere aut efflagitare what we recognise ourselves as worthy either to seek or to solicit -- dignoscamus dona iam nobis et gifts and favours of his mercy daily come to us, we have returned misericordie sue munera quotidie proveniunt infinita clemencia atque to bountiful Rome, the see of most blessed Peter, to the holy of miseracione ad almam Urbem ad holies, the Lateran of the patriarchs. With great trust we are beatissimi Petri sedem ad sancta sanctorum ad Lateranum patriarchium embracing and earnestly pursuing the things which seem to be reversi illa magna cum fiducia promoted and revealed by divine rather than by human wisdom. amplectimur ac prosequimur desiderio que divino pocius quam humano ingenio Hence it is that because of various just, reasonable and necessary aut adiuta aut illustrata videntur. causes which then moved our mind, by apostolic authority and the Hinc est quod cum ex certis iustis rationabilibus et necessariis causis plenitude of power and with the approval of the council, we animam tunc nostram moventibus transferred the holy ecumenical council of Florence, over which sacrosanctum ycumenicum Florentinum concilium cui eo tempore presidebamus we were then presiding, to this bountiful city of Rome and the ad hanc almam Urbem et Lateranensem Lateran basilica, to be re-established and continued on the first day basilicam prima post quintam decimam adventus nostri diem restaurandum following the fifteenth day after our arrival, as is contained in more continuandum et prosequendum detail in the letter composed for that purpose, whose text is word auctoritate apostolica et de plenitudine potestatis eodem approbante concilio for word as follows: transtulerimus quemadmodum in literis inde confectis seriosius continetur quarum tenor de verbo ad verbum sequitur et est talis Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record The compassionate and merciful Lord ordained that his Miserator et misericors dominus filium only-begotten Son should assume a human nature and should so suum unigenitum humanam assumere naturam et in unam sibi copulare join it to himself into a single person that not only would fallen personam ideo instituit ut ineffabilis nature be repaired by virtue of that ineffable union, but also by his unionis illius virtute non solum collapsa repararetur natura sed per amplexus embrace as spouse and by the kiss of his mouth his bride the holy sponsi et oscula oris sui sponsa ipsius church would be brought forth, her members would be joined sancta proveheretur ecclesia membra illius nexu quodam firmissimo inter se together by a solid bond of love, and the christian people would iungerentur amoris christianus que acquire peace in harmony, salvation in a unity of spirit, and glory populus in concordia pacem et spiritus unitate salutem in caritatis vinculo gloriam in the bond of charity. adipisceretur. In so far as it is granted to us by the mercy of our lord and saviour Nos itaque in quantum ex ipsius domini et salvatoris nostri Ihesu christi cuius vices Jesus Christ, whose place we though unworthy take on earth, we, licet immeriti gerimus in terris nobis following in his footsteps, ardently desire and intensely pursue the misericordia conceditur per eius vestigia incedentes salutem et unitatem et pacem salvation, unity and peace of the christian people. Therefore we are christiani populi ardenter cupimus et intent, with a deserved watchfulness, on the conservation of this supremis studiis procuramus ad conservacionem huius sacrosancti holy ecumenical council. In it, by the marvellous kindness and ycumenici concilii quadam diligencia non mercy of the same Saviour, very many most noteworthy works immerito invigilamus. In quo mira eiusdem salvatoris benignitate have been achieved for his praise and glory, the increase of the atque clemencia plurima clarissima opera catholic faith, the unity of the christian people and the exaltation of ad ipsius laudem et gloriam catholice fidei augmentum populi christiani unitatem ac the holy apostolic see and the Roman church. For in our own days sancte sedis apostolice et Romane we have seen Greeks, Armenians, Jacobites and other almost ecclesie exaltacionem gesta sunt. Vidimus enim nostris temporibus Grecos innumerable peoples, some of whom have been separated from the Armenos Iacobitas et alios pene populos rite and the holy teaching of the Roman church for almost five innumerabiles quorum nonulli quingentorum pene quidam vero hundred or even seven hundred years, joined with us in this sacred septingentorum annorum curriculo a ritu council, by God’s mercy, under one divine law of truth and et sancta Romane ecclesie doctrina dissidentes extiterunt in hoc sacro concilio embracing us with due reverence as the true vicar of Christ, the per dei clemenciam sub una divina successor of Peter and the shepherd of the universal church. veritatis lege nobis cum coniunctos ac nos tanquam verum christi vicarium et Petri successorem ac universalis ecclesie pastorem debita reverencia fuisse complexos.

354 There are no limits to the kindness of our Saviour, who works for Verum cum salvatoris nostri benignitas mensuram non habeat ut continuo hiis the unity of the christian people and his mystical body, for which potissimum experimur temporibus qui ad he prayed: I wish, Father, that they may be one even as we are one. christiani populi et sui corporis mistici unitatem actus moderatur pro qua et ipse Indeed we are experiencing his kindness particularly in these oravit: volo pater ut unum sint times. For his infinite mercy has granted that we are now awaiting quemadmodum et nos unum sumus ex infinita ipsius clemencia nostris eciam the arrival of envoys, furnished with full power to accept in this temporibus concessum esse dignoscitur ut holy council the doctrine of the orthodox faith from which their carissimi in christo filii nostri Zare Iacob regis Ethiopie quem vulgo presbyterum peoples have gone astray in many points, from our most dear son Iohannem appellant divina ut confidimus in Christ Zar’a Ya’qob, king of Ethiopia, commonly called Prester inspiracione excitati cui plurimi reges et innumerabiles pene populi subiecti sunt John, to whom very many kings and almost innumerable peoples oratores plena potestate suffultos ad are subject and who is impelled, as we trust, by divine inspiration. suscipiendum in hoc sacrosancto concilio orthodoxe fidei doctrinam a qua in To foster and hasten such a holy and divine proposal, which is so plerisque articulis aberrant ad nos necessary for the whole of Christianity, we have sent our own venturos expectemus. Cum que nos ad confovendum et accelerandum tam nuncios and envoys, who are full of zeal for this holy task and sanctum tam que divinum et toti have considerable influence with the said most powerful king. christianitati necessarium propositum nuncios et oratores nostros misimus quorum fervor in hoc sancto opere maximus sit et auctoritas apud prefatum potentissimum regem Many more works have been proposed to us for the praise of God non mediocris plurima que alia opera ad dei laudem et fidei et christiani populi and the increase of the faith and the christian people. We wish to incrementum nobis proposita sunt in give careful attention to them. Frightened by neither the heavy quibus eciam nostram diligenciam neque magnitudine impensarum neque laborum expenses nor the many labours, we put our trust in the power of multitudine territi in illius virtute confisi him whose inspiration motivates us. Let us hope, moreover, that in sumus cuius instinctu permoti sunt accommendaverimus speremus que quod the course of time many other desirable and salutary fruits will procedente tempore alii plures optati et accrue to the catholic faith and the church of Christ, especially if salutares fructus in fide catholica et ecclesia christi provenient presertim si hec this holy synod is held in a place of greater importance and in a sancta synodus in loco maioris auctoritatis royal and sacerdotal city. To the genial city of Rome, which is et regia et sacerdotali civitate celebrari contigerit ad almam urbem Romanam particularly our city and which, as is right, we want to participate peculiarem civitatem nostram quam ut and help in these salutary and divine tasks, we have turned our decens est horum salutarium et divinorum operum participem et adiutricem esse attention, a city which we consider to be abounding in all spiritual desideramus aciem nostre mentis and temporal goods and more holy and outstanding than all other direximus quam tanquam bonorum omnium tam spiritualium quam cities for carrying out these holy tasks and bringing them to a temporalium uberem ad huiusmodi sancta religious and happy conclusion. opera perficienda et religiose ac feliciter consummanda ceteris aliis urbibus sanctiorem et prestanciorem esse arbitramur. For in it our Saviour in his eternal providence settled the apostolic In ea enim salvator noster in beato Petro omnium apostolorum principe eterna eius see in blessed Peter, prince of all the apostles, and on his right in providencia sedem apostolicam collocavit fellowship the wondrous foresight of the same Saviour added the cui miranda ipsius salvatoris provisio beatum Paulum apostolum per dexteras blessed apostle Paul. They are two bulwarks of the faith through societatis adiunxit. whom the gospel shone in Rome; they are true fathers and true Isti sunt duo fidei propugnacula per quos evangelium Rome resplenduit isti sunt veri pastors; they are those who suffered on one day for merit, in one patres veri que pastores isti sunt qui una place for grace, under one persecutor for equal virtue, and made die pro merito uno loco pro gratia sub uno persecutore pro parili virtute compassi this city sacerdotal and royal and the capital of the world, as being urbem ipsam sacerdotalem et regiam per the holy seat of Peter, and consecrated it to the lord Christ with the sacram Petri sedem caput orbis effectam glorioso cruore martirii christo domino glorious blood of martyrdom. “For the Roman church founded all, consecrarunt. whether the eminence of a patriarch or the seats of metropolitan Omnes enim sive patriarche cuiuslibet apicem sive metropolitani primatus aut primacy or of bishoprics or the dignities of churches of whatever episcopatuum cathedras vel ecclesiarum rank; he alone, who entrusted to blessed Peter, the key-bearer of cuiuscumque ordinis dignitates instituit Romana ecclesia illam vero solus ipse eternal life, the rights of the heavenly as well as of the earthly fundavit et supra petram fidei mox kingdom, founded the Roman church and straightaway set it on the nascentis erexit qui beato Petro eterne rock of nascent faith.” vite clavigero celestis simul et terreni 355 imperii iura commisit. Since, then, the city of Rome has been ennobled and distinguished Cum itaque Urbs ipsa tot tantis que divinis muneribus nobilitata et illustrata sit et by so many and so great divine gifts and is resplendent with so tanta auctoritate prefulgeat eciam much authority and also draws the faithful to itself from all sides plurimum apostolorum martirum atque confessorum reliquiis et sanctimonia by the relics and sanctity of apostles, martyrs and confessors; since fideles undique ad se alliciat et christiane christian nations and peoples even in the furthest parts of the world nationes et populi in ultimis eciam mundi partibus existentes ad dictam urbem flock to the said city and are seen to desire greatly that we return to confluant qui eciam plurimum desiderare our see, which has been divinely constituted for Roman pontiffs, in videantur ut ad nostram sedem Romanis pontificibus divinitus constitutam order that a greater veneration and devotion may grow in the redeamus ut tam apud nos ipsius sedis christian people towards both us, through the authority of the said auctoritate quam apud ipsam sedem presencia et auctoritate nostra maior in see, and the said see, through our presence and authority, and since christiano populo veneracio et devocio we are informed that, on account of our residence in Rome, augeatur cum que cerciores eciam effecti sumus quod ob nostram in eadem urbe subjects and faithful of ours and of the Roman church, whose residenciam subditi et fideles nostri et peace and tranquillity we are bound to procure and preserve with Romane ecclesiae ad quorum pacem et tranquillitatem procurandam et special zeal, will enjoy much greater peace and unity and that in conservandam peculiari quodam studio this way, with God’s blessing, we shall be more expeditious and astricti sumus maxima pacis et unitatis suscipiet incrementa et quod per hoc deo effective in pursuing works of peace and harmony and in arranging propicio expediciores et potenciores futuri and confirming, as we ardently desire, peace and unity among sumus ad continuanda pacis et concordie opera et prout ardenter desideramus inter other catholic kings and princes and peoples; Therefore to Rome, alios catholicos reges et principes et which is a suitable and safe place fulfilling all human needs as populos quietam pacem et unitatem componendam ac stabiliendam hoc regards fertility of the soil and sea transport; under the influence of sacrosanctum ycumenicum concilium the above-mentioned necessary causes and many other just and Florentinum ad prefatam Urbem locum ydoneum et securum et omnium rerum ad reasonable ones which direct our mind to the praise and glory of usum hominum pertinencium tam almighty God, the extirpation of heresies and errors, the reform of bonitate et fecunditate soli quam maritima deductione plurimum habundantem morals, the peace, salvation and increase of the christian people prefatis necessariis et aliis pluribus iustis and the prosecution of other holy works, under the Lord’s et rationabilibus causis animum nostrum moventibus ad omnipotentis dei laudem leadership, for which the said council was originally convened; et gloriam ad heresum errorum que extirpacionem reformacionem morum pacem salutem et augmentum populi christiani et reliqua sancta opera duce domino feliciter consummanda pro quibus predictum concilium ab inicio congregatum extitit In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father, Son and in nomine sancte et individue trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus sancti ex holy Spirit, with the approval of the said general council given on approbacione prefati generalis concilii 5 January last, in a general congregation under our presidency, by nonas ianuarii proxime preteriti nobis presidentibus in generali congregacione apostolic authority and by this present letter, we translate as from habita auctoritate apostolica tenore now this holy ecumenical council of Florence, and by the same presentium ex nunc transferimus et eadem auctoritate translatum esse in authority and the same letter we have decreed and declared it to be basilica Lateranensi prima propria que translated to the Lateran basilica, which is the first and proper seat summi pontificis et vicarii Ihesu christi sede die proxima post quintam decimam of the supreme pontiff and the vicar of Jesus Christ, to be resumed, introitus nostri ad ipsam almam Urbem continued and prosecuted on the day following the fifteenth day resumendum continuandum prosequendum esse decrevimus et after our entry into bountiful Rome. declaramus per presentes. In addition, by an inviolable constitution and decree we ordain that Irrefragabili insuper constitucione ac decreto sancimus ut omnes et singule each and all of the securities and safe-conducts, which we granted securitates et salviconductus quos in at the beginning of this sacred council and which we are extending principio huius sacri concilii concessimus quos de novo extendimus et prorogamus anew and prolonging, are to be considered as included in this proinde presentibus litteris inscripti esse present letter and as having the same force and effect as if they had et illam vim et efficaciam habere censeantur ac si de verbo ad verbum de been mentioned word for word in this our synodal constitution and eisdem in hac nostra synodali had been inserted and denoted in it. Let nobody therefore . . . If constitucione mencio facta et inserti ac denotati fuissent. anyone however . . . Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... 356 Now that the appointed day has come and all the reasons for which Nos cum instituta iam dies advenerit et cuncta propter que resumendum tunc it had then seemed necessary to resume the council are recognised esse concilium videbatur nunc magis to be more than ever necessary, with the said necessary reasons quam umquam necessaria esse dignoscantur prefatis necessariis et aliis and many other just and reasonable ones impelling us, for the pluribus iustis et racionabilibus causis praise and glory of almighty God, the extirpation of heresies and animam nostram moventibus ad omnipotentis dei laudem et gloriam ad errors, the reform of morals, the peace, salvation and increase of heresum errorum que extirpacionem the christian people, and the completion of other holy works, under reformacionem morum pacem salutem et augmentum populi christiani et reliqua the Lord’s leadership, for which the aforesaid council was sancta opera duce domino feliciter originally convened; consummanda pro quibus predictum concilium ab inicio congregatum extitit. In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father, Son and In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus sancti auctoritate holy Spirit, by the same authority and power, with the same potestate et approbacione similibus approval and by this present letter; We resume, continue and carry tenore presentium predictum Florentinum concilium ycumenicum translatum ut forward the aforesaid ecumenical council of Florence, which was supra resumimus continuamus et translated as above, and we decree and declare by this present prosequimur ac in hac sacri patriarchii Lateranensis concilii aula continuacionem letter that this continuation, resumption and prosecution is taking resumpcionem et prosecucionem habere place in this council hall of the sacred Lateran patriarchate. We decernimus et declaramus per presentes monentes et requirentes omnes et warn and require each and all of those who are bound by law or singulos qui in generalibus conciliis de iure custom to take part in general councils that they should come as vel consuetudine interesse tenentur quatenus ad hoc presens sacrosanctum quickly as possible to this present holy ecumenical Lateran Lateranense ycumenicum concilium ut council, as referred to above, which is continuing for the premittitur continuatum pro quibus supradictum est exequendis quamprimum attainment of the above-mentioned ends. possint se conferre procurent. In addition, we ordain again by this constitution and decree that Irrefragibili insuper hac constitucione atque decreto iterum sancimus ut omnes each and all of the securities and safe-conducts, which we granted et singule securitates ac salviconductus at the beginning of the sacred ecumenical council of Ferrara and quos in principio sacri ycumenici concilii Ferrariensis concessimus quos que de which we are extending anew and prolonging, are to be considered novo extendimus et prorogamus perinde as included in this present letter and as having the same force and presentibus literis inscripti esse et illam vim et efficaciam habere censeantur ac si effect as if they had been mentioned word for word in this our de verbo ad verbum de eisdem in hac synodal constitution and had been inserted and denoted in Let nostra synodali constitucione mencio facta et inserti ac denotati fuissent. nobody therefore . . . if anyone however . . . Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem .... SESSION 13 30 November 1444 [Bull of union with the Syrians] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam. record. In these our days the ineffable clemency of divine mercy Multa et admirabilia diebus nostris et bestows on his holy church many and marvellous gifts which are longe maiora quam aut ipsi nos expetere aut cogitare possemus ineffabilis divine much greater than we could have asked for or envisaged. Hence miserationis clementia ecclesie sue sancte we see that the orthodox faith is expanded, new peoples daily dona largitur unde et fidem orthodoxam dilatari et novos in dies ad obedientiam return to the obedience of the apostolic see and reasons for joy and sedis apostolice populos redire ac nobis et exaltation are daily being multiplied for us and all Christ’s faithful, omnibus christi fidelibus letitie et exultationis causas cotidie renovari in such wise that we are deservedly incited time and again to say in sentimus ita ut merito cum propheta in jubilation with the prophet to the faithful peoples: Come, let us iubilatione fidelibus populis sepenumero dicere provocemur: venite et exultemus exult in the Lord, let us hail the God who saves us, for the Lord is domino iubilemus deo salutari nostro great and most worthy of praise in the city of our God, on his holy quoniam magnus dominus et laudabilis nimis in civitate dei nostri in monte sancto mountain. eius. It is true that in the catholic church, which is the city of God on the Vere cum in ecclesia catholica que est dei civitas in monte sancto apostolice sedis et holy mountain and is founded on the authority of the apostolic see Petri auctoritate fundata semper magna et and Peter, God, whose omnipotence and wisdom knows no limits, inscrutabilia operatus sit deus cuius omnipotentie et sapientie non est has always worked great and inscrutable deeds. But the singular numerus hoc tamen singulare atque and special gift which the ineffable providence of its founder precipuum illi prestitit ineffabilis providentia conditoris ut orthodoxa fides bestowed on it is that the orthodox faith, which alone gives life to que humanum genus sola vivificat sola 357 and sanctifies the human race, should abide for ever on that holy sanctificat in monte illo sancto in una et immutabili semper maneat confessione mountain in a unique and unchangeable profession of faith and that veritatis et dissensiones que adversus dissents, which arise against the church from the variety of earthly ecclesiam de terrenarum opinionum varietate nascuntur et a petre illius opinions and separate people off from the firmness of that rock, soliditate disiungunt ad montem illum should return to that mountain and be exterminated and eradicated. redeuntes exterminentur et eradicentur quo fit ut ad eius gremium confluentes Whence it comes about that the peoples and nations thronging to populi atque nationes in unam cum ipso its bosom agree with it in one truth of faith. Assuredly it is not conveniant fidei veritatem. Hec autem dei munera tam magna tam from our merit that the immensity of divine goodness has granted excelsa tam insolita non meritis nostris us to behold these great sublime and marvellous gifts of God. His profecto nobis conspicere ipsius bonitatis immensitas sed sua sola benignitate et benevolence and condescension alone have granted that after the dignatione concessit ut post unionem union of the Greeks in the sacred ecumenical council of Florence, Grecorum in sacro ycumenico concilio Florentino qui cum Romana ecclesia in who were seen to differ from the Roman church in some articles, quibusdam articulis discrepare videbantur and after the return of the Armenians and the Jacobites, who were ac post reductionem Armenorum et Iacobitarum qui variis opinionibus involuti entangled in various opinions, they should at last, having omni tandem dissensione relicta in unam abandoned all dissent, come together into the one right way of rectam veritatis semitam convenerunt. truth. Behold now again with the Lord’s help other nations have gathered Ecce nunc iterum ipso cooperante domino alie nationes de longinquo convenerunt from afar, inhabitants of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the inter Tygrim et Euphratem Mesopotamiam Euphrates, whose thinking about the procession of the holy Spirit habitantes que de processione spiritus sancti et aliis quibusdam articulis non and some other articles had gone astray. recte sentiebant. Great, then, for us and for all Christ’s faithful is the reason for Multa igitur nobis et omnibus christi fidelibus est causa letandi quia iam rejoicing. For with the Lord’s approval the most illustrious annuente domino Romane ecclesie profession of the Roman church about the truth of the faith, which splendidissima de fidei veritate assertio que munda semper fuit ab omni macula has always been pure from all stain of error shines with new beams falsitatis etiam apud orientem ultra also in the east beyond the bounds of the Euphrates inasmuch as it Euphratis terminos novis corruscationibus micat adeo ut venerabilem fratrem has drawn our venerable brother Abdala, archbishop of Edessa and nostrum Abdalam archiepiscopum Edesse legate of our venerable brother Ignatius, patriarch of the Syrians, venerabilis fratris nostri Ignatii patriarche Syrorum atque totius nationis sue legatum and of his whole nation, to us here in bountiful Rome and to this ad hanc usque almam Urbem ad sacred ecumenical Lateran council and has bidden him humbly and presentiam nostram et sacrum hoc Lateranense ycumenicum concilium devoutly to petition that we give to them the rule of faith which the traxerit et vocarit humiliter et devote holy Roman church professes. postulantem ut eam fidei regulam quam sacrosancta Romana profitetur ecclesia eisdem traderemus. Among all the preoccupations of the holy apostolic see, we hold, Nos autem qui inter cunctas sancte sedis apostolice sollicitudines hanc primam et as we have always done, our first and chiefest care to be the precipuam curam gerimus prout semper defence of the faith, the extermination of heresies and the gessimus evangelii scilicet defendere veritatem et orthodoxam fidem propagation of the orthodox faith. Therefore we selected some of exterminatis heresibus longe late que our venerable brethren, cardinals of the holy Roman church, who diffundere et propagare quosdam ex venerabilibus fratribus nostris sancte in turn co-opted from this sacred council some masters in holy Romane ecclesie cardinalibus delegimus scripture, to confer with the aforesaid archbishop about the qui accersitis ex hoc sacro concilio aliquibus in sacra pagina magistris cum difficulties, doubts and errors of that nation, to examine him in predicto archiepiscopo de difficultatibus person and to open to him the rule of catholic truth, and finally to dubiis et erroribus illius nationis conferrent illum que ipsum examinarent ac ei instruct and inform him fully about the integrity of the faith of the catholice veritatis disciplinam aperirent et Roman church. tandem de integritate fidei ecclesie Romane plene illum instruerent et docerent. They found him orthodox on all points of faith and practice except Quem cum per omnia de fide et moribus recte sentientem invenissent tribus three articles: namely, the procession of the holy Spirit, the two dumtaxat exceptis articulis de processione natures in Jesus Christ our saviour, the two wills and principles of scilicet spiritus sancti de duabus in christo Ihesu salvatore nostro naturis ac totidem action in him. They laid before him the truth of the orthodox faith, in illo voluntatibus et operationibus opened up the meaning of the sacred scriptures, adduced the veritatem illi fidei orthodoxe patefecerunt aperuerunt sacrarum literarum intellectus testimonies of holy doctors and added telling and pertinent attulerunt sanctorum doctorum testimonia 358 reasons. et que materie congruebant rationes verissimas induxerunt. When the archbishop had understood the doctrine on these points, Quorum intellecta doctrina archiepiscopus ipse dubitationibus suis omnibus plene he affirmed that all his doubts had been completely answered. He satisfactum esse contestans tam de professed that he thought he fully understood the truth of the faith spiritus sancti processione quam de duabus naturis et duabus voluntatibus et as regards both the procession of the holy Spirit and the two operationibus in christo Ihesu domino natures, two wills and two principles of action in our lord Jesus nostro talia sentire professus est ut veritatem fidei plene intelligere videretur Christ. Moreover he declared that he would accept, in the name of profiteretur que se nomine prefati the aforesaid patriarch and of the whole nation and of himself, the patriarche totius que nationis et suo omnem fidem omnem que doctrinam whole faith and all the teaching which we, with the approval of this suscepturum quam eidem hoc sacro sacred council, would propose to him. approbante concilio traderemus. For this reason we were filled with exultation in Christ and poured Propter que omni in christo exultatione perfusi gratias immensas deo nostro out immense gratitude to our God, since we are seeing our desire effudimus quia votum nostrum in salutem for the salvation of that nation fulfilled. nationis illius videmus adimpletum. After careful discussion with our brethren and the sacred council, Diligenti itaque cum fratribus nostris et sacro concilio tractatu prehabito fidem we decided, with the approval of the same council, to propose and atque doctrinam quam sacrosancta assign to the said archbishop, who will accept it in the name of the Romana tenet mater ecclesia eodem sacro approbante concilio eidem archiepiscopo above persons, the faith and doctrine which the holy Roman prefatis nominibus recipienti tradere et mother church holds. assignare decrevimus. This, then, is the faith which the holy Roman mother church has Hec est igitur fides quam semper sacrosancta Romana tenuit predicavit et always held, preached and taught and which she now holds, docuit mater ecclesia quam que ad preaches, professes and teaches. This is the faith, as regards those presens tenet predicat profitetur et docet hanc dictum Abdalam archiepiscopum three articles, which we decree that the said archbishop Abdala, on vice et nomine prefati patriarche Syrorum behalf and in the name of the said patriarch of the Syrians and of totius nationis illius atque suo in iis tribus articulis suscipere et perpetuis in futurum all that nation and of himself, shall accept and shall keep for ever. temporibus custodire et observare First, that the holy Spirit is eternally from the Father and the Son, decernimus. In primis quod spiritus sanctus ex patre et and has his essence and his subsistent being from the Father filio eternaliter est et essentiam suam together with the Son, and proceeds from both eternally as from suum que esse subsistens habet ex patre simul et filio et ex utroque eternaliter one principle and a single spiration. tamquam ab uno principio et unica spiratione procedit. Also it holds, professes and teaches that one and the same Son of Tenet insuper profitetur et docet unum eumdem que dei et hominis filium God and of man, our lord Jesus Christ, is perfect in divinity and dominum nostrum Ihesum christum esse perfect in humanity; true God and true man, of a rational soul and perfectum in deitate et perfectum in humanitate deum verum et hominem a body; consubstantial with the Father as regards his divinity, verum ex anima rationali et corpore consubstantial with us as regards his humanity; like us in all consubstantialem patri secundum deitatem et consubstantialem nobis respects except for sin; begotten before the ages from the Father, secundum humanitatem per omnia nobis and in the last days the same born according to his humanity for us similem absque peccato ante secula quidem de patre genitum in novissimis and our salvation from Mary the virgin mother of God; one and the autem diebus eumdem propter nos et same Christ true only-begotten Son of God, acknowledged in two propter salutem nostram ex Maria virgine dei genitrice secundum humanitatem natures which undergo no confusion, no change, no division, no natum unum eumdem que christum separation; at no point was the difference between the natures verum dei filium unigenitum in duabus naturis inconfuse immutabiliter indivise taken away through the union, but rather the property of both inseparabiliter agnoscendum nusquam natures is preserved and comes together into a single person and a sublata differentia naturarum propter unitionem magis que salva proprietate single subsistent being; he is not parted or divided into two utriusque nature et in unam personam persons, but is one and the same Son of God and of man, our lord atque subsistentiam concurrente non in duas personas partitum sive divisum sed Jesus Christ. unum et eundem dei et hominis filium dominum nostrum Ihesum christum. Also it believes, professes and teaches in the one lord Jesus Christ Credit insuper profitetur et docet in uno domino Ihesu christo duas naturales two natural principles of action which undergo no division, no operationes indivise inconvertibiliter change, no separation, no confusion, in accordance with the inseparabiliter inconfuse secundum sanctorum patrum doctrinam duas etiam teaching of the holy fathers; and two natural wills one divine, the naturales voluntates unam divinam 359 other human, not in opposition, but his human will subject to his alteram humanam non contrarias sed humanam eius voluntatem subiectam eius divine and all powerful will. For in the same way that his most divine atque omnipotenti voluntati. holy animate flesh was made divine, not destroyed, but remained Et quemadmodum eius Caro animata sanctissima deificata est non perempta in its own limit and category, so his human will was made divine, sed in proprio sui statu et ratione not destroyed, but rather was preserved and perfected. permansit ita humana eius voluntas deificata est non perempta sed salvata magis atque perfecta. We decree that the said archbishop Abdala ought, in the name of Hanc fidem eundem Abdalam archiepiscopum nominibus quibus supra the above persons, to accept this faith, to hold it in his heart and to suscipere corde tenere et ore profiteri profess it with his mouth. Further we ordain and decree that he debere decernimus. Ordinamus insuper atque decernimus ut ought to receive and embrace, in the name of the above persons, eisdem nominibus recipere et amplecti whatever has been defined and established at various times by the debeat quecumque per sacrosanctam Romanam ecclesiam diffinita et sancita holy Roman church, especially the decrees on the Greeks, the diversis temporibus sunt presertim Armenians and the Jacobites, which were issued in the sacred decreta Grecorum Armenorum atque Iacobitarum in sacro ycumenico concilio ecumenical council of Florence and which, since Archbishop Florentino edita que cum in arabico Abdala has carefully read them translated into Arabic and praised traducta ipse Abdalam archiepiscopus accurate legisset ac laudasset ad them, we have given to him, in the name of the above persons, for uberiorem et pleniorem omnium a wider and more complete instruction on everything; that eruditionem sibi nominibus quibus supra recipienti consignari fecimus quoscumque whatever doctors and holy fathers the holy Roman church etiam doctores et sanctos patres approves and accepts, he should, in the name of the above persons, sacrosancta approbat et suscipit Romana ecclesia nominibus quibus supra approve and accept; and that whatever persons and other things she approbare et suscipere debeat et condemns and rejects, quascumque personas seu quicquid aliud ipsa damnat et reprobat pro damnatis et reprobatis nominibus quibus supra habere debeat. he should, in the name of the above persons, hold as condemned Promittens tanquam verus filius obedientie nominibus quibus supra ipsius and rejected; promising on oath as a true son of obedience, in the apostolice sedis ordinationibus et name of the above persons, always devoutly and faithfully to obey iussionibus medio iuramento devote semper et fideliter obedire. the regulations and orders of the said apostolic see. If anyone Si quis autem .... however . . . Let nobody therefore . . . Nulli ergo .... SESSION 14 7 August 1445 [Bull of union with the Chaldeans and the Maronites of Cyprus] Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam benedictus record. Blessed be the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, the sit deus et pater domini nostri Ihesu christi Father of mercies and God of all consolation, who daily promotes pater misericordiarum et deus totius consolationis qui vota et pia desideria with many great favours, and accompanies with happy results far nostra quibus pro debito nostri pastoralis beyond our deserts, our aims and pious desires, whereby in officii salutem christiani populi anhelamus et continuis quantum ex alto nobis fulfilment of our pastoral duties we long for and foster with many permittitur operibus confovemus multis works, in so far as this allowed us from on high, the salvation of magnis que favoribus in dies prosequitur et ultra quam mereamur felicibus the christian people. comitatur effectibus. Indeed, after the union of the eastern church with the western Sane post celebratam in ycumenico concilio Florentino orientalis ecclesie cum church in the ecumenical council of Florence, and after the return occidentali unionem post Armenorum of the Armenians, the Jacobites and the people of Mesopotamia, Iacobitarum que et Mesopotamie populorum reductionem venerabilem we despatched our venerable brother Andrew, archbishop of fratrem nostrum Andream archiepiscopum Kalocsa, to eastern lands and the island of Cyprus. He was to Colocensem ad partes orientis et Cipri insulam destinavimus ut et Grecos et confirm in the faith which had been accepted the Greeks, Armenos et Iacobitas ibidem degentes Armenians and Jacobites living there, by his sermons and his predicationibus suis et decretorum pro eorum unione et reductione editorum expositions and explanations of the decrees issued for their union exposicionibus et declarationibus in and return. He was also to try to bring back to the truth of the faith, suscepta fide confirmaret et quos ex aliis sectis a vera doctrina alienos tam Nestorii using our warnings and exhortations, whoever else he might find quam Macharii sectatores inveniret there to be strangers to the truth of faith in other sects, whether monitionibus et exhortacionibus nostris ad they are followers of Nestorius or of Macarius. fidei veritatem reducere conaretur. 360 He pursued this task with vigour, thanks to the wisdom and other Quod pro sua sapientia aliis que virtutibus quibus eum largitor gratiarum dominus virtues with which the Lord, the giver of graces, has enriched him. insignivit diligentissime prosecutus post He finally eliminated from their hearts, after many discussions, diversas multiplices que disputaciones post varios tractatus eliminata tandem ex first all the impurity of Nestorius, who asserted that Christ is only a eorum cordibus primum omni Nestorii man and that the blessed Virgin is the mother of Christ but not of impuritate qui purum hominem christum esse et beatissimam virginem non dei sed God, then that of the most impious Macarius of Antioch who, christi genitricem asseverabat deinde although he confessed that Christ is true God and man, asserted Macharii Antiocheni impiissimi qui quanquam christum verum deum et that there is in him only the divine will and principle of action, hominem esse profitebatur divinam tamen thereby diminishing his humanity. solum in eo voluntatem et operationem humanitati eius parum tribuens With divine assistance he converted to the truth of the orthodox esse asserebat venerabiles fratres nostros Timotheum metropolitam Caldeorum quos faith our venerable brothers Timothy, metropolitan of the ad hec usque tempora Nestorianos eo Chaldeans, who have been called Nestorians in Cyprus until now quod Nestorium sequebantur in Cypro vocaverunt et Heliam episcopum because they used to follow Nestorius, and Elias, bishop of the Maronitarum qui cum sua natione Macharii Maronites, who with his nation in the same realm was infected dogmatibus in eodem regno infectus tenebatur cum omni multitudine with the teachings of Macarius, together with a whole multitude of populorum et clericorum in insula Cypri ei peoples and clerics subject to him in the island of Cyprus. To these subiecta ad veritatem fidei orthodoxe divino sibi assistente numine convertit prelates and all their subjects there, he delivered the faith and fidem que et doctrinam quam semper doctrine that the holy church has always cherished and observed. sacrosancta coluit et observavit ecclesia eisdem presulibus et omnibus ibidem eis The said prelates, moreover, accepted this faith and doctrine with subiectis tradidit quam que prefati much veneration in a great public assembly of different peoples presules in publica et magna congregatione diversarum nationum in living in that realm, which was held in the metropolitan church of eodem regno existentium in metropolitana St Sophia. ecclesia sancte Sophie habita summa cum veneratione susceperunt. After that, the Chaldeans sent to us the aforesaid metropolitan Quo facto Caldei quidem prefatum Timotheum suum metropolitam Helias Timothy, and Bishop Elias of the Maronites sent an envoy, to vero Maronitarum episcopus nuntium de make to us a solemn profession of the faith of the Roman church, fide Romane ecclesie que domino providente et beato Petro apostolo opem which by the providence of the Lord and the aid of blessed Peter ferente semper immaculata permansit and the apostle has always remained immaculate . Timothy, the solemnem professionem emissuros ad nos usque miserunt et coram nobis in hac metropolitan, reverently and devoutly professed this faith and sacra ycumenici Lateranensis concilii doctrine to us, in this sacred general congregation of the generali congregatione fidem ipsam atque doctrinam Timotheus ipse metropolita ecumenical Lateran council, first in his own Chaldean tongue, primum in lingua sua Caldea Grece which was interpreted in Greek and then translated from Greek interpretatam et de Greco in Latinum traductam reverenter et devote ut into Latin, as follows: I, Timothy, archbishop of Tarsus and sequitur professus est ego Timotheus metropolitan of the Chaldeans who are in Cyprus, on behalf of archiepiscopus Tarsensis Caldeorum qui in Cypro sunt metropolita pro me meis que myself and all my peoples in Cyprus, profess, vow and promise to omnibus in Cypro existentibus populis almighty God, Father and Son and holy Spirit, and then to you, profiteor voveo atque promitto immortali deo patri et filio et spiritui sancto demum most holy and blessed father pope Eugenius IV, to this holy tibi sanctissime et beatissime pater apostolic see and to this holy and venerable congregation, that Eugenio pape iv et huic sacrosancte apostolice sedi et sancte huic et venerabili henceforth I will always remain under the obedience of you and congregationi quod de cetero semper your successors and of the holy Roman church as under the unique manebo sub obedientia tua et successorum tuorum ac sacrosancte mother and head of all other churches. Romane ecclesie tanquam sub unica matre et capite omnium aliarum. Also, in future I will always hold and profess that the holy Spirit Item quod de cetero semper tenebo et profitebor spiritum sanctum procedere ex proceeds from the Father and the Son, as the holy Roman church patre et filio sicut docet et tenet sancta teaches and holds. Also, in future I will always hold and approve Romana ecclesia. Item quod de cetero semper tenebo et two natures, two wills, one hypostasis and two principles of action approbabo duas naturas duas voluntates in Christ. unam ypostasim et duas operationes in christo. Also, in future I will always confess and approve all seven Item quod de cetero semper confitebor et approbabo omnia septem sacramenta sacraments of the Roman church, just as she holds, teaches and ecclesie Romane prout ipsa tenet docet et preaches. predicat. 361 Also, in future I will never add oil in the sacred eucharist. Item quod de cetero nunquam in sacra eucaristia oleum apponam. Also, in future I will always hold, confess, preach and teach Item quod de cetero semper tenebo confitebor predicabo et docebo quidquid whatever the holy Roman church holds, confesses, teaches and tenet confitetur docet et predicat preaches and I reject, anathematize and condemn whatever she sacrosancta Romana ecclesia et quidquid ipsa reprobat anathematizat et damnat rejects, anathematizes and condemns; in future I will always reject, reprobo anathematizo et damno et in anathematize and condemn especially the impieties and futurum semper reprobabo anathematizabo et damnabo specialiter blasphemies of the most wicked heresiarch Nestorius and every impietates et blasphemias nequissimi other heresy raising itshead against this holy catholic and apostolic heresiarche Nestorii et omnem aliam heresim extollentem se adversus hanc church. sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam. This is the faith, holy father, that I vow and promise to hold and Hec est fides pater sancte quam tenere et observare ac teneri et observari facere ab observe and to see that it is held and observed by all my subjects. I omnibus suppositis meis voveo atque engage myself and solemnly promise to deprive of all his goods promitto et unumquenque illam respuentem et contra eam sese erigentem and benefices, to excommunicate and to denounce as heretical and privare omnibus bonis et beneficiis suis condemned, whoever rejects it and raises himself up against it and, eundem que excommunicare et hereticum et damnatum denuntiare et si pertinax if he is obstinate, to degrade him and to hand him over to the fuerit degradatum curie tradere seculari secular arm. spondeo polliceor atque promitto. Then our beloved son in Christ Isaac, envoy of our venerable Deinde similem per omnia professionem dilectus in christo filius Ysach nuntius brother Elias, bishop of the Maronites, on his behalf and in his venerabilis fratris nostri Helie episcopi name, rejecting the heresy of Macarius about one will in Christ, Maronitarum ipsius vice et nomine reprobando Macharii de unica voluntate in made with great veneration a profession that was similar in all christo heresim cum multa veneratione details. emisit. For the devotion of these professions and for the salvation of so Pro quarum quidem professionum religione et tantarum animarum salute many souls we offer immense thanks to God and our lord Jesus deo et domino nostro Ihesu christo qui Christ, who is in our times so greatly enlarging the faith and temporibus nostris tanta fidei incrementa largitur tot christianis populis beneficia bestowing benefits on so many christian peoples. We receive and donat gratias immensas agentes easdem approve these professions; we receive into the bosom of holy professiones recipimus et approbamus ac eosdem metropolitam et episcopum in mother church the metropolitan and the bishop in Cyprus and their Cypro et subiectos ad gremium sancte subjects; and while they remain in the aforesaid faith, obedience matris ecclesie suscipimus ac ipsis manentibus in prefata fide obedientia et and devotion, we honour them with the following favours and devotione hiis gratiis et privilegiis privileges. First, nobody shall in future dare to call the said metropolitan of insignimus imprimis quod nemo predictos Caldeorum metropolitam et Maronitarum the Chaldeans and the said bishop of the Maronites, or their clerics episcopum eorundem clericos et populos and peoples or any individual among them, heretics, or to call neque ex populo et clero quempiam de cetero audeat hereticos appellare aut Chaldeans, Nestorians. If anyone despises this ordinance, we order Caldeos de cetero Nestorianos nominare him to be excommunicated until such time as he offers a worthy presumat. Quod si quispiam mandati huiusmodi contemptor extiterit iubemus satisfaction or has been punished, in the judgment of the ordinary, ab eius ordinario excommunicari tamdiu by some other temporal penalty. quamdiu distulerit condigne satisfacere aut ordinarii arbitrio aliqua alia temporali pena mulctari. Also, the said metropolitan and bishop and their successors are Item quod prefati metropolita et episcopus eorum que successores in omnibus et forthwith to be preferred in each and every honour to bishops who quibuscumque honoribus episcopis a are separated from the communion of the holy Roman church. communione sacrosancte romane ecclesie separatis continuo preferantur. Also, in future they can lay censures on their subjects, and those Item quod possint de cetero censuras in suos subditos exercere et quos de cetero whom they rightly excommunicate in future shall be held by all as rite excommunicaverint pro excommunicated, and those whom they absolve shall be held by all excommunicatis et quos absolverint pro absolutis ab omnibus habeantur. as absolved. Also, the said prelates and priests and their clerics can freely Item quod prefati presules et sacerdotes et clerici eorum libere possint in ecclesiis celebrate divine services in the churches of Catholics, and catholicorum divina celebrare et catholici Catholics can freely celebrate them in their churches. in ecclesiis eorumdem.

362 Also, in future the said prelates and clerics and their lay men and Item quod de cetero prefati presules et clerici et laici eorum utriusque sexus qui women, who have accepted this union and faith, can choose to be unionem et fidem hanc susceperint buried in the churches of Catholics, to contract marriages with possint in ecclesiis catholicorum sepulturas eligere et cum catholicis Catholics, but in the rite of Latin Catholics, and to enjoy and matrimonia more tamen latinorum utilize all benefits, immunities and liberties which other Catholics, catholicorum contrahere ac omnibus beneficiis immunitatibus et libertatibus both lay and clerical, possess and enjoy in the said realm. Let gaudere et frui quibus ceteri homines nobody therefore . . . If anyone however . . . catholici tam laici quam clerici in dicto regno potiuntur et gaudent. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem ....