the taking away another Man's Goods unjustly The Eighth grants to the Bishop the disposal of the Revenues belonging to the Church The Ninth and the following contain several Orders concerning the Lives of Prebendaries and Monks to whom they prohibit Worldly Pleasures and the Secular Employment The Prebendaries or Canons are there distinguish'd from the Monks and the Canonesses from the Nuns who are of the Order of S. Benedict The Two and twentieth is against Vagabond Clerks The Three and twentieth sets at liberty the Clerks and Monks who have been shav'd and Cloister'd by force The Twenty fifth enjoyns Bishops to appoint some others to Preach in their stead when they can't perform this Duty The Twenty eighth commands Priests to wear Stoles always as Badges of the Sacerdotal Office The Thirty Second and Thirty third recommend the Observation of Litanies or of Rogations The Thirty fifth that of Ember-weeks The Thirty sixth the Celebration of High Holy-days which are Easter-Day and all the Week Ascension-Day Whitsuntide the Feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul the Nativity of St. John the Assumption of the Virgin Mary the Dedication of St. Michael the Holy-days of S. Remigius S. Martin and St. Andrew Four days at Christmas and the Octave of Christmas-day the Epiphany the Purification with the Holy-days of Martyrs and Confessors in each Diocess where the Body of any one of them lies and the Day of the Dedication of the Church The Fortieth maintains the ancient Right of Churches in being made Sanctuaries and forbids that those shall be deliver'd up who come thither for Refuge till their Lives are secur'd The Three and fortieth declares that one Priest cannot Sing Mass alone The Four and fortieth reminds the People that they ought to make frequent Offerings in the Church and to give one another Pax. The Five and fortieth exhorts the Faithful to be careful in the Instruction of their Children The Six and fortieth threatens those with Excommunication who shall not refrain from Drunkenness The Eight and fortieth forbids the Singing any Lewd or Immodest Songs in going round any Churches The Fiftieth appoints the Titles of the Vidames and Defenders or other Officers of Vidames were such persons as supplied the Bishops places as Temporal Lords Judges of Bishops Temporal Jurisdiction Now they are become Lords holding of the Bishoprick they belong to Bishops Abbots or their Clergy-men The One and fiftieth forbids the Translation of Reliques without leave The Four and fiftieth orders that Relations in the Fourth Degree shall not be allow'd to joyn in Matrimony The Five and fiftieth forbids Parents presenting their own Children at the Font or Marrying one's God-daughter or one's Partner in the Suretyship at a Child's Baptism or even the Person whose Son or Daughter one has brought to be Confirm'd I have omitted some Canons that are mention'd in the foregoing Council The Council of Rheims in the same year AFter a Profession of Faith had been drawn up in this Council and the Clergy had been admonish'd The Council of Rheims to doe their Duty the Gospel was Read The manner of Celebrating the Divine Service and of Administring Baptism was explain'd The Canons the Rule prescribed by S. Benedict the Book Written by S. Gregory concerning the Duty of Pastors and some Sentences out of the Fathers were Read What relates to Penance was examin'd that the Priests might know how they were to hear Confessions and what Penances they were to enjoyn Eight of the Chief Vices were also discours'd of in this Council and the Bishops were told what they ought to Study and how they should Preach They were directed to lead a Chast Sober and Modest Life and to doe Justice As for Priests they were enjoyn'd not to Remove from a Meaner Benefice to one that was Greater and it was order'd that such as should obtain any by Presents or Money should be depos'd Several Canons were made concerning the Lives of Clergy-men and Monks as also concerning the preservation of the Goods of the Church and the keeping the Sabbath-day Holy This is all that is contain'd in the Four and forty Articles or Canons of this Council which are nothing but the Summary or Abridgment of the Matters that were transacted there The Third Council of Tours in the same year THe Prelates of the Province of Tours took no less care than the other Bishops to Reform The Council of Tours the Lives of the Clergy and the Discipline of the Church In a Council that was conven'd in that Town in the same year 813 they made Fifty one Canons upon the same Subjects The Bishops are charg'd by them to Instruct themselves and others to lead a Sober Modest Life to abstain from Games Shows and Hunting to take care of the Poor c. The same is enjoyn'd the Priests and other Clergy-men 'T is forbidden to bestow the Order of Knighthood on any Man before he be Thirty years of Age. In short most of the Canons mention'd in the foregoing Councils are treated of in this The Second Council of Chalons in the same year THis Council is the best of the Five held that year by Charles the Great 's Order for Reforming The Council of Chalons the Church and particularly the Clergy but it is the most considerable for the number of Canons and for the Matters of which it treats In the first Canon it condemns with a great deal of strictness the Avarice Sordid Gain and Exactions of the Bishops and other Clergy-men Among other things it enjoyns the Bishops not to be a Charge to the Rectors of Parishes in their Visitations and their Arch-deacons not to demand of them any Fees or any thing for the Holy Chrism It will not have them to oblige the Clerks whom they Ordain to Swear that they are worthy nor that they will never doe any thing contrary to the Canons and will be obedient to their Ordinaries It does not prescribe many things to the Monks because it observes that those of that Province are to follow S. Bennet's Rule and consequently need but to keep exactly to their Rule to live as they ought It requires the Re-establishing of Publick Penance for Publick Sins To stop or prevent the Differences that happen among Heirs concerning the Right of Patronage of a Church it orders that it shall not be divided and that none of the Clergy nam'd by different heirs shall be suffer'd to perform their Function there till they are agreed together and have Elected one and no more Some persons were so devout as to be Confirm'd many times this Council forbids this abuse in the 27th Canon In the Thirtieth it is forbidden to dissolve the Marriages of Slaves Some Women with a design of being Divorc'd from their Husbands brought their Children at the Administration of Baptism or Confirmation Now this Council orders that these Women shall be oblig'd to doe Penance and not be Divorc'd The 32d intimates that we ought not to make Confession of our
Barbarity and Corruption of Manners till at last the Death of Edward the Confessor who left no Issue compleated the ruin of the Kingdom Affairs being in this posture William Duke of Normandy passing over the Sea subdu'd it in the Year 1066. having kill'd Harold in Battel who had taken possession of the Throne after the decease of King Edward and caus'd new Laws as well Ecclesiastical as Civil to be establish'd throughout his Dominions He prohibited his Subjects to acknowledge any Pope without his leave and to receive any Bulls from Rome till they were shewn to him Neither would he suffer the Arch-bishop of Canterbury tho' styl'd Primate of all England to make any Constitutions in his Councils which were not conformable to his Inclination and that were not before concerted with him Lastly he forbid that any of his Barons Lords Ministers of State or Officers should be excommunicated without his Order In the fifth Year of his Reign Lanfranc Abbot of St. Stephen at Caen was ordain'd Arch-bishop of Canterbury and went a little while after to Lanfranc Arch-bishop of Canterbury Rome with Thomas Arch-bishop of York and Remigius Bishop of Lincoln to obtain the Pall of Pope Alexander II. who receiv'd them with particular marks of his Esteem and Friend-ship The next Day Lanfranc accus'd both these Bishops who accompany'd him upon account of their illegitimate Ordination by reason that one was the Son of a Priest and the other had given a certain Sum of Money to King William for his Bishoprick The effect of this Accusation was that the two Prelats resign'd their Pastoral Staves and Rings into the Hands of the Pope who gave these Ornaments back again to them upon Lanfranc's request This Arch-bishop upon his return from Rome with the Pall took much pains in re-establshing the Churches of England and maintain'd their Rights and Revenues against the Secular Powers with so great efficacy that neither King William I. nor his Son William II. thought fit to make any attempt upon them as long as he liv'd but after his Death the latter caus'd all the Ecclesiastical Revenues belonging to his Dominions to be register'd and having computed what was requisite for the maintenance of the Monks re-united the rest to the Demeans of the Crown letting them out to Farm every Year to those who offer'd most but in order to get an absolute Power over the Churches when the Bishops dy'd he left their Sees vacant and enjoy'd their Revenues That of Canterbury was vacant above five Years till King William falling dangerously Sick sent for the Abbot Anselm and invested him with that Arch-bishop against his Will This Saint was the Son of Gondulphus and Ermemberga and was born at Aosta on the Alps A. D. 1033. After having compleated his Studies and having travell'd for some time in St. Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury Burgundy and France he embrac'd the Monastick Life at the Age of 27 Years in the Abbey of Bec and put himself under the Tuition of Lanfranc Prior of that Monastery when the latter was made Abbot of St. Stephen at Caen about three Years after he was substituted in his room and in like manner succeeded Herluin Abbot of Bec who died in 1078. St. Anselm took some Journeys into England whilst he had the Government of that Abbey by which means having given special Proofs of his extraordinary Abilities in this Kingdom he was chosen Arch-bishop of Canterbury March 6. A. D. 1093. and was consecrated on the fourth Day of December following Then he went to salute the King and offer'd him the Sum of Five hundred Pounds towards carrying on the War which that Prince undertook against his Brother Richard to recover the Dukedom of Normandy The King at first seem'd to be well satisfy'd with this Present but some of his Courtiers insisted that it was not sufficient and that if his Majesty would signify his dissatisfaction never so little to the Arch-bishop as much more might be got from him Therefore the King sent him word That he was unwilling to receive the Money which was proffered by him as being too small a Sum The Arch-bishop after having entreated him to accept of it refus'd to give any more and withdrew from the Court. However some time after he went to meet the King at Hastings just before his departure for Normandy and deliver'd his mind freely to him concerning the Reformation of the Churches of England and the necessity of calling a Council for that purpose The King was not well pleas'd with what he said and made another demand of Money but the Arch-bishop refusing even to disburse what he had proffer'd at first incurr'd his high displeasure and was oblig'd to retire with Precipitation Upon the return of this Prince he begg'd leave to go to Rome to receive the Pall from the Hands of Pope Urban II. but the King denying his Request told him that 't was not customary in his Kingdom to acknowledge any other Person as Pope than him whom he and his Prelates should think fit to approve and having afterwards held an Assembly of Bishops and Lords for that purpose it was declar'd therein that Urban II. should not be acknowledged Whereupon St. Anselm having undertaken to vindicate that Pope all the Prelates except the Bishop of Rochester resolv'd as well as the King no longer to own him as Primate or Arch-bishop He preferr'd a Petition that he might have leave to depart out of England but it was rejected nevertheless a delay was propos'd till Whitsontide which being accepted of by him he was left at liberty to return to Canterbury yet he was no sooner arriv'd there but his most faithful Friends and Servants were made Prisoners or Banished In the mean while the King sent two Clergy-men to Rome to endeavour to bring over Pope Urban to his Party and to make himself Master of the Pall The Pope sent back the Bishop of Albano with the two Clerks who manag'd the business so well that he perswaded the King to cause Urban to be own'd nevertheless this Legate could not be induc'd to consent to the deposing of Anselm At last the King perceiving himself not to be able to accomplish his design either to cause him to be depos'd or to oblige him to do what he requir'd was reconcil'd with him by giving him the Pall which Urban's Legate had brought for his use St. Anselm liv'd in quiet for some time whilst the King pass over into Normandy which Dutchy was resign'd to him by his Brother Richard but at his return a resolution was taken to exact a great Sum of Mony of the Arch-bishop who to avoid the Storm sued for a permission to go to Rome but not being able to obtain it notwithstanding his reiterated sollicitations at three several times he departed without leave and embark'd at Dover from whence he pass'd into France and afterwards taking a Journey to Italy went directly to Rome in the Year 1098. where he was joyfully entertain'd
being repugnant to the Spirit of Religion to buy Drugs to send for Physicians or to take Physick In the Three Hundred Forty Sixth he exhorts Pope Innocent II. not to favour the unjust cause of William Arch-Bishop of York In the Three Hundred Forty Seventh he recommends to him the Deputies which went to Rome to complain of this Arch-Bishop In the Three Hundred Forty Eighth he recommends to the same Pope Arnone Elected Bishop of Lisieux who had a Dispute in the Court of Rome about his Election with Geofrey Count of Anger 's The three following are also Letters of Recommendation to the same Pope The Three Hundred Fifty Second contains a Privilege granted by Pope Innocent to St. Bernard and his Successors in consideration of the great Services he had done the Church of Rome during the Schism caus'd by Peter of Leon by which this Pope takes under the Protection of the Holy See all Revenues present and to come belonging to the Abby of Clairvaux as likewise grants to the Monks of Cisteaux leave to chose an Abbot out of their Order and to the Abbeys which have others under them he grants permission to chose any of those Abbots for their Head or any of the Monks belonging to such Orders He forbids the Bishops to constrain the Abbots of Clairvaux and the other Abbots of the Order of Cisteaux to come to any Council providing it be not about matters of Faith He prohibits all Persons to receive any Fryars of their Order after they are profess'd and lastly declares the Monks of this Order exempt from paying Tithes of Fruits or Cattle In the Three Hundred Fifty Third he Comforts William Abbot of Rivau in the Diocess of York in that the Arch-Bishop of that See has been Countenanc'd at Rome Assuring him withal that the Sacraments Administred and Ordinations made by bad Ministers are Valid since it is God that Baptizes and Consecrates In the Three Hundred Fifty Fourth he Comforts Melisenda Queen of Jerusalem for the Death of Fulk her Husband and exhorts her to govern her Kingdom with Prudence and Justice In the Three Hundred Fifty Fifth he Recommends to this Queen the Monks of Premontre who were on their Journey to the Holy Land By the Three Hundred Fifty Sixth he sends back to Malachy Arch-Bishop of Armagh the Monks which he had sent him He likewise Recommends them to him in the Letter following In the Three Hundred Fifty Eighth he writes to Pope Celestine II. to Pardon Thibaud Count of Champagne The Three Hundred Fifty Ninth is written to the same Pope in the Name of the Monks of Clairvaux who beg of his Holiness not to permit Rainaud Abbot of Morimond to quit his Monastery to go to Jerusalem In the Three Hundred and Sixtieth he again exhorts William Abbot of Rivau to bear patiently with the Arch-Bishop of York In the Three Hundred Sixty First he recommends to Thibaud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury John Bishop of Salisbury In the Three Hundred Sixty Second he recommends to Robert Pallus Cardinal and Chancellor of the Church of Rome to behave himself becoming his Dignity to Eugenius III. newly Elected Pope In the Three Hundred Sixty Third he exhorts the Christians of France and Bavaria to take up Arms for relief of the Holy Land and moreover admonishes them neither to put the Jews to Death nor so much as to persecute them In the Three Hundred Sixty Fourth he invites Peter Abbot of Cluny to an Assembly to be held after Easter at Chartres there to deliberate on the manner of relieving the Christians of the Holy Land In the Three Hundred Sixty Fifth Addressed to Henry Arch-Bishop of Mayence he writes against a Monk named Radulph who by his Preaching authoriz'd killing of the Jews The Three Hundred Sixty Sixth is Address'd to Hildegarda Abbess of Mont-Saint-Robert near Binghen in the Diocess of Mayence After having rejected the Praises given to him he congratulates her upon the extraordinary Gifts the has received from God and exhorts her to make a suitable return thereto by Humility and Devotion The Three Hundred Sixty Seventh is a Letter of Recommendation to Guy Chancellor of the Church of Rome in favour of Stephen Bishop of Mets. The Three Hundred Sixty Eighth is a Letter of Compliment to a Cardinal which contains wholesome Advice to wean him from the Cares of the World In the Three Hundred Sixty Ninth and Three Hundred and Seventieth he congratulates Sugerus Abbot of St. Denys in having reform'd the Church of St. Genevieve by introducing regular Canons into it He exhorts him to do the same thing in the Church of St. Victor In the following Letter Address'd to the same he disswades him from making the Match between the Count of Anger 's and the King's Daughter by reason of their near Kindred In the Three Hundred Seventy Second he commends Peter Bishop of Palenzade for his Humility and Application to the reading of good Books The Three Hundred Seventy Third is a Letter of the Abbot of Epine in the Diocess of Palenza Address'd to St. Bernard by which this Abbot testifies the great Concern he has for having been drawn out of the Abby of Clairvaux and charg'd with the Government of a Monastery which he earnestly entreats St. Bernard to get him discharged from In the Three Hundred Seventy Fourth he comforts the Monks of his Order in Ireland for the death of their Abbot St. Malachy In the Three Hundred Seventy Fifth he complains to Ida Countess of Nivernois that her Servants molest and detain those who go to the Abby of Vezelay In the Three Hundred Seventy Sixth he exhorts Sugerus Abbot of St. Denys to hinder the Duels which certain French Lords were engaged in against each other In the Three Hundred Seventy Seventh he commends this Abbot in that he design'd to Assemble the Clergy for the publick Good The four Letters following are likewise Address'd to Sugerus whereof the two first are Letters of Recommendation The Third is concerning the Estate the Church of the East was then in and in the last says that he is sorry that this Abbot is accus'd of the disturbances in the Kingdom and wills him therefore to do his utmost to prevent 'em and not to suffer any in his Abby which are any ways the cause of them In the Three Hundred Eighty Second written to Leonius Abbot of St. Berthin he expresses his Gratitude for the Favours he has received from him and moreover acquaints him that Thomas of St. Omer who had left his Order to come to his of Clairvaux could not possibly return In the Three Hundred Eighty Third Address'd to the same he thanks him for the many proofs of Friendship which he has received from him He passes the same Compliment on the Monks of St. Berthin in the following Letter and in the Three Hundred Eighty Fifth he commends them for having reform'd themselves and exhorts them to endeavour to perfect themselves every day more and more The Three Hundred
beheaded afterwards at Rome for his Religion by Nero's Command towards the 64th year of the common computation He has written 14 Epistles all which Antiquity has own'd to be Genuine and Canonical excepting the Epistle to the Hebrews concerning which there has been formerly some doubt and some Persons have supposed that it was written in Hebrew They are not rank'd in the New Testament according to the order of time which nevertheless is very necessary to be known The Epistle to the Romans was written from Corinth as Origen proves by several reasons for first of all it was sent by Phaebe Servant of the Church at Cenchrea from Corinth Secondly St. Paul calls Caius his Host with whom he tarried at Corinth as we may see in the First Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 14. Thirdly in the Salutations that are to be found towards the end of this Epistle we find the Names of those who departed from Corinth to go to Jerusalem as it is said in the 20th Chapter of the Acts. It was therefore written at the time when St. Paul having gathered the Contributions of Macedonia and Achaia went to visit Jerusalem in the 57th year of Jesus Christ. From whence St. Chrysostom concludes that it was written after both the Epistles to the Corinthians in which he exhorts the Faithful to this Charitable Contribution Nevertheless they were not written much before For the first was written from Ephesus as it appears ch 16. v. 8. and not from Philippi as some Greek Inscriptions observe in the absence of Timothy The second was written from Macedonia after his return In some Copies it is said that it was written from Philippi in others from Nicopolis That to the Galatians is yet older than the two Epistles to the Corinthians It was written from Ephesus at the time when St. Paul taught in the School of one Sirnamed Tyrannus in the beginning of the year 56. It is observed in some Greek Copies that it was written from Rome but this is not probable because he does not there speak concerning his Chains as he does in his Epistle to the Ephesians where he mentions them in Three several places This Epistle therefore was written towards the 62d year of our Lord as well as that to the Philippians and that other which is directed to the Christians of Colossae a City of Phrygia near Hierapoliâ— and Laodicea The two Epistles to the Thessalonians seem to be the earliest if we follow the Chronological order It is probable that the first was written towards the year 52 for after St. Paul had converted many Christians at Thessalonica as it is observed in the Acts ch 9. v. 7. he sent Timothy thither who being come to find him at Corinth informed him of their Affairs as it is observed in the third Chapter of this Epistle which was consequently written in the year 52. The second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written soon after and from the same place The first Epistle to Timothy was written after he was ordained Bishop when St. Paul was freed from his Chains in the sixty third year of our Blessed Saviour The second Epistle was written from Rome when St. Paul was twice imprisoned there a little before his Martyrdom The Epistle to Titus was written about the same time with the first Epistle to Timothy That to Philemon was written at the time of his first imprisonment at Rome And to conclude the Epistle to the Hebrews was written likewise about this time since it is there observed ch 13. v. 23. that Timothy was delivered Some of the Fathers as Caius and Hippolytus and the ancient Church of Rome have rejected this Epistle Others attribute it to St. Barnaâ—as some to St. Clement and some to St. Luke but however p the most prevailing opinion is that it was written by St. Paul St. Jerome seems to accommodate these differences by saying that the thoughts belong to St. Paul but that the words and composition are either St. Barnabas's or St. Luke's or rather St. Clement's who diligently collected whatever he learn'd from his Master Those ancient Writers that attribute it to St. Paul say that it was written in Hebrew that is to say in Syriack q being written by an Hebrew to the Hebrews Some of the Moderns pretend it was written in Greek but to this Authority of the Ancients they oppose nothing but frivolous weak Conjectures which are too weak to biass any Man The Epistles that follow those of St. Paul are called General because if we except the two last of St. John they are not directed to the Faithful of one City as those of St. Paul are but to Christians dispersed in several Countries The Epistle of St. James was not written by James the Son of Zebedee the Brother of John but by St. James the Brother of St. Jude the Apostle and r Cousin of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ and Bishop of Jerusalem For it cannot belong to the other St. James since it is directed to Christians out of Judea whereas he suffer'd Martyrdom before the Gospel was preached in any other place than Judea St. Peter the chief of the Apostles has written two Epistles the first that has been received as Canonical by all the Ancients s was written from Babylon Some of the Ancients were of opinion that the City of Rome was meant by this name but the Sense is not natural We cannot precisely assign the time when it was written but certain it is that it was sent after the Disciples of Jesus Christ were called Christians at Antioch that is to say at least nine years after the Death of our Blessed Saviour for the name of Christians is to be found there in the fourth Chapter Now if thou art called a Christian. Si autem Christianus cognominaris It is also probable that it was written after St. Peter's being delivered out of Prison A. D. 44. for until that time he continued for the most part in Judea Some believe that it was written towards the end of his Life because it does not seem to have been written long before the second Epistle but this is not certain One may say that it was written at Babylon in the 45th year of Jesus Christ. The second was probably written towards the end of his Life because he there testifies that he expected Death very suddenly ch 1. v. 14. Some of the Fathers have doubted whether this Letter was written by St. Peter because the stile of it is so extremely different from that of the former as St. Jerome observes but St. Peter discovers himself so plainly and openly there that we cannot with the least colour or pretence attribute it to any body else St. Jude the Apostle the Brother of James and Simon the Son of Alpheus Sirnamed Thaddeus and Lebbeus wrote the Epistle that carries his Name after the Death of most of the Apostles as he testifies when he exhorts the Christians to contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to them
judge our Actions After this Proposition the Bishops gave their Opinions and concluded all in Favour of St. Cyprian The Persecution of Valerian that was raised against the Church in the Year 257 put an end to the Controversie about the Baptism of Hereticks This Emperor who was pushed on by Marcianus a professed Enemy to the Christians and a great Protector of the Aegyptian Superstitions declared himself against the Christians and published an Edict against them in July that very Year whereby he prohibited them to meet in the Coemeteries or any where else upon Pain of Death Pope Stephen having been found in a Coemetery contrary to the Emperor's Prohibition suffered Martyrdom for it on the Twentieth of August the same Year and z St. Xystus was Elected in his Place This Persecution lasted forty two Months according to St. Denis of Alexandria and Valerian was taken by the Persians in 261 so it began about July 257. Xystus was Elected in his Place On the 30th day of the same Month. St. Cyprian generously confessed the Christian Faith before Paternus the Proconsul and was banished to Curubis At the same time the Praefect of Numidia condemned several Christians to the Mines and amongst the rest many Bishops and Priests of his Province after he had put some of them to Death and ordered others to be scourged St. Cyprian from the place of his Exile sent them a Letter which according as Pamelius has distributed them is the 76th and is the first of the 4th Part of St Cyprian's Letters In it with wonderful Eloquence he heightens the glory of their Confession and encourages them to suffer with Constancy He comforts them in their difficulties and principally the Priests that were not able to offer Sacrifice in those places by representing to them that they themselves continually offer'd up their own Bodies as living Sacrifices to the Lord. He excites them at last to use more fervency in their Prayers that so God may give Grace to all the Confessors to finish their Course couragiously in order to be crown'd with everlasting Glory He sent this Letter to three different places where these Holy Confessors were dispersed and remitted some Money to them to supply their present Extremities It appears by the answers they made him what Consolation and Joy this Letter gave them in the midst of their Sufferings These Answers are the 77th 78th and 79th Letters written from three several places in which they return him their Thanks for his great Charity and Kindness in a simple unaffected Style and assure him that his Letter had raised their declining Spirits healed their Wounds and rendred their pressures more light and supportable to them The 80th Letter which is directed to the Confessors in Prison was rather writ in his first Exile than in this as we have observed after the Author of the English Edition The 81st was writ at the beginning of the year 258 after the Death of Pope Xystus and the return of St. Cyprian It is addressed to one Successus a Bishop and in it he sends him word That he was informed by some Letters he had received from Rome that Valerian had directed a Rescript to the Senate by which he ordered all Bishops Priests and Deacons to be put to Death without delay and that the Senators the Roman Knights and all other Persons of Quality who were Christians should be deprived of their Offices and Estates and that if they continued after this Edict to make Profession of the Christian Religion they should be condemned to Die That the Ladies should not only forscit all their Fortunes but â—e Banished and that those of Caesar's Houshold should be sent to Prison He adds that this Emperor had dispatched Letters to the Governors of Provinces wherein he enjoyn'd them to Punish the Christians with all Rigour and Severity who daily expected to see these Orders put in Execution against them That Pope Xystus had suffered Martyrdom on the sixth day of August and one Quartus along with him That the Praefects of the City of Rome were very violent against the Christians causing some of them to be executed every day and that they confiscated the Goods of all those that were presented before them In fine he desires this Bishop to communicate the news to the rest of his Brethren that all Christians might prepare themselves the better for the Combat The last Letter of St. Cyprian is that which he writ a little before his Martyrdom when he with-drew from his Gardens where he was ordered to Reside because he received information that the Pro-consul had sent some Soldiers to carry him away to the City of Utica and he was not willing to suffer Martyrdom in a place distant from his own Church and People But least this retirement should be interpreted to proceed from a fearful degenerous Spirit he acquainted his Clergy and People with the reasons that moved him to preserve himself and at the same time conjures them not to raise disturbances but to preserve Peace and Unity and that no body should be permitted to present himself of his own accord to the Gentiles since it was sufficient to speak courageously when they were apprehended by them Besides these Letters of St. Cyprian the time of whose writing we know there are five others that respect some points of Discipline and have no certain Date The Author of the English Edition has placed four of them at the head of all the Letters and affirms that they were written by St. Cyprian before his first Banishment in the Year 246. The first which is the Sixty Sixth in Pamelius's Order is directed to the Clergy and People of Furni and is writ against one Geminius Victor who by his Will had nominated a Priest called Geminius Faustinus to be Guardian to one of his Relations He sends them word That both himself and his Colleagues were extremely surprized when they were informed of it because it had been prohibited long before by a Council of Bishops to name any Clergy-man in a Will to be a Guardian or Executor since those that were honoured with the Priesthood and undertaken the Office of Clerks ought only to serve at the Altar and the Holy Sacrifices and should not take any other employment than that of Praying to the Lord. He shews them that for this very reason the Laity supplied them from time to time with all things necessary for Life as in the time of the Old Testament they paid Tithes to the Levites and Priests He concludes that since Victor had violated a Constitution made some time ago by a Council they ought not to Pray for him after his Death or suffer his Memory to be honoured in the Prayers of the Church The second which is the Sixty first in Pamelius's Order was writ upon the occasion of an Actor upon the Stage who after he had turned Christian continued to follow his Profession St. Cyprian tells Eucratius who had consulted him to know
to believe concerning the Divinity acquaints them with the Knowledge of their own Natures teaching them that they are compos'd of Body and Soul That the Soul is Immortal because of Jesus Christ who has given it Immortality That it is free and has the power of doing Good and Evil That it did not Sin before it came into the World That the Souls of Men and Women are of the same Nature That the Body is the Work of God That it is not Wicked by Nature That when it meets with a holy Soul it is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and that we ought to be very watchful lest we defile it by Uncleanness He occasionally takes Notice That Virginity is the more perfect state but that we ought not to blame Marriage That Married Persons may hope for Salvation provided they use Marriage aright That in Order to their living holily in this state they must abstain sometimes from the use of Marriage to give themselves unto Prayer and that their Intention should not be to satisfie a brutal Passion but to have Children He adds That we ought not to condemn even those that proceed to Second Marriages and that this weakness should be pardon'd in those who stand in need of this Remedy to avoid Fornication As to what concerns Abstinence from Meat St. Cyril says That Christians do abstain during their Fasts from Flesh and Wine but that they have no aversation to those things as if they were in themselves Abominable That they do not abstain but to Merit the more by despising what is agreeable to our sense that they may enjoy the heavenly Feast He absolutely forbids the Eating of things Sacrificed to Idols and things Strangled As for Clothes he desires that they may be modest and such as may serve not to adorn but to cover the Body and defend it from the Injuries of the Weather He speaks afterwards of the Resurrection and brings Examples to show that it is not impossible The Holy Scripture is the last thing of which he treats in this Lecture He says That the Old Testament is part of the Holy Scripture and exhorts them not to read the Apocryphal Books He informs them That there are but 22 Canonical Books of the Old Testament and observes That they have been translated by the LXX He believes that this Translation was made by Inspiration and that the Seventy Interpeters being shut up in separate Cells all their Versions were found to agree together He recommends the Reading of the Canonical Books and Meditation upon them He reckons amongst this Number in the Old Testament the Book of Ruth that of Esther Job and Baruch but he does not reckon those other Books which are not in the Hebrew Canon The Canonical Books of the New Testament are according to him The Four Gospels the Acts of the Apostles the Seven Canonical Epistles and the Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul which in his time and in his Country were at the End of the New Testament after the Canonical Epistles He says nothing of the Revelation He condemns Judicial Astrology Necromancy Publick Spectacles Games Usury Covetousness the other Superstitions of the Jews and Pagans and the Assemblies of Hereticks In the Fifth Lecture after he has prov'd by many Examples the Necessity and Vertue of Faith he says That we must continue in that Faith which we have received from the Church and which is fortified with the Testimony of Holy Scripture But says he because Men cannot read the Scripture some being hindred by their Ignorance others by their Worldly Business therefore all that we are oblig'd to believe is compriz'd in a few words I pray you then to remember to fix it upon your Minds and to be fully perswaded that this is the only true Faith Afterwards at your leisure ye may search for the Proofs of it in the Holy Scripture But at present do you acquiesce in the Doctrine which you have learn'd by Tradition engrave it upon your Hearts that you may persevere in it with Piety for if you remain in doubt and uncertainty 't is to be fear'd that the Enemy will work your Perdition and that Hereticks will overthrow that Doctrine which I have taught you The Sixth is concerning the Monarchy or the Unity of God against Pagans and Hereticks He describes the Errors both of the one and the other and more particularly enlarges upon the Heresie of the Manichees and gives an account of its Original Progress and Impiety He produces a Fragment of the Dispute of Archelaus against the Heretick Manes He observes That Men cannot comprehend the Nature and Essence of God In the Seventh he explains how the Name of Father agrees to God He observes that he has only one Son by Nature who is Jesus Christ and that Men are his Children by Adoption He takes occasion from hence to Exhort his Hearers to live worthy of the Title of the Sons of God and to honour him though of his good Pleasure he chose them to be his Children At the same time he admonishes them to have a Reverence for their Fathers and Mothers In the Eighth he shows That God is Almighty because he can do all things and all things depend on his Power The Ninth is upon these words the Creator of all things visible and invisible There he shows what cause we have to admire the Greatness and Beauty of God's Works The Tenth is upon these words in Jesus Christ our only Lord. He says That in order to the Pious Adoration of the Father we must adore the Son also He explains all the Names that are given him He maintains That 't was the Son who appear'd to Adam and Moses He makes Moral Remarks upon the Name of Jesus and that of Christ. He produces many Proofs concerning Jesus Christ and places in this number the Wood of the Cross which says he is seen to this day amongst us and with those who having taken of it here have fill'd the whole World almost with it The Eleventh is concerning the Divinity of the Word and his Eternal Generation There he refutes the Error of the Arians and proves that the Word is of the same Nature with the Father That he was from all Eternity and that he made all things There he calls St. Peter the Prince or the Chief of the Apostles and the Sovereign Preacher of the Church The Twelfth is concerning the Incarnation where he shews by many Testimonies of Scripture That Jesus Christ was made Man for the Salvation of Mankind He quotes some of the Prophecies that foretold the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and shows That the time of the Messias's coming the place where he was Born his Condition and the manner of his coming into the World were foretold he praises Virginity and observes That those who perform'd the Sacerdotal Office observ'd Celibacy In the Thirteenth he relates the Prophecies which concern the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ. He recommends to the Faithful the signing
if he would Reign long he must submit to God For 't is written we must render to God what is God's and to Caesar what is Caesar's the Palaces are for Kings the Churches for Bishops The Emperour has Power over the Walls of the City but not over Sacred Edifices 'T was said but 't is very Just that the Emperour should have a Church for himself No he ought not to have any Here some came and told him That they had already brought the Royal Hangings into the Church and that the People which were there earnestly desired his Presence This gave him occasion to apply the Psalm which was read that Morning to the Case in hand O Lord the Heathens are come into thine Inheritance c. While he was discoursing upon this Subject there came a Notary in the Emperour's Name to ask him Why he had acted contrary to the Orders of his Majesty St. Ambrose answered That he did not believe that he had done it Why then says the Notary did you send Presbyters into the Church which he had a mind to take Possession of If you be a Tyrant the Emperour desires that you would declare your self so that he may know what he has to do St. Ambrose answered That he had done nothing contrary to the Respect which he ow'd to the Emperour nor contrary to the Interest of the Church That he had indeed sent Presbyters to this Church but he did not believe that he had herein done any thing contrary to his Authority That if they took him for a Tyrant they might put him to Death That he had no other Arms to defend himself withal but the Invocation of the Name of Jesus Christ That under the ancient Law the Kingly Power had been given to Priests but they had never usurp'd it That Kings were more desirous of the Priesthood than Priests of the Kingly Power That Christ himself run away for fear lest he should be chosen King That Maximus would not say that he had been wanting in his Loyalty to Valentinian In short That Bishops had never been Tyrants but had often suffered hard things from them All the Day was spent in sadness and St. Ambrose could not return to his own House because the Church was encompass'd with Souldiers so he passed the Night in singing Psalms in the Church The next Day the Book of Jonas was read As St. Ambrose was expounding it word was brought him that the Emperour had commanded the Souldiers to withdraw and order'd the Fines which were exacted from the Merchants to be restor'd What Joys says he what Acclamations of the People This was the Day wherein Jesus Christ was delivered up for us the Day wherein Absolution is given to Penitents This is writes he to his Sister what is pass'd God grant 〈◊〉 here may be an end of it But the Threatnings of the Emperour make me fear still some greatâ—â— Commotions He says That I am a Tyrant and more than a Tyrant And when his Officers pray'd him to come to Church he answered them If Ambrose would command you you would deliver me up Behold what am I to expect after this All those that heard him say this testified sufficiently the trouble that it gave them but there are some about him who have blown up the Coals Calligonus Master of the Wardrope came to me and threatned me in these Words Why do you despise the Emperour Vengeance shall quickly come upon you I answered him That if God should suffer these Threatnings to take Effect he would do as Eunuchs have been wont to do and I should suffer as becomes a Bishop Heavens grant That all the Mischiefs which threaten the Church may fall upon me That her Enemies may point all their Darts against me That they may asswage their Rage with shedding of my Blood Thus ends this Excellent Letter of St. Ambrose Tho' the First Efforts of Justina had such bad Success yet she did not give over her Persecution To colour her Design she caus'd a Conference to be propos'd between Auxentius the Arian Bishop and St. Ambrose before such Judges as they should name hoping by these means to have a Pretence to force him away Then an Officer was sent in the name of Valentinian to signify unto him That Auxentius had named some Judges and that he should name some on his own behalf St. Ambrose answered That according to the good Maxim of Theodosius the Father of Valentinian Bishops could have none but Bishops for their Judges That Laymen could not judge between Bishops and much less Infidels or Hereticks such as Auxentius in all probability had chosen This is what St. Ambrose remonstrated to Valentinian in Letter 21st which is properly a Petition wherein he shows that he had done nothing contrary to the Respect which he owes him by this Answer That he only followed the Law which his Father had establish'd and that this was the Custom of the Church That if a Conference about the Faith was necessary it should be in the Church and before Bishops That if Auxentius should appeal to a Synod tho' it was not necessary to assemble one since if an Angel should come from Heaven and teach a contrary Doctrine it ought not to be preferr'd before the unanimous Consent of all the Churches yet if a Council should be assembled he was ready to appear there That he would have come to Court and to the Emperour's Council if his People his Clergy and the Bishops had not hindred him That he was not wont to go thither but for the Interest of the Emperour neither was it his Custom to frequent the Court. At the time when St. Ambrose sent this Petition to be presented to the Emperour he preach'd a Sermon to his People to allay the Fear they were seized with after they understood that St. Ambrose was cited to appear before the Emperour's Council This is plac'd after the preceding Letter There he declares to his People That he had no design to abandon his Church That they might arrest his Body by force but they could not separate his Mind from it That he would never willingly forsake them but if he should be driven away by force he would not resist I can says he sigh and mourn I can lament Tears are my only Arms against Violence and against Souldiers Bishops have no other Defence I cannot I ought not to resist any other ways but as to flying away and forsaking my Church that I will never do You know that the Respect which I have for the Emperour does not make me yield cowardly that I offer my self willingly to Punishment and that I do not fear the Mischiefs they threaten me with If I knew that in my absence the Church would not be deliver'd up to the Arians and if it were the Duty of a Bishop to go to the Palace I would go willingly but this is not his Duty for Matters of Faith cannot be handled but in the Church If any one has
13th pronounces an Anathema against those Women who leave off their own Habit and wear Men's Apparel The 14th against those who forsake their Husbands out of Detestation of Marriage The 15th against those who abandon their Children who do not Feed them nor Educate them in Piety but neglect them under pretence of Devotion The 16th against those Children who under pretence of Piety forsake their Parents and show them no more that Respect which they owe them next to God The 17th against those Women who cut their Hair to destroy the Sign of that Submission which they owe to their Husbands The 18th pronounces an Anathema upon those who Fast on Sundays under pretence of leading a more austere Life The 19th is against those who break the Fasts of the Church without Necessity and in Contempt The 20th pronounces an Anathema against those who abhor the Assemblies and the Sacrifices which are made in honour of the Martyrs and despise their Memories At last the Fathers of this Council conclude with these excellent Words We ordain these things not to exclude those who would according to the Advices of Holy Scripture exercise themselves in the Church by these Practices of Continence and Piety but against those who use these kinds of Austerities for a Pretence to satisfy their Ambition who despise those who lead an ordinary Life and who introduce Innovations contrary to Scripture and the Ecclesiastical Laws We admire Virginity when it is accompanied with Humility we praise Abstinence which is joyn'd with Piety and Prudence We respect that Retirement which is made with Humility but we also honour Marriage We do not blame Riches when they are in the hands of Persons that are Just and Beneficent we esteem those who cloath themselves Modestly without Pride and Affectation and we abhor uncivil and voluptuous Apparel We have a Reverence for Churches and we approve the Assemblies which are there made as Holy and Useful We do not confine Piety to Houses We honour all places built to the Name of God we approve the Assemblies which are kept in the Church for the publick Good We praise the Largesses which the Faithful give to the Church to be distributed among the Poor In a word We wish and desire that these things may be observ'd in the Church which we have learn'd from the Scripture and the Tradition of the Apostles Of the COUNCIL of Laodicea IT has been commonly believed That this Council was more ancient than that of Nice but the Regulations Of Laodicea between 360 370. which are contain'd in its Canons do sufficiently discover that it was held at a time wherein the Church flourished and had been a long time delivered from the Pagan Persecutions which shows that this Council could not have been assembled before the middle of the Fourth Century 'T is very probable that it was celebrated between 360 and 370. We know nothing of its History but we have 60 Canons of this Assembly which regulate many considerable Points of Ecclesiastical Discipline and have been received by the whole Church and put into the Code of the Canons of the Universal Church The 1st of these Canons declares That by a kind of Condescention the Communion ought to be given to those who are married a Second time after they have for some time given themselves to Fasting and Prayer The 2d is That the Communion ought to be given to those Sinners who have done Penance for their Crimes The 3d. is That those ought not to be promoted to a Bishoprick who were lately baptiz'd The 4th That Clergy-men ought not to be Usurers The 5th That Ordination should not be made in the presence of those who are in the Rank of Hearers The 6th That Hereticks should not be suffered to enter into the House of the Lord. The 7th That in order to the receiving of Hereticks such as the Novatians the Photinians the Quarto Decimani they ought first to abjure and anathematize all Heresies and chiefly that whereof they made Profession and then after they are instructed in our Doctrine they ought to be anointed with Chrism and lastly made partakers of the Holy Mysteries The 8th That they must be wholly baptiz'd a-new who come from the Sect of the Montanist's The 9th That the Faithful ought to be forbidden to go to the Coemiteries or Churches of Hereticks to pray there with them and that those who do it ought to be excommunicated and do Penance for their Fault The 10th That Catholicks should not give their Daughters in marriage to Hereticks The 11th That Priestesses should not be ordained in the Church The 12th That the choice of Bishops should be approv'd by the Metropolitan and by the Bishops of the Province The 13th That the choice of a Bishop should not be wholly left to the People The 14th That the Holy Mysteries ought not to be sent at Easter as a Benediction The 15th That none but the Canon-Chanters who sit in high Chairs and read in Books shall sing in the Church The 16th That the Gospel should be read together with the other Books of Scripture on Saturday The 17th That many Psalms should not be read together but between every Psalm a Lesson The 18th That the same Prayers should be read at Mattins as at Vespers The 19th That after the Bishop's Sermon the Prayers of the Catechumens shall be read apart by themselves and when these are gone forth then shall be the Prayer of the Penitents and Lastly after these have withdrawn having received Imposition of Hands the Prayer of the Faithful shall be made at three times successively That the First Prayer shall be made in silence but the Second and Third Prayers shall be pronounced with a loud Voice and after that the Peace shall be given that when the Priests shall give it to the Bishop the Laity shall give it to themselves and afterwards the Oblation shall go on till it be finished and that none but those who are Holy shall be suffered to approach the Altar to receive the Communion The 20th forbids Deacons to sit in the presence of a Priest without his leave and it ordains likewise That the other Ministers and all the inferiour Clergy shall show the same respect to Deacons The 21st forbids Ministers to do the Offices of Deacons and to touch the Holy Vessels The 22d and 23d forbids Ministers and Readers to carry the Stole The 24th forbids all the Ecclesiasticks to go to a Publick House The 25th declares That Ministers must not give the Holy Bread nor bless the Cup. The 26th That those who were never ordained by Bishops must not meddle with exorcising in the Church or in Houses The 27th That those Ecclesiasticks who are invited to the Love-Feasts must not carry any Meat away with them to their own Houses The 28th That these Feasts must not be made in Churches The 29th That Christians must not observe the Ceremonies of the Jews nor Feast on Saturday but they must
Catholick Faith The Council judging Nestorius sufficiently convicted by these Records which they had read pronounced Sentence against him in these words The Most Impious Heretick Nestorius refusing to appear at our Citation and not suffering the Holy Bishops which we sent to him to enter into his House we were obliged to examine his Cause and having convicted him of dispersing and teaching an Impious Doctrine as hath been proved as well by his Letters and other Writings as by the Sermons which he hath Preached in this Metropolis which hath been confirmed by sufficient Testimonies we have been forced according to the Letter of S. Caelestine Bishop of Rome to pronounce against him this heavy Sentence which we cannot do but with grief Our Lord Jesus Christ against whom Nestorius hath Blasphemed declares him by this Synod deprived of his Episcopal Dignity and separated from the Communion of the * Sacradotal or Priestly Episcopal Order So that Nestorius was cited twice in one Day his Cause examined his Letters and Writings read and rejected the Letters and Writings of S. Cyril approved Witnesses heard and the Condemnation of Nestorius pronounced by 200 Bishops or thereabouts at one Session only It is true it lasted a long time for S. Cyril observes in a Letter that they met very early in the Morning and made an end very late by Candle-light The next day the Sentence pronounced against Nestorius by the Synod was signified to him by Sancta Synodus In Epheso coacta Nestorio Novo Judae a Letter from the Council In the Direction of it he is called Another Judas As soon as this was done they wrote in the name of the Synod to the Emperor and Clergy of Constantinople Saint Cyril wrote also in his own Name to the Clergy of Constantinople and Alexandria and sent the Emperor the Acts of the Council Nestorius was not idle on his part but wrote a Letter to the Emperor in his own Name and in the Name of 16 Bishops who signed his Letter that being come to Ephesus according to the Orders of the Emperor to be present at the Council he waited for the Bishops who were to come thither from all parts and particularly for the Bishop of Antioch and the Metropolitans of his Diocese as also for the Bishops that were come out of Italy and Sicily But perceiving that the Aegyptians were very impatient under this delay believing that they did it out of design they had offered to come to the Synod if Count Candidian would cite them to it but he would not do it because he had heard that John Bishop of Antioch and the Eastern Bishops would soon come Nevertheless the Bishops of Aegypt and Asia would hold a Council alone and had filled the City with trouble That Memnon Bishop of this City had granted them the Great Church for this tumultuous Assembly to meet in although he had denied them the Licence to go into S. John's Church He desires the Emperor to give Orders that they be not wronged and abused and that they Celebrate a Lawful Council not allowing any Monk or Lay-man nor any Bishop not Summoned to be present at it but only two of the most Eminent and Learned chosen out of every Province or if he did not think it 〈◊〉 to permit them to return 〈◊〉 again 〈◊〉 Candidian also sent the Emperor a Relation of 〈◊〉 had passed much like the Account Nestorius had given him He also gave the Council Notice that be had written to him and made his Declaration against the meeting of the Council◠and Ordered that they should wait for the arrival of John Bishop of Antioch Five days after the Deposition of Nestorius John Bishop of Antioch and the other Eastern Bishops arrived They were but 26 which being joyned with the 10 Bishops which were with Collect. of Lupus c. 15. 28. Nestorius made but 36 in all if we believe S. Cyril's Relation Nevertheless in the Subscriptions of their Letters we find more than 50 set down by their Names and the Names of their Cities The Council sent some Bishops to meet John Bishop of Antioch and desired him not to Communicate with Nestorius who was deposed But John Bishop of Antioch was so far from harkening to them that as soon as he arrived he held a Council * In his Inn. in the place of his Abode Here Candidian declared that he had done all he could to hinder the Bishops who were assembled with Cyril and Memnon from doing any thing before the coming of the Eastern Bishops That they had required of him that they might read the Emperor's Letters saying They knew not the Emperor's Orders that he had done it against his Will merely to prevent any Sedition but at his departure he had admonished them to do nothing rashly but not having regard to his advise they had done what they pleased after they had driven him out of the Council and refused to hear the Bishops which Nestorius had sent to them He then read the Emperor's Letter and when that was done John Bishop of Antioch demandad if he done any thing more He said That they had Deposed Nestorius and had published and fastened up his Deposition John Bishop of Antioch went on and asked him If it were done regularly if Nestorius were present and Convected or whether he was Condemned without being heard Candidian answered that it was all transacted without Examination and contrary to the Rules Candidian having given this Testimony he went out The Bishops accused Memnon of shutting up the Churches against them and S. Cyril of reviving the Error of Arius and Nestorius in his twelve Chapters Upon this Accusation they pronounce the Sentence of Deposition against S. Cyril and Memnon and Excommunicated all those who had Communion with them till they should confess the Faith of the Council of Nice without adding any thing to it pronouncing Anathema against S. Cyril's Chapters and obeying the Emperor's Orders who Commanded them to examine this Question without tumult and noise This Sentence was signified to the Bishops against whom it was given and because they minded it not they protested against Cyril and Memnon because they still held a Council after they were deposed and contrary to the prohibition of Candidian These Bishops immediately sent the Emperor word by Writing what they had done There were two remarkable Circumstances in this Letter The first That S. Cyril had written to John Bishop of Antioch two days before the beginning of the Synod that he would stay till he came The Second That they could not get thither sooner because of the length and tiresomness of the Voyage which they were forced to make by Land They wrote also to the Clergy Senate and People of Constantinople to the Empresses and to the People of Hierapolis The Relation of Candidian being received at Constantinople first Theodosius ordered that all that had been done by S. Cyril's Synod should be looked upon as Null and Void
Truth But in a doubtful Case it is better to leave things as they are As to the Chapter concerning the Letter of Ibas there is no doubt but that it is reproachful against St. Cyril and even against the Council of Ephesus but then we must not condemn it as Heretical upon that account The Council of Chalcedon did not formally approve it but tolerated it and look'd upon it as a Proof of the Orthodox Faith of Ibas since at the same time that he did most oppose St. Cyril he made this Profession That there was but one Person and two Natures in Jesus Christ. As to the Writings of Theodoret they ought not to be condemn'd as Heretical For tho this Author did never approve the Anathematisms of St. Cyril and had defended the Person of Nestorius yet he always rejected his Error And therefore the most that he can be accus'd of is his being too partial his not understanding aright the Sentiment of St. Cyril but he cannot be accus'd of being an Heretick And indeed if John of Antioch and the Orientalists were not oblig'd to approve the Anathematisms of St. Cyril if they were not forc'd to retract what they had said and written before the Union why is Theodoret treated more harshly Lastly The Council of Chalcedon having never requir'd Theodoret to retract his Writings it was needless to condemn them Nevertheless it must be confess'd That the fifth Council having condemn'd the three Chapters and the greatest part of all the Bishops in the World having subscrib'd this Condemnation it was convenient for Peace-sake to agree to it and that those behav'd themselves very ill who did not only obstinately refuse to subscribe this Condemnation but also separated from the Communion of those who sign'd it For nothing is more to be desir'd then Peace and many times it is very fit to sacrifice out private Interests for the Repose and Tranquality of the Church The fifth Council of Arles The fifth Council of Arles SApaudus Bishop of Arles held this Council at the end of June in the year 554 wherein were made seven Canons The first That in the Province there should be a Conformity as to the Ceremony of Offerings to the usage of the Church of Arles The second That the Monasteries and Jurisdiction over the Monks shall belong to the Bishop in whose Territory the Monasteries are situate The third That the Abbots shall not remove from their Monastery without leave from their Bishop The fourth That a Priest cannot Depose a Deacon or a Sub-deacon without the Bishops knowledge The fifth That Bishops shall take care of the Nunneries that are in their City and the Abbess can do nothing against the Rule The sixth That the Clergy cannot leave the Revenues of the Church in a worse condition then they found them The seventh That a Bishop shall not Ordain the Clergy-men of another Bishop The second Council of Paris in the Year 555. THe same Sapaudus held another Council the next year consisting of six and twenty Bishops at The second Council of Paris 555. Paris wherein the Deposition of Saffaracus Bishop of Paris was confirm'd The third Council of Paris THe Archbishops of Bourges of Roan and of Bourdeaux were present at this Council together with thirteen Bishops It was held under King Childebert towards the year 557. It made ten The third Council of Paris Canons The first is a long Canon against those who detain the Possessions belonging to the Church The second is against those who invade the Possessions of the Church The third is against those Bishops who seek after the Possessions of another The fourth forbids to marry the Widow of his Brother his Father or his Uncle his Wives Sister her Daughter-in-law her Aunt the Daughter of her Daughter-in-law c. The fifth is against those who take away by force or desire in marriage Virgins consecrated to God The sixth forbids to desire of the Prince to grant Maids or Widows against the Consent of their Kinsfolk The seventh renews the Prohibition of receiving any Person Excommunicated by his Bishop The eighth forbids to constitute any one Bishop over the People against their will It Ordains that there shall be a Choice made with perfect freedom by the People and the Clergy that he shall not be appointed by the Order of the Prince nor ordain'd against the Judgment of the Metropolitan The ninth Ordains that the Children of Slaves to whom Liberty has been granted on condition that they pay some Service shall be oblig'd to Discharge this Office to which they were design'd The tenth is That these Canons shall be sign'd by the Bishops The Edict of Clotharius The Edict of Clotharius BY this Edict the King grants to the Bishops the Power of hindring the Execution of unjust Judgments given by the Judges It forbids any to use his Authority for taking away by force or marrying Maids and Widows It forbids also to marry Virgins consecrated to God It secures to the Church the Donations that are made to it and grants it Exemption from Taxes It exempts Clergy-men from Publick Offices and confirms all the Grants made to the Church by his Predecessors The first Council of Bracara LUcretius Metropolitan of Bracara held this Council of seven Bishops on the first day of May in the year 563 under King Ariamirus Father L'abbee reckons it the second but that which he places first is a Forgery The first Council of Bracara The Bishops begun with rejecting the Errors of the Priscilianists by causing the Letter of St. Leo to Turribius and the Canons of the first Council of Toledo to be read and by making seventeen Propositions against the Errors of Manichaeus and Priscilian They read afterwards a Letter from the Holy See address'd to Profaturus and made two and twenty Canons concerning Discipline The first is That the same way of singing the Mattins and Vespers shall be every where observ'd and that the private Customs of Monasteries shall not be mix'd with the Usage of the Church The second That on solemn days the same Lessons shall be read The third That the Bishops shall not salute the People after a different manner from the Priests and that they shall only say The Lord be with you That the People shall answer And with your Spirit That this is the Practice of the whole East which is of Apostolical Tradition The fourth That in Divine Service that Order shall be observ'd which Profuturus has receiv'd from the Holy See The fifth That the Usage of the Church of Bracara shall be observ'd in the Ceremonies of Baptism The sixth That the Bishops of the Province shall be rank'd according to their Antiquity The seventh That the Revenues of the Church shall be divided into three Parts That the first shall be for the Bishop the second for the Clergy and the third for maintaining the Church and the Light That the Arch Priest or Arch-Deacon shall give an account
are sign'd by the Bishop the seven Abbots the four and thirty Priests and three Deacons In the first It is forbidden to play at Pagan Sports with the * The words of the Canon are Vaccula aut Cervulo facere vel strenas diabolicas observare Hart or Heifer or to give New-years-gifts after the manner of Pagans on the first day of January In the second Priests are enjoyn'd to send Clergy to the Episcopal City to know when Lent begins and to give notice to the People of the day of Epiphany By the third It is forbidden to cause Divine Service to be said in private Houses and to perform Vows by Trees or Fountains and to suffer any Statues or Figures of Men. By the fourth It is forbidden to use Inchantments and any ways of foretelling things to come The fifth forbids the Debauchery of the Vigils of St. Martin The sixth ordains the Priests to go fetch holy Chrysm about the middle of Lent and if he be hindred by sickness to send thither another Person and to carry it in a Vessel appointed for that use cover'd with a Linen Cloth with the same respect that is given to Reliques The seventh orders That the Priests shall meet at the City to hold there the Synod in the Month of May and the Abbots on the first of November The eighth forbids to offer in the Calice any thing but Wine mingled with Water The ninth forbids to make Quires of Singing-women in the Church and to make Feasts there The tenth declares That it is not lawful to say two Masses upon the same Altar in the same day The eleventh That it is not lawful to end the Fast of the Vigils of Easter before two hours within night because it is not lawful to drink or eat on that day after midnight The same Rule is to be observ'd as to the Vigils of Christmas and other great Festivals By the twelfth It is forbidden to give the Eucharist or the Kiss of Peace to the Dead and to wrap up their Bodies in Altar-cloths or Veils The thirteenth forbids the Deacons to cover their shoulders with the Veil or Altar-cloth The fourteenth forbids to Inter any in the Fonts The fifteenth to Inter one dead Body upon another The sixteenth to yoke Oxen or to do any other such works on Sunday The seventeenth forbids to receive the Offerings of those who have procur'd their own death howsoever they have done it The eighteenth forbids to Baptize even Children except at Easter unless in a case of urgent Necessity The nineteenth forbids Priests and Deacons to say to serve or assist at Mass after they have eaten The twentieth ordains That Priests Deacons or Sub-deacons who shall have Children or commit Adultery shall be depos'd The one and twentieth forbids them to lye in the same Bed with their Wives The two and twentieth forbids their Widows to marry again The three and twentieth condemns a Monk who hath committed Adultery or any other Crime to be shut up in another Monastery if his Abbot has not punish'd him The four and twentieth declares That it is not lawful for an Abbot or a Monk to marry The five and twentieth forbids them to be Godfathers The six and twentieth condemns an Abbot who suffers Women to enter into his Monastery to be three Months shut up in another and to live there upon Bread and Water The first Council of Mascon in 581. The following Constitutions forbid Marriages with Step-mothers Daughters-in-law Sisters-in-law Cousin Germans Aunts and other Women The three and four and thirtieth forbid Priests and Deacons to be present at the place where any are put to the Torture or to assist in a Judgment of Life and Death The five and thirtieth forbids them to cite another Clergy-man before a Secular Judge The six and seven and thirtieth forbid Women to receive the Eucharist with the naked hand or to touch the Linen-Cloth which covers the Body of our Lord. The eight and nine and thirtieth forbids to communicate or to eat with an excommunicate Person The fortieth forbids Priests to sing or dance at Festivals The one and fortieth forbids Clergy-men to prosecute any Person at Law and orders them to ease themselves from this care by employing Secular Persons The two and fortieth orders Women to have the Dominical for receiving the Communion Some have thought that this is the Linen upon which they receive the Body of Jesus Christ being forbidden to receive it with their naked hand as was declar'd in Constitution 36. Others think that it is a kind of Veil which covers their head Whatsoever this be the Synod declares That if they have it not they shall wait till another Sunday to receive the Communion The three and fortieth excommunicates for ae year the Judges or other Secular Persons who shall throw any Reproach upon a Clergy-man The four and fortieth ordains That the Seculars who would not receive the Admonitions of their Arch-Priests shall be excommunicated until they yield to the Advice which shall be given them and pay the Fine which the Prince shall order The five and fortieth is against those who shall not observe these Canons The first Council of Mascon in the Year 581. I Say nothing here of some Councils of France held about private Affairs which made no Canons whose History may be seen in Gregory of Tours because I would not insist upon any but those whereof some Monuments are still remaining Those of Mascon are of this number whereof the first was held in the Month of November in the Year 581. The Archbishops of Lyons of Vienna of Seâ—s and Bourges were present there with seventeen other Bishops of France They made nineteen Canons The first renews the Prohibition so often made to Clergy-men of keeping strange Women in their Houses The second forbids Clergy-men and Seculars to have familiarity with Nuns and to enter into or dwell in the House with them unless there be an evident necessity The third declares That no Women ought to enter into the Chamber of a Bishop but in the presence of two Priests or two Deacons The fourth is against those who detain the Goods given to the Church by the last Will. The fifth forbids Clergy-men to habit themselves like Seculars The sixth declares That the Archbishops shall not say Mass without the Pallium The seventh That the Judge cannot put a Clergy-man in Prison except for a Criminal Cause The eighth forbids Clergy-men to cite their Brethren before Secular Judges The ninth ordains That none shall fast from St. Martin's day to Christmas but three times a week viz. on Monday Wednesday and Friday and that on these days the Canons shall be read The tenth That Clergy-men shall celebrate the Festivals with their Bishop The eleventh ordains That Clergy-men who are oblig'd to Celibacy shall be depos'd if they violate the Obligation The twelfth That Virgins consecrated to God who marry shall be excommunicated both they and their Husbands until
death That if they part they shall continue under Penance as long as the Bishop shall think fit The thirteenth ordains That Jews shall not be Judges of Christians nor receivers of Taxes The fourteenth forbids them according to the Edict of Childebert to appear in publick from Holy Thursday till Easter-day The fifteenth forbids Christians to eat with Jews The sixteenth declares That all Christian Slaves who serve Jews may redeem themselves for a price fix'd by the Canon and that their Masters cannot refuse to set them at liberty if they pay them the sâ—â— The seventeenth That those who cause any to give a false Testimony and to swear falsly against others shall be excommunicated till death and those who commit these Crimes shall be declar'd infamous The third Council of Lyons and unworthy to be believ'd in any Testimony The eighteenth ordains That those who accuse the Innocent to their Prince shall be depos'd if they be Clergy-men or excommunicated if they be Lay-men until they have done Penance The nineteenth concerns a Nun who would give her Patrimony that she might come out of her Monastery or at least that she might live more freely She is declared to be excommunicated and all those who shall make the like Donations as well as those who accept them upon that condition The third Council of Lyons THe Archbishop of Lyons and seven other Prelates of France were present at this Council together with some Deputies in the Year 583 in the Month of May They made six Canons By the first Clergy-men are forbidden to keep in their Houses strange Women and those who are oblig'd to Celibacy are forbidden to have any familiarity with their Wives The second ordains That care shall be taken to signifie in the Letters which are granted to recommend Captives the day of their date the Price which is agreed upon the Necessity of the Captives and that care shall be taken to authorize them by Subscriptions which cannot be suspected The third decrees Excommunication against the Nuns who go out of their Monastery The fourth renews the Canons against forbidden Marriages The fifth forbids Bishops to celebrate the Feasts of Easter and Christmas any where but in their own Church The sixth ordains Bishops to take care of the Lepers of their Diocese and to give them something to clothe and maintain them that they may not run from City to City The second Council of Valentia held in 583. THis Council consisting of seventeen Bishops made an Act to confirm the Donations made by The second Council of Valentia in 583. King Gontranus and by the Queen Austegisildis his Wife and by his Daughters Clodeberga and Clotilda to the Churches of St. Marcellus and St. Symphorianus and all the rest The second Council of Mascon held in 585. THis Council was very numerous six Archbishops and seven and thirty Bishops were present at it in person together with twenty Deputies from other Bishops and three Bishops who had no The second Council of Mascon in 585. See They made twenty Canons The first is an Exhortation to the People for the holy Celebration of Sunday Let no Person say they prosecute any Suit of Law on this day let none follow their own business let none yoke Oxen but let all the World apply themselves to sing the Praises of God Let those who are near the Churches run thither to shed Tears there let your eyes and your hands be lifted up to the Lord c. Afterwards they decree Penalties against those who break the Sunday according to the state and condition of the Persons If he be an Advocate they order that he shall be driven from the Bar if he be a Peasant or a Slave that he receive some blows with a stick if he be a Monk that he be excommunicated for six Months Lastly they exhort Christians to spend even the night of Sunday in Prayers In the second it is ordain'd That the Feast of Easter shall be solemniz'd and that all shall refrain from servile Works for the space of six days The third Canon is for hindring the Custom which begun to grow common of baptizing on all the days of the Martyr's Festivals They ordain that Children shall be kept till Easter and that they shall be brought to Church during Lent that having received Imposition of Hands and afterwards being anointed with the Holy Oyl they may be regenerated at Easter with the holy Baptism The third Council of Toledo In the fourth it is ordain'd That Men and Women shall offer every Sunday Bread and wine at the Altar The fifth declares That the Divine Laws have granted to Priests and Ministers the tenth of their Possessions that the Christians have a long time observ'd these Laws but that of late for some time they have not been observ'd which oblig'd them to ordain that the Faithful revive this ancient Custom and give the Tenth to the Ministers of the Altar which shall be employ'd either for relieving the Poor or for redeeming Captives The sixth forbids Priests to celebrate Mass after they have eat and drunk It ordains also that the remainder of the Eucharist shall be eaten up on Wednesday and Friday after Mass by Children In the seventh it is ordain'd upon the Remonstrance of Praetextatus and Papoulus That the Bishops shall take the Slaves who are set at liberty into their protection and that they shall be Judges of the Differences which shall arise upon this occasion The eighth ordains That those who fly to Churches shall not be taken thence by force but if the Bishop finds them guilty he shall give leave to take them away without violating the holiness of the Church In the ninth they declare That it is not lawful for any Judge to take cognizance of the Causes of a Bishop and that they ought to be carried to the Metropolitan The tenth forbids to accuse Priests Deacons or Sub-deacons before other Judges then Bishops The eleventh recommends Hospitality to Bishops The twelfth does not allow a Judge to proceed against Widows and Orphans unless they advertise the Bishop The thirteenth forbids Bishops to keep Birds and Dogs for Game The fourteenth is against those who desire of Princes the Possessions of others that they may invade them without Forms of Law The fifteenth ordains Lay-men to show respect to Clergy-men and to salute them if they meet them on Horsback in the way to light off their Horse and salute them if they meet them on foot The sixteenth forbids the Widows of Sub-deacons Exorcists and Acolythists to marry again The seventeenth forbids to Inter the Dead upon Bodies that are half rotten The eighteenth threatens those who contract unlawful Marriages The nineteenth forbids Clergy-men to be present at the Executions of Criminals The twentieth ordains the Celebration of a Synod every three years which shall be appointed by the Bishop of Lyons and the King in a convenient place After this Council the King Goniranus made an Edict
and proves it by Eligius's Life written by S. Owen l. 1. c. 21. where it is observed There was not then such a great number of Monasteries in France and that those that were there were not very regular 2. Because in Marculphus there be several manners of Speech which he pretends were not in use but since Clovis and Dagobert's time F. Labbe is of Mr. Bignon's Mind and pretends even to shew who that Marculphus is because in the Life of S. Austrogesilus Arch-Bishop of Bourges there is mention made of one Marculphus by Name who was a Reader during the Life of Austrogesilus and was afterwards Abbot of that Saint's Monastery in the Suburbs of Bourges What is said of Marculphus in that place happen'd in the time of Etherius of Lyons who was Dead in 601. Marculphus might then be Fifteen or Twenty Years old he wrote his Forms being above Seventy Years of Age which comes up to 560. who was famous in the Reign of Clovis the Son of Dagobert towards the Year 660. Others pretend that it is a Bishop of Meaux who lived in the time of Pepin and Charles the Great towards the Year 780. However these Forms are of the time of the Second Race of our Kings for Marculphus having written them about the 70th Year of his Age and having gathered the Forms in use in the time of his Ancestors and those but in small number there can be no doubt but the most part of them are very Ancient We shall speak here but of those concerning Ecclesiastical Matters The First is the Form of a Privilege granted by a Bishop to a Monastery It is directed to the Abbot and the whole Society of the Monastery Therein he says That being willing to provide for their Quiet and conform himself to the Custom according to which the Monasteries of Lerins Agaune Luxeuil and a great number more enjoy the privilege of Liberty he made the following Constitutions to be observed by the Monks and the Bishops his Successors That the Monks shall receive Orders from the Bishop That he shall Bless the Altars in their Church gratis That he shall every Year give them the Holy Chrism if they demand it of him That he shall make him their Abbot that shall be chosen out of themselves by the unanimous consent of the Society That he shall in no wise meddle with the Affairs Persons or the Revenues present or to come belonging to the Monastery That he shall take nothing of what shall be bestowed upon them nor of their Offerings made upon their Altars That he shall not come into their Monastery unless he be called into it And when he shall be desired to go thither after the Celebration of the Mysteries he shall with-draw to leave them in Peace That the Abbot shall correct his Monks and that the Bishop shall not suffer them to be in the City In the Second Form The King confirms the Exemption granted by the Bishop particularly as to what concerns the Revenues and extends the prohibition of Invading them to all sorts of Persons The 3d is a Form Whereby the King Exempts the Bishop's Lands from the Secular Jurisdiction The 4th is the Confirmation of an Exemption already granted The 5th is a Form directed by the Prince to the Bishops whereby he enjoins them to Ordain such a Person chosen by him with the Bishops and Lords of his Realm to be Bishop in the room of a Bishop deceased The 6th is an Order of the Prince to a Bishop to Ordain him whom he hath chosen The 7th is a Request of the Inhabitants of a Town to the King to beseech him to Elect such an one Bishop of their Town At the foot whereof is the Prince's Order These Forms do shew That from that time the Kings of France enjoyed the Nomination to Bishopricks and that Bishops were Ordained by the Metropolitans without any need to go to Rome The 14th 15th and 16th are Forms of Donations made to some Churches by their Princes The 19th is a Permission of the Prince to make a Man Clerk for the Service of a Church or a Monastery and to cut off his Hair The 26th is an Order of the Prince to the Bishop to give again to a private Man a Farm belonging to him if not to send one in his Name into his Court to give an account of that business The 27th is an Order to the Bishop to reprove an Abbot or another Clerk guilty of some Injustice The 35th is a Confirmation of the Privileges of a Monastery The Six first Forms of the Second Book are Forms of a Donation or Abandoning of Goods to an Hospital Monastery or Church The 30th is the Form of a Private Separation between the Husband and the Wife The 39th is a Form whereby Two Persons give to a Church the propriety of Two Inheritances belonging to each of them upon condition that they shall have the use of them during their Life and that the Surviver shall enjoy them both The 40th is the Bishop's Consenting to that Deed of Use. The 42d is a form of a Letter of one Bishop to another when he sends him * Some Portions or small pieces of the consâ—crated Bread in token of Communion the Eulogies at Easter The 43d is the Bishop's Answer upon the receiving of them The 44th and 45th are forms of Letters of a Bishop to the King or Queen or to another Bishop about Christmas-Day The 46th 47th 48th and 49th are Forms of Commendatory Letters The first to recommend one to a Bishop known The second to recommend him to an Abbot The third to recommend to an Abbot a Person desirous to enter into a Monastery The last to recommend one willing to go in z To go in Pilgrimage to the Tombs of S. Peter and S. Paul the Apostles Soon after that Peace was settled in the Church by Constantine the first Christian Emperor and sacred Learning and Knowledge began to flourish several inquisitive Persons that they might gain a more lively and thorough Knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron ep 154. of the historical Parts of the Old and New Testament travelled into the Holy Land to see the Places so frequently spoken of in the Holy Scriptures where most of the Matters were transacted Upon which account it is that S. Jerom who travelled thither for the same Reason saith That it is a Confirmation of our Faith to see the Ground on which Christ's Feet did tread In imitation of these Men's practices did others travel to Jerusalem out of Devotion soon after placing much Religion in visiting and worshipping the Places of Christ's bodily Presence But the Fathers of these Ages sharply reproved this growing Superstition Heaven saith S. Jerom is as near thee at home as at Jerusalem and why wilt thou travel Hieron ep 13. thither as if Christ were only to be found there Some make it a part of Religion saith S. Cyril to have been at Jerusalem but
those shall be reconciled who desire Penance being in Danger of Death and that Commemoration be made of those and their Oblation be received who die after they have been admitted to Penance by the Imposition of Hands tho they have not been reconciled The 13th forbids those who are possessed by the Devil or stirred with violent Motions to wait on the Altar or to come near it to receive the Sacraments Yet those are excepted who fall down out of Weakness or Ilness without any other Symptome The 14th orders That there shall always be some Body assisting to the Priest whilst he is singing the Service or celebrating the Holy Sacrifice to the end that if he should fall ill another might take his Place The 15th renews the Constitutions about the holding of Councils The Council concludes with Wishes for the Prosperity of King * 〈◊〉 Bamba Wamba It is subscribed by the Archbishop of Toledo by 16. Bishops 2 Deacons Bishops Deputies and 7 Abbots Council IV. of Braga THE same Year and under the same King was held a Council in Braga The Bishops having recited the Nicene Creed with the Addition of the Holy Ghost's proceeding from the Father and the Son do condemn some Abuses which had crept into the Celebration of the Council IV. of Braga Holy Mysteries Some offered Milk others Grapes instead of Wine some gave to the People the Eucharist dipt in Wine Some Priests would make use of the Sacred Vessels to eat and drink in others said Mass without a Stole on Some hung about their Necks Relicks of Martyrs and then made themselves to be carried about by Deacons with their AAbes on Several Bishops companied with Women and some misused their Clerks Simony was a common thing They made Canons against all those Disorders By the 1st they forbid offering Milk and Grapes in lieu of Wine and dipping the Eucharist in the Wine The 2d prohibits putting Sacred Vessels and Ornaments to prophane and common Uses By the 3d it is ordered That Priests shall celebrate the Holy Mysteries with a Stole only which shall cover their Shoulders and go down cross-wise over the Stomach By the 4th Ecclesiastical Persons are forbidden to dwell with a Woman excepting their Mother only but not their very Sisters nor any other near Relations The 5th declares It belongs to the Deacons to carry the Relicks of Martyrs and that if the Bishop will carry them he shall go afoot and not be carried by the Deacons The 6th forbids Bishops to cause the Priests Abbots or Deacons under him to be beaten The 7th prohibits Simony and for that purpose renews the Canon of the Council of Chalcedon The last forbids Bishops to take more Care of their own Patrimony than of the Church's and if this happens to be embezel'd by their Negligence whilst the other is improved they shall be bound to make up the Loss out of their own This Council is signed by 8 Bishops Council XII of Toledo THIS Council was held in 681 under King * al. Ering Ervigius The Metropolitans of Toledo Sevil Braga and Merida were present in it together with Thirty Bishops Four Abbots Council XII of Toledo Three Bishop's Deputies and several Lords King Ervigiâ—s came to it at the beginning of it and withdrew after having made a short Speech to the Council He left them a Memoir wherein he exhorted them to absolve the Guilty to reform Manners to re-establish Discipline to renew the Laws made against the Jews to procure the Restoration of those who had been Degraded by vertue of a Law of his Predecessor for not bearing Arms or for laying them down He directs his Speech to the Bishops and the Lords that these Laws being made by the unanimous consent of both Spiritual and Temporal Authority they may stand firm and be put in execution The Council having according to the custom made a protestation that they did receive the Faith of the first Four Councils and recited the Creed approves Ervigius's Elevation to the Throne and Wamba's Deposition who had withdrawn himself by taking a Religious Habit shaving his Head and chusing King Ervigius to Reign in his stead and causing him to be Consecrated by the Sacerdotal Unction It is very remarkable that the Fathers of this Council do not depose King Wamba nor chuse Ervigius of their own accord But after having seen the Declaration which that Prince had made in Writing and Signed in the presence of the Lords whereby he had made profession of the Religious Life and got his Hair cut and that whereby he desired that Ervigius might be chosen King and the order he had given to the Bishop of Toledo to Consecrate Ervigius with the usual Ceremonies and the Verbal Process of that Consecration Signed by Wamba they join their consent to Wamba's and approve of what he hath done and consequently declare that Ervigius ought to be owned for their lawful King and in that Quality to be Obeyed upon pain of Anathema The 2d Canon binds those who receive Penance in the extremity of Sickness and when they are not Sensible to lead a Penitent Life if they recover Yet they will have the Priest to give Penance to those only that desire it they give the instance of Children's Baptism to shew that Penance may be given to those who are not sensible The 3d ordains That those that have been Excommunicated for some Crime against the State shall be restored when the Prince taketh them into his favour again or they have the Honour to Eat at his Table In the 4th The Bishop of Merida having represented that King Wamba had constrained him to Ordain a Bishop in a Country-Town and assayed to do the same thing in other places They recited the Canons forbidding to Ordain Bishops in Burroughs or to put Two in the same City by vertue whereof they declared that the Ordination of him whom Wamba caused to be Ordained was irregular But seeing it was not out of Ambition that he had been Ordained but by the Prince's express Orders they out of mere favour granted him the next vacant Bishoprick and they make a general Inhibition to Ordain Bishops in places where there were none before The 5th Forbids Priests to Offer the Holy Sacrifice without Communicating because some of those who Offered it many times in one Day would not Communicate but at their last Mass. The 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-Bishop of Toledo to 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 King 〈◊〉 〈…〉 to the Rights of Provinces and upon condition that within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after hâ—s Ordination he shall present himself â—… The 7th declares That whereas King Ervigius intends to moderate the Law made by his Predecessor 〈◊〉 against them that had not taken Aâ—… it was their Opinion that such persons had a Right to bear witness and were not to be rejected as infamous By the 8th 〈◊〉 are forbidden to leave their Wives except for Adultery The 9th Reneâ—… several Constitutions against the Jews
the Punishment due to them for Wrongs done by them whether the King be bound to keep the first or the last Oath The Council Answers He is more strictly bound to keep the last as being more just more solemn and necessary This Council is Signed by the Metropolitans of Toledo Narbone Sevil Braga and Merida by Fifty Six of their Suffragans in person by the Deputies of Six among whom Iva the Arch-Bishop of Tarragona by Eleven Abbots by Seventeen Lords and confirmed by the King's Declaration Council of Saragosa THIS Council was assembled under King Egica 691. It made Five Canons By the 1st Bishops are forbidden to Consecrate Churches but on Sundays Council of Saragosa The 2d Orders the Bishops to enquire of their Metropolitan or Primate about Easter-Day and to keep it upon the Day he shall appoint The 3d Forbids Monks to admit Secular Persons into their Cloysters The 4th Ordains that the Church-Slaves freed by their Bishop shall be bound to exhibite to their Successor their Letters of Freedom within a Year after the Death of the Bishop that set them at Liberty provided they have been warned to do so The 5th Renews what had been Decreed by the Council of Toledo that the King's Widow should not Marry again and ordains moreover that she shall withdraw into a Convent and take the Religious Habit immediately after the Prince's Death The Council ends with Thanksgivings to and Prayers for the King Council XVI of Toledo THIS Council was kept in 693 under the same King Egica After the reading of the Memoir containing the proposal of what was to be treated in the Council the Bishops Council XVI of Toledo made a long Exposition of Faith which is followed with Twelve Canons The 1st Is in the behalf of the Jewish Converts to exempt them from the Tribute which they paid to the Exchequer The 2d Is against the remainders of Idolatry The 3d Appoints very severe Punishments against the Sodomites and excludes them from the Communion until the time of Death when they have not done Penance being in health The 4th Is against them that fall into some Fit of Despair The 5th Forbids Bishops to take above the Third part of the Churches Revenues and orders them to lay it out in Repairs It prohibits also giving the Government of many Churches to one Priest and ordains that small Churches shall be united to greater ones The 6th Forbids an Abuse crept in among some Spanish Priests who at the Sacrifice upon the Altar did not Offer clean and decent Loaves nor prepare them carefully but did only Consecrate a Crust of their own Bread cut round The Council to stop this Abuse Ordains That the Bread to be Consecrated upon the Altar shall be whole decent made on purpose that it shall not be a very great Loaf but of a reasonable bigness Modica oblata the remainders of which may easily be preserved and which may not load the Stomach The 7th commands That Bishops shall call their Clergy and the People together for the promulgation of the Canons of Councils within Six Months after the holding of the Councils The 8th Contains several Constitutions for the safety of King's Children and Ordains that every Day Sacrifices shall be Offered up for the Health and Prosperity of the King and the Royal Family except the Day of the Passion when Altars are uncovered and no Body is permitted to say Mass. The 9th Is against Sisbert Bishop of Toledo who had broken his Oath to King Egica by Conspiring against his Person and Family They Depose and Excommunicate him for his whole Life they declare his Goods to be confiscated to the Prince and condemn him to perpetual Imprisonment They Decree the same Punishment against all that are guilty of the same Crime The 10th Pronounces Three times Anathema against them that attempt against the Life of Kings and Plot against them and the State and reduces them and their Posterity to the condition of Slaves The 11th Contains some Prayers for King Egica's Prosperity By the 12th They put Felix Bishop of Sevil into the room of Sisbert newly deposed and Faustin Bishop of Braga into Felix's room and to Faustin they substitute another Bishop The 13th ordains That a Council shall be held at Narbone to approve the Canons of this because the Bishops of this Province could not come to it by reason of a Sickness This Council is confirmed by the Prince's Edict and Signed by Five Metropolitans viz. those of Toledo Sevil Merida Tarragona and Braga by Fifty Two Bishops Three Bishop's Deputies Five Abbots and Sixteen Counts or Lords Council XVII of Toledo held in 694. THIS Council hath the same Form with the preceding King Egica presented a Memoir which the Bishops of the Council having read they recited the Creed and made the Council XVII of Toledo following Canons 1st That they shall Fast Three Days in Honour of the Holy Trinity before they begin any Conference in Councils 2dly That in the beginning of Lent the Bishop shall shut the Font and Seal it with his Ring till Holy Thursday to let People know that no Body ought to be Baptized during that time but in case of extream necessity 3dly They Ordain That the Ceremony of washing of Feet shall be used on Holy Thursday 4thly They renew the prohibition of putting Sacred Vessels to Prophane Uses 5thly They condemn to Excommunication and perpetual Imprisonment those Priests that say the Masses of the Dead for the Living out of a conceit that this Sacrifice will bring them to their Death 6thly They re-establish the ancient custom to make Litanies or Publick Prayers every Month for the Church the King's Health the good of the State and the remission of Sins 7thly They provide for the Security of the King's Children that no Body may attempt against their Life or Estate after his decease 8thly They Ordain That the Jews who being Baptized remained in their Religion yea and Conspired against the Prince shall be made Slaves and all their Estates confiscated that they shall be hindred from using their Ceremonies and their Children shall be taken away from them to be brought up in the Christian Religion Lastly They return their Thanks to King Egica who confirms their Canons by his Edict Council held at Constantinople Anno 692 called Quini-Sextum or In Trullo THE Fifth and Sixth General Councils having made no Canons about Discipline Justinian the Second thought fit to call a Council to renew the old Canons and to make a Council of Constantinople kind of a Body of the Canon-Law for the Clergy of all the East This Council was held in 692 at Constantinople in the Tower of the Emperor's Palace called Trullus The Four Patriarchs of the East were present at it together with 108 Bishops of their Patriarchats This Council was called Quini-Sextum because it was look'd upon as a Supplement to the Fifth and Sixth Council It took the Name of General Council and
Corporeal Sins onely but also of the Spiritual These are the words of the 33d Some say That we ought to Confess our Sins to God alone others affirm That they ought to be Confess'd to Priests Both are done with great Benefit in the Holy Church so that we Confess our Sins to God who does forgive them and according to the Apostle's Institution we Confess them to each other and Pray for each other that we may be Sav'd So the Confession which is made to God Purges from Sin and that which is made to the Priest inform us how we ought to be Purged from them For God is the Author of our Salvation and grants it us sometimes in an Invisible manner by his Omnipotence and sometimes by the Operation of Physicians Which Canon only proves that the Confession which is made to Priests ought to be attended with an Humble Confession of Sins to God or it is to be only understood of Venial Sins it being certain that it is necessary that Mortal Sins be Confess'd to Priests that we may obtain a Forgiveness of those Sins This Council in the next Canon exhorts the Priests to act like Physicians and like Judges and to enjoyn Salutary and Suitable Penances to Sinners It le ts Penitents know after this that Repentance if it be true ought to be attended with a Change both in the Heart and Course of Life It enjoyns all Confessors to take their Measures concerning the Injunction of Penances from the Holy Writ and the Canons or from the Custom of the Church and to reject such Penitential Books the Errors of which are unquestionable and their Authors uncertain which have occasion'd the Death of many because they onely injoyn slight Penances for great Sins In the Nine and thirtieth Canon it is order'd that Prayers be said for the Dead at every Mass. The Fortieth orders that such Clergy-men as have been or shall be degraded for their Crimes be shut up in Monasteries that they may lead there a Penitent Life The One and fortieth is against such Priests as change their Church The Two and Fortieth is against those who give Churches to Priests or take Churches from them without the Consent of the Bishops The Three and fortieth is against certain Irish-men who giving themselves out to be Bishops did ordain Priests and Deacons without the consent of the Ordinaries Their Ordinations are here declared to be void The Four and fortieth is against those Priests that follow such Trades as are forbidden them The Five and fortieth is against those who go in Pilgrimage to Rome or Tours thinking by this means to obtain more easily the Remission of their Sins and who in hopes of this the more freely commit them But the Council approves the Piety of those who having first Confess'd their Sins at the place of their abode and there done Penance and begun a new Course of Life go afterwards in Pilgrimage by a motive of real Devotion and with a sincere design of expiating their sins The Six and fortieth imports that a great deal of caution ought to be us'd in what relates to the Receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ. That 't is to be fear'd on one side if it be too long put off this delay should occasion the loss of the Soul but that on the other side if 't is receiv'd Unworthily not considering the Lord's Body those that Receive are like to eat and drink their own Demnation So that all persons ought to try and examine themselves before abstaining for some time from Carnal Works and cleansing the Body and the Soul The Seven and fortieth orders that all Christians shall receive the Eucharist on Holy Thursday except those to whom it is forbidden to take it on the account of the great Crimes which they have committed The Eight and fortieth recommends the Anointing of the Sick which ought to be perform'd by Priests with an Oil Consecrated by the Bishop adding that a Remedy so fit to cure the Infirmities of the Soul and the Body ought not to be neglected The Nine and fortieth renews the Inhibition made by the Council of Laodicea to Celebrate the Sacrament in private houses The Fiftieth orders the keeping of the Lord's Day Holy The One and fiftieth recommends Charity between Superiours and Inferiours The Two and fiftieth commands the Abbesses to Rule the Nuns committed to their Charge with Holiness and Piety and to be themselves a good Example to them The following Canons are some Directions for Abbesses and Nunneries There are in all Sixty six Canons of this Council The Council of Aix la Chapelle in the year 816. LEwis the Godly having Conven'd a Numerous Council at Aix la Chapelle in the year 816 The Council of Aix la Chapelle caused two Rules to be drawn up there by Amalarius out of the Writings of the Holy Fathers the one for the Canons and the other for the Canonesses They were Read and Approv'd in this Council which order'd they should be follow'd and practis'd by all Canons and Canonesses The Emperour confirm'd them with his own Authority and sent Copies of them to the Bishops that they might take care to have them put in Execution I do not here give the Abridgment of those two Rules because they wholly consist of some Extracts of the Canons of the Councils and of the Writings of the Latin Fathers The Council of Celichith in England in the same year 'T Was not the French alone that were endeavouring to reform the Discipline of the Church The Council of Celichith The English mov'd by their Example did the like Kenwolfe King of the Mercians caus'd a Council to Meet in the same year 816 The Arch-bishop of Canterbury presided in it and Twelve Bishops of the different Kingdoms in England were present Eleven Canons were made in it In the First the Bishops declare That they will preserve the Faith and Orthodox Doctrine in their Purity which they receiv'd from their Fathers In the Second they say That when a Church is built it ought to be Consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocess that afterwards the Eucharist ought to be set there with Relicks in a Chest and that 't is requisite the Figure of the Saint to whom it is Dedicated be placed in some part of it The Third is an Exhortation to Concord and Unity among the Bishops The Fourth gives a Bishop Power to Elect an Abbot or Abbess yet with the Advice and Consent of the Society The Fifth enjoyns that no Irish-man be suffer'd to discharge any Ecclesiastical Function out of their own Country The Sixth confirms the Ancient Canons and all Acts ratified and confirmed with the Sign of the Cross. The Seventh is to prevent the Alienation of the Goods of the Church The Eighth charges Layicks or Secular persons not to take possession of Monasteries or alter their Institution The Ninth directs each Bishop to have a Register in which the Orders of the Synods which he is
he confirmed the Canons of the Council of Soissons and made several Constitutions for the better support of Ecclesiastical Discipline of which I shall speak afterwards Which were published and confirmed at the Synod held at Verbery the same year which made some other Canons also confirmed by Charles's Authority In December the same year he nominated several Ecclesiastical and Lay-Commissioners in all the Provinces of France and gave them several Heads of Instruction to act by in their Office among which the Second concerns the Honour of the Church There are also one or two about the Revenues of the Churches and Monasteries in the Constitutions made at Attigny in 854. In his Letters-Patents of the same year given at Verbery Aug. 23d King Charles confirms to the Prebendaries of the Church of Tournay the property of the Revenue she was possessed of and limits the number of them to 30. In an Assembly of Bishops and Lords held Anno 856 at Bonnevil they petition the King to put the Monasteries in Order and to execute the Constitutions made at Couleine Beauvais Thionville Verneuil and Soissons and declare all those things Null that shall be made in prejudice to those Laws They threaten him with God's Judgments if he doth not perform their desires In 857 King Charles made two Constitutions at Quiercy which he sent to the Commissioners of his Realm by which he gave them power to bring all Offenders to Civil or Ecclesiastical punishments and particularly Ravishers In 862 he put out a severe Edict at Pista against Robberies and other publick Disorders very common at that time in which the Bishops joyn with the King and condemn those Malefactors to Canonical punishment which the King condemned to Civil In 866 there was a Constitution made at Compeigne about the Liberties and Privileges of Churches and the Authority of Bishops But above all his Edict of 869 made at Pista upon the Seine is the most considerable of all that he made about Ecclesiastical Discipline In it he declares himself the Defender of the Bishops Authority and Liberty of the Churches He orders all his Ministers to respect their Power execute their Commands and preserve the Churches in the enjoyment of their Privileges He requires all Earls great Lords and Judges to give the Bishops their due subjection and on the other side that the Bishops should not encroach upon the Rights of the Earls Lords and Judges He commands the Bishops to doe no Injustice either to the Clergy or Laity under their Jurisdiction and that their Curates should give the Lords of their Parishes the respect due to them He enjoyns the Bishops not to reject those Clergy-men that are presented to them by Abbots Abbesses or Lords to serve in their Churches if they are not worthy of blame for their Conversation or Doctrine He renews the Constitution which forbids the Lords requiring any thing of the Clerks they present He forbids them Excommunicating any persons who were not full convicted of the Faults they were accused of and who after admonition to amend and repent have not obstinately refused to submit He recommends Peace Union and Friendship among his Civil Magistrates Bishops and Clergy He orders his Bishops to defend the Privileges granted to their Churches by the Church of Rome and by the Charters of his Royal Progenitors and that they be careful to have the Rents paid that are due to them The King having received Intelligence at Pista that Lotharius was dead went immediately to Lorrain to be Crown'd King of it And being arrived there in Sept. 869. after Adventius Bishop of that City had declared in the Name of all the Bishops and People that they all accepted him for their King he took an Oath to preserve the Honour and Privileges of their Churches to doe Justice impartially to every Man according to the Laws and protect that Kingdom After this Hincmarus who performed the Ceremony of the Coronation and Ordain'd some Bishops being Admonish'd by Adventius and other Bishops which belonged to the Province of Treves that this Action would prejudice the Rights of their Metropolis made a Declaration That it would be no prejudice to the Rights of the Province of Treves because that Province and that of Rheims were like Sisters so firmly united that they made but as it were one Province since the Bishops of both met at one Synod observed the same Canons and among the Arch-bishops of Treves and Rheims the most Aged always took place but yet were it not so he ought not to be accused for medling with the Jurisdiction of another Province by his own Authority or of putting his Sickle into the Harvest that did not belong to him since he had not concerned himself with that Province but at the Request of the Bishop and out of Charity Lastly That they ought to look upon it as a special Favour of God that Charles was Crowned King at Metz because heretofore his Father Lewis the Godly who was descended of Clovis the French King who was Converted by S. Remigius and Baptized in the Church of Rheims where he was Anointed and Consecrated King by a Chrism sent down from Heaven which they still have at Rheims That Lewis the Godly was Crowned Emperour in that City and after he was Deposed from his Imperial Throne by the Conspiracies of his Enemies he was restored and was Crowned again in the same City and in St. Stephen's Church whose Name was a good Omen because it signifies a Crown After this Declaration he asked the People If the Coronation should be Celebrated before the Altar and whether that Prince should be Consecrated by the Holy Unction The People having testified their Approbation by their Acclamations they Sang Te Deum and the King was Crowned by the Priestly Benediction of the Bishops This Constitution is very remarkable In the year 874 Charles Judged some Ecclesiastical Causes at Attigny at the Request of the Bishop of Barcelona The First was about a Complaint made to him That one Thyrsus a Priest of Corduba had called the People together at a Church of Barcelona and had taken away from him almost two thirds of his people That he Celebrated Mass and Administred Baptism without his permission That he caused those people to go to his Church on the Feasts of Nativity and Easter which ought to be at his Cathedral and gave them the Sacrament The King Recited the Canons which condemned the practice of that Priest The Second complaint made by the Bishop of Barcelona was That another Priest had engaged the Inhabitants of the Castle of Terracine not to submit to his Jurisdiction The King order'd that the Canons in that case should be observed The Third was against two private persons who having Intercepted the King's Letters had possessed themselves the one of St. Stephen's Church and the other of certain Lands belonging to the Church of S. Eulalia The King commanded that if this cou'd be prov'd his Commissioners should
Imposition of Hands but only by receiving the Cover and Chalice from the Hands of the Bishop and the Christal Bottle and Napkin from the Arch-Deacon He says nothing particular of the lesser and inferiour Orders I shall pass by the Remarks he makes upon the likeness of our Ministers with those of the Old Testament and the Mystical significations he gives to the Bishops Habits To come to what he teaches concerning the Sacraments He says That Baptism Chrism and the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are called Sacraments because that under the Vail of Corporal things the Divine Power produces Salvation and Grace after a secret manner by the power of the Holy Ghost which works this Effect insomuch that they are equally Efficatious whether they be Administred by the Good or the Bad. That Baptism is the first because it must be received before Confirmation and before the Receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord. That in this Sacrament Men are dipt in Water to denote that as Water outwardly purifies the Body so Grace inwardly does the Soul into which the Holy Ghost descends He relates afterwards the Order of Administration and the Ceremonies of Baptism and from thence passing to Confirmation he Remarks that the Bishop dispenses the Holy Ghost by Imposition of his Hands and that he Anoints the Believer a second time with the same Chrism the Priest had done before with this difference only that his Anointing is on the Forehead whereas the Priest's was on the Crown of the Head He attributes to this last Unction the Sanctification and Grace of the Holy Ghost At last speaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ which he considers as two different Sacraments He asks the Question Why Jesus Christ has comprehended the Mystery of his Body and Blood under things which we eat and drink And why of all the sorts of Food we eat he has made choice of Bread and Wine To which he Answers That Jesus Christ has given us his Body and Blood in the form of Nourishment because effectively his Flesh is such and his Blood Drink That he hath made use of the Fruits of Earth because he was upon Earth and that he has chosen Bread and Wine to accomplish the Sacrifice of Melchisidech and to show that as Bread and Wine consists of many Particles which together make but one Substance so we are all United into the same Church by the same Charity being all made Members of the same Body by this Sacrament He adds That this Sacrament serves for Nourishment to our Flesh and converts itself into our Substance and that by vertue of this Sacrament we are changed into Jesus Christ. That we participate of his Spirit and Grace and in a word that we become his very Members That the Bread which is made use of is without Leaven to denote that those which approach it ought to be exempt from all Impurities That Water is mixt with the Wine because we read in the Gospel That Blood and Water came out of the Side of our Saviour And that as it is good for them that are not separated from it by their Sins often to approach this Sacrament so it is very dangerous for such as have committed such Crimes as debar them from it to receive it before they have Repented After having treated of the Sacraments he speaks of the Celebration of Mass which he believes to have been so called because of the dismissing of the Catechumens with these words Ita Missa est He says That the Mass is a Sacrifice which the Priest offers to God instituted by Jesus Christ practised by the Apostles and used by all the Church He acknowledges that at first they did not Sing as they do at present but he believes they read the Gospel and the Epistles of the Apostles he ends this Book with a short Exposition of the Ceremonies and Prayers of the Mass. In the second Book after he hath spoken of the Hours for Divine Service and the different sorts of Prayer He treats of the Confession the Litanies or publick Prayers and the divers kinds of Fasts He distinguishes three sorts of Lent the first that which precedes Easter the second the Fast observed after Pentecost and the third that which begins in November and ends at Christmas-day He notes that the custom of his time was to Fast Friday and Saturday He does not forget to speak of the Fasts of the four Ember-weeks He approves of other Fasts ordered by the Bishop on any particular occasion or practis'd thrô Devotion by Christians In speaking of abstaining from Wine and Flesh he observes that Birds are allowed to those who are forbid to eat of any four-footed Creature because that 't is thought they were formed out of Water as well as Fish He distinguishes two different sorts of Alms and ranks amongst this Number the good Works we do for our Salvation which are as Alms we bestow upon our selves He defines Penance a Punishment by which a Man corrects himself for what he has done amiss He says that Penitents let their Hair and Beards grow wear Sack-cloth throw themselves on their Faces on the Ground and besprinkle their Bodies with Ashes That Repentance is a second remedy for our Sins after Baptism That to effect a true Repentance it does not suffice only to bewail ones Sins past but we must never commit them again That this is the satisfaction followed by Reconciliation That Penance and Reconciliation ought to be publick for publick Transgressions but as to those whose Sins are concealed and who have confest them secretly to a Priest or a Bishop they may do Private Penance such as the Priest or Bishop will order and afterwards be reconciled when they have performed their Penance That the ordinary time for Reconciliation is Holy-Thursday but Absolution may be granted at other times to those that are in danger of their Lives He afterwards Treats copiously of the Solemn Celebration of Feasts and Sundays He speaks by the by of the Oblation of the Sacrifice of the Mass for the Dead of the Dedicating of Churches the Prayers of Divine Service the Songs the Psalms Hymns Anthems Responses and Lessons He makes a Catalogue of Canonical Books which comprehends all that are at present acknowledged for such He tells you those that he believes to have been Authors of the greatest part of them He speaks of Ecclesiastical Benedictions viz. That of Oyl and that of Salt and Water which he says are made use of to comfort the Sick against the Illusions of the Devil to heal the Flock and to drive away Distempers At last having spoken of the Apostles Creed and given an Abridgment of the Doctrines agreeable to the Faith he sets down a very imperfect Catalogue of Heresies in which he forgets some and reckons others which are altogether unknown as the Canonians and Metangismonites The last Book is concerning the Learning of Clergy-Men He says they are not allowed to be ignorant of
Son that they were forc'd to lay down their Arms and submit to Otho whom they went to wait upon in Germany He having given them an Oath of Allegiance and fealty restorâ—d their Kingdom to them only excepting the Veronese and Friul which he gave to his Brother the Duke of Bavaria During all these Revolutions in Italy Rome was very quiet under the Government of Alberic who would not suffer Otho to enter the place though the Pope Agapetus had invited Pope John XII him thither The Death of Alberic which happen'd in the year 954 made no alteration in Rome for his Son Octavian not above 16 years old having taken his place continuâ—d the same form of Government and not satisfied with the Temporal power he was minded to annex to it the Spiritual Authority by getting himself advanc'd to St. Peter's Chair after the Death of Agapetus which happen'd in the year 955. He was not at that time above 18 years of age at most and was the first Pope that changed his Name by assuming that of John He was truly the Twelfth of that name tho several count him the Thirteenth being led into that mistake by the fabulous story of Pope Joan. This Man was so far from having any of those qualities requisite for so great a Dignity that he was a Monster in Debauchery and Irregularity He began with making War against Pendula Prince of Capua in order to turn him out of his Estates but his design did not succeed and he was forc'd to retire and to sue for Peace The Power of Berenger and Adalbert became The Wars of Berenger and Otho so great that they began to be a Terror both to the Pope and the Romans Ever since Otho had re-establishâ—d them in the Kingdom of Italy they had continued to conspire against him and cruelly to oppress their Subjects Otho willing to bring them to Subjection had sent his Son Luitolf into Italy to give them Correction This young Prince had almost chas'd them out of their Dominions when he dy'd in the year 958 not without suspicion of being poison'd and so left his Conquest imperfect After his Death Berenger and Adalbert were re-established in their Kingdom and continued to exercise their Tyranny not only to the other Italians but also to the Romans This was the reason why John XII sent two Legats to Otho praying him ardently for the Love of God and the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul they are Luitprand's words to come and deliver the Church of Rome from the incroachments of these Tyrants and to restore it to its primitive health and liberty Walbert Archbishop of Milan turn'd out of his Church by that Manasses we formerly mention'd and Waldon Bishop of Cumae turn'd likewise out of his Bishoprick and several other Lords 〈◊〉 of their Demeasns went at the same time to prefer their complaints to Otho who being affected with the miseries of Italy march'd thither after he had crown'd his Son Otho at Aix-la-Chapelle though a lad of but about seven years of Age. Upon his Arrival Berenger his Wife and his Son being abandon'd by his Subjects withdrew from the Towns and the open Country and betook themselves each of them to a 〈◊〉 Otho was every where râ—… with great Acclamations recovers Pavia was crown'd King of Lombardy at Milan by the Archbishop and from thence he march'd to Rome where he receiv'd the Imperial Crown in the beginning of the year 962 at the hands of John XII with the Universal Otho crown'd Emperor by Pope John XII Acclamations of both Clergy and Laity He spent some time there with the Pope and having restor'd to the Church of Rome that which of right belong'd to it according to his promise he made Pope John and the principal men of the City to swear by the Body of St. Peter that they would bear true Allegiance to him and never furnish Berenger or Adalbert with any Supplies After this he return'd to Pavia with a full design of putting an end to the War by taking those Castles which still held out for Berenger He began with taking the 〈◊〉 of St. Jula whither Berenger's Wife was retir'd and restor'd it to the Church of Novar In the mean time Adalbert seeking for assistance in every place retir'd at last to the Saracens and under hand solicited Pope John to come over to his Party This Pope whose inclinations and intentions did not suit with those of The disloyalty of Pope John XII the Emperor Otho being as much a Slave to Vice and Debauehery as that Prince was a Lover of Goodness and Virtue This Pope I say that he might have the liberty of indulging his Lusts made privately a League with Adalbert and invited him to Rome promising upon Oath to aid him against Otho The Emperor being informed of it sent several of his Attendants to Rome to know what were the reasons which induc'd the Pope to enter into an Alliance with Adalbert And when the Romans could give no other account than that it arose only from the contrariety of Pope John s Morals and Conduct to those of the Emperor that Prince return'd this prudent Reply The Pope is as yet but a Child he may be better'd by the Examples of good men I hope to reclaim him from his extravagancies by a good honest reproof and by wholsom Advice and then we will say with the Prophet Behold the Change made by the Hand of the most High So without troubling his head much with the secret practices of the Pope he laid Siege to the Castle of Leo in Umbria whither Berenger and his Wife was retir d. Thither the Pope sent Leo chief Secretary of the Church of Rome and Demetrius one of the principal Roman Lords to excuse his falling into the follies incident to youth promising that for the future he would be another kind of man He gave them likewise orders to complain of the Emperor's retaining Bishop Leo and Cardinal John a Deacon who had failed in their Duty towards him and of his not keeping the promise he had made him because he caus'd those whom he took to take the Oath to himself but not to the Pope The Emperor return d this Answer That he was glad of the promise which the Pope had made of reforming and becoming a better man for the future That for his part he had religiously observ d his promise that he had indeed promis'd to restore to the Church of Rome all the Territories which of right did belong to it but before he could do that he must first take them and render himself Master of them That he had neither seen the Bishop nor the Cardinal whom they charg d him with entertaining but that he had heard that being sent from the Pope to the Emperor of Constantinople on a Negotiation against him they had been taken at Capua together with others whom the Pope sent to the Hunns to engage them to fall upon him That these proceedings
this Bishop was his open and profess'd Enemy Exhorts him to a Reconciliation and gives him to understand that he was accus'd of Rapines He takes Notice to him of the Excommunication of one nam'd Aldramus which the Bishop of Beauvais had thunder'd out and which he said that the Archbishop of Rheims was bound to put in execution As to this point he tells him that he was always ready to follow the advice and opinion of other Bishops but that he knew of no Power which the Church of Beauvais had to command the Church of Rheims and that this Excommunication was not grounded on a Lawful and Canonical Reason but only because this Man had left the Interest of Eudes and embraced that of King Charles He likewise Summoned him to appear at the Ordination of the Bishops of Senlis and Chalons and gave him to understand that Pope Stephen had order'd him to send him to Ravenna The Fifteenth is a Letter of Compliment to Teuthaldus Bishop of Langres The Sixteenth was directed to Radulphus Successor to Didon Bishop of Laon whose Promotion to that Dignity he Congratulates and advertis'd him that he had too rashly Excommunicated one of his Diocesans hinting withal that he gave him his advice as a Friend to a Friend not being willing to make use of that Authority and Priviledge which the Church of Rheims had from all Antiquity of succouring all those who made their Application to it and thought themselves injur'd by their Bishops We might likewise to these Letters joyn that of Mancion Bishop of Chalons directed to Fulcus and publish'd by Father Mabillon in the third Tome of his Collections wherein he asks the Arch-bishop's Advice how he ought to behave himself with relation to a Priest who was solemnly betrothed to a Woman and would marry her publickly In the seventh Chapter Flodoard speaks of several Letters of Fulcus directed to Abbots and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Fuâ—… to the Aâ—bâ—ts Persons of Note The first was directed to an Abbot called Stephen whom he comforts upon his having been depriv'd of a Bishoprick to which he had been elected In the second he reprov'd Baldwin Count of Flanders for the many Injuries he offer'd to the Churches of his Country and among others for having caus'd a Priest to be whip'd for having turn'd out several Parochial Priests out of their Churches in order to make room for others of his own choosing for having unjustly seiz'd upon an Estate which the King had bestow'd on the Church of Noyon for having seiz'd upon a Monastery c. he threaten'd to Excommunicate him in case he did not forthwith make Restitution and leave off his Cruelties to the Church The third is directed to the Clergy and Laiety of Senlis upon the Election of a Bishop The fourth to the Clergy of Laon upon the same Subject The fifth to the Monks of Corby whom he severely reproves for their having cruelly turn'd out their Abbot These are all the Letters of Fulcus which are mention'd in Flodoard the very Extracts of which shew us that this Archbishop wrote with a great deal of Strength and Authority That he was zealous for the welfare of the Church for the Dignity of Bishops and particularly for the Rights and Prerogatives of the Church of Rheims He was assassinated by Winâ—mare and others of Count Baldwin's Creatures in the Year 900 which Count was incens'd against him for having taken away from him the Abby of S. Wast and the Castle of Arras HERVEUS Archbishop of Rheims HIS Successor was one HERVEUS a young Lord belonging to Court and Nephew to Count Hughbold He was ordain'd by the unanimous consent of all the Bishops of the Province HERVEUS Arch-bishop of Rheims Immediately after his Ordination he soon render'd himself capable of governing his Diocess and gain'd the Esteem and Love of all the World by his Charity to the Poor by his sweet Temper by his good Nature and by the Zeal he expressed for the Welfare of the Church and for Ecclesiastical Discipline He held several Provincial Councils wherein he discours'd very usefully of Religion and of the Peace both of Church and State and of the Conversion of the Normans who about that time embrac'd the Christian Faith It was for their sakes that he sent to Guy Archbishop of Roan a Letter containing three and twenty Articles extracted out of the Canons and Letters of the Popes about the manner of treating those who after they had been baptiz'd had apostatiz'd and afterward's return'd to the Church In the Year 909. he held a Council at Trosly a Village near The Council of Trosly in 909. Soissons at which assisted the Archbishop of Roan with the Bishops of Laon Beauvais Noyon Chalons Soissons Cambray Meaux Senlis Terouane and Amiens in which after he had discours'd at large of the Miseries under which France groan'd which he imputed to the Sins both of the Laity and the Clergy he gave them very fine and large Instructions grounded on several Passages of the Fathers and Canons of Councils 1. Concerning the Honour and Respect due to Churches and to Ecclesiasticks 2. Concerning the Duty and Allegiance which Bishops and Ecclesiasticks ow'd to their King and concerning the Duties and Qualifications of a Prince 3. Concerning the Reformation of those Abuses which were crept into the Monastick Life and particularly concerning the Abbeys which were possess'd by Laicks It was ordain'd that Abbots should be Religious Persons well skill'd in the Regular Discipline and that the Monks and Religious should live according to their Profession and Rule praying for the Welfare of Kings for the Peace of the Kingdom and for the Tranquility of the Church without concerning themselves with Secular Affairs without hunting after the Pomps of this World and without incroaching on the Rights and Priviledges of Ecclesiasticks and that they might have no Excuse for stragling the Abbots were enjoyn'd or at least those who had the Government of Monasteries in their Care to provide them Necessaries 4. Against those who either by violence or by any other method seiz'd on Church Lands which he look'd upon as Sacrilege 5. Against those who either abus'd or persecuted the Clergy 6. Against those who would not pay Tenths and the other Revenues belonging to the Church The Duty of Tithes reached not only to the Fruits of the Earth and to the Breed of Cattle but likewise to those things which were the Profits of a Man's Industry and Labour 7. Concerning the Rapines and Robberies so rise at that time He demonstrates the Enormity thereof and shews the Obligation they lay under of making Restitution before they could expect Absolution 8. Against stealing young Women and against clandestine or unlawful Marriages 9. Concerning the Prohibitions renew'd so often by the Canons against Priests having Women amongst them 10. Concerning the Chastity which all Christians were oblig'd to preserve in their Words and Actions 11. Concerning the Obligation of keeping strictly to the Oaths
they took without being perjur'd 12. Against quarrelsome Persons who took delight in Law-Suits and vexatious Prosecutions 13. Against Homicides and Lyars 14. Against the Abuse which then prevail'd of rifling the Goods of Bishops after their Decease Upon this he advises that two or three of the neighbouring Bishops upon the News of the Death of their Brother should go and perform the last Offices over him In the Conclusion he exhorted the Bishops to refute the Errors of Phetius Lastly He sums up in a few words what Christians ought to believe and practice and exhorts them faithfully to discharge their Duties In the Year 921. Herveus held another Council at the same place wherein he took off the Excommunication The Council of Trosly in the Year 921. issued out against Count Ertebold who had seiz'd upon some of the Church Revenues This Archbishop assisted Charles the Simple in his Expedition against the Hunns who ravag'd Lorrain and was the only Man who continued Loyal to that Prince when he was abandon'd by the French Lords In the Year 920. he brought him back to Rheims and adjusted Matters betwixt him and his Lords and re-establish'd him in his Kingdom But within a short time after the Lords revolted again and being met at Rheims they elected King Robert and Herveus was constrain'd to crown him He did not survive this Coronation but four days and dy'd in the Year 922. having presided over the Church of Rheims Two and twenty years lacking four days Robert caus'd Seulfus to be elected in his room who was then Archdeacon of that Church He had been the Disciple of Remy of Auxerra who had instructed him in the Sciences both Divine and Seulsus Archibishop of Rheims Prophane He was ordain'd by Abbo Bishop of Soissons and by the other Bishops of the Province of Rheims Eudes the Brother of Herveus and a Nephew of that Name were cited before him being accus'd of Disloyalty to Robert and they not justifying themselves were strip'd of all the Revenues of the Church of Rheims in their possession and cast into Prison the former in the Custody of Hebert Count of Vermandois and the latter at Paris In a Provincial Council held in the Year 923. he impos'd a Pennance on those who had born Arms in the War between Robert and Charles and in another Council held in the Year 924. at Trosly he put an end to the Difference which was between Count Isaac and Stephen Bishop of Cambray the former paying an hundred pounds to the latter for the wrong he had done to his Church 'T is said that Seulfus agreed with Hebert to resign the Arch-bishoprick to the Son of that Count. However the case was Seulfus did not enjoy this Dignity long being prison'd in the Year 925. by the order of Hebert as it is supposed Presently after his death that Count came to Rheims and having called thither Abbo Bishop of Soissons and Bauvo Bishop of Chalons he caus'd his Son Hugh who was not then above five years old Hugh Archbishop of Rheims to be elected by the Clergy and People of Rheims Afterwards he procured the Confirmation of this Election by King Radulphus who committed the Temporalities of this Diocess to Hebert till his Son came of Age to take upon himself the Government thereof The Spiritualities were conferr'd by Pope John X. on Abbo Bishop of Soissons so that Hebert became absolute Master of that Church and drove out of it all the Clergy whom he suppos'd to be against his Interests and among others Flodoard as he himself informs us In the Year 927. King Radulphus and Count Hebert fell out upon the account of the Earldom of Laon which Hebert would have had given to his Son Odo and which the King desir'd to keep for The Wars between Hebert and Radulphus himself Hebert willing to rely on a Power which might support his Pretensions had an Interview with Henry King of Germany and struck up an Alliance with him He caus'd a Council to be conven'd the same Year at Trosly notwithstanding the Prohibition of King Radulphus which consisted of six Bishops of the Province of Rheims Afterwards he deliver'd Charles the Simple out of Prison brought him to S. Quintin and procur'd an Interview between him and Radulphus Duke of Normandy from whence he brought him to Rheims and writ to Pope John X. for the restablishing of that Prince This attempt oblig'd Radulphus to quit the City of Laon to Hebert and to adjust Matters with him Radulphus Duke of the Normans would not restore to Hebert his Son Odo till he had set Charles at liberty and promis'd to obey him At the same time Hebert invited to Rheims Odalric Archbishop of Aix who had been turn'd out of his Church by the Saracens that he might there discharge his Episcopal Functions and to reward him he gave him the Abby of S. Timotheus with the Revenue of a Prebend France was then as it were parted between the great Lords and the Regal Authority was extreamly cramp'd Hugh the White Count of Paris and Hebert were two of the most powerful The State of France Radulphus had the Title of King and that little of the Regal Authority which remain'd For Charles was the sport and pastime of all three As soon as Hebert was reconcil'd to Radulphus he threw Charles again into Prison and Radulphus afterwards returning to Rheims gave him a seeming sort of Liberty which he did not long enjoy dying on the Seventh of October in the Year 929. After his Death Hugh and Hebert fell out the Umbrage of which quarrel was that the Latter had given Entertainment to several Vassals belonging to the former and among others to Herluin Count Artaldus Archbishop of Rheims of Monstreuil Radulphus sided with his Brother-in-law Hugh and there was a warm War between them but Radulphus having taken the City of Rheims in the Year 931. caus'd Artaldus a Monk of S. Remy to be ordain'd Archbishop of the place who the year after receiv'd the Pall from Pope John XI This Archbishop held a Council in the Year 934. at Chatteau-Thierry where he ordain'd Hildegarius Bishop of Beauvais and in the same year he ordain'd Fulbert Bishop of Cambray The year after he held another Council at Fismes wherein he Excommunicated those who had made an unlawful Seisure on the Revenue of the Church King Radulphus being dead Hugh the White recall'd out of England Lewis Charles the Simple's Son call'd upon that account Lewis dâ—Outremer and caus'd him to be crown'd at Laon by Artaldus Archbishop of Rheims who continued in the peaceable possession of his Archbishoprick for some time and ordain'd Bishops in all the Churches of his Province except Chalons and Amiens But Hebert would not endure that any other but himself should be in the possession of so considerable a Post and thereupon sent several of his Troops to take and rifle the Castles and Villages which
their own Hands reading and prayer 7. He prohibits Incestuous Marriages with Nuns or near Relations 8. He recommends Peace and Union 9. He enjoyns the Observation of the Solemn Fasts of Lent of the Ember-Weeks of Wednesday and Friday and the Celebration of Divine Service on Sundays and Festivals Lastly He recommends the payment of Tythes There is also a Pastoral Letter written by this Archbishop and directed to his Suffragans which is related by William of Malmsbury Edmund being kill'd in the year 946. his Brother Elred took possession of the Throne We have An Assembly of Bishops at London A. C. 948. no Laws enacted by this Prince only the Charter of a considerable Donation made by him to the Monastery of Crowland in favour of Turketulus who had been formerly Chancellor of the Kingdom and to whom he gave that Abbey This was done in an Assembly of Bishops and Lords held at London in the year 948. After the death of Elred which happen'd in 955 Edwin the Son of Edmund was proclaim'd King but sometime after part of England Revolting Edgar the Brother of Edwin got a share of his Dominions and upon his Brother's Death obtain'd the sole Possession of the whole Kingdom This Prince being more Religious than his Predecessors entirely re-establish'd the Purity of Discipline in the Church of England and brought the Monastical Course of Life into Repute by the Advice of S. Dunstan who may be call'd the Restorer of thâ— Ecclesiastical Discipline in England This Saint was born in the Country of the West-Saxons in the first year of King Ethelstan's Reign A. C. 923. He enter'd into Holy Orders very young and after having compleated his Studies S. Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury made application to Athelm Archbishop of Canterbury who introduc'd him into the Presence of King Ethelstan Afterward having fall'n into some disgrace at Court he retir'd to Elfeg Bishop of Winchester who advis'd him to embrace the Monastical Life which he accordingly did and continued in his Retirement till the Reign of King Edmund when he was invited to Court by that Prince He did not remain long there without being obnoxious to the Envy and Hatred of several Persons who misrepresented him to the King insomuch that he was oblig'd to retire to his Solitude of Glassenbury where he took up his Abode altho' he was restor'd to the Favour of King Edmund who had always a great respect for him granted considerable Revenues to his Monastery and continu'd to follow his Counsels not only in the management of Civil Affairs but also of Ecclesiastical He was no less esteem'd by King Elred who determin'd to nominate him to the Bishoprick of Winchester but Edwin having receiv'd a severe Reprimand for his Irregularities from this Abbot banish'd him and pillaged his Monastery However King Edgar recall'd him immediately after his Accession to the Crown and made him not only Bishop of Winchester but also conferr'd on him the Government of the Church of London At last the Archbishoprick of Canterbury being vacant in the year 961. by the death of Odo Elfsin Bishop of Winchester who was appointed to supply his place dying in a Journey he made over the Alps to Rome to fetch the Pall and Berthelim who was substituted in his room having refus'd to accept that Dignity Dunstan was Invested with it a few days after and went to Rome to receive the Pall. At his return he apply'd himself altogether to the Reformation of the Clergy of England and took upon him to Expel all those who refus'd to lead a Regular Course of Life and to Restore the Monks to their former Station This Saint had for his Fellow Labourers and Imitators of his Zeal Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester and Oswald Bishop of Worcester who founded a great number of Monasteries and took much pains in Reforming the Clergy and Extirpating the Vices that were predominant in England The former dyed in the year 984. before S. Dunstan who foretold his approaching Death as well as that of the Bishop of Rochester in a Visit which those two Prelates made him but the latter did not dye till after this Archbishop viz. in the year 992. As for S. Dunstan he surviv'd King Edgar who dy'd in 975 and maintain'd the Right of the young Prince Edward against the Pretensions of Alfride who endeavour'd to transfer the Crown to her Son Ethelfred but Edward being Assassinated Three years after by the Treachery of that Queen Dunstan was constrained to Crown Ethelfred and foretold the Calamities that should befall England and the Family of this young Prince as a Punishment for his Crime and that of his Mother At last S. Dunstan dy'd laden with years and honour A. C. 988. In his time and apparently by his Direction King Edgar in 967. not only publish'd Laws like to those of his Predecessors for the preservation of the Revenues of the Church for the Payment of Tythes and S. Peter's Pence and for the Solemn Observations of Sundays and Festivals but also divers Ecclesiastical Constitutions relating to the Manners and Functions of Clergy-men to the Celebration of the Mass to the Confession and Pennances that ought to be impos'd on those who commit Sin c. Indeed these Canons may serve as a kind of Ritual for the Use of Curates It is affirm'd that they were made in the year 967. by King Edgar but this does not appear to be altogether certain and perhaps they are of a later date The Discourse which this King made to Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury and to Oswald and Ethelwold Bishops of Worcester and Winchester is much more certain He there inveighs against the Irregularities and Disorders of the Clergy and pathetically Exhorts those Bishops to joyn their Authority with His to repress their Insolence and to oblige them to apply the Ecclesiastical Revenues to the Relief of the Poor for which Use they were design'd To the end that this Order might be put in Execution he granted a Commission to those three Prelates to take the Matter in hand and gave them power to turn out of the Churches such Clergy-men as liv'd dissolutely and to Substitute others in their room By virtue of this Injunction S. Dunstan held a General Council A. C. 973. in which he ordain'd A general Council of England in the year 973. that all the Priests Deacons and Subdeacons who would not lead a sober Life should be Expell'd their Churches and caus'd a Decree to be made to oblige them to Embrace a Regular and Monastick Course of Life or to Retire And accordingly these three Bishops turn'd the old Clergy-men out of most part of the Churches and put Monks in their place or else forc'd them to assume the Monastical Habit. S. Dunstan did not only shew his Constancy and Zeal with respect to the Clergy but was also as zealous in treating Kings and Princes For he sharply reprov'd King Edgar for abusing a young Maid whom he had sent for out of
Differences between this Pope and the Emperor Henry and other Princes of Europe With an Abstract of his Letters THERE happen'd no disturbance among the People upon the Death of Pope Alexander For Hildebrand who had the whole Power in his own Hands gave such Gregory VII good Orders that all was still and quiet He order'd a Fast to be kept and Prayers to be made for three Days together before they consulted about the Election of another Pope But at the very time of Interring the Corps of the deceased in the Church of S. Saviour April 22 in the Year 1073. being the very Day of his Death the People being mov'd thereto proclaim'd Hildebrand Pope and put him into the Possession of the Holy See The same Day he acquainted the Prince of Salerno of his Election and pray'd him to come to Rome to defend him This is what he says himself about the manner of his Election But he withal declares that it was much against his Will and that he was very Angry at it His Adversaries tell us quite another Story and say That they were his Soldiers and other of his Creatures who made this tumultuary Proclamation That neither the Cardinals nor the Clergy nor the most considerable among the People had any Hand in it However there is an Act of Election in the Name of the Cardinals and the Clergy of Rome made in the presence of the Bishops and Laity which bears date the very Day of his Election However the Case was it must be own'd that this Election was very Precipitate and that Didier Abbot of Mount Cassin and Cardinal had a great deal of reason for the Reply he made to Hildebrand who check'd him for coming too late when he told him that it was himself who was too hasty since he took possession of the Holy See before the Pope his Predecessor was lay'd in his Grave And Hildebrand himself has acknowledg'd the Fault of this Election which he casts upon the People and maintains that he had no Hand in it He was of Tuscany of the Borough of Soana the Son of a mean Artificer if most Historians may be credited He spent the first Years of his Life in Rome where he had for his Master Laurence Arch-bishop of Melpha and was extreamly in the favour of Benedict IX and Gregory VI. He attended the latter in his Banishment to Germany and after his Death retir'd into the Abby of Cluny where he abode till such time as Bruno Bishop of Toul who was nominated for Pope by the Emperor Henry going through France took him along with him to Rome not questioning but by the Acquaintance and Interest which he had in that City he might be very serviceable to him He was no sooner return'd but he renew'd his Familiarity with Theophylact or Benedict IX and grew within a while so Rich and Powerful that he became Lord and Master of all Affairs and the Popes were in a manner his Dependents It was he who negotiated the Election of Victor II. between the Emperor and the Romans and under Victor's Pontificate he was sent Legat into France He turn'd out Benedict IX and caus'd Nicholas II. to be Elected in his stead who made him Arch-deacon In a Word it was by his means that Cadalous was turn'd out and Anselm Bishop of Lucca ordain'd Pope under the Name of Alexander II. It was he who supported that Popes Interest and having taken upon him the Character of Chancellor of the Holy See had the absolute Administration of all Affairs both Ecclesiastical and Civil as well as the entire disposal of the Revenues of the Church of Rome during his Popedom Hildebrand foreseeing that his Election might be molested because it had been carry'd on so precipitately and without the Consent of Henry King of Germany he forthwith wrote to him about it and requested by his Deputies that he would be pleas'd to confirm it assuring him that he had been elected against his Will and that he put off his Ordination till such time as he was inform'd of his Will and Pleasure King Henry took some time to consider on it and sent Count Eberhard to Rome to learn after what manner that Election had been carry'd on Hildebrand shew'd so many Civilities to this Count that he wrote to the King in his behalf And Henry perceiving that it signified nothing to oppose his Election because he was more powerful in Rome than himself gave his Consent to it By this means Hildebrand was ordain'd Priest and afterwards Bishop of Rome in June Anno Dom. 1073. At his Ordination he took upon him the Name of Gregory VII in honor to the Memory of John Gratian his old Patron who had assum'd the Name of Gregory VI. when he was seated upon the Papal Chair No sooner was this Man made Pope but he form'd a design of becoming Lord Spiritual and Temporal over the whole Earth the supreme Judge and Determiner of all Affairs both Ecclesiastical and Civil the Distributer of all manner of Graces of what kind soever the Disposer not only of Arch-bishopricks Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Benefices but also of Kingdoms States and the Revenues of particular Persons To bring about this Resolution he made use of the Ecclesiastical Authority and the Spiritual Sword which God had put into his Hand not only to maintain the Faith and Discipline of the Church to reform Abuses and to punish those who were guilty of Spiritual Offences but he likewise made use of it to deprive Kings of their Kingdoms Princes and Lords of their Estates and Revenues to render them his Tributaries to dispose at his pleasure all that belong'd to them and to force them to do whatsoever he desir'd to engage Arch-bishops and Bishops to pay him a blind Obedience and to do nothing in their own Diocesses without his Order He liv'd in times very lucky for him and very proper to establish his Pretensions the Empire of Germany was weak France govern'd by an Infant King who did not much mind the Affairs of State England newly Conquer'd by the Normans Spain in part under the Government of the Moors the Kingdoms of the North newly Converted Italy in the Hands of a great many petty Princes all Europe divided by several Factions so that it was easy for him in such a juncture to establish his Authority But this undertaking created a World of Business to him and engag'd him in Contests with a great many European Princes The most considerable was that which he had with Henry King of Germany which lasted all his Popedom and was of very pernicious Consequence both to the Church and the Empire The account of which is as follows Henry the Fourth King of the Germans of that Name since Henry the Falconer succeeded An Account of the Difference between Henry and Gregory VII as we hinted before his Father Henry in the Year 1056. being then about five Years old His Father at his Death recommended him to Pope
that that Council was to consist of the same Persons who had already Condemn'd him rashly and unjustly The Fifth Because according to the Canons it was requir'd that such a place should be made choice of to Try any one as was near to his own Country where one might produce Witnesses and pass a definitive Sentence That besides he was reconcil'd to Count Manasses and to all those who were at Difference with him except Bruno who was neither his Clerk nor Born nor Baptiz'd in his Diocess but a Prebendary of S. Cunibert of Cologne for whom he was not much concern'd and who had serv'd him basely tho' under particular Obligations to him and except another Clerk nam'd Pontius whom he had convicted of Falshood in the Council of Rome That if he had no Accusers he was not oblig'd to come and clear himself before the Council by the Testimony of six Bishops of an unblameable Life That when he would have done it he could not because of the shortness of the time that was allow'd him and that it would be difficult to find in his Province six Bishops who were not his Enemies and without Reproach That when he had promis'd to the Pope to appear before the Council which should be held by his Legats he meant only such a Council as should be held in France and in case he had not lawful Reasons to excuse his Non-appearance Lastly That for his part he did not acknowlege Hugh of Dia to be Legat since the Pope had granted him the favour of refusing him for his Judge That however to shew his Submission to the Holy See he offer'd him to appear at a Synod which should be held in some City near to Rheims either in Lent or at Easter and that he would there receive him with all the Honour that was due to the Legats of the Pope That he exhorted him to accept of this Offer because it would be more advantageous to the Holy See to attract the Respect and Submission of the French by Acts of Moderation than by Acts of Severity to keep them at a distance That if notwithstanding this Remonstrance he still would persist in the same mind and pronounce a Sentence of Deposition and Excommunication against him the Popes S. Gregory and S. Leo had instructed him that he ought not to look upon such an Excommunication as issuing from the Holy See These are the Reasons contain'd in the Apology of Manasses which is a very fine Piece and written in a very elegant Style and publish'd by Father Mabillon in the first Tome of his Treasury of Italy Hugh of Dia had no regard to this Manifesto but in the Council of Lions pronounc'd a Sentence of Deposition against Manasses and the Pope confirm'd it in the Synod of Rome held the beginning of the Year 1080. and gave Manasses notice of it by the Twentieth Letter of the Seventh Book dated April the 7th of the same Year allowing him notwithstanding further time till the Feast of S. Michael to justifie himself either at Rome or before his Legats by producing as an Evidence of his Innocence some Bishops his Suffragans by restoring to the two Persons who had accus'd him the Revenues which he had taken from them and upon Condition that he would retire to Cluny or some other Monastery till Ascension-day and forbear till then all Episcopal Functions Manasses did not hearken to this Sentence and continued in Possession of his Archbishoprick without submitting in the least to the Pope who wrote immediately to the Clergy and Laity of Rheims to the Suffragans of that Metropolitanship to King Philip and to Count Ebold ordering them no longer to acknowledge him for Archbishop of Rheims to turn him out of that Church and to Elect or cause to be Elected another in his stead This is the subject Matter of the Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth and Twentieth Letters of the Eighth Book dated Decemb. 27th in the same Year This Manasses is accus'd by the Authors of that time of having attain'd to the Archbishoprick of Rheims by Simony and of having exercis'd an insupportable Tyranny and Oppression over his Clergy of having rifled Churches plunder'd Monasteries exacted Mony from his Clergy persecuted Men of Estates of seizing the Revenues of the richest Abbies of having liv'd more like a Great Lord than a Bishop of having greater Care of his Soldiers than of his Clergy of having more Concern for the Temporalities than for the Spiritualities of his Archbishoprick and of being so impious as to say That the Archbishoprick of Rheims would be a very pretty Thing if no singing of Mass were required 'T is thus that he is set out by William Abbot of S. Arnulphus of Metz Guilbert Abbot of Nogent and Hugh of Flaviany However Fulcoius Subdeacon of Meaux has made his Elogy and the Clergy of Noyon in a Letter which they wrote at that very time to the Clergy of Cambray to prove that the Sons of Clerks and Priests might be admitted into Priests Orders maintain That the Excommunication of Manasses had been made by a Motive of Envy and that it was rash and unjust This Letter is related by Father Mabillon after the Apology of Manasses All this makes it appear That tho' Manasses had been as guilty as they would have him thought to be yet he was not condemn'd in due Form There had been for several Years past a Contest between the Archbishop of Tours and the The Cause of the Arch-bishop of Tours and the Bishop of Dol. Bishop of Dol who pretended likewise to the Dignity of an Archbishop or the Right of Metropolian over the Bishops of Bretagne The Popes always declar'd themselves in favour of the Archbishop of Tours Gregory VII seem'd at first to favour the Bishop of Dol for the Clergy and Laity having sent to the Pope him whom they had elected to be Bishop he refused to ordain him because he was too young But having chosen Yves Abbot of S. Melaine who was come to Rome with the Deputies of Dol he consecrated him by their Consent and granted him the Pall upon Condition that he would come to Rome whenever he should be sent for thither to regulate the Contest which was between the Church of Dol and that of Tours about the Right of Metropolitanship The Archbishop of Tours thinking that the Pope had by this prejudiced his Right complain'd of it but Gregory sent him word that he had no occasion to complain since he had taken such Measures that what he had done should be no Prejudice to him and that he would do him Justice when that Affair was in a Posture of being try'd This is the Subject Matter of the Fourth Fifth and Thirteenth Letters of the Fourth Book of which the two first about the Ordination of Yves are directed the one to the People of Dol and the other to the Bishops of Bretagne dated September 27 in the Year 1076. and the last to Radulphus Archbishop of
Arras and depos'd Gaucher Bishop of Cambray Sometime after the Arch-bishop of Rheims wrote to Lambert against a Lord who had Plunder'd and Burnt a Village belonging to the Church of Cambray This is the Subject Matter of the Letters we mention'd Pope Urban held several Councils the first at Rome in the Year 1089. wherein he confirm'd all that Gregory VII had done against Guilbert Several Lords propos'd to the The Council of Rome in the Year 1089. Emperor Henry to abandon Guilbert for the procuring of Peace to the Empire and the Church He was well enough inclin'd to it but was diverted from it by his Bishops who fear'd being depos'd as well as Guilbert The same year Urban held a Council at Melphi wherein he renew'd the Decrees against the Simoniacal and concerning the Celibacy of those who were in Holy Orders He therein The Council of Melphi in the Year 1089. enjoyns that none should be admitted into Holy Orders but such as had led chast Lives and had never been Marry'd to any more than one Woman That none should be ordain'd Sub-deacon before he was Fourteen years old nor Deacon before One and twenty nor Priest before Thirty He therein prohibits Laicks from granting the Donation of Churches without the Consent of the Bishop or the Pope And Abbots from exacting Mony of those who took upon them the Monastical Habit. He therein abolish'd the Custom of Exempt Clerks who either were in the Service of great Lords or depended on them He therein declares the Sons of Priests uncapable of entring into Holy Orders unless they have taken upon them the Monastical Habit and he advises Ecclesiasticks to behave themselves modestly This is the Subject Matter of the Sixteen Canons made in that Council which was held in the presence of Count Roger. The Legats of this Pope held a Council at Toulose in the Year 1090. wherein they made several Decrees about Discipline The Arch-bishop of Toulose clear'd himself in this The Council of Toulose in the Year 1090. The Council of Benevento in the Year 1091. Council and they there resolv'd to send Legats to Toledo for the re-establishing of the Faith In the Year 1691. August the 1st Urban held a Council at Benevento wherein he renew'd the Condemnations issu'd out against Guilbert and made Four Canons By the First he prohibits the Electing any one for Bishop who is not in Holy Orders that is according to his Explication who is not Deacon or Priest And with respect to Sub-deacons he enjoyns that they cannot be promoted to Episcopacy unless upon an extraordinary occasion and with the Permission of the Holy See In the Second he suspends ab officio the Chaplains who are nominated and paid by Lay-Patrons without the consent of the Bishop In the Third he prohibits the receiving Clerks who were Strangers without Letters Dimissory from their Bishop In the fourth Laicks are forbid the eating of Flesh after Ashwednesday and all the Faithful of both Sexs are enjoyn'd to put Ashes on their Heads on that Day It is likewise order'd that no Marriage shall be Solemniz'd from Septuagesima Sunday till after the Octave of Whitsontide and from the first Sunday in Advent till after the Octave of Epiphany In the Year 1093. he held a Council in a City of Apulia call'd Troyes wherein he renew'd The Council of Troyes in Apulia in the Year 1093. The Council of Constance in the Year 1094. The Council of Plaisance in the Year 1095. the Prohibitions against contracting Marriages between Kindred In the Year 1094. Gebehard Bishop of Constance his Legat in Germany held a Council in his City against incontinent and simoniacal Clerks He likewise order'd that Ember Week in March should be held the first Week in Lent and that in June the Whitson Week and that there should be no more than three Holydays at Easter and Whitsontide for till then they were us'd to keep Holyday all the Week long The Princess Praxedis Henry the Emperors Wife appear'd before that Council and discover'd a great many Enormities which she said she had been constrain'd by her Husband to commit She made the same Declaration before the Pope in the Council held at Plaisance in the Year 1095. during Lent which was so numerous that they were forc'd to hold the Assembly in the open Field Philip King of France sent his Ambassadors thither to excuse his not appearing The Pope allow'd him time till Whitsontide Hugh Arch-bishop of Lions was Suspended in this Council because he neither appear'd there himself nor sent any Deputy to excuse him The Pope gave audience to the Ambassadors of the Emperor of Constantinople who demanded assistance against the Infidels and he engag'd the Lords who were there present to promise to go into the East for that purpose This was the first step towards the CROISADE which was fully resolv'd upon in the Council of Clermont There were likewise several Rules of Discipline made in this Council by which it is order'd that those who will not part with their Concubines or pardon their Enemies or were habituated in any mortal Sin should not be admitted to the Holy Communion That the Priests shall admit none to Pennance but those who shall be referr'd to them by the Bishops That the Eucharist shall not be deny'd to those who shall confess themselves as they ought They renew'd likewise the Decrees against the Simoniacal and the Incontinent and the Judgments pass'd against the Heresy of Berenger against Guilbert and against those who were ordain'd by Schismaticks Urban going into France in November 1095. held a Council at Clerment in Auvergne The Council of Clermont in the Year 1095. which was compos'd of Thirteen Arch-bishops and a great many Bishops their Suffragans wherein he confirms the Decrees of the Council of Plaisance and made other new ones publish'd the CROISADE for the East excommunicated King Philip confirm'd the Primacy of the Arch-bishop of Lions and made a great many other Institutions These are the things we will speak of more particularly and will begin with the Excommunication of Philip I. King of France This Prince had put away his Wife Bertha the Daughter King Philip I. Divorc'd from Bertha of Florentius the chief Count of Holland and of Gertrude of Saxony for being too nigh a Kin to him This Divorce having been made in form by the Authority of the Church in the Year 1086. and in pursuance of a juridical Sentence the King banish d her to Monstrevil a Sea Port and look'd after another Wife At first he courted the Daughter of Roger Count of Sicily nam'd Emma who was carry'd to the Borders of Provence but the Match broke off perhaps because she did not think it safe to Marry a Prince who had another Wife Living Bertrade the Daughter of Simon of Montfert who had Marry'd Fulcus Rechinus Count of Anjou pleas'd the King and she made no scruple to part from her Husband and Marry him
had made with the Holy See about Investitures By the sixth he confirms the Privileges of the Church of Brague By the seventh and eighth those of the Church of Bamberg By the ninth and tenth those of the Abbey of Vendome In the eleventh he refers to the Bishop of Langres a difference which was between the Monastery of St. Peter the Lively of Sens and the Abbots of Molesin and of St. Rhemy of Rheims The next are written in favour of the Chapter of St. John of Besanzon to whom he adjudg'd the Right of the Cathedral The four next are Privileges granted to the Abbey of Tornus The twenty first and second are other Privileges granted to the Abbey of Cluny The twenty third is a Letter of Compliment to King Lewis the Gross to whom he recommends his Legat. The twenty fourth is directed to Gerbert Bishop of Paris He therein orders that all the Churches and Abbeys of his Diocess shall be subject to him and that the Canon of his Church who had been made a Bishop shall no longer hold his Prebend In the twenty fifth he permits a certain Lord of Germany to found a Monastery upon Condition that the Revenues which he bestow'd should be under the Protection of the Holy See to which than Monastery should give every fourth Year an Albe and some white Vestments and that neither he 〈◊〉 his Successors should have any thing to do with what related to the Monastery In the twenty sixth and seventh he approves the Institution of the Regular Canons in the Churches of Benriad and Berchgetesgaden By the twenty eighth he Establishes Gerard Bishop of Angoulême his Legat in the Provinces of Bourges Bourdeaux Auche Tours and Bretagne In the twenty ninth directed to the Bishops of Orleans and Paris he confirms the Prohibitions made by his Legat against Celebrating Divine Service where-ever William the Son of Count Robert who had Marry'd the Daughter of the Count Anger 's his Kinsman should be In the thirtieth directed to Pontius Abbot of Aniana he adjudg'd to that Abbot a Priory which was Contested between him and the Arch-Bishop of Arles and the Monks of the Abbey de la Chaise-Dieu In the thirty first and second he order'd that those who pillag'd the Revenues of the Village of Mongodin belonging to the Chapter of Mascon shall be Excommunicated In the four next he confirms the Primacy of the Arch-Bishoprick of Toledo To these Letters is annex'd a Letter of Lewis the Gross directed to that Pope as an Answer to that which he had sent into France upon the taking of Burdin wherein after he had declar'd to him the Joy he conceiv'd at this Success he returns him thanks for having superseded for a while the Sentence pass'd against the Arch-Bishop of Sens in favour of the Arch-Bishop of Lions and desires he would be pleas'd wholly to revoke it observing to him that he had laid this business very much to heart and would expose himself and his Kingdom to the utmost dangers rather than put up such an Affront He puts his Holiness in mind of the great services which the Kings of France had always done to the Holy See and of those which in a particular manner he had done for him by being present at the Council of Rheims wherein he had more regard to the Honour of the Holy See than to his own Interest He conjur'd him as an acknowledgment of those good turns that he would be pleas'd to preserve the Church of Sens in its Ancient Liberty which could not be taken away from it by a Privilege granted by Stealth and without his knowledge to the Arch-Bishop of Lions The four Sermons upon St. James attributed to Calixtus II. Publish'd by Mariana and inserted in the Bibliotheca Patrum are supposititious pieces and unworthy of that Pope CHAP. III. The History and Letters of the Popes Honorius II. Innocent II. Celestine II. Lucius II. and Eugenius III. POPE Calixtus being Dead Leo Franchipani forbad the Cardinals to proceed to a New Election till three days after under pretence that they might have time sufficient to deliberate on the Honorius II. Choice they were to make and to consult the Canons relating to Elections thereupon Franchipani's design was to get Lambert Bishop of Ostia Elected the People were for the Cardinal of St. Stephen whom Franchipani seem'd also to favour But the Cardinals casting an eye upon Thibaud Priest and Cardinal of St. Anastasius gave their Votes for him and would have Proclaim'd him Pope under the Name of Celestine II. When in the mean time Leo Franchipani observing the People were against this Election propos'd to them the aforesaid Lambert who was soon after Proclaim'd by the common suffrage of the Clergy and People was Clothed in his Pontifical Habit and Nam'd Honorius II. Nevertheless the better to gain the Cardinal's Approbation in few days after he threw off his Papal Ornaments in their presence which won so extreamly upon them that they were soon brought to acknowledge him and confirm his Election He Govern'd Peaceably and Prudently the Holy See for five Years and two Months In the Year 1125. 〈◊〉 Excommunicated Frederic and Conrade Nephews to the Emperor Henry V. who would have seiz'd upon the Empire and who made War upon Lotharius In 1127 he declar'd War himself against Roger Count of Sicily who pretended to have a right to the Dutchies of Calabria and Apulia Independant from the Pope The Year after he Excommunicated this Prince and Dy'd the 14th of February in the Year 1130. After the Death of Honorius II. the Cardinals that were then present on the same day Elected Gregory Cardinal of St. Angelo who was then Nam'd Innocent II. At the same time Cardinal Peter of Innocent II. Leon formerly a Monk of the Abbey of Cluny caus'd himself to be Elected under the Name of Anacletus by another Faction of Cardinals The Party of Cardinal Peter was by much the stronger which oblig'd those that were for Innocent to retire to strong Holds and afterwards to fly with that Pope to the City of Pisa. This occasion'd Innocent to come into France where an Assembly of Prelates was held on his account at Etampes in the Year 1130. to which St. Bernard was sent He spoke very notably in favour of Innocent and his Opinion was follow'd by the whole Council This Pope being thus acknowledg'd by France went immediately thither and was splendidly receiv'd at Orleans by King Lewis the Gross and several Bishops that came to wait on that Prince From thence he set forwards to Chartres where Henry I. King of England acknowledg'd him likewise He had not long after the Approbation and Consent of the Emperor Lotharius whom he went to meet at Liege in the beginning of the following Year This Prince receiv'd him very honourably but however he would needs make use of this occasion to get the Investitures restor'd This very much surpriz'd the â—…ns and St. Bernard labour'd all he could to disswade
taking away from them such effects as they had unjustly gotten by their Usuries and Extortion In the Fourth Letter of the Fifth Book he writes to Pope Eugenius III. the Causes which the Abbot de la Chaise-Dieu alledg'd against the Arch-Bishop of Arles and the Bishop of Viviers nominated by his Holiness to take Cognizanae of the Difference which was between the Bishop of Nismes and that Abbey In the Fifth he wrote to the same Pope about the refusal which the Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux had made of ordaining him who had been elected Bishop of Angoulème In the seventh he replies to several questions which had been propos'd to him by Thibald Abbot of St. Colomba of Sens. Among the rest was this Why they repeat the Unction of the Sick at Cluny Peter the Venerable says that the Case is not the same with the Unction of the Sick as with the Unctions of Baptism and Confirmation whose Efficacy is simple and only One nor the same as with the sacerdotal Unction or the Unctions of Churches and Holy Vessels which imprint a Consecration which can never be effac'd Whereas the effect of the Unction of the Sick being only Remission of Sins wherein Men fall after they are recovered of their Sickness it ought to be repeated in the next Sickness The Sixth Book contains several Letters of Peter of Cluny to St. Bernard and of St. Bernard to Peter of Cluny of which the fourth is somewhat remarkable Peter of Cluny therein intreats St. Bernard to procure an Union between the Monks of Cluny and of Cisteaux by ordering that whenever the Monks of Cluny should come into the Monasteries of those of Cisteaux they might be entertain'd as the Monks of the Monastery and admitted into the Refectory the Dormitory and the other Regular Places There are likewise in the same Book several Letters to Pope Eugenius III. in one of which viz. the Ninth he assures him that the Arch-Bishop of Vienna does not at all oppose the Interests of the Order of Cluny as the Pope had suppos'd and sent him word in the preceeding Letter In the Twelfth he advertises him of the Division which was in Chartreux the Great upon occasion of a Person Elected to the Bishoprick of Grenoble In the Twenty Fifth he gives him to understand of the Irregularities of the Bishop of Clermont In the Twenty Seventh he wrote to him in favour of Humbert of Beaujeu who returning from beyond Sea was setled in the Neighbourhood of Cluny and had put a stop to the Wars and Robberies committed there in his Absence and had quieted all the Countrey thereabouts but because he had quitted the Order of Knights Templars and taken his Wife again the Pope could not endure that he should live in the World Peter of Cluny in this Letter remonstrates to him that it was very proper for him to use his Indulgence towards this Lord and to grant him a Dispensation of living with his Wife and of leading a secular Life Peter the Venerable Abbot of Cluny In the Twenty Eighth he wrote to him against the Provost Abbot and other Ecclesiastical Lords of Brioude who had turned a Clerk out of his Church and his demeans without any form of Justice nay so much as denying him to clear himself by the Tryal of Fire as he had offered them to do The Forty Second Forty Third Forty Fourth and Forty Fifth Letters are likewise written to Eugenius III. The first in favour of the Abbot of Brems and the second in favour of Guy Lord of Domnus who had been interdicted by the Pope for having marryed a second Wife in the Life time of his first Peter of Cluny shews the Pope the Reasons upon which he believes that the first Marriage ought not to stand and prays him to determine this Affair according to this Remonstrance and to take off the Interdiction which he had issued out against this Lord. The Third is in favour of the People of Placenza who were unwilling to admit of a Bishop consecrated by the Arch-Bishop of Ravenna and they thought they had reason for it because they were to admit of no Bishop but who was sent by the Pope In the last he acquaints the Pope of a Treaty which he had made with a Lord of his Neighbourhood The Fifteenth Letter of this Book is a circular Letter written by Peter of Cluny to all the Superiors of the Houses of his Order wherein he warmly reproves the Abuse which was establish'd among the greatest part of his Religious of eating Meat every day in the Week except Friday He shews that this was forbidden by the Rule of St. Benedict which enjoyns them to eat nothing but Fish and by the Example and Institution of Odo one of the Founders of their Order The Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth and Twentieth Letters are about the Croisade Peter of Cluny had been invited by Sugerus Abbot of St. Denys and by St. Bernard to meet at that Assembly which was to be held at Chartres upon this Design he excuses himself from coming by two of his Letters but withal commends that design In the Twenty Sixth written to Everard Grand-Master of the Order of Knight Templars he commends their Institution and interceeds for Humbert of Beaujeu who had left them The Thirty Ninth written to his Nieces is in commendation of a Virgin Life The Seventh Book contains three Letters written by Peter of Cluny to Sugerus Abbot of St. Denys an Answer of that Abbot three Letters of St. Bernard and one Letter of Peter of Celles written to Peter of Cluny Besides the Letters we have already mentioned there are a great many others which are either Letters of Compliment or on Affairs of little Moment and several other Moral ones about the Spiritual Monastick Life such as the Ninth and Tenth of the first Book the Twelfth Fifteenth Twenty Second and Fiftieth of the Second the Fourteenth Thirty Ninth Fourtieth Fourty First and Fourty Second of the Fourth Book the third of the Fifth and the Thirteenth and Fourteenth of the Sixth All these Letters are penn'd with a great deal of Purity and pleasantness of Stile full of Life and solid Thoughts They are not indeed so Airy as the Letters of St. Bernard nor so full of Turns and playing upon Words but the Style is more Correct Even and Pure These Letters are follow'd by the Tracts of Peter of Cluny The first is dedicated to Peter of St. John's who in a Conference which they had together had told him that some of those with whom he convers'd had asserted that Jesus Christ is not expresly call'd God in the Gospel Peter of Cluny in this Treatise proves the contrary from all those Passages in the Gospel where Jesus Christ is stiled God and has such Attributes apply'd to him as belong to none but God The Second Tract is against the Jews wherein he proves the Divinity of Jesus Christ that he is the Messias who had been foretold by the Prophets
Chancellor of England A. D. 1158. and obtain'd the Administration of the publick Affairs of the whole Kingdom At last he was nominated by the King to the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury in 1161. after the Death of Theobald and was ordain'd on Whit-sunday in the same Year This Prelate was no Election of Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury sooner advanc'd to that high Station but he vigorously apply'd himself to the maintaining of the Interests and Liberties of the Church In the beginning of his Government he found means to wrest the Ecclesiastical Revenues out of the Hands of the Noble-men who had usurp'd them and persuaded the King to fill up the Episcopal Sees of Hereford and Worcester which had been vacant for a long time But it was difficult for him who had undertaken stifly to maintain the Rights of the Church to avoid falling out with his Prince about particular Interests upon which account he was oblig'd to resign the Office of Chancellor After that step he made a demand again with much resolution of the Revenues and Rights which he pretended to belong to the Church of Canterbury and which were in the possession of the King and of the Nobility He vehemently oppos'd the Outrages and Exactions with which the great Lords were wont to oppress the People and the Clergy He endeavour'd to abolish the Custom that was introduc'd in England of adjudging to Princes the Revenues of vacant Churches and of deferring to supply those Churches with Ministers in order to enjoy them longer and he asserted That Clergy-men guilty of Misdemeanours were not under the Jurisdiction of Civil Magistrates but that they ought to be brought before the Bishop to be degraded and condemned to Ecclesiastical Penalties without delivering them up to the Secular Power nevertheless if in process of time they committed new Crimes the Temporal Justice might then apprehend them because they were no longer to be look'd upon as Clergy-men The obstinate defence of the last Article chiefly caus'd Thomas to incur the King's displeasure The original of the Contests between the King of England and Thomas Becket and gave occasion to the Quarrel For a Canon of Bedford nam'd Philip Brock having abus'd one of the King's Officers before whom he was summon'd that Prince determin'd to bring him to condign Punishment The Arch-bishop suspended the Canon from his Ecclesiastical Functions and Benefice for several Years but the King not being satisfied with those proceedings requir'd that he might be put into the Hands of the Secular Justice Upon the Arch-bishop's refusal to do it the King held an Assembly of the Bishops of his Kingdom in the Abbey of Westminster where he made a Remonstrance that it was expedient for the publick Benefit that Clergy-men should be tryed by the Civil Magistrates and condemned to afflictive Punishments by reason that the scandal of Degradation did not at all move those whom the Sanctity of their Function could not restrain from the committing of Crimes Thomas who was at the Head of that Assembly after having debated with the other Bishops reply'd to the King That the Bishops could not relinquish a Right which was granted to them by Henry I. his Grand-Father and confirm d by the solemn promise of King Stephen and that they entreated his Majesty to call to Mind the Oath that he took on the Day of his Coronation to maintain the Church in its Liberty and Rights Whereupon the King demanded whether they were disposed to observe the Customs and Constitutions of his Kingdom 〈◊〉 Thomas reply'd that they were ready to do it provided their Rights were secur'd Salvo Ordine Suo and all the Prelates made the same Answer except the Bishop of Chichester nam'd Henry who chang'd the last Words and said that he would punctually observe those Customs King Henry was extremely incens'd at the restriction they put on their Promise after he had so often press'd them to no purpose to engage absolutely to observe the Customs of the Kingdom without any limitation and left the Assembly quite transported with Anger The next Day he sent to demand of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Grants for all the Governments that were conferr'd on him whilst he was Chancellor of England and speedily departed from London shewing evident marks of his high displeasure against the Bishops Insomuch that their dread of his Anger and of the ill effects that it might produce and the sollicitations which that Prince caus'd to be made induc'd many of them to yield to give satisfaction to his Majesty and these us'd their utmost endeavours to bring the others to the same Temper Thomas stood to his Resolution for a long time but being at last overcome by the frequent and pressing entreaties of the Prelates and of his best Friends he suffer'd himself to be prevail'd upon went to meet the King at Oxford and promis'd to observe the Customs of the Kingdom for the future without any manner of Restriction The King to render this Declaration more Authentick call'd an Assembly of the Bishops An Assembly at Clarendon and Noble-men of the Kingdom at Clarenden A. D. 1164. in which he oblig'd the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the other Prelates to take an Oath that they would carefully observe the Customs of the Kingdom and at the same time caus'd a verbal Process to be drawn up containing the Articles of those Customs that were to be acknowledg'd by the Bishops and which were sixteen in Number The First imports That when any Contests arise between the Laity and Clergy about the presentation to Benefices they ought to be regulated in the King's Court The Second That the Revenues of Mannors depending on the King's Demeans cannot be made over to Churches without his Majesty's Concession The Third That the Clergy-men acqused or impeached by the King's Officers shall be oblig'd to repair to his Court to the and that enquiry may be made whether they ought to be tried there or whether they ought to be sent back to the Ecclesiastical Courts of Judicature and that being thus sent back the King 's Chief Justice shall depute a Person to be Witness of the Proceedings of that Court That if the Clergy-man be convicted or confess his Crime the Church cannot have a Right any longer to protect him The fourth Article declares That the Arch-bishops Bishops and the King 's other Subjects cannot depart the Kingdom without his Majesty's leave and in case it be granted they shall give him good assurance that they will not act contrary to his Interest The Fifth That excommunicated Persons shall not be obliged to give security for their continuing in the Country but only to stand to the Judgment of the Church when it shall be thought 〈◊〉 to grant them Absolution The Sixth That no other Informers or Witnesses shall be admitted against Laicks but such as are allow'd by the Laws The Seventh That all those who hold any Lands of the King or are of the number of his Officers cannot
be excommunicated nor their Territories suspended from Divine Service unless due notice be first given to the King or to his Chief Justice to the end that that which belongs to the Jurisdiction of the King's Court may be tried there and that which ought to be tryed in the Ecclesiastical may be referr'd to it The Eighth That an Appeal may be brought from the Arch-deacon's Court to the Bishop's and from the latter to that of the Arch-bishop and if the Arch-bishop has not done Justice application may be made to the King to the end that the Cause may be decided in the Arch-bishop's Court without liberty to enter an Appeal unless by his Majesty's special allowance The Ninth That in case a Contest arise between a Clerk and a Lay-man about an Estate which one asserts to depend on the Church and the other on a temporal Lordship the Chief Justice shall send for twelve Assistants to examine to what Jurisdiction it ought to be appropriated that if they judge it to belong to the Church the Cause shall be tried in the Ecclesiastical Court but if they find it to belong to the Lay-Fee it shall be referr'd to the cognizance of the Lord of the Mannor The Tenth That if any Person be cited by his Arch-deacon or his Bishop to answer to an Accusation and he refuse to appear he may be suspended but cannot be excommunicated till the Chief Justice of the Place has summon'd him to make his appearance and that if that Judge should neglect to do his Duty the King shall take the matter in Hand The Eleventh does not relate to Ecclesiastical Affairs The Twelfth ordains That the King shall enjoy the Revenues of the Arch-bishopricks Bishopricks Abbeys and Priories during a Vacancy that to fill it up the King shall issue out a Conge d'Elire to the most eminent Men of the Place who shall carry on the Election in his Chappel with the King's Consent and by the Advice of the Lords who shall be conven'd for that purpose and that the Person elected shall do Homage to the King before he be ordain'd The Thirteenth Article imports That the King shall cause Justice to be done to the Bishops and the Bishops to the King The Fourteenth That Cattel seiz'd on for a Trespass shall not be detain'd by the Clergy but put into the Custody of the Officers of the Royal Court The Fifteenth That Courts of Judicature shall be kept by the King's Justices The Sixteenth That the Sons of the Peasants shall not be ordain'd but with the Consent of their Lords These Articles were not sign'd by the Bishops but were acknowledg'd in the Assembly and three Copies of them were taken viz. one for the King the Second for the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the Third for the Arch-bishop of York The Arch-bishop of Canterbury being retir'd his Friends and Domesticks began to murmur Some of them excus'd him in regard that he could not act otherwise by reason of so unhappy The Arch-bishop of Canterbury repents of having sign'd the Articles a Conjuncture of Affairs and others complain'd on the contrary That all the Immunities of the Church of England were ruin'd by that compliance His Cross-bearer who was more bold than the rest presum'd to make a remonstrance to that effect and the Arch-bishop being perswaded that he had done ill was affected with a sensible grief took a resolution to do Pennance and abstain'd from celebrating Divine Service till Pope Alexander III. who then resided at Sens wrote to him not to do it any longer and gave him Absolution for the Offence he might have committed upon condition that he should confess it to a Priest As soon as the King understood that the Arch-bishop repented of what he had done he fell into a strange Passion against him In the mean while Thomas being inform'd thereof retir'd The retreat of Thomas Becket to his Abbey of Alintere situated near the Sea-shore and embark'd twice to pass over into France but the Wind continuing contrary he return'd to Canterbury and presum'd even to present himself before the King by whom he was very ill treated At last that Prince despairing to bring over the Arch-bishop to his Interest made application to the Pope to compass Negotiations between the King and the Pope his Design to which purpose he sent the Bishop of Lisieux and the Arch-deacon of Poitiers to prevail with him to constitute the Arch-bishop of York his Legate in England and to order Thomas and the other Prelates to observe the Customs of his Kingdom The Pope having refus'd to do both the King sent new Deputies to demand the same thing again with greater importunity and to entreat him to confirm the Customs and Privileges of his Kingdom by the authority of the Holy See The Pope absolutely deny'd the latter request but to amuse him he conferr'd the Dignity of Legate on the Arch-bishop of York nevertheless upon condition that he should not have any jurisdiction over the Person or Arch-bishoprick of Thomas and without exempting the Bishops of England from the Obedience they ow'd to their Primate Forasmuch as this Restriction render'd the authority of the Arch-bishop of York useless with respect to the King's design which was to depose Thomas he sent back the Letter to the Pope with indignation The Pope wrote another Letter to divert him from making any further attempts on the Rights of the Churches of his Kingdom but that Prince instead of submitting to his Admonitions caus'd the Arch-bishop of Canterbury to be summon'd to appear in Person before his Majesty to answer to divers Informations that were brought against him Thomas on the other side entreated the King not to take it ill that he stood to the Privileges of his Dignity which exempted him from appearing before Secular Judges The King being much more exasperated by that excuse gave Orders to the Bishops and Temporal Lords of his Kingdom An Assembly at Northampton against Thomas Becket to meet together in his Royal Castle at Northampton and compell'd the Arch-bishop of Canterbury to repair thither in quality of a Criminal rather than of a Judge The First thing done in the Assembly was to pronounce Sentence against him for neglecting to make a personal appearance when he receiv'd a Summons from the King and his Estate Goods and Chattels were Confiscated upon condition nevertheless that the execution of that Sentence should depend on his Majestys pleasure Afterwards he was convey'd into one of the Halls of the Court where he being lock'd in an Account was demanded of him of the Revenues of the vacant Bishopricks and Abbeys that he had enjoy'd for several years when he was Chancellor He reply'd That he would take advice about the matter Henry Bishop of Winchester said that he remember'd that when Thomas Becket was chosen Arch-bishop he had a general Discharge Gilbert Bishop of London propos'd that he should resign his Arch-bishoprick to appease the King's Anger and the
from the Creation of the World although Customs and the particular manner of Living were different He applys to the seven States of the Church what is express'd in the Apocalypse concerning the opening of the seven Seals and the Horses that went out as they were open'd The first is that of the Primitive Church famous for its Miracles and the purity of the Faith and Manners of the Believers The second is that of the Church persecuted by the Jews and Gentiles The third is that of the Church infested by Heresies The fourth is that of the Church full of false Brethren and Hypocrites to whom he opposes the Orders of Monks and Regular Canons The fifth is the State of the Souls of the Righteous who are at rest waiting for the Resurrection The sixth is the Persecution raised by Anti-christ and the last is the State of everlasting Happiness In the second Book compos'd by way of Dialogue between himself and an Arch-bishop of Nicomedia he confutes the Opinion of the Greeks touching the Procession of the Holy Ghost and discusses divers Questions relating to the Mystery of the Trinity The third is likewise written in form of a Conference with the same Arch-bishop about the other Controversies that were on foot between the Greeks and the Latins more especially as to what concerns the use of Unleaven'd Bread in the sacred Mysteries Primacy and the Authority of the Church of Rome which he vigorously maintains In like manner he inveighs against the Custom of the Greeks who were wont to put no Water in the Chalice till after the Consecration and censures another Custom that prevail'd among them viz. to make use of Unction upon the reception of those Latins who were admitted into their Communion Lastly a General Council is propos'd on both sides to procure the Re-union of the two Churches This Treatise is learned and very accurately written HERVAEUS a Benedictin Monk of Dol flourish'd in the Year of our Lord 1130. He Hervaeus a Benedictin Monk of Dol. wrote a Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles which is annex'd to St. Anselm's Works of the Colen Edition Father Labbe assures us that there is also extant a large Manuscript Commentary on the Prophecy of Isaiah by this Author in the Library of the College of Clermont An account of his Life is continu'd in a Circulatory Letter written by the Monks of that Monastery after his death They also produce a Catalogue of his Works which are an Exposition of the Book call'd The Hierarchy of the Angels attributed to St. Dionysius the Areopagite Certain Commentaries on the Book of Isaiah on the Lamentations of Jeremiah on the end of the Prophecy of Ezekiel on the Books of Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Judges Ruth and Tobit in which he applys himself to illustrate the literal Sense for the benefit of Persons of a mean Capacity A large Commentary on St. Paul's Epistles Another on the Twelve lesser Prophets and on the Book of Genesis Divers Sermons on the Gospels and on some of the Canticles A Treatise of the Lessons that are read in the Churches in which he shews the different readings of those Lessons from the Sacred Text A Book of the Miracles of the Virgin Mary and an Explication of the Treatise of the Lord's Supper attributed to St. Cyprian HUGH de FOLIET a Monk of Corby flourish'd A. D. 1130. and compos'd divers Treatises which are ascrib'd to Hugh of St. Victor viz. The four Books of the Cloister of Hugh de Foliet a Monk of Corby the Soul That of the Physick of the Soul The two first Books of Birds dedicated to Rainier Two Books of the Carnal and Spiritual Wedding A Treatise of the shunning of Marriage And a Piece call'd The Sinner's Mirrour printed among the supposititious Works of St. Augustin STEPHEN Bishop of Paris had a Contest in the Year 1132. with an Arch-deacon of his Diocess who had unadvisedly suspended the People of his Arch-deaconry from Divine Stephen Bishop of Paris Service and with Stephen de Guarlande his Adversary These Quarrels are the Subject of divers Letters written by this Prelate by Henry Arch-bishop of Sens by Geffrey Bishop of Chartres by the Clergy of Paris and by some others which are inserted in the Third Tome of Father Dachery's Spicilegium page 153. sequ HUGH pass'd over from Amiens the place of his Nativity into England and was made Abbot of Redding in that Kingdom Afterwards he was chosen Arch-bishop of Roan and Hugh Arch-bishop of Roan consecrated A. D. 1130. He was one of the greatest most pious and most learned Prelates of his time and govern'd the Church of Roan with a great deal of Reputation to the Year 1164. which was that of his death He wrote three Books to serve as an Instruction for the Clergy of his Diocess against the Hereticks of his time In the first after having explain'd in a few Words what ought to be believ'd concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation he treats of the Sacraments of Baptism Confirmation and the Lord's Supper and confutes the Errors of those Hereticks who deny the necessity of Baptism more especially of that of Infants and the usefulness and necessiety of the Eucharist In the second he treats of Holy Orders and of Ecclesiastical Functions In the last he discourses of the Dignity of the Clergy Of the Manners of Clerks Of the Celebacy which they are obliged to observe Of the Vow of Chastity Of Unity and of other Marks of the Catholick Church There are also two Letters written by this Arch-bishop viz. one dedicated to Thierry or Theodoric Bishop of Amiens concerning the Absolution that was granted to Penitents who took care of the building of the Church provided they made Confession of their Sins did Penance and were reconcil'd with their Enemies The second is a complimental Letter to the Count of Toulouse These Pieces were publish'd by Father Luke Dachery at the end of the Works of Guibert of Nogent HUGO METELLUS a Regular Canon of the Abbey of St. Leon in the Diocess of Toul and the Pupil of St. Anselm at Laon flourish'd in the beginning of this Century and Hugh Metellus a Regular Canon wrote divers Letters which are to be found in Manuscript in the Library of the Jesuits College at Clermont Father Mabillon caus'd one of them to be printed in the Third Tome of his Analecta which was directed to a certain Monk nam'd Gerard or Gerland and in which he proves the real Presence of the Body of JESUS CHRIST in the Eucharist and answers the Passages of St. Augustin on which that Monk grounded his Doubts as to that Article THOMAS Abbot of Maurigny wrote a Letter to St. Bernard which is contain'd in the Miscellaneous Works by M. Baluzius Tom. 4. p. 459. Thomas Abbot of Maurigny Bernard Monk of Cluny Ulger Bishop of Anger 's Under the Tuition of Peter Abbot of Cluny there was a certain English Monk of that Convent nam'd BERNARD who
of the Writers of the Order of Citeaux The Life of St. Engelbert in the Month November of Surius and at Cologn in 1633 with the Notes of Gelenius and the Homilies published by Andrew Coppenstein with the Title of A Collection of Moral Discourses printed at Cologn in 1615. He also was the Author of other Sermons and other Works whereof there is a Catalogue in a Letter of his which Andrew Coppenstein has published at the beginning of the Collection STEPHEN of Langton tho an Englishman after having gone through the course of his Stephen of Langton Studies at Paris was chosen Chancellor of that University and Canon of Paris where he for a good while professed Divinity explaining the Holy Scripture with no small reputation He was afterwards made Dean of Rheims and at last sent for to Rome by Innocent III who made him Cardinal The Archbishoprick of Canterbury falling he was chosen by some of the Canons and consecrated by the Pope at Viterbâ— the 17th of June in 1206 but John King of England would not acknowledg him as not having been chosen by the best and wisest part of the Chapter nor suffer him to enter into possession of the Church Stephen straight has recourse to Ecclesiastical Censures and interdicts the Kingdom of England The King did not think himself obliged to submit to the Interdict but at last the poor condition of his Affairs having forced him to yield to the Pope he was likewise obliged to acknowledg Stephen for Archbishop This Prelate was not long faithful to him but took part with Lewis Son of Philip King of France and remain'd his Friend till the Death of John after which he found a way to get himself for a Sum of Mony discharged from the crime of Rebellion He died the 9th of July in 1228 in his House in the plane of Slindon in the County of Sussex There are in the Libraries of England and other places a great number of Manuscript Commentaries of this Author upon the Holy Scripture but there are not any of them printed We have only his History of the Translation of the Body of St. Thomas at the end of that Arch-Bishop's Letters printed at Brussels in 1682. The latter which he wrote to King John and that Prince's Answer in the third Tome of Father Dachery's Spicilegium and eighty eight Orders made in the Council which he held at Oxford in 1222 of which we shall have occasion to speak ALEXANDER NECKHAM an Englishman Native of Hertford after having Alexander Neckham studied in England perfected himself in the Academys of France and Italy and returning into his own Country was made a Regular Canon of St. Austin at Exeter and afterwards Abbot of the Monastry in that City in 1215 and died 1227. He is the Author of divers Works which have not yet seen the light lying buried in the obscurity of some English Libraries among others A Commentary upon the four Gospels An Exposition of Ecclesiastes A Commentary upon the Song of Songs The Praises of the Divine Wisdom A Treatise of the nature of things The Clearing of a Library which contains an Explanation of many places of the Holy Scripture HELINAND a Monk of the Abby of Froimont of the Order of Citeaux in the Diocess Helinand of Beauvais flourished about the beginning of this Century and died in 1227. He composed a Chronological History from the beginning of the World to the year 1204 the four last Books of which were published by Father Tissier in the 8th Tome of his Library of the Writers of the Order of Citeaux with some Sermons and a Letter to Walter an Apostate Monk about the Recovery of a Man fallen into that condition He has likewise written the Martyrdorn of St. Gereon and his Companions related by Surius in the tenth of October The Verses upon Death published by Loisel are ascribed to him In the Library of Longpont there 's a Manuscript Treatise of this Author 's upon the Apocalypse and in other Libraries a Treatise in praise of a Monastical Life and another of the Government of Princes Trithemius and others speak well of this Author but for all that there is more of Labour in his History than of Judgment for 't is nothing but a Collection from other Authors made without any discretion His other Works are but little worth About the same time flourished CONRADE of Litchtenau Abbot of Urspurg in the Diocess Conrade of Augsburg who composed a Chronicle from Belus King of Assyria to the year 1229 taken from divers Authors It contains many remarkable things about the History of Germany in his time and the foregoing Centuries He was made Abbot of Urspurg in 1215 and died in 1240. St. FRANCIS born in the year 1182 at Assisi Founder of the Order of Minor Friars or St. Francis Minims died in 1226. He not only by his Example taught us Humility Patience Submission and Freedom from the Cares of the World but likewise by his Writings which are the Picture of his Vertues Here 's a Catalogue of those that were published under the name of this Saint by Father de la Haye and printed at Paris in 1641 with the Works of St. Antony of Padua Sixteen Letters Advice to those of his Order containing twenty seven Chapters An Exhortation to Humility Obedience and Patience A Treatise of the Virtues of the Virgin and of every Soul A little Piece of true and perfect Joy An Explanation of the Lord's Prayer The Praise of the Lord God Most High eleven Prayers His Will Two Orders for his Religious A Rule for the Monastrys The Statute of the third Order Twenty eight Conferences The Office of the Passion Three Songs upon the Love of God of Apothegms of familiar Discourses of Parables and Examples of Benedictions of Oracles and common Sentences There are likewise seven Sermons giving the Reasons for the establishing of this Order of Minor Brothers and a little Treatise of the ten Perfections of a true Religious and of a real Christian. St. ANTONY Sirnamed of Padua because he died in 1231 in that City was born at St. Antony Lisbon in Portugal After having professed Divinity at Thoulouse Bologn and Padua he became St. Francis's Disciple and entred into his Order He applied himself particularly to preaching and was in his Time accounted a very neat Preacher tho his Sermons seem to us now very plain and empty They have been printed at Paris in 1521 at Venice in 1575 and since at Paris again in 1641 by the care of Father de la Hay who has also presented us with a mystical Exposition of this Author upon the Holy Scriptures and five Books of moral Concordances upon the Bible And lastly Father Pagi has added a Supplement of some Sermons upon the Saints and other matters which he got printed at Avignon in 1684. RICERUS an Italian of the Marquisate of Ancona one of the Companions of St. Frances Ricerus of Assisi has
Church and if not in one Church much more not in two where the distance of the places renders a Man less capable of satisfying his Duty 4. Because this Plurality of Benefices in the same Person took away a great many Members from the Church and deprived it of a great number of Ministers 5. Because it is not Charity but Covetousness and Ambition that made Men desire more Benefices than one 6. He says that it is as impossible that a Man should have two Benefices as that the same Member should assist two Bodies at once or the same Tree be planted in two places He answers an Objection that came naturally in his way namely that seeing there are Livings the Revenues of which are far more considerable than those of others it seemed as allowable to have many little ones with a small Revenue as one great Living which was worth ten or twelve others He says that this Thought proceeds from a false Opinion that one is in Livings only to look upon the Revenue without regarding the Charge and Offices for every Living tho oâ— never so small Revenues having a particular Office which the Person that enjoys it is obligeâ— to perform it is irregular to have any more Persons in it than one that the Livings which are not sufficient to maintain one Man either do not require a particular Service or if they do the Revenue of them is augmented by the addition of some other That if any one shall alledg that there are some Livings which do not require residence he is deceived because all Benefices do by their Establishment and Foundation oblige to Residence and that the contrary is nothing but an evil Custom introduced by the Wickedness of the Clergy Lastly he says that if any one pleads against him the Dispensations of the Pope he answers That those are things above him and that if any one throughly considered them he would find them to signify nothing that whatever Virtue the Dispensations which the Pope granted certain Persons to enjoy more Livings than one might have yet he could not dispense with their Covetousness with their Ambition and Greediness he could not grant them Indulgences for their Vices or give leave for such Irregularities nor was it his intention that the temporal Estate of the Church appointed for the entertainment of God's Servants and dedicated to the Lord to be employed in his Service should ever be perverted to the nourishment and maintenance of wicked Men. 'T was upon these Reasons that William of Paris founded that Order which he got passed within a while after he was Bishop by the Doctors of the Faculty of Paris that it should not be allowable to enjoy more than one Living when that was sufficient for the provision and maintenance of one Person which it was supposed then to be when the Revenue amounted to 15 Paris Livres The Sermons abscribed to William of Paris make another part of the second Volume of his Works But there 's some reason to doubt whether they are really his or not rather William Perrault's a Religious of the Order of Preaching Priars of Lions with whose name they are to be seen in some Manuscripts and were printed at Paris in 1494 at Lions in 1567 and at Cologn in 1629 tho in many other Manuscripts and in the Tubingen Edition of 1499 and the Paris one of 1638 they have the name of William Bishop of Paris affixed to them but it is most likely that they by right belong to the former 1. Because they are not in the other's Stile but in a more dry concise and compact one 2. Because the Author of them quotes the Fathers and particularly St. Austin oftner 3. Because they are quoted with the name of William of Lions by William a Dominican of Paris who lived three hundred years ago in a Postille upon the Epistles and Gospels of the year printed at Paris in 1509 and at Strasburg in 1513 and 1521. 4. Because all those that speak of William Perrault ascribe these Sermons to him 5. Because they are full of Passages and Thoughts out of the Holy Scripture the Character which Gerson gives of the Works of William Perrault The Dialogues of the seven Sacraments printed at Leipsick in 1512 and at Lions in 1567 under the name of William of Paris are not certainly his because the Author himself tells us That he took part of his Work from St. Thomas and Peter of Tarentaise which makes me think that it is William the Dominican of Paris's of whom we spake before William of Paris was the Author of many more Books which Trithemius mentions and particularly of Commentaries upon the Psalms upon the Proverbs upon Ecclesiastes upon the Gospel of St. Matthew and upon the Song of Songs of Letters and other Treatises The Commentaries upon the Song of Songs and upon the Proverbs may be seen in Manuscript in the Library of the Abbey of Longpont in the Diocess of Soissons as Oudin tells us who also would have the Commentary upon St. Matthew printed in the Edition of St. Anselm's Works at Cologn in 1630 under the name of that Saint to be William of Paris's notwithstanding that Father Gerberon ascribes them to one Herveus a Monk of the City of Dol and indeed the Author of this Commentary in the 6th Chapter quotes a Treatise which he had written of the Virtues and Vices and William of Paris seems to refer to this Commentary in his Treatise upon the Manners in the 10th Chapter besides that in the Catalogue of Herveus's Writings made by the Monks of his Monastry in the Circular Letter about his Death there 's no mention of this Commentary upon St. Mathew so that what Father Gerberon says of the Commentaries attributed to St. Anselm is to be understood only of the Comment upon St. Paul's Epistles The Stile of this Author is plain intelligible natural and not near so barbarous as that of the greatest part of the Schoolmen of his time yet it hath nothing of a fine delicacy in it He doth not run out upon Metaphysical Notion near so much as the other Divines of his time and particularly keeps close to what concerns Morality Discipline and Piety He sometimes confutes Aristotle and makes use of the Principles and Arguments of Plato He very well understood the Opinions of the profane Philosophers throughly read and digested the Holy Scripture but he was but meanly versed in the Fathers We took notice before that his Works were printed at Venice in 1591 and some years ago there was a new Edition of them printed at Orleans in 1674 which is that that we have here all along followed VINCENT Sirnamed of BEAUVAIS because he lived in that City was a Burgundian Vincent of Beauvais and a Religious of the order of Preaching Friars He undertook in the Reign of St. Louis who was at the expence of it a sort of Encyclopaedia of Science in a great Work intituled The Mirror It is divided
in 1482 at Basil in 1502 at Venice in 1575 and 1576 and at Cologn in 1622 for we must not make two distinct Works of his Commentary and of his Sum as some have done It is one and the same Work as is plain in the Manuscript of the Library of St. Victor where it is with the Text of the Master of the Sentences and this Title A Sum and Commentary upon the Master of the Sentences So that the Commentary upon the Sentences printed at Lions in the year 1515 with Alexander of Hales's name to it is not really that Author's And I doubt too whether the Sum of the Virtues printed at Paris in 1509 or the Treatise intituled Destructorium Vitiorum which was printed at Nuremberg in 1496 and at Venice in 1582 ought to be ascribed to him It is certain that he composed a Postille upon the whole Bible but the Commentary upon the Psalms printed in his name at Venice in 1496 in right belongs to Hugh of St. Charus and there 's reason to doubt whether the Commentary upon the Revelations published under the name of Alexander of Hales and printed 〈◊〉 Paris in 1647 is really his The Commentary upon Aristotle's Physicks belongs to Alexander of Alexandria Doctor of Barcelona who flourished about 1313. We can give no Judgment of the Commentaries upon the Prophets upon the four Evangelists and upon all the Epistles of St. Paul which go under this Author's Name and are to be met with in the Libraries of Milan and Oxford We have lost the Commentary which he made upon the Statutes of the Minor Friars and a Treatise of the Harmony of Divine and Human Law which Trithemius mentions Lastly we have none of the Lives of St. Thomas of Canterbury or of Richard King of England nor have we a Treatise against Mahomet which some Authors say he wrote and indeed we have none of his Works left us that we can certainly say are his except his Sum which discovers that he had more subtilty than skill in the Antiquities of the Church JOHN of Rochelle of the Order of Minor Friars a Companion of Alexander of Hales John of Rochel if we may believe Trithemius composed a Treatise upon the Sentences a Sum of Virtues and Vices and a Treatise of the Soul Some Commentaries upon the Holy Scripture and some Sermons are likewise ascribed to him ALBERT the Great so called because of his vast Learning descended from the Lords of Albertus Magnus Bolstadt was born at Lavingen in Suabia according to some Authors in 1193 and according to others in 1205. In 1221 he entred himself into the Order of Preaching Friars and having signalized himself by his profound Knowledg upon the Death of Jordan General of his Order he was chosen in 1236 to govern it in quality of Vicar which he did two years and by many Votes was nominated General as was also Hugh of St. Charus but neither of them was chosen Albert was made Provincial of his Order in Germany and made his abode at Cologn where he taught Divinity with no small Reputation Pope Alexander IV. chose him in 1260 for Bishop of Ratisbon but he was soon weary of a Dignity which he never sought and within three years resigned his Bishoprick that he might retire into his Monastry at Cologn where he died November 15. in the year 1280. There is no Author that hath more Works printed under his name than this for they make one and twenty Volumes in Folio published at Lions in 1651. We have nothing to say of what is in the six first because they are only Logick and Physicks The five next are Commentaries upon the Holy Scripture viz. the seventh A Commentary upon the Psalms the eighth upon Jeremy Baruc Daniel and the twelve Minor Prophets the ninth upon the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark the tenth upon the Gospel of St. Luke the eleventh upon the Gospel of St. John and the Revelations The twelfth Tome contains Sermons for all the year and for the Saints Prayers upon the Gospels of all the Sundays in the year two and thirty Sermons on the Eucharist which are among the Works of St Thomas too but 't is more likely belong to Albert and a Discourse upon a Woman of Fortitude The thirteenth is Commentaries upon the Books ascribed to St. Dionysius the Areopagite and an Abridgment of Divinity in seven Books The three next Volumes are Commentaries upon the four Books of the Master of the Sentences The seventeenth and eighteenth contain a Sum of Divinity The nineteenth is a Work intituled A Sum of the Creatures In two Parts the second of which is of Man These that have been mentioned are no body doubts the Works of Albert the Great but the twentieth Volume hath many in it which are doubtful or forged The first is not of that number it is a Discourse in honour of the Virgin with the Title of Marialis upon these words of the Gospel The Angel Gabriel was sent c. but the twelve Books of the Praises of the Virgin which follow it are RICHARD ' s of St. LAURENCE a Penitentiary of Rome Richard of St. Laurence about the year 1240 if we may credit the Manuscripts And there 's as much reason to doubt whether the Bible of Mary the Author of which applys to the Virgin whatsoever is contained in the Scripture which had been printed at Cologn before belongs to Albert the Great The twenty first contains some Works which are not without suspicion A Treatise of the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacrament of the Eucharist The Paradise of the Soul or A Treatise of Virtues and the Treatise of cleaving to God It is not certain that these are really his St. BONAVENTURE sirnamed the Seraphick Doctor was born at Bagnarea in Tuscany in the year 1221. He entred himself in 1243 into the Order of Minor Friars and studied in St. Bonaventure the University of Paris where he afterwards taught Divinity and took his Doctors Degree with St. Thomas Aquinas in 1255. The next year he was chosen General of his Order and reformed its Discipline and regulated its Habit. 'T is said that he introduced the Custom of making a Prayer to the Virgin after Compline and of ringing the Bell to call the Faithful together and that he was the occasion of the Institution of Confreries after the example of that which he settled at Rome in 1270. 'T is reported that it was he who when the Cardinals could not agree about the Election of a Pope after the Death of Clement IV. proposed to them the choosing of Theobald Archdeacon of Leige who took the name of Gregory X. This Pope in acknowledgment made him Cardinal Bishop of Albanon in 1274 some while before the second General Council of Lions at the first Session of which he assisted on the 7th of May but died before it rose on the 15th of July the same year He was Canonized by Sixtus the 4th
After having been educated in the Monastry of Monte-Cassino he was sent to Naples where he studied Humanity and Philosophy He entred in 1241 into the Order of Preaching Friars notwithstanding all his Mother could do who laid hold on him and kept him close up in a Castle but nothing could conquer his Resolution for finding means to escape out of his Confinement wherein he was kept for two years he came to Paris in 1244 and from thence went to Cologn to study under Albert the Great Returning again to Paris he took the Doctor of Divinity 's Cap in 1255. He went back into Italy in 1263 and after having gone through most of the Universities teaching Scholastical Divinity he settled at Naples the Archbishoprick of which City offered him by Clement the IV. he refused In 1274 Gregory the X. called him to the Council of Lions and parting from Naples on his Journy thither he fell sick by the way in the Monastry of Fossa-Nova near Terracena and there died being fifty years old on the seventh of March the same year The number of St. Thomas's Works is prodigious They make seventeen Volumes in Folio and were printed at Venice in 1490 at Nuremberg in 1496 at Rome in 1570 at Venice in 1594 and at Cologn in 1612. The five first Tomes are Commentaries upon the Works of Aristotle The sixth and seventh a Commentary upon the four Books of the Sentences The eighth Theological Questions namely ten Questions about the Power of God sixteen Questions about Evil one Question about spiritual Creatures another about the Soul a Question of the Union of the Word a Question of Virtue in general a Question of Charity another of brotherly Correction A Question of Hope another of the Cardinal Virtues and nine and twenty of Truth and twelve Quodlibetick Questions The ninth contains the Sum of the Catholick Faith against the Gentiles divided into four Books The tenth eleventh and twelfth are a Sum of Divinity with the Commentaries of Cardinal Cajetan The thirteenth is composed of many Commentaries upon the Old Testament namely A Commentary upon the Book of Job A literal and mystical Explanation of the five first Psalms An Exposition upon the Song of Songs which they say he dictated upon his death-bed to the Monks of Fossa-Nova Commentaries upon the Prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah and on the Lamentations which the best Criticks think rather belongs to the English Thomas than this The fourteenth Volume contains Commentaries upon the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John but that upon St. Matthew was made by Peter Scaliger Dominican of Verona That upon St. John was put into Method by Renaldus a Companion of St. Thomas from an Explanation which he heard of it from the Mouth of St. Thomas The fifteenth is a Chain upon the four Gospels taken from the Fathers and presented to Pope Urban IV. The sixteenth contains a Commentary upon the Epistles of St. Paul and Sermons The seventeenth Volume contains divers little Pieces of Divinity namely A Treatise against the Errors of the Greeks to Pope Urban IV. An Abridgment of Divinity to Renaldus a Monk of his Order which some with a great deal of probability ascribe to Ulric of Strasburg An Explanation of some Articles against the Greeks Armenians and Saracens addressed to the Chanter of Antioch A Treatise of the two Precepts of Charity and of the ten Commandments of the Law An Explication of the Lord's Prayer An Explication of the Salutation of the Angel An Answer about the hundred and eight Articles taken out of the Works of Peter of Tarentaise to John of Verceil General of the Order of Preaching Friars which is commonly thought to be none of St. Thomas's Another Answer addressed to the same Person about the forty two Articles An Answer about six and thirty Articles to the Reader of Venice Another Answer about six Articles to the Reader of Besanson A Treatise about the difference between the Divine Word and the Human Word A Treatise about the Nature and Origin of the Word of the Understanding A Treatise about separate Substances or of the Nature of Angels A Treatise of the Unity of the Understanding against the Averroists who hold that all Men have but one Understanding A Work against such as dissuade Men from entring themselves into a Religious Order A Treatise of the Perfection of a spiritual Life A Treatise intituled Against those that oppose the Worship of God and Religion wherein he defends the Orders of Mendicants against the Books of William of Holy Love Four Books of the Government of Princes which cannot be St. Thomas's because they talk of Adolphus succeeding Rodolphus in the Empire and Albert Adolphus which was not till many years after the Death of St. Thomas besides that the Stile is different from that of St. Thomas's Works A Treatise of the Government of the Jews A Treatise of the Form of Absolution An Explanation of the first Decretal Another Explanation of the second A Treatise of Spells Another of Judicial Astrology A Treatise of the Eternity of the World A Treatise of Destiny Thirty seven other Treatises of Logical and Physical Matters which it is not worth while to make a Catalogue of here Seven Books of the Education of Princes which are only in the Roman Edition The Office for the Feast of the Holy Sacrament composed by Order of Pope Urban the Fourth the Institutor of that Solemnity There is reason to doubt whether St. Thomas was wholly the Author of this or whether he made use therein of an Office for that Feast which had been before composed by John a Clerk of Leige which is proved by the Testimony of the Author of the Life of St. Juliana the Virgin who assures us that this John did make such an Office which consisted of Hymns Anthems Responses Lessons Chapters and Collects and by the antient Books of the Church of St. Martin of Leige among which is found a piece of this Office of the Holy Sacrament which is ascribed to St. Thomas Father Alexander the Dominican on the other side maintains that it is St. Thomas's and proves it by the Authority of William of Toco an Author contemporary with St. Thomas who puts it in the Catalogue of his Works and Ptolomy of Lucques Bishop of Toricelli a Scholar of St. Thomas's and St. Antoninus but I believe it is pretty easy to reconcile these two Opinions by saying that St. Thomas made use of the Office composed by John Clerk of Leige and inserted part of it in that which goes under his name for it is true that some of that Office is his own and he reduced it into the Form it now is in which is the reason that in the History of the Translation of the Body of St. Thomas it is only said that it was he that digested ordinavit the Office of the Holy Sacrament A Treatise of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar in two and thirty Chapters which Trithemius makes Albert the
his Writings Constantine Acropolita Logothetes Mark and Job Jasites against Veccus and so did a Monk nam'd MARK and JOB JASITES who compos'd a Book sometime before the other two against a Writing of the Emperor Michael and an Apology for Joseph We may likewise reckon among the Greek Authors GREGORY ABULPHARAJE an Arabian Gregory Abulpharaje an Arabian of the Sect of the Jacobites or Melchites who compos'd an History of the Dynasties which ends at the 683 year of the Hegira that is Anno Christi 1284. He was in great esteem in the East His Tract was Publish'd in Arabick and Latin by Dr. Pocock and Printed at Oxford in the Year 1663. CHAP. VI. Of the Councils held during the Thirteenth Century THere is scarce any Age wherein more Councils were held in the West and wherein more Laws Constitutions and Ordinances were made than in this of which we are giving you an History The Councils held during the Thirteenth Century The Popes Arch-Bishops and Bishops were all in a particular manner engag'd in reforming the Church in regulating the Manners and Conduct of Ecclesiasticks and in informing them of their Duties This is the Subject matter of most of the Canons and Ordinances of the Councils and Synods held in this Century Therein the manner how the Clerks ought to be habited and the Life they ought to lead are adjusted the Luxury and the Disorders of several are Condemned with the utmost Severity Therein they have a great many Instructions about the Administration of the Sacraments the Celebration of Mass and the Ceremonies of the Church There the Bishops Priests and the other Clergy are inform'd of their Functions and Office Therein Plurality of Benefices is Prohibited and Residence Enjoyn'd and a great many Proviso's made about the Collation of Benefices Therein a great many Laws are Enacted relating to Ecclesiastical Causes and to prevent the Abuses which several made of the Commissions they took out of the Holy See Therein are Renew'd and Confirm'd the Privileges and Immunities of the Clergy and the Penalties inflicted on those who offer any Violence to their Persons or Estates or seise upon their Tithes Therein new Methods are found out to Punish Hereticks and to support the INQUISITION lately set up Therein Sorcerers and Usurers are Condemned Therein all the Faithful are enjoyn'd to be present at the Parochial Mass on Festivals and Sundays and to confess themselves and receive the Communion at least once a Year These are the Principal Matters treated of in the Canons of the Councils of which we are going to give you a Particular Account according to the Order of Time wherein they were held The Council of Sens in the Year 1198. MIchael Corbeil Arch-Bishop of Sens being come to the Town of La Charité at the instance of the Bishop of Auxerre whether the Bishops of Nevers and Meaux were likewise come and having The Council of Sens in the Year 1198. made enquiry what Hereticks there were in that Place they found that Reginald Abbot of Saint Martin at Nevers and the Dean of the Cathedral Church of that City were accus'd of Heresie and that there were a great many Accusers and Witnesses against them They Suspended them and Cited them to Auxerre where they made their Appearance The Abbot would not make his Defence but appeal'd to the Holy See before his Process was drawn up The Arch-Bishop of Sens without regarding this Appeal continu'd the drawing up his Process and cited him to the Council which was to be held at Sens. The Tryal of the Dean was likewise referr'd to that Council that so they might have time to receive the Depositions of Witnesses on both sides The Council was held at Sens in the Year 1198 and the Bishops of Troyes Auxerre and Nevers were there present The Abbot of St. Martin appear'd before these Prelates and endeavour'd to make his Defence but seeing his Affair was like to have no success he renew'd his Appeal Tho' it was against all Form and the Bishops were not oblig'd to take any notice of it yet they would not pronounce any thing against him upon the account of Heresie but condemn'd him for other Crimes whereof he stood Convicted and for the Scandal he gave and depos'd him for ever They afterwards sent to the Pope the Depositions drawn against him which imported that he had asserted That the Body of Jesus Christ went into the Draught and that all Men would one day be saved As to the Dean there were not Evidences strong enough to Convict and Condemn him but since there were a great many Presumptions against him because of his intimacy with Hereticks they would not give him Absolution but sent him to Rome Innocent III. after he had heard him and examin'd his Process order'd that he should clear himself by the Testimony of Fourteen Witnesses and wrote to the Arch-Bishop of Sens that he would admit him to clear himself and restore to him his Benefice after he had done it The Abbot of St. Martin having likewise remov'd his Cause to Rome the Pope referr'd him to Peter Cardinal of St. Mary his Legate in France and to Odo Bishop of Paris We are inform'd of this Piece of History by the Letters of Innocent III. and by the Chronicon of Auxerre wherein 't is said that those two Hereticks were of the Sect of the Poblicans The Council of Dalmatia in the Year 1199. TWo Legates of Pope Innocent III. in Dalmatia one of whom nam'd John being only a Chaplain The Council of Dalmatia 1199 and the other call'd Simon a Sub-deacon made Twelve Orders for the Clergy of that Kingdom wherein they prohibited Simony renew'd the Law of the Celibacy of Ecclesiasticks fix'd the Times of Ordinations and the Intervals betwixt them approv'd of the Ancient dividing of the Church-Revenues into four Parts enjoyn'd the Secrecy of Confession provided for the security of Ecclesiasticks by declaring those Excommunicated who abus'd them and by prohibiting them from being carry'd before secular Judges prohibited Marriages between Relations to the Fourth Degree enjoyn'd Clerks to have the Clerical Tonsure condemn'd the Laicks who collated Benefices and those who receiv'd them from their Hands excommunicated those who retain'd the Treasures of the Church and such who left their Wives prohibited Bastards from being admitted into Holy Orders and forbad the Ordaining any one who was not full Thirty Years Old The Council of London in the Year 1200. HUbert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury call'd a Council at London in Westminster-Castle against the Prohibitions The Council of London 1200. which the Earl of Essex Lord Chancellor of England had made wherein he Publish'd several Injunctions By the First he orders That the Words of the Canon of the Mass shall be pronounc'd distinctly and sincerely by the Priests without relying too much upon them In the Second He prohibits Priests from saying two Masses a day without urgent Necessity and when a Priest shall be oblig'd to
Celebrate twice he enjoyns that after the first Celebration he shall take care to drink up what is left in the Chalice to wipe his Fingers to wash them and to take care to have Water to Wash after the Second time of Celebrating at least that there should not be any Deacon or any other Minister assisting at the first Celebration who should be capable of this Ablution He likewise Orders That the Eucharist shall be kept in a proper and decent Box and shall be carry'd to the Sick cover'd over with a White Cloth a Taper and Cross being carry'd before it and that it shall not be given but in publick and only to those who desire it The Third imports That such Children as are expos'd shall be Baptiz'd that no Person shall be presented to Confirmation by his Brother by his Mother or his Uncle or his Mother-in-Law and that Deacons shall not Administer Baptism or enjoyn Pennance unless in case of necessity The Fourth enjoyns the Priests in inflicting of Pennances to consider the Circumstances and the Qualities of the Sins and the Condition of the Persons and to take care not to impose any Pennance which may discover the Crime as for instance not to make a Woman suspected by her Husband He prohibits Priests who have fall'n into any Sin to approach the Altar to Celebrate Mass before they have confess'd their Sins And Lastly He Orders That the Priests should not enjoyn the Laicks as a Pennance to Order so many Masses to be said for them The other Constitutions of this Council are taken out of the Lateran Council under Alexander III. The Council of Lambeth in the Year 1206. IN the Year 1206 Stephen of Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury held a Synodal Assembly at his The Council of Lambeth 1206 Palace of Lambeth wherein he made Three Institutions The First about the Right of Mortmain which was paid to Churches The Second against Drunken Clubs and the Third to prohibit Priests from saying above one Mass a day except in the Christmass or Easter Holy-days or when a Curate is oblig'd to bury a Corps in his Church in which Case he who celebrates ought not to receive the Ablution but at the last Mass. The Constitutions of Cardinal Gallo drawn up in the Year 1208. GAllo Cardinal Deacon of St. Mary's who liv'd under the Pontificate of Innocent III. and was sent The Constitutions of Cardinal Gallo in the Year 1208. by that Pope as his Legate into France has left us several excellent Constitutions about the Behaviour of the Clergy drawn up in the Year 1208. In the First he condemns all the Priests and other Ecclesiasticks who kept in their Houses suspicious Women excepting those Clerks who were of the Minor Orders who might marry but not hold their Benefices with their Wives He orders That the Ecclesiasticks should be admonish'd not so much as to keep their Mothers or their Wives or any of their Nearest Relations in their Houses In the Second he prohibits under pain of Excommunication the demanding any thing for Baptism Burial Benediction and the rest of the Sacraments of the Church and yet he allows that Laicks should be admonish'd not to refuse out of a Motive of Avarice what the Faithful were us'd to give out of Devotion to testifie the respect they bore to the Sacraments The Third and Fourth prohibit the Clergy and Beneficed Persons from wearing red Habits or such as were made in the fashion of the Laicks Habits The Fifth prohibits Monks from wearing sumptuous Robes or of any other Colour than Black The Sixth prohibits the Clerks and Monks from being Usurers or Merchants under the Penalty of Excommunication The Seventh enjoyns the Superiours to put these Constitutions in Execution The Eighth and Ninth import That they shall admonish the Scholars to observe them and if they will not then they shall be declar'd Excommucate by the Chancellor who shall have no correspondence with them till they have made satisfaction and receiv'd Absolution from the Bishop or in the Bishop's Absence from the Abbot of St. Victor Lastly He enjoyns the School-masters to explain these Constitutions themselves These last Articles shew that these Orders were made at Paris The Council of Avignon in the Year 1209. IN the Year 1209 Hugh Raymond Bishop of Riez and Milo Legates of the Holy See held a Council The Council of Avignon 1209 at Avignon the 6th of September at which were present the Arch-Bishops of Vienna Arles Ambrun and Aix with Twenty Bishops several Abbots and several Curates There they made these following Constitutions By the First Bishops are enjoyn'd to Preach the Word of God and cause it to be Preach'd in their Diocesses The Second imports That the Bishops shall make use of Censures if occasion require to oblige the Earls Lords and other Persons to swear That they will extirpate the Hereticks and turn the Jews out of all manner of Offices The Third That Usurers shall be Excommunicated The Fourth That the Jews shall be hinder'd from exacting Usury from working on Sundays and from eating Flesh on days of Abstinence The Fifth Orders the paying of Tithes to the Ecclesiasticks and forbids the Alienation of them The Sixth Prohibits unjust Exactions and Taxes made by the Lords without the Authority of the Prince and Orders That the Territories of those Lords who exact them shall be interdicted The Seventh prohibits Laicks under Pain of Excommunication from exacting any Taxes from the Clergy and from seizing upon the Estates of Bishops or Ecclesiasticks after their Death The Eighth likewise Prohibits the Laicks from intermeddling with the Elections or from hindering the freedom of them The Ninth Prohibits the Building of Churches Fortify'd with Castles and enjoins the Fortifications of such as have them to be Demolish'd except such as are necessary for the Repulsing the Pagans The Tenth Confirms the Laws made for the preservation of Peace and condemns the Arragonese the Barbanzonese and Routiers who disturb it The Eleventh Enjoins the Ecclesiastical Judges speedily and with Resolution to Dispatch the Causes which shall brought before them The Twelfth is against the forwardness of some in taking off an Excommunication or Interdiction 'T is declared according to a Decretal of Pope Innocent III. That no Excommunication made for some Dammage done shall be taken off till such time as the Excommunicate Person shall Swear to make Reparation and if it be for having committed a default in Judgment till such time as he likewise Swear to appear before the Judge The Thirteenth Contains a new Law against Perjured Persons by which the Absolution of those who are guilty of that Crime is reserv'd to the Pope as well as the Absolution of Sacrilegious Persons and Incendaries The Fourteenth Renews the Law of the Lateran Council to oblige the Collators of Benefices to Present within Six Months The Fifteenth Prohibits Bishops Abbots and other Superiors from allowing the Monks to hold any thing by way of Property and the
of the first Benefice shall forthwith bestow it on whom he pleases and if he delays Presenting the space of three Months not only the Right of Presenting shall lapse to another as is order'd in the former Lateran Council but also that he shall bestow so much of his Revenues on the Church as he has gain'd by the Vacant Benefice The same thing is order'd with respect to Personats and therein 't is prohibited the having two Personats in one and the same Church tho' they have not the Cure of Souls However 't is declar'd That the Holy See may dispense with this Law with respect to Persons of Merit and Learning who ought to be Dignify'd with Considerable Benefices when there shall be sufficient Reason for it The Thirtieth orders That those who shall Collate Benefices on in-sufficient Persons shall be Suspended from their Right of Collating and that this Suspension shall not be taken off but by the Authority of the Pope or Patriarch The Thirty first imports That the Children of Canons and especially Bastards may not have Prebends in the Churches where their Fathers are Canons The Thirty second orders the Patrons of Parochial Churches to allow the Curates a sufficient Part of the Revenues for their Maintenance and enjoins the Curate to serve their Cures themselves and not by Vicars at least that a Parish-Church shall not be annex'd to a Prebend or a Dignity in which Case he who is the Incumbent being oblig'd to do Duty in the Great Church shall substitute in his Place for the Cure a constant Vicar to whom he shall allow a Competency It prohibits the laying a Pension on the Revenues of Curates The Thirty third orders That the Bishops or their Arch-Deacons shall not exact the Right of Procuration but when they shall Visit in their own Persons that they shall observe the Regulation made in the Lateran Council This Law likewise extended to the Legates and Nuncio's of the Holy See and they who Visit are recommended not to seek their own Profit but the Glory of Jesus Christ and to apply themselves to the Reformation of Manners and to Preaching The Thirty fourth prohibits the Exactions made under a pretence of paying the Duty of Procuration to Legates or any others The Thirty fifth prohibits the Appealing from a Judge to a Superior before he has pass'd Sentence unless there be a lawful Cause for such an Appeal which shall be represented to the Judge before it can be brought before the Superior which is enjoin'd without prejudice to those Constitutions which order That the greater Causes shall be referr'd to the Holy See The Thirty sixth imports That if the Judge revoke a Comminatory or Interlocutory Sentence which he has pass'd he may continue the drawing up of the Process when an Appeal has been made from this Sentence The Thirty seventh prohibits the granting of Commissions for the allowing Persons to appeal before Judges above two days Journey distant from the Place where the Person assign'd is and the obtaining such Commissions without special Orders from the Lord of the Place The Thirty eighth enjoyns the Judges to have a Publick Officer or two sufficient Persons who shall write down all the Form of the Processes which shall be communicated to the Parties concern'd keeping the Minutes by them The Thirty ninth orders That the Person who has been turn'd out of any Place shall be first put in it again before his Right to it be try'd The Fortieth imports That the Possession of a Year shall be computed from the Day of its being settled by a Decree tho' the Person in whose favour Sentence is pass'd cannot by reason of the malice of his Adversary be put into possession of the thing which is adjudg'd to him or may have been turn'd out of it It prohibits Ecclesiasticks from committing the Tryaâ— of Ecclesiastical Causes to Laicks The Forty first imports That the Prescription which is not Bona fide made shall be of no force and that 't is necessary that he who makes use of Prescription shall not remember any time when what he holds did not belong to him The Forty second prohibits Ecclesiasticks from enlarging their Jurisdiction to the prejudice of Secular Justice The Forty third prohibits Laicks from exacting Oaths of Fidelity from Ecclesiasticks who hold no Temporality of them to oblige them to it The Forty fourth declares That the Constitutions of Princes which are prejudicial to the Rights of the Church shall not be observ'd whether they be for the Alienation of Fiefs or for the Incroaching on the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction or for any other Goods The Forty fifth prohibits Patrons and Vouchers of Churches from undertaking more than is allow'd them and deprives them of the Right of Patronage who shall wound or kill the Clerks of the Churches under their Patronage The Forty sixth revives the Excommunication issu'd out by the Lateran Council against those who exact Tallies and other Taxes from Ecclesiasticks Notwithstanding it allows Bishops in cases of Necessity to engage Ecclesiasticks to give something provided they have advis'd with the Pope about it first It declares those Sentences Null that are made by Excommunicated Persons and it observes that those who have been Excommunicated whilst they were in an Office are not discharg'd from their Excommunication for their having quitted that Office The Forty seventh regulates the Form of Excommunication as follows The Excommunication ought to be preceded by Admonition made in the Presence of several Witnesses It ought to be founded on a publick and reasonable Cause If the Excommunicated Person finds himself aggriev'd he may complain of it to the Superior Judge who shall send him back to be absolv'd by the Judge who Excommunicated him if there be no danger in such a delay but if it is to be fear'd that this Delay may have dangerous Consequences he may himself give him Absolution When the Injustice of the Excommunication shall be prov'd he who has Excommunicated shall be condemn'd to repair the Damages of him who has been Excommunicated and be punished according as his Superior judges requisite But if he who complains of the Excommunication does not bring any sufficient reason he shall be condemn'd to Damages and punish'd as the Superior pleases if he be not excusable by some probable Error and he shall remain Excommunicated till he has made Satisfaction or given Security for doing it If a Judge finding himself in a mistake revoke his Sentence and he in whose favour it was made will appeal no notice shall be taken of such Appeal unless the Error be such as admits of no Question in which Case he shall absolve the Excommunicated Person upon Condition that he will submit to the Judgment of him to whom the Appeal has been made The Forty eighth imports That when any Person has a Judge whom he suspects and will refuse to be Try'd by him he shall allege the Reasons of his Suspicion before Umpires who shall be pitch'd upon and
sincerity of his Faith and of his good Life This Decree is related by Father Luke Dachery in the Seventh Tome of his Spicilegium by which it appears that there was likewise reserv'd to Raimond Count of Toulouse a certain Annual Summ upon his Revenues and his Wife the Sister of the King of Arragon had reserv'd to her the Lands which belong'd to her as her Dowry The Pope Confirm'd the Sentence of Suspension pass'd by his Legates against Stephen Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Charg'd with having held Intelligence with the Barons of England who would have Depos'd the King Those Lords were Excommunicated 'T is said likewise said that the Patriarch of the Maronitae Re-united those of his Nation to the Church of Rome in this Council that there they Debated the Question about the Primacy of Toledo That the Pope did then Institute the Order of the Cross and Approv'd of the Dominican and Franciscan Orders This Council which was so Numerous at first broke up in less than a Month. The Prelates weary with staying at Rome beg'd leave one after another to depart and the Pope if Matthew Paris may be believ'd granted them leave by obliging them before their Departure to take up great Summs from the Merchants of Rome to give him The War between those of Pisa and the Genoese and the Troubles of Italy immediately oblig'd the Pope to put an end to the Council and to quit his Care for the Affairs of the Church to put in order those of Italy Being set out from Rome on that Design he Dy'd at Perusa the 16th of July 1216. The Council of Melun in the Year 1216. POpe Innocent III. having Wrote to Peter of Corbeil Arch-Bishop of Sens and his Suffragans against King Philip Augustus whom he suspected of supporting his Son Lewis whom he had Excommunicated The Council of Melun 1216. because he carry'd on a War against John King of England tho' he was Cross'd for the Holy Land they met at Melun in the Year 1216. to return an Answer to the Pope and at the same time made several Orders relating to Church-Discipline They order That those who shall continue in a State of Excommunication above a Year and a Day without being Absolv'd shall be constrain'd thereto by the Secular Power which shall Seize upon their Persons and Effects They prohibit a Prior if he be not a Coventual from Borrowing more then Forty Sols without the leave of his Abbot They enjoin the Abbots and Priors to give an Account every Year in the Chapter of the Income and the Expences of the Monastery They prohibit them from Borrowing any Summ without the Consent of the Chapter and the Advice of the Bishop in case the Abbot be absent And Lastly they order the Abbots and Monks to be Habited according to their Quality The Council of Oxford in the Year 1222. STephen Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury of whom we have already made mention held a Council The Council of Oxford 1222. at Oxford in the Year 1222. wherein he made a great many Orders for Reforming the Church of England and especially the Monastical Discipline He therein Condemn'd an Impostor who call'd himself The Christ and shew'd marks in his Hands in his Feet and in his Side as the Scars of those Wounds made in his Suffering upon the Cross. We have the Canons of this Council divided into Forty nine Chapters The first declares all those Excommunicated who wrong the Church those that disturb the quiet of the State false Witnesses especially in the Case of Marriage and Dis-inheriting false Accusers those who unjustly or maliciously oppose the Patronage or the taking Possession of Benefices and those that obstruct the Execution of the Orders of the Prince against Excommunicated Persons The Second concerns the Duties of Bishops who are recommended to have honest and grave Almoners to be Charitable to give Audience to the Poor and to do them Justice to hear Confessions to see that their Diocesses be Visited to be resident at their Cathedrals on the Great Festivals and during Lent and tosee that the Profession of Faith which they made at their Consecration be read By the Third they are prohibited from exacting any thing for the Collation of Benefices and by the Fourth from delaying to give Institution and Induction to such as are presented to them for to supply the Benefices However in case there be two Persons presented by two Patrons it is order'd by the Fifth That neither of them shall be promoted by the Bishop till the Cause be determin'd The Sixth imports That the Priests shall celebrate Mass and administer the Sacraments with Devotion that they shall repeat the Words of the Canon entirely that they shall not take the Ablution if they are to celebrate again the same day They are likewise prohibited from celebrating the Mass often on one and the same day except on Christmas and Easter-day or when a Corps is to be interr'd in which case they shall say the First Mass of the Day and the Second for the Deceas'd The Seventh prohibits the Ecclesiasticks who are Benefic'd or in Orders from being Farmers Judges Bayliffs or Officers and from giving or passing Sentences of Death Prohibitions are therein likewise made from holding a Session to try a Criminal in Consecrated Places such as the Church and Church-yard The Eighth contains the Catalogue of Feasts that ought to be Solemniz'd which are all Sundays the Five Days of Christmas the Circumcision the Epiphany all the Festivals of the Blessed Virgin except that of the Conception to celebrate which no Man is oblig'd these are the very Words of the Council the Conversion of St. Paul the Chair of St. Peter all the Festivals of the Apostles the Feast of St. Gregory Holy Thursday the Second Third and Fourth Holydays in Easter-Week Ascension-day the Second Third and Fourth Holy-days in Whitson-Week the Feast of St. Augustin in May the Two Feasts of the Holy Cross the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr the Two Feasts of St. John the Feast of St. Margaret that of St. Mary Magdalene the Feast of St. Peter in bonds the Feasts of St. Lawrence St. Michael St. Edmund the Confessor St. Edmund the King and Martyr Sr. Catharine St. Clement and St. Nicholas the Feast of the Dedication of each Church and the Feast of the Holy Patron There are likewise reckon'd several other Feasts of a Second Rank which are to be celebrated with less Solemnity and several of a Third Rank on which they might go to work after Mass with a List of the Vigils and Fasts of the Year The Ninth enjoyns the Curates to Preach often and to take care to visit the Sick The Tenth imports That every Church shall have a Silver-Chalice with other necessary Utensils a White Surplice Altar-cloths Books and Ornaments proper and suitable and that the Arch-Deacons shall take care of it The Eleventh prohibits a Man who resigns a Benefice from retaining the Vicaridge thereof The
false Witnesses The Seventh orders That the Names of those who Confess themselves shall be Registred and that those who will not come at least once a Year to Confession shall be depriv'd during their Lives from entring into the Church and after their Death of Ecclesiastical Burial It is likewise enjoin'd That the Confessions ought to be made Publickly and not Privately The Eighth imports That every Lord's Day they shall Excommunicate publick Usurers Incestuous Persons such who keep Concubines Adulterers Ravishers and those who obstruct the Executing of Last Wills and Testaments The Ninth imports That there shall be given to Priests who serve the Churches a competent and suitable Allowance The Tenth That there shall not be less than three Monks or three Canons in Religious Houses The Eleventh That the Monks or Regular Canons shall not perform the Office of Advocates The Twelfth That the Clergy shall not be Tax'd The Thirteenth That they shall not impose any new Customs The Fourteenth That there shall be in every Parish Inquisitors after Hereticks The Fifteenth That the Lords Governors Judges c. shall be oblig'd to drive out Hereticks The Sixteenth That Hereticks shall be turn'd out of all Offices of Trust. The Seventeenth That they shall be declar'd Excommunicated who give any Countenance to Raimond the Son of the Count of Toulouse to the Count of Foix and to the Viscount of Beziers The Eighteenth That those who have Benefices with the Cure of Souls shall be Advanc'd to Priesthood The Nineteenth That those who beg Alms shall not Preach in Churches but shall only Read their Letters The Twentieth That the Feast of St. Matthias shall always be Celebrated in Leap-Year the second of the two Bissextile Days That the Ember-Week in September shall always be observ'd the first Wednesday of that Month and that every Year a Provincial Council shall be Celebrated on the Sunday call'd Laetare The Council of Toulouse in the Year 1229. RAimond Junior Count of Toulouse having made his Peace with King Saint Lewis and being return'd The Council of Toulouse 1229. to his Estates Romanus Cardinal of St. Angelo Legate of the Holy See follow'd him in order compleatly to destroy Heresie in that Country and Held there a Council in the Year 1229 which begun in July and ended in November at which were present Peter Amelli Arch-Bishop of Narbonne Gerard of Malemort Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux and Amaneus Arch-Bishop of Ausche and several Bishops of those Provinces The Counts of Toulouse and the other Barons and Lords of the Country except the Count of Foix were likewise there with the Seneshall of Carcassonne and the two Consuls of Toulouse who were to Swear to and Approve of the Peace The Legate proceeded therein against several Hereticks Reconcil'd several of them who Recanted and made Forty five Orders for the Rooting out of Heresy In the First He enjoins the Arch-Bishops and Bishops to settle in each Parish a Priest and two or three approv'd Laicks to make Inquisition after Hereticks and to engage them upon Oath to use their utmost Endeavours to find them out to Present them forthwith to the Bishop and to the Lords or their Bayliffs In the Second the same thing is enjoin'd to Abbots exempted with respect to the Places where they have Jurisdiction In the Third the Lords of the respective Places are recommended to search after Hereticks and to ruin the Places whither they resort In the Fourth there is added the Penalty of Losing their Estates against those who know that a Heretick lives in their Territories and will suffer it And with respect to those who shall neglect to make Inquisition after them 't is order'd in the next Canon That they shall likewise be punish'd for their neglect The Houses where Hereticks shall be found are not so much as spar'd and in the Sixth Canon 't is declar'd That they shall be destroy'd and that the Ground shall be Confiscated The Bayliffs are Condemn'd to the loss of their Offices and Estates who shall be careless and negligent in searching after Hereticks But to prevent the Abuse that might be made of these Constitutions in making those pass for Hereticks who were not so 't is order'd in the Eighth That no Person shall be Condemn'd as an Heretick who has not been judg'd to be one by the Bishop of the Place The Ninth gives leave to the Lords and their Officers to Apprehend Hereticks upon the Territories of other Lords The Tenth imports That the Hereticks who voluntarily Recant shall not remain in the Villages where they were if they are suspected of Heresy but shall be Transported into other Catholick Villages which are free from suspicion that they shall wear two Crosses on their Cloths and have Certificates from their Bishops of their being Reconcil'd That they shall not be admitted any more into Publick Offices nor do any Publick Acts till they shall have been qualify'd for it again by the Pope or his Legate In the Eleventh 'T is order'd with respect to those who are Converted by the fear of Death or for some other such Account that they shall be shut up in a Wall'd Place that so they may not corrupt others The Twelfth imports That all Men above Fourteen Years Old and all Women above Twelve shall make an Abjuration of all sorts of Heresy and a Profession of the Faith of the Roman Church and that they shall be engag'd to persecute Hereticks In the Thirteenth 't is order'd That all Persons who have the use of their Reason shall Confess themselves twice a Year to their own proper Priest and Receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at Christ-mass Easter and Whitsontide so that Confession shall go before the Communion unless the Priest think fit for some just Cause that they should abstain one time from receiving the Eucharist and that those who shall abstain from it upon other Accounts shall be suspected of Heresy The Fourteenth prohibts Laicks from having the Books of the Old or New-Testament unless it be a Psalter or a Breviary and the Rosary and does not permit them so much as to Translate them into the Vulgar Tongue This Restraint was doubtless founded on that frequent Abuse which was made of them in that Country In the Fifteenth They who are suspected of Heresy are prohibited the Practice of Physick and Hereticks are forbidden to come near the Sick after they have receiv'd the Viaticum The Sixteenth orders That the Last Wills and Testaments shall be receiv'd by the Curates The Seventeenth prohibits the Prelates and Barons from bestowing Offices which depended on them on Hereticks and from having for their Domesticks suspected Persons or of an ill Reputation The Eighteenth declares those to be of a bad Repute who are notoriously Infamous or against whom Persons of Worth give in Evidence The Nineteenth maintains the Churches and Religious Houses in their Privileges and orders the entire Payment of Tithes The Twentieth prohibits the laying any Tax on the Clergy The
Twenty first discharges them from all manner of Tributes and new Duties and extends this Favour to the Monks and Pilgrims provided they do not concern themselves in Merchandise The Twenty second obliges those who receive Taxes to take care of the High-ways and makes them Responsible for the Robberies committed between Sun and Sun The Twenty third forbids Laicks from laying any Tax on the Servants of Churches or of Church-Men if they do not hold any Estate of them The Twenty fourth orders That if any Person shall throw a Clergy-Man into Prison even tho' he has not the Tonsure the Bishop shall be acquainted of it That the Lay-Judge shall be oblig'd to remit him into the Hands of the Ecclesiastical Judges and that if he refuse to do it he shall be declar'd Excommunicated and forc'd to deliver him up by his Lord. The Twenty fifth orders all the Masters and Mistresses of every House every Sunday and Holy-Day to be at Church to hear the Preaching and Divine Service and not to go out till Mass be quite over That if they both cannot be there one of them shall and that if both miss without being Sick or having any Lawful Excuse they shall be oblig'd to pay Twelve French Deniers one Moiety whereof shall go to the Lord and the other to the Priest and the Church They are likewise recommended to go to Church on Saturday-Nights in Honour of the Virgin Mary The Twenty sixth contains the Catalogue of the Festivals which are as follow Christ-mass-Day the Feasts of St. Stephen of St. John the Evangelist of the Holy Innocents of St. Sylvester of the Circumcision of the Epiphany of the Purification of the Annunciation of the Assumption of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Easter-Day and the two next Days the three Rogation-Days Whitsunday and the two following Days the Nativity of St. John Baptist the Invention and Exaltation of the Holy Cross the Feasts of the Twelve Disciples of St. Mary Magdalen of St. Lawrence of St. Martin of St. Nicholas of the Dedication of St. Michael the Dedication of each Church the Feast of the Holy Patron and every Sunday In the Twenty seventh 't is order'd That during all those Festivals they shall abstain from all manner of Work according to Custom and according to the Order which shall be prescrib'd by the Bishop and that the Curates shall give notice of them every Sunday at Mass. The other Canons relate to the observing of Peace and contain Orders for Civil Affairs The Council of Chateau Gonthier in the Year 1231. IN the Year 1231. Francis Cassardi Arch-Bishop of Tours and the Prelates of the Province being met The Council of Chateau-Gonthier in 1231. in a Council at Chateau-Gonthier being desirous to Redress several Abuses which were in that Province made Thirty seven Canons The First enjoins That Prelates ought not to tolerate Clandestine Marriages and to proceed without delay and without excuse to the Divorcing of those who had Contracted them The Second prohibits the Arch-Priests and Rural Deans from taking Cognizance of Matrimonial Causes The Third orders the Institution of a Curate into a Church to be after this manner The Patron whether an Ecclesiastick or a Laick shall Present to the Arch-Deacon or the Rural Dean and afterwards to the Bishop or to him who has the Episcopal Power the Person whom he has Chosen within the time prescrib'd by Law He shall be oblig'd to Swear that he has neither given nor promis'd any thing for that Benefice and that he does not know that any one has given or promis'd any thing for him Lastly The Bishop or he who has the Episcopal Power shall give him the Cure of Souls and he shall be oblig'd to Swear That he will obey his Bishop maintain the Rights of his Church and recover the Estates which are Alienated The Fourth orders the Bishops to oblige all the Clergy who have Benefices with Cure of Souls to serve them in Person unless they judge that they ought to be dispens'd from it upon a just cause The Fifth imports That when a Church shall be farm'd out a sufficient part of the Revenue shall be reserv'd for the Maintenance of the Caplain The Sixth That the Number of the Canonships of each Chapter shall be fix'd that so the Prebends may not be divided but given whole to one and the same Person The Seventh That they shall no more give the Presentation of the Prebend which shall be first vacant in Cathedral Churches The Eighth That the Customs of Cathedral Churches shall be set down in Writing The Ninth That those who communicate with Excommunicated Persons if they do not abstain from so doing after notice given them shall be debar'd entring the Church The Tenth That the Ordinaries and Delegates shall be very sparing in Issuing out General Excommunications The Eleventh That the Priests and other Ecclesiasticks shall not be Tributary to Laicks and those who shall become such shall be Suspended ab Officio Beneficio The Twelfth prohibits Arch-Priests Arch-Deacons and others who are invested with Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction from having their Offices out of Town and enjoyns them to discharge their Functions themselves in Person The Thirteenth forbids the Prelates and others who have Jurisdiction from receiving the Right of Procuration in Money The Fourteenth prohibits the Prelates from demanding Money in Farming out of Churches The Fifteenth imports That the Patrons who give Presentations to uncapable Persons shall forfeit their Right of Presenting pro hâc vice The Sixteenth That those on whom Benefices are bestow'd with Cure of Souls shall understand the Vulgar Language of the Country The Seventeenth prohibits the selling of the Election of Guardianships The Eighteenth orders That no Priest shall be admitted to perform his Functions unless Licens'd by his Bishop or unless his Ordination be evident The Nineteenth forbids the Laicks to Vend their Actions to Ecclesiasticks in order to trick the Tribunal of the Secular Judge The Twentieth imports That Ecclesiasticks taken in any enormous Crime shall be put into the Bishop's Hands who shall degrade them if convicted of any Crime which deserves that Punishment and that afterwards if they do not amend the Church shall no longer protect them The Twenty first orders That Debauch'd Clerks shall be shaven that so their Clerical Tonsure may not be seen The Twenty second That such of the Croisade who are guilty of Enormous Crimes shall be declar'd to have forfeited their Privileges by the Ecclesiastical Judge and if they continue to commit such Crimes they shall be Punish'd by the Secular Judge The Twenty Third is against Tyrants or great Lords who caus'd the Estates of Ecclesiasticks to be riffled by Persons of ill fame The Twenty fourth orders the Monks to keep Silence and to see That those of the same Order be habited in the same manner agreeable to their Rule The Twenty fifth prohibits the putting young Monks who are not quite Fifteen years Old into any other Priories
it in their â—ouths without swallowing it to throw it into the Jakes Those Hereticks spread themselves in the â—ishoprick of Brâ—â—ne and in the Frontiers of Friâ—â—land and Saxony and getting to a Head Massacred the â—cclesiasticks and Monks Pillag'd the Churches and committed a World of Disorders Pope Gregory IX excited the Bishops and Lords of those Countries to make War against them in order to extirpate â—â—at Wicked Race The Arch-Bishop of Brâ—… the Duke of Brabant and the Count of Holland having rais'd Forces March'd in the Year 1234 to Engage them They made a vigorous Defence but were at last Defeated and cut to pieces Six thousand were Kill'd upon the spot the rest Perish'd after several ways and they were all Routed so that there were but a few left who were Converted and return'd to their Obedience the next Year In the Year 1248 during the heat of the Contests between the Emperor Frederick II. and Pope Inâ—â—cent The Schismaticks of Germany IV. there rose up several People in Germany who under Pretence of defending the Emperor's â—â—terest set upon Preaching That the Pope was an Heretick That all the Bishops were Heretical and Simoniacal That all the Priests being in Mortal Sin had no longer the Power of Binding and Unâ—â—ding nor of Consecrating the Eucharist That they were Seducers That neither the Pope nor the â—â—shops nor any Man alive had the Power of Interdicting Divine Service and that those who did it â—ere Hereticks and Deceivers That the Francâ—scans and Dominicans Perverted the Church by their 〈◊〉 Preachings and that the Life which they â—…d was Unlawful That none but them Preach'd the 〈◊〉 or liv'd according to the Gospel Afteâ— they had Preach'd those Maxims they declar'd to 〈◊〉 Auditors That they would give them Indulgences not such as the Pope or Bishops pretended 〈◊〉 Grant but an Indulgence which comes from God himself and by our Order These Preachers 〈◊〉 more harm than good to the Interest of Frederick and Conrade for they were the occasion that â—…y Catholicks abandon'd Conrade which was in part the cause of his Ruin The Sect of the Flagellantes or Whippers in its rise was only the effect of an Indiscreet and Immodeâ—… The Flagellantes or Whippers Zeal but had fatal Consequences It began at Perusa about the Year 1260. When a great many 〈◊〉 of all Ages March'd in Procession two and â—wo with naked Bodies Whipping themselves pubâ—…y till the Blood came to implore the Mercy of God These Processions were preceeded by Priests 〈◊〉 carry'd the Cross and consisted of Men of all sorts of Quality and Age. The Women and Maid exercis'd the â—ame Rigor upon themselves at Home At first these Instances of Pennance were attended with Reconcilations Restitutions and Works of Charity This Custom afterwards prevail'd not only in other Towns of Italy but likewise in Germany And as Men are always inclinable to set a Value on their Performances some of those Whippers Preach'd That one could not obtain Remission of one's Sins without thus Whipping one's self and to obtain it they should Confess their Sins to one another The Prelates and Princes fore-seeing the Abuses and Disorders which might ensue on this New â—nstitution oppos'd it and put a stop to this Superstition for some time But it reviv'd with more Fury and Disorder in the next Century especially in Hungary and Germany where there was an Impostor who gave out That an Angel had brought him a Letter from Heaven which Promis'd those who would Whip themselves for Thirty four Days together the Pardon of all their Sins They admitted none into their Society but such as had wherewithal to Live oblig'd them to Confess their Sins and Pardon their Enemies before their Admission and requir'd if they were Marry'd that they should obtain the consent of their Wives They at last carry'd themselves to such great Extravagancies That they rais'd Seditions Massacred the Jews Rifled the Estates of Laicks and committed a great many other Crimes King Philip de Valois hindred them from coming into his Kingdom by the advice of the Doctors of the Sorbonne of Paris who remonstrated to him That the Practice of this New Sect was contrary to the Law of God contrary to the Customs of the Church and prejudicial to the Salvation of Souls They likewise acquainted Pope Clement VI. of it who Condemn'd that Sect and Prohibited those kinds of Publick Whippings and the rather because several of those Whâ—ppers supported by Priests and incensed Monks Broach'd Opinions contrary to the Doctrine of the Church saying That the Blood which they shed in Whipping themselves was mix'd with the Blood of Jesus Christ and Advanc'd several other as Extravagant Errors This is what is observ'd by the Continuatoâ— of William de Nangis on the Year 1349 wherein that Sect renew'd its Extravagancies upon the account of a great Mortality which rag'd on the Earth Gerson has likewise Coâ—pos'd a Treatise against these Whippers of which we shall speak in its proper Place CHAP. X. Ecclesiastical Observations on the Thirteenth Century THere were in â—his Century two sorts of Errors against Religion and the Church had two soâ—… The Heresies and Errors rais'd in the Thirteenth Century Adversaries to struggle with The first were those Notorious Hereticks who subverted thâ—… damentals of the Christian Religion by openly oppugning the Authority the Sacraments the 〈◊〉 monies and the Discipline of the Church The others were the rash Divines who desirous 〈◊〉 stinguisâ— themselâ—es by maintaining nice and new Notions Advanc'd such Propositions as were 〈◊〉 moâ—s Rash Erroneous and contrary to the Tradition of the Church and the Faith of Jesus 〈◊〉 The Pope and the Prelates perceiving that the former contemn'd the Spiritual Power and thâ—… communication and the other Ecclesiastical Penalties were so far from reducing them that thâ—… dred them more â—nsolent and put them upon using Violence were of opinion That it was 〈◊〉 to make use of Force to see whether those who were not reclaim'd out of a sense of their Saâ—… The Inquisition is Establish'd might be so by the fear of Punishments and even of Temporal Death There had been already 〈◊〉 ral Instances of Hereticks Condemn'd to Fines to Banishments to Punishments and even to Dâ—… self but there had never yet been any War Proclaim'd against them nor any Croisado Preach'd 〈◊〉 the Extirpation of them Innocent III. was the first that Proclaim'd such a War against the Albâ—… and Wâ—â—lenses and against Raymond Count of Toulouse their Protector War might subdue the Hâ—… and reduce whoâ—e Bodies of People but it was not capable of altering the Sentiments of particulâ—… Persons or of hindring them from Teaching their Doctrines secretly Whereupon the Pope thougâ—… it advâ—sable to seâ— up a Tribunal of such Persons whose Business should be to make Inquiry after Hereticks and to draw up their Processes For this purpose he made choice of the Dominican and Francâ—… Friars who were newly Establish'd to whom
have to them that to this Effect he would Name two Administrators-General to make up the Account with them who should be named on the King's behalf and that the Money should be imployed for the Relief of the Holy Land according to the Appointment of the Pope The King consented to this Business and named Administrators on his part As to the Persons of the Templars the Pope Commission'd Peter Capella Cardinal Bishop of Praenoste that they should be put into his Custody and joined to the Ordinaries to prepare the Process against the Templars two Canons of each Church and two Grey Fryers The King represented to him that he meant not that what he had done in this Affair should be prejudicial to his Rights and the Pope consented thereto in one of his Letters The Pope whether it were that he had no entire Confidence in the Inquisitors of France or Inquisitions taken by three Cardinals at Chinon rather that he was willing to testifie he had done nothing in this Affair but with great Precaution deputed three Cardinals Berengarius Stephen and Landulphus to understand from the Prisoners themselves whether the Examinations taken by the Inquisitors were true The King made the Principal Prisoners to be removed to Chinon where they were again Examined by the Cardinals and they persisted in the Confession they made at Paris among others the Great Master of the Order Hugh Perrant and the Master of Cyprus these three last and divers others prayed Absolution and received it The Cardinals made Entries of all this on the 15th of August in the Year 1308. and gave the King to understand that they intreated him to shew the Templars some Favour on consideration they had Acknowledged what they had done but both the Pope and the King had a design wholly to break this Order Whereupon the former upon the Information of these Cardinals in the close of the Month of August in the Bulls against the Templars Year 1308. directed several Bulls to the Archbishops and Bishops of Christendom wherein after the Recital of what had been already discover'd of the Templars Exploits he orders them to make ready their Process and sends them likewise the very Articles on which they were to be Examined The King on his part held an Assembly at Tours where were present the Deputies of the Archbishops Bishops Lords and Commonalty of the Towns furnished with Letters of Attorney giving them Power to appear before the King and the Pope there to intreat of this Affair After the Meeting of this Assembly the King accompanied with one part of the Deputies went to meet the Pope at Poictiers and having conferr'd with him they Agreed upon the Articles following That the Templars should be kept in Custody by the King's Authority at the Request of the Pope and the Prelates That the Prelates might Judge the Templars in their respective Diocesses except some few whose Judgment was reserved to the Pope That in case of putting down the Order their Wealth should be imployed for the Relief of the Holy Land and that no other use might be made thereof That the Estates of the Templars should be put into the Hands of the Administrators nam'd by the Pope in the mean while the Pope order'd that all the Templars should be Arrested and put into the Hands of the Inquisitors and named by his Bull dated the 11th of August of the Third Year of his Papacy which must fall in the Year of our Lord 1307. if the Years of his Papacy be counted from the 5th of June 1305. but according to the Authors of that Age in the Year 1308. the Judges deputed to Proceed against the Order of the Templars Archbishop of Narbonne the Bishops of Bayeux Mande and Limoges with Four other Clergy-men of the second Order to make Process against the whole Order of the Templars in any of the Towns in the Province of Sens. These Commissioners met at Paris in the Month of November of the Year 1309. to hear the Depositions of the Witnesses and the Answers of the Accused James Molay Great Master of the Order being Conven'd before them they asked him if he would defend his Order He made Answer That his Order having been approved of and honour'd with divers Privileges by the Holy See had no need of a Defender that he An Inquest taken by the Commissioners of the Pope was surprized they would so suddenly abolish a considerable Order since the Sentence of Deposition against Frederick had been deferred for Two and thirty Years that he was not wise enough to Undertake this Defence but he would do what he could That he had been a Captive neither had he a Sous to defray the Charge he demanded that they would allow him Councel and some Assistance he desired that to know the truth of what concern'd his Order they would take not only his Deposition and those of his Order but likewise the Testimonies of all the Kings in the Earth of the Princes Barons Earls and also of the Prelates The Commissioners advised him to have a care what he adventur'd on after the Deposition he himself had given against his Order and told him that in a Plea of Heresie and of what concern'd the Faith they proceeded singly and without assistance of Councel or Advocate The Commissioners hereupon caused their Commission to be read to him and when they came to the Place where mention was made of the Points which 't was said he had confest he appear'd amazed made the sign of the Cross and said That if the Commissioners were of another quality he knew what he would say to them and as to their reply that they were not in condition to accept a Challenge he return'd that that was not his meaning but he prayed God to use his Slanderers in the same manner as the Turks and Saracens used Impostors whose Heads they cut off or cleaved them asunder The Commissioners told him That the Church Judged Hereticks and deliver'd up the Obstinate to the Secular Power He withdrew and having conferr'd with a certain Lord he asked time till Friday which was granted him and appearing on that day and being demanded if he would defend his Order he said he was Poor and wanted Skill but had understood in one of the Bulls read to him that the Pope had reserved the Judgment of him and some other Masters of the Order to himself so that he could do nothing at present but declare he was ready to appear before the Pope and entreated them to bring it about that his Holiness might admit him to his Presence The Commissioners shewed to him that they were not entrusted with the Judgment of particular Persons but that of the Order and that he had liberty to speak if he would offer any thing to hinder their insisting upon the making this Matter ready for a Hearing He said No but he demanded of them only to behave themselves with Justice and Fidelity as for
written for the Pope against Lewis of Bavaria and the Augustins at Rome have a Treatise of his in MS. against the Errors discovered in the time of Lewis Duke of Bavaria He also Composed some Spiritual Treatises as a Writing upon the Four Gifts Two Books of the Spiritual War An Explication upon the Gospels of Lent and an Abridgment of the Book of Aegidius Romanus about the Government of Princes We must distinguish him also from Bartholomew Albicius a Native of Pisa also a Grey-Friar who flourished about 1380. and Bartholomew Albicius wrote a Work of the Conformity of S. Frances with our Lord Jesus Christ printed at Milan in 1510. and Six Books of the Life and Praises of the Virgin Mary or the Conformity of the Virgin with Jesus Christ printed at Venice in 1596. Several Sermons upon Lent are also attributed unto him printed in several places This last died Decemb. 10. 1401. WILLIAM de BALDENSEL or BOLDESELE or de BOLDENSLEVE a German Knight wrote an William Baldensel History of his Voyage into the Holy Land at the intreaty of Cardinal Taleran who caused it to be made upon the Occasion of the Crusado which was made that Year This Work is in the Fifth Tome of the Antiquities of Canisius ARNOLDUS CESCOMES Archbishop of Tarragon wrote about the same time viz. in 1337. Arnoldus Cescomes Two Letters the one to Pope Benedict XII and the other to John Bishop of Porto to desire Assistance against the Sarazens of Spain which are published by Mr. Baluzius in the Second Tome of his Miscellanies DANIEL de TRIVISI a Grey-Friar after he had made several Voyages and stayed some time Daniel de Trivisi in the Kingdom of Armenia was sent by Leo King of that Country to Benedict XII in 1338. and Composed for the Justification of the Armenians a Treatise intituled The Answer of Daniel de Trivisi of the Order of Grey-Friars and Ambassador of Leo King of the Armenians in the time of Benedict XII which is in MS. in Mr. Colbert's Library Cod. 1653. HENRY de URIMARIA a Native of Thuringia of the Order of the Hermits of S. Augustine Henry de Urimaria flourished about 1340. He joined a most Devout Piety with a continual Study and Composed several Works of Science and Piety the Commentaries or Additions to the Books of the Sentences printed at Cologne in 1513. are of the first sort The Treatise upon the Four Instincts printed at Venice in 1498. under the Name of another Author is of the second sort as also his Sermons upon the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Saints printed at Haguenau in 1513. and at Paris with the former Treatise in 1514. There are several other Works of Piety of that Author which have not yet been published ROBERT COWTON an Englishman and a Grey-Friar flourished about the same time and Robert Cowton Composed a Commentary and an Abridgment upon the Four Books of the Sentences which are in some Libraries in England DURANDUS de CHAMPAGNE a Grey-Friar Confessor of the Queen of France and Navarre Durandus de Champagne flourished also about the same time and Composed a Summ of Confessions or a Directory for Confessors divided into Four Parts which is in the Library of Mr. Colbert Cod. 451. CLEMENT de FLORENCE of the Order of Servites a Divine of Paris which flourished about Clement de Florence the Year 1340. wrote upon the Psalms and Composed a Golden-Chain upon all the Epistles of S. Paul which are in MS. in the Library of the Great Duke of Tuscany and Concordances dedicated to Annebald Cardinal the Protector of his Order which are in the Library of the Servites at Florence He died in the 78th Year of his Age after he had gone through divers Offices in his Order LUPOLDUS de BAMBERG a Lawyer the Scholar of John Andreas de Bologne has Composed Lupoldus de Bamberg two Works full of Learning the one dedicated to Rodulphus Duke of Saxony concerning the Zeal and Fervour of the Ancient German Emperors towards the Religion of Jesus Christ and the Ministers of the Church in which he produces abundance of Examples of French Kings and German Emperors upon that Subject The other is a Treatise of the Rights of the Empire dedicated to Baldwin Archbishop of Treves printed at Strasburg in 1508. These two Treatises have been printed at Paris in 1540. at Cologne in 1564. at Basil in 1497 and 1566. and at Strasburg in 1603. and 1609. This Author flourished about the Year 1340. WALTER BURLEY an Englishman whom some assure us to have been a Grey-Friar and others Walter Burley a Secular Priest studied under Scotus at Oxford and at Paris but followed not his Doctrines He was the Master of Edw. III. King of England and died about 1340. His Commentary upon the Books of the Sentences was never printed but only several Commentaries upon the Books of Aristotle which have been printed alone in several places and a Book of the Lives of the Philosophers printed in 1472. but very full of Faults as Vossius has observed JOHN CANON an Englishman and a Grey-Friar after he had finished the first course of his John Canon Studies at Oxford came to Paris to hear the Lectures of Scotus where having received a Drs. Cap he returned to Oxford where he taught till he died which was in about 1340. He Composed a Comment upon the Mr. of the Sentences Some Lectures and Questions and a Treatise upon the Eight Books of Aristotle's Physicks printed at Venice in 1492. PETER de PALUDE or PALUDANUS the Son of Gerhard Varembonius a Lord in Bresse of the Peter de Palude Order of the Friars-Preachers a Licentiate in 1314. in the University of Paris flourished in that University and was nominated Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1330. He made a Voyage into the East in 1331. and being returned preached a Crusade He died at Paris Jan. ult 1341. He Composed a large Commentary upon the Four Books of the Sentences of which that Part which is upon the Third and Fourth Books was printed at Paris in 1514 and 1517. and since in 1530. Sermons for all the Year printed at Antwerp in 1571. at Venice in 1584. and at Colen in 1608. A Treatise of the Immediate Cause of the Ecclesiastical Power printed at Paris in 1506. in which he Treats of the Power of S. Peter the Apostles Disciples Popes Bishops and Curates His MS. Commentary upon the First and Second Book of the Sentences was faln into the hands of Damianus Zenarius a Printer at Venice who had a Design to publish it but never brought it to pass There are in the Covent of Jacobins in Paris some Comments of this Author upon all the Books of Scripture and in the Library of Mr. Colbert Cod. 566. A Treatise upon the Poverty of Jesus Christ and his Apostles against Michael de Caesena It is said also That there is a Treatise printed by
with the Catholick Church nor Profession be made of believing in the Roman Church as one believes in the Catholick Church Thus you see what he offers in the Treatise of the Primacy set forth by Salmasius But he destroys these Principles in his Letters which he wrote to the Greeks while he was in the West for he there maintain'd that every Church ought to be Subject to the Church of Rome and her Bishop who hath received his Ordination from JESUS CHRIST that his Decrees ought to be consider'd as the Divine Scriptures that we owe them a blind Obedience that it belongs to him to correct all other Bishops and to examine their Judgments and to confirm them or make them void that he has right to ordain other Patriarchs that St. Peter received this Primacy from JESUS CHRIST that his Successors have ever enjoyed it that the Schism of the Greeks took beginning but Four Hundred Years ago that since this time the Greek Church is fallen to decay and sensible she is reduced to the last Extremity that the Latines cannot be accused of Heresie for using Wafers nor for holding the Procession of the Holy Ghost seeing they follow in it the Opinion of the ancient Doctors of their Church and the Practice of their Ancestors and that the Greeks who obstinately assert that the Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Father are not only Schismaticks but also Hereticks seeing they deny a Truth grounded upon the Holy Scriptures and on the Tradition of the Fathers GREGORY ACINDYNUS followed not the example of Barlaam in his Union with the Latines Gregorius Acindynus a Greek Monk but remain'd concealed in Greece continually writing against the Palamites Gretser has set forth two Books of Acindynus concerning the Essence and Operation of God written against Palamas Gregoras and Philotheus printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1626. Allatius has published in his Graecia Orthodoxa i. e. Orthodox Greece a Poem in Iambick Verse made by Acindynus against Palamas and two Fragments against the same in one of which he makes mention of Five Volumes which he wrote against Barlaam to defend the Monastick Discipline of the Greeks The Works of GREGORY PALAMAS which are extant follow Two Prayers upon the Transfiguration Gregory Palamas Archbishop of Thessalonica of our Lord wherein he explains his Doctrine of the Light which appear'd on Mount Tabor that it was Uncreated and is not of the Essence of God set out in Greek and Latin by Father Combefisius in his Addition to the Bibliotheca Patrum A Prosopopoeia which contains two Declamations one of the Soul against the Body which she accuses of Intemperance and Disobedience and the other of the Body which defends it self against the Soul together with the Sentence given by a third Party set forth in Greek by Turnebus printed at Paris in the Year 1553. and in Latin in the last Bibliotheca Patrum Two Discourses of the Procession of the Holy Ghost against the Latines printed at London The Confutation of the Expositions of Johannes Veccus on the Procession of the Holy Ghost set forth in Greek and Latin together with the Answers of Cardinal Bessarion by Arcudius and printed at Rome in 1630. He made a great many Works for the Defence of his Opinions whereof divers are cited by Manuel Calecas and by other Greeks which wrote against him and among others A Treatise of Divine Participation A Catalogue of Absurdities which follow from the Opinion of Barlaam Dialogues Letters Discourses c. of which the Extracts are to be seen in Manuel Calecas There is in the Library of Ausburgh a Treatise in MS. of Palamas on the Transfiguration of our Lord more large than the Prayers beforementioned The other Authors who have written for or against Palamas shall be inserted in the Succession of Greek Authors of this Century which we proceed to recite according to the Order of the times NICEPHORUS the Son of Callistus Xanthopylus a Monk of Constantinople a studious and laborious Nicephorus Callistus a Greek Monk Man undertook under the Empire of Andronicus the elder to Compose a New Ecclesiastical History which he dedicated to that Prince it was divided into Twenty three Books began at the Birth of JESUS CHRIST and ended at the Death of the Emperor Leo the Philosopher that is to say at the Year 911. we have no more than the Eighteen first Books which end with the Emperor Phocas that is to say in the Year of our Lord 610. He collected his History out of Eusebius Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Evagrius and other good Authors but he has mixed it with a great many Fables and has faln into many Mistakes the style is not disagreeable and is Correct enough for his time The only Copy of this History which was in the Library of Matthias King of Hungary at Buda was taken by a Turk and Sold at an Auction in Constantinople where it was bought up by a Christian and after carried to the Library of the Emperor at Vienna where it is at this present Langius has translated it into Latin printed at Basil in 1553. at Antwerp in 1560. at Paris in 1562. and 1573. and at Francfort in 1588. and Fronto Ducaeus hath since published it in Greek and Latin printed at Paris in the Year 1630. Father Labbe has set out a Catalogue of the Emperors and Patriarâ—… of Constantinople collected by Nicephorus in his Preliminary Treatise of the Byzantine History printed at Paris in 16â—8 and there was printed at Basil in 1536. An Abridgment of the Scripture in Iambick Verse which aâ—… bears the Name of Nicephorus There is exâ—… under the Name of ANDRONICUS of Constantinople a long Dialogue between a Andronicus the Elder a Greek Emperor Jew and a Câ—…n wherein the Christian proves the principal Points of the Religion of JESUS CHRIST by Quotations out of the Old Testament This Work is published in Latin in the Translation of Liveneius by Stuart and printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1616. and in the Bibliothecis Patrum It is doubtful who is the Author but the time is certain for the Author counts 1255. Years from the Captivity of the Jews which reckoning since the taking of Jerusalem by Titus fall in the Year 1527. from JESUS CHRIST which makes it appear that Liveneius is deceived in ascribing this Work to Euthymius Zigabenus who died before that time The Politick Verses which he found in the Front of the Book seem to intimate that this Andronicus was of the Family of the Commeni but one may likewise understand them otherwise and perhaps not much strain his Faith The Greek Original is in the Library of the Duke of Bavaria where also are to be found other Dialogues which â—…ry the Name of Andronicus the Emperor viz. A Dialogue between the Emperor and a Cardinal concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost a Dispute of the Emperor 's with one Peter an Armenian Doctor a Treatise of the two Natures in JESUS CHRIST
and such as obtain them shall enter into Holy Orders The 13th That Priests shall celebrate their first Mass within three Months after their Ordination and afterwâ—…s as often as they can at least once a Year The 14th That â—…ates shall teach the form of Baptism three times a Year to their Parishioners The 15th prescribes a Form of Confession to be used at the Introites of the Mass. The 16th That the Clergy shall Fast and give Alms three Days before they hold Provincial Councils The 17th Renews the Punishment against Detainers of Ecclesiastical Revenues The 18th Excommunicates the Secular and Regular Clergy which keep back the Profits which belong to the Table of Bishops Monasteries or Chapters The 19th forbids to pronounce the Sentences of Interdict or Excommunication for mere Money-matters The 20th recalls the Permissions given Monks to publish and preach Indulgences The Council of Ravenna in 1317. The Council of Ravenna in 1317. LAstly This Archbishop who always applied himself to his Duty and Reformation of Discipline called a Council at Ravenna Octob. 27. 1317. in which he confirmed the two former and published new Rules in 22 Articles He orders in the First that Bishops should appoint Stewards to manage the Revenues of Vacant Churches The 2d orders That no Man shall enter into the Ministry of the Church who has not received his Mission from the Bishop The 3d. That those who have gotten Benefices shall enter into Holy Orders within a Year as their Benefices require The 4th renews the Rules concerning the Habits and Conversation of Clergymen and imposes Pecuniary Mulcts upon such as shall contradict them The 5th forbids receiving a Canon of a Cathedral or a Monk out of a Monastery without the Special License of the Ordinary The 6th That none shall be received into a Monastery upon the Credit of Lay-men The 7th That Notice shall be given to the Metropolitan of Ravenna what Benefices are faln to him The 8th That the Number of the Canons of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches shall be regulated if not already done and the Number reduced to a proportion of the Revenues The 9th is against Beneficed Persons that do not reside The 10th orders That there be daily Distributions in Cathedral Churches and One Table for the Canons The 11th concerns the Taxes and Impositions that Churches ought to bear The 12th appoints that the Glergy be present at Solemn Masses and that Private Masses shall not begin in the Churches till the solemn One is finished The 13th forbids Archbishops Provosts and inferiour Bishops the Knowledge Instruction or Judgment of what concerns the Persons of Clergymen The 14th forbids all Christians to lett out their Houses to the Jews The 15th lays down divers Cautions to prevent Usury The 16th ordains that the Restitutions of such Goods as the Owners are not known shall be made by the Bishops Order and they shall be obliged in their Wills to specifie the Cause of such Legacies The 17th forbids Clergymen or Monks to Hunt The 18th ordains That Clergymen taken carrying Arms committing any Crime shall be put into the hands of the Bishop without defaming Reflections on them The 19th That only One Punishment shall be inflicted for One Crime The 20th leaves it to the Liberty of the Bishops to dispense with the Age and Qualifications which such as are to be ordained ought to have by the Canons of the former Councils provided that the Persons whom they ordain be capable The 21st imposes a Punishment upon the Chapters who do not give notice of the Death of their Bishop to the Bishops of the Province The 22d gives the Ordinaries a Power to Absolve such as offend against the Rules of this Council but this Archbishop reserved for the future the Punishment of the Breakers of the Canons to himself and the Power to moderate or interpret the Laws of these Councils And by virtue of this Power he added two Articles to these 22 Rules In one of them he allows the Nuns to speak through a Lattice to Persons not Suspicious and in the second he sets down a Table of the Dues which Notaries and Secretaries ought to take The Council of Paris in 1314. The Council of Paris in 1314. PHILIP de MARIGNY Archbishop of Sens celebrated a Council of the Bishops of his Province at Paris on Tuesday before the Translation of S. Nicholas in 1314. and four days after in which he published three Rules The 1st appoints That the Curates should admonish such as unjustly detain the Goods of their Churches to restore them and if they do not do it to Excommunicate them The 2d That Ecclesiastical Judges shall no longer grant General Citations in these terms Summon all those whom the Bearer of these Presents shall appoint c. and if they do grant any they shall be of none effect The 3d. That no Person shall be Summoned for having kept Company with an Excommunicate Person unless the Person cited has been admonished first and unless the Person that requires the Citation will Swear that he knows that the Persons he would have cited have knowingly accompanied with Excommunicate Persons in the Cases which are not permitted by the Law The Council of Saumur in 1315. The Council of Saumur in 1315. THIS Council was held by JEFFREY de la HEYE Archbishop of Tours and made up of the Bishops and Abbots of his Province In it were published four Canons The First orders That all those Laymen which hereafter shall detain any Ecclesiastical Goods shall be Excommunicated and those who have held them for 40 Years past shall be thrice admonished to restore them and if they do not do it they shall be Excommunicated The 2d declares all those ipso fâ—ctâ— Excommunicated who hinder the Execution of Ecclesiastical Judgments and lays an Interdict upon the Lands of those Lords whose Bailiffs Stewards or other Judges make Attempts upon the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction The 3d. forbids Arch-Deacons and others entrusted with the Examination of such Clerks as are ordained or provided of Benefices to take any thing of them upon Pain of Suspension if they are Priests or Excommunication if they are not The 4th says That Land cannot be interdicted before any thing is ordained against the Person of the Lord or Bailiff and reserves to Bishops the Absolutions of Excommunications and the taking of the Interdicts imposed by this Council The Council of Nogarol in 1315. The Council of Nogarol in 1315. AMANAEUS d'ARMAGNAC Archbishop of Ausche held a Council of his Province in 1315. at Nogarol in which he published five Rules The 1st forbids under Pain of Excommunication Temporal Lords to invade the Goods of Vacant Churches The 2d declares the Children of such as have contributed to lay Taxes upon the Clergy incapable of receiving Holy Orders to the 4th Generation and deprives their Family of Christian Burial The 3d. forbids to deny the Sacrament of Penance to Persons Executed at their Death The 4th Excommunicates
Mass in a Day and exhorts them to celebrate it often at least Four times a Year allowing them in case they have no Curate to confess themselves to another Priest And lastly Orders other Clergymen to Communicate three times a Year The Council of Colen in the Year 1322. The Council of Colen in 1322. HENRY Archbishop of Colen having assembled a Council of the Prelates of his Province Octob. ult 1322. in his Archiepiscopal Palace confirmed the Canons of his Predecessor Engelbert in 1266. and ordered that they should be observed in all his Province The Council of Avignon in the Year 1326. The Council of Avignon in 1326. THIS Council was not made up of the Bishops of one Province only but the Archbishops of Arles GUABERT de VALLE Aix JAMES de CONCOS and Embrun BERTRAND d'EUX were at it with several of their Suffragans and Deputies of their Chapters It was held in the Monastery of S. Rufus June 18. 1326. They made 59 Canons concerning the Discipline of the Church It is ordained in the First That the Mass De Beatâ should be celebrated every Saturday and Indulgences be granted to all that are present at it In the three following Indulgences are also granted to those who accompany the Sacrament when it is carried to the Sick to such as pray devoutly for the Pope and such as bow the Head at the Name of Jesus The 5th orders That the Fonts for Baptism be kept under a Lock The 6th That the Sentences pronounced by a Bishop against any one of his Diocess shall be confirmed by the Metropolitan and that all the Bishops of the Province shall observe them The 7th is against those that contemn Ecclesiastical Censures The 8th Excommunicates those who force Clergymen to relate the Titles of the mixt Jurisdiction which they are in Possession of The 9th forbids Secular Judges to Summon Clergymen before their Tribunals The 10th forbids the Clergy to have recourse to the Secular Judges for Justice against other Clerks The Five following renew the Laws against such as invade the Goods of the Church or keep Clergymen Prisoners The 16th forbids to employ Excommunicate Persons in any Publick Office The 17th and 18th are against Poisoners and Sellers of Poison The 19th is against Persons Exempt who abuse their Privileges The 20th and 21st concern Wills The 22d contains Cases reserved to the Bishop The 23d forbids Clergymen to bring their civil Causes before Ecclesiastical Judges under the Pretences of Donation Cession c. The 24th forbids all Persons to enter upon the Goods of Vacant Churches unless they have a Right by some Privilege or Custom The 25th forbids under pain of Excommunication Clergymen that are in Favour in the Courts of Princes to give their Advice against the Liberties of the Church The 26th forbids Clergymen in Holy Orders or that have Benefices with charge of Souls to have any Civil Offices The 27th allows That such as desire to be Buried among the Preaching or Grey-Friars should be Buried among them the Right of being carried to their Parish-Church being preserved according to the Custom The 28th declares That no Collation of a Benefice shall be made upon condition of paying a new Rent or augmenting the old The 29th orders That the Monks who have the Revenues of Churches shall be obliged to present to the Bishop within Six Months perpetual Vicars to perform Divine Service The 30th says That Patrons who have only a right to present do not confer by full right The 31st That all Persons presented shall be instituted by the Bishop The 32d and 33d That the Goods and Persons of the Clergy shall be exempted from Taxes and Imposts The 34th That the Laiety shall not hinder the Clergy carrying Corn from their Lands The 35th That Lords shall not hinder their Curates from taking their Tythes The 36th That Laymen shall not take upon them to make Orders about Tythes Burials or Oblations in prejudice of the Customs and Liberties of the Church The 37th is against Associations and Fraternities made for ill Ends which the Council forbids under Pain of Excommunication declaring nevertheless that they did not include in this Prohibition Brotherhoods Established for the Honour of God the Virgin and Saints for the Relief of the Poor in which there are no Oaths taken nor Conspiracies entred into The 38th and 39th forbids Clergymen fortifying their Churches or bearing Arms. The 40th orders That Bishops their Officials or Great Vicars shall give Absolution in the Cases reserved to their Diocesans whenever they are required The 41st That Lords and Secular Judges at the request of the Clergy shall make use of their Authority and Temporal Punishments to oblige persons Excommunicate to receive Absolution The 42d and 43d inflicts Censures on such as hinder the Clergy from exercising their Jurisdiction The 44th Excommunicates those that Abuse the Bishops Officers The 45th declares That the Reformation of the Clergy belongs to the Church and that they shall not be condemned by Secular Judges The 46th allows the Bishops of these three Provinces to give their Blessing to the People in all places in which they meet them except in their Metropolis's and where the Diocesan Bishop is present The 47th orders that the Sentences given by one Bishop shall be published and observed by his Brethren The 48th Excommunicates those that go out of their Diocess to contract a Marriage out of their Parish The 49th Excommunicates those that abuse the Pope's Writs The 50th forbids to take the Tythes or other Parochial Dues without the Authority of the Bishop The 51st forbids Beneficed persons to alienate the Goods of their Churches without the consent of the Bishop unless it be in giving Lands altogether unfit for Leasing out to Farmers The 52d orders that if any Man leave his Benefice he shall leave so much of the Fruits in the House as is necessary to maintain his Successor till the next Harvest The 53d That all Beneficed persons shall exhibit an Authentick Inventory of all the Goods Moveable and Immoveable of their Benefices The 54th renews the Laws of the foregoing Councils about Wills The 55th revokes all Statutes and Ordinances contrary to the ancient reasonable and approved Customs The 56th orders that the Division of the Necessary Charges for the Legates and Nuncio's of the Holy See shall be laid Equally upon the Cities and Diocesses The 57th That the Jews shall have a Mark to distinguish them shall be forced to pay a Tribute to the Church for their Tythes Oblations of their Houses and the Goods they possess The 58th That Interdicts inflicted by these Canons shall be executed when the Ordinary his Official or Grand Vicar shall appoint The 59th That the Bishops may Absolve in the Cases reserved to the Holy See in this Synod and dispense with or moderate these Constitutions The Council of Avignon in the Year 1337. The Council of Avignon in 1337. THE Decrees of the Council which we have
just spoken of were renewed repeated and confirmed in another Council of the three Provinces held at the same place in 1337. with some other New ones which were added for this last Council contained 70 Articles The New ones are The 4th which orders for the Execution of the Canon Omnis utriusque Sexus that the Curates shall not permit any Person to receive or administer the Sacrament of the Eucharist out of their Parishes The 5th enjoins Beneficed Clergymen and such as are in Holy Orders to abstain from Flesh on Saturday unless there be need to do otherwise which is left to their Conscience or in case the Feast of Nativity happen on that Day and that upon Pain of being excluded a Month from the entrance of the Church And they ordain the same thing for Laymen The 8th That Ecclesiastical Censures shall not be extended beyond their bounds by exercising them upon Excommunicate Persons for new Inventions as to cast Stones against their Houses to carry a Biere thither to cause a Priest to come in his Sacerdotal Habit c. The 15th That such as have any of the Churches Goods shall be obliged to declare it The 18th and 19th are against those that hinder the Exercise of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and invade the Goods of the Church The 27th and 28th concern Bills of Debts The 38th forbids Clerks to hold Inns or to Merchandize The 41st and 42d enlarge the Canons concerning the Habits of Clerks The 48th 49th and 50th relate to the Distributions made to Canons The 51st orders That they who have any Church-Dignities or Benefices shall take Holy Orders within the time that such Benefices require The 59th forbids to make use of the Jews as Physicians The Councils of Marsac in the Years 1326. and 1330. The Councils of Marsac in the Years 1326. and 1330. WILLIAM FLAVACOURT Archbishop of Ausche held a Council of the Bishops of his Province in a place within his Diocess called Marsac Decemb. 8. 1326. in which he published 56 Constitutions The 1st orders That Bishops should put none into Benefices but such as they are assured to be of Good Life and Manners The 2d and 3d. That Strangers Clergymen shall not be entertained unless they have their Bishops Letters and they that suffer them to administer Sacraments shall be Excommunicated The 4th forbids Archdeacons the Cognizance of Matrimonial Causes The 5th renews the Constitutions of Pope Benedict X. and Cardinal Simon about the Power of Legates The 6th forbids Monks and others of the Clergy to molest the Ordinaries in the Exercise of their Jurisdictions The 7th 8th 9th 10th and 11th are Rules common in this Age about the Jurisdiction and Immunities of the Church The 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th and 17th concern Affairs brought to the Ecclesiastical Judges concerning the breach of Oaths The 18th renews the Constitutions about the Life and Modesty of Clergymen and orders that Priests at the Celebration of Mass shall have at least one Clerk in a Surplise to assist him The 19th orders That all the Clergy which are in Holy Orders or have Benefices and chiefly Curates and Monks shall be careful to recite the then Canonical Hours and be at Church at the usual Hours but in the time of an Interdict shall read Divine Service in their Churches if they have not been polluted but with a low Voice and the Doors shut without found of Bells except upon the Feasts of the Passover Pentecost and the Assumption of the Virgin on which they shall celebrate solemnly notwithstanding the Interdict And lastly That the Distributions shall be given only to those that are at the Service The 20th That a Clergyman shall not go out in the Night without a Candle The 21st 22d 23d 24th and 25th concern Burials They forbid Monks to perswade dying Persons to be Buried among them and order that none shall be Buried in their Churches without the Bishops leave that nothing indecent shall be done at Funerals that the Corps shall be carried to the Parish Church and that the Parts of a Body shall not be separated to be Buried in divers places The 26th orders the Parishioners to be present every Sunday and Holy-day at the Mass of their Parish The 27th That the Decretal of Boniface VIII Super Custodiam concerning the Peace between Prelates and Curates shall be observed The following Eight are about Payment of Tythes to Curates The 36th says That Persons presented to Bishops by Religious Patrons and instituted into Benefices shall not be deprived but by the Bishop and for a reasonable Cause The 37th That Monks although Exempt shall not erect new Oratories without the Permission of the Ordinary The 38th regulates the Payments of Visitation and Procuration Dues to Arch-Deacons The 39th commands Arch-Deacons to do their Duty in their Visitation The 40th asserts That if a Church although it be not consecrated or a Churchyard are polluted with the Effusion of Blood or Seed or by the Burial of any Excommunicate Person Heretick Infidel or Jew they shall be reconsecrated by the Bishop with Holy Water The 41st ordains that the Feasts of the Apostles and four Evangelists shall be Solemnly kept and the ancient Relicks shall not be exposed to Sale nor new ones suffered to be reverenced unless allowed of and that the * Questors were such as went up and down by the Popes or Bishops Connivance or Permission to sell Reliques and Preach up the Virtues of them Questors shall be hindered to carry them about and Preach up the Virtues of them The 42d orders also That the Feast of S. Martha shall be kept July 29. The 43d That Care be had of the Revenues and Ornaments of the Churches The 44th That the Sacrament and Holy Chrism shall be kept under Lock and Key The 45th grants Indulgences to such as shall visit Cathedral Churches upon the Day and Feast of the Patron and on the Octave of it if they be truly contrite and Penitent The 46th forbids any Civil Assemblies to be held in Churches The 47th Excommunicates those Lords that forbid their Tenants to Sell or Buy any thing of Ecclesiastical Persons to grind their Corn c. The 48th orders that such as keep Concubines Usurers and Adulterers be Excommunicated as also such Monks as put off their Habit. The 49th Excommunicates those who make or compose Ordinances against the Liberties of the Church The 50th commands that Gregory X's Decretal Pro eo shall be published The 51st is against those who keep a Bond for a Debt Paid The 52d Interdicts the places where the Goods or Persons of the Clergy taken away by force are concealed and kept The 53d is against those who impose Taxes on Clergymen Monks or Lepers shut up The 54th forbids Pawning any Goods of the Church The 55th forbids to interdict a place for a Debt purely pecuniary The Last orders the Bishops to cause the former Constitutions to be published every Year in their Synods and take
and that it was Authoriz'd in some Places by an Ancient Custom He answers That no Custom nor Prescription ought to be alledg'd against the Law of God the Holy Decrees of Councils the Commands of the Holy Fathers and against Decency and Good Manners He refutes also the excuse which some alledge who would defend this Usage We do not say they sell the Orders it is not for Orders that the Money is given but for the Letters the Seal and the Notary These says he are Fictions and not Truths for it often happens that those who refuse to take the Letters to shun this Simony have nevertheless been oblig'd to give the Mony to be Ordain'd what say I to be Ordain'd Their Names are not so much as set down in the Catalogue of those who are to receive Orders unless they pay what is demanded of them Whether this turn to the profit of the Bishop or his Secretary God is witness and the Secretary may be also But suppose that this turn to the profit of the Secretary is it just that the Bishop should pay to him anothers Mony and among so many Officers cannot he maintain a Secretary at his own Charges Besides that it is expresly forbidden in the Canons to take any thing not so much as for the Writing which excludes all kind of pretence In fine he affirms that this Abuse is the Fountain of all the Disorders that are in the Church for whence says he comes the Indevotion of the People the Contempt of Priests the Abolishing of the Rights and Liberties of the Church but because it is full of contemptible Persons and unworthy of their Ministration Whence comes it to pass that an infinite number of ignorant Persons are admitted to the Priesthood who understand no Latin and scarce can Read and who in Repeating or Singing the Prayers know not whether they Bless or Curse the Lord and so many others of bad Morals who live in all sorts of Debauchery The Bishops are the chief Cause of these Disorders because they admit to Orders indifferently all sorts of Persons without examining their Learning or their Manners and they are satisfy'd with punishing them in their Purse without endeavouring to reform their Faults And after all this can any one wonder that the Ecclesiastical State should be trampled upon despis'd hated afflicted oppress'd robb'd and Persecuted These are the words which Clemangis makes use of to exaggerate the Disorders of the Ecclesiasticks in his time which thanks be to Heaven to the Decrees of Holy Councils and chiefly to that of Trent and to the Pastoral Vigilance of our Bishops are now Corrected and Reform'd in our Age which abounds with Ecclesiasticks of singular Learning and extraordinary Piety The Collection of Clemangis's Letters contains 137. all Written with much Elegance and Chastity and full of Christian Moral and Politick Instructions of the Descriptions of Vices and Vertues of Draughts of History of Critical Questions of wholsom Advices and Complements The most considerable with reference to Ecclesiastical Matters are those which were written about the Schism and about the State of the Church viz. the first address'd to King Charles VI. wherein he exhorts him in a most Pathetical manner to labour for the Reformation of the Church and the Extirpation of Schism The second address'd to Pope Benedict XIII lately chosen written with a great deal of Art upon the same Subject The third wherein he makes an Apology for the former The thirteenth address'd to Benedict about the Inconveniences of the Substraction The fifteenth to John Gerson about the danger in which the Church was The seventeenth to King Charles VI. to dissuade him from the Substraction which is very long and eloquent The twenty ninth address'd to Peter of Ailly Bishop of Cambray about the Afflictions of the Church The fortieth address'd to Renald of Fountains to justifie That he was not the Author of the Letter which Benedict sent into France for Excommunicating the King and the Kingdom The forty second to the University of Paris upon the same Subject The forty third to Renald of Fountains to clear himself of some other things which he was accus'd of writing in Letters intercepted The forty fourth forty fifth and forty sixth about the Persecution which he suffer'd upon this occasion The fifty fifth against the Enemies of Pope Benedict The hundred second of the Qualifications which Deputies ought to have that are sent to a General Council And the hundred twelfth address'd to the Council of Constance wherein he praises the Fathers of that Council who were already Assembled for two Years and exhorts them not to part till they had procur'd the Peace of the Church and insinuates to them towards the end of the Letter That it would be more convenient to choose one of the Competitors than not to conclude the Peace of the Church signifying withal That he did not approve the Decree which some said they had made That they would not choose one of the Competitors Those which are written about the Civil Wars and the Mischiefs wherewith France was Afflicted at that time by the Divisions of Princes are equally strong and beautiful they are full of Christian Maxims and Politicks about the Peace and Reformation of the State See the Letters 59 63 67 68 69 89 90 97 98 101 103 107 and 132. to which may be added the 56 to Louis Duke of Aquitain Eldest Son to King Charles VI. wherein he exhorts him to Mildness and Clemency The 93d about the Instructions of this Prince address'd to John D Arcanval his Governor and the 136 to Henry King of England about Justice and the other Vertues of a Prince In many of his Letters he gives lively Descriptions of the Disorders and Corruption of Manners in the Ecclesiasticks and Secular Men of his Time See the 14 15 28 31 35 54 133. In others he treats of important Points of Morality as in the 9th of Patience under Afflictions in the 11th That the Health of the Soul is preferable to that of the Body in the 60th of shunning Vain-Glory in the 62d of the advantages of Afflictions and Persecutions In the 65 73 74. of Preaching of the Fervor and Constancy that should be us'd in this Ministration in the 75th of the Vigilance of Pastors and the things wherein they ought to employ themselves There he confirms the same Principles which are in his Books of the Corruption of the Church and the Study of Theology in the 82d he treats of the uncertainty and shortness of this Life and in the 92d of Alms and Christian Watchfulness There are some Letters which are not about serious Matters and so do not discover the Learning and Excellent Wit of Clemangis as the fourth and fifth in which he refutes what Petrarch had affirm'd That no where but in Italy there were any Popes and Orators of Worth the Twenty third wherein he enquires Whether one might make use in Latin Letters of the form of Salutation
He died at last in the City of Aquila in Abruzzo May the 20th 1444. he was Canoniz'd by Nicolas V. in 1450. The Works of this Saint are divided into Four Tomes the 1st contains Sixty one Sermons under the Title of the Quadragesimale of the Christian Religion The 2d another Quadragesimale Entituled The Eternal Gospel The 3d. two Advents one upon the Beatitudes and the other about Inspirations two Quadragesimale's one Entituled Of the Spiritual Combate and the other Seraphim and some particular Sermons A Treatise of Confession the Mirror of Sinners a Treatise of the Precepts of the Rule of Minors a Letter to the Regulars of his Order in Italy containing some Regulations Aspirations to God for all the days of the Week a Discourse by way of Dialogue between the World and Religion before the Pope a Treatise of Obedience by way of Dialogue Father La Haye does not think that the two Quadragesimale's which are in this Tome are truly St. Bernardin's because they are of another Stile and are written with less Exactness Elevation and Judgment The last Tome contains Sermons upon other Sundays of the Year and the Festivals of our Lord and the Saints with a Commentary upon the Revelations The Treatise of the Conception of the Virgin mention'd by Trithemius and other Authors is not St. Bernardin's The Sermons of this Saint are not of a sublime Stile but they contain a solid Morality and well drawn out into Particulars and the Author does not fall into such false and Childish Thoughts as other Predicants have done These Works have been Printed at Venice in 1591. by the Care of Rodulphus Bishop of Sinigaglia and at Paris in 1636. by the Care of Peter de lay Haye in 2 Volumes in Folio Augustine of Rome of the Order of the Hermites of St. Augustine was chosen their General Augustine of Rome Archbishop of Nazareth in the Year 1419. made Bishop of Cesena in 1431. and afterwards Archbishop of Nazareth in the Kingdom of Naples and died in 1443 or 1445. He wrote many Books a Treatise upon the four Books of the Sentences Commentaries upon the Epistles of St Paul and the Revelations a Book of Original Sin a Book of Free-Will a Treatise of the Power of the Pope a Treatise of the Divinity of Jesus Christ and of his Church a Treatise of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church a Treatise of his Charity towards the Elect and of his Infinite Love 'T is not known where these Works are Bellarmine says That the three last are in the Index of Prohibited Books which makes it credible that they have been printed Possevin affirms That he saw in the Library of the Augustines at Padua a Manuscript containing this Author's Commentaries upon St. Paul's Epistles the Canonical Epistles and the Revelations William Lyndwood a famous English Canonist in the University of Oxford flourish'd under William Lynwood Bishop of St. Davids the Reign of Henry V. King of England and was sent by this Prince Ambassador into Spain and Portugal in 1422. After the Death of this Prince who died in France in the Castle of Vincennes he forsook the Court and retir'd into England where he was made Bishop of St. David's in 1434. and died in the Year 1446 He wrote a Collection of the Constitutions of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Stephen Langton to Henry Chichely divided into five Books printed at Paris in 1505. at London in 1557. and at Oxford in 1579. and Dr. James in his Tract of the Corruption of the Fathers p. 201. adds that Lynwood being sent Ambassador from Henry VI. to the Council of Basil presented an Appeal in the King's Name to the Fathers of that Council against the Pride and Arrogance of the Popes and asserted that the Kings of England own no Superior oâ— Earth in Temporals which Appeal says he is hitherto fradulently leâ—â— out by all the Editors of the Councils 1663* Alexander Carpenter so call'd because he was the Son of an English-man of that Trade Alexander Carpenter an English man flourish'd about the Year 1430. and wrote a Treatise Entitled Destructorium Vitiorum printed at Nuremburg in 1496. and at Venice in the Year 1582. under the Name of Alexander the English-man About the same time flourish'd Raymund of Sabunde or Sebeyde a Spaniard Professor at Tholouse Raymunde of Sabunde Professor at Tholouse who is the Author of a Treatise Entitled The Natural Theology of Men and Creatures or a Treasure of Divin Considerations printed at Daventer without Date at Strasburg in 1496. at Paris in 1509. at Lyons in 1540. at Venice in 1581. at Frankfurt in 1631. He put the same Work in the form of a Dialogue Entitled The Violet of the Soul which differs not from the former but only as it the Form printed at Colen in 1501. and at Lyons in 1568. This Work of Natural Theology was translated out of Spanish into French by Montague who shews a greater value of it than it deserves It is a Work that contains many wild and metaphysical Discourses and Reflections upon Religion and Christian Morality Peter of Jeremy of Palermo entred into the Order of Friars Predicant at Bologne and returning Peter of Jeremy a Dominican into Sicily he founded there and reform'd many Monasteries of his own Order after which he return'd anâ— died at Bologne in 1452. He was famous for Preaching and has left us Sermons for the whole Year and upon the Festivals of the Saints an Explication of the Lord's Prayer an Explication of the Decalogue a Treatise of the Passion of Our Lord and a Treatise of Faith These Works were printed at Hagenau in 1514. John of Ragusio of the Order of Friars Predicant was present at the Council of Basil and made there a long Discourse about Communion under both kinds against John of Rocksana John of Ragusio a Dominican After this he went over to the Party of Pope Engenius who made him Bishop and sent him to Constantinople in the Quality of Legat to the Emperor John Palaeologus His Discourse is at the end of the Acts of the Council of Basil. Henry Kalteisen a Native of Coblentz of the Order of Friars Predicant a Doctor of Colen Henry Kalteisen Archbishop of Nidrosia and of Caesarea was appointed by the Pope to Preach the Croisade against the Bohemians He was present at the Council of Basil where in a Discourse that lasted three Hours he refuted Ulrick a Priest of the Sect of the Orphelines concerning Preaching of the Word of God His Design is chiefly to shew That mere Priests ought not to thrust themselves upon the Office of Preaching without a Mission He was honour'd with the Dignity of being Master to the Sacred Palace in 1440. and waâ— made Inquisitor General in Germany In the Year 1452. he was Consecrated by Nicholas V. Archbishop of Nidrosia or Drant in Norway and of Caesarea and he died October the 3d in 1465. The
another against the Alcoran A Book of Love and Friendship dedicated to the Queen of Castile and many other Works There are also attributed to him many Sermons Laurence Justinian a Noble Venetian Canon-Regular of St. George in Alga was made Bishop Laurence Justinian Patriarch of Aquileia of Venice in the Year 1435. by Eugenius IV. and advanc'd to the Dignity of a Patriarch by Nicholas V. He died in 1455. aged 74 Years and was Canoniz'd by Clement VII in 1524. He wrote many Books of Piety full of Unction whereof here follows the Catalogue The Tree of Life of Discipline and Spiritual Perfection of the Chaste Marriage of the Word and the Soul the Packet of Love of the Triumphant Combate of Jesus Christ of the Interiour Conflict the Complaints of Christian Perfection many Sermons upon the Festivals of Jesus Christ of the Virgin the Saints and the Eucharist A Treatise of a Solitary Life another of the Contempt of the World These Works were written before he was Bishop He wrote afterwards those which follow a Book of the Spiritual Death of the Soul two Books of his Spiritual Resurrection by the Operation of the Grace of Jesus Christ Mediator between God and Man Treatises of God and the Instruction of Prelats of Obedience of Humility of the Degrees of Perfection of inflaming the Divine Love and some Letters All these Works were printed at Basil in 1560. at Lyons in 1568. and at Venice in 1606. The Life of Laurence Justinian was written by his Nephew Bernard Justinian who was also the Author of a History Bernard Justinian Albert of Sarciano Vicar-General of the Friars Minors of some Sermons and many Letters whereof the Style is pure and elegant Albert of Sarciano a City of Tuscany a Man well vers'd in the Greek and Latin Tongues and in sacred and profane Learning Interpreter to the Council of Florence and Vicar-General of the Order of Friars Minors compos'd some Pieces which are well enough written but have not yet seen the Light whereof Vaddingus gives the following Catalogue in the Library of the Authors of his own Order A Treatise of Penance written in 1433. A Discourse upon the Eucharist spoken in 1422. A Discourse upon the Conditions of Friendship and the Malice of Envy Another Discourse to shew that the meanness of Extraction is no hindrance to Vertue Another about the Reprimands which should be given to insolent Persons made in the Year 1446. A Treatise address'd to Eugenius IV. against those who blame the Martyrs A Discourse spoken in the General Chapter of his Order held at Padua in 1443. Many Letters to Pope Eugenius and to Christophilus Bishop of Rimini Vaddingus has inserted some Fragments of these Works in the Fourth Tome of his Annals which discover the Excellency of his Wit and the Politeness of this Author who died at Milan in 1450. John of Anagnia a Civilian of Bononia Professor and Arch-deacon in that City flourish'd about the Year 1440. and died in 1455. He wrote Commentaries upon the Books of the Decretals John of Anagnia a Civilian printed at Milan in 1492. and 1497. at Lyons in 1596. not to mention his other Works of the Civil Law Francis de la Place a Civilian of Bononia wrote about the Year 1440. a Summary of the Mysteries of the Faith of Jesus Christ wherein he treats of Restitutions of Usury of Marriage Francis de la Place a Civilian of Ecclesiastical Censures of Excommunication c. printed at Padua in 1473. About the same time flourish'd John Felton an English-man Vicar of the Church of St. Magdalen in the Suburbs of Oxford who compil'd some Sermons for all the Sundays in the Year which are to be found in Manuscript in the Libraries of England Anthony de Rossellis of Arezzo Doctor in Law who was sent to the Council of Basil by Eugenius IV. and was afterwards Secretary to the Emperor Frederick III. is the Author of a considerable Antonius de Rossellis Doctor of Law Work entitled Of the Monarchy wherein he treats of the Power of the Emperor and the Pope viz. Whether the Pope has the Power of the two Swords and of the Authority of a Council according to the method of the Canonists 'T is a compleat Treatise wherein he decides an infinite number of Questions about the Ecclesiastical and Secular Power It was printed at Venice in 1483. and 1587. and is to be found in the First Tome of the Monarchy of Goldastus There are some other Treatises of Civil and Canon-Law written by the same Author in the Grand Collection of Treatises about Law St. Catherine of Bologne a Nun of the Order of St. Clare and Governess of the Monastery St. Catherine of Bologne of the Order founded at Bologne in honour of the Body of Jesus Christ wrote about the Year 1440. some Revelations that were made to her which have been printed at Bologne in 1511. and 1536. and at Venice in 1583. 'T is said that she wrote also a Rosary of the Mysteries of the Passion of our Lord and the Life of the Virgin and a Book of the seven necessary Weapons for a Spiritual Combate which have not been printed She died the 9th of March 1463. Leonard of Udine of the Order of Friars Predicant Professor at Bologne and Preacher to Eugenius IV. has left us many Sermons preach'd in divers places and printed many times in Leonardus de Utino a Dominican different places and in many Volumes a Treatise of the Common Places of Preachers printed at Ulme in 1478. and a Treatise of Laws at Venice in 1473. St. John Capistran a Disciple of St. Bernardin of Siena and of the same Order employ'd himself St. John Capistran as did his Master in Preaching under the Pontificate of Martin V. Eugenius IV. Nicholas V. and Callistus III. He was made General of the Croisade against the Fratriceâ—â—i and the Hussites burnt a great many Villages whither the former had retir'd defeated the Bohemians and with 100000 fighting Men succour'd Belgrade when it was besieged with the Turks He died the 3d of October 1456. aged 71 Years he was Beatified by Gregory XV. and Canoniz'd a little while after There are of his the following Treatises A Treatise of the Authority of the Pope and of a Council against the Council of Basil printed in the Collection of the Treatises of Law at Venice A Mirror of the Clergy or a Discourse to the Clergy spoken in a Diocesan Synod at Trent printed at Venice in 1580. together with an Instruction for Priests and an Apology for the third Order of St. Francis The Mirror of Conscience a Penitential A Treatise of Excommunication and a Treatise of Marriage in the Collection of Treatises of Law Some Treatises of the Civil Law and a Treatise of Usury and Contracts printed at Venice in 1583. and 1587. A Treatise of the Universal Judgment of Antichrist and the Spiritual War printed at Venice in 1578. This is
the French from Pepin to the 29th year of Maximilian Caesar and the 1514th of Christ Whart App. ad Hist. Lit. p. 169. A Chronicle of the Dukes of Bavaria and the Counts Palatine Printed at Frankfort in 1544 and 1549. The Chronicle of the Monastery of Richenaw from the year 830. to the year 1370. there are two Editions of it the one is an Abridgment printed at Mayence in 1559. and the other is very much larger printed a little while ago in Germany The Chronicle of the Monastery of St. Martin in Spanheim from the year 1044. to the year 1511. These Historical Works were printed together with two Books of Letters at Frankfort in 1601. To these we must add the Chronology of the Monastery of St. James of Wirtzburg 4 Books of the Illustrious Men of the Order of St. Benedict printed at Collen in 1575. the Lives of St. Maximin Archbishop of Treves and of St. Maximus Archbishop of Mayence in Surius at the 16th and 18th of November and the History of the War in Bavaria in 1504. in the Collection of the Historians of Germany by Freherus The Works of Morality and Piety are his Sermons or Institutions to the Monks printed at Strasburg in 1486 at Antwerp in 1574 and at Florence in 1577. A Commentary upon the Rule of St. Benedict printed at Valenciennes in 1608. an Abridgment of the Spiritual Life 2 Books of the Temptations of Regulars a Treatise against the Vice of Property in Monks a Treatise in the praise of those who write Manuals a Treatise of a Sacerdotal Life a Discourse of the Vanity and Misery of Human Life a Complaint of the sad Condition and Ruin of the Order of St. Benedict which he attributes to the negligence of that Order in maintaining Holiness and studying the Holy Scripture These Works were printed at Florence in 1577. The Discourses spoken at the Chapters of his Order a Treatise of the manner of Celebrating the provincial Chapter of Mayence a Treatise of the Visitation of Monks 5 Books of the Miracles done by the Invocation of the Virgin at Dittelbach and Wirtzburg were printed at Mayence in 1504. A Treatise in the praise of the Carmelites was printed at Florence in 1593. and at Lyons in 1639. An Encomium of St. Anne an Office for the Festivals of St. Anne and St. Joachim were printed at Mayence in 1605. and at Collen in 1624. a Treatise of Providence printed at Altorf in 1611. His Works of Philosophy are a mystical Chronology of the Intelligences which move the Heavens printed at Collen in 1576. 4 Books Entituled Antipalus Maleficiorum a Solution of 8 Questions propos'd by the Emperor Maximilian Entituled Royal Curiosity were printed at Oppenheim in 1515. at Frankfort in 1550. at Mayence in 1605. at Douay in 1621. The Polygraphy in Six Books wherein he explains the different ways of expressing our Thoughts in Writing printed in 1318. and at Collen in 1571. The Steganography or the Art of writing in Cyphers printed at Frankfort in 1606. a Work which gave occasion to suspect him of Magick a Treatise of Chymistry printed in 1611. and at Strasburg in 1613. He wrote also many other Pieces which were never printed Jerom Savonarola Descended of a Family in Padua was Born at Ferrara the 21st of October 1452. He entred into the Order of St. Dominick in 1474. and made himself Famous by his Jerom Savonarola a Dominican frequent and fervent Sermons and by the Austerity of his Life and his Preaching he acquir'd so great Reputation in the City of Florence that he Govern'd it for the space of 4 years as if he had been its Sovereign until his Enemies took him by force out of his Monastery in 1498. clapt him up in Prison and Condemn'd him to be Burnt which Punishment he suffer'd May 23. of the same year with all possible Constancy and with Exemplary Piety He wrote a prodigious number of Moral Spiritual and Ascetick Books whereof here follows a Catalogue The Triumph of the Cross or of the Truth of Religion divided into 4 Books 5 Books of the Simplicity of a Christian Life 3 Books against Judicial Astrology Explications of the Lord's Prayer and the Angelical Salutation Treatises of Humility of the Love of Jesus Christ and of the Life of Widows a Lamentation of the Spouse of Jesus Christ against false Apostles or an Exhortation to the Faithful to pray unto God for the Renovation of the Church and a Prediction upon this Subject 7 Dialogues between the Soul and the Spirit and 3 between Reason and Sense 2 Books of Prayer Rules about Prayer and a Christian Life an Explication of the Decalogue a Treatise of the Sacrifice of the Mass and its Mysteries a Letter of frequent Communion the Benefits granted to Christians by the Mystery and by the Sign of the Cross a Discourse of the manner of Living well and tending towards God a Letter to his Father upon his taking the Habit in the Order of St. Dominick of the perfection of the State of Regulars Rules for living with discretion and according to Order in Religious Houses many Letters to the Friars of his Congregation of Spiritual reading to Sisters of the third Order of St. Dominick a Discourse which he made at Receiving the Holy Sacrament after his Condemnation a Treatise of the Degrees whereby we ascend to the perfection of a Spiritual Life 7 Rules which ought to be observ'd by all Regulars a Prayer or Meditation upon the Psalm Diligam te Domine a Treatise of the Mystery of the Cross Meditations upon the Psalms 30 50 79 and many others the Manual and Instruction for Confessors 30 Sermons for the Sundays of the Year and upon the Festivals of Saints a Quadragesimale Compos'd of 48 Sermons Homilies upon the Books of Exodus Ruth Esther and Job upon the Psalms and Canticles upon the Prophets Ezekiel Micah Haggai Amos and Zachary upon the Lamentations of Jeremy and the first Epistle of St. John and many Sermons upon different Subjects a Course of Sermons for Advent and another for Lent some Apologetical Letters and one in particular to shew the Nullity and Injustice of the Excommunication pass'd against him by Alexander VI. of which he Discourses boldly 3 Apologetical Letters to this Pope an Apologetical Discourse upon this Text in Psalm 7th O Lord my God I have hop'd in thee an Apology for the Friars of the Congregation of St. Mark of his own Order which was Founded at Florence 9 Dialogues of the Prophetical Truth an Abridgment of Revelations and many other Spiritual and Ascetick Letters All these Works being for the most part written in Italian were printed at Florence and in other places He wrote also Commentaries upon many Books of Scripture a Treatise of the Government of the Republick of Florence Treatises of Moral Divinity about Usury Simony the Defence of our Neighbour and Theft and when he was in Prison he wrote a Commentary upon the 7 Penitential Psalms The Works of this
and some Discourses Conrade of Rodemberg Abbot of the Monastery of St. John of Richenaw of the Order of St. Benedict wrote in honour of the Virgin a thick Volume Entituled The Vine of the Lord of Hosts because in praising her he made use of the Similitude of a Cluâ—â—er of Grapes He wrote also the Exercise of Novices a Preparation to the Mass a Discourse about the Ruin of his Order another about the Causes of the Ruin and a 3d. about Pastoral Care and many Conferences held in the Chapter of his Order This Author died in the year 1486. on the 25th of December Stephen of Caiete a Neapolitan Dedicated to John of Bentevole Councellor to Ferdinand King of Sicily a Treatise of the Sacraments divided into 7 Books George Molitoris of Nuremberg Professor of Divinity at Erford wrote upon the Sentences and some Sermons and Questions Nicholas of Wachenheim Professor in the University of Heidelberg wrote some Questions upon the Sentences some Sermons and Conferences Michael of Milan of the Order of Friars Minors was the Author of many Sermons upon several Subjects John Cousin a Portuguese of the Order of the Carmelites refuted the Heresies of his time by word of mouth and by Writing and wrote a great Volume about Contracts and Exchanges Entituled Of Commutative Justice divided into 4 Books and also many Sermons Henry Prudent a Prior of the Carthusian Monastery at Bruges died in the year 1484. He was the Author of a Tetralogue of Devotion divided into 3 Parts wherein he brings in as Speakers an Angel and a Monk Jesus the Heavenly Father and the Virgin Francis Diede a Venetian the Author of the Life of St. Roch some Discourses and Letters Tilman a Canon Regular of St. Austin in the Monastery of St. Christophlus of Ravengsburg in the Diocese of Mayence wrote some pieces of Devotion as of the Spiritual Vine of the Instruction of Novices and some other little Exercises Nicolas of Creutznach profess'd Divinity at Vienna in Austria towards the end of this Century has left us 4 Books of Questions upon the Sentences a Collection of Conferences and Discourses many Sermons and a Treatise of the Conception of the Virgin He died in the year 1491. Nicasius of Voerde of Malines tho' he became Blind at 3 years of Age yet this did not hinder him from acquiring great Knowledge in the Liberal Arts for he was Professor of Law at Collen was admitted Licentiate in Divinity at Louvain was Ordain'd Priest by a Dispensation from the Holy-See He was a Preacher Confessor and could say Mass by heart he was admitted Doctor of Law at Collen and has left a Commentary upon the 4 Books of Sentences many Sermons divers Questions and Letters address'd to Thithemius who is a Credible Witness of the Truth of a Fact so extraordinary as this He died in 1492. Benedict Capra a Lawyer of Prussia wrote upon the Decretals and also John Andrew Bishop of Aleria in the Isle of Corfu The greater part of the preceding Writers Flourish'd after the year 1470. and died about the year 1490. those which follow liv'd to the year 1494. wherein Trithemius finish'd his Treatise of Ecclesiastical Writers Dominic Bolan a Venetian the Author of a Treatise about the Conception of the Virgin James of Straelen a Divine of Collen wroâ—e upon the Revelations John Pheffer of Widemburg the Founder of the College of Friburg wrote a Commentary upon the Epistles of St. Paul and a Sacerdotal Directory Baptista de Ferrera of the Order of Carmelites wrote a History from the beginning of the World Entituled Florida a Treatise of the Decay of the Roman Empire a Chronicle of Ferrara a Chronicle of his own Order a Treatise of Mount-Sinai 3 Books of the Life of St. Mathilda and several Sermons Peter Brutus Bishop of Cataro a great Enemy to the Jews has left us a considerable Work agaist them William of Aix la Chapelle a Preacher at Basil and Reader at Erford wrote upon the Gospel of St. John upon the Passion of our Lord an Itinerary of the Holy-Land some Questions and some Sermons Laurence Burel of Dijon of the Order of Carmelites wrote an Heliad and a Treatise of the Illustrious Men of his own Order Hubert Leonard of the same Order a Doctor of Paris an Inquisitor of the Faith in the Country of Liege was made Bishop of Daria He has left some considerable Works as a Commentary upon the Gospel of St. Luke a Treatise of Ecclesiastical Immunities a Book against the Hereticks of Nivelle a Course of Sermons for Lent and many other Sermons not to mention his Genealogy of the Noblemen of France and an account of their Actions John of Milbach a Divine of Erford wrote upon the Epistles of St. Paul and an Encomium of St. Jerom and some Sermons and Questions John of Roseau a German of the Order of Carmelites left the Commentaries upon the Book of Wisdom upon the Psalm Beati Immaculaâ—â— upon the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans and some Sermons John Bertram of Newburg taught at Erford and Mayence and left a Prologue to the Bible some Conferences and a Treatise of the price of the Mass. John of Keyserberg a German and Preacher at Strasburg wrote many Sermons and to him we owe the first Edition of Gerson's Works Sebastian Ticion or Brant of Strasburg the Author of many Christian Poems James Wimphelinge a Priest of the Church of Spire wrote a Poem which is Dedicated to Bertholdus Archbishop of Mayence Entituled Of a Threefold Candor a Piece in praise of the Virgin Mary the Office of the Compassion of the Virgin an Encomium of the Church of Spire a Discourse about the Holy Spirit some other Discourses and Letters Josse Besselius a German wrote divers Pieces of Profane Learning and some Ecclesiastical as that of the Ambition of a Christian and some Tracts upon the Rosary Giles Nettelet Dean of the Church of Cambray wrote a Collection of Morals taken out of the Epistles of St. Jerom. Theodoric of Osembruck a German of the Order of Friars Minors and Preacher at Collen wrote a Treatise of the Passion of our Lord a Manual of Simples and a Discourse of Interiour Exercise which he Read to Trithemius Jerom of Padua and Dominic Manchini Italians wrote each of them a Poem upon the Passion of our Lord. We have omitted a Writer who is considerable for his numerous Works whereof there is only one in Print and that is John of Hagen or de Indagine a Carthusian who was admitted into the Carthusian Monastery of Erford about the year 1440. and liv'd till about the year 1475. Trithemius has given us a Catalogue of a great number of this Author 's Spiritual Treatises and Petreius has added to them a great many more in his Carthusian Library which make up a Catalogue of many Pages containing 433 Titles of divers Treatises Moral Spiritual or Ascetick The two Books of the Perfection and Exercises of the Order of the
in that City The Pope being set at liberty by the Normans of Apulia grants them all the Territories which they had subdu'd and those that they might obtain by Conquest from the Greeks and Saracens A Contest between the Churches of Grado and Aquileia for the Metropolitan Right determin'd in the Council of Rome in favour of Grado The Pope's Letter to the Bishops of Venice and Istria confirming that Right A Council at Rome  1054 Leo IX dies Apr. 15. and the Papal See continues vacant during a whole year Hildebrand goes to meet the Emperor to demand Gebâ—hart Bishop of Eichstadt who was made Pope the next year under name of Victor II. I. XV. Constantin Monomachus dies and Theodora Porphyrogenneta governs the Empire I. Pope Leo's Letters which confirm the Metropolitan Right of the Church of Carthage over all those of Africa The Pope sends Legats to Constantinople to treat about the Re-union of the Greek and Latin Churches Pope Leo's Letters on that Subject to the Emperor Constantin and to Michael Cerularius Patriarch of Constantinople A Contest between the Legats and that Patriarch An Answer by Cardinal Humbert the Pope's Legat to the Letter of Michael Cerularius and Leo of Acris Nicetas Pectoratus a Monk of Seuda composes a Tract against the Latin Church Cardinal Humbert's Answer to that Piece Nicetas makes a Recantation and burns his Writings A Sentence of Excommunication denounc'd by the Legats against Michael Cerularius The Patriarch in like manner excommunicates the Legats by a publick Edict and raises a Sedition which obliges the Emperor to deliver up their Interpreters who are misus'd and put in Prison A Council at Narbonne Humbert Cardinal Nicetas Pectoratus a Monk of Seuda Dominick Patriarch of Grado Peter Patriarch of Antioch 1055 II. XVI II. Berenger abjures his Opinions in the Council of Tours in the presence of Hildebrand Maugier Archbishop of Rouen is depos'd in the Council of Lisieux and Marrillus a Monk of Fecamp put in his place A Council at Florence A Council at Lyons A Council at Tours against Bereinger A Council at Lisieux  1056 II. Pope Victor goes to Germany where he was invited by the Emperor Henry III. XVII The Emperor Henry dies Oct. 3. Henry IV. his Son aged only 5 years succeeds him and is at first put under the Tuition of his Mother who obtains the Administration of the Government III. Theodora dies in the end of the year and Michael whom she had made Emperor a little before reigns alone  A Council at Toulouse  1057 Victor dies at Florence July 28. and Frederick Abbot of Mount Cassin is chosen in his place on the Festival of S. Stephen whence he took the Name of Stephen IX I. I. Michael abdicates the Imperial Throne and leaves it to Isaac Commenus I. Pope Victor's Letter which confirms and augments the Privileges granted to the Church of Selve-Blanche Frederick is made Abbot of Mount Cassin a little after Cardinal and at last Pope Alphonsus Abbot of St. Benedict at Salerno is ordain'd Archbishop of that City A Letter by which Pope Stephen IX re-unites the Bishoprick of Marli which was sometime divided Peter Damian is made Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia by that Pope A Council at Rome Peter Damian Alphanus 1058 Stephen dies at Florence March 29. The Count of Frescati and Gregory of Lateran cause Mincius Bishop of Veletri to be chosen Pope who assumes the name of Benedict Cardinal Humbert and many others refuse to own his Authority Gerard Bp. of Florence is chosen and this Election is approv'd by the Emperor Henry II. II. Pope Stephen sends Legats to Constantinople who return without pursuing their Journey having receiv'd Information of his death Michael Cerularius is turn'd out of the Patriarchal See of Constantinople and Constantin Lichudes is substituted in his room Evershelm is made Abbot of St. Peter at Ghent Marianus Scotus an English Monk passes into Germany where he continues ten years a Recluse in the Monastery of Fulda Lambert of Aschaffemburg assumes the Monastick Habit at Hirlfeldt under the Abbot Meginher in a little while after is ordain'd Priest by Lupold Archbishop of Mentz and undertakes a Journey to the Holy Land without the knowledg of his Abbot from whence he returns the next year   1059 II. Gerard is ordain'd Bp. of Rome in the beginning of Jan. and takes the name of Nicolas II. I. Mincius renounces the Papal Dignity and is suspended for ever from Ecclesiastcal Functions III. III. Isaac resigns the Imperial Dignity to Constantin Ducas and retires to a Monastery I. A Privilege granted to the Nunnery of St. Felicitas near Florence The Election of Popes reserv'd to the Cardinals in the Council of Rome Berenger abjures his Opinions in that Council and makes a Confession of Faith Peter Damian is sent Legat to Milan to reform the Clergy who publickly us'd Simoniacal Practices The Bishop of Trani is depos'd in the Council of Melfi Sigefroy or Sigifred succeeds Luitbold in the Arch-bishoprick of Mentz A Council at Rome A Council at Melfi A Council at Benevento held in the beginning of the Month of August  1060 II. IV. Henry I. King of France causes his II. St. Anselm embraces the Monastick Life in the Abbey of Bec. A Council at Tours Guitmond Arch-bishop of Aversa Durand Abbot of Troarn Franco a Philosopher  Son Philip to be crown'd at Rheims May 22. dies in the end of this year    of Liege Warin Abbot of St. Arnulphus at Mets. 1061 III. The death of Nicolas II. in the Month of July Anselm Bishop of Lucca is elected three Months after and ordain'd Pope under the name of Alexander II. The Emperor Henry incens'd by reason that he was chosen without his knowledg causes Cadalous Bishop of Parma to be proclaim'd Pope who endeavours to make himself Master of the City of Rome but being repuls'd was oblig'd to return to Parma the next year V. III.   Michael Psellus Alberic a Monk of Mount Cassin Merellus Abbot of Tergensee 1062 I. VI. IV.    1063 II. VII V. A Contest between Peter Arch-bishop of Florence and his Monks The Pope sends the Pall to Peter Archbishop of Dalmatia Lanfranc is made Abbot of the Abbey of St. Stephen at Caen newly founded and St. Anselm succeeds him in the Office of Prior of Bec Abbey Maurillus Archbishop of Rouen holds a Synod for the Dedication of the Cathedral Church of that City which was newly built A Confession of Faith publish'd in that Synod against Berenger's Opinions A Privilege granted by the Pope to the Abbey of Vendome Peter Damian the Pope's Legat in France determins in the Council of Challon the Differences between the Bishop of that City and the Abbey of Cluny about the Privileges of the same Abbey which are confirm'd in the Council A Council at Rome A Council at Rouen A Council at Challon  1064 III. Cadalous causes some Disturbances Alexander is own'd as
lawful Pope VIII VI. Guibert Grand Lord of Parma and Chancellor to Henry Emperor of Germany is ordain'd Archbishop of Ravenna A Council at Mantua  in the Council of Mantua and pardons Cadalous who dies a little while after      1065 IV. IX VII The Heresy of the Nicolaitans condemn'd in two Councils held at Rome A Council at Rome Another Council at Rome A Council at Elna in Roussillon Lanfranc 1066 V. X. VIII John Xiphylin is chosen Patriarch of Constantinople instead of Constantin Lichudes The Charters of Edward King of England for authorizing the Confirmation of the Privileges of the Church of Westminster which was granted by the Popes Leo IX and Nicolas II. William Duke of Normandy passes over into England and defeats Harald who had taken Possession of the Throne after the death of King Edward   1067 VI. XI IX Constantin Ducas dies leaving 3 Children and his Wife Eudoxia who takes upon her the Administration of the Government    1068 VII XII II. Eudoxia marries Romanus Diogenes who is proclaim'd Emperor I. Peter Damian is sent Legat into Germany to hinder the Emperor Henry from divorcing Bertha his Wife Marianus Scotus who liv'd as a Recluse in the Monastery of Fulda goes to Mentz to end his Life there in the same Quality   1069 VIII XIII II. The death of Maurillus Archbishop of Rouen Lanfranc refuses to accept of that Archbishoprick which is obtain'd by John de Bayeux Bishop of Auranchez Lanfranc goes to Rome to cause that Translation to be ratify'd and to get the Pall for the same Archbishop The Emperor Henry endeavours to get himself divorc'd from Bertha in the Council of Mentz but is oppos'd by Peter Damian the Pope's Legat. A Council at Mentz The death of Evershelm Abbot of Aumont 1070 IX XIV III. Lanfranc is oblig'd to accept of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury The Pope gives leave to Gebehard Archbishop of Saltzburg to erect a Bishoprick in his Province A Council at Windsor Benno Cardinal 1071 X. XV. IV. Romanus Diogenes is taken Prisoner by the Turks and Michael the Son of Constantin Ducas is proclaim'd Emperor Diogenes being deliver'd has his Eyes put out by Michael's Order and dies a little while after Charles nominated by the Emperor Henry to the Bishoprick of Constance not being able to get Ordination by reason of Simoniacal Practices resigns his Ring and Crosier-staff to the Emperor in the Council of Mentz A Council at Mentz A Council held at Winchester this year Theophylact. 1072 XI XVI II. Peter Damian is sent by the Pope to Ravenna to take off the Excommunication denounc'd against that City by reason of the Contests which the Bishop of that Diocess had with the See of Rome A Council at Rouen Hepidannus writes two Books of the Life and Miracles of St. Wiborada 1073 XII Alexander dies April 22. and Hildebrand is chosen in his place on the same day He is ordain'd Priest and consecrated Pope under the Name of Gregory 7th in the Month of June I. XVII III. William Archbishop of Auche and Pontius Bishop of Beziers are depos'd by Gerald Cardinal of Ostia the Pope's Legat for having voluntarily communicated with certain Persons who lay under a Sentence of Excommunication Pope Alexander confirms the Settlement of a Convent of Regular Canons made by Altman Bishop of Passaw Dominic Patriarch of Venice is deputed by Pope Gregory to negotiate at Constantinople about the Re-union of the Greek and Latin Churches Pope Gregory's Decree against Persons guilty of Simony and against Clerks who marry or keep Concubines Letters written by the same Pope to the Bishops and Princes about putting that Decree in execution Other Letters by Gregory against Godfrey Archbishop of Milan and the Bishops of Lombardy who were excommunicated for their Simoniacal Practices But they were protected by Henry Emperor of Germany which gave occasion to the Dissensions that afterward broke forth between that Prince and the Pope A Council at Erford The death of Peter Damian on Febr. 23. Robert de Tombalene Abbot of St. Vigor William Abbot of St. Arnulphus at Metz. Hugh Bp. of Die Anselm Bishop of Lucca Manasses Arch-bishop of Rheims 1073   Anselm who succeeded Pope Alexander II. in the Bishoprick of Lucca but repenting that he had receiv'd the Investiture of that Bishoprick from the Emperor Henry IV. retir'd to the Monastery of Cluny from whence he was recall'd by the Pope to govern his Bishoprick Landric Arch-deacon of Autun is chosen Bishop of Mascon and consecrated the next Year by the Pope the Bishops of France not daring to ordain him The Pope's Complaints and Menaces against Philip I. King of France Pope Gregory lays claim to Spain and by vertue of it gives to Ebol Count of Rocey all the Countries that he could wrest out of the Hands of the Saracens on condition that he should hold them of the Holy See and should pay him a certain Tribute He exacts an Oath of Allegiance of Landulphus Duke of Benevento and of Richard Duke of Capua He promises the Pall to Bruno Bishop of Verona provided he come to Rome to receive it there in Person He confirms all the Privileges granted by Alexander II. to Wradislaâ—s Duke of Bohemia Jeromir Bishop of Prague is suspended and depriv'd of the Revenues of his Church by the Pope's Legats for opposing their reception in Bohemia A Contest between the same Bishop of Prague and the Bishop of Moravia for the possession of certain Territories The Pope's Remonstrance to the Inhabitants of Carthage some of whom had deliver'd up Cyriacus their Bishop into the Hands of the Saracens    1074 II. XVIII IV. Garnier Bishop of Strasburg excommunicated for Simoniacal Practices is absolv'd in the Council of Rome Hugh is ordain'd Bishop of Die by the Pope in that Council A Decree against Investitures made by the Pope in the same Council according to the Relation of some Authors Robert Guiscard Duke of Apulia is excommunicated in the same Council of Rome The Agreement between the Bishops of Prague and Moravia confirm'd by the Pope's Bull dated March 2. William Archbishop of Auche and Pontius Bishop of Beziers restor'd to their respective Sees The Pope reproves the Inhabitants of Ragusa for imprisoning Vitalis their Bishop and substituting another in his room He summons both the Bishops to Rome if the A Council at Rouen A Council at Rome Another at Poitiers A Council held at Erford in the Month of Octob.  1074   Matter cannot be determin'd by his Legat in that City The Pope's Legats sent to the Emperor Henry about the Affair of the Bishops of Lombardy The Contest between those Legats and Sigefred Archbishop of Mentz about the Right of calling a Council which the Archbishop claim'd as Vicar of the Holy See The Legats return'd without any effect of their Negotiation The first Project of a Crusade form'd by the Pope The Pope's Letters to divers
Impeachment and the Names of the Witnesses which had Sworn or of those that designed to Swear hereafter that they would distinguish them that had already been Sworn from those that were yet to make Oath that they should be made to depose they would speak the Truth and that they would Suborn no Person that inquiry might be made into the manner how some of their Brethren came to their end and the reason why some of them declined to appear that among others it may be known of Friar Adam of Valencour who had deserted their Order to be enter'd in that of the Carthusians and after that came back to it again whether what was reported of their Order were true While the Pope's Commissioners were informing themselves against the whole Order the A Provincial Council held at Paris against the Templars in the Year 1310. Archbishop of Sens held a Provincial Council at Paris in the Month of May in the Year 1310. wherein he undertook to proceed against the particular Members The Knights engaged in the defence of their Order in General set forth that it was not just while the Pope's Commissioners were taking their Inquest the Archbishop of Sens should attempt to make out their Process That they appealed from all this Archbishop could do and that if in bar of this Appeal any Execution were brought against them 't were an Injustice That they would put themselves under the Protection of the Pope That they prayed the Commissioners to forbid the Archbishop of Sens and other Bishops of the Realm to proceed against any Templar and that they would give them leave to signifie this Appeal to the Archbishop of Sens and to make it Publick The same Evening they presented another Writing directed to the Archbishop of Sens containing their Appeal The Commissioners made Answer That the Matter which was handled by the Archbishop of Sens and his Suffragans in their Council was far different from that which they treated of That they were likewise deputed by the Holy See and that they had no Authority over them and hereupon they did not believe they could oblige them to delay the making out Process against the particular Members of the Order nevertheless they should debate it more fully The Commissioners went on with their Inquest and heard Two hundred and one and thirty Witnesses who took their Oaths against the Order from the close of the Year 1309. to the Month of June in the Year 1310. The greater part confess'd the Facts whereof their Order stood accused but some denied them and others after their Confession retracted and said they had not Sworn those things but for fear of Punishment or because they had perceived they did design to Burn such of their Fellows as had asserted the Innocence of their Order But before the Inquisition of the Commissioners was finished the Provincial Council of Sens pronounced several Judgments upon particular Men of this Order Some were Absolved others Condemned to certain Penances and afterwards released some confined more closely or condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment and Nine and fifty who persisted in the disowning of what they had confessed were degraded as Relapsed and deliver'd up to the Secular Power and condemned to be Burnt which was accordingly put in Execution without the The Execution of the Templars at Paris Gate of St. Anthony in the Month of May in the Year 1610. These poor Wretches declar'd to the last moment that they were Innocent They dug up the same Year the Body of John de Turreio who had been Treasurer of the Temple to burn his Bones They proceeded likewise in other Kingdoms against the Templars in pursuance of the Pope's Bulls In Italy the Archbishop of Ravenna caused those of his Diocess to be Arrested and got Prosecutions of the Templars in several Kingdoms Information against them After that he assembled a Council of his Province wherein he made Report of the Charge he had against them and asked whether they ought to be put to the Rack it was concluded in the Negative though the Inquisitors maintained that Hereticks ought to be put to it It was demanded whether they should be sent back to the Pope they said No seeing a General Council was suddenly to be called that they ought to be absolved or clear themselves On the next day the Bishops being met declared That the innocent ought to be dismissed with Absolution and the guilty punished according to the Law that the Order ought to be kept up if the greater part were found and innocent The Examinations taken by the Archbishops of Pisa and Florence and other Persons Commission'd by the Pope to inquire in Lombardy and Tuscany were less favourable to the Templars for the Witnesses depos'd that they had seen heard and had Knowledge of the horrid and detestable Crimes of which they were accused James II. King of Arragon having received a Letter from the King of France against the Templars charged the Bishops of Valentia and Saragosa and the Inquisitor General of his Kingdom to get Information against them and notice being given him that the Templars retreated to their strong Forts he caus'd all to be Arrested that he could light on and prepared to force the others in their Castles while the Inquisitor General who had cited them to Valentia made ready their Process The Knights of this Kingdom writ to the Pope that they were falsely accused that their Innocence was known to all the World that they were so far from denying JESUS CHRIST that there were now a great Number of their Brethren in the hands of the Infidels who chose rather to continue in Captivity and suffer divers Torments than renounce the Faith That if some had confess'd Abominable Crimes they ought to be Punished but that it was not just the whole Order or the Innocent should Suffer they besought the Pope to grant them his Protection declaring that they submitted to his Judgment and that waiting for his Answer they were retired to their Fortresses The King of Arragon took several of their Castles and the Pope commission'd the Bishop of Valentia to proceed upon them who were taken In Castile King Ferdinand IV. caused all the Templars to be Arrested and took Informations against them by the Archbishops of Compostella and Toledo and by the Inquisitor Aimerick Their Estates were seized and the Bishops appointed Guardians The Matter having been debated in the Provincial Councils the Templars were declared Innocent and nevertheless sent back to the Pope In England they were all Arrested the same day examined in an Assembly held at London which lasted for two Months and they there confessed the Crimes whereof they were accused The Pope sent a Commissioner into Germany to Examine those of that Country and Exhorted the Princes and Prelates of Germany to prosecute the Templars but it appears not that they did any thing against them He gave Order also to Arrest them in the Isle of Cyprus but Almericus Lord
of Tyre and Governor of the Kingdom sent him word that he could not put that Order in Execution because the Templars had taken Arms upon the Notice they had of it that nevertheless Ten of the Chief came and resigned themselves into his Hands and had promised to obey In Provence Charles II. King of Sicily and Earl of Provence Arrested them all the 24th of January in the Year 1308. and seized their Estates They were condemned to Death and Executed their Personal Estates divided betwixt the Pope and the Earl and the Real kept for the Hospitallers The time of the General Council which the Pope had appointed drawing near King Philip The Pope's Judgment in the Council of Vienne aâ—â—inst the 〈◊〉 the Fair wrote to the Pope in the beginning of the Year 1311. That since the Templars appear to be Charged so fully by the Informations they ought to be rooted out by the Judgment of the future Council He besought his Holiness to order it so that their Goods might be employed in some new Expedition or rather be transferred to some Military Order already established for the Relief of the Holy Land The Pope agreed to this Proposal by his Bull of the Month of March in the same Year In fine the General Council of Vienna being Assembled and the First Session held the 16th of October in the Year 1311. the first thing that the Pope proposed was the Affair of the Templars There were divers Opinions about them Some were of the Mind that they ought to be heard before they abolished the Order others on the contrary were of Opinion that it ought to be no longer deferred and that if it were 't would be a great Scandal to the Church after the enormous Crimes of which they stood Convict William Durantus Bishop of Menda was of this Opinion and deliver'd a Memorial to the Pope to prove it On Wednesday in the Holy Week in the Year following which was the 19th of March the Pope held a particular Assembly of Cardinals and Prelates in which the Destruction of the Order of the Templars was resolved on The Bull of it was Published in the following Session held the 22. of May 1312. at which the King was present The Substance of it was this That the Templars being convicted of a great Number of Crimes he decreed the Abolishing of them with the Approbation of the Council not in form of a definitive Sentence because it could not in rigour of Justice be carried so far according to the Informations and the Process which had been made but in form of Provision or an Apostolical Direction and that he forbid any whomsoever to enter into that Order for the future and to take or wear their Habit on Pain of Excommunication ipso facto That all their Estates should remain in the disposal of the Holy See and that from this present time after Mature Deliberation and by the Advice of the Prelates of the Council he did unite them for ever to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem as well Moveables as Immoveables together with all their Rights and their Privileges excepting nevertheless the Goods which they had in the Kingdoms of Castile Arragon Portugal and Majorca which shall not be given to the Hospitallers and yet reserved to the disposal of the Holy See In fine he enjoins under Pain of Excommunication all Persons of what Degree soever even Kings themselves who have any thing in Possession belonging to the Templars to return it into the hands of the Hospitallers within one Month after the Publication of this Bull. And to that end the Pope commissioned the Bishop of Nevers the Abbot of St. German des Prez and the Dean of Chartres to put the Knights of the Hospital into Possession of the Goods which the Templars had in France and gave out several other Bulls upon this Subject The Judgment upon the Processes of particular Members of the Order were sent away to the Provincial Councils and it was decreed That those who were found Guilty should be severely Punish'd and that Pensions should be assign'd to the Innocent out of the Goods of the Order As to the Great Master the Brother The Execution of the Great Master and another Templar at Paris of the Dauphin and some others whom the Pope had reserved to his own Judgment he sent Cardinals to Paris to declare what he would have done on their score These Cardinals order'd a Scaffold to be Erected before the great Gate of the Church of our Lady in the Month of March in the Year 1313. and having caused the Great Master the Brother of the Dauphin Hugh Perrauld and another Knight to be fetched they read to them the Sentence of the Pope by which they were depos'd and condemned to perpetual Imprisonment The Great Master and the Dauphin's Brother upon hearing this Judgment declared That what they had Sworn against their Order was false that they had done it at the instance of the Pope and the King and that they were ready to Die in defence of this Truth The Cardinals delivered them up to the Provost of Paris and the News thereof being carried to the King he presently called his Council together in which it was resolved that in the Evening the Great Master and the Brother of the Dauphin should be Burnt at the Point of the Isle of the Palace between the King's Garden and the Augustin Friars which was performed accordingly These Wretches endur'd the Punishment with Resolution and persisted unto the last to assert their own Innocence and that of their Order this made many believe that they died innocent The two others which said nothing had their Lives saved This was the End of the Order of Templars which was abolished in all the Countries of Christendom The use of the Templars Estates in several Kingdoms except Germany where they stopt the Publication of the Bull and procured Absolution in a Provincial Council The Knights Hospitallers in France were put in Possession of their Immoveables but they were obliged to leave to the King two Thirds of their Moveable Goods for the Expence he had been at in the Prosecution of the Templars according to the Agreement made between King Lewis Hutin and the Great Master of the Hospital on the 14th of February in the Year 1315. In Arragon the Pope at the instance of King James annex'd the Estates of the Templars to those of that Order of Calatrava which was made an Order separate and independant from that of Castile of the same Name having a Great Master resident in Arragon and depending on the Order of Cistercians The King of Arragon detain'd nevertheless Seventeen strong Forts which had belonged to the Templars Ferdinand IV. King of Castile would not comply with the Sentence of the Pope which join'd the Templars Estates to the Order of St. John of the Hospital but laid to the ancient Inheritance of the Crown the Towns Lands and other Goods which they