The Council of Selingenstadt, held, A. D. 1023.
ARIBO, Arch-bishop of Mentz, held in the Year, 1023. a Council at Selingenstadt, com∣pos'd of Burchard Bishop of Worms, Vernarius Bishop of Strasburg, Bruno of Augsburg, * 1.1 Eberhard of Bamberg and Meginhard of Wurtzburg, in which these Bishops made the follow∣ing Constitutions, viz.
The First ordains, That Abstinence from eating Flesh shall be observ'd fourteen Days before the Festival of St. John, as many before that of Christmas, and on the Vigils of the Epi∣phany, of the Festivals of the Apostles, of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, of St. Laurence and of all the Saints.
The Second fixes the Ember-Weeks.
The Third denotes the time, when the solemnization of Marriages is forbidden, viz. from Advent till after the Epiphany, and from Septuagesima till after Easter, as also on the above specified Days of Abstinence, as well as the Vigils of the solemn Festivals.
The Fourth imports, That a Priest who has drunk plentifully after the Cock-crowing in the Summer, or even in Winter, shall not be allow'd to say Mass the next Day, unless in case of necessity.
The Fifth prohibits Priests to celebrate above three Masses in one Day.
The Sixth forbids under pain of an Anathema that † 1.2 Corporals should be thrown into the Fire to put a stop to the Conflagration.
The Seventh ordains, That if two Persons suspected to have committed Adultery together, one confesses the Crime, and the other denies it, the Party who owns it shall be put to Pen∣nance, and the other shall clear himself by taking his Trial.
The Eighth forbids the carrying of Swords into the Church, except the Sword of State.
The Ninth prohibits Meetings in the Church-yards.
The Tenth condemns the Custom of some Laicks, and more especially of certain Ladies, who contented themselves only to hear every Day the Gospel In principio, or to cause the Masses of the Trinity and of St. Michael to be said in their presence; and ordains, That this shall not be done for the future, but in the proper time: Otherwise if any Persons be desirous to hear a particular Mass, being mov'd by a singular Veneration for the Holy Tri∣nity, and not by any superstitious Conceit; they shall hear a Mass for the Day, or one for the consolation and safety of the Living, or one for the Dead.
The Eleventh imports, That the first degree of Consanguinity shall be reckon'd from the Cosins German.
The Twelfth, That the Houses of Laicks which are contiguous to Churches shall be pull'd down, and that none shall be built in the Courts belonging to them, except those of Priests.
In the Thirteenth, Lay-men are forbidden to consign their Churches to Priests, without the consent and approbation of the Bishop or of his Grand Vicar.
The Fourteenth imports, That two Persons being accus'd of having committed Adultery together, which they deny; if either of the Parties desire that they may both undergo a Tri∣al, and if one be cast, they shall both be reputed guilty.
The Fifteenth enjoyns, That the publick Fasts appointed by the Bishops shall be observ'd, or else that they shall be redeem'd by allotting a certain Largess for the sustenance of poor People.
The Sixteenth, That none shall take a Journey to Rome, without a Licence from the Bi∣shop or his Grand Vicar.
The Seventeenth, That no Priest shall retrench any thing from the Forty Days Fast im∣posed on Penitents.
The Eighteenth is against those who being guilty of enormous Crimes, refuse to receive Pennance from their Diocesan, upon a presumption, that going to Rome, the Pope will for∣give all their Sins: The Council declares, That this Indulgence shall stand them in no stead,