The Council of Cassel in Ireland.
IN the Year of our Lord 1172. Henry II. King of England, having made himself Master of * 1.1 Ireland, call'd a Council at Cassel, compos'd of the Prelates and other Clergy of Ireland, in which the following Canons were established.
The First imports, That all the Faithful in Ireland shall be oblig'd not to inter-marry with their near Relations, but to contract Lawful Marriages.
The Second, That all the Children shall be made Catechumens at the Church-door, and shall be baptized in the Church.
The Third, That all the Faithful shall pay to their respective Parish-Churches Tithes, as well of Cattel, and of the Fruits of the Earth, as of their other Revenues.
The Fourth, That all the Church-Revenues shall be exempted from all manner of Taxes and Impositions.
The Fifth, That when a certain Sum is made up, that is to say, stipulated or agreed to be paid for the Murder of a Person; the Clergy-men, who are the Heirs of the deceased Party, shall not be oblig'd to pay any part of the Fine.
The Sixth, That all the Faithful when faln Sick shall make their last Will and Testament in the presence of their Confessor; and that they, who have a Wife and Children, shall divide their mo∣vable Goods into Three Parts; One of which shall be allotted to the Wife, another to the Chil∣dren, and the Third for the Funeral Expences: That if they have no Children, they shall leave one Moiety of their Goods to their Wives; and if they have no Wife, their Children shall have a Moiety.
The Seventh, That a Mass and * 1.2 Vigils shall be said for those who die after having made Con∣fession, and that the accustomed Duties shall be paid to them.
The Eighth, That Divine Service shall be celebrated in all the Churches, according to the Rites and Customs of the Church of England.