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The Council of London held in the Year 1175.
THE Two Henries, Kings of England, being arriv'd at London, met with Richard Archbi∣shop * 1.1 of Canterbury, and the rest of the Prelates of the Realm, who held a Council on the Sunday preceding the Festival of the Ascension, in which the Archbishop Richard published the following Nineteen Canons.
The First ordains, That they who have enter'd into Holy Orders, and keep a Concubine, whom they refuse to expel, shall be depriv'd of all manner of Ecclesiastical Office and Benefice: That the Clerks who are in Orders, below the Degree of a Sub-deacon, and are married, shall not be divorced from their Wives; but shall no longer enjoy their Spiritual Livings: That they who are Sub-deacons, or in superior Orders, and contract Marriage, shall be compell'd to part with their Wives: And lastly, That the Sons of Priests shall be uncapable to succeed their Fathers in the Churches possessed by them.
The Second, forbids Clergy-men to enter Victualling Houses, to eat or to drink there, except when they are travelling on the Road.
By the Third, Clerks, who are in Orders, are forbidden to assist at Tryals in Capital Cases.
The Fourth ordains, That the Arch-deacon shall oblige those Clergy-men who wear long Locks of Hair to cut them off, and that they shall be cloath'd modestly.
By the Fifth, Bishops are prohibited to ordain the Clergy of another Diocess, by reason of the Inconveniences that may arise from that Practice.
The Sixth, forbids the Tryal of Criminals to be manag'd in Churches, or in Church-yards.
The Seventh and Eighth, renew the Prohibitions to exact any Thing for the Administration of the Sacraments; for the burying of the Dead; or for admittance into Orders, or the Monastick State.
The Ninth, in like manner, forbids the making over of Churches to any Person under Pre∣tence of endowing them; as also the exacting of any Thing for the Presentation to a Be∣nefice.
The Tenth, prohibits Religious Persons to follow the Trade of Merchandizing, or to be Far∣mers, and likewise Lay-men to take Spiritual Livings to farm.
By the Eleventh, Clergy-men are prohibited to bear Arms.
The Twelfth imports, That the Vicars who endeavour to retain the Benefices of those who have the Title, contrary to their Promise or Engagement, shall be no longer suffer'd to exercise their Functions in the same Diocess.
The Thirteenth ordains, That Tithes shall be paid of all Things.
The Tenor of the Fourteenth is, That a Clergy-man, who is cast in his Tryal, ought to be condemn'd to defray the Charges of it; and that if he has not wherewithal to pay, he shall be punish'd according to the Bishop's Discretion.
The Fifteenth ordains, That there shall be only Ten particular Prefaces, for the Festivals which are specified in that Canon.
The Sixteenth, prohibits the administring of the consecrated Bread in the Communion steept in Wine.
The Seventeenth, forbids the Consecration of the Eucharist any otherwise than in a Gold or Silver-Chalice, and abolishes the Use of Tin-Chalices.
By virtue of the Eighteenth, clandestine Marriages are forbidden.
The Nineteenth, is a Prohibition to marry Children, who have not attain'd to a competent Age of maturity, unless it be in case of Necessity, or for the promoting of Peace.