The Council of Mentz in the Year 1225.
IN the Year 1224. Honorius III. sent as his Legate into Germany Cardinal Conrade Bishop of O-Porto, * 1.1 who had formerly been Monk and Abbot of Cisteaux, to endeavour to Reform the Manners of that Kingdom. This Legate Held a Council at Mentz the Ninth of December in the Year 1225. where he made several General Constitutions for all Germany.
The Three first are against the Clerks who keep Concubines.
The Fourth prohibits the Issuing out any Excommunication, without a precedent Admonition.
The Fifth declares the Legacies of Church-Goods made by Clerks to their Natural Children, or their Concubines Null.
The Sixth enjoins, That the Clerks who being Excommunicated or Suspended by their Bishops, continue to perform their Functions, shall be Depos'd from their Offices and Benefices, without hopes of being Restor'd.
The Seventh declares those Persons Excommunicated, who Celebrate the Holy Mysteries before Persons declar'd Excommunicated.
The Eighth imports, That the Bishops shall Certifie to the Neighbouring Bishops the Persons whom they shall have Excommunicated, that so they may shun them and cause them to shun'd by others, and declares, That if any of them shall wittingly Communicate with those whom his Brethren have Excommunicated, the Canons of his Cathedral Church shall separate themselves from his Communion so long as he persists in defiance of this Rule.
The Ninth Anathematizes the Patrons, who in bestowing of Benefices that are in their Gift, shall keep back part of the Tithes, or of the Ecclesiastical Revenues. In the next 'tis order'd, That those who shall be Advanc'd on that Condition, shall be Depriv'd of their Office, or their Benefice.
In the Eleventh the Bishops and Arch-Deacons are forbidden to receive any of those who are Presented to them by Patrons, till he has taken an Oath, that he has not committed Simony.
By the Twelfth it is prohibited to put any Hireling-Priests into Churches: And in those where there ought to be Vicars, 'tis order'd, That they shall be perpetual, and shall be allow'd an honourable Subsistence.
The Thirteenth inflicts the Penalty of Suspension on those who shall Tempt any Virgins Consecrated to God, and the Penalty of Excommunication ipso facto, on those who shall Debauch them. Lastly, it is order'd, That those Constitutions shall be Publish'd throughout all Germany.