The Council of Narbonne, held about the Year 1235.
PEter Amelli Arch-Bishop of Narbonne, John Baussanus Arch-Bishop of Arles, and Raymond Arch-Bishop * 1.1 of Aix, being met, as 'tis believ'd, at Narbonne about the Year 1235, made Decrees about the Punishment of Hereticks, directed to the Brethren Inquisitors of theirs and the Neighbouring Pro∣vinces, who had propos'd to them several Doubts on that Subject, wherein they return them this Answer; That they ought to impose for Pennance on the Hereticks and their Favourers (who voluntarily recant, and to whom they have promis'd that they shall not be cast into Prison) the wearing of Crosses, the present∣ing themselves every Sunday in the Churches with part of their Body naked, and with Wands in their Hands between the Epistle and Gospel in order to receive the Discipline; To do the same thing at the solemn Processions, to be present every Sunday at Mass, at the Vespers and at Sermon, to Fast, to visit the Holy Places, to defend in Person or by others maintain'd at their Charge the Faith of the Church against the Saracens and Hereticks (but not to order them to go beyond Sea) to make them shift their Country, and build Places to shut up the Poor Converts. Moreover, They leave it to the Discretion of the Inqui∣sitors to impose such Pennances as they shall think Convenient, to increase or moderate them. They would have them to oblige the Converts to make a publick Confession of their Faults. They commit to the Curates the taking care to see that the Converts observe the Pennances which the Inquisitors shall have impos'd on them. With respect to other Hereticks, who ought to be confin'd according to the Law of the Council of Toulouse; they say, That there being so great a Number of them, that this cannot easily be done, the Pope shall be acquainted with it, and only such shall be confin'd who are most Capable of Corrupting others. As for the Rebels, Apostates, Favourers of Hereticks and those who conceal or neglect to punish them, they would have them be treated variously according to the Variety of their Faults. They Admonish the Jacobine Friars, not to impose any pecuniary Mulcts, nor to demand any. They would not have Persons suspected of Heresie, or New Converts to be ad∣mitted into a Religious House. They prescribe several Laws about the Proceedings of the Inquisition, such as keeping the Names of the Private Witnesses, the receiving all sorts of Witnesses, not to hear them above once, not to credit the Confessors, about the Points on which Hereticks ought to be in∣terrogated; about the Errors of the Vaudois, and the signs whereby to discover them.