A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

The Council of Saumur in the Year 1253.

PEter de Lambale Arch-Bishop of Tours, after he had Visited his Province, call'd a Council at Sau∣mur * 1.1 in December 1253, to Reform the Disorders and Abuses which he had taken notice of in his Visitation. He thereupon made Thirty two very useful Decrees.

By the First it is order'd, That they shall recite the Offices for the Canonical Hours in all Cathe∣dral and Collegiate Churches at the times appointed, and with requisite Devotion; and that one side of the Quire shall not begin a Verse, till the other side has ended the foregoing Verse.

By the Second, The Arch-Deacons, Arch-Priests, Rural Deans and others are enjoyn'd to take Care, that the Sacristy, the Fonts, the holy Oyls, the holy Chrism be kept under Lock and Key, and that the Sacraments in populous Places and especially in Cities be carry'd with Veneration.

The Third imports, That the Corporals shall be wash'd by the Priests habited with Surplices in a very clean Vessel, and set apart for that use, and that the first Water shall be cast into the Pond; that the Linnen of the Altar and of the Priests shall be washed by a Woman or by a Girl separately from others, and that they shall take care to keep them well.

The Fourth renews the Statute made in the Council of Laval about the Inventory of the Orna∣ments and Goods of churches, which ought to be kept by the Arch-Deacon.

The Fifth enjoyns, That the Arch-Deacons, Priests and Rural Deans shall be oblig'd to take Ho∣ly Orders within a Year.

The Sixth prohibits the holding of Pleadings in Churches and in their Portico's.

The Seventh prohibits the Arch-Deacons and other Inferior Prelates from holding their Pleadings in the presence of their Bishops.

The Eighth prohibits them from having Officials out of Town.

The Ninth prohibits the Exacting the Duty of Procuration unless they actually Visit.

The Tenth revives the Statute made in the Council of Chateau-Gonthier to prevent the dividing of Prebends.

The Eleventh prohibits the Admitting any Canon who is not born in lawful Wedlock.

The Twelfth prohibits the Prelates from exacting any Subsidy from their Inferiors, unless they have occasion for it, and then to receive a Moderate one with Charity.

The Thirteenth revokes the Pensions laid on Curates.

The Fourteenth and Fifteenth enjoyn the Regulars to observe the Rules prescrib'd in the Letters of the Pope which relate to them, and to keep Copies of 'em by them.

The Sixteenth revives the Statute of the Council of Chateau-Gonthier, which prohibits the Monks from having any thing de Proprio.

The Seventeenth prohibits the Monks from concerning themselves with Secular Pleadings.

The Eighteenth prohibits the Abbots from bestowing Regular Places on Seculars.

The Nineteenth orders, That the Ancient Number of Monks shall be restablish'd in each Monastery.

The Twentieth and Twenty first prohibit the Abbots from exacting New Pensions of Priories, and from retrenching their Revenues.

The Twenty second imports, That the Abbots or Priors shall not keep their Registers out of the Monastery.

The Twenty third prohibits the Clergy from concerning themselves with Merchandise, and from making any Contracts of Society with Merchants.

The Twenty fourth prohibits the Ecclesiastical Judges from commissioning several Persons to cite without distinction such as they please before them.

The Twenty fifth and sixth are against those who hinder the Exercise of the Ecclesiastical Juris∣diction, or the Execution of the Sentences.

The Twenty seventh prohibits Clandestine Marriages.

The Twenty eighth is against an Abuse which was practis'd at that time of granting several Cu∣racies in Commendam to one and the same Person, who has already one in Title. They who receive those Benefices are depriv'd of them, and those who Collate them, of the Power of Presenting.

The Twenty ninth prohibits Bishops from applying to their Profit a part of the Revenues of Pa∣rochial Churches, and from charging them with New Pensions.

The Thir••ieth prohibits the Clergy from bequeathing any thing to their Natural Children or their Concubines.

The Thirty first orders, That those who have Sacerdotal Prebends in Chapters, shall take upon them Priests Orders, and serve them in that Quality.

The Thirty second orders, That all the Canons made by the Arch-Bishops of Tours, Predecessors to Peter, shall be inviolably observ'd under Pain of Excommunication.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Council of Saumur in 1253.