The Ordinance of St. Lewis in the Year 1268.
THE substance of this Ordinance is as follows, Lewis King of France, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, * 1.1 for the Safety and Tranquillity of the Church within our Dominions, for the increase of Divine Worship, for the Salvation of the Faithful Christians, and for obtaining the Succour of Almighty God, to whose Power alone our Kingdom always has been subiect, and to whom alone we would that it should be always subject: We have Decreed and Order'd by this most Wise Decree, which shall be Perpetual:
That the Prelates of the Churches within our Kingdom, and the Patrons and usual Collaters of Be∣nefices shall fully enjoy their Privilege, and that each of them shall preserve his Jurisdiction.
Item, That the Cathedral and other Churches of our Kingdom shall have free Elections, and that they shall be duly Executed.
Item, We Will and Command, That the Sin of Simony, the Pest of the Church, be entirely ba∣nish'd our Kingdom.
Item, We Will and Command, That the Promotions, Collations, Provisions and Disposals of Pre∣lacies, Dignities, and of other Ecclesiastical Benefices and Offices of the Kingdom, be made accord∣ing to the Orders and Determination of the Common Law, of the Holy Councils, and of the Anci∣ent Decrees of the Holy Fathers.
Item, We prohibit the Levying or Raising the too burdensome Taxes and Exactions, Impos'd, or to be Impos'd by the Court of Rome on our Kingdom, which have miserably impoverish'd it; unless it be for a very urgent Cause of Religion, an indispensible Necessity, and by our Voluntary and Ex∣press Consent, and by the Consent of the National Church.
Item, We Renew and Confirm the Liberties, Franchises, Prerogatives, Rights and Privileges Granted by the Kings of France our Predecessors, of Blessed Memory, or by Us to the Churches, Monasteries, Places of Piety, Monks, or Ecclesiastical Persons.
Afterwards he orders all his Officers to take care to Execute this Ordinance, which bears Date May in the Year 1268.
Some question the Truth of this Constitution, but without Reason: And we find it quoted in the Articles presented by the Parliament to Lewis XI. at the Convention of the States at Tours in the Year 1483. and in the Act of Appeal made by the University of Paris in the Year 1491.