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The Council of Ponteaudemer in the Year 1279.
William de Filla-Cour Arch-Bishop of Roan, Held a Provincial Council at Ponteaudemer the Thurs∣day * 1.1 before Ascension-Day in the Year 1279, wherein he made the following Canons about Church-Discipline.
The First imports, That the Excommunicated Clergy shall lose the Revenues of their Benefices, and that if they continue Excommunicated during a Year, they shall be turn'd out of the Benefices themselves.
The Second, That the Chaplains or Curates who do not Celebrate Mass, if they do not amend after they have been Admonish'd, shall be turn'd out of their Benefices.
The Third, That the Canons of the Councils of Bourges and Lions against the Disturbers of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, shall be observ'd.
The Fourth, That those who are Excommunicated by the Canon, for having abus'd the Clergy, shall be Denounc'd such and Punish'd, if they do not get themselves Absolv'd.
The Fifth, That the Canon of the Lateran Council about Confession and the Communion, shall be observ'd.
The Sixth, That the Lords or Judges who detain the Clerks to the prejudice of the Demands of the Ecclesiastical Judges, shall be Excommunicated.
The Seventh, That the Personal Causes of Ecclesiasticks shall not be brought before Secular Judges.
The Eighth, That the Grand Decimators are bound to Repair the Churches.
The Ninth, That no Christians shall be Slaves to Jews.
The Tenth, That no Vigils nor Dancings shall be kept in Churches or Church-yards.
The Eleventh, That the Clergy shall not go a Hunting.
The Twelfth, That there shall be the old Number of Monks in Abbeys and Priories.
The Thirteenth, That the Monks who are in Priories, shall observe the Constitutions of Pope Gregory about abstaining from Meats, Confessions, Fasts, &c. and that they shall be forc'd thereto by Censures.
The Fourteenth, That the Regulars shall not dwell with Seculars, unless by the Abbot's leave.
The Fifteenth, That they shall Borrow nothing without the Abbot's consent.
The Sixteenh, That the Rural Deans shall not Issue out any Excommunication or Suspension, but by Writing.
The Seventeenth, That the Excommunicate Persons shall be Denounc'd such, till they shall get themselves Absolv'd.
The Eighteenth, That no General Excommunication shall be Issu'd out, unless for Robberies and Dammages done, and after Admonition.
The Nineteenth, That the Chaplains on whom Churches are bestow'd for a certain Time, shall be examin'd about their Abilities and Ordination.
The Twentieth, That the Clergy shall forbear Secular Employments, shall wear the Tonsure, and live Clerically.
The Twenty first, That those who will not wear the Clerical Habit and Tonsure after being Admonish'd of it, shall be no longer Defended or Vindicated by Ecclesiastical-Judges.
The Twenty second, That the Benefic'd Clergy who are Excommunicated for not having paid the Tithes, shall get themselves Absolv'd before Christ-Mass.
The Twenty third, That the Clergy who are of the Croisade, shall not abuse the Privileges Granted to them by the Bulls of the Popes, or by their Legates.
The Twenty Fourth, That the Regular Canons shall not be admitted to be Curates till after they have been Examin'd by the Bishop, and that they shall not be remov'd by their Superiors, but by the consent of the Bishop.