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 Lambeth in the Year 1281.

JOhn Peckham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, of whom we have already spoke, Held an Assembly of Bishops at Lambeth in the Year 1281, the Tenth of October, wherein after he had order'd the * 1.1 Executing of the Orders made in the last Council of Lions, and of the Constitutions of Ottobon, and the Canons of the Council of Lambeth under Boniface his Predecessor, he Publish'd Twenty seven Decrees.

The First is about the Reverence due to the Eucharist. It is therein order'd, That the Priests shall Confess themselves at least once a Week: That the Holy Sacrament shall he kept in a Pyx close Lock'd up in the Tabernacle: That every Sunday the Hosts shall be renew'd: That at the Elevation the Bells shall Ring, and all that hear them even out of Church, shall down on their Knees. The Priests likewise are admonish'd of the Instructions which they ought to give the People about this Sacrament.

The Second is about the Annuities of Masses which are Said for the Dead. It is therein declar'd, That a Priest ought to acquit himself of all the Masses, with which he is Charg'd, and that it is not true, that he may satisfy by one Mass several, to whom he has promis'd to Say an entire Mass for them.

The Third is about Baptism. It is therein prohibited to Re-baptize those who are Baptiz'd with the

Form of Words, tho by Laicks: And order'd to Re-baptize them on Condition, That a Question be made whether the Baptism was Administred according to the Lawful Form.

The Fourth is about Confirmation: Therein they are blam'd who neglect the Receiving of this Sacrament.

The Fifth is about Holy Orders: It is therein prohibited to Grant Holy Orders with the Four Mi∣nor Orders, and therein is commended the Practice of Conferring the Four Minor Orders separately.

The Sixth prohibits the Priests from Granting Absolution to those who are obstinate in their Sins, and to those who have Pluralities of Benefices, and will not quit them.

The Seventh prohibits Priviledg'd Persons from Confessing and granting Absolution, if they be not Approv'd by the Ordinary.

In the Eighth 'tis order'd, That a Publick and Solemn Pennance shall be impos'd for Great, Pu∣blick, and Scandalous Sins: And the Absolution of Homicide is reserv'd to the Bishop.

The Ninth renews the Order importing, That there shall be in each Deanry a General Con∣fessor for all the Clergy.

The Tenth contains an Abridgment of the Instructions which the Pastors ought to give to their Parishoners.

The Three next concern Processes, as well as the Twenty fourth.

The Fifteenth prohibits the Leasing out of Churches to Laicks.

The Sixteenth imports, That all the Houses of Regular Canons shall come to the General Chapter.

The Four next are against the Corrupters of Nuns, and against the Apostate Monks.

The Twenty first prohibits the Nominating of Monks for Executors of Last Wills and Testa∣ments.

The Twenty second is about the Clerical Habit.

The Twenty Third prohibits the Granting of Benefices to Clergy-Men's Sons.

The Twenty fifth is against the Clerks who have Pluralities.

The Twenty sixth prohibits the Admitting any one for an Advocate who has not Study'd the Canon and Civil Law for Three Years.

The Last orders all the Priests of a Diocess to Say a Mass for their Bishop after his Decease.

The same Arch-Bishop Wrote a Letter to King Edward in favour of the Liberties of the Churches and Ecclesiasticks of England, wherein he relates the Examples of his Predecessors, to incline him to be favourable to them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Council of Lambeth in 1261.