The first Council of Sevil in 590.
THis Council was held at Sevil in the fifth year of the Reign of Reccaredus. Leander Bishop of this Metropolis presided in it, and seven of his Suffragans were present at it.
There is nothing peculiar to this Council now remaining, but a Letter to Pegasus Bishop of Astigis, who could not be present at the Council, probably because he was weak; for neither could he be present at the third Council of Toledo.
The Bishops being assembled on the fourth day of November, in the principal Church of the City of Sevil, the Deacons of Pegasus presented to them a Memorial, which contain'd the Names of the Slaves of the Church, which his Predecessor Gaudentius had pretended to set at liberty, or to give to some of his Kinsfolk. The Bishops having consulted upon this occasion, how they are to be dispos'd of by the Canons, found it thus, That when a Bishop leaves the Possessions which he had in his own Name, to others then his Children or Grand-Children, rather then give them to the Church, no regard ought to be had to the Donations or Sales which he made of the Churches Possessions. From this Principle founded upon the sixth Canon of the Council of Agda, they conclude, That if the Church of Pegasus possess'd nothing of the Goods or Lands left by Gaudentius, the Slaves ought not to be set at liberty, as he order'd; but if the Church pos∣sess'd the Means of Gaudentius, they ought to enjoy the liberty which he had granted them. Yet not to use the utmost rigor, they are content, that in case the Bishop left nothing to the Church, to recompense the loss of these Slaves, they should notwithstanding be enfranchiz'd, on condition that they shall continue in the Service of the Church, and in dependence upon it, and that they shall be disabled to give their wages, i. e. what they can earn, to others then their Children, who shall continue also, they and their Posterity, in the same dependence upon the Church; so that the Goods of those who shall die without Heirs, shall return to the Church. And as to the Slaves which this Bishop left as a Legacy to his Kinsfolk, 'tis or∣dain'd that the Curch shall take them again, if he has not otherwise made Compensation to it for this loss. This Canon extends to all the Slaves of the Province of Boetica, which are taken away from the Church to which they belong by a like Grant. For it says, That it is against Equity and Religion, that he who lives at the Expence of the Church, and gives nothing to it of his own, shall deprive it of those Gifts that are made by others. The Bi∣shops of this Council advertise also the Bishop of Astigis, that they have thought it conveni∣ent for putting in Execution the Canon against Clergy-men, who keep strange Women, or Female Slaves in their House, which was renew'd a little while ago by the third Council of Toledo, to ordain, That if the Priests, Deacons, or other Clergy-men, do not obey the De∣claration of their Bishops, the Judges of the Places may take these Women, with the leave and consent of the Bishop, on condition that they never restore them to the Clergy-men, under pain of Excommunication. As to the Women, they order, That they shall be given to serve Nunneries.
It may be that this Council made other Canons besides those which it sent to this Bi∣shop: and indeed Burchardus, and Ibo of Chartres, relate many more under the Name of the Council of Sevil; but their Citations are so so full of Faults, that we cannot trust to their Report.