THEODULPHUS Bishop of Orleans.
THEODULPHUS, Abbot of S. Benedict upon the Loire, and afterwards preferred to the Bishoprick of Orleans, before 794. flourish'd towards the end of this Century, and died * 1.1 towards 821. F. Sirmondus published this Bishop's Opuscula in 1646. [at Paris, with his own Notes.] The first and chief is his Capitulary, containing 46 Articles for the Instruction of the Priests of his Diocess. He discourses with them of the Dignity of their State, and recommends to them the Care of their Flock, Diligence in Reading, Praying and Working; he enjoyns them, when they come to the Synod, after the Custom, to bring along with them the Habits, Books and Vessels, wherewith they perform their Functions, and 2 or 3 Clerks; to have a care, that the Bread, the Water and the Wine, wherewith they celebrate the Mass, be very decent and pro∣per; to make the Bread themselves which is to be consecrated, or cause it to be made in their pre∣sence. He forbids Women to approach the Altar, whilst the Priest is celebrating; and orders, That their Oblations shall be received in their Seats. He forbids Priests to celebrate Mass by themselves, without other Communicants. He prohibits putting any thing in Churches besides the Sacred Vestments, Vessels and Books. He will not have any body to be buried within the Church, but Clergymen only, or persons of singular piety. He prohibits Assemblies in the Church, for any other thing than Praying, and also celebrating Mass without the Church. He extends the Prohibition of Church-men keeping Women at home with them, to the nearest Relations. He forbids Clerks to go to the Tavern, and recommends to them Sobriety in the Feasts they are invited to. He forbids Presbyters to take the Tythes belonging to their Brethren, or to solicit and entice their Clerks. He charges all Presbyters to baptize Children in case of Necessity, whether they be of their own Parish or not. He forbids Presbyters and Laymen to convert Sa∣cred Ve••sels to prophane uses. He would have Schools set up in Parishes, to teach Youth to lead a Christian Life, of which he maketh an Abridgment; and all the Faithful to know the Lord's Prayer and the Creed. He exhorts them all to pray to God, at least, twice in the Day. He enjoyns them to spend Sundays in Praying, and being present at the Divine Service, and prohibits all manner of Work but what is of necessity, to dress Meat. He permits Travelling, provided they be present at the Office. He charges the Laymen to be present at the first Vespres of Festivals, at Mattins, and at Mass; and would have them to be exhorted to the practice of Hospitality, to be deterred from false Oaths, Perjuries, false Witness; to be instructed in the Holy Scripture, to be reproved, to be admonished to be constant in Prayer. He exhorts Laymen to confess all their Sins, even those of Thought, and instructs the Presbyters how they ought to examine Sinners. He exhorts Men to the Works of Mercy towards others. He will have the People to be put in Mind of the Obligation laid upon Children to honour their Parents, and upon Parents to use their Children gently, and of the mutual Love they owe one another; that Merchants and Men of Business are to be remembred, that they should not mind their Temporal Gain so much as Life Eternal; That the People must confess their Sins the Week before Lent, and then receive Pe∣nance, in order to their doing of it, during Lent. He marks out several ways of obtaining for∣giveness of Sins, he recommends the exact keeping of the Lent-Fast, and the joyning of Alms-giving to Fasting. He will not have Men to break their Fast at the ninth Hour of Prayer, but to stay till the Hour of Vespres. He thinks, it would be a great perfection to abstain from Eggs, Cheese, Fish and Wine; yet he allows infirm Persons and Labourers to use them. He will have all the Faithful to communicate on Sundays in Lent, except those which are suspended the Com∣munion; and that all take the Sacrament on Holy Thursday, on Easter-Eve and Easter Day; that they abstain from the Use of Matrimony on Fast-days, and also some Days before the Communion; that they prepare themselves for this Holy Action by Almsgiving and good Works. That the Priests who say private Masses on Sunday, shall not say them publickly, lest they should take off the People from being present at the Mass in their Parishes. Lastly, he will have the People put in mind, That they should not eat, till they have been at the solemn Mass and the Sermon.