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The COUNCIL of VERNEUILLE.
THIS Council was held at Verneville upon Oise, and not at Vernon, as some have thought about July (An. 755.) by the Order of Pepin, who confirm'd by his Edict, and publish∣ed * 1.1 the Canons that had been proposed in this Council.
The 1st imports, that there shall be a Bishop in every Great City.
The 2d, That Obedience shall be paid to the Bishops made Metropolitans.
The 3d, That the Bishop shall be empower'd to Correct the Regulars and Seculars in his Di∣ocess,
The 4th, That there shall be two Synods yearly kept in France, one in March, the other in Octob.
The 5th, That the Monasteries of Men and Women shall be regular; otherwise, the Bishop shall see to it; and if he cannot do it himself alone, he shall acquaint the Metropolitan with it; if the Metropolitan cannot yet Correct and Order it, he shall inform the Synod of it; and if they slight the Synod, they shall be Excommunicated.
The 6th, That an Abbess shall have but one Monastery to govern; that neither she, nor any of her Religious Women shall go out without permission from the King, that they shall send se∣cular persons to the Prince or Synod, to represent their Grievances; that those, that are not Veiled, shall be put out of the Community, and if they be willing to live regularly, they shall be admitted after Tryal.
The 7th, That no Baptistery shall be Erected without the Bishops Leave.
The 8th, That the Priests shall be subject to the Bishops, and that they shall neither Baptize, nor Celebrate the Office without permission from him.
The 9th, That they that communicate with Excommunicated persons shall be Excommunica∣ted; that Excommunicated Persons shall not enter into the Church; that they shall not eat with any of the Faithful; that no body may receive Gifts from them; nor Kiss or Salute them.
The 10th, That Monks shall not go to Rome, nor out of their Monasteries, unless the Bishop gives them Leave to go into a more strict Monastery.
The 11th imports, that all Clerks shall live, as Canons, under the Bishops care; or as Monks, under an Abbot.
The 12th, That Clerks not change the Church, and that Clerks of another Church shall not be received.
13th forbids Bishops to Ordain or Perform any other Episcopal Function out of their Diocess, without the Bishops Order [of the Diocess]
The 14th permits necessary Works, such as dressing of Meat, or making the House clean on Sunday; but forbids the Works of Agriculture.
The 15th enjoyns both the Nobles and the Common people to be Married publickly.
The 16th renews the third Canon of the Council of Chalcedon, which forbids Clerks to meddle with secular Affairs.
The 17th is the 25th of the Council of Chalcedon, about the vacancy of Bishopricks.
The 18th renews the Ordinance of the 9th ch. of the 3d Council of Carthage, which forbid Clerks to come before the Tribunals of the Laity, without the Bishops Leave.
The 19th is concerning the immunities of Churches.
The 20th Ordains, that the Accounts of Monastery's Lands and Revenues, if they be Royal, shall be given up to the King; if Episcopal to the Bishop; this Canon was made in another Synod, and perhaps the following Canons also.
The 21st, That the Bishop shall have the Cures of his Diocess.
The 22d, That no right shall be exacted from Pilgrims.
The 23rd, That Counts and Judges shall hear the Causes of Churches, Widows and Orphans preferably to others.
The 24th, That no Mony shall be given, to get into Holy Orders.
The 25th, That Bishops, Abbots and others shall take no Presents to Administer Justice.
The 26th is concerning the Rights of Portage.
The 27th, The weight of Money.
The 28th, Exemptions.
The 29th, Secular Courts of Justice.
The 30th forbids Ecclesiastical Persons to go to Law, with their Superiour, without permission.