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 Capitularies of King Charles the Bald.

AFter the Constitutions before-mention'd, there follow Nine made at Toulouse, An. 843. up∣on the complaints of certain Priests, who were over-charged by their Bishop.

In the First of them the Emperour orders, that the Bishop should do nothing against the Priests, by way of Revenge, because they have complained against them.

In the 2d he commands, that the Bishops should exact no more every year of the Priests, than a Muid of Wheat, and as much Barley; † 1.1 a Muid of Wine, with a Pig of Six pence, or Two Sols-value, which was before deter∣mined by the Councils of Toledo, and Brague.

The 3d obliges them that dwell within one League, or a League and half of the City, to send this Present by their Servants; but in all places at greater distances, the Bishop shall appoint a place in every Deanery to have them brought to. He exhorts the Bishops not to suffer those Officers, whom they shall appoint to receive those Presents, to exact them with force, but they should kindly accept what the Priests shall bring of their own accord.

The 4th advises the Bishops, in their Visitations, not to stay at every small Church, but to make choice of some of the Principal Churches, where the Curates of the Lesser shall meet them, and bring their People to be Instructed and Confirmed. So that they shall Visit but one Church in five, and the Curates of the other four shall come to them, with their People, and bring with them every one Ten Loaves, a Rundlet of Wine of 16 Gallons, a good quantity of Oats, a fat sucking Pig, two Pullets, and some Eggs for the Maintenance of the Bishop and his Attendants. That the person where the Bishop Lodges shall accommodate him with nothing, but Wood, and Houshold Utensils; and that the Bishop shall be careful that his Servants do his Host no damage, either in his House or Gardens.

In the 5th he confines the Bishops, that they shall not Visit above once in the year; and, if they do it oftner, they shall be no Charge to their Curates in their other Visits.

In the 6th he orders, that if the Bishops do not Visit in person, they shall not exact any thing of their Curates for it, nor oblige them to be at any expence to entertain others; and that they shall not carry along with them a great number of servants.

The 7th exhorts the Bishops not to multiply Parishes without necessity.

The 8th declares, that the Bishops shall have no power to decline the observation of the Orders, under a pretence that it belongs to them to make and explain Canons; That they ought to explain them in their genuine sence, and not elude them by corrupt glosses; and, if they doe otherwise, he will teach them, by the Judgment of a Synod, and his own Royal Authority, how they shall ex∣plain them aright.

The 9th says, that the Bishops shall oblige the Priests not to come to above two Synods a year, at the set-times for them, appointed by the Canons of the Church, and that they shall judge Priests with Justice.

King Charles published also, at the same place, another Constitution in favour of the Spaniards and Goths, who were then fled into Catalonia.—He likewise published at Epernay the 19 Canons made at the Councils of Meaux and Paris, in 846.

In 853, he confirmed the Canons of the Council of Soissons, and made several Constitutions for the better support of Ecclesiastical Discipline, of which I shall speak afterwards. Which were published and confirmed at the Synod held at Verbery the same year; which made some o∣ther Canons also, confirmed by Charles's Authority.—In December, the same year, he nominated several Ecclesiastical and Lay-Commissioners, in all the Provinces of France, and gave them se∣veral Heads of Instruction to act by in their Office; among which the Second concerns the Ho∣nour of the Church.

There are also one or two about the Revenues of the Churches and Monasteries in the Consti∣tutions made at Attigny, in 854.—In his Letters-Patents of the same year, given at Verbery, Aug. 23d. King Charles confirms to the Prebendaries of the Church of Tournay, the property of the Re∣venue she was possessed of, and limits the number of them to 30.

In an Assembly of Bishops and Lords, held Anno 856, at Bonnevil, they petition the King to put the Monasteries in Order, and to execute the Constitutions made at Couleine, Beauvais, Thionville, Verneuil and Soissons, and declare all those things Null, that shall be made in prejudice to those Laws. They threaten him with God's Judgments, if he doth not perform their desires.

In 857, King Charles made two Constitutions at Quiercy, which he sent to the Commissioners of his Realm; by which he gave them power to bring all Offenders to Civil or Ecclesiastical pu∣nishments, and particularly Ravishers.

In 862, he put out a severe Edict at Pista against Robberies, and other publick Disorders, very common at that time, in which the Bishops joyn with the King, and condemn those Malefactors to Canonical punishment, which the King condemned to Civil. In 866 there was a Constitution made at Compeigne, about the Liberties and Privileges of Churches, and the Authority of Bi∣shops.

But, above all, his Edict of 869, made at Pista upon the Seine, is the most considerable of all that he made about Ecclesiastical Discipline. In it he declares himself the Defender of the Bishops Authority, and Liberty of the Churches. He orders all his Ministers to respect their Power, execute their Commands, and preserve the Churches in the enjoyment of their Privileges. He requires all Earls, great Lords and Judges, to give the Bishops their due subjection; and, on the other side, that the Bishops should not encroach upon the Rights of the Earls, Lords and Judges. He commands the Bishops to doe no Injustice, either to the Clergy or Laity, under their Jurisdicti∣on; and that their Curates should give the Lords of their Parishes the respect due to them. He enjoyns the Bishops not to reject those Clergy-men that are presented to them by Abbots, Abbes∣ses, or Lords, to serve in their Churches, if they are not worthy of blame for their Conversation, or Doctrine. He renews the Constitution, which forbids the Lords requiring any thing of the Clerks they present. He forbids them Excommunicating any persons, who were not full con∣victed of the Faults they were accused of; and, who after admonition to amend and repent, have not obstinately refused to submit. He recommends Peace, Union and Friendship among his Ci∣vil Magistrates, Bishops and Clergy. He orders his Bishops to defend the Privileges granted to their Churches by the Church of Rome, and by the Charters of his Royal Progenitors, and that they be careful to have the Rents paid that are due to them.

The King having received Intelligence at Pista, that Lotharius was dead, went immediately to Lorrain to be Crown'd King of it. And being arrived there in Sept. 869. after Adventius, Bishop of that City, had declared in the Name of all the Bishops and People, that they all accepted him for their King, he took an Oath to preserve the Honour and Privileges of their Churches, to doe Justice impartially to every Man, according to the Laws, and protect that Kingdom. After this Hincmarus, who performed the Ceremony of the Coronation, and Ordain'd some Bishops, being Admonish'd by Adventius, and other Bishops, which belonged to the Province of Treves, that this Action would prejudice the Rights of their Metropolis, made a Declaration, That it would be no prejudice to the Rights of the Province of Treves, because that Province, and that of Rheims were like Sisters, so firmly united, that they made, but as it were, one Province; since the Bishops of both met at one Synod, observed the same Canons, and, among the Arch-bishops of Treves and Rheims, the most Aged always took place: but yet, were it not so, he ought not to be accused for medling with the Jurisdiction of another Province, by his own Authority, or of putting his Sickle into the Harvest that did not belong to him, since he had not concerned himself with that Pro∣vince, but at the Request of the Bishop, and out of Charity. Lastly, That they ought to look upon it, as a special Favour of God, that Charles was Crowned King at Metz, because hereto∣fore his Father Lewis the Godly, who was descended of Clovis the French King, who was Con∣verted by S. Remigius, and Baptized in the Church of Rheims, where he was Anointed and Con∣secrated King, by a Chrism sent down from Heaven, which they still have at Rheims: That Lew∣is the Godly was Crowned Emperour in that City, and after he was Deposed from his Imperial Throne by the Conspiracies of his Enemies, he was restored, and was Crowned again in the same City, and in St. Stephen's Church, whose Name was a good Omen, because it signifies a Crown.

After this Declaration, he asked the People, If the Coronation should be Celebrated before the Altar, and whether that Prince should be Consecrated by the Holy Unction. The People having testified their Approbation by their Acclamations, they Sang Te Deum, and the King was Crown∣ed by the Priestly Benediction of the Bishops. This Constitution is very remarkable.

In the year 874, Charles Judged some Ecclesiastical Causes at Attigny, at the Request of the Bi∣shop of Barcelona. The First was about a Complaint made to him, That one Thyrsus, a Priest of Corduba, had called the People together at a Church of Barcelona, and had taken away from him almost two thirds of his people; That he Celebrated Mass, and Administred Baptism without his permission. That he caused those people to go to his Church on the Feasts of Nativity and Easter, which ought to be at his Cathedral, and gave them the Sacrament. The King Recited the Canons, which condemned the practice of that Priest. The Second complaint, made by the Bishop of Bar∣celona, was, That another Priest had engaged the Inhabitants of the Castle of Terracine, not to sub∣mit to his Jurisdiction. The King order'd, that the Canons in that case should be observed. The Third was against two private persons, who having Intercepted the King's Letters, had possessed themselves, the one of St. Stephen's Church, and the other of certain Lands belonging to the Church of S. Eulalia. The King commanded, that if this cou'd be prov'd, his Commissioners should give an Account what Letters had been Intercepted, that being reported to the Council, it might be Examined by them.

Lewis, the Emperour of Italy, being dead, Aug. 8. 875, Charles was Crowned Emperour at Rome on Christmass-Day of the same year, by Pope John the VIII; and, at his return, received the Crown of Lombardy at Pavia, and the Confirmation of his Imperial Crown in an Assembly of the Nobles and Bishops of that Countrey, held Feb. 876, at which the Pope was present in per∣son. After this, to acknowledge the Obligations he had to the Pope, he made a Constitution, in which he decreed, That all persons should pay an especial Veneration to the Holy Roman Church, the Head of all other Churches; that no Man should dare to attempt any thing in violation of her Power and Privileges; but should enjoy her full Authority, and exercise her Pastoral care o∣ver all the Church; that they should particularly honour the Supreme Bishop, and Universal Pope John; that his Decrees should be received, with all due regard, and Obedience be gi∣ven him in all things he hath right to: He forbids all persons encroaching upon the Lands and Revenues of the Church of Rome. He then commands, that due respect be paid to the Sacer∣dotal Authority and Clergy; that all should submit to the Imperial Authority, and none should be so bold as to resist his Orders. That Bishops should freely exercise their Function, and punish Offenders; that they be careful to Preach. He enjoyns the Lay-men which dwell in the Cities, to be present at the Assemblies of the Church on Festival-days, and forbids them having private Chapels in their Houses. He requires, that Bishops should have Colleges for their Prebenda∣ries near the Church; that Prebendaries should live according to the Canonical Rules, and be subject to their Bishop. He forbids Clergy-men dwelling, or conversing with Women, as also Hunting. He provides for the preservation of the Church-Revenues, and payment of Tithes. He commends Friendship between the Nobility and Clergy. This was published and received at Pontigon in July 876.

Lastly, Charles the Bald held an Assembly of his Nobles at Quiercy, June 877, in which he made several Constitutions by his own Authority, and propounded others to his Nobles for their Advice. The Constitutions now made about Discipline, are these. The First was about the Ho∣nour and Liberty of Churches, so often repeated. By the 2d he confirms the Privileges of the Abbey of S. Mary of Compeigne, granted by the Pope, received by the Bishops, and Authorized by the King's Letters. The 8th secures the Revenues of Vacant Arch-bishopricks, and Bishopricks. In the 12th he nominates several Bishops, Abbots and Earls to dispose of his Alms, which he should give by Will, after his Death. The rest contain several Directions for doing what is necessary for the good of his Kingdom and Children after his Decease. Two days after he renewed again the Constitution about the Honour of Churches, and Authority of Bishops; he confirmed several Ec∣clesiastical and Civil Laws, and promised to put them in Execution. He provides for the pre∣servation of the Estate of an Earl lately deceased, till his Son was in possession of it; and for the security of those Churches who have lost their Bishop, Abbot, or Superiour, till they have a Suc∣cessor. These are the last Constitutions of Charles the Bald, who died August the 28th following at Frankfort, in the 70th year of his Age, and 59th from his first Coronation. He was a Lover of Justice, Religion, and of the Church, and was the nearest of any Prince of his Race, to Charles the Great, in his good Qualities and Vertues.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Muid is a large French Measure, for Corn, containing Five Seam and Five Bush∣els of London Measure; and, for Wine, it contains 36 Gallons.