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 Ravenna.

JOhn the Eighth appointed a Council at Ravenna, where he was to meet the Bishops at the end of * 1.1 May, 877. He came and held a Council there in the beginning of August, where they made Nineteen Canons for the good of the Church.

The First enjoyns, and obligeth all Metropolitans within three Months after their Ordination, to send a Confession of their Faith to the Holy See, demand the Pall; and they that shall neglect this Duty, shall have no power to Ordain Bishops till they have performed it; and that other Metropolitans shall have liberty to ordain the Bishops of their Province, after three Admonitions, and having taken the Advice of the Pope.

The Second orders, that if those who are chosen Bishops do not procure Ordination within three Months after their Election, they shall be Excommunicated till they doe; and if they do not do it within Five Months, they shall neither be Ordained for the Church, to which they are chosen, nor to any other.

In the third 'tis forbidden to make use of the Pall in the Streets in Procession, or in any other Ceremonies, than what are appointed by St. Gregory.

The Fourth forbids the Nobles and Judges to contemn or abuse the Bishops, or exact any thing of them. It reserves the cognizance of the causes of the Clergy, Nuns, Orphans and Widows, to the Bishops.

The Fifth is against those that take away the Revenues of the Church.

The Sixth is against Ravishers.

The Seventh is against Murtherers, and Incendaries.

The Eighth is against those that pillage and steal other Mens Goods.

The Ninth declares them Excommunicate, who voluntarily keep company with persons Excom∣municated; and requires, that all Audience be denied them who are Excommunicated a whole year, and trouble not themselves to take off their Excommunication; if they die in that condition, it forbids to accept them to Communion.

That the former Decree may be put in execution, it is ordered in the following Article, That all the Bishops should send to their Neighbours, and people of their Diocess, the Names of such as are Excommunicated, and cause them to set up a List of them upon their Church-doors.

The Eleventh imports, that those, who, to avoid deserved punishment, fly to other Lords, shall not be received, till their Master hath Justice done him.

The Twelfth is, that they that absent themselves Three Sundays together from the Assemblies of the Faithful in their Parishes, shall be Excommunicated.

The Thirteenth enjoyns the Defenders, Preservers and Managers of Church-Revenues, to doe their Duty, under the pain of Excommunication.

The Fourteenth shews, that he shall not be Ordained a Priest, that is not diligent in the Service of the Church.

The Three following are for the preservation of the Laws and Revenues of the Church of Rome.

The Eighteenth orders, that Tythes shall be paid to the Priest that serves the Parish; and for∣bids the Priest of another Diocess, or Parish, to meddle with them.

The Nineteenth forbids the Judges, or King's Commissioners to hold any Pleas, or Lodge in Churches.

At this Council there were present, besides the Pope, the Arch-bishop of Ravenna, Patriarch of Grado, Bishop of Verona, and Six and Forty other Bishops of Italy; who signed a Grant, by which they confirmed the Donation of certain Lands and Revenues given to the Church of Autun by King Charles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Council of Raven∣na.