Middle English Literature

sacerdotum,” which book of constitution we would should be had in every
parish church in our province of Canterbury within three months next after
the publication of these presents and (as therein is required) that it be
effectually declared by the priests themselves yearly and at the times ap-
pointed. And, lest this wholesome statute might be thought hurtful to some
by reason of payment of money or some other difficulty, we therefore will
and ordain that the examinations of the persons aforesaid and the making
of their letters by the ordinary be done gratis and freely, without any exac-
tion of money at all by those to who it shall appertain. And if any man
shall willingly presume to violate this our statute grounded upon the old
law, after the publication of the same, he shall incur the sentence of greater
excommunication, “ipso facto,” whose absolution we specially reserve by
tenor of these presents to us and our successors. But, if any such preacher,
despising this wholesome statute and not weighing the sentence of greater
excommunication, do the second time take upon him to preach, saying and
alleging, and stoutly affirming that the sentence of greater excommunica-
tion aforesaid cannot be appointed by the church in the persons of the
prelates of the same, that then the superiors of the place do worthily rebuke
him and forbid him from the communion of all faithful Christians.
And that the said person hereupon lawfully convicted (except he recant
and abjure after the manner of the church) be pronounced a heretic by the
ordinary of the place. And that from thenceforth he be reputed and taken
for a heretic and schismatic, and that he incur “ipso facto” the penalties of
heresy and schismacy expressed in the law and, chiefly, that his goods be
adjudged confiscate by the law, and apprehended, and kept by them to
whom it shall appertain. And that his fautors, receivers, and defenders,
being convicted, in all cases be likewise punished if they cease not off within
one month, being lawfully warned thereof by their superiors . . .
[Any clergymen who allow anyone to preach in their churches without
proof of the person’s authorization to do so will have the religious places
put under interdict.]
Moreover, like as a good householder casteth wheat into the ground well
ordered for that purpose, thereby to get the more increase, even so we will
and command that the preacher of God’s word, coming in form aforesaid,
1
John Pecham, archbishop of Canterbury 1279–92.

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preaching either unto the clergy or laity, according to his matter proponed,
shall be of good behavior, sowing such seed as shall be convenient for his
auditory. And, chiefly preaching to the clergy, he shall touch the vices
commonly used amongst them, and to the laity he shall declare the vices
commonly used amongst them, and not otherwise. But if he preach con-
trary to this order, then shall he be sharply punished by the ordinary of that
place, according to the quality of that offence.
Item, forasmuch as the part is vile that agreeth not with the whole, we do
decree and ordain that no preacher aforesaid or any other person whatso-
ever shall otherwise teach or preach concerning the sacrament of the altar,
matrimony, confession of sins, or any other sacrament of the church, or
article of the faith, than what already is discussed by the holy mother
church; nor shall bring any thing in doubt that is determined by the church,
nor shall, to his knowledge, privily or apertly pronounce blasphemous words
concerning the same; nor shall teach, preach, or observe any sect or kind of
heresy whatsoever contrary to the wholesome doctrine of the church. He
that shall wittingly and obstinately attempt the contrary after the publica-
tion of these presents, shall incur the sentence of excommunication “ipso
facto,” from which, except in point of death, he shall not be absolved until
he have reformed himself by abjuration of his heresy at the discretion of the
ordinary in whose territory he so offended and have received wholesome
penitence for his offences. But if the second time he shall so offend, being
lawfully convicted, he shall be pronounced a heretic, and his goods shall be
confiscated and apprehended and kept by them to whom it shall appertain.
The penance before-mentioned shall be after this manner: if any man, con-
trary to the determination of the church, that is, in the decrees, decretals, or
our constitutions provincial, do openly or privily teach or preach any kind of
heresy or sect, he shall, in the parish church of the same place where he so
preached, upon one Sunday or other solemn day, or more, at the discretion
of the ordinary and as his offence is more or less, expressly revoke what he
so preached, taught, or affirmed, even at the time of the solemnity of the
mass when the people are most assembled, and there shall he effectually and
without fraud preach and teach the very truth determined by the church
and, further, shall be punished after the quality of his offence as shall be
thought expedient at the discretion of the ordinary.
Item, forasmuch as a new vessel, being long used, savoureth after the head,
we decree and ordain that no schoolmasters and teachers whatsoever, that
instruct children in grammar or others whosoever in primitive sciences,
shall, in teaching them, intermingle any thing concerning the catholic faith,
the sacrament of the altar, or other sacraments of the church contrary to the
Censorship
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246
Textualities
determination of the church; nor shall suffer their scholars to expound the
holy scriptures (except the text, as hath been used in ancient time); nor shall
permit them to dispute openly or privily concerning the catholic faith or
sacraments of the church. Contrariwise, the offender herein shall be grievously
punished by the ordinary of the place as a favorer of errors and schisms.
Item, for that a new way doth more frequently lead astray than an old
way, we will and command that no book or treatise made by John Wickliff
or others whomsoever about that time, or since, or hereafter to be made, be
from henceforth read in schools, halls, hospitals, or other places whatso-
ever within our province of Canterbury aforesaid, except the same be first
examined by the university of Oxford or Cambridge, or, at least, by twelve
persons whom the said universities or one of them shall appoint to be
chosen at our discretion or the laudable discretion of our successors; and
the same, being examined as aforesaid, to be expressly approved and
allowed by us or our successors, and in the name and authority of the
university to be delivered unto the stationers to be copied out, and the same
to be sold at a reasonable price, the original thereof always after to remain
in some chest of the university. But if any man shall read any such kind of
book in schools or otherwise, as aforesaid, he shall be punished as a sower
of schism, and a favorer of heresy, as the quality of the fault shall require.
Item, it is a dangerous thing, as witnesseth blessed St. Jerome, to trans-
late the text of the holy scripture out of the tongue into another, for in the
translation the same sense is not always easily kept, as the same St. Jerome
confesseth that although he were inspired, yet oftentimes in this he erred.
2
We therefore decree and ordain that no man hereafter by his own authority
translate any text of the scripture into English or any other tongue by way
of a book, libel, or treatise, and that no man read any such book, libel,
or treatise now lately set forth in the time of John Wickliff, or since, or
hereafter to be set forth, in part or in whole, privily or apertly, upon pain
of greater excommunication, until the said translation be allowed by the
ordinary of the place or, if the case so require, by the council provincial. He
that shall do contrary to this shall likewise be punished as a favorer of error
and heresy.
Item, for that almighty God cannot be expressed by any philosophical
terms or otherwise invented of man and St. Augustine saith that he hath
oftentimes revoked such conclusions as have been most true because they
have been offensive to the ears of the religious,
3
we do ordain and specially
2
St. Jerome (ca. 347–420), Epistolae.
3
St. Augustine (354–430), Retraciones.

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forbid that any manner of person of what state, degree, or condition soever
he be, do allege or propone any conclusions or propositions in the catholic
faith or repugnant to good manners (except necessary doctrine pertaining
to their faculty of teaching or disputing in their schools or otherwise)
although they defend the same with ever such curious terms and words.
For, as saith blessed St. Hugh of the sacraments, “That which oftentimes is
well spoken is not well understood.”
4
If any man, therefore, after the publica-
tion of these presents, shall be convicted wittingly to have proponed such
conclusions or propositions, except (being monished) he reform himself in
one month, by virtue of this present constitution, he shall incur the sentence
of greater excommunication “ipso facto,” and shall be openly pronounced
an excommunicate until he hath confessed his fault openly in the same place
where he offended and hath preached the true meaning of the said conclu-
sion or proposition in one church or more as shall be thought expedient to
the ordinary.
Item, no manner of person shall presume to dispute upon the articles
determined by the church that are contained in the decrees, decretals, or
constitutions provincial, or in the general councils, but only to seek out the
true meaning thereof, and that expressly, whether it be openly or in secret,
and none shall call in doubt the authority of the said decretals or constitu-
tions, or the authority of him that made them, or teach any thing contrary
to the determination thereof and, chiefly, concerning the adoration of the
holy cross, the worshipping of images, of saints, going on pilgrimage to
certain places or to the relics of saints, or against the oaths in cases accus-
tomed to be given in both common places, that is to say, spiritual and
temporal. But by all it shall be commonly taught and preached that the
cross and image of the crucifix, and other images of saints, in honor of them
whom they represent, are to be worshipped with procession, bowing of
knees, offering of frankincense, kissings, oblations, lighting of candles, and
pilgrimages, and with all other kind of ceremonies and manners that have
been used in the time of our predecessors, and that giving of oaths in cases
expressed in the law and used of all men to whom it belongeth, in both
common places, ought to be done upon the book of the gospel of Christ.
Contrary unto this, whosoever doth preach, teach, or obstinately affirm,
except he recant in manner and form aforesaid, shall forthwith incur the
penalty of heresy and shall be pronounced a heretic in all effect of law.
Item, we do decree and ordain that no chaplain be admitted to celebrate
in any diocese within our province of Canterbury where he was not born or
4
Hugh of St. Victor (ca. 1096–1141), De sacramentis.
Censorship
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248
Textualities
received not orders except he bring with him his letters of orders and letters
commendatory from his ordinary and also from other bishops in whose
diocese of a long time he hath been conversant, whereby his conversation
and manners may appear so that it may be known whether he hath been
defamed with any new opinions touching the catholic faith or whether he
be free from the same; otherwise, as well he that celebrateth as he that
suffereth him to celebrate shall be sharply punished at the discretion of the
ordinary.
Finally, because those things, which newly and unaccustomably creep
up stand in need of new and speedy help, and where more danger is, there
ought to be more wary circumspection and stronger resistance, and not
without good cause, the less noble ought discreetly to be cut away, that the
more noble may the more perfectly be nourished, considering, therefore,
and in lamentable wise showing unto you how the ancient university of
Oxford, which as a fruitful vine was wont to extend forth her fruitful
branches to the honor of God, the great perfection and defense of the
church, now partly being become wild, bringeth forth bitter grapes which,
being indiscreetly eaten of ancient fathers that thought themselves skilful
in the law of God, hath set on edge the teeth of their children, and our
province being infected with divers and unfruitful doctrines, and defiled
with a new and damnable name of Lollardy to the great reproof and offence
of the said university, being known in foreign countries and to the great
irksomeness of the students there, and to the great damage and loss of the
church of England, which in times past by her virtue, as with a strong wall,
was wont to be defended, and now is like to run into ruin not to be
recovered; at the supplication, therefore, of the whole clergy of our pro-
vince of Canterbury, and by the consent and assent of all our brethren and
suffragans, and other the prelates in this convocation assembled, and the
proctors of them that are absent, lest the river being cleansed, the fountain
should remain corrupt and so the water coming form thence should not be
pure, intending most wholesomely to provide for the honor and utility of
our holy mother the church and the university aforesaid, we do ordain and
decree that every warden, provost, or master of every college, or principal
of every hall within the university aforesaid shall, once every month at the
least, diligently inquire in the said college, hall, or other place where he
hath authority, whether any scholar or inhabitant of such college or hall,
etc. have holden, alleged, or defended, or by any means proponed any
conclusion, proposition, or opinion concerning the catholic faith, or sound-
ing contrary to good manners, or contrary to the determination of the
church otherwise than appertaineth to necessary doctrine; and if he shall

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find any suspected or defamed herein, he shall, according to his office,
admonish him to desist. And if, after such monition given, the said party
offend again in the same or such like, he shall incur “ipso facto” (besides the
penalties aforesaid) the sentence of greater excommunication. And, never-
theless, if it be a scholar that so offendeth the second time, whatsoever he
shall afterwards do in the said university shall not stand in effect. And if he
be a doctor, a master, or bachelor, he shall forthwith be suspended from
every scholar’s act, and in both cases shall lose the right that he hath in the
said college or hall whereof he is, “ipso facto” and, by the warden, provost,
master, principal, or other to whom it appertaineth, he shall be expelled,
and a catholic, by lawful means, forthwith placed in his place . . . [The
wardens, provosts, masters, and principals are required to enforce the meas-
ures upon pain of losing their positions and, if found to favor or defend
ideas and practices against the aforesaid, they will also be excommunicated.
Anyone else will be unable to receive a benefice for three years. In order to
more easily prosecute the offenders, condemnation can take place without
the accused actually being present.]