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DOMINE DEUS AGNUS DEI FILIUS PATRIS

The Pope was in Consiitory one day with the Cardinals, and he spake to them in these words : “ It is a thing moil certain that the orders of religion which are among us are ruled and governed by chapter, wherein they make ordi¬ nance yearly how their order may be well preserved in religion and in holy life; wherefore it is a needful thing that we secular clergy make ordinance of a chapter like¬ wise, after such manner that our life may be pleasing both to God and to man; for unless we hold chapter, both general and special, we cannot be perfeftly ordered in this world. Wherefore, as this is so, I pray each of my corn- 378

DOMINE DEUS AGNUS DEI FILIUS PATRIS panions that he help me to discuss how we may ordain among us general and provincial chapters.” Greatly did the words of the Pope please the Cardinals, and together with the Pope they made ordinance of a chapter after this manner:

2. Firft, it was ordained that every bishop should hold chapter once in each year, and that he should appoint in his diocese inquisitors, and that denunciation should be made in chapter if any clerk were deserving of punishment for any faults that he had committed during the year. After this, establishment was made that once in every year each archbishop should hold chapter with his bishops, and that he likewise should appoint inquisitors over them who should accuse them in chapter, that they might be punished by the archbishops. It was ordained also by the Pope and the Cardinals that the world should be divided into four parts, and that the archbishops from one of these parts should come together in one place, and those of the second part in another, and even so with the reft; and that four cardinals should hold chapter with them every year, each cardinal going to one of the parts of the world, and that the cardinals should make inquisition concerning the arch¬ bishops. After this ordinance it was ordained that the Pope should hold chapter with the four cardinals once in every year, and appoint inquisitors over them, and punish them if they had committed any fault againft their rule. Like¬ wise establishment was made that there should be inquisitors set over the Pope, and that once in every year there should be a chapter, and that he likewise should be punished if he had committed any fault during the year. After this, it was ordained that in every five years should be held a genera chapter, to the which should come the archbishops with two auxiliaries appointed by the bishops of their arc dioceses. And it was ordained likewise that in every ten years there should be held a council to the which should come all bishops and archbishops and abbots.

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3. When they had made ordinance concerning the manner wherein the chapters should be held, the Pope said to the Cardinals: “ Which of you desires to have the office of being inquisitor in chief, beneath the which in¬ quisitor shall be set all the others, the inquisitor in chief being diredtor of the chapter? ” When the Pope had said these words, a certain Cardinal answered that he desired to take that office, to serve therein Domine Deus Agnus Dei Filius Patris, and the Pope granted him that office for so long as he used it well. And Straightway they made a book wherein was written the manner and the rule whereby the Cardinal should proceed in his office, and how he should hold chapter.

4. The Pope sent immediately to the prelates in every land, and he held a council wherein was established the ordinance aforementioned; and the Cardinal ordained and established spies who should be watchful and make enquiry secretly as to whether the prelates followed the establish¬ ment aforementioned or no, and if the things came to the knowledge of the chapter when the Cardinal caused in¬ quisition to be made, and if the spies of the clerks againSt the prelates, or of the prelates againSt the clerks, or of one prelate againSt another, agreed with the spies of the Cardinal. Great was the good and the utility which resulted from the establishment aforementioned; and the princes and the barons had such good example thereby that in their courts they likewise established inquisitors and made ordinance whereby juStice and peace should be preserved.

5. There were certain particular matters whereof in¬ quisition was to be made, namely : vainglory, pride, avarice, simony, luSt, injustice, infidelity, gluttony and certain other things like to these. It came to pass one day that a bishop had made inquisition in his diocese, and had taken money, and accused not the wrongdoers neither punished them ; and the inquisitors of the archbishop dis- 380

QUI TO L LIS PECCATA MUNDI, MISERERE NOBIS covered that the bishop had pardoned those faults by reason of the money which he had taken. When the archbishop held chapter, these inquisitors accused the bishop, and the bishop secretly gave money to the archbishop also, where¬ fore the archbishop punished him not. But the inquisitors of the Cardinal learned this thing and accused the arch¬ bishop when he came to the chapter, and the Cardinal who held chapter punished the archbishop and the bishop, and deprived each 'of his office.