[CCCXCIX.-BULL BY THE SAME POPE ADDRESSED TO ALL
THE PRELATES OF ENGLAND, REFLECTING ON THEIR
MISINTERPRETATION OF A PREVIOUS BULL BY ALEX-
ANDER III. TOUCHING THE USE BY THE CONVENT OF
THE EVIDENCE OF THE BRETHREN IN JUDICIAL CAUSES,
AND ENJOINING THE INTENDED OBSERVANCE OF THE
SAME FOR THe future, wiTH OTHER MATTERS.]
Duod uti valeamus testimonio Fratrum in omnibus causis
nostris. 2.

Lucius Epus etc. Universis Prælatis et Clericis per Angliam constitutis. Ad audientiam Apostolatus nostri pervenit quod, cum dilectis filiis nostris Abbati et Fratribus de Furnes ab antecessore nostro, Alexandro1 Papa, sicut cæteris Fratribus Cisterc. Ordinis per litteras Apost. sit indultum ut, in causis suis, Fratrum testimonio fulciantur, quidam ex vobis, verbum illud aliter quam oporteat exponentes, in pecuniariis causis tantum, Fratrum suorum testimonium denegant admittendum, unde discretioni vestræ per Apost. scripta præcipiendo mandamus quatinus præd. indulgentiam, tam in hiis quam in cæteris causis eis integram conservantes, testimonium Fratrum suorum ad convincendos illos qui in eos, sicut diximus, manus injecerint violentas, nullatenus recusetis, ne vel eorum justitia le[254]gitime non probata depereat, vel adversæ partis iniquitas per suppressionem veritatis in eorum præjudicium invalescat. [I]los autem quos contra generalem Cisterc. Ordinis libertatem decimas ab eis extorsisse constiterit, nisi commoniti resipuerint, clericos quidem suspensionis, laicos vero excommunicationis sententia, sine appellationis obstaculo, percellatis, donec ablata restituant, ab auferendis inposterum, congrua præstita cautione, quiescant.

Lucius III. was Pope from 1181 to 1185. His immediate predecessor was Alexander III., who was Pontiff from 1159 to 1181, and a collection of Bulls by whom will be found printed above, p. 537 to p. 546. But it will be observed that there is no Bull among them of the intention here specified. Not, however, that there can be any doubt that he was the author of the Bull in question. Alexander II. was Pope many years before the foundation of Furness.

As to the right interpretation of previous Bulls. 615

[CCCC.-GENERAL BULL BY THE SAME POPE ADDRESSED TO ALL PRELATES EVERYWHERE, ENJOINING A RIGHT UNDERSTANDING AND A FULL OBSERVANCE OF THE PRIVILEGES GRANTED TO THE CISTERCIAN ORDER IN THE MATTER OF NON-PAYMENT OF TITHES ON THE PRODUCE OF NEWLY CULTIVATED LANDS, WITH OTHER MATTERS FLOWING FROM THE SAID INJUNCTION AS CONSEQUENCES.]

Declaratio decimarum et quod Praelati observari faciant privilegia Drdini nostro concessa. 3.

Lucius Ep'us etc. universis prælatis. Audivimus, et audientes mirati sumus, quod cum dilectis filiis nostris, Fratribus Cisterc. Ordinis, a patribus et prædec. nostris concessum sit, et a nobis. postea confirmatum, ut de laboribus quos propriis manibus aut sumptibus excolunt nemini decimas solvere teneantur, quidam ab eis nichilo[254b col. 2]minus contra Sedis Apost. indulgentiam decimas exigere et extorquere præsumunt, et prava et sinistra interpretatione Apostolicorum privilegiorum capitulum pervertentes, asserunt de novalibus intelligi ubi de laboribus est inscriptum. Quum, igitur, manifestum est omnibus qui recte sapiunt interpretationem hujusmodi esse perversam et intellectui sano contrariam, universitati vestræ per Apost. scripta præcipiendo mandamus, quatinus omnibus parochianis vestris, auctoritate Apost., prohibere curetis ne ullatenus contra præd. Fratres materiam accipiant malignandi, nec de aliquibus t'ris quas propriis manibus aut sumptibus excolunt, non tantum de novalibus sed etiam de t'ris antiquitus cultis, quomodocunque teneantur ab illis, sive de nutrimentis animalium suorum, quicquam ab eis, vel ab aliis pro eo quod animalia ipsorum in pastura vel custodia habeant, decimas exigere vel extorquere præsumant. Nam si de novalibus vellemus intelligi ubi ponitur de laboribus, de novalibus poneretur, sicut in privilegiis quorundam ponitur aliorum. Quia vero non est conveniens ut contra Sedis Apost. indulgentias temere veniatur, [255] quæ obtinere debent immobilem firmitatem, vobis per Apost. scripta præcipiendo mandamus ut si qui

monachi, canonici, clerici vel laici memoratos Fratres contra privilegia sua super decimarum vel aliarum libertatum exactione gravaverint, appellatione remota, clericos ab officio suspendatis, laicos autem excommunicationis sententia percellatis, et tam suspensionis quam excommunicationis faciatis usque ad dignam satisfactionem sententias observari. Quod si a Sede Apost. litteræ impetratæ fuerint quaram occasione quis ab illis decimas exigere, vel aliud contra privilegia vel indulgentias eorum ab ipsis extorquere nitatur, respondere illis minime teneantur. Quod si aliquæ compositiones inter eos et aliquos, pacis intuitu et utriusque partis consensu, factæ fuerint, illas faciatis ratas et inconcussas perpetuis temporibus remanere. Ad hæc præsentium auctoritate præcipiendo mandamus quatinus, si quis parochianorum vestrorum in sæpedictos Fratres violentas manus injecerit, eum, candelis accensis, excommunicatum publice denuntietis et tanquam excommunicatum faciatis ab omnibus evitari, donec eisdem Fratribus congrue satisfaciat, et cum litteris Diocesani Ep'i rei veritatem continentibus Apostolico se conspectui repræ

sentet.

[SINGLE BULL BY POPE NICHOLAS III]
Nicholaus.

[CCCCI.-GENERAL CONFIRMATION OF ALL PRIVILEGES, ETC., GRANTED BY PRECEDING POPES TO FURNESS, ACCORDED TO THE CONVENT BY POPE NICHOLAS III.]

De pertinentibus Furnesii confirmatio generalis. 1.

[255 col. 2.] Nicholaus1 etc. Abbati et Conv. Furnesii etc. Solet annuere Sedes Apost. piis votis et honestis petentium desideriis assensum benivolum inpertiri. Ea propter, dilecti filii, vestris justis postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu, omnes

He was Pope from 1277 to 1280.

libertates et immunitates a prædec. nostris, Romanis Pontificibus, Monasterio vestro concessas, necnon libertates et exemptiones sæcularium exactionum a Regibus et Principibus et aliis Christi fidelibus rationabiliter vobis et Monasterio vestro præd. indultas, sicut eas juste et pacifice obtinetis, vobis et per vos eidem Monasterio, auctoritate Apost., confirmamus, et præs. scripti patrocinio communimus. Nulli ergo etc.

[COLLECTION OF BULLS BY POPE URBAN III.]

Urbanus.

[CCCCI-BULL BY POPE URBAN III. ADDRESSED TO THE ABBOT AND Chapter of FURNESS, TAKING THE CONVENT SPECIALLY UNDER HIS PROTECTION AND ST. PETER'S, AND CONFIRMING ALL PRIVILEGES, IMMUNITIES, ETC., BELONGING, OR YET TO BELONG, TO THEM, AND ESPECIALLY WHAT HAD BEEN GRANTED TO THEM BY KING STEPHEN, KING HENRY, AND the King of the ISLES.]

Frem de eisdem confirmatio generalis. I.

Urbanus' Ep'us etc. Abbati et Capitulo Furnesii etc. Officium justa postulantibus indulgere et vigor exigit æqui[255]tatis, et ordo postulat rationis, cum petentium voluntates et pietas adjuvat et veritas non relinquit.2 Ea propter, dilecti in Domino filii, vestris justis postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu, Monasterium vestrum, cum omnibus quæ in præsentiarum juste et pacifice possidetis, aut in futuro, Deo propitio, justis modis poteritis adipisci, sub B. Petri et nostra3 protectione suscipimus et præs. scripti patrocinio communimus: specialiter autem libertates et immunitates generaliter Ordini vestro ab Apost. Sede

I Pope from 1185 to 1187.

2 Relinquid.

3 Nostre.

indultas, dignitates etiam et elemosinas quæ vobis et eidem Monasterio vestro ab illustris memoriæ Rege Stephano, et karissimis in Christo filiis nostris Henrico, illustri [sic] Anglorum et Insularum Regibus, seu aliis Dei fidelibus rationabiliter sunt collatæ, sicut in eorundem regum et aliorum donatorum cartis plenius continetur, et vos eas juste et pacifice possidetis, auctoritate Apost. confirmamus. Nulli etc.

[CCCCIII.-BULL BY POPE URBAN III., WHO FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF POPE LUCIUS, GRANTING TO THE CISTERCIAN ORDER AT LARGE THAT IF THEY ARE REFUSED A HEARING, IN ANY CAUSE, FOR THE PRIVILEGES ACCORDED TO THEM BY THE HOLY SEE, ANYTHING FORMALLY DONE TO THEIR PREJUDICE ON THE OCCASION SHALL BE VOID AND OF NO FORCE.]

Si privilegia nostra er justa causa aliquando duxerimus non monstranda, vel non audiantur, ab hoc nullum nobis

praejudicium generetur. Urbanus iii. 2.

Urbanus [255b col. 2] etc. universis Abbatibus Cisterciensibus. Inter cætera gravamina quibus pacem vestram et indultam vobis a Sede Apost. libertatem sæcularis nititur astutia prægravare, illud, sicut accepimus frequentius, sustinetis, ut privilegia vestra quæ ad propulsandas injurias malignorum in publico recitanda profertis, nec recipi nec audiri quorundam malignitas patiatur, quatinus, privilegiorum recitatione suppressa, videatur eis deinceps quodammodo licitum quod contra ea fuerit tali calliditate præsumptum, unde nos, et eorum versutiis obviantes, et paci vestræ paterna sollicitudine providentes, felicis memoriæ Lucii Papæ, prædec. nostri, vestigiis inhærentes, indulgemus vobis, et præsentium auctoritate, decernimus ut, si prædictæ malignitatis ingenio contra immunitates quæ in vestris privilegiis continentur aliquid contigerit in juris vestri præjudicium diffiniri, quod factum fuerit irritum sit et inane, nec vos propter hoc ulli dispendio subjacere.