self, or by his suffragan, and to see that no one abuse that right, and that transgressors are punished with the canonical penalties. Meanwhile let those about to depart remember to make such provision for their sheep, as that, as far as is possible, they may sustain no injury through their absence. But, inasmuch as those who are only absent for a short period, are, according to the expression of the ancient canons, not considered to be absent, in that they are about to return immediately; the sacred and holy synod wills, that that term of absence, whether continuous or interrupted, ought by no means to exceed two, or at most three, months; except for the above-mentioned causes; and that regard be had that it be done from a just cause, and without any detriment to the flock: which, whether it be so, the synod leaves to the conscience of those who withdraw themselves, which it hopes will be religious and timorous; seeing that their hearts are open before God, whose work they are bound, at their peril, not to do deceitfully.[1] In the mean time it admonishes and exhorts the same in the Lord, that, unless their episcopal duties call them to some other part of their own diocese, they on no account be absent from their own cathedral church during the period of the Advent of the Lord, of Lent, the Nativity, of the Lord's Ressurection, of Pentecost, and of Corpus Christi, on which days especially the sheep ought to be refreshed, and to rejoice in the Lord at the presence of the shepherd.
But if any one, which it is to be hoped will never happen, shall be absent, contrary to the regulation of this decree, the sacred and holy synod ordains, that, in addition to the other penalties imposed upon and renewed against non-residents, under Paul III., and the guilt of deadly sin which [such offender] incurs, he acquires no fruits, in proportion to the time of his absence, and that he cannot, even though no other declaration follow, retain them as his with a safe conscience; but that he is bound, or, in his default, his ecclesiastical superior for him, to apply them unto the fabric of the churches, or to the poor of the place; every kind of agreement, or composition as it is called, in regard of ill-gotten fruits, being prohibited, whereby the aforesaid fruits even
- ↑ Jer, xlviii. 10. See Sess. xxii. ch. ix. after the decrees.
