DILLON
797
DINQLEY
favour of the university with which it was incorpo-
rated. Nevertheless the expenses of the institutions so
far exceeded their revenues that the existence of the
university became very precarious. Hence it was
several times proposed to transfer the university to a
religioius order, e. g. the Benedictines or the newly
organized Societas de Fide Jesu. During the scholas-
tic year of 1798-1799, the number of students had
dwindled to 109, of whom 51 were theologians distri-
buted over three courses, 10 were attending the lec-
tures on law and 48 those on philosophy. In 1802 the
cathedral chapter of Augsburg and the university
were secularized and became part of Bavaria, whose
elector, by rescript of 3 Nov., 1803, abolished the Uni-
versity of Dillingen. In its stead a classical gj-mna-
sium and a lyceum for philosophy and theology were
founded for the Swabian District, and these institu-
tions are still in existence.
Specht. Geschirhtr dcr ehemalinen Vniversifat DiUingen (Frei- burg, 1902): EuLENBURO, Die Freguenz der deutsckcn Universi- tnten (Leipzig. 1904).
ICarij Hoeber.
Dillon, AuTHiTR-RicH.*.RD, a French prelate, b. at St-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, 1721; d. in London, 1806. The fifth son of Arthur Dillon, an Irish officer who, outlawed as a Jacobite,' had passed to the service of France, he was ed\icated for the Chiu-ch, became c»r('of Elan near Mdzieres; Vicar-General of Pont oise, 1747; Bishop of Eweux, 1753; Archbishop of Tou- louse, 1758; Archbishop of Narbonne and Primate of France, 1763. Dillon was a man of broad sjnnpathies and varied accomplishments. A stanch Catholic, he, nevertheless, publicly applauded the recognition of Protestant marriages in the Assembly of the Clergy of 1788, over which he presided. His appointment to the primatial See of Narbonne made him practically Viceroy of Languedoc. He won there great popu- larity not only as bishop but also as promoter of great public works, such as roads, bridges, canals, harbours, etc. When the French Revolution broke out, Dillon, rather than take the constitutional oath, emigrated to Coblenz with the French nobility, and from Coblenz went to London, where he was at the time the Con- cordat was signed. Pope Pius VII having requested within ten daj's the uncontlitional resignation of all the French bishops, Dillon with thirteen other prelates who, like himself, had sought refuge iu England, sent but a wavering and dilatory answer and even signed the "Reclamations canoniques et tres-respectueuses addressees a Notre tres-Saint Pcre le Pape" (London, 1803). Such an attitude was prompted not by a spirit of schism, but by an excessive attachment to the old regime and the mistaken Galilean idea that the pope could not take a step of that importance without the deliberation and consent of the French hierarchy. Although Dillon consented to communicate his spir- itual jurisdiction to the Concordalaire bishop whose territory conijirised the suppressed primatial See of Narbonne, nevertheless, by placing himself resolutely at the head of the Anticoncordataires, he not only failed in due obedience to the Holy See but also gave countenance to that incongruous movement which resulted in the "Petite-Bglise".
AuDlBERT, Le dernier president des Hats du Lanffuedoc (Paris, 1868): SiCARD, Les eviques pendant la Revolution (Paris, 1903): Mathif.c, Le concordat de ISO! (Paris, 1903); Dhoihon, La Petite-Eglise (Paris, 1904); Mangenot, Antic/mcordalaires in Did. de thiol, calh.; Alger in Diet, o/ Nat. Bioo., a. v.
J. F. SoLLIER.
Dimissorial Letters (Lat. lillrrw dimis.wriale.':, from dimillerr), letters given by an ecclesiastical supe- rior to his subjects to have effect in territory outside his jurisdiction. The tenii is sometimes extended so as to include testimonial letters, which certify to a priest's freedom from canonical impediments or to the fact that a candidate for a religious order has the requisite qualities, and commendatory letters, which
testify that a travelling ecclesiastic is unexceptionable
as to morals and doctrine, and letters of excorpora-
tion (see Exeat), by which clerics are freed from tha
jurisdiction of one diocesan bishop (see Excakdina-
tion) that they may be affiliated to another diocese
Properly the name " dimissorial letters " refers to those
given by a bishop or regular prelate to his subjects in
order that they may be ordained by another l^ishop.
The pope alone may concede such dimissorial letters
for the whole world, but any bishop can give them
to those imder his authority, whether they be so by
origin, domicile, or benefice. A bishop, as well as car-
dinals, can likewise grant them to those who for three
years have been actually or equi valently members of his
household {Inmiliarcs). In the aljsence of the bishop,
his vicar-general is empowered to grant dimissorial
letters, but not while the bishop is at home, unless he
has received special permission to do so. During the
vacancy of the episcopal see, the vicar capitular can-
not give these letters, imless a year has elapsed since
the diocese became vacant, except to one who is
obliged to receive orders owing to his having acquired
a benefice. After the lapse of a year, the vicar capit-
ular, independent of the chapter, h.as the right to
grant dimissorial letters for the reception of Holy
orders. If the vicar capitular give the letters illegiti-
mately, the person ordained is not entitled to clerical
privileges, if he be in minor orders; and if in major
orders, he is suspended from the exercise of them imtil
the future bishop free him from the penalty. Abbots,
even though exempt, cannot grant dimissorial letters
to seculars who are subject to them. When a bishop
grants letters directed to other ordinaries, this phrase
does not include exempt abbots. Regular prelates
can give letters to those religious who liv; under their
obedience, but such letters must be directed to the
diocesan bishop, unless there be a special privilege.
In case of the absence of the ordinary bishop, or if he
does not desire to hold ordinations, religious superiors
may send their subjects to any other bishop. When
regulars live in a monaster}' miUiiis diwcesis, these let-
ters are to be directed to the neighbouring bishop
{r^icinior). Religious orilers, which have received
such special privilege since the Council of Trent, may
send their subjects for ordination to any Catholic
bishop whatsoever. As regards the city of Rome,
those who dwell in the city for four months cannot be
ordained outside the city in virtue of dimissorial let-
ters from their ordinary bishops, but they must pre-
sent them.selves to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome for
ordination. The Roman pontiff can ordain anyone
without letters from his bishop, and the person so
ordained caimot later be promoted to higher orders
without papal licence. Although dimissorial letters
be required for ordaining the subject of one bishop in
another diocese, yet it does seem necessary to obtaiii
them for the purpose of receiving a benefice in the
other diocese, though it is considered proper and ex-
pedient.
FEnKABis. Bibl. Canon. (Rome. 1889), s. v. ordo; Smith. Elemcnls of Ecclesiastical Law (New York, 1895) ; Humphrey, Urbs et Orbis (London, 1899).
William H. W. Fanning
Dingley, Sir Thomas, Venerable, Martyr, prior of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, found guilty of high treason 28 April, 1539, and beheaded on Tower Hill, 9 July, together with the Blessed Sir Adrian Fortescue. He was accusetl, together with Robert Granceter, merchant, of "going to several foreign princes and persuading them to make war with the King". He had no trial, and no proof of treasonable practices was ever brought against him. In the same bill of attainder were inclucled manv other innocent victims of Henry's tyranny, including the Blessed Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. There is a dis- crepancy among the chroniclers as to the date of the
