Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/171

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ON REFORMATION.
139

even prescribed from time immemorial, letters conservatory, deputations of judges, and their inhibitions to the contrary, notwithstanding. And, if regular observance be therein in vigour, the bishops shall take care, by fatherly admonitions, that the superiors of the said regulars observe, and cause to be observed, the manner of life due according to the institutes of their order, and that they keep, and govern those subject to them, in their duty. And if, after having been admonished, they shall not, within six months, have visited or corrected them, then may the said bishops, even as delegates of the Apostolic See, visit and correct them in the same way as the superiors themselves might do, according to their institutes; all appeals, privileges, and exemptions soever being set aside, and notwithstanding.

CHAPTER IX.

The Name and Use of Questors of Alms is abolished. The Ordinaries shall publish Indulgences and Spiritual Graces. Two of the Chapter shall, gratuitously, receive the Alms.

Whereas many remedies, applied heretofore by divers councils; as well by that of Lateran,[1] and of Lyons, as by that of Vienne,[2] against the wicked abuses of questors of alms, have in later times become useless; yea, rather the depravity of such is, to the great scandal and complaint of all the faithful, found daily so much the more to increase, as that there seems no longer to be any hope left of their amendment; [the synod] ordains that, in all places where the Christian religion prevails, their name and use be henceforth utterly abolished; nor shall they in any wise be admitted to exercise any such office; any privileges granted to any churches, monasteries, hospitals, pious places, or to any persons of whatsoever degree, estate, and dignity, or any customs, even though immemorial, notwithstanding. But as regards the indulgences, or other spiritual graces, of which the faithful of Christ ought not on this account to be deprived, it decrees, that they are henceforth, at the due times, to be published to the people by the ordinaries of the places, aided by two members of the chapter. To whom

  1. See c. 62, x. de pœnit. v. 38.
  2. Clem. 2, h. t., v. 9.