Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XXVIII: On the Office of the Vicar
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: A vicar, if he afterwards obtains a benefice having the care of souls, will be deprived of the vicarage.
Alexander III, to the Bishop of Norwich and G., Archdeacon.
It has reached our hearing that G., a priest, presumes to vex and weary in many ways the monks of Ramsey and Thomas, his clerk, by seeking [his] vicarage of the church of Burnel, from which he withdrew twenty years ago, after obtaining a personatus in different churches. Therefore, because it is not canonical that one who has the care of souls in different churches should exist as vicar in churches belonging to others, we command your discretion by apostolic writings, under precept, that, after the truth of the matter has been more fully investigated, if it is so, you more strictly compel the aforesaid priest to desist from seeking the aforesaid vicarage, with appeal and occasion removed, notwithstanding any letters that he obtained from us through an envoy with the truth suppressed. For things that proceed from the root of avarice and are contrary to the reason or enactment of the canons ought to be extirpated.
DE OFFICIO VICARII.
Vicarius, si beneficium curatum postea sit adeptus, vicaria privabitur.
Alexander III. Episcopo Norvicensi et G. Archidiacono.
Ad audientiam nostram pervenit, quod G. presbyter monachos de Rameseia et Thomam clericum suum petendo vicariam [suam] ecclesiae de Burnel, a qua viginti annis retrocessit, in diversis postea ecclesiis personatum adeptus, multipliciter vexare ac fatigare praesumit. Quia igitur non est canonicum, ut qui curam animarum in diversis habet ecclesiis vicarius in alienis exsistat, discretioni vestrae per apostolica scripta praecipiendo mandamus, quatenus, rei veritate plenius inquisita, si ita est, praedictum presbyterum a petitione supradictae vicariae desistere appellatione et occasione remotis districtius compellatis, non obstantibus literis si quas tacita veritate per nuntium a nobis impetravit. Exstirpari etenim debent, quae de avaritae radice procedunt, et canonum contraria sunt rationi vel sanctioni.
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: One person cannot have several vicarages.
The same, to the Bishop of Ely.
You shall provide [however] more attentively that you do not permit anyone to have several vicarages in your bishopric, because, since vicars are bound to serve personae and churches, it is alien to the order of law that anyone have more than one vicarage.
Plures vicarias quis habere non potest.
Idem Eliensi Episcopo.
Provideas [autem] attentius, ne in episcopatu tuo patiaris aliquem plures vicarias habere, quia, quum vicarii teneantur personis et ecclesiis deservire, alienum est ab ordine iuris, ut vicariam quis habeat praeter unam.
Chapter III
Latin source headnote: A perpetual vicar instituted by the bishop cannot be removed by the rector or defrauded of his portion.
The same, to the Bishop of Winchester.
In addition, if the persona of any church, with the assent and authority of the diocesan bishop, has assigned a certain portion to a vicar whom he instituted in the same church, the one who, after that persona has died, is substituted into the personatus of that church cannot remove the same vicar from the church or diminish the portion assigned to him, unless he commits something on account of which he is to be condemned by a judge in respect of the vicarage or benefice.
Perpetuus vicarius per episcopum institutus per rectorem removeri, vel portione sua fraudari non potest.
Idem Vintoniensi Episcopo.
Ad haec si persona alicuius ecclesiae vicario, quem in eadem ecclesia instituit, de assensu et auctoritate dioecesani episcopi certam assignaverit portionem, is, qui persona illa defuncta in personatum illius substituitur ecclesiae, non potest eundem vicarium ab ecclesia removere, vel assignatam sibi minuere portionem, nisi aliquid committat, propter quod per iudicem in vicaria sit vel beneficio condemnandus.
Chapter IV
Latin source headnote: A vicar cannot substitute a vicar.
The same, to the Bishop of Norwich.
Do not permit clerics [whether] constituted in the priesthood or in other lower orders to substitute others for themselves in the vicarages of churches that they have obtained, since this is sufficiently discordant and absurd, and contrary to all reason.
Vicarius non potest substituere vicarium.
Idem Norwicensi Episcopo.
Clericos [autem vel] in presbyteratu, vel in aliis inferioribus ordinibus constitutos, in vicariis ecclesiarum, quas adepti sunt, alios sibi substituere non permittas, quum id satis sit absonum et absurdum, et omni rationi contrarium.
Chapter V
Latin source headnote: The Pope's vicar has jurisdiction in the City, not outside the City.
Innocent III, to the Abbot of Saint Eugenius and the Plebane of Saint Peter.
Our venerable brother [the Bishop of Volterra caused it to be shown to us by his representation that, when the clerics of the parish of Petiole had sworn to him that they would elect a provost according to the will of laymen, and, after the election had been celebrated in this manner, had presented the elect to him, he not only refused to confirm the election itself but also bound with the bond of excommunication both the consuls and the other laymen who had driven the aforesaid clerics to this and the clerics themselves, for these and other matters in which they had been disobedient to him. And he obtained our writings to be directed to our venerable brothers the Archbishop of Pisa and the Bishop of Lucca, that, as the sentence had been reasonably promulgated, they should cause it to be firmly observed, appeal being removed, until suitable satisfaction.
But the opposing party obtained letters of our vicar, our venerable brother P., Bishop of Porto, to the same Bishop of Lucca and our beloved son P., cardinal-priest of the title of the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles; on the occasion of those letters they absolved the said laymen and clerics, promulgating a sentence against the aforementioned Bishop of Volterra, from which the same bishop, although he believed it to be null for many reasons, nevertheless from superabundance appealed to our hearing.]
We therefore, judging the vicar's letters to have been obtained through surreption, because the jurisdiction of a vicar whom the Roman Pontiff left in the City does not extend outside it unless this has specially been granted to him—especially when he dwells in his special province, namely between the province of Capua and that of Pisa—command your discretion by apostolic writings that you revoke as void whatever was done on the occasion of the letters, and cause the aforesaid sentence of excommunication, as it was reasonably given, to be firmly observed with the obstacle of appeal removed.
Vicarius Papae in urbe iurisdictionem habet, non extra urbem.
Innocentius III. Abbati S. Eugenii et Plebano S. Petri.
Sua nobis venerabilis frater noster [Wulteranus episcopus fecit insinuatione monstrari, quod, quum clerici plebis de Petiole iurassent sibi praepositum ad laicorum eligere voluntatem, et electione taliter celebrata sibi praesentassent electum, ipse non solum electionem ipsius renuit confirmare, verum etiam tam consules et alios laicos, qui ad hoc impulerant clericos supradictos, quam ipsos clericos, pro his et aliis, in quibus eidem inobedientes exstiterant, excommunicationis vinculo innodavit, et ad venerabilem fratrem nostrum archiepiscopum Pisanum, et Lucanum episcopum destinari obtinuit scripta nostra, ut sententiam, sicut fuerat rationabiliter promulgata, facerent appellatione remota usque ad satisfactionem congruam firmiter observari. Pars autem adversa venerabilis fratris nostri P. Portuensis episcopi vicarii nostri, ad eundem Lucanum episcopum et dilectum filium P. tit. basilicae XII. Apostolorum presbyterum cardinalem literas impetravit, qui occasione illarum dictos laicos et clericos absolverunt, contra memoratum Wulteranum episcopum sententiam promulgantes, a qua idem episcopus, licet ipsam multiplici ratione crediderit esse nullam, ex abundanti tamen nostram audientiam appellavit.] Nos igitur vicarii literas aestimantes per surreptionem obtentas, quoniam iurisdictio vicarii, quem Romanus Pontifex in Urbe reliquit, non extenditur extra illam, nisi ei specialiter sit concessum, praesertim quum ipse moratur in sua provincia speciali, videlicet inter Capuanam provinciam et Pisanam; discretioni vestrae per apostolica scripta mandamus, quatenus, quicquid occasione literarum actum est, in irritum revocetis, praefatam excommunicationis sententiam sicut rationabiliter lata est, faciatis remoto appellationis obstaculo, firmiter observari.
Chapter VI
Latin source headnote: Ordinary vicars are compelled to serve churches through withdrawal of revenues and vicarages.
Honorius III, to the Bishop of Worcester.
It was set forth before us on your part that certain persons in churches in which they obtain perpetual vicarages scorn to make due residence and to be promoted as priests. Therefore, unwilling, as indeed we ought not, to tolerate with equanimity an abuse of this kind, we command your fraternity that, appeal being removed, through withdrawal of revenues or of the vicarages themselves you compel the perpetual vicars to reside, as they are bound, in the churches in which they obtain vicarages, and to cause themselves to be promoted as priests, as their cure requires.
Compelluntur vicarii ordinarii ecclesiis deservire per subtractionem proventuum et vicariarum.
Honorius III. Vigorensi Episcopo.
Ex parte tua fuit propositum coram nobis, quod quidam in ecclesiis, quibus perpetuas obtinent vicarias, debitam residentiam facere, ac in presbyteros promoveri contemnunt. Nolentes igitur abusum huiusmodi, sicuti nec debemus, aequanimiter sustinere, fraternitati tuae mandamus, quatenus perpetuos vicarios, ut in ecclesiis, in quibus vicarias obtinent, resideant, ut tenentur, et se in presbyteros, ut eorum cura exigit, faciant promoveri, per subtractionem proventuum vel ipsarum vicariarum appellatione remota compellas.