Title — Liber Sextus
Title XVII: On Superiority and Obedience
Chapter I
While the see is vacant, the chapter, or the person to whom administration pertains, will absolve those whom the bishop could absolve if he were living, unless this has been prohibited by the Apostolic See. John Andrew.
Boniface VIII. While an episcopal see is vacant, the chapter, or the person to whom episcopal jurisdiction is then known to pertain, can impart the benefit of absolution from a sentence of excommunication, whether of law or of man, to those to whom the bishop could impart it if he were living, unless this power has been specially prohibited to it or him by the Apostolic See.
DE MAIORITATE ET OBEDIENTIA.
Capitulum, vel is, ad quem administratio pertinet, vacante sede eos absolvet, quos absolvere posset episcopus, si viveret; nisi a sede apostolica id fuerit interdictum. Ioann. Andr.
Bonifacius VIII.
Episcopali sede vacante potest capitulum, seu is, ad quem episcopalis iurisdictio tunc temporis noscitur pertinere, iis, quibus posset episcopus, si viveret, ab excommunicationis sententia, sive iuris sive hominis fuerit, absolutionis beneficium impertiri, nisi ei fuerit a sede apostolica specialiter interdicta potestas.