Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
“In the name of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who reigns for
ever and for ever, and governs his church, it was thought meet that we
should assemble, according to the custom of the venerable canons, to
treat about the necessary affairs of the church. We met on the 24th day
of September, the first indiction, at a place called Hertford, myself,
Theodore, the unworthy bishop of the see of Canterbury, appointed by the
Apostolic See, our fellow priest and most reverend brother, Bisi, bishop
of the East Angles; also by his proxies, our brother and fellow priest,
Wilfrid, bishop of the nation of the Northumbrians, as also our brothers
and fellow priests, Putta, bishop of the Kentish castle, called
Rochester; Eleutherius, bishop of the West Saxons, and Winfrid, bishop
of the province of the Mercians. When we were all met together, and were
sat down in order, I said: ‘I beseech you, most dear brothers, for the
love and fear of our Redeemer, that we may all treat in common for our
faith; to the end that whatsoever has been decreed and defined by the
holy and reverend fathers, may be inviolably observed by all.’ This and
much more I spoke tending to the preservation of the charity and unity
of the church; and when I had ended my discourse, I asked every one of
them in order, whether they consented to observe the things that had
been formerly canonically decreed by the fathers? To which all our
fellow priests answered, ‘It so pleases us, and we will all most
willingly observe with a cheerful mind whatever is laid down in the
canons of the holy fathers.’ I then produced the said book of canons,
and publicly showed them ten chapters in the same, which I had marked in
several places, because I knew them to be of the most importance to us,
and entreated that they might be most particularly received by them all.
“Chapter I. That we all in common keep the holy day of Easter on the
Sunday after the fourteenth moon of the first month.
“II. That no bishop intrude into the diocese of another, but be
satisfied with the government of the people committed to him.
“III. That it shall not be lawful for any bishop to trouble monasteries
dedicated to God, or to take anything forcibly from them.
“IV. That monks do not remove from one place to another, that is, from
monastery to monastery, unless with the consent of their own abbot; but
that they continue in the obedience which they promised at the time of
their conversion.
“V. That no clergyman, forsaking his own bishop, shall wander about, or
be anywhere entertained without letters of recommendation from his own
prelate. But if he shall be once received, and will not return when
invited, both the receiver, and the person received, be under
excommunication.
“VI. That bishops and clergymen, when travelling, shall be content with
the hospitality that is afforded them; and that it be not lawful for
them to exercise any priestly function without leave of the bishop in
whose diocese they are.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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