172 Proceedhif/s of the Royal Irish Academ}/. 



penitentiaries or others are to absolve those who have committed perjury to 

 the prejudice or loss of others, unless they have special licence therefor, 

 in writing and by name, except in articvlo mortis, [and perjurers who 

 have been absolved in sickness], if they recover, are to be enjoined to go 

 to the diocesan of the place to receive penance. (6) None below the rank 

 of a bishop is to absolve from murder. (7) Since it has happened that, 

 when the possessor of a benefice is in remote parts, another pretending 

 to be his proctor, and to be called upon to defend his cause before a 

 judge, has fraudulently obtained authentication of his letters of procuration 

 from a rural dean or other superior, whom he has asked to affix his seal to 

 them, and has thus obtained possession of the benefice, it is ordered that no 

 dean, archdeacon, archdeacon's official, or bishop's of&cial set his seal to any 

 letters of procuration, unless it is publicly sought from him, [or] unless the 

 person who appoints the proctor, being present, personally requires him so 

 to do. Offenders against this ordinance are to be suspended for three years. 

 Advocates or proctors acting in the way described ijjso facto incur sentence 

 of excommunication, and are to be suspended from their office for four 

 years, and also to be otherwise punished at the will of the diocesan. 

 (8) Since some, stating that the possessor of a benefice is dead, have obtained 

 presentation to it from the patrons, and, procuring a clandestine incjuisition, 

 have got possession, it is ordered that no incj^uisition on the alleged voidance 

 of a benefice be taken except in a full chapter of the place, by the rectors 

 and vicars of the place, chaplains and others (in the absence of the 

 rectors and vicars), after a due interval has elapsed, and public proclamation 

 having been made in the benefice of the day and place of such inquisition. 

 Persons holding clandestine inquisitions are to be punished at the will 

 of the diocesan ; and anyone seeking to get a benefice by such means 

 is to be for ever excluded from the said benefice. (9) Clerks holding 

 benefices or in holy orders shall not, without licence of the diocesan, be 

 bailiffs or seneschals of laymen, or exercise secular jurisdictions. Offenders 

 are to be punished by the diocesan and fined. (10) Eural Deans are not 

 to deal with matrimonial causes. (11) Chaplains of chapels are to restore 

 all oblations and other things which ought to go to the parish church 

 to the rector or vicar of the same, and until they do so they shall be 

 suspended from the celebration of divine offices. (12) ]S[o religious person 

 is to be allowed to act as executor of a testament unless his superior takes 

 care that he may execute faithfully the last will of the deceased, and render 

 an account of his administration, and answer to the ordinary of the place for 

 the losses, if any, which occur through him. (13) Since some have infringed 

 the ordinance of the Council of Cashel (see Giraldus, Ecrpv.g. Rib. i, 35), it is 



