37^ CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE 



welfare and falvation of our people, according to the 

 rule prefcribed by Chrift : Scitis, quod reges gentium 

 dominantur eorum, et qui poteflatem habent fuper eos 

 (that is, who rule defpotically and with violence) 

 benefici vocantur. Vos autem non fie ; fed quicunque 

 voluerit inter vos major fieri, erit vefter fervus : ficut 

 filius hominis non venit dominari, fed miniftrare et dare 

 animam fuam redemptionem pro multis. This we 

 hereby vow to do, and to be a fworn foe to all tyran- 

 nical and violent government. 



II. All bifhoprics fhall be filled with religious, 

 who have exercifed themfelves for feveral years in their 

 monafteries in the virtues required of bilhops by St. Paul. 

 We will make it an invariable law, that no one (hall 

 be capable of being a bifhop, who has not been a long 

 time a monk, and well verfed in the holy fcriptures. 



* c III. We will provide, that, in conformity to the 

 canon-law, the due epifcopal and archiepifcopal fynods, 

 and the provincial, national, and general councils fhall 

 not be neglecled ; and we vow to be obedient to the 

 fynodal decrees, and to fubmit our children and def- 

 cendants to them by a law, in fuch manner, that, if 

 we depart from the chriftian confritution, and (which 

 God forbid !) become tyrants, we forfeit the imperial 

 digsity, and our people fhall be abfolved and free from 

 all obedience. 



' fc IV. We will, in like manner, make it pur con- 

 cern to encourage the military, and to promote the 

 fciences, particularly theology, in our dominions, that 

 our reign may become famous by a multitude of people 

 who fignalize themfelves either in the art of war by fea 

 and land, or in the arts and fciences ; for the holy 



icripture 



