❧ A Grant of the Benevolence or Contribution to His most Excellent Majestie, by the Clergie of the Province of
Canterburie.
In the
Convocation or
Sacred Synode holden at
London. Anno Domini 1640.
A Ʋgustissimo & Serenissimo Domino nostro. CAROLO, Dei gratiâ, Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae & Hiberniae Regi, fidei defensori, &c. Guilielmus, providentiâ divinâ Cant. Archiepiscopus, totius Angliae Primas & Metropolitanus, propensissimam subjectionem & obedientiam, ac in eo qui est Rex Regum, & dominus dominantium summam felicitatem. Serenissimae vestrae Majestati per publicum [Page 2]hoc Instrumentum testatum facimus; Quod Praelati & Clerus Provinciae nostrae Cantuar. in Convocatione sive sacrâ Synodo Provinciali, autoritate Brevis vestri Regii ad nos dati, in domo Capitulari Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli London, decimo quarto die mensis Aprilis, Anno Dom. millesimo sexcentesimo quadragesimo (ex continuatione & prorogatione ejusdem) inchoatâ & celebratâ ac de die in diem usque ad, & in decimum sextum diem instantis Maii, Anno praedict. ante meridiem etiam continuatâ in Ecclesia Collegiata beati Petri Westmonast. eodem decimo sexto die praesentis mensis legitimè congregati pro quibusdam arduis & urgentibus causis per nos ejusdem Provinciae Clero propositis, ac inter eos sedulò pensitatis, quandam Benevolentiam sive Contributionem, magnificentiae vestrae Regiae, spontaneo unanimique consensu dederunt & concesserunt, prout tenore hujus publici Instrumenti pleniùs liquet, Majestatem vestram suppliciter obnixèque rogantes, ut hanc eorum Concessionem benignè accipere ac aequi bonique consulere dignemini. Tenor verò praedictae Concessionis de verbo in verbum sequitur, & est talis.
MOst Excellent and most gracious Soveraign LORD, We your Majesties faithfull Subjects, the Prelates and Clergie of the Province of Canterburie, being called together by authority of Your Majesties Writ, and at this present being lawfully assembled in a Provinciall Synod or Convocation, well weighing and maturely considering with themselves that great and bounden dutie, which by the rules of the Sacred Scripture they do owe to your gracious Majestie their Soveraign Lord, especially for your constant defence of the Faith, and the protection of Christs holy Church amongst us, by the maintenance of the happy government thereof, together with the continuance of the sincere Preaching of the Gospel. And moreover, as obedient Subjects, well weighing the singular care which Your Majestie hath, for the well guiding and governing of all that people which is by God committed to Your charge. And not forgetting those great expences [Page 4]whereat Your Majestie now is, and hereafter is more likely to be, as well for the Honourable sustentation of Your Royall estate at home, and the necessary defence of this Your Realm, as also for the effectuall furtherance of Your Majesties most Royall and extraordinary designes abroad, have with one agreement and unanimous consent given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant to Your Majestie, Your Heirs and Successors, one Benevolence, or extraordinary Contribution of four shillings in the pound yeerly, during the space of six yeers next ensuing the date hereof, by two severall payments in every of the said six yeers, by even and equall portions in name and form as here followeth; That is to say, That every Archbishop, Bishop, Deane, Archdeacon, Provost, Master of Colledge, Prebendary, Parson, & Vicar, and every other person and persons, of whatsoever name or degree he or they be within the Province of Canterbury, having or enjoying any spiritual promotion, or other temporall possession to the same spirituall promotion annexed, now not divided [Page 5]nor separated by act of Parliament or otherwise, from the possession of the Clergie, shall pay to Your Majestie, Your Heirs and Successours, for every pound that he may yeerly receive and dispend by reason of the said spirituall promotion, the sum of four shillings yeerly for every of the said six yeers. And for the true and certain value of all the promotions and every of them, whereof the payment of this Benevolence or Contribution shall be made, the Rate, Taxation, Valuation, and Estimation now remaining upon Record in your Majesties Court of Exchequer, for the payment of a perpetuall Disme or Tenth granted unto King Henry the eight of worthy memory in the six and twentieth yeer of his Reign, concerning such promotions as now be in the possession of the Clergie, shall onely be followed and observed, without making any other Valuation, Rate, Taxation, or Estimation, then in the said Record is comprised.
Provided alwayes, that forasmuch as the tenth part of the said Rate and valuation is yeerly paid to Your Majestie for the said perpetuall [Page 6]Disme or Tenth, so as there remain onely nine parts yeerly to the Incumbent cleer; This present Benevolence or Contribution of four shillings in the pound, shall be understood and meant onely of every full pound of the said nine parts, and nothing for any other money not amounting to a full pound. And your Prelates and Clergie do also grant, that this present Benevolence or Contribution of four shillings of the full pound of the nine parts of the yeerly value of every spirituall promotion aforesaid, within the said Province taxed as aforesaid, shalbe paid to Your Majestie, Your Heirs and Successours, in manner and form following; That is to say, The first payment of the said Benevolence or Contribution in every of the said six yeers next following, to be due upon the first day of November; And the second payment to be due the first day of May, in every one of the said six yeers, as afore is said, to be delivered and paid to the Lord high Treasurer or under Treasurer of England, or to such person or persons as Your Majestie, Your Heirs and Successours shall appoint [Page 7]for receit thereof, to the use of Your Majestie, Your Heirs, and Successours, according to the severall times of payment above specified, and at such place and places as it shall please Your Majestie, Your Heirs, and Successours to appoint for the payment of the same, without any deduction, saving of six pence of every pound, for the Monition or Citation, Collection, and Portage, safe-conveying and attendance in paying of the said Benevolence or Contribution, and without any manner of charge of the Accomptant, saving three shillings four pence for the generall Acquittance for every one of the payments of the said Benevolence or Contribution.
Provided alwayes, that no person which at this present is, or hereafter shall be in composition with Your Majestie, Your Heirs and Successours, for the first-fruits of any Benefice or spirituall promotion, shall be contributory or charged for the same Benefice or promotion to Your Majestie, Your Heirs or Successours, with any part of the said Benevolence or Contribution during the first [Page 8]yeer after the time of any such compounding for his first-fruits.
Provided also, that all Deanes, Archdeacons, Dignities, Masters, Wardens, and Prebendaries of all Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches and Colledges, or any of them within the said Province, shall be charged with this Benevolence or Contribution for those possessions, revenues, and promotions onely, which to their severall promotions, dignities, and roomes are cleerly and distinctly limited, and to their onely use severed, thereof to pay (the tenth part being deducted) for every and each of the said payments, in manner and form as is above rehearsed. And that all those rents, possessions, profits, portions, Hereditaments, and spirituall promotions, and every of them heretofore by Your Majestie, or any of the Kings or Queens of this Realm, or any other person or persons whatsoever, given, granted, bequeathed, devised, or impropriated unto the said Cathedrall or Collegiate Churches or Colledges, or to any of them, which any wayes be assigned, imployed, or [Page 9]used, either for or toward the yeerly maintenance of Readers of Divinitie, Schoolemasters, Ushers, Grammarians, Petti-canons, Conducts, Vicars-chorall, Singing-men, Choristers, Vergers, Sextons, poor men, or of any other necessary or daily Officers or Ministers in such Cathedrall or Collegiate Churches or Colledges, or any of them, or for or towards the reedifying or repairing of any of the same Cathedrall or Collegiate Churches or Colledges, shall not in any of the said six yeers be charged with any part of this Benevolence or Contribution.
Provided alwayes, that every Parson, Vicar, or other spirituall person paying any Pension whereof no allowance is made in the valuation of his promotion or Benefice, shall and may retain to his own use and relief so much of every pound of every such Pension for every payment of this Benevolence or Contribution as he standeth charged by this Grant to pay for every part and payment of this Benevolence or Contribution, out of every pound for the whole valuation of his [Page 10]spirituall promotion, any Covenant, Grant, or Bond to the contrary notwithstanding.
Provided also, that this Benevolence or Contribution, or any part thereof, shall not be demanded or levied out of any Benefice, house of Students, or Colledge situate or set within either of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge, or any Benefice, lands, or other Revenues, unto the said Universities, or either of them, or to any house of Students, or Colledge in any of the said Universities, united, appropriated, or appertaining, or out of any Benefice, lands, or Revenues of the Colledge of Windsore, or of the Colledge of Westminster, or of the Colledge of Eaton neer Windsore, or of the Colledge called Saint Mary Colledge by Winchester, founded by William Wickham, sometime Bishop of Winchester, or of any Hospitall, Almes-houses, Grammar-Schools, or of any Church-Benefice, or other Revenues to the said Colledges, Hospitals, Almes-houses, or Grammar-Schools, or to any of them annexed, appropriated, or otherwise appertaining.
Provided alwayes, that all Parsons, Vicars, [Page 11]and all other Ecclesiasticall persons, whose Benefices are not above six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence by the yeer, after the taxation aforesaid, shall not be charged with this Benevolence or Contribution, or any part of the same.
Provided also, that every Vicar whose Benefice is eight pounds or above, and not above ten pounds by the yeer, according to the taxation aforesaid, shall pay unto your Majestie, your Heirs and Successours, six shillings and eight pence at every payment afore limitted, of the said Benevolence or Contribution, at such times and to such persons as is aforesaid, for his part of the said Benevolence or contribution: And if any Vicarage be under eight pounds, by the taxation aforesaid, the Incumbent shall not be charged with any part or payment of the said Benevolence or Contribution.
And we your said Prelates and Clergy, most humbly beseech your most excellent Majestie to take in good part our loving mindes and hearty good wills herein, and to accept of this small gift of ours, though it [Page 12]be nothing answerable to our good desires, and yet according to the best of our poor abilities.
IN quorum omnium & singulorum praemissorum fidem & testimonium, nos Guilielmus, providentia divina Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus antedictus, hoc praesens publicum Instrumentum ad humilem rogatum Praelatorum, & Cleri nostrae Cant. Provinciae praedictae, Sigilli nostri Archiepiscopalis appensione, ac signo, nomine & subscriptione Sacvilli Wade Notarii publici, Deputati Willielmi Sherman Registrarii nostri principalis, jussimus & fecimus communiri. Datum in Ecclesia Collegiata divi Petri Westmonasteriensis, dicto decimo sexto die mensis Maii, Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo quadragesimo, Regnique vestri felicissimi decimo sexto; Et nostrae Translationis anno septimo.
Et ego Sacvillus Wade, in Diocesia Roffensi natus, publicus supremâ Regiâ autoritate notarius; Quia Benevolentiae sive Contributionis praedictae concessioni ceterisque praemissis omnibus & singulis praenotatis, dum sic (ut praemittitur) expediebantur & fiebant, und cum praefato Reverendissimo [Page 13]patre & coeteris Patribus Cantuariensis Provinciae in eadem sacra Synodo sive Convocatione congregatis, praesens personaliter interfui, eaque omnia sic fieri geri & expediri vidi, scivi & audivi, atque in notam sumpsi. Ideo hoc praesens publicum Instrumentum, tenorem concessionis Benevolentiae sive Contributionis praedictae in se continens, manu alterius (me interim aliis impedito negotiis) fideliter scriptum exinde confeci, subscripsi, & publicavi: atque in hanc publicam & authenticam formam redegi, signoque, nomine, cognomine & subscriptione meis solitis & consuetis, und cum appensione Sigilli praefati Reverendissimi patris signavi in fidem & testimonium omnium & singulorum praemissorum jussus, & requisitus.
Ordinationes sive Canones Ecclesiastici in Sacra Synodo praedicta, facti pro levatione & collectione Benevolentiae sive Contributionis voluntariae antedictae, una cum censuris & poenis Ecclesiasticis contra non solventes vel solvere recusantes.
ORdinationes aliquot Synodales factae vicesimo primo die mensis Maii, Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo quadragesimo, per Reverendissimum in Christo Patrem & dominum, Dominum Guilielmum Divina providentia Cant. Archiepiscopum, totius Angliae Primatem & Metropolitanum, aliosque Praelatos provinciae Cantuar, secum sedentes, & per reliquum Clerum inferiorem in sacra Synodo infra Ecclesiam Collegiatam Divi Petri Westmonaster. pro collectione & solutione cujusdam Benevolentiae, seu voluntariae contributionis quatuor solidorum in qualibet libra, serenissimo Domino nostro Carolo Dei gratia Angliae. Scotiae, Franciae, & Hiberniae Regi, [Page 15]fidei Defensori, &c. per eosdem, Archiepiscopum, Praelatos ac Clerum in dicta Synodo congregatos, decimo sexto die mensis Maii praedicti, concessae.
QUum Nos Guilielmus providentia Divina Cantuar. Archiepiscopus, totius Angliae Primas & Metropolitanus, Episcopi, Praelati, & Clerus, &c in sacra Synodo provinciali, sive Praelatorum & Cleri ejusdem Cantuar. provinciae Convocatione in Ecclesia Cathedrali Divi Pauli Londini, decimo quarto die mensis Aprilis ultimò praeteriti inchoata & celebrata, ac de tempore in tempus ex causis urgentibus ad Ecclesiam Collegiatam Divi Petri Westmonaster. ac ibidem de diebus in dies continuata, congregati: post multa ibidem per nos tractata, die Sabbathi decimo sexto, viz. die mensis Maii supradicti, quandam benevolam Contributionem quatuor solidorum pro qualibet libra augustissimo & potentissimo Regi & Domino nostro Carolo, &c. concesserimus ex Beneficiis & proventibus nostris Ecclesiasticis colligendam & levandam infra sexennium proximum, persolvendam singulis viz. annis durante illo sexennio, modo, forma, diebus, ac sub cautionibus & conditionibus in quodam instrumento publico inde confecto, & sigillo Archiepiscopali Cantuar. munito; Dat. dicto decimo sexto die mensis Maii, pleniùs liquet.
Quumque idem Serenissimus Dominus noster [Page 16]Rex per literas suas patentes sub magno sigillo Angliae, facultatem huic sacrae Synodo concesserit, non modò Canones Ecclesiasticos ordinandi, pro commodiore Ecclesiae Anglicanae regimine, sed etiam de alijs quibuscunque rebus & negotiis tractandi atque decernendi per ipsum Dominum Regem eidem Synodo sub signetto suo transmissis vel transmittendis; sub quo signetto literis suae Majestatis datis vicesimo die instantis mensis Maii dictus serenissimus Dominus Rex praecepit monuitque, ut ad Canones & Synodales Ordinationes pro collectione & levatione dictae Contributionis faciendos atque ordinandos procederemus.
Ut igitur supradicta nostra Concessio faciliorem & magis expeditum consequi possit effectum, ut (que) omnes & singulae pecuniarum summae per nos singulis dicti sexennii annis concessae certiùs & commodiùs colligantur, ac terminis & locis suis ad usū dicti Domini nostri Caroli persolvantur, Statuimus, ordinamus, & volumus, quod dicta Contributio ab omnibus & singulis personis Ecclesiasticis Cantuar. provinciae, quae vigore dictae Concessionis contribuere tenentur, per Collectores idoneos ad hoc, per suos Diocesanos, seu sede vacante, per Decanum & Capitulum, singulis annis per dictum sexennium deputandos modo & forma subsequentibus levetur & colligatur.
Item authoritate praesentis Convocationis sive Synodi ordinamus & statuimus, quòd ante primum diem mensis Augusti cujuslibet anni qui in [Page 17]dictum sexennium incidet, Reverendissimus pater Cant. Archiepiscopus, omnes (que) & singuli dictae Cant. provinciae Epis. Diocesani & (sede Episcopali vacante) Decanus & Capitulum Collectores idoneos in omnibus locis exemptis, & non exemptis, in singulis suis respective Diocesibus, ad dictam contributionem & quamlibet ejus partem, modo, forma, & terminis infrà expressis debitè levandam & colligendam juxta eorum arbitria, & sanas discretiones per Literas suas patentes sigillis suis Episcopalibus, seu Capitularibus respective munitas, annuatim constituent, ordinabunt & deputabunt, ac ipsos sic deputatos, & eorum quemlibet si fuerint Ecclesiastici, ad hujusmodi Collectionis Officium suscipiendum per censuras Ecclesiasticas, viz. per suspensionis, interdicti, aut Excommunicationis sententias, ac per sequestrationem fructuum, & proventuum Beneficiorum aut Dignitatum, ac alia Juris remedia, si hujusmodi onus subire recusaverint, coerceant & compellant. Quod si dictus Archiepiscopus, Episcopus aliquis, Diocesanus, vel (sede vacante) Decanus & Capitulum laicam personam aliquam deputaverit, talis sit istiusmodi persona laica, pro qua dicti Archiepiscopus, Episcopus, aut Decanus & Capitulum respondere tenebuntur. De quorum quidem collectorum nominibus singuli Episcopi supradicti & Decani & Capitula Reverendissimum Patrem Cant. Archiepiscopum ante primum diem mensis Septembris singulis dicti sexennii annis debitè & distinctè certificare teneantur.
Item, quòd Collectores hujusmodi quolibet dicti sexennij anno sic constituti & deputati, constituendi, vel deputandi hujus sacri Consilij authoritate plenam habeant potestatem omnes & singulos infra suae collectionis praecinctum hujusmodi Contributionis solutione onerandos ante primum diem quorumlibet mensium Octobris & Aprilis cujuslibet anni dicti sexennij, vel personaliter, vel in valvis Ecclesiarum & locorum pro quibus hanc Contributionē solvere tenentur, per Apparitorem, vel Apparitores, vel eorum deputatos in scriptis monendi, ut pecuniarum summas per eos solvendas ante primum diem mensium Novembris & Maij tunc proximè sequentium, per dictum sexennium, in aliquo loco vel locis publicis, commodis & usitatis per dictos Diocesanos, aut (sede vacante) per dictos Decanos & Capitula assignandis infra Collectionis suae limites plenè & integrè solvant.
Item volumus, concedimus & ordinamus, quòd quilibet collector, si Ecclesiastica fuerit persona, ad hanc Contributionem vel aliquam ejus partem colligendam deputatus aut deputandus, omnes & singulos huic Contributioni obnoxios, & personaliter, vel in valvis Ecclesiarum sive locorum pro quibus hanc contributionem solvere tenentur, sufficienter monitos, & comparere ad dies praestitutos & assignatos negligentes, vel non solventes, seu solvere recusantes, aut ultra diem solutioni praefinitum differentes, per censuras Ecclesiasticas, suspensionis, excommunicationis, aut interdicti, vel per sequestrationem [Page 19]& venditionem fructuum, ad plenam solutionem faciendam efficaciter compellendi & coercendi, ac etiam eosdem plene & integrè solventes, seu satisfacientes, a quibuscun (que) censuris, sententijs & poenis in ipsos & eorum quemlibet in eâ parte promulgatis & inflictis absolvendi, ac quemcun (que) processum contra non comparentes aut non solventes, per eos factum, revocandi & relaxandi authoritate praesentis Convocationis sufficientem habeat potestatem. Quod si Episcopus aliquis, seu, sede vacante, Decanus & Capitulum laicam aliquam personam ad hanc contributionem colligendam deputaverit, Ordinamus & statuimus quòd ipse Episcopus, seu, sede vacante, Decanus & Capitulum dictas censuras & poenas infligendi & erogandi, easdem (que) relaxandi & revocandi authoritate praefentis Synodi plenam habebunt potestatem.
Item volumus insuper, & praesentis Convocationis authoritate decernimus, quòd omnes & singuli collectores (ut praefertur) deputati vel deputandi omnes & singulas pecuniarum summas collectas & levatas, seu quas recipere potuerunt, & negligenter omiserunt ante decimum quintum diem quorumlibet mensium Decembris & Junij infra dictum sexennium suis respective Episcopis, sedibus plenis, & Decanis & Capitulis sedium vacantium sine aliquâ monitione in eâ parte eisdem collectoribus fiendâ, sub poena, si fuerint Ecclesiastici, suspensionis, excommunicationis aut interdicti, ac per sequestrationem & venditionem fructuum suorum [Page 20]beneficiorum, & dignitatum, & si opus fuerit, per deprivationem per eosdem Episcopos, sedibus plenis, vel per Decanum & Capitulum, sede vacante infligenda totaliter & integrè solvent, seu solvi curabunt ab eisdem Episcopis & Decano & Capitulo respectivè Quietancias idoneas pro summis hujusmodi solutis recipientes.
Proviso semper, quod quilibet Collector, eisdem diebus quibus dictas summas, ita ut praefertur, collectas solvit, Diocesanum suum Episcopum, sede plenâ, & Decanum & Capitulum, sede vacante, de nominibus ad dies praescriptos integrè non solventium in scriptis certiores faciet, & per Juramentum suum fidem praestabit, quod ab illis summas debitas levare & colligere non potuerit, ne (que) possit, licêt diligentiam suam in eâ parte adhibuerit, ac contra non solventes modo & forma praescriptis processerit, in eo casu volumus, quòd hujusmodi Collector coram dicto suo Ordinario, sede plenâ, vel Decano & Capitulo, sede vacante, ad fidem & Juramentum suum praestandum in eâ parte admittatur. Et si nec auxilio & authoritate Episcopi, sede plenâ, vel Decani & Capituli, sede vacante, nec diligentiâ suâ per Juris remedia suprascripta Collector hujusmodi ante dictos dies viz. decimum quintum diem mensium Decemb. & Junij cujuslibet anni praedictorum sexennorum ab hujusmodi recusantibus, vel differentibus summas debitas integrè, vel pro parte recuperare non possit: volumus & ordinamus, quod dictus collector, vel [Page 21]totaliter vel pro eâ portione quam recipere non potuit, exoneretur, ac liber dimittatur & acquietur. Et quod Episcopus (sede plena) vel Decanus & Capitulum (sede vacante) respectivè per Juramentum collectoris ita certiorati, ad Reverendissimum Patrem Cant. Archiepiscopum nomina omhium non solventium, vel solvere differentium, sub sigillo suo authentico Episcopali vel capitulari, ante decimum quintum diem mensium Januarii, & Julii, singulis annis dicti sexennii transmittet sub paenâ sequestrationis, suspensionis, vel privationis, arbitrio dicti Reverendissimi Patris cum concilio & consensu trium aliorum hujus provinciae Episcoporum, per cundem Reverendissimum Patrem ad hoc nominandorum & accersendorum infligendae. Et quod tres Episcopi ita nominati, & per literas privatas, manu dicti Archiepiscopi subscriptas, acciti comparere & eidem Archiepiscopo assistere, per omnia Juris remedia per dictum Archiepiscopum, authoritate hujus Sacrae Synodi compelli possint.
Item volumus, ordinamus, & statuimus quod dictus Reverendissimus Pater omnes & singulos non solventes, vel solvere differentes, in dictis literis Certificatoriis dicti Episcopi (sede plena) vel Decani & Capituli (sede vacante) nominatos, vigore hujusmodi Certificatorii, abs (que) aliâ Citatione aut probatione, ab omnibus suis dignitatibus, Praebendis & Beneficiis pro quibus summas debitas non solverunt, privare & amovere per sententiam suam finalem, [Page 22]& definitivam, omni appellatione remotâ & proamotis & privatis decernendi, & declarandi authoritate hujus sacri Concilii provincialis plenam & sufficientem habeant potestatem & authoritatem.
Item authoritate quâ supra, volumus, ordinamus, & statuimus quod omnes provinciae Cant. Episcopi sedibus plenis, & Decani & Capitula sedium vacantium ante d [...]cimum quintum diem mensium Februarii & Augusti singulis annis dictorum sex annorum omnes pecuniarum summas, tam per ipsos Episcopos respectu Episcopatuum, & per Decanos & Capitula intuitu Ecclesiarum Cathedralium sedium vacantium, quam ab aliis quibuscun (que) hujus Benenevolae contributionis solutione oneratis, levatas & collectas cuicun (que) aut quibu scunque per Serenissimum Regem Dominum Carolum ad hoc assignando vel assignandis, sub suspensionis, excommunicationis interdicti, fructuum sequestrationis & venditionis, vel (si opus fuerit) privationis paenâ; per dictum Reverendissimum Archiepiscopum cum consilio, & consensu trium Confratrum suorum hujus provinciae Episcoporum, tam contra dictos Episcopos quam contra Eccles. Cathedrales & singulas earundem personas hujus contributionis solutione oneratas infligenda, integrè solvent, vel solvi curabunt, & dictum Archiepiscopum de integrâ summâ solutâ & de acquietantia quacun (que) à receptore Regio vel receptoribus Regiis sic assignando, vel assignandis ante vicesimum diem dictorum mensium Februarii, & Augusti authenticè unà cum nominibus [Page 23]illorum omnium denuo à quibus summas debitas colligere non potuerunt sub poenis praedictis, certificabunt, seu certificari curabunt, nisi fide dicto Reverendissimo Patri factâ, quod dictus Receptor vel dicti Receptores summas solvendas per integrum quadriduum recipere distulerit vel distulerint, aut tales acquietantias tradere recusaverit vel recusaverint. Et quia res cum suo onere transite debet, ordinamus & statuimus, quod si contingat dignitatum & Beneficiorum praedictorum possessorem quemcun (que) dictâ contributione aut aliquâ ejus parte non solutâ, ab hac luce migrare, resignare, cedere, aut privari, quod tunc & in eo casu non solum Successores in Dignitatibus vel Beneficiis, hujus Contributionis solutione oneratis per supra dicta omnia superius in hisce ordinationibus provisa remedia pro ultimâ solutione anni ultimò clapsi solvere & satisfacere compellantur, verum etiam quod Executores & Administratores eorundem sic decedentium (siopus fuerit) & ipsimet resignantes, cedentes, & deprivati, juxta ratam portionem fructuum quae ad manus suas eo anno pervenerit, per omnia legitima Juris remedia ad hujusmodi contributionem, & quamlibet eiusdem portionem solvendam compelli possint.
Item volumus, statuimus & ordinamus pro efficaciori & expeditiori hujus contributionis collectione, quod Episcopi dictae provinciae Cantuariensis, sede plena, & Decanus & Capitulum, sede vacante, dignitatum & beneficiorum illorum omnium qui [Page 24]ab hac luce (eâdem contributione aut aliquâ ejus parte non solutâ) abierint, resignaverint, cesserint vel amoti aut privati fuerint, quamdiu eorum Beneficia vacaverint per sequestrationem & venditionem fructuum & emolumentorum talium dignitatum, & Beneficiorum ita vacantium integram contributionem vel quamcun (que) ejus portionem non solutam levare & colligere authoritate hujus Convocationis licitè valeant & possint: quorum tamen conscientias oneramus ut satisfactione sequuta, quamprimum sequestrationes ob hanc causam interpositas revocent, & cum effectu relaxent.
Volumus etiam, & authoritate hujus Synodi decernimus & ordinamus, quod a censuris Ecclesiasticis vel sententiis & decretis sequestrationum quibuscunque suprà provisis, & per Collectores, vel Episcopos sedibus plenis, & Decanum & Capitulum sedium vacantium pronunciatis & promulgatis, nullus sit appellationi vel recusationi locus.
Item, volumus, ordinamus, & statuimus, quod nullus Collector praesentis Contributionis recipiet pro aliquâ acquietantiâ fiendâ ultra quatuor denarios, nec pro censuris ullis, aut sententiis suspensionis, interdicti, vel sequestrationis, & absolutione & relaxatione eorundem aut corum cujusvis ultra summam duorum solidorum: & quod quilibet Collector infra praecinctum suae Collectionis authoritatem habeat compellendi apparitorem & apparitores ordinarios ejusdem praecinctus [Page 25]ad monendos omnes & singulos hujus Contributionis solutione oneratos, & onerandos, quoties occasio aut necessitas postulabunt, cui appparitori, seu apparitoribus concedimus unum denarium de singulis sex denariis in Concessione nostrâ Serenissimo Domino nostro Regi factâ, reservatis, pro citatione, monitione, collectione, & solutione hujus Benevolentiae, seu extraordinariae Contributionis.
Item, hujus sacrae Synodi authoritate volumus & ordinamus, quod si in posterum aliqua dubia, ambiguitates, difficultates, aut querelae circa has Ordinationes, vel aliquem earundem articulum, aut circa modum aut formam Collectionis hujus Contributionis oriantur: Tunc & in co casu omnium hujusmodi dubiorum, ambiguitatum, difficultatum, aut querelarum interpretationes & declarationes fiant per Reverendissimum in Christo Patrem Archiepiscopum Cantuar. Dominos Episcopos London. Winton. Sarum. Elien. & Roffen. pro tempore existente, aut duos eorundem, quorum idem Reverendissimus Pater sit unus, cujus quidem Reverendissimi Patris interpretationi & declarationi, ut praefertur, fiendae, omnino stare & acquiesci authoritate quâ suprà decernimus & ordinamus.
Proviso tamen semper, quod propter sententiam suspensionis in Curia Camerae stellatae jampridem latam contra Iohannem Episcopum Lincoln. dicta sedes Lincoln. quoad hanc rem pro sede vacante reputabitur, adeòque totius circa praesentem [Page 26]concessionem negotii onus, omnis (que) ejusdem exequendi, & expediendi cura atque potestas, quantum ad omnes & singulas clausulas in supra recitatis Canonibus comprehensas, non in ipsum Episcopum, nec in Metropolitanum, sed in Decanum, atque Capitulum Ecclesiae Lincoln. vigore praesentis decreti devolvetur durante dictâ suspensione ejusdem Episcopi.