ANNALS OF ROGER DE HOVEDEN. • A.D. 1179. leave property thus acquired through churches to other persons. Therefore, although it is well known that by the ancient canons this is prohibited, we do nevertheless, once more prohibit it. And it being our wish therefore, to provide an indemnity for the Church, whether these persons shall have died intestate, or whether they shall have attempted to bestow the same property on others, we do order that the same shall remain in possession of the churches. Moreover, inasmuch as in some places persons are appointed for a sum of money, and are called deans, and thus for a fixed sum of money exercise episcopal jurisdiction, we do, by the present decree, enact that whoever in future shall presume thus to act shall be deprived of his office, and the bishop shall lose the right of conferring the same. Of the regulation of ecclesiastical communities. ""Whereas, in all churches that which seems fit to the greater part and the elder of the brethren, ought, without hesitation, to be observed, it seems most grievous and most worthy of censure that in some churches a few, not so much on reasonable grounds as by reason of their own wilfulness, throw obstacles in the way of the commands of the majority, and will not allow the ecclesiastical ordinances to be carried out : therefore, by the present decree we do enact, that, unless any reasonable ground shall be shown by the fewer and younger, all power of appeal removed, that which is ordained, on due consideration by the greater and elder part, shall always prevail and be carried into effect. Nor is it to be any impediment to this our ordinance, if any person says that he is bound by oath to observe the customs of his church. For they are not to be called oaths, but perjuries rather, which arc in opposition to the interests of the Church and the institutions of the holy fathers. And if any person has presumed to swear to maintain customs of this nature, which are neither supported by reason, nor agree with the holy institutions, he is to be debarred from receiving the body of our Lord until such time as he shall have performed due penance for the same. Of the presentation of clerks. ""Whereas, in certain places, the founders of churches, or their heirs, abuse their power, in which the Church has hitherto borne with them; and whereas in the Church of