When the comprehensive annual curse, known as the Bull in Cæna Domini, came in fashion, falsifiers of papal letters were included in its anathemas, until the abrogation of the custom in 1773.
[10] Fascic. Rerum Expetendarum et Fugiendarum II. 7, 254-255 (Ed. 1690).
[11] P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 24.—Cf. Petri. Blesensis Epist. 23; Johann. Saresberiens. Polycrat. Lib. VII. cap. 21, Lib. VIII. cap. 17.
[12] Concil. Juliobonens. ann. 1080 c. 3, 5.—Concil. Bremens. ann. 1266.—Eadmer. Hist. Novor. Lib. IV.—Concil. Melfitan. ann. 1284 c. 5.—P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 24, 79.—Innocent. PP. III. Regest. X. 85; XII. 37.—Pet. Blesensis Epist. 209.
[13] Concil. Rotomag. ann. 1231 c. 48.—P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 23.—Innocent. PP. III. Regest. I. 376.—Chron. Andres. Monast.—Narrat. Restaur. Abbat. S. Mart. Tornacens. cap. 113, 114.—Joann. Saresberiens. Polycrat. Lib. v. cap. 15. Cf. Lib. VI. cap. 24.
[14] P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 86.
[15] Concil. Lemovicens. ann. 1031.—Concil. Avenionens. ann. 1209 c. 1.—Concil. Lateranens. ann. 1215 c. 10.—Millot, Hist. Litt. des Troubadours, II. 61.
[16] S. Bernard. Epistt. 271, 274, 276.—Can. 2, 3, Extra Lib. i. Tit. xiii.—Thomassin, Discip. de l’Église. P. IV. Lib. ii. cap. 38.—Gaufridi Vosiensis Chron. ann. 1181.—Concil. Turon. ann. 1231. c. 16.—Concil. Lugdun. ann. 1274 c. 12.—P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 55, 60, 61.—Innocent. PP. III. Regest. XI. 142.—Even a pontiff such us Innocent III. was not above intruding his dependants upon the churches everywhere. His registers are full of such missives.
[17] Concil. Lateran. III. ann. 1179 c. 13, 14; IV. ann. 1215 c. 29.—Innocent. PP. III. Regest. I. 82, 191, 471.—P. Cantor. Verb. abbrev. cap. 31, 32, 34. 80.—Honor. PP. III. Epist. ad Archiep. Bituricens. ann. 1219.—Urbani. PP. V. Constit. 1367 (Harduin. Concil. VII. 1767).—Isambert. Anc. Loix Franç. I. 252.—Matt. Paris. Hist. Angl. ann. 1246 (Ed. 1644 p. 483)—Wadding. Annal. Minor, ann. 1238, No. 8.—D’Argentré, Collect. Judicior. de Nov. Error. I. I. 143.
The correspondence of the papal chancery under Innocent IV., as preserved in the official register, for the first three months of 1245, embraces three hundred and thirty-two letters, and of these about one fifth are dispensations to sixty-five persons to hold pluralities (Berger, Registres d’Innoc. IV. t. I.). A considerable proportion of the remainder are licenses for violations of canon law, showing how exhaustless were the vices of the clergy as a source of profit to the curia. For the rapacity with which the benefices of the dying were sought and disputed, see ibid. No. 1611.