Chapter 1264

1 Since we must be very careful to conserve the good and clean name of the Order, while exerting every effort to put down the insolent, we desire and strictly command the establishment of good and secure prisons in the convents of Pisa, Florence, Siena, Città Vecchia, Perugia, Viterbo, Rome and Anagni, so that if—God forbid—such people are henceforth found they may be punished with penalties corresponding with their mischief. And we strictly order the priors and vicars of those convents which do not have prisons to carry out our instruction completely regarding them by the [first] Sunday of Lent. If they do not, from then on they must fast two days a week on bread and water until they finish building those prisons.

2 We desire and order priors and vistators and the other brothers that, if they find any sure information about any sexual misconduct, they should immediately let the prior provincial know by word or by writing, so that he can take proper measures against the guilty.

3 Also, since we see that study is neglected in this province, we desire and strictly order priors to show greater zeal to compel brothers to study. They should order them to go over their lessons once every week. The students, especially the young, should be examined diligently by the master of students on the matter that they heard from the lector in class during the week. We also wish lectors not easily to forego their lectures, especially without the permission and consent of their prior.

4 Also, in accord with the warning of the general chapter, we strictly order two brothers to be assigned in each convent, without whose examination and judgment, no habit is to be made for any brother. And we order all the brothers who, without special permission, bought French cloth or uncut cloth after the ordination of the provincial chapter of Viterbo, to fast on bread and water for three days and to surrender these habits to the clothing store or wear them inside out. Any who disobey this ordination should be very severely punished by the visitators, and such clothing should be confiscated without any dispensation.

5 Also we desire and warn brothers not to talk loosely against prelates of the Church, especially of the Roman curia. If any are found to do so, they should be very severely punished by their priors and visitators.

6 Also, priors should avoid promoting young men to the priesthood before their 25 ^th^ year. Also the admonition previously made that priests should not hear confessions until three years after their ordination should be very carefully observed, and we revoke all exceptions to this rule given to priors. Yet we concede that conventual priors can, when it seems advisable, give young priests dispensation to hear the confessions of brothers when necessary.

7 Also, priors should not easily give permission to any brothers, especially the young, to visit monasteries of nuns, or Biguin sisters or healthy women in their homes, unless some need or necessity requires this.

8 Also, we command and strictly order our brother to involve themselves in no way in giving lay people medicine and advice or in making remedies for their illnesses.

9 Also, we strictly forbid brothers from selling or exchanging tunics and clothes assigned to them without special permission of their prior. Priors too should not give such permissions without a legitimate reason.

10 Also, we command all priors and their vicars to take away chests from all lay brothers, except those that are conceded to some officials because of the necessity of their office.

11 Also we strictly forbid brothers from daring to open or hide letters of the provincial sent to someone other than themselves, but they should be put in the mail box without delay.

12 Also, we ordain that the prior provincial should have half of all the textbooks of deceased brothers from our province, so that with them he may provide for the three students who are at Paris every year for the province with twenty Tours-pounds. If there is anything left, the provincial shall save it for the next year for the same purpose. By textbooks, we mean Bibles, Sentences, histories, breviaries, missals, decrees, decretals and glosses. We desire that these students should use the money gained from [the sale of] these books to have useful writings transcribed and marked for our province. After the death of these students, or after they fully resign from teaching, these writings should be freely handed over to the provincial, so that he may provide for the students as he sees best.

13 The socius of the provincial for the general chapter is br. Peter, prior of Lucca.

14 We assign the next provincial chapter to Anangni on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, with the proviso that the diffinitors are elected on the vigil. And we wish the brothers not to come there before three days from that vigil.