lawful impediment, do hear an entire Mass upon every Sunday and Holy-day that is commanded to be kept, if they have the opportunity of a Priest to say it to them. As also, that all Mafters of Families are obliged by the said Precept, to make their Children, and fuch of their Servants and Slaves as are Christians, and all other Persons living in their Families, to go every Sunday and Holy-day to hear Mafs, which every one shall endeavour to hear at his own Parish-Church, or at the place where he then happens to be; and as for those who with just reafon are afraid to leave their Houfes alone without any body in them, and especially fuch as live in Heaths, and are a great way from any Church, they fhall fo order the matter, that all in their Families shall take their turns of going to Mafs and staying at home on Sundays; and the Vicars of the Churches must be careful to mark all fuch as are negligent herein, and reprove, admonish, and punish them, fo as they fhall judge neceffary: and where there is any number of Clergy, they fball fing the Mafs on Sundays and Holy-days: and when there is not a competent number, there the Mafs fhall be faid at a convenient hour, the whole Parish being prefent, and he shall at the fame time Preach, publish their Admonitions, the Banes of Matrimony, and whatsoever else is neceffary in the Church.

Decree

TH

Decree XIII.

He Synod being informed that most of all the Chriftians that live out of Towns and Villages in the Heaths, being a great way from Church, do go to Church but once a Year, on the three days before Lent, which they call Monorbo, and then rather to fill their Bellies with what is given by Christians at that time, than to hear Mafs; and that there are others who content themselves with going to hear Mafs twice or thrice in the Year, and fo have no opportunity of being inftructed in matters of Faith and Religion as they ought to be, nor of complying with their Obligations, doth command all Chriftians living within two Leagues of the Church to go to Mafs at least once a Month, and on the principal Feftivities of our Lord and Lady, commanding the Vicars alfo to constrain them to do it; and all fuch as are but one League, to hear Mafs once a Fortnight, and fuch as are lefs than a League, to hear it every Sunday and Holy-day; commanding all that shall trangrefs herein, being obftinate, after the third Admonition, to be thrown out of the Church when they come thither; neither shall the Priest go to their Houses, or give them the Cafture, or Blefling, until they fhall come to hear Mass, more or lefs, in the Form aforefaid; and befides, they fhall be punished by the Prelate as he shall think good.

Decree

Decree XIV.

Whereas upon several Festivals of the Church

there are Musicians called to the celebration thereof, according to the custom of the Country, who are all Heathens, fmall care being taken in what part of the Church they are placed, or to hinder them from playing during the time of the Holy Sacrifice, at which no Excommunicate Perfon or Infidel ought to be present, therefore the Synod doth command, that great care be taken not to fuffer them to remain in the Church after the Creed is faid, or the Sermon, if there be one, is ended, that so they may not behold the Holy Sacrament; the Vicar shall also be careful to drive all Heathens who may come upon fuch occafion, from the Doors and Windows of the Church.

Decree XV.

Whereas there is nothing that is fo great a help

*

to the Souls of the Faithful that are in the Fire of Purgatory as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mafs, of which there is no memory remaining in

* Purgatory. I fhall give in the matter of Indulgences to the Reader one inftance out of a Souls in Purgatory.

hundred of the Popes liberality

Indulgencias

this Diocefs; that Holy Sacrifice having been instituted for the health and remedy of the Living and of the Dead: Wherefore the Synod doth exhort all the Faithful of this Bishoprick to accustom