The first day of February, being the Vigil of the Purification of our Lady, the 23d. being the Vigil of St. Matthias the Apoftle.

The 23d. of June, being the Vigil of St. John

the Baptift, and the 28th. of St. Peter and St. Paul. The 24th. of July, being the Vigil of St. James the Apostle.

The 12th. of August, being the Vigil of the Affumption of our Lady, and the 23d. of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

The 7th. of September, being the Vigil of our Lady's Nativity, the 13th. of the Holy Crofs.

The 27th. of October, being the Vigil of St. Simon and Jude, and the last, of All-Saints.

The 29th. of November, being the Vigil of 'St. Andrew.

The 2d. of December, being the Vigil of the Glorious Apostle St. Thomas, on the 24th. of our Saviour's Nativity, notwithstanding these two do both fall in Advent.

And that this Diocefs may be in all things conformable to the Cuftoms of the Univerfal Church, the Synod doth command, the Faft of the four Times to be published and obferved therein; they are the first Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent; and the the first Wednesday and Friday, and Saturday after Whitfuntide; and the first Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feaft of the Holy Cross, in September; and the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of the Holy Cross, on the 13th. of December, which falls in with the Advent Faft,

And

And the Synod doth furthermore declare, That the Faft of our Lady's Affumption, which begins on the first of August, and lasts to the day of the Festivity, and the Fast that is called the Apoftles, which begins on the first day after Whitfuntide, and lafts fifty days, notwithstanding they are Holy and Laudable, it wifheth they were not kept as they are by the Christians of this Diocefs, after the fame manner as the ancient Fafts are; nevertheless, fince they are obferved by fome and not by others, that there may be no Scruples nor Disorder, the Synod doth de clare, that the keeping of them is not commanded under the Precept of a Mortal Sin, though they may be kept out of Devotion by those that have a mind to't, neither are People under any obligation to a Lent Fare on these Days; and as to the three Fasting Days of the Prophet Jonas, called Mononebo, which begins eighteen days before the first day in Lent, the Synod, out of refpect to its Antiquity and Holiness, doth permit it to be observed with great ftri&tness: But whereas People do affemble together in the Churches on those days, there to eat the Nercha's that are distributed, the Synod, tho' it is not willing to oblige People to Faft on those three days under the obligation of a Mortal Sin, doth nevertheless oblige them to a Lent Diet at least upon them; and the Vicars fhall be obliged to give notice to the People of all the Fafts of the Week upon Sundays, that so all may be warned to observe them.

Decree

THe

Decree XI.

He Synod doth approve of the Holy and Laudable Custom obferved by the Chriftians of this Diocefs, of eating neither Eggs nor Cheefe, nor any thing made of Milk, nor of Fish, and of abstaining totally from Wine, and from their Wives during the whole time of Lent; all which it défires them to continue to obferve inviolably, as alfe to begin the Faft upon the day after Quinquagefima Sunday; and fome Abules being reforined, it doth declare, That Fafting doth not only confift in Peoples abftaining from fome forts of Meat, but also in their not eating fo often as they may defire, the Integrity of the Precept of Fafting obliging People not to eat above one Meal a day; and that at * an hour appointed, and at Night they that shall stand in need of

The Fafts of the Church of Rome, as they are now observed, are little elfe than a Mockery of the Duty, of which Card. Bona in the 21ft Chapter of his firft Book of Liturgies; complains as loud as he durit: Ita factum eft, faith the Cardinal, ut non prorfus veneranda vetuflas interierit, dum ordo à fanétis patribus præfciptus, faltem in publica officiorum recitatione, retinetur, quamvis legitimus horarum punctus nullo modo attendatur, neque enim hore none officium, tertia vel quarta poft meridiem in Vigiliis pfaliimus, neque vefperas in Quadrage. fima, circa folis occafum, fed una

A a

vel duabus horis ante meridiem, que anticipatio, ut dolfifimus Francelinus fcribit Cap. 34. quadam eft noftri temporis calamitas, ne dicam abufus: Capit hac horarum praventio poft fæculum duodecimum introduci, cum priftina feveritas paulatim relaxata, mollior difciplina fucceffit, de quâ fatius eft tacere quam loqui. And fo that they may obferve the ancient Rule of not eating upon a Fafting day till after Vefpers, they have turned the Morning.into Evening, and fay the Vefpers at Ten a Clock, that they may go to Dinner at Eleven.

it.

And the Synod doth furthermore declare, That the Fast of our Lady's Affumption, which begins on the first of August, and lafts to the day of the Festivity, and the Fast that is called the Apostles, which begins on the first day after Whitfuntide, and lafts fifty days, notwithstanding they are Holy and Laudable, it wifheth they were not kept as they are by the Chriftians of this Diocefs, after the fame manner as the ancient Fafts are; nevertheless, fince they are observed by fome and not by others, that there may be no Scruples nor Disorder, the Synod doth declare, that the keeping of them is not commanded under the Precept of a Mortal Sin, though they may be kept out of Devotion by those that have a mind to't, neither are People under any obligation to a Lent Fare on these Days; and as to the three Fafting Days of the Prophet Jonas, called Mononebo, which begins eighteen days before the first day in Lent, the Synod, out of refpect to its Antiquity and Holiness, doth permit it to be obferved with great strictness: But whereas People do affemble together in the Churches on those days, there to eat the Nercha's that are distributed, the Synod, tho' it is not willing to oblige People to Faft on those three days under the obligation of a Mortal Sin, doth nevertheless oblige them to a Lent Diet at least upon them; and the Vicars fhall be obliged to give notice to the People of all the Fafts of the Week upon Sundays, that fo all may be warned to observe them.

Decree

Decree XI.

.

THe Synod doth approve of the Holy and Laudable Custom obferved by the Chriftians of this Diocefs, of eating neither Eggs nor Cheese, nor any thing made of Milk, nor of Fish, and of abstaining totally from Wine, and from their Wives during the whole time of Lent; all which it défires them to continue to obferve inviolably, as alfe to begin the Faft upon the day after Quinquagefima Sunday; and fome Abules being retorined, it doth declare, That Fafting doth not only confift in Peoples abstaining from fome forts of Meat, but alfo in their not eating fo often as they may defire, the Integrity of the Precept ef Fafting obliging People not to eat above one Meal a day; and that at * an hour appointed, and at Night they that shall stand in need of

*The Fafts of the Church of Rome, as they are now obferved, are little elfe than a Mockery of the Duty, of which Card. Bona in the 21ft Chapter of his firft Book of Liturgies, complains as loud as he durit: Ita factum eft, faith the Cardinal, ut non prorfus veneranda vetuftas interierit, dum ordo à `fanétis patribus præfciptus, faltem in publica officiorum recitatione, retinetur, quamvis legitimus horarum punctus nullo modo attendatur, neque enim hore none officium, tertia vel quarta poft meridiem in Vigiliis pfallimus, neque vefperas in Quadrage. fima, circa folis occafum, fed una

A a

vel duabus horis ante meridiem, que anticipatio, ut dolfijimus Francelinus fcribit Cap. 34. quadam eft noftri temporis calamitas, ne dicam abufus: Capit hac horarum praventio poft fæculum duodecimum introduci, cum priftina feveritas paulatim relaxata, mollior difciplina fucceffit, de quâ fatius eft tacere quam loqui. And fo that they may obferve the ancient Rule of not eating upon a Fafting day till after Veffers, they have turned the Morning.into Evening, and fay the Vefpers at Ten a Clock, that they may go to Dinner at Eleven.

it,