Document 2/132/12 (Newb. Reg., no. 257)
- Description
- Pope Lucius III writes to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, archdeacons, deans, priests and all prelates of churches, noting with surprise that although freedom from teinds on produce which they raise with their own hands or at their own expense has been granted to the brothers of the Cistercian Order, certain people, nonetheless presume to demand and extort teinds, and impose a depraved and sinister interpretation on the pertinent section of these papal privileges by maintaining that ‘new lands’ should be understood in place of ‘produce’. Lucius decrees that no one should presume to extort teinds from the Cistercians, either from lands which they cultivate with their own hands or at their own expense, not only new lands but even lands long ago cultivated however they might be held by the monks, or from the offspring of their animals, nor should teinds be extorted from others on what the monks’ animals consume on their property. If the popes had meant only ‘from new lands’ where they wrote ‘from produce’, they would have written ‘from new lands’, as is done in the privileges for certain others. They should excommunicate laymen who attempt to exact teinds from the Cistercians until proper penance has been performed; clerics who so behave should be suspended under the same conditions. If on the basis of papal letters anyone attempts to demand teinds or to extort anything else, contrary to the Cistercians’ privileges, the monks need not respond. Even if such letters prohibit appeals, the monks may appeal. Any agreements which have a peaceful purpose made between the monks and others should hold perpetually, if it is clear that such agreements have the approval of the abbot and the brothers. If anyone attempts violence against the Cistercians, they should publicly proclaim him to be excommunicated, and he should be treated as such until he renders fitting satisfaction to those injured, and until he presents himself before the pope with a letter on the matter from his diocesan bishop.
- Firm date
- 19 April 1182
- Dating Notes
- 13 kal. May, pontifical year 1 [dated in _Scot. Pont._, no. 127 as 1185]
- Place date (modern)
- Verona
- Place date (document)
- Veron'
- Related Place
- Verona
- Source for Data Entry
- Newbattle Registrum, no. 257
- Trad. ID
- Newb. Reg., no. 257
- Calendar number
- 2/132/12
- Charter type
- Papal letter
- Language
- Latin