2602

September 1. Lyons. Friar H[ugo], cardinal-priest of Santa Sabina, and Friar G[uillelmus], bishop of Tortosa (Anteradensis), write to the prior general and definitors of the chapter general of the Order of the Friars of Carmel, relating that the friar clerics Reynaldus and Petrus of their order came to the Apostolic See on their behalf and humbly asked the pope to deign to declare and correct some dubious things contained in their privilege and rule that was once given them by the late Albertus, patriarch of Jerusalem, and to mitigate mercifully some burdensome things. The pope agreed to their entreaties and committed the case to the cardinal and bishop to make the declaration, correction, and mitigation in his stead as they deemed expedient for the good state of the order and friars. They therefore order the addressees to receive devoutly and firmly observe the rule as corrected, declared, and mitigated by them as they deemed expedient, and to correct their other rules on this basis, which they send back to them via the same Friars [Reynaldus and Petrus] with their seals. The modified text is then inserted, stating as follows: Albertus, patriarch of the church of Jerusalem (Jerosolimitana), greets B. and the other hermits living with him near the spring of Mount Carmel determining the following: (I) They shall have one prior chosen unanimously from among them, or by the greater or sounder part, to whom the others shall promise obedience, observing chastity and giving up property. (II) They can live in deserted places or in places given to them that the prior and brothers deem fitting for their observance. (III) They shall have separate cells assigned by the prior with the consent of the other brothers or the sounder ones. (IV) They shall eat what is given them in a common refectory while listening to a reading from Holy Scripture, where this can be observed conveniently. (V) No brother shall change the place assigned to him or exchange it without permission from the prior. (VI) The prior’s cell shall be near the entrance so he can greet those who arrive and arrange things as he wishes. (VII) All shall stay alone in or next to their cells, meditating day and night on the Lord’s law and praying, unless they are otherwise justly occupied. (VIII) Those who know how to say the canonical hours with the clerics shall do so according to the constitution of the holy Fathers and the Church’s approved custom. Those who do not shall say the Pater noster 25 times at Nocturns, except on Sundays and feast days when it is 50. They shall also say it seven times at Lauds and the other hours, except for Vespers, when they shall say it fifteen times. (IX) No one shall have personal property but all shall be held in common and be distributed to each by the person assigned by the prior, taking into consideration age and individual needs. They may have asses or mules according to their needs and also feed for animals and foul. (X) Insofar as it can be done conveniently, an oratory shall be built amidst the cells in which they shall gather daily in the morning for Mass, where convenient. (XI) On Sundays or other days if needed they shall discuss the care of the order and the salvation of souls and correct with charity any excesses and faults of the brothers. (XII) They shall fast every day except Sunday from the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (15 September) to Easter Sunday, unless illness, bodily weakness, or other just cause dictates otherwise. (XIII) They shall not eat meat except as a remedy for illness or bodily weakness, but when traveling they may eat cooked food and meat, to avoid burdening their hosts, and meat may be eaten at sea. (XIV) They are to guard against the temptations of the flesh and live by the Lord. (XV) They shall do some work to avoid the results of having idle hands. (XVI) They shall remain silent from the recitation of Compline until after Prime the next day, and at other times they shall avoid excessive talk and thus causing offense. (XVII) Brother B. and future priors shall remember to serve the brothers. (XVIII) The brothers shall honour their prior.