g. The Latin canonists of the Middle Ages also acknowledge only these twenty canons of Nicæa. We have proof of this in the celebrated Spanish collection, which is generally but erroneously attributed to St. Isidore (it was composed at the commencement of the seventh century), and in that of Adrian (so called because it was offered to Charles the Great by Pope Adrian I). The celebrated Hincmar, Archbishop of Rheims, the first canonist of the ninth century, in his turn attributes only twenty canons to the Council of Nicæa, and even the pseudo-Isidore assigns it no more.
I add for the convenience of the reader the captions of the Eighty Canons as given by Turrianus, translating them from the reprint in Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. II. col. 291. The Eighty-four Canons as given by Echellensis together with numerous Constitutions and Decrees attributed to the Nicene Council are likewise to be found in Labbe (ut supra, col. 318).
[104] Vide Labbe, Conc. ii. 287.
[105] Who exactly these Orientals were Hefele does not specify, but Ffoulkes well points out (Dict. Christ. Antiq. sub voce Councils of Nicæa) that it is an entire mistake to suppose that the Greek Church "ever quoted other canons [than the xx] as Nicene by mistake,' which were not Nicene, as popes Zosimus, Innocent and Leo did."
[106] Beveridge, Synod. sive Pand. i. 686.
[107] Hefele: Hist. Councils, I. 362.
[108] Renaudot: Hist. Patriarcharum Alexandrianorum Jacobitarum. Paris, 1713, p. 75.
The Captions of the Arabic Canons Attributed to the Council of Nice.
Canon I. [109]
Insane persons and energumens should not be ordained.
Canon II.
Bond servants are not to be ordained.
Canon III.
Neophytes in the faith are not to be ordained to Holy Orders before they have a knowledge of Holy Scripture. And such, if convicted after their ordination of grave sin, are to be deposed with those who ordained them.
Canon IV.
The cohabitation of women with bishops, presbyters, and deacons prohibited on account of their celibacy.
We decree that bishops shall not live with women; nor shall a presbyter who is a widower; neither shall they escort them; nor be familiar with them, nor gaze upon them persistently. And the same decree is made with regard to every celibate priest, and the same concerning such deacons as have no wives. And this is to be the case whether the woman be beautiful or ugly, whether a young girl or beyond the age of puberty, whether great in birth, or an orphan taken out of charity under pretext of bringing her up. For the devil with such arms slays religious, bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and incites them to the fires of desire. But if she be an old woman, and of advanced age, or a sister, or mother, or aunt, or grandmother, it is permitted to live with these because such persons are free from all suspicion of scandal.
Canon V.
Of the election of a bishop and of the confirmation of the election.
Canon VI.
That those excommunicated by one bishop are not to be received by another; and that those whose excommunication has been shown to have been unjust should be absolved by the archbishop or patriarch.
Canon VII.
That provincial Councils should be held twice a year, for the consideration of all things affecting the churches of the bishops of the province.
Canon VIII.
Of the patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch, and of their jurisdiction.
Canon IX.
Of one who solicits the episcopate when the people do not wish him; or if they do desire him, but without the consent of the archbishop.
Canon X.
How the bishop of Jerusalem is to be honoured, the honour, however, of the metropolitan church of Cæsarea being preserved intact, to which he is subject.
Canon XI.
Of those who force themselves into the order of presbyters without election or examination.
Canon XII.
Of the bishop who ordains one whom he understands has denied the faith; also of one ordained who after that he had denied it, crept into orders.
Canon XIII.
Of one who of his own will goes to another church, having been chosen by it, and does not wish afterwards to stay there.
Of taking pains that he be transferred from his own church to another.