RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
881
year: 1172
initiator: Pope Alexander III
recipient: O. praeceptor and the brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
text: Jun. 20. Tusculum. Pope Alexander III writes to O. praeceptor and the brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. He describes how he was visited by B. prior, W., Garnerius and certain brothers, as well as by E. archidiaconus Iherosolimitanus and certain other brothers, with letters from Patriarch Amalric of Jerusalem, King Amalric and other persons. These letters requested the restoration of G. to the magisterium of the Order. The prior and brothers told the pope how G. had left for a cave and resigned his office; how he had resumed the magisterium when persuaded to do so by the patriarch and other religious men; how he had spurned advice and resigned again, surrendering privately the insignia [belt, purse and seal] of a magister; and how, when the chapter agreed to receive as magister the man he nominated, he and 12 brothers had elected a brother called Castus to be magister, the election of whom the pope had confirmed. Castus has died. The pope orders the brothers to elect another suitable and honest man, who is neither too old or too young. Considering the damage and debts incurred during G.’s rule, Pope Alexander turns down the requests of the patriarch and the king, and the arguments of the archdeacon and the brothers who came with him. He confirms G.’s resignation, imposing perpetual silence on this issue. He adds that whoever becomes magister must promise to hold and keep the Order’s ancient and reasonable customs, following in the footsteps of Giraldus and R., once magistri. He must not treat major matters on the Order’s behalf or receive and fortify castles on the frontier with the Turci without the common counsel of the chapter or the greater or wiser part of it. He must not bind any brother by private oath or faith except in common chapter and for a manifest and reasonable cause. And he must not presume to make any pact with any person involving faith or an oath without the assent of chapter or the greater and wiser part of it.
Jun. 20. Tusculum. Pope Alexander III writes to O. praeceptor and the brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. He describes how he was visited by B. prior, W., Garnerius and certain brothers, as well as by E. archidiaconus Iherosolimitanus and certain other brothers, with letters from... more
sources: Hiestand, PTJ 2:227-30, no. 20. See Mayer, UKJ 2:614 (RRH no. 492a)