Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/186

154 cognizance of, and see to the performance, according to the ordinances of the sacred canons, of all things that have been instituted for God's worship, or for the salvation of souls or the support of the poor; any custom soever, even though immemorial, privilege, or statute to the contrary, notwithstanding.

The administrators, whether ecclesiastical or lay, of the fabric of any church soever (even though it be a cathedral), hospital, confraternity, charitable institution called mont-de-piété, and of any pious places soever, shall be bound to render in, once a year, an account of their administration to the ordinary: all customs and privileges soever to the contrary being set aside; unless it should happen that, in the institution and ordaining of any church or fabric, it has been expressly provided otherwise. But if from custom, or privilege, or some regulation of the place, their account has to be rendered to others deputed thereunto, in that case the ordinary shall also be employed with them; and all acquittances given otherwise shall be of no avail to the said administrators.

Whereas, from the unskilfulness of notaries, very many injuries, and the occasion for many lawsuits, arise; the bishop, even as the delegate of the Apostolic See, may, by examination applied, search into the competency of all notaries, even though they have been created by apostolic, imperial, or royal authority; and, if such notaries be found incompetent, or on any occasion delinquent in the discharge of their office, he may prohibit them, entirely, or for a time, from exercising that office, in ecclesiastical and spiritual affairs, lawsuits, and causes. Nor shall any appeal on their parts suspend the prohibition of the ordinary.