BENEDICT THE LEVITE. - Under this name is known a collection of capitularies of the Frankish kings, divided into three books which are designated as V, VI, VII, because, according to the author's intention, they were to be considered as the complement to the analogous collection in 4 books by Ansegisus (v.). The collection is preceded by seven distichs, in which the compiler says that he is called B. L., that is, Deacon, and that he completed the work by mandate of Autcarius, bishop of Mainz. Peter Pithou was the first, in 1588, to cast doubt on the authenticity of certain texts in the collection; Baluze and Savigny still regarded most of them as authentic; but today it is the unanimous opinion that this collection too, like the Pseudo-Isidorian one, consists of apocryphal texts. From a hint contained in book I, ch. 303, it is believed that the work originated in the province of Tours. Its age is to be placed between 847 and 852. The three books consist respectively of 405, 436, and 478 chapters. The author's purpose is to demonstrate that the reforms vainly requested of the civil authorities of that time by the bishops were contained in the old capitularies of Pepin, Charlemagne, and Louis the Pious, forgotten, but discovered by him.
The sources which the author makes use of are especially the Libri Sacri, the collections Quesnelliana, Dionysio-Adriana, Hispana, the Penitential of Theodore, the collections of Roman law, the Lex Balucariorum and the Lex Wisigothorum. In the work one notices repetitions, contradictions, and disorder, and, in relation to the sources, additions, mutilations, substitutions. In two manuscripts 4 appendices are found added. His work, under the title Capitularia spuria, ed. G. H. Pertz, in MGH, Leges, II, II (1837), pp. 17-158.