Docta sanctorum

de celebr. aniff.

1 GIOVANNI XXII. (ann. 1522. Avignone.) Beata sanctorum patrum decrevit auctoritas, ut in divinis laudis officiis, quae debite servitutis obsequio exhibentur, cunctorum mens vigilet, sermo non cespitet, et modesta psallentium gravitas placida modulatione decantet. Nam in ore eorum dulcis resonabat sonus. Dulcis quippe omnino sonus in ore psallentium resonat, cum Deum corde suscipiunt, dum loquuntur verbis, in ipsum quoque cantibus devotionem accendunt. Inde etenim in ecclesiis Dei psalmodia cantanda praecipitir, ut fidelium devotio excitetur: in hoc nocturnum diurnumque officium, et missarum celebritates assidue clero ac populo sub maturo tenore, distinctaque gradatione cantantur, ut eadem distinctione collibeant, et maturitate delectent. Sed nonnulli novellae scholae discipuli, dum temporibus mensurandi invigilant, novis notis intendunt doges suas, quam antiquas cantare malunt, in semibreves, et minimas ecclesiastica cantantur, notulis percutiuntur. Nam melodias hoquetis interfecant, discantibus lubricant, triplis et motetis vulgaribus nonnumquam inculcant, adeo, ut interdum antiphonarii et gradualis fundamenta despiciant, ignorent, super quo aedificant, tonos nesciant, quos non discernunt, immo confundunt: cum ex earum multitudine notarum ascensiones pudica, descensionesque temperatae, plani cantus, quibus toni ipsi secernuntur ad invicem obfuscentur. Currunt enim, et non quiescunt; aures inebriant, et non medentur: gestibus simulant, quod depromunt, quibus devotio quaerenda contemnitur, vitanda lascivia propalatur. Non enim inquit frustra ipse Boetius, lascivus animus vel lascivoribus delectatur modis, vel eosdem saepe audiens emollitur et frangitur. Hoc ideo dudum nos et fratres nostri correctione indigere percepimus: hoc relaxare, immo prorsus abiicere, et ab eadem ecclesia Dei profligare efficius properamus. Quocirca de ipsorum fratrum consilio districte praecipimus, ut nullus deinceps talia, vel his similia in dictis officiis, praesertim horis canonicis, vel cum missarum sollemnia celebrantur, attentare praesumat. Si quis vero contra fecerit; per ordinarios locorum, ubi ista commissa fuerint, vel deputandos ab eis in non exemptis, in exemptis vero per praepositos seu praelatos suos, ad quos alias correctio et punitio culparum et excessuum huiusmodi, vel similium pertinere dignoscitur, vel deputandos ab eisdem, per suspensionem ab officio per octo dies auctoritate huius canonis puniatur. Per hoc autem non intendimus prohibere, quin interdum diebus festis praecipue, sive sollemnibus in missis, et praefatis divinis officiis aliquae consonantiae, quae melodiam sapiunt, puta octavae, quintae, quartae, et huiusmodi supra cantum ecclesiasticum simplicem proferantur; sic tamen, ut ipsius cantus integritas illibata permaneat, et nihil ex hoc de bene morata musica immutetur: maxime cum huiusmodi consonantiae auditum demulceant, devotionem provocent, et psallentium Deo animos torpere non sinant. Actum et datum, etc.

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Testo latino

de celebr. aniff.

1 10ANNES XXIL. (atn. 1522. Auenioni.) o£&ta fanctorum patrum decreuit auctoritas, vt in diuins laudis officiis, que debite feruitutis obfequio exhibentur, cun- &orum mens vigilet, fermo non cefpitet, et modefta píallentium grauitas placida modulatione decantet. Nam in ore a eorum dulcis refonabat fonus. Dulcis quippe omnino fonus in ore píallentium refonat, cum Deum corde fufcipiunt, dum loquuntur verbis, in ipfum quoque cantibus deuotionem accendunt. Índe etenim in ecclefiis Dei píalmodia cantanda praecipitur, vt fidelium deuotio excitetur: in hoc no&urnum diurnumque officium, et miffarum celebritates adfidue clero ac populo fub maturo tenore , diftin&aque gradatione cantantur, vt eadem diftin&tione collibeant, et maturitate delectent. Sed nonnulli nouelle fchole difciuli, dum temporibus menfurandis inuigilant , nouis notis intendunt dogs fuas, quam antiquas cantare malunt, in femibreues, et minimas ecclefiaítica cantantur, notulis percutiuntur. Nam melodias hoquetis interfecant, difcantribus lubricant, triplis et motetis vulgaribus nonnumquam inculcant , adeo, vr interdum antiphonarii et. gradualis fundamenta defpiciant, ignorent , fuper quo edificant, tonos nefciant, quos non difcernunt, immo confundunt: «um ex earum multitudine notarum adícenfiones pudica , deícenfionefque temperate, plani cantus, quibus toni ipfi fecernuntur ad inuicem obfufcentur. Currunt enim, et non quiefcunt; aures inebriant, et non medentur: geftibus fimulant, quod depromunt, quibus deuotio quarenda contemnitur , vitanda lafciuia propalatur. Non enim inquit fruftra ipfe Boetius, lafciuus animus vel lafciuioribus delectatur modis, vel eofdem fepe audiens emollitur et frangitur. Hoc ideo dudum nos et fratres noftri correctione indigere percepimus: hoc releare , immo proríus abiicere, et ab eadem ecclefia Dei profligare efacius properamus. Quocirca de ipforum fratrum confilio diftricte precipimus, vt nullus deinceps talia, vel his fimilia in dictis officiis, praefertim horis canonicis , vel cum miffarum follemnia celebrantur, attentare prefümat. Si jene vero contra fecerit; per ordinarios locorum , vbi ifta commiffa fuerint, vel deputandos ab eis in non exemtis, in exemtis vero per prepofitos feu prelatos fuos, ad quos alias correctio et punitio culparum et exceffüum huiüfmodi, vel fimilium pertinere dignofcitur, vel deputandos ab eifdem, per fufpenfionem ab officio per octo dies au&orirate huius canonis puniatur. Per hoc autem non intendimus prohibere, quin interdum diebus feftis precipue, fiue follemnibus in miffis , et prefatis diuinis officiis alique cona Ecclef. 47- ^ fonantie, que melodiam fapiunt, puta octane, quinte, quarte, et huiufinodi fupra cantum ecclefiafticum fimplicem proferantur; fic tamen, vt ipfius cantus integritas illibata permaneat , et nihil ex hoc de bene morata mufica immutetur: maxime cum huiufmodi confonantiz auditum demulceant , deuotionem prouocent, et pfallentium Deo animos torpere non finant. Actum et datum, etc.

Corpus iuris canonici : Gregorii XIII pontif. max. auctoritate post emendationem absolutam editum, in duos tomos diuisum et appendice nouo auctum cum necessariis indicibus, vol. v.2 (1747) — Internet Archive OCR text, restored to continuous text (page breaks, hyphenation, running heads, footnotes); OCR errors of the source remain. Fonte: Internet Archive.

Testo inglese

on the celebration of the office

1 JOHN XXII (in the year 1522, at Avignon). The authority of the holy fathers decreed that in the divine offices of praise, which are exhibited with the obedience of due service, the minds of all should be vigilant, speech should not be negligent, and the modest gravity of those singing should intone with placid modulation. For a sweet sound resounded in their mouth. Indeed, a wholly sweet sound resounds in the mouth of those singing, when they receive God in their heart, while they speak in words, and kindle devotion to Him also in their songs. Hence indeed the singing of psalms is commanded in the churches of God, that the devotion of the faithful may be stirred up: in this nocturnal and diurnal office, and in the solemnities of masses, it is continually sung to the clergy and people in a measured manner and distinct gradation, so that by the same distinction they may be pleased, and by the measured quality delighted. But certain disciples of the new school, while they are intent upon measuring time, apply their minds to new notes, preferring to sing new rather than ancient ones, in semibreves and minims the ecclesiastical chant is sung, struck with little notes. For they interrupt melodies with hockets, make them slippery with discants, sometimes thrust them into tripla and vulgar motets, so much so that sometimes they despise and ignore the foundations of the antiphonary and gradual, upon which they build, know not the tones, which they do not discern, but rather confound: since from the multitude of their notes the modest ascents and temperate descents, the plain chant, by which the tones themselves are distinguished from one another, are obscured. They run on, and do not rest; they inebriate the ears, and do not heal them: they simulate by gestures what they produce, by which devotion to be sought is contemned, and lasciviousness to be avoided is spread abroad. For not in vain, as Boethius himself says, does a wanton mind delight either in more wanton modes, or often hearing the same is softened and broken. For this reason we and our brothers have long perceived the need of correction: to relax this, or rather to cast it out entirely, and to drive it from the same church of God, we hasten more earnestly. Wherefore by the counsel of the same brothers we strictly command that henceforth no one presume to attempt such things, or things similar to these in the said offices, especially in the canonical hours, or when the solemnities of masses are celebrated. If anyone, however, shall act contrary to this; by the ordinaries of the places where these things shall have been committed, or by those appointed by them in non-exempt churches, and in exempt churches by their superiors or prelates, to whom otherwise the correction and punishment of such faults and excesses, or similar ones, is known to pertain, or by those appointed by the same, let him be punished by suspension from office for eight days by the authority of this canon. By this, however, we do not intend to prohibit that sometimes on feast days especially, or solemn days in masses, and in the aforesaid divine offices, certain consonances which have the character of melody, namely octaves, fifths, fourths, and such like above the simple ecclesiastical chant be produced; yet so that the integrity of the chant itself remain unimpaired, and nothing be changed in this from well-ordered music: especially since such consonances soothe the hearing, provoke devotion, and do not allow the minds of those singing to become torpid toward God. Done and given, etc.

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