84	THE  KNIGHTS  TEMPLARS
brethren of the Temple and the Hospital, as well as other
religious professions, exceed the privileges which have been
granted to them by the Holy See and presume to do many
things which cause scandal among the people of God and
grievous ills to souls.    They have taken churches from the
hands of laymen; they admit to the sacraments of the Church
persons who arc excommunicated and under interdict and
grant them burial in the churches, and they install and depose
priests at their wilL    Whereas their brethren, when going to
seek alms, have the indulgence of opening interdicted churches
once every year and performing service therein, we now hear
that brethren, coming from one or more of their houses to
an interdicted place, have abused the privileges by perform-
ing service therein and burying the dead in such churches.
Further, they establish fraternities in many places which
sap the strength of the episcopal authority, and, in contra-
vention of the decrees of the bishops, they attempt to protect
those who are ready to join their fellowship, pleading that
their privileges authorise this.    We have thought fit to make
these statements, not so much because of the actions of the
superior authorities as of the abuses practised by some of the
lesser members* . * .   We do therefore forbid them and all
other religious whatsoever to receive churches and tithes from
the hands of laymen without the consent of their bishops,
apart from what they at present hold contrary to this instruc-
tion.   They and all other persons are to avoid those who are
excommunicated and laid  under interdict by  name,  in
accordance with the judgments of the bishops.    In such
churches as do not belong to them of right, they are to leave
to the bishops the installing of priests, who shall be answer-
able to them for their care of the people and furnish a proper
account as to the temporal matters of the church.   Moreover,
they are not, without consulting the bishop, to remove
those  who  have   been   installed   If   the  Templars or
Hospitallers come to a church under interdict, they are to be