CLARENDON, CONSTITUTIONS OF. 'The constitutions of Clarendiu were cei•tain• statutes 'made, in• the reign of Henry H. of England, at a pai•itinient held tendon; by which checked the'p'oweir Of the pope and his clergy, and greatly Towed the 'exemption they claimed from .sectt. bar jurisdiction: .
"Previuus to this' itrib, there had been an entire separation between the cldrgy and laity, as Mem bers' of the same commonwealth.' The clergy', having eMencipated themseltes from lases as admittietered • the courts of law, had assumed powers and exemptions quite inconsistent with the good goVernment of the country.' • • 2.' This state el' things led to the enactment re ferred. to. By this , enactment all controversies arising out of eacleginstical were requited to be determined'in the ciiil courts, and all appealb its spiritual causes were to be 'carried from 'the bishops to the primate, and 'froth him to the king; but' no further the' king'a conient; The archbishops 'and bishops were td be regarded Ete barons of realm, possessing the privileges and subject to the burdens belonging to that rank, and to attend the king in ilia councils.' 'The
revenues of vacant secs were, to belong to the and goods forfeited to 'him'by law were no Mager to be protected in. churches 'or churck-yaids.' Nor were -the clergyto pretend to the right of enforcing the pityment of debts in cases where they had heed accustomed to cro so, but should leave all lawsuits to the determination df the civil courts. The-figid enforcement of these statutes by the king was un happily stopped, for a season, by the fatal event of his disputes with Archbishop Becket. FitzgtePhen, 27; 2 Lingard, 59; 1 Hume, 382; Wilkins, 621; 4 Blackstone, Comm. 422.