[Constitutiones synodales ecclesiae Constantiensis, 1481]

...received by anyone, but rather we suspend him and every one of them who has been promoted secretly from entry into the church, until he has legitimately proven his orders before us or our vicar in spiritual matters, and has shown by our letters patent or those of our vicar that he ought to be admitted. If anyone, however, presumes to transgress this constitution and minister against it in the received orders without having been admitted as aforesaid, he shall incur the sentence of excommunication automatically, which we also wish to be denounced and published from then on by the dean and other brethren where such persons have stayed, as having been incurred by them.

Concerning the sons of priests

Since sacred ordinations dispose that the sons of priests are prohibited from ministering in their fathers' churches or obtaining them or other ecclesiastical benefices in them, and they and others born illegitimately or begotten from illegitimate intercourse are prohibited from obtaining one benefice with cure of souls without a dispensation from the Apostolic See. And if, from a dispensation of this kind, they obtain one cure of souls, and then, having suppressed the defect of birth they suffer from, they possess the power to receive and retain two or more benefices having the same cure from the aforementioned See, and if they are canonically conferred upon them, such a provision, obtained as if by surreptition, shall be of no moment. For this reason, considering it of little use to pass laws unless they are brought to execution, we wish and decree that henceforth the sons of priests shall not presume to minister in their fathers' churches, or obtain them or other benefices in them in any way. And those occupied by them hereafter, contrary to the disposition of the law, we decree to be vacant, and we assign to their collators the license to confer such things upon suitable persons, unless they have been dispensed by the Apostolic See regarding this. We enjoin the aforementioned sons of priests and other illegitimately born beneficed persons of our city and diocese present, that within the space of one month from the publication of these presents, they shall prove before us or our vicar their dispensations, both concerning the fact that they may minister in their fathers' churches, succeed, and obtain benefices in them, and regarding their defects and having obtained one or more benefices from the aforesaid See, so that dangers to souls may be averted and ecclesiastical benefices may be duly provided for. But if they do otherwise, we shall proceed against them according to the aforementioned ordinances as we can by law.

Concerning foreign clerics

We observe that in the city and diocese of Constance, many foreigners, whose promotion is not certain, publicly minister in holy orders and govern the care of souls, although they have never shown letters of recommendation and dimissorials of their bishops or an examination. Wishing therefore to provide in these matters, we decree that henceforth no foreign cleric, whether secular or religious, shall be admitted in public to the execution of holy orders within our city and diocese unless he first shows that he is to be admitted by our letters or those of our vicar. If anyone, however, presumes to minister knowingly against this statute without having been admitted by us or our vicar and meddles in the care of souls, he shall incur the sentence of excommunication automatically. We also wish this sentence to be denounced as having been incurred by such delinquents, certifying that those who celebrate before such excommunicated persons after such denunciation incur their own suspension from law promulgated against such persons, and from then on bear the marks of [their delinquency].