Canon 15

 

And because it is becoming by God's favour for the gathering (ordinatione) of bishops to regulate everything and assign the appropriate solution to every single case, so that through these most reverent canons also the verdure and flowery sprouts of our predecessors' canons may shine with ripe fruits, we decree that if some layman of honour meets on the road someone of ecclesiastical rank, even [a cleric] of a lower grade of honour, he should bow his neck respectfully to him, as it is fitting for a Christian, for through his offices and services the most faithful law of Christianity can thrive. And if this layman rides on a horse and a cleric [is on horseback] as well, the layman should remove the hat from his head and present to the cleric a tribute of sincere salutation. If, however, a cleric is on foot and a layman rides a horse, [the layman] should at once dismount and show the appropriate honour to the cleric with sincere love (caritatis), so that God, who is the true love (caritas), will rejoice in both of them and bond them both through his favour (dilectione). The one who is eager to transgress these rules which were sanctified as dictated by the Holy Spirit, should be excluded from the Church, whose ministers he dishonoured, as long as the bishop of this Church wills it.

 

(trans. J. Szafranowski)