Of preaching to the people.

20. In truth because it is expressly contained in the rule that the friars are not to preach in the diocese of any bishop, when they will have been contradicted by him, in [regard to] this We, both deferring to the rule and maintaining nevertheless the plenitude of Apostolic authority, say that the aforesaid passage is to be observed to the letter, just as it is set forth in the rule itself, unless there has been conceded or ordained or [if] there be conceded in the future or even ordained something through the Apostolic See concerning this [matter] for the utility of the Christian people. And since in this chapter of the rule there be immediately subjoined that no friar should hardly dare to preach to the people, unless he will have been examined and also approved by the minister general and there be conceded to him by the latter the office of preaching, We, adverting to both the past state of the order itself in its littleness and the modern in the increased number of friars and the utility of souls, as is fitting, concede that not only might the general look to examining, to approving the friars to preach to the people and to conceding to them the permission to preach, as far as the permission itself pertains to the suitability of persons and the duty of preaching, just as is contained in the rule, but also the ministers provincial can in provincial chapters with the definitors [do] this, to the extent that it is said to be observed even today and to be contained in the privileges of the friars: that indeed the aforementioned ministers are able to revoke, suspend, and abridge the permission, as and when it seems to them to be expedient.