 Thus a (papal) constitution was always understood to be a papal ordinance which regulated ecclesiastical conditions of a general character judicially, in a durable manner and form, for all time; but by a rescript was understood a papal ordinance issued at the petition of an individual that decided a lawsuit or granted a favour.The above-mentioned distinctions between papal documents were based on the extent of their authority.Other names again had their origin in the form of the papal documents.