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From The Annals of Roger de Hoveden, Comprising the History of England and of Other Countries of Europe from A.D. 732 to A.D. 1201, Translated from the Latin with Notes and Illustrations by Henry T. Riley, Esq., Volume I, London: H.G. Bohn, 1853; pp. 454-489.

THE  ANNALS  OF
ROGER  DE  HOVEDEN.
Volume I.

[Part 35: 1177-1178 A.D.]

The king also gave to Hugh de Lacy, as above-mentioned, the whole of Meath, in Ireland, with its appurtenances, for the services of one hundred knights, to hold the same of himself and his son John, and confirmed the same to him by charter. He also there gave to Robert Fitz-Stephen and Milo de Cogham the kingdom of Cork, for the services of sixty knights, to hold the same of himself and of his son John, with the exception of the city of Cork and one cantred,¹ which our lord the king reserved to himself and to his heirs. He also there gave to Hubert Fitz-Hubert, and to William, the brothers of earl Reginald, and to Jollan de la Primerai, their nephew, the kingdom of Limerick, for the services of sixty knights, to hold the same of himself and of his son John, with the exception of the city of Limerick and one cantred, which our lord the king reserved to himself and to his heirs.

Our lord the king also gave to William Fitz-Aldelm, his seneschal, the custody of the city of Wexford, with all its appurtenances, and enacted that the places under-written should thenceforth be appurtenant to the services of Wexford, namely, Arklow, with its appurtenances, Glascarric, with its appurtenances, the lands of Gilbert de Boisrohard, Ferneg Winal, with their appurtenances, Fernes, with its appurtenances, the whole of the lands of Hervey, between Wexford and the waters of Waterford, the service of Raymond de Drune, the service of Frodrevelan, the service of Utmorth de Leighlin, the tenement, also, of Machtaloe, with its appurtenances, Leis, the lands of Geoffrey de Constantin, with the whole of the appurtenances, and the whole of the lands of Otveld.

Our lord the king also there delivered into the custody of Robert le Poer, his marshal, the city of Waterford, with all its appurtenances, and enacted that the places under-written should thence forth be appurtenant to the services of Waterford, namely, the whole of the land which lies between Waterford and the water beyond Lismore, and the whole of the lands of Oiseric, with their appurtenances. The king of England also there delivered the city of Dublin, with all its appurtenances, into the charge of Hugh de Lacy, and enacted that all the places under-written should thenceforth be appurtenant to the service of Dublin: the whole of the lands of Ofellane, with their appurtenances, Kildare, with its appurtenances, the whole of the lands of Offalaia, with their appurtenances, Wicklow, with its appurtenances, the service of Meath, and the service of four knights due from Robert le Poer, by tenure of his castle of Dunavet.

After our lord the king had, at Oxford, in manner aforesaid, divided the lands of Ireland and their services, he made all the persons to whom he had entrusted the custody thereof do homage to himself and to his son John, and take the oaths of allegiance and fealty to them for their lands in Ireland. Also, at the same council, our lord the king gave to Richard, prior of Rikeby,² the abbey of Whitby, and to Benedict, prior of the church of the Holy Trinity at Canterbury, the abbey of Burgh; on which Richard, the archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated him abbat thereof.

In the same year, the before-named Vivianus, cardinal priest
A. D.
1177.456 and legate of the Apostolic See, having completed the business of his legateship in Ireland, came back to England, and, with the safe conduct of our lord the king, returned to Scotland, and, holding a synod at the castle of Edinburgh, suspended from the pontifical office Christian, bishop of Whitherne, because he had refused to come to the synod so held by him; but the bishop of Whitherne did not take any notice of the suspension, being protected by Roger, archbishop of York, whose suffragan he was.

After this, our lord the king came to Marlborough, where the king gave to Philip de Braose all the kingdom of Limerick, for the service of sixty knights, to hold of him and of his son John; for Hubert and William, the brothers of Reginald, earl of Cornwall, and Joslan de la Pumerai,³ their nephew, declined to accept the gift of that kingdom, because it was not yet reduced into possession. For Monoderus,⁴ who was the king of Limerick, and had done homage for it to the king of England, having been slain by some of his courtiers, one of his issue, a powerful and active man, invaded the kingdom of Limerick, gained possession of it, and ruled it with a strong hand, acknowledging no subjection to the king of England, and refusing to obey his officers, because of their faithless conduct, and the evils they had inflicted on the people of Ireland without their deserving them. The king of Cork, also, and many other wealthy persons in Ireland, rose in rebellion against the king of England and his officers; and their last doings were still worse than their former ones, as they fell to slaughtering one another.

In this year, the relics of Saint Amphibalus and his companions were discovered through a revelation from heaven, and were translated to St. Albans, on the seventh day before the calends of July, being Saturday. In the same year, queen Margaret, the wife of the king, the son, being pregnant, went to her father, the king of France, and, on arriving at Paris, was delivered of a still-born son. The Franks, however, asserted that this son of the king was born alive and was baptized, and named William. In the same year, on the thirteenth day
A. D.
1177.


BURIAL-
GROUNDS
GRANTED
TO
THE
JEWS.457 before the calends of July, it rained a shower of blood for two whole hours, in the Isle of Wight, so much so that linen clothes which were hung out upon the hedges were stained with this bloody rain, just as though they had been dipped in blood.

In this year, also, Martin, a canon-regular of the church of Bomigny, clandestinely carried away the body of Saint Petroc, and, taking to flight, carried it with him to the abbey of Saint Mevennes. On discovering this, Roger, the prior of the church of Bomigny, with the better-disposed portion of his chapter, went to the king of England, the father, and wrought so effectually against him that, by his precept, he commanded the abbey and community of Saint Mevennes, without delay, to restore the body of Saint Petroc to Roger, the prior of Bomigny; and, in case they should not do so, the king ordered Roland de Dinant, the justiciary of Brittany, to take the Saint’s body by force, and deliver it into the hands of the above-named prior of Bomigny. On hearing this, the abbat and community of Saint Mevennes, having care for the safety of their church, and not daring to oppose the king’s wishes, restored the said body, without any diminution thereof, to Roger, the prior of Bomigny, making oath upon the Holy Evangelists, and upon the relics of the saints, that they had restored the identical body, unchanged, and in an entirely perfect state.

In the same year, our lord the king of England, the father, restored to Bartholomew, the bishop of Exeter, the chapelry of Boseham,⁵ and made him chaplain thereof, Arnulph, the bishop of Lisieux, to whom the king had unjustly given the said chapelry, agreeing and consenting thereto. For the above-named bishop of Lisieux, being led to repentance, gave to the before-mentioned bishop of Exeter, and to his church, letters patent of his resignation of the said chapelry of Boseham, renouncing the same for himself and his successors for ever. Our lord the king, also, gave a charter of surrender and confirmation of the chapelry of Boseham to the church of Exeter, in presence of Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey, bishop of Ely, John, bishop of Chichester, and numerous other witnesses. In this year also, our lord the king gave permission to the Jews in his dominions to have a burial-ground for each city of England, without the walls of the said cities, wherever
A. D.
1177.458 they could, for a reasonable sum and in a convenient situation, purchase a place for the burial of their dead. For, before this, all Jews who died were carried to London to be buried.

In the same year, by the Divine mercy, pope Alexander and Frederic, emperor of the Romans, were reconciled at Venice, at the Rialto there; the schism being thereby put an end to, which had now continued in the Church of Rome for nearly eighteen years. At this reconcilement there were present of the party of our lord the pope, Hunbald, cardinal-bishop of Ostia, William de Pavia, cardinal-bishop of Porto, Walter, cardinal-bishop of Albano, Conrad, cardinal-bishop of Sabina, Manfred, cardinal-bishop of Palestrina. John of Naples, cardinal-priest, Theodinus, cardinal-priest, Albert, cardinal-priest, Peter de Bonâ, cardinal-priest, Bosus, cardinal-priest, Vivianus, cardinal-priest, Herenbrand, cardinal-priest, Jacinto, cardinal-deacon, Herdizum, cardinal-deacon, Chinche Chapel, cardinal-deacon, Laborandus, cardinal-deacon, Hugezun, cardinal-deacon, Reiner, cardinal-deacon, the archbishop of Vienna, the archbishop of Bourges, the archbishop of Milan, the archbishop of Ravenna, the archbishop of Salerno, and count Roger de Andre, on behalf of the king of Sicily.

On the side of Frederic, emperor of the Romans, there were present at the above-mentioned reconciliation the persons under-named: the archbishop of Magdeburg, Philip, archbishop of Cologne, Christian, archbishop of Mentz, the archbishop of Besancon, the archbishop or Treves, the elector of Worms, the prothonotary of the emperor, count Henry de Dice, the marquis Albert, and many others. These having all assembled in the city of Venice, on the ninth day before the calends of August, on the vigil of Saint James the Apostle, the above-named emperor, as had been previously arranged and agreed upon, came to the church of Saint Nicholas, which is one mile distant from Venice; and there, both he and the archbishops, bishops, and other principal men of the kingdom of Germany, renouncing their schism, rendered themselves deserving to receive the benefits of absolution from the bishops and cardinals whom our lord the pope had sent for the purpose of absolving them.

After this, they came to Venice, where, before the church of Saint Mark, the before-named emperor humbly paid all
A. D.
1177.


THE
ANTI-
POPE
CALIXTUS
DEGRADED.459 honor and reverence to our lord the pope as Supreme Pontiff, and, receiving from him the kiss of peace, devoutly placed himself at his right-hand, and, with great dutifulness, led him into the church as far as the altar. On the succeeding day, it being the feast of Saint James and the second day of the week, the before-named emperor came to meet our lord the pope outside of the church of Saint Mark, and, devoutly placing himself at his right hand, led him into the church, and, the service of the mass having been there celebrated, then conducted him to the door of the said church; and, while our lord the pope was mounting his palfrey, the above-named emperor held for him the stirrup,⁶ and showed him all the honor and reverence which his ancestors had been in the habit of showing to the pope’s predecessors.

At this council, also, John, the abbat of Struma, who had been styled pope Calixtus, and was the third and last anti-pope of this schism, was degraded, and was rejected and renounced by the emperor himself and all his principal men, both ecclesiastics and seculars. In like manner, all the archbishops, bishops, and abbats of the kingdom of Germany who had been ordained either by him or by the other anti-popes, his predecessors, namely, by Octavianus, who had been styled pope Victor, or by Guido de Crema, who had been styled pope Paschal, were degraded. The altars, also, which had been consecrated by them, or by those ordained by them, were destroyed. At this council, also, Conrad, the brother of the above-named emperor, received from the hands of pope Alexander the archbishopric of Sanceburg,⁷ together with the legateship of the whole kingdom of Germany, to hold the same for life. Indeed, this Conrad, when in the time of the schism he had been elected archbishop of Mentz, refused to receive consecration from pope Octavianus, but, preferring to live among Catholics in a state of poverty for the name of Christ, rather than among schismatics be loaded with riches and transitory blessings, came to pope Alexander at the city of Sens, by whom being kindly received, he was made cardinal-bishop of Sabina; and Christian, chancellor of the emperor, succeeding him as archbishop of Mentz, received the pall from Guido of Crema, which he
A. D.
1177.460 afterwards burned with his own hands, because he had received it of him, and was absolved at Venice, at the Rialto, in the palace of the Patriarch, before pope Alexander and the whole of the cardinals, and receiving the pall from Alexander, continued to be archbishop of Mentz.

The Letter of pope Alexander to Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, and his suffragans, on the restoration of peace to the Church.

“Alexander, the bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his venerable brethren Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, and his suffragans, and his beloved sons the abbats appointed in the archbishopric of Canterbury, and who especially belong to the Roman Church, health and the Apostolic benediction. We do give to Almighty God exceeding praise and thanks, who, though He has for so long permitted the ship of Saint Peter the Apostle to be tossed by the stormy tempests of the sea, has now at length given His orders to the winds and the waves, and a great calm has ensued, insomuch that, the waves of the raging sea being appeased, the said ship has been brought into the haven of rest and of safety. For our most dearly beloved son in Christ, Frederic, the illustrious emperor of the Romans, on a day recently past, being the Lord’s day before the feast of Saint James, with great devoutness came into our presence at Venice, attended by the principal ecclesiastics and laymen of his realm, and there, before an innumerable concourse of men and women, who repeated his praises with the loudest acclamations, paid all reverence and honor to ourselves as Supreme Pontiff; and on the feast of Saint James, as we were going at his entreaty to the church of Saint Mark for the purpose of celebrating the solemnity of the mass, he came to meet us, and after the mass was finished, which, unworthy as we are, he reverently heard performed by us, he paid us all the honor which his ancestors had been accustomed to shew unto our predecessors. On the calends also of the present month of August, the before-named emperor, in presence of a numerous multitude of persons, caused oath to be made on his soul,⁸ on which his chief men who were then present, both ecclesiastics as well as laymen, the said oath being administered, did confirm the same, to the effect that he would for ever keep intact and inviolate
A. D.
1177.


LETTER
OF
POPE
ALEX-
ANDER.461 the peace towards the Church, and for fifteen years towards our most dearly beloved son in Christ, William, the illustrious king of Sicily, and the truce with the Lombards from the aforesaid calends of August for the space of six years in such manner as the said peace and truce had been agreed upon, and arranged and reduced to writing. Accordingly, in the same way that the said emperor has received us as the Catholic pope and his spiritual father, so do we acknowledge him as the Catholic emperor, and his wife as the Catholic empress, and their son as the Catholic king. Wherefore give thanks to our Creator who in His compassion has looked upon His spouse the Holy Church, and has in the fulness of His grace, after the many persecutions by which she has been grievously oppressed and crushed, restored peace and quietness to her. Given at Venice, at the Rialto, on the eighth day before the ides of August.”

The Letter of pope Alexander to Roger, archbishop of York, and Hugh, bishop of Durham, on the peace made between himself and the emperor.

“Alexander, the bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his venerable brethren, Roger, archbishop of York, and legate of the Apostolic See, and Hugh, bishop of Durham, health and the Apostolic benediction. The obedience you have manifested in your most pleasing devotedness, and which you are known to have displayed both duteously and laudably towards ourselves and the Church, require that to you, as especial and duteous spiritual sons of the Church, we should describe the successes of the Church, inasmuch as it is worthy and becoming and right that those whom we have found so firmly rooted and established in duty towards us, we should render joyous and pleased at our welfare and that of the Church. Therefore, together with ourselves, give thanks to Almighty God who dwells on high, and who from above looks down upon the lowly, by whose bounty it has come to pass that His spouse the holy Church, after being long and grievously tossed by stormy waves and most mighty tempests, has now at length reached the haven of safety; and, the raging storms appeased, enjoys the tranquillity her due, and so much longed for by her. For, on the twelfth day before the calends of the present month of August, by command of our most dearly beloved son in Christ Frederic, the illustrious emperor of the Romans, the son
A. D.
1177.462 of the marquis Albert, a man of noble rank, great and powerful, and chamberlain of the emperor himself, in presence of the principal ecclesiastics and laymen of the kingdom of Germany, publicly made oath upon his soul, while touching the Holy Evangelists, in our presence and before an innumerable concourse of persons, to the effect that after the said emperor had come to Venice, all questions and disputes being set at rest, he would make peace with the Church as the same had been arranged and agreed upon by our brethren and his principal men, and peace with our most dearly beloved son in Christ William, the illustrious king of Sicily, for fifteen years, and a truce with the Lombards for the space of six years, to be ratified by oath upon his soul, as also by his principal men, according to the contents of the charter containing the said treaties of peace and truce. Also, the chief men of the kingdom of Germany, namely, our venerable brethren the archbishops of Magdeburg and Cologne, and Christian, the so-called archbishop of Mentz, and certain others, then made oath for themselves upon their souls to the same effect. On the ninth day before the calends of August the before-named emperor, as had been arranged and agreed upon, came to the church of Saint Nicholas, which is one mile distant from Venice, where, both he, as also the archbishops, bishops, and other principal men of Germany, renouncing their schism, were thereby rendered deserving of the benefit of absolution at the hands of our brethren the bishops and cardinals at our command, certain other persons being there present. After this, they came to Venice, and there before the church of Saint Mark, the before-named emperor, in the presence of an innumerable concourse of men and women, who returned thanks and rendered praises with the loudest acclamations, humbly and reverently paid obedience and respect to ourselves as Supreme Pontiff; and having received from us the kiss of peace dutifully took his place at our right hand, and with the respect and devotedness which was our due, led us into the church as far as the altar. On the following day, being the feast of Saint James, at the request of the said emperor, we came to the aforesaid church of Saint Mark to perform the solemnity of the mass, and on our arriving there the before-named emperor came forth from the church to meet us, and having dutifully taken his place at our right hand, led us into the church, and after the celebration of the mass, walked
A. D.
1177.


PRO-
POSED
MARRIAGE
OF
THE
EARL
OF
POITOU.463 at our right hand to the door of the said church, and when we mounted our palfrey which was there ready, held our stirrup and showed us all the honor and respect which his ancestors had been accustomed to show to our predecessors. It will, therefore, be your anxiety to congratulate ourselves and the Church upon our prosperity and success, and to impart the effects of peace to the other devoted sons of the Church, in order that those who are influenced by zeal for the house of the Lord may rejoice and exult in the Lord for the gift of peace sent unto them from above. Given at Venice, at the Rialto, on the seventh day before the calends of August.”

In the same year, Peter, cardinal priest, titular of Saint Chrysogonus, and legate from the Apostolic See, formerly bishop elect of the see of Meaux, came into France and received a mandate from pope Alexander, that the whole of Normandy and all the lands of the king of England on both sides of the sea should be placed under interdict, unless he should allow his son Richard, earl of Poitou, to marry Alice, the daughter of Louis, king of France, whom the king of England had for a long time, and beyond the period that had been agreed upon between them, kept in his charge. When this was understood by the king of England, he appealed to the presence of our lord the pope, in his own behalf and that of his territories, and shortly after crossed over from England to Normandy, where a conference was held between him and the king of France at Ivery, on the eleventh day before the calends of October, in the presence of the before-named cardinal and the chief men of both kingdoms.

Here the king of England the father, by his people, plighted his faith and caused oath to be made on his soul,⁹ that his son Richard, earl of Poitou, should be married to the before-named Alice, if the king of France, the father of the young lady, would give to the before-named Richard, earl of Poitou, the city of Bourges with its appurtenances as his daughter’s marriage portion, according to the terms of the covenant that had been made thereon between them, and would give to his son king Henry the whole of the French portion of Veuilgesin,¹⁰ namely, the whole of the land that lies between Gisors and Pontoise, which he had promised that he would give him as a marriage portion with his daughter. But as the king of France declined
A. D.
1177.464 to give them up, the king of England would not allow his son Richard to marry the before-named Alice. Nevertheless, at the said interview, by the advice of the cardinal and the chief men of both kingdoms, friendship and a final reconciliation were made between the king of France and the king of England upon the following terms: —

“Know all men, both present as well as to come, that I Louis, by the grace of God, king of the Franks, and I Henry, by the like grace king of England, wish it to be understood by all men, both present and to come, that we, by the inspiration of God, have promised and made oath that we will go together, in the service of Christianity, and assuming the cross will depart for Jerusalem, in manner contained in the instrument made between us as to assuming the cross. We do also will that all should know that we now are and henceforth wish to be friends, and that each of us will, to the best of his power, defend life and limb for the other, and his worldly honors against all men. And if any person shall presume to do injury to either of us, I Henry, to the best of my power, will aid Louis, king of France, my liege lord, against all men; and I Louis will, to the best of my power, aid Henry, king of England, as my vassal and liegeman, against all men; saving always that faith which we owe to our liegemen so long as they shall preserve their fealty to ourselves. And from henceforth neither of us will harbour any enemy of the other in his dominions, from the time that delivery of him shall have been demanded. And to the end that henceforth all matter of discord between us may be removed, we do mutually agree that as to the lands and possessions and other things which each of us now possesses, the one shall from that time forwards make no demand thereof against the other, (except Auvergne, as to which the dispute arose between us, and except the fee of Chateau Raoul, and except some small fees and allotments of lands belonging to us in Berry,) in case our vassals should take any portion thereof the one from the other or in opposition to either of us. And if, as to the places which are above excepted, we shall not be able of ourselves to come to an agreement, then I Louis, king of the Franks, have chosen three bishops, those of Claremont, Nivernois and Treguier, and three barons, count Theobald, count Robert, and Peter de Courteney,¹¹ my brethren, and I, Henry, king of England, have chosen three bishops, William, bishop of Le Mans,
A. D.
1177.


TREATY
BETWEEN
KING
LOUIS
AND
KING
HENRY.465 Peter, bishop of Perigord, and Robert, bishop of Nantes, and three barons, Maurice de Croume, William Maingot, and Peter de Montrabell, on my side. And the bishops before-named, shall upon the word of truth assert, and the laymen shall make oath, that they will diligently make inquisition into the allegations made on either side, both through themselves and through the oaths of the men of those districts, and that whatever they shall learn as to the rights of each of us, the same they will pronounce between us, and we will in good faith strictly abide by their decision. But if all those bishops whom I Louis have chosen, shall not be able to be present, nevertheless we will abide by the decision of such two as shall be present. And if all the barons who have been named on my side shall not be present, for all that we will not do otherwise than abide by the decision of the other two who shall be present. And in like manner it shall be as to those whom I king Henry have chosen, both bishops as well as barons. We have also made oath that we will do no injury to them because they shall have said the truth as to the said matters. And if perchance, which God forbid, any dispute shall hereafter arise between us as to our dominions, the same shall without delay be settled by the same persons in good faith and without evil intent. But if any one of the aforesaid persons shall in the meantime chance to die, then another one shall be substituted in his place. And if either of us, before assuming the cross, shall wish to depart at an earlier period upon the journey, the other who shall remain, shall faithfully protect and defend the territories and subjects of him who shall have gone abroad, as though they were his own and part of his own dominions. And after we shall have, by the will of God, assumed the cross, we will cause our men who shall be with us to make oath that, if either of us, which God forbid, shall die upon the road, then in such case they will faithfully serve him who shall be surviving, as they would have served their lord if he had been living, so long as they shall think proper to remain in the land of Jerusalem. The money of the deceased the survivor shall keep, to perform the due services to Christianity, with the exception of that portion which, before setting out, the deceased shall have ordered to be given to certain places and certain persons. And if either of us shall depart this life, we will appoint, if God shall indulge us with time sufficient, certain of
A. D.
1177.466 our trustworthy and faithful subjects, to whom shall be entrusted the money of each of us for the performance of the due services to Christianity, and who shall lead and govern our men. Also, on assuming the cross, before we set out on the expedition, we will cause those whom we shall appoint as guardians and governors of our dominions, to make oath that they will, in good faith and to the best of their power, if need shall be, assist in defending the lands of each of us, whenever the same shall be demanded in behalf of the other; that is to say, that they whom I Henry, king of England, shall appoint to govern my dominions, shall to the utmost of their power assist in defending the lands of Louis, king of France, my liege lord, in the same manner in which they would defend my own lands, in case my city of Rouen were besieged; and in like manner that those whom I Louis, king of France, shall appoint to govern my dominions, shall, to the utmost of their power, assist in defending the lands of Henry, king of England, just as they would defend my own lands if my city of Paris were besieged. I do also will that merchants and all other men of his dominions, both clergy as well as laity, shall, with all their property, be secure, and enjoy peace in all my territories. And I Henry, king of England, do in like manner will that merchants and all other men, both clergy as well as laity, of the dominions of the king of France, my liege lord, shall, with all their property, be secure and enjoy peace in all my territories. The above-written we have engaged strictly to observe, and have sworn the same in the presence of the venerable Peter, cardinal priest, titular of Saint Chrysogonus, legate of the Apostolic See, and in the presence of Richard, bishop of Winchester, John, bishop of Chartres, Henry, bishop of Bayeux, Froger, bishop of Seez, Gilles, bishop of Evreux, Henry, king of England, the son, earl Theobald, earl Robert, Peter de Courtrai, Simon, earl of Evreux, William de Humezt, and many others, both clergy and laity.”

After the conference was concluded, Henry, king of England, the father, came to Vernueil, and there, in order to gain the Divine favour, and moved by the entreaties of the good men of Grammont,¹² he enacted, in presence of Richard, bishop of Winchester, Henry, bishop of Bayeux, Gilles, bishop of Evreux, Froger, bishop of Seez, Simon, earl of Evreux,
A. D.
1177.


EARL-
DOM
OF
MARCH
SOLD
TO
KING
HENRY.467 Robert, earl of Leicester, and many other earls and barons of his realm, that no one should for the debt of the superior lord presume to take the property of the vassal, unless the vassal should owe to him the same debt, or be security for the same; but that the rents which the vassals are bound to pay to their superior lords, are to be paid to the creditors of their lords, and not to the lords themselves. The rest, however, of the property of the vassals was to remain their own and in peace, and it should be lawful for no one to seize them for the debts of their superior lords. This statute and custom the king enacted, and ordered to be observed in all his vills and everywhere throughout his realm; namely, in Normandy, Aquitaine, Anjou, Maine, Touraine, and Brittany, as being universal and established. And in order that the said statute might be strictly observed and held as ratified, he ordered it to be committed to writing and confirmed by the authority of his own seal.

In the same year, on the fifth day before the calends of October, being the third day of the week, Geoffrey, nephew of Roger, archbishop of York, prior of Beverley, and chancellor to the king of England, the son, master Robert le Grand, and many others, in number three hundred men and women, passing over in one and the same ship from England to Normandy, perished at sea near Saint Valery, on the coast of Ponthieu. Shortly after, our lord, the king of England, the father, entering Berry with a large army, captured Chateau Raoul; and when he was marching thence toward Castres, the lord of that town came and met him on the road, and delivered up to him the daughter of Raoul de Dol, whom the king gave to Baldwin de Rivers, together with the honor of Chateau Raoul.

After this, our lord, the king of England, the father, proceeded to Grammont, and Audebert, earl of March, came to meet him there, and in presence of the archbishop of Bourdeaux, John, bishop of Poitiers, and many other persons, both clergy and laity, sold to the before-named king of England the whole earldom of March for fifteen thousand pounds Anjouin, twenty mules, and twenty palfreys, and by his charter confirmed the same.

The Charter of Audebert, earl of March, made on the sale of his earldom to Henry, king of England, the father.

“Be it known to all present, as well as to come, that I, Audebert, earl of March, having lost my son, who was my sole heir, and being thereby left to the inclination of my own will, have, inasmuch as I have made a vow to devote myself for ever hereafter to the service of God, made sale of the whole of my lands, and whatever belonged to me by hereditary right, to my lord Henry, the illustrious king of the English, no one making objection to the same, (indeed there being no one whatever who could of right object thereto,) for fifteen thousand pounds of money, Anjouin, paid down to me in full at Grammont, twenty mules, and twenty palfreys. And further, I have by my corporal oath, administered by the hands of William, archbishop of Bourdeaux, given security that I will guarantee to my lord the king, and to his heir, the earl of Poitou, or to whomsoever he shall give the same, the aforesaid lands, in good faith and without evil intent, against all men, and that, during the whole of my life, I will do nothing either by contracting marriage or in any other way to prevent the aforesaid sale from remaining inviolate. And to the end that this my sale so solemnly made, may not possibly, by any malignity hereafter, be rendered null and void, I have fortified the same with my seal. Done publicly in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord 1177, in the month of December, at Grammont, in presence of the archbishop of Bourdeaux, John, bishop of Poitou, and many others.”

After these matters were transacted at Grammont, our lord, the king of England, the father, received homage and the oaths of fealty and allegiance from the barons and knights of the earldom of March, and Audebert, the said earl of March, departed thence with the above-mentioned sum of money which had been paid him by the king of England.

In the same year, a great flood took place in Holland, the embankments against the sea being burst asunder, and washed away nearly the whole of the property in that province, and drowned multitudes of people; this took place on the seventh day before the ides of January.

In the meantime, the abbat elect of the church of Saint
A. D.
1177.


LETTER
OF
POPE
ALEX-
ANDER.469 Augustin, at Canterbury, often and earnestly, both personally and by other worthy men, as his mediators, entreated Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, to come to the church of Saint Augustin, to consecrate him as abbat thereof, to which the archbishop made answer that it was not his duty to go thither to consecrate him, but rather that he ought to come to the metropolitan church of Canterbury, for the purpose of receiving his benediction. In consequence of this dispute, the before-named abbat elect appealed to the presence of our lord the pope, and setting out for Rome, obtained letters from Alexander, the Supreme Pontiff, to the following effect:

The Letter of pope Alexander on behalf of the abbat elect of the church of Saint Augustin, at Canterbury.

“Alexander, the bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his venerable brother Roger, bishop of Worcester, health and the Apostolic benediction. Whereas we did some time since give our commands to our venerable brother Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, legate of the Apostolic See, no longer to defer bestowing the gift of consecration upon our dearly beloved son, the abbat elect of the church of Saint Augustin, in his monastery, which, without any intermediate person, belongs directly to the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome, and inasmuch as the archbishop refused to perform our commands, we might of right have bestowed consecration upon the said abbat elect, either ourselves or through another, who would not prove so ready to oppose our wishes. Being desirous, however, more fully to make trial in him of the virtue of obedience, after a long discussion which the said archbishop has had in our presence, by means of his envoys with the abbat elect, on the disputed point as to the consecration, the same has, by the common consent of our brethren, by their definite judgment, been thus decided; that the archbishop of Canterbury must, without exacting obedience from him, and all opposition laid aside, consecrate both him and his successors in the monastery of Saint Augustin. We have accordingly, in conformity with the customary and abundant considerateness of the Apostolic See, thought proper to send back the said abbat elect to the aforesaid archbishop, to receive from him the gift of consecration. Considering, therefore, the labours and expenses which the said monastery has now for a long time incurred upon this point, we do command your brotherhood,
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1178.470 by our precept in this our Apostolic writing conveyed, and do by virtue of your obedience enjoin you, that, if the said archbishop shall delay to consecrate the said abbat elect as directed by us, within the period by our letters appointed, then, relying on our authorization, all excuses, opposition, and appeal set aside, as soon as you shall be called upon so to do, no decree, either of ourselves or of another, by which it is ordered that the same shall be submitted to appeal, and no letters that have been, or shall be obtained from us withstanding, and no exception whatsoever thereto holding good, you shall, without curtailment or delay, fulfil our commands. Given at the Lateran, on the fifteenth day before the calends of May.”

When the before-named archbishop of Canterbury heard of this, he determined to go to the monastery of Saint Augustin for the purpose of consecrating the said abbat elect, according to the tenor of the mandate of the Apostolic See. Accordingly, on a certain day on which the said abbat elect was travelling in another province upon the business of his house, the archbishop came with a considerable retinue of his clergy and laity to the monastery of Saint Augustin, asserting that he had come thither for the purpose of consecrating the said abbat elect, and on not finding him, appealed to our lord the pope on behalf of himself and the dignity of his church. In consequence of this, the abbat elect went to Rome and received the gift of benediction from pope Alexander.

In the year of grace 1178, which was the twenty-fourth year of the reign of king Henry, son of the empress Matilda, the said Henry was at the city of Anjou, on the day of the Nativity of our Lord. In this year, the king of England, the father, desired exceedingly to return to England, and sending messengers to Louis, king of the Franks, obtained from him letters of protection to the following effect: —

“Louis, king of the Franks, to all to whom this present letter shall come, greeting. Know all of you that we have taken into our charge all the lands of Henry, king of England, our most dearly beloved brother, that lie on this side of the sea, in case he shall happen to cross over into England or go abroad, upon the understanding that when his deputies from the lands beyond sea shall call upon us so to do, we will with good faith and without evil intent give them counsel and help for the defence and protection of the said lands. Given at Vincennes.”

In the meantime the Arian heresy which, as previously mentioned, had been condemned in the province of Toulouse, had revived; and this coming to the ears of the king of France and the king of England, inflamed by zeal for the Christian faith, they determined personally to go thither, in order that they might entirely drive the before-named heretics from those parts. However, after a short time had intervened, it seemed to them that it might be more effectual if they sent thither wise men to convert the heretics to the Christian faith by their preaching and learning, than if they themselves were to hasten thither in person. For they were reminded of the words, “ ’Tis enough to have commanded vengeance; more will the dread of your name effect than your sword; your presence diminishes your fame.”¹³

They therefore sent thither Peter, cardinal priest, titular of Saint Chrysogonus, and legate of the Apostolic See, the archbishops of Bourges and Narbonne, Reginald, bishop of Bath, John, bishop of Poitou, Henry, abbat of Clairval, and many other ecclesiastics, in order that by their preaching they might convert the said heretics to the Christian faith, or on reasonable grounds prove them to be heretics, and separate them from the threshold of holy mother Church and from communion with the faithful. In addition to this, the before-named kings chose Raymond, count of Toulouse, the viscount of Touraine, Raymond of Neufchatel, ¹⁴ and other influential men, and ordered them to act as assessors to the above-named cardinal and his associates in the faith of Christ, and to expel the said heretics from those parts by the power of their might.

Accordingly, when the before-named cardinal and the other Catholic persons had entered Toulouse, they found there a certain wealthy man, who possessed two castles, one within the city and the other without the walls of the city, who, before their coming, had confessed himself to be a sectary of the heretical corruption; but now, moved by terror, and desiring to screen this execrable sect, made pretence that he was a Christian. When the cardinal came to know this, he ordered the said wealthy person to be brought before him; on whose coming for the purpose of making confession of his faith, he was found to be in every article an antagonist of the Christian religion.
A. D.
1178.472 Accordingly, he was pronounced by the aforesaid cardinal and the bishops who were with him a manifest heretic, and condemned; and they gave orders that his property should be confiscated, and that the castles which he possessed, lofty and of great beauty, should be levelled with the ground. Upon seeing himself thus condemned, and his property confiscated, he came to the cardinal and the bishops, his associates, and prostrating himself at their feet, asked pardon, and, penance being enjoined him, was led naked and scourged through the streets and lanes of the city. After this, he swore that he would go to Jerusalem, and remain there three years in the service of God, and if after the said three years he should return home, his possessions were to be restored to him, on condition, however, that his castles should be levelled, in testimony of his heretical depravity; he was also to give to the count of Toulouse five hundred pounds of silver.

On these things taking place, many of the heretics, fearing lest they might be dealt with in a similar manner, came to the cardinal and his associates, and secretly confessing their errors and asking pardon, obtained mercy. In the meanwhile, it came to their ears, that certain false brethren, namely, Raymond, Bernard, the son of Raymond, and certain other heresiarchs, transforming themselves into angels of light, while they were those of Satan, and preaching what was contrary to the Christian faith, led astray the minds of many by their false preaching, and had dragged them with themselves to hell. These being summoned to come into the presence of the cardinal and his associates, for the purpose of making confession of their faith, made answer that they would come before them if they should have a safe conduct in going and returning.

A safe conduct, in going and returning, being accordingly given to them, they came before the above-named cardinal, and the bishops, barons, clergy and people who were present, and produced before them a certain paper in which they had written down the articles of their faith. On their reading this at length, there seemed to be in it certain expressions of a suspicious nature, which, unless more fully expressed, might possibly conceal the heresy they had preached. When one of them attempted to explain the articles so written, and to speak in Latin, he was barely able to
A. D.
1178.


THE
HERETICS’
DEFENSE.473 connect two words, being utterly ignorant of the Latin language. Upon this, it was necessary for the cardinal and the bishops to bring themselves more on a level with them, and, in consequence of their ignorance, to use the vulgar tongue. Accordingly, on being examined as to the articles of the Christian faith, they made answer as to all the articles of the faith as soundly and as circumspectly as if they had been most sincere Christians.

Upon the count of Toulouse and others, who had formerly heard them preach what was contrary to the Christian faith, hearing this statement from them, being struck with the greatest astonishment and inflamed with zeal for the Christian faith, they arose and most clearly convicted them to their faces of having lied; saying that they had heard from some of them that there were two Gods, the one good, and the other bad, the good one having made only things invisible, and which cannot be changed or corrupted, the bad one the heavens, the earth, man and the other things visible. Others again affirmed that they had heard at their preaching, that the body of Christ was not made by the ministration of a priest who was unworthy, or who had been convicted of any crime. Others also stated that they had heard them say, in their preaching, that a man and his wife could not be saved if the conjugal debt was satisfied. Others again said that they had heard from them that baptism was of no use to infants, and the utterance of numerous other blasphemies against God and the holy Church and the Catholic faith, which, by reason of their abominable enormity, it is better to be silent upon than to disclose.

The heretics, however, contradicted these matters, and said that they had given false testimony against them. For they said publicly, in presence of the before-named cardinal and bishops, and all the people there present, and made confession, and stoutly asserted, that there is but one God most high, who has made all things visible and invisible, and entirely denied that there were two first principles of things. They also confessed that the priest, whether good or bad, whether just or unjust, and whether such a character that they knew him beyond doubt to be an adulterer or criminal in other respects, was able to make the body and blood of Christ, and that, through the ministration of a priest of this character, and by virtue of the Divine words which were pronounced
A. D.
1178.474 by the Lord, the bread and wine were really changed in substance into the body and blood of Christ. They also asserted that infants or adults baptized with our baptism are saved, and that without the said baptism no one can be saved, together denying that they used any other kind of baptism or imposition of hands, as had been imputed to them. In addition to this, they declared their belief, that a man and woman united In marriage, in case no other sin prevented it, would be saved, even though they should carnally satisfy their conjugal debt, being excused by virtue of their marriage, and that by reason thereof they are not damned.

They affirmed also, that archbishops, bishops, priests, monks, canons, hermits, recluses, Templars, and Hospitallers, would be saved. They also said, that it was becoming and proper that those who entered churches founded in honor of God and of the Saints, should approach them with the greatest devoutness, and, showing to their priests and other ministers honor and respect, should as a matter of duty pay them their first fruits and tithes, and make answer dutifully and faithfully on all parochial matters. They also laudably asserted, among other things, that alms ought to be given both to churches and to the poor, and indeed to every one who sought them.

Although they were said to have previously denied all these points, still they asserted that they did, according to a sound understanding, understand the same; on which the before-named cardinal and bishops ordered that they should swear that they believed in their hearts as they had confessed with their lips. But they, like men of distorted minds, and crooked intentions, were at length unwilling to abandon their heresy, where any semblance of authority seemed to aid their crass and drowsy intellects, using as an excuse the words which the Lord is mentioned in the Gospel as having used; “Swear not at all, but let your words by yea, yea, nay, nay,”¹⁵ and asserting that they ought not to swear; whereas the Lord Himself is often read of as having sworn, as it is written; “The Lord hath sworn and will not repent;”¹⁶ and again, the Lord says, “I have sworn by myself.”¹⁷ The Apostle also says, “An oath for confirmation is the end of all strife.”¹⁸ But they, like idiots, not understanding the Scriptures, fell into the snare
A. D.
1178.


CONVIC-
TION
OF
THE
HERETICS.475 which they had concealed, for whereas they at first abhorred an oath as being an execrable thing and forbidden by the Lord, they were, by the paper of their confession, convicted of having sworn as they had said, “We do believe in the truth, which is God, and do say that this is our belief;” not being aware that to adduce the truth and the word of God in testimony of the truth of their assertion, is beyond a doubt taking an oath; as we read of the Apostle, when he says, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,”¹⁹ and again, “God is my witness;”²⁰ and as other passages of a like nature prove, which can be easily found by those who understand, and have read, the Holy Scriptures.

When, therefore, they had been convicted by many and competent witnesses, and many persons were still preparing to bear witness against them, because the Church is not wont to deny the bosom of mercy to those who return thereto, they carefully warned them, laying aside all heretical corruptions, to return to the unity of the faith. They also advised them, as they had been excommunicated by our lord the pope, and the before-named cardinal, and the archbishops of Bourges and Narbonne, and the bishop of Toulouse, on account of their perverse preaching and schism, to come to be reconciled to the Catholic faith, according to the forms prescribed by the Church. This, however, being warped into tortuous ways and hardened by abandoned habits, they refused to do, on which the said cardinal, and the above-mentioned bishops, together with the before-named bishop of Poitiers, and the other religious men who had assisted them throughout, in the sight of the whole people, with lighted candles,²¹ again denounced them as excommunicated, and condemned them, together with their prompter, the devil, and gave orders to all the faithful in Christ, thenceforth cautiously to avoid the before-named Raymond and Bernard, and their accomplices, as persons excommunicated, and handed over to Satan; and that if at any time in future they should preach to them any thing else than what they had confessed in their hearing, they should reject their preaching as false, and contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic faith, and drive them as heretics and forerunners of Antichrist
A. D.
1178.476 to a distance from their territories. Moreover, the count of Toulouse, and the other more influential men of the province, in presence of all the people, gave assurance on oath, that from that time forward they would neither, for entreaty nor for money, support the heretics. Accordingly, the before-named cardinal wrote to all the sons of holy mother Church, to the following effect:

The Letter of Peter, titular of Saint Chrysogonus, cardinal priest, and legate of the Apostolic See.

“Peter, by the grace of God, titular of Saint Chrysogonus, cardinal priest, and legate of the Apostolic See, to all the sons of holy mother Church, who preserve the Catholic and Apostolic faith, health in the Lord. The Apostle bears witness that as there is but one God, so is there known to be but one faith, from the soundness whereof no one can possibly without peril wander astray. The foundations thereof, than which no one can possibly lay any other, the Apostles and the Apostolic men their successors, have, by the inspiration and teaching of the Holy Ghost, so firmly and so circumspectly laid with sound doctrines, as though with natural stones, that neither the blasts of the roaring north wind, nor the engines of the impious, even with repeated assaults, can overthrow them, or in any way move them from the firmness of their position. Consequently, although in these days certain false brethren, namely, Raymond de Baimiac, and Bernard, the son of Raymond, and certain other heresiarchs, transforming themselves into angels of lights, whereas they are those of Satan, for some time past preaching what is contrary to the Christian and Apostolic faith, have, by their poisonous doctrines, deceived the souls of many, and dragged them with themselves to perdition; more recently, however, He who unveils mysteries, and who gave His spirit to Daniel to confound the elders of Israel, having respect for the souls deceived by the guiles of the devil, has been unwilling that their perfidiousness should be any longer hidden, or that the purity of the Christian doctrines should by their preaching be corrupted; and by His wonderful power, many hearing and seeing the same, has revealed the venom of their perfidiousness which had been previously concealed, to the increase and glory of the Christian faith. For lately, the aforesaid Raymond and Bernard and others met our reverend brother
A. D.
1178.


THE
LETTER
OF
THE
LEGATE
PETER.477 Reginald, bishop of Bath, and the noble men the viscount of Touraine, and Raymond of Neufchatel, who by our advice had come to the territory of Roger de Bediers, for the purpose of obtaining the liberation of our venerable brother the bishop of Alby, and asserted that they were unjustly treated by the noble man the count of Toulouse and other barons who had for ever abjured them; on which occasion, on their proposing to come into our presence for the defence of their faith if they could have a safe conduct in coming and returning, the said bishop and viscount, fearing lest this stumbling-block might not be revealed to the hearts of the simple, who were imbued with their abominations, and lest they might ascribe it to our distrustfulness if a hearing were refused them, on our behalf and that of the before-named count, granted them the said indulgence, in order that in full security they might present themselves before us, that in the hearing of ourselves and our venerable brother the bishop of Poitiers, the legate of the Apostolic See, and of other discreet men, and of the whole people, they might be examined, and, if their belief were sound and proper, be approved of by us; and in order that, after being examined by us, they might still return in security to their homes, that so they might not appear to have been induced by any fear or violence to make confession of the true faith; but however, upon the understanding that if within eight days from the time that our edict had gone forth, they should not have returned to the true faith, they were to be expelled from the territories of the noble men who had abjured them. We therefore thought proper to ratify the indulgence so granted them by the bishop and viscount; although, as we have mentioned, an edict had already gone forth from the aforesaid count of Toulouse and other noble men, that they should be expelled from their territories; and, the said bishop of Poitiers and the before-named count of Toulouse, and other clergy and laymen, about three hundred in number, being assembled with us in the church of Saint Stephen, we enjoined them to explain to us their belief, and, returning to the truth of the Catholic faith, by a healthful confession of the true faith, to remove the infamy which both the whole land and they themselves had by their damnable doctrines incurred. On this, during the conversation that ensued on both sides, they produced a certain paper in which they had written out the articles of their faith, and read it at length just as written. On our detecting in it some expressions
A. D.
1178.478 which seemed to be of a suspicious nature, and which might, unless more fully explained, conceal the heresy which they had preached, we requested them to answer and defend their faith in the Latin tongue; both because their language was not sufficiently understood by us, and because the Gospels and Epistles, on which alone they were willing to ground their belief, are known to be written²² in the Latin tongue. When they found that they could not venture to do this, being entirely ignorant of the Latin language, as appeared by the words of one of them, who, when he attempted to speak in Latin, was hardly able to join two words, and entirely failed; it became necessary for us to stoop to their level, and, absurd as it was, by reason of their ignorance to discourse in the vulgar tongue about the Sacraments of the Church. On this, making denial that there were two first principles of things, they publicly, in the presence of ourselves and the before-named persons, made confession and stoutly asserted that there is one God most high, who had made all things, visible and invisible, which they also proved to be true by the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles. They also confessed that our priest, whether good or bad, just or unjust, and whether even of such a character that they knew him, beyond doubt, to be an adulterer, or guilty of any other crime, was able to make the body and blood of Christ, and that through the ministration of such a priest, and by virtue of the Divine words, which were pronounced by the Lord, the bread and wine were truly changed in substance into the body and blood of Christ. They also asserted that infants or adults when baptized with our baptism are saved, and that without the said baptism no one can be saved, utterly denying that they had any other baptism or imposition of hands, as was imputed to them. They further asserted their belief that a man and woman united in marriage, in case no other sin prevented it, would be saved although they should satisfy the conjugal debt, being excused by virtue of their marriage, and that by reason thereof they are not damned. They affirmed also that archbishops, bishops, priests, monks, canons, recluses, Templars, and Hospitallers would be saved. They also said that it was becoming and proper, that those who entered churches founded in honor of God and of the Saints, should approach them with the greatest devoutness, and, showing to the priests and other ministers
A. D.
1178.


THE
LETTER
OF
THE
LEGATE
PETER.479 honor and respect, should dutifully pay them their first-fruits and tithes, and make answer dutifully and faithfully on all parochial matters. They also laudably asserted, among other things, that alms ought to be given both to the churches and to the poor, and indeed to every one who sought them.²³ Although they were said to have previously denied all these points, still they asserted that they did, according to our sound understanding, understand the same. After they had been thus examined by us, and had of their own accord made the confessions already mentioned, we entered the church of Saint James; where, together with ourselves, an innumerable concourse of people, which had flocked together, as though to witness a spectacle, heard the confession of their faith read in the vulgar tongue, the same having been written out in the said tongue. After this, when, with all patience and without any tumult, they had been listened to by us and all the people there assembled, and had of their own accord made an end of speaking, inasmuch as the exposition of their faith seemed quite praiseworthy and orthodox, we again asked them in the hearing of all the people, if they believed in their hearts what they had confessed with their lips, and if at any time they had preached the contrary thereof, as they had been often charged with doing. They making answer that they did so believe, and further denying that they had ever preached to any other effect, the noble man the count of Toulouse and many others, clergy as well as laymen, who had heard them preach what was contrary to the Christian faith, being struck with the greatest astonishment, and inflamed with zeal for the Christian faith, arose and most clearly convicted them to their faces of having lied. Some in fact steadily asserted that they had heard from some of them, that there were two Gods, the one good and the other bad; the good one having only made things invisible, and which cannot be changed or corrupted; the bad one, the heavens, the earth, man and the other things visible. Others again affirmed that they heard at their preaching, that the body of Christ was not made by the ministration of a priest who was unworthy, or who had been convicted of any crime. Many in like manner bore witness that they had heard them utterly deny that a man and his wife could be saved, if the conjugal debt were satisfied by them. Others
A. D.
1178.480 again stoutly maintained to their faces, that they had heard from them that baptism was of no use to infants, and the utterance of numerous other blasphemies against God and the Holy Church and the Catholic faith, which, by reason of their abominable enormity, we would rather be silent upon than disclose. But,²⁴ whatever they stated in their former confession, which seemed to be sufficient unto salvation, if they did believe the same in heart, and did so affirm with all their heart, still, like men of distorted minds, and of crooked intentions, they were at length unwilling to abandon their heresy, when any seeming authority seemed to aid their crass and drowsy intellects, using as an excuse the words which our Lord is mentioned in the Gospel as having used; ‘Swear not at all, but let your words be yea, yea, nay, nay:’ and asserting that they ought not to swear, whereas the Lord Himself is often read of as having sworn, as it is written, ‘The Lord hath sworn and will not repent;’ and again the Lord says, ‘I have sworn by myself.’ The Apostle also says, ‘An oath for confirmation is the end of all strife.’ Many other passages also are found to present themselves to those who read the Holy Scriptures to the like effect; in which, by reason of the infirmity of nature, we are allowed to make an use of oaths to those whom we would persuade to anything. However, like idiots, not understanding the Scriptures, they fell into the snare which they had concealed; for whereas they at first abhorred an oath as being an execrable thing, and forbidden by the Lord, they were, by the very paper of their confession, convicted of having sworn, as they had said, ‘We do believe in the truth, which is God, and do say that this is our belief;’ not being aware that to adduce the truth and the word of God in testimony of the truth of their assertion, is beyond a doubt taking an oath; as we read of the Apostle, when he says, ‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord;’ and again, ‘God is my witness;’ and as other passages of a like nature prove, which can be easily found by those who understand, and have read, the Holy Scriptures. When therefore they had been convicted by many and competent witnesses, and many persons were still preparing to bear witness against them; because the Church was not wont to deny the bosom of mercy to those who return thereto, we carefully warned them, laying aside all
A. D.
1178.


LETTER
OF
HENRY,
ABBAT
OF
CLAIRVAL.481 heretical corruptions, to return to the unity of the faith; and advised them, as they had been excommunicated by our lord the pope, the archbishops of Bourges and Narbonne, and the bishop of Toulouse, by reason of their perverse preaching and schism, to come to us to be reconciled to the Catholic faith, according to the forms prescribed by the Church. This however, being warped into tortuous ways, and hardened by abandoned habits, they refused to do, on which, in the sight of the whole people, who with one voice shouted assent thereto and exclaimed against them with great fury, with lighted candles we again denounced them as excommunicated, being joined therein by the bishop of Poitou before-mentioned, and other religious men who had supported us throughout, and condemned them together with their prompter, the devil. Wherefore we do warn the whole of you, and do exhort you in the Lord, and do for the remission of your sins enjoin you henceforth carefully to avoid the before-named Raymond and Bernard and their accomplices, as persons excommunicated and handed over to Satan; and if, at any time in future, they shall presume to preach to you anything else than what they have expressed in our presence to the effect above-written, you are to reject their preaching as false and contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic faith, and to drive them as heretics and forerunners of Antichrist, from any intercourse with yourselves in your uprightness, and to a distance from your territories.

The Letter of Henry, abbat of Clairval, on the same subject.

“Give ear, O ye heavens, to our lamentations, let the earth learn the grief of our heart. Let Catholic Christians bewail the lot of Christ, and let the faithful people weep for the sorrows of their faith. Let all nations of the earth and sons of men deplore the injury done to the salvation of mankind, and let the universal sorrow of our lives be universally mourned by all living men. In our day a new Philistine is arrayed against the squadrons of Israel, a band of heretics, an army of perverts, who irreverently insult the troops of the living God, and with the highest presumption blaspheme the majesty of the Lord. Why dost thou hesitate, O David? Why dost thou tremble, thou faithful man? Take up thy sling and thy stone; instantly be the blasphemer smitten on the forehead, and let the wicked head which is shamelessly exalted be raised on the
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1178.482 point of his own sword by thy hands. For if in this contest the portion of Christ is conquered, or if in the slightest degree or in the smallest point mother Church is trodden under foot, we know for certain that the cause is not wanting in goodness but in defenders; we know also that the triumph will not be denied to our champion, if when fighting he wages the warfare inspired by love of the faith. But inasmuch as, according to the word of truth, ‘The harvest is plenteous and the labourers are few,’ the ravagers, good Jesus, of Thy fields, being arrayed as deceitful labourers, think if they shall enter boldly, by their ravages, as it were, to forestall the day of gathering in thy harvest, and rather to root up what is unripe than to reap what has attained maturity: where, then, are Thy husbandmen appointed by Thee over Thy fertile and pleasant field, blossoming with Thy blood, and watered with the sprinkling thereof? Let them arise and assist us, and let them shield us in our necessity, and oppose themselves as a wall of defence for us against these blood-stained beasts. Arise, I say, arise, husbands, fathers, leaders of nations, princes of the people, drive away these vilest of savage brutes, which we have beheld, which we point out, or at least expel these cubs of foxes; and yet it is better to take them, but who is fitted so to do? They have no certain paths, they walk along winding ways, and these most savage monsters are hidden in a kind of labyrinth made by their own frauds. Like a fawn they make their escape from the hand, and are like unto writhing serpents; the more tightly you grasp them, the more easily do they slip away. Thanks to God, however, that, although they cannot be taken, they may be driven away, that so when they have failed in the exertions they were making against us, they may be confounded and perish of themselves. And, that this can easily be effected, we will prove by things that we have beheld, and in which we have taken part; so that if, from this time forward, it is not done, we shall have to deplore, not so much their wickedness as our own short-comings, and the negligence of our people. For it lately happened that, at the command of our lord the pope, and at the exhortation of the most pious princes, Louis, king of the Franks, and Henry, king of the English, the lord Peter, the legate of the Apostolic See, and the venerable men the bishops of Poitou and Bath, and ourselves, went to Toulouse, a city in their country, which, as it was stated to be a city containing a vast multitude, was also said
A. D.
1178.


LETTER
OF
HENRY,
ABBAT
OF
CLAIRVAL.483 to be the mother of heresy and the fountain-head of error. Accordingly, we went to her, that we might learn if her pangs justified the wailings that were raised. And, behold! her wound was found to be exceeding great, so much so, that from the sole of her foot to the crown of her head, there was hardly any soundness in her. For, in truth, not a third part had been told us of all her wicked abominations, which that noble city was cherishing in the bosom of her unbelief. The abomination of desolation had found a place in her, and the likeness of the reptiles described by the prophets found a refuge in her lurking-places. Heretics were there acting the governor over the people, ruling over the clergy, to such a degree that it made true the saying, ‘Like people like priest;’²⁵ and the very life of the pastor was formed for the destruction of the flock. The heretics spoke, and all were in admiration; a Catholic spoke, and they would say, ‘Who is this?’ making it a miracle and a matter for amazement if there was any one among them who should dare even to whisper anything about the Word of truth. So greatly did this pestilence prevail upon the earth, that they had made for themselves not only priests and bishops, but they had even evangelists, who, corrupting and cancelling evangelical truth, forged new gospels for them, and, seducing the people, preached unto them new dogmas from the wickedness of their hearts. I am guilty of falsehood if there was not one among them a certain aged man, of considerable affluence, blessed with brethren and friends, and withal among the greatest of the city a great man, whom the devil had so blinded with sin, urging him on, that he declared himself to be Saint John the Evangelist, and would separate the Word that in the beginning was with God, from the other first principle of created things, as though from another God. He was the head of the doomed ones in this city, and the chief of the heretics; and though, a layman and illiterate, he knew nothing at all, still, like a very fountain of diabolical wisdom, he showered forth among them the streams, bitter as gall, of perdition and of death. Of a night there resorted to him the owls that love darkness, on which, he, clothed in a kind of garment made like a dalmatic, would take his seat among them, like a king with his army standing around him, and become a preacher to the senseless creatures. The whole city he had quite filled
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1178.484 with his disciples and his doctrines; so much so that, through fear of him, no one in the city dared offer any resistance to him. Even upon our entry into the city, such great licence did the heretics everywhere enjoy, that even, going straight before us along the streets and lanes, they would laugh in their sleeves, and point us out with remarks and their fingers; crying out that we were apostates, hypocrites, heretics. But in process of time, and on a respite being afforded us, in a few days one of us was enjoined to use the words of exhortation, and to discourse on the rule of faith before the infidel multitude. Wherefore, on using orthodox discourse in preaching to the people, the sinners were alarmed in Sion, and trembling came upon the hypocrites; so much so, that they who before had closed the mouths of the speakers, now did not dare to appear before the speakers. One seeing or hearing might instantly have observed foxes transformed into moles, and whereas hitherto they had with impunity run to and fro before the public, now they dived down into their hiding-places in the ground, and into their subterranean cells, in order that, in the bowels of the earth, they might gnaw and destroy the sacred plants, which they now no longer dared openly to crop. But, lest this leopard of various colours might betray himself by the spots on his skin, by their crafty inventions they adopted a wicked mode of expression, in order that, on being brought to the test of discussion, for the purpose of aping our confirmed belief in the true faith, they might lyingly assert that they believe whatever we believe. From that day, therefore, our lord the legate and the rest of us who thought fit to meet these wild beasts openly, for the purpose of making examination of those whom fear and confusion had thrust down grovelling into the very centre of the earth, turned our whole attention, and used all our endeavours that, even by compulsion, they should come forth into public, and, in the light, reject the works of darkness. Accordingly, it came to pass that, by command of the legate, the bishop made oath, as also some of the clergy and the chief men of the city, and other men in the city who were attached to the true faith, and whom no manner of perfidy on their part had as yet aspersed, that they would give to use in writing the names of all whom they had hitherto known or might happen to know in future, who were accomplices in, or promoters of, this heresy, and would spare no
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1178.


LETTER
OF
HENRY,
ABBAT
OF
CLAIRVAL.485 one whatever either for favour or reward, or on account of any tie of relationship. When therefore an innumerable multitude was duly entered upon this list so drawn up, among others there was named this great man, Peter Moran, whom, as we have previously mentioned, they called Saint John the Evangelist. Accordingly, taking counsel together with reference to him, we determined with him to commence our judgment, that the rest of the perfidious multitude might tremble, when the simplicity of the true Gospel had brought to condemnation the craftiness of the false evangelist. Sending therefore his apparitors, the earl of Saint Gilles, who faithfully gave us his assistance, ordered him to be summoned. He however, trusting in the multitude of his riches, and the numbers of his relations, set at nought the words of the first citation, by making some trifling and arrogant excuse for creating delay. Consequently, on a second day the earl, relying more on blandishments than terror, in a quiet way invited the said Peter by means of his friends and acquaintances; and, after he had made many difficulties as to coming, mingling threats with blandishments, at last brought him before us. Upon this, one of us who was the speaker, began to warn him in such terms as these: ‘Well now, Peter, your fellow-citizens accuse you of having broken the rule of the true faith, and having entered upon the corruptions of the Arian heresy; nay, more, you both lead others, and are being led yourself by others through the devious paths of multiplied errors.’ Upon this, heaving a deep sigh, and inwardly touched with a pang at his heart, he lyingly asserted at the first blush that he was none of that sort. On being asked whether he would prove this on oath, he contended that credence ought be given to his simple assertion as that of a faithful and noble man. When, however, we all persisted in exacting the oath, he promised that he would swear forthwith, for fear lest he migth by that very circumstance be detected to be a heretic, in case he should remain obstinate in declining the oath, which refusal was in conformity with the tenets of this heresy. Accordingly, shortly afterwards the relics of the saints were with due honor produced and received with such solemn reverence and devotion, so much so, that the faithful among the people were moved to tears, and their hiding-places had more charms for the heretics who had assembled than such a sight. During the chaunt, which we sang, shedding plenteous
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1178.486 tears, to invoke the presence of the Holy Ghost, an evident tremor and paleness came over the said Peter; insomuch, that both the colour of his countenance forsook him, and his strength of mind departed. For how, on the approach of the Holy Ghost, was any spirit to remain in its adversary? You might have seen the man shaking as though with a paralytic attack, no longer retaining his power of language nor his senses, although he was said by all to be a person of such great eloquence that he had been accustomed to excel all others in speaking. Why say more? All standing by, the unhappy man making oath that he would explain the truth as to his belief on all the articles of faith on which we should question him, a wondrous thing took place, and one in such a scene most agreeable, by reason of the pious delight it afforded us. The book was open upon which he had sworn; and one of the persons standing by, as a sort of pious amusement desiring to obtain a presage of what was to come by means of the expression he should hit upon, the following text of Scripture met his view: ’What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Hast thou come to torment us before the time?’ ²⁶ Truly, Lord Jesus, they had nothing to do with Thee, whom the heavenly Father had cut off from the true vine as unfruitful branches, and had thrown abroad that they might wither away! But with us, who were assembled in Thy name, the increase of our gladness was multiplied, and the glories of Thy might resounded in thanksgivings and in the voice of praise. At length, Peter was simply required on the strength of his oath to confess to us his belief as to the sacrament of the altar without any concealment thereon; however, he did not with his lips confess to the court for the purpose of procuring safety that which he did not believe in his heart; but on the contrary, whereas he had made a determination to lie on all points, he made a true disclosure of his own falseness; and by a new doctrine of his, proceeded to assert that the holy bread of eternal life, when consecrated by the ministration of the priest with the word of God, does not become the body of the Lord. Upon this, all arose, overwhelming him in a manner with tears, which his contempt for the sacraments of Christ produced, and the Christian compassion that was felt for the wretched man, summoned forth. No more was needed. They
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1178.


LETTER
OF
HENRY,
ABBAT
OF
CLAIRVAL.487 gave their answer to the earl; he was adjudged to be guilty of heresy, and immediately, with the most positive promises on the part of his relations, was consigned to the public place of confinement. Rumours of what had happened flew through the streets and suburbs of this most extensive city. The mouths of the faithful were opened, and the lips of the Catholic people were unsealed, O Christ, to thy praises; then for the first time, as it were, did the brightness of faith burst forth in that city, and the state that had so shortly before been despaired of, breathed again to entertain hopes of everlasting salvation. From that moment the word of God waxed stronger, and was daily multiplied; so that the whole face of the city seemed more joyous, in that it emerged from the darkness of error into the brilliancy of the light of truth. In the meantime, Peter, coming to himself, and being moved by the Lord who looked down upon him, on seeing that he was worthy of death in this as well as in a future world, having sent many mediators, asked to be allowed the means of making satisfaction, and promised to show the fruits of conversion, if he should be liberated from the fear of impending death to the profitable enjoyment of a better mode of life. He came accordingly, was received by us, and was placed in sight of the contrite people with his body naked, thus putting off the corruption of his former infidelity. There, in the presence of all, he acknowledged himself a heretic, there, by his hands, he plighted his faith, there, he renounced his errors; there, giving his right hand, he made oath in the presence of all, and gave sureties to the earl, as well as the knights and his principal fellow-citizens, that he would submit himself to every mandate of my lord the legate, and would in all things obey his commands. Upon this, proclamation was made to the people that they were all to meet on the following day, at the church of Saint Saturninus, to hear and to see in solemn form what mode of penance the said Peter would have enjoined upon him to perform. Accordingly, on the following day, as they had been warned, all met together, and such a multitude, such dense crowds, that, without excessive squeezing, there hardly remained within the very horns of the altar a vacant place for my lord the legate when celebrating the solemn service of the mass. And, behold! in the presence of this multitude so vast, Peter, who was now in our hands, was led through the
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1178.488 doors of the church naked and without shoes, the bishop of Toulouse and the abbat of Saint Saturninus scourging him on either side, until he was placed on the steps of the altar at the legate’s feet. Here, in the face of the Church, he was reconciled to the sacraments thereof, abjuring all heresy, and all heretics being cursed by him. After this, his possessions being all forfeited and confiscated, the following penance was enjoined on him: That, within forty days, he should depart in exile from his country, for Jerusalem, there to remain thee years in the service of the poor; and, in the meantime, on each Lord’s Day, he was ordered to go round the churches of the city of Toulouse, naked and without shoes, and attended by the rods of discipline; to restore the property belonging to churches which he had taken away; to give back all usurious interest he had received; to repair the losses of the poor whom he had injured; and to demolish from the very foundation a castle of his which he had profaned with the conventicles of the heretics. Merciful God! what tears did holy joyousness then pour forth, what thanksgivings and praises did the rejoicing and devout people add to the heavenly choirs, when such a man as this was drawn forth from the lurking-places of infidelity, and this most ravening wolf was transformed into a sheep of Israel. After this, on his being dismissed, my lord the legate sent to others with the intention of excommunicating them, great numbers of whom either public suspicion or private accusation had pointed out. As for ourselves, joy having at length sprung up attended by tears, we asked for leave to return, on the ground that pressing business of our chapter now required our return; which was accordingly granted to us, but upon condition, that we should proceed to the diocese of Alby, to warn Roger, the lord of the territory, namely, that of Bediers, both to release the bishop of Alby, whom he kept in prison and in the custody of heretics, and to reform the whole of his territories, in conformity with the mandate of my lord the legate, by expelling all heretics therefrom. Accordingly, upon our repairing thither, together with the above-mentioned bishop of Bath, we entered this most abandoned district, which, like a sink of all wickedness, received whole sewers of heresy that flowed from all sides into it. On this, the before-named Roger betook himself to the most distant and inaccessible part of his territories, both running
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1178.


LETTER
OF
HENRY,
ABBAT
OF
CLAIRVAL.489 away through a bad conscience and through despair of the goodness of his cause. For he, an author of wickedness, hated the light of truth, and could not endure our approach for the purposes of a conference, having totally devoted himself to works of darkness. However, we arrived at a certain fortress of his, extremely well fortified, which, appropriately and singularly, the inhabitants called by the name of the Castle. Here lived his wife, attended with a large retinue of knights and a very extensive household. Nearly all the inhabitants of this castle were either heretics or abettors of the heretics, although being held in check by the sole might of the Lord, they presumed not even to whisper anything against the faith which we preached. For, although we were placed in their hands, and were fettered as it were by being in their power, being surrounded by multitudes of heretics on every side, still, the word of the Lord was not checked, so was to prevent us from attacking them in repeated censures and reproaches. And when we saw that they did not dare to make any answer whatever, we adjudged the said Roger to be a traitor, a heretic, and a perjurer for having violated the safety of the bishop, and boldly, in the name of Christ, pronounced him to have departed from the faith, and to be condemned, as by a public excommunication, in behalf of our lord the pope and the before-named kings, in presence of his wife and his knights. Behold, how evident it is that from henceforth a wide door is thrown open to Christian princes for them to avenge the injuries of Christ, and to make the wilderness, as it were, the garden of the Lord, and the desert the delights of paradise. Moreover, that it may not be alleged that little or nothing could be done against them, be it known to all, that it was the general opinion in the city of Toulouse that if this visitation had been delayed for the space of three years, there would have been hardly found one person in it who called upon the name of Christ. In addition to all this, the said earl of Saint Gilles had confirmed by oath, before the people of the city, that, from this time forward, he will neither, for gift or entreaty, show favour to the heretics.”

FOOTNOTES

 ¹   The British name for a hundred.

 ²  Perhaps the abbey of Revesby, in Lincolnshire.

 ³  He is called Jollan de la Primerai in p. 454. Holinshed calls him John de la Pumeray.

 ⁴  He is called “Monoculus” by Holinshed, who gives as the reason, “because he had but one eye.”

 ⁵  In Sussex.

 ⁶  “Stapha” here, or, as it should be written, “stapia,” may possibly mean a kind of ladder which was used in mounting a horse.

 ⁷  Saltzburg is clearly meant.

 ⁸  This peculiar kind of oath we learn was especially used by the early kings of France.

 ⁹  See the last note.

¹⁰  Now the Vexin.

¹¹  Incorrectly written in the text “de Turtenei.”

¹²  An abbey not far from Limoges.

¹³  “Vindictam mandasse sat est, plus nominis horror

        Quam tuus ensis aget: minuit præsentia famam.”

¹⁴  In France.

¹⁵  Matt. v. 34.

¹⁶  Psalm cx. 4. Heb. vii. 10.

¹⁷  Isai. xlv. 23.

¹⁸  Heb. vi. 16.

¹⁹  1 Thess. iv. 15.

²⁰  Rom. i. 9.

²¹  A solemn mode of excommunication, in which, at the moment of sentence being pronounced, the candles were extinguished.

²²  He alludes to the Latin translation in the Vulgate.

²³  “Omni petenti” here appears in the form of “omnipotente;” the former is clearly the right reading.

²⁴  This passage is corrupt, and it is pretty clear that some words are omitted.

²⁵  Alluding to Isaiah xxiv. 2.

²⁶  Matt. viii. 29.

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