A.D. 1177. LETT EE OF ΓΟΓΕ ALEX AND EE. 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 beforenamed 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 brotherRichard, 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 brother