470 ANNALS OF ROGER DE HOTEDEN. A.D. 1178. hood, 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 Borne, 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. Enow 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 ease 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 Yincennes."