A.D. 1178. LETTER OF POPE ALEXANDER. and laborious matter to send any one from our side to your presence, amid so many hardships and such Taxied dangers of the places on the road, and into countries far distant and unknown, yet, considering the duties of our office, and bearing in mind your purposes and intentions, we do send the aforesaid Philip our physician, and one of our household, a discreet, circumspect and cautious man unto your mightiness ; and we do trust in the mercy of Jesus Christ, that, if it is your wish to persevere in that purpose and intention, which we understand you, by the inspiration of the Lord, to have formed, being forthwith, by the mercy of God, instructed in the articles of the Christian faith in which you and your people seem to differ from us, you may henceforth have no cause to fear that anything will arise from your error to impede the salvation of you or your people, or in you cast a stigma upon the name of Christianity. We do, therefore, request your excellency, and do advise and exhort you in the Lord, that, for the respect you pay to Saint Peter and to ourselves, you will receive the said Philip, as an honest, discreet and cautious man, and as one sent from our side, with all due kindness, and will treat him courteously and respectfully. And if it is your will and purpose, as indeed it fully ought to be, to be instructed in the Apostolic doctrine on those points which the said Philip will, on our behalf, explain to you, you will carefully listen to him, and hear him to the end, and will send back to us, together with him, respectable persons, and letters sealed with your seal, whereby we may be enabled fully to learn your purpose and intentions ; for the more exalted and mighty you appear, and the less you seem to be puffed up with your riches and power, so much the more willingly, both as to granting you a church in your own city, as well as frecting altars in the church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and at Jerusalem in the church of the Sepulchre of our Lord, and other matters which in justice you shall request, will we take care to pay attention to your requests, and more effectually to listen to the same ; inasmuch as 'it is our wish, in every way that, with the help of God, Ave possibly can, to promote your desires hereon, which have been so worthy of exceeding commendation, and is our ardent desire to save the souls of you and yours unto the Lord. Given at Venice, at the Rialto, on the fifth day before the calends of October." In the same year, Richard, earl of Poitou, came with a considerable force to the city of Anse, and found there the count