A .D. 1301. CEBTTETOATIOK OE THE AUCHBISHOP. 543 Saviour of all men, that you, carefully considering that, according to the duty of that pastoral office which rests upon our shoulders, we are bound anxiously to uphold and maintain all the property and rights of the aforesaid church, and that we are not able to prefer serving man rather than God, nor ought we to do so. And we therefore beg of you to cause the aforesaid bishops, clerks, and ecclesiastical persons, whom your royal prison still keeps shut up, to be restored to their former liberty, out of reverence for this divine and Apostolic See, and for ourselves, without any obstacle of difficulty or delay ; and also to recall your officers before mentioned from the aforesaid kingdom of Scotland. And we hope and desire to find you with prompt and effectual zeal ready to comply with these our wishes in this matter, that so you may be deservedly rendered more acceptable to, and considered more favourably by the King of Heaven, who requites small things with great ones ; and that besides the panegyric of human praise which will accrue to you from that conduct, you may more abundantly earn the favour and approbation of the Apostolic See. " But if you assert that you have any right over this same kingdom of Scotland, or any part of it, then we will that you do not forbear to send your procurators and ambassadors specially appointed for this object, with all laws and documents in your possession which bear upon this subject, within six months, to be counted from your receipt of these present letters, as we are ready to render you full justice on the above subject as our beloved son, and inviolably to uphold your rights, if you have any. And by the tenor of these present letters, we do recall and reserve to our own decision all actions, questions, and controversies whatsoever, arising between you and the kingdom of Scotland, and the prelates, clergy, and secular persons of that same kingdom, as also all which can arise for the future from any of the causes above mentioned, and, in short, every matter which has any reference to the aforesaid business or any part of it, decreeing that if anything shall be, either knowingly or ignorantly, attempted by any one, in respect of this matter, contrary to this our command, it shall be null and void. Given at Anagni, on the twenty-seventh of June, in the fifth year of our pontificate." The certification of the archbishop sent to the lord the pope respecting the affairs of Scotland. " To the most holy father in Christ, and his revered lord,