A.D. llòó.] CHARTER OP POPE ADRIAN. bassy to solicit pope Adrian's permission that he might invade and subdue Ireland, and bring into the way of truth its bestial inhabitants, by extirpating the seeds of vice among them. This request was gladly acceded to by pope Adrian, who sent the king the following charter :— Adrian, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his dearest son in Christ, the illustrious king of England, health and his apostolical blessing ! Laudably and advantageously does your majesty design to increase your reputation on earth, and to lay up for yourself the prize of eternal happiness in heaven, whilst you endeavour, like a catholic prince, to extend the frontiers of the church, to teach a rude people the doctrines of the Christian faith, and to extirpate the seeds of vice from the Lord's field ; and the better to effect this object you ask the support of the apostolic see. In the prosecution of this design, the greater discretion you show, and the more you take counsel from on high, so much greater, we are confident, will be your success. You have signified to us your intention, dearest son in Christ, of invading Ireland, reducing its people to obedience beneath the law of Christ, and extirpating amongst them the seeds of vice, with the intention, also, of paying to St. Peter the annual sum of one penny for every house, and preserving to the churches in that country their rights, whole and intact. Now we, duly approving this your laudable design, and gladly assenting to your request, are well pleased that, to enlarge the borders of the church, to check vice, correct morals, and sow the seeds of virtue, to extend, moreover, the Christian religion, you shall invade that island, and do whatever may seem to promote God's honour and the good of that people, who shall receive and respect you as their lord ; provided that the rights of the church shall remain entire, and the annual payment of one penny for every house be duly reserved to St. Peter. For all the islands, on which Christ the sun of justice has shone, and which have received the rudiments of the Christian faith, belong, without a doubt, to St. Peter and the holy Roman see, as your own nobles also acknowledge. If, therefore, you desire to accomplish that which you have conceived in your mind, study to teach that people good morals, and endeavour both in yourself and by the agency of those whose life, language, and faith shall point them out as fit VOL. I. MM