A.D. 1164.] CONSTITUTIONS OF CLAEENDON. 541 an interdict, but not to excommunicate him, until the king's principal officer of that place be informed thereof that he may justify his appearing to the summons ; and if the king's officer shall fail in that matter, he shall be at the king's mercy, and the bishop shall forthwith coerce the party accused with ecclesiastical discipline. XI . The archbishops, bishops, and all other persons of the kingdom who hold of the king in chief, shall hold their possessions of the king as barony, and answer for the same to the king's justices and officers, and follow and observe all the king's customs and rectitudes, like other barons, until the judgment is carried to the loss of members or death. XII . When an archbishopric, bishopric, abbacy, or priory of the king's domain shall be vacant, it shall be in his hand, and he ehall receive from it all the revenues and proceeds, as of domain. And when the time shall come for providing for that church, our lord the king shall recommend the best persons to that church, and the election shall be made in the king's chapel, with the king's consent, and the advice of the person of the kingdom whom he shall have summoned for that purpose. And the person elected shall there do homage and fealty to our lord the king, as to his liege lord, of life and limb, and of his earthly honours saving his orders before he is consecrated. XIII. If any of the king's nobles shall have refused to render justice to an archbishop, or bishop, or archdeacon, for himself or any of his men, our lord the king shall justise them. And if by chance any one shall have deforced our lord the king of his rights, the archbishops, bishops, or archdeacons shall justise him that he may render satisfaction to the king. XIV . The cattle of those who are in forfeiture to the king shall not be detained by the church or the cemetery, in opposition to the king's justice ; for they belong to the king, whether they are found in the church or without. XV . Pleas for debts which are due, whether with the interposition of a pledge of faith or not, belong to the king's court. XVI . The sons of rustics shall not be ordained without the consent of their lord, in whose land they are known to have been born. This recognition or inquisition concerning bad customs, liberties, and dignities detestable to Almighty God, was sworn to by the archbishop, bishops, abbats, priors, and clergy, besides all the earls, barons, and nobles, who expressly promised, by word of mouth, and in the words of truth, that they would keep and observe them to our lord the king and his heirs, in good faith and without mental reservation, for ever. How archbishop Thomas repented having hastily acceded to the customs. In consequence of these constitutions, the lay-power was now exerted without opposition over all ecclesiastical causes, whether of things or of persons, to the contempt of the , ecclesiastical privileges ; for the bishops were silent, or at