hÌ3 kingdom, he seems actually to persecute and oppress the church. We therefore ask of you in your solicitude for her welfare, and, at the same time, admonish and command you, in conjunction with our venerable brother Robert bishop of Hereford, earnestly to admonish the said king, and advise him to desist from his purpose in whatever he may have transgressed, and making due satisfaction for the same, return in heart to the love of his Creator, and look with his usual reverence on the holy Roman church his mother, and not impede those who wish to visit her nor prevent appeals from being made to her, and that he recall to his see our aforesaid brother, Thomas archbishop of Canterbury, and show himself a faithful son of St. Peter and of ourself, and attend to works of mercy and piety, that He, through whom kings reign, may preserve his temporal kingdom for him, whilst he is on earth, and bestow an eternal one on him hereafter in heaven. Unless he shall speedily correct those transgressions, he will have cause to fear lest God should be grievously angry with him for them all, and take severely vengeance on him and his : whilst ourself shall be unable any longer to have patience. Nor do we now urge this so much out of regard for ourselves as for him, for we wish to promote his glory and honour with all our heart and soul." The presumptuous reply of Gilbert bishop of London to pope Alexander. Your mandate, dearest father in Christ, has been received by us with all due respect, and we immediately presented ourself before your dearest son the illustrious king of England, and in conjunction with our venerable brother Robert bishop of Hereford, diligently admonished him according to the tenor of your mandate : we put before him all the particulars of your letter, beseeching him and arguing with him as far as was decent towards the royal majesty that, if he had departed in any respect from the path of justice, he should not delay, at our admonition to return thither, and follow the admonition of his father, by desisting from wicked actions, and loving God with all his heart, should look with his usual reverence on the Roman church, and neither impede those who wished to visit her, nor prevent appeals to be carried to her, and that he would restore our father the lord archbishop of Canterbury to his see, and show himself a devout and firm