A.D. 1208.] ENGLAND LAID UN DKK INTEIÏDICT. The king of England admonished by our lord the jiope. Tn tin; same year pope Innocent, on learning that king John's heart was so hardened, that lie would not either by persuasion or threats be induced to acquiesce in receiving Stephen as archbishop ol' Canterbury, was touched to the. heart with grid', and, by advice of his cardinals, sent orders to William bishop of London, Eustace bishop of Ely, and Manger bishop of Winchester, to go to the said king, about the matter of the church of Canterbury, and to give him wholesome counsel to yield to (iod in this matter, and so secure the Lord's favour ; but if they found him contumacious and rebellious as he had hitherto been, he ordered them to lay an interdict on the whole kingdom of England, and to denounce to the said king that, if he did not cheek his bold ness by that means, he, the pope, would lay his hand on him still more heavily ; since it was necessary for him to conquer, who for tin' safety of the holy church had made war on the devil and his angels, and despoiled the cloisters of hell. Ho also, by letters of the apostolic see, gave orders to the suffragan bishops of the church of Canterbury, and to the other prelates of that diocese, that, by virtue of their obedience, they wen; to receive the aforesaid archbishop as their father and pastor, and were to obey him with all due affection. flute England teas laid under general interdict. The bishops of London, Ely, and Winchester, in execution of the legateship entrusted to them, went to king John, and after duly setting forth the apostolic commands, entreated of him humbly and with tears, that he, having God in his sight, would recall the archbishop and the monks of Canterbury to their church, and honour and love them with perfect affection ; and they informed him that thus he would avoid the shame of an interdict, and the Disposer of rewards would, if' ho did so, multiply his temporal honours on him, and after his death would bestow lasting glory on him. When tin; said bishops wished, out of regard to the king, to prolong the discourse, the king became nearly mad with rage, and broke forth in words of blasphemy against the pope anil his cardinals, swearing by (ìod's teeth, that, if they or any other priests soever presumptuously dared to lay bis domi