A.D. 12IÓ.] TH E I'OI'E'S Ι.ΕΤΤΕΙί. 331 fpiracies, if any had been formed since the commencement of the dispute between the king and priesthood, annulled by the apostolic authority, and to forbid, under penalty of excommunication, any one to show such presumption for the future ; at the same time prudently and effectually to warn and enjoin the nobles and men of rank in Kngland, to endeavour by evident indications of devotion and humility to make their peace with the king, and then, if they intended to demand anything of him, to ask it of him not insolently, but with humility, observing towards him the respect due to a king, and rendering to him the usual service which they and their ancestors had rendered to him and bis ancestors; since the king ought not to be despoiled by them without judgment, and that they might thus more easily obtain what they were trying for. We also requested ami advised the said king by our letters, and enjoined on the aforesaid archbishop and bishops to request and warn him, as a remission of his sins, to treat the aforesaid nobles with kindness, and to give favourable attention to their just petitions, so that they might both learn to their joy that he was altered for the better, and that by this means they and their heirs would more readily and more devotedly serve him and his heirs ; also to grant them full security to come, to stay, or to depart, that, if perchance peace could not be arranged between them, the differences which had arisen might be set at rest in bis court by their deputies according to the laws and customs of the kingdom. But before the said messengers returned with this prudent and just advice, these barons, utterly disregarding their oath of fealty, (for even if the king had unjustly oppressed them, they ought not so to have acted against him. as to be at once judge and executioners in tlieir own cause, vassals openly conspiring against tlieir lord, knights against their king,) dared, in conjunction with others his declared enemies, to make war against him, taking possession of, ami ravaging, his territories, and moreover took possession of tic city of London, the capital of the kingdom, which had been given up to them through treaeherv. But in the meantime when the above messengers returned, the king offered, in accordance with our mandate, to show them due justice, but they rejected it anil turned their hands to worse olfences ; on which the king himself, appealing to our attention, offered to