A.n. 1220).] DEATH ΟΕ TH E ISIU1I01' OE DIHIIAM. 477 monk of St. Alban's, who was then staying at Tynemouth ; this monk was a familiar of the kings Richard and .John, and in performing their business had been sent sometimes to Rome, sometimes to Scotland, and to a great many cither places, and by his ready services had gained the favour of the said kings. Whilst this monk then was sleeping on bis pallet, the. before-named king stood before him in his royal robes of the cloth called imperial ; the monk at once recognized him, and, recollecting that he was dead, asked him bow he was. The king replied, " Xo one can be worse than I am, for these robes of mine, which you see are so burning and heavy that no living being could touch them on account of their heat or wear them on account of their weight without being killed ; but I nevertheless hope, by the clemency and unspeakable grace of God, at some time to obtain mercy. 1 therefore earnestly beg of your brotherhood, to tell Richard Marsh, now bishop of Durham, that unless, before his death, he alters his wicked life, and amends it by proper repentance and atonement, a place is prepared for him in hell ; and if he refuses to put faith in your words and my message, let him lay aside, all doubt by these tokens, namely, that when we were alone together in a place well known to him, he proposed to me a plan, prejudicial alike to me and to himself, which was, that 1 should take from the Cistercian monks their crop of wool for a year, and that he proposed to me many other wicked designs, for which I now suffer unspeakable torments, which also await him. And if he should still hesitate to believe my message, let him recollect that at the same place and the same time he gave me a precious stone, which he had purchased at great expense." With these words the king disappeared, and the monk awoke in astonishment. On the death of Richard bishop of Durham, the prior and monks of the convent asked leave of the king to elect a pastor, on which he proposed to them his chaplain Luke, and begged them to receive him as their pastor. The monks however replied that they woidd receive no one unless canonicali)' elected; on which refusal the king declared with an oath that they should remain without a bishop for seven years, unless they would admit the aforesaid Luke to the pontifical dignity. The monks however, not thinking him a