A.D. 1232.] THE KINO'S PATIENCE. revenge for my father's death ; he was however forewarned of my purpose, and for several years hy his cunning escaped the snares I had laid for him. At length, on the day of the Preparation, on which day Christ Jesus bore his cross for the salvation of the world, as 1 was going to church to hear mass, I saw my enemy before me, also on his way to church. I hastened on behind him, and drew my sword to kill him, when by some chance ho looked round, and, seeing me rushing upon him, fled to a cross which stood near the road, leing worn down by ago and unable to defend himsolf. And when I endeavoured with upraised sword to slay him and dash out his brains, he encircled the cross with his arms, and adjured me in the name of that Christ, who on that day was suspended on the cross for the salvation of the whole world, not to slay him, and faithfully promised and vowed, that he would appoint a chaplain to perform a mass every day from that time for the soul of my father whom he had killed. When ί saw the old man weeping I was moved to pity, and thus in my love and reverence for him who, for my salvation and that of all, ascended the cross and consecrated it hy his most holy blood, I forgave the knight for my father's murder." The king then said to the knight, '· You acted wisely, for now that Crucified One has repaid one good turn by another." lie then summoned the bishops and barons who wero there with him, and, in the hearing of all, related the vision he had seen, how at each genuflection made hy the knight, the image of Christ had humbly bowed its head and shoulders. Ile then summoned bis chancellor to him, and commanded bini by his letters patent to order the sheriff, whom the knight should name to him at sight of the warrant, to restore to the knight the whole of his property in the same condition as he received it at the time of his banishment. Of the king's patience in his persecutions. Whilst we are speaking of the virtues of the noble king, we ought not to omit to mention, that as soon as he was crowned, he always afforded strict justice to every one, and never allowed it to be subverted by bribery. All the vacant bishoprics and abbacies he at once bestowed without purchase on cauonieally elected priests, nor did he ever consign them to the charge of laymen ; he held ail ordained prelates and especially religious men, in such respect, and in bis reverence of Jesus Christ, was so afraid of offending them, that once on a time when all the prelates of the kingdom were assembled before the king by order of the pope, to make a grant of the twentieth part of all moveable property for the assistance of the Holy Land, and were sitting apart discussing the matter, the king said in a low voice to (ieotfiey Kitz-Petcr and William liriwere, who sat at his feet, '' Do you see those prelates who are sitting there," Thev answered, "Wo do, my lord." The king then said to them, "I f they knew how much 1,