A.D. 1188. LETTER OF POPE CLEMENT. 105 most occasions, to the end that a stronger inducement may he held out to obtain the favours consequent upon such a choice, and duteous affection and reverence to the same may be more generally extended, from the fact of its being known that they will certainly obtain the pledges of its benevolence and favour. Wherefore, most dearly-beloved son in Christ, considering the reverence and dutifulness which for a long period we know you to have felt towards the Church of Rome, by the pages of this present writing we have thought proper to enact that the Church of Scotland, as an especial daughter thereof, shall be subject to the Apostolic See, with no intermediate party thereto ; 9 in which Church the following are recognized as episcopal sees ; namely, the churches of Saint Andrew's, Glasgow, Dunkeld, Dumblane, Brechin, Aberdeen, Moray, Ross, and Caithness. And it is to be lawful for no one but the Roman Pontiff or his legate a latere to pronounce against the kingdom of Scotland any sentence of interdict or excommunication; and if such shall be pronounced, we do hereby decree that the same shall not be valid ; we do also declare that it shall not be lawful for any person in future who is not a subject of the king of Scotland, or one whom the Apostolic See shall have especially appointed from its body for that purpose, to hold courts in the said kingdom for the settlement of disputes therein. We do moreover forbid that any disputes which may exist in the said kingdom as to its possessions, shall be brought for judgment before judges out of that kingdom, except in cases of appeal to the Roman Church. And further, if any written enactments shall appear to have been obtained in contravention of the liberties hereby granted by enactment, or if in future, no mention being therein made of this concession, any such shall happen to be granted, nothing to the prejudice of yourself or of your kingdom is thereby to arise with reference to the concession of the above-mentioned prerogative ; but we do enact that the liberties and immunities that have in their indulgence been granted to you or to the said kingdom or to the churches therein existing by our predecessors the Roman Pontiffs, and hitherto observed, shall be hereby ratified, and shall at all future times remain untouched. Let no man therefore deem it lawful to infringe upon the tenor of this our constitution and prohibition, or in any way to contravene the same. And if any person shall presume to attempt so to * Without any archbishop holding intermediate authority.