A.D. 1191. LETTER OF ΡΟΓΕ CELESTLNTTS. 259 the bishop of Durham, relying on the mandate of our lord the pope, in which it was stated, that if the bishop of Durham should either be unwilling, or should improperly delay to pay to him due obedience, he was, all appeal removed, to compel him by ecclesiastical censure so to do. However, the bishop of Durham, though he saw that sentence of excommunication was pronounced against him, after appeal made by him to the presence of the Supreme Pontiff, determined not to observe it, but celebrated Divine service, and caused it to be celebrated just as boldly as before. On this, the archbishop broke down the altars where the bishop of Durham had celebrated divine service, and broke the chalices with which any one had performed service in his presence in his own diocese ; he also held as excommunicated his brother John, earl of Mortaigne, because he had eaten in company with the bishop of Durham after that sentence was pronounced, and refused to hold communication with him till he should come to be absolved, and to make due satisfaction. "When the bishop of Durham found that most people avoided speaking, and eating or drinking with him, he sent messengers to pope Celestinus, to relate to him, first in private, and afterwards in presence of all the cardinals, how rashly the archbishop of York had pronounced sentence of excommunication against him, paying no regard whatever to his appeal. On learning this, our lord the pope and all the cardinals pronounced the sentence, to be null, and that it should not be observed. Accordingly, our lord the pope wrote to the following effect :— The Letter ofpope Celestinus, nullifying the sentence pronounced upon the bishop of Durham. i' Celestinus, the bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his venerable brethren the bishops of Lincoln and Rochester, and to his dearly beloved son the abbat of Burgh, health and the Apostolic benediction. AVhereas the things which are enacted by our venerable brethren our fellow bishops, with prudent circumspection and due precaution, we ought to preserve inviolate, so in like manner those things which are done inconsiderately, it is our bounden duty to correct with a more extended foresight, and to reinstate the same in their proper position. NowinasmuchasourvenerablebrotherGeoffrey, archbishop of York, has pronounced sentence of excommunication s 2