A.D. 1197. LETTER OF THE BISHOP OF BEAT/VAIS. 401 mg to mind that maxim of the law, ' He invites the guiltless to offend who passes the guilty by unpunished.' It is a thing now almost notorious to all the churches, how disrespectfully, and how inhumanly, the king of England has, for some time past, been in rebellion against his lord, the king oftire Franks ; like a man who, fastening a rope round a large mountain, tries to throw it down. Accordingly, bringing with him fire and sword, and supported by apostate companies of Brabanters, he has made attacks upon our country, ravaging it on every side. Upon seeing this, being not unmindful of the legal maxim, 'It is lawful to repel force by force,' and of that other one, ' Fight for 3rour country,' mingling in the throng of warriors and citizens, and in the ranks of the nobles, I went forth to meet the enemy in their onward career. But fortune, that stepdame of human counsels, brought my intended purpose to an unhappy result ; for there I was taken prisoner, and thrown into heavy chains and fetters ; neither the dignity of my order, nor reverence for God, afforded me any relief or mitigation.' In such wise, then, the king of England has not dreaded to rage against Christ, our Lord, after the manner of a wolf. Nor do I suppose that this has been unknown to your ears. Why, then, do you dissemble ? What father would see his son doing wrong, and be silent thereon ? Who would not chasten his son with a rod, that he might not run upon a sword ? The father despairs of his eon, when he chasteneth him not with threatening, or with the whip. Indeed, it is clearer than light itself, that the king of England, and the rest of his accomplices, who have violently laid hands on us, have rendered themselves subject to the visitations I have above mentioned ; wherefore, attentively listening to the injuries done to ourselves, and the grievous enormities committed against your fatherly affection, do with mercy condescend to listen to our tears, and to our petition. For it were an unworthy thing that the petition, made to you by those subject to you, should return useless and of no effect ; one too that savours of all humility, and that is based on the firm support of reason. ' He, in fact, is not entirely free from a fault, who, when" he can correct it, pretends that he cannot rectify it ; nor is he free from some suspicion of secret connivance, who forbears to prevent a manifest misdeed."9 Wherefore, holy father, do not wonder that I have to such a length multiplied the words of sorrow. Perpetual 5 9 Probably a quotation from' the codes of civil law. VOL. n. Ds