413 A.D. 1198. BICHARD SENDS ENVOYS TO GERMANY. may redound to the disgrace of the monastic order and the discipline of the whole Church, and it is our belief that our said predecessorwouldnothave granted his authority or favour to so great an irregularity, unless he had been imposed upon, we do by these Apostolic writings command your brotherhood, and do, in virtue of your obedience, strictly enjoin you, the letters aforesaidorother privileges of confirmation or indulgence in any way notwithstanding, to remove the secular clergy from the said monastery who have been instituted therein by the above-named bishop, and, without being impeded by any question or doubt whatsoever, to reinstate therein the monastic order, mstalling therein the monks who have been expelled, and who shall return thereto, as also such persons as are bound and desire to observe the rules of the order of Saint Benedict. You are also, by means of ecclesiastical censure, aB power of appeal removed, to compel the aforesaid bishop, and aB withholders of the property of the said church, to make restitution of the same. "We do further will and command, that, relying on our authority, you will render nuB and void the presentations of the said bishop, as also the enfeoffments, leases, aBenations, and purchases made by the said church since the time aforesaid, smiting those with canonical censure who shall presume to contravene the same, all obstacle of appeal removed ; and that those who have laid violent hands upon the said monks you will denounce as excommunicated; and they must come for absolution to the Apostolic See, furnished with the testimony of your letters. Given, &c." At the Nativity of our Lord, there came to Bouen, envoys from the archbishop of Cologne, envoys from the archbishop of Mentz, and envoys from the other nobles of Germany, to wait upon king Bichard, and to inform him, on behatf of the persons aforesaid, that aB the nobles of Germany would meet at Cologne on the eighth day before the calends of March, for the purpose of electing an emperor; and they enjoined him, in virtue of the oath and fealty by which he was bound to the emperor and to the Boman empire, aB denial and pretext whatsoever laid aside, to come to Cologne at the time aforesaid, in order that he, as an especial member of the empire, might be with them on the occasion of their electing, by the help of God, a fit and proper emperor for the empire. After hearing them, Richard, king of England, having fisrt conferred with his people, sent, with the aforesaid envoys of the Germans, Philip, bishop of Durham, Eustace, the bishop elect of Ely, AVilliam de ChimeB, the bishop elect of