XI. Confirmatio et protectio domini Alexandrapape quarti de Sian- lawe et pluribus alijs Loéis et priuilegijs supradictis.

LEXANDER episcopus seruus seruorum Dei, dilectis filijs Abbati monasterij Loci Benedicti de Stanl. eiusq. fratrib}, tam presentib} quam futuris, Regularem vitam pfessis imppetuum, Religiosam vitam eligentib}, apostolicum

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conuenit adesse presidium, ne forte cuiuslibet temeritatis incursus aut eos a pposito reuocet aut robur quod absit sacre religionis infringat. Ea ppter dilecti in dño filij vestris iustis postulationib} annuimus, et monasterium sanete Dei genetricis Marie et virginis Loci Benedicti de Stau!., Couentr. diocesis, in quo diuino estis obsequio mancipati, sub beati Petri et nostra protectione suscipimus, et presentis scripti priuelegio communimus. Inprimis siquid statuentes, ut ordo monas- ticus qui secundum dñi et beati Beuedicti regulam, atq. institutionem Cysterciensium fratrum, a vobis post generale concilium susceptam in eodem monasterio institutus esse dinoscitur, ppetuis ibidem tem- porib} inuiolabiliter obseruetur. Preterea quascunq. possessiones, quecunq. bona idem monasterium in presentiarum iuste ac canonice possidet, aut in futurum concessione pontificum, largitione Regum vel principum, oblatione fidelium, seu alijs iustis modis, prestante dño, poterit adipisci, firma vobis, vestrisq. successorib}, illibata pmaneant, in quib} hec proprijs duximus vocabulis exprimenda. Locum ipsum in quo prefatum monasterium situm est cum omnib} ptinentijs suis, terras, possessiones, prata, pascua, piscationes et nemora que habetis in parochijs ecclesiarum positarum in locis de Blakeburn, Each, et Eccles, vulgariter nominatis. Terras, possessiones, prata, pascua, piscationes et neraora que habetis in territorijs villarum que Wolue- ton, Croenton, et Castelton vulgariter appellantur, domos quas habetis in villis, que vulgariter Wycus et Cestria nominantur, de Staneye, de marisco de Steyninges, de Acton, de Eston, de Wynlaton, de Alt, de Merland, de Wolueton, de Stanword, de Whyteword, et Bacford grangias cum omnib} ptinentijs earundem, maneria que habetis in locis que Blakeburn et Eccles vulgariter nominantur, cum omnib} ptinentijs eorundem, cum terris, pratis, vineis, nemorib}, usuagijs, et pascuis, in bosco, et plano, in aquis, et molendinis, in vijs et semitis, et omnib} alijs libertatib} et iramunitatib} suis. Sane noualium vestrorum que proprijs manib} aut sumptib} colitis de quib} aliquis hactenus non pcepit, sine de ortis, virgultis, et piscationib} vestris, seu

180 ¿Ttt. Ьe БиШй.

de vestrorum animalium nutrimentis, nullus a vobis decimas exigere vel extorquere presumat. Liceat quoq. vobis, ( <$•<;. ut supra in bulla Innocentij pape iij. usq. ad illam clausnlam.) Quod siquis forte retinere presumpserit, licitum vobis sit in ipsos monachos et conuersos regularem sententiam promulgare, ($c. omnia ut supra in bulla Innocentijpape iij. usq ad illam clausulam.) Nee litere ille firmitatem habeant quas tacito nomine Cisterciensis ordinis, et contra indulta apostolicorum priuelegiorum constiterit impetran. Preterea cum commune interdictum terre fuerit, liceat vobis nichilominus in vestro monasterio exclusis, excommunicatis et interdictis diuina* officia

* This clause is very significant. The country had not long been freed from the great interdict of Pope Innocent III., which lasted six years, and the effects of which are graphically described by the biographer of Archbishop Langten. "On Monday in Holy week, (1208,) which happened to be the vigil of the Annunciation, the bishops proclaimed the sentence of general interdict over the whole of England. From that moment all spiritual acts must cease; all visible intercourse between heaven and earth was suspended, and the Church withdrawn from the kingdom, or rather its life and soul were withdrawn, while the body remained. As an ecclesias tical act, the features which most struck the minds of the country people were, that the daily sacrifice ceased, the doors of the churches were shut against them; that the dead were carried outside of the town's gate, and buried in ditches and road sides, without prayer or priest's offices. The images of apostles and saints were taken down or veiled; the frequent tinkle of the convent bell no longer told the serf at the plough how the weary day was passing, or guided the traveller through the forest to a shelter for the night. Religion, wont to mix with and hal low each hour of the day, each action of life, was totally withdrawn. The state of the country resembled a raid of the Danes, or the days of old Saxon heathendom, before Augustine had set up the cross at Canterbury, or holy men had penetrated the forest and the fen."

At the commencement of the interdict, the Cistercians, relying on the loneliness of their houses, celebrated the divine offices as usual; but the plea was disallowed by the pope, and the interdict rigorously enforced. However, on Archbishop Langton's intercession, he allowed the celebration of the mass once in every week n conventual churches, provided the doors were shut to keep out strangers, no bell rung, and the service only said, not chanted. His successor, Alexander IV., by this bull, however, permitted the divine offices to be celebrated as usual, even though the land was under interdict.

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celebrare. (Et cetera omnia usq. ad finem, sicut in predicta bulla Innocentij щ preter datam que hic scribitur.) Data Auagine p manum magistri Jordani sanete Romane ecclesie notarij et vicecancellarij xij kalend. Decembr. Indictione ij, Incarnationis dñice anno mcclviij, pontificatus vero dñi Alexandri pape iij anno quarto.

Huic bulle subscripserunt duo episcopi cardinales, duo presbyteri cardinales, et quinq. diaconi cardinales, quorum nomina et signa sunt in bulla sigillata.