How a certain sultan recovered his sight by the agency of this image. It happened at that time that the sultan of Damascus, who had been blind of one eye, was attacked by a disease in the eye with which he could see, and became totally blind; and he, hearing of the aforesaid image by which God wrought so many miracles, went to the place and entered the oratory; and although he was a pagan, he had faith in the Lord, that, through the image of his mother, his own health might be restored, and falling to the earth, he remained prostrate in prayer; and when he arose from his devotions, he saw the light burning in the lamp which hung before the image of Mary the mother of God, and found to his joy that he had recovered his sight. He therefore, and all who were with him and saw this, gave glory to God; and because he had first seen the light burning in the lamp, he made a vow to the Lord, that he would from that time give annually sixty measures of oil for the lamps of that oratory, in which he, through the merits of the blessed Mary, mother of God, had recovered his sight.

How Normandy with other transmarine possessions yielded to the rule of the French king.

About that time the French king's army which for almost a year had been besieging the castle of the Rock of Andelys, had undermined and knocked down a great part of the walls. But the noble and warlike Roger, constable of Chester, still defended the entrance against the French; but at length his provisions failing him, and being reduced to such want, that no one had a single allowance of food, he preferred to die in battle to being starved: on which he and his soldiers armed themselves, flew to horse, and sallied from the castle: but after they had slain numbers opposed to them, they were at length taken prisoners, although with much difficulty. Thus the castle of the Rock of Andelys fell into the hands of the French king on the 6th of March, and Roger de Lacy with all his followers were taken to France, where, on account of the bravery which he had shown in defence of his castle, he was detained prisoner on parole. On this all the holders of castles in the transmarine territories, with the citizens and other subjects of the king of England, sent messengers to England to tell him in what a precarious situation they were placed, and

that the time, according to the terms of the treaty, was near, when they must either give up the cities and castles to the king of the French, or consign to destruction the hostages which they had given him. To which message king John answered; and intimated by the same messengers to all of them, that they were to expect no assistance from him, but that they each were to do what seemed best to him. And thus, all kind of defence failing in those provinces, the whole of Normandy, Tours, Anjou, and Poictou, with the cities, castles, and other possessions, except the castles of Rochelle, Thouars, and Niorz, fell to the dominion of the king of the French. When this was told to the English king, he was enjoying all the pleasures of life with his queen, in whose company he believed that he possessed everything he wanted; moreover, he felt confidence in the immensity of the wealth he had collected, as if by that he could regain the territory he had lost.

Of the death of Godfrey bishop of Winchester, and the succession of Peter de Rupibus.

On the 1st of April in this same year, in the first watch of the night, there appeared in the northern and eastern quarters of the heavens such a redness, that it was believed by all to be real fire; and what was to be wondered at most, was that in the thickest part of this redness there appeared some glittering stars; this phenomenon lasted till midnight. In the same year Godfrey bishop of Winchester died, and was succeeded by Peter de Rupibus, a man of knightly rank, and skilled in warfare; he was appointed to the bishopric by the interest of king John, and set out to Rome; and, after bestowing his presents there with great liberality, he hastened to the church at Winchester to be consecrated bishop. In this year too the last day of Easter fell on the day of the evangelist St. Mark.

Of certain remarkable events.

A.D. 1205. King John kept Christmas at Tewkesbury, but scarcely stayed there one day; and in the same month of January the land was frozen to such a degree that all agricultural labour was suspended from the 14th of January till the 22nd of March, on account of which, in the following

summer a load of corn was sold for fourteen shillings. About Whitsuntide in this same year king John assembled a large army, as if he was about to cross the sea, and, although the archbishop of Canterbury and many others dissuaded him from it, he ordered a large fleet to be collected at Portsmouth; he afterwards embarked with only a small company on the 15th of July, and put to sea with all sails spread; but, changing his purpose, he on the third day landed at Studland near Warham. On his return he took an immense sum of money from the earls, barons, knights, and religious men, accusing them of refusing to accompany him to the continent to recover his lost inheritance. In this year, on the eve of St. John the Baptist's day, the castle of Chinon was given up to the French king.

Of the death of Hubert archbishop of Canterbury, and the election of the sub-prior of the church at Canterbury.

On the 13th of July in this same year Hubert archbishop of Canterbury died at Tenham, to the great delight of the king, by whom he was suspected of being too familiar with the king of the French. After the death then of the archbishop, even before his body was consigned to the tomb, some of the juniors of the conventual church at Canterbury, without asking the king's consent, elected Reginald the subprior, to be their archbishop, and in the middle of the night, after electing him, they chanted the "Te Deum," and placed him first upon the great altar, and afterwards in the archiepiscopal chair; for they were afraid that if this election. without the king's consent should reach his ears, he would endeavour to prevent their proceeding with it. Therefore in that same night the said sub-prior having made oath that he would not consider himself elected without the permission and special letters of the convent, nor show to any one the letters which he held, took some monks of the convent with him, and went to the court of Rome. But all this was done that that election might be concealed from the king till they found out whether they could at the court of Rome carry the election they had commenced into effect. But the aforesaid archbishop-elect, as soon as he landed in Flanders, disregarding the oath he had taken, openly declared that he was elected archbishop of Canterbury, and was going

to the court of Rome to confirm his election; he moreover showed every one the letters of the convent which he held; believing that by this he should in no small degree forward the merits of his cause. Arriving at length at Rome, he forthwith made known his election to our lord the pope and his cardinals, and openly showing his letters to all, he boldly required the pope to confirm his election by the apostolic benediction: but the pope answering in haste, said that he would take time to consider of it, in order that he might be more assured of the truth of the before-named circumstances.*

"About the same time pope Innocent wrote the following letter to the suffragans of Canterbury, in defence of the monks of that church :

666 Innocent, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his venerable brothers the suffragans generally of the church of Canterbury, health and apostolical benediction.-Whereas, in the time of the Jewish law, which, as we read, never brought any man to that which is perfect, parents after the flesh were held in such honour by their children after the flesh, that whoever cursed them was sentenced by the law of God to death, much more does it become those who are placed under the law of grace, and for whom the doors of Paradise have been opened through the most precious blood of Christ, to take heed lest by transgression they incur the sentence of damnation, seeing that detriment to the soul is more to be feared than any danger that can happen to the body. If therefore worldly parents are to be held in so much honour, what shall we say of spiritual parents? Shall they not be held superior in honour to earthly parents, in the same proportion as the soul surpasses the body? We have premised thus much, my brethren, inasmuch as, in our care for your salvation, we fear lest the present tribulation, which has been raised, it is said, by your means, should be productive of danger to the soul, concerning the church of Canterbury, which you are bound to reverence as your mother; and that the detriment to the said church be such that it may not be remedied for a great length of time. We therefore exhort your brotherhood in the Lord, by these our apostolical letters, that you diligently keep in view what concerns your honour and the salvation of your souls, and not molest the church of Car.terbury your mother, whose privileges you are bound to defend, lest she have cause to complain of you, and to say she has nourished sons, who have not only not known her, but have persecuted her most severely. In saying these things we have no wish to detract from your rights, but in pious solicitude to prevent you from injuring others on pretence of asserting your own claims. May God enlighten your hearts, my brethren, and enable you without contention to pay all obedience to your mother-church, and do nothing in defiance of divine or human law, which you would not wish others to do towards yourselves.-Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, Dec. 8, in the 8th year of our pontificate.''

Of the election of John bishop of Norwich, at the request of the English

king.

The monks of Canterbury in the meantime, as soon as they heard that their sub-prior had violated his oath, and had, as soon as he arrived in Flanders, declared that he was elected, thus revealing their secret, were much enraged against him, and immediately sent some of the monks from the convent to the king to ask his permission to choose a pastor who was suited to them; the king immediately and without any hesitation kindly granted their request, and speaking confidentially to them, hinted that the bishop of Norwich was a great friend of his, and that he alone of all the English prelates was aware of his secrets; on which account, he asserted, that it would be to the advantage of himself and the kingdom, if they could transfer the said prelate to the archbishopric. He therefore requested of the monks, that they, together with his clerks whom he would send to the convent, would set forth this his request to them, and promised to confer many honours on the convent if they should determine to listen to him. The monks on their return home related the commands of the king to the other inmates of the convent, and they assembled thereupon in the chapter-house, and in order to conciliate the king, whom they had offended, they there unanimously elected John bishop of Norwich, and at once sent some monks of the convent to the archbishop elect, who was at York managing the king's business, to tell him to come with all haste to Canterbury. The messengers hastened on the prescribed journey, and found the said bishop at Nottingham; and he at once settled the king's business and hurried to the southern provinces, where he met with the king, and they set out together for Canterbury. On the following day, a great multitude assembled in the metropolitan church, and the prior of Canterbury, in the king's presence, openly announced to all the election of John de Grai bishop of Norwich; then the monks taking him up carried him to the great altar chanting the "Te Deum," and finally placed him in the archiepiscopal chair. After all this ceremony the king put the archbishop elect into possession of all property belonging to the archbishopric, and all returned to their homes; and thus in this election a new kind of error was made, worse than the former one, as the result plainly shows.