strongest necessity. Do you therefore yourself judge if it belongs to my duty to take judicial cognisance if such things have been done, and if done, by what authority, and by whom done, and whether they have any reasonable excuse of necessity; which, when you have well considered, we believe you will not think our summons wrongful. Neither has your priest (sacerdos vester) been wrongfully suspended without previous warning, but on account of his repeated contumacy, the due course of law has been most justly observed. As an obedient son, therefore, as you profess yourself, and as we believe you to be, do not despise obedience to the law, in order to show your innocence, to clear away any stain of guilt (delicti), if there should be such, and to earn favour from God and praise from men on this matter. Since obedient sons, when summoned according to canonical authorities, even by one who is not their judge (a non suo judice), ought to appear and plead the privilege of their own court (fori sui). Nor let any one suggest to Your Discretion, that it is an indecorum for your Excellency to be summoned by Bishops, and to appear before them, and to submit to law, because such a suggester does this that Christ may be despised in his Bishops, though Jesus Christ says, 'he who despises you despises me,' Luke x, 16; and Moses, speaking of himself and his brother Aaron, in the character of high priests to certain children of Israel, says, 'Your murmur is not against us but against the Lord.' Exod. xvi, 8. Nor let Your Discretion suppose that there was any other motive for summoning you than the duty of our office and your own salvation, which you. may know us to care for with a sincere and special love. May your love always prosper in the Lord." — Fasciculus rerum expetendarum et fugiendarum. Fol. 1690, t, 2, p. 345, Epist. 56.
The following letter in French, which still prevailed among the descendants of the Normans, even after the French had deprived them of all their Norman estates, must be referred to the three years' absence in France (1286-9) of King Edward the First, it being addressed to his cousin, son of Richard, king of the Romans, then exercising by his appointment the authority of a regent in England. There must have been great difficulty in such times to restrain nobles, like John the seventh Earl de Warenne (1240-1304) from settling their disputes by the force of their own feudal vassals. Having succeeded his father when only twelve years old, and being immediately married to King Henry the Third's half-sister Alice, the lands of this Earl John were, on paying a fine of £542, put into the custody of his mother, who undertook to devote £200 a year to his support till he came of age. During a long life he had many opportunities of displaying not only his military energy, but also the violence of his character. His assault in 1269 on Alan de Zouche in a court of justice, and the subsequent exhibition of his old sword, when his title deeds were called for, are well known.
