238 ANNAiS OF BOGEE DE HOVEDEN. A.D. 1191. •was he dragged who had dragged another, made captive who had been the captor, bound who had been the binder, incarcerated who had been the one to incarcerate, that so with the extent of the offence the extent of the punishment might seem to be commensurate. For he became an object of extreme disgrace to his neighbours, of dread to his acquaintances, and was made a laughing-stock for all the people. I only wish that he had polluted himself alone, the priest, and not the priestly office. May, then, the Church of Rome make due provision that such great guiltiness may be punished in such a way, that the offence of one may not contaminate all, and that the priestly authority may not be lessened thereby. And further, may the king of England take all precaution to appoint such a person over his realm, that by him the royal dignity may be preserved, and his authority may suffer no diminution through him ; but rather that the clergy and the people may have cause to congratulate themselves upon his government." The Zetter of Master Peter of Plots on lehalf of William, bishop ofEly.a " To his former lord and friend, Hugh, so called, bishop of Coventry and Chester, Peter of Blois, archdeacon of Bath, may he" remember God with fear. The excesses of a traitorous faction this day reveal to what lengths malice may proceed, what envy may be guilty of. The bishop of Ely, one beloved by God and men, a man amiable, wise, generous, kind, and meek, bounteous and liberal to the highest degree, had by the dispensations of the Divine favour, and in accordance with the requirements of his own manners and merits, been honored with the administration of the state, and had thus gained the supreme authority. With feelings of anger you beheld this, and forthwith he became the object of your envy. Accordingly, your envy conceived vexation and brought forth iniquity ; whereas he, walking in the simplicity of his mind, received you into the hallowed precincts of his acquaintanceship, and with singleness of heart, and into the bonds of friendship and strict alliance. His entire spirit reposed upon you, and all your thoughts unto him were for evil. ' Woe,' says Ecclesiasticus, ' to a double 4 3 The Editor of the " Pictorial History of England" remarks, respecting this letter, " Peter of Blois took Hugh to account for this satire,which was evidently intended to put Longchamp in a more ridiculous and degrading light than archbishop Geoffrey had been in at the same place, Dover."