542 MATTHEW OF WEBTKTNSTÏB. A.D . 1301. metropolitan authority over the prelates of Scotland, which he claimed as an ancient right, and how he fared in that matter ; and remember, not to dwell upon the other circumstances which happened in connection with it, that he was unable to obtain sentence in bia favour ; and there are many and various other arguments which offer themselves to us very reasonably on this subject, by which we are moved to write thus to you, but which we will forbear to enumerate, lest, perchance, we weary your senses by the long recital. "These things, my dearest son, it behoves you carefully to consider and diligently to ponder on, in the recesses of your breast ; and the consequence of them is, that no one can doubt that the aforesaid kingdom of Scotland belongs to the aforesaid Roman Church of Rome ; and it neither is, nor ever has been, lawful for you to subdue it by violence, and to reduce it under your dominion, to the prejudice of that Church and of many persons. But as an account worthy of all belief, and already several times inculcated in our ears, and borne to us by the statements of preceding reports, asserts, you, not considering the arguments recapitulated above, as you ought to have done, nor examining them with due deliberation, but being exceedingly desirous to occupy that kingdom and to reduce it under your dominion, now that it is deprived of the support of its king, and putting forth for that purpose all your might and power, have arrested, as it is said, and thrown into prison and into chains, our venerable brothers Robert, bishop of Glasgow, and Mark, bishop of Sodor, and some of the other clerks and ecclesiastical persons of the aforesaid kingdom, some of whom, as it is asserted, the miserable hardships of the imprisonment have killed. Moreover, having, as it is reported, occupied the castles, and having pulled down or destroyed the monasteries and a great many other religious places, and having inflicted grievous wrongs on the inhabitants of the aforesaid kingdom, you have placed royal officers in parts of the same kingdom, who have not feared to harass and attack by all kinds of annoyances and afflictions the prelates and the rest of the clergy and ecclesiastical and also secular persons of the aforesaid kingdom, to the offence of the Divine Majesty, the contempt of the aforesaid Apostolic See, the damage of the royal salvation and character, the violation of law, and the grave scandal of many faithful believers. " Therefore, we do earnestly request and exhort your royal magnificence, and we beseech you by Him who is the common