LETTER OF OLAVE I. TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.—A.D. 1134.

LETTER OF THE KING OF THE ISLANDS REQUESTING THAT HIS BISHOP SHOULD BE CONSECRATED AT YORK.*

OLAVE, by the grace of God, king of the Islands, to Trustino [Thurstan] by the same grace Archbishop of York, greeting and prayers in Christ. The fame of your sanctity spreading throughout the whole world, which both the illustrious renown of your predecessors, and your own virtue in private as well as public acts do not permit to remain hidden, has in no small degree rejoiced us. We praise therefore the wonderful works of the omnipotent king, giving him thanks, and we magnify the Lord for what he has done for you, who has exalted you in dignity and sanctity above all our neighbours. For the rest, we signify unto you, that the lord Eudo, abbot of the monastery of Furness, from whose possessions we are not far distant by sea, at our tripartite petition and persuasion, the fame of the religion of the said place having been reported to us, entered with con-fidenee upon the arduous undertaking, and has come to us at great labour for the fruitful occupation of extending the church, under the inspiration of the Almighty. Finally, it has been determined among us, both by our decree, and the solemn advice of the people, that a chief bishop should be chosen from among his people, who may direct the propagation of Christianity among the inhabitants of the Isles. Wherefore we call upon you, and humbly implore the grace of your benevolence to ratify by the imposition of your hands, that which by common diligence has been so providentially procured to be done, to the honor of God and the safety of our souls, namely, that our bishop may be promoted as soon as possible to the rank of bishop under the authority of your seal, for the love of God and of us. The lord Abbot therefore relating to us such wonderful and holy things of you, and saying that he was unwilling and unable to go to any other, but to you his father, filled with great joy for all things, we have rendered thanks to God as far as we are able : we bid your holiness in the Lord farewell.

LITTERA REGIS INSULARUM QUOD EPISCOPUS SUUS CONSECRARETUR APUD EBORUM.

Ex REGISTRO DE ECCLESIA EBOR.

OLAVUS, Dci gratia Rex Insularum Tnustino eadem gratia Eboracensi Archiepiscopo salutem et oraciones in Chnisto. Fama sanctitatis vestre orbem terrarum circumquaque pertingens, quam et Inajorum vestrorum insigne preconium et virtus vestra cum pnivatis turn publicis actibus illustnis in abscondito latere non sinunt, nos quoque non parum letificavit. Collaudamus igitur Regis omnipotentis magnalia, gracias agentes ei, quia magnifica vit dorninus facere vobiscum, qui vos super omnes vicinos nostros dignitate atque sanctitate exaltavit. De cetero significamus vobis, quod dominus abbas Eudo Furnensis cenobii a cujus finibus non longè per mare distamus, audientibus nobis famam religionis ejusdem loei, tripartith peticione, persuasioneque nostna iten quamvis arduum tarnen confidenter aggressus, compensato itaque et itinerandi onene labonioso, et labone super ecclesia dilatand~ fruetuoso, Domino aspirante, ad nos usquò pervenit. Denique et nostro dccreto et plebis consultu sancitum est inter nos, ut cx suis pontifex eligeretur, qui chnistianitati per insulas gentium propagande preficeretur. Qua propter ad vos conclamamus, yes-treque benignitatis graciarn humiliter implorarnus, quatinus imposicione manuurn vestrarum ratum fiat quod communidiligencia tam provide p~ocuratum est fieni, ad honorem Dci, et salutem animarum nostrarum, scilicet, ut episcopus noster ad episcopi gradum sub auctonitatis vestre signaculo pro Dci amore et nostni, quam cicius fieni potest permoveatur. Narrante nobis igitur domino Abbate tam mira, tamque sancta de vobis, dicenteque se nolle nec posse ad aliurn quem piam ire, nisi ad vos patrern suum, gaudio magno repleti pro universis, gracias Dco nostro prout potuimus, persolvimus : valeat sanctitas vestra in Domino.¹

*This letter was written in the first year of the abbacy of Eudo de Sourdeval, 1134.

1 Vide, Recognitio Olavi regis Manniæ et Insularum, Fol. 7.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
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