Clemens episcopus, servus servorum dei. Venerabili fratri Arnoni, Archiepiscopo Nidrosensi, salutem et apostolicam bene dictionem. Ad cumulum Woe cedit salutis et famæ si personas ecclesiasticas, præsertim pontificali dignitate præditas, divinæ propitiationis intuitu opportuni præsidii et favoris gratia prosequaris. Olim siquidem ecclesia Sodorensi per obitum bon-,e memoriæ Thomæ Episcopi Sodorensis, qui extra Romanam curiam diem clausit extremum, pastoris solatio destituta dilecti filii Clerus civitatis et dioecesis Sodorensis, ad quos electio Episcopi Sodor-ensis cum pro tempore imminebat facienda de antiqua et approbata et hactenus pacifice observata consuetudine dicitur pertinere, die ad eligendum præfixa ut moris est convenientes in urum, spiritus sancti gratia invocata, dilectum filium Wilhelmum Electum Sodorensem, time Abbatem monastery de Russir ordinis Cisterciensis, Sodorensis dioecesis, quasi per inspirationem divinam in Episcopum Sodorensem unanimiter et concorditer elegerunt, et electionem hujusmodi fecerunt populo solenniter publicari, idemque Williel-mus Electus præsentatæ sibi electioni hujusmodi ad irstantiam prædictorum Cleri, prius a dilecto filio . . . Abbate de Furresio dicti ordinis, Eboracensis dieecesis, patre Abbate dicti et de Russin monasteriorum superiore suo super hoe petita et obtenta licentia, consensit, in iis omnibus statutis a j ure temporibus observatis ; et deinde idem Wilhelmus Electus dubitans quod provisio ipsius ecclesiæ esset dispositioni apostolicæ reservata, propter hoe ad sedem eandem personaliler accessit, et hujusmodi electionis nego-tium proponi fecit in consistorio coram nobis, et ipsius electionis nobis præsentato decreto a nobis suppliciter postulavit ut elec-tionem hujusmodi confirmare de benignitate dignaremur. Nos igitur electionem ipsam, ejusdemque Wilhelmi Electi personæ merita per venerabilem fratrem nostrum Petrum Episcopum Penestrinum' et dilectos filios nostros Guillelmum tituli sanctorum Quatuor coronatorum presbyterum, et Galhardum Sanctæ Luciæ in Silice diaconum Cardinales examinari fecimus diligenter, et faeta nobis ab eisdem Episcopo Penestrino 2 ac Cardinalibus super iis relatione plenaria et fideli, quia prædictam electionem inveni-mus de ipso viro religionis honestæ, vitæ laudabilis, literarum scientia prædito, ac morum Itonestate decoro, in spiritualibus provido et in temporalibus ci cumspecto; canonice celebratam, electionem ipsam non obstante i ejusdem ecclesiæ Sodorensis provisio per nos vel prædecessores nostros Romanos Pontifices eidem sedi sit specialiter vel generaliter reservata, de fratrum nostrorum consilio auctoritate apostolica confirmamus, eundemque Wilhelmum Electum ipsi Sodorensi ecclesiæ in Episcopum præ-ficimus et pastorem, curam et administrationem ipsius ecclesiæ sibi in spiritualibus et temporalibus plenarie committendo, firma spe fiduciaque conceptis quod ipsa ecclesia Sodorensis dextera domini sibi assistente propitia, per ipsius industriæ et cireumspectionis fructuosttm studium regetur utiliter et prospere dirigetur. Cum igitur ut idem Wilhelmus in commissa sibi ecclesiæ Sodor-ensis prædictæ cura facilius proficere valeat, tuus favor sibi esse noscitur plurimum opportunus, fraternitatem tuam rogarnus et hortamur attente, per apostolica tibi scripta mandantes quatenus ipsum Electum et ecclesiam Sodorensem prædictos jure metropoli-tico tibi subjectos habens pro nostra et ipsius sedis reverentia propensius commendatos, ipsum in ampliandis et conservandis juribus suis sic tui favoris præsidio prosequaris, quod ipse tuo fultus auxilio in commisso sibi ecclesiæ Sodorensis præfatæ regi-mine se possit utilius exercere, tuque divinam misericordiam et benedictionem dictæ sedis exinde valeas uberius promereri. Datum Avinione v. kal. Maii pontific,,tus nostri anno septimo.

In eondem modum dil. filio Wilhelmo Electo Sodorensi-dilectis filiis Clero Civitatis et dicecesis Sodorensis-dilectis filiis Populo Civitatis et dieecesis Sodorensis-dilecto filio Nobili viro Willelmo de Monteacuto domino terræ Manniæ Sodorensis dicecesis-dilecto filio nobili viro Roberto, Stuvard ditto, Seneschao Scotim, domino Insulin de Bote, Sodorensis dieecesis-dilecto filio nobili viro Johanni MacDofnald, domino de Ile, Sodorensis dioecesis.

Clement Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to our venerable brother Arno, Archbishop of Nidaros, health and Apostolic benediction.

To protect, for the sake of God's mercy, and be gracious to ecclesiastics, especially those who by Divine providence are raised to the episcopal dignity, adds to your own welfare and reputation.

Now, the Sodor church having been deprived of its pastor some time ago, by the death of Thomas Bishop of the Sodor diocese, of happy memory, who ended his days outside the Court of Rome, our beloved sons the clergy of the Sodor cathedral, city, and diocese to whom the election of the Bishop of the Sodor diocese when it has been requisite to make it, is said to belong, in accord-ance with an ancient, approved, and hitherto peacefully observed custom, assembling together on the day appointed for the elec-tion, as is their wont, and having invoked the assistance of the Holy Spirit, with unanimity and concord as though by Divine inspira-tion chose our beloved son William, the Elect of the Sodor diocese,

at that time Abbot of the monastery of Rushen, of the Cistercian Order, in the Sodor diocese, to be the Bishop of the said diocese, and this election they caused to be solemnly announced to the people; and the said William Bishop Elect, at the instance of the aforesaid clergy, consented to the election laid before him, after having previously asked and obtained permission from his superior Our beloved son the Abbot of Furnes:s of the aforesaid Order in the diocese of York, Father Abbot both of the aforesaid monastery and of the monastery of Rushen, the times appointed by law for all these matters having been duly observed ; and then the said William the Elect doubting lest the provision for the said church might not be reserved to the Apostolic See, betook himself in person to the said See on that account, and caused the affair of the Election to be laid before Us in consistory, and having presented to Us the documents certifying the said election, humbly asked Us to be pleased, in Our benignity, to confirm the said election. We, therefore, caused both the elec-tion itself, and the personal merits of the said William the Elect, to be diligently scrutinised by Our venerable brother Peter, Bishop of Palestrina, and our beloved sons William Cardinal-Priest of the title of the Four Crowned Brothers, and Galliardi Cardinal-Deacon of the title of St. Lucy in Selte ; and after a full and faithful statement had been made to Us upon the matter by the above named Bishop of Palestrina and the Cardinals, We, finding the aforesaid election to have fallen upon a man of a proper religious spirit, praiseworthy conduct, possessing a knowledge of letters, and of blameless life, in spirituals prudent, in temporal management circumspect, and to have been canonically carried out, with the advice of Our Brethren, by Our apostolic power have confirmed the election, even though perchance the provision for the aforesaid Sodor church may have been specially or generally reserved by Ourselves or Our prede-cessors the Roman Pontiffs to the Apostolic See; and, further-more, We appoint the aforesaid William, the Elect, to the said Sodor church, to be its Bishop and pastor, fully entrusting to him, both in spirituals and temporals, the care and administration of the said church, in the firm hope and confidence that the said Sodor church, with the help of the right hand of the Lord, will be beneficially governed and prosperously guided by his successful zeal, industry, and circumspection. We, therefore, as it is known that your influence will be of the greatest use in aiding the above named William the Elect to fulfil his duties in regard to the above mentioned Sodor church, do ask and earnestly exhort you, Brother, and enjoin you by these Apostolical letters, to consider, out of reverence to Us and our See, the above named Bishop-Elect and the Sodor church, subject to your metropolitan jurisdiction, as specially commended to you for the assistance of your gracious protection in preserving and furthering his rights, so that supported by your aid he may profitably exert himself in the government of the aforesaid Sodor church which has been entrusted to him, and you may thereby still more abundantly merit the mercy of God and the blessing of this See.

Given at Avignon, April 27th, the seventh year of Our Pontificate.

To the like effect, To Our beloved son, William the Elect of the Sodor diocese-To Our beloved sons, the people of the Sodor cathedral, city, and diocese-To Our beloved son, the noble

William of Montague, lord of the territory of Man, in the Sodor diocese-To Our beloved son, the noble Robert Steward, Seneschal of Scotland, lord of the Isle of Bute, in the Sodor diocese-To Our beloved son, the noble John Macdonald, lord of Islay, in the Sodor diocese.

1 Pnenestinum. 2 Pnenestino.]

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
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