THE CERNE CARTULARY. 93 



by military service in the same county, not molesting or 

 troubling him in any way against the terms of your aforesaid 

 appointment. Witness myself at Odiham the 8th day of January 

 in the thirty-first year of our reign. 



To the venerable father and lord in Christ Robert, by divine 

 permission Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, 

 his humble and devoted chaplain the Abbot of Cerne sends 

 greeting and also the obedience reverence and honour due to so 

 great a father. By these presents we appoint and constitute our 

 beloved in Christ Master Thomas of Weston our proctor to 

 appear before you on Friday instant the morrow of the Ascension 

 of our Lord at the New Temple in London to hear the articles 

 to be there addressed by you to your suffragans and your clergy 

 of the province of Canterbury and to deliberate and treat 

 concerning them with the other ecclesiastical persons of my own 

 condition and status and in particular to agree so far as under 

 your fatherly and prudent advice may conduce to the honour of 

 God and the exaltation of the English church and, if necessary, 

 to swear for our soul ; and to do all other things which appertain 

 to us. Ratifying and confirming and promising to ratify and 

 confirm whatever the same proctor shall think fit to do in our 

 name in the premisses. In witness whereof we have caused our 

 seal to be affixed to these presents. Given at Cerne, etc. 



Know all men by these presents that Whereas we have Folio 8a. 

 expressly imparted to our proctor a sufficient and clear cause of 

 excuse why we shall be unable to bs present at the provincial 

 chapter at Northampton on the Monday next after the feast of 

 the Nativity of the blessed Mary in the year of our Lord etc. ; 

 now we Thomas the Abbot or Prior of Cerne in the diocese 

 of Salisbury of the order of Saint Benedict by these presents 

 appoint ordain and constitute our beloved brother in Christ 

 Thomas our fellow monk to be our apologist and lawful proctor 

 to appear for us and in our name at the said Chapter. And we 

 give him power to swear by our soul that the cause of excuse 

 which we put forward is true and also to treat with those who 

 shall be present in the said Chapter and to consent to all things 



