THE LAST DAYS OF MICHAEL SCOT 159 



octor, that be might teach there in the faculty of 

 ivinity. 



It may seem remarkable that the Pope did 

 )t address his application in Scot's favour to 

 :. Andrews rather than to Canterbury. We are 



recollect, however, that in 1223, the relations 

 3tween Scotland and the See of Rome were 

 ill somewhat strained. The North had not 

 forgotten what took place in 1217, when 

 ualo came thither as Legate to lay the Inter- 

 ct upon Scotland. Churches were closed by this 

 ;vere sentence ; the sacraments forbidden ; even 

 tat of extreme unction denied to the people ; 

 dead were buried without service, and all 

 larriages were celebrated in the churchyards. 



en the interdict was removed in the following 

 ear, the duty of proclaiming that remission was 

 itrusted to the Prior of Durham and the Dean 



York, who made a solemn progress in the 

 kingdom to announce the Pope's clemency. We 

 iay feel sure that these events were not for- 

 otten in five years by a proud and independent 

 ation like the people of Scotland, and Honorius 

 lust be thought to have judged rightly in sup- 

 osing his application on Scot's account had a 

 etter chance of being effected by the English 

 mn by the Scottish Primate. Nothing indeed 

 r as overlooked that might give force to the 

 ^commendation. The Pope accompanied his re- 

 uest with a generous testimony to the scholar's 

 bility, saying that he was distinguished, even 

 mong learned men, for his remarkable gifts and 

 nowledge. 1 Thus everything seemed to promise 



1 ' Quod inter literates vigeat dono scientiae singular!.' 



