APPENDIX V 



Regesta Vaticana, Tom. xii., fol. 136 vo., epist. 170. 



.... archiepiscopo Cantuariensi sancte Romane ecclesie 

 cardinal!. De provisione dilecti filii magistri Michaelis Scoti, 

 cuius eminentis sciencie titulus de ipso testimonium perhibet, 

 quod inter litteratos alios dono vigeat sciencie singulari patris 

 intimo cogitantes affectu, pro eo tibi, quod inter ceteros per 

 orbem sciencia preditos eminent! litteratura et profundioris pre- 

 rogativa doctrine coruscas, jBducialiter affectione plena dirigimus 

 scripta nostra, firmam spem fiduciamque tenentes, quod probos 

 clericos diligas et delecteris in illis ac per hoc ad providendum 

 tante sciencie clerico promptus et facilis inveniri debeas per te 

 (137ro.) ipsum. Quocirca fraternitati tue per apostolica scripta 

 mandamus, quatinus tarn liberaliter quam libenter predicto 

 magistro infra provinciam tuam auctoritate nostra provideas in 

 beneficio quod recipiente congruat et deceat providentem, ita 

 quod ex hoc devocionem et diligenciam tuam in Domino com- 

 mendare possimus et ncs illud habeamus acceptum qui nollemus 

 omnino quod dictus magister, qui maioribus dignus esset, gracie 

 nostre, que reputatur ei debitum, frustraretur effectu, contra- 

 dictores autem per censuras ecclesiasticas appellacione remota 

 compescas. Dat. Lateran. xvii Kal. februar. anno octavo. 



This extract, which has not hitherto been fully printed in 

 any of the authorities (Pressutti, Regesta, Honarii Pape III. vol. ii. 

 pp. 194, 258; Bliss, Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers, 

 vol. i. pp. 94, 97) has reached me from the Vatican just before 

 going to press. I owe it to the kindness of Monsignor Ehrle, 

 the Prefect of the Bibliotheca Apostolica, and am glad to repro- 

 duce it here, not only because of the light it throws on the 

 events mentioned in Chapter viii., but as a testimony to the 

 opinion then held of Scot's attainments in science. Incidentally 

 too, it places beyond question the fact mentioned on p. 14, 

 namely, that he was in holy orders. With regard to the title 



