APPENDIX V 



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



.... archiepiscopo Cantuariensi sancte Romane ecclesie 

 cardinali. 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 eminenti litteratura et profundioris pre- 

 rogativa doctrine coruscas, fiducialiter 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 tam 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 nos illud habeamus acceptum qui nollemus 

 omnino quod dictus magister, qui maioribus dignus esset, grade 

 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, Eegesta Honorii 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 



