THE KING'S MIRROR 



has appointed them."* This is the doctrine of the Ad- 

 dress as well as of the Speculum; the significant fact is 

 that the principle has now been introduced into the 

 constitution of the monarchy. It is possible that 

 author of the King's Mirror states an alien principle; but 

 it is more probable that he merely gives form to a belief 

 that had been growing among Northmen for some time. 

 On the question of thervalidity of excommunication] 

 the teachings of the Speculum Regale are in perfect ac- 

 cord with those of the Address. The uncompromising 

 position and methods of Innocent III had given point 

 to an exceedingly practical question: was a Christian 

 permitted to nbpy a king wl^n was under thp fran of 

 church ? Of Jif rally thp nhiirnli liplH thflt-oborlionofv 



thfi rirninastaTKWfr- would -ho ninful. The author of the 



Speculum Hi'gt.inginalipg pl^ly. however, between just 



and unj ust sentences- of excommunication 



established two houses ypon fftrth, f 



altar and the house of the judgment seat.f There Js^ 



therefore, a legitimatp sphere ^f f^^ti^^ ^ r *he bishop fl.fi_ 



well as for frhft Icinpr, JRn-t a.n apt, is not npoessarily rjghi:- 



eous henausfiJt-emanates ffmn lijgh authority fit^pr in o /VA>^ 



the .chiirrJi ,or JLa~the stater If ihg^i^g pronnnnnps ^n 



iinjiist jiiHgmpntj his apt is mnrHpr.} if a.hishnp ax^nm- 



municates a Christian without proper reasons, the ban 

 is-oLao .effect, except that it reacts upon the offending 

 prelate himself .J 



After the author has thus denied the right of the 

 church to use the sword of excommunication in certain 



* Norgesgamle Love, II, 23; Gjerset, History of the Norwegian People, 1, 463. 

 fC.lxix. JC.lxx. 



