SAnctissimo in Christo Patri Domino Dei gratia sacrosanctae Romanae Ecclesiae sum∣mo* 1.1 Pontifici H. eadem gratia Rex Angliae, Dominus Hiberniae, & Dux Aqui∣taniae salutem, cum reverentia & honore. Sciatis quod Electioni nuper celebratae, in Ecclesia Cathedrali Sancti Petri Ebor. de discreto viro Willielmo de Rotherfield, De∣cano dictae Ecclesiae in Archiepiscopum ejusdem loci, Regium assensum adhibuimus, & favorem. Et hoc vestrae Sanctitati tenore praesentium significamus, ut quod ve∣strum est in hac parte exequamini. In cujus, &c. Teste Rege apud Westm. 1. die Aprilis.
Peter Bishop of * 1.2 Hereford, being a Nonresident from his Bishoprick, demeaning himself like an hireling, not as a reall shepheard, devouring the Milk, Wool, but not knowing nor feeding his flock, nor discharging his spirituall Office for which he received the Temporalties, the King coming to Hereford, finding him absent, the service of God both in his City and Diocesse generally neglected, he being highly offended and grieved therewith, out of his Ecclesiastical supremacy and care of his peoples souls, sent him this memorable Writ, worthy to be ingraved in indelible Characters in the Hearts, Memories, Palaces of all Christian Kings, and unpreach∣ing, rarepreaching, Nonresident Prelates, Canons, Pastors; commanding him im∣mediately to repair to his Bishoprick, and discharge his Pastorall Office with care and diligence, under pain of seising all his Temporalities, goods, enjoyning the Arch∣bishop of Canterbury, and his Official by their Ecclesiastical Constitutions and Cen∣sures, to enforce him to discharge his duty, as they would avoyd his royal displeasure, proceedings against them by his secular power, and thescandall which would else in∣evitably fall upon them both.