|3.3 DE
PETITIONIBUS CONFIRMATIONUM
3.3.1
De imperatore electo, qui rogat, ut sua electio confirmetur.
[1]
"Postquam celebris memorie imperator debitum exsolvit, universi principes
Alamannie convenerunt, ut de ordinando imperio pertractarent. Habita namque
sollempni deliberatione, illi, ad quos spectabat electio, nos Maguntie
elegerunt, et alie, ad quos coronatio ex antiqua et approbata consuetudine
pertinebat, nos in votiva et in desiderata pace apud Asiam coronarunt.
Nunc autem celsitudinem sedis apostolice attentius exoramus, ut quod a
principibus est communiter et concorditer inchoatum, litteris apostolicis
dignemini roborare, nobis terminum congruum prefigentes, quo ad urbem properemus,
ubi a vobis imperialem coronam recipere affectamus."
3.3.2
De rege, qui rogat, ut sua electio confirmetur.
[1]
"Mors temporalis, que mortalibus finem imponit, fratrem quondam nostrum
illustrem regem .R.,1
.X. Kal. Aprilis2
ab hac luce subtraxit sicque de terreno regno ad celeste vocante Domino
convolavit, post cuius obitum nos3
universi regni principes in regem concorditer eligerunt, et in proximo
Pentecostem4
regalem assumemus auctore Domino coronam. Verum quia coronatio nostra celebrem|
solempnitatem requirit, altitudinem sedis apostolice attentius rogitamus,
ut nostram electionem litteris apostolicis roboretis et episcopum Sabinensem5
in Angliam dirigatis, qui nostre coronationi debeat interesse. Nos autem
in presagium pure devotionis et constantie illibate .XX. libras auri et
mille marcas argenti scientati vestre per Wicorensem episcopum destinamus."
1
Richard the Lion-hearted, king of England (1189-6.4.1199).
2 March 23, 1199. 3
John, king of England (1199-1216). 4
27 May 1199. 5
Conrad of Wittelsbach, cardinal bishop of Sabina (1166-1200).
3.3.3
Ierosolimitani suffraganei significant, quomodo fuit patriarchalis electio
celebrata, et confirmationem electionis petunt.
[1]
"Post decessum felicis memorie .M. sancte resurrectionis ecclesie patrariche
suffraganei universi et omnes de capitulo convenerunt, ut de substituendo
pastore tractarent. Cum autem in sollempni deliberationes| plures essent
a pluribus nominati nec possent de aliquo esse concordes, de universorum
voluntate processit, quod Behelemitanus et Sabastiensis episcopi electorem
vocare deberent. Ipsi vero, sicut viri providi et discreti, elegere Tironensem
episcopum electorem. Ille autem cum lacrimis misericordiam Ihesu Christi
exorans ab oratione surrexit1
et instinctu sancti spiritus Cesariensem archiepiscopum in patriarcham
elegit. Unde in Templo Domini resonuit vox cum iubilo, quoniam omnium et
singulorum vota in illum tacite convenerant. Quare ab omnibus rogabuntur,
ut eorum votis clementer annuere dignaretur. Ipse vero universorum desideriis
contradicit, asserens quod absque mandato vestro nullum electioni nostre
prebebit assensum. Ideoque vestre clementie humiliter supplicamus, quatinus
ei firmiter precipere dignemini, quod electioni facte consentiat et vos
tamquam pater benignissimus electionem| ipsam velitis apostolicis litteris
confirmare, procul dubio scientes, quod si nostre petitiones desiderato
privarentur effectu, Tironense regnum in hac parte non modicum gravaretur."
1
Cf. Luc. 22.45: Cum surrexisset ab oratione.
3.3.4
Cantuariense capitulum confirmationem archiepiscopalis electionis et palium
postulat consuetum.
[1]
"Presens epistola nostri memoris et gaudii esse dignoscitur nunciatrix,
quoniam per eam decessum felicis memorie Cantuarensis episcopi et magistri
.B.1 promotionem
significare tenemur, in quo consolationem salubrem possumus recipere post
dolorem, laudibus cuius insistere possumus et debemus, presertim cum in
eo conveniant animi sapientia, morum honestas, liberalitas in usibus cotidianis,
et conversatio per omnia fructuosa. Sic enim in eum confluere universe
nature dotes, quod sui exterioris hominis actus placent et per interioris
exemplum imitantur plurimi ad operam karitatis. Eapropter benignitatem
vestram confidentius exorare audemus,| quatinus electionem tam concorditer
celebratam litteris dignemini apostolicis confirmare, ipsi electo pallium
iuxta consuetudinem destinantes."
1
In the notes to the following letter (3.3.5), the
election of Stephan Langton (1205) is assumed as historical basis. Here
(3.3.4) the initial B. proposes the election of Thomas Becket (1161) as
historical subject, (probably not Baldwin, translated from Worcester in
1184). Thus this fictive correspondence on the election of an archbishop
of Canterbury, which also includes 3.18.2 and 3.20.4, combines real aspects
of several recent elections. The most recent biography of is FRANK BARLOW
Thomas Becket (London 1986). See also B. SMALLEY The Becket Conflict
and the Schools. A Study of Intellectuals in Politics (Oxford 1973).
On Beckett's election, see Letters of John of Salisbury edd. W.J.
MILLOR and C.N.L. BROOKE 2.lxv-lxix, 2.156-7 2.530, 760-7 (Oxford 1979),
Gilbert Foliot and his Letters edd. A. MOREY and C.N.L. BROOKE 149-51,
227-9 (Cambridge 1965) The Letters and Charters of Gilbert Foliot
edd. A. MOREY and C.N.L. BROOKE 291-3 (Cambridge 1967), For bibliography
on 1161 and 1205/6 elections, and on Langton and Beckett: JEDIN HCH
4.67-73, 150-151, 655-4, 670-671, add M. MAYR-HARTING JEH 16 (1965)
50-52 Councils and Synods with other Documents Relating to the English
Church, II. 1204-?? edd. F.M. POWICKE and C.R. CHENEY (Oxford 1964)
Councils and Synods with other Documents Relating to the English Church,
I. 871-1204 edd. D. WHITELOCK, M. BRETT, C.N.L. BROOKE. DAVID KNOWLES
has three books on Becket and "The Canterbury Election of 1205/6" EHR
53 (1938) 211-230. Also: F.M. POWICKE Stephan Langton (Oxford 1935),
Acta Stephani Langton ed. K. MAJOR Canterbury and York Society 118
(Oxford 1950), Z.N. BROOKE The English Church and the Papacy (Cambridge
1931) and PHYLLIS B. ROBERTS ed. Selected sermons of Stephen Langton
(Toronto 1980); RICCARDO QUINTO "Doctor Nominatissimus" : Stefano Langton
(+1228) e la Tradizione delle sue Opere (Munster: Aschenforff, 1994)
Beiträge zur Geschichte der Philosophie und Theologie des Mittelalters,
Neue Folge Bd.39. The key work on the 1205/6 election is C.R.CHENEY Innocent
III and England Päpste und Papsttum 9 (Stuttgart 1976), IDEM "A
Neglected Record of the Canterbury Election of 1205-6" Bulletin of the
Institute of Historical Research 21 (1948) 233-8. The following letters
of Innocent III concern this election: POTTHAST 2620 (PL 202.740),
2732-5 (PL 202.834-840), 2937-40 (PL 202.1043-1049), 3111
(PL 202.1327, CHENEY Selected Letters 86-90 no. 29), 3126
(WILKINS Councils 1.518).
3.3.5
De litteris electi cum muneribus pape directis.
[1]
"Cantuarensis1
ecclesie suffraganei et capitulum me2
nuper in archiepiscopalis officii solicitudinem elegerunt, sic vestra sanctitas
non ignorat. Verum quia propter imminentia negotia, qua vobis alio tempore
latius intimabo, iuxta meum votum Romam venire non possum. Ideo ad vestre
sanctitatis pedes transmitto episcopum Noricensem,3
qui vestre celsitudini mee curabit offerre munera parvitatis, in quibus
dignabimini respicere solum dirigentis affectum."
1
Hubert Walter, archbishop of Canterbury died 13 July
1205. Canterbury's monastic chapter elected their subprior Reginald, but
the suffragen bishops claimed a prescriptive right to take part in the
election. Their candidate, Iohannes Grey, bishop of Norwich, was invested
by king John, but pope Innocent III annulled both elections December 1206,
who had some Canterbury monks visiting Rome elect Stephan Langton. Langton,
who may have instructed the future pope while a master of theology at Paris
(or a fellow student), had recently been raised to cardinal priest of S.
Crisogono. Innocent III consecrated Langton 17 June 1207 and invested him
with the archepiscopal pallium, despite royal opposition, which later resulted
in interdict and excommunication for England and its king. Boncompagno's
letter presents a playful satire addressed to these facts.
2 Stephan Langton
(1207-1228).
3 Iohannes Grey, bishop of Norwich (1200-1214).
***
© Steven
M. Wight, Los Angeles 1998
Scrineum
© Università
di Pavia 1999