Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/208

 172 Readings in European History shall be able to rule over these possessions as enjoying complete immunity. We decree, therefore, that neither you, nor your subordi- nates, nor your successors, nor any public judicial power shall presume at any time to enter upon the vills of the same church anywhere in our kingdom, either those granted by royal bounty, or by that of private persons, or those which shall in future be granted ; either for the purpose of settling disputes, or to exact fines for any cause, or to obtain lodg- ing, entertainment, or sureties. But whatever the treasury might expect from fines or otherwise, either from freemen, serfs, or others within the fields or boundaries of the afore- said church, or dwelling upon its lands this revenue we surrender, for our future welfare, in order that it may be applied to the expenses of the same church by the hand of those ruling it, forever. And what we, in the name of God and for the remedy of our soul and that of our children after us have granted from full devotion, let not the royal sublimity itself, nor the reck- less cupidity of any of the magistrates be tempted to violate. And in order that the present decree may, by the aid of God, remain inviolate now and hereafter, we have ordained that this be certified by the subscription of our hand. 73. Formula Therefore, may your Greatness (or Perseverance) know for a grant tnat we nave seen fa to conce de by our ready will to of a vill with .... J J immunity to an mustnous man, the vill named, situated a layman. in the district of -, completely, with its whole proper boundary, as it has been possessed by -, or by our treasury, or is possessed at this present time. Where- fore, by this our present command, we have decreed forever that the person aforesaid should have the above-mentioned vill, in its entirety, with the lands, houses, buildings, villeins, slaves, vineyards, woods, fields, meadows, pastures, waters or watercourses, gristmills, additions, appurtenances, including any class of men who are subjected to our treasury who dwell there ; in entire immunity, and without the entrance of any one of the judges for the purpose of exacting fines