Common law held that ecclesiastical courts could not give money damages. But costs were paid by the loser and included expenses of producing witnesses, writing of documents, and fees of lawyers. An appeal could be made from the archdeacon to the bishop to the metropolitan to the Pope. Henry acknowledged occasional appellate authority of the pope, but expected his clergy to elect bishops of his choice. There was a separate judicial system for the laws of the forest. There were itinerant justices of the forests and four verderers of each forest county, who were elected by the votes of the full county court, twelve knights appointed to keep vert [everything bearing green leaves] and venison, and foresters of the king and of the lords who had lands within the limits of the forests. Every three years, the officers visited the forests in preparation for the courts of the forest held by the itinerant justices. The inferior courts were the woodmote, held every forty days, and the swein [freeman or freeholder within the forest] mote, held three times yearly before the verderers as justices, in which all who were obliged to attend as suitors of the county court to serve on juries and inquests were to be present. In this lawsuit, King Henry I decided that since the abbots and monks of Battle had proved before him that certain lands, belonging to the manor of Alciston, are no possession of theirs, so they are to be quit of the services due there: " Henry, king of the English, to Ralph, bishop of Chichester, and all his ministers of Sussex, greeting. Know that as the abbot of Battle and the monks deraigned [proved] before me that they do not have those lands which you said they had, namely, Ovington, Coding ( in Hove), Batsford (in Warbleton), Daningawurde, Shuyswell ( in Etchingham), Boarzell ( in Ticehurst), Winenham, Wertesce, Brembreshoc and Seuredeswelle, which of old belonged to Alciston and contain seven hides of land of the fifty hides in Alciston and its appurtenances, I order that they shall be free and quit on this account and that none shall molest them any further, but concerning these lands and these hides they shall be completely free and quit as concerning lands which they do not have and of which they are not seised. I also order by royal authority that their manor called Alciston, which my father gave to the church of Battle with other lands for his soul, shall be so free and quit of shires and hundreds and all customs of land-service as my father himself held it most freely and quietly, and namely concerning the work on London Bridge and on the castle of Pevensey. This I command upon my forfeiture. Witness: William de Pont de l'Arche. At Westbourne.