Et quod solum sufficere posset ad perfectionis cumulum et absolutæ consummationis augmentum, summorum pontificum, qui insulas omnes sibi speciali quadam jure respiciunt, totiusque christianitatis principum et primatum confirmans accessit auctoritas (v. 320). The reference, in this passage, to the Donation of Constantine, and therefore to “Laudabiliter,” is clear. I pass to my second question: ‘How were the documents concocted?’ The unfortunate theory was advanced by the ‘Analecta’ writer that “Laudabiliter” was adapted from a genuine letter of Adrian written, in 1158, to Henry of England and Louis of France, forbidding them to enter Ireland, as they proposed to do, in conjunction. It was urged that this genuine letter had been altered into the ‘Bull’ Laudabiliter, and thus made to bear the very reverse of its meaning. It was necessary, for this solution, to hold that the genuine letter did not refer, as had been supposed, to Spain (_H[ispania]_) but to Ireland (_H[ibernia]_). Although this bold theory was adopted by Father Gasquet,[413] he seems to have been conscious of its weakness; for he leaves it with the words: “Whether this theory as to the origin of the Bull be correct or not,” etc., etc. The words “pagani” in the genuine letter are of themselves fatal to the theory, and Father Malone had no difficulty in showing that it was preposterous.[414] It is true that, as Miss Norgate admits,[415] “between the introductory sentences of the two letters there is certainly a close verbal similarity,” but even if this letter, relating to the Spanish crusade was placed under contribution by the concocter of our document, I should none the less advance as my own theory the view that Gerald employed, largely at any rate, the genuine letters of Alexander III., entered in the ‘Liber Niger.’ In support of this theory I might adduce certain suggestive parallels: THE LETTER. THE “BULL.” sicut ... comperimus, ... ad Significasti ... nobis ... te subjugandum tuo Dominio gentem Hiberniæ insulam ad subdendum illam et ad extirpandum tantæ illum populum legibus et vitiorum abominationis spurcitiam ... plantaria exstirpanda velle, tuum animum erexisti. intrare. Christianæ religionis suscipiat crescat fidei Christianæ religio, disciplinam ... ita etiam et quæ ad honorem Dei et salutem de suæ salutis perfectu coronam pertinent animarum taliter merearis suscipere sempiternam. ordinentur, ut a Deo sempiternum mercedis cumulum consequi merearis.