Know that we have granted, and by this our present charter confirmed, to our beloved son, Edward, the cities of Dublin and Limerick, with the counties and everything pertaining to them, and also the city and castle of Athlone, with everything pertaining to it, in Ireland; which cities we had retained for our own use in a former charter of ours, containing a gift of the land of Ireland, which we caused to be granted to the said Edward. They are to be held and retained by the same Edward and his heirs, the Kings of England, for ever; so that the land of Ireland shall never be separated from the crown of England, and that none other save Edward himself and his heirs, the Kings of England, shall be able to claim or hold any right to the aforesaid land of Ireland. We wish, further, that the allegiance of the land remain to us for our lifetime, together with all the dues and wardships of cathedral churches and abbeys in Ireland, and likewise the right of election. Wherefore we wish and firmly enjoin that the aforesaid Edward and his heirs, the Kings of England, do have and hold the whole land of Ireland for ever; provided that the land of Ireland be never separated from the crown of England, as aforesaid. Given under our hand, at St. Mary Cray, on the twentieth day of July. THE SICILIAN CROWN (1254-1257). +Source.+--_Matthew Paris_, _Chronica Majora_, vol. iii., pp. 89, 137, 225. (Bohn's Libraries.) (The Pope, acting through his emissary, Master Albert, had previously offered the Sicilian crown to Richard, brother of King Henry.)