Wherefore I give most hearty thanks to God Almighty for having successfully completed all that I had wished in the manner I had designed, and fully satisfied my intentions. Be it known, then, that since I have vowed to God himself henceforward to reform my life in all things, and justly and piously to govern the kingdoms and the people subject to me, and to maintain equal justice in all things; and have determined through God’s assistance to rectify anything hitherto unjustly done, either through the intemperance of my youth or through negligence; therefore I call to witness and command my counsellors to whom I have entrusted the counsels of the kingdom that they by no means either through fear of myself or favour to any powerful person suffer henceforth any injustice, or cause such to be done in all my kingdom. Moreover I command all sheriffs or bailiffs throughout my whole kingdom, as they value my affection or their own safety not to commit injustice towards any man, rich or poor, but to allow all, noble and ignoble alike, to enjoy impartial law, from which they are never to deviate, either on account of royal favour, the person of any powerful man, or for the sake of amassing money for myself: for I have no need that money be accumulated for me by unjust exactions. Be it known to you therefore, that, returning by the same way that I went, I am now going to Denmark, through the advice of all the Danes, to make peace and firm treaty with those nations who were desirous, had it been possible, to deprive me both of life and of sovereignty: this, however, they were not able to perform, God, who by His kindness preserves me in my kingdom and in my honour and destroys the power of all my adversaries, bringing their strength to nought. Moreover, when I have established peace with the surrounding nations, and put all our sovereignty here in the East in tranquil order, so that there shall be no fear of war or enmity on any side, I intend coming to England, as early in the summer as I shall be able to get my fleet prepared. I have sent this letter before me in order that my people may rejoice at my prosperity; because, as you yourselves know, I have never spared, nor will I spare, either myself or my pains for the needful service of my whole people. I now therefore adjure all my bishops and governors throughout my kingdom by the fidelity they owe to God and me, to take care that before I come to England all dues owing by ancient custom [to the Church] be discharged; that is to say, the penny for every carucate ploughed, the tithe of the increase of your flocks and herds, the penny for St. Peter at Rome, whether from cities or villages, the tithe of corn in the middle of August, and the church-scot at the feast of St. Martin. If all these dues are not regularly paid, I shall on my return to England execute unpitying justice on the defaulter. Footnote 3: In Apulia. Footnote 4: The Tyrrhene Sea. Footnote 5: Of Burgundy.