op is, united to the faithful in
Christ, there too is the church. He who is used by his ministry to
dedicate the material stones of the church to the Lord; who also has the
work of sanctifying the living stones, the real stuff of the church, by
each of the Sacraments, to rear from them the Lord's temple, he by right
must enjoy the privileges of ecclesiastical dignity, wherever he be, and
succour all who are in danger, according to his legal order."

The judges gratefully agreed, remembered that this was so expressed in
ancient English law, but now obsolete, thanks to bishops' sloth or
princes' tyranny. They summed up by this politeness, "My lord, we are
your sons and parishioners. You are our father and pastor. So it will
not be ours to run counter to your privilege or to dispute it: nor
yours, by your leave, to bring us into any hazard. If you decide upon
the man's release, we offer no opposition; but by your leave we trust
you to see that we incur no danger from the king." "Well and rightly
spoken," said he, "and on these terms I take him from your hands. For
this infraction, I will make answer where I must." So the man escaped
the gallows, and was set free again when they reached London.

Two remarks are worth making here. First, that the right of sanctuary,
both for accused and of guilty persons, were guaranteed by the old Laws
Ecclesiastical of King Edward the Confessor, as collected by William the
First in the fourth year of his reign, which laws were romantically dear
to the English people. The stretch came in where the Church was
interpreted to mean the bishop and faithful. Secondly, Saint Nicholas
similarly rescued two men from the scaffold, but not at a moment so
inopportune for himself. If the rescue had law behind it, and it might
be so defended, it was a very awkward moment to choose to champion a
hangdog. But this was the age of chivalry, and without such innate
chivalry Hugh would never have cast the spell he did over King Richard's
England.

FOOTNOTES:

{10} "I will take it, though it were built of iron," he said; to which
Richard replied, "And I will defend it, though it were of butter."

{11} There is no osculatory to be found in the records. This is a
slightly later invention, and no one seems to kneel in this picture.

{12} Whom some wish to acquit of writing that jovial drinking song,

"I intend to end my days,
In a tavern drinking."

{13} "The Lord bless thee and keep thee," &c