2535

June 25. Lyons. Pope Innocent IV writes to the patriarch of Jerusalem (Robert de Nantes) and Bishop [Gauthier II] of Acre, relating that the bishop-elect of Bethlehem (Gottifredo dei Prefetti) explained to him with bitterness that the bishop of Paphos (Giovanni Romano), then claiming to be bishop-elect of Bethlehem, and certain canons of that church, his accomplices, by pawning and other means, alienated several houses in Acre, casals, privileges and other things, even precious relics, belonging to the church of Bethlehem, and the bishop of Paphos himself took away other things, to the great prejudice of that church. Some of these items are known to be held by Master [Richard de Bures] and the knights Templar in Acre, some by the lord of Beirut [Balian of Ibelin], and others by other persons both religious and secular, clergy and lay, from whom the bishop of Paphos and the canons received a large sum of money in return. The pope orders the addresses to investigate and, if they find that the bishop of Paphos and his accomplices have thus alienated houses and other things, to force them to restore them to that church and to make full satisfaction to the Templars, the lord of Beirut and the other persons for the money they paid and to the bishop-elect of Bethlehem for the things they took, so that that church incurs no damage and suffers no trouble from them on this account, notwithstanding various obstacles, including the summons by which the pope ordered the bishop of Paphos to come to the Apostolic See to appear before him to respond to the bishop-elect of Bethlehem, which the pope revokes, and the fact that the bishop of Paphos is staying on this side of the sea (in the West). If the bishop of Paphos returns to his church or to Syria by Christmas, the addressees are to cite him to appear before them, if he wishes, and they are to investigate the truth. Otherwise they are to proceed as above without citing him.