attended by his half-brother Pedro Affonso, and two of his
knights, Emigio Moniz and Sancho Nunes. There on the great
iron-studded doors he found, as he had been warned, the Roman
parchment pronouncing him accursed, its sonorous Latin periods
set forth in a fine round clerkly hand.

He swung down from his great horse and clanked up the Cathedral
steps, his attendants following. He had for witnesses no more
than a few loiterers, who had paused at sight of their prince.

The interdict had so far attracted no attention, for in the
twelfth century the art of letters was a mystery to which there
were few initiates.

Affonso Henriques tore the sheepskin from its nails, and crumpled
it in his hand; then he passed into the Cathedral, and thence
came out presently into the cloisters. Overhead a bell was
clanging by his orders, summoning the chapter.

To the Infante, waiting there in the sun-drenched close, came
presently the canons, austere, aloof, majestic in their unhurried
progress through the fretted cloisters, with flowing garments and
hands tucked into their wide sleeves before them. In a semi-
circle they arrayed themselves before him, and waited impassively
to learn his will. Overhead the bell had ceased.

Affonso Henriques wasted no words.

"I have summoned you," he announced, "to command that you proceed
to the election of a bishop."