of monasteries, and religious houses, all these wer then in those times in the Emperours drdination, to assigne by voyce or consent to whom he would. Now these two things Gregorius this pope coulde not abide. For the which two causes onely, was all hys striuing & driuing from his first beginning: MarginaliaHildebrand a mortall enemye agaynst priestes marryage.to abolish the mariage of priestes, and to translate the authoritie emperial, to the clergye. For to this scope onely tended all his labour, practise and aduises: as appeared before in the councel of Laterane, vnder pope Nicolas: and also in the councel of Mantua, vnder Alexander, making their mariage heresy, and the other to be simony. And that which before he went about by other, now he practiseth by hym selfe: MarginaliaPriestes mariage made heresie.to cōdemne ministers that were maryed, for Nicolaitans: and to receaue any spirituall regiment of secular persons, for Simony. Directing foorth his letters vpon the same to Henricus the Emperour, to Dukes, Princes, Potestates, Tetrarkes, namely to Berchtoldus, to Rudolphus of Sweuia, to Whelpho, Adalberon, and their wyues. Item to bishops, archbishops, to priestes, and to all the people: in the which letters he denounceth them to be no priestes, so many as were maryed: forbidding men to salute them, to talke, to eate, to companye wyth them, to pay them tithes, or to obey them, if they would not be obedient to him. MarginaliaOttho bishop of Constance.Amongest all other he directed speciall letters to Ottho bishop of Constance, concerning this matter. But Ottho perceauing the vngodlye and vnreasonable pretence of Hildebrand, woulde neyther seperate them that wer maried, from their wiues: nor yet forbid them to mary, which were vnmaried. &c.

GRegorius bishop, seruaunt of seruauntes of God, to the Clergy and laity, both more and les wyth in the diocease of Constance, salutacion and benediction. We haue directed to our brother Ottho, your bishop, our letters exhortatorye: wherein we enioyned him, according to the necessity of our duty, by the authority Apostolical, that he shuld vtterly abolish out of his church the heresy of Simony: and also should cause with all diligence to be preached, the chastitye of priestes. But he neyther moued with reuerence of saint Peters precept, nor yet with the regard of his duty, neglected to do these things, wherunto we so fatherly haue exhorted him: incurring thereby a double offence, not onely of disobedience, but also of rebellion: in that he hath gone and done cleane contrarye to our commaundement (yea rather the commaundement of blessed s. Peter) so that he hath permitted hys clergy, not onely such as had wyues, not to put them awaye, but also suche as had none, to take vnto them. Wherupon we being truly informed thereof, and agreued therwith, haue directed to him an other letter, declaring the motion of our displeasure and indignation. MarginaliaOttho cited to appeare for suffring priestes with their lawfull wiues.In which letters also we haue cited him vp to our councel at Rome: there to appeare and geue accompt of his disobedience, in the audience of the whole Sinode. And now therfore we so thought it best to signify this to you (our deare children) wherby in thys behalf we might the better prouide fur your health and saluation. For if your bishop shall continue so obstinatlye to repugne & resist agaynst our cōmaundement, he is not mete to sit ouer you. &c. Wherfore these shal be to commaund you, and all them, that be obedient to God, and to blessed S. Peter, by our Apostolicall authoritie: that if this your bishop shal persist in his obstinacy, you that be hys subiectes, hereafter geue to him no seruice, nor obedience. For the which thing doyng, we here discharge you before god, and your soules. For if your bishop shal seeme contrary to the decrementes and iniunctions apostolicall: MarginaliaThe pope dispensed for disobedience.we through the apostolicall authority of S. Peter, discharge and absolue you from the band of your allegiaunce to him. So that if you be sworne to hym: solong as he is a rebell agaynst God, and the Apostolicke seate, we lose you from the peryll of your othe, that you shal not nede to feare therin no daunger. &c.

Ottho bishop of Constance thus beyng cited, whether he did appeare personally himselfe, I do not reade. Thys I reade and fynde, that in the sayd councel holdē at Rome, Hildebrand, wyth other bishops of Rome, dyd then enact amōgest many other, these three things most speciall: MarginaliaThree thinges enacted by Hildebrand. Here commeth in the vowe of chastitie.Fyrst, that no Priests hereafter should marry wyues. Secondly, that al such as were marryed, should be deuorsed. Thirdly, that none hereafter should be admitted to the order of priesthood, but should swear first perpetuall chastity. &c. This councel of Rome beyng ended, forthwith the act of Hildebrand, concerning the single lyfe of priestes, was proclaymed and published in al places, and strayte commaundement geuen to bishops, to execute the same.

GRegory the Pope, otherwyse Hildebrande, the seruant of the seruantes of God, sendeth the Apostles blessyng to all them within the kingdomes of Italy and Germanye, that shewe their true obedience to s. Peter. If there be any Priestes, Deacons, and Subdeacons, that styll wyll remayne in the synne of fornication: we forbyd them the churches entraunce by the omnipotent power of God, and by the authoritie of s. Peter, til time they amende and repent. But if they perseuere in theyr synne: we charge that none of you presume to hear their seruice. For their blessing is turned into curssing, and their prayer into synne, as the Lorde doth testifye to vs by his prophet: I wyll turne your blessinges. &c.

The bishops of Fraunce being called vpon daylye, wyth the Popes letters, were compelled to obey the decree of the councel, MarginaliaThe Clergy of Fraunce repugning for deuorsing from their wiues.but the residue of the clergy manfully and stoutly, withstanding the Popes decree, and inforcementes of their bishops would not agree, but repined thereat, and sayd, that the councel did manifestly repugne agaynst the word of God: and that the Pope dyd take from priests, that which God and nature had geuen them: & therfore that person to be an hereticke, & author of a wycked doctrine, which ruled and gouerned not by the spirite of God, but by Sathan. The decree & act set forth, to tend directly agaynst the woord of God, and the saying of Christ: Non omnes capiunt verbū hoc, all men haue not the gift and capacity of thys woorde. Item, to be agaynst the sound doctrine of saint Paule, writing in these wordes: As cōcerning virginity, I haue no commaundement of the Lord. &c. Agayne, he that cā not otherwyse lyue continently, let hym marry. Item, that it was agaynst the Canons both of the Apostles, & of Nicene councel. Moreouer, that it was agaynst the course of nature, which he required: that men being sequestred from their naturall wyues and wemen, should be coacted to lyue as aungels, that is, to performe that, which nature doth not geue. And therefore the bishop therein did open a pernicious wyndow to vnclennes, & to fornication. In summe, geuing vp their answer, thus they concluded: That they had rather geue vp their benefices, then to forsake their natural and lawful wiues, against the word of Christ: and finally, if maried priests could not please them, they shoulde call downe aungels from heauen, to serue the churches. But Hildebrand, nothing moued, nether with honest reason, nor with the authoritie of holy scripture, nor with the determination of Nicene councel, nor any thing els: foloweth this matter, calleth vpon the bishops styll, with hys letters & Legates doth sollicitate their mindes, accuseth them of negligence and dastardnes, threatneth them with excommunication, vnlesse they cause theyr priestes to obey his decree inioyned them. Whereupon a great number of