somewhat before night: MarginaliaPope Hildebrād vnorderly made pope.the same day contrarie to þ^e canons he was chosen pope of the laymen. But the cardinals subscribed not to his election. For the canons prescribe (vnder payne of accursing) that none should be chosen pope before the third day after the buriall of his predecessors. But he (by sinister meane thus climing to the seate) remoued the cardinals of þ^e said seate frō beyng of the counsel. But with what persons, he consulted night and day, Rome wel harde and saw. And he now putting the cardinals from of his counsel: his lyfe faith and doctrine, no man could accuse or beare witnes of: where as in the canons is commaund, that in euery place where soeuer the pope is: should be with him iij. cardinals being priestes, and ij. deacōs, because of his ecclesiasticall testimonie and stile of veritie: of whiche canonicall decree, looke gentle reader, before pag. 63. 69. He violently wrested þ^e sacred scriptures, to couer his falshode: which kyng of idolatrie, how great it is, manifestly throught all the scripture it appeareth. MarginaliaThe Emperour wrōgfully excōmunicated.Contrary to the mindes & counsel of the cardinals, and besides the determinat order of pronouncing iudgement by the canons, he rashly did excommunicate the Emperour: beyng in no sinode solemly accused before. The sentence of which excōmunicatiō after rehearsal of these presētes, shal also be manifested (Christ willing): to the which excommunication sayth Benno, none of the cardinals would subscribe. MarginaliaThe popes chayre brake vnder hym as he rose to excomunicate the Emperour.As soone as he rose out of his seat papall, to excōmunicate þ^e emperour: the same (seat being made but a litle before, w^t byge timber) sodenly by the appointement of God, was rent and shyuered in peeces: so that all men might plainly vnderstand, what, & how great and terrible schismes, that lubber had sowen agaynst the churche of Christ: agaynst the seat of S. Peter: and how cruelly he had dispersed the chayre of Christ, in defilyng the lawes of the churche: rulyng by might and austeritie, in that hys so perilous and presumptious excommunication.

In the discription of the same excommunication, he inserteth those thynges, wherin he him selfe erred, when he absolued the Emperour, beyng vniustly excommunicate and the bishops also communicatyng with hym: MarginaliaThe pope deuideth the vnitie of the church.and to the vttermost thus cuttyng and mangelyng the vnitie of the church and those that communicated with them, dyd as much as in him lay to make ij. churches.

Also the same bolde marchaunt, cōmaunded that the cardinals should fast: to the intēt that God would reuele whose opinion was better (either of the church of Rome, or of Berengarius) touchyng the controuersie of the Lordes body in the Sacrament. And hereby, he proued hym selfe to be a manifest infidel: for that in the Nicen councel it is written, he that doubteth is an infidell.

Further, he saught after a signe to establish his faith concerning the article of the Lordes body, as did Gregory: to confirme the womans faith, when the consecrated bread was transubstanciated into the forme of a fleshy finger. MarginaliaOf thys miracle we rede in no approued historie.He also sent two cardinals (Attones, and Cunones) vnto Anastasse: that with the archpriest of the same church, they should begyn a fast of iij. dayes space. And that euery of them (euery day duryng those iij. dayes) should say ouer the Psalter, and sing Masses: that Christ would shew vnto them, some such like signe of his body, as he did to the foresayd Gregory: whiche thyng they could not see.

The Emperour was oftentymes wont to go to S. Maries churche, in the mount Auentine to pray. Hildebrand when he had by his espials searched out & knewe all the doyngs of the Emperour: caused the place where the Emperour was accustomed (either standyng, or prostrate on his face to pray) to be marked: MarginaliaThe pope hyreth one to slay the Emperour.and for mony he hyered a nauty pact (like him self) to gather and lay together a hepe of great stones, directly ouer the place, in the vaute of the church, where the Emperour would stand: þ^t in throwyng the same downe vpon his head, he shouldslay the Emperour. Aboute which purpose as the hyerlyng hasted, & was busie remouyng to the place a stone of great hugenes and waight: it broke the planke where on it lay: and the hyerlyng standyng therupon, both together fell down from the roofe, to the pauement of the churche, and with the same stone was dasht all in peeces. And after the Romanes had vnderstādyng of the handelyng of thys matter: they fastened a rope to one of the feete of this hyreling, & caused hym to be drawē through the stretes of the citie iij. dayes together, in example of others. The Emperour notwithstandyng accordyng to his wonted clemēcie, caused hym to be buryed.

Iohānes the bishop of Portua (beyng one of the secret coūsel of Hildebrand) came vp into þ^e pulpit of S. Peter: and amongest other things in þ^e hearing both of þ^e clergy and people sayd: Hildebrād and we haue commited such a fact and so horrible, for the which we are all worthy to be burned alyue (meanyng of the Sacrament of the body of Christ) whiche Sacrament: MarginaliaHildebrād casteth the sacrament of the Lords body in the fyre, because it would guee hym no aunswere.Hildebrand, when he therof inquiered a diuine aunswere agaynst the Emperour, and would not speake, threw into the fire and burned it contrary to the persuasion of the Cardinals, that were present and would haue resisted the same.

In the second holy day in the Easter weeke, when the clergie and the people were assembled at S. Peters churche to here Masse: after the gospell, he went vp into the pulpit as he was in his pontificall attyre: and in the presence of diuers bishops and cardinals (a great cōpanie both of the senat and people of Rome, beyng gathered together) openly preached (amōg many other words of diuination) þ^t the kyng whose name was Hēry, should die (without al peraduenture) before the feast of s. Peter next insuing: or els at least wyse, þ^t he should be so deiected frō hys kingdome, þ^t he should not be able any more to gether together aboue the nōber of vi. knightes. MarginaliaThe pope a false prophet.This he preached to the bishops and cardinals, and all þ^t were present crieng out of þ^e pulpit in these wordes: Neuer accept me for pope any more, but plucke me frō þ^e aulter: if this prophetie be not fulfilled by þ^e day appointed. MarginaliaThe pope seketh againe to murther the Emperour.About þ^e same tyme, he went about by helpe of priuie furtherers to kyll the Emperour, but God preserued hym. And many there were euen at that tyme, which thought pope Hildebrand to be giltie, and to be the deuisor of the treason, because that then he (before the dede put in executiō) presumed of the death of the kyng, beyng by hym falsly prophecied of before: whiche words of hys, woūded many mens hartes. And it came to passe that Hildebrand, by his wordes was openly condempned in the congregation, which (as is sayd) gaue iudgement of hym selfe to be no pope: neither that he would be coūted, for pope any longer: but thought to be both a belyer and a traitor: vnles that before the feast of S. Peter next commyng, the Emperour shoulde dye or els be depriued of all kingly honour: in so much he should not be able to make aboue vi. knightes on his part. MarginaliaThe pope by hys owne mouth condemned for an hereticke.And thus by the appointment of God it came to passe, that by his owne mouth, he was condemned for an hereticke.

Thus sayeth the Lord. The prophet whiche of arrogancie will prophecie in my name, those thinges I haue not commaunded hym: or els will prophecie in the name of other Gods: let hym by slayne. And if thou shall say with thy selfe how shall I know what thyng it is that þ^e Lord hath not commaunded to be spoken? This token shalt thou haue to knowe it by. What soeuer thyng the Prophet in þ^e name of God shall prophecie, and the same come not to passe: that maist thou be sure the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath Imagined through the hautynes of his owne mind, and therfore thou shalt not be afrayd of hym.

MarginaliaThe Emperour preserued by the power of God from the pope.When the tyme was expired that Hildebrand in hys diuination had set, and that neither the kyng was dead neither the power of his empire empayred: and fearyng