answer, he sayd that he was best worthy to be Abbot, & to haue the rule of so holy a charge: & so gaue vnto hym that benefice without taking any peny.

MarginaliaVrban excommunicagted Henry the. iiii. Emperour.Vrbanus B. of Rome (who, as is sayd succeded after Victor) ruled the church of Rome, about the space of. xii. yeres: & among his other actes, he excommunicated the Emperour Hēricus the fourth of þ^t name, as a mā not much deuout to that see of Rome: But yet a worthy & victorious prince he was, in whom albeit some vice perchaunce might be noted: yet none such, wherefore anye prelate or minister of Christ, ought to excite his subiectes to rebell agaynst publike authoritie of God apoynted. MarginaliaHenry the. iiii. Emperour, by iiii. popes excōmunicated.This Emperour Henricus þ^e. iiij. was by. 4. Popes seuerally excommunicate: first by Hildebrand, by Victor, Vrbanus, and Paschalis. Which excommunicatiō wrought so in the ignorant and blynde hartes of the people, that many (as well of the nobles, as of the multitude, contrary to their sworne alleagiance) rebelliously conspired agaynst their king and Emperour. MarginaliaLudouicus erle conspiring and rebellious agaynst the Emperour.In number of whom, emong the rest was one certaine Earle named Ludouicus: to whom Waltramus bishop of the church of Mergburgh (a godly and a faythfull man, as appeareth) doth write letters of fatherly admonition, exhorting and instructing hym in the office of obedience. Vnto the which letters he likewise doth answer again, by cauiling sophistication: and by mere affection, rather disposed to discord, then seeking sincerity of truth. And forasmuch as in these two letters, the argument of christian obedience on both sides is so debated by prooffes & reasons, as may be profitable for the Reader to peruse and vnderstand: I thought therfore not to defraude the English reader of the same, whereof peraduēture some vtilitie might be taken. The tenour of the bishops letter to the Earle here foloweth.

Marginalia1090.
Ex appendice Mariani Scotui.VAltramus dei gratia id quod est, Ludouico sereinissimo principi cum instantia orationum, semet ipsum ad omnia deuotissimum. Omni regno vtilis est concordia, desiderabilis est iustitia. &c. In English.

Valtrane by the grace of God being that he is: to Ludouike the noble prince, with instance of prayer offereth hymselfe seruiceable to all things. To euery realme concord is a thing profitable, and iustice much to be desired. For this vertue is the mother of godlynes and the consecration of all honesty. Whosoeuer seeking after ciuile dissention, and incenseth other to the effusion of blood: he is a murtherer, and partaker with him: who, euer gaping and thrusting for our blood, goeth about seeking whom he may deuour. MarginaliaConcorde and iust obedience necessarye in a cōmon wealth.You therfore, considering with your selfe (most noble prince) how God is the God of peace, and not of dissension (so muche as in you doth lye) haue peace with all men. God is charitie, the deuill is hatred. The whole law and prophetes consist in loue and charitie. He that hatheth and maligneth his brother, is a murtherer, & hath no part with Christ in the kingdome of God. This we rede testified and and protested both by him which is the truth hymselfe, and by him which was the scholar of the truth: who vpon the brest of the Lord (drinking a more full draught of the veritie of the Gospell) reioyceth the citie of God wyth aboundance of plentifull floods. In like maner the worthy vessell of election, who being rapt vp to the third heauen (not by man, but by reuelation of Iesu Christ) protesteth also, saying: let euery soule submit himselfe to higher powers. Ther is no power sayth he, but of God. He that resisteth power, resisteth the ordinance of God. If that be true therfore, which certayne of our frendes do iangle emong wemen, and the vulgar sort, that we ought not to be subdued to kingly power: then is it false which the Apostle teacheth, that euerye soule must submit himselfe vnder power and superioritie. But can the veritie lye? Or do we seeke for experiment of him, whospake in the apostle, Christ the Lord? Or do we prouoke the Lord? Be we stronger then he? For what doth he, but thinketh himselfe stronger then the Lord, þ^t resisteth the ordinance of God: for ther is no power but of God. But what sayth the prophet? Confounded be all they, that striue agaynst thee O Lord: and the men which repugne agaynst thee, shall perish. MarginaliaDisobedience punished of God.Rodolphus, Hildebrandus, Egbertus, with manye other princes, resisted the ordinance of God in Henry the Emperour. And lo, euen as they had neuer bene, so are they nowe perished: and as their ende was euyll, so their begynning coulde not be good.

Now therfore, for somuch as they which be contrary to vs do earnestly striue agaynst vs with their owne argumentes, whereas of right (I dare referre me to your iudgement) we ought to vse the autoritie of Christ and auncient fathers, before that, whiche our aduersaries take out of their owne treasurye. And because I will not refuse the order of lawe in this behalfe, let it bee the ende of the strife: that either I may be openly shamed before the people, either els (the victory fallyng on my side) we may winne you to the obedience of our soueraigne Lord the Emperour. Also take you hede to thys saying: if any man do preach otherwise then that which is preached, let him of you be accursed.MarginaliaCol. This curse I say, doth not procede from any new prophane autoritie, but is thundered downe frō the iij. heauen. And of thē which know not the righteousnes of God, but go about to stablish their own righteousnes, and therfore be not subiect to the righteousnes of God: I may boldly say, let such be accursed. So may you well say, confounded be all they that proudly rise vp agaynst the Lord: but thy seruaunt (oh Lord) shall reioyse: MarginaliaIohn.for as thou hast wel said, without me you can do nothing, so in iudging of þ^e wicked, thou doest not condemne the iust. MarginaliaRom.Who art thou þ^t iudgest an other mans seruaunt to his own Lord whether he doth stand or fall.

MarginaliaA raylyng answere to the former letter of byshop Waltram.THe earle Lewes to the lord Waltrā, how so euer vnworthy or vnmete he be for þ^e name. Like as a good mā frō þ^e good treasure of the hart bringeth forth good fruite, so doth the euill man from the euil treasure of the hart bring forth euill fruite. What arrogancie hath so possessed you, to prouoke my displeasure, with such iniurious contumelies? for in dede, those my good Lordes & spirituall fathers, whiche strengthen me in the way of righteousnes: you raylingly call them, bloudy men lyke vnto sathan: & the wholesome lessons, whiche they teach you say, they are but dreames of þ^e cōmon people amongest foolish wemē. Hath god any nede of your iudgemēt that you should speake leasings for him? Iniquitie hath taught your mouth to folowe blasphemous tounges: so that well may the Prophet say of you, he would not vnderstand to do well, he hath deuised wickednes vpon his bed. Although therfore you beyng altogether frowarde haue onely spoken frowarde thynges: yet we haue determined to set a watch before your mouthe, lyke as if a shameles person should stand vp before vs, and the word of God doth prouoke vs saying. Aunswere a foole accordyng to his owne foolishnes, MarginaliaWell sayd, whē ye are not able to withstand his wisedome, call him a foole.leste he should seme wise in hys own opinion. Shall folly speake and wisedome hold his peace? Shal lyes be freely vttered, and truth compelled to kepe silence? Shall darkenes couer the earth, and shall not the Lord arise and shyne? yea rather the lyght hath lightened the darkenes, and darkenes hath not cōprehended it. MarginaliaNote how the earle here calleth lyght darknes and darknes lyght.In consideration hereof our heartes haue melted, and our zealous meditation hath set vs on fyre. We therfore speake and cry, and the litle foxes whiche vndermine the Lordes vineyardes (as much as in vs is) we driue away, fearyng the threatning prophecie. You haue not withstanded our aduersaries, neither haue you made a bulwarke for the defēce of the houses of Israell,