ted to vs, his annoynted, this our regiment, and Empery to be gouerned, and the peace of his churches by our imperiall armes, to be protected: we can but lament and complayne to you with great sorow of hart, seyng such causes of dissention (the rote and fountaine of euils, and the infection of pestiferous corruption) thus to rise from the holy churche: imprinted with þ^e seale of the peace and loue of Christ.

By reason wherof (except God turne it away) we feare the whole body of the church is lyke to be polluted: the vnitie therof to be broken: and a schisme and diuision to be betwixt the spirituall, and temporall regimēt. For we, being a late at Bisunze, and there intreatyng busily of matters pertaining as well to the honor of our Empyre, as to the wealth of Churches: there came embassadours of the see Apostolicall, declaryng they brought a legacie to our maiesty, or great importaunce: redounding to no small cōmoditie of our honour, and Empyre.

Who thē, the first day of their cōmyng, being brought to our presēce, and receyued of vs (as the maner is) with honour accordingly: audience was geuen them, to heare what they had to say. They forthwith, brustyng out of the Māmon of iniquitie: hautie pride, stoutnesse: & arrogancie: Out of the execrable presumption of their swellyng harte, dyd their message with letters Apostolicall, wherof the tenour was this. That we should alwayes haue before our eyes: how that our soueragyne Lord the pope gaue vs the imperiall crowne, and that it doth not repent hym, if so be it, we haue receyued greater benefites at his hand.

And this was theffect of that so swete and fatherly legation, whiche should nourish peace both of the church, and of the Empyre, to vnite them fast together in the band of loue.

At the hearing of this so false, vntrue, and most vainglorious presumption of so proud a message: not onely the Emperours maiestie, cōceiued iust indignation, but also all the princes (there present) were moued with such anger and rage there at: that if our presēce and request had not stayed thē, they could not haue hold their handes from these wicked priests, or els to haue proceded with sentence of death agaynst them.

Furthermore, because a great nomber of other letters (partly written already, partly with seales ready signed, for letters to be writtē, accordyng as they should thyncke good to the churches of Germany) were found about them: wherby to worke their conceyued intent of iniquitie here in our churches, to spoyle the altars, to cary away the iewels of the church, & to fley the lymmes and plates of goldē crosses. &c. To the entent theyr auaricious meaning, should haue no further power to raign: we gaue them cōmaundement to depart the same way, they came. MarginaliaNote here a couragious hart in a valiant Emperour. An example for all princes to followe.And now, seyng our raigne and Empery stādeth vpon the election of princes, from God alone: who in the passiō of his sonne, subdued the world to be gouerned with two swordes necessary: and agayne, seyng Peter the Apostle hath so informed the world with this doctrine. Deum timete, Regem honorificate: That is, Feare God honour your king: Therfore who so sayth, that we haue and professe, our imperiall kingdom by the benefite of the lord pope: is contrarye both to the ordinaunce of God, and to the doctrine of Peter, and also shall be reproued for a lyer.

Therfore as our endeuor hath ben heretofore, to helpe and to deliuer þ^e seruile captiuitie of churches out of the hand, and from the yoke of the Egyptians, and to maintayne the right of their liberties and dignities: we desire you all, with your compassion to lament with vs, thys slaūderous ignominie inferred to vs and our kingdom. Trusting that your faithfull good will, which hath ben euer trusty to the honour of this Empyre (neuer yet blemished from the first begynnyng of the citie, and of reli-gion) will prouide, þ^t it shall haue no hurt now, through the straunger noueltie, and presumptious pride of such. Which thyng, rather then it should come to passe, know you this for certaine: I had rather incurre þ^e daunger of death, then to suffer such confusiō to happē in our dayes.

This letter of Cesar, fretted the pope not a litle: who wrote agayne to the bishops of Germany, accusing the Emperour, & willyng them to worke against him, what they could. They aunswere agayne withal obedience to the pope: submittyng them selues, and yet excusing the Emperour, and blamyng him rather. And exhorted him henceforth to temper his letters and legacies with more gentlenes and modestie: the whiche counsel he also followed, perceiuing otherwise, that he could not preuaile.

Much trouble had good Fridericus with this pope: but much more with the other, that followed. For this pope cōtinued not very long: þ^e space onely of iiij. yeares and odde monethes. MarginaliaThe order of Eremites.About whose tyme, rose vp thorder of the Heremites by one William, once duke of Aquitania, and afterward a Frier. Marginalia1159.
The fayth and iudgement of pope Adrianus of the papall see.This Hadrianus walkyng with his cardinals abroad, to a place called Anagnia, or Arignanum, (as Volaterā calleth it) chaunced to be choked with a flye gettyng into his throte, and so was strangeled: who in the latter time of his papacy, was wont to say, that there is no more miserable kinde of life in the earth, then to be a pope. MarginaliaThe popes rather successours to Romulus then to Petrus.And to come to the papacy by bloud, that is (sayd he) not to succede Peter, but rather Romulus, who to raigne alone, did slay his brother.

MarginaliaPope Alexāder the iii.Although this Adrian was bad inough, yet came the next much worse, one Alexander the iij. of þ^t name. Who yet was not elected alone. For besides him: þ^e Emperour, with ix. cardinals (albeit Sabellicus sayth, but with iij.) did set vp an other pope named Victor the iiij. Betwene these two popes, rose a foule schisme and great discord: & long continued. In so much that the Emperour beyng required to take vp the matter, sent for them both to appeare before hym: that in hearyng them both, he myght iudge their cause the better. Victor came, but Alexander (disdayning that his matter should come in controuersie) refused to appeare. Wherupon the Emperour with a full consent of his byshops and clergy about him: assined and ratified the election of Victor to stand. And so brought him into the city, there to be receyued and placed. MarginaliaAlexander curseth the Emperour.Alexāder (flying into Fraunce) accursed them both: sendyng his letters to all christendom agaynst them, as men to be auoyded and cast out of all christen company. Also to get hym frends at Rome: by flattery and money got on his side the greatest part of the citie: both to the fauouryng of hym, and to the settyng vp of such consuls as were for his purpose. After this, Alexander comming from Fraunce to Sicile, and from thence to Rome: was there receyued with much fauour, through the helpe of Philip the French kyng.

Marginalia1164.The Emperour hearyng this rebellion and conspiracy in Rome: remoued w^t great power into Italy, where he had destroyed diuers great cities. Commyng at lēgth to Rome, he required the citizens: that the cause betwixt the two popes might be decised, and þ^t he which had the best right might be taken. If they would so do, he would restore again that, which he tooke from thē before. Alexander mistrusting his part, and doubting the willes of the citizins (hauyng ships ready prepared for him, from Williā duke of Apulia) fetcht a course about to Venis.

To declare here the difference in histories, betwene Blondus, Sabellicus, and the Venitian chronicles, with other writers, concerning the order of this matter: I wil ouerpasse. In this most do agree: that the pope beyng at Venice, and required to be sent of the Venetians, to the emperour: they would not send him. Wherupon, Fridericus the emperour, sent thither his sonne Otho with mē and ships wel appoynted: charging him not to attempt any thing before his commyng. The yong mā more har-