ded the cathedrall sea of Rome: vauncing himselfe as hauing both the ecclesiasticall and temporal sword, committed to him by Christ: and that fulnes of power was in his hād, to bynde and lose what so he listed. Wherupon thus he presumed to occupy both the regimentes, to chalenge all the whole dominion, both of the east and west Church, yea and all power to himselfe alone, abiding none to be equall, much lesse superiour to hym: derogating from other, and arogating to himselfe their due right and honour: setting at light Cesars, kyngs, and Emperours, and who raigned but by his godamercy? Byshops, and prelates, as his vnderlinges, he kept in awe: suspending and cursing, and chopping of their heades, styrryng vp strife and warres, sowing of discorde, making factions, releasing othes, defeating fidelities and due allegiaunce of subiectes to their princes. Yea, and if he had offended or iniured themperour himselfe, yet notwithstanding he ought to be feared: as he himselfe glorieth in a certayn epistle, as one that could not erre, and had receiued of Christ our sauiour, and of Peter, authoritie to bynde and vnbinde at hys will and pleasure. MarginaliaEx Auentino, qui inuenit in instrumentu donationum.Priestes then in those dayes had wiues openly and lawfully, (no law forbidding to the contrary) as appeareth by the deede & writinges of their chapter seales and donations, which were geuen to temples and monasteries: MarginaliaPriestes wyues called presbyterissæ, in old chapter seales.wherin their wyues also be cited with them for witnes, and were called presbyterissæ. Also for Byshops, prelates, parsons of churches, gouernours of the Clergy, masters of monasteries, and religious houses, all these were thē in those times in the Emperours ordination, to assigne by voyce or consent to whom he would. Now these ij. thyngs Gregorius this pope could not abyde. For the which two causes onely, was all his striuyng and driuyng from his first begynnyng: MarginaliaHildebrand a mortall enemie agaynst priestes marryage.to abolish the mariage of Priestes, and to translate the authoritie Imperiall, to the Clergy. For to this scope onely tended all hys labour, practises & aduises: as appeared before in the Councell of Lateran, vnder Pope Nicolas: and also in the Coūcell of Mantua, vnder Alexander, makyng their mariage heresie, and the other to be simony. And that which before he went about by other, now he practiseth by him selfe: MarginaliaPriestes mariage made heresie.to cōdemne ministers that were maryed, for Nicolaitans: and to receaue any spirituall regimēt of secular persons, for Simony. Directing forth 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 wiues. 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: forbiddyng men to salute them, to talke, to eate, to cōpany w^h thē, to pay thē tithes, or to obey thē, if they would not be obedient to him. MarginaliaOttho bishop of Constance.Amōgest all other he directed speciall letters to Ottho Byshop of Constance, concernyng this matter. But Ottho perceauyng the vngodly and vnreasonable pretence of Hildebrand, woulde neither seperate them that were maryed, from their wiues: nor yet forbyd them to mary, which were vnmaryed. &c.

GRegorius bishop, seruaunt of seruauntes of God, to the Clergy and laitie, both more and lesse within the diocease of Constance, salutacion and benediction. We haue directed to our brother Otho, your bishop, our letters exhortatory: wherein we enioyned him, according to the necessitie of our duty, by the authority apostolical, that he should vtterly abolish out of his church the heresy of simony: and also should cause with all diligence to be preached, the chastitie of priestes. But he neither moued with reuerence of S. Peters precept, nor yet with the regard of his duety, neglected to do these thinges, 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 contrary to our commaundement (yea rather the commaundement of blessed S. Peter) so that hee hath permitted his Clergy, not only such as had wyues, not to put them away, but also such as had none, to take vnto them. Wherupon we beyng truely informed therof, and agreued therwith, haue directed to hym an other letter, declaring the motion of our displeasure and indignation. MarginaliaOttho cited to appeare for suffring priestes with their lawfull wyues.In which letters also we haue cited him vp to our councel at Rome, there to appeare and geue account of hys disobedience, in the audience of the whole Synode. And now therfore we so thought it best to signifie this to you (our deare children) wherby in this behalf we might the better pro-uide for your health and saluation. For if your bishop shal continue so obstinatly to repugne and resist agaynst oure commaundement, he is not mete to sit ouer you. &c. Wherfore these shalbe to commaund you, and all them, that bee obedient to God, and to blessed S. Peter, by our Apostolicall authoritie,MarginaliaThe pope dispensed for disobedience.that if this your bishop shall persist in hys obstinacie, you that be his 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 shall seme contrary to the decrementes and iniunctions apostolicall: we through the apostolicall authority of S. Peter, discharge and absolue you from the bande of your allegiance to him. So that if you be sworne to hym: so long as he is a rebell against God, and the Apostolicke seat, we lose you from the perill of your othe, that you shal not nede to feare therin no daunger. &c.

Ottho bishop of Constance thus beyng cited, whether he dyd appeare personally hymselfe, I do not read. This I reade and find, that in the sayd councell holden at Rome, Hildebrand, with other bishops of Rome, dyd then enacte amongst many other, these thre things most speciall: MarginaliaThree thinges enacted by Hildebrande.
Here commeth in the vowe of chastitie.First, that no Priest hereafter should marry wiues. Secōdly, that all such as were married, should be deuorst. Thirdly, that none hereafter should be admitted to the order of priesthode, but should sweare perpetuall chastitie. &c. This councell of Rome beyng ended, forthwith the acte of Hildebrand, concernyng the single lyfe of Priestes, was proclaymed and published in all places, and straite commaundement geuen to bishops, to execute the same.

GRegory the Pope, otherwise Hildebrand, the seruant of the seruantes of God, sendeth the apostles blessing to all them within the kingdomes of Italy and Germany, that shew their true obedience to S. Peter. If there be any Priestes, Deacons, and Subdeacons, that still will remayne in the sinne of fornication: we forbidde them the churches entraunce by the omnipotent power of God, and by the authoritie of Saint Peter, till tyme they amende and repent. But if they perseuere in their sinne: we charge that none of you presume to hear their seruice. For their blessing is turned into curssing, and their prayer into sinne, as the Lorde doth testifie to vs by his Prophet: I will turne your blessing. &c.

The bishops of Fraunce beyng called vpon daily, with the Popes letters, were compelled to obey the decree of the councel, MarginaliaThe Clergie of Fraunce repugning for deuorsing from their wyues.but the residue of the clergy manfully and stoutely, withstanding the Popes decree, and inforcement of theyr bishops would not agree, but repined therat, and said, that the councel did manifestly repugne against the worde of God: and that the Pope did take from Priests, that which both God and nature had geuen them, and therfore that person to be an hereticke, and author of a wycked doctrine, which ruled and gouerned not by the spirite of God, but by Sathan. The decree and acte set forth, to tende directly agaynst the worde of God, and the saying of Christ: Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc, all men haue not the gifte and capacitie of this worde. Item to be agaynst the sounde doctrine of S. Paule, writing in these woordes: As concernyng virginitie, I haue no commaundement of þ^e Lord. &c. Agayne, he that cannot otherwise liue continently, let him marry. Item, that it was agaynst the Canons bothe of the Apostles, and of Nicene councell. Moreouer, that it was agaynst the course of nature which he required: that men beyng sequestred from their naturall wyues and women, 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, and to fornication. In summe, geuyng vp their aunswer, thus they concluded: That they had rather geue vp theyr benefices, then to forsake their naturall and lawful wiues, agaynst the worde of Christ: and finally, if maried priestes could not please them, they should call downe angels from heauen, to serue the churches. But Hildebrande, nothyng moued, nether with honest reason, nor with the authoritie of holy Scripture, nor with the determination of Nicene councell, nor any thyng els: foloweth this matter, calleth vpon the bishops still, with his letters and Legates doth sollicitate their myndes, accuseth them of negligence and dastardnes, threatneth them with excommunication, vnlesse they cause their priestes to obey his decree enioyned them. Whereupon a great number of bishops for feare of the Popes tiranny, laboured þ^e matter with their priestes,