elly he had dispersed the chaire of Christ, in defilyng the lawes of the church: ruling by might & austeritie, in that his so perilous and presumptious excommunication.

In the discriptiō of the same excommunicatiō, he inserteth those thinges, wherin he himselfe erred, when he absolued the Emperour, beyng vniustly excommunicate and the Byshops 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, did as much as in him lay to make two Churches.

Also the same bold marchaūt, cōmaūded 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 him selfe to be a manifest infidell: for that in the Nicen Coūcel it is written, he that doubteth is an infidell.

Further, he saught after a signe to establish his fayth concernyng the Article of the Lordes body, as did Gregory: to confirme the womās fayth, when the consecrated bread was transubstanciated into the forme of a fleshy finger. MarginaliaOf thys miracle we read in no approued historie.He also sent two Cardinals (Attones, and Cunones) vnto Anastasīe: that with the Archpriest of the same Church, they should begyn a fast of three dayes space. And that euery of them (euery day during those iij. dayes) should say ouer the Psalter, and sing Masses: that Christ would shew vnto thē, some such like signe of his body, as he dyd to the foresayd Gregory: which thyng they could not see.

The Emperour was oftentymes wont to go to S. Maries Church, in the mount Auentine to pray. Hildebrand when he had by his espials searched out and knew all the doynges 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 money he hyered a nauty pact (like him selfe) to gather & lay together a heape of great stones, directly ouer the place, in the vaute of the Church, where the Emperour would stand: that in throwyng the same downe vpon his head, he should slay the Emperour. About which purpose as the hyerlyng hasted, and 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 downe frō the roofe, to the pauement of the church, & with the same stone was dasht all in peeces. And after the Romanes had vnderstandyng of the handelng of this matter: they fastened a rope to one of the feete of this hyrelyng, and caused him to be drawen through the streetes of the Citie three dayes together, in example of others. The Emperour notwithstandyng accordyng to his wonted clemencie, caused hym to be buryed.

Iohannes the Byshop of Portua (beyng one of the secret counsell of Hildebrand) came vp into the pulpit of S. Peter: and amongest other thynges in the hearyng both of the Clergy and people sayd: Hildebrand 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) which Sacrament: MarginaliaHildebrand casteth the sacrament of the Lords body in the fire, because it would geue him no aunswere.Hildebrand, when he therof inquired 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 clergy and the people were assembled at S. Peters Church to heare Masse: after the Gospell, he went vp into the pulpit as he was in his pontificall attyre: and in the presence of diuers Byshops and Cardinals (a great cōpany both of the Senat and the people of Rome, beyng gathered together) openly preached (among many other words of diuination) that the kyng whose name was Henry, shoulde die (without all peraduenture) before the feast of Saint Peter next insuing: or els at least wise, that he should be so deiected from his kingdome, that he should not be able any more to gether together aboue the number of vi. knightes. MarginaliaThe Pope a false prophet.Thys he preached to the Byshops & Cardinals, and all that were present crying out of the pulpit in these wordes: Neuer accept me for Pope any more, but plucke me from the aulter: if this prophecie be not fulfilled by the day appointed. MarginaliaThe pope seketh agayne to murther the Emperour.About the same tyme, he went about by helpe of priuie murtherers to kill 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 deede put in execution) presumed of the death of the kyng, beyng by hym falsly prophesied of before: which words of hys, wounded many mens hartes. And it came to passe that Hil-debrand, by his wordes was openly condemned in the congregation, which (as is sayd) gaue iudgement of hymselfe to be no Pope: neither that he would be counted, for Pope any longer: but thought to be both a belyer and a traitor: vnles that before the feast of S. Peter next comming, the Emperour should 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 his owne mouth condemned for an hereticke.And thus by the appointmēt of God it came to passe, that by his owne mouth, he was condemned for an hereticke.

Thus sayth the Lord. The prophet which of arrogancy 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 thing it is that the Lord hath not commaunded to be spoken? This token shalt thou haue to know it by. Whatsoeuer thyng the Prophet in the 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 hautines of his owne mynde, and therfore thou shalt not be afrayd of him.

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 the Empire empayred: and fearyng least by the wordes of his owne mouth, he should be reprehended and condemned: MarginaliaA subtile shifte of Hildebrand to saue his lying prophecie.subtiltie turned hys tale, saying & perswading the ignoraunt people, that he ment not of the body of the kyng, but of hys soule: as though the soule of the kyng had lost all, sauing. vj. of his knights or soldiours, or els had bene dead during that space: and thus by these slaightes he beguiled the ignorant people. Against such Prophets S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel sayth: Betwene true Prophets and false thys difference there is: that true Prophetes, if they speake any thyng vpon their owne mynde, they be soone rebuked: but the false prophetes, both they tell lyes, and not hauyng the spirite of truth, they perseuere in their falsity.

Ouer and beside, the sayd Hildebrand iudged to death three men before they were conuict, or els confessed their crime without the sentence of any secular iudge: and caused them to be hanged vpon a payre of gallowes ouer agaynst the MarginaliaThree persons before they were conuict put to execution by Hildebrand agaynst all law.Church of S. Peter in a place called Palatiolum, without any delay or aduisement, contrary to the lawes, whiche commaunde that euery publike offender should haue. 30. dayes space before he be put to execution. Which thyng euē amōgest the Paganes is in vre and obserued: as teacheth the autoritie of Saint Ambrose, and the martyrdome of holy Marcelianus and Marcus.

MarginaliaCentius taken by the Pope, and put into a barrell of nayles.
The pope taken of Centius.
Centius executed by the pope, contrary to promise and fayth.He cast Centius the sonne of Stephē the Alderman into prison, beyng before his trusty frend: and in a vessell beyng thicke set with sharpe nayles, he tormented him to the poynt of death: who after that he was escaped, apprehended the sayd Hildebrand. Of this apprehension before he was set at liberty, he openly forgaue all the conspiratours. Which thyng afterwardes, contrary to his fidelity, he brake and reuenged, and caused Centius, to whom he had forguen all offences, to be taken, and hanged hym, and ix. of his men vpon the gallowes before S. Peters porche.

There was at the apprehension of Pope Hildebrand, a certaine widowes sonne, to whom and others moe for their penaunce, he enioyned a yeares banishment. Which tyme beyng explete or run out, the widow in token of more ample satisfactiō, thinking therby to haue appeased the minde of Hildebrand, put a halter about her sonnes necke: and drawyng her sonne by the rope to the foote of Hildebrand, sayd: My Lord Pope, at your handes will I receaue agayne my sonne, which one whole yeare hath indured banishment and other penaunce by your holynes enioyned. Then the sayd Hildebrand, for that instant, because of those which were with hym in company (dissimulyng his wrath) deliuered her, her sonne very churlishly, saying: get thee hence woman I bid thee, and let me be in rest. After this he sent his officers and apprehended the widowes sonne, & gaue commaundement to the Iustices, to put hym to death: who altogether makyng answere, sayd that they could not more condemne or meddle with hym, for that he had for hys crime committed, appealed once to the pope: MarginaliaThe villanie of the pope in killing a widowes sonne which before had done his penance. and abydden the banishment, and done the penaunce by hym enioyned. Hereupon this glorious Hildebrand, beyng displeased with the iudges, caused the foote of the widowes sonne to be cut of: makyng neither repentaunce, nor the lawes and ordinaunces to be of any estimation with hym: and thus hys foote beyng cut of, he dyed within three dayes after with the payne thereof. Manye other wicked deedes did this Hildebrand, vpon whom the bloud of the Church cryeth ven-