cration and crowne, and to get those thinges you haue not: I feare much, your honour will lose the thinges ye haue. Thus fare ye well.

FRdericke by the grace of God, Romaine Emperour, euer Augustus: vnto Adrian bishop of the Romaine Church, & vnto all such that be willing to cleaue vnto those things which Iesus began to worke and teach, greetyng. The law of iustice, geueth to euery person accordingly that which is his. Neither do we derogate from our parentes: of whome, accordyng as we haue receiued this our dignitie of the imperiall crowne and gouernaunce: so in the same kingdome of ours, we do render their due and true honour to them againe. And for as much as duty in all sortes of men, is to be sought out: let vs see, first in the tyme of Constantine (Siluester then beyng bishop of Rome) what patrimony or regalitie he had of his own, due to him that he might claim? Did not Constantine of hys liberall benignitie geue liberty, and restored peace vnto the church? And whatsoeuer regality or patrimony the see of your papacy hath: was it not by the donation of Princes geuen vnto them? Reuolue and turne ouer the auncient chronicles (if eyther you haue not red, or neglected that we do affime) there it is to be foūde. Of them which be Gods by adoptiō, & hold our lordships of vs: why may we not iustly require their homage, & their sworne allegiance, when as he which is both your maister and ours (taking nothing of any king or any man, but geuing all goodnes to all men) payde toll and tribute for him and Peter, vnto Cesar? Geuing you example to doe the lyke. And therfore saith to you, & all men: Learne of me, for I am meeke and humble of hart. &c. Wherfore either render againe your lordships & patrimonies which ye hold of vs: or els if ye finde them so swete vnto you, then geue that which is due to God, to God: and that which is due to Cesar, vnto Cesar. As for your Cardinals, we shut them out both of churches and cities. For that we see them, not preachers, but proylers: not repairers of peace, but rakers for mony: not pillers and vpholders of the church, but polers insatiable of the world and moylers of mony & gold. What tyme we shall see them to be other men (such as the church requireth them to be) members and makers of peace, shining forth lyke lights to the people, assisting poore and weake mens causes in the way of equitie. &c. Thē shall they find vs prest and ready to relieue them with stipendes, and all things necessary. And where as you infer such questions as these vnto secular men (little conducting to religion) you incurre therby no little note and blemish of your humilitie (which is keper of all vertues) and of your mansuetude. Therfore let your fatherhood beware and take hede, lest in mouyng such matters as seme to vs vnseemely for you: ye geue therby offence to such as depend of your word (geuing eare to your mouth, as it were to an euening shower.) For we cannot but tell you of that we heare: seing now the detestable beast of pride, doth creepe into the seat of Peter: prouiding alwayes (as muche as we may by gods grace) for the peace of the Church. Fare ye well.

Vpon this, Hadrianus the Pope directeth out a Bull, agaynst Fredericke: excommunicating hym with publike & solemne ceremonies. Moreouer (conspiring with William duke of Apulia) sought all maner of wayes to infest the emperour, and to set all men agaynst hym: especially the clergy. Amongst many other writyng to Hillinus B. of Triuers: to Arnulphus bishop of Mentz: and to Friderike bishop of Colen: seketh first to make them of his side. His Epistle to them soundeth to this effect.

MarginaliaA seditious and proud letter of the Pope to the Byshops of Germany.THe Empire of Rome was transferred frō the Grekes, to þ^e Almaynes: so þ^t the kyng of Almaines, could not be called Emperour, before he were crowned of the bishop Apostolicall. Before hys consecration he is a kyng, afterward Emperour. Whence hath he hys Empire then, but of vs? By the election of hys princes he hath the name of a king: by our consecratiō he hath the name of the Emperor of August, or of Cesar. Ergo, by vs he raigneth as Emperour. Search auncient antiquities. Zacharias Pope, promoted Carolus, and made hym a great name: that he was made and called Emperour. And after that, euer the kyng of Almaynes was named Emperour, and aduocate to the see Apostolicall: so that Apulia (conquered by hym) was subdued to the bishop of Rome: which Apulia, with the city of Rome: is ours, and not the Emperours. MarginaliaWell bragged and lyke a Pope. Our seate is at Rome: the seate of the Emperour is at Aquis in Arduennawhich is a wood in Fraunce. The Emperour whatsoeuer he hath, he hath it of vs. As Zacharias dyd translate the Empyre from the Greekes, to the Almaynes: so we, may translate it agayne from the Almaynes, to the Grekes. Behold it lyeth in our power to geue it to whom we will: MarginaliaScripture well wrasted.beyng therefore set vp of God aboue Gentiles and nations, to destroy and plucke vp, to build and to plant. &c.

And yet further to vnderstand the ambitious presumption of thys proud see of Rome: it so chaunced this Emperour Fridericus as hys first commyng vp to Rome, dyd behold there in the palace of Laterane, a certaine picture brought forth vnto hym: How Lotharius. ij. Emperour was crowned of the pope, with the inscription of certaine verses in Latin: declaryng how the foresayd Emperor cōming to Rome, first dyd sweare to the city: after was made the Popes man, and so of hym receiued the crowne. Fridericus offended with this picture, desired the Pope it might be abolished, for that it should be no cause of any dissention hereafter. The Pope vnderstandyng the intent of the Emperor, how loth he was to come vnder subiection to hys see: deuised by all crafty wayes to bring it to passe. MarginaliaEx Radenulco, in apendice Frinsingensis.And first takyng hys occasion by the bishop of Laodicia (beyng thē deteyned in custody, I cannot tell by whom) sent diuers and sharpe letters vnto hym. And yet not so sharpe, as proud & disdainfull. Wherein the first salutacion by hys legates, was this in latine: Salutat vos beatissimus pater noster Papa, & vniuersitas Cardinalium, ille vt pater, hii vt fratres: MarginaliaSee the ambitious presumption of a proud priest.That is. Our most blessed father the Pope, greeteth you, and the vniuersall company of the Cardinals, he as your father, they as your brethren. Meanyng therby that he should vnderstand hymselfe to be subiect and vnderlyng to the Pope, no lesse then the Cardinals were. Moreouer, in hys letters obiectyng diuers thynges agaynst hym, reciteth: howe many & great benefites he had receiued of the church of Rome, by the which church he had obtayned the fulnes of hys honour and dignity. &c. The Emperor wyth hys princes perceuyng wherunto the Pope by hys Legates dyd shoote: (beyng a prince of courage) could not abide such intollerable presumption of a proud message: wherupon much contention fell betwene the Legates and the Princes. And of whom then (say the Legates) receyueth Cesar hys Empery, if he take it not of the Pope? With the which worde the Germayne princes were so much offended: that had not the Emperour stayed them (with much ado) they would haue vsed violence agaynst the Legates. But the Emperour not permittyng that, commaunded the Legates away: straitly charging them to make no turne by the way to any person or persons, but strayght to depart home. And he (to certifie the whole state of þ^e Empire of the truth of the matter) directeth forth these letters that follow.

FOr as much as the prouidence of God (wherof depēdeth all power both in heauen and earth) hath committed to vs, his annoynted, this our regiment, and Empery to be gouerned, and the peace of hys Churches by our Imperiall armes, to be protected: we can but lament and complaine to you with great sorow of hart, seing such causes of dissentiō (the roote and fountaine of euils, and the infection of pestiferous corruption) thus to ryse from the holy church: imprinted with the 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 regiment. For we beyng a late at Bisunze, and there intreating busily of matters pertainyng as well to the honour of our Empire, as to the wealth of churches: there came Embassadors of the see Apostolicall, declaring they brought a legacie to our maiesty, or great importaunce: redounding to no small commoditie of our honour and Empire.

Who then, the first day of their cōmyng, being brought to our presence, and receyued of vs (as the maner is) with honour accordingly: audience was geuen thē, to heare what they had to say. They forthwith, brustyng out of the Mammon of iniquitie: hautie pryde, stoutnesse: and arrogancie: out of the execrable presumption of their swellyng harte, did their message with letters Apostolicall, wherof the tenour was this. That we should always haue before our eies: how that our soueraigne Lord the Pope gaue vs the Imperiall crowne, and that it doth not repent him, if so be it, we haue receiued greater benefites at hys hand.

And this was the effect of that so sweete and fatherly legation, which should nourish peace both of the church