and of the Empire, to vnite them fast together in the band of loue.

At the hearyng of this so false, vntrue, and most vaineglorious presumption of so proud a message: not onely the Emperours maiestie, conceyued iust indignation, but also all the Princes (there present) were moued with suche anger and rage there at: that if our presence and request had not stayed them, they could not haue helde their handes from these wicked priestes, or els to haue proceded with sentēce of death agaynst them.

Furthermore, because a great number of other letters (partly written already, partly with seales ready signed, for letters to be writtē, according as they should think 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, and to fley the limmes and plates of goldē crosses. &c. To the entent their auaricious meanyng, shold haue haue no further power to raigne: we gaue them commaundement to depart the same way, they came. MarginaliaNote here a couragious hart in a valiant Emperour. An example for all princes to follow.And now, seing our raigne and Empery standeth vpon the election of Princes, frō God alone: who in the passion of his sonne, subdued the world to be gouerned with two swordes necessary: & again, seyng Peter the Apostle hath so informed the world with this doctrine. Deum timete, Regem honorificate: That is, Feare God honour your kyng: Therefore who so sayth, that we haue and professe, our Imperiall kingdome by the benefite of the Lord Pope: is contrary both to the ordināce of God, and to the doctrine of Peter, and also shalbe reproued for a lyer.

Therfore as our endeuor hath bene heretofore to helpe and to deliuer the seruile captiuitie of churches out of the hand, and from the yoke of the Egiptians, and to maintaine the right of their liberties and dignities: we desire you all, with your compassion to lament with vs, this slaunderous ignominie inferred to vs and our kingdome. Trustyng that your faithfull good will, which hath bene euer trusty to the honour of this Empire (neuer yet blemished from the first beginnyng of the citie, and of religion) will prouide, that it shall haue no hurt through the straunge noueltie, & presumptious pride of suche. Which thing, rather then it should come to passe, know you this for certaine: I had rather incurre the daunger of death, then to suffer such confusion to happen in our dayes.

This letter of Cesar, fretted the Pope not a little: who wrote agayne to the bishops of Germany, accusing the emperour, and willing them to worke against him, what they could. They aunswer agayne with all obedience to þ^e pope: submittyng themselues, and yet excusing the Emperor, and blamyng hym rather. And exhorted hym henceforth to temper his letters and legacies with more gentlenes and modestie: the which counsell he also followed, perceiuing otherwise, that he could not preuayle.

Much trouble had good Fridericus with this Pope: but much more with the other, that followed. For this Pope continued not very long: the space onely of 4. yeares & odde monethes. MarginaliaThe order of Eremites.About whose tyme, rose vp the order of the Heremites by one William, once duke of Aquitania, & afterward a Frier. MarginaliaAn. 1159.
The saying and magement of pope Adrianus of the papall sea.This Hadrianus walkyng with his cardinals abroad, to a place called Anagnia, or Arignanum, (as Volateran calleth it) chaunced to be choked with a flie gettyng into hys throte, and so was strangled: who in the latter tyme of his papacie, was wont to say, that there is no more miserable kinde of lyfe in the earth, then to be a Pope. MarginaliaThe popes rather successours to Romulus then to Peter.and to come to the Papacie by bloud, that is (said he) not to succeede Peter, but rather Romulus, who to raigne alone, did slay hys brother.

MarginaliaPope Alexander the 3.Although this Adrian was bad inough, yet came þ^e next much worse, one Alexander the 3. of þ^t name. Who yet was not elected alone, for beside him the Emperor, with 9. Cardinals (albeit Sabellicus saith, but with 3.) did set vp another pope named Victor the 4. Between these two popes, rose a foule schisme and great discord, and long contynued. In so much that the Emperour being required to take vp the matter, sent for them both to appeare before him: that in hearing them both he might iudge their cause þ^e better. Victor came, but Alexāder (disdaining that his matter should come in controuersie) refused to appeare. Wherupon theEmperour with a full consent of his bishops and clergy about him, assigned and ratified the electiō of Victor to stād. And so brought him into the citie, there to be receyued and placed. MarginaliaAlexander curseth the Emperour.Alexander (flying into Fraunce) accursed thē both: sendyng hys letters to all christendome agaynst them, as men to be auoyded and cast out of all christen company. Also to get him frendes at Rome: by flattery and mony got on hys side the greatest part of the citie: both to the fauouring of hym, and to the settyng vp of such Consuls as were for hys purpose. After this, Alexander commyng from Frāce to Sicile, and from thence to Rome: was there receyued with much fauour, through the helpe of Phillipe the Frēch kyng.

Marginalia1164.The Emperour hearyng this rebellion and conspiracie in Rome: remoued with great power into Italye, where he had destroyed diuers great Cities. Commyng at length to Rome, he required the Citizens: that the cause betwixt the two Popes might be decised, and that he which had the best right might be taken. If they would so doe, he would restore agayne that which he tooke from them before. Alexander mistrustyng his part and doubting þ^e willes of the Citizins (hauyng shippes ready prepared for hym, from William Duke of Apulia) fetchte a course about to Venice.

To declare here the difference in histories, betwene Blōdus Sabellicus, and the Venitian Chronicles, with other writers, concernyng the order of this matter: I will 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 hym. Wherupon, Fridericus the Emperor, sent thither hys sonne Otho with men and ships well appoynted: charging hym not to attēpt any thing before hys commyng. The yong man more hardy then circumspect (ioyning with the Venetians) was ouercome: & so taken was brought into the City. Hereby the pope toke no small occasion to worke hys feates.

The father, to helpe the captiuitie and misery of hys sonne: was compelled to submitte hymselfe to the Pope, and to intreat for peace. So the Emperour commyng to Venice (at saint Markes church, where the bishop was, there to take his absolution) was bid to knele downe at the Popes feete.

MarginaliaThe pope treading on the Emperours necke.The proude Pope settyng hys foote vpon the Emperours necke, sayd the verse of the Psalme: Super aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis & conculabis Leonem & Draconē: That is: Thou shalt walke vpon the adder and þ^e Basiliske: and shalt tread downe the Lion and the Dragon, &c. To whom the Emperour aunswering agayne, sayde: Non tibi sed Petro, that is, not to thee but to Peter. The Pope againe, Et mihi, & Petro. both to me & to Peter. The Emperour fearyng to geue any occasion of farther quarellyng, held hys peace & so was absolued, and peace made betwene them: the conditions wherof were these. First þ^t he should receyue Alexander, for the true Pope. Secondly, that he should restore agayne to the church of Rome, all that he had taken away before. And thus the Emperour obtaynyng agayne his sonne, departed.

Here, as I note in diuers writers, a great diuersity and varietie touching the order of this matter (of whome some say, that the Emperour campt in Palestina before hee came to Venice, some say after) MarginaliaVolateran taken with a contradiction.so I maruell to see in Volaterane (so great a fauorer of the Pope) such a contradiction, who in his xxij. booke saith: that Otto (the Emperoures sonne) was taken in this conflict, which was the cause of þ^e peace between his father and the pope: And in his. xxiij. booke againe sayth, that the Emperour himselfe was taken prisoner in the same battaile: and so (afterward peace concluded) toke his iourney to Asia & Palestina. MarginaliaConcilium Latronense.
The clergye bounde to the vow of chastitie. Papistes erre not so much in promising chastitie, as in defining chastity.This pope in the time of his papacye (which contynued xxi. yeares) kept sundry councels both at Turo, and at Laterā, where he confirmed the wicked procedinges of Hildebrand, and other his predecessors. As to binde all orders of the clergie to the vowe of chastitie, which were not greatly to be reprehended if they would define chastity aright. For who so liueth not a chaste life (sayth he) is no fit person to be a minister. But herein, lyeth an error full of much blindnes: and also peril to thinke, that matrimony immaculate (as S. Paule calleth it) is not chastitie, but onelye a single lyfe, that they esteme to bee a chaste life.