stian common wealth.

MarginaliaThe electiō geuē to the Byshops of Rome.Th? first and neuer before, obteined the Bishop of Rome, and quietly enioyed that prerogatiue of election, and bestowyng of benefices: which he so long before with such great pollicies (now secretly now openly, and now wyth force) had sought for. And with what sufficient and good autoritie Gratianus wyll proue, that before this tyme the same autoritie was geuen to the city of Rome for the election of the Pope without the consent of the Emperour he showeth: as in the 29. and 30. canon: and what good stuffe he putteth in the latter, and how subtilly that Papisticall flatterer or pontificall parasite hath forged the same: MarginaliaGratianus foūde a forger of the Canons.Both Carolus Molineus sufficiently in diuers places hath noted, and by the obseruation of tymes may of a meane historiographer that hath read the French and Germane histories, soone be spied and discerned. For first, fiue bishops one after another succeded this Gregory the 4. vpon whom the 29. canon is entituled or fathered: MarginaliaSergius. 2.
Iohn. 8.
Adrian. 2.
Iohn. 9. and Adrian. 3.that is, Sergius 2. Ihon 8. Adrian 2. Ihon 9. and Adrian the 3. Which Adrian, by force wresting the auctoritie of the election from the people, was made Pope: When, as this Gregory (specially to bee noted) would not take on hym the Papacie, before that the Emperour had consented to hys election. MarginaliaThe second fault found with Gratianus.After this, Molineus compareth Raphael Volateranus with the 30. canō, which agayne is suspected: For why, whē Eugenius was bishop which was the Successor of this Paschalis, wyth whom Ludouicus Pius is sayd to haue made a league or paction: The same Ludouicus Pius, with hys sonne Lotharius together with the helpe of the king of the Romaynes, at Rome made lawes both to all hys snbiectes in the Empire, as also to the Romaines themselues: speakyng nothyng of þ^e renewing of þ^t decree made by Lotharius. MarginaliaThe third fault found wyth Gratianus.Thē againe, howe coulde Leo the fourth, wryte to Lotharius and Ludouicus Emperours, that counterfeyt or forged decree, beginning with Constitutio, &c: when in the same, mention is made of Hēricus Aucupes and Otho the 1. which raygned more then 80. yeres after them and Leo the 4. byshop of Rome.

MarginaliaHow shameles & impudent Gratianus is in forging the decrees.Now, with what face dare this fond fellow Gratianus, make Otho the first to be authour of the. 31. Canon, when as Otho depriued the same Iohn the xij. of the Papacie: And not onely toke nothyng from the imperiall iurisdiction concernyng the election, nor from the Citie of Rome, nor any other bishops subiect to the Roman Empire: but added somewhat more therunto, as was sayd before. And yet not withstandyng, so shameles and senselesse was this Graciā, that he durst obtrude and lay before the Reader, so manifest fraud and euident leger demayne (fayned and made of hys owne braynes in the compyling of this decree) beyng so necessary as he thought for the dominion and Primacy of the Romayne Bishops, in the stede of good and true lawes: neither fearyng that the same myght be after his dayes reprehended, neyther to hys great shame and discredite vnto hym attributed. MarginaliaThe corrupting of many good works to be feared.Where also by the way is to be noted, that as thys gracelesse Gracianus to please these holy fathers and to erecte theyr kyngdome, would geue so impudent an attempte to the blyndyng and deceauyng of all posterities: insertyng for grounded truthes and holy decres such loude lyes and detestable doctrine: what may be thought of the rabble of the rest of wryters in those dayes, what attemptes hope of gayne myght cause them to worke: By whom and suche lyke is to be feared, the falsefyng of dyuers other good workes now extante, in those perilous tymes wrytten.

MarginaliaThe election wrasted from the Emperour.Thus, when the Bishops had once wrasted this authoritie out of the Emperours handes: they then so fortified & armed themselues and their dominion, that although afterwardes Fridericke the fyrst, graundfather vnto thys good Emperour Fridericke the second, as also Ludouicus Boius, and Henricus Lucelburgensis (as men most studious and carefull for the dignities of the Empire: vnfained louers and mayntainers of the vtilitie of the common weale: and most desierus of the preseruation and prosperitie of the Church) did all their indeuours wyth singular wisedom and strength, as much as in them lay, to recouer agayne from the ByshopMarginaliaWhat Rome once catcheth that she kepeth.of Rome this the autoritie of the imperiall iurisdiction lost: MarginaliaNot without good cause desired they to nosell the people in ignorance.most cruelly and wickedly abusing þ^e same, to the destruction both of the Empyre, vndoyng of the common welth, and vtter subuersion of the Churche of God: yet could they not be able to bring the same to passe in those darke and shadowed tymes of peruerse doctrine and errours of the people, and most miserable seruitude of Ciuile Magistrates.

The same and lyke priuilege also in the election of their Byshops and Prelates, and disposing of Ecclesiasticall offices, as the Emperour of Rome had: Euery prince and king in their seuerall dominions had the lyke. MarginaliaEuery king & prince in their seuerall kingdome had also till that time the prerogatiue of election.MarginaliaHispane had the same.For, by the decree of the Councell of Toletane, which in the. 25. canon and 63. distinction is mentioned: the autoritie of creatyng and chusing Bishops and Prelates in Hispane, was in the power of the kyng of Hispane. MarginaliaFraūce had the election.The lyke also, by the hystories of Clodoueus, Charolus Magnus, Ludouicus nonus, Philippus Augustus, Philippus pulcher, Charolous. 5. Charolus. 6. Charolus. 7. kinges of Fraunce, is apparaunt and well knowen: that all these kynges had the chiefe charge and gouernment of the French Church, and not the Byshops of Rome.

MarginaliaEngland had the election.And by our English histories also you haue heard, it is manifest: that the authoritie of chusing ecclesiastical ministers and bishops, was alwayes in the kinges of England, till the raigne of king Henry the 1. who by the labour & procurement of Anselmus Archb. of Caunt. was depriued and put from the same.

MarginaliaGermanie had the election.Also, the princes of Germany and Electors of the Emperour, till the tyme of Henry the v. had all (euery Prince seuerally in hys owne dition and prouince) the same iurisdiction and prerogatiue: to geue and dispose ecclesiasticall functions to their Prelates at their pleasure: and after that it appertayned to the people and prelates together. And howe in the raigne of Fridericke, the prelates gate vnto thēselues alone, thys Imminuitie: Iohannes Auentinus in his. 7. booke of the Annales of the Boiores doth describe.

MarginaliaSicilia had the election.Also it is probable, that the kinges of Sicilia had the same facultie in geuyng and disposing theyr Ecclesiasticall promotions and charge of churches. Andreas de Istmia ad. 1. constit. Neap. nu. 12. And that because Friderike defended hym agaynst the tiranny of the bishop of Rome, therfore as Fazellus sayth, he was excommunicated of Honorius. But that Platina and Blondus alledge other causes wherfore he was excommunicate of Honorius, I am not ignorāt: Howbeit, he that wyll compare their writings with others that write more indifferently betwene Honorius and hym: shall easily finde, that they more sought the fauour of þ^e Romaine bishops, then to write a veritie. But now agayne to the history of Fridericke.

MarginaliaThe death of Constātta the wife of Fridericke.Nicholaus Cisnerus affirmeth, that whilest Fridericke the Emperour was in Sicilia, his wyfe Constantia dyed at Catrana or Catana. In the meane tyme, the Christians which with a great nauy sayled into Egipt and tooke the city Heliopolis, commonly called Damatia, and long agoe named Pelucinum, beyng in good hope to haue driuen Saultanos the Sowdan oute of Egipt: MarginaliaA great ouer throw of the Christians in Egipt.had a great and maruelous ouerthrow, by the conuaying of the water of the floud Nilus (which then ouerflowed into theyr Campe): and were fayne to accord an vnprofitable truce with the Sowldane for certayne yeares, and to deliuer the Citie agayne: and so departyng out of Egipt, were fayne to come to Acones and Tyrus, to the no small detriment and losse of the Christian army. Wherupon, kyng Iohn surnamed Brennus (beyng kyng of Ierusalem), arriued in Italy, and prayed ayde of the Emperour agaynst hys enemies in whō he had great hope to finde remedy of the euils and calamities before declared: and from thence he went to Rome to the Pope, declaryng vnto hym the great discomfite and ouerthrow past, as also the present perill and calamitie that they were in, desiryng also hys ayde therein. MarginaliaFridericke & the pope made frēdes.By whose meanes (as Cisnerus sayeth), the Emperour was reconciled agayne to the Pope, and made friendes together: to whome also Kyng Iohn gaue Ioell hys daughter in mariage, whiche came of the daughter of Conradus Kyng of Ierusalem, and Marques of Mounte Ferrat: wyth whome he had for dowrye, the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of Ierusalem, as right heire thereunto by her mother. By whome also, he after obteyned the kyngdomes of Naples and Sicill: and promysed that wyth as much expedient speede as he myght, he would prepare a power for the recouerie agayne of Ierusalem, and be there hymselfe in proper person: whiche thyng to doe, for that vppon dyuers occasions he deferred, whereof some thynke one, some an other: MarginaliaHonorius the pope dyeth before he put his practise in vre against Fred.Honorius, vnto whome he was lately reconciled, purposed to haue made agaynst hym some great and secrete attempte, had hee not bene by deathe before preuented, vppon whome were made these verses.

O pater Honori, multorum nate dolori,
Est tibi decori, viuere vade mori.

MarginaliaGregorius. 9. as great an enemie to Fred. as Honorius.After whom succeded Gregorius the ix. as great an enemy to Fridericke, as was Honorius: which Gregory, came of the race whome the Emperour (as before ye hearde) condemned of Treason whiche they wroughte agaynste hym. This Gregory was scarcely setled in hys Papacye,