when that he threatned hym and that greatly with excommunication, vnlesse he would prepare hymselfe into Asia, accordyng to hys promise as ye heard before to king Iohn. And what the cause was, why the Pope so hastened the iourney of Fridericke into Asia, you shall heare hereafter: In effect, he could not wel bring that to passe, which in his mischeuous mynd he had deuised, vnlesse the Emperour were farther from hym. MarginaliaFridericke refuseth to go into Asia at the popes bidding the pope is angry.Notwithstandyng, Fridericke it should seme smellyng a ratte, or mistrustyng somwhat (as well he myght) alledged diuers causes and lets, as lately and truly he did to Honorius.

Fazellus a Sicilian writer sayth, that the speciall cause of the Emperours stay was: for the othe of truce and peace duryng certaine yeres, which was made betwene the Saracens and Christians as you heard, which tyme was not yet expired.

MarginaliaThe cause of the stay of the Emperours Iourney into Asia.The same also Fazellus, writeth thus of king Ihon of Ierusalē: that when his daughter was brought to Rome, the Emperour and the pope were reconciled together. And being called vp to Rome to celebrate þ^e mariage, Pope Gregory (as the maner of those proud prelates is) offered hys right foote vnto the Emperour to kysse. But the Emperour not stoupyng so low, scarsly with hys lippe, touched the vpper part of hys knee and would not kisse his foote: which thyng, the Pope toke in very euil part and was therwith meruelously offended. MarginaliaThe pope dissembleth his grudge.But for that no oportunitie at that tyme serued to reuenge hys conceyued grudge and old malice, he dissimuled þ^e same as he might for that tyme, thinkyng to recompence it at the full as tyme would serue, and fall out therfore.

After this, it fortuned that the Emperour hearing how the Christians were oppressed by the Souldane in Syria, and that from Arsacida there came a great power agaynst the Christen princes: he made the more hast, and was wyth more desire incouraged to set forward his iourney into Asia. Wherfore, assemblyng the Nobilitie of the Empire at Rauenna and Cremona: he gaue in commaundement to Henry his sonne (whom not long before he caused to be created Cesar) that he should perswade the nobles and princes of the Empire: that they all would be ready to put to theyr helpyng handes, in furthering this his iourney and enterprice. Thus writeth Fazellus: howbeit, some other affirme that these things were done in the tyme of Honorius. But how soeuer the matter is, this thyng is manifest: that FriderickeMarginaliaThe preparation of the viage of Fredericke to Ierusalem and stay therof.to satisfie the Popes desire, which neuer would lin but by al meanes sought to prouoke hym forward, gaue hym at length hys promise: that by a certen tyme he would prepare an army and fight hymselfe agaynst those, which kept from hym the city of Ierusalem (which thyng he also confesseth hymselfe in his epistles, and also how he desired, & obteyned of the pieres and nobility of the Empire, their aide therunto) as also, to haue appointed a conuenient tyme whē they should be at Brundusium.

MarginaliaThe preparation of the Emperours warre agaynst the Turke.In the meane season, he with all hys power and indeuour made hasty and spedy preparation for the warres: he rigged and manned a puissant nauy, he had the pikedst men and best soldiours that were in euery countrey, and made warlike prouisiō and furniture, for euery thyng that to such a voiage and expedition apertayned. Neyther was the matter slacked, but at the tyme appoynted: Great bandes assembled and mustured both of Germaine souldires and others, and vnder their Captaines appoynted set forth and marched to Brundusium. Their generals were, Turingus and Sigebertus, and Augustanus the bishop: MarginaliaGreat sickenes in the Emperours armye.where they, long tyme lyeng and attending the Emperours commyng (beyng let by infirmitie and sicknes) great pestilence and sondry diseases molested them, by reason of the greate heate and intemperaunce of that countrey: and many a souldiour there lost his lyfe, among whome also dyed Turingus one of their Generals. The Emperour, when he had somewhat recouered his health, wyth all hys nauy lanched out and set forward to Brundusium. And when he came to the straites of Peliponences & Creta (being Ilāds lying in the Sea) and there, for lacke of conuenient wynde was stayed: MarginaliaThe Emperour himselfe sicke.sodaynly the Emperour (hys diseases growyng vppon hym agayne) fell sicke: and sendyng before, all or the most part of his bandes and shyppes into Palestina promisyng them (most assuredly) to come after and follow them so soone as he might recouer and get neuer so litle helth: he hymselfe with a few shyps, returned and came to Brundusium, and from thence for wante of helth, went into Apulia.

When tidinges hereof came to the Popes eare: He sent out hys thundryng curses and new excommunications agaynst the Emperour. The causes wherfore, I find noted and mentioned by his owne letters, that is. How that when MarginaliaThe pope excommunicateth the Emperour for staying his viage.he had robbed and taken from Brundusius, Prince of Turing, hys horses, hys money, and other rich furniture of hys house at the tyme of hys death, he sayled into Italy: not for the entent to make warre agaynst the Turke, but to conuey this pray that he had stolen and taken away frō Brundusius, who neglectyng hys othe and promise which he had made, and fayning hymselfe to be sicke, came home agayne. And that by his default also,MarginaliaHe layeth false accusations to hys charge. Damieta was lost, & the hoste of the Christians sore afflicted. Fazellus, besides these causes spoken of before, doth write that the Pope alleged these also. That he defiled a certen Damosell, which was in the Quenes nursery: and that he slew hys wyfe when he had whipped her in the prison, for declaryng this mischieuous acte to her father kyng Ihon. But all the writers, and also Blondus hymselfe doth declare, that this Ioell, dyed after the publication of the proscript and excommuncation: wherfore, þ^e pope could not without great shame allege that cause vpon the death of Ioell: For vndoubtedly the truth is, that she of her sonne Conradus, dyed in childbed. Then Fredericke, to refell and auoyd the foresayd slaunders, sendeth the bishop of Brundis, and other Legates to Rome: whom the Pope would not suffer to come to hys presence, neither yet to the Counsell of the Cardinals to make hys purgation. MarginaliaThe Emperour purgeth himselfe of those crimes the pope sayd agaynst hym by his letters dedicated to all Christen princes.Wherfore the Emperour to purge hymselfe of the crimes, which the Pope dyd so falsly accuse hym of: both to all Christen kings and specially to the princes of Germany, and all the nobles of the Empire, he writeth his letters (which are to be sene) that those things are both false and also fayned, and of the popes own head inuented. And sheweth, how that his Embassadours with hys purgatiō, could not be suffered to come to the popes presence: also doth largely intreate how vnthankefull & vngratefull the bishops of Rome were towards him for the great benefits which both he & also his predecessors had bestowed vpon them and the Romain church: which letter, for that it is ouer tedious here to place, considering the discourse of the history is somwhat long, the summe of hys purgation is this.

MarginaliaThe effect of the Emperours lettersHe protesteth and declareth vniuersally, that he had alwayes great care for the christen common wealth, and that he had determined euen from his youth, to fight against the Turke and Saracens. And for that occasion, he made a promise to the Princes electours of Aquisgraue, how that he would take that warre vpon hym: MarginaliaThe Emperours purgation.Afterward, he renewed his promise to Rome, when he was consecrated of Honorius: Then, when he maried the daughter of the king of Ierusalem, which was an heyre of the same: And for because, that kyngdome might be defēded and kept from the iniuries of the enemies, and that he fauored it euē as he did his own: he prepared an huge nauy, and gathered together a strong army of men: neither did he neglect any thing that belōged to the furniture of the warre. But when the tyme was come, and hys band was gathered together: hys sickenesse would not suffer hym to be there. And afterward when he had recouered the same, and came to Brundusium, and from thence without any disturbance went forthwyth to the sea: he fell into þ^e same sicknes agayne, by the which he was let of his purpose: which thyng (saith he) he is able to proue by sufficient testimony. How the Pope also doth lay the loosing of Damatia, and other thynges which prospered not well with hym, vniustly to hys charge: when as he had made great prouision for the same iourney both of soldiours and other necessary thynges. MarginaliaThe Emperours epistle beginnyng thus, In admirationem & iusticiam. & agayne Lenate oculos.But he that will vnderstand thinges more plainely among other epistles of Petrus de Vineis, written in the name of Fredericke, let hym read these especially, which begin thus: In admirationem, & iusticiam & innocentiam: & Leuate oculos. And truely euen as Fridericus the Emperour declareth in his letters, concerning thys matter, all the old writers of Germany, do accord and agree in the same.

MarginaliaA letter of the Emperour to the kyng of England abstracted by Math. Paris.Math. Parisiensis also briefly collecteth the effect of an other letter which he wrote to the king of England, complayning vnto hym of the excommunication of the pope against hym: Whose wordes are these. And amongst other Catholicke princes (sayth he) He also wrote hys letters vnto the kyng of England, embulled with golde: Declaryng the same, that the bishop of Rome so flamed wyth the fire of auarice and manifest concupiscence: that not beyng contented with the goods of the Church which were innumerable, but also that he shamed not to bring princes, kinges, and Emperours: to be subiectes, and contributors to hym, and so to disherite them and put them frō their kingly dignities. And that the kyng of England hymselfe had good experiment therof, whose father (that is king Ihon) they so long held excōmunicate till they had brought both him and his dominions vnder seruitude and to pay vnto