them, that if they desire the safety and preseruation of the whole state of the common weale and Empire: that they be vnto hym no hinderers, but furtherers of hys purpose and proceadinges: least otherwise, they also should happen to fall into the same snare of seruitude with the Bishop of Rome. And further, he gaue them to wit, that if he should aspire to that he sought for (that is to be an Emperour and kyng ouer kynges) yet should that be no stay of hys insatiable desire, but would be as greedy and rauenous as now he is. Therfore, if they be wise, to withstand hym betymes: least hereafter whē they would it should be to late, neither were able to withstand his tyranny. The effect of this Epistle I tooke out of Auētyne which more largely delateth the same: who also writeth, that the Emperour (by his legates) sent the same to Wenseslaus.

MarginaliaBolemus relenteth at the Emperours letter.Bolemus somwhat relentyng at this letter, promiseth to accomplish the Emperours biddyngs and preceptes: and forthwith gathereth the assembly of princes and nobles at Aegra: where, by common consent they thinke to renouate with the Emperour a new league and couenaūt. And furthermore, they finde Otho Boius (whych was absent, and would not be at this their assembly) to be the author of this defection, and an enemy to the commō weale. MarginaliaThe practise of Otho with the pope against the Emp.Otho, then seyng hymselfe not able to stand agaynst the Caesar, and the other princes with whom hee was associate, desiryng ayde of the Pope by his letters, came with all speede to Boiemus his kynsman: whom, when he could not perswade vnto him agayne, neither he would vnto their partes also be wonne: obtayneth notwithstandyng yet thus much at their handes, that the league and couenaunt (which they were in hand to make with the Emperour) might for a tyme be deferred, & that an other assēbly might be made: whereat he also would be, and ioyne hymselfe with them. Thus had they, who killed (as you heard) his father, bewitched also his sonne: and brought hym to be both a rebell and traytor. In the meane season, the Pope sent his rescript vnto the kyng of Boiemia and to Otho, tendyng to this effect: that in no case they should either forsake him, or els the Church, to take þ^e Emperours part. MarginaliaThe Popes rescript dasheth all the matter agayne.And somuch preuayled he by the meanes of Bohuslaus and Budislaus (which were the chiefest of the Senate regall) and by his fayre promises and bribes to such as he before had made to hym: that agayne at Libussa by Boiemus and Boius new assemblies were gathered for the creatiō of a new Emperour, in despite of Augustus the Emperour, & Cesar his sonne. And whilest that this was thus in hand, Cōradus Cesar casteth Landshuta the wife of Otho (beyng absent) in the teeth for great benefite and possessions which her husband had and possessed by the aunciters of hym: and that vnlesse her husband tooke a better way with hymselfe, and shewed hys obedience to the Emperour his father: that he should not enioy one foote of that land, which now he had by his predecessours. The promotion & dignities which Otho had by the aunciters of Conradus Cesar came thus. MarginaliaBy what meanes Otho attained so great possessions by the Emp. & his Auncitors.Fridericus Barbarossa in the yeare of our Lord. 1180. at a Parliament holden at Reginoburgh, condemned Henricus Leo of hygh treason: & depriued hym of hys dominons of Boioria and Saxonie: and gaue Boioria to Otho Wiltespachius: for that he had done hym so faythfull seruice in hys Italian warres. After that, Ludouicus the sonne of thys Otho, obtained of this Emperour Fridericus the second, in recompence of his assured and trusty fidelitie the dition of Palatinatum Rheni so called: which gaue also Agnetes the daughter of Henry earle of Palatine to Otho his sonne in mariage. This Henry was the sonne of Henry Leo the traytor: vnto whom Henry the 6. the father of Fridericke gaue in mariage Clementia his brothers daughter Conradus Palatine of Rhenus, & gaue vnto hym the keepyng of the palace of the same. And as touchyng the inheritance of Boiaria, that he had also, long now possessed by the heyres of Otho Wiltespahcus. But to our purpose agayne.

MarginaliaThe gouernour of Agrippina reuolteth to the popeAt the same tyme also the gouernour of Colonia Agrippina, reuolteth the Pope: who, not lōg after in a skirmish betwene Brabantinus and hym, was vanquished and takē prisoner. And doubtles, Fridericus Austriacus after he was receaued into fauour agayn with the Emperour (keepyng most constantly hys promise and fidelitie renued) duryng this tyme, made sharpe warre vpon the Vngarians which tooke part with the Pope, and greatly annoyed thē. As thease thynges thus passed in Germany: the Emperour, when he had gotten Ascalum and led hys host into Flamminia, hauyng Rauenna at his commaundement: frō thence came to Fauentia, which Citie neuer loued the Emperour: the circute of whose walles is fiue myles in compasse, and pitched his campe round about the same. And although the siege was much hindered by austerity of the tyme and wea-ther (beyng in the dead tyme of winter) yet notwithstandyng, through his great fortitude and courage, so animatyng his soldiours in the paynfulnesse of the laborious siege, he indured out the same: who thought it no litle shame hauyng once made that enterprise, to come frō thence without any assault geuen. And therfore, when now the wynter (so extreme cold & hard) was welnere ended, & the spryng tyme now hard at hand, and by long battery had made the same in diuers places sautable: The Citizēs (beyng greatly discouraged, and in no hope of the defēce therof) sent their Legates to the Emperour, crauyng pardon for their offēce, and that he would graunt vnto them their lyues, and so yelded themselues vnto his mercy.

MarginaliaThe Emperours great lenitie and clemencie but where meruilously enforced.The Emperour hauyng agaynst them good and sufficient cause of reuenge: yet for that his noble hart thought it to be the best reuenge that might be, to pardon the offence of vanquished men: he thought it better to graunt them their requestes, to saue the citie, and Citizens therof, with innumerable people: then by armes to make the same his soldiours pray, to the destruction both of the City, & great number of people therin. So doth this good Emperour in one of his Epistles Adacta nobis cōfesse hymselfe: which Epistle, to declare the lenitie & mercyful hart of so woorthy a prince, if that with great and maruelous prouocation and wronges he had not bene incited, I thought good in the middest of history here to haue placed. But this I haue kept you long herein, and yet not finished the same.MarginaliaThe Emp. enforced to mak hys money of leather.In this siege the Emperour hauyng spent and consumed almost all his treasure both gold and siluer: caused other money to be made of leather, which on the one side had his Image, and on the other side the spread Egle (the armes of the Empire) and made a proclamation that the same should passe from man to man for all necessaries in stede of other money: and therwithall promised, that whosoeuer brought the same money vnto his Eschecour when the warres were ended, he would geue them gold for the same accordyng to the value of euery coyne limited: which thyng afterward, truly and faythfully he performed, as all the hystoriographers do accord.

Thus, when the Pope as before is sayd, had stopped hys eares and would not heare the Emperours Legates that came to intreat for peace, but reiected and despised hys most courtious and equall demaundes: neither yet had left any wily policie vnattempted or force vnpractised, that with hys confederates he thought hymselfe either able to reuenge or els resiste: MarginaliaThe pope sēdeth for forren ayde & is preuentedHe by his Legates calleth to a Councell at Rome, all such Prelates out of Italy, Fraunce, and England, as he thought to fauour hym and hys procedynges: that hereby as his last shift & onely refuge, he by their helps might depriue Fridericke of his Empire, as an vtter enemy to God and to the Church. All which thynges Fridericus hauing vnderstanding of & knewing that these assemblies should be but to the destruction & supplantyng of him: determined to stoppe and let their passages to Rome, as well by sea as by land in all that euer he might. So that, all the passages by land beyng now stopped and preuented, he commaūded hys sonne Henry with certaine Gallyes to go and keepe the coastes of Sardinia, which kyngdome the Italians call Entimum: and from thence to Pisas and with the Pisans to rigge out a nauy to meete with (if it were possible) such as should come to ayde the Pope at Rome. The Popes champions vnderstandyng, that by land they could not safely repayre to Rome: MarginaliaThe Emp. riggeth forth a neuy to the sea.they procured of Gallyes and shyps of Genua (hauyng Gulielmus Braccius for theyr chief Capitaine or Admirall) for forty sayle their defence: thinkyng hereby, that if they should fortune to meete with any of the Emperours shyps or galleyes, which should lye for them in wayt, they should be able to make their part in good, and geue them also the repulse. Encius in like maner and Huglinus (beyng Captaine and admirall of the Pisan nauy for the Emperour) lanched forth to Sea with 40. shyps and galleys: and betwixt the Iles of Lilium & Mōs Christi which lye betwene Liburnium and Corsica, they met with the Geneweyshyps: and straightwayes fiersly began to graple with them and bourde them, in which fight at length, were three of the Genewesshyps boulged & sonke, and xxij. taken and brought away, with all the riches and treasure in them. MarginaliaA great victory on the sea against the popes confederate by the Emperours nauy.In these were taken three Legates of the Popes, wherof wer two Cardinals, Iacobus Columna, Otho marchio, and Gregorius de Romania, (all cruell enemyes agaynst the Emperour) and many other Prelates moe: besides a great number of Legates and procuratours of Cities, with an infinite number of Monkes & Priestes beside of Genewes souldiours, vj. thousande with diuers others.

Pandolphus Colonucius in discribyng the circumstan-