dome. MarginaliaThe great amitie & long continued league betwene the Empyre & kingdome of Fraunce.Especially, seyng that all our predecessours kinges of France, late of most worthy memory (til these our daies) haue bene so zelously affected to the most high and regall state of your Empire: As that also we, after whō God hath placed successiuely to raigne as kyng, haue bene none otherwyse mynded nor affected towardes the same. None otherwise also on their behalfe, haue the auncient and renowmed Emperours of Rome our neighbours and your predecessours, shewed themselues towardes vs (eche other estemyng the Empire and kyngdome of Fraunce as one) and faythfully conseruyng together the vnitie of peace and concord. In so much, that there hath not chaunced betwene them these many yeres, to much as one sparke of discord and dissenciō. But this not withstādyng, we for our part cannot but greatly maruell, and not without good cause are troubled and vexed: That without desert or any offence, you haue taken the Prelates of our realme vpon the sea, making their repayre to the see Apostolicall: to the which, as well by their fayth as by their obedience they stand bounde and are obedient, neither could they withstand the Pope hys commaundement: these haue you imprisoned and so still detaine the same. MarginaliaThe French K. not without great allurement of the Pope would so haue written to the Emp.Whereat (we do your maiestie to weete) we are not well pleased, neither yet take it in so good part as your paraduenture thinke we do. For by their owne letters we vnderstand, they had excogitate nothyng preiudiciall to your imperiall estate and celsitude, although the Pope had prosecuted therin more then became hym to do. Wherfore, seyng that there is no cause why ye should detayne them: it is mete, and becommeth no lesse your magnificēce, but that you restore vnto vs and set at liberty, the sayd Prelates of our realme: wherin also you shall appease our grudge and kepe vs your friend, which accompt the displeasure you do to them, as our owne and proper iniury. For why, it were a great dishonor to our realm and kingly estate, if we should wincke hereat and ouerpasse the same with silence. Wherfore, if you wil consider and respect the thing that we haue sayd, we doubt not but that you will release the bishop of Penestrum, with the other Legates and Prelates of the Church, which you to our preiudice do detayne. MarginaliaHere it should seeme the Emp. found the fault of contradiction.In desiryng of our ayde doubtlesse, we gaue vnto them a manifest nay: neyther could they obtayne in our kyngdom any thing at all which seemed to be agaynst or preiudiciall to your maiestie. Let therefore your imperiall prouidence ponder in the ballance of iustice, those thinges which we write vnto you, neither let our lawful request vnto you, be frustrate or made in vayne. For our realme and kingdome of Fraunce is not so debilitate or empouerished, that it wil be spurned at, or troden vnder your feete. Fare ye well.

Ovr Imperiall magnificence hath perused your kingly letters: wherein, if we had not found manifest contradiction, they might peraduenture haue obteyned at our handes all that they required. But euen as wyth a little leauen a whole lumpe of dow is sowred: so a manifest vntruth alledged, hath made the whole argument of your letter both faulty and vnsauery. MarginaliaThe French kinges letters contrary to them selues.It is apparant that you wanted the vertue of mediocritie in the conclusiō of the same your graces letter: For that, they themselues bewray no lesse, then we geue you manifestly to vnderstand, and many mo besides doth know. It is notorious also, and to all the world reuealed, in what sorte that Apostolicall father hath impugned our innocency, as well with the one sword, as with the other. MarginaliaA good Apostolicall father wyth a tone sword.And howe that whilest we at hys commaundement tooke our iourney beyond the seas: the same our enemy & hostile aduersary, inuaded our kingdome of Sicilia: and the same not in one place or two, but in diuers and sondry parts therof hath wasted, spoyled, and destroyed. After this whē with great intreaty at our returne from Asia, we had concluded a peace with hym: which with vs at his owne pleasure he made. And had taken and receaued our deuotion for the same, which in seruiceable maner we graunted him: Marginalia120000 ounces of golde, as before you heard.The sayd Apostolicall father (that notwithstandyng) hath since that tyme, rather aggrauated hys displeasure towardes vs, then any thyng at all qualified the same: & further hath to our depriuation and subuertion, excogitate and deuised agaynst vs, all the mischiefe he myght or hath bene able, no cause in all the world geuen of vs to prouoke the same. And farther, hath promulgated to our great diffamation & shame (as well by his letters as Legates) the sentēce of excommunication agaynst vs vnto all nations. Lastly, he aspi-ryng to our imperiall state, and conspiring our supplantation, hath made warre agaynst vs, as agaynst king Dauid gods anoynted: and hath vnto a priuate Councell for that purpose, called all the Prelates he can get, as one that meaneth to set the whole world together by the eares. But such is the maruelous wisedome of God, by whome we lyue and raigne, beholding the wicked purpose he went about (confoundyng the crafty in their craftinesse) hath geuen into our handes as well your Prelates of the realme of Fraunce, as also of other regions and prouinces: MarginaliaThe craftie compassed in their craftines.all which, we imprison and detayne, as ennemies and aduersaries to our Imperiall crowne and person. For where there desisted not to be a persecutour, there hath there not wanted also a sufficient withstander and defender. Let not therfore your kingly highnesse maruell, although Augustus detayneth in prison your French Prelates, which haue indeuoured themselues to conspire and so to disturbe our imperiall estate and regiment. Fare ye well.

When Fridericke now saw there was none other remedy, and that in vayne he laboured to haue peace wyth the Pope, he prosecuteth hys warre to the vttermost: & when he had gotten Tudertum and reconciled the same, he destroyed the towne of Geminum and Naruia, and geueth the spoyle of them vnto hys souldiors: He gently receaued the yeldyng vp of Siburnum, and wasteth all the countrey round about Rome. MarginaliaGregory. 9. dyeth for thought and curste hard.The Pope herewith dismayed and troubled with such as otherwise dissauded and counsailed hym, and that thinges not so well prespered with hym and agaynst the Emperour as he wished and desired: beyng in dispaire of obteyning hys purpose, dyed for very anger and thought.

What opinion the Prelates of Germany at that tyme had of this Gregory, is extant and to be sene by the oration of Eberhardus Bishop of Iuuauence that he made to the nobilitie of Boiaria in the Parliament at Reginoburgh written by Iohannes Auentinus, in hys 7. booke. Doubtles, he not onely brought great and ruinous calamities to the whole christen common weale and also Empire: whilest he saught thus to depresse & bridle the Emperour, & aduaunce his papall sea and dignitie: MarginaliaWhat horrible impietie Gregory brought into the Church.but also brought into the church of God much horrible impietie, blasphemie, and wickednes, whereof both Blondus, Platina, Baleus & others make mention: And amongst others that most detestable Cantilene Salue Regina, in the which he attributeth the honor & worship onelye due to Iesus Christe, vnto the virgin his mother. This is he, in whose name the booke of þ^t decretals was set out, which ( to omit the opinion of diuers other learned men) Iohannes Baleus calleth it the sinke or puddle of folishnes and impietie. Doubtles Charolus Molineus a man both of singuler iudgement in that law, which in a trybunall courtes and iudgemētes is vsed: as also in this painteth forth the decree of this Gregory in his booke of annotations vnto Platina, whose woordes thereof are these. MarginaliaCharolus Molineus vpon the decretalls of pope Gregory . 9.Certum est, multa capita in ijs. mutila & decurtata esse vt inuidiosum argumentum lateret, &c. That is, Doubtlesse, diuers chapters in the same booke of decretals be mangled and vnperfect, that many contentious argumentes therein might lurke. For when the ambitious desire of raignyng lyke kinges toke them, they studied nothyng els but how to enlarge and aduaunce their see and dominion with the empire it selfe and other kingdomes (oft shaken and weakened through contention) and this purpose and end had they and none other, in all their constitutions. The profe wherof, Molineus declareth in hys booke de regibus Galliæ & Angliæ. But many moe examples by the Emperoures, Princes, and Lordes Electours of the Empire may be gathered: wherof to speake, more conuenient place shall serue hereafter.

MarginaliaThe creation and death of pope Coelestinus.In the steade of this Gregory, was placed Coelestine borne in Mediolanum amongst the Castellians: who as Blondus declareth, by fayned promises offred a league with Fridericus: and the xviij. day after he was created Pope he also dyed.

MarginaliaThe Emperour prepareth an army to fight wyth the Tartarians, the Tartarians flye.Thus when the author of all this conspiracy was gone, Fridericus now thinkyng hymselfe free and voyde of that feare which before he had and durst not be absent out of Italy: with all hys indeuour leuieth an army and prepareth hys furniture and other necessaries for the deliuery of the Christians, so mightely oppressed as ye heard by the Turk or Tartarians. Who, hearyng of the commyng of the Emperour, left the strayght way through Hungary whiche they came and returned by the riuer of Danubiū to Taurica, and so through the fennes of Meotida: and by the riuer Tanaum, into Sarmatia Asiatica. When the Cardinals had now a long tyme protracted the creatiō of þ^t Pope