Lewis the mild.

Pope Steven the Fourth.

The pope

elected and

set up

without the

assent of the emperor.

Pope Paschal.

The pope' ow he abused the

emperor.

The pope sitteth not

peror.

in his life, that his abiding there so continually, was for the hot-baths' sakes, which be there.

AFTER Charlemaigne, Lewis the mild was emperor, which was a very patient man, (another Phocas, and another prey for the pope) and so meek and soft, that scarcely he could be angry at any thing at all. When our holy fathers had seen his water, and spied what complexion he was, they chose Stephen the Fourth, of that name, pope, without his knowledge, and bad him neither good morrow, nor good even, nor once God speed about the matter, against their own grant unto his father for his good service. And his softness was yet somewhat displeased therewith, Inasmuch as the election of the pope pertained unto his right. But the pope sent ambassadors, and wrote all the excuses that he could, and came after himself to France to him, and peaced him, and crowned him there emperor, and passed the time a season with him, and they became very familiar together.

After that they chose Paschalis pope of the same manner; which Paschalis sent immediately legates unto the emperor soft Lewis, excusing himself, and saying that it was not his fault, but that the clergy and the common people had drawn him thereto with violence against his will. Then the emperor was content for that once, and bad they should no more do so, but that the old ordinance ought to be kept. The softness of this Lewis did him much care. For he was after prisoned of his own son, with help of pope Gregory the Fourth.

After this man's days, the popes never regarded the by the em- emperors, nor did the clergy of Rome sue any more to the emperor, either for the election or confirmation of the pope. Moreover, after this Lewis there was never emperor in Christendom of any power, or able of his own might to correct any pope; neither was there any king that could correct the outrageous vices of the spiritualty of his own realm after this time. For this Lewis

left three sons, among which he divided the realm of France and all Dutchland: which same, for pride and disdain that one should have more than another, fell together (as we say) by the ears, each destroying other's power, so that France was afterward of no might to do any great thing. And then the pope reigned in Italy alone, without care of any emperor: insomuch that Ni- Alone. cholas the First decreed that no secular prince or emperor should have ought to do, or be at the councils of the clergy.

And after that Adrian the Second was chosen pope, the emperor's deputy being in Rome, and not once spoke to of the matter.

Pope Ni

cholas the First.

Pope
Adrian the

Second.

Adrian the

Third.

And when the emperor's ambassadors disdained, they answered, Who can resist the rage of the people? and prayed them to be content, and to salute him as pope. And Adrian the Third decreed that they should not abide Pope or tarry for the emperor's confirmation or authority in choosing the pope, and that the pope only should call a general council, and not the emperor; or if the emperor would presume that to do, the council should be of none effect, though all the prelates of Chistendom were there, and though whatsoever they did were but God's word. So mighty was the beast now waxed when he once began to reign alone. And from this time hitherto perished the The virtue power of the emperors and the virtue of the popes, saith Platina, in the life of popes. For since that time, as there was none emperor of might, so was there no pope of any virtue.

After this Lewis, the empire of France, and of all Dutchland, was divided between his three sons; which, as I said, fought one with another, and destroyed the strength of the empire of France. And from that time to this, which is above seven hundred years, thou shalt read of few popes that have not led their lives in bloodshedding, insomuch that if thou consider the stories well, thou shalt easily perceive that there hath been slain about their cause

of the pope and power

of the em

peror pe

rished together.

The popes have been only bloodshedders above seven

hundred

years.

endom hath

been trou. bled with the popes'

causes.

far above forty hundred thousand men; beside that there

All Christ hath been but few princes in Christendom that hath not been busied and cumbered a great part of his life about their matter. Either in wars, begun at their setting on; either in ceasing schisms or division that hath been among the clergy, who should be pope; or striving of bishops, who should be greatest, as between the bishop of York and Canterbury in England, and between the bishops of England and Wales; whereof all the chronicles be full; or in reforming friars or monks, or in slaying them that uttered their false hypocrisy with God's word.

Vandals.

Huns.
Goths.

The spiritu alty obeyed

to him that

gat the vic

tory, how wicked so

ever he was.

Building of abbies.

Shrining

of saints.

When the emperor was down, and no man in Christendom of any power to be feared, then every nation fell upon other, and all lands were at variance between themselves. And then as the Danes came into England, and vexed the Englishmen, and dwelt there in spite of their hearts, even so came strange nations whose names were scarce heard of before in these quarters; (as the Vandals, Huns, and Goths,) and ran throughout all Christendom by hundred thousands together, and subdued the lands and dwelt therein maugre the inhabitors; as thou mayest see in Dutchland, how divers nations are inclosed in the midst of the land, of a strange tongue which no Dutchmen understand; and that rule continued well eight or nine sco e, or wo h ndred y ars. A d n a l this eason, whosoever won the mastery, him the spiritualty received, and him they crowned king, and to him they clave. And whatsoever any tyrant had robbed all his life, that, or the most part thereof, must he deal among them at his death for fear of purgatory. The spiritualty all that season preached the pope mightily, built abbies for recreation and quietness, shrining them alway for saints which purchased them privileges, or fought for their liberties, or disputed for the pope's power, howsoever they lived, (but after fifty years, when their lives were forgotten,) and if any resisted them whatsoever mischief they went about, him they noted in the chronicles as a cruel tyrant: yea and

whatsoever misfortune chanced any of his posterity after him, that they noted also, as though God had plagued them, because their forefather was disobedient unto holy church; and ever put the stories that uttered their wickedness out of the way, and gathered relics from whence they could get them, and feigned miracles, and gave themselves only unto poetry, and shut up the Scripture: so that this was the very time of which Christ speaketh Matt xxiv. in which false prophets should arise, and shew miracles and wonders, to deceive the very elect, if it had been possible.

Finally in this busy world, the kings of Lombardy gat a little might and came up again, and were divers times emperors, though of no great might. And one Beringarins, king of Lombardy, began to meddle with our Beringaholy father's business. Wherefore the pope fled unto Otho rius. king of the Saxons, which by that time had gotten might, Otho. and brought him into Italy against Beringarium, which Otho overcame Beringarium, and was made emperor for his labour, and thus came the empire first unto Dutchland.

Pope John

the xiith.

The oath of

the empe

And Otho received the empire of one pope John (say they) with this oath: I Otho do promise and swear unto the lord John, by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and by this wood of the cross that maketh living, and by these relics of saints, that if I come to Rome, with ror made to the pope. God's help, I will exalt the holy church of Rome, and the governor of the same unto my power. Neither shalt thou lose life nor members, or that honour that thou hast by my will, counsel, consent, or setting a work. Moreover, I will make in Rome no constitution or ordinance of any thing that pertaineth unto thee, or unto the Romans, without thy counsel. And whatsoever of the lands of St. Note here Peter cometh unto our hands, I will deliver it thee. And unto whosoever I shall commit the rule of Italy, I will make him swear that he shall help thee to defend the lands of St. Peter unto his power.

the dissimulation of

the pope, in calling his posses

sions St. Peter's possessions.

Pope Gregory the Fifth.

The elec

tion of the emperor appertaineth to the lords of Germany.

And Gregory the Fifth (when they had got at the last that which they long gaped for) made this ordinance of choosing the emperor, to stablish it withal: that six lords of Almany, three of the spiritualty, and three of the temporalty, with the king of Bohemia the seventh, to be the odd man, and umpire should choose him for ever, and send him to the pope to receive his oath, and to be crowned. Nevertheless the pope to keep the emperor afar off, sendeth him his coronation home to him ofttimes, much lever than that he should come any nearer, as a meek spirited man, that had lever live solitary and alone than have his holiness seen.

A PROPER SIMILITUDE TO DESCRIBE OUR
HOLY FATHER.

AND to see how our holy father came up, mark the ensample of an ivy tree first it springeth out of the earth, and then awhile creepeth along by the ground till it findeth a great tree; then it joineth itself beneath alow unto the body of the tree, and creepeth up a little and a little fair and softly. And at the beginning while it is yet thin and small, that the burthen is not perceived, it seemeth glorious to garnish the tree in the winter, and to bear off the tempests of the weather. But in the mean season it thrusteth roots into the bark of the tree to hold fast withal, and ceaseth not to climb up till it be at the top and above all. And then it sendeth his branches along by the branches of the tree, and overgroweth all, and waxeth great, heavy, and thick; and sucketh the moisture so sore out of the tree and his branches, that it choaketh and stifleth them. And then the foul stinking ivy waxeth mighty in the stump of the tree, and becometh a seat and