12 INTRODUCTION. Before him, Pope Urban II. (amno 1088) called Turban by some in his age, preached this doctrine, recommended to us in the de- crees, that " subjects are by no authority constrained to pay the fidelity which they have sworn to a Christian prince who opposes God and his saints, or violates their precepts."1 An instancewhereof we have in his granting a privilege to the canons of Tours; "which," says he, " if any emperor, king, prince, &c., shall wilfully attempt to thwart, let him be deprived of the dignity of his honour and power."' But the great apostle, if not author, of this confounding doctrine was Pope Gregory VII.` (a mau of a bold spirit and fiery temper, inured even before his entry on that see to bear sway and drive on daring projects, possessedwith resolution to use the advantages of his place and time in pushing forward the papal interest to the utmost), who "lifted up his voice like a trumpet," kindling wars and seditious thereby over Christendom. His "Dictates" and prac- tices are well known, being iterated in his own epistles, and in the Roman councils under him, extant ;3 yet it may be worth the while to hear him swagger in his own language : " For the dignity and defence of God's holy church, in the name of Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I depose from imperial and royal administration, King Henry, son of Henry some time emperor, who too boldly and rashly bath laid hands on thy church ; and I absolve all Christians subject to the empire from that oath whereby they were wont to plight their faith unto true kings : for it is right that he should be deprived of dignity who endeavour- eth to diminish the majesty of the church.' caput, et ejus fautores pro viribus persequaris. Nullum prefecto gratius Deo sacrifi- cium, quam si eue impugnes, qui se contra Deum erexit, qui ecclesia3 regnum auferre conatur. P. Pasch. Ep. vii. adRob. Eland. Cony. Fidelitatem enim quam Christian principi jurarunt, Deo ejusque sanctis adver- santi, eorumque praacepta, nulla cohibentur auctoritate persolvere. Caus. xv. qu. 7, cap. 5. 2 Si quis imperator, rex, princeps contra banc constitutionem venire tentaverit potestatis honorisque sui dignitate careat, &c. P. Urb. II., Ep. xii. Better known as Pope Hildebrand. He flourished (if such a term canbe applied to one who did so much to corrupt the church, and toenslave mankind) in the eleventh century, and died in the year 1085. His."Dictatus Papm," or Papal Dictates, after- wards mentioned, consisted of twenty-seven propositions, asserting so many privileges and prerogatives ofthe pope; among which it is declared that "it is lawful for him to depose emperors," " to absolve subjects from their oaths of allegiance," and that " he is to be judged byno man. " En. ß Vide ejus dictate spud Bin. post. Ep lib. ii; Ep. lv.; Ep. iv. 2; viii. 21; et passim. Ep. i. 58, ii. 5, 12, 13, 18, 32; iii. 10; iv. 1, 2, 3, 7, 22. 4 Hen itaquefiducia fretus, pro dignitate et tutela ecclesiae sum sanctm, Omnipotentis Dei nomine, Patrie, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Henricum regem, Henrici quondam imps- ratoris filium, qui audacter nimium et temerarie in ecclesiam tuam menus injecit, imperatoria administration regiaque dejicio; et Christianos omnes imperio subjectos juramento illo absolvo, quo fidem veris regibus prmstare consueverunt: dignum enim
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