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Original Letters Illustrative of English History: 1074-1525. (v. 1)
Original Letters Illustrative of English History 1074-1525 - v. 1 Author:Henry Ellis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: From this Letter it is clear that Lanfranc's reverence to the Church of Rome was suspected by his Holiness. What William's words to the Legate were, we know not ... more »: but his Letter, which follows, marks the Conqueror's character. LETTER IX. William the Conqueror to Pope Gregory the Seventh, who had claimed him as a feudatory of the Papal See. [Ms. COTTON. NERO A. VII. fol. 28.] % When William projected the invasion of England, Pope Alexander the Second blessed the expedition, and sent him a consecrated banner. It was probably on this account that Gregory the Seventh, his immediate successor, claimed William as a feudatory. The answer was laconic," Fidelitatem facere nolui nec volo, quia nec ego promisi, nec antecessores meos antecessoribus tuis id fecisse comperio." That which his predecessors had not done to former Popes, he would not do. The payment of Peter-pence to the See of Rome was a different consideration. The earliest notice of this tax goes back to the time of the Heptarchy. While William was in Normandy, the payment had been deferred. The King had come back. What had been received should be sent by the Pope's ambassador at his return. The rest through Lanfranc's means, as opportunity might offer. The payment of Peter-pence, though stopped at several periods, did not finally cease till the Reformation. Excellentissimo sanctae Ecclesiae pastori GR. gratia Dei Anglorum rex et dux Normannorum W. salutem cum amicitia. Hubertus legatus tuus religiose pater ad me vemens ex tua parte me admonuit quatinus tibi et successoribus tuis fidelitatem face- rem, et de pecunia quam antecessores mei ad Romanam Ecclesiam mittere solebant melius cogitarem. Unum admisi, alterum non admisi ; fidelitatem facere nolui nec volo, quia nee ego promisi nec antecessores meos antec...« less