172

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.

XL1X.

from the use, to the adoration, of images. Thename of Charlemagne was stained by the pole-mic acrimony of his scribes: but the conquerorhimself conformed, with the temper of a states-man, to the various practice of France and Italy .In his four pilgrimages or visits to the Vatican ,he embraced the popes in the communion offriendship and piety; knelt before the tomb, andconsequently before the image, of the apostle;and joined, without scruple, in all the prayersand processions of the Roman liturgy. Wouldprudence or gratitude allow the pontiffs to re-nounce their benefactor? Had they a right toalienate his gift of the exarchate? Had theypowder to abolish his government of Rome ?The title of patrician was below the merit andgreatness of Charlemagne ; and it was only byreviving the western empire that they could paytheir obligations or secure their establishment.By this decisive measure they would finally era-dicate the claims of the Greeks from the debase-ment of a provincial town the majesty of Rome would be restored: the Latin Christians wouldbe united under a supreme head, in their an-cient metropolis; and the conquerors of theWest would receive their crown from the suc-cessors of St. Peter. The Roman churchwould acquire a zealous and respectable advo-cate; and, under the shadow of the Carlovingianpower, the bishop might exercise, with honourand safety, the government of the city. 1

f Fontanini considers the emperors as no more than the advocates ofthe church, (advocatus et defensor S. R. E. See Ducange, Gloss. Lat .tom. i, p. 297). His antagonist Muratori reduces the popes to be no

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