OF THE ROMAN 1 EMPIRE.

plaint of his silence and neglect, they exhort theformer of these princes to pass the Alps, andassume from their hands the imperial crown.“ We beseech your majesty, not to disdain the“ humility of your sons and vassals, not to lis-“ ten to the accusations of our common enemies,“ who calumniate the senate as hostile to your“ throne, who sow the seeds of discord, that they“ may reap the harvest of destruction. The“ pope and the Sicilian are united in an impious“ league to oppose our liberty and your corona-“ tion. With the blessing of God , our zeal and“ courage has hitherto defeated their attempts.“ Of their powerful and factious adherents, more“ especially the Frangipani, we have taken by“ assault the houses and turrets: some of these“ are occupied by our troops, and some are le-“ veiled with the ground. The Milvian bridge ,“ which they had broken, is restored and forti-“ tied for your safe passage; and your army“ may enter the city without being annoyed from“ the castle of St. Angelo. All that we have“ done, and all that we design, is for your ho-“ nour and service, in the loyal hope, that you“ will speedily appear in person, to vindicate“ those rights which have been invaded by the“ clergy, to revive the dignity of the empire, andi “ to surpass the fame and glory of your prede-“ cessors. May you fix your residence in Rome ,“ the capital of the world ; give laws to Italy and

f tria; his mother, Agnes, was daughter of the emperor Henry IV , andk he was half brother and uncle to Conrad III. and Frederic I. He baa

•, left, in seven books, a Chronicle of the Times; in two, the Gesta Fre-

( delict I , the last of which is inserted in the sixth volume of Muratori’shistorians.

285

CHAP.

LXIX.