DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55699#0172
136 THE LANDSCAPE ANNUAL.
the founder of papal power on subjected monarchy; and
the letter commonly quoted to illustrate his temper when
addressing the greatest sovereign in Europe is sufficient
to establish the position. “ During ten pure and for-
tunate years/’ says he, “ we have tasted the annual com-
fort of your royal letters, subscribed in purple ink with
your own hand, the sacred pledges of your attachment to
the orthodox creed of our fathers. How deplorable is
the change ! how tremendous the scandal! You now
accuse the Catholics of idolatry; and, by the accusation,
you betray your own impiety and ignorance. To this
ignorance we are compelled to adapt the grossness of our
style and arguments. The first elements of holy letters
are sufficient for your confusion; and were you to enter
a grammar-school, and avow yourself the enemy of our
worship, the simple and pious children would be pro-
voked to cast their hornbooks at your head.” Such was
the style in which the bishops of Rome, in the eighth
century, dared to address the most powerful monarchs;
and such were their sentiments when they were accus-
tomed to say, “ The eyes of the nations are fixed on our
humilityI”
It was to this same Gregory that a conquering king of
the fierce Lombards bowed himself, with all the power
he had won in his hands, and, standing at the gate of the
Vatican, offered to the church the richest spoils of con-
quest, and even his victorious sword. And the same
Gregory it was who inspired the noble Pepin to arm
himself in defence of a power which was shortly to over-
throw thrones at its will. But the most wonderful cir-
cumstance in the history of papal domination is the
the founder of papal power on subjected monarchy; and
the letter commonly quoted to illustrate his temper when
addressing the greatest sovereign in Europe is sufficient
to establish the position. “ During ten pure and for-
tunate years/’ says he, “ we have tasted the annual com-
fort of your royal letters, subscribed in purple ink with
your own hand, the sacred pledges of your attachment to
the orthodox creed of our fathers. How deplorable is
the change ! how tremendous the scandal! You now
accuse the Catholics of idolatry; and, by the accusation,
you betray your own impiety and ignorance. To this
ignorance we are compelled to adapt the grossness of our
style and arguments. The first elements of holy letters
are sufficient for your confusion; and were you to enter
a grammar-school, and avow yourself the enemy of our
worship, the simple and pious children would be pro-
voked to cast their hornbooks at your head.” Such was
the style in which the bishops of Rome, in the eighth
century, dared to address the most powerful monarchs;
and such were their sentiments when they were accus-
tomed to say, “ The eyes of the nations are fixed on our
humilityI”
It was to this same Gregory that a conquering king of
the fierce Lombards bowed himself, with all the power
he had won in his hands, and, standing at the gate of the
Vatican, offered to the church the richest spoils of con-
quest, and even his victorious sword. And the same
Gregory it was who inspired the noble Pepin to arm
himself in defence of a power which was shortly to over-
throw thrones at its will. But the most wonderful cir-
cumstance in the history of papal domination is the