The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Leo the third, then Bishop of Rome, seeing the Greek Emperors so vent against his Gods of gold and silver, timber and stone, and having the king of the Francons or Frenchmen, named Charles, whose power was exceeding great in the west countries, very appliable to his mind, for causes here after appearing: under the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images under the Popes ban & curse, and therefore unworthy to be emperors, or to bear rule, and for that the emperors of Greece being far of, were not ready at a beck to defend the Pope against the Lombards his enemies, and other with whom he had variance: This Leo the third, I say, attempted a thing exceeding strange and unheard of before, and of incredible boldness and presumption: For he by his papal authority, doth translate the government of the Empire, and the crown and name imperial from the Greeks, and giveth it unto Charles the great, king of the Francons, ⟨p. 78⟩not with out the consent of the forenamed Irene empress of Greece, who also sought to be joined in marriage with the said Charles. For the which cause, the said Irene was by the Lords of Greece deposed and banished, as one that had betrayed the empire, as ye before have heard. And the said princes of Greece did, after the deprivation of the said Irene, by common consent, elect and create (as they always had done) an Emperor, named Nycaephorus, whom the Bishop of Rome and they of the west would not acknowledge for their Emperor, for they had already created them another: and so there became two Emperors. And the empire which was before one, was divided into two parts, upon occasion of idols & images, and the worshipping ¹of them: Even as the kingdom of the Israelites was in old time for the like cause of Idolatry divided in King Rehoboam his time. And so the Bishop of Rome having the favour of Charles the great by this means assured to him, was wondrously enhanced in power and authority, and did in all the west Church (specially in Italy) what he lust, where images were set up, garnished, and worshipped of all sorts of men. But images were not so fast set up, and so much honoured in Italy and the west:

Leo the third, then Bishop of Rome, seing the Greeke Emperours so vent agaynst his Gods of golde and syluer, tymber and stone, and hauyng the kyng of the Francons or Frenchemen, named Charles, whose power was exceeding great in the west countries, very appliable to his mynde, for causes here after appearing: vnder the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images vnder the Popes ban & curse, and therefore vnworthy to be emperours, or to beare rule, and for that the emperours of Grece being farre of, were not redye at a beche to defende the Pope agaynst the Lumbardes his enemies, and other with whom he had variaunce: This Leo the thirde, I saye, attempted a thyng exceeding straunge and vnhearde of before, and of incredible boldnesse and presumption: For he by his papall aucthoritie, doth translate the gouernement of the Empire, and the crowne and name imperiall from the Greekes, and geueth it vnto Charles the great, kyng of the Francons,