[263] Quoted by Moser, _Römische Kayser_, from _Chron. Hirsang._: 'Regni vires temporum iniuria nimium contritæ vix uni alendo regi sufficerent, tantum abesse ut sumptus in duos reges ferre queant.'
[264] At Rupert's death, under whom the mischief had increased greatly, there were, we are told, many bishops better off than the Emperor.
[265] 'Proventus Imperii ita minimi sunt ut legationibus vix suppetant.'--Quoted by Moser.
[266] Albert I tried in vain to wrest the tolls of the Rhine from the grasp of the Rhenish electors.
[267] The Æthelings of the line of Cerdic, among the West Saxons, and the Bavarian Agilolfings, may thus be compared with the Achæmenids of Persia or the heroic houses of early Greece.
[268] Wippo, describing the election of Conrad the Franconian, says, 'Inter confinia Moguntiæ et Wormatiæ convenerunt cuncti primates et, ut ita dicam, vires et viscera regni.' So Bruno says that Henry IV was elected by the '_populus_.' So Gunther Ligurinus of Frederick I's election:--
'Acturi sacræ de successione coronæ Conveniunt proceres, totius viscera regni.'
So Amandus, secretary of Frederick Barbarossa, in describing his election, says, 'Multi illustres heroes ex Lombardia, Tuscia, Ianuensi et aliis Italiæ dominiis, ac maior et potior pars principum ex Transalpino regno.'--Quoted by Mur. _Antiq._ Diss. iii. And see many other authorities to the same effect, collected by Pfeffinger, _Vitriarius illustratus_.
[269] Alciatus, _De Formula Romani Imperii_. He adds that the Gauls and Italians were incensed at the preference shewn to Germany. So too Radulfus de Columna.
[270] Quoted by Gewoldus, _De Septemviratu Sacri Imperii Romani_, himself a violent advocate of Gregory's decree, though living as late as the days of Ferdinand II. As late as A.D. 1648 we find Pope Innocent X maintaining that the sacred number _Seven_ of the electors was 'apostolica auctoritate olim præfinitus.' Bull _Zelo domus_ in _Bullar. Rom._
[271] Sometimes we hear of a decree made by Pope Sergius IV and his cardinals (of course equally fabulous with Otto's). So John Villani, iv. 2.
[272] In 1152 we read, 'Id iuris Romani Imperii apex habere dicitur ut non per sanguinis propaginem sed per principum electionem reges creentur.'--Otto Fris. Gulielmus Brito, writing not much later, says (quoted by Freher),--