At the same time that the bishops wrote this epistle, Frederick prepared to pass into Italy.!²⁰⁰ Adrian called to mind William of Sicily and perceived that it was time to shew some deference to the emperor. Legates more skilful and more complying, came to Augsburgh, and presented Frederick with another epistle from Adrian²⁰¹ The pope explained in it the terms of his first letter, and the explanation amounted to a retraction. “By the word ‘beneffcium,’ he says, we understand not a benefice or a fief, but a benefit or a service. In speaking of your crown, we do not pretend having conferred it on you; we refer only to the honour we have had of placing it on your august head; ‘contulimus’ that is to say, imposuimus.” This commentary, which by no means pleases Baronius,²⁰² satisfied the emperor, and produced between this prince and the pope a reconciliation which was not of long duration.
In the month of October 1150,²⁰³ Frederick held at Roncaille, between Parma and Placentia, an assembly, in which the bishops and abbots acknowledged that they held from him their royal privileges. Dissatisfied with this declaration, and with the asperity with which the officers of the emperor asserted the right of forage over the lands of the Roman Church, Adrian wrote an epistle to Frederick which has not been preserved; but Radevic, who gives us a relation of it,²⁰⁴ says, that it concealed, under humble and gentle terms, much bitterness and hauteur. In replying to it, Frederick affected to place, in the inscription, his own name before that of the sovereign pontiff.²⁰⁵ It was to revert to an ancient custom, to which were substituted for some time past forms supposed to be more respectful. This bagatelle nettled the holy, father; and history relates, that letters were intercepted which he wrote to the Milanese, and other subjects of Frederick, to invite them to revolt. We do not possess those letters; but the reply of Adrian to the emperor has been transmitted to us.²⁰⁶
“To place your name before ours, says the servant “of the servants of Christ, is arrogance, is insolence; “and to cause bishops to render homage to you, “those whom the Scriptures call Gods, sons of the “Most High, is to want that faith which you “have sworn to St. Peter, and to us. Hasten then “to amend, lest that in taking to yourself that which “does not belong to you, you lose the crown with “which we have gratified you.”