[344] De Contempt. Canon. P. II. c. 2.—Præloquiorum Lib. V. c. 18.
The existing confusion is well exemplified by another remark—“Expertus sum talem qui ante ordinationem adulterium perpetravit, postea quasi continenter vixit; alterum qui post ordinationem uxorem duxit; et iste illum, ille istum carpebat.”—De Contempt. Canon. P. I. c. 11.
[345] Atton. Vercell. Epist. 9. In another epistle (No. 10) Atto congratulates himself on the reform of some of his clergy, and threatens the contumacious with degradation.
[346] Othloni Vit. S. Wolfkangi c. 15, 16, 17, 23.
[347] “Ad cumulum damnationis suæ, accepit mulierem, nomine Hildeburgam, in senectute, quæ, ingresso illo ad se, concepit et peperit filios et filias, &c.” The chronicler makes the end of this aged sinner an example of poetical justice such as may frequently be found in the monkish annals of those times—“Qui dum esset flebotomatus, nocte insecuta dormivit cum Episcopissa; qua de re vulnus cœpit intumescere, et dolor usque ad interiora cordis devenire.” Finding his end approaching, he assumed the monastic habit and took the vows, after which he immediately expired.—Act. Pontif. Cenoman. c. 29 (Dom Bouquet, X. 384-5).
Fulbert of Chartres has left us a lively sketch of the military bishops of the period.—“Tyrannos potius appellabo, qui bellicis occupati negotiis, multo stipati latus milite, solidarios pretio conducunt, ut nullos sæculi reges aut principes noverim adeo instructos bellorum legibus, totam armorum disciplinam in procinctu militiæ servare, digerere turmas, ordines componere, ad turbandam ecclesiæ pacem, et Christianorum, licet hostium, sanguinem, effundendum.”—Fulbert. Carnot. Epist. 112.
[348] Chron. S. Petri Vivi (D’Achery Spicileg. II. 470).
[349] This singular oath has been published by Muratori (Antiq. Ital. Diss. XX.).—“Ego Andrea presbiter promitto coram Deo et omnibus sanctis, et tibi Guarino episcopo, quod carnalem commistionem non faciam; et si fecero, et onoris mei et beneficio ecclesiæ perdam.”
[350] S. Petri Damiani Epist. Lib. IV. Epist. 8.—Leo Marsicanus (Chron. Cassinens. Lib. II. c. 16) asserts that in his youth he himself had seen and conversed with a priest who had been one of the eye-bearers.
[351] Abbon. Floriac. Epist. 14.