Gregory VII

“ For undoubtedly the followers not of God but of the Devil, and false Christians, are conquered, who follow through with their injurious actions until blood is spilled, and ignore the affronts to God until their own destruction. ”

“ The riches which you have by your power should not be thought to have been given to you out of merit, but rather out of concern. In fact poverty does not seem as great a burden to secular men as riches are to spiritual men, which seem even as great a burden as diffuse power. ”

“ Nor is helpful as an excuse that certain religious men have patiently produced this translation simply because the people asked for it, or that they have dismissed it as incorrect, since the primitive church concealed many things which were later corrected with subtle examination by the holy Fathers, which made Christianity strong, and allowed the religion to grow. Thus, we prohibit by the authority of St. Peter that which is requested imprudently by your people, so that it does not actually occur, and we order you to resist, for the honour of God Almighty, this vain temerity in all men. ”

“ It is also necessary that you undertake this with a careful mind, so that you do not place your own honour before divine honour, or money before justice, nor, should you, with an even mind, dare to presume that you are similar to your creator and the creator of all men, because it is not without severe punishment that you would suffer yourself to be killed by one of your subjects who dared presume to be similar to you. ”