[82] All disputes also between bishops and their clergy, between
members of the body of clergy, and between these and members of the
laity, were settled by the royal authority;[83] and what is most
significant, there was a universal and freely used right of appeal for
the clergy or laity from the decision of a bishop to the person of the
king, who seems to have exhibited no hesitation in modifying or
reversing sentences, even in matters relating to purely clerical
discipline.[84]
Even in the time of the Franks, when the consideration shown to the
church and its representatives was much greater than under any of the
Lombard kings, we find Charlemagne,[85] on suspicion of infidelity to
his government, having sent to him and retaining as prisoners the
bishops "Civitatis Pisanae seu Lencanae" and Pottoni, Abbot of the
monastery of Volturno; and Lewis the Pious[86] sends into exile
"Ermoldo Nigello Abatis," and in the year 818 several other bishops,
including Anselmus "Mediolanensis Archiepiscopus," "Wolfoldus
Cremonensis" and "Theodolphus Amelianensis."[87] None of these
restrictions and limitations, however, although they arose chiefly
from the strong opposition always existing between the local temporal
rulers of the people and their spiritual rulers, could hinder the
bishops from occupying that important position of mediators and of
protectors of the people which we have ascribed to them.
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