he made his escape, and fled into _Germany_ to _Charles_ the great, to whom
he complained of the _Romans_ for acting against him out of a design to
throw off all authority of the Church, and to recover their antient
freedom. In his absence his accusers with their forces ravaged the
possessions of the Church, and sent the accusations to _Charles_; who
before the end of the year sent the Pope back to _Rome_ with a large
retinue. The Nobles and Bishops of _France_ who accompanied him, examined
the chief of his accusers at _Rome_, and sent them into _France_ in
custody. This was in the year 799. The next year _Charles_ himself went to
_Rome_, and upon a day appointed presided in a Council of _Italian_ and
_French_ Bishops to hear both parties. But when the Pope's adversaries
expected to be heard, the Council declared [11] that he who was the supreme
judge of all men, was above being judged by any other than himself:
whereupon he made a solemn declaration of his innocence before all the
people, and by doing so was looked upon as acquitted.

Soon after, upon _Christmas_-day, the people of _Rome_, who had hitherto
elected their Bishop, and reckoned that they and their Senate inherited the
rights of the antient Senate and people of _Rome_, voted _Charles_ their
Emperor, and subjected themselves to him in such manner as the old _Roman_
Empire and their Senate were subjected to the old _Roman_ Emperors. The
Pope crowned him, and anointed him with holy oil, and worshipped him on his
knees after the manner of adoring the old _Roman_ Emperors; as the
aforesaid Poet thus relates:

_Post laudes igitur dictas & summus eundem_
_Præsul adoravit, sicut mos debitus olim_
_Principibus fuit antiquis_.

The Emperor, on the other hand, took the following oath to the Pope: _In