Description of the Arts

...bishop (yet was not stripped of the Imperial Government original: Keyserlichen Regiment; referring to the secular administration and sovereignty of the empire, which neither he, nor his ancestors, ever possessed) could communicate or hand over to Emperor Charles. If Emperor Charles had perhaps desired a Bishop's office, Bishop Leo Pope Leo III (reigned 795–816), who crowned Charlemagne would have been able to grant him such a thing. In this case, however, in which the rights of the Roman Empire are being handled as secular or political matters, should we not say with certainty: how could that which is stripped of all secular power and offices be handed over to another by one who does not possess them?

The Roman people also did not make Charles Emperor, but rather recognized him as such, and subsequently commanded that he be bestowed with the Imperial Crown original: Keyserlichen Kron by their Bishop. The Roman citizens (says Sigebertus Sigebert of Gembloux (c. 1030–1112), a pro-imperial medieval chronicler who argued against papal supremacy) with one accord raised the praise and glorious name of Emperor Charlemagne, and through the hands and mediation of their Bishop Leo, crowned him with the Imperial crown. Thus far the aforementioned author Sigebertus.

To all this, it is indeed an intolerable abuse of words if one wished to say that he who, out of the duty of his office, placed the Royal crown upon the King, had handed over the same together with the Kingdom (which nonetheless did not belong to the officiant). For just as the tailor does not [give] the new clothing,