Laudabiliter Lyrics

(In 1154 A.D. Nicholas Breakspear became Pope Adrian the IV, Vicar of Christ, ruler of the Roman Catholic Church. A renowned reformer, he strengthened the church’s power in Rome and then Rome’s power in Christendom. In 1155 A.D., after meeting with John of Sailsburg, envoy to Henry II, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Nantes, Anjou, Maine, and King of the English, Pope Adrian issned the Papal Bull “Laudabiliter” which along with a ring encrusted encrusted with emeralds, were brought back to Henry II.)


Failed once again by the men of the cloth.
Condemned by the chair of the Rock of Rome.
“Here be the parchment and an emerald crusted ring.
Go to those barbarians, teach them to sing
To the tune of its church and the hymn of its head.
I condemn those barbarians, leave them for dead
If they feel they cannot follow my rule then cast them to sea in a boat made for fools.

And one more thing that I do command
They part with their gold, the good and the bad
So that they do pay homage to the Vicar of Christ
And pay Peter’s Pence for the Church’s rigth
To create new temples and palaces for God
And his servants of course, for these be hard times.”