They dispatched to Rome an account of his
unconscionable, high-handed, incredible sacrilege, and invited
Rome to administer condign spiritual flagellation upon this
errant child of Mother Church. Rome made haste to vindicate her
authority, and dispatched a legate to the recalcitrant, audacious
boy who ruled in Portugal. But the distance being considerable,
and means of travel inadequate and slow, it was not until Don
Zuleyman had presided in the See of Coimbra for a full two months
that the Papal Legate made his appearance in Affonso Henriques'
capital.
A very splendid Prince of the Church was Cardinal Corrado, the
envoy dispatched by Pope Honorius II., full armed with apostolic
weapons to reduce the rebellious Infante of Portugal into proper
subjection.
His approach was heralded by the voice of rumour. Affonso
Henriques heard of it without perturbation. His conscience at
ease in the absolution which he had wrung from Mother Church
after his own fashion, he was entirely absorbed in preparations
for a campaign against the Moors which was to widen his
dominions. Therefore when at length the thunderbolt descended, it
fell--so far as he was concerned--from a sky entirely clear.
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