Conflict between Gregory VII and Henry IV 283 to what we would best do, since we had no means of cross- ing over to you. Meanwhile, however, we learned positively that the king was approaching. Indeed, before he entered Italy he had sent us suppliant messages, offering to render satisfaction, in all respects, to God, St. Peter, and ourselves. He also renewed his promise that he would be perfectly obedient in the matter of amending his life if only he might win from us the favor of absolution and of the apostolic benediction. When, after many delays and after much consultation, we had, through all the envoys who passed between us, severely reprimanded him for his offenses, he at length came of his own accord, accompanied by a few followers, with no hos- tility or arrogance in his bearing, to the town of Canossa, where we were tarrying. And there, laying aside all the trappings of royalty, he stood in wretchedness, barefooted and clad in woolen, for three days before the gate of the castle, and implored with profuse weeping the aid and con- solation of the apostolic mercy, until he had moved all who saw or heard of it to such pity and depth of compassion that they interceded for him with many prayers and tears and wondered at the unaccustomed hardness of our heart ; some even protested that we were display ing not the serious- ness of the apostolic displeasure but the cruelty of tyrannical ferocity. At last, overcome by his persistent remorse and by the earnest entreaties of those with us, we loosed the chain of anathema and received him into the favor of our fellowship and into the lap of the holy mother Church, accepting the pledges given below. 1 We also obtained a confirmation of the transaction from the abbot of Cluny, from our daughters Matilda 2 and the countess Adelaide, and from such princes, ecclesiastical and lay, as seemed to us proper. 1 Henry took an oath that he would carry out the wishes of the pope ; this may be found in Henderson, Select Documents, pp. 387 388. 2 The countess of Tuscany, to whom the castle of Canossa belonged.
