nually from one church to another in his
diocese to look after the needs of his flock. He was a fearless
prelate, too, and his words of well-deserved rebuke to the Frankish
Pepin for a lawless deed excited the wrath of a certain noble,
accessory to the act. Trouble ensued and Lambert was slain as he knelt
before the altar in Monulphe's chapel at Liege. Absorbed in prayer
the pious man did not hear the servants' calls, "Holy Lambert, Holy
Lambert come to our aid," words that later became a war-cry when the
bishop was exalted into the patron saint of the town.

Not until the thirteenth century, however, when the episcopal see was
finally established at Liege, was Lambert's successor virtual lay
overlord of the region as well as Bishop of Liege. Monulphe's little
chapel had given way to a mighty church dedicated to the canonised
Bishop Lambert. The ecclesiastical state became almost autonomous, the
episcopal authority being restricted without the walls only by the
distant emperor and still more distant pope. Within the walls, the
same authority had by no means a perfectly free hand. There were
certain features in the constitution of Liege which differentiated it
from its sister towns in the Netherlands.

Municipal affairs were conducted in a singularly democratic manner.
There was no distinction between the greater and lesser gilds, and,
within these organisations, the franchise was given to the most
ignorant apprentice had he only fulfilled the simple condition of
attaining his fifteenth year. Moreover, the naturalisation laws were
very easy. Newcomers were speedily transformed into citizens and
enjoyed eligibility to office as well as the franchise. The tenure of
office being for one year only, there was opportunity for frequent
participation in public affairs, an opportunity not neglected by the
community.[2]

The bishop was, of course, not one of the civic officers chosen by
this liberal franchise. He was elected by the chapter of St. Lambert,
subject to papal and imperial ratification for the two spheres of his
jurisdiction. But in the exercise of his function there were many
restrictions to his free administration, which papal and imperial
sanction together were unable to remove.

A bishop-prince of Liege could make no change in the laws without the
consent of the estates, and he could administer justice only by means
of the regular tribunals. Every edict had to be countersigned. When
there was an issue between