[Footnote 53: Except in the divorce of the daughter of
Desiderius, whom Charlemagne repudiated sine aliquo crimine.
Pope Stephen IV. had most furiously opposed the alliance of
a noble Frank - cum perfida, horrida nec dicenda,
foetentissima natione Longobardorum - to whom he imputes the
first stain of leprosy, (Cod. Carolin. epist. 45, p. 178,
179.) Another reason against the marriage was the existence
of a first wife, (Muratori, Annali d'Italia, tom. vi. p.
232, 233, 236, 237.) But Charlemagne indulged himself in the
freedom of polygamy or concubinage.]