Theprelatesandtheirnumerousgendarmerieofmonkswhichgrewwiththespreadofpoliticalandreligiousbaiting，weretheobjectsofhatrednotonlyofthepeoplebutalsoofthenobility。Beingdirectlyundertheempire，theprelateswereinthewayoftheprinces。Thefastlivingofthecorpulentbishopsandabbotswiththeirarmyofmonks，rousedtheenvyofthenobilityandtheindignationofthepeoplewhoboretheburden。Hatredwasintensifiedbythefactthatthebehaviouroftheclergywasaslapinthefaceoftheirownpreaching。
Theplebeianfactionoftheclergyconsistedofpreachers，ruralandurban。Thepreacherswereoutsidethefeudalhierarchyofthechurchandparticipatedinnoneofitsriches。Theiractivitieswerelessrigorouslycontrolledand，importantastheywereforthechurch，theywereforthemomentfarlessindispensablethanthepoliceservicesofthebarrackedmonks。Consequently，theywerepaidmuchlessthanthemonks，andtheirprebendswerefarfromlucrative。Beingofamiddle—classorplebeianorigin，theywerenearertothelifeofthemasses，thusbeingabletoretainmiddle—classandplebeiansympathies，inspiteoftheirstatusasclergy。Whiletheparticipationofthemonksinthemovementsoftheirtimewastheexception，thatoftheplebeianclergywastherule。Theygavethemovementitstheoristsandideologists，andmanyofthem，representativesoftheplebeiansandpeasants，diedonthescaffold。Thehatredofthemassesfortheclergyseldomtouchedthisgroup。
Whattheemperorwastotheprincesandnobility，thepopewastothehigherandlowerclergy。Astheemperorreceivedthe\"commonpenny，\"
theimperialtaxes，sothepopewaspaidthegeneralchurchtaxes，outofwhichhedefrayedtheexpensesoftheluxuriousRomancourt。InnocountrywerehistaxescollectedwithsuchconscientiousnessandrigourasinGermany，duetothepowerandthenumberoftheclergy。Theannateswerecollectedwithparticularseveritywhenabishopricwastobecomevacant。Withthegrowthofthecourt’sdemands，newmeansforraisingrevenueswereinvented，suchasthetrafficinrelicsandindulgences，jubileecollections，etc。
largesumsofmoneywerethusyearlytransportedfromGermanytoRome，andtheincreasedpressurefannednotonlythehatredtowardstheclergy，butitalsoarousednationalfeelings，particularlyamongthenobility，thethenmostnationalclass。