concluded any private Treaty with any Person about this matter excepting at Nuremburgh besides he thought it proper that those who assign'd this reason in excuse of what they had done should prove their Plea to be matter of Fact which proof he would take care to convey to the Emperor and possibly carry it himself And since the Emperor's Inclinations are so apparently dispos'd for Peace and for the setling a good understanding amongst the States he cannot but renew his former Request to them that they would contribute their Assistance towards the carrying on the Turkish-War and defray the Expence of the Imperial-Chamber both which Provisions had a very considerable Influence upon the welfare of Germany And if it so happens that the Turk does not come into the Field that then they would send his Majesty the same Supply for some months against the French King If they gratifie his Majesty in this they will never have any reason to repent of their Compliance therefore he desires they would let him know their Resolution in this Point that he may give the Emperor an account of it forthwith Touching the Council they very well knew what care and pains the Emperor had taken to procure its Intimation designing by this means to give the fairest opportunity to adjust the differences in Religion in a peaceable way and to promote the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men by the Reformation of Christendom And now when the undertaking is so well advanc'd and the time for the opening the Council almost at hand his Majesty little suspected that they would have put in their Exceptions against it which Resolution if they persist in it will be very unacceptable to him Now this being an Affair of the greatest concern he is order'd in his Commission to dispatch it fully with them therefore he earnestly beseecheth them that they would oblige the Emperor and not make a separation from the rest of the States for it never was the Emperor's intention to defend any Doctrin or Practice in the Council which was lewd wicked and contrary to the Word of God nor to excuse any thing which was scandalous and immoral but would take particular care that Debates should not be swayed by favour and partiality And since it 's agreeable to reason that the holy Scriptures and the approved Interpretations of them should have the greatest Authority the Emperor cannot imagine what should hinder them from coming to the Council either themselves or sending their Embassadors For when fraud and indirect Practices are once barr'd which the Emperor will undertake to effect there can be no manner of ground to suspect the Council Those Reasons therefore which they assign'd for their refusal had not weight enough in them and were apt to create jealousies and apprehensions not only in the Emperor but in other Nations also Concerning that which they objected about the Inclinations and Intentions of the Pope though their Expressions were somewhat too smart yet if what they said was true no Man can commend his Holiness upon this account But the Emperor was so far from knowing any thing of this nature that he did not so much as suspect it nay his Majesty did not question but that the Pope would behave himself like a Christian in his Office and as it became one who was the chief Head of the Clergy However if they had any thing to say against his Holiness or any others of his Order they might prefer their Complaints against them in the Council and argue the matter out provided they did it modestly and without any signs of hatred and ill will. There also they may propose what their Opinion is concerning the proper form and modelling of the Council and whatever else they have a mind to in any other Circumstance But for them to prescribe the methods of Management and Debate to all Christendom was neither fair nor commendable This was more than the Emperor and all the rest of the States could do for the determination of those Points did not belong to a small Party but were to be setled by the whole Assembly where they would find a great many Persons eminent for their Learning and Probity for they must not suppose that their Divines are the only knowing and inspired Men for there are other places in which neither the abilities nor vertuous Conversation of the Church-men can be question'd Now as to what they object against Mantua its being made the Seat of the Council he grants that the Princes of Germany and more particularly themselves did earnestly desire that some place in Germany might be pitched upon for this purpose neither was the Emperor against it but then we should consider what is suitable and convenient for other Nations Now the reason why the Pope chose this Town before any other was in his opinion because it lay near to Germany was a plentiful place of it self and so situated that Provisions might be conveyed to it at an easie Charge besides it was remarkable for a healthy Climate and under the Jurisdiction of the Empire so that the Pope could have no advantage of them there For the Duke of that Town was a Homager and Vassal of the Empire however if they are still suspicious and apprehensive of danger the Emperor out of the great desire he hath for the calling of a Council will take care that they shall have sufficient Security therefore if they think it requisite they may address to him about this Point and he does not question but that they will receive a very fair Answer from his Majesty Therefore he desires they would debate this matter over again return him a clear and positive answer and comply with the Emperor which would be very honourable and advantageous to themselves and most acceptable to God Almighty When he had done his Speech he desir'd the Names of those might be deliver'd to him in writing who came in after the Pacification at Nuremburgh In this List there was George Duke of Brandenburgh Nuremburgh Weissemburgh Hailbrun Wintzeim and Hall mention'd to be of the same Religion but not engag'd in the League Then he desir'd them in the Emperor's Name to explain their League to him and upon what conditions it was made The same day that this was done the Bishop of Aix the Pope's Legate came thither charg'd with Letters to the Elector of Saxony in which his Holiness invited him to the Council For the last year when Vergerius gave an account of his German Embassy which I mention'd in the former Book the Pope was not at all pleas'd with it and therefore orders the Bishop to go thither under the same Character to try if he could gain any advantage by sending a new Embassador But he lost his labour as well as the other neither was there much notice taken of him One day when he desir'd to be admitted to Audience by the Lantgrave he sent him word that he was not at leizure and
own Quarters but also five Churches and all the Vessels on the River even those that were laden with Wine and Wheat The same he did at Spire with a purpose to incommode the Emperor's Passage and having called out the Souldiers whom he had placed in Garrison there he marched into the Country about Treves On the Thirteenth of August Herman Archbishop of Cologne now very aged ended his Life in his own Native Countrey and had such an End as he desired for many times he had wished that he might either be permitted to propagate the Gospel and reform the Church within his Territories or else to lead a private Life and being sometimes admonished by his Friends that he exposed himself to great hatred and malice by that changing of his Religion he used to answer That nothing could surprize him and that he was long ago prepared against the worst that could befal him He was descended of the Noble Family of the Counts of Weden The Landgrave being set at Liberty as it was agreed upon and returning home when he came to Maestricht by the Command of the Governess Queen Mary who was there then he was stopt again and committed to the Custody of the same Spaniards who had kept him Prisoner five whole years before Now the reason of it was because Rifeberg who had served under the Landgrave's Son went over to Marquess Albert with all his Men as we said before by which Action the Queen alledged the Peace was broken and that therefore she could not let him go before she knew the Emperor's Pleasure Duke Maurice being as hath been said advanced to the Danube August the two and Twentieth sent his Army before the Foot down the River but the Horse over Land whilst he himself made a start home about some private Affairs with design suddenly to come back to them again When Marquess Albert was upon his March to Treves George Count of Holen one of the Emperor's Commanders came to the Defence of the City with ten Companies of Foot but being kept out by the Towns-People who refused a Garrison he marched back again with his Men into Luxembourg Marquess Albert in the mean time August the Twenty seventh summoned the Place to surrender and being next day received he quartered his Souldiers in the Town and the places about The Bishop all this while was in the Castle which as we said stands at the meeting of the Rhine and Moselle And now the Emperor having staid some days at Ausburg turned out the Senate which the Confederate Princes had lately established abolishing at the same time all the Companies and Fraternities and restored the former Government and Senate which he himself had appointed Of the Ministers he turned out three suffering the rest to preach and act according to the Form of the Augustane Confession which being declared from the Pulpit caused great Joy amongst the People This happened on the Twenty fifth of August when about the same day the year before they had been turned out as we related in the two and twentieth Book Departing from thence on the first of September after he left a Garrison of six Companies of Foot in the Town and two days after came to Ulm but the Army marched another way till they came to the Confines of Wirtemberg which was done for the sake of the People of Ulm that the Countrey of those who had been so faithful to the Emperor might receive no dammage The same day the Emperor departed from Ausburg he dismissed John Frederick Duke of Saxony with most kind expressions and large Promises of Favour and he next day set out also upon his Journey homewards The Landgrave in like manner being released September the fourth returned home six days after About the same time was published the fourth Tome of Luther's Works Melanchthon in his Preface to it largely congratulated the liberty and return of the Duke of Saxony and highly extolled the Constancy that he had shewn in the worst of Times All the while Marquess Albert was at Treves the Churches were shut having staid then eight days there and Burnt some Monasteries and Religious Houses with a Castle of the Bishops standing not far from the Town he left a Garrison of twelve Companies of Foot in the Place Afterwards Marching to Kirchen a Town of the Duchy of Lorrain lying half way betwixt Treves and Mentz on the thirteenth of September he there crossed the Moselle and entred first into the Duchy of Luxembourg and then Lorrain doing great Damage every where and there stayed to know what Conditions the French King would propose unto him How sadly he had afflicted the Bishops of Franconia we told you before but they having made their Application to the Emperor upon his approach towards them he rescinded the Capitulations they had made charging them not to stand to them but to endeavour to recover their own The same thing he permitted to those of Norimberg and after advised them to make a League for the defence of their Country To the same purpose he wrote to those of Schuabia to the Borderers on the Rhine and others as well Princes as free Cities Wherefore the Bishops we mentioned and Norimbergers entred into a League together and whilst Marquess Albert upon the Emperor's coming was gone into Lorrain those of Bamberg about the end of August and in the Month of September recovered Forcheim and most of the other Towns. The Emperor being come out of the Country of Wirtemberg directed his March towards Spire but when he came to Bretta a Town belonging to the Prince Palatine changing his Mind he struck off to the Left and Marched towards Strasburg When he was come within six Miles of the City he was met by the Deputies James Sturmey Frederick Gottesseim and Lowis Grempen who came from the Senate to beg of his Imperial Majesty that he would spare their Country by sending part of his Army another way and that he would not enter the Town with too many Men nor change any thing in the Government The Emperor having received them very graciously told them that he knew very well and was sensible how nobly and bravely they of the City had lately behaved themselves and how great a Kindness they had done to him and the Empire a thing he should never forget and would upon occasion make it manifest how much he was obliged to them upon that Account He afterwards made an ample Excuse for his sudden coming partly because of the Vessels that were burnt by Marquess Albert partly because of the News he had of the French making Incursions into Alsatia and partly because of the Season of the Year which required Expedition that he might as soon as possible come up with the Enemy That therefore he would March his Army by the City and none should enter but he himself and his Servants to Dine only but not to stay all
do further declare to you and yours that you ought to be resposable for all the Calamities which shall ensue in this War you having refused to submit to any just and equal Conditions of Peace And we do not doubt but that Almighty God will rather assist us who seek nothing but the Preservation of our Country than you who have committed great Injuries in and began an unjust War against it When this Declaration was delivered to Albert the Ambassadors of the Elector of Brandenburg were in his Camp who were come to perswade him to a Peace And he having read it called his Commanders together and asked them if they would try their Fortunes with him which they promised him they would and thereupon he called the young Gentleman who brought him the Letter and speaking to him said Your Prince has already thrice broke his Faith with me and done ill by me and this is his fourth Action of the same Nature Let him come and I will try what he can do and this tell him from me And thereupon having according to the Custom given him some Crowns he sent him away Whereupon the Ambassadors who were come to Mediate a Peace addressed themselves to him and said What then Sir shall we do nothing No said he you may go Home But having a little more closely reflected on the Consequences of the War the third of July he sent Erick of Brunswick to the Emperor to inform him That by the Cunning of some Men many Enemies were stirred up against him to the End that not only the Pacts that had been made with him might not be performed but also that he might be driven out of his Country and deprived of his Possessions that there was no doubt but if Fortune favoured their Designs they would soon declare for the French Interest For in truth France had invited them with the Proffer of great Advantages to enter into a new Conspiracy as he could prove And that some of the Electors and great Princes had already conspired to set up a new Emperor That the Imperial Chamber was the only Promoter of the Designs of the two Bishops against him and therefore he desired the Emperor his Majesty would not take it ill that he had been compelled to make use of Force against them He further insisted That his Enemies in order to excite the publick Envy against him had spread abroad a Report as if he had Combined with the Emperor to oppress the Liberty of Germany and that some of the Princes had objected this to him and he said there were Letters to the same purpose spread about Germany which were pretended to be written from Arras that he Levied Forces to assist the Emperor in this Design For that the Emperor intended to send his Son the Prince of Spain and the Duke De Alva to the next Diet that he might there be declared Successor of the Empire That King Ferdinand was so fully perswaded of the Truth of this that he had entred into a League with his Enemies and has saith he declared a War against me he said he had excused this very carefully and to many but yet the suspition got strength every Day and that in truth all the Dangers and Difficulties to which he was exposed arose from no other cause than his adhering to the Emperor Therefore he did most humbly supplicate his Majesty to confirm his Treaty with the Bishops and to undertake the Protection of him and his in Consideration of which he promised he would bring nine Thousand Horse and one Hundred Foot Companies into the Emperors Service when-ever his Majesty should require them In the mean time the Forces of the City of Norimberg and the two Bishops in the Absence of Albert invaded his Territories Whereupon he put out a Declaration against the City of Norimberg accusing them of breaking their Faith and Promises to him and insinuating that by joyning in a League with those two Perfidious Bishops as he called them they seem'd well disposed to re-imbrace the Roman-Catholick Religion They on the other side Printed and Published an Answer soon after relating all things in the order they had happened and beginning with the Actions of the former Year they shew how cruel a War he had begun what Pacts they had made with him how with the Consent of the Emperor they had entred into a League with their Neighbour Bishops How Albert had rejected the most equal Terms the Bishops had offered to him and had nevertheless begun a War upon them how he had lately again Invaded the Territories belonging to this City only because pursuant to their League and in obedience to the Commands of the Imperial Chamber they had sent Succours to their Allies Amongst other ill things which they charged him with they mention this as an Instance of Cruelty which had never been practised by any Man before him That when he had made himself Master of Altorfe and Lawffe two Towns in their Territories he shut up in them not only the Inhabitants of these Towns but a great number of Men which he had brought together out of the Neighbouring Country together with their Cattel and then had Fired the said Towns in many places at the same time and especially at the Gates designing apparently to burn all these People with the Towns and that in this Fire many Women and Children and Aged and Sick Persons who could not make their way either through or over the City Walls were miserably burnt to Death And as to what he alledged concerning their changing their Religion they shew that Pretence was vain for that the League was only entred to the Intent to preserve themselves and theirs from unjust Force And as for Albert they said it was well known how little he regarded any Religion as they could shew by many Instances which they would certainly have inserted here but out of Reverence to the noble House of which he was descended and some other Princes that were his near Relations they would forbear doing it The fifth day of July Sigismond King of Poland Married Catherine one of the Daughters of Ferdinand King of the Romans which Lady had before been the Wife of the Duke of Mantoua Sigismond had before this in the Year 1535 Married Elizabeth another of the Daughters of Ferdinand and Sister of Catherine as I have related above in the fifteenth Book of this History Edward the sixth King of England a Prince of great and unquestioned Vertue and Hope died the sixth day of July as was commonly given out of a Consumption being about sixteen years of Age to the great Grief of all Pious Men. There followed in England after his Death great Changes as I shall relate hereafter There was soon after a report spread abroad that he was Poysoned However it is certain Europe has not in many Ages produced a Prince of so great Expectation From his Infancy he was well instructed in Religion and
Hoffe he went to Blasseburg his Principal Castle When Albert was retired Henry with his Army sat down before the City of Brunswick and battered it very furiously with his Cannon but the Bishops and the Norimbergers who maintained his Army sending for him he demanded of the Inhabitants of Brunswick about fourscore Thousand Crowns they denied this at first but the Garrison within the City refusing to bear Arms any longer for their defence without Pay forced them at last to promise Payment of it And Henry having appointed his Soldiers the day when they should receive their Pay marched away and passed through Thuringe This being known to John Frederick Duke of Saxony who till then had not been reconciled to him he left his Lady who was then sick at Weimar and with his three Sons went to Gothen to that purpose But Henry being then on his March wrote a Letter to the Duke to this Effect Though said he I have had a just Provocation and not been destitute of an Opportunity of late Years to revenge the Injuries you have done me in former times yet because then you were the Emperor's Prisoner I never attempted any thing against either your Children or Subjects but committed my wrongs to the Determination and Judgment of the Laws But you Sir were so far from acknowledging your former Injuries that you have lately entertained comforted aided and with your Council assisted the Marquess of Brandenburg the destroyer of Germany and my particular Enemy and although you did this very privately yet I was well acquainted with it If therefore my Army has in its March done any dammage in your Territories you have no reason to complain because you began your self Henry had in truth resolved to waste the Territories of Albert and Volrate Earls of Mansfield upon the account of the War the last Year but Augustus Duke of Saxony had interposed his Mediation at their Request and put an end to that difference upon the receipt of this Letter John Frederick sent Ambassadors to Henry and endeavoured to allay his anger so that Henry came to Weimar with two Troops of Horse and two Foot Companies and quartered the rest of his Army in the neighbouring Country And here he was met by Minquice the Duke's Chancellor and having entred into a Treaty with him at length he disposed him to terms of Amity And whereas Henry had before demanded great Sums of Money he perswaded him to remit a great part of it and after two days stay in that City without doing any dammage he friendly and quietly marched away The eighteenth day of October there was a Conference or dispute began in London by the command of the Queen concerning the Presence of Christ as they call it in the Sacrament of the Altar It was continued six days though not without some heats and ill Language One Weston a Roman-Catholick Divine who was the principal Mannager of the Dispute behaving himself very Intemperately What was the Issue of this Dispute we shall set forth together with the Laws which passed in this Session of Parliament About the end of October one Michael Servetus a Spaniard was burnt at Geneva He had many years since Printed several small Books in which amongst other things he had discoursed concerning the Trinity contrary to the Sense of the whole Church And coming this year to Geneva the Senate being informed of his being there commanded him to be apprehended and ordered Calvin who had before written against his Doctrines and the other Ministers of their Church that they should enter into a Conference with him There was a long and a sharp dispute between them Servetus without any Modesty often giving Calvin the Lye. In the Interim the Senate being very desirous to proceed with great deliberation in a thing of this weight consulted the Doctors of Berne Zurich Basil and Schafhouse who all said that these Doctrines were very Blasphemous and Injurious to the Majesty of God But Servetus not only stood to his Opinion but defended it with ill Language and Reproaches and was thereupon sentenced to Death When he came to the place of Execution William Farel exhorted him to call upon Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God but he refused so to do nor did he express the least Sign of Repentance yet because he did not defend his Doctrine before the People it brought a very great Envy upon Calvin whereupon he set forth a Book wherein he gives an account of his Doctrine and of whatever else had passed in this Affair and teacheth that the Sword may be lawfully imployed against Hereticks The thirtieth of October James Sturmius a Man of great Prudence and Integrity and on the account of his rare natural endowments and extraordinary Learning esteemed the Glory of the German Nobility died at Strasburg having been for two Months afflicted by a Quartane Ague he lived something above Sixty three Years About this time Reginald Pool one of the Cardinals who was sent from Rome through Germany to the Emperor when he was now arrived at Dillinghen a Town upon the Danube in the Borders of the Palatinate belonging to the Bishop of Ausburg was ordered by the Emperor who sent James Mendoza on that Errand to him to stay there till the Emperor should give him leave to come to him Henry of Brunswick left Weimar and the seventh day of November arrived in the Camp of the Confederates which was then at Lichtefelse a Town in the Bishoprick of Bamberg they had shut up in this Town nine Companies of Foot which were put into it by Albert which were the same that had before been at Birute and the Count of Plaw had some time before sate down before the Place with his own and the Forces belonging to the Confederates to which those under the Duke of Brunswick being now added and some Cannon being sent from Norimberg to batter the Town the tenth day of November they yielded themselves at discretion Some of the Captains being taken thereupon into Custody the rest disarmed and sent home without Colours This being done they Marched to Culembach a Town in the Territories of Albert and with their Cannon furiously battered it when therefore the Inhabitants saw they could not defend it they removed their Goods into the Castle of Blasseburg and having set Fire to their Houses retreated thither themselves upon this the Enemy rushing in put some few they found in the Town to the Sword and putting out the Fire took what was left Count Plaw having thus taken Lichteberg a Castle Hoffe and Birute two small Towns and dismantled them sate down before Basseburg the strongest place belonging to Albert and then very well Garrison'd About this time the French suddenly marching out of Piedmont surprized Verceile a Town belonging to Savoy and then in the Hands of the Spaniards But then considering that by reason of its vicinity to the Dukedom of Milan and being informed also that Gonzaga the
those of Cologne taking no notice of this proceed to Censure Capnion's Book with a Salvo as they pretend to the Credit of the Author and in February 1514 they publickly burnt it this the Bishop of Spire took as an Affront put upon him and because the Prosecutor having been legally Cited had never appeared at the Day but made Default he gave Judgment for Capnion with an Approbation of his Book and condemned Hogostrate to pay the Costs of the Suit. He that he might avoid this Sentence hastens to Rome In the mean time the Divines of his Party make their Applications to the University of Paris and by the Help of Erand Marchian Bishop of Liege who was then in the French Interests they cajoled Lewis XII so as to make him inclinable to favour their Cause Therefore after a long Consultation those of Paris also Condemn the Book as deserving to be Burnt and whose Author ought to be compelled to make a Recantation and their Judgment was That the Jewish Talmuds were justly censured by former Popes and deservedly burnt by their Predecessors This was in the same Year on August 2. To prevent this the Duke of Wirtemberg had interceeded with them by his Letters and Reuchline also himself had written very courteously as having been formerly a Scholar of that University and he sent inclosed the Judgment given by the Bishop of Spire but all to no purpose Hogostrate being come to Rome managed his Business with very great Address but there were some Cardinals who favoured Reuchline upon the account of his eminent Learning among these was Adrian who has a Piece extant concerning the Latin Tongue Leo at last appoints certain Delegates to inspect the matter and they seeming to lean towards Capnion's side Hogostrate having met with nothing but Disappointments after above three Years stay in Rome sneaked away Home into his own Country But it is not to be thought what a Scandal the Divines of Cologn brought upon themselves by this Imprudent Act of theirs for there was not a Man who pretended to any thing of Ingenuity or Scholarship in all Germany who had not a Fling at them in some smart Lampoon or Satyr applauding Reuchline and ridiculing them as Blockheads and Dunces and sworn Enemies to that Laborious but useful Study of Languages and to all other more polite Learning And Erasmus of Roterdam was not wanting to use his interest with the Cardinals in Capnion's behalf concerning which he has several Epistles yet extant which he then sent to Rome The Divines of Louvain before they would declare what was their Opinion in Luther's Case consulted first with the Cardinal Adrian Bishop of Tortona who had been a Member of their College and Order and who was at that time in Spain and being backed with the Authority of his Judgment they published their Censure Luther finding himself so hard beset on all Sides addressed himself in an Epistle to the late elected Emperour Charles V and having made his Apology That a Man of his mean Quality should presume to write to so great a Potentate he tells him That the Reasons were very weighty which had emboldned him to do this and that the Glory of Christ himself was concerned in his Cause That he had published some few small Books which had procured him the Displeasure of a great many Persons but that the Fault ought not to lye at his Door for that it was with great Reluctancy that his Adversaries had drawn him to enter the Lists That a Private Retired Life was much more agreeable to his Inclinations but that his chief Care and Study was to make known the pure and uncorrupt Doctrin of the Gospel in opposition to the false Glosses and even contradictory Ordinances of Men That there were a great number of Persons eminent both for Learning and Piety who could attest the Truth of what he said And that this alone was the Cause of all that Odium and Infamy of those Dangers Contumelies and Losses to which almost for three Years he had been continually exposed That he had omitted nothing which might contribute to an Accommodation but that the oftner he made any Proposals tending that way the more resolved his Adversaries seemed to continue the Breach That he had frequently and earnestly requested them to convince him of his Errours and to give him such Rules by the which he might the better guide himself for the Time to come but that he could never obtain any other Answer from them but barbarous Injuries and railing Buffoonery their Design being to rid the World both of him and the Gospel together That by these Means he was driven to have recourse to the last Remedy and forced according to the Example of Athanasius to fly to him as to the inviolable Sanctuary and Protection of the Law And to beseech him to take upon him the Patronage of the Christian Religion and vouchsafe to shelter him from all Violence and Injury until he should be more fully informed in the Matter If it should appear that he had been ingaged in the Maintenance of any thing that was Unjustifiable he then desired no Favour His humble Petition was only to have a fair Hearing and that every one would t'ill then suspend his Judgment That this was a part of his Duty and that therefore God had intrusted him with this Supreme Power that he might maintain and distribute impartial Justice and defend the Cause of the Poor and Weak against all the Insults of their powerful Oppressors After this he writes much to the same purpose to all the States of the Empire telling them how unwilling he was to have ingaged in this Controversie and with what bitter Malice he was prosecuted by his Enemies when his Aim was purely this by propagating the true Doctrin of the Gospel to convince Men how Inconsistent it was with those false Opinions of which they had been so long but too Tenacious Then he recites in short all that had been done by him in order to a Reconciliation how he had several times promised by a voluntary Silence to let the Cause fall upon condition his Adversaries would cease their impertinent Babling desiring nothing more than to be better informed if he was in the wrong and being willing to submit freely to the Judgment and Censure of all good Men But that these Requests of his had not as yet had their desired Effect his Adversaries continually loading him with all manner of Injuries and Reproaches That since it was so he desired them not to give Credit to any disadvantagious Reports which they might hear of him If he had at any time been guilty of any Sharpness or Petulancy in his Writings it was no more than what he had been forced to by their paultry sawcy Pamphlets which they were almost daily spawning against him In the last place he makes now the same Profers for the composing the Difference which he had so often formerly done
the Disciples of Mahomet and who with his prophane and poysonous breath thought at once to blast and overturn the whole Disciplin of the Church who bewails the Punishments inflicted on Hereticks and in short who strove to turn all things topsie-turvie and is arrived at that degree of pride and madness as to despise the Authority both of Popes and Councils and has the confidence to prefer before them all his own single Judgment That he therefore had shewed himself a true Son of the Church in that he had nothing to do with that pernicious Rascal nor embraced any of his erroneous Opinions but in all things imitated the Vertues of his Fore-fathers That this made so many grave and understanding Men outvie each other in his Commendations And that he could not but think himself bound to return his most hearty Thanks to God who had bestowed on him so many rich endowments of Mind He says he had long borne with Luther's Sauciness and Temerity hoping he would in time grow ashamed of his Folly but now when he saw him deaf to all his Admonitions and that he was only hardned by the gentleness which he used towards him he was forc'd at last as in a desperate Disease to have recourse to a desperate Remedy to prevent if possible the farther spreading of the Contagion That having summoned therefor the Conclave and had the Advice of several learned Men in the matter after much serious deliberation he had signed the Decree being guided by that holy Spirit whose aids can never be wanting to an Infallible Church In it were recited some of his Tenets which were picked from among a great many more part of which were downright Heretical others directly contrary to the Precepts of the Gospel and some were destructive of Morality and even common Honesty it self and were such as by degrees would debauch Men into all manner of Wickedness That he had sent him a Copy of this Bull to let him see what monstrous Errors that Agent of Hell did maintain But now his Request to him was That he would admonish him not to persist in his Pride and Obstinacy but publickly and solemnly to recant all his former Writings which if he refused to do within a prefixed day then to take care to have him seized and committed to Prison by this means he would wipe off the Reproach of his own House and of Germany too and get himself immortal Honour by putting a timely stop to that flame which would else not have ended but in the ruin of his Country and it would be a Service also very acceptable even to God himself The Bull it self was very long and was published on the Fifteenth of June the substance of it was this After a Quotation of some Texts of Scripture which were applied to his present purpose his Holiness Pope Leo having called upon Christ St. Peter and St. Paul and the rest of that glorified Society to avert those dangers which at this time threatned the Church complains that there was now started up a Doctrin which not only revived all those Opinions which had been formerly condemned as Heretical but also contained in it several new Errours never before broached in the World and such as would justle out all sense of God and Religion That he was troubled that this Heresie should have its rise in Germany a Country always very Loyal to the Church of Rome and which to uphold the Dignity of that See had fought even to the last drop of Blood and never refused to undertake any the most difficult Enterprizes That it was yet fresh in memory with what Heroick Spirits and with what Zeal they maintained the Catholick Cause against the Bohemians and the Followers of Husse That some of their Universities had lately given Instances of a Vertue and Courage equal to what inspired the first Planters of Christianity But because he was Christ's Vicar here on Earth and the Care of the Universal Church was committed to him he could no longer neglect the discharge of his Duty After this he repeats Luther's Tenets which he says were repugnant to that Christian Love and Reverence which all Men owe to the Church of Rome That he had therefore summoned together the whole College of Cardinals and several other learned Men who after a long Debate all declared That these Points ought to be rejected as derogating from the Authority of Councils Fathers and even the Church it self Therefore with their advice and consent he condemns this whole summ of Doctrins and by virtue of his Supremacy commands all Persons under the severest Penalties to yield Obedience to this his Decree by renouncing those Opinions which are censured in it and he enjoyns all Magistrates especially those of Germany to use their endeavours to hinder the farther progress and growth of this Heresie He orders also Luther's Books to be every where brought forth and burnt Then he relates how Lovingly and Fatherly he had dealt with him in hopes to reclaim his by those gentle methods how he had admonish'd him by his Legates and cited him to come and make his Purgation at Rome not only granting him a safe Conduct but promising to furnish him with all Necessaries for his Journey but that he slighting this Summons had appealed from him to a General Council contrary to the Decrees of Pope Pius and Julius II by which it is enacted That whosoever shall make any such Appeal shall from that time be adjudged an Heretick and be obnoxious to the same Punishments That therefore it was in his power to have prosecuted him at first with the utmost rigour of the Law but that out of meer pity he had forborn so long if perhaps as the Prodigal Son his Calamities might bring him to a sense of his Errours and he would at last be willing to return into the bosom of the Chuâ—ch That he had still the same tender Affections towards him and that he most passionately intreated him and all his Followers that they would cease to disturb the Peace of Christendom and if they yield to this his request he promises to shew them all the kindness imaginable In the mean time he forbids Luther to Preach and prefixes Threescore days within which time he should amend burn his own Books and publickly Recant If he did not he condemns him as an Heretick and orders him to be punish'd according to Law he Excommunicates him and commands all Persons to avoid his Company under the like Penalty ordering this Decree to be read in all Churches upon certain days As to what he says of Pius and Julius the matter stands thus In the Year of our Lord 1359 Pius II on account of the War with the Turks holds a Council at Mantua and there among others makes a Decree That no Person should Appeal from the Pope to a Council because he said there could be no Power on Earth Superior to that of Christ's Vicar Therefore he
condemned all those who presumed to act contrary to this Decree and declared their Appeals invalid And not long after he Excommunicated Sigismund Duke of Austria for taking Cardinal Nicholas Cusanus Prisoner Sigismund Appeals from him to the Council and the Pope Excommunicates George Heinburg a Lawyer that drew up the Appeal as a Traytor and Heretick and writes to the Senate of Nuremberg to Banish him and Confiscate his Estate This Decree of his Julius II confirmed that he might defend himself against those Cardinals who had revolted from him against Kings and Princes and the Divines of Paris who often made use of such Appeals Pope Pius who was before called Aeneas Silvius was present at the Council of Basil and wrote the History of it wherein he highly commends the Decrees that were made there but at last being advanced to the Papacy he changed his Opinion and declared that the Council ought to be subject to the Pope Luther when he found himself condemned at Rome renews his former Appeal from the Pope to General Council And now since the Pope continues in his Tyranny and Impiety and proceeds so far as to condemn him neither called nor heard nor convict of Heresie he says he Appeals again from him to a General Council for these four Reasons Because he condemns him at pleasure without hearing the Controversie because he forbids him to hold Faith to be necessary in the Sacraments because he prefers his own Opinions and Fancies to the Holy Scriptures and for rendring all Councils useless Therefore he calls him rash and obstinate a Tyrant a proud Despiser of the Church and Antichrist himself and says he will prove all this whensoever it shall please his Superiors and for that reason desires the Emperour and other Magistrates that for the Glory of God and in defence of the Liberties of a General Council they would admit his Appeal that they would bridle the Tyranny of the Pope take no notice of his Bull nor do any thing in the business till the Cause be fairly heard and decided Before he appealed after this manner which was upon the Eighteenth day of November he had put out a Book concerning the Babylonish Captivity and in the Preface he says that he advances every day more and more in the Knowledge of the Scripture that formerly he had published a small Treatise concerning the Pope's Indulgences and that then he writ very modestly having a very great Veneration for the Roman Tyranny But that now he was of another Opinion and that being stirred up by the provocation of his Adversaries he had discovered that the See of Rome was nothing else but the Kingdom of Babylon and the Power of Nimrod the mighty Hunter Afterwards he disputes concerning the Sacraments of the Church and holds there are but Three Baptism Penance and the Lord's Supper And having discoursed concerning these he proceeds to consider the others also Confirmation Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction but he allows them not the Name or Title of a Sacrament and says that they are properly Sacraments which are Promises with Visible Signs annexed to them the others which have no Signs are bare Promises and therefore he thinks that Penance ought not to be reckoned in the number of Sacraments if we would speak properly because it wants a Visible Sign of Divine Institution Luther after he had heard of the Pope's Bull besides the Appeal we have been speaking of publishes a Book wherein he confirms and maintains all those opinions which Leo had condemned In the mean time the Emperour having setled all things in the Low-Countries appoints the Electors to meet him at Aix la Chapelle on the Sixth of October in order to his Coronation But at that time the Plague raged there very much therefore the Electors when they were arrived at Cologn about ten Miles from Aix la Chapelle and the report of the Plague encreased daily they writ to the Emperour being then at Louvain to desire him to chuse some other place for the Coronation But the Townsmen who had laid out a great deal of Money in trimming up their Houses and furnishing themselves with Provisions did by a proper Messenger assure him that there was no Danger The Emperour therefore persisted in his Resolution and declares That he cannot well alter the Order of Charles IV which appoints the Coronation to be there Therefore upon the 21 of October the Archbishops of Mentz Cologn and Triers with the Ambassadours of the Duke of Saxony and Marquess of Brandenburg arrive there for the Duke of Saxony himself by reason of his Ilness was forced to stay at Cologn The next Day they go out to meet the Emperour and when they came near him they alighted off their Horses and the Archbishop of Mentz made a Speech to him which he answered graciously by the Cardinal of Saltzburg And so joyning their Company together they marched towards the Town Before the Gate the Count Palatine meets him The Horse that accompanied the Electors were about a thousand six hundred some Archers and some with Lances those that attended upon the Emperour were about two thousand all bravely clothed John Duke of Cleve being a Neighbour had brought thither four hundred Horse very well armed who contended so long with those of Saxony about the Precedency that Night came on them before the whole Cavalcade which was the finest that ever was seen in Germany could enter the Town On each side the Emperour rode the Archbishops of Cologn and Mentz being followed by the Ambassadour of the King of Bohemia the Cardinals of Sedune Saltzburg and Croye and the Ambassadours of other Kings and Princes the Pope's only and the King 's of England were absent and that designedly lest by giving place to the Princes of Germany they might seem to diminish the Honour of their Masters The Emperour was brought into our Lady's Church where after he had made his Prayers he talked with the Electors apart and so went to his Lodging The next Day they met again at the Church but there was such a Croud of People that the Guard had much ado to keep them back In the middle of the Church there hangs a large Crown the Floor underneath was covered with rich Carpets where the Emperour for some time lay prostrate while the Archbishop of Cologn says certain Prayers over him After that is done he Archbishop of Mentz and Triers take him up and lead him to the High Altar Here he falls down again and having said his Prayers is lead to his Throne that was richly overlaid with Gold the Archbishop of Cologn begins Mass and having proceeded a little way he demands of him in Latin Whether he will keep the Catholick Faith defend the Church administer Justice and maintain the Dignity of the Empire protect the Widows and the Fatherless and such other distressed Persons and whether he will give due Honour to the Bishop of Rome When he has assented
Bulla coenae Domini the Bull of the Lord's Supper Which formulary of Excommunication came afterwards into Luther's hands and he rendred it into High-Dutch besprinkling it with some very Witty and Satyrical Animadversions So soon as Luther received the Letter he parted from Wittemberg and took his Journey towards Wormes accompanied by the same Herald that brought the Letter But when he was come within a few Miles of the place many dissuaded him from proceeding because his Books had been lately burnt which they looked upon as a Pre-judging of his Cause and a Condemning of him before a Hearing they therefore advised him to look to himself as being in great danger and to take warning from what happened to John Huss in the former Age. However with great resolution he slighted all danger affirming that that terrour and fear was suggested to him by the Devil who saw his Kingdom would be shaken by an open Confession of the Truth and in so illustrious a Place So then continuing his Journey he arived at Wormes on the Sixteenth of April Next day being sent for he appeared before the Emperour and a great Assembly of the Princes where Eckius a Lawyer by Orders from the Emperour spoke to him to this purpose For two Reasons said he Martin Luther the Emperour with consent of all the Princes and States commanded you to be sent for and hath charged me to put the Question to you first Whether or not you will confess that you wrote these Books and acknowledge them for your own And then Whether or not you will retract any thing in them or stand to the defence of what you have written Luther had brought along with him a Lawyer of Wittemberg one Jerome Schurff and he craved that the Titles of the Books might be read and produced Which being done Luther resumed in short what had been said unto him And then as to the Books saith he I confess and own them to be mine But whether I will defend what I have written that 's a Matter of great consequence and therefore that I may make a pertinent Answer and do nothing rashly I desire time to consider on 't The Matter being debated Although said he you might easily have understood by the Emperor's Letters the cause you were sent for and ought therefore to answer peremptorily without any delay yet the Emperour is graciously pleased to allow you one day for Deliberation commanding you to appear again at the same hour to morrow and give your positive Answer by Word of Mouth and not in Writing Most People began to think by his asking time to consider that he did relent and would not prove constant When next day he appeared at the hour appointed You did not said Eckius to him answer the second Question that was put to you yesterday having desired time to deliberate in which could have been lawfully denied you for every one ought to be so well persuaded in his Faith as to be ready at all times to give a reason of it to those who demand the same much more ought not you who are so learned and experienc'd a Divine to have doubted or have needed time to premeditate an Answer But to let that pass What do you now say Will you defend those Writings of yours Then Luther addressing himself to the Emperour and the Council of the Princes and having earnestly besought them to hear him patiently If I offend said he most Mighty Emperour and most Illustrious Princes either in the impropriety of Expressions unworthy of such an Auditory or in the clownishness and indecency of Carriage and Behaviour I humbly beg Pardon for it and desire it may be imputed to the course of life that now for some part of my age I have followed For the truth is I have nothing to say for my self but that with uprightness and simplicty I have hitherto taught those things which I believe do tend to the Glory of God and Salvation of Men Yesterday I answer'd as to my Books and owned them to have been written and published by me though if any thing should happen to be added unto them by others I would by no means acknowledg that for mine Now as to the second Question that was put to me thus stands the case All the Books that I have written are not of the same kind nor do they treat of the same subject for some of them relate only to the Doctrin of Faith and Piety which even my Adversaries do commend and should I abjure these I might justly be accused of neglecting the duty of an honest Man There are others wherein I censure the Roman Papacy and the Doctrin of Papists which have plagued Christendom with the greatest of Evils For who does not see how miserably the Consciences of Men are rack'd by the Laws and Decrees of Popes Who can deny but that they have by Craft and Artifice robb'd all Countries and especially Germany and that even to this day they set up no bounds nor period to their Pillage and Rapine Now if I should retract those Books I must confirm that Tyranny which would be of far worse consequence when it came to be known that I did it by the Authority of the Emperour and Princes There is a third sort of Books which I have written against some private Persons who have undertaken to defend that Knavery of Rome and to ensure me with Cavils and Calumnies and in these I confess I have been more vehement than became me but I arrogate no Sanctity to my self nor is it of Life and Manners but of the true Doctrin that I make Profession and yet I would not willingly retract any thing in these neither for by so doing I should but open a door to the Insolence of many Nevertheless I would not be so understood as if I vainly pretended that I could not Err But seeing it is the property of Man to Err and be Deceived I cannot defend my Self and Cause better than by that saying of our Saviour's who being smitten by a certain Servant as he was speaking of his Doctrin If said he I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil Now if Christ who is all Perfection refused not to hear the Evidence of a wretched Servant against him how much more ought not I a vile Sinner by nature and lyable to many Errours make my apperaance when I am called and hear every Man that would object and witness any thing against my Doctrin Wherefore I beg for God's sake and all that is Sacred that if any Man have any thing to object against the Doctrin which I profess he would not dissemble it but come forth and convince me of Errour by Testimonies of Scripture which if he do I will not be obstinate but shall be the first to throw my Books with my own hands into the Fire And this may be an Argument that I have not been led by rashness or any head-strong passion but have
that the One and twenty days which he had allowed him to return in being expired every one should endeavour to apprehend him and bring him into lawful Custody Banishing in the same manner all that should any ways aid or assist him He ordered all his Books also to be destroyed appointing a severe Penalty for Stationers that should meddle with them for the future And this Decree which he said was made with the common Consent and Advice of the Princes and States he commanded to be inviolably observed by all It was said that there were but a few who had a hand in framing this Decree For some of the Electors acknowledged that they were not privy to it as shall be said of the Elector of Cologn in its proper place The Elector of Mentz who is Chancellor of the Empire had a great stroak in Matters of that nature However it be the Emperor by this Sentence procured to himself much Favour so that the Pope fell quite off from the Frienship of France and made a League with him as you shall hear by and by After the Publication of this Sentence Duke Frederick appointed some Gentlemen in whom he could most confide to convey Luther into some more private place remote from the concourse of People that so he might be out of danger and this was performed with great secrecy and diligence In this his Retirement he wrote several Letters to his Friends and some Books also as one for abolishing private Mass which he dedicated to his Brethren the Augustine Friers Another concerning Monastick Vows dedicated to his Father John Luther and one against James Latome a Divine of Lovain He exhorted the Augustines to Courage and Constancy telling them that they had a strong support in Duke Frederick who was a wise Prince a lover of Truth and most averse from rash Judging They of all others were the first that began to leave off saying of Mass and therefore it was that Luther composed for them the Book we now mentioned that he might both encourage the weak and confirm the strong earnestly exhorting them to persevere in that purpose Duke Frederick hearing of this and fearing that some great disturbance might thereupon ensue commanded that the Opinion of the whole University should be taken about the matter and brought to him For that purpose the University chose four of their Members Justus Jonas Philip Melancthon Nicholas Amstorff and John Dulce These having had a Conference with the Augustines made a report of what their resolution was and at the same time declared how great injury was done to the Lord's Supper Wherefore they prayed the Duke that he would abolish that great Impiety not in one Church only but in all places also and restore the true use of the Lord's Supper according to the Institution of Christ and the Practice of his Apostles without regard to the Reproaches and Calumnies of Gain-sayers For that it was the course of this World that he who would undertake the defence of the true Doctrin of the Gospel must suffer many things That he ought to make it his chief study reverently to acknowledg that singular Mercy wherewith God had now blest him in making the Light of the Gospel to shine among the People To these things Duke Frederick made Answer That he would omit nothing that might conduce to the propagating of Piety but that since the matter was very difficult he did not think it fit to make too much haste and that hardly any thing could be effected by them who were so few in number But that if the Matter were grounded on Scripture many would certainly come over to them and then such a change as might seem to be pious and necessary would more conveniently be brought about That for his own part who was ignorant of the Scripture he could not tell when that accustomed Rite of the Mass which they condemned was first introduced into the Church and when that which the Apostles are said to have followed was left off That all Churches generally and Colleges wer founded for the Mass being endowed for that end with great Revenues so that should Mass be now abolish'd the Goods and Lands heretofore given for that use would be taken from the right Possessors That any Man might see what disturbance and confusion that would breed And that since they had referred the whole Affair to him it was his advice to them That having consulted the rest of the good and learned Men of the University they would proceed in the matter moderately and devise with themselves such means as might be proper for keeping Peace and Piety among them The Commissioners having consulted together made their Reply and again advise him to abrogate the Mass alledging that it might be done without Tumult and that though it could not yet that which was just and good ought not therefore to be omitted That their being fewer in number was no new thing since that from the beginning of the World the greatest part of Mankind had always opposed the true Religion That none would accept and approve the right way of administring and receiving the Lord's Supper but they to whom it should be given from above That Colleges were founded of old not for Mass but for the pious Education of Youth and these Possessions given for the Maintenance of the Masters and Scholars and for the Use of the Poor which Custom had lasted almost to the time of St. Bernard but that about Four hundred years since this trafficking about Masses came in play which now ought to be utterly abolished That though it were of ancient date yet such a Profanation was not to be tolerated And that if Stirs and Commotions should arise from thence it was not to be imputed to the Religion but to the Wickedness of the Adversaries who for Gain sake withstand the Truth against their own Conscience That however Men ought not to regard such inconveniences but to proceed absolutely whatever Tumults the World might raise for that all these things had been long ago foretold by Christ This year the Emperor's Brother Ferdinand Archduke of Austria married the Lady Ann Sister to Lewis King of Hungary Among so many Adversaries as Luther had Henry VIII King of England opposed him also in Writing and in the first place refuted his Opinion about Indulgences and defended the Papacy Afterwards he censured all his Disputations concerning the Sacraments of the Church taking occasion of writing from the Book of the Captivity of Babylon When this came to Luther's knowledge he wrote a most bitter Answer declaring That in defence of this Cause he valued no Man's Honour nor Greatness However Pope Leo gave the King an honourable Title for this calling him Defender of the Faith. How Charles of Austria came to be chosen Emperor hath be shewn before But some private Quarrels happening afterwards betwixt Him and the French King it came to a War at last though
celebrate and commend the Doctrin of Huss to all Posterity That therefore he prayed and exhorted them to persevere in that way which they had hitherto defended with the loss of much Blood and with highest Resolution and not cast a Reproach upon the flourishing Gospel by their Defection That although all things were not established among them as they ought to be yet God would not be wanting in time to raise up some Faithful Servant of his who would reform what was amiss provided they continued constant and utterly rejected the Uncleanness and Impiety of the Romish Papacy Now as to the Bohemians the case standeth thus after the death of John Huss whom we mentioned before the people were divided into three Sects the first of those who own the Pope of Rome to be Head of the Church and the Vicar of Christ The second those who receive the Sacrament in both kinds and in celebrating Mass read some things in the vulgar tongue but in all other matters differ not from the Papists The third are those who are called Picards or Beghardi these call the Pope of Rome and all his Party Antichrist and that Whore that is described in the Revelations They admit of nothing but the Bible they chuse their own Priests and Bishops deny no man marriage perform no Offices for the Dead and have but very few Holy Daies and Ceremonies Luther afterwards published a Book against the Order of Bishops falsly so called and in the Preface taking to himself the name of Minister or Preacher at Wittemberg he saith That it was no wonder to him nor indeed contrary to expectation if for that title he should be scoffed and laughed at by them from whom he had met with violence in far more weighty concerns That they had nothing but Tyranny and Oppression to stop his mouth with and that when he was ready to justifie his Doctrin by Argument and Reason they did but slight and reject him But that on the other hand when they themselves were put to it to prove the truth of their Doctrin they stopt their ears That it was a great shame and reproach that so many of them who besides many other splendid and magnificent Titles they bore professed themselves Masters of the whole Scripture being so often challenged by him alone durst not joyn issue and come to a fair tryal with him about the matter that therefore since they behaved themselves haughtily towards him he was resolved to yield to them in nothing and had taken to himself that name of Minister or Preacher as not doubting but that he might with far better conscience arrogate to himself that Title than they could the Name of Bishops That the Doctrin which he professed was not his but Christs so that they needed not to put any trust in violence or oppression thinking thereby to daunt him for that the more hatred and rage they vented against him the more resolutely was he resolv'd to proceed in spight of all their fury and madness That though they should even cut his Throat yet his Doctrin would prove immortal That Christ lived and reigned for ever who would in his own due time put a stop to their outragios and bloody Desings That by the Emperors Edict and the Bull of the Pope his name was lately taken from him and that charactar of the Great Beast wholly blotted out Which he was so far from taking ill that he heartily thanked God for delivering him out of the dark dungeon of so many filthy Errors and false Doctrins and enlightning him with the true Knowledge of his Word That since it was so then and that God had committed to him the Office of Preaching the Gospel it was but reasonable that he should take to himself a Title when false Teachers gloried so much in such gawdy Names That therefore he would not for the future submit his Writings to their Censure that he had condescended too much at Wormes But that now he was so certain of his Doctrin that he would not submit it to the Judgment no not of an Angel but by the Evidence thereof would judge not only himself and them all but even Angels also That they who rejected this Doctrin could not attain to Salvation nor Life Eternal because it proceeded not from Man but from the Eternal God That if it pleased God to bless him with longer Life he would use his utmost Diligence that the Gospel should be preached to all people That they indeed sought after their own Ease and Quietness and to lead an Idle and Voluptuous Life being mightily troubled at the Disturbance of the State but that he would make it his Business that they should not enjoy that Peace which they so earnestly coveted and that though he might be killed by them yet that would not ease them of Troubles and Disquiet and that what way soever they might deal with him yet God would never cease to prosecute them 'till he either utterly destroyed them or made them humbly to confess their Fault and beg pardon of the invincible Lord of Hosts That he heartily wished they might repent and submit to sound Counsel in time but if that could not be obtained he bad them everlasting Defiance and was resolved never to be reconciled with them That whereas some also made his freedom of Speech a Crime as if by libelling and scribling he designed to raise Stirs and Commotions they did him a great deal of Wrong since that he could make it out by several Texts of Scripture and many Instances that it was necessary to take this Course when the Governours of the Church were unlearned impious and obstinate and would neither do their Duty themselves nor suffer others to do it for them who were both able and willing to set about it Mention hath been made before of the Dyet of Norimberg Hither Lewis King of Hungary and the Peers of that Kingdom sent also Ambassadours who made sad Complaint of the Cruelty of the Turk and begged strong and lasting Aids against him Pope Adrian sent thither a Legate also but before he came into Germany October 5 one of the Popes Bed-Chamber-Men delivered a Brief from his Holiness to Duke Frederick wherein he tells him That it had been acceptable News to him to hear of the Dyet of Norimberg but that he had been overjoyed to understand that he was resolved to be there in Person for that there was great Hopes that some things might be enacted there that would tend to the Honour and Welfare both of Church and State That for that Reason also he had with the Advice and Consent of the College of Cardinals resolved to send a Legate into Germany but that whilst his Legate was preparing for his Journey he had thought fit to send before the Bearer whom he had charged to wait upon his Highness for whom he had always had a very great esteem and acquaint him with the Care and sincere Intentions he had
Campegio who had full Power and Commission from the Pope in that Affair did will and command that that Edict and the Decrees lately made in the Diet should be observed throughout all their Dominions and Jurisdictions That the Gospel and all other Scriptures should be taught in Churches according to the Interpretation of Antients who were conspicuous for purity of Life and confirmed their Doctrin by Sufferings and Martyrdom That all who taught old Heresies or any thing else that was reproachful to Christ his Mother or the Saints or which tended to Sedition should be punished according to the Tenor of the Edict That no Man should be admitted to Preach without a Licence from the Bishop That they who Preach'd already should be Examin'd and that no Place should be given to private and clandestine Sermons That the Ecclesiastical Regulations made by Campegio with common consent against Vice and for reforming of Manners when once they were published should be observed That 〈◊〉 Alterations should be made in the Sacraments Mass and other Rites of Worship but all things done as formerly in the times of their Ancestors That they who without Confession and Absolution received the Lord's Supper they who on days prohibited did eat Flesh and other forbidden Meats all Monks and Nuns who forsook their Order and all Priests Deacons and Subdeacons that Married should be severely punished That nothing should be Printed without the Magistrates leave but especially that none of the Books of Luther and his Adherents should be Published or Sold That those within their Dominions who studied at Wittemberg should within three Months after they had notice of this Decree return home or go some where else where Luther's poysonous Doctrin had not reached That they who were disobedient herein should be deprived of all their Benefices and lose their Inheritance That they who continued in that University should be incapable of any Church-Living or of the Privileges of Teaching Youth And that for the more effectual putting these things in execution some fit Men should be commissioned to make diligent enquiry into all Matters and therein assist the Governors of Places That the guilty should be committed to Prison and punished according to their Deservings That they who should be proscribed and banished should have no place of refuge within their Territories And that if any Stirs or Insurrections happened within any of their Limits by reason of this Decree that they should mutually help and assist one another but so that it should be no derogation to any League that they might have with others Moreover because as they said the vicious Lives of the Priests had given cause to Luther's Heresie by the Advice of the Legate Campegio they made these following Laws for Reformation of the Clergy That they should live Vertuously be cloathed Decently not Traffick avoid Taverns and Publick-Houses not be Covetous nor extort Money for administration of holy Things That such as kept Concubines should be turned out of Place And that the number of Holy-days should be moderated Campegio had a great mind to have had these things enacted in the Diet of the Empire but seeing he could not accomplish that by reason of the aversion that some had to Popery he held this separate Convention When Luther understood that the Emperor and most part of the Princes urged the execution of the Decree of Wormes he bewailed the state of Germany which being so often admonished neglected its own Interest He expostulated also with the Princes themselves that being so palpably and grossly cheated by the Popes of Rome they should so zealously maintain their Dignity and attempt the Destruction of him a single Man who wish'd their Welfare and Prosperity Wherefore in regard of their high Ingratitude and inexcusable Obstinacy he said there was a dreadful Tempest hanging over Germany He admonished them also not to be rash in engaging in a War or contributing Money against the Turk who in Counsel and Moderation far exceeded our Princes That while our Lives and Manners were such there was no Victory to be expected That it was a very ridiculous and absurd thing for the Emperor who could not add a minutes time to his own Life to call himself Defender of the Faith and Church That the King of England was guilty of the like boldness in taking to himself the same Title But that he prayed God to set such Magistrates over his People as might prove zealous in promoting the Glory of his Divine Majesty The Pope sent the Golden Rose which he had lately consecrated as the Custom is three Weeks before Easter to Henry King of England as a certain Pledge in token of his singular Good-will and favour towards him At this very time came forth a Treatise written by Erasmus concerning Free-will which Luther afterwards answered in a Book entituled de Servo Arbitrio or Bond-will The King of England and Cardinal of York put Erasmus upon the handling of that Subject as he himself acknowledges in a Letter to the Cardinal which is printed Now also Anthony Duke of Lorrain ordered by Proclamation That since Luther's Doctrin was condemned by the Pope and Emperour and by the most famous Universities none of his Subjects should in their Sermons teach any such Doctrin that they also who had any of Luther's Books should bring them in by a Day prefixt or otherwise incur a Penalty by him appointed This Year Henry of Zutphen was for preaching the Gospel put to a sad and painful Death at Dietmarsh upon the Borders of Germany he had gone thither upon a Call after he had preached two Yers at Bremen We told you before of a Dyet that in November was to be held at Spire but that Design was altered and when the Emperour knew of the Decree which appointed it he wrote from Spain to the States of the Empire on the thirteenth of July and blamed them very much for so doing For that since some Years before he had with the Advice and Consent of all the States in the Dyet of Wormes solemnly condemned the Doctrin of Luther as pestilent and Heretical and had commanded his Books which upon due examination had been condemned by the Pope to be burnt he could not he said but think it very strange and be troubled that they should only prohibit Scandalous Books and Pictures to be sold as if the Edict of Wormes had been illegally made That he was also somewhat more troubled that they should both desire to have a Council in Germany and also make address to the Legate Campegius to write to the Pope about it as if that did not concern the Pope or him more than them for if they thought it so much for the Interest of Germany to have a Council why did they not make their Application to him that he might obtain it from the Pope That now though he was sensible how much that Decree of theirs entrenched both upon the Pope's Authority and his own
Diligence Fidelity and Zeal we have ever since shewn in promoting the Honor and Dignity of our common Country for we still retain the same good Intentions that hitherto we have had Which being so it exceedingly grieves us that at the instigation of others who seek their own Ends you should be so exasperated against us Consider rather with your selves what Friendship hath always been among us when in several places as well at home as abroad we ran the same Fortune of War and did many brave Actions Certainly the thoughts of these things ought to unite not only us but our Posterity also in the strictest Bonds of Amity If the cause of Religion or any thing else that we have done give you offence why do we not amicably debate the matter among our selves as it becomes Allies and Confederates linked together in a kind of Brotherly Fellowship We shall not be morose obstinate or perverse but willingly submit to better Information as we have often declared Now therefore since the Profession of the Reformed Religion the Refusal of the French League besides many other Calumnies forged against us have alienated your Minds from us and changed your former Good-will we were necessarily obliged to write these things to clear our Honor and Reputation For unless as it hath been often said already it be proved by Scripture that we have erred we cannot part from those Decrees which we have made about Religion what Force soever be bent against us for the same The Senate of Strasburg by Letters which on the Thirteenth of February they wrote to the Imperial Council refuted all that had been laid to their charge affirming that three Informers had falsely taken to themselves the Name of the Representatives of a Party when indeed no Man moved in the matter but they only who were restless busie Men that had left the City to raise Disturbances That for their own parts they had done nothing but what they might do by Law and that for avoiding of greater Commotions they could not but allow the People the exercise of the Reformed Religion which grew now daily more and more publick That they begg'd therefore that they would not give credit to those Informers but judge so of them as of those who in imitation of their Forefathers directed all their Thoughts to the Peace and Welfare of the Empire The Preachers also and Ministers of the Churches whom these had informed against as was said before wrote at the same time a long Apology for themselves giving the same Counsellors the Reasons of their Doctrins and Practices And seeing they had acted nothing contrary to the Law of God they earnestly pray them not to give credit to malicious Informers nor to come to any Determination before the Matter were fully examined The War was hot at this time in Italy betwixt the Emperor and Francis King of France who marching thither as I said and having in the Winter-time laid Seige to Pavia about the latter end of February they came to a Battel where he was made Prisoner and carried to the Emperor in Spain In this War Pope Clement secretly sided with the French but upon the change of Fortune he gave the Officers of the Imperial Army a great sum of Money to pay off their Soldiers Pavia was kept out by Antonia di Leyva and a Garison of Spaniards and Germans The King had a vast Army before it insomuch that the Imperialists almost in despair of preserving Lombardy were thinking of drawing off their Forces and marching to Naples for the defence of that Kingdom but being encouraged by the Speech of Ferdinand d'Avalos Marquess of Pescara they engaged in Battel and having routed the Enemy and taken Prisoner a most powerful King obtained a most glorious Victory and rich Booty Charles de Lanoy a Dutchman Commanded in Chief who pretending at first to carry the King to Naples when he was out at Sea changed his course and sailed streight to Spain that so the Treaty of Peace might be the more expeditious This Battel was fought on the Twenty fourth of February the Emperor's Birth-day A little before we took notice of the Insurrection of the Boors which was quieted but this Year in the beginning of the Spring there happened in Schwabia and the neighbouring Parts of Germany that lye upon the Danube another Rising of the Common People against some of the Prelates of the Church and these had sworn a League and Covenant for the defence as they pretended of the Doctrin of the Gospel and the delivering of themselves from Bondage The Magistrates offered to examin their grievances and to reform what was amiss but they continued and daily encreased However they did not as yet take the Field but met now and then on certain days upon occasion of Weddings and such like publick Feasts And at the same time some of their Demands to the number of twelve were published wherein they desired Satisfaction from the Magistrates as you shall learn in the following Book These being forthwith communicated to others occasioned new Stirs in many places While these things were a brewing Vlrick Duke of Wertemberg whom some years before the Confederates of the Schwabian League had driven out of his Country as shall be mentioned hereafter in its proper place got together an Army of some thousand Swisses for the recovery of his own and besides other places took the Suburbs of Sutgart and there possessed himself that he might also make himself Master of the Town But the States of the Schwabian League and Ferdinand's Officers also who were in Possession of that Country raising Soldiers the Officers and Soldiers in like manner being tamper'd with to desert him and he wanting Money he was forsaken and forced to desist In the mean time the Army of the Boors much encreased and the Schwabian Confederates whom we named having repulsed the Duke of Wirtemberg and regained the Towns which he had taken marched to Vlm with their Forces against them who then also had taken the Field and divide their Army into three Bodies posting them one near to Bibrach another in Algow and the third by the Lake of Constance But upon the Mediation of the Citizens of Ravensburg and Kempen some of the Commanders of the Boors Army coming with Safe-Conduct to Vlm a Cessation of Arms was agreeed upon for some Days but not observed for which they mutually blamed one another and so fell to Hostilities wherefore the Council of the Empire fearing the Danger of this popular Tumult sent Deputies to Vlm to the Commissioners of the Schwabian League to treat of a Peace and these were Simon Pistorius in the Name of George Duke of Saxony and James Stuâ—â—ey a Nobleman and Senator of Strasburg in the Name of his own City and sent Letters in the Emperour's Name commanding both Parties under the highest Penalties to lay down their Arms. The Deputies at first proposed a Truce but that was in vain
abide within his Territories But after the suppression of that popular Insurrection when in all Places many were dragg'd to Execution Carolostadius being in great Straits wrote a Book wherein he took a great deal of Pains to justifie himself against those who reckoned him among the Authors of the Rebellion affirming it to be an Injury done unto him and writing to Luther he earnestly prayed him That he would both publish that Book and also defend his Cause lest an innocent Man as he was might be in danger of losing Life and Goods without being heard Luther published a Letter to this purpose That though Carolostadius differed very much in Opinion from him yet because in his straits he betook himself to him rather than to others who had stirred him up against him he would not disappoint his Hope and Confidence especially since that was properly the Duty of a Christian He therefore desired the Magistrates and all in General That seeing he both denyed the Crime that was laid to his charge and refused not to come to a fair Tryal and submit to Judgment the same might be granted him as being most consonant to Equity and Justice Afterwards Carolostadius sent another little Book to Luther wherein he protested That what he had written concerning the Lord's Supper was not to define or determine any thing but rather by way of Argument and Disputation to sift out the Truth Luther admits of the Excuse yet admonishes Men That seeing he himself confessed he doubted and defined nothing positively to beware of his Opinion Or if they themselves perhaps doubted to suspend their Judgment so long till it should appear what they might safely follow For that in matters of Faith we ought not to waver and doubt but to acquire such a certain and steddy Knowledge as rather to suffer a thousand Deaths than to forsake our Opinion Much about this time Luther married a Nun whereby his Adversaries were excited to load him with more Reproaches for now he was down-right mad they cried and had sold himself a Slave to the Devil At the very same time Vlrich Zuinglius Minister of the Church at Zurich who almost in all other things agreed with Luther dissented from him also about the Lord's Supper For Luther understood these Words of Christ This is my Body literally and properly admitting no Figurative Interpretation and affirming the Body and Blood of Christ to be really in the Bread and Wine and to be so received and eaten by Believers But Zuinglius maintained it was a Figure that many such were to be found in Scripture and the former Words he so expounded This signifies my Body With him agreed John Oecolampadius Minister of the Church at Basil and he so interprets them This is the Sign of my Body The matter was contentiously debated on both sides and much was written upon the Subject The Saxons imbraced the Opinion of Luther and the Switzers that of Zuinglius others come after who explained the Words in another manner but all agree in this Opinion That the Body and Blood of Christ are taken Spiritually not Corporally with the Heart not with the Mouth This debate lasted three Years and more but at length a Conference was procured at Marpurg chiefly by means of the Landgrave as shall be said in its proper place The Dyet also which at this time was held at Ausburg because very few resorted to it by reason of the Popular Insurrection beforementioned was dissolved and all matters put off till the first of May the Year following against which time Ferdinand gave Hopes That the Emperour his Brother would be there in person from Spain and Spire was appointed to be the place of the Dyet It was decreed though among other things That the Magistrates should take special care That the Preachers did interpret and expound God's Word to the People according to the Sense of Doctors approved by the Christian Church and that they should not preach Seditious Doctrin but so that God's Name might be glorified and the People live in Peace and Quietness Whilst Francis King of France was Prisoner in Spain his Mother Aloisia had the Administration of the Government who to keep in with the Pope acquainted him among other things How zealously she stood affected towards the Church of Rome Whereupon Pope Clement VII writing to the Parliament of Paris told them How he understood from her That the Contagion of Wicked Heresies began also to infect France and they had wisely and providently chosen some persons to enquire into and punish those who laboured to oppose the Faith and Ancient Religion That he also by his Authority approved the Commissioners whom they had chosen for that in so great and grievous a Disorder of Affairs raised by the Malice of Satan and the Rage and Impiety of his Ministers every one ought to bestir themselves to preserve and maintain the common Safety of all Men since that Rage and Madness tended not only to the Subversion of Religion but also to the confounding of all Principality Nobility Law and Order That for his part he spared no Care Labour nor Pains that he might remedy the Evil And that they also whose Virtue and Prudence was every where celebrated should make it their chief Business that not only the true Faith but also the Welfare of the Kingdom and their own Dignity should be secured against Domestick Dangers and Calamities which that pernicious and pestilent Heresie carried with it into all places That they needed not indeed to be exhorted having already given Proofs of their own Wisdom But that nevertheless in discharge of his own Duty and as a token of his Favour and Good-will he had been willing to make this Address unto them for that he was exceeding well pleased with what they had already done and exhorted them That for the future they would with the like Zeal and Virtue bestir themselves for the Glory of God and the Welfare of the whole Kingdom that by so doing they would render most acceptable Service to God and merit the Praises and Applause of Men and that therein they might expect all sort of Assistance from him This Brief dated at Rome May the twentieth was delivered to the Parliament at Paris on the seventeenth Day of June During the absence also of the Captive King the Divines of Paris so persecuted James le Fevre d'Estaples who hath published many Books both in Philosophy and Divinity that he was fain to leave France and flie into another Country The King being informed of this by the means chiefly of his Sister Margaret who had a kindness for Le Fevre because of his Probity and Virtue wrote to the Parliament of Paris That he heard that there was a Process brought before them against James le Fevre and some other Learned Men at the Instigation of the Divines who particularly hated le Fevre for that before his Expedition out of France he had been
Magistrates along with him when they were all met he pulls off his Cloke and throws it upon the ground together with the New-Testament and making these as it were Symbols of his sincerity he protests and swears That the Doctrin he had publish'd was reveal'd to him from Heaven and therefore threatens them on a terrible manner that God would never bless them if they did not consent At last they agree upon the Point and the Doctors do nothing but harangue upon Matrimony in their Pulpits for three days together Soon after he marrieth no less than three Wives one of which was the Woman I mention'd before the Relict of the famous Prophet John Mathews His Example was so well followed that they accounted the Repetition of Matrimony before they were Widowers a very commendable thing But some of the Citizens who were very much dissatisfy'd with this way giving a signal about the Town call'd all those who adher'd to the Doctrin of the Gospel into the Market-Place when they had done this they apprehend the Prophet and Knipperdoling and all the Teachers of that Perswasion When the Mobile understood this they immediately betake themselves to their Arms Rescue the Captives by force and murther about fifty of the other Party with great barbarity For they tied them to Trees and Stakes and then shot them the chief Prophet applauding their Cruelty and telling them That if they intended to do acceptable Service to God they ought to be the first in discharging at them others were killed after another manner Upon the 23d of June another Prophet starts up who was a Goldsmith who after he had conven'd the Rabble into the Market-Place tells them That it was the Will and Command of the heavenly Father that John of Leyden should be Vniversal Monarch of the World Thaâ— he should March out with a most powerful Army and slay all Kings and Princes without distinction giving Quarter to none but the Multitude who were Lovers of Justice That he should possess the Seat of his Father David till the Father requir'd him to Resign his Kingdom For now the Wicked were to be destroy'd and the Righteous to begin their Reign upon the Earth These words being spoken aloud presently John of Leyden falls upon his Knees lifting up his hands to Heaven Men and Brethren saies he I have been assur'd of this Truth a great while since yet I was not willing to divulge it my self and now you see to make it the more unquestionable the Father has made use of the Testimony of another Upon this being chosen King he immediately dissolves the Duodecimvirate and according to the custom of other Princes makes choice of some Noblemen for his own Service He likewise orders two Crowns a Scabbard a Chain and Scepter and such other Regal Ornaments to be made for him forthwith of the best Gold. Then he appoints certain days in which he would give a Publick Hearing to all those who had a mind to address themselves to him As often as he appear'd abroad he was attended with his Officers and Lords of his Houshold Two young Men rid immediately behind him He on the right hand carried a Crown and a Bible the other a drawn Sword. His principal Wife appear'd in the same State for we are to observe he had several Wives at the same time In the Market-Place there was a high Throne erected for him cover'd with Cloth of Gold. The Causes and Complaints which were brought before him usually related to Matrimony and Divorces than which nothing was more frequent insomuch that some who had liv'd together many years were then separated Now it happen'd that when the People press'd to hear Causes and stood very close in the Market-Place Knipperdoling springs out of a sudden and climbing the Crowd runs upon their Heads on his Hands and Knees and breathing in their Faces The Father saies he to each of them has sanctified thee receive the Holy Ghost Another day he leads up a dance before the King This is my custom saies he sometimes with my Concubine but now the Father has commanded me to do it in the Kings Presence But when he over-acted his part and would not give over his Majesty of Leyden took pet and went away As soon as he was gone Knipperdoling mounts the Throne and sets up for King himself but his Majesty coming by tumbles the Fellow down and lays him in Limbo for three days During the Siege these Anabaptists write a Book and publish it which they call The Restitution In this Book among other things they affirm That the Kingdom of Christ is to Commence in such a manner before the last Judgment that the Godly and the Elect shall Reign the Wicked being every where destroy'd They affirm likewise That it 's lawful for the People to turn the Magistrates out of their Office that though the Apostles had no Authority to Challenge such a Jurisdiction yet those who are the present Ministers of the Church ought to take the Sword into their own hands and new-mould the Commonwealth by force To this they added That no Person who was not a true Christian ought to be tolerated in the Church farther That no Body could be saved unless they resigned all their Fortune to the Publick Use without reserving any Property to themselves Luther and the Pope they said were false Prophets but Luther worse than the other Lastly That the Marriage of those who were not enlightned with true Faith was polluted and impure and to be accounted Fornication or rather Adultery more than any thing else These Tenents of theirs were principally oppos'd by Melancthon Justus Menius and Vrbanus Regius who publish'd very large and satisfactory Treatises upon this Subject Some few weeks after the new Prophet I mention'd before sounds a Trumpet through all the Streets and commands them to meet armed at the Porch of the Cathedral for the Enemy was to be beaten off the Town When they came to the place of Randevouz they found a Supper prepared They are ordered to sit down being about four thousand of them afterwards about a thousand others sit down who were upon Duty while the first number were at Supper The King and the Queen with their Houshold-Servants wait at the Table After they had eaten and Supper was almost done the King himself gives every one a piece of Bread with these words Take eat shew forth the Lord's death The Queen in like manner giving them a Cup Bids them shew forth the Lord's death when this was over the Prophet before-mention'd gets into the Pulpit and asks them If they would obey the Word of God When they all told him Yes It is the Command of the heavenly Father saies he that we should send out about eight and twenty Teachers of the Word who are to go to the four Quarters of the World and Publish the Doctrin which is received in this City Then he repeats the Names of his Missionaries
Brother George and the Condition expressed in his Testament he had made an alteration in Religion that he obstructed the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Mersburg and Misen and that he kept to himself the summ of Threescore thousand Florins left by his Brother for the use of the League Wherefore he moved the Emperor to reduce him to Duty and if he refused to foreclose him from his Brother's Succession according to the tenour of his last Will and Testament However he did not thus alone but some others of the League joined with him though he was the chief It is now time to speak of the Assembly at Haguenaw It was opened June the Twenty-fifth King Ferdinand having been there a Month before Some days before the Commencement the Protestants had made their Applications to the Electors Palatines Cologne and Treves to Erick Duke of Brunswick and the Bishops of Ausburg and Spire to all privately in their several Lodgings that they would promote a Peace King Ferdinand therefore having on the Day above-mentioned called the Protestants before him declared unto them the Cause of the Assembly And because the Princes came not in Person which the Emperor fully expected from them he required their Deputies to shew him their Commissions and Instructions After that he nominated Commissioners Lowis Prince Palatine John Archbishop of Treves Lowis Duke of Bavaria and William Bishop of Strasburg who being accepted by the Protestants the Treaty began A great many Protestant Divines came thither also as Justus Menius Pistorius Vrbanus Regius Bucer Brentius Blaurerus Osiander Schnepsius and many more but Melancthon fell dangerously sick upon the Rode. Every one of these preached privately in their own Lodgings as it was their Custom but then especially when all the Deputies met together to consult about any matter But this coming to King Ferdinand's Knowledge he discharged them to preach any more though on the other hand the Deputies alledged that they preached not publickly but privately and that his Majesty had no cause to be offended thereat When the Conference should begin the Lantgrave and Duke of Saxony intended to be present and were already on their own Frontiers expecting the News of it that so they might set out upon their Journey The Commissioners Pacificators afterwards required the Protestants to deliver unto them the Heads of the controverted Doctrines drawn up in short They make answer to this That the Confession of their Faith and Apology had been presented at Ausburg Ten Years before to which they still adhered being ready to satisfie any that found fault with it and since they knew not what it was that their Adversaries chiefly censured in that Book they had nothing to propound but rather were to demand of them what the Doctrines were that they thought contrary to the Word of God. That if they would do so and bring the matter to a Conference as had been thought fit at Francfort they were ready to come to any fair Agreement Some Days after the Commissioners make Report That seeing they stuck to the Confession of Ausburg they had in the mean time read over that Book and all the Treaty of Ausburg and find that some Points of Doctrine had been agreed upon there and some not That therefore they were ready to use all their Endeavours to accommodate these and desired them to tell them their Thoughts therein To this the Protestants reply That some Articles had been discoursed on indeed but nothing concluded therein nor any Conciliation made there The matter being thus tossed to and fro when the Protestants urged a Conference and the others alledged that they had Commands from the Emperor and King to proceed according to the Treaty of Ausburg King Ferdinand calling them all together on the Sixteenth of July told them That since nothing could be then determined and especially because the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave were absent another Day was to be appointed when the Deputies of both Parties and learned Men should meet in an equal number and conferr among themselves about the Points of the Augustane Confession but so that it should be no derogation to the Decree of Ausburg And that the Pope also if he pleased might send Commissioners thither That again since some complained that the Protestants had turned them out of their Possessions it was but just and reasonable that in the mean time whilst the Controversie about Religion depended those who were rejected should be restored to the Possession of their Church Livings or else be allowed to bring their Actions for them at Law. That moreover for avoiding all Commotions a longer Truce should be made wherein those should be now comprehended who were of the Augustane Confession before the Transaction of Nurimberg so that the Protestants should not reckon those of their Number who had joined with them since nor admit of any others neither for the future Five days after the Protestants declared what they had to expect against in these Proposals That they highly approved of a Conference and wished that the Emperor himself in Person and not his Deputies only might be present at it but that as to the Pope's sending Commissioners thither they should not prescribe Laws to the Emperor As to the Restitution of Church-Lands and the Judicature of the Imperial Chamber they made a long Answer as has been several times mentioned before alledging that the Controversie about Religion ought first to be determined but that they should exclude those who had associated with them since the Peace of Nurimberg and admit of no others for the future it was a thing they said they could not do and that they had no Instructions as to that particular On the other hand King Ferdinand and the Commissioners Pacificators urge the Restitution of Church Livings or at least that they should be put under sequestration until the Cause were determined Besides King Ferdinand told them that he would not grant them Liberty to admit of more into their Society and therefore advised them to comply with the Condditions proposed by him for that though they did refuse yet by Authority from the Emperor he would make a Decree and at the same time he appointed the next Convention to be held at Wormes the Twenty-eighth Day of October They return an Answer to him that they were satisfied with the time and place of the Conference but that they had robbed no Man and that the Question it self belonged to the Conference and future Treaty that besides no sequestration could be made without great prejudice to the State and Constitution of the Church within their Dominions and to the Schools and Poor And that since it was not long to the Time of the Conference they craved that the whole matter might be put off till then that there they would make it appear how much more sollicitous they were for the Glory of God and the Reformation of the Church than for Church-Lands and Revenues and that
and they were the Instruments as it was thought of procuring the whole matter to be referred to the Pope's Legate The Emperor gave his Answer to this on the Seventh of July That he had thought they would have more fully and clearly declared their Opinion especially since for many Days they had had the Book in their Hands But that since they persisted in it he would do as they had advised and know the mind of the Pope's Legate as to the whole matter that he might not seem to neglect any thing that Duty required of him The Protestants also presented an Address to the Emperor in Writing wherein they declare their own Thoughts and more fully explain the Points Reconciled shewing that it would be no difficult matter to adjust all the rest also and declaring that they still adhered to the Confession of Ausburg Then for the third thing contained in the Emperor's Demands the Reformation of the Civil Government they gave their Opinion That those Laws which Eleven Years before had been made at Ausburg should be revived and put in Execution That as to the Spiritual Government it might in their Judgment be restored if the Gospel were purely taught if according to the ancient Canons Pastors were chosen with consent of the People if the Bishops retained the Civil Administration and entertained others to supply their Cures since by an ancient and prevailing Custom they neither could nor would do it themselves if the Ministers of the Church had free leave granted them to Marry if that filthy Chaffering and Bargaining which is of divers Kinds and hath its Name from Simon Magus were utterly abolished if Ecclesiastical Revenues were so distributed as the Canons made long since did prescribe if Youth were brought up in Piety and Vertue and in their tender Years taught the Principles of the Christian Religion if scandalous Offenders were excommunicated until they reformed their Lives and the Civil Magistrate did his Duty therein and abolished all false Worship and if Ecclesiastical Judicatures and as it were publick Censors were appointed to make diligent Enquiry into the Behaviour of the Ministers and People and into their Manners and Vices The Emperor as we said before consulted the Pope's Legate about the whole matter and urged a publick Reformation but especially of the Church The Legate's Answer to all was That since the Protestants did in some Tenets differ from the common consent of the Church and that yet there was Hopes that some time or other they would return into the right Way upon serious consideration of the whole matter he thought it would be expedient to desist from any farther determination of controverted Points and to referr all to the Pope who either by a General Council or some other means suitable to the time would certainly bring the Controversie to such an issue as should tend to the Benefit and advantage of the Publick and especially of Germany In the next place that he might also seem desirous of a Reformation he sent for all the Bishops to come to his House where he exhorted them so to behave themselves that they might not occasion the least suspicion of any Covetousness or Ambition that they should avoid Luxury and all things that gave a bad Example that they should govern their own Families well and accustom them to Modesty and Temperance that they should take care of the Flock committed to their Charge and live in the more populous Places to prevent the contagion which already raged in Germany from spreading farther by degrees and to apply a timely Remedy to the growing Evil That it would be very proper also said he if in those places where the Bishops did not reside they entertained Faithful Officers and Emissaries that might inform them of all things and be ready to withstand the Devil if he should attempt in any place to break in upon the Flock He also admonished them to visit their several Provinces imitating therein the Commanders of Armies when any place is beset or streightened by the Enemy Moreover that they should rightly and duly perform Divine Service and conferr Benefices upon fit and deserving Men that they should likewise distribute the Revenues of the Church amongst the Poor and not squander them away riotously or in superfluous and immoderate Splendor in like manner that they should appoint good and learned Men to teach the People not given to Contention or Brawling but such as might so rebuke their Adversaries as they might not seem to hate their Persons but to be desirous of the Salvation of their Souls for that the too great severity and sharpness of reprehension did but harden them in their Obstinacy That they should make it their care also to have the Youth rightly Educated in the Languages and liberal Arts and Sciences wherein the Protestants for their parts omitted no diligence who made it their chief Study to employ learned Men to teach in their Schools whereby it came to pass that Children flocked to them from all Parts especially the Sons of Persons of Quality who with their Learning drank in also their Errors and being therewith corrupted propagated afterward the Contagion to others That therefore Schools were to be erected and able Masters who were sound in Religion invited by honest Rewards That it was likewise the Duty of the Bishops to admonish Parents not to send their Children to those places where they might be in danger of being infected with pernicious Doctrine and that these were the matters which he had Instructions from the Pope to lay before them This Speech he afterwards gave in Writing to the Bishops who desired it as he did also to the Emperor who on the Twelfth of July made a Report thereof to all the States as being the Answer which the Legate had made And because there was no Appearance that any thing more could be done as to Religion in that Diet and then again seeing the Turk was making very great Preparations both by Sea and Land to Invade Christendom he told them That it seemed to him very necessary that things should be brought to a Conclusion and that Decrees should be made concerning Religion and Peace and for sudden and constant supplies against the Turk That it had been his wish indeed that they would have declared their Minds as to all these things but that seeing they had not given any positive Answer as yet that the Affairs did not admit of longer delay and that in the mean time there was a necessity of preparing to make defence against the Turks he had thought it fit to propose this as the most proper subject of their Deliberations and therefore he put the Question to them Whether or not they judged it expedient that those Points which had been agreed upon in the Conference should be received until the meeting of a General Council or another Diet of the Empire that thereby the Controversie about Religion which for so many Years had
and Consternation and were very like to have taken Antwerp and Lovain but wanting Ammunition and other things necessary for the Artillery they could not batter the places however where-ever they went they ravaged and plundered all and having extorted a great deal of Money forced their way through and in the Month of August joined Charles Duke of Orleans the King's Son who was then making War in the Dutchy of Luxemburg There were Four hundred Horse in this Service sent by the King of Denmark And besides Damvilliers Virton and Yvoix Luxemberg the Chief City of the Province was taken by the French. The King himself carried on the War on the other side and besieged Perpignan a Town of Roussillon by the Pyrenean Hills He also ordered William of Langey to act in Piedmont whilst the Duke of Vendosme invaded Artois and Flanders So that he attacked the Enemy in Five several places at once but many thought it would have been better to have fallen into any one Province with his whole Army as it proved to be true in the end for both Perpignan was attempted in vain and the Duke of Orleans being returned Home the Imperialists recovered all almost except Yvoix Upon this occasion Antwerp began to be Fortified having been a place of easie access before When the King was about to make War he sent back Paulain to the Turk to entreat him that he would send him a Fleet into Provence But Paulain arriving too late Solyman put it off till the Year following In the Heat of this War the King published Edicts against the Lutherans And the Parliament of Paris charged all Printers and Booksellers under great Penalties that they should not print publish nor sell any Books that were condemned or suspected and Calvin's Institutions by Name Afterwards at the request of the Inquisitor they made a Decree on the Seventh of July that the People should be admonished from the Pulpit to be Obedient to the Church and if they knew any Lutheran or any one that thought amiss of Religion they should present him for that it was a work very acceptable to God. But the Curats and Ministers of the Church had a Form prescribed to them which they were to follow in examining and making their Enquiry For they were enjoined to put the Question to the Informers If they knew any that said there was no Purgatory That so soon as a Man was dead he was either damned or saved That Man is not justified by keeping the Commands of God That God only was to be Prayed unto and not the Saints That the Worshipping of Images was Idolatry That the Saints did not work Miracles That the Ceremonies of the Church profited nothing That the Canons of the Church obliged no Man That it was necessary for all Men indifferently to understand the Gospel That all Men ought to read the Scripture in the vulgar Tongue That it was an Idle thing for common People to pray to God in Latin That the Priest did not forgive Sins by the Sacrament of Penance but that he was only the Minster who declared God's Mercy in pardoning of Sins That the Church could not oblige any Man under pain of mortal Sin Or that it was lawful to eat Flesh at all times This Form of Inquisition was given and enjoined to Priests privately But there was an Edict published whereby all were commanded to inform against and accuse those who neglected the Rites and Constitutions of the Church who had Heretical Books themselves or gave them to others to read or willingly dropp'd them in the Streets that so they might be dispersed who kept private Meetings in Houses or Gardens and framed designs contrary to the Constitutions of the Church and those who received such Men into their Houses and Gardens They that were privy to any such thing were commanded under pain of Excommunication to present all within Six Days to the Doctors of Divinity chosen by the Inquisitor to wit Henry Gervase Nicholas Clerk Peter Richard Robert Buccine John Benot Francis Picard and John Morine Booksellers also were charged within Six Days to bring all the suspected Books and Manuscripts they had to the aforesaid Doctors which if they did not no excuse was to be admitted afterwards The same Day that Edict was proclaimed publick Processions and Prayers were made in all Churches of Paris for the safety of the Kingdom and preservation of Religion and the Relicks of St. Gennevieve their tutelary Saint were carried about and much about the same time some were burnt for Religion There was one Francis de Landre Curat of St. Croix in Paris who preached the pure Word of God to the People at that time and did not say Mass because he drank no Wine but whether out of natural antipathy or design I know not The Sorbonn Doctors conceived a great Hatred against this Man and having employed some Emissaries to take Notes of his Sermon they propounded to him these Heads of Doctrine to know his Judgment of them That the Sacrifice of the Mass is instituted by Christ and is propitiatory both for the Living and the Dead That Saints are to be prayed unto that they may be Advocates and Intercessors for us with Christ That the Substance of the Bread and Wine is changed by Consecration That none but Priests can Consecrate the Bread and Wine and alone have right to the Sacrament in both Kinds That monastick Vows are to be kept That by the Sacraments of Confirmation and Unction the Holy Ghost is received That by Fasting Prayer and good Works Souls are delivered out of Purgatory That the Constitutions of the Church concerning Fasting and choice of Meats bind the Conscience That the Pope is Head of the Church whom all are bound to obey by divine Right That many things are to be believed and necessarily received which are not expressed in Scripture That the pains of Purgatory are remitted by the Pope's Indulgences That Priests though they be vitious and sinful consecrate the Body of the Lord That all mortal Sins are to be confessed to the Priest and Absolution to be received from him That Man has free will whereby he may do good or evil And rise again from Sin by Repentance That the pardon of Sins is obtained not by Faith alone but by Charity and true Repentance That the Church and Councils lawfully called cannot erre and that they are to be obeyed And that it belongs to the Church to Interpret and Expound the Scripture if any Controversie arise about the Meaning of it These Articles they required him to approve under hand and Seal Some Days after he gave them a general Answer that whatever the Holy Catholick Church taught as to these things was Pious and Holy. But not satisfied with that Answer they attempted greater Matters against him as you shall know hereafter At this time also two Dominican Friars preached the Gospel at Metz and seeing the Priests began to shew their dislike
that he would confirm his Son in the Possession of them and give him the solemn Investiture of a Prince The Emperor who held Milan and would not part with any part of his Right refused that The Pope had also a Design as it was said to have purchased from the Emperor with Money the Dukedom of Milan for his Grandson Octavio But the Emperor that he might be no longer hindered broke up the Interview and having compounded with Cosmo of Medicis Duke of Florence for the Castles of Florence and Leghorn which till then he had in his Hands and having delivered them up to the Duke for the Summ of above Two hundred thousand Crowns which he received for them he went on in his Progress Before he left Spain he had created his Son Philip King and gave him in Marriage the Infanta Mary Daughter of John King of Portugal This Year also Sigismund the Son of Sigismund King of Poland married the Lady Elizabeth Daughter of Ferdinand King of the Romans Henry Duke of Brunswick having made a Journey into Italy to meet the Emperor grievously accused the Protestants at Cremona And now the Emperor being upon his March with an Army from Italy the Protestants who had lately received his Letters dated from Genoa on the Twenty fourth of June met at Smalcald and there consulted about sending Ambassadors to him concerning those things that related to the securing the Dutchy of Brunswick and their own League and about Application to be made to Duke Maurice to the King of Sweedland to Otho Henry Prince Palatine to Wolfgang Duke of Deux-Ponts and to the Bishop of Munster who all desired to be admitted into the League This Assembly ended the One and twentieth Day of July Much about this time the Emperor and King of England made a League against the French King who assisted the Scots as we said before But the Pope was much offended at this Alliance and therefore looked upon the Friendship of France as necessary for his Interests When about the end of July the Emperor came to Spire the Protestants sent thither their Ambassadors Francis Burcart George Bemelberg Christopher Veninger and James Sturmey who being admitted to Audience on the Second of August spoke much to the same Purpose as we told you before they had done to King Ferdinand The Effect of their Speech was That if they had sufficient Security given them of Peace if the Judicature of the Imperial Chamber were reformed as had been lately decreed at Ratisbone and if the Inequality of Contributions were rectified they would not be wanting to their Duty in bearing their Parts in the publick Necessities That as to the Duke of Brunswick they desired the Cause might be brought to a fair Trial and then they offered to prove that he who had first done open Injury to those of Goslar and Brunswick Two free States was justly expulsed and driven out of his Country To these things the Emperor Two Days after made Naves give his Answer in Presence of Granvell That they could require no more of him for that their Peace had been sufficiently secured by former Decrees That the Judges of the Imperial Chamber could not be removed without a Hearing That in the Month of October ensuing Enquiry would be made into their Proceedings and that they should not go unpunished if they were found Guilty of any Fault That a Moderation in the Contributions could not be made but with the common Advice and Consent of all the States That they should reflect upon the present State of the Publick and that seeing it was in great Danger without speedy Help they should follow the Example of the rest of the States and contribute their Aid against the Turk That he the Emperor was now to make all the Head he could against the French King and Duke of Cleve that he might defend his Subjects from Injury That Henry Duke of Brunswick did earnestly urge a Restitution and therefore they should declare their Mind as to that Point They desired to have that Answer given them in Writing that they might consider it more carefully to which the Emperor consented and next Day leaving Spire went to Mentz The Ambassadors who had received the Answer in Writing followed him thither and made a Reply to Naves and Granvell showing them that they had not sufficient Assurances given them of Peace and urging the Emperors Declaration at Ratisbone mentioned in the former Book they altogether persisted in demanding the same things and that since their Desire was That the Cause of Brunswick might be brought to a Hearing they had no farther Instructions they said in that Particular They on the other hand alledged that the Emperor could do no more and repeating what had been said before told them That if the Duke of Brunswick were not restored he would certainly take some Course for recovering his own And this being all that could be had the Ambassadors departed to make their Report to their Masters The Archbishop of Cologne came to the Emperor at Spire and interceded for the Duke of Cleve But it was to no purpose for that unless he first delivered up the Possession of Guelderland the Emperor would not hear of Peace And when the Ambassador of Saxony by Orders from his Prince interceded for the same Duke with Granvell at Mentz and to perswade him alledged that a private Wrong should be sacrificed to the Good of the Publick especially when now the Turk was coming upon them His Answer was That the Emperor would not desist from his Enterprise whatever the Turk might do You heard before That the People of Heildesheim having abandoned the Popish Religion entered into the Protestant League therefore Valentine the Bishop of that City grievously accused them to the Imperial Chamber and King Ferdinand before and now to the Emperor That they had changed the old Religion and Ceremonies of the Church That they had appointed new Preachers to instruct the People abolished the Mass punished the Followers of the ancient Religion not only thrown down Altars and Fonts but demolished also Churches partly carried away the Goods Furniture and Ornaments of the Clergy and partly detained them in their Custody having seized the Keys of the Places where they were kept That they had lately made publick Plays wherein they had exposed the Virgin Mary and the rest of the Saints to the Scorn and Derision of the Mobile That they purposed to withdraw themselves from under his Jurisdiction had entered into the League and put themselves under the Protection of the Protestants That they compelled by Force Monks and other Religious to conform to their Religion and not only openly reviled but also banished out of their Territories those who would not comply The Emperor hearkening to this Accusation on the Sixth of August wrote to them from Wormes and with severe Threatnings commanded them to restore Religion and all things else to their
Apostles Ceeed Lastly They pray the King to give credit to their relation for that if any other report be made of their Belief and Doctrine they offer to prove it false provided they may be heard The King was then engaged in a War and therefore the Matter rested but Peace being made it broke out again and at the instigation of some flamed into this so hainous a cruelty Mention was made before of the Spaniards whom the Emperour had sent into Winter-Quarters in Lorrain These having done a great deal of mischief in those places by orders from the Emperour take the Field in the Month of April and having marched to Strasbourg and passed the Rhine there they advance through Shwabia into Austria to the number of Three thousand Foot. At this time died Louis Duke of Bavaria the Brother of William leaving no Issue behind him for it had been agreed betwixt them that he should not Marry that the Inheritance might not be dismembred Great friendship and familiarity past betwixt him and Henry Duke of Brunswick For as we said they were the chief of the League made against the Protestants and the Duke of Brunswick being driven out of his Countrey fled first to him The Emperour came now to Wormes May the sixteenth and next day Cardinal Farnese I dare not affirm what the cause of this Man's coming was but it was certainly thought that he came to stir up a War against the Lutherans He acted indeed nothing publickly nor in his way from Rome did he pass through the Duke of Wirtemberg's Countrey but resting sometime at Delinghen a Town upon the Danube belonging to the Cardinal of Ausbourg he struck off another way King Ferdinand had written to the Duke of Wirtembourg that for his sake he would give him safe conduct and be civil to him to which the Duke made answer that he had rather indeed he had taken any other way but that nevertheless if he had a mind to pass through his Countrey for his sake he should be welcome But he as we said took another way and came to Wormes the day after the Emperour arrived The Emperour having made Peace with the King of France sollicited also some other Potentates that they would assist at the ensuing Council and taking that occasion his Embassadour whom he sent to the King of Poland declared to him That for many Years now past it had been the Emperour's chief care that all Christians in the World would undertake a common War against the Turk and that now almost all were inclinable to it but that the Controversie about Religion was the only hindrance to the same now that that might be removed and that the desire of the Protestants might be satisfied who still insisted upon a Council after much pains and care the Emperour had now procured a Council to be called at Trent That therefore he besought him that he would send his Embassadours thither who by their presence might honour that solemn Assembly and confirm the Decrees that should be made therein concerning religious matters But that because the Emperour thought that the Protestants who were always obstinate would neither forsake the Confession of Ausbourg nor yet obey the publick Decrees the thing it self required that Kings and Princes should interpose and unless they did obey fall upon them as the disturbers both of Church and State Now seeing he amongst others had the reputation of a Pious and Christian King it was the Emperour's desire that he would both think of the Turkish War and subscribe to the Council of Trent and that if the Protestants returned not to their Duty he would assist him with Council and Force which other Kings had likewise promised to do The King of Poland's answer was That he longed to see that day when Christian Kings and Princes putting an end to all civil and intestine Wars would convert their united Forces against the Turk and that then he should not be the last That as to the Council and Protestants he would do any thing that might conduce to the tranquility of Church and State nor would he be wanting on occasion to assist the Emperour his Friend and Allie in his greatest dangers At that time it was written from Rome That though the Pope had called the Council and sent his Legates already to Trent yet he was so desirous of a Lutheran War that he had promised an assistance of Twelve thousand Foot and Five hundred Horse that Captains and other Officers were also secretly listed by him but when it was represented to him that the Season was too far spent for doing any important Action and that another occasion was to be expected he had presently communicated the same to his Commanders and put them in hopes against the next Year On Whitsun-munday an Italian Franciscan Fryer preached before the Emperour King Ferdinand Cardinal Farnese the Bishop of Ausbourg Granvell c. and in his Sermon digressing to the Lutherans after he had bitterly inveighed against them It is time said he most powerful Emperour that at length you do your Duty too long indeed have you delayed the business ought to have been done long since God has honoured you with great Blessings and made you the Defender of his Church wherefore exert your strength and utterly destroy that pestilent sort of Men. For it is not fit they should longer see the Sun who so defile and confound all things nor must you say it shall be done for now even now I say it ought to be done and no delay interposed How many thousand Souls do you think are in daily danger of eternal damnation through their madness all which unless you apply a Remedy God will require at your hands It is said that Granvell was offended at that alarm either that he counterfeited displeasure or that he perceived it gave the Protestants a warning to be upon their guard Not many days after that Sermon Cardinal Farnese departed secretly in the night-time and made all hast back to Rome Much about the same time was published Luther's Book written in the Vulgar Language with this Title Against the Papacy of Rome constituted by Satan in which Book he first answers the Pope's Brief wherein in a high strain he dehorted the Emperour from medling with the Administration of Religion as we mentioned before then he most amply refutes those places of Scripture which the Pope makes use of for the confirmation of his Supremacy and retorts them upon him He put a Picture before his Book which plainly represented the Subject thereof The Pope sitting in a lofty Chear stretching forth his joyned Hands in solemn pomp but with the Ears of an Ass a great many Devils of various shapes surround him of which some set a triple Crown upon his Head with a Sir-reverence on the top of it others with Ropes let him down into the middle of Hell looking dreadfully underneath others bring Wood and
had been handed down to them from their Ancestors and successively even to the present time was a thing that could noways be defended nor justified to Posterity That now it manifestly appeared what end the Authors of the Book made at Ausburg had proposed to themselves and what they drove at for that they had endeavoured to deprive Mankind of the chief head of the Doctrine of Justification the very groundwork of our Salvation as also to question the use of the Lords Supper and the Marriage of Priests to teach besides the Invocation of Dead Men and all that depends thereon in short to restore Popery again in its full extent as many Men of Excellent Learning had made it appear that certainly so great Impiety was not to be winked at nor past in silence but earnest and fervent Prayers made to God that he would not suffer the glory of his own Name to be thus polluted That it was indeed a sad and lamentable spectacle to see men violently driven to a false Religion and Idolatry the Ministers of the Church cast into Gaols or with their Wives and Children forced into Exile and some also butchered and killed but it was extreamly grievous that though these things were openly seen especially in Upper Germany yet there were some who had the boldness to say that Religion was not struck at that nevertheless it was no new thing since from the very Creation of the World it had been the condition of Pious and Innocent Men to suffer affliction and that there were many Examples both in the Old and New Testament which declared the constancy of holy Men when Kings and Princes set forth Edicts contrary to the Word of God for that Rule of Scripture always prevailed with them That it is better to obey God than Men That this was not only the Doctrine of St. Chrysostome St. Austin St. Ambrose and others but their Practice also when the Emperours commanded any thing repugnant to the Law of God that their case was now the same that they saw the danger they were in and yet could do not otherwise than they did for that they would suffer any thing rather than applaud to and embrace manifest Errours That it was reported of Gordius the Martyr how that being desired by his Friends as he was going to the place of Execution that to save his Life he would forsake his Opinion he made answer That the Tongue ought not to speak any thing in reproach of him who created it A saying that concerned all Men in general for that it was the Opinion of the Ancient Church and of some of the first Bishops of Rome also that they do not only betray the Truth who teach false Doctrine but those also that dare not openly confess and defend the known Truth That therefore the event of all was to be committed to God and that Men ought not for love or favour or the fear of any danger to turn aside from the profession of the Truth but to have the Example of Daniel always before their Eyes who contrary to the Decree of King Darius prayed to God with his Windows open That he might indeed have done the same privately and closely without any danger but because the open confession of his Faith and the glory of the Divine Majesty required it should be otherwise he had with a great and undaunted mind openly called upon God without any regard to that danger which being laid for him by his Enemies fell afterwards upon their own heads That therefore they begg'd they would not raise Arms nor attempt any Hostility against them who were Members of the true Church but therein follow the Example of the Christian Soldiers of former Ages who would not obey when the Emperours would have employed their Arms against those who professed the Christian Religion as might be made out by the instance of St. Mauritius the Martyr That it was to be found in the Book of Judges how highly God was offended with the Israelites because being terrified by the multitude of the Enemies they assisted not their weaker Brethren which might be a lesson to all that not only Brethren and Associates were not to be deserted but ought also to be relieved and succoured That they made no doubt but that good Men were moved at these things that God lived and was immortal who had often shew'd strength with his Arm in old time and was still able to do it That after all they most earnestly besought them that they would carry these their Complaints to the Emperour King Ferdinand and the other Princes and States and at the same time intercede for them that they might not be reduced to extremity for that they refused nothing that could be lawfully and honestly performed that it was their hearty Request also that they would commend them in their Prayers to God that in imitation of the Ninivites they might from the bottom of their hearts repent of their Sins and send up their sighs unto God that they might undauntedly persevere in the profession of the Doctrine of the Gospel which had now for these thirty years been preached amongst them and set it forth with Pious Lives and Conversations that they might do the Works of Charity to all Men but especially to the Ministers of Gods Church who were now turned out and in exile to their Wives and Children and such other poor People in distress and that they might retain this pure and wholesome Doctrine in spight of the tricks and artifices of those who under the Pretext of restoring of Ceremonies would again let in upon us the sink of Popish Pollutions In the Month of October Francis Duke of Mantua the Son of Frederick took to Marriage the Lady Catharine Daughter of Ferdinand King of the Romans and the Tenth day of November after Pope Paul III. departed this Life in the Fourscore and second year of his Age. The day before he died he discharged the Imposts which he had laid upon Salt and most part of other Commodities to the grievance of the People Some Months before he had solicited the Emperour about the restitution of Piacenza but it was in vain and it was generally thought that if he had lived longer he would have espoused the Interests of the French King for it was believe that he had been hatching Revenge in his mind ever since the Murder of his Son Petro Aloisio His Body lay for three days in State in the Chapel of Pope Sixtus whither the People flocked in great numbers to kiss his Feet which were put out at an Iron Gate as the custom is Before he died a bitter and Satyrical Book came out against him under the Name indeed of one Bernardino Ochino but as it was thought written by other hands with a Prefatory Dedication to Ascanio Colonna whom he had banished This little Book amongst a great many other things which would be too long to relate addressing to him calls
of their counsel shall not be punished provided he be right in his Religion and abstain for the future but he who not being of their Society does inform against them shall have the Reward abovementioned That Penalties be inflicted in the same manner as we have commanded and that no Man take to himself any power to alter or mitigate the same which we understand is often done for the Judges that herein offend shall not go unpunished And forasmuch as many who have been accused of Hersie and cited to appear have fled and been outlawed for it but afterwards upon the death of their Complices have used to come in and pray'd that they might be admitted to justifie themselves as thinking that the Crime could not be made out against them and by that means being returned have again spread their false Doctrine and Errours to the great prejudice of the publick It is therefore our will and pleasure that no regard be had to their demands but that all who have not appeared upon Citation but saved themselves by flight be held as Persons convicted and condemned That they who intercede for suspected Persons Fugitives Outlaws and Anabaptists be reputed savourers and supporters of Hereticks and that Judges and Governours receive none such into favour without leave from us or our dearest Sister first had and obtained upon pain of losing their Places and Commands That Printers and Booksellers do not print publish sell or disperse any Religious Book or Pamphlet without a License from those who shall be impowr'd to grant it and who shall answer for their own works also if therein they offend And because there is extant a Catalogue of the Books which the University of Louvain have rejected that all Booksellers have it hanging up in their Shops so that neither they nor the Buyers who have it before their Eyes may pretend ignorance and again that they have another Catalogue of all their own Books wherein he that sails shall be fined in an hundred Ducats That no Man either keep School or teach Children without a License from the Magistrate and especially the Curates of Parishes and that he teach nothing to Youth but according to the form prescribed by the Divines of the University of Louvain When the Edict was proclaimed all Men generally were extreamly startled at it especially the German and English Merchants who in great numbers traded in the Emperours Towns and Provinces but chiefly at Antwerp So that they were of the opinion that either the Edict must be moderated or that they must remove to some other place nay many shut up their Shops and thought of nothing but flying from the danger The Common Counsel and private Citizens also of Antwerp who saw what an incredible loss that would prove to them were in great streights so that when the Inquisitors came thither they vigorously oppose them and making their application to Queen Mary their Governess represented to her how much it concerned not only them but the whole Country also that the Edict should not be put in execution Wherefore by reason of the many people of various Nations that then resided in Antwerp the execution of the Proclamation was for that time superseded in the very same City for which it was chiefly made The Slavonian we mentioned before published afterward this Edict Translated into High Dutch and severely taxed Islebius and the Adiaphorists as he calls them who laboured to persuade the People that Religion was not the thing aimed at As for the commission of Inquisition which they called Instructions it contained a most ample power for they had authority to call before them not only ordinary People but also the Magistrates themselves and make them swear to answer what Interrogatories were put to them and to discover all they knew Now the Questions concerning Religion that were put to those who were accused or suspected were thirty eight in number of which these were some Whether or no they believed the Sacrifice of the Mass to be Propitiatory for the Dead so as to deliver them out of the pains of Purgatory If they believed Peter to have been the Prince of the Apostles the Vicar of Christ and Pope of the Church of Rome and those who lawfully succeed him in his Chair to be so esteemed also Whether they believe it lawful to withdraw from under the obedience of the Pope provided he be not a Heretick or Schismatick If they believe Private Marriage to be lawful and if they believe the Lutherans Bucerans and the like to be the Church The French Cardinals who had stayed at Rome some time after the Election of the Pope now returned home but John Cardinal of Lorrain who had been the darling Companion of King Francis all his life time died upon the Road after he came back into France but before he had seen the King. Upon that occasion Robert Cardinal de Lenoncour obtained the Bishoprick of Metz who afterward was thought to have much contributed in bringing the City of Metz which belonged to the Empire under the Dominion of France as shall be said hereafter There was a Decree made in the last Session of the Council of Trent That they who had a plurality of Bishopricks might reserve to themselves which of them they pleased and resign the rest as has been said in the Nineteenth Book Nevertheless so long as Paul III. lived it was never put in execution but in the Pontificate of this Pope in France the Cardinals made a shew of obeying it but not at all to their prejudice For since most of them had two or three Bishopricks and many others aspired to that Dignity they made exchanges and for one Bishoprick they parted from got from him they surrendered it to many Abbeys or other Ecclesiastical Promotions in lieu of it In the Month of July Adolph Archbishop of Cologne having struck up an Accommodation with the Senate made his entry into that City with extraordinary pomp and splendour all his Vassals Tenants Kindred and Relations being from all places summoned in to give him an honourable Attendance that day And as it is said he had above two thousand Horse in his Retinue the Duke of Cleve having brought in a great many This Duke had a little before a Daughter by his Duchess Mary Daughter to King Ferdinand The Godmothers were the Emperours two Sisters Queen Eleanor and Queen Mary and the Elector of Cologne Godfather but not long after the Duke and Archbishop had a grievous falling out about Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction On the Six and twentieth of July the Emperour opened the Dyet at Ausburg wherein he propounded the prosecution of the Council the observation of the Decree about Religion lately made at Ausburg the punishment of the Rebels and the restitution of Church Lands and Jurisdiction as the maters to be treated of This also was an Armed Dyet though the State of Affairs was somewhat more peaceable now The Princes
also preached no more after that pretending Sickness April the first Duke Maurice and his Associates besieged Ausburg and three days after took iâ— by surrender as shall be related in the following Book April the fifth the Ambassadours of Wirtemberg being sent for came to the House of Don Francisco de Toledo taking with them as they had been enjoyned two Divines Brentius and John Marbach of Strasburg The Ambassadour Poictieres spoke and told them first That the Ambassadours had been very zealous in pursuing the common concern but then that because of the Sickness of the Legate Crescentio neither his Collegues nor the Fathers would act any thing in his absence Lastly that it was not their fault if no progress were made and that they would not omit any thing for the future that might contribute to the furthering of business and of this he made a protestation The others having consulted together made answer That they were very sensible of their Zeal and the diligence they had used but that they had expected something else and a more certain Answer to their Demands to have been communicated to those that sent them But that now since the matter was so they were to take the next course With that the Ambassadours replied That he did not intend by what he said nor was he to be so understood as if there remained no more hopes of acting That it was well done in them and according to Duty to acquaint their Magistrates with the whole state of Affairs Nor did he doubt but that when they should come to hear of all they would both wonder at this delay and cessation and take it ill But that however he pray'd them patiently to bear the tediousness of a few days more That in the mean time they would endeavour that they should have a plain and positive answer To which they made answer That for their sakes they were very willing to do so Next day Messengers and Letters came post haste with the news of Ausburg's being taken and that the Princes were marching streight towards the Alpes to possess themselves of the Passes and stop all the ways Whereupon the Militia was raised all over the Country of Tirol and Soldiers listed with Orders to Muster at Inspruck All the German Bishops were now gone none remained but the Proxies of the Bishops of Spire and Munster when this news was brought the Italian Bishops presently fled for it carrying their Goods by Water down the River Adige So that the Wirtemberg Ambassadours started thereat and seeing that the Council broke up of their own accord they went to the Emperours Ambassadours and acquainted them that they also and the Divines were resolved to return home They seemed much against it at first and told them That until they knew the Emperours pleasure therein they could not consent to it But when they could not prevail they desired to have the reasons of their departure given them in Writing that they might excuse themselves to the Emperour and the Fathers The Ambassadour Poictieres put the question also that if after they were gone the Fathers did proceed to action what would the Divines say To which the Ambassadours having consulted with the Divines said That they would answer it and so April the eighth in the Morning they delivered to them the Writing they required Therein they declared when the Confession of Divines was exhibited wherefore the Divines came How they had in vain solicited till then to have had answer to their demands How to that very day there had been no hopes of any future action That now also a War was broken out so that not only the German Bishops but the Italians also went away and that all the States were so involved in troubles that there was nothing to be expected at present That they did not think it prudent neither to make any progress in the absence of the Roman Bishops That if hereafter that Affair happened to be duely and orderly treated they supposed their Prince would not be wanting That it was the Opinion of the Divines that many Decrees had been made both in this and in the former Council which could not but be found fault with if they were brought under a lawful Examination That if the Fathers should now proceed it was credible that the same course would be taken That nevertheless if perhaps either the Decrees already made should be corrected or that such things should afterwards be decreed as were agreeable to the holy Scriptures they made no doubt but they would be embraced with most willing and obedient Minds That that would be most acceptable to them as had been demonstrated in some places of the Confession exhibited Which Writing they both judged to be pious and would be ready to explain it more fully when occasion called for it That therefore they prayed them to take their departure in good part That they had liberty indeed granted them by the safe conduct to depart thence whensoever they pleased and were not obliged to give any Man a reason for their so doing but that the many civilities they had received from them obliged them not to baulk that small Duty such as it was So then they took their leave and departed in the Afternoon and a few hours after they met upon the rode the Cardinal of Trent coming post from Brixen to his own City who being informed That they belonged to Wirtemberg asked who was Brentius and spoke to him most courteously We said before that the Fathers did nor all look one way The Spanish Bishops indeed seemed the most active and diligent of all Some of the Germans also pretended that there was great need of Reformation But this was the mind of those who all entertained the best thoughts that Ecclesiastical Discipline and Manners should be reformed That Luxury Ambition and Examples of impure and dishonest Lives should be removed that every one should mind his own Cure and that no single person should enjoy more Livings than one Besides they had it in their thoughts as it should seem to confine the Popes Power within certain bounds and not allow his Court so much Authority and Jurisdiction over all Provinces These and some other things they comprehended under the name of Reformation and acknowledging that they belonged properly unto them and required amendment But as to Doctrine they neither owned themselves guilty of any Error nor would they allow that a Council could err and believed that their Adversaries would be at length forced to come over and obey the Council as appeared plainly enough from the French Kings Letter and the form of the safe Conduct It confirmed them in this Hope and Opinion that they thought there were not many Professors of that Doctrine remaining the most part being either dead or banished as it has been said of Schwabia It was the common talk there too that within a few Months all Matters relating to Doctrine would be
stayed at Dedehove a Town upon the Mosell four Miles below Metz on the twentieth of November came into the Camp. Then chiefly began the Town to be furiously Battered so that the Guns were heard not only at Strasburg but also four Miles beyond the Rhine and Strasburg is eighteen long Miles distant from Metz. Duke Maurice who as I said went with his Army into Hungary for the service of King Ferdinand returned Home about this time and now was Volrate Count Mansfield the Son of Count Albert engaged in War with Henry Duke of Brunswick and had almost driven him quite out of his Country Duke Henry therefore came to the Emperor in the Camp before Metz and there having bewailed his bad Fortune begged Assistance but that proved to be at an unseasonable time Now Mansfield served under Marquess Albert whilst he was still on the French side Whilst the Emperor besieged Metz Wolffgang Master of the Teutonick Order took the Town of Elwang There is a very rich Colledge there which for many Months he coveted after and seeing they of the House have the right of chusing their Superiour whom they call Provost and that they had chosen one of a Noble Family in Exclusion of him he for Grief and Anger at the Disappointment came and suddenly surprised the Place This coming to the Duke of Wirtemberg's Ears whose Assistance was implored by the Fellows as being the Protector of their Rights and Liberties he quickly got together his Men and coming in the Winter time easily regained it taking a Town or two besides from him which he resolved to keep in his Hands until he should be repayed the Charges of the War. The French who were besieged made many Sallies especially upon Marquess Albert's Quarters and amongst others Lichtemberg whom I named before was grievously Wounded The Winter was very Cold with much Frost and Snow and though the Emperor had a vast Army yet he abstained from storming the Place and carried on the Siege by Mines but that was a vain Attempt when both the time of the Year was a great hindrance to it and the Enemy also had Intelligence thereof by Spies The Officers who defended the Town were Gentlemen of noble Families all pickt and chosen but the chief Governour was the Duke of Guise When Marquess Albert's Officers were bringing together their Forces by his Command the Bishop of Bamberg made his Complaint of it to the Imperial Chamber and on the nine and twentieth of December procured an Order from that Court commanding the Albertines to desist from Hostility The People of Ulm having retaken the Castle of Helfestein out of which they forced the Garrison which Marquess Albert left there razed it to the Ground The Emperor being forced by the Severity of the Winters Cold and despairing of taking the Town about the end of December raised the Siege and drew off to Dedehove From thence returning into the Netherlands he ordered some Regiments to Winter in the Country about Treves amongst whom also was Marquess Albert but the Army what by Sickness and what through the excess of Cold was lessened by a third Part. On the two and twentieth of January the French had Te Deum sung in the Churches of Metz for their good Success in maintaining the Town Next day after search was made in the Houses of the Inhabitants for Lutheran Books which were publickly Burnt by the Hand of the common Hangman and then the Duke of Guise having left a Deputy there returned into France The same Month Marquess Albert's Officers took many Places from the Bishop of Bamberg and when after the Siege of Metz was raised Albert having for some time held his Winter-Quarters at Treves and received from the Emperor Pay for his Soldiers was in the Month of February upon his return into Germany the Bishop of Bamberg on the seventeenth of February obtained two new Decrees from the Imperial Chamber the one renewing the former Command and the other enjoyning the Nobility and Gentry in Franconia and State of Norimberg as also the Prince Palatine and John Frederick Duke of Saxony as being next Neighbours to come in to his Assistance About the end of February the French King whose Courage was raised by the Defence of Metz published a Printed Declaration to the States of the Empire which sharply galled and reflected upon the Emperor for the design of it was to render him both odious and contemptible to wit that he was no more to be feared now since his Power was broken and the Arts he had used for many Years detected and since he was become so crazy and valetudinary that he could scarce fetch his Breath but that his Inclinations would still be the same towards them that 's to say Honourable and Free and though some whom he had obliged by great Favours were not so grateful as might have been expected yet he would not for all that abandon the Friendship of the rest When Marquess Albert had notice of the Orders issued out from the Imperial Chamber he wrote many Letters to the Bishop of Arras the Duke of Alva and to the Emperor himself acquainting them with the Attempts of the Bishops and how they violated their Compacts and that since his Imperial Majesty had confirmed the Transactions which they made with him he desired that they might be threatned and commanded to Obey Next he sent an Agent to the Imperial Chamber at Spire to represent to the Judges that the Bishops transgressed not only their Covenants but also the Emperor's Commands and therefore to desire them that they would not move any Process against him but recal the Decrees which they had made To these desires they made answer that it was their Duty to do Justice to all Men and that they could not deny the same to the Bishops who sued for it He on the other Hand having made a long Refutation of what they had alledged insisted upon the same Demand as before For that otherwise said he if he received any Damage he would have a just Title to demand reparation from them March the twenty third the Emperor wrote an Answer to Marquess Albert's Letter that he denied not but that Transaction had been confirmed by him That he had also liberally given him his Pay much to his own Detriment when at the same time the rest had had nothing That it would have been very grateful to him indeed if the Bishops had been quiet having sent an Ambassador to them to perswade them thereunto But that since they refused and had appealed to him to the Princes Electors and Imperial Chamber he himself might see that he could not deny them that especially since some States had conceived Suspicions of him and given out various Reports So that if now he should condescend to his Desires and command them to perform their Compacts it would both be said that he did unjustly and also
great change that was made in the Publick Religion and the Laws betook themselves to Germany some to Wesel and others to Franckfort and Strasburg John Alasco a Polander of Noble Birth and great Learning who was the Brother of Jerome before this Winter began went thence to Denmark but being not so kindly entertained there on the account of his differing from them in the Point of the Eucharist and being denied an Habitation on the same score in the Lower Saxony at length he went to Emden a City of Friseland and there he setled The Fourth Day of March the Queen put out a Book of Articles or Injunctions wherein she commanded the Bishops and their Vicars not to admit any man into Holy Orders who was suspected of Heresie That they should extirpate Heresies suppress and destroy hurtful and pestilent Books That they should prescribe certain Rules to all School-Masters and Preachers and suppress those who did not conform That they should deprive all Married Priests and punish them as their wickedness deserved but that those who with the consent of their Wives should promise to divorce themselves and to abstain for the future should be treated with more gentleness and that they should restore all those that would do Penance for this Offence to their Livings again That all Publick Prayers should be in the Latine Tongue and according to the ancient Forms That all the ancient Holy-days Fasts and Ceremonies should be again observed That all Children already Baptized when they grew up should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed And that they should be taught in the Schools how they are to minister to the Priest in the Mass at the Altar When Henry the Eighth abolished the Papal Supremacy in England as I have observed in the Ninth Book of this History he passed an Act of Parliament that no man should be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity unless he had first taken an Oath in which he acknowledg'd him and his Successors Supream Head of the Church of England and that the Pope had no Authority over the Church nor was better than a Bishop of Rome with whom they would have nothing to do This Oath the Queen even now remitted and commanded the Bishops not to exact it of any man and thereby did tacitly restare the Pope's Supremacy That which concerns the Publick Prayers went thus Henry the Eighth had commanded them to be said in the vulgar Tongue and in them amongst other things they prayed that God would deliver them from the Seditions Conspiracies and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and this Printed Form of Prayer was by this Order of the Queen abolished Soon after this Elizabeth the Queens Sister a Lady of great Learning was committed to the Tower because she was suspected to have had an hand in Wiat's Rebellion In the End of March the Enemies of Albert Marquess of Brandenburg returned to the Siege of Schweinfurt In April there came over into Germany Sir Richard Morison Knight whose Embassie I have mentioned in the Book before this Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheeke Knights both the King's Schoolmasters and Men of great Learning and these all afterwards travelled into Italy And soon after Dr. John Poinet Bishop of Winchester came over also who together with many other Bishops was about this time displaced by reason of this Change of Religion The Forces of the Duke of Florence and the Pope besieging Siena about this time Peter Strozza who defended that City in the Name of the King of France learning something of their state by his Spies on a sudden made a Sally upon them and slew a great number of their Souldiers but they recruited their Army and continued the Siege for all that Loss whereupon the King of France levied Three Thousand Swiss for the relief of that Place The Duke of Florence also marries his Daughter to Ascanio the Pope's Nephew and the Methods of advancing his Fortunes by this Marriage were taken into consideration About this time also Ferdinand Gonzaga Governor of the Duchy of Milan came into Flanders to the Emperor Baptista Castaldus whom the Emperor had sent some years since into Hungary as I have said came also about this time to him About the middle of April Sir Thomas Wiat was executed at London He declared that neither the Lady Elizabeth nor Courtney Earl of Devonshire were acquainted with the Rebellion About the same time Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer Bishop of London were removed first to Windsor and then to Oxford and a Disputation being mannaged against them by the Students both of Oxford and Cambridge the 16th 17th and 18th of April concerning Transubstantiation and the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass and they continuing stedfast in their Former Opinion they were again committed to Prison At the same time there was a Parliament sate in England wherein the Queen especially recommended to the States her Marriage and the restitution of the Pope's Supremacy The first of these she carried upon certain Conditions but the latter was so vigorously opposed by the Upper House that she could not then bring it about In the mean time Cardinal Poole having spent some time with the Emperor in Flanders went to the King of France and endeavoured to bring these Princes to make a Peace but his Mediation had no good success In the end of April Albert of Brandenburg having received 60000 Crowns set Aumale his Prisoner at Liberty A little before this time Holansperg another of his strong Places was taken from him by the Confederates Not long after this the Emperor being then at Brussels by his Letters confirmed the Outlawry decreed the last Winter in the Imperial Chamber of Spire against the Marquess of Brandenburg in which having complained that the Marquess had with impunity committed such Ravages and made such Devastations in the Empire he in the next place severely commands all the Princes and States and especially those that lay next him to execute the said Sentence against the Marquess There had before this been two Meetings at Rotenburg a City of Franconia upon the River Tauber in order to the putting an end to this War but they being both frustrated the Emperor put out this Decree against him which was set up in all places and soon after there was a Diet of the Circle of the Rhine holden at Worms concerning this Business I have often mentioned the General Diet which was summoned in August but the Emperor being hindred from being present in it both by Sickness and Wars Ferdinand his Brother at his Request undertook the management of it and sollicited the Princes to meet who excused their Appearance there on the account of the troubled state of Germany The Emperor had already sent thither some of his Council and amongst them the Cardinal of Ausburg but none of the Princes coming thither for the Causes aforesaid it was deferred to a fitter opportunity Albert had
Primitive Church and first four Councils that it commends and teacheth those Works which are truly Christian and exhorts the People to obey their Magistrates So that if a firm and certain Peace may be established in this Diet there was no doubt but the Emperor and his Majesty might obtain great Succours from the Germans against the Turks but then those who had imbraced the Augustan Confession and for the most part had been brought up in it would constantly persist in that Faith so that if there were not such a Peace made as should include Religion and confirm the Possessions of the Church Revenues where they now were though this affair were only referred to another Diet as has already been frequently done and one day spent after another in Delays whilst the People were left in a miserable uncertainty of enjoying what they had That in this case it was very doubtful whether all Men would patiently bear it for though he and the rest of the Princes should sit still acquiesce and do their duties and continue in their Obedience yet it might happen that those that were mean Men and of no regard might cause Troubles by means of this uncertainty of Danger and of this fear for Religion especially in those Places which lay most exposed and afforded the greatest opportunities for Insurrections of this Nature That this being a thing in which the fortune of the Empire consisted he desired earnestly that his Majesty would apply his Thoughts to it now he had obtained a full and plenary Power from the Emperor That besides this Condition was some years since proposed by his Brother Maurice at Passaw that if perhaps the differences in Religion could not be Composed that yet nevertheless an inviolable Peace should be Established till things could be intirely Composed And though the Emperor would not then admit this offer because as he said all the States were concerned in it yet seeing he did not neither totally reject it and in the Treaty or Decree expresly promised That he would take Care that things might be equitably discussed in the Diet and there should be no Arts used to suborn the Votes of Men in the business of Religion He was confident on this account that in the entrance or beginning of this Diet He would solicite not only those States and Princes who met then at Passaw but all the rest of the States to imbrace a Peace When the Deputies of the Duke of Saxony had made this Speech in the Diet the fourth of February the next day the King of the Romans made a reference or proposal of it to the States in the manner I have set forth in the conclusion of the last Book About this time the Learned Men of Misnia and Wittemberg and especially Melanchthon sent their Letters of Consolation to those Ministers which were Banished out of Bohemia as I said in the end of the last Book wherein they shew the Craft of the adverse Party who alledged that they only desired to preserve necessary Order in the Church and that those who either had no Episcopal Ordination or who were Married ought not to distribute the Holy Sacrament for they only pretended this Cause of their Banishment that they might not seem to intend the oppression of the true Religion But then these Learned Men sufficiently proved that it was a meer Tyranny to deprive Ministers of their Functions only because they were Married for that the Devil was the Author of the Prohibition of Marriage as appears sufficiently in the sacred Scriptures That Orders were not to be sought from the Hands of the Bishops who were the declared Enemies of the Gospel and defended Idolatry but that they were to be sought from that Church which imbraced the true Doctrine and therefore had the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven That it was extreamly absurd and dangerous to ask Shepherds of the Wolves That the Church has ever had a Right to elect fitting Ministers and that so it was decreed in the Council of Nice That those that were thus Elected and Tryed were confirmed by those that presided in the Holy Churches That this Custom was still retained and therefore it was a meer slander when they pretended the Protestants disturbed or broke the Order of the Church Therefore since this was the true state of things and for that they were Banished for the Profession of the true Religion they ought to bear their Sufferings with the greater moderation of Mind for that God in due time would take Care of them and they and the Neighbour Churches would afford them the best Hospitality and Charity they could The French having taken Jurea a City of Piedmont upon the River Doria under the Command of Brisac the thirteeenth day of December of the last Year This Year the third day of March they took Casale a City standing near the Po by surprize though there was in it a Garrison of Spaniards and Germans the Castle held out for some time and then was forced to yield too after this they possessed themselves of several other Towns and amongst them of Valenza and Salvadora both which they beat down and levelled The sixth of March Augustus the Elector of Saxony Joachim Marquess of Brandenburg and Elector the Children of John Frederick late Elector of Saxony the Landgrave of Hesse and several of the neighbouring Princes met at Naumburg upon the River Saal and there renewed the Hereditary League between these Families which I have mentioned before in my twenty fourth Book and at the same time mutually agreed to stick to the Augustan Confession and that no suspition might thereupon arise af any under-hand Combination the fifth day after their Meeting they gave the Emperor an account of the reason of this congress in this manner The last year when there was a Treaty concluded between Augustus and John Frederick Electors of Saxony it was then determined that the ancient and Paternal League should be renewed which was begun above a hundred Years since and afterwards confirm'd by a Law That they were then met to renew that League and as it had been very beneficial to their Ancestors and their People so they hoped that for the future they should reap the same Advantage from it seeing they sought nothing from it but the Publick Peace and Welfare and did not design to offend any Person and they said that pursuant to the old Custom they had excepted his Imperial Majesty and his Brother the King of the Romans out of it and that as they desired to live in Peace amongst themselves so they would perform that Duty which they owed to the Publick and which became obedient Princes of the Empire That as to Religion they would not exceed the terms and limits of the Augustan Confession but then because those Heads of the Christian Religion which were contained in it had not the least mixture of any Seditious or Impious Doctrines by the Blessing of God they would
the publick Inns That they should deliver in all the Books written or printed by David George and not keep any by them in the Dutch Tongue and that they should send their Children to the School of Basil to be instructed That they should pay a Pecuniary Mulct if required and that they their Wives and Children should appear in the Church and make Profession of the True Faith and-Renounce that of David George Two days after his Body was sentenc'd to be taken up and burnt together with his Books and Effigies by the Hands of the Common Hang-man in the place where they usally executed Malefactors and all his Goods they sez'd to the Publick Treasure adding That if any Person presum'd to blame this their Decree he should be liable to the same Punishment His Body was found very perfect so that it might be known by his yellow Bâ—ard from another Man's though he had been buried two Years and six Months and was accordingly burnt in a vast concourse of Men. In the beginning of February the Ambassadours met again at the Castle of Cambray to conclude the Treaty which was broke up upon the Death of Mary Queen of England Queen Elizabeth who succeeded her Sister Mary a Princes of a Masculine Soul and of a Prudence above her Sex fearing if she relied upon the Spaniard she might either be deserted or dishonoured by his Protection had in the mean time made a separate Peace with France After which she changed the Religion of England in her first Parliament abolishing all the Laws made by her Sister Mary and reviving those made by her Brother Edward VI and rejecting all Obedience to the Pope of Rome This Peace with France did much facilitate the Treaty of Cambray In which among other things these Princes promised to do their utmost that a General Council should be held as soon as was possible to the Glory of God and the pacifying Men's Consciences This last Clause by the perverse Counsels of these Princes in a short time raised a War in the Low-Countries and France which was more lasting and more fatal than any former Wars This Treaty was signed at Cambray April 3. These two Kings having thus regained their Peace and disburthened themselves of the Cares which the War brought upon them they betook themselves solely to the Care of Religion which in France had been under consideration the two foregoing Years and was then omitted on account of the War and Treaty but was now reassumed in the heat of a Marriage-Feast There was one Diana Dutchess of Valentinois a Court-Lady and one of the King's Mistresses who used to beg the Estates of all such as suffered for any Crime And the Duke of Guise who were the Promoters of this Persecution the latter aiming at nothing but Popular Applause These two insinuated this Belief into the King That the Venome of Heresie was much spread in France and that in truth he was not King of those Provinces in which that prevailed That the Impudence of those who imbraced it was so great that they did not whisper it as heretofore in the Ear but preached it openly and boldly throughout the Kingdom by which the name of God was blasphemed and his Majesties Royal Authority was endangered for when the Law of God was once confounded who can Question say they but that all Human Laws will soon be subverted And that they might the more easily prevail they employed Giles Maistre president of the Parliament Jean de S. Andre Anthony Minart and Giles Bourdin the King's Attorney and principally the first of these who was a Man of a fierce Disposition and Temper to incense the King's Mind against the Sectaries he being no way inclined to such Severities To this end they tell him That there would little be gained by the Peace of a more cruel War was fomented and carried on at Home For that the Disease had already got such Strength that if his Majesty dissembled a little longer the Sword of the Magistrate and the Laws of the Land would not be able to suppress it but he must levy Armies and himself take the Field against them as had been done in the case of the Albingenses That what had hitherto been done had not had its desired effect because all the severity had been spent upon the populace and the mean people the hatred and detestation of which had affected all Men but very few had taken example by it That now it was fit to begin with the Judges many of which had imbraced their Doctrin secretly or favoured them on other accounts and by their connivance nourished the Distemper suffering this Offence either to go unpunished or very lightly corrected This they said was the very Root of the Evil and that all labour was in vain tâ—ll it were pulled up Not long after this the King was prevailed upon to come into the Parliament in Person whilst the Members were debating about the Punishment of the Sectaries June 14. He seemed rather to labour to conceal his Anger than to have come with a calm Mind Among other things he told the Parliament That having made a Peace he hoped it would turn to the general Good but he was much concerned that the business of Religion which was one of the principal Cares of a good Prince had been during the War tumultuously and seditiously treated by some That therefore he desired for the future more care might be taken of the Christian Religion And because he heard that affair was this Day to be debated by them he was come thither and he admonished them to proceed in it with Freedom saying It was God's Cause who knew all our Hearts and Thoughts Tho' the Members of the Parliament knew the King was brought thither to deprive them of their Liberty yet there were some who resolved to retain their ancient Freedom at the price of their Lives and having declaimed against the Manners of the Court of Rome and its ill Customes which had degenerated into most pernicious Errors and given occasion to the rise of many Sects they thence inferred That the Penalties of Heresie were to be mitigated and the Severities of the Law abated till the differences of Religion were composed by the Authority of a General Council and the Discipline of the Church reformed And this was the Opinion of all the good Men in the Parliament Arnold du Ferrier President of the Criminal Court an honest and a wise Person and the best Lawyer in France was the first who proposed this Method and was followed by many others among which was Lewis du Faur a Man of great Sense and of a generous Temper who added That all were agreed that the Differences in Religion had occasioned great Disturbances but then said he we ought carefully to enquire Who caused these Disorders lest as Elijah answered Ahab when he reproached him as the Troubler of Israel it might be said to us It is thou that hast
much improved but he was then very dissolute nor was Henry of England any better And after all the Judgments God has sent from Heaven upon us we have not repented or amended and therefore there is no wonder that this sad difference of Religion cannot be composed and the Peace of the Church restored No on the contrary it is now apparent that our Enemies are become so numerous that they are almost able to oppress us As to those who pretend that we have encreased them by our Connivance I can answer That during the minority of the King they are bolder and I would have them consider too that for our Sins God has set a Child over us There are some who would have the King arm one part of his Subjects against the other which I think is neither Christian nor Human. After very much to the same purpose he told them the Thing proposed by the King to their Consideration was Whether it was the best way for the King to Suppress the Meetings or to Tolerate them Thereupon followed a very great Debate between these Deputies of the several Parliaments of France but at last they came to a Resolution to remit something of the Severity of the Edict of July and to allow the Protestants the liberty of Publick Sermons and accordingly a new Edict was made which was called The Edict of January the principal Heads of which were these That the Protestants should restore the Ecclesiasticks to their Churches Houses Lands Tithes and other goods whatsoever which they had taken from them forthwith and suffer them peaceably to enjoy their Images Crosses and Statues without any molestation or endeavouring to destroy them or doing any other thing that may disturb the publick Peace upon pain of Death without any hope of Mercy That the Protestants should have no publick Meetings Sermons and Prayers or administer any Sacraments publickly or privately by Night or by Day within any City in any manner whatsoever Yet in the mean time till the Controversies of Religon shall be composed by a General Council or the King shall otherwise order it Those who shall go to or frequent their Sermons shall not be molested provided they be had without the Cities And the Magistrates were accordingly commanded not to disquiet but to protect and preserve them from all Injury That all Seditious Persons of what Religion soever they were should be severely punished and all should be bound to discover and deliver them up to Justice a thousand Crowns being imposed upon any person who should receive abet or conceal such Riotous Offender and the Offender to be whipp'd if not able to pay the Penalty That the said Meetings should be without Arms and that no person should Reproach another on the account of Religion or use any Factious Names That the Protestants Ministers should admit none into their Number till they had diligently examined their Lives Conversations and Doctrines That the Magistrates might freely go to their Meetings to see what was done or to apprehend any Criminal who should be treated according to their Dignity and obeyed That the Protestants should hold no Synods Conferences or Consistories but in the presence of a Magistrate That they should create no new Magistrates or make any Laws or Statutes And if they desire any thing by way of Discipline it should be referred to their Authority or if need be be confirmed by them There shall be no Levies of Men or Monies made by them nor any Leagues entered into for their private Defence And as to Alms they shall only take them of such as are willing to give The Civil Laws especially those concerning Holy Days and the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity in Marriages shall be observed That their Pastors shall give Security to the Magistrates for the Observing this Edict and promise That they will not preach any Doctrine contrary to the Nicence or Apostles Creeds or the Books of the Old or New Testament nor use any Reproaches against the Catholicks in their Sermons And the same is injoyned the Catholicks in relation to the Protestants No man shall publish any Libels to desame another or sell or cause them to be sold Lastly the Magistrates are hereby commanded to be very diligent in case any Sedition happens to search out the Offenders and punish them without any Appeal to be allowed to such Offenders A Debate being made concerning the Worship of Images these Propositions were published by the Queen by the Advice of the Bishops of Valence and Seez and Monsieur Bouthillier d' Espence and Picherel That seeing Errors are according to St. Augustin rather to be rooted out of the Mind of Men than out of Churches and other places the Bishops should take order with the Curates to have the People well Instructed and diligently Admonished concerning the right use of them that all Offence or Scandal might be prevented both by the Royal Authority and that of the Church and that if any opposed this he should be treated as a Violater of the Royal Edicts and of the publick Peace That all Figures of the Holy Trinity should be immediately removed out of all Churches and all other publick and private Places as being forbidden by the Holy Scriptures the Councils and Testimonies of the Fathers and only Dissembled or Tolerated by the Sloth of the Bishops and Pastors That the Picutres of all prophane Persons and others who were not to be found in the Authentick Martyrologies of the Church all lascivious and dishonest Pictures and those of Brutes shall be abolished That no Crowns Garlands or Vestments shall be put upon any Images nor Incense nor Candles burnt before them nor shall they be carried in Processions nor any Prayers or Oblations be made to them nor shall they be worshipped with bended Knees because all these things are parts of Worship That all Images but that of the Venerable Holy Cross shall be taken from the Altars and either placed on the Valves or Walls of the Churches so that from henceforth they may neither be saluted kissed prayed to or presented with Gifts That all Images which were wont to be carried on the Shoulders of Men in the Churches and Streets should according to the late Canon of Sens be for ever abolished Beza opposed the retention of the Cross as brought into use by Constantine the Great and one N. Mallard Dean of the Sorbonne in Paris tho' he confessed some ill things had crept into the Church yet he was of opinion that all this Worship of Images ought stoutly to be defended and retained and put out a Book to that purpose so the Thing fell This Order was made the 14th of February The same Month but some few days before it the King of Navar wrote a Letter to the Elector Palatine in which he testified his great desire to promote a Reformation and that he hoped to have found a way to reconcile Differences by the Conference of
streights Now though there may have been some mistake committed in the Treaty and some things not rightly understood yet it suits well with your Imperial Clemency to prefer Equity before strict Justice and to have regard not so much to the Prisoner as to the inevitable necessity of the Electors And to treat them graciously after the manner of your Predecessors who have been always exceedingly tender of the Dignity of the Princes of the Empire And this Sir will render your Majesties Name glorious amongst all Men and engage them more and more in Love and Loyalty to your Person and Interests so that they 'll be ready to do any thing for you The Ambassadours also of the King of Denmark interceded in the same behalf But some days after the Emperour made answer That seeing it was a difficult business that required deliberation and that he had notice that Duke Maurice would be with him shortly about other weighty Affairs in so much that having written to him he expected him daily therefore he put off the Matter till then as thinking it most convenient to treat about it when he should be present That as for them they might return home to their own Princes and tell them in his Name That he would be mindful of their Intercession and so order Affairs that they should understand that their Mediation had been of no small weight with him Not long after Prince William the Landgrave's Eldest Son came to Duke Maurice to enquire of him what was done in the mediation he had put him in hopes of now that it was so many Months since the Ambassadours were gone on their Journy He told him That because the Danish Ambassadours came a little too late and not before the Emperour was gone from Ausburg to Inspruck it was some time delayed And then he shewed him what Answer the Emperour had given telling him That since he was desirous to speak with him and had put off the business till then though he was loath to leave his Country at that time yet because it was the Affair in the World that most affected him he was resolved to go so soon as he had received his Letters Then replied Prince William that that was a doubtful and uncertain Answer Nor did he see what it was they could expect that in the mean time his Father was in a sad Condition pining away for grief in a nasty and loathsome Prison That he could not but concern himself for him both in Duty and upon the account of Promise that he should therefore endeavour to get him a plain and definite Answer and that within a time too or else that he and the Elector of Brandeburg must not take it ill if they were cited and made to fulfil their Obligation As to what he said of his Journy he would have him to think better on 't Nor did he know whether it might be safe for him or not Now these things were done only for a shew in presence of some Counsellors whom Duke Maurice would by no means have privy to his Counsels and Design For ever since he had begun to project the Matter with Count Heideck which was when he drew over some of his Forces into his Party as we told you in the foregoing Book he scarcely acquainted any about him with what he did intend so that what the French Ambassador came thither for or what he did at Court none of them could tell Having therefore received this Answer from the Emperour he presently bent his thoughts upon War and only waited for a fit season The Disputes began December the Seventh concerning the Heads we mentioned before and on the shortest day of the year Maximilian made his entry into Trent with his Wife and Children and was received by the Popes Legate by the Spanish Italian and some German Bishops also but not by the Electors He brought with him from Spain an Indian Elephant a Beast not often seen in Germany The day after he came it came to the turn of John Gropper whom I named before to Dispute and in the heat of Discourse he bitterly enveighed against Melanchton and Bucer who was then dead and being himself a German railed reproachfully at both whereas both the Spaniards and Italians had been more moderate and this was both contrary to the Decree of the Empire and the Law they themselves had made which was That matters should be debated without passion or reproachful language wherefore some days after the Deputy of Strasburg took notice of it to the Ambassadour Poictieres and complained of the liberty they were suffered to take to themselves He made answer That it was much against the Fathers Will that they did do so and that they had been severely admonished to refrain and that though perhaps being provoked by the Example of their Adversaries who for many years had domineered in that manner they did do so yet they would take care that it should be so no more for the future that it was not the Emperours Will neither that any Man should have cause of offence given him and that the Fathers were of the same mind On the Eighteenth of December the Bishop of Waradine lately made Cardinal was upon suspicion of confederacy with the Turks murdered in his own House The Author of this Assassination was John Baptista Castaldo an Italian whom the Emperour had formerly sent into Hungary to aid and assist King Ferdinand with his counsel Sforza Palavicini had also an hand in it When this Murder came to the Popes Ears he appointed Judges to enquire into the Fact and at the same time Excommunicated those we named The Widow of John Vayvode of Transilvania finding that it would be hard for her to preserve the Country treated with King Ferdinand and having resigned over the Government to him and delivered up the Insignia and Ornaments of the Kingdom she returned to Poland By this means then and the assistance of the Bishop of Waradin Ferdinand got possession of all Transilvania almost but because this Bishop seemed afterward to plot new designs and to aspire to the Government he lost his life We spoke in the former Book of the Ministers of the Church that were banished Ausburg most of the Churches therefore were destitute to the great offence of the People who thought that the Senate had put the Emperour upon it And seeing it was to be feared that this grudge might some time or other break out into disorder after much and long inquiry one Caspar Huberine was at length found out who would conform to the Regulation of Doctrine prescribed by the Emperour He had published some little Pieces about Religion which were always very much approved and commended also by Luther but how he came to change his Opinion I cannot affirm He did not begin to preach so soon as he came to Ausburg for fear the People might mutiny but on christmuss-Christmuss-day he fell to work
to the amazement of many who had read his Books before The Soldiers as well they who besieged Magdeburg as the Garison that held it out had their Winter Quarters in Thuringe and the adjoyning Places and did much damage especially to the Churchmen and among those also to the Archbishop of Mentz whose frontiers reached so far The Electors of Mentz Treves and Cologne being moved thereat the first because of the damage he received and the other two for that they feared it might be their own case next resolved to return home and accordingly made the Emperour acquainted with it by Messengers and Letters But the Emperour who earnestly desired that the Council might be continued thus answered them on the Third of January I received says he your Letters of the One and twentieth of December and because I sent Orders to Don Francisco de Toledo to discourse you concerning the Affairs you wrote to me about and then because the Bishop of Arras had in my Name imparted several things of that nature to your Agent here I thought you had been satisfied But since I hear that because of an unwelcome report now spread abroad you are resolving to return home I thought fit to advise you in Writing that you would not lightly give credit to every thing that is told you For though there has been a rumour now for some time of some hidden designs in Hesse as if it were to be feared there might be an Insurrection there yet I am informed that if there be any such thing it is but the attempt of a few which the greater part dislike so that it is more credible that they themselves will reflect not only upon the Oath and Promises whereby they have bound themselves to me but also upon the Duty they owe both to me and the Publick and not run themselves into so great danger upon any uncertain hopes Besides having by Messengers diligently enquired of the Neighbouring Princes States and Cities how things went and if any new attempts were on foot I have found that all were dutiful and obedient for indeed I have given no Man any cause of offence There has been a great talk for sometime past of Duke Maurice also arising perhaps from hence that he formerly commanded the Forces which getting together into a Body after the surrender of Magdeburg had done hurt in some places but he hath lately both by Letters and Ambassadours assured me of his fidelity nay he has at this present two Ambassadours here who will set out to morrow for Trent to come to the Council He hath signified to me besides that for some weighty and important Affairs he is preparing to come unto me and I have certain intelligence that to day or to morrow at farthest he will set out from Magdeburg upon his Journy hither In short he makes me such fair and ample promises of his Duty and Allegiance that I ought not to look for any thing from him but what is just and honourable if there be any faith amongst Men. And seeing he is a true German by Birth and Extraction I cannot be induced to think that he can hatch such sinistrous Designs and Counsels As to the Forces complaints have indeed been brought me from many hands and some States are apprehensive that they may remove their Camp and do more mischief but after that I came to understand that they kept together in Bodies and used violence for want of their pay I sent Messengers and Officers with a strict charge to use all their endeavours and by any means raise Money to pay them off nor is that all for I have written also to Duke Maurice and past my word and promise for what Money might be owing provided the Soldiers were disbanded and this I did not that I was obliged to it but because I wish the quiet of Germany above all things I now therefore expect hourly that it should be done and make no doubt but that they being fairly dismissed all this stir and busle will be over But if the Soldiers having received their pay be not disbanded then will it easily appear that some under-hand designs are on foot and then also will it be fit to take other measures such as I have already in my heaâ— Now as to the other frequent but uncertain and almost contradictory Reports that are brought unto me it is my opinion that they are in a great part devised by our Enemies and according to their wonted levity dispersed among the People with design to disturb the Council and Peace of Germany But I trust that by Gods Blessing these Clandestine Counsels and Contrivances will at length be brought to light and meet with the success they deserve For now that Magdeburg is surrendered all are still and quiet Germany and all the Princes and States behave themselves so lovingly and obediently towards me that I cannot indeed devise what excuse or pretext can possibly be invented to colour any new sâ—irs I am not however ignorant but that circumspection is to be used and that at this time when there are such Commotions in Foreign Nations the least suspicion of danger is not to be neglected Again I am neither so unadvised nor negligent as to be deaf to the Reports that are brought unto me for I have Spies in all places that enquire into every thing and in that I spare neither cost nor labour Nevertheless that upon every light report the whole State should streight be alarmed you in your wisdom know how silly and unadvised a thing it would be Now that you should leave the Council unless in case of extream necessity I can in no ways approve for since very much dependeth on your presence it is to be â—eared lest by your departure not only the Council may be dispersed but also a fatal blow given to Religion wherein both the salvation of Mankind in general and your own private Fortuens consist Which being so I earnestly desire you my Lords of Mentz and Treves that you would alter your resolution and not think of going as yet and you my Lord of Cologne who seem not to be in so great haste continue in the same mind I pray you In general I exhort you all that since you hold the chief place among the States of the Empire you would help one another with Aid and Counsel and entertain Brotherly Love and Kindness amongst your selves In the mean time it shall be my care to watch for the Publick and as far as I am able either by parts or power to endeavour timely to quench any fire that may break out that Civil Broils being over and strength increasing at home we may be in a better condition to resist a Foreign War and that you may have leisure all things being quiet and peaceable within your Jurisdictions to mind the affairs of Religion and Christianity After all though I would advise you to give Orders to the Counsellors and Officers that