V. 1530. lowers of protest THE Elector of Saxony, the Marquis of Bran- B O O K denburg, the Landgrave of Hesse, the Dukes of Lunenburg, the Prince of Anhalt, together with the deputies of fourteen Imperial or free The folcitiesTM, entered a solemn protest against this de- Luther cree, as unjust and impious. On that account against they were distinguished by the name of PRO- them. April 19. TESTANTS", an appellation which hath since become better known, and more honourable, by its being applied indiscriminately to all the sects, of whatever denomination, which have revolted from the Roman see. Not satisfied with this declaration of their dissent from the decree of the diet, the Protestants sent ambassadors into Italy, to lay their grievances before the Emperor, from whom they met with the most discouraging reception. Charles was at that time Deliberain close union with the Pope, and solicitous to attach him inviolably to his interest. During and Emtheir long residence at Bologna, they held many consultations concerning the most effectual means of extirpating the heresies which had sprung up in Germany. Clement, whose cautious and timid mind the proposal of a general council filled with horror, even beyond what Popes, the constant enemies of such assemblies, usually feel, employed every argument to dissuade the Emperor from consenting to that The fourteen cities were Strasburgh, Nuremburgh, Ulm, Constance, Reutlingen, Windsheim, Meinengen, Lindaw; Kempten, Hailbron, Isna, Weissemburgh, Nordlingen, and St. Gal. n Sleid. Hist. 119. F. Paul. Hist. p. 45. Seckend. ii. 127. tions of the Pope peror. ས. 1530. BOOK measure. He represented general councils as factious, ungovernable, presumptuous, formidable to civil authority, and too slow in their operations to remedy disorders which required an immediate cure. Experience, he said, had now taught both the Emperor and himself, that forbearance and lenity, instead of soothing the spirit of innovation, had rendered it more enterprising and presumptuous; it was necessary, therefore, to have recourse to the rigorous methods which such a desperate case required; Leo's sentence of excommunication, together with the decree of the diet at Worms, should be carried into execution, and it was incumbent on the Emperor to employ his whole power, in order to overawe those on whom the reverence due either to ecclesiastical or civil authority had no longer any influence. Charles, whose views were very different from the Pope's, and who became daily more sensible how obstinate and deep-rooted the evil was, thought of reconciling the Protestants by means less violent, and considered the convocation of a council as no improper expedient for that purpose; but promised, if gentler arts failed of success, that then he would exert himself with rigour to reduce to the obedience of the Holy See those stubborn enemies of the Catholic faith." Emperor SUCH were the sentiments with which the the Diet of Emperor set out for Germany, having already Augsburg, present at March 22. • F. Paul, xlvii. Seck. 1. ii. 142. Hist. de Confess. d'Auxbourgh, par D. Chytreus, 4to. Antw. 1572, p.6. 1530. V. 1530. appointed a diet of the empire to be held at BOOK Augsburg. In his journey towards that city, he had many opportunities of observing the disposition of the Germans with regard to the points in controversy, and found their minds every where so much irritated and inflamed, as convinced him, that nothing tending to severity or rigour ought to be attempted, until all other measures proved ineffectual. He made his pub- June 15. lic entry into Augsburg with extraordinary pomp; and found there such a full assembly of the members of the diet, as was suitable both to the importance of the affairs which were to come under their consideration, and to the honour of an Emperor, who, after a long absence, returned to them crowned with reputation and success. His presence seems to have communicated to all parties an unusual spirit of moderation and desire of peace. The Elector of Saxony would not permit Luther to accompany him to the diet, lest he should offend the Emperor by bringing into his presence a person excommunicated by the Pope, and who had been the author of all those dissensions which it now appeared so difficult to compose. At the Emperor's desire, all the Protestant princes forbade the divines who accompanied them, to preach in public during their residence at Augsburg. For the same reason they employed Melancthon, the man of the greatest learning, as well as of the most pacific and gentle spirit among the Reformers, to draw up a confession of their faith, 1530, The confession of BOOK expressed in terms as little offensive to the V. Roman Catholics, as a regard for truth would permit. Melancthon, who seldom suffered the rancour of controversy to envenom his style, Augsburg. even in writings purely polemical, executed a task so agreeable to his natural disposition with great moderation and address. The Creed which he composed, known by the name of the Confession of Augsburg, from the place where it was presented, was read publicly in the diet. Some popish divines were appointed to examine it; they brought in their animadversions; a dispute ensued between them and Melancthon, seconded by some of his brethren; but though Melancthon softened some articles, made concessions with regard to others, and put the least exceptionable sense upon all; though the Emperor himself laboured with great earnestness to reconcile the contending parties; so many marks of distinction were now established, and such insuperable barriers placed between the two churches, that all hopes of bringing about a coalition seemed utterly desperate." FROM the divines, among whom his endeavours had been so unsuccessful, Charles turned to the Princes their patrons. Nor did he find them, how desirous soever of accommodation, or willing to oblige the Emperor, more disposed P Seckend. lib. ii. 159, &c. Abr. Sculteti Annales Evangelici ap. Herm. Von der Hard. Hist. Liter. Reform. Lips. 1717, fol. p. 159. V. 1530. than the former to renounce their opinions. At BOOK that time, zeal for religion took possession of the minds of men, to a degree which can scarcely be conceived by those who live in an age when the passions excited by the first manifestation of truth, and the first recovery of liberty, have in a great measure ceased to operate. This zeal was then of such strength as to overcome attachment to their political interests, which is commonly the predominant motive among princes. The Elector of Saxony, the Landgrave of Hesse, and other chiefs of the Protestants, though solicited separately by the Emperor, and allured by the promise or prospect of those advantages which it was known they were more solicitous to attain, refused, with a fortitude highly worthy of imitation, to abandon what they deemed the cause of God, for the sake of any earthly acquisition." decree ants. EVERY Scheme in order to gain or disunite the Severe Protestant party proving abortive, nothing now against the remained for the Emperor but to take some Protestvigorous measures towards asserting the doctrines and authority of the established church. These, Campeggio, the papal nuncio, had always recommended as the only proper and effectual course of dealing with such obstinate heretics. In compliance with his opinions and remon- Nov. 19. strances, the diet issued a decree, condemning most of the peculiar tenets held by the Protest Sleid 132. Scultet. Annal. 158. |