It tells of Luther's arrival in Worms and his solemn interrogation before the imperial majesty and the imperial assembly, as well as of the malicious attempts of the papists to deprive Luther of safe conduct, even to kill him.
From Luther's arrival and public entry into the city of Worms.
557. letter from Veit Warbeck, canon of Altenburg, to Duke Johann of Saxony, on
April 16, 1521, concerning Luther's arrival at Worms.
From Förstemann's "Neues Urkundenbuch," p. 68. With omission of the beginning and end at Seckendorf, Nist.
lid. I, p. 152, in Latin, and likewise in the German Seckendorf, p. 346. We give the text according to Förstemann.
To the illustrious, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Johansen, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave in Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, my gracious lord. 1)
In S. F. G. selbs Handen.
Sublime, Highborn Prince, my poor prayer to God Almighty and submissive obedient services are ready to E. F. G. before. F. G. ready beforehand. Gracious Lord! I humbly inform you that Doctor Martinus arrived here in Worms today on a Saxon cart, together with a brother, 2) Niclas von Amsdorf, canon of Wittenberg, and a learned nobleman from Pomerania, called Schwofenius [Suaven]. In front of the chariot rode the skillful imperial Ernhold together with his servant, and led his clothes with the eagle on his arm. Behind the carriage rode the licentiate Jonas 3) of Nordhausen with his servant.
1) In the original this inscription is damaged and therefore in Förstemann with leaving gaps. But at the beginning "vnd leuchtigen" will not be read correctly. We have added the same.
2) That is, an Augustinian monk, namely Petzensteiner (see No.553), since the rule of the order required that an Augustinian should never walk or travel alone. This against Förstemann, who says: "Without doubt Luther's bodily brother is to be understood". Seckendorf correctly: Monaotio.
3) Justus Jonas had joined the train in Erfurt.
a servant. Many also rode out to meet him, namely from my most gracious lord's court He Bernhard von Hirschfeld, He Hans Schott, Albrecht von Lindenau, Schenk, with six horses, and many other servants of the princes. So he arrived here at ten o'clock, when they were eating. Nevertheless, more than two thousand people surrounded him until he reached his inn, in which he Friedrich Thun, he Philipp von Feilitzsch and Ulrich 4) von Pappenheim were ordered to lie, not far from my gracious lord at the inn "zum Schwan", where Duke Ludwig of Bavaria was located 2c. So I am told, great honor was done to him in the places in charge of my most gracious and gracious lord in Saxony 2c. He also preached in Erfurt, Gotha and Eisenach, and those from Erfurt met him on two roads and kept him honest. But in Leipzig they did not ask much about him, only the council gave him wine. As far as I am able, I will let E. F. G. know how things are going with him in the next message. However, E. F. G. did not omit to inform him of this, 2c. the Romanists did not receive any favor that he came, and were not a little frightened. For they had always hoped that he would stay away and not appear, so that they would have reason to proceed further against him. But the old God is still alive, he creates everything according to his divine will. I did not want to behave in the best way to E. F. G. in all submissiveness. I also entrust myself to F. F. G. as my gracious lord, in the hope that F. F. G. will graciously signify me. Dat. Worms, Tuesday after Misericordias Domini [April 16] in the year 2c. 1521.
E. F. G.
subordinate chaplain Veit Warbeck.
4) In the original "vtz", which Seckendorf correctly resolved by Illrious.
Spalatin's account of Luther's arrival at Worms.
From Spalatin's p. 39.
Lutherus thus came in God's name to Wurmbs, Tuesday, after Misericordia Domini [16. April], with Mr. Justus Jonas, who was still a licentiate of law, and not yet a doctor of holy scripture nor provost of Wittemberg; although it was ready for the time being, and Peter von Schwafen, and witness to the Comptor of the Order of St. John, with whom Vtz von Pappenheim, the hereditary marshall of the empire, and Fridrich von Thun and Herr Philipp von Feilitzsch, both knights, also lay in residence.
559. Luther's own account of it.
See No. 550.
Now I entered Worms on an open little wagon in my cap; all the people came to the gaff and wanted to see the monk D. Martinum, and so I drove to Duke Frederick's inn, and Duke Frederick was also afraid that I was coming to Worms.
The bishop of Mainz would have done something else, because I should have come to Worms, and if I had been as fearful as he, I would not have come.
B. The discussion of the papists immediately after Luther's arrival. Luther's arrival, whether he should be given a safe conduct, and of their efforts with the emperor, as well as other cunning attempts to get him to do so.
560 Luther's relation, how the most secret imperial councillors, immediately after his arrival, when asked by the emperor how Luther's matter should be handled, advised him to put Luther aside. The imperial majesty, however, answered them most praiseworthily; whereby it is also reported how the princes
of Palatinate and Brandenburg have clashed so sharply over this point that they have resorted to knives.
See No. 550.
When they had learned of this, my enemies, they had partly suggested to the resoinäenäa Läo publioa that I should not be escorted. But the Count Palatine of the Rhine and Elector had opposed this, that I should be escorted, that and no other; he was also at odds with the Elector of Brandenburg, Margrave Joachim the Old, that they both took up knives.
The emperor had also ordered his most secret councilors, of whom there were eight or ten (among them D. Modo, Bishop of Palermo, Chancellor in Flanders), to deliberate, now that Luther had arrived, in what manner her Majesty should proceed with Luther; they replied: they had discussed the matter more extensively, and found no better counsel than that her Majesty should first set Luther aside and have him killed, and allege the example of Johann Hus, whom Emperor Sigismund might well have led to the Concilium in Costnitz, yet he was burned. Reason: because one was not obliged to give or keep a heretic a certain escort. But Emperor Carl had given this laudable answer: What one promises, one shall keep.
Luther's more distant account of how the Papal Nuncio Caracciolus at Worms had urged that he be burned, but Cochläus had offered to enter into a disputation with Luther if Luther would give him safe conduct, and how badly Cochläus was treated.
See No. 550.
Caracciolus stopped hard at Worms, they should burn me, but the Count Palatine and princes of Bavaria did not want to break the escort; it would also have turned into a riot.
den. Cocleus also came to me in Worms and wanted to dispute with me, and I alone was to recite the escort. But Vollrat von Watzdorff would soon have given him the escort, so that blood would have run over his head if he had not been resisted.
562. Ulrich von Hütten's letter to Marinus Caraccioli, in which he criticized him for his
The people of the country are called upon to leave Germany.
This letter is found in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1551), toin. II, toi. 176 b.
Translated into German.
Ulrich von Hütten, knight, wishes Marinus Caracciolus, Roman envoy, to do right.
1 I did not believe, Marinus Caracciolus, those who praised you with all their might as an honest man, when you were in Mainz two years ago. For I had never heard that a good envoy had ever been sent here from the city of Rome. But I would not have thought that you would be so boldly wicked that in the midst of this great assembly of princes and people in Germany, where the cause of freedom is being fought and Roman injustice is being denounced more strongly than ever, you still dare to carry on your haggling and to go in for theft, robbery and drudgery.
For what else is there to think or say, since at the time when we Germans are working in earnest to shake off the yoke, you are collecting and extorting money from nowhere but from ourselves, so that you can fight against us? We cry out against your cruel and abominable tyranny, resist violence, reject rule, do not want to accept power, sigh for freedom, and act so firmly and steadfastly in this that it has long been thought that you are now hated enough by the common people and have been called evil. But you (Caracciole), as if this did not concern you at all, always continue in your wicked hucksterism as surely as ever, and forgive the sins of some for money, but allow others to sin for a named sum of money. You demand money for marriages from the young people in Germany. You let yourselves be deprived of the human and divine right, of what is permitted and respectable, of everything.
buy. Faith, religion, right and wrong you offer for sale, take gold and silver against the laws, and extort money from our poor in an ungodly way. O outrageous insolence! 2c.
And soon after
(3) Neither the present state of things nor the change of times, which you must pay close attention to, frightens you from such a beginning. For how could I believe that you could have turned either to shame, of which you Romans have nothing, or to the fear of God, whose existence you do not believe? Behold, the righteous legate, the only pious envoy of the pope of all, whom the Roman courtiers have so praised to me with great pomp and ostentation! What should you not have subjected yourselves to exceedingly ungodly acts, if you had lived in the times when in Germany no voice, not even sighs, were free? when against your wickedness no one dared to protest or even to look askance? How could you have acted there, since now, when we hope for the best and things are not at all bad for us, you dare to seek profit so miserly, in such an immoderate way, and in our fatherland here, before all the eyes of the people who are rushing to freedom from all sides, to confiscate our fortune 1) and to drag the money away from here?
You do not even secretly pursue this shameful profit, nor do you think of covering your shame in any way. That is why I could not believe it for a long time when I was told that you had demanded 300 gold florins from someone who wanted to marry the woman whose godfather he was. When he, both because he despised you for being stingy and because he saw that such a deal of yours was most unjust and had been made against all law and honor and the laws of Christ, he would have offered eight. You would have answered: "For eight gold florins you would not speak a word, let alone spoil seal and letter. But shortly after that I heard more and more. Only because of one piece you answer me: What right or fairness is it that he who has taken a wife, whose son he once led to confirmation, should pay 70 guilders? And yet you insisted so stubbornly that when he offered you only 10, you told him to pack himself away before your eyes, as if he were unpleasant to look at, because he thought so little of your antics.
1) Instead of confiscari we have assumed conüsoars.
How dear you have not sold the freedom to eat all winter long! For whom have you granted the use of butter without money, or of milk and eggs, since you yourselves eat the flesh of four-footed animals and birds without distinction? But I interpret this as a kind of fate of the Christian people, that they could have been heard in such a way that they did not see that if something should not be eaten, unless the pope had allowed it beforehand, it would at least never be proper to buy it with money.
6 But this is your outrageous insolence, that you do what people of understanding could not suffer at any time, in these turbulent times, when everyone is striving for a change. Could your fierce desires not have lasted until this Diet was over? which is being held primarily to make Germany free again, so that you can no longer rob, cheat and steal here, and so that those to whom it belongs to rule the world are no longer interest-bearing for the city of Rome. Let the corrupt customs which you have brought from there be abolished, and the consciences of the people be freed, so that the truth may come to light, the gospel may resound in the ears of the common people, and the popes' statutes may be banished beyond Africa and India, so that the bulls may not plague Germany henceforth, and they may remain as far away from us as the legal disputes from the city of Rome which may arise over our ecclesiastical authorities. In short, that the Germans be free and true Christians 2c.
And soon after
7 You caught the opportunity and persuaded the young prince [Carl] a little, since he did not yet know what was due to him or in what state he would be. He gave in, he conceded. But what will he do when he learns afterwards what all German emperors have learned before, that the Roman bishops do not keep their word, and neither bind themselves to covenants nor promises, nor comply with treaties? What will he do when (as will certainly happen) he is cunningly deceived by you, deceived with lies and deceit, shamefully and ungodly deceived and cheated? Will he not then realize that we have given good counsel in vain, but you have carried out your cunning and deceit for so great a reward? But, O how wretched he is, if he does not already realize that he is being deceived, since you act so openly, and do not go further into your traps. Yes, wretched he is, if he, deceived by you, so
that he cannot return other than to his greatest detriment. For this I worry, and therefore warn him in times. But now he does not hear, for you have held the ears that belonged to me; you have occupied and taken them. But they will be open once for a best counsel; wanted only GOD, before suffered harm. For no sirens are heard by shipmen with such danger, as the Roman caresses by the Christian princes.
(8) This I say to you, Marine, and command it: Stop perverting the mind of the pious youth; stop having the head of the princes and the people of the Germans as a mockery. Or do you hope that you can be tolerated here any longer, since you not only plunder us but also make us worse? Yes, I tell you, get out of here and leave at once. For although Germany, with its great damage, already knows that no honest orator or legate will be sent from Rome, it has nevertheless experienced this in you in particular. So much is lacking that it should suffer this forever that I rather believe it will avenge this on you before you take it into your heads to guard against it. You will well know what great misdeeds have come from you among the people. You see that they point at you with their fingers and wave over you. You see and realize clearly that we can no longer contain our pain and frustration. After being out of our minds for too long, we are now becoming wise again. Since we have been charmed with miraculous things for so many years, our eyes have now opened. Let, you villains, your ungodly thievery, your shameful robbery, your drudgery and unjust judgments stand. We have tolerated this for so long.
The darkness that you once covered over our eyes has departed from us. The gospel is preached, the truth is taught, your laws are no longer valid, the Roman vain things are mocked. One hopes for freedom. Do not think that you will continue to have as your prey those who have no desire for injustice. Henceforth you will not be allowed to corrupt the morals, to strangle the consciences, to turn the minds. Your power has been stopped. And if you do not put away your fair of exceedingly trivial things, if you, as another Verres, do not cease to sweep away (verrers) the money from here and to open your mouths after our goods, then you will certainly burden yourselves with a great misfortune 2c.
1844 Erl.Briefw.Ill, 123f. Sect. 5. L.'s Verhör v. Kaiser u. Reich. No. 562 ff. W. LV, 2I9I-2IS3. 1845
And soon after
I will break through to Carl's ears, which have been blocked for so long, yes, break through. He will, he will finally hear my good advice and turn against your will to the one who advises what necessity requires. I will speak before him of your glorious deeds and your most sacredly led mission. I will tell what you have sought here, what you are found to be. I want to say that all of you, as much as you have been sent here, you envoys of the Roman bishops, have been traitors to Germany, oppressors of this nation, and violators of all law and all equity for several centuries now. That is what I want to say, and you will have nothing to say against it. Therefore, pack yourselves from here, pack yourselves. What are you delaying, wicked one? Why are you hesitating, the worst thief of all those who have ever stolen here, the worst robber, the worst cheat, the worst rogue? Know that this is a most salutary warning for you, and also the last!
Some rhymes written on Joh. Cochläus at Worms.
From Kapp's "Nachlese," Part II, p. 494.
Rhyme translated into German by M. A. Tittel.
O thou mad brood of snails, 1) Who does evil to Luther. Who is called the pattern of fools, A race of sluggish spirit!
That gives rise to poetry, And pushes the horns away, Since only mud and drool are, Since a foot finds to tread (stomp), Which one cheaply calls peelers. Nor from mad fools separates, Which one counts with to hypocrites. Whose envy torments Luther.
A sex that misses itself, If it is impudent and blasphemous, Luther is fallen by them, That yet stupidly (great) bounces back.
And much sooner a rough cow, And what one finds of donkeys, Can run them down, Than Lutherum, Löffelmann. 2)
1) Ooeülea from Oooülaeo. (Walch.)
2) In Lat.: Limius Oooülasns. But one need not bind oneself so much to the words. Luther calls him
C. Von Ulrichs von Hütten Ennunterungsschreiben an Luther, und von dm Briefen, die er sowohl an den Kaiser Carl als auch an die zu Worms versammelten Geistlichkeit Luthers wegen hat.
564 Ulrich von Hütten wrote two beautiful letters of encouragement to Luther, so that he would not lose heart in the certain hope of divine support, but would continue to fight joyfully for the cause of Christ. From Ebernburg, April 17 and 20, 1521
Two single prints of these letters have appeared, one at Wittenberg in octavo under the title: vuuo all ^lartiuuiri opistolao lllriei ud Hütten, the other under the same title in quarto, without indication of time and place. A copy is in Spalatin's manuscript at Weimar, Lls. Kpulutini, toi. 419 a. Printed in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1551), toin. II, toi. 175; in Burkhard's oonnnent. de Ilutteni tatis ao ineritis, Theil II, p. 210 and in the works of Hutten edited by Wagenseil, von Münch and von Böcking. According to the latter edition, these letters are reproduced in Erlanger Briefwechsel, Vol. Ill, p. 123, but the first letter with the wrong date "April 18, 1521" instead of: April 17.
Translated into German.
a. First letter.
To Martin Luther, the unconquerable theologian and evangelist, my holy friend.
May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! He send thee help from the holy place, and strengthen thee out of Zion. He will give you what your heart desires and confirm all your requests! May he grant all your requests and hear you from his holy heaven, in the strength of his right hand [Ps. 20:2, 3, 5, 7]. For what else shall I wish you, most worthy Luther, my dear venerable father, at this time? Be confident and undaunted [Jos. 1:6]. You see what kind of game is being played against you and what kind of door is being opened. You must never doubt me. If you remain steadfast, I will cling to you until my last breath.
otherwise, from cochlouri, snot spoon. And a spoon man, who has honed his trunk more to drink and eat than to speak anything clever, can also rhyme with this fchlammy snail and monkey species. (Walch.)
002 Many dogs have compassed thee round about, and the company of the wicked have gathered themselves about thee. They have opened their mouths against you like ravening and roaring lions [Ps. 22:17, 14]. They are glad and rejoice over you who pursue you 1) [Ps. 40:17], but the Lord takes care of you [Ps. 40:18] and will repay the arrogant. He will help you against the wicked and stand by you against the wicked. He will repay them for their wrongdoing and destroy them in their wickedness [Ps. 94:2, 16, 23]. So it will certainly happen, so, my Luther. For God, the just and strong judge, can no longer remain silent about such great wickedness.
3) Fight bravely for Christ, and do not give way to the evils, but face them with confidence. 2) Suffer as a good fighter for Jesus (2 Tim. 2,3], that you may awaken the gift of God that is in you, 3) and be sure that he in whom you have believed will be able to preserve your salvation until that day (2 Tim. 1, 12]. I also want to be brave; but the difference between our two intentions is that mine is human, but yours is much more perfect and already depends entirely on divine things. If God wanted, I could see with what kind of eyes those 4) look at you, what kind of faces they make, how they pull together their eyebrows. I imagine all kinds of terrible things, and I believe that I am not wrong; but I hope that it is time for the Lord of hosts to cleanse the vineyard that the wild sows have rooted up and the wild beasts have destroyed [Ps. 80:14]. So much recently in greatest concern for you. Christ keep you! From Ebernburg, April 17, 1521, in haste. 5)
Ulrich von Hütten.
b. Second letter.
Martin Luther, the invincible theologian and evangelist, his friend,
Hail in Christ, the Savior! Who will stand with me against the wicked? Who will stand by me against the wicked? [Ps. 94:16.] My Savior Christ, heavenly Father and Holy Spirit!
1) Huts here has taken yuasrsntks in this meaning.
2) Vir^. ^.sn. lib. VI, v. 95: In N6 esckk malis, contra anäsntior ito.
3) The Erlanger Briefw. has äonniin in the text here, but the note: "Is äonurn to be read? cf. 2 Tim. 1, 6."
4) "those" at the Reichstag.
5) Bucer delivered this letter to Luther on April 18, and then immediately returned to Ebernburg.
What do I hear? What horrible things? Is the fury itself no fury compared to their hostile madness. I see that swords and bows, arrows and guns are needed to resist the rage of evil spirits. 6) But you, dearest father, be confident and undaunted. Do not be overthrown. They may scream, roar and rage; give these monstrous beasts the middle finger. More and more I see that every good thing is favorable to you. You will not lack defenders, and you will never lack avengers. 7)
(2) As to what you write, that you have been dealt with secretly, it is not for us to advise you. For we have no doubt that you will choose what will be best and insist on it. Many have come to me, and out of zeal, concerned for you, have spoken thus: If only he did not waver! If only he would answer steadfastly! If only he would not let himself be struck down by any terror! I have always answered to this: You would be a Luther. And I have also met it. For I see that you have answered in such a way that we will not lack. But persevere to the end. May Christ help that the wicked, to their great sorrow, find you so. The caution of my friends, who fear that I would dare something too great, compels me to hold still, otherwise I would have rushed some mob to the walls [of Worms] for those with the hats. But in a little while I must be released; when I am released, you will see that I too will serve in this way the spirit that God has awakened in me. 8) I sincerely desire to see you; love urges me to do so. Tell us about all your things and conditions, and farewell. 9) We have Franz [von Sickingen] fervently on our side. The rest is written to Spalatin. Again, farewell. Before you leave, would you like to see Franz; he wishes that very much. I hear that they will release you in a short time, a certain emperor writes to me. Christ keep you. From Ebernburg, April 20, 1521, in haste, without having read it over.
Ulrich von Hutten.
6) This sentence is missing in the Wittenberg.
7) Instead of this sentence, the Wittenberg edition reads: For the thing which you do is not yours, but that of him to whom the Lord said, Sit at my right hand 2c.
8) This sentence is missing in the Wittenberg.
9) The following to the date is missing in the Wittenberg".
565 Ulrich von Hütten's letter to Emperor Carl the Fifth, in which he emphatically presents to him the great oppressions of Germany by the Roman court and its courtiers, and humbly requests that he not be so taken in by the papal side, and that he paternally ensure general peace, but especially that he hear the innocently accused Luther, who is ready to take responsibility with such joy of conscience, and that his apologies take place.
April 1, 1521.
This letter is found in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1551), tom. II, col. 182. We have given the title of a German translation at No. 594.
Translated into German.
To the unconquerable and pious Emperor Carl V, Ulrich von Hütten wishes Heil!
If you, O emperor, had decided of your own free will to suffer some great and special harm for the common good of Germany, or to put yourselves in obvious danger, we Germans, according to our love for you, would certainly prevent you from doing so with all our might. For we would grieve that we should be helped with your harm or the slightest disadvantage for you. But how much more is it fitting to do this, since you, deceived by error, are going to your doom to our great harm and immense misfortune for the common being! For what else is there in Luther's cause but the oppression of our liberty and the fall of your state, and the desecration of your sovereignty? For this reason, I think, all of us must earnestly endeavor to prevent you from hastening to such a great ruin for the common people and yourselves, and to bring it about, with exhortations, warnings, and also with petitions and entreaties, that you will take such a decision, which will be respectful both to your race and to your high dignity. Not that I think anything is done by you out of evil mind or opinion, but because between a well-meaning conscience and exceedingly harmful motives you cannot discern what you should resolve and do.
2 Therefore, at least for a while, chase the priests away from you, who are not at all suitable to be bothered with in these times, partly because it is known that this kind of people never did your ancestors, the Roman emperors, any good.
partly because we really see that they are now advising exceedingly harmful things. For what could happen to you that is more unjust than what they say, if you, since you have accused Luther, do not give him any room for responsibility? and what greater misfortune and worse example could befall us than if a defender of common freedom were punished? And yet they are pushing you with all their might so that both may happen. Yes, they say that they have already forced an edict upon you by which the world is forbidden to read his books, and even his life is endangered, to great general sorrow; first, because we see that the freedom that is now reemerging is thereby opposed by a great obstacle; second, as it is said, that the unruly people have proposed this burden for him through their council, not because they thought of promoting the common good, but because they only want to exercise their revenge.
What is it to you, then, that the bishops' private hatred should concern you, in this assembly, when the princes and peoples of Germany have come together, to deal with common matters? Has this state ever rendered such services to the common good that the most necessary matters are left undone, and only the questions of the clergy are dealt with? However, even if this should be the case, I still think that because they desire things that are quite unreasonable and highly detrimental to this realm and to all of Christendom, they should not be allowed to do so.
They accuse Luther and cry out about him as a heretic, but they do not see what hard accusations these are. They complain and shout, but in such a way that they want to have him condemned by you unheard, and they lie in your ears with all their might that you should not let him come to any responsibility. Has Germany ever seen anything more unjust? Has it ever experienced greater shame? Not to hear a man accused of such a great crime, when he asks for it; and not to suffer him to apologize or to answer to what is put before him, when he so ardently begs for it? My skin shudders and I tremble and am horrified at the mere thought of such a thing, which is contrary to all ancient usage, custom, law, justice and religion.
5 For if Luther were not the man who restored the evangelical truth, which had not been practiced for so long, and preached it with the utmost diligence and earnestness, who distributed your sovereignty against those who made it contemptible, he would not have been the man who had preached it in the first place.
If a man who has committed a crime is not given room to answer for it, it is not possible according to any law or legislation that one who has committed a crime should not be given room to answer for it. For even murderers are not deprived of their defense. And there is no crime in the world so great that it should not be brought to trial rather than punished.
(6) Therefore it comes about that you see all honest hearts in all classes in disquiet. For as far as Germany goes, there are certainly no pious people who do not take this matter very much to heart. They are astonished at the unusual thing; they are surprised at the unheard-of, unbelievable news; they are almost beside themselves when they consider such an extraordinarily atrocious, despicable, wicked, ungodly thing. Some also show by grumbling and indignation how badly they are disposed to it.
Only the idle priests are exempt from this, and they complain against Luther because he has written and spoken against their statutes, against their excessive power, against their indulgence and dissolute life, for Christ's teachings, for the freedom of the fatherland and for good morals. For they murmur that their gain is destroyed, and their leisurely life interrupted, and their tyranny subdued. Because they interpret this differently, the opinion prevails almost everywhere that all of Luther's teachings contain the worst heresy. Therefore, Pope Leo has sent these envoys from the city of Rome, who, with the help of the bishops and cardinals, are to prevent this innovation from arising for them, and that the authors of such a movement are soon suppressed and subdued unheard, unsworn, unreproved, and without knowledge of the matter.
8 On the other hand, all pious and brave men, who are an ornament to you at home and your strength outwardly, whose counsel in time of peace and whose power in war can be useful to you, unanimously desire that nothing be done contrary to the laws, contrary to law and usage. Therefore, you must now come to the decision whether you would rather strike before the head those who have always been accustomed to put themselves in danger for their emperors, and are still more than willing to do so, or whether you would prefer to please those who, if you were not happy now, would soon leave you; and whether you would rather harm those who have to protect your kingdoms and lives than deprive them of their completely dishonorable pleasure, who, when you are in the slightest distress, neither help you nor help you.
We know how to give advice. For what do the adversaries seek with Luther's condemnation other than their good life?
9 Therefore look to those whom you can regard as faithful companions in all danger, and make them your friends, and bind them to you with benevolence and gentleness, which can be both an honorable comfort to you in peace and a firm protection in war. But let go of those who are inexperienced and impatient not only in wars but also in all important deliberations, and who can help you nothing in adversity but can only harm you in happiness and prosperity. But these you have now, when everything is well around you, closely associated with you, and they cling to you as loyal friends, but if the tide should turn only a little, and misfortune should break in, you would soon see them running despondently from you as shameful turncoats and renegades. For they are used to be only companions of fortune, and even then not at all faithful.
(10) I could prove with examples, which are not far-fetched, into what misfortune these people have often plunged our princes before, into whose friendship they had crept just as flatteringly as these now, and show how such people's manner and habit should be reasonably suspicious to us.
(11) For if there were nothing else, should it not be considered that, since they are under the Roman Pontiff and are bound to him by oath, they cultivate the friendship of the emperors only to the extent that it is right for him, and do not get involved in anything from which they cannot wriggle again if he calls them back and withdraws them? They often speak and do many things here to please him; indeed, they advise you to do nothing that they do not recognize as good and useful for him. You would see this clearly in their actions now, if they had not taken over your whole mind beforehand. But think better of it. Rip such a great pledge out of the hands of the wrongful owners and give it back to those whose property it should be.
(12) In saying this, I do no injustice to the holy bishops and priests. For if they are such people, they will not want to deal with matters that do not concern them. For they have to take care of the churches, and their office is to benefit everyone with warnings, exhortations and teachings, to harm no one, and to diligently see that no soul is lost through error; which they cannot do if they are at the same time involved in the affairs of the kingdoms. But the exceedingly proud and lecherous people only take the episcopal
They are eager to take on the dignity, but they do not want to carry the burden; they seek the benefit, but they flee the burden; they pursue the profit, but they shun the work. And since they defiantly boast of their title and name, and enrich themselves with money and fortune, they nevertheless leave their work and office behind in such a way that we see that they completely despise what they are.
(13) Then you, O emperor, must also see to it that you do not incur some blame in this matter. For you must leave them to their official duties and not drag them from spiritual to worldly matters, but rather, if they fall into other matters, direct them back to their own and stop them. But as things stand now, you must consult brave men and not allow yourselves to be abused by such weaklings and opulent people. If they are of any use, it seems most unreasonable that Germany should be governed according to their will. For they are generally devoted to pleasure, and indulge in laziness and sloth; in important deliberations little can be done with them. That is why they take and give everything to pure lasciviousness, and although they pretend to be godly on the outside, they are secretly full of all shame and evil deeds. But if they are pious and righteous, as they should be, you owe them honor and respect, but not riches and dominions. And if you give them these, you do wrong, because they are thereby led away from their office.
But there is another thing behind it. You will not retain the love of Germany (which is now very great toward you and which you must try to win more and more) if you do not let it go. You could have noticed how recently people everywhere have become very sad, since they saw you surrounded by so many, not brave war heroes, but by those with the hats and a large crowd of priests at your first entry up the Rhine. For they thought they were seeing something quite unusual and of which they had not been aware, and that the honor and respectability of the German nation would be forfeited immediately and right at the beginning. Nothing was more sensitive to them than this. And since they had heard Aleander's highly improper request soon after, many were about to do something worthy of them, and they would have submitted to it if it had not been beyond doubt to them that you yourselves would be moved by this impropriety.
15 Therefore, you must certainly see both what you allow the Roman Pontiff to do against us and what you allow the Roman Pontiff to do against us.
and what kind of opinion you will get from the people. Remember that you are now taking your first steps, and take care how you start things right, and what hope you give for the future. But you must prevent the Roman companions from usurping our rights, but you must not allow or help them to put a harder yoke on the neck of this nation. Do you want to put him, who tried to prevent you from becoming emperors as much as he could, above the emperors? Yes, do you want to give him the power to rule yourselves? Do you want to cede so much of your sovereignty to anyone, let alone to him who has so clearly shown how he is disposed against you? And you, who are supposed to rule over all, do you want to make yourselves servants to anyone? Where then is the promise you made so beautifully to the princes who chose you as emperor, that you would seek to restore much that had been snatched from the empire? Fulfill at last what Germany expects on account of your promise, and do not let us fall into despair, as if no justice could be hoped for in the future; do not stand in your own way, and do not bring misfortune upon yourselves of your own free will. You have enough misfortune to fear from fate; do not bring upon yourselves the most miserable misfortunes, and do not bring gloom upon yourselves.
According to the love we bear you, we ask that you maintain the majesty in the kingdom and do not betray yourselves to those who trample your majesty underfoot. And if this cannot be preserved, we implore for the sake of your welfare that you at least have mercy on us and do not expose the whole nation, so many noble estates, so many brave men, whose freedom you should seek to preserve, but not to promote their servitude, to the greatest shame at the same time as you. We have been greatly disgraced in various ways in recent years; do not let this happen to you, that you want to serve those over whom you can and should rule, and in such a way that you at the same time impose the utmost servitude on us. For how has Germany been so guilty that it should perish with you and not for you? Lead us rather into obvious danger; lead us into fire and sword; let all nations rise up against us, all peoples break forth, all people's weapons strike at us, so that in danger we rather let it depend on brave resistance, than that we
1) Instead of st in the Wittenberg, read uisi.
so pusillanimous, so unmanly, without weapons and deathblow, like women, subject and serve.
It was hoped that you would remove the Roman yoke from us and tear down the tyranny of the popes. God grant that what follows may be better than the beginning! For although fear has not yet risen to the highest level, there cannot yet be any real confidence in such humiliation, since such a great emperor, the king of so many nations, is so willing to serve that he cannot be forced to do so. For only believe that the Germans would have seen it sooner if someone had found you weaker in the quarrel and had overcome you, that he had forced you to accept unreasonable peace conditions, than that they now see that you have been sent here by two very bad legates from the city (Rome) with extremely imperious orders, with exceedingly imperious orders, that you concede everything, refuse nothing, so that the foreigners despise us, because they see that we are so unfit to rule over others that we allow ourselves the most abject servitude.
18 Your grandfather was criticized for allowing the scribes too much and having too many of them at his court. What will people say of you, who have so many lords and masters, when cardinals with their hats and bishops with their caps swarm around you, since the latter still retained his prestige among his own, however powerful they were.
19 But it would seem that the friendship recently made with the pope would be for the common good, for these Romans have at last once kept faith with those with whom they have made treaties. They may have kept such treaties once, but should you not also think of the Florentine kind, you could still be charmed, especially since they have already been caught in fraud two or three times? But what kind of friendship is this with one who gives a law according to which he owns yours and subjects you to it, so that no equality remains in the least? For how these things of yours have been received by the people, it is not necessary to tell at length. You have already been able to notice by many manifold and clear testimonies that such alliances with those people are not at all dear to us, that we rather have a horror and abhorrence of them, and will never be satisfied with them as long as they take such liberties here, which cannot be permitted by free people. How many such treaties has Maximilia
nus with them, which he often raised again when they expired; and yet, shortly before his death, he testified: that none of the popes, who in his time had been some thirty years after each other, had kept faith with him.
20 But you imagine better things. It may be. I suppose that he would keep everything that has been agreed between you, but it is neither an honor for you nor a suffering for Germany that you should buy peace at this price. For you not only grant him the empire, Italy and Rome, the seat of the imperium, but also consent to his plundering Germany as often as he pleases. Nor do you refuse to pay him money for the annuities or to buy the palliæ. Yes, you allow a fair to be held here with bulls, and allow the Roman courtiers not only to live but also to rule. Shall a friendship made at such a price, a peace made on such terms, be accepted as being for the common good? Thus say they (say you) who are my counselors. I know well that they say it. For in order to enter into such things and to advise, the priests have made themselves about you and have taken you over completely. For they are pleased to let all the Roman knaves go, lest, if they were controlled, their turn should come at last to them also.
(21) But you, how can you excuse yourselves that you torture with edicts those who godly counsel you and want to lead you into better ways (only to help those your friends in all their seeking), and soon after that you intend to punish them with eight and death? For this is what they boast of, and it is contained in your edict. Therefore they wish for happiness, as if Luther were already suppressed, and threaten me with the most terrible things. Whatever you may intend in it, I will not cease to care for your preservation, if you have nothing but my destruction in mind. I will also try to pull you back from the fall against your will, to protect you from the downfall and to save you from the ruin. With me it may go, as God and my fate wants!
22 But I think that at present it depends a lot on how Luther is treated by you, not only because it is extremely shameful to condemn an innocent man, but also because I do not know whether a worse example than this can be given if he is condemned innocently. For who will advise you freely?
When you not only get no thanks for useful advice, but even punishment? The time will come when you will gladly give much for such a counselor. And you must not think that few care for him. For although you do not see many who are pressing this matter with you, you should know that because the Germans always advise their cause with deeds rather than words, that Luther's welfare is very dear to everyone's heart, and now many are grumbling about the fact that you could be induced to announce this edict. And what more do you want to expect from those who talk a lot, from whose sighs and sadness you already see what they want? And even if this were not the case, you should not deprive anyone, let alone one who stands up for your highness, of the right to answer.
(23) If you still have any doubts about the matter, this should teach you what a matter it is that his enemies are so eager to seek his condemnation from you, and this should show you how their consciences must be, since they take such great pleasure in the fact that he should be in trouble; for which reason they also rejoice about the omitted edict everywhere without any secret, and publicly reveal their meaning. For would they pursue the matter so diligently with you if they knew that their accusation was of such a nature that you would have to be satisfied with it even if the defendant were also to answer? And do you not see, then, that they do not ask you both for a proper court to punish a guilty man, and that they aim at violence by which you should suppress an innocent man, desiring this with the highest zeal, that you should not let Luther come or answer his cause, or answer what is brought before him, or that he may clear himself of the crimes laid against him? But would they also have such joy over this edict, if there were something good in them?
(24) Oh, get rid of that perverse generation of yours, which has nothing human about it at all, but fights against the pious with pure rage and fury, in order to have the vices free! And all this in such a way that you (for whose honor and respect we have to take care) are also involved in such disgrace and dishonor. Away with such people!
(25) Let the Romans also leave completely, who have not come here to either make friends with the pope for you, or to otherwise promote the common good, but to help you.
We are only here as idle spectators, spying out all our words and deeds so that they may be carried to Rome. Since the cautious Leo knew that there was danger, he sent you these pawns, which he could easily muck out, two arch-peelers, full of evil plots; one, an exceedingly cunning hypocrite; the other, a daring and baseless villain, but both without good reputation or any virtue and modesty. And they have thought it their duty to act wickedly, wickedly, unjustly, and unjustly in everything with you. And nothing else has been found in them up to now. But what they seek, they have decided, when flattery and cunning do not bear fruit, to drive through with terror and threats. Aleander recently confessed this clearly, and we are to let such people, who carry out such dealings, escape from here with impunity? You almost want to let it happen,' as you can see.
But believe for sure that there are still people in Germany who, even if they have to give you a push for a while 1) (which will always be useful afterwards), intend to do something praiseworthy and glorious. And these, together with all pious people, now ask and implore you with me that you let yourselves be turned away from evil and harmful error, and from such harmful counselors, and that, when you see how Germany is now, and how the people are minded, you incline to those who advise you what is useful and honest, and who, if it is necessary, want to and can carry out the counsel with action.
27 That you also listen carefully to Luther, and do not repel such a man, whom, even if he were guilty, you could well give the wish of so many good and righteous people, from the law and from the laws to which he resorts. For even if he shies away from them, he should still be heard, how much more now that he wants to defend his cause with such joy of conscience. For even if he were suspected by everyone, he should not be denied permission to purify himself. Much more, since all good people know and are aware of his honesty, and since he is accused only by a very few who resent him because of his virtue, you must not allow anything that goes against the laws, the old custom, and common usage. We ask you this for the sake of your imperial promise.
28. and because one knows well what is more about
1) That is, if you had to do something that would be annoying to Emperor Carl.
If Luther's cause hangs in the balance, believe that all of Germany is kneeling at your feet, pleading and beseeching you with tears, and calling upon your mercy, pity and help, so that you will save and preserve it, help it back to its right, free it from servitude and rid it of tyranny. For the sake of the most glorious memory of those who formerly suffered servitude under the Romans, masters of the whole world, do not allow us to be subject to the female softlings. April 1, 1521.
566 Ulrich von Hütten's letter to the clergy assembled at Worms, in which he reproaches them with great frankness for their enmity against the evangelical truth and their vicious life, and exhorts them to reform.
This letter is found in the Latin Wittenberg edition (1551), tom. II, col. 178.
Translated into German.
Ulrich von Hutten, Knight, wishes the Cardinals, Aebts, Bishops, Provosts, and the entire assembly of priests who now challenge Luther and the cause of truth and freedom at Worms, that they repent and mend their ways!
If it were because of your wicked intrigues, because of which one can no longer walk safely among the people, I would have wanted to preach what I am writing here heartily and with a good conscience into your ears. But because I now see that you suppress the law by force and trample the laws to the ground, I do not want to appear present, but I do not want to withhold my opinion and testimony of truth from you. And how could I refrain from doing so, since I am firmly resolved to stand by the right, even if I have to die, and to fight to my last breath for the freedom of the fatherland against the oppressors and tyrants.
2 And not only when my turn comes (whom you are now saving to I do not know what new misfortune), but also especially now that I see that Martin Luther, who is so pious and blameless that he could not be rebuked even by you enemies to this day, and who is a preacher of truth and faithful steward of the evangelical doctrine, is being dragged around by you with violence and injustice,
I will be tormented and martyred. Since you are quite fine opponents against me, who, because you do not dare to do anything with thorough scriptural truth and scriptural testimonies, or other good and reasonable reasons, you exchange the shield and seize the Greeks' banner, that is, you take recourse to evil plots, arm yourselves with cunning and trickery, and intend to attack us with edicts by a completely new, unheard-of way of fighting. O a new, unheard-of thing, which is suitable for nothing less than your office and profession!
What need have you of compulsion and force, since you are fighting such a battle in which no one need be compelled? Or what need have you of the emperors' letters and charters, since you have so much holy and irrevocable Scripture to defend yourselves? But you have raised your authority even above the laws and ordinances of Christ, and now you want to win not with the testimony of Scripture, but merely with the prestige of your majesty. For you are bishops and priests, and represent Christ's place here. Therefore, you may not be resisted, nor may anything be said against you, nor even thought. For you also submit yourselves to our consciences, and whatever you write or say shall be regarded as holy and sacred. No reason nor witnesses shall be valid against it. You must be heard, you must be followed, you may lead wherever you want.
4 But we will not follow you any further, since you no longer follow Christ. For if you were to follow him, you would be deprived of riches, wealth, ambition, and indulgence, and you would bear his cross. But because you have departed from him, we will not join you as long as you remain away from him. For that we should not be led into error by blind teachers, a better apostle, Paul, warned us long before, when he commanded that we should follow him and his like, who can be an example of life to us, but not follow those who walk evil, the enemies of the cross; Which end, saith he, is damnation, to whom the belly is their god, and their glory is put to shame, because they are earthly minded; for the walk of the apostles (who are in truth) is in heaven [Phil. 3, 18-20.].
(5) And how aptly the apostle pictured you as a prophet, and set your life before the eyes and hearts of all! Or do you not realize that this is said of you, since you are aware of such a life? and all know and see that you walk according to nothing else but well-being?
You hate the cross of Christ because you avoid everything that is hard and difficult, and never tolerate anything unpleasant for Christ, but live your lives in all softness, idleness and well-being. But how should you want to suffer violence, since righteousness is unpleasant to you? or how should you hear words of reproach, since you cannot bear the sound of truth? Indeed, how should you suffer beatings, torture and death for the sake of Christ, since, if you are only awakened from sleep or your pleasure is disturbed in something, you start a war over it?
(6) Therefore, according to the holy prophet's unbreakable saying and prophecy, damnation must come upon you as your end. For you worship your God, the belly, seek your glory in shame, and since you have no walk in heaven, and expect nothing less than Christ, you turn all your cares and thoughts to earthly things.
7 And although you are such people, you presume to rule over laws and customs. And although everything is quite disorderly and confused with you, you still want to lead the rule, and indeed in such a way that one can not appeal to you. Where are the patient people who can bear this? But you, when will you, since so much unrestraint in wrongdoing and shameful deeds have been committed. Will you be moderate in this? Will you not stop once? Will you ask for nothing? respect no one? I am sure that such security will not bring you any good. For if you do not respect such mischief and are not ashamed of your shame in front of anyone, will you not be afraid of God's eyes, which are always watching over you? and will you not fear the punishment that awaits such deeds? You live in such a way that no one would like to let a chaste wife enter your houses, and yet you want to rule the common people! Can we suffer their rule, whose company we flee?
8. see further, how you have nothing at all of Christ and the apostles about you, and yet call your state spiritual, you who are such carnal men that you drive every rational thought far away from you out of lust for the pleasures of this world, and seek nothing else than what can help your rule, wealth, to get on its feet. But you know how to attain wealth through all cunning and disloyalty, and that to no other end than that you get back even worse what you have gained badly, by striving after nothing so much as
that you fill your insatiable gullet, completely given over to indulgence, inclined to laziness, and frozen in the most shameful idleness, so that one would rather call this a tavern or drinking house than a church.
(9) And yet you are not yet satisfied with all this, but still think to put the city of Rome itself right upon our necks; a yoke heavier than men could bear, and more shameful than men should bear, as if there were no savior of liberty anywhere, nor should there be, or as if we had become such cowardly wimps against you that we would never accuse you of error or urge you to amend.
(10) Take a good look at yourselves and consider your deeds; you will certainly realize that it could not possibly come otherwise than that the least of you will finally take the highest liberties against you in this life of yours. Namely, that you may have money only, not for necessity, but superfluous for opulence and indulgence; that you may live in pleasure, and arrange delights deliciously, and that everything may serve your insatiable avarice, everything be turned to your craving for honor, everything be subject to your desires; so that, I say, you alone may carry out everywhere everything according to your desire: for this the benefit of all must be harmed, the need of all must be broken, and none must keep what is his. Finally, for your cause to stand, the gospel must perish. Who has such an insensitive neck, and is so accustomed to the yoke, that he would not shake it off in the face of such a heap of your knavery, especially when a good opportunity is now offered him? or when men do not want it, and there is neither wit nor understanding left anywhere, will not Christ finally stand by his own?
(11) Shall men recognize you as being in the place of the apostles, since you have nothing of their kind? Shall they call you clerics 1) whom God has chosen as the best, to whom he says: I am your portion, since you do nothing less, think nothing less, than what is apostolic and belongs to clerics? yes, since no one lives more perversely than you, no one believes less that there is a God, no one does right and wrong, and mixes and confuses everything that is holy and unholy? For who would trust you even in matters of money, since you are in the habit of saying that it is church profit when something is obtained by fraud.
1) elsrieos from zcAH/rox, the loos, those chosen by GOD.
and cunning, by violence and iniquity, and all know that the Roman Pontiff also easily releases from an oath?
Therefore, either let yourselves be taken for what your life indicates, or prove in your work, life and deeds, 1) what you want to be called. And then, if the deeds will agree, you shall know that you are priests and not lords, servants of God and not rulers of the world. Your good is heavenly, not earthly. For if you have anything other than the Lord, the Lord will no longer be your portion, nor will you be clergy. In this way you are not at all now. For you do everything wrong and disorderly, since you live on our alms and eat our paternal inheritance unworthily, without any thanks, with contempt for God and man. So dear have we bought tyranny that knaves have been exalted. Before, the people of the world revered the sanctity of the clergy; now we must fear their power and wealth.
But you do not preach the gospel yourselves, nor do you let others preach it, except with great caution, because you fear that you might be touched by a swarm; and to Luther, who has told you the truth, you seek to bring destruction. The rest of us, who out of good knowledge contradict your tyranny, you intend to remove from the way. What is to become of it at last? What kind of evils will you not give rise to? If you were still explaining God's commandments to us and preaching the gospel, but in the meantime lived as you do now, we would murmur and say: Why don't you live like that yourselves? But now, if you could do it right away, you are ashamed to teach us, and yet you are not ashamed to live in the worst way. Why do you still arrogate to yourselves the name of priests and bishops, and want to be taken for clergymen? Can anything be more evil than these names and your life and performance?
(14) Finally, if you want to defy the majesty of the honorary offices, put on the perfection of life, that you boast not of the titles of bishops, but of their burdens. For how long will you reap our bodily goods, since in the meantime you sow us nothing of the spiritual? Do you want to live on our money forever, and even cultivate your shameful life with it? When Paul preached the gospel to the Thessalonians, he worked day and night, so that he would not be a burden to them.
1) Instead of kaetu8 read tactig.
He testifies, as if giving an account of his life, that his exhortation was not made out of deceit, impurity, or deceitfulness; neither did he, in preaching the gospel, seek to please men, but Gods: therefore he had no money or vain ambition in himself, and looked only to instruct and supply them with wholesome doctrines and statutes. Do you do any of these things? And since you know that you do not do such things, but are of quite a different nature and set up, yet you dare to take the place of the apostles, and under such a name arrogate to yourselves rights and liberty which no commonwealth could suffer! You want everything to be free against all, but nothing against you. When will you cease from such sacrilege? When will you put an end to such raving?
Pack yourselves away from the purest springs, you unclean swine! Troll out to the sanctuary, you cursed merchants! Do not touch the holy altar with hands so often defiled. For what has the Lord Christ to do with you, who have become servants of unrighteous mammon? You are after the flesh, and therefore respect only what is carnal. This requires spiritual people who are spiritually minded. What have you to do with our parents' alms, which they donated to the poor of Christ and took from us, their heirs, so that it would go to the churches? Why do you abuse what has been given for godly use, for eating and drinking, fornication, splendor and court, while many pious and godly souls suffer hunger? For what purpose have ye all abounded in splendor and revelry, while they that are better than ye, and ought to be in this place, perish for want and frost? Why do you waste and squander the money of the church, which should be distributed to the poor, in carousing, splurging, and other most wicked wickednesses?
16. Do you want to condemn Luther, the invincible preacher of the divine word, while you have no capable man who could awaken the faith of Christ through teaching or exhortation? You who feast in idleness and commit all frivolity, do you want to put difficulties in the way of him who works with all his strength and most diligently in the vineyard of God? Yes, because you see that he produces fruit, you want to oppress him with iniquity! Thus, you lazy and useless people of an
You envy his diligence and effort. Yes, you persecute him because he teaches the truth, which you have thrown behind your backs, and instead of it you have introduced the popes' statutes, all trivial things, but which bring you all serious things (because they serve for profit). And now, after you have taken up his blameless teachings with new lies, you want to destroy and ruin the teacher himself, who is aware of the best merit, out of envy against his virtue and annoyance over the profit you have been deprived of. For you are afraid that, if the gospel were to come back into pregnancy, your power would fall. For since he teaches temperance and wants us to live pure and holy, and his teaching is already received everywhere, you, who are used to boasting and superfluity, fornication and shameful deeds, and who are drowned in them, realize that danger is coming for you. As indeed must happen. That is why you have had his books, which are full of all good instruction, burned here and there, and forbid the human race to read them, and make your heart's thoughts clear, as you would have it that the Germans would not have a skilful man, and that all virtue would fall and perish.
(17) Where is such a gentle man who should not be enraged at such an abominable wrong? What else have you refrained from wickedness? Since the light of truth has long been darkened and Christ's teaching obscured, this divine light has appeared; will you dim it? These are the shepherds of the Christian people to me! who, when they should pray that the word of God may run and be praised, try to prevent and desecrate it. May the Savior Christ look in from heaven, and judge, and at last bring about that such new, such outrageous insolence and impudence may come upon the heads of those who have devised it!
(18) But to you, the anointed and consecrated, no one dares to lay a hand. For while you distort the words of Christ and the prestige of the holy Scriptures with a beautiful pretext for your protection, and the shield of your mischief and mischievousness, and since you are nowhere concerned about religion, but everywhere about your own profit, you draw the whole religion to yourselves, and place yourselves most insolently and boldly at the head of the whole of Christendom. For you are no longer ashamed to say or do anything.
019 But your deceit shall not prosper you for ever, neither shall your cunning help you for ever.
And perhaps the cause is already wavering in a very dangerous way. You know this very well and see that others also notice how much you fear for your cause. For you show by deed enough that, as long as the documents of truth and faith remain unharmed, your tyranny cannot stand. Therefore I wonder how you could have hoped that you would succeed. Did you not think of God's saying: Heaven and earth and everything will pass away, but Christ's words will not pass away? Therefore, as much as you can, you will never succumb to us. We have Christ as our foundation, and therefore we firmly believe that we are safe from any fall.
20 But we would gladly hold you in high honor, if you worked among us and presented us to the Lord. But since we see you only carousing, whoring, and doing nothing but foolishness, and do nothing in a serious way, should we allow you to judge about faith, of which you have nothing, or about religion, which you do not acknowledge by any work? By what magic art do you think you can so deceive us that we do not even wake up? Paul commands and asks through Jesus Christ that we withdraw ourselves from everyone who walks disorderly; and he also wants Timothy to avoid those who think that godliness is a trade. Since this is clearly before your eyes and resounds in your ears, you still hope that we will never get out of the servitude into which we have fallen. And you think it should always be like this, that we eat the bread of grace among you, in which you are extremely nonsensical people and completely insane in mind and spirit. For do you not see that such things can be moved, but not taken away? For you may shake them, but you can never completely overthrow them. But who can believe that your things will last? For he who can see, though you still hope, yet you stand in fearful dread.
(21) Therefore cease to hold before our eyes a fear so utterly trifling, and desist from terrifying us. We know whom we must not do violence to, and before whom we must show reverence or shun their majesty. We also know what is owed to right priests of God; and how this does not mean at all to offend religion, or to profane the sanctuary, if one uses unworthy people, who are not only without virtue, but also by
I am bold to say that none of you is a bishop, for you have all bought the bishopric, and none of you is worthy of the bishopric. For because you have once aroused my bile, I venture to say that none of you is a bishop, for you have all bought the bishopric, and it has not raised any among you his worthiness, but gold to his baton. You have valued the free grace according to money, and therefore you have no grace and are not bishops.
(22) Even if you had not been involved in this money transaction, and had become bishops only by the laying on of hands, your life is not in accordance with it, and we do not see the works of bishops in you, because you do not comply with what Paul, the blameless instructor of this profession, requires of bishops and priests. For he wants them to be blameless and irreproachable, vigilant, sober, humble, stewards of God, hospitable, diligent in all good works, temperate, godly, righteous, able to teach, keeping above true and sound doctrine, That they may be mighty to exhort by sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers, not obstinate, not angry, not contentious, not winebibbers, nor seek shameful gain, nor be covetous, nor have a good report, and not even the suspicion of any evil fall upon them. For he also wants people to have a good opinion of them and not to subject them to blasphemy. And so that you may see how he does not want to suffer evil manners in the bishops, he also demands a righteous and innocent life from their family. If he were to examine the bishops of today, would he tolerate the corrupt way of life in you, since he himself wants the bishops' children and servants to be of blameless morals?
(23) Therefore think how you will know yourselves, and cease from forcing the judgment of the people, and from frightening us, that, though you do not in the least perform the office of bishops, yet we should honor you more than is due to proper bishops. But hear Christ, that if ye shall be guided by his doctrine, ye may also preside over us with fruit. And that ye may be truly holy, not only in name, but also in deed, 1) Forsake the corruptible goods of the world, live moderately here, and let your treasure be in heaven. Instead of the courageous will and good life begin to mourn; instead of insolent and wild
1) dsatl. Lsatitucko vestra was the title of bishops.
Instead of intemperance, learn fasting and sobriety; instead of cruelty, learn mercy; instead of an evil conscience, learn a pure heart; instead of restlessness and turmoil, learn peace; and finally, learn not to strive softly for good life and good days, but to bear hard burdens freshly, to tolerate insults from others, but not to expel them first.
(24) When you begin to be such people, the glorious names will also be yours: Salt of the earth, light of the world, and the like. Then we will call you fruitful branches of that vine, and grant you the right to loose and bind here, that it may be loose and bound in heaven also. For then we shall not see, as now, that ye seek honor from men, but give it to God, or that ye overbear your brother in trade, or oppress him through envy, but walk faithfully in love, admonishing him, and caring for him with doctrine. Therefore, you will not be unbearable because of robbery, as you are now, but you will be popular and pleasing to all through kindness, service and good deeds. For then it will be seen that you do not harm many, but benefit all.
(25) Seek after such things; let this be your purpose in life. For why do you boast about vain titles and think that it is enough for you to be honored by empty names? This is judged by life and deeds. But you must know, according to Paul's teaching, how to walk in the house of God, which is the church of God, a pillar and foundation of truth. For when he prepares a bishop, he says: "Make an effort to show God a righteous and blameless worker, who rightly divides the word of truth" [2 Tim. 2, 15]. And: "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith" [1 Tim. 6, 11. f.]. And again, be an example of believers in word, in walk, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity [Titus 2:7].
But what does he say about himself? [Gal. 1, 10.: "If I were still pleasing to men (he says), I would not be Christ's servant." Likewise, how does John speak? [I John 2:16. "If any man love the world, in him is not the love of the Father. For all that is in the world, as the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the life of hope, is not of the Father, but is of the world." But do not seek (as Jerome warns) the gain of the world in knighthood.
Christ. But prove yourselves in such a manner as bishops, that ye be not for a burden, but for a profit; and, as he saith, not that ye be filled, but that we be not left empty, for whom ye must lay up all things, even life, after the example of the right shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep, and gave you an example to follow.
(27) But why do I bring this up in vain before you, carnal men, who do not accept that which is of the Spirit of God? When I consider this, I cannot help but believe that the dangerous times have come, of which Paul, the seer who never deceived, proclaimed [2 Tim. 3, 2-5.]: "There will be men who think of themselves stingy, boastful, hopeful, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unspiritual, disruptive, unforgiving, abusers, unchaste, wild, unkind, traitors, sacrilegious, puffed up, who love pleasure more than God, who have the appearance of a godly nature, but deny its power." From these words you see quite clearly 1) what kind of people he has described in advance, who would be a hindrance to faith and religion. Or do you not recognize your life and nature as in a mirror?
28. But as he foretold that you would begin the most wicked pieces, and therefore would have to be shunned, so he also foresaw the outcome of this with the same prophetic spirit. For, he says [2 Tim. 3, 8. f.], "in like manner as Jannes and Jambres resisted Mosi, so do these also resist the truth; they are men of broken senses, unfit to believe! But they will not persevere, for their foolishness will be revealed to everyone, just as that one was. And that is why I have often reminded you that such all-too-cruel insolence and intemperate tyranny will finally and inevitably lead you to destruction. For everyone already sees and recognizes that your boldness, born of deceit and mischievousness, is getting infinitely out of hand, and that with the greatest injustice you are taken for leaders, who should improve others with the example of life, and yet are for the most part notorious for lewdness and the most shameful immorality.
29 But there you have devised the deceitful counsel that no man may bring anything against your morals. That is why you first attacked Luther; if he should be condemned, you certainly hope to be condemned with me.
1) Instead of odLeurs in the Wittenberger will read non 06seure.
to become active. But it is quite different with me. For I even hope for victory, not to mention that I should despair of my salvation. But who shall believe of you that you will open the way of virtue, since you close it before the truth? But it will not remain hidden, but will emerge, even against your will, as you can already see with your eyes and grasp it with your hands, that even the stones and sticks themselves, if we were silent, would proclaim it 2c.
And soon after that further:
(30) Did it slip your mind because of intoxication and drunkenness that, when I had recently given you a mild admonition, you immediately shouted against me that I had blown the war trumpet? So unfamiliar was the thing to you, and so unreasonable did it seem to you. That is why you had no hesitation to accuse that mathematician at a respectable meeting as a kind of desecrator of your majesty, because he had caught you in a bird's net, which I don't know who wanted to draw. You are such delicate gentlemen, who are quite sensitive and do not want to suffer the least injustice. You should not be described, not painted, nor somehow depicted in stone. If the least is done, it shall be a crime to death.
(31) And since you want to preserve this, you nevertheless live so exceedingly dissolutely and shamefully that, as you yourselves must judge, you must perish. First you ate away what was on the outside; now you have even come to our marrow. The Christian people will no longer tolerate such oppression, which torments the church of God, because in many places they already call you a ruin of their fortune, a corruption of morals and a plague of life. But you, puffed up by more than Pharisaic conceit and pride (as if what is given to everyone's heart and senses, as it were, could be overcome by any stubbornness), do not stop threatening and inflicting death, and if you knew anything else worse, on Luther, who paves the way for truth and therefore becomes immensely popular with every kind of people, in the grimmest and most terrible way.
(32) Suppose he had erred, though that is the least of your griefs, whether a man believe or speak wrongly or rightly, and you would never have taken up the matter if it had not concerned your power and indulgence; but suppose he had erred, should you therefore rush against him hostilely, as against an enemy, or should you not be against him?
should you have admonished him lovingly as a brother? But where (as long as you were involved in the matter) was the slightest trace of love to be seen in you? Where could a pure heart and an honest mind be perceived in you? Did you not go straight to him and do everything without any reason? Did you not, in order to condemn him innocently, bring against him many things that you had invented and lied against him? Have you not cunningly sought to cut him down and put him on one side to please the Roman pope? Do you not still, since so many honorable people speak against it, deal with the fact that he is condemned unheard, unproven, without accusation and witnesses by the Emperor Carl and declared guilty?
Verily, excellent teachers of life, who treat others with all honesty and gentleness! Is this what it means to be a bishop or a Christian? When others afflicted us, you should comfort us. How it goes against it so wrongly! From whom one should hope all good, they do us all kinds of evil, and offend, afflict and torment us. Shall I not say to you, then, with Ambrose, a saintly and respectable pious man: You have an empty name, but abominable misdeeds; high honor, but shameful life; a godly estate, but ungodly works; a spiritual robe, but unspiritual conduct; a high echelon, but nasty missteps. In the church you have a higher chair, but your conscience is found the lower; you pretend to a deaf voice, but you have a dog-like mind; you show a sheep's coat, but have wolfish cruelty, so that one would say to you with the prophet [Isa. 29:13.], "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
(34) Should not this also rhyme with you? Or is there a measure of what might be said of your life and conduct from the very certain and unmistakable Scriptures? But this will go in one ear and out the other, like everything before. You are so absorbed in Luther that you neither see nor hear before him. This is what envy has done, this is what fury has blinded you, this is what anger has made you completely senseless. Even if I were to overlook everything else about you, the torture you have devised for good heads would be quite unbearable. For what is more base than that one banishes good heads? to burn books? to dampen the sciences? to kill the Scriptures? Will you then also give us the consolation of study and the
Take the fruit of the fruit of the womb? Will you forbid us to speak together and be friendly with each other? You immoderately 1) fierce and barbaric people! If you said this in front of the mob and sewed it among the people, then you would have to 2c.
And soon after:
(35) Now you are in the ears of the emperor, who has filled you with wicked doctrines and exceedingly impious and unholy suggestions, and you have already wrung from him an edict condemning our cause in advance.
But rage, and use your fortune, and spare no one with words and deeds, as you think fit; rage, storm, push, ravage, throw to the ground, and tread under foot, and go forth all fierce and senseless! The time will finally come for us, too. But beware, since you are already the rulers of the youthful emperor, where you are leading such a noble heart astray, since you will infallibly have to give an account to God of all such doings one day. One knows well how he is minded, and how he has long resisted the exceedingly unjust desire. But tired by much persistence, even compelled by threats (for you have become so bold!), he finally, partly to get rid of the complaint, partly to avert the danger, granted and gave what he could not give, and even if he could, he should not give it.
37 You rejoice over this, wish each other happiness, and triumph as if Babylon had been conquered, while we are not greatly distressed about this, as little as about what you still threaten further, as misery, banishment and death; all worthy rewards (as it seems to you) for the fighters of freedom. For even if you bring it about that he cruelly executes the raised eight, and takes away our property, fatherland, even our lives, you still have to fear many things for yourselves, both in the meantime and in the future. 2c.
And soon after:
(38) Learn, you mortal men, in the midst of the most beautiful glimpses of your happiness, to fear its changing form. It cannot last long, which so blindly submits. But perhaps God wills it so that you bring about your own destruction sooner than others intend to inflict it on you: and you yourselves give cause to persecute you sooner than others seek it. 2c.
1) Instead of extremae in the Wittenberg, read "extrem".
And soon after:
But I warn you again, because happiness is now too abundant for you to think that it could change, and to keep your desires and wills in check. You have now reached the highest. You must now no longer think of growth, but henceforth only of the fall. For all who stand high can easily fall. Do not then let your ambition go too far; set a measure and a goal for your money ambition, and let the indulgence decrease. For where will it finally go with such covetousness? Where will the money ambition have limits? Will you not once go into yourselves and think, not where you want to go, but from where you have come? Turn back to the right way, turn back also from your error; if you still can, improve yourselves! It has always been better to go back than to run dangerously forward. Be not enemies of the pious, but avengers of the wicked. Serve others, do not desire to have more and more for yourselves. Act in such a way that we can expect medicine from you, but do not have to fear poison. Control your desires, follow reason, 1) and stop cheating and mischievousness. Those who have been blind for many years will not always have the staar. You see that the air of freedom is blowing, and people, out of frustration with the present, long for a change of the present state.
40 If you consider this, it will be very beneficial for you. But if you continue to defy your good fortune and persistently pursue Luther as before, you will also bring your fate upon yourselves at the same time (for I seem to foresee what will happen). But remember that the avenging eye of God always looks at the lower things and that the judgment hovers over you from above. Know that through the condemnation of an innocent man you will at the same time lose your heads.
D. What high chiefs and other distinguished persons and deputies from the Diet of Worms have been present.
567: List of the princes, bishops, lords, counts and embassies who attended the Diet of Worms.
This writing is found in the Wittenberg edition (1569), vol. IX, p. 1036; in the Jena edition (1564), vol. I, p. 4376; in the Altenburg edition, vol. I, p. 716; and in the Leipzig edition, vol. XVII, p. 571.
1) Wittenberger: nationl instead of: rationi.
Roman Imperial and Christian Royal Majesty in Hispania, Sicily and Jerusalem 2c., Emperor Carol the Fifth.
Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz and Magdeburg, Elector 2c, Cardinal.
Archbishop Hermann of Cologne, Elector.
Archbishop Reinhardt 2) of Trier, Elector.
Count Palatine Ludwig beim Rhein, Elector.
Duke Frederick of Saxony, Elector 2c.
Margrave Joachim zu Brandenburg, Elector.
Archduke Ferdinand zu Oesterreich, Imperial Majesty's brother.
Duke Frederick of Bavaria.
Duke Henry of Bavaria.
Duke Wolfgang of Bavaria.
Duke Hans zu Bayern, zum Hundsruck.
Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria.
Duke Ludwig of Bavaria.
Duke Hans of Saxony 2c.
Duke George of Saxony 2c.
Duke Bugslau 3) of Pomerania.
Duke George of Pomerania.
The Landgrave of Leuchtenberg.
Duke Ludwig zu Bayern, zum Hundsruck, the Younger.
Duke John Frederick of Saxony 2c.
Duke Hans of Saxony, the Younger.
Margrave Joachim the Younger of Brandenburg.
Margrave Casimirus of Brandenburg.
Margrave Hans of Brandenburg.
Duke Erich of Brunswick 2c.
Duke Henry of Brunswick the Younger 2c.
Duke William of Brunswick 2c.
Duke Otto of Brunswick and Lüneburg.
Duke Philip of Brunswick, to the Grubenhagen.
Margrave Philip of Baden.
Duke Christiern of Holstein.
Duke Albrecht of Mechelburg.
Count and Prince Hans von Anhalt.
Duke Hans of Walachey.
Count and Prince Wolfgang zu Anhalt.
Count Wolfgang, Prince of Henneberg.
Count Bertold, Prince of Henneberg.
The Duke of Alba.
The son of the Duke of Alba.
But a son of the Duke of Alba.
Duke Sfortia of Milan, Duke Maximilianus of Milan's brother.
Count Georg von Würtenberg und Mimpelgarten, Duke Ulrich von Würtenberg's brother.
2) Otherwise he is called Reichard or Richard.
3) This is Bogislav.
Margrave William of Arsthot, of Croy, Lord of Stifers.
Landgrave Philip of Hesse.
The Count of Giving, the brother of the Duke of Sophoy.
Duke Henry of Mechelburg.
Count Wilhelm von Henneberg.
Margrave Ernst of Baden.
Archbishop Christoph of Bremen 2c., Administrator at Verden, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg.
Archbishop Matthes of Salzburg, otherwise called Burck, Cardinal.
Bishop Matthes of Wallas, the Swiss Cardinal.
Bishop George of Bamberg.
Bishop Conrad of Würzburg.
Bishop George of Speier.
Bishop William of Strasbourg.
Bishop Hans of Hildesheim, Duke of Engern, and Westphalia.
Bishop Erhard of Liège.
Bishop Ernst of Passau.
Bishop Franciscus of Minden, Duke of Brunswick.
Bishop Louis of Tud.
Bishop Peter von Trieft.
Bishop Peter of Palent.
The Archbishop of Panorm.
Margrave Frederick of Brandenburg, Provost of Würzburg Cathedral.
Duke Henry of Bavaria, Provost of the Cathedral of Mainz and Aach.
Mr. Jerome, Bishop of Brandenburg 2c.
The Bishop of Augsburg.
The Bishop of Trent.
The Bishop of Camerack, Margrave of Arsthot.
The Bishop of Worms.
Then Lord William of Croy, Cardinal, Archbishop of Toled, Primate in the Kingdom of Castile, Bishop of Camerack, Abbot of Affliaen, Abbot of Hohenberg, and Coadjutor on St. Peter's Mountain in Gend, blessed, who came with Imperial Majesty to Worms, died there on Thursday after the Three King's Days. May God have mercy on him and on all the souls of the faithful.
The provost of Cologne, a duke of Lauenburg, the bishops of Hildesheim and Münster brother.
The abbot of Weißenburg, Mr. Rhüdiger.
Mr. Hartmann von Kirchberg, Abbot of Fulda. The Abbot of St. Gall.
The Abbot of Morbach.
The Duke of Cleve.
The bishop of Almeria of Hispania, Her
Ferdinand's personal physician, who also died and was buried in Worms.
The Pabst's message Marinus Caracciolus, the birth a nobleman from Neapolis.
The King of Hungary Message.
The King of France Embassy.
The King of England's message, Mr. Cutbertus Tunstallus.
The King of Denmark Message.
The King of Melice Message.
The Venetian message, a Cornarius, and following a Contarenus.
The message of the Duke of Urbin.
The Marquis of Mantua's message.
A count of Eisenberg near Hesse.
A Count von Witzstein.
But a Count von Witzstein.
A Count of Büren.
Count Franciscus of Waldeck.
A Count of Being.
Count William of Neuenar.
A Count of Westerburg.
A gentleman from Meseritz.
Imperial Majesty Grand Master.
Count Hoyer von Mansfeld.
Count Heinrich von Nassau 2c.
Count Wilhelm von Nassau.
Count Philipp of Solms.
Count Otto von Solms.
Count Heinrich zu Schwarzburg zu Arnstedt.
Count Heinrich von Schwarzburg zu Sondershausen.
Count Helferich of Helfenstein.
Count Ludwig von Helfenstein.
A Count of Schwarzburg, canon of Cologne.
Count Adam of Reichlingen.
A Count of Waldeck near Hesse.
The Count of Leisneck.
The Count of Honstein.
Count Philip of Reineck.
Count George von Wertheim.
The cathedral dean of Cologne, a sovereign and lord of Plauen.
Count Florius of Isselstein.
The Count of Titionibus.
A count of Hainau.
Mr. Christoph von Eitzingen, Mr. Michaelis von Eitzingen's son, who almost resembles [the] Roman Imperial Majesty and is of one age and one size.
Mr. Wolf von Schönburg.
Mr. Vladislav from Swiho 2c.
A count of Nogarolis of Vicenz.
A Count of the Hoie.
A Count of Barbey.
1876 Erl. 6t, 36g. Section 5: L.'s Verhör v. Kaiser u. Reich. No. 567 f. W. xv,22L9-22si. 1877
But a Count of Barbey.
Count Philip of Mansfeld.
Count Heinrich von Nassau. 1)
Count Wilhelm von Nassau.
Count Philip of Nassau.
A Rhine grass.
But a Rheingraf.
A Count of Leiningen.
But a Count of Leiningen.
A Count of Schaumburg.
A count of Eisenberg, by the of Trier.
A count of Pitscht.
Count Gumprecht of Neuenar.
Count Günther von Schwarzburg.
A count of Eisenberg, also near Trier.
Count Albrecht of Mansfeld.
A Count of Wettich.
But a Count von Wettich.
Count Siegmund von Gleichen.
Count Ernst von Gleichen.
A Count of Stone.
Mr. Heinrich Reuß, Lord of Plauen and Cranchfeld.
A Count of Rennenberg.
Anarus, Lord of Wildenfels.
But Mr. Anarus von Wildenfels.
A Count of Neuengarten.
A Count of Honstein near Brandenburg.
Count Heinrich von Schwarzburg, Count Balthasar's son.
A count of Zollern.
Schenk Friedrich von Limburg, died here.
But a Schenk von Limburg, his son.
Count George of Henneberg.
A Count of Ortenberg.
Count Hans von Canusch 2c.
Count Siegmund von Luppken.
But a Count von Luppken.
Count Georg von Montfurt.
Count Hans von Montfurt.
Count Hauge of Montfurt.
A Count of Castel.
A count of Oberstem.
A Count of Sultz.
A Count of Königstein.
Count Bernhard von Eberstein.
Count Michel von Wertheim.
Count Wilhelm von Eberstein.
Count George of Königstein.
Count Christoph von Eberstein.
The Lord of Rogendorff.
Mr. Johann Hannart, 2) Burgrave of Lambeck.
1) This and the following have been mentioned before.
2) The Wittenberg offers: "Hannart", the Jena: "Jannart".
Count Hans von Hardeck.
Mr. Cyprian von Serentein 2c.
An Ungnad.
But an Ungnad.
A young Count of Nassau, with Count Henry of Nassau the Rich.
The Count of Frankenpan.
A Count of Werden.
Mr. Maximilian von Siebenbergen 2c.
A baron von Zimmern.
A Count von Bleß.
The Count of Reppin.
Count Hans von Eppstein.
Count Boto von Stolberg.
But a Count of Stolberg.
But a Count of Stolberg.
A Count or Lord of Wertich, 3) of the Archbishop of Cologne 2c. Brother.
Mr. Hans von Schwarzenburg, the elder.
Mr. Hans von Schwarzenburg, the younger, the elder's son.
A gentleman from Degenberg.
A gentleman from Losenstein.
But a gentleman from Losenstein.
Cologne.
Worms.
Augsburg.
Nuremberg.
Erfurt.
Oppenheim.
Weissenburg.
Lübeck.
Goslar.
Esslingen.
E. Luther's standing and interrogation before the Roman Emperor and the entire Imperial Assembly.
1. from the first audience.
Luther's report of the official at Trier, Johann von Eck, public address to him in the imperial assembly, together with Luther's answer, and what Schurf said there; how furthermore, after the first audience was over and before the beginning of the other, many of the nobility visited him in his inn, and what they said to him.
See No. 550.
3) The Jena has on the edge: Widda.
After a few days I was summoned to the imperial council before the emperor and all the princes, at six o'clock in the evening. Then D. Eck, chancellor of the bishop of Trier, spoke on behalf of the empire and said: Martine, do you confess that these books are yours? Now all my books lay one after the other on a bench. Where they might have gotten them, I did not know; I would have soon said yes. But D. Hieronymus Schürf shouted loudly in the kingdom's council: Legentur tituli librorum, and when one read the titles, the books were all mine. Then I said: "Most gracious emperor and most gracious princes and lords, the matter is important and great, I cannot give an answer from the books this time; I ask that I be given time to consider it. This was done, and immediately the kingdom's council disintegrated.
In the meantime, many of the nobility came to my inn and said, "Doctor, how are things? They say they want to burn you, but that doesn't have to happen, they would all have to perish with you. That would also have happened.
Spalatin's report of the first audience, which also states that Prince Frederick had first thought that the emperor's confessor, Glapio, would address Luther.
From Spalatin's Dark, p. 39.
The following Wednesday [April 16], Käy. Maj. summoned them, the princes, princes and sovereigns of the empire, between four and five hearings to the palace or the bishop's court, where chap. Mat. Now it went on until evening, and although Duke Frederick of Saxony, Elector, considered it to be so, Käyr. Mat. Confessor would have used the word, it has nevertheless been confessed to Doctor Johan Ecken, Official of Tryer, who has first asked Doctor Martinus in a great pressure and consequence: whether he confesses to the books that were issued in his name. 1) Secondly, whether he wanted to recant or not? Then Doctor Martinus, by appointment of Doctor Hieronymi Schurff, asked about the means of the books. As the official of Tryer has read some book titles, from a book printed in Basel, Doctor Martinus has agreed to this.
1) The brackets are here, as in many other places in old prints, instead of the speech marks.
and asked, since this was the most important thing in heaven and on earth, that he be given a consideration, with a humble request to do his answer, if you want. For Christ himself said: "Whoever reproaches me before men, I will also reproach myself before God, my Father, and all his angels and saints. The official said to Tryer: "Although His Majesty does not owe him to do so, as this grace is unworthy of him, he does not want to be a part of it. Mat. as the benevolent emperor and lord, have allowed him to take his consideration, and on the following day at the same hour to give his answer.
2. from the second public audience.
570 Luther's own account of the official's repeated address to him at Trier, and what he answered, how this other audience finally proceeded, and what happened when Luther was led home by two of them.
See No. 550.
When I was called back to the kingdom's council, there was a large number of people in the hall, because everyone wanted to hear my answer, and there were many burning torches up there, because it was night. I was not at all accustomed to the hustle and bustle. But when I was called to speak, I started and said: "Most gracious emperor, most gracious princes, princes and lords! The books that have been presented to me are mine, and there are some books among them that are textbooks that interpret the holy scriptures; I confess that they are mine, and they are righteous, good books, and there is nothing evil in them.
The others are quarreling books, since I quarreled with the pope and adversaries; if there would be something evil inside, I could well change that.
The third are books in which I only disputate about Christian doctrine; these are only Disputationes. These two kinds of books, namely the textbooks and disputations, would be good and right if I wanted to stay over them, as God would have it.
So while I was talking, they asked me to repeat it again with latei-
But I was sweating a lot, and I was very hot because of the commotion, and that I was even standing among the princes. But Herr Friedrich von Thun said to me: "If you cannot do it, that is enough, Herr Doctor. But I repeated all my words in Latin; this pleased Duke Friederich, the Elector, exceedingly.
When I had said this, they let me go, and two were given to me to lead and accompany me. Then there was a commotion: the noblemen shouted whether I was being led away captive, but I said that they were only escorting me. So I returned to my hostel and did not return to the kingdom's council.
Spalatin's report of this other Audimz.
From Spalatin's Annules, p. 41.
On the following cathedral day [April 17], Doctor Martinus Widerumb appeared, after four hours, in a great throng in the Palatinate before the Royal Court. Mal. and the princes and sovereigns of the empire, and gave his answer first in Latin, then in German. After that, Kayr. Mat. and the princes, through the Osficial of Tryer, urged him to make a contradiction. For this, Doctor Martinus humbly asked, because he could not contradict with God and a good conscience.
In the end, the official of Tryer said that if he did not object, Kay. Mat. and the princes and sovereigns of the empire would decide what they should do against such a kezer. To this Doctor Martinus replied: God help me, for I cannot contradict him. And so he went back to the inn, so courageous, confident and happy in the Lord, that he told Spalatin before others and me: if he had a thousand heads, he would rather have them all taken from him than contradict him.
F. What the Emperor, at the instigation of the papists, communicates to the imperial estates as his resolution after this public interrogation of Luther.
572 Emperor Carl V's personal rescript to the princes and estates of the empire, in which
he announces to them his resolution against D. Mart. Luther and his doctrines and exhorts them to follow him. April 19, 1521.
This document is found in Latin in Lünig's spie, eeelesiust., Theil I, p. 379 and in Goldast's eonstit. imp., vol. II, p. 142.
Translated into German by M. A. Tittel.
It is well known to you that I am descended from the Christian emperors of the German nation, from the Catholic kings in Spain, from the archdukes in Austria and the dukes in Burgundy, all of whom have shown themselves faithful to the last breath of the Roman Church and have always been brave defenders of the Catholic faith, of the holy ceremonies, conclusions, statutes and godly customs for the salvation of souls. Who, in their death, as it were by natural impulse and by a right of inheritance, handed over and bequeathed to us the holy Catholic statutes, of which we have now spoken, into our hands from theirs, so that we follow in their footsteps and also leave our lives over them. And we, as the righteous successors of our ancestors, have lived in such a way by God's help until this day. Therefore, we remain firmly resolved to protect and safeguard everything that both our forefathers and I have held until now; but especially that which my forefathers concluded both at the Costnitz and in other spiritual meetings (synods).
2. But since it is evident that only a few brothers are mistaken and allow themselves to be deceived by their own delusions, which are otherwise in conflict with the opinion of all Christendom, both of those who lived a thousand years before us and of those who are still alive today; and there is so much underneath that all Christians must have been mistaken up to now: I am determined to stake all my kingdoms, empire, dominions, friends, body, blood, and life and soul on it, so that this ungodly undertaking does not spread any further, because it is likely to bring great disgrace to me and you, especially to you, who are the excellent or highly famous German nation, to whom it is a special reputation, honor and privilege, a true grace, that we are called and praised lovers of justice and protectors of the Catholic faith. If, therefore, not only heresy, but even the slightest suspicion of heresy or diminution of the Christian name were to linger in the minds of men at this time, it would be an eternal disgrace and reproach to our descendants.
G. Of a repeated interrogation of Luther before some princes, who, after having asked for an extension of his license, made another attempt, albeit in vain, to bring Luther to recant, not publicly, but privately.
Luther's own account of the interrogation before several princes, of the conference with the deputies from Trier, and of the last private interview with the Elector at Trier.
See No. 550.
After that I was summoned to two small special committees. In one was the Bishop of Trier, Margrave Joachim, and Duke George, and others. But Doctor Uhe [Vehus], the chancellor of Baden, talked to me for a long time, wanted to persuade me to report the whole matter to the emperor and the estates of the empire, and told me thirteen reasons why I should do it, and said a lot about the authority of the church and other aversions.
Now there were some who wanted to teach me how I should answer. But Friederich Thun said: It is not necessary, he will speak well.
I told him these articles one after the other on my fingers; although I was unaccustomed to jurisprudence and court oratory, I still refuted them all, and said: I could suffer everything, the pope, princes, item, the power of the church, and would do everything only what I should; only from the holy scripture I could not depart, there I could forgive nothing of it; because it would not be mine, but of our Lord God. Then the margrave said, "Doctor, as I understand you correctly, is this your opinion that you cannot depart from the holy scriptures? Then I said: Yes, I stand by it. Then they let me go away again, and they also went away from each other.
After a few days, they sent Doctor Vehus and Doctor Peutinger to me, and let me continue to act with them. But Duke Frederick did not want me to deal with them alone; he sent his advisors to me, Doctor Philipp and Friederich von Thun, who were at the plot. The two doctors had a well-considered oration with me, tried on me what they could, I should hand over my books and cause to the emperor and prince. But I said: I would like to be under the emperor's power, but I could not leave the writing. But when they continued, I said, "This is my opinion in a nutshell: Before I wanted to hand over my cause to the emperor, I wanted to recite the escort.
Then Friederich von Thun said, "That is enough and highly offered; he became angry with the two, did not want to listen any longer, and went away. But Doctor Philip remained there; then they continued to ask me to do it. But I said, "I don't want to do it; I'll put it to you myself, if the emperor should be a judge of my cause, what would not happen? How could I protect or handle myself, or defend my cause, if I had given the Holy Scriptures out of my fist? The emperor has too many bishops who have already condemned me. And so nothing was done.
Not long after, the Bishop of Trier sent for me again, talked to me alone and said: Dear Doctor, my Doctores tell me you will be satisfied with what the Emperor will say in your matter; thought he wanted to catch me soon. But
I said, "My lord, I can suffer anything, but I cannot hand over the holy scriptures. The bishop said: "My doctors told me much differently; how could I have passed so badly if I had soon gone to the emperor and reported it to him! But how do you think, doctor, that the matter should be dealt with?
There I had no other advice than Gamaliel gives in Actis Cap. 5, 38. 39.: one should let the thing go for itself; if it were from men, it would not stand long; but if it were from God, trust, they will not be able to suppress the teaching.
This action, and especially the fact that the priests were so lax about it, greatly annoyed Duke Frederick, as a wise and prudent prince; and after I had been in Worms a fortnight, I left again and was caught on the way. So it happened without my thoughts. The fault is not mine, but theirs. They wanted to go through with their heads and thought they could not fall; the devil also guarded it, the Pabst's regiment, and wanted to defend it, but Christ made a hole in it. For the devil also knows well that he must let himself be visited by Christ, and has now often experienced this.