Of the Imperial Diet held at Speier in 1542, and of the discussions held there concerning a convenient place for a general assembly, as well as of the announced concilium to Trent.
1406. farewell of the imperial Diet, erected Anno 1542 at Speier. Given and done at Speier, April 11, 1542.
This document appeared in a single folio edition in Mainz in 1542. Here from Lünig's ReichsArchiv, purt. Mir. eont. I., p. 665.
We Ferdinandus, by the Grace of God Roman King, at all times Major of the Empire, in Germania, Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, and Sclavonia etc. King, Infante in Hispania, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, of Brabant, of Styria, of Carinthia, of Carniola, of Lützelburg and Würtemberg, Prince of Swabia, Margrave of the Holy Roman Empire in Burgau, Moravia, Upper and Lower Lusatia, Count of Habsburg, of Tyrol, of Pfierd, of Kyburg and of Gorizia 2c, Landgrave in Alsace, Lord of the Wendish Mark, of Portenau, and of Salins etc., declare and declare that after the Roman Imperial Majesty, our dear brother, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor. Majesty, our dear brother and lord, out of a very fatherly and gracious love and affection, so her Imperial Majesty, the Holy Roman Emperor, has given us the right to be a part of it. Majesty to the Holy Roman Empire, before the German Nation, her fatherland, has left her Hispanic kingdoms and lands in different years, not with little inconvenience to Her Majesty, and has settled in
the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, primarily so that the discord and misunderstanding that has arisen in the Empire on account of religion may be brought to Christian unity and settlement, and that the hereditary enemy of common Christianity may be resisted in a proper manner, also in other necessary articles that are incumbent upon the Empire, for the preservation and protection of the Christian people and the German Nation; as Her Imperial Majesty, in all her power, has allowed nothing to be done and still allows nothing to be done, especially after our action taken at Hagenau and Worms. has done and will do everything in her power, especially after our actions at Hagenau and Worms, and finally also in her own person, at the recent Imperial Diet at Regensburg, to bring about and maintain peace, tranquility and unity in the Holy Empire, and to put an end to the inequality and mistrust among the estates. However, since the matters cannot be settled at the appointed Imperial Diet, Her Imperial Majesty has been urgently induced to leave the German nation for Italy, and in order to carry out the request made by Her Majesty at the proposed Imperial Diet, as well as the satisfaction of the common estates of the Empire, Her Majesty has petitioned the Papal Holiness, personally, against the holding of a general and national concilii and a general council.
Reformation in the German Nation, even for the sake of the Turks, acted with all diligence and earnestness, and pursued the matter with Her Holiness to such an extent that the latter consented to send her considerable message to the next Imperial Diet, there to discover her will and mind to all the Estates for the sake of the articles now affected.
1. And when her Imperial Majesty was willing to apply to her Hispanic and other kingdoms and lands of her Majesty to resist the hereditary enemy of Christendom, the Turk, and to be prepared and ready on sea and on land, so that the help of the imperial estates, which had been granted for three years against the said hereditary enemy, the Turk, might be shot all the more magnificently: Her Imperial Majesty has undertaken the campaign before Algiers for the benefit and good of the common Christendom and to the disadvantage of the said hereditary enemy, especially for the reason that Her Imperial Majesty hopes to bring her Hispanic and other kingdoms and lands into safety and peace by conquering Algiers, so that Her Imperial Majesty may then obtain all the more handsome assistance from her kingdoms and lands to resist the Turk.
2) However, if Her Imperial Majesty could not effect such a move due to the storm. 2. If Her Majesty could not bring such a move into effect from the granted storm, according to her intention, she then went to Her Majesty's Hispanic kingdoms, so that she might be ready and prepared, as it stands, with their help for a stimulated Christian work to resist the Turk on water and land; As Her Majesty is in daily exercise and action, and has not allowed anything to be lost in all that Her Majesty may act and promote for fruit and good in these matters after the conclusion of the Diet of Regensburg. Majesty still does, and is no less inclined to do so with all graces. And although Her Imperial Majesty was graciously minded at the above-mentioned Regensburg Imperial Diet to order and send her commissioners to the general Imperial Assembly, which was held at the same Regensburg Imperial Diet, especially with regard to the correction of the persistent Turkish aid and other points, on the fourteenth day of January next year. However, and because after the same Regensburg Diet it unfortunately happened that the common Christianity's hereditary enemy, the Turk, invaded our Kingdom of Hungary in his own person with power, seized the royal chair, the castle and the city of Ofen, took the same together with
Pesth 1) and left all the guns and ammunition that he had brought there with him and captured from our troops, along with those that had been in Ofen before (which is a good number), there in all readiness. From which and from all the Turks' subsequent showing and holding, there is certainly nothing else to be provided, except that during this summer he will not only bring the remaining part of our Crown Hungary under his control, but also overrun all the adjoining lands of the German nation and subjugate them to his brutal and tyrannical servitude; How then, after conquering Ofen, also the other passes, as the Moldau, and the same adjacent lands, which the Turk holds, almost all passes, doors and gates against the German nation are freely open to him, the Turk, and a good part of the resistance, which the German nation might use against him, has been brought under him, and that he now has a flat, even country in the Holy Roman Empire. For this reason, and so that the aforementioned harm and destruction of the common Christendom, and especially of the German nation, may occur and be prevented, the Turk may not only be driven away from these Christian lands, but especially, with the grace and help of the Almighty, may be brought to pass, so that not only the neighboring, but also all the far-flung Christian lands, and above all the common estates of the Holy Roman Empire and its subjects, may be placed in lasting peace, tranquility and security.
Accordingly, the Imperial Majesty has considered it a great necessity to have a general Imperial Diet convened; as we, out of Her Imperial Majesty, have done. Majesty. command that such a common Diet be held here in our and the Holy Roman Empire's city of Speier on the fourteenth of January, in the mind, will and opinion of the noble, honorable and learned, our and the Holy Roman Empire's dear faithful, Huguen, Count of Montfort and Rotenfels, and Johann von Naves of Messantz, 2) Imperial Majesty. Majest. Raet and Vice-Chancellor, as specially appointed for this purpose by their Imperial Majesty. Majesty's specially appointed commissioners, instead of and in the name of Her Imperial Majesty. Majesty, and on our own behalf, in addition to and with the Princes, Princes and Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, to act, advise and conclude everything that is necessary in this highly grievous matter.
1) "Pestb" put by us instead of: "Päß" according to what is said in the following § 7.
2) In the previous document, the name is: "Mestantzy"; in § 143 of this number, the same as here.
The Council of Europe has decided that the burden imposed on the entire German nation and common Christendom by the mighty Turkish invasion may always be necessary for the removal and prevention of such burden and irretrievable destruction; also how and in what manner the same enemy, beyond the persistent aid granted above, may be tolerably countered with a greater and more powerful influx, and in other more points and articles, by virtue of the Regensburg Imperial Decree, may be acted upon, as is also reported in the notified notice of this Imperial Diet.
4 And since it was not possible for the Imperial Majesty to attend such a Diet in person, due to the shortness of time and the nature of the matters. Since it was not possible for His Majesty to attend such a Diet in person due to the shortness of time and the nature of the matter, which required great haste, we have, regardless of the fact that we had sufficient cause to attend our kingdoms and lands, which are burdened with daily and grievous disputes, for the welfare and good of common Christendom and the entire German nation, at the kind request and command of His Imperial Majesty, transported ourselves to such a Diet and attended it in person as much as was always possible for us. Maj. kindly requested and ordered us to attend such an Imperial Diet as much as was always possible for us, and to visit it personally.
5. at which Imperial Diet Princes, Princes and other Estates in quite a number of their own persons, and some by their embassies with full authority, have obediently arrived at us and at the above-mentioned Imperial Commissaries. The Imperial Commissioners mentioned above have obediently arrived and appeared.
Accordingly, together with the aforementioned commissions, we have, with and in addition to the same princes, princes, and commonwealths, taken the article of persistent aid to the Turks, as the most important and necessary one, into our hands for the first time.
(7) We have also kindly and graciously informed and opened to the common estates what we have done since then with our kingdoms and lands, and have decided with them, on account of the action and approval of the persistent aid to the Turks, which took place at the most recent Imperial Diet at Regensburg. And namely, that upon the decision of the most recent Imperial Diet of Regensburg, in our Crown of Bohemia, together with its incorporated lands, and also in the Austrian lands, we shall first hold several special Diet meetings, and then a general meeting of the committees appointed by the said Crown of Bohemia and the other lands, and that there the estates of the said Crown of Bohemia, together with its incorporated lands, and also of our Austrian lands, shall rely upon our gracious and diligent assistance.
The prelates, lords, knighthoods, nobility and cities each want to give one hundred florins of their property, and the subjects living in the country one florin out of sixty florins. From which grant, as we have no doubt, N. thousand small horses, including N. thousand Italian horses shall be. Similarly, the armada and shipping, on which one would need N. thousand persons, which may not be obtained monthly under N. thousand souls; also N. hundred pieces of rifles, among which N. wall-breakers shall be, in addition to which one would need, without all other related ammunition, up to N. one thousand entrenchers. Similarly, the towns and villages which we had before the recent defeat and which have survived since then are to be maintained, and in addition, due provision is to be made with emergency provisions for the entire army. In addition, we have ordered a Ragkhus or Diet to be convened in our Crown of Hungary, and have negotiated with the Estates of our Crown that they also settle amicably among themselves and want to provide considerable help against the common enemy, the Turks, in view of the fact that the burden and destruction were closest to them. etc. At the beginning of their troubles and disagreements, which had been going on for several years, they united amicably and made and made an order as to how the stolen goods should be returned to those who had been captured and raped, and therefore decided and granted that each house should give one florin as a deposit, and that each one should also pay the sixtieth part of his fortune to this Christian expedition, in obedience to us and for the preservation of our Kingdom of Hungary. And if we will be in this Christian expedition in our own person, then all prelates and lords and other seated people want to go along in their own person, and about the above-mentioned investment of one guilder, and sixtieth part of the property, also help each of them, on behalf of his subjects, and to maintain and bring along one reuter for every twenty peasants. Similarly, the clergy shall give the tenth part of their annual pensions for investment, as all the relevant decrees and bylaws of our Crown and Hungarian Estates contain and show. And so then the same aid to our Crown of Bohemia and to the same incorporated and Austrian [lands] granted aid is given.
The same would compare favorably with the help requested by the common estates at the recent Imperial Diet of Regensburg, and there would be no shortage of it. And because our Crown of Bohemia, together with its incorporated and Austrian lands, is occupied by the Turks in Ofen and Pesth, in addition to the supply of excellent ordnance and the ammunition belonging to it, and because the same warriors may be strengthened daily, they must be prepared to be overrun and destroyed by the hour: the decreed committees of our Crown of Bohemia and of the incorporated and Austrian lands have, out of the necessity of the great need, now in haste, by their own authority, provided N. thousand small horses, together with N. thousand martolosses and to order them to the borders, so that by them, until further help and influx, the daily punishment, also spoilage and devastation of the provision boxes in Lower Austria and Moravia, will be prevented as much as possible, which otherwise, before and before help is expected from the Reich and other places, would be spoiled, our and the Reich's warriors' provisions would be cut off, and as a result the supplies from the Reich and other places, which are nevertheless considerably in supply, would not be maintained or brought to fruition for lack of provisions. For this reason, our kingdoms and hereditary lands, because they now have to keep their horses in readiness from time to time and send them to the frontiers, would incur all the more expense and trouble.
8. From all this, the common estates of the empire may well accept and consider that we, with our crown of Bohemia and the subjects incorporated into it and other lands, are taking a great burden upon ourselves, so that we, together with the said subjects of ours, are providing for ourselves quite undoubtedly, The common estates of the empire will sense from this our and our subjects' Christian and honest minds, and will completely recognize, respect and consider that we, after the occasion of our protracted ruin and manifold great expenses, have attacked ourselves to the highest degree, and thus the estates of the empire are satisfied and satiated with it.
(9) Thus our faithful subjects (notwithstanding that we were burdened with unremitting warfare in Hungary, Crabats and Wendish lands at the time of King Louis in Hungary, and after his death until now, by which we and they have been not a little exhausted in our income and property, and also unhindered that they have now entered into such a grant, the like of which was not heard from their forefathers) have been informed about the
They will not spare anything of their property in the event of further need, but will offer their body, blood and goods, as they have done until now, so that, in addition to other Christian help, the intended Christian work may be accomplished for the benefit of common Christendom and the entire German nation.
10. In addition, the embassies of our Crown of Bohemia and of the incorporated and Austrian lands have, according to their instructions, asked the common estates for their tyrannical actions and intentions, and what they will tolerate and do to resist this mighty enemy, where they will not be left with a brotherly addition, and with quite diligent obedience and friendly pleading, the common estates want to accept their granted permission and offer, and therefore, in addition to the three-year aid granted above, according to the enemy's intentions and need, do more aid and for longer years.
11. And although it is somewhat burdensome for princes, princes and common estates to provide the persistent Turkish aid granted at the previous Imperial Diet in Augsburg and subsequently in Regensburg, in view and consideration of the manifold expenses and complaints that common estates and their subjects have been burdened with for several years because of the protracted troubles and the previously provided Turkish aid, as well as other more imperial complaints: However, and because the Turk's mighty invasion of our Kingdom of Hungary is open to public scrutiny, and is directed to the end that the German nation either resist the Turk with the help of divine graces and drive him out of Hungary, or turn to irretrievable apostasy of their Christian faith and name, in addition to the destruction of their fatherland, the abuse of their wives and children, and into tyrannical cattle servitude, considering that the Turk would turn all his power not only to saving and retaining Ofen and other conquered passes, but especially to bringing the remaining unconquered part of our crown Hungary under his control, and then from there overrunning and destroying the adjoining lands of the German nation. Meanwhile, it is to be hoped that when the Christian states turn to God with true faith and love, and depart from sins that move His Divine Majesty to wrath and punishment, the Almighty God will be great.
We will not forget the unspeakable mercy of the Emperor and will not let his Christian people fall into the hands of the unbelievers, even though the power of the unbelievers would be much more cruel and terrifying: According to all this, princes, princes and common estates of the imperial majesty and of us have, for the sake of the Christian blood and the common fatherland, and for the sake of the successful resistance of the common Christianity, granted to the hereditary enemy, the Turk, to make a noble attack and to carry out the persistent help of the Turk, thereby, in God's hope, to defeat the Turk with a battle, or to force a retreat or flight, by which means the Christian people will be helped, the city of Ofen and the kingdom of Hungary will be conquered, the adjacent Turkish lands, which are still mostly Christian, will be caused to fall away from the Turk, and will be released from the tyrant's wretched imprisonment, and then the considerable expenses that would otherwise have to be spent on the persistent help for several more years will be saved.
12. For this reason, and in consideration of such unavoidable necessity, they have also decided and united to send such aid against the Turks in such a way that not only the persistent aid to the Turks, which according to their previous authorization they should have rendered for the first two years, is now combined and rendered in this first year to men of war, and the following year the simple aid, which according to their first authorization they should have rendered only in the third year, now be moved together, and in the beginning of this first year be performed by men of war, and in the following year the simple aid, which according to their first authorization they should have performed only in the third year, be sent and performed in case of necessity; especially that the aid thus gathered in the first two years shall be increased and augmented in such a way that it may be used for the very least of the N. thousand on horseback, our German heavy armor, and N. thousand on foot, good men of war, among which the fourth part shall be riflemen with half hooks, target rifles, or long good tubes, and shall be well versed and skilled in shooting, and shall also be trained in shooting before reaching the enemy.
(13) And that the less of this number may be lost, the men-at-arms on horseback and on foot shall be numbered and taken up according to the persons, and not according to the soldiers; and there shall be five hundred persons, and not less, in every troop of servants.
14 If, however, all and certain welfare of this Christian expedition is very close to a favorable reception and arrival of the warband, and the warband is not better, then the Christian expedition is better off.
It is not possible to bring more easily, nor even at lower cost, into the raising and lowering of troops, than that each state should itself order its imposed number of warriors, granted according to the Wormsian proposal for the Rome campaign and provided for the urgent Turkish aid in the second and thirtieth year, and promote this in such a way that all warriors are brought into the raising of troops in the most favorable way, and come together on a certain day and time: The common estates have agreed and arranged that each of them shall immediately accept its due number of warriors, granted according to the above-mentioned Wormsian proposal for the Rome campaign and for the urgent Turkish aid provided in the second and thirtieth year; and namely, the near-settled states, such as Franconia, Bavaria, Swabia and other near-settled states, shall promote their armies in such a way that they will certainly arrive at Vienna in Austria by the first day of May, and the other far-settled states shall take such precautions that their armies will also be at Vienna by the middle of May without any delay, and no state shall be delayed or prevented from doing so.
15. And so that no one may have just cause to hinder or delay this necessary Christian work: Each state shall order and maintain its number of men-at-arms, granted for the Rome campaign according to the announced Wormsian plan and for the urgent help of the Turks in the second and thirtieth year, now in a hurry at its own expense, and yet, in the course of collecting the common help, each state shall pay its own money, which it has spent for the maintenance of its men-at-arms according to the order of this imperial decree, The money, which he has spent for the maintenance of his warfare according to the order of this imperial decree, shall be immediately deducted from the four or three collectors ordered by him, and if this is not sufficient, then it shall be deducted and refunded from the six district collectors from other districts of the same district, who have spent and left their money; On the other hand, each estate is to provide sufficient information and report on how much money it has spent on the maintenance of its warfare force to the aforementioned collectors in writing.
16) And even though in the recent Worms attack some estates have refused the attack, and in addition some bishops, prelates, counts and lords have been withdrawn by princes and rulers, and also other estates, according to ancient usage, still no one shall refuse in this Christian good work, nor shall they be subject to error or hindrance, considering that the salvation of our Christian faith and fatherland of the German nation is unavoidable for all estates, as Christian members of the Holy Roman Empire.
The first is that it is not possible to say that a person is entitled to it, and that, as will be shown below, no one can be certain of this.
17. Similarly, the princes, princes and others, who, according to old usage, have taken out some estates, shall and will send the same estates this time, in consideration of the high necessity (but otherwise harmless and unimportant to them in their old usage and custom), send their due number of warriors, too, and let them come to this common attack, or else order and maintain the aid imposed on them, as the attack is able, together with the attacks imposed on them themselves, for this aid.
18. And in order that all this may be brought into effect in a more certain and conducive manner without any delay (as great necessity requires), we shall and will, in the name of the Roman Imperial Majesty and on our own behalf, send out from here immediate mandates and letters of command to all the estates, reminding and reporting to each of them this decision and the reasons why it has thus been concluded, and also what is due to each of them for his due number of men-at-arms and to maintain them until the common annex is brought in, with this further avoidance, that then, namely, if the annex is brought in, each of them shall have his money taken from his annex by his appointed collectors, and where this is not sufficient, shall be reimbursed from other remaining annexes by the six district collectors. And thereupon, with penalty of eight, command that each estate appoint and dispatch its imposed people, so that the same will certainly arrive at an appointed time and place; as then the mandates will further entail and show, of which we have compared ourselves with common estates, besides the imperial commissions, and they again with us.
19 In addition, the counties, chieftains and princes who deem it necessary in their counties may and shall also describe all the estates related to each county.19. In addition, the counties, lords and princes who deem it necessary in their counties may and shall describe all the estates related to each county to the most advantageous location and, according to the legend of this order, take on good and experienced warriors, provide them with captains and war councils, also prepare other items belonging to this necessary Christian undertaking for the work, and especially order the warriors in such a way that they swear irrevocably to the article letter that is to be delivered to their captains.
(20) But when all the help, by virtue of the above-mentioned Wormish attack and the Turkish help given in the second and thirtieth year, did not increase through all the ten circles of the Holy Roman Empire, it was not enough to make a difference.
The number of soldiers on horseback may extend to N. thousand, and of foot soldiers to N. thousand; and then, considering the enemy's power, it would be much better to increase the above number of warriors a little, neither to let them appear lacking in some way.
Therefore, the common estates have considered it necessary, approved and decreed that the above-mentioned aid be increased and augmented by an additional N. part, which will amount to N. thousand in cavalry and N. thousand in foot soldiers, in view of the fact that then the entire estimate, including this added N. part, will only amount to N. thousand in horses.
And if the number of warriors of our Austrian district (as has been granted to us for the reimbursement of our assistance) were to be deducted from this entire installation: namely, N. thousand of cavalry and N. thousand of infantry, there would still be N. thousand of horse and N. thousand of infantry.
23 When, however, at the Imperial Diet recently held at Regensburg, the Princes, Princes and common Estates devotedly and humbly presented the Imperial Majesty with the choice of a supreme field commander over the above-mentioned people of war, it was decided that he should be elected. Maj. to elect a supreme field commander over the above-mentioned people of war from among some of the princes and princes proposed at that time:
24. Therefore, by special order of Her Majesty, with and in addition to the commissioners ordered by Her Imperial Majesty, we have chosen and appointed the Highborn, Joachim, Margrave of Brandenburg, of Stettin, Pomerania, of the Cassubians, Wends and Silesia, Duke of Crossen, Burgrave of Nuremberg and Prince of Rügen, Arch Chamberlain and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, our dear grandfather, as Supreme Field Captain; who, at our and the common estates' request and entreaty, has undertaken the supreme captaincy of the above-mentioned warriors on horseback and on foot for our obedient and friendly favor, also for the benefit of the empire, and in view of this Christian, necessary work, with whom the remuneration of his captaincy and other things have been settled and united, as the letter of appointment of his beloved contains.
(25) To this supreme captain are assigned ten councillors of war, who are to be chosen and sent from the ten districts of the empire, so that each district shall and may choose and send a man skilled and experienced in war, according to its, the district's, liking. And these are the ten districts: the four Electors of the Rhine District; item, the Franconian, Bavarian, Austrian, Swabian, Rhenish, Dutch and Westphalian, Upper Saxon, Lower Saxon, and
Burgundian district. And these war councillors appointed to the ten districts (who are obligated to the imperial estates, and what would be decided unanimously, or with the more troops, to help carry out the same, and in this shall render due obedience to the supreme field captain), as well as other experienced men of war, the supreme captain may and shall at any time require of him, and according to the opportunity of the time and run, advise and act.
26 And after it has been learned from old and new histories and stories with damage that more harm and damage than advantage and victory has arisen against the Turks through the number of colonels and regiments, then no more than three lieutenant colonels, who are skillful and well practiced and experienced in matters of war, shall be assigned to the colonel, and shall be chosen and appointed by us, with the foreknowledge and counsel of the colonel, here at the Imperial Diet. Namely, one of them shall be lieutenant of the cavalry, and the other two lieutenants of the infantry, and each of them shall be paid and paid their monthly salary according to their appointments, which the common estates have agreed and united with them. However, three sublieutenants or assistants shall be assigned to the same three colonel lieutenants, so that they, the three sublieutenants, shall be appointed by the supreme captain and his assigned councillors, after the troops have assembled, and shall be maintained with pay, as these offices have been maintained for the past two and thirty years in the course of the urgent Turkish relief find.
27 And because princes, rulers and estates have provided for us that we shall maintain a supreme commander of the army, they have deemed it necessary to have someone accepted for such an office: however, the supreme commander of the army shall have power over the army of the kingdom, and shall also be present himself at the muster, or send someone in his place for this purpose; however, no special remuneration shall be ordered for him for this reason.
28 No chief penny collector is to be assumed over the people of war, considering that each district would have its fee and payment collected by its district council and the two counter-scribes assigned to it.
29 As for the costs and expenditures that will be incurred by the command, we have granted, at the submissive request of the Electors and Estates, that the command be appointed and maintained according to all necessity, and that what we receive for command at any time be communicated to the supreme field commander, and that he be guided by it. Where
But if the Imperial Majesty or we are not personally present, then we shall and will give the gracious order that such reports be brought and opened immediately to the highest field governor of the common estates, and that they be directed and ordered to the same.
(30) But all other sub-offices, which are necessary and cannot be dispensed with in the field, shall be filled in the field by the colonel and his assigned councillors of war, after the people of war have been assembled, and as much pay shall be decreed and given to the same offices each month as has been paid on each of them in the above-mentioned course of urgent Turkish aid, which has been rendered in the past two and thirtieth years, under Duke Frederick, Count Palatine etc.., as supreme field commander, has been paid every month.
31) But concerning the appointment of routers, twelve florins shall be paid on a horse by all the estates of the month (for each month thirty days to be counted), and for a florin fifteen batz, or so much who'th for it, and on a cuirassier, if he has a covered stallion, eighteen florins for pay and damages.
Item 32: Ten horses, a well-equipped travel wagon with four good horses, a hooked rifle with its mount, and two pork spears or halberds, as well as well-equipped hews and shovels, are to be assigned, and four and twenty guilders are to be paid for them every month.
33. And so that good order is kept in all this, the wagoners shall also be mustered in all musterings, and where there is some shortage of wagons, horses or wagoners, or that it also turns out that the wagoners want to be unfairly burdened by the rulers to whom such wagons are assigned, If there is some shortage of wagons or servants, or if the waggoners want to be unreasonably burdened by the deputies to whom such wagons are assigned, the council of war of each district, which would be the master, shall provide for the appointment and the fairness of also keeping the number of four wagon horses, and if one or more become damaged, to replace them without fail. However, if the wagoners do not have the number of four horses or do not wish to have them, six guilders shall be deducted every month for one horse. And no one shall harness a single horse in the wagons, nor put any harness or spit on the wagons, and let the wagon servants be wagon servants, and then also let them ride for wagon servants through muster, and thus take double pay; but whoever does so shall be severely punished according to the decision of the colonel and his assigned councillors of war.
34. the same shall be applied to ten horses each.
Trosser or Bott, to whom one gives half pay, are held.
35) But the footmen shall be paid thirty days in the same manner for a month, and four florins to each footman of the month, and in addition to this, for an ensign of footmen, of whom there shall be five hundred persons, for all ordinary and extraordinary surpluses, a hundred solder shall be paid, and out of this, the archers, of whom there shall be a hundred and five and twenty under each ensign, and also other double mercenaries, each according to his skill, shall be given their due surpluses.
36 All districts and peculiar estates shall not allow their soldiers to leave their homes with their ensigns raised, but shall otherwise order them to appear on the appointed day at the common parade ground in Vienna, Austria, and shall especially enjoin them, under heavy penalty, not to harm or damage anyone on the way, but to pay well and honestly everywhere. However, whoever contravenes this and encounters something about it, no one shall have committed an offense against him. In addition, we, together with the princes, princes and estates, have united that we shall make in our kingdoms and lands, such as each of them in his lands and territories, such tolerable and cheap order that such warriors in their passage may buy and receive their food and necessities for an equal fair penny.
In order that regiment and order may be better maintained among all the men of war, the supreme captain shall have full power and authority to appoint the captains and commanders he has to occupy together with the councillors of war, and others, excluding only the councillors of war and the three supreme lieutenants, in the event that they prove disobedient or are unfit for the offices commanded, to furlough them again with the councillors of war's knowledge and counsel, and to fill them elsewhere as necessary.
38 We have also agreed with princes, princes and estates that the supreme commander of the army shall not harass or plunder all those who are subject to the Crown of Hungary and consider themselves friends. However, those who are dependent on the Turks, and who would defend themselves as enemies, he shall and may, with the advice of the war councils, prove to be enemies, and whatever castles, towns and villages are conquered that belong to the Crown of Hungary, and were held by King Louis and his father, King Ladislaus, shall be sent to us again as soon as possible and ordered to pay homage.
We will also occupy and keep them at our own expense, so that nothing will be lost in addition to our due number of warriors. However, if the Almighty grants grace and victory that more castles, cities and towns, which did not belong to the Crown of Hungary in the times of King Ladislaen and Ludwigen, are won and conquered from the hands of the Turks, they shall be and remain the property of the warlords, who will know how to compare themselves with each other. However, whatever ordnance is captured in castles, towns, villages and other fortifications, even in storms or battles, shall be entitled to half of it to the lord of the war and half of it to the commander-in-chief, except that ordnance which is found to be so shall be entitled to us again and shall follow us without any departure or retention.
39. Even though it is difficult for every state to make a bill of exchange at a distance, we have, with the knowledge and advice of the common states, had all coins in the Holy Roman Empire and its ten districts validated and struck at the same value; And thereupon, by due mandates and letters of command, we wish to decree and procure that each coin be taken according to its value thus set, not only in our kingdoms and lands, but also in other places of the Holy Empire, where the Empire's warriors pass through and lie, as our mandates further provide and specify such valuation and currency of the coin. And if it should come to pass that the Imperial Majesty or we ourselves would be in the field and let fly the flag of the Holy Empire, then St. George's flag shall nevertheless remain in peace in this procession, for moving causes, to prevent all kinds of disorder.
40 Otherwise, however, during the imperial majesty's and our absence, the flag of the realm shall not fly, but another flag shall be erected and used in its place by the supreme commander.
41) In order that among the common people of war, who will come together in this procession from various nations and countries, friendship and unity may be preserved the more easily, and mutiny and rebellion may be prevented, all and every priest, preacher, and chaplain who will be in this procession should work to the utmost, and be diligently urged to do so, so that they do not do anything quarrelsome or highly disputatious, which would give rise to antagonism and enmity among the people of war.
teach or preach, and beforehand neither despise nor blaspheme another's religion or ceremonies, but in accordance with the divine word and chastely teach and admonish all that is necessary for the promotion of this Christian good work, also the planting and maintenance of brotherly love and unity among the Christian people of war, and then what may be advisable and conducive to the promotion of the same prayer to God for mercy and victory, also for the prevention of blasphemy, swearing, committing adultery, and similar vices.
42. And since all victory is granted by the Almighty God alone, the common estates have united with us and we with them and have decided that throughout the entire empire the preachers should instruct and admonish the Christian people in all sermons, that they should ask the Almighty for mercy and victory for the Christian army against the cruel enemy, And that for this reason a bell be rung in every parish church every day at twelve o'clock and that the people be instructed by the preachers to remember the Christian warriors and to invoke the Almighty in their prayers for the averting of his wrath and the granting of his mercy and victory.
43. In the event that the Turk should become too strong, that it should be feared that the Christian warriors would not be able to defeat him, the Turk, without the danger of being defeated, or that it should happen that our warriors (whom the Almighty will mercifully prevent) should be defeated or so weakened that those who remain would not be able to withstand his, the Turk's, power, then our kingdoms and hereditary lands at their expense, and the adjoining princes, princes and other estates, as Saxony, Bavaria, Swabia and Franconia, shall hurry with all their might, on equal presentation and payment, of the common estates, draw near and save, also none shall draw on the other, and keep themselves all the more conducive in good readiness and armor.
44 If the Turk were to divide his power and send a troop to another place on the Roman Empire's kinsmen, then the neighboring and nearby princes, rulers and other estates should also draw in and save with all their might, and stand by the chiefs and all the war councils' concerns as to how they want to show themselves against it, so that the enemy is broken off and Christianity is given the greatest benefit.
45 And in order to have a message at all times to and from the chief of the needy, let them
If it should also be necessary for the colonel to have more information for the sake of the garrison and winter stores, it shall be given to him by the assembly as often as he will be at Nuremberg on the thirteenth day of July, and the same assembly shall have sufficient authority and command to do so on account of the common imperial estates.
46. And when all the men-at-arms on horseback and on foot have thus assembled in and around Vienna in Austria, as the appointed place for this purpose, they shall, in the name of and on account of the Roman Imperial Majesty, as well as of our and the common estates of the empire, vow, swear and do their duty to be obedient and dutiful to him as captain for the time of the appointment, and immediately pay and be satisfied with the salary they have earned up to that point, and from that time on they will be paid the same, so that the months of their payment will begin and end at the same time, so that through such equal payment the people of war may be kept in better order and obedience.
47. And so that the supreme field commander together with the other commanders assigned to him may also be maintained, as is due according to the legend of their appointment, so the electors, princes and common estates have agreed and arranged that for such maintenance and necessities, a number of estimates shall be made, namely half a florin for each footman, and one and a half florins for each footman, The money is to be paid out of the coffers of each county until the plant is brought in, and the payment of the common offices is to be sent to the county council and its counterscribers and spent by them for necessities, as they therefore dare to do honorably.
48 And when, in addition, several princes and princes, namely the four princes of the Rhine, three thousand florins, the prince of Saxony and Duke Moritz of Saxony four thousand florins, the archbishop of Salzburg one thousand; item, the bishops of Bamberg, Würzburg, Eistett, Speier, Strasbourg and Augsburg, each one thousand florins, and Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria etc. also one thousand florins, the florins to be counted at fifteen batz, for the payment of the supreme field captain, we, together with the princes, princes and common estates, have granted them.
and allowed that each of them may receive his money thus laid out from his collectors, or have it deducted from his handed over investment, and where this was not sufficient, be paid from the common treasury of his district. Such advanced sum of money shall subsequently be divided equally outside the Austrian district into the other nine districts, and the expenditure shall be reimbursed according to each one's fee.
49. But since most of the estates complain about the unequal proposals, and it is not to be hoped that their settlement will be found in such a hurry; moreover, if the settlement were found, it would nevertheless be quite burdensome for the common estates, which are occupied in the kingdom's proposals, to carry this undertaken great help and presentation to length; besides, it would be no less burdensome that the poor common farmer should be burdened with taxes and investments for this great work beyond his means; and then this expedition [concerns] our common Christian faith, common German nation and fatherland, and thus all estates, cities and inhabitants of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, who use themselves for the same welfare and peace, whether they are included in the Empire's proposals or not, also irrespective of some freedom, are drawn into this persistent aid, for this purpose a tolerable proposal is made by all means, and everyone, high and low, is stricken according to his ability, so that no one is spared.
50. And although all kinds of proposals and orders have been discussed at previous imperial congresses, the princes, rulers and estates have deemed it to be the most expedient and approved way that a common penny and proposal be made and announced throughout the entire German nation in the manner described above by the imperial regiment at Esslingen and by the committee held at Augsburg, as the imperial regiment at Esslingen has already proposed, and the committee of the most recent Imperial Diet at Augsburg has also drawn up and described, except that this assessment must also be increased and intensified in accordance with the aforementioned need and the above-mentioned excellent, granted, necessary aid; as follows.
(51) All and any princes, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, nobles, free cities and imperial cities, and all others, in cities and in the country, of whatever rank, dignity or nature, shall be exempt from this, no matter what treaties, liberties, indulgences and customs may be contrary to this grant and arrangement.
The people shall pay to the church, from all their movable and immovable goods and chattels, half a florin for each hundred florins of legal value, and five florins for each thousand florins of goods of value, and shall thus pay and account for the first year in full, and the next year, in case of necessity, in whole or in half, According to the form and occasion of the things, pay and pay for the investment, tax and maintenance of this Christian work, and the florin shall be counted as fifteen batz or sixty kreuzer, or as one and twenty silver pennies, or as much as the value of another common coin.
52. whoever has less than one hundred guilders shall give six kreuzer for every twenty guilders, and whoever has less than twenty guilders shall give four kreuzer, or so much value.
53. Fifty guilders of annual dues, interest and income for one thousand guilders of value and principal property shall also be counted and paid in this assessment; Thus and in such a manner that the princes, princes and other estates, which for the sake of the persistent Turkish aid have made alliance with their subjects, and have charged their subjects more than this common assessment bears, shall pay from such assessment imposed on them and their subjects, as much as is due to them according to this common assessment, namely five guilders of each thousand guilders of principal money, as above, shall be paid to the six collectors of their district (of which further details will be given hereafter) certainly and immediately. But all other princes, rulers and estates, who have not yet settled with their subjects on account of this persistent Turkish aid, shall for this purpose comply with this common order, and live up to it completely, as it is written above and hereafter, and so that equality is maintained, shall charge and pay theirs neither higher nor lower, nor in any other form, but only this time, on account of this Turkish aid; However, the common estates shall be free to compare themselves with their subjects in other matters and in case of need, and to provide the necessary facilities.
54 And since the electors, princes, prelates, counts, freemen and lords, their nobility, and the communes and cities, also special persons, principalities, dominions, authorities and castles, are not to be estimated carelessly according to their right value, nor to be assessed: so they shall and want their investments according to their annual income in fees and interest, next to their other goods, cash and stock, as now
The court shall calculate, assess and pay the annual income of one thousand guilders on twenty thousand guilders of principal property and value, and each thousand guilders of principal property shall be charged with five guilders for this year's Turkish aid.
(55) However, in such a display, each person's clothes, jewels, silverware, and other household goods, which each person can use and not well do without according to his status and nature; item, high status persons, those of the nobility, and traveling servants shall not display their horses, the like other armor and armor, nor guns, powder, and other ammunition belonging to them, but nothing else shall be exempt from this attachment.
Since fifty guilders of the annual fee for a thousand guilders of principal property have been set aside, and five guilders of this amount have been ordered to be paid annually for this facility, and since some of them have more food and income from their cash during the year, without any special effort or expense on their part, than fifty guilders of a thousand guilders of principal property, we, together with the aforementioned imperial commissioners, and with the electors, princes, and estates, have compared them with us, and have deemed them to be equally just. We, together with the aforementioned imperial commissioners, and with princes, princes and estates, and they in turn with us, have compared notes, and have deemed and decreed that they, whether of high or low estate, shall also pay and pay the tenth penny of their several annual favors and benefits, as all other estates shall also pay the tenth penny of all their annual favors and incomes to this system, so that the inequality of the assessments is prevented and no one is increased above the other.
57 And because this attack was made for the entertainment of the Christian warriors, against our holy Christian faith and name of the hereditary enemy, the Turks, for the salvation of Christian blood, and also for the protection and protection of our common fatherland of the German nation and all our freedom, body and goods, it is necessary and Christian, for which reason no one should refuse such an installation, nor should any freedom, treaties or old customs be preferred against it.
(58) Nevertheless, at the request of the electors, princes, and estates, and at the request of the absent embassies, we have graciously granted and taken upon ourselves the nobility of the lands of Swabia, Franconia, and the Rhine, which are not included in the proposals of the Holy Roman Empire, and likewise the cities of the groves and of the sea, which are not subject to and belong to the electors, princes, or other authorities without means, and which are not included in the proposals of the Holy Roman Empire.
of the empire, to describe in the most beneficial way to the local courts of each country, and to have them act with them, that they, in consideration of the above-mentioned causes (which every Christian, before the German nation, keeps in mind and heart), also agree to this Christian common and equal order, pay the same from their and their subjects' property, and deliver it to the counties in which they have been seated, with this gracious assurance and assurance that in the future this will be inalienable and irrevocable for them in their liberties, old custom and use, and that also the nobility in the land of Franconia, the same in Swabia and on the Rhine, shall be granted and delivered keys for the preservation of such money, in addition to other district estates.
59 We and the aforementioned Imperial Commissarii, Princes and Estates and the Absent Embassies have also deemed it advisable and good. Commissarii, Electors, Princes, and Estates and the absent embassies have also considered it advisable and good to send our embassy to the Confederates in the most conducive manner, and to inform them of this Christian project and the attack made, and also to request them, for the reasons mentioned above, to likewise take up such Christian work, and to send and maintain a considerable help of good warriors.
60 And because it is necessary that peace and tranquility be maintained in the meantime in the common Christendom, that they therefore not initiate war against anyone for themselves, nor also help or want to help some other Christian potentates, who might start or wage war in Christendom; to this end, they shall faithfully help and promote that the subjects of the imperial estates, who have been seated in the Confederation, also pay their due investment to their lords for this good work and let it follow.
61. And to this Christian benevolent work all monasteries, chapters, convents, religious, churches, church factories and hospitals, whether in cities or elsewhere, ecclesiastical and secular brotherhoods, and all other ecclesiastical assemblies, communes and cloisters, of men and women, whether exempt or not, shall give their taxes and investments; In consideration of what is in their interest in the handling of the Christian name and faith, from which they also have their dignity, income and maintenance, and accordingly pay and pay from all their pensions, dues and income the tenth part, that is, from each hundred guilders of annual income, ten guilders every year, as long as this system lasts.
The same shall be done with all commendarii and houses of the Teutonic Order and the Order of St. John, as well as with other knightly orders, which are obliged to help others to resist the Turk by virtue of their order.
63. Similarly, the special ecclesiastical persons, if they are not princes, princes or prelates of the realm, shall receive from their pensions, reserves, and likewise from all other pensions, fees, income and benefits, which they have from their benefices, beneficiis, dignitatibus and their ecclesiastical status, beneficiis, dignitatibus, and their ecclesiastical status, they shall pay and pay, or cause to be paid, the tenth penny (that is, ten florins out of every hundred florins of value, annual fee, and use, of each year of this perpetual term) to this facility.
(64) And in order that from such pensions, reserves, and similar benefits the due annexes may be the more certainly paid, he who is obliged to pay such pension or reserve shall deduct the annex to his creditor in accordance with this estimate, and shall be obliged to pay into this annex at the place where he, the debtor, has been sitting. And so that the debtors may be all the more certain against their creditors and ecclesiastical authorities, on account of their bonds and obligations given for this purpose, we and the aforementioned imperial commissioners, instead of and in the name of imperial majesty and on our own behalf, wish to apply to the pope's court. and for ourselves, by the Papal Holiness, or her Holiness' message, with all diligence, and act in such a way that those who pay their due investment of pensions and similar benefits are neither disturbed nor prevented by anyone; And then from other their inherited estates and movable property the clergy shall also pay and pay ten florins of a hundred florins of annual income of the year, and five florins of a thousand florins of value of property, as ordered by the seculars, for investment at the end where they have been sitting.
However, the church treasures and ornaments should not be included in this arrangement, but should be saved and preserved as a treasure of Christianity, where they would be needed for urgent, necessary, unavoidable help.
(66) All princes, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, nobles, free and imperial cities, municipalities, and all others who have subjects, shall pay this tax and annex, as much as is imposed on their person and municipal income and goods, only from those of their own and their subjects.
The municipalities shall provide and give common fees, pensions, and income, and their subjects shall be completely spared in this respect, considering that they, whether ecclesiastical or secular, must all give their investment for themselves, as mentioned above, so that equality is maintained in all estates, and no one is burdened more than the other.
67. And although it is knowingly true that many of those who have annual service and office money may enjoy a small amount of their salaries, above the expenses they have to incur with servants and horses, and in other ways; Then, too, and so that no one is spared in this common assessment, we and the imperial commissaries, as well as the electors, princes, and estates, and the absent embassies, have deemed it just and equitable that each person, whether of high or low, ecclesiastical or secular rank, shall give half a florin of one hundred florins of annual service or official pay, each year of this continuous investment, and thus up and down, after increasing and decreasing the sums, up to fifty florins. But every servant or servant messenger, ecclesiastical and secular, servants and maids, who is given less than fifteen florins as wages, shall be obliged to give one kreuzer of each florin annually.
However, because some may find it difficult to disclose their assets, every prince, prince, ecclesiastical or secular, prelate, prelate, count, freeman, lord, and of the nobility, princes, councillors, and similar persons, also the free and imperial cities, shall remember the duties that each one owes to the Imperial Majesty, the Holy Roman Empire, and otherwise to his ordered authority, in advance, with a Christian conscience and faith. Majesty, the Holy Empire, and otherwise by all means obliged and devoted to his ordered authority, beforehand remembering with Christian conscience and his loyalty and faith, and according to the possibility of this notice and order, have his due investment of all and every one of his possessions and goods, movable and immovable, as if they were or lay where they want to be, only at the place where he is seated, certainly and faithfully deposited in the ordered collection box, or paid according to the legend of this order.
In order that such an order may be strictly adhered to, and that all confusion and discord, which on account of this plan might easily occur with the allocation of subjects and estates between the ecclesiastical and secular estates, may be completely prevented and cut off, we, together with the Imperial Commissaries, hereby decree, mean, and wish, in place of and in the name of the Imperial Majesty and the Holy Roman Emperor, to establish a new order. Majesty and
For ourselves, herewith seriously commanding, that each one alone, in the place where he has sat, give his annex to this persistent Turkish help, of all his possessions and goods, which he has everywhere, unhindered, where they are or lie, and that no estate opposes the other, The court shall also be responsible for the fact that the priests and clergymen of the Holy Roman Empire shall not be allowed to take any of their possessions and goods, whether they are already under their control or not, nor shall they be allowed to keep them, under penalty and punishment of the imperial majesty and the Holy Roman Empire. However, the clergy in the imperial cities, where the archiepiscopal or episcopal monasteries are, and the archbishops or bishops and the same city and citizenship do not belong together in one district, are not to be kept in the city or in the same district, but in the ward and district in which their archbishops and bishops belong, and thus the ecclesiastics of the ends shall be occupied and controlled by their ecclesiastical authorities, and the seculars by their secular authorities alone, and where one or more appear to be disobedient and would act contrary thereto, against him or them the Imperial Fiscal shall issue a declaration. If one or more would appear and act contrary, the Imperial Fiscal shall have and be obliged to proceed with the declaration of the penalties in question without delay and in the most favorable manner'. However, the peasants' estates, which are described and set according to this order, shall be reserved for the authorities, which they have been brought here from time immemorial to occupy in quiet use, to establish in this system, and otherwise all high and low authorities, ecclesiastical and secular, all of which shall be harmless and inalienable to their rights and justices and ancient customs.
70 Then the princes, sovereigns, and other authorities shall, by virtue of their authority, order, provide, and decree according to Christian rule that their subjects shall, without prejudice, also pay their due fees, as is hereafter understood in special articles; but all and every person, high and low, shall be described in all ways in responsibility for their property, so that one may know how to seek and penetrate the rebellion and punish the disobedient.
71 The free and imperial cities, as well as other cities belonging to princes or other sovereigns, shall receive nothing from the revenues of their chambers, from the revenues and uses of their hospitals and other such houses under their or their administration, and then the guilds, guilds, guilds, and all other universities, communes, colleges, faculties, and collections by whatever name.
The inhabitants of the town shall pay the above-mentioned amount of their fees, usufruct and income, also in the case of duties, as reported, and fifty guilders of such income shall be counted for one thousand guilders of principal property and value, and thus up and down, according to the number of each of their incomes.
The burghers in the cities shall also be subject to this assessment, and each of them shall receive five guilders of each thousand guilders of the value of the main assets of his possessions and goods, and ten guilders of each hundred guilders of annual use, as other estates, and shall thus be counted up and down, according to the increase and reduction of his assets, with the duties that he owes to his ordinary authorities, on his loyalty and faith and Christian conscience, and shall pay and pay, as is further explained above and hereafter. However, the common peasants and subjects of the electors, princes, and other authorities shall be assessed by their authorities, as is therefore also ordered above and hereafter, and all their property shall be tendered, and six kreuzers or so much value shall be taken annually from each twenty gulden worth of main property, and four kreuzers or so much value shall be taken annually from those having a value of less than twenty gulden.
Item 73: The Jews are to be assessed for this Turkish tax in such a way that every Jew, young or old, shall pay one guilder at the beginning of this tax, and the rich Jews shall help the poor in such an assessment; in addition, each of them shall owe one guilder each year for one hundred guilders of main goods, whatever they may be, and herewith their usury shall be invalidated.
74. In order that this Christian plan may progress more quickly, and for the sake of sincere collection, safekeeping, and spending, the less suspicion may arise among men, but the inclined, good, and faithful will for such a truly Christian work may be preserved, we, together with the imperial commissars, have compared and united ourselves with princes, princes, and states, and they in turn with us; and do so in such a way that four noble, pious and skilful persons are appointed by the Electors or Princes and by the same countryside to each principality or countryside, namely one by the Electors or Princes, the other by the prelates and clergy, the third by the Counts, Freemen, Lords and the Knighthood, subject to the same Elector or Prince, and the fourth by the Electors or Princes.
the cities. The four collectors shall then be sworn to the Prince Regnant in particular, and also to his entire countryside, to faithfully collect, keep and disburse such assets, so that the oath to be taken by each Prince Regnant and countryside on their occasion shall be further executed.
(75) In every principality, a common chest with four good locks shall be placed in a city to store such money, and the four collectors shall each have a key to the four locks, so that none of them may unlock the other three locks, nor open the chests without the others assigned to them.
76. The four named collectors shall also be completely released from all their duties to their sovereigns and lords, as far as this action is concerned, and shall be bound to them especially in their honor, oath and duty, that they shall not spend or hand over such money or assets to any other place, except as will be indicated differently hereafter; They shall then also be handled by every prince, sovereign or authority of every place, and for this reason they shall follow their command strictly, and shall not be subject to any disgrace or persecution from anyone for this.
77. And since it would now be too much trouble and burden for the said four collectors to install such facilities in all and every city, town and place of each principality by their own persons; likewise, it would be even more inconvenient for the subjects to answer all their facilities at one place, located at the four collectors: Every sovereign, together with his principality or his sovereigns' deputies, shall appoint four collectors, some sub-collectors in case of need in his sovereign's offices, care 1) or principalities, according to his and his sovereign's opportunity, to take this facility.
78 The same sub-collectors shall be ordered and obliged by the sovereigns and by the four common collectors, just as the chief collectors of ecclesiastics and seculars, that they shall faithfully and with the utmost diligence deposit such annexes of their office administration, subjects and dependants, ecclesiastical and secular, and shall dispose of them in a well-kept box, which they shall also have made for this purpose, and shall keep them faithfully, also the names of all those who deposit and those who should deposit, but un-
1) "Caring" put by us instead of: "carers".
The people who are found obedient want to write it down, so that, as it stands, due justice may be done against the disobedient.
79 These collectors shall also have orders to remind and admonish the subjects of their appointed administration at the time they are to make their due investment, to the highest of their honor and oath, and especially to their Christian conscience, loyalty, faith and salvation.
For this purpose, every prince and sovereign shall issue mandates in his principality, in which, for the above-mentioned Christian and just causes, the subjects shall be admonished to take to heart the honor of Almighty God, His holy faith, and the benefit and welfare of common Christendom, and to consider the common benefit and welfare of common Christendom, and to provide for all their own interests, with an earnest commandment attached, that every man faithfully, without all falsity and danger, value himself, and lay up his due investment, and in the manner and form as set forth above by persons of high and low estate, cast it into the coffers, or cause it to be cast in. And such admonition shall also be made at all times in the pulpit by pastors and preachers most diligently.
This sub-collector's chest or box shall also have four good locks and four different keys, of which each of the principality or country's chief collectors shall have one, and the sub-collectors shall have no key.
And in order that such an investment may be collected all the more efficiently and with less effort, the collectors in the offices, bailiwicks or principalities in which they are ordered to collect the investment shall determine and set a named day and time beforehand for the subjects, on which they, the subjects and the tenants, shall deposit their due investment, and which of them shall exceed the same time and not deposit, against whom action shall be taken by virtue of a separate article subsequently set.
In the same way, the chief collectors of each principality shall appoint all and each of the sub-collectors a certain time to deliver their locked chests to the designated city, where the common chest will be placed and arranged, with delivery of the list of all those, of whatever status or nature, who have paid their dues and of the others who are to pay their dues but have not paid them.
84: Where then the four common and superior collectors are replaced by the subordinate collectors.
each chest (as reported) has been handed over, the four common collectors shall immediately, in the presence of the sub-collectors, deposit the money which has fallen to such investment, uncounted, into their chest, and also give the sub-collectors that they have handed over their chest in this way, a certificate and confession.
85. The prelates, counts, freemen, lords, and nobles shall deposit their due deposits and taxes in the common chest of the four common collectors of the principality or country, or have the right to deposit them in the next chest of the sub-collectors, as if they were in charge, but each of them shall sign to the common collectors under his seal, The same shall apply to the place where the fee was deposited, so that it may be known who is obedient or disobedient, and also so that at the place where the fee was deposited, the sub-collectors or the authorities there may certify that the fee was deposited at that place.
86 It shall also be held with the counts, freemen, lords and nobility subjects, all measure, as is ordered above by the other authorities subjects.
Item: Princes and rulers, ecclesiastical and secular, who are subject to the empire without means, shall, in their duties as provided above in a separate article, order their facilities to be handed over to this order according to the four common collectors of their principality or country.
If the four common collectors of each principality or country have received all the chests and the equipment stored therein from the sub-collectors, as described above, and have placed them together in their chests, then the same four common collectors of all and every prince, ecclesiastical and secular, shall keep such chests with the utmost diligence, and shall hand them over to the district collectors, as to form and measure.
89. With the prelates, prelatesses, counts, freemen and lords, subject to the realm without means, and who recognize no lord but the realm, it shall be held thus that every prelate, prelate, count, or freeman shall appoint for himself one, his ecclesiastical subjects one, and his secular subjects also one collector, and his secular subjects also one collector, to demand such annexes from their subjects, and as indicated by the common peasants and subjects in the country, to write them down, and to hand them over to the authorities, as will be reported hereafter. The same three collectors shall also, as provided, be responsible to the prelates, prelates, counts, freemen, lords,
and each of their subjects shall be specially pledged and sworn.
The same, as indicated in the next article, shall be done with those of nobility who are subject to the realm without means and to no other prince or lord, and also with their subjects or subjects.
91. The same nobility, thus subject to the empire without means, wanted to decree their own chests and collectors for each country in which they reside, who shall have the power to do the same; But that the same, like other collectors, vowed and sworn, also as of other estates, act here before and afterwards with bringing in and depositing of the annex, and description of those names, which pay their fee, likewise with transfer of the chests, in all measure, as is reported of other collectors above and afterwards.
However, whichever free cities and imperial cities have subjects in the countryside, these subjects and their dependents shall also have the right to appoint and decree a collector in addition to the above-mentioned three collectors.
Where the same free and imperial cities have one or more dominions in the country, it shall then be held with the introduction of the annexes of the same dominions of subjects in all measures, as is set forth above by the Electors and Princes, bailiwicks, captaincies etc. on account of the ordinance of the sub-collectors and others, and the annexes, as ordered by the peasants in the country, shall be posted and collected.
94. Prelates, counts, freemen, lords, and those of the nobility, subject to the empire without means, also the free and imperial cities shall also (as much as is due to them on account of their prelatures, dominions, and their own, also common their city incomes, according to their order to give) in their duties, after designation of a forewarned article, 1) thus beginning: All princes, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, of the nobility, also free and imperial cities etc., shall hand over their fees to the collectors appointed by them and their subjects, and place them in their appointed chests; which now appointed collectors, when they have gathered the plant from the dominions and subjects everywhere and assembled it in a chest, shall then keep the same chest with diligence, and hand it over to the six district collectors.
1) § 51 of this document.
The following paragraphs describe the procedure for the transfer of the documents.
95. Where, however, princes, prelates, counts, lords, free cities and imperial cities in a district prefer to gather their assets together beforehand and then have them all delivered to common district chests, they shall have the power and authority to command and interpret their and their subjects' decreed collectors in their duties, that they bring their chests together, and throw the equipment stored therein into a well-kept chest without any waste, and thus have all their equipment, in the presence of the ordered six district collectors, thrown into the common district chest without being counted, and administered as if it existed.
In the same way, all and every prince, duke, and commonwealth shall be permitted to have his and his subjects' assets deposited uncounted in the common county chest by their appointed collectors. However, after all or a fairly good portion of the assets have been deposited in the district's common chest, the six district collectors mentioned above shall first count all the money deposited from the chests, have it written down, and then store it again in the common chest, and spend it according to this order, and subsequently, at the proper time, give a sincere and good account to the estates related to the district, and also, upon request of the future assembly at Nuremberg, give a sufficient written report on how it was brought in and spent again in each district, as well as on what is still in stock. And in the imperial cities, the clergy may have their own special collectors and chests, and the seculars also their own collectors, and when they have brought their assets into such different chests on both sides, then they shall pour them together into a common chest, and have their mutually appointed collectors deposit them in the district's common chests, uncounted, and administer them as above; Only the clergy, who do not belong to the city and citizens in the free and imperial cities, where there are archiepiscopal and episcopal foundations, and their archbishops or bishops belong to a different district, are exempt from this, because it shall remain and be kept with such, as a separate article is understood above.
97 And although the cities of Goslar, Mühlhausen, Northausen, Wangen, and Zell im Hammersbach, due to their noticeable damage, fire, and impoverishment, have to deliver their number of warriors at this time and wait until the due date of the payment.
If the cities in question are not able to maintain the number of their men-of-war for the amount of my penny, then it is deemed just that they be relieved of the number of their men-of-war for the sake of mercy and satisfaction for the damage they have suffered, with the understanding that other states related to them in war will not be burdened with the number of men-of-war they have to maintain in the cities in question, and that they will be allowed to contribute to the common treasury in each of their districts, and that no one else will be allowed or given the same freedom and privilege.
98. However, since it would be burdensome and painstaking to have all the princes, princes, ecclesiastical and secular, and other estates, together with their subjects, set up such a system in one place, which could not be done without considerable expense; Therefore, since the Empire of the German Nation is divided into ten counties or districts, we decree and order that in each of the said ten counties or districts, according to the occasion of the district, six collectors be appointed from the same district, namely, the ecclesiastical princes and princes shall appoint one, the secular princes and princes one, the prelates one, the counts and barons one, the knights and nobles one, and the free and imperial cities also one; These six collectors shall then swear and take an oath to the entire district and the estates from which they are appointed, so that a special oath shall be taken and administered by each district's estates.
And the six collectors of each district shall have power to take in, vow and swear a pious, faithful, skillful scribe,' and then to use him for the collection and actual recording of such deposits besides themselves.
(100) And every county or district shall choose and appoint a local town or city, as the six collectors of the same district shall meet twice a year, at N. and N. times, as each county shall compare the estates thereof; and where they all of the same county shall not have received annexes before, they shall at least meet at a certain time, according to the occasion of the county. If all of them of the same district do not receive the plants beforehand, they shall at least stay with each other for a certain time, according to the occasion of the district, and wait for the plants; And if they receive the same from each estate and from the same subject, they shall have their sworn scribe actually and faithfully write them down in their presence, and they shall put such annexes into a box or chest, which shall be kept with six locks, and theirs, the six collectors, shall each have a different key.
101. and the above-mentioned six district
The six district collectors shall appoint all common and chief collectors of their district of the electorates and principalities, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, of the nobility, also free and imperial cities, and their subjects, for the above-mentioned time, and require them to hand over their deposited assets at the above-mentioned time and place, at which time the above-mentioned collectors, estates and their subjects shall be obliged to deliver their deposits and taxes to these six district collectors, and then not fail to receive from the same district collectors a certificate and confession that they have also deposited their deposits without being counted. The six district collectors shall also have the same diligently written down, so that it may be known who has delivered his enclosure to them or not.
102. If, however, anyone, be he prince, prince, ecclesiastical or secular, prelate, count, freeman, lord of the knighthood and nobility, or of free and imperial cities, should fail to send his number of men-at-arms, or to pay the common penny and surcharge, or should retaliate, or should prevent anyone else from carrying out the surcharge, or should withhold anything from him, (which, in view of this Christian good intention, and the burdensome high duty of the German nation, our fatherland, is not to provide for anyone), then we, together with the above-mentioned decreed imperial commissaries, in the name of the Roman imperial majesty and for ourselves, for her imperial majesty and our hereditary land, have agreed and united with princes, princes and estates; We also unite, establish and order from right knowledge, from Roman imperial and royal power and perfection, that all and every one who are thus disobedient, or commit this order, shall fall in the imperial majesty and the holy realm's attention with the deed, and if the offenders are ecclesiastical persons, their privileges, protection and protection, which they have from the Imperial Majesty, their ancestors, and the Holy Empire, are thereby forfeited, privatized and deprived of them, also [shall be] acted against them altogether and especially in the following measure: namely, the Imperial Fiscal, on the suggestion and report of the six common collectors, or on his own inquiry, shall proceed against the same disobedient person from time to time, and have him summoned to appear, and to show that he has obediently paid his due investment according to the legend of this our order and farewell, also not to prevent anyone from doing so, or to stop anything that anyone might be entitled to do, or not to have it followed.
have; or to see and hear that because of his disobedience (if he is a secular) in Roman imperial majesty and the holy empire attention, and in case the disobedient would be a spiritual person, then to see and hear, to declare and pronounce that he is deprived of all and any of his privileges, liberties, grace and justice, as well as protection and protection, which he has from the Imperial Majesty and their ancestors in the Empire, Roman emperors and kings. And where then the disobedient or transgressor of this order, be he ecclesiastical or secular, would not appear nor show his obedience, as is now reported, or in other ways with substantial cause, then the imperial treasurer in question shall, without any formal process and arrest, immediately be declared and denounced by the chamber judge and assessors of the imperial chamber court, and also be subjected to and followed by all the estates of such caution, or privatization, for punishment of the harmful disobedience. And where the disobedient or transgressor of this order would persist in his rebellion until the supreme captain returned from the expedition, he shall also punish such disobedient with as much people as he would consider necessary, He shall also overcharge such disobedient person with as many people as he would consider necessary, and the equipment and aid (which the disobedient person shall then be obliged to pay twice, together with all costs incurred in the overcrossing) shall thus be recovered from him twice, together with the costs incurred and damage.
The Imperial Majesty and we shall not and will not absolve or terminate any such disobedient and declared Eights, before and before he has fully and obediently rendered all that is laid down for him in these Regulations, and whether anything contrary thereto is obtained from Her Imperial Majesty or from us, or proceeds from his own motion, the same shall then as now, and now as then, be unworthy and invalid.
104 We also decree and order that the equipment of each circle, thus brought together and delivered, shall not be spent or used in any other place or for any other purpose than that for which it was given by the people of the Christian faith, namely, solely for the resistance of the Turk, his helpers and followers.
If a county appoints its councillors of war to the supreme commander of the field: The appointed collectors in each district shall, first of all, return to each elector, prince, prelate, count, lord and other estate the money they have spent on ordering and maintaining their number of men-of-war, or withdraw it in charge of their estate, and then the appointed six collectors of war shall, from the money collected from the electors, princes, prelates, counts, lords and other estates, The six war collectors who have been appointed shall then pay and maintain the warband of their district that has been taken up and sent against the Turks, and accordingly send to the war councils appointed by the same district as much money as is necessary at any given time so that the warband may be paid without delay and all harm that might arise from non-payment among the warband may be prevented.
105. In order that each district may have a certain number of people and know that its money is being used faithfully and usefully: Each district shall assign two honorable, skilled counterscribers to its council of war, and entrust the three of their district with the administration of money; they shall then examine and pay their men of war every month, and subsequently render correct and good account to their superiors; they shall also pay diligent attention to their duties, so that there is no lack of their men of war according to the persons, and the number, as decided, is always replaced by the persons.
106 All such selfishness and advantage among the captains and men-of-war, in mustering, enumeration and payment, are diligently averted, and such a request, which is not otherwise praiseworthy, will not be tolerated in this Christian work.
107. And so that this investment is not prevented anywhere, we mean, order and want, if it happens that in a district there are cities or subjects, over which two thought to have the authority, and therefore do not want to or would not compare, which of them should demand and receive the investments from the same cities or subjects, that then the other related estates of the same district decree one, who receives the deposited and brought money at the disputed place in an appropriate manner and measure and delivers it to the collectors of the same district, but to the lords in their every justice and authority without damage, to whom nothing is to be taken away herewith, nor given or allowed to the subjects against their lordship.
108. For the time being, we and the common estates of the empire have deemed it useful and have decreed that a special stick or chest be set up in all parish churches, in cities and in the countryside, and that the people be most diligently exhorted by the preachers every Sunday, as well as holidays and other days on which sermons are preached, to offer their help, even beyond the above-mentioned due facility, to our Christian warriors, who are to protect our holy faith and fatherland against the unbelievers, according to each one's opportunity and as the Almighty admonishes him, out of Christian love and inclination. The same sticks or chests are to be opened every month by the authorities and officials in the presence of several respectable persons, and what is found in them is to be actually described and handed over to the six chief collectors of the district.
Furthermore, we, the common estates, have kindly and graciously granted and promised to assign one more N. or N. wall breakers to these Christian warriors over and above the N. pieces of rifles, among which N. pieces of wall breakers, which we have previously granted to maintain with all ammunition and other accessories, and to provide them likewise with all accessories.
In order that the Christian warriors may be better equipped with field artillery against this powerful enemy, the Turks, their helpers and supporters, the common estates have offered to support this work and have promised that each district shall provide, order and maintain for each ensign servants, N. half snakes 1) or falconas, together with N. bullets, and other appropriate riding gear and necessary equipment for each piece.
However, such a gun shall not be used for a field gun elsewhere, nor in any other form, than among the Empire's warriors, and where there is some shortage of the same or its associated artillery and ammunition, this shall also be replaced and reimbursed by a further provision and order of the Imperial Assembly at Nuremberg.
To ensure that there is no shortage of necessary ammunition and artillery belonging to the imperial field artillery, each district shall nevertheless procure such supplies at a convenient town not far from the army, so that each district's councilors may find them and use them immediately for their needs. 2)
1) "snakes" [field snakes] put by us instead of: "beating".
2) "may" put by us instead of: "may".
We shall and will also keep this gracious and good order, so that the whole army will have good providence in the provisioning of necessities, and that we will not appear to be at all lacking in any of the other things that we have taken upon ourselves, according to our written notification, in the beginning of this Imperial Diet.
In particular, for the sake of provisions, we will and shall decree that they be led and kept in appropriate places and boxes, and that so many mills and ovens be erected that a considerable amount of flour be ground and biscuits 1) baked in due time.
Likewise, for the good and welfare of this Christian work, we have granted and taken upon ourselves to establish and make such good order in the neighboring countries as Bavaria, Swabia, and others, that provisions are also brought from these same neighboring countries, and that the foreigners who bring provisions from afar are produced and processed before others who are close by and in the country. In order that such a supply may be the more beneficial to the Christian warriors, we want to graciously decree, declare and admonish by our open letter and exhortation that all those who intend to supply grain to the warriors should make an effort to produce and supply flour instead of grain, as much as possible.
In order that the common man of war may have his food for a fair penny and avoid excessive disorderly purchase, and that a free market may be kept, as is the custom and usage of war, all provisions supplied to this Christian army, escort, customs, tolls, and tolls, and all other impositions and burdens by sea and land, shall be left free and unencumbered in all cities and towns.
117 And for the more stately maintenance of this army, we, together with the imperial commissars, have agreed in the name of the imperial majesty and for ourselves with princes and estates and united them with us that each one shall freely supply the provisions from his own territory. Majesty and on our own behalf with princes, princes and estates, and they have agreed and united with us that each of them shall allow the provisions to be freely supplied from his territory and shall not prevent or forbid them.
However, since all kinds of highly important things and actions will confidently take place in this Christian expedition, providence must continue to happen, and it is still uncertain at this time whether it will be possible to continue with the above-mentioned expedition.
1) Biscuits, hard bread, rusks.
If it is not possible for the common penny to be used for this campaign and for the number of soldiers to be received by one or more districts, four councillors shall be appointed by the common estates, who shall arrive at Regensburg on the first day of June, in the near future, There they shall remain until further notice from the common estates of the empire, which will meet at Nuremberg, as will follow, and they shall vomit and flood the mail and letters that will go out from the supreme field captain and others to the common estates for the sake of this expedition.
119. If anything should happen in matters decided at this Imperial Diet, the common estates shall request and request that they be transported to the work without delay, and that subsequently, on the thirteenth day of the month of July, all princes, princes and estates shall come to Nuremberg in person or through their embassies with sufficient authority to hear all the necessities of this expedition and what has or would happen, and to take due measures and precautions, especially if it is found that one or more counties are not capable enough to maintain their number of men-of-war with their contributed equipment, then to make a settlement among the counties and to ensure that the same impossible counties maintain men-of-war from the remaining contributed equipment of the other governor's county, and that the impossible burden is removed and no state is burdened before the other.
In order that this may be done in the most certain manner, we wish and order that the common penny, by virtue of this proposal, be collected in the most beneficial manner and at the earliest possible time before the thirteenth day of July, and that it be deposited and transferred to the six common collectors in the common district chests. For this purpose, the aforementioned appointed councillors shall have the power and authority to increase and decrease the amount of this annex, in case of necessity, according to the form and occasion of the surplus or deficiency found in the district chests, with the modesty that such increase and decrease of the annexes shall not be made and done otherwise than according to the form and shape of this annex.
121 And that nothing be omitted in these highly important matters, then common estates of the realm, which by themselves or by their authorized embassies on certain thirteenth day
The judges who arrive at Nuremberg on July 1, whether they are many or few, shall proceed and conclude the matter without delay, and their decision shall bind those who are absent no less than if they were present themselves.
122 And so that the less error and hindrance occur in the collection of this common penny and proposal, we, together with the Imperial Commissars, have, in place of and in the name of the Imperial Majesty and for ourselves, also on behalf of the Imperial Majesty and our hereditary lands, granted this Christian and necessary order and proposal; we shall not and do not intend to do anything contrary to it, nor permit others to do so.
123. And when we had been led to a royal mind, and had deliberated with the common estates, what might be done to prevent this Christian, necessary work from being carried out, where in the meantime in the Holy Empire of the German Nation, or also at other ends of Christendom, strife, indignation and wars should be caused or tolerated: Accordingly, we, together with the imperial commissaries, in place of and on behalf of the imperial majesty and for ourselves, have agreed and united with princes, princes and estates, and they in turn with us, that their imperial majesty and we, not only as Roman emperor and king, but also as Christian kings and princes of the Holy Roman Empire, shall maintain peace and justice in the Empire for us and on account of both our hereditary lands against their members and other Christian potentates, and shall also decree that this shall remain and be maintained in the Holy Roman Empire.
124. Therefore, and because we, together with the imperial commissariats, are inclined to preserve such peace and good unity in the Holy Empire, to prevent war and rebellion, in place of and in the name of the imperial majesty and for ourselves, we command from the Roman imperial and royal power and perfection all and every elector, prince, ecclesiastical and secular, prelates, counts, freemen, lords, knights, servants, captains, governors, governors, bailiffs, stewards, administrators, bailiffs, magistrates, judges, councillors, citizens, municipalities, and all other of our and the Holy Roman Empire's subjects and faithful, regardless of their dignity, status, or nature, hereby earnestly decree that no one shall overreach, attack, or damage the other by force and deed, contrary to the law and the land peace established by the Emperor's Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire, but that each of them shall defend himself against the other.
The same shall be true of the land peace established by the Imperial Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire. The same is true of the land peace established by the Imperial Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire, which is capable of doing more than is dear to anyone of the Imperial Majesty, and of avoiding our and the Empire's severe disfavor and the penalties contained in the above-mentioned land peace concluded by their Imperial Majesty and the Holy Roman Empire. This is Imperial. Majesty and our serious opinion.
Since other Christian kings and potentates, out of Christian inclination and compassion, are well inclined to help in this good undertaking and work of persistent aid against the Turks, they should be asked for help by Italy, France, England, Poland, Scotland and others, but especially Denmark, as a member partly related to the Holy Roman Empire, by the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hesse.
126. And although this granted aid to the Turks extends only to two years, but only in case of need, nevertheless princes, princes and common estates have agreed to continue, where necessity requires it and they are therefore reported needily and timely, and us, for the salvation of Christian blood and the common fatherland, to show and keep all submissive, faithful, Christian obedience and duty, whereupon the Imperial Majesty and we are confident that they will do so. Majesty and we will confidently bear a gracious good favor.
127. However, since princes, lords and commoners have willingly and obediently given themselves to the aid of the imperial majesty and of us for our subservient favor, and for the advancement and good of this Christian work, unhindered by the fact that some of them have been freed and brought here from old age: We therefore decree and order that their present permission and acceptance shall not be detrimental to all of them or to any of them in particular, and that their rights, justices, liberties and ancient customs shall otherwise be harmless and unbreakable in all respects.
128 When the papal holiness had ordered her distinguished embassy, namely the venerable John, bishop of Modena, to this imperial diet, and, in addition to the help that her holiness had granted against the Turks, had it opened and indicated that her holiness had considered the council to be absolutely necessary, in order to put an end to the quarrels and disunity of this praiseworthy German nation, and to the good and welfare of the whole of Christendom; nevertheless, she had
that for all sorts of moving causes the German nation may not have a convenient place to hold the Council, and for this reason it was deemed advisable to hold the Council in Flanders, namely in Mantua, Ferrara, Bononia or Placenza. If, however, none of these cities were deemed convenient for a number of reasons, Her Holiness would consider setting the same Concilium on the Assumption of Our Lady, the fifteenth day of August, next to Trent or Cammerich, both of which cities would be located in the German nation, so that Her Holiness may provide counsel for this nation, which is very dear to Her, and the Concilium may once gain and attain its progress without hindrance. Together with the imperial commissars, we have decided on this with princes, princes and common estates, and have given the message to Her Holiness, in addition to the answer, on account of the help granted to Her Holiness, and have had it answered on behalf of the Concilium that we would gladly hear the mind and will of the Concilium on account of His Holiness, and also ask that it be announced and held without delay on the appointed day. But for the sake of the congregation, we accept with great gratitude that His Holiness, in accordance with our request, allows such a congregation to be held in the German nation; and if no other venue in the German nation than Regensburg or Cologne can be obtained, we and the common estates will be content with the appointed venue of the Concilium, namely the city of Trent, with the Christian due and obedient request that we attend the Concilium and use all good and possible diligence to put an end to all quarrels and disagreements, so that all the confusions pending in our holy religion may be brought to a Christian good settlement, and good peace and tranquility may be planted and preserved.
129 The Estates, adhering to the Augsburg Confession and religion, have submitted a written protest in which they have reserved their necessity, as it is and will be registered in the Reich's Chancellery with other acts of the Reichstag.
130 And after on the fourteenth day of Januarii, next to various, to establish a unanimous, uniform coinage in the realm of the German nation, the same also on account of wrestling of the attacks, of which the estates were often put off to held imperial days, and then of execution, handling and improvement of the reformation and order of good police, should have been acted and decided at Speier, and but due to occurred hindrance did not happen: so have
We and the Imperial Commissioners have agreed with the princes, princes and commoners, and they in turn with us, on further action and resolution of the above matters, namely, that on the thirteenth day of July next, at Nuremberg, the above-mentioned matters are to be discussed and resolved.
131. And so that peace, tranquility and unity may be planted and maintained in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation during the time of this ongoing aid to the Turks and elsewhere, and the distrust that has arisen among the estates of the Empire, especially on account of the disputed religion, may be stopped, alleviated and reduced, and thus no part may fear any injustice or danger from the other, 'may also remain manly in peace, justice and equity: In place of and in the name of the Imperial Majesty, we have issued the Peace Treaty, as it was issued by Her Imperial Majesty. We have, on behalf of and in the name of the Imperial Majesty, extended and prorogued the state of peace as it was made by Her Imperial Majesty at the recently held Imperial Diet at Regensburg, together with the suspension of the acts and suits which have been brought before the Imperial Court of Appeal in matters of religion and other matters, for a period of five years, counting from the outcome of the expedition against the Turks now in progress; Thus, the above-mentioned Peace Treaty and Regensburg Agreement shall be firmly upheld in all and every word, as well as in all pending points and articles, and shall not be contravened and shall be strictly enforced, with the measure and modesty as the same have been given to and accepted by the estates everywhere at Regensburg, and especially that no estate or member of the Empire shall deprive or withhold the free access of provisions, food or trade, pensions, dues and income to the other, who may suffer justice in due places.
However, whether in the meantime such extended peace would be brought to a unanimous Christian settlement and unity, according to the Word of God and true Christian understanding, by a common, free, Christian general or national council in the German nation, or a common imperial assembly held in the matter of religion, it should remain at the same Christian unity and settlement, and it should be lived and followed by all imperial states.
133 And when the Court of Appeal, by virtue of the most recent Reichstag resolution, was passed at Regensburg, appeared on the fourteenth day of January, was to be visited and reformed, the estates of the realm consented to such visitation in measure and form; but because of other highly important matters such visitation had no progress.
Accordingly, the aforementioned visitation and reformation, which should have taken place on the fourteenth day of January, shall certainly be carried out here at Speier on the sixteenth of June, so that in the Holy Roman Empire, regardless of religion, an equally impartial law is carried out and communicated, for which the Imperial Majesty shall decree its commissioners. The two Electors of Mainz and Saxony, the Bishop of Würzburg, Margrave George of Brandenburg, the Abbot of Kempten, Count Martin of Oettingen, and the City of Augsburg have been appointed as visitators by common imperial estates.
Although at the recent Diet of Regensburg it was considered good and expressed that judges and assessors should be content with their old salaries and allow themselves to be satisfied, the common estates have decided and granted, for a number of moving and honest reasons, to pay the aforementioned assessors their salaries of five hundred florins, as decreed for them at the Diet of Augsburg, for the three years granted, and to let them follow.
135. And for the purpose of more regularization of the maintenance of the Chamber Court mentioned, granted at the recent Imperial Diet at Regensburg, the princes, princes and common estates have agreed that each estate shall pay its due investment, as much as it is able to pay for such maintenance, and according to the proposal made at the recent Imperial Diet in Augsburg, for the maintenance of the Court of Appeal, with the modesty that the same proposal, for the three years granted, shall be paid in duplicate, namely at each Frankfurt fair, at half the rate, and that the first payment at this present Lenten Mass will certainly be made immediately and for the longest time in four weeks, the next after the date of this following farewell, and that it will be immediately and irresistibly paid to the mayors and councils of the cities of Augsburg, Nuremberg, Frankfurt or Speier, The said mayors and councils shall have the power and command to receive the money, and to give receipt of it to the estates that deposit it, and to hand it over to the collector or penny master, who has been specially appointed for this purpose, against due receipt. In addition, the penny collector shall, at each annual visitation, give the appointed visitators an honest and truthful account of all his revenues and expenditures, and shall, at all due times, make inquiries of the said towns and cities and otherwise.
If one or more estates have not paid their due assessments, and which he therefore finds disobedient, he shall at any time report them to the Imperial Fiscal, who shall also immediately proceed against them in the most favorable manner, and urge them to make such payment (as is right); all by virtue of the said assessment, which shall be delivered to the Pfennigmeister and Imperial Fiscal from the Mainz Chancellery.
In order that the magistrates and assessors may know at all times how much money has been deposited, and thus be paid by the Pfennigmeister at all times in accordance with their deserved remuneration, the reported mayors and councilors shall each time give the Pfennigmeister, in addition to delivery of the deposited money, a certificate to the magistrates and assessors, stating how much money they have handed over to the Pfennigmeister, and to what coin.
Whatever money the Pfennigmeister collects shall be immediately placed in a chest together with the document, which shall be in the custody of the chamber judge and the assessor, but only the Pfennigmeister shall have the key to it, and shall remain there until the payment of the chamber court has been made.
However, whatever money is handed over by procurators to the Imperial Court of Appeal for this purpose shall be immediately reported by the Pfennigmeister to the judge of the court and placed in the prescribed chest in the presence of the latter or of another person whom he orders to do so, as he has taken the oath and duty due to the common estates, and for such his effort and work the Pfennigmeister shall be paid two hundred florins annually from such deposited money and shall prosper.
139 As some princes and estates also erred in the beginning of this Diet of the session and survey, which led to the prolongation of the realm's affairs, therefore princes, princes and common estates kept their session harmless and without all order at our gracious request.
Accordingly, we want that every prince, duke, and estate shall not be harmed, damaged, or violated in any way by this imperial diet's harmless session and survey, nor by the subscription to the end of this farewell.
141 We shall and will also, after each one has handed over his justice to us in writings, use all possible diligence to bring such misunderstanding into amicable settlement or discussion for the sake of the session in the most beneficial way, as
for such common estates have been put off at several times.
We, together with the Imperial Commissaries, in place of and in the name of Her Imperial Majesty and on our own behalf, promise to keep and perform all of the above, firmly, steadfastly, and sincerely, and to comply with it and live it without hesitation and without any danger.
In witness whereof we have hereunto affixed our royal seal, and the above-mentioned imperial commissioners have hereunto affixed their own seal. And we the above-mentioned, Hugo, Count of Montsort, and Johann of Naves, of Meffantz, confess that we, as decreed Imperial Commissarii, affix our own seal to this farewell. And we Electors, Princes, Prelates, Counts and Lords, and the Holy Roman Empire's free and imperial cities, envoys, embassies and rulers, as named hereafter, also publicly confess with this farewell that all and each of the copied points and articles have been made and decided with our good will, knowledge and counsel, also agree to the same all together and especially herewith in force of this letter; We also agree and promise in good, true faith, as much as concerns or may concern each of his sovereigns or friends, of whom he is sent or has power, to keep and perform it truly, steadily, firmly, sincerely, unbrokenly, and to comply with it and live it to the best of our ability, without any danger.
144 And these are the following writings: we, the princes, prelates, counts, lords, and the Holy Roman Empire's free and imperial cities, embassies and rulers:
By the grace of God, we, Albrecht, of the Holy Roman Church, title of S. Petri ad vincula Priest-Cardinal, and born Legate, of the Holy See of Mainz and the Abbey of Magdeburg Archbishop, Elector, of the Holy Roman Empire through Germania Archchancellor and Primate, Administrator of Halberstadt, Margrave of Brandenburg, of Szczecin, Pomerania, Duke of the Cassubians and Wends, Burgrave of Nuremberg and Prince of Rügen. Ludwig, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria, Archduke and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. Joachim, Margrave of Brandenburg, Arch Chamberlain and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Stettin, Pomerania, Cassuben, Wenden, and Silesia at Crossen, Burgrave of Nuremberg and Prince of Rügen. The Archbishop of Trier, Heinrich,
Lord of Eisenberg and Grensau, Georg, Lord of Eltz, Amtmann of Pfaltzel, Johann von Entschringen, Doctor, Chancellor, and Otto von Langenfeld, Schöffen of Coblenz. The Archbishop of Cologne, Dieterich, Count of Manderscheid and Blankenheim, Lord of Schleiden, Kerpen, Cronenburg and Neuenberg, Dieterich Terlon, Doctor, and Friedrich von Steproidt. Johann Friedrich, Duke of Saxony, Elector, Cuntz Gotzmann, Captain of Königsberg, Eberhardt von der Thann, Captain of Wartburg, and Magister Franciscus Burkhardt. Of the House of Austria, Hans Gaudentz, Baron of Madrutz, Afy and Breutonig.
Ecclesiastical princes in person: By the Grace of God, Walther von Cronberg, Administrator of the Hohenmeisteramt in Prussia, and Master of the German Order in German and Welsh lands. Henry, Administrator of the Worms and Freisingen Colleges, Provost and Lord of Elwangen, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and Duke of Bavaria. Philip, Bishop of Speier. Johanns, Bishop of Constance. Valentinus, Bishop of Hildesheim.
Messages of the ecclesiastical princes: On account of Ernsten, Confirmirten to the Archbishop of Salzburg Abbey, Matthäus Alber, the Right Doctor, Chancellor, Eustachius von der Alben, Court Marshal, and Hans Münch, Keeper of Thailheim and Salmberg. Christoph, Archbishop of Bremen and Administrator of Verden, Leopoldus Dick, Doctor of Law. Weigand, Bishop of Bamberg, Philipp, Lord of Limburg, hereditary of the Holy Roman Empire, Semperfrei, canon of Bamberg and Würzburg, Matthaeus Reuter, doctor, chancery administrator, and Christoph Schwabach, licentiate. The elected and confirmed of Würzburg, Martin von Ußigkeu, canon there, Heinrich, Truchseß von Wetzhausen, Hofmeister at Bundtorf, and Georg Faner, Doctor, Kanzler. The Bishop of Eichstett, Georg von Pappenheim, Cathedral Dean there, and Matthias Luchs, Doctor, Chancellor. Of the Elector of Strasbourg, and Landgrave in Alsace, Christoph Welsinger, Doctor, and Batt von Vegertzheim, Amtmann der Pflege Kochersperg. Of the Bishop of Augsburg, Jakob Heinrichmann, Doctor, Vicarius in spiritualibus, and Canon there. Otto, Freiherr zu Walpurg, Erbtruchseß of the Holy Roman Empire, Cathedral Dean there, and Hilbrand, Freiherr zu Madrutz, Afy und Breutonig. Of the Bishop of Brixen etc., Wolfgang Baumgärtner, Doctor, and Otto, Baron of Walpurg, of the Holy Roman Empire, hereditary Archbishop of Trent, as Substitute. Of the Bishop of Regensburg, Friedrich Reiffsteck, Doctor, and Christoph
Schwabach, Licentiate. Of the Confirmor of Passau, Aurelius Nenninger, Doctor, Chancellor. The Archbishop of Liège, Arnold von Bucholtz, Canon of Mainz and Liège, Provost etc. Of the Bishop of Basel, Adam Wernherr von Themar, Doctor, and Matthäus Stör-, Canonicus St. Thobald's collegiate church at Thann. Of the Bishop of Camin, Otto Manau, Canon there, Christoph Schwabach and Wolfgang Wolf, both Licentiates etc. Of the Bishop of Münster and Osnabrück, Administrator of Minden, Dieterich, Count of Manderscheid and Blankenheim etc., Johann Lenep, Licentiate, Jobst Ruland, Chancellor, Friederich Reiffsteck, Doctores, and Franciscus von Doy. Philippsen, elected Abbot of Fulda, Ludwig Ziegler, Doctor.
Secular princes in person: By the Grace of God Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, and Count of Spanheim. Albrecht, Duke of Mecklenburg. Ernst, Margrave of Baden and Hochberg, Landgrave of Sussenberg, Lord of Rütteln and Badenweiler. Secular Princes' Messages: On account of Wilhelm and Ludwig, Count Palatine on the Rhine, Dukes in Upper and Lower Bavaria, brothers, Wolf von Schellenberg, Court Marshal, Leonhard von Eck zu Randeck, Georg Stockheimer, and Georg Seit, all three Doctores, Hans Zenger and Wolf Threiner. Otto Heinrichs and Philippsen, Palgraves -ei Rhine, Dukes in Lower and Upper Bavaria, brothers, Sebastian Ponnerler, Doctor, Chancellor, Georg Ludwig von Sainßheim, Landrichter and Pfleger zu Sulzbach, and Eustachius von Lichtenstein. Ruprechts, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Dukes in Bavaria, and Counts of Veldenz, as guardians etc., Christoph Landschad of Steinach, Court Master, and Jakob Schor of Basel. Mauritzen, Dukes of Saxony, Landgraves in Thuringia, Margraves of Meissen, Ludwig Fachs, Doctor, and Abraham von Einsiedel, at Scharffenstein. Georgen and Albrechts, Margraves of Brandenburg etc., cousins, Balthasar von Rechenberg zu Gützenhausen, and Hans Wolf von Knörringen, zu Wasser-Truhendingen Amtleute. Henry the Younger, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg etc., Leopoldus Dick, Doctor. Ernsten, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Balthasar Klammer, Licentiate, Chancellor, and Georg von der Wensen. Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich 2c, Johann von Flatten, Provost of Nach, Lauchen and Cronenberg, Johann Valtenmeyer, Doctor of Law, Wilhelm Dobbe. Ulrichs, Dukes of Würtenberg etc., Bernhard Göler of Ravensburg, Wilhelm von Massenbach, Chief Bailiff of Brackenheim, and Philipps Eyer, Doctor. Dukes of Savoy, Franciscus Porterius and Johannes Udalricus Zasius. Bernims and Philippsen, Dukes
zu Pommern, Gevettern, Rüdiger Massau, Captain zu Satzig, Bartholomäus Schwab, Chancellor, and Balthasar von Walde, Doctor. Philippsen, Landgrave of Hesse, Rudolph Schenk von Schweinsberg, on the Werrau, Alexander von der Than, Oberamtmann in the upper county of Katzenelnbogen, Johann Fischer, called Walther, Doctor. Heinrich Bersner, and Sebastian Eydinger, Secretarius, of the young Margraves of Baden guardians, Hans Jakob Varnbüler, Doctor. Wolfgangs, Princes of Anhalt, Counts of Ascanien and Bernburg, Caspar Schlegel, Amtmann of Bernburg. Johanns Georgen, Domprobsts zu Magdeburg, and Joachims, Fürst zu Anhalt, Gebrüder, Johann Helfmann, Licentiat, Bastian von Walwitz, and Benedict von Kreitzen. Wilhelm, Count and Lord of Hennenberg, Carol von Redwitz. Prelates personally: Matthias, Abbot of the Gottshaus Eichternach. Prelates' messages: On account of Wolfgang, Abbot of Kempten, Heinrich Burkhard, Hereditary Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire at Pappenheim, Bailiff of Wolkenberg. Johannsen of Salmanßweiler. Gerwigs at Weingarten. Andressen at Elchingen, Georgen at Ochsenhausen. Paulsen at Irsing, Conrads at Rothe. Ulrichen to Mindernau. Johannsen zu Schussenried, and Johannsen zu Markthal, all abbots, have the order to appoint Heinrich Burkhard, hereditary marshal of the Holy Roman Empire at Pappenheim, bailiff at Wolkenberg, and Johann Perfect, brother bailiff at Markthal, as substitutes of the abbot at Kempten. Johannsen, Abbot of Kreißheim, Doctor. Jakob Henrichmann, Canon of Augsburg, and Vicarius in spiritualibus there. Both elders of Auersberg and Rockenberg, Georg Besserer, old mayor, and Martin Weickmann, of the council of Ulm. Rüdiger's, provost of Weißenburg in Lower Alsace, Johann Söldner. Wolfgangs, provost of Berchtolsgaden, Matthias Alber, doctor, chancellor of Salzburg, Eustachius von der Alben, court marshal, and Hans Münch, keeper of Totelheim and Halmburg. Erasmi, Abbot of St. Heimeran at Regensburg, Doctor Friederich Reiffsteck, and Licentiate Christoph Schwabach. Abbot of Corvey, Licentiate Johann Helfmann. Wilhelm, Abbot of Pfrieme and Stabel, Adam Wernherr of Themar, Doctor. Rüdigers, Abbot of St. Corneli Münster on the Inden, Lucas Landstrass, Doctor. Abbot of Petershausen, Caspar Klecker. Petermandi, Abbot of Münster St. Gregorienthals, Hieronymus Bonner, City Master of Colmar. Hermanns, Abbot of Werden in Westphalia, Doctor Peter Bellinkhausen, Cologne Syndic, and Gottschalk von Frechen, Licentiate. Of the Landcommenthurs of the Balei Alsace and Burgundi, Walther von Cronberg, Administrator etc.
Of the Abbot of Walkenriede, Friedrich Reiffsteck, Doctor. About the abbesses: The Aebtissin zu Nieder- und Obermünster zu Regensburg, Amandus Wolf, Licentiate. Sybille, Aebtissin zu Essen, Count Hans von Montfort, Count Friedrich von Beuchlingen, Friedrich Reiffsteck, Doctor, and Johann Helfmann, Licentiate. The Aebtissin at Rotenmünster, Conrad Spretter. The abbess at Gernrode, Melchior Krüger von Luckau, chancellor. The Abbess of Quedlinburg, Thomas von Colmar. The Aebtissin zu Buchen, Friedrich, Count zu Fürstenberg etc. Counts and Lords in person: Friedrich and Wilhelm, Counts of Hohenlohe, his brother and cousins. Jobst, Count of Zollern. Philipps, Franz and Johann, the Rhine Counts. Georg and Eberhard, Counts of Erbach. Wilhelm, Count of Eberstein. The counts' embassies, namely the Wetterau ones: Wilhelm, Counts of Nassau, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden and Dietz etc. Philipsen and Bernharden, Counts of Solms and Lords of Müntzenberg, Gevetter. Philipsen, Counts of Nassau, Lords of Wiesbaden and Itzstein. Wolfgangs, Ludwigs, Georgen, Albrechts and Christophen, Counts of Stollberg and Königstein etc., brothers. Antonien von Eisenberg, Counts of Büdingen, des Aeltern. Wilhelm, Counts of Nassau, of Katzenelnbogen etc., and Reinhard, Counts of Solms and Lords of Müntzenberg, as guardians weiland Philipsen, Counts of Hanau, and Lords of Müntzenberg, abandoned children. Philipsen, Counts of Nassau, of Sarbrücken, and Johannsen, Counts of Nassau, Lord of Beilstein, have order, Johann Knebel of Katzenelnbogen and Thomas of Colmar. Johann Ludwig, Counts of Nassau and Sarbrücken etc. Friedrich von Eltz, Hofmeister, and Bernhard Wölflin, Secretarius. Albrechts, Philipsen and Hans Georgen, Counts and Lords of Mansfeld, Georg von Aotleben and Johann von Weimar. Wilhelm, Counts of Eberstein. Wilhelm, Lord of Limburg etc., as guardians Michels, Count of Wertheim, Niclaus Haß, Amtmann of Freudenberg. Ulrichs, Counts and Lords of Rheinstein and Blankenberg, Georg Dotleben and Johann Braun of Weimar. Weinrichs von Thann, Counts of Frankenstein and Limburg, Lords of Oberstein etc., Bleicker Landschad von Steinach, Chief Amtmann of Falkenstein, and Mauritius Bräunlin, Licentiate. Philipsen von Thann, Lord of Oberstein and Falkenstein, Gregorius von Nellingen, Licentiate. Georgen, Counts of Zweibrück, Lord of Bitsch, Gregorius of Nellingen, Licentiate. Engelhart, Counts of Leiningen and Daxburg etc., as guardian of Emerichen, his brother's blessed children, Gregorius of Nellingen, licentiate. Jo
hannes, Counts of Sayn, Lord of Homburg etc., Otto von Lengenfeld, Schöffe zu Coblenz. Johanns, Counts of East Frisia etc., Thomas Ennius. Chunen, counts of Viernberg and Neuenar, lords of Schaffenburg etc., Otto von Lengenfeld, lay assessor of Coblenz. By reason of Ulrichen, Counts of Helffenstein, Johannsen and Haugen, Counts of Montfort etc., Georgen and Christophen, Counts of Lüpffen. Jost Niclausen, Counts of Hohenzollern etc. Johann Ludwigs, Counts of Sultz etc., N. Counts of Dengen. Gottfrieden, Wernern and Johannsen, Werners, Counts of Zimmern etc. Wilhelmen, of the holy roman empire hereditary bailiffs to Walburg. Schweickern von Gundelfingen, Baron, Gangolfen and Walthers, Baron zu Gerolzeck. Johannsen and Johanns Dionysien, Barons of Allendorf, and Kuntz Eckersbergen, Friedrich, Count of Fürstenberg. Ruprechts, Counts of Amberg etc., Arnold von Bucholtz, Canon of Mainz and Liège. Wölfen, Counts and Lords of Barby and Müllingen, Caspar Schlegel. Weiland Simons, Counts of Lippe, children left behind, Johann Helfmann, Licentiate. Carls) Erasmüssen, Wilhelmen and Johannsen, Lords of Limburg, of the Holy Roman Empire's hereditary lords, Semperfrei, brothers and cousins, Balthasar von Rechenberg, Amtmann zu Gunzenhausen. Envoys of the Free and Imperial Cities: On behalf of the city of Cologne, Peter von Bellingshausen, Doctor, Syndic, by force of the city of Lübeck. By order of, Johann von Rommel, and Johann Lentzer, Secretari. Strasbourg, Jakob Sturm, Altstädtmeister, Jakob Maiger, and Ludwig Gremp, der Rechten Doctor. Augsburg, Matthäus Langenmantel, Conrad Heel, Doctor, and Leonhard Sultzer. Nuremberg', Seewald Haller and Erasmus Ebener. Ulm, Georg Besserer, old mayor, and Martin Weickmann, of the council there, with authority of the cities of Jßni, Aalen, Ravensburg, Giengen and Buchhorn. Worms, Hans Jüngler, old mayor, and Antonius Buch, licentiate, syndicus there. Speier, Friedrich Meurer, Adam von Berstein and Hans Reuß, old mayors. Frankfurt, Justinian von Holtzhausen and Hieronymus Agnimus, Doctor, by force of the city of Wetzlar. Hagenau, Bartholomäus Bötzheim. Colmar, Hieronymus Boner, city master. The towns belonging to the bailiwick of Hagenau, namely: Schlettstadt, Weißenburg, Landau, Oberehenheim, Kaisersberg, Münster in St. Gregorienthal, Rosheim and Türkenheim, Bartholomäus Bötzheim and Hieronymus Boner, town master. Rotenburg an der Tauber, Hans Homburg, mayor. Schwäbischen-Gemündt, Hans Reuchlin. Schweinfurt, Erasmus Haug, town clerk there. Friedberg in the Wet-
terau, Jakob Zugwolff. Rotweil, Conrad Spretter. Nördlingen, Hans Rotinger, with orders from the town of Bopfingen. Schwäbischen-Hall, Martin Wurzelmann, town clerk. Ueberlingen, Christoph Reichlin von Meldeck and Caspar Klecker. Heilbronn, Hans Riesser, mayor, and Jakob Ehinger, der Rechten Doctor und Syndicus. Dünkelspiel, Michel Bauer and Hans Grober. Wimpsen, Hans Burrer, mayor. Pfullendorf, Georg Renniger, mayor. Weil, Martin Zweyffel. Wangen, Andreas Schlegel. Offenburg, Alexander Fabri, with command of the town of Zell im Hammersbach. Regensburg, Ambrosius Amman, Schultheiß des innern Raths daselbst. Mühlhausen in Thuringia, Hermann vom Reyß, Aureus Hugoldt, Christoph Bonat and Lucas Ott, Secretari. Northausen, Michel Malenburg, town clerk. Weißenburg am Nordgau, Hans Wolfs. Winsheim, Conrad Seiderlin. Dortmundt, Johann Schmidt, secretary. Gengenbach, Andreas Schläger. Leutkirch, Melchior Freiherr. Kauffbeuren, Gordian Würmel. Reutlingen, Jost Weiß, Mayor. Bibrach, Veit Bocklin and Veit Schäfer. Bucho am Federsee, Eustachius Jäger.
We, by the grace of God, Albrecht, Cardinal and Archbishop of Mainz etc., and Joachim, Arch Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Empire, both Margraves of Brandenburg, Electors, for our and our fellow Electors' sake; we Heinrich, Administrator of Worms and Freisingen etc., and Albrecht, Duke of Mecklenburg etc., for our and the ecclesiastical and secular Princes' sake. Heinrich Burkhardt, Archmarshal of the Holy Roman Empire at Pappenheim, Bailiff at Wolkenberg, from the 'Prelates; and Friedrich, Gras at Fürstenberg, from the Counts and Lords. Also we mayors of the city of Speier, on behalf of ourselves and the free and imperial cities, affix our seal to this farewell. Given and done in our and the heil. [The city of Speier, on the 11th day of the month of April, after the birth of Christ [1500], and in the two and fortieth year, of our kingdoms of the Roman in the twelfth, and of the others in the sixteenth year.
1407. content of the speech of the papal nuncio, John Moroni, held in the assembly at Speier, in which he proposed Mantua, Ferrara, Bologna, or Piacenza to host the Concilii, finally also offering Trent.
From the Sleidanus 8tstu rel, lid. XIV, p. 370. Translated from the Latin.
When he left for Africa last year and traveled through Italy, the Emperor had discussed the Turkish War and the Concilio with his papal holiness; but since it was a very important matter and the Emperor was in a great hurry, no conclusion was reached and Granvella was left in Italy, with whom the action would then have been continued. His papal holiness would have constantly wished for the Turkish war, and for this reason would have worked to ensure that all potentates would make peace, and would now also have been anxious that the standstill, which the emperor and the French had compared primarily to his mediation, should be maintained. In the meantime, however, various pieces of Turkish armament would be spread out, and it could not be known with certainty where they would end up, so Papal Holiness wanted to give 5000 foot soldiers if the Emperor himself were to attend the campaign, but if not, he would send only half of them to help. This would be the agreement he would have made with Granvella; unless the native state should gain such prestige that he himself would have to call upon her for help. Otherwise he would do everything he could and would have all his power at his disposal for this final purpose. As far as the Concilium was concerned, this was his opinion, which he had always held, that it should finally be held; up to now, with the approval of the Emperor and King Ferdinand, he had given it a postponement, because he believed that a way to peace in Germany could be found in the meantime. But since this had been attempted in vain, he proceeded with his once-conceived plan. However, that such a council should be held in Germany would not be suitable for his age, who wanted and had to be there; nor would it be possible because of the long journey and changeable weather conditions, since Germany would not be convenient for all nations, and would even be a source of concern that the event might be unsettled. His Papal Holiness would therefore have preferred Mantua, or Ferrara, or Bologna, or Placenza, or some other large and convenient place for the meeting; but if none of these were available, she would not be opposed to the Concilium being held at Trident, a city situated on the borders of Germany. She would have liked to see it begin at Pentecost, but because of the shortness of time she would have to postpone it until August 13, and would only ask that everyone, putting aside all hostilities, direct their concern and thoughts solely to this.
1408 Pope Paul the Third's Bull for scheduling a holy and common concilium at Trent. Given at Rome, May 22, Anno 1542.
This bull is specially printed under the title: 8.D.N.?uu111, Ziuiuu prouiZentiu xupuk III, lmilu, sueri oeeurntzuioi eoucülii, Irictenti eeledruuäi 1542. quart. Then included in Cherubini's llullar., tom. I, p. 753 and in Lünig's spieii. seales., tom. I, p. 458. German in Hortleder, torn. I, lid. I, < mp. 38, p. 352.
Paul, bishop, a servant of the servants of God, for future remembrance.
In the beginning of this episcopal office of ours, which was commanded to us by God the Almighty, not because of our merit or worthiness, but out of his pure goodness, when we saw from the beginning in what pernicious and evil times we had been placed before the Christian army, we wanted to help the Christian church, which has been oppressed and almost suppressed for so long. But still, like all other people subject to weakness and impossibility, we also realized at that time that we alone would not be able to roll such a heavy burden from the neck of the church.
(2) For although we understood that peace would be necessary first of all if we wanted to free the Christian community from such great troubles and to preserve it from them, we found everything full of discord and enmity, especially because the high leaders were not yet in agreement with each other, to whom almost all authority had been given by God.
(3) Although, in order to preserve pure Christian doctrine and to strengthen the hope of eternal salvation, we considered it highly necessary that there should be only one sheepfold and only one shepherd of Christ's flock, yet the unity of the Christian name was almost completely divided by segregation, quarrels and heresy.
4. And even if we wished that Christianity would be safe from the violence and deceit of the unbelievers, for the sake of our sin and guilt and God's severe vengeance, the island of Rhodes was lost, Hungary was plagued, against Welschland, Austria and Windisch-Land, because the cruel enemy, the Turk, did not celebrate at any time, and thought that if the potentates of Christendom were at odds with each other, he would then have the best opportunity to try his luck.
5 Therefore, when we (as I said) were in such a storm of heresies, dissensions, and
When we were called to govern the little ship of Peter in the midst of the wars and the raging of the sea of the world, and we considered ourselves too little and unable to do so, we first cast our care upon God the Lord and asked Him to preserve us and to give us strength, counsel and wisdom.
6 Afterwards, however, when we remembered that our forefathers, gifted with excellent wisdom and holiness, often used the salutary and convenient means of general conciliums and meetings of the bishops in the highest needs of the Christian Church, we also undertook to hold a general concilium. And after we had inquired the opinion of several potentates, whose approval was particularly useful for our project, and had understood that they did not have any evil desire for the work: so we have scheduled a general concilium and meeting of all bishops and others who should be present by law, in the city of Mantua, in the year after Christ's birth (as can be seen from our invitation) 1537, but of our papacy in the third, to begin on the 23rd day of May. We are confident that if we were there together, the Lord, according to his promise, would be in our midst and, according to his mercy, would easily turn away from us all the dangers of the times with the spirit of his mouth.
7 But as the enemy of the human race tries to prevent all human endeavors with his interposition, so it happened to us at that time that beyond all hope and confidence the city of Mantua was refused to us for the Concilio, if we did not want to accept some conditions, which were completely contrary to our ancestors' custom, also to the present occasion of the time and to our Holy See's sovereignty and freedom, as we gave to understand in another letter.
Therefore we had to look for another place and choose another city. But because we could not think of it at once, we were forced to postpone the announcement of the Concilii until November 1. In the meantime, however, the cruel hereditary and arch-enemy of Christendom, the Turk, has invaded Welsh territory with a great force, and has captured, devastated and plundered several cities on the sea shore of Apulia, and has carried away many people; for which reason, in this greatest fear and danger, we must occupy our sea borders and come to the aid of our neighbors. Although we have enough to do, we have not ceased to give counsel to the distressed state of the church.
and to exhort the Christian potentates to communicate their advice and opinion to us, where a convenient place for the Concilio is to be found? But because of the various and uncertain, dark opinions coming from them, we have chosen, in good judgment, and as we do not consider it otherwise, Vincenz, a large city in the Venetian region, which is granted to us by them. To which, for the sake of its superior power and prestige, everyone could easily have free access and departure, and the time of the Concilii could be safely there.
When the longest time had already passed, and it would have been proper to proclaim the election of this new church to all, but such proclamation could not be made because of the approaching 1st of November and winter, we again could not avoid postponing the concilium until the next spring and the first of May.
10. After we had thus completely decided the same thing among ourselves, and prepared everything for the Concilio, and remembered how much Christianity cares about it, and how much it would be necessary for the promotion of the Concilii if the potentates of all Christianity were in agreement with each other and lived in good peace, we did not refrain from asking our beloved sons in Christ, Carolum, Roman Emperor, always ruler of the Empire, and the most Christian King Franciscum, as the two most noble pillars, with the utmost diligence, that they would be at ease to converse with us, and have often dealt with both of them by letters and messages, that they would settle the grudges and disagreements, and establish a covenant and confidential friendship with each other, and, since the most noble power in the Church has been granted to them by God, that they would come to the aid of the afflicted state of the Church. For if they did not do so, and did not judge their actions for the general welfare of Christianity, they would one day have to give a heavy account before the judgment seat of Christ. They finally granted our request and met at Nissa, where we also went for the sake of God and the beloved peace, even though such a long journey would have been quite burdensome for us because of our age. Since the time appointed for the Concilio, namely the first of May, near the heart, we have not omitted to send to St. Vincent three considerable legates from the number of the most reverend of our beloved brothers, the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, so that they might make a beginning to the Concilio, and the prelates, who were to be sent by one
We have been in charge of the holy and highly necessary work, namely the peace treaty between the two princes, until after our return from the journey and the peace treaty we could take up the trade ourselves and do everything better and more diligently. In the meantime, however, we have been engaged in the holy and highly necessary work, namely the act of peace between the two princes, and that without sparing any effort, work and good will. We bear witness to this with God, whose goodness we trusted and who put us in such a journey and danger to our lives; with our conscience, which cannot accuse us in any way that we either did not seek some opportunity for peace or let it pass us by; with the princes themselves, whom we have so often and most earnestly confessed and begged by envoys, by letters, by reminders and admonitions, by all kinds of seeking, that they would put aside the old grudge and unite together, so that common Christianity, now in danger, might be saved by both their help; yes, with our watches and worries, and with our daily and nightly headaches and heavy sorrows, so that we frequently burden ourselves in this matter. And yet we have not been able to accomplish anything fruitful and bring our counsels to a desired end. For so it has pleased God, in whom we have confidence that He will one day look upon our desires with gracious eyes. In our place, we have truly not omitted anything in our matter that is appropriate for the episcopal office. Since there is also someone 1) who wants to misinterpret and misinterpret our efforts and work to make peace, he does not hurt us a little, but we thank God in our melancholy, who wanted to honor us as an example and for the teaching of His dear apostles, to suffer shame for the sake of the Lord Jesus, who is our Prince of Peace. Even though a true and eternal peace could not be established between the two princes in the aforementioned meeting and day of action at Nissa, because of our sin, ten years have passed. For this reason, because we hope that a concilium could now be held conveniently, and that afterwards the desired peace could be obtained by negotiating the concilii, we have requested both lords to come to the concilium themselves, and to bring their prelates present, but to describe the others. When, however, they excused themselves on account of both requests, because they had returned to their royal residence, they were not able to come.
1) "someone" put by us instead of: "no one".
As we had to go to the riches and let the prelates, who had them with them, rest again after such a long journey they had made and recover from the great cost they had sent, they admonished us that we wanted to appoint and determine another time for the concilium. When we were about to do so, letters arrived from our envoys to Vincent, in which it is reported that although the day on which the council should have begun has long since passed, hardly one or two prelates from foreign lands would have come to Vincent. Therefore, when we saw that the Concilium could not continue, we agreed with the two princes that it would be continued again until the future Easter and the day of Christ's joyful resurrection, and in witness of our permission and command, in the year after Christ's birth in 1538, June 28, we held a committee meeting in Genoa. Both lords promised us that they would send their envoys to us in Rome, so that what was left for the execution of the peace and could not be done because of the shortness of time, would be done in Rome in our presence. For this very reason they asked that this act of peace be preferred to the holding of the Concilii. Since if peace were made, the concilium would bring all the greater benefit and piety to Christendom; which cause also moved us not a little to postpone the concilium, and the hope for peace increased us greatly that after our departure from Nissa the princes had come together in good unity and friendship, which, when we heard with special, great joy, we were completely in the thought that our prayer and sighing for peace with God would now one day be heard. Therefore, when we still had good hopes for the complete conclusion and execution of peace, we diligently appealed to both lords, and not only to them, but also to our dear son in Christ, Ferdinand, Roman King, that the concilium should not be allowed to continue before peace was made, and we were all requested by them to postpone it by letter and envoys, but especially the Most Serene Roman Emperor argued that he had always put off the estates in the empire that had deviated from the unity of the Catholic faith, and that he wanted to bring about an attempt to settle the matter with us, which, however, could not be done before his arrival in Germany.
Therefore, for the benefit of the same princes, and in the good hope of peace, and especially because we saw that even at the aforementioned Easter no more prelates were coming to St. Vincent, because they were again in the process of being extended, we again wanted to prolong the holding of the common council by our own free will and that of the apostolic see, in such a way as to be clearly understood from the letters which we sent on June 10, 1539, to all and any of the aforementioned princes on account of this postponement. June 1539 to all and any of the above-mentioned princes on account of this postponement.
(11) But now we have to let such a postponement pass, according to the necessity of the matter, and wait for an appropriate time and execution of the desired peace, from which afterwards more reputation and diligent attendance should arise for the Council, and also more salvation for the Christian Church, the state of Christendom has become worse and worse the longer, in that the Hungarians, when their king was different, called the Turk to it; the Roman king Ferdinand, however, began to war against them, and the Dutch were partly induced to fall away from the Emperor for the sake of which insurrection the Emperor quelled when the French (which was a great indication of the greatness of the rebellion) began to fight against them. The Roman King Ferdinand, however, began to wage war against them, and the Dutch were partly induced to defect from the Emperor, for the sake of which rebellion the Emperor, when passing through France (which was a great indication of the benevolent spirit against the most Christian king), moved to the Netherlands, took his journey from there into Germany, and began to hold imperial assemblies for the sake of promoting peace and unity.
When, however, there was little hope for peace, and such action at imperial congresses was more conducive to discord and disunity, we resumed the old means of a general concilii, and had it proposed to the Emperor by our envoys, the Holy Roman Church Cardinals. We have also recently, and especially in the Regensburg meeting, just gone there, since our beloved son, Caspar, tituli Sanctae Praxedis cardinalis, Contarenus, a quite honest and learned man, was our envoy. For when we were asked (as we had already done), on the advice of the estates assembled there, to grant that certain articles of those who disagree with the Church be tolerated until they are recognized and adopted by a common concilium, and neither Christian nor Catholic truth nor our and the apostolic see's highness would permit such a grant, we much preferred to order a concilium to be held and proclaimed in the most serious manner. For we have never been of any other opinion and will than that a common concilium should be established at the earliest opportunity, because we hope that through it peace and harmony could be restored to Christendom.
Unity of faith can be achieved. Nevertheless, we wanted to do it with the good will and approval of the Christian Church. But because we waited for this, and hoped for the time hidden from us, for the time when it will please you, O our God, we finally had to come to the opinion, after long waiting and hoping, that it is always pleasing to God to keep counsel on holy things necessary for godliness. Therefore, when we saw, but with strange heartache and sorrow, that the state of Christendom was getting worse day by day, while Hungary was oppressed by the Turk, Germany was in danger, and other countries were in fear and sadness, we resolved to wait no longer for the approval of any prince, but to look only to God's will and the benefit of the Christian Church.
13 Therefore, when we were no longer able to have the city of Vincent at our will, and wanted to see an opportunity for the whole of Christendom as well as Germany in the choice of a new place, and also noticed that the Germans themselves had no desire for any place more than Trident, we wanted to surrender our will to their desire out of fatherly love, although we considered that everything could be arranged more conveniently here on this side in Welschland. And have therefore chosen the city of Trident, that on the 1st of November in the near future a general concilium be held there; because from Germany, and the provinces nearest to Germany, [and] indeed most easily from France and Hispania and other more distant countries, it would not be difficult for the bishops and prelates to come there. With regard to the day, however, we saw to it that we would be able to proclaim our opinion, and that the bishops and prelates would have enough time and space to adjust themselves. However, we did not want to give a year's time to come to this new place, as otherwise provided in some statutes, so that it would not seem too long to anyone to wait until then for improvement in the Christian church, which until then had suffered so much damage and misery.
(14) How this plan of ours will continue, we cannot know in view of the difficult times. But because it is written, "Commit your ways to the Lord and hope in him, and he will do it well," we are careful to trust in God's goodness and mercy more than to mistrust our own abilities. 1)
1) If the reading "distrust" is correct, it must be as much as "have a false confidence in" etc.
For it often happens, when one has something good in mind, that what human efforts cannot accomplish, God's power does.
(15) Therefore, by the power of God the Father Almighty, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and of His Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, we here on earth, by the advice and consent of the most reverend of our beloved brethren, the Holy Roman Church Cardinals, do away with all prolonged delay and postponement, as reported above, and to convene a holy general council in the city of Trent, a convenient, secure, and convenient place for all nations, from the 1st of November next year. We have announced, called, appointed and resolved to hold a holy general council in the city of Trident, a convenient, safe and convenient place for all nations, on the 1st of November in the near future of this present 1542nd year, and to accomplish it with the help of God for His praise and honor, and for the salvation and welfare of Christendom. All and every one, both our venerable beloved brethren, the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and our beloved sons, the abbots, and all others who by right or privilege shall have their standing and voice in general conciliis, hereby demanding, exhorting, reminding, and no less in virtue of the oath which they have sworn to us and to the holy apostolic see, and of the obedience which they owe to us, and likewise, in the case of the priests, so that those who remain outside may be occupied by right and custom, commanding and earnestly enjoining that they themselves, in person, or if prevented by unavoidable matrimonial detention (which they shall nevertheless appear), shall unavoidably appear at this holy Concilio by their duly authorized attorneys and embassies. The above-mentioned princes, the emperor, the most Christian king, and the other kings and princes, whose presence has never been more necessary nor more useful for the holy Christian faith and Christian welfare than it will be now, beg for the mercy of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, whose word, truth and faith, is now fiercely contested within and without, that they do not want to leave this cause of the Lord God Himself, where they otherwise see the Christian Church protected from destruction, and do not think of repaying the great benefits of God, so that they are obliged to Him, with ingratitude, but that they want to come to the Concilio in person, because their presence will bring much piety to the common and their own temporal and eternal benefit. However, since they themselves would not be able to come, which we would be very reluctant to do, our request is that they come to the
Send at least enough plenipotentiaries who can administer their masters' office in a respectable and wise manner in the Concilio. Above all, we must ensure that the bishops and prelates in their kingdoms and territories are appointed without any refusal or delay. Which, then, God and we should be justified in obtaining from the prelates and princes in Germany, because for their sake and at their request, also in such a city as they themselves desire, the Concilium has been instituted, so that what is necessary for the purity and truth of the Christian religion, for the restoration of good morals, for good peace and unity, may be achieved, and unity, both of the Christian princes among themselves and of the peoples, and to avert the violence and invasions of the barbaric unbelieving pagans, may, by means of divine grace and assistance, be all the better and more conveniently acted upon, discussed, and finally, as soon as possible, decided upon and brought to the desired conclusion in the aforementioned holy concilium.
(16) And in order that this letter of ours and its contents may be known and known to everyone who deserves to know it, and that no one may be excused for ignorance, especially since it may not be possible to come to some of those whom it is intended to insinuate in particular and before others, we wish and command that this letter be publicly read in a loud voice by our chamberlains or public notaries in the high church of the chief apostle, St. Peter, and in the Lateran church when the people there frequently gather to hear the divine office. Peter, and in the Lateran church, when the people gather there frequently to hear the divine office, be publicly read out in a loud voice by our chamberlains or public notaries, and then be posted at the doors and gates of said churches and papal chanceries, as well as at the Campoflor, as usual, and there be left for everyone to see and read for a time, when the document shall also be taken down again, and a copy of it shall be and remain posted. For by the reading, public proclamation and posting we want all and everyone, and especially those who are named in this letter of ours, after the end of two months, to be counted from the day of the public proclamation and posting, to be as bound and entangled as if this letter itself were currently read to them and handed to them. We also hereby order and command that the copies of this letter of ours, written or signed in the hand of a public notary and confirmed with a clerical official sigil, be given full faith.
(17) Since someone would also voluntarily subject himself to this our proclamation, proclamation or appointment letter, statute, conclusion, command,
Here. Dand.
1409 Roman Imperial Majesty Carl V's answer to Pope Paul III's letter requesting a common concilium to be held at Trent. Date Montison, August 25, 1542.
This writing appeared separately under this title: Uesponsio 6avo11 V.' Imperators 8ompor ^nZn.8ti, aä Iitt6ra,8 6oati88imi 6omim iro8tri kauli III. ?. kl. 6onuooatorin8 6oir6l1ii, Drickenti oels^rancli, <Int. <1.15 (25.) M6N818 4.pKU8ti 1542. quart. German in Hortleder, tom. I, lid. I, 6np. 39, p. 356.
Most Holy Father, Most Venerable Lord! Your Highness has delivered to us a copy of the Bull, which is to go out and be posted on the first day of the month of July, according to Your Highness' command, and which concerns the content of a common and general council to be held at Trent in the future on November 1. In which we most highly praise and commend H.H.'s excellency and diligence, because with this announcement and appointment to hold a council (to which she so cordially and paternally exhorts all the estates of all Christendom), she especially gives to understand that she has always been willing and inclined to promote such a council.
2. praise also H.H.'s care, effort and work, which she has often taken upon herself, not only so that peace and unity may be established in the whole Christian Church, but also that a perpetual peace may be established and confirmed between us and the King in France.
(3) Although it can be seen as if H. H. (which should not be interpreted to the worst) has followed this example too much in her letter, of which it is said (as also H. H. will undoubtedly be unforgotten) about the father of the house, who brought his delinquent and misguided son with great caution, so that he would not become worse, back on the right path. For even though he received the son, who came home again and had converted before, with a completely inclined will, he still did not take him over the older son (who never stepped out of the yarn, but was always away from the house and the family).
He also recognized him as his son and praised his following actions. Since it is not hidden from H. H. that all our actions and deeds are directed toward promoting the common good of all Christendom, we have also worked constantly to prevent this calamity, which has occurred in H. H., from happening again. H. Letter, be controlled and resisted, and in particular great diligence be put into it, so that a constant unity be reached in the Christian Church, and a General Council be held; that in the meantime we have undertaken many difficult and protracted journeys, with great effort and work, also with excessive costs and sacrifice, and have always shown ourselves to be benevolent in all things, that we would have liked that in all of Christendom, and especially between us and the King of France, a constant peace be established, so that we might resist with greater power the most ferocious persecutors of our Christian faith, the Turks, and other of our enemies: so truly E. H. should have held us in higher esteem. H. should have held us in higher esteem than those whose doings and activities (if the truth be told) are so well known to H. H. that they are completely opposed to these things.
4 And that we also freely confess it, then E. H. has been put in doubt. The letter is therefore doubtful, and especially in some places (although we do not want to say anything against the honesty that is to be attributed to the most holy college), that we cannot know for sure whether this is true or not, which the same King of France boasts so powerfully, just as if he had already tried and experienced everything most certainly, namely: that he has the reported college entirely in his image, and may only use it according to his will and good pleasure, and has already received help from some of them who are on his side and associated with him. For he allows himself to be heard in such words, and because he may better trust the pen, he needs to use more force in some of his writings to E. H. than is appropriate or proper for him. However, since we are not aware of any evil, we are entirely of the opinion that E. H. has done this with diligence, and perhaps for the sake of a great cause. For if it were otherwise, this would cause us great displeasure, not only for the above-mentioned reason (that H.H. preferred the King of France to us and held him higher), but also because of our office and glory, to which we have been elevated by the King of France.
God's grace. And it is also based on this that both our doings and deeds are known and evident both to H.H. and to the whole of Christendom. And we would like from the bottom of our hearts that (if it had pleased God) he, the King of France, would have been turned away from such leniency and diligence, which H.H. has so far used against him beyond measure, and that a Christian council would have been attended with earnestness and right opinion, so that harmony would have been confirmed in Christendom, would have been for the common benefit, and our enemies, who have often used violence against us, would have been resisted. Then we would like to praise H. H. for having granted him with too great and protracted patience, and we would like to think that everything that we have at times abdicated from our right, often with the diminution of our name, and have not dedicated ourselves to putting ourselves in danger, has been well done.
5 Because this matter, so often tried with him by H. H. and us, clearly shows that with all our admonitions, benevolence and forgetfulness everything that had happened against us. and us, clearly shows that with all our admonitions, good deeds, forbearance and forgetting of everything he had done against us, with such manifold renewal of the covenant, with attached unjust thoughts against us, since we have left much of ours behind, offered it to him, and given it to him as a gift, nothing can be accomplished or useful, but that the longer we do so, the more proud and joyful he becomes, the more he awakens new quarrels and wars, and hopes that even if his intentions do not work out as happily as he would like, we would still be easily persuaded to make peace with him, because he sees us in particular as so benevolent and inclined to promote the Christian common good, and at last believes that E. H. (as he does) will be able to make peace with us. H. (as he is accustomed to do) would not fail to admonish us to do so.
Since we have given H.H. a true and public account of all past matters, since we were near Rome, we do not want to repeat here at length the beginnings and renewal of this war, by which all this misfortune (which H.H. remembers in this letter) has been awakened, and from where these initially arose, and which one should be most accused of the breach of covenant up to this time.
7. this time we only request from H. H. that she, according to her greatest diligence and ability, most faithfully measure and consider what good may hereafter result from this, and among other things, which of these things are beginners.
but most importantly, how steadily and sincerely the treaty that was made at Nice 1) was kept, out of the advice and actions of E. H-., who has not spared herself a long journey there with great effort and work, has kept it, also what benefit we have derived from it, since we have gone to great danger to our bodies the other time: First in the journey to Aquas mortuas, then in the passage through France, in which place we also stayed longer than anyone would have thought, so that we gave people various reasons to talk about us, and this was not unreasonable, because (so that we keep quiet about the others) this gave sufficient cause for people to say how often and much the covenants were violated 2) and not kept, how fickle and unsteady he was in all his advice. We do not want to report the worst here. For we are not willing to report here, which we have most certainly experienced, that this plot has been decided upon by him to stop us in France, and our most honest and supreme respect, which we have shown towards him, has been shown to him, after we found ourselves in our Burgundian countryside, did not move him at all, since we ourselves told him that he should choose according to his will and good pleasure what he thought best from this, of which we were in agreement with each other before our departure from Hispania.
8 But that some of his relatives say that we had to go through France out of necessity, so that we would be able to control the uprisings that are rising in Burgundy, can have neither reason nor substance. For what do they want to say that we were driven there, since we trusted him with our life and limb at the Aquis mortuis? It will be much less valid that we should have put ourselves in such great danger because of some riot and discord that occurred in Ghent, and this in winter times, when only some of the loose rabble in the same city were rebellious, which the most brave and honest resisted with force, and all the other cities and territories of the whole countryside held their loyalty and duty firmly to us. The most illustrious queen of Hungary, our most beloved sister, is currently leading the regiment, and her intelligence and prudence in many important matters are well known and evident. The war was also postponed by H.H.'s help.
1) "Nice" set by us instead of: "Nicaea".
2) In the old edition: "verleistet".
and confirmed which (as seemed to us) we should reasonably trust. In addition, H.H. is not unaware that we were willing to travel through Italy and that it was most important to us that, after we had settled all actions in Italy, the discord in the empire should also be united and quieted, and that what would be necessary for the armament against the arch-enemy of Christian blood should be decided and prepared.
We would have followed such a path, if we had not been turned away from this nobleman by his diligent persistence, which may be sufficiently proven not only by his own manuscripts, but also by what has been written to us by his sons, as Mr. Dalbrecht and other powerful people of his court. And such an arrest is also made in such a way that he thinks that he will be injured in his honor if we go another way than through his country, nor show ourselves in such a way as those who have so much faith in him. He also indicated that he would like to cover the shame of the often broken covenants because of his rumor. For this reason, he also recognized that he was not unreasonably indebted to us for this reason, and repeatedly confirmed with his oath that an eternal, inseparable friendship 3) would remain between us, although nothing good would ever come from us to him or to his own. He repeated and reaffirmed this several times after we came to our countryside, since he did not want to accept our highest offer (which we reported above), which was proposed to him from our command, nor others, of which we were in agreement before our departure from Hispania, so that he would not be urged to restore to his cousin, the Duke of Sabaudia [Savoy], the lands he had taken from him by force, but promised of his own free will that he would keep the peace he had made completely and sincerely. Under which he nevertheless, after the same time, in all places, gave many indications of his secret envy against us, and complained that the Duchy of Milan had not been delivered to him, which, as he pretended, had been promised to him; but at the same time concealed with great diligence what was attached to the same promise, that he should restore his land to the Duke of Sabaudia, and other things more, which were for the benefit and piety of all Christendom, and confirmation of a peace that had been made.
3) In the old edition: "Enmity".
The letters of the Holy Father, which have been shown to His servants, give certain indications of the firm and sincere unity promised and agreed upon between us.
Since that time he has never refrained from secret mutinies and actions against us in Germany, in Italy, with the Turk and the king of Hungary, John Wayda, who was in league with the Turk from whom he had received the kingdom, for which reason he was also banished by H.H., and after this death with his surviving wife and others who were attached to the Turk, by whose help the married John Wayda was also taken into the city of Ofen. And that we say it briefly, while he revealed himself to others as our highest enemy, he shows himself to be our innermost and highest friend, testifies to this without interruption with many and varied oaths, that he would like from the bottom of his heart, that such friendship and the war between us should remain firm and unharmed. H. himself heard from the speech he made at that time before some of the most venerable lords cardinals, H. H.'s messages, and also from his own servants' actions, from which these most clearly reveal his will and mind, which were carried out by them (his servants) in German lands, and especially on the days of Worms and Regensburg.
Nevertheless he still pretended (so that he would run out of time) that he was our best friend until he had a cause of action when Caesar Fregosius and Rincho were killed; in which action it is also well known to E. H. what we and ours have done so that the truth of the deed may be inquired into, so that we have also informed E. H. that we have acted contrary to the covenants. H. in this and other matters, in which we would have to complain that the covenants had been violated, have ourselves delivered the verdict; in addition, in the same matter, we have satisfied his diligent request when we were with H. H. in Lucca, and have likewise left our servants there with complete force behind us, so that they should act on these matters. What the cause was, however, that his servants did not bring this to an end, as they had promised and agreed beforehand, may be judged by H. H. himself; nevertheless, with all this diligence and humility on our part, nothing more was accomplished with him than with all the other things we had done before; this did not help either that
the Margrave of Vastiaymo, whom he accuses in this deed, has himself offered to present before His Holiness. From which it is clear and evident that he (the king of France) sought only this as a pretense and pretension, that he would again have cause for new disputes and wars, so that unrest would be caused in Christendom and everything would be moved to revolt; as he had previously made his mind sufficiently known in all places before the Caesar Fregosius and Rincho were executed. Which nobleman is sufficiently known, together with the help they gave him and the business they attempted in Italy and with the Turk from his fate and command. By which they not only weakened the covenant established at Nice, but also wanted to put the entire Christian church in grave danger, so that (even if everything else is conceded) they could not have had any protection because of the covenant. In addition to this, they (as the enemies) have secretly and treacherously traveled through the Duchy of Milan, and in addition have had companions with them, who were forbidden to enter the country, because of which alone they would have been worthy of death according to the Milanese laws.
12. be it as it may with this matter, we can neither do nor bring about anything more that could have been conducive to the preservation of the confirmed war settlement, in which this was included: that if something should occur that would be contrary to the established peace, this should be repaid by the one who had been the cause of it, so that the established peace would nevertheless be kept firmly and faithfully. We have also shown him nothing higher, that he should be satisfied, except that we did not refuse to give the verdict in this matter to H. H. according to his request, and that the one whom he accuses of the act should offer himself for justice.
13) And since we thought that it would be enough for him at his request with this, we have undertaken the journey to Algiers 1) but have sent nothing less to him Mr. Franciscum of Mauria, who is now bishop of Orence, so that he should visit him and report our undertaken journey, and also admonish him that he may firmly maintain and protect peace and unity in Christendom, in addition to our initiated friendship. Which, according to his custom
1) In the old edition: "Algera" instead of:
(since he is neither milder nor more frivolous than with great promise) has offered to keep in the most superfluous way. Nevertheless, H.H. has seen what has been done in Maron, and what they have done in Italy, Germany and Denmark, and they have also understood the intentions, which have already been decided, that he wanted to invade our kingdom of Navarre, and this at that time, when he thought that he could do so with the best of intentions, because we would have enough to do with the Algiers War, and one misfortune would befall us after the other.
(14) It cannot be hidden from His Holiness what his embassy did on the next day at Speier, how they undertook, with the most pointed finesse, to increase the discord in religious matters, so that they let themselves be heard against both parties as if they were well on their side, and wanted to help them (where it was necessary). Item, with what cunning they undertook to prevent the move against the Turks, and what followed from it, again provoking the arch-enemy, the Turks, to war, and sending a mighty army into Italy. Item, how he, under the name of Martin of Rossem, servant of the Duke of Eleve, took upon himself to conquer our Dutch dominions unawares. And when he noticed that this was evident from him, so that he could no longer deny it, he publicly sent his son, the Duke of Aurelia [Orleans], as chief field commander, with a mighty troop into our dominion of Lutzenburg, and this before he had cancelled or warned us. He sent the rest of the people, whom he had sent in great numbers, to Hispania to fight against the kingdoms of Catalonia and Navarre, and in the meantime he made a noise with great fame and splendor about how he was in league with the Turk, who would also recently send him help, And so, on the tenth day of the past month, he publicly proclaimed and announced the war (of which we had not been informed beforehand) in all his lands, with such bitter and shameful words, and with such cruelty and pride, as no one ever used when he acted against the wildest pagans. When his cruel words were almost matched by the most shameful deeds, it gave the poor, inexperienced people a start to subject themselves to such brave and mighty deeds. It is very unreasonable that he did not inform us beforehand, but it is even more unreasonable that his servants, just as he did not inform us, did not inform us.
as he, both in Italy and Narbona [Narbonne], have shown so wrongly, when they wanted to keep the established peace firmly.
(15) This is the benefit which His Grace has obtained with all her effort and diligence, since she has worked so hard and diligently to have the peace established at Nice confirmed; this she has achieved with her patience, since she has so patiently tolerated the most unjust and most scornful act of the most holy See, which he has committed by capturing the Archbishop of Valence without any cause. Item, that they have shown the most severe mischiefs, which his servants (which he confirms) have done to our subjects, some noble and brave people, who had thought that they wanted to be safe in E. H. City of Avignon. H. city of Avignon, all too willingly forgot.
16 For this reason we have been urged and are still being urged to take up the sword and to consider what is necessary for war in all the places mentioned above, and at the very time when we thought we wanted to be safest from him, because the war posture confirmed by H. H. was still unchanged and confirmed by him with immeasurably many great promises and oaths (with which he has never ceased to provoke our servants against him). H.'s help, were still unchanged and confirmed by him with an immense number of great promises and oaths (with which he has never ceased to provoke our servants against him, and especially the one we sent to him in an embassy), and his servants at all times had stipulated how they heartily desired such a postponement and eternal friendship towards us, as well as a strong peace, provided only such a peace was made with H.'s help and authority. H.'s help and authority; which we hope they will have understood sufficiently, together with how honestly and gloriously it has been kept by us in this case. And so that we do not make many words, he has never given us a unified public display of his secret oath, but has falsely concealed all his undertakings, so that he might attack us ignorant of all things and completely unarmed, because he saw that we had turned all our thoughts to preparing to march into German lands for the sake of the Turkish campaign, so that we would gather our and the empire's power and put ourselves and our power in danger against the most cruel enemy, he thought that this would further his plot, namely that he would find us much more prepared for all things with his assassination than that we should war with him. And truly this opinion of his did not deceive him, for he attacked us quite unarmed. But we trust in the almighty, kind God, he shall not gain anything more with this war,
that he has obtained with the previous one, which he led against us. And we take God as our witness that we are much grieved and greatly distressed that he has prevented this action (which was started for holy, divine reasons, for the edification of the Christian religion and unity of faith), the war against the Turk and other things that affect the common Christianity's benefit and peace, because he has done us harm for our own person on our lands. For as far as our own affairs are concerned, it is just the same for us, or it is much better for us to wage a public war with him, than to be at peace with him on some peace, postponement or other matter, since he keeps all covenants only according to his pleasure, seeking nothing more than how he may find out of the best peace the most convenient cause to arouse war, for with this little hat he covers all his secret and poisonous plots, concerning the causes of indignation and sedition in the Christian church; And all this so that he may drive us into such distress, so that we may not resist the infidel Turks' advances, and so that he may constantly harass and damage our kingdoms and dominions, against all divine and secular equity and justice.
17 And this can also be seen most clearly that he teaches his descendants the same art and keeps and drives them to uniform practice. But his insatiable hope and desire have become so great that it can no longer be concealed, so that he has finally decided that he will not give back the lands he seized from the Duke of Sabaudia, so that he has first secured them with the help of his officials. In addition to this, he could not abstain from the next, but let him be heard publicly, since H.H. admonished him through his own that he would keep the peace, as he wanted to bring all of the same countryside, located under the mountains, to the circle of his kingdom, so that it would become one dominion, as in the past the province of Gaul was torn off from the Roman Empire and brought to his kingdom.
18 However, it cannot be without that H. H. has understood from elsewhere that he not only desires the Duchy of Milan, but intends to go much further, that after having conquered Placenza and Parma, he would also like to have those of Lucca and Siena. And we consider that she (E. H.) has well noted that no measure nor end may be set to such his desire, but that he also opens his mouth for the lands that belong to the church, as
with which he would like to have an easy passage in Naples and Sicily. That such is his will and purpose will be easily recognized by those who diligently observe what his own have established and attempted throughout Italy.
19 And it is in the day that he will never keep any promise, respite, peace or promise (as it is evident that he has not kept the past ones), as long as he has any hope of conquering anything. For this purpose, his desire is not directed to one place, but to all places immeasurably, as his next action sufficiently proves, since he uses the city of Astenai, which is located in our duchy of Lutzenburg. And although it is subject and obligated to us by law, he has nevertheless taken possession of it against our will and is fortifying it most violently. It also belongs to this that Martin von Rosse, 1) one of the servants of von Cleve, had planned to bring our Dutch dominion under his control. Nothing good can be hoped for from him, except that he is often deceived by himself, because he allows himself to be so powerful, so ambitious, as he is.
20. But whoever desires a further report to his desire, let him diligently consider what has been done by his own in the German lands, that he makes the discord in the Christian religion, only too well known, stronger and greater, and strengthens both parties, equally in Germany and in Italy, each in its intention. In addition, the alliance with the Turk, that he drives him to war against Christianity by force, which should truly move the whole German nation, that he has in all places all his plots and fortunes in common with the commonest and highest enemy of us all. As is well known to all, and what misfortune has resulted from these causes, and in what danger the whole of Christendom has been led by such insolent action with the Turk, since he now boasts highly of the hope that Barbarossa will come to his aid with a mighty armament of ships.
21 Such should E. Heil, with great diligence, consider beforehand, whether it rhymes with the cause, that one would like to bring the German nation again to the unity of the church or hold a concilium? Whether we or our prelates, the princes and estates of the empire in German lands, could also be present, since E. Heil knows how vehemently and with what nobility he (the king of France) is in his desire to bring about unity in the church.
1) Previously in s 14: "Rossem".
rich) had always undertaken to resist the concilium and to oppose it. It should indeed matter to His Holiness whether he had ever once undertaken to do something that might have brought piety or benefit to the Christian community in these great distresses. And we sincerely wish that one would not have experienced the contradiction from him every time, as it is brighter than the sun in the day, if one looks diligently at everything that he has ever pretended and still pretends today. It is also noted that he decided long ago that he would prevent the concilium by whatever means he could, and that he would stand in the way of it, because he thought that it would be useful and beneficial to his work.
For this reason we were brought to the point that we had decided to take another way before us, so that we could avoid greater evil, and yet that Germany would be brought to unity with a friendly and Christian union, in which action we considered nothing but God's honor and the holy church, our mother, reverence, as then E. Hol. In addition, it is known and evident that we have never desired anything more than that a concilium be held with great fruit, as we have answered to E.S.H. about the day at Regensburg, when she ordered the proclamation of a concilii to be offered to us through her legate. We have never been of any other will than to be personally present at such a meeting (if necessity required it), as we have always offered ourselves quite willingly. We have also never hesitated to visit the prelates in our kingdoms and other dominions, whom we have then called to Franca, our dominion's corner, and, as much as is possible for us, we constantly insist that they take care of their churches themselves, so that neither we nor our prelates may be blamed, as if they were the first to postpone the concilium, but rather to those who caused such postponement, and (if it were diligently requested) could not offer any credible excuse, because they had gone there especially for themselves without it, and had not gone far from their lands and people. Above all, however, one should attribute the whole deal to him, who has never wanted that one proclaims a concilium, nor will he ever want to do so, unless he is forced to do so by force.
23 Therefore (to bring it to an end once), Most Holy Father, if E. Holiness wills
If she desires to bring about peace, tranquility and unity in Christianity, and wants to devote her highest and possible diligence to this (as not only her dignity, according to the apostolic chair, but also her reputation and renown, is very and exceedingly interested in such a thing): Let her publicly declare such pain before all men, which she shall justly bear on account of such exuberant misfortune, so that the Christian church may be afflicted. And if she should be moved to anger because of the discord in the whole religion, and also because of the danger and trouble in which Christendom is involved with the Turk, she shall be justly angry with him of whom she knows and has most certainly experienced that he is the cause of all such hard-heartedness, fear and trouble. Thus the injustice he has shown to the Holy See, to the power and glory of the Roman Church, the severed covenants, the rebellions and newly awakened wars, the outrage against the archbishop, the weakening and disruption of the Holy See's protection and escort, the violation of the Holy See's authority, and the disgrace of the Holy See, the disgrace of the Holy See, the disgrace of the Holy See, the disgrace of the Holy See, the disgrace of the Holy See. If the Archbishop's protection and conduct, the contempt, mockery and ridicule which he has used against her in manifold cases (as is certain) move her somewhat, then she confesses to be his public enemy; in which she will not only do enough for all God-fearing people, all respectful and reasonable hope and confidence, but will also admonish all kings and princes with her example to do enough for her commanded office.
This will now be the way to hold a concilium, to raise up worship and Christianity again, which otherwise, if E. Salvation does not do so by force, will be in the greatest danger. And this I ask and request here with all seriousness from Your Holiness, who should consider this the most certain thing, since she will not appear negligent in her office, that we will never lack nor let it be lacking in us, and not only in these things that belong to the worship and common benefit of the church and all of Christendom, but most of all, what may be conducive to the attendance of the previously announced Concilii. And whether this may or could be attended by us, or by the Holy Roman Empire, or by our kingdom's prelates, by any other means than those now indicated, may be diligently considered by His Holiness for himself. Date in our city of Montison, our kingdom of Arragona, on the 25th day of August, in the year following the birth of our Lord 1542, of our empire in the 22nd, of the other kingdoms in the 27th year.
1410 Pope Paul III's renewed notice of the Council of Trent, according to which it is to begin on March 15, 1545. Date Rome, Nov. 19, 1544.
From Lünig's Reichs-Archiv, spie, ooolos. oont. III, p. 14. Translated into German by M. Aug. Tittel.
Paul bishop, servant of the servants of God, for the future memory of the cause.
1. rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come in multitude, all ye that love her. Rejoice and be glad, all ye that have been grieved with her, that ye may suck and be filled with the breasts of her consolation" (Isa. 66). For in the words of the prophet, in this great joy of ours, which we have recently established between our beloved sons in Christ, Carln, Roman emperor, all-time ruler of the empire, and Franciscus, the most Christian king in France, I may invite all those who love to see him to the Concilio, so that they, according to the prophet's promise, "may be filled with the breasts of her consolation.
(2) For although we do not doubt that the message of this most wonderful peace will have pleased beyond measure all those minds that favor Christianity and wish to know it in peace, we have been all the more moved and pleased by it, the more we have taken pains for so many years to settle the disputes among these princes, and in this case have not let our care and diligence be lacking. For since we foresaw with great sorrow, right from the beginning of our papacy, what mischief would always result from the internal wars of the Christians, and what contempt for religion would daily arise from them; Yes, not only for contempt, but also for divisions, opinions and sects, which would spread almost through all countries of Christendom to the greatest ruin of souls, and how the common enemy of all Christendom, the Turkish tyrant, would masterfully use this opportunity to increase his power daily, so that he would make his borders wider and wider, and already seize a large part of the Christian territory: We have always been extremely anxious to make peace proposals between these two powerful princes, because they involved almost the whole of Christendom in their cause and dragged it after them.
3. but we have been interested in such peace.
We did not leave it at that, but (when we saw that discord had arisen in religion, and that it could not easily be put down and quenched otherwise than by a general concilium) constantly directed our thoughts, besides the common peace, also to the fact that such a concilium should be held. We have also not refrained from always awakening the minds of the princes to both of these matters with exhortations and coaxing. In the former we have so urged and worked that we have not allowed it to come about by letters and messages, which we have often sent to both of them for this purpose, nor by Legatis a latere, which have departed from us, nor by ourselves (in person); In the other, however, we have been able to overcome all difficulties to such an extent that (when the concilium that was announced several times to Mantua, and then to Vincent, cannot be held for the reasons that we have subsequently indicated in other letters of ours) we have not allowed ourselves to be turned away by any obstacle or impediment from our intention to continue in this so holy work, but in great hope (after we have found another place) according to the common purpose, We have striven in great hope (after we had found another place) for the one purpose of holding a concilium, although through many difficulties, until at last (according to the will of the Most High) the most joyful day appeared, when by divine grace and providence peace was at last concluded, and we may therefore draw the sure hope that the state of Christendom, hitherto disrupted, torn and almost entirely corrupted by wars, will be restored by concord and renewed for all good. Therefore, as soon as we received this news and message, we were immediately mindful of this, both to fulfill our intention therein, in that we have always desired peace primarily for this cause (of the Concilii) and have promoted it to the best of our ability, and to fulfill the counsel of the prophet, who, when he exhorts us to seek peace, also immediately adds: "and pursue it.
We also believe that we cannot pursue peace better than through the doors of the Concilii. Because in our letter of last year, given in Rome on May 21, in the year of the Incarnation of Christ 1542, we announced a general large Concilium in Trent, and were willing to send three of our legates and those of the apostolic see to that city at the appointed time, in order to welcome the bishops and other prelates who would come to the Concilium, and to do everything else that was necessary or useful for the holding of this Concilium.
which also subsequently really departed and sat and waited alone in the same city for almost seven months, while very few appeared, because some cited the danger of war, others the uncertain paths, and others again some obstacles as their excuse: We have reluctantly, but out of a fatherly disposition, in order to counsel the consciences of the prelates and to avoid the difficult time, postponed the opening of the Concilii, out of necessity, until another time, and until a more convenient and better opportunity, which we reserve the right to announce further, has been postponed, as therefore our letter of Bologna, July 6, in the year of the Incarnation of the Holy Spirit. July, in the year of the Incarnation of Christ 1543, since in the meantime we have continued, both with fervent prayer to God and with frequent dispatch of our legates, to promote peace as we have always done before.
5. Now that the most gracious God, through His unspeakable grace and mercy, has paternally heard our prayer and that of the Church, and has restored to us the noble and most desired peace, through which precious gift not only many other impediments have been lifted, but also the obstacles of the Concilii have been removed: so we have sincerely thanked His Divine Majesty for such a great and high benefit and still praise the same; But we have also no longer wished to refrain from rescinding the previous setting of the Concilii, hoping with the grace of God that all those who are to appear at the Concilio will soon go to the appointed place, and will also use all the diligence of their place, so that at last the disagreements which are wretchedly tearing apart and disturbing the unity of the churches will be completely settled, and the erring sheep will be brought back to the Lord's sheepfold. After that, also that what needs change and improvement among the believers in Christ is corrected and completely put on a different footing. And that finally, with the help of the common council, a war campaign will be decided, so that the believers can regain what the unbelievers have snatched from them, and at the same time so many thousands of souls who are daily lost under their yoke will be saved and liberated. For the sake of these three things we have always believed that it was most necessary to hold a concilium.
(6) Since the obstacles to a concilii that it has encountered up to now have been removed, and we have good hope that both the most noble emperor and the most Christian king, as well as the other Christian leaders of the world, will be willing to accept it, we are pleased with the results of the concilii.
Kings and princes, either appear in person at this sacred assembly, or at least send respectable persons as their envoys: We hereby, after mature counsel and deliberation with our most venerable brethren, the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, on their advice and consent, entirely annul, cancel, and modify by apostolic power, by virtue of this letter, the contemplated suspension or postponement of the Concilii, so evidently done by us, and declare it truly annulled and modified. And admonish in all places all our venerable brethren, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, as well as our beloved sons, abbots, and all others who have right and power to sit and vote in common councils; demand and require of them that on the fourth Sunday of the next Lent (Lätare), which we designate as a day of joy for the further continuation of the Concilii, they appear in person (if they are not prevented by a valid obstacle, which they will duly prove), under penalty of perjury and other penalties specified in the proclamation itself, or in that case by their lawful envoys and agents, at the continuation of the Concilii, which shall then take place, and attend the same. The above-mentioned Emperors Carln and Franciscum, King of France, as well as all other kings, dukes and princes, whose presence can be hoped to be very useful in this time of peace for the true faith and salvation of Christians, we ask and implore in the Lord that they, as we sincerely wish, appear in person or otherwise through their capable ambassadors, be present at this holy Concilio, and attend and assist it until its desired end, so that everything may be done all the more freely and securely that belongs to the settling of disputes in religion and the improvement of the morals of the believers in Christ, likewise to the undertaking of the march against the unbelievers under the most holy sign of the Cross, God willing! may be well deliberated, acted upon, concluded and finally happily accomplished in the Concilio reported.
(7) For that all these things may be brought to the knowledge of those whom they concern, and be made known to them, and that no one may justly plead ignorance therein, or be excused: therefore we will and ordain by apostolic authority that the present letter be publicly and publicly read by some messengers of our court, or public notaries, in the cathedral church of the prince of the apostles in the city, and in the church of the Lateran (when the multitude of the people come to worship there).
The copy shall be read in a loud voice, and then, when it is read, it shall be posted at the same cathedral and other churches, and also at the apostolic chancery gates, and also at the front of the campoflor, so that it may remain there for some time, so that all may read it and be informed of it, and then, when it is taken away, the copies of it shall nevertheless remain posted at the same places. And that the copies thereof, if signed by a public notary and if any person of the ecclesiastical state and order affixes his seal thereto, shall be accorded as much credence as would be accorded to the present letter if it were presented or exhibited.
(8) Therefore, no one is to break this letter of our proclamation, request, exhortation, plea, ordinance and will, or to act contrary to it. And if anyone should do so, let him know that he will fall into the wrath and disgrace of Almighty God and His holy apostles Peter and Paul. In the year of the Incarnation of Christ one thousand five hundred four and forty the 18th of November, and in the eleventh year of our Papal government.
Blo. El. fulgin.
B. Motta.
In the year of the birth of JESUS CHRIST our Lord, five hundred four and forty, in the other indication, the thirtieth and last day of the month of November, the papal government of our most holy in Christ Father and Lord Paul, by the divine providence of Pabst III, and of the same eleventh year, the foregoing letter of proclamation, announcement, calling and petition of a general concilii in the cathedral church of the Prince of the Apostles in the city (when early service was held there and a great multitude of people gathered) is from me, Johann Roillard, most illustrious of our most holy Pabst's court messenger, in a loud, bright and audible voice, freely and publicly, according to all its contents, read from word to word and then posted and made known to everyone.
And in the same way, on the same day, in the church of St. John Lateran, also at the hour of vespers, it was read from word to word by me, John, and posted and thus made known to everyone.
And afterwards, on that very day, I posted and announced them on the boards or gates of the apostolic chancery, and in front at the Campoflor, also in said places some
The copy of the document has been posted at each of the aforementioned places and has been posted there. This was done by Petrum Gometz and Johann Roillard, our most holy Lord Pabst's court messengers.
That's how it (happened)! Peter Gometz, court messenger.
That's right! Johann Roillard, court messenger.
That's right! Theobald Tallart, messenger master.
George de Itinere, notary in court matters of the apostolic chamber, by order of sst. (as above). ,
1411: What order and ceremonies the pope's legation, cardinals and bishops, assembled at Trent, used and held in the opening of the concilium there; with an anonymous preface and marginal glosses.
Written at the beginning of 1546.
From Raynaldus in Hortleder I. e. lib. I, oup. 42, p. 396, according to the anonymous translation.
To all pious Germans happiness and salvation, knowledge of God and the Pope etc.
How many years in succession we Germans have been in great danger for the sake of the word, and how nobly (since otherwise no peace nor unity could be hoped for) we have asked and confessed for a free, Christian concilium in German lands, is sufficiently shown by all the imperial acts, which were very much held in these years. Again, the reason why the pope and his troops have refused to do so is also obvious. They do not trust them to stay with their splendor and glory, if a free, Christian council is to be held; for God's word, like the bright sun, stings their eyes, so that they cannot see before it. Before they come into danger for the sake of their glory, and should commit something, before they want to push the gospel, the church, the right worship, and everything by force to the ground and exterminate it, as they have often done before, and especially this fall. But, praise God! they have lacked, and shall still lack, until they go down over it, amen.
And yet the cunning foxes dare to adorn themselves and to put on a cloak of their murderous nobility, whether one wants to look at them and think of them as if they meant it very well, and earnestly wanted to help and advise the Christian church and the disunity, which grew out of faith. Have therefore the-
This winter in 1545 1) a concilium was held at Trent, of all things and measures, as it is desired by us Germans, that it be a free, Christian, and in German lands a concilium. In German lands it is, as everyone knows, that at Trent no one understands the whales. It is Christian, because there the pope is to have the upper hand, and to be the umpire; what he can maintain with his filthy and filthy vials, that must remain, although all the prophets and all the apostles, and Christ himself said the contrary; as you see that they desire it with the sacrament under one form, with the shameful celibacy and prohibition of marriage, with the holy service and invocation etc. Thirdly, it is a free concilium, because the pope has no one but his sworn and scorned bunch there. But he has forbidden us Germans to attend the Concilium in the letter to the Imperial Majesty after the Diet of Speier in 1544, because he considers us heretics. Alfo, at this Trent Concilium, we have everything that we have ever desired and wanted for so long; there is not the least thing lacking.
But so that you, dear German, may see this for certain, I have communicated to you in German the beginning of this Council with all ceremonies, as it took place at Trent and went out publicly in print in the German language, so that you may not hope but know for certain what fruit to expect from this Council. For since such a devout mass is held by the Holy Spirit, and since one must have a magistrum ceremoniarum, who must first teach the holy vescovi, or bishops, how they should kneel and pray, since the litanies are sung and all the saints are invoked: how could and should the matter not be discussed, mediated, performed, expedited, concorded, and reformed in the most autumnal and spiritual manner? O Germans! Open your eyes! More and better cannot be wished for you, than, just as you learn to know God from His Word actually and rightly, that you also learn to know the pope, the tiresome antichrist and devil's larva, from his own works and plots, with all his appendages. May the gracious Father in heaven grant you this, amen.
What order kept at the opening of the Tridentine Concilii etc.
1 The legates, cardinals, bishops and other prelates have all assembled with one another in the opening of the Concilii at Trent, on Sundays.
1) This indicates the time of the writing of this document.
The 13th of December, in the church called Holy Trinity, at an early hour of the day, and went from there to the cathedral church, two and twoa ) with each other, as in a procession, singing the hymn: Veni Creator Spiritus.
In the aforementioned cathedral church, a new choir was erected for them, and for the sake of the cold, it was boarded up, where they gathered; there the Cardinal de Monte, as a priest, read a mass from the Holy Spirit, quite devoutly.
a) This was done because Christ, sending out his disciples, also sends you two and two.
When all this was completed, the bishop Cornelio Bitontino gave a beautiful speech in Latin, how much it would be necessary that now the Concilium would be opened. Therefore he praised papal holiness and the other noble Christian potentates that they had been so inclinedb ) to such a thing, and wanted to have admonished in general that each one in particular wanted to work with all diligence to put down the reported divisions and heresies that were before the eyes of the clergy and also of the whole Christian community, and that such errors might be corrected, as it would be very necessary if one wanted to keep peace in the church in a different way. Thereupon the Diaconum ordered to pray, and the Magister ceremoniarum ordered the prelates all to pray diligently, so that each one had to kneel down modestly and pray to himself, so that it was completely quiet.
b) The kitten has the gentlest paws, as if it could not scratch.
After this, the Cardinal de Monte, as a priest, said a prayer with some other clergymen. And after such prayer the choir began to sing the 84th Psalm: c) Quam dilecta tabernacula tua etc. The deacon then commanded to pray again, which was also done in all measure and form, as before.
c) Just now the German nuns sing the Psalter, not understanding a syllable of it.
After that, the Cardinal de Monte, as a priest, began to sing the litany: Pater de coelis, Deus miserere nobis etc., and when they come to the verse, so one usually sings: ut omnes ecclesiasticos ordines, for this they sang: d) ut hanc Synodum sanctificare, illuminare et regere digneris etc. And after the litany was finished, they also sang some other prayers. And then they sang the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, how the Lord sends out the 72 disciples.
. And when such a chapter was almost sung out the third part, they sang afterwards the hymn: Veni
Creator Spiritus; in addition, the Cardinal de Monte, as the priest, also sang several other prayers more, which were made with all diligence for such holy work.
d) It needs it very well; but alas! it will not happen, because they persecute and blaspheme God's word etc.
When the prayer was finished, the legate, Cardinal de Monte, gave the bishop of Feltre two papal letters to read publicly. In one of them the intimation and proclamation of the Concilii, the past year, had taken place. In the other was the authority and the power that the pope had given to the announced legates and bishops to open the Concilium.
When such letters had been read, a doctor entered on account of Don Diego de Mendoza, Imperial Majesty Orator at Venice. Majesty's Orator at Venice, who first excused his master, the Orator, verbally with a long oration, and later also in writing from himself, the Orator, why he could not come to the beginning of the opening of the Concilii, because his weakness had prevented him from doing so, and would still prevent him from appearing with them in the Concilio when he was ordered to do so. As he would also have pleased His Majesty the Emperor. Maj. after necessity would have given notice that her Majesty should provide someone else for this and give orders. In the meantime, however, his request and desire had been addressed to the Holy Council. Concilium his request and desire that they accept Zeigern as his doctor instead of him. Therefore, he was answered by the Cardinal de Monte: they would accept his apology as just, and his doctor should be admitted, if one would announce to the interrogation to approve the same.
After that, Cardinal de Monte, with great reverence and devotion, reminded the assembled bishops and prelates to study diligently, and each of them, in particular, to do and reflect diligently on what is due and proper to him in his office, as would be necessary for such a highly important matter. For this purpose, he quoted several sayings from Paul's epistle, which was read on the same Sunday: Gaudete in Domino, sperate etc. 1) After this, the Cardinal de Monte asked in a loud voice if it would please all of them that the Convent of the Lord should be held in the church.
1) This epistle, which is prescribed for the fourth Sunday of Advent, is read on the third Sunday of Advent according to the Roman Index ieetionum. On Dec. 13, 1545, the Conciliar was opened.
cilium would now be opened and started? to which they 2) all unanimously answered yes with one voice, it would be pleasing to them. Then he asked again, if it would please them, that the Concilium should be opened from that day on, and when they had again said yes to that, the legate said: So I announce to you, and declare to you and everyone alike, a started, commone ) public Concilium, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and announce to you the attendance and hearing, the next Thursday after the holy Three Kings' Day, which will be the 7th of January of the 1546th year. Thereuponf ) the procurator of the Concilii requested that everything that had been done and acted upon be recorded and inscribed in a public instrument; this was thus confirmed and decreed by the Concilium. And when this was accomplished, the Te Deum laudamus was sung. After this, the assembled clergy, who had been assembled, took off their clerical garments, which they had put on for this purpose, and then each of them went back to his hostel and chamber. gBut it was three hours after noon before they left each other, so that it was immediately surprising how they could have gone so long without eating, after they had also fasted the day before.
e) Notice, here it is just as we have desired it, a free and Christian concilium. Oh boys, boys!
f) Nota, the first actus, since a great deal of lain.
g) These are ever saintly people for whom heaven is getting very sour.
(8) But truly, the holy fathers together and especiallyh ) are inclined and devout to such work of God with all zeal and earnestness, just as all the people otherwise carry a great devotion to it. The morning meal was hardly taken before night fell, so that this day was almost entirely spent on this work.
h) Who does not believe that?
The clothes that the clergy used and wore for such celebrations were: white linen choir robes, and over them red carmesinatlassenei ) choir robes, as they are usually used by the priests in the church daily, which they wore over their common and daily clothes. In addition, they also had similar pants and shoes made of Kermesinatlas, and white atlassene islands on the heads. And these were the clothes of the legates. The
2) Here we have deleted "he".
Bishops have also been dressed in this way, but they did not wear red pants or shoes, nor did they all have carmesinate choir robes, but some of red damask, some of red ormesin, as each one could have provided himself with at that time.
i) Mark of the clothing: The apostles also went like this in atlas and carmesine pants and shoes.
1412 Reasons why the states adhering to the Augsburg Confession first accepted Christian doctrine and finally intend to persist with it, and why the alleged Tridentine Council should neither be attended nor consented to. 1546.
Melanchthon wrote this document on the orders of the Elector. It went out under the title: OuuWus, Hunrs et arnplsxas mnt st rstiusiKtuW ctusaut <Iostrirmm, in protitsritur ssolssius, yuus sonksssiousin Vu^nstas sxkiditnin impsrutori ssHuuutur: st yuurs iniyuis indisidus sollsstis in s^riocio Driäsutinu, ut vosunt, non 8it ullssutisrutuiu. Vitsk. 1546. quarto. In Melanchthon's opsr, tom. IV, p. 772. according to the original in the Weimar archives in Seckendorf's Ilist. Imtll, lid. Ill, p. 602d. There are two German translations of the same. One by Justus Jonas is entitled: "Ursach, warum die Kirchen, welche reine christliche Lehre bekennen, dieselbebige Lehre angenommen, und dabei ewiglich zu bleiben, schuldig achten, und warum sie in die partiischen Richter im Concilio zu Trident nicht willigen. Translated from Latin by Justum Jonam, Doctor, uä ssuatuw. Ilulsussiu. Wittemberg 1546." quarto. The other, written by an anonymous author and bearing the title we have placed above it, appeared in Magdeburg in 1546 and was also printed in Nuremberg. Seckendorf's statement that this translation was also printed at Wittenberg is based on an oversight. It is found in Hortleder, "Von den Ursachen des deutschen Kriegs," toin. I, lid. I, <mx>. 43, p. 398, also in the Eonsil. tUsoi. IVUtsdsrA., x>. 67 and 214 in two separate pieces.
1. Although it is manly to see the great and manifold dangers, care, labor and expense which we bear for the preservation of pure Christian doctrine, which we have now heard and contemplated so long into our old age, that we do not hold and promote the same out of presumption, some pleasure or stubbornness: However, we must again make public and written announcement of what moves us to maintain such high work, so that we may not only excuse ourselves against pious and honest people who are now alive, but also all faithful, God-fearing people.
Warn and remind all hearts that come after us that they should not judge us and our doctrine from the opposing speech, malicious words, and blasphemous writings, but should first consider and contemplate the matter itself, how great and important it is, and what great causes move us to accept, confess, and maintain such doctrine.
(2) For in his time all men on earth, wherever and whenever they are, will have to give account to God the Lord if they reproach and condemn our doctrine. For this doctrine, if we defend it, is not ours, but God's, for His glory and the salvation of the people.
3. Because we plant and spread the true, pure doctrine of the holy gospel, as we received it through the holy prophets' and apostles' writings, and teach the people how to recognize the true God and the one he sent, Jesus Christ, in whom is eternal life and the salvation of mankind, and how to call upon him in all troubles, and everything that a Christian man needs to know; which doctrine God the Lord wills to be presented to all men, and to resound and be made manifest in the whole world, that through such preaching of the Gospel He may gather to Him here at all times, out of all the nations of the earth, an everlasting Church, which is His own, and the inheritance of His Son Jesus Christ.
4. Therefore we testify here again before the whole Church of God, which is here on earth and above with Jesus Christ in heaven; and God knows our hearts and minds that nothing has moved us to accept and maintain this pure doctrine of the Gospel of Christ, which we teach in our churches, and not to deny and forsake it, but the earnest, strict and unchangeable will and command of God, since he earnestly instructs all men on earth how to call upon him rightly and truly, how to serve him, and besides this, he also earnestly instructs that no idolatry is to be practiced, no false and heathen worship and abominations are to be mixed with and introduced into the true services of God, which he commanded; As we see, unfortunately, that too much and abominable things are done, and through such idolatry the true service of God is almost darkened and extinguished.
5 For so God gives in the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods beside Me." The other: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not let him go unpunished who takes His name in vain.
The commandment of God the Father to hear from His Son is therefore from heaven: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; him you shall hear. St. Paul's commandment also reads: "If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than the one we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Item: "Flee idolatry."
These and such strict and serious commandments and threats of God have urged us to accept such teaching of the gospel, which at this time, by special grace, has again been brought purely to light, and not to deny or abandon it.
7. For this, that we with great danger of life and limb, land and people, with heavy expenses, toil and labor, hold differently in doctrine than others, whose friendship and good will we heartily desire to preserve in all other things, we have not been moved by temporal honor, power, money, goods or pleasures, nor by anything on earth, as is seen in us before our eyes, but only by the strict commandment of God, which commands us to hold God's word higher than all things on earth, as they may be called; as it is written: "One should obey God more than man."
8 We also know very well how ridiculous and shameful this is to some crude and ungodly people, and how they can misinterpret and misinterpret such Christian works and opinions; for we have now heard and experienced it for many years, and must also suffer it.
First of all, there are many Epicureans who think nothing of God and consider all religion to be nothing but fables, who write and say that the teachings of the Christian church should be directed and guided according to the times and the will and opinion of potentates and rulers. For it is a great folly and harmful presumption to cause discord and division in the regiments because of vain words. Therefore, unity and peace should be held in much higher esteem than all religion.
(10) Although we are heartily grieved that God the Lord and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Church of God are thus profaned and blasphemed, that Christian religion is regarded as fables and fools' work, which should give way to temporal peace and worldly pleasures, therefore such worldly-minded people alone are to do with it, and they do not ask for God, salvation or eternal life, which they also do not believe:
11. however, we recently say that we will
with such "epicuric" sows, who do not believe in God, but consider such opinion to be a hardening and delusion of the devil, who has so captured and blinded their hearts and minds that they do not see the bright light of the Gospel of the clarity of Christ. Whoever has a desire for such Epicurean wisdom, let him have it, as we can see that, on the other hand, doctors and screamers consider this to be great wisdom, which they read in great numbers from the old Epicurean scribes, and are now claiming to be a special new wisdom, and are courting many people with it and turning their hearts away from the right knowledge of God; but what kind of wisdom this is will be found in its own time.
12) But this is our Christian opinion, on which we rest, that this teaching, which God has given to His Church through certain public testimonies, which is recorded in the Prophets' and Apostles' Scriptures and Symbolism, is certainly true divine teaching, through which God is gathering an eternal Church and giving it blessedness, as St. Paul says: "The Gospel is a power of God to all who believe in it". Paul says: "The Gospel is a power of God to all who believe in it," and thank God from the bottom of our hearts that out of great mercy He has revealed Himself to the human race through His Word and sent His Son to us for the redemption of the human race, and know that it is God's earnest opinion that all people on earth should recognize such great benefits and thank Him for them, as John 14:14 says: "Whoever loves me, loves me. It is written: "He who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him; but he who does not love me does not keep my words.
(13) For this reason, everyone should take care that the divine teaching remains pure and unadulterated, and no man on earth, nor any angel in heaven, should be subject to altering or falsifying the teaching that God has given to man, as the devil did in the first place, when he turned the Hebrews away from God's word and commandment by lying, and as those who invented and devised one idolatry over another have done at all times since.
(14) Because we do not govern our lands and people with little effort and labor by God's help in these troubled times, let no one think us so rude and ignorant that we should not know and understand what a precious treasure good order and police and unity in all governments are, and how much is at stake that unity should not easily be broken and disrupted out of ignorance or without good cause.
(15) It is true that there is nothing on earth more lovely or beautiful than orderly, united government, which is to be loved and held in all honor. But where regiments, which God has ordained so that He may be recognized or honored in them, are contrary to God, His commandment and His word, then God's command should be preferred to all regiments and ordinances, even to all creatures.
16 For regiments are not established by God so that under their protection and umbrella people may seek and use nothing but money, goods, honor, violence and temporal pleasure, as Sodoma, Sybaris, Thebes and other such cities have done, and have been destroyed and brought to ruin because of it, but regiments are to be God's temple and primarily directed so that true pure doctrine and true worship may be maintained in them. For the human race was created by God first and foremost for the purpose of recognizing God as their Creator and serving Him, which is why people are gathered into a community by the rule of God and united against each other through various means, such as marriage, childbearing, buying and selling, government and protection, so that one should promote and bring the other to the knowledge of God through right doctrine and Christian worship and life. Therefore, all people on earth should know that they should be more interested in right doctrine and knowledge of God than in power and honor, peace or regiment, body, life, or whatever may be temporal and transient on earth.
17 Secondly, there are some false believers who pretend to be serious, call themselves Christians and boast that they want to belong to the Christian church and stay there. They pretend that the church cannot err in necessary matters for salvation. Therefore, there is now no idolatry in the papal part, and no harmful errors against the articles of faith. They cry out against us, blaming us for disputing the papal doctrine out of loud will and sacrilege, without any need to cause all discord and turmoil, and that what we dispute is not worth talking about and such a disruption of many countries and people, and it would be much better to keep quiet about it, than that this great division has been made because of such small things.
18. but because we have often heard such cries of the opposite before, who want to gloss over and cover up many horrible errors of the Roman church, we want to ask all sensible people who do not despise God to do this.
They want to look around and notice how lewd life is in the monasteries and convents, and then look in the churches how people run to idols and otherwise practice all kinds of idolatry, so that they are publicly led away from right invocation of God. Above all this, we can see how the mass is bought and sold, how many thousands of priests say mass every day, who do not understand what they are doing. Item, that the churches in almost all countries are desolate, and do not have reasonable, learned, God-fearing preachers.
(19) Therefore, if such gross and terrible vices can be seen and grasped, how are the adversaries so insolent as to boast that they are not harmful errors or idolatry?
20 Although some learned, God-fearing and wise people complained harshly about such a shameful life of the clergy and abominable idolatry and abuses before time, at this time many of the clergy are servants who, for the sake of their own pleasure and belly, want to patch up and defend the cause with special rhetoric and embellished arguments and speeches; for what is evil needs much patching up, but it does not last long.
In sum, it can be seen and grasped that terrible, pagan idolatries have been introduced into the church by the devil's cunning for the seduction of the people, and thereafter have been confirmed by constant practice and use of the same, so that one does not want to leave them, but to defend and defend them for right worship.
They speak all the same: The Christian church cannot err. But what is the use of answering such impudent people and arguing with them whether their church is wrong or not, since their great errors and idolatry are before everyone's eyes, none of which they can deny.
(23) There is no doubt that there have always been, and still are, some godly people in the Christian church, to whom some errors have hurt, and have punished them one more and more clearly than the other, so that the truth remains with many right members of the true churches.
In the meantime, however, as mentioned above, many godless bishops have ruled the church, and they have been more concerned with great power and property than with Christian doctrine, for which they have little respect. In addition, the unlearned monks and stingy priests have introduced errors, and have easily taken over the common people with such teachings, to which the foolish people are naturally inclined.
(25) But what the ungodly popes, bishops, priests and monks have thus instituted and wrought in the church is not to be regarded and held as if it were the faith and doctrine of the true church. For God the Lord has warned us beforehand that not only will many outside the Christian name, such as pagans, Turks and Jews, contest and persecute the gospel of God, but also many of the highest rulers in the church, and those who use the church's title and boast of it, will be blinded by error and will not know the true knowledge and calling of God. Therefore Peter also holds up an example to us of the Israelite people, who thus speaks: "There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce corrupt sects next to them.
(26) In the Israelite nation, the greatest part of the people has been idolatrous at all times, and the priests themselves, who, as they now call it, had the ordinary power and rule of the church. They 1) even falsified the sacrifices God had commanded by leading the people away from the righteousness of faith, and trusting in the sacrifices and other works and worship. Because of the error of the people and the priests, who punished the prophets, many of them were killed, as is happening now.
27) And after the reign of the Maccabees, when two sects, the Pharisees and the Sadducaei, held the reign, it must be confessed that at that time not only a small part of the people, but also a large number of the priests, scribes and judges were tainted with abominable errors.
28. Since this happened in the small regiment of the Jews, who could better and more easily have kept pure doctrine and discipline than the church can do now, which is scattered everywhere in the world, we should also consider that this last time of the world, which is now in its old age, when all kinds of weakness and infirmities tend to be found more than before, cannot be without great errors and infirmities, and that the lament of the prophet, when he says: "If the Lord of hosts did not leave us a little, we would be like Sodom and like Gomorrah," is also spoken of these times of ours.
29. tell me if now in our times the epi-
1) "falsified" put by us instead of: "championing". Latin: ckspravakant.
The Jews are not like the Sadducees of that time, who sell their masses, vigils, and other false, fictitious services for money. But that we see more discipline and pretense among the Jews than now in our times at Rome among the cardinals and bishops and in the monasteries and convents; for those had their wives, and kept honest house, and were not so idle people as now our monks and priests are.
(30) But here some say that we alone dispute some petty and childish matters, which, if we were not so strange and odd, for the sake of common peace and harmony, we should keep quiet about and not report or stir up. For such disagreement does much more harm to the Christian church than the petty and childish matter we are arguing about. Nor had there ever been a time or a world before, nor would there be in such weakness and frailty of human nature, since there should not be much error and infirmity.
(31) By such speeches and the like, some wise men and worldly wives of the Roman church want to embellish and belittle error, which comes from the fact that they ask little for God's glory, but seek only their own benefit or temporal peace and quiet. For this reason, with such embellished words, they dare to color and excuse great and abominable errors.
Our dispute does not concern small or few things, and the quarrel is not of old wives' tales, for there are still today some old and new scribes' books that defend great error and idolatry, which no one can deny.
(33) They write publicly that nothing is written in the Holy Scriptures of the prophets and apostles concerning the faith by which we receive forgiveness of sins, when St. Peter clearly says that this is the common doctrine and faith of the Christian Church, namely, "that all the prophets testify of Christ, that through his name all who believe in him receive forgiveness of sins.
34 Everyone knows well what an unchristian doctrine the Counterpart defends, since they say that one should doubt the forgiveness of sins, and that no one should be sure of it. Then they invent that everyone earns forgiveness of sins through his own works, even through the monastic life, through the mass, which they therefore sell to the foolish people, and write that the work of the mass is the same as the work of the monastery,
The Lord's Supper is the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the redemption of departed souls from purgatory. After that, they also abuse the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the redemption of departed souls from purgatory.
(35) The doctrine of right repentance is completely abandoned among them by the recounting of sins, and satisfaction of repentance for the sin committed.
How much innumerable idolatry there is in all kinds of temples and churches throughout the whole world, since people go on pilgrimages and vow themselves to some dead images of the saints, seeking help from them, who themselves can neither advise nor help them in any need; the same images they call upon, which honor is due only to God the Father, and His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit.
(37) What men, even what angels, are so eloquent that they can sufficiently lament and recount the ruin of so many hundreds of baptized and innumerable souls who are lost and condemned by the marriage ban? And the prohibition of marriage causes many sins.
38 For first of all, it is certain that God punishes all fornication and all impurity severely with temporal and eternal punishment. Secondly, if the consciences and hearts of men are defiled, they cannot pray and call upon God in earnest, so they fall from one sin to another as children of wrath. Furthermore, it is public that they are unlearned and do not receive the ministry of preaching. In many countries there are no preachers; in others, when they do preach, the teaching is neither pure nor right.
39 For this reason, we do not punish minor or lesser errors. For the opposite, which boasts of the church's title and that they have proper authority in the church, defends not minor but great and terrible errors, by which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is reviled and blasphemed, and people's consciences are seduced, which errors they protect and handle with sword and fire and great tyranny, as never happened before by any rulers who were not Gentiles.
40 Since every man sees such abominations of the opposite, as terrible errors in doctrine, idolatry, shameful fornication, contempt and neglect of the ministry, and Neronian tyranny against all who do not approve of their Neronian godlessness, all men on earth should not only recognize such vices, but also be sincerely afraid of God's wrath against them. For the more certainly this will be true
must be that God the Lord on Mount Sinai has given the commandment: "You shall have no other gods beside me. I, the Lord your God, am a zealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children" etc., not in vain with such a terrifying figure of thunder and lightning, with the sound of the trumpets, and the whole mountain of smoke, trembling and shaking given and proclaimed, but wanted to indicate that he would punish with eternal punishment and hellish fire all idolaters.
(41) When God's voice was heard in these commandments, the whole great mountains, the hard rocks and stones, were terrified and amazed and trembled and shook. Since there are some people who despise such commandments and urges, thinking only how they may have good days and all kinds of pleasures here in this life, and consider it foolishness that a man should almost worry about how he may know God and call upon Him through right divine teaching, such people must be much harder than all mountains and rocks.
42. That God is hostile to sins and severely punishes them is proven by the daily and manifold plagues that are inflicted on the world because of sins; And there is no doubt that at all times, from the beginning of the world, God the Lord has always punished and is still punishing the human race for the sake of sin, that also after this life Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will appear again, and will adorn and decorate with eternal glory His Church, which has kept and believed His teaching; but the ungodly and despisers of His teaching He will punish with eternal hellish fire. Whoever does not want to believe this here, shall and must experience it there.
When we see and consider with great pain the great and innumerable miseries, miseries and afflictions that are in this world, that there is one kingdom against another, that one is falling apart here and another there; that land and people are being devastated and destroyed by war and bloodshed; that there are all kinds of false and idolatrous religions in the world. That there are all kinds of false and idolatrous religions in the world, by which people are led into eternal damnation, and after that every man has his own torment and torture: let every man remember that all this is nothing more than a reminder of the last judgment and eternal punishment.
44. but there are some of the opposite party who are not so crude and stony-hearted, who confess some infirmities, but, as they call them, abuses of the church; but they say
that the lords, who have proper authority over the church, as the supreme potentates in the world, should punish us justly and not suffer us to abandon some doctrine and worship, which have stood for so many hundred years, without their knowledge and permission.
They say that in no way should they tolerate or suffer that, in matters concerning the whole Christian religion, a few people who are not commanded by the church regiment should be allowed to change anything. For what disruption and separation in religion would result from this, since each one should be allowed to make changes according to his will and liking? For it is certain and public that the rabble and the common man are enemies of all religion, laws and regiments, as their prison, and would like to do everything according to their will and liking, to be unbound, free and free, to be obedient to no one, but to be rebellious, unstable and unruly, to take over and bring everything under themselves.
(46) Whoever now gives the mob this freedom, that it may, according to its own free will, change, alter, and negate religion, law, and order, without the knowledge, will, and command of the authorities, who are in command of the government, is not only doing wrong, but is also an enemy of ordinary authority, and a disturber of common peace and unity.
Tell these likenesses, as the poets write: When King Aeolus, who was commanded to govern the winds, gave Ulysses the winds, enclosed in a leather sack, on the ship, and they, the foolish men of war, untied the sack, the winds came out with force from that hour, and caused such a storm on the sea that some ships sank. So also, because the mob once saw that something was changed in the church without the knowledge and command of the proper authorities, many wild heads and swarming spirits have aroused and caused great unrest and noise in many places.
For this reason, these are the highest and wisest people, who know how to defend and uphold the proper authority, ancient tradition and long custom, and it is considered that there is no other rule to maintain good regiments, but to prevent all large and small changes with the utmost seriousness.
49 This is also the greatest and most apparent argument that the mighty and wise people at all times have used against the spread of Christian doctrine.
The first is the one that has always been used and used to frighten people, by which they can easily move kings and princes and rulers against the true divine teaching.
50 And that we speak the truth, even such speeches do not move us a little; for we also on earth in temporal goods neither desire nor desire anything higher than that unity may be preserved, and our earnest counsel and opinion is that no one without clear command and commandment of God be permitted to make change himself, unexpectedly of the ordinary high authorities.
For in no way is it our opinion and will to allow the common man, against the will of the proper authorities, to change anything in religious or other matters without the expressed command of God, but it is our will and opinion that all men on earth owe to obey that which the holy apostles of Jesus Christ unanimously decided and held themselves, that one owes more to obey God than to obey men. This has undoubtedly always been the opinion of all God-fearing and wise people at all times, that divine power and commandment should always be preferred to human power.
To this they answer: No change or innovation shall be made without the knowledge of the authorities! Would God that those who want to be rulers of the church would thus let God's honor and the souls' salvation go to their hearts, as carefully as they are otherwise for their own pleasure, power and honor, that they themselves would bring about a true Christian reformation in doctrine and true Christian discipline; as we have now so often and for many years cried out, pleaded and begged for one another. But what they have done in the process can be seen before our eyes.
(53) Let everyone know that God governs His Church in this way, and has governed it from the beginning of the world, and so will govern it until the end of the world, because He has given His Church the holy gospel, which is an eternal, unchanging counsel of divine majesty, revealed with certain and glorious testimonies, and put into writing by the prophets and apostles by divine command.
This clear and bright will of God, understood in the Gospel, is placed before our eyes, and is God's serious command that no one should step away from such a rule, doctrine and command, nor turn away from it, if even the highest or the greatest part of the world despises or rejects such His word.
55 And because God, out of great mercy, by such a word of His, gathers together and often renews a church for and for Him, He not only raises up bishops and prelates who sit in ordinary authority, but also often other lesser persons, and when the doctrine is again explained and brought to light by such, all men who recognize the doctrine immediately find themselves guilty of following it, the bishops remaining with their judgment where they will. For God the eternal Father cries out, and thus gives from his Son from heaven: "This is my dear Son, whom you shall hear. Let us then sincerely believe that there is one God, Lord and Creator of all creatures, who has revealed Himself to us through His word and certain testimonies, and that out of true and heartfelt love for us He has sent His one and only Son, so that through His word He might gather together an eternal church for His inheritance: We are also to be obedient to his earnest command which came down from heaven, that we may hear his Son, and obey him with all willingness and reverence, whom he sent to redeem us, and presented him to the whole human race by public testimonies, that he raised the dead, and wrought many other great miraculous signs. This one immutable commandment, "Him you shall hear," we are not only to hold higher, more precious and more valuable than all human power and authority, but it is also to be dearer and higher to us than our body and life, peace and unity of the whole world, which otherwise are also God's gifts, and in His order are also to be held precious.
56. The dear apostles were not crude, wild and savage people, but also loved their homeland as wise, moral and well-mannered people, and especially honored the temple in which God had so often revealed Himself, and they were fond of the beautiful rule that God Himself had established and ordered in this people, and undoubtedly the most beautiful on earth, and knew well that by God's command all erroneous things were to be presented to the priests who had the rule at the Temple, and were to be judged and ordered by them, as in the 5th book of Moses in chapter 17. Book of Moses, chapter 17.
However, they do not bring the cause of the gospel before the same council and tribunal, and since they are forbidden to preach their new doctrine by such council and ordinary authority and government, they do not obey it, but continue to preach, regardless of the command. For they had previously obeyed the command of the
Heavenly Father, by His Son: "Him you shall hear. They also knew that all the prophets' writings commanded that Messiah should be heard and followed, even though the chief priests, kings, princes and rulers, and the people would rise up against Messiah and persecute him, as the Psalms prophesy: "Kiss the Son. Item: "You are a priest forever."
(58) This voice and commandment of the eternal heavenly Father from heaven, "Him you shall hear," and the sayings of the prophets, that the Son should be heard, were commanded not only to the apostles, or to the people of that time, but to all men on earth at all times, that they should hear the Son. Whoever then has heard the voice and teaching of the Son of God in the Gospel, he is obliged to follow and obey it. But whoever will not obey, to him God says: "Whoever will not hear my words that he will speak in my name," against him I will take vengeance and punishment.
(59) But here again the opposite is said: Because there is much in the Scriptures that needs interpretation and explanation, such explanation should first be sought from the proper authority, to which the interpretation of Scripture alone belongs, before any change is made.
(60) We know well that such talk of the contrary has a great appearance and reputation with many people. But since this is their serious opinion, that they consider the gospel to be a doubtful, obscure and uncertain doctrine, which one may interpret and interpret in various ways, as our opposing scribes recently wrote publicly: that there is no word in the prophets' and apostles' Scriptures that cannot be understood and interpreted in various ways, they blaspheme God and His word terribly. For since God has revealed Himself through His word, He wants it to be heard and understood. These speak against it: No, he wants to make the listeners mad and foolish with doubtful words alone.
(61) And though at times some of the learned men of the Scriptures do not so soon understand all things in the holy Scriptures, yet the summa of the Christian doctrine is certain, bright, and clear in itself. Of the ten commandments no one can ever say that they are uncertain speech. For God the Lord wants all people on earth to understand and know clearly, without any doubt, that He is angry with sin and wants to punish it here temporally and there eternally. Likewise
He also wants this comfort, which is revealed to us from the bosom of the heavenly Father, to be known and revealed to all men, namely, that sin is remitted and eternal life is given for the sake of the Mediator, the Son of God, not for our merit, and that one should receive such great grace and benefit through faith alone, so that even all hearts that are troubled should certainly believe that they are accepted into grace for the sake of the Son. After that, when we are again received into grace, that such faith may be proved and seen by a new life, and that such a man may have the righteousness of a good conscience.
This summa of Christian doctrine is given and revealed to us clearly and brightly enough by God, and where there is something obscure and not well understood, God has given, in addition to the Scriptures, the daily and constant teaching ministry, through which the unintelligent should and may learn the right understanding of the Scriptures.
God has given our churches many learned, God-fearing, faithful preachers who have thoroughly explained the Scriptures and faithfully kept the old Christian understanding of the true Catholic Church of God. And it is our mind to hold the preaching ministry henceforth also, by God's grace, with the highest seriousness, as the Son of God commands: "He who loves me will keep my teaching," and our preachers have taught nothing uncertain or doubtful, but we and our teachers and preachers, for the sake of God's glory and our souls' salvation, have well considered the reason for this teaching; have held against each other the time of the Christian church, which doctrine has been held at all times in the Christian church among those of understanding, have diligently investigated the testimonies of the old church and teachers, who had even purer doctrine than the pope, so that we would not carelessly accept any new or unfounded doctrine.
64. For in this way God the Lord always maintains the truth in His Church, not with the insolent and unlearned multitude who do not respect and do not read the Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, but abide by custom, and cry out: For the sake of peace, one should always keep the custom, whether it is right or not; also not with those who are forward and hopeful, who invent unrighteous doctrine out of pride or for the sake of fame, or to please the powerful, but with those God receives His truth, who gladly hear, read and learn the holy prophets' and apostles' Scriptures, who love the truth, proven and well-founded testimonies of the ancient Christian church.
and keep God's word and will above human statutes; and such intelligent, Christian, God-fearing people are, by God's grace, to be found in all countries, some of whom publicly confess our doctrine to be right and the divine teaching. Some, however, may not open their minds and opinions out of fear, who nevertheless sigh from the bottom of their hearts and desire that a true Christian reformation of the church be undertaken.
63. Therefore, as it is our opinion and counsel that impious and rash people should not be allowed to change true Christian doctrine, as the Anabaptists have done, so again it is our opinion that where one sees doctrine and worship that is publicly contrary to God's word and commandment, then one should be obedient to God and not to men, and put away such false and seductive doctrine and worship, and plant right divine doctrine and service, and not wait for human knowledge, as concilia or resormationes, and especially one should not wait for such people's knowledge reformation, who are publicly hostile to the truth.
66 And if there were something in so many controversial matters that needed to be recognized, why does the pope condemn ours before all the world's recognition? But it is public that the papists murder many honest, pious people, not in doubtful matters, but in confession of public truth; in such unjust persecution no one can nor should consent.
67. Saul, out of unreasonable hatred and anger, sought David's life and limb; but Jonathan, though he loved his father and knew that he owed honor and obedience to the king, did not help or strengthen his father's tyranny, and was just and kind to the innocent David; But many of the others at court, though they knew that poor David was wronged and wronged, yet they would not anger the king, and incited him, and helped him to persecution, that they might keep a gracious lord.
68 How many learned and holy priests have been killed in many places for the sole reason that they have punished the error of invoking the dead saints? which some judges and assessors, when such pious people were condemned, did not like themselves, as they have confessed to us afterwards.
69 For this is certainly true, that every man should teach and instruct his own conscience, that he may do that which he knows to be right.
If anyone thinks that this doctrine is right, or if he still doubts whether it is right or not, he should not condemn or persecute it, or help others to persecute it, no one should blame us for not wanting to help condemn or persecute this doctrine, which we consider to be the right divine doctrine; which persecution, first of all, some mad and furious monks and proud, hopeful bishops have aroused, after they saw that this doctrine was breaking something of their superfluous splendor, but have thought that, as Jonathan also did, innocent, God-fearing, and learned people were proper and due to us, who have been very useful for us and for the whole of Christendom in petitioning for Christian churches with the planting of pure divine doctrine, to take them under our protection and umbrella, especially because we considered their doctrine to be right and divine after long and diligent consideration and reflection.
70 For after we have seen that the bishops have not for a long time done anything seriously so that one might have acted in a right, proper and Christian way on the disputed articles of the Christian religion, but that they condemned all of Our doctrine only out of sacrilege and willfulness in an unheard-of way, and persecuted it most vehemently, and intended to confirm and maintain their idolatry with all their might, it was not due to us that we should make ourselves partakers of foreign sin, and pursue right doctrine against our own conscience.
Therefore, after we had long held counsel and discussion about this doctrine of ours with many learned and God-fearing people, and after we had diligently considered the matter with many other people, we accepted and confessed this doctrine for the glory of God and the salvation of our souls, and we are determined to continue to do so with divine help. And this for this great cause, that we find that this doctrine is certainly the one, true, eternal doctrine of the Gospel, which God commanded in the prophetic and apostolic writings of His Church, and which is summarized in the symbolis, apostolico, Nicaeno and Athanasii, and has certain testimonies from the most distinguished God-fearing scribes, who wrote most purely soon after the apostles' time, which the learned and intelligent recognize in themselves, and if they loved God more than their own honor and pleasure, they would also confess this to the great lords.
We firmly believe that people of their own natural intellect cannot teach the doctrine of
They are not to invent God's nature and will themselves, nor are they to accept any doctrine other than the one that God Himself has given to His Church, by which He has revealed Himself to the human race with certain testimonies, and are heartily repulsed by the great boldness of all godless people who have invented idolatry and false doctrine at all times. But all men are guilty, while avoiding eternal punishment, of keeping above the one doctrine which God Himself has given us. For this reason, we have not wanted to hold any new doctrine in our churches, but confess only the unadulterated, old, true and unified doctrine of the Christian Catholic Church.
In order that everyone may know what this doctrine is, it is publicly available in the confession which we delivered to the imperial majesty and the entire empire in the Diet of Augsburg, in which confession the summa of our doctrine has recently been comprehended. Which also agrees without any doubt with the ancient symbolis, apostolorum, concilii Nicaeni and Atha- nasii, and all other pure scribes' opinion, which has been in the Christian church soon after the apostles' time. Be it as it may, we thank the eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for this bright light of the Gospel of Christ, which instructs and teaches us how to recognize and call upon God, and gives constant comfort to our consciences, and teaches us how to live, which all people on earth should consider the highest goods and greatest treasure.
For although the Epicureans mock us, we do not respect them, but we know that the human race was created to learn to know God, its Creator, in this life, to serve Him and to bear witness to Him, and after this life to have eternal joy and happiness with God. That even in this life, in so many great and manifold dangers, man can have no more constant refuge and help in God the Lord than the invocation of God, as it is written: "The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the righteous flees and is protected. For this reason a man should desire nothing more than to know God his Lord.
(75) Although we know that we are human beings, and that many things may happen to human beings, and especially that great and terrible persecutions follow the truth in this life, we know that because of physical danger, one should not abandon the truth, even if it is not to be believed.
Although some suffer, God does not allow the truth to be suppressed altogether. In addition, we hope that this almsgiving of ours is pleasing to God for the sake of the Lord Christ, that we have not murdered God-fearing and innocent priests, as some others have, but have protected them. For thus it is written, "Blessed is he that taketh care of the needy, whom the Lord shall save in the time of trouble.
We are not at all unintelligent people that we should not be moved at all by the great and frightening clamor about the proper church authority, because at this time there is so much clamor that no change should be made in doctrine and religion without the knowledge and approval of the proper authority, because this would disrupt the good old order in the church, and the example of it would also be evil and dangerous. Such speeches, because they can be harsh and very ornamental, excite many people against us, and do not move us even a little. For we ourselves know how important it is that good order and government be maintained, and it grieves us that this should be disrupted.
But how shall we do it? There are so many strict and serious commandments and injunctions of God before our eyes. God's Son Himself says, "that the blasphemy which is against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven in this life or in the next. By God's serious and strict commandments, people who have heard God's Word and who also consider and understand it correctly are moved to flee blasphemy and not to go against the truth that God has revealed to them through His Word and to pursue it. What then should we do in many articles that are so public that all reasonable people must confess that they are false and wrong? For example, the article on the fair of indulgences, the prohibition of priestly marriages, and the public abuse of the Lord's Supper, out of which the unlearned priests and monks have made nothing other than a fair trade for the sake of their belly and pleasure, when they themselves do not know what they are doing and what the work is in themselves when they hold mass.
Should we then set ourselves against the Holy Spirit, who publicly punishes such public falsehood and idolatry in the Holy Scriptures? Should we, as scribes and hypocrites do, say, and use as a shield and excuse such horrible blasphemy, because more evil comes from the Holy Spirit?
If schism and separation of religion result from such errors, then it is better to keep silent about it than to make separation? God protect us for this, but this is what God earnestly wants from all people, that they should anger all bishops, kings and lords, yes, leave life and limb, before they commit some blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
God Himself has set certain goals and measures for the human race, how far they should be obedient to the authorities, and has indicated which infirmities and shortcomings to tolerate and which not to suffer. For God has often gathered His Church without and against the command of the ordinary authorities and purified it from its errors and infirmities.
Jeremiah, Amos, and the other prophets publicly separated themselves from the chief priests and kings and most of the priests and people. So did Zechariah, John the Baptist, Christ, and the apostles afterward; they were not obedient to those who had the proper rule. If they had asked them at the same time what they should do, they would have undoubtedly advised them (as Plato writes): just as it would be right that parents, who have now become childish because of old age, should have their infirmities taken into account; so one should also be patient with the authorities when they err, and not cause any disruption in the regiment and the fatherland. For where there is division of the regiments and turmoil, there is all misfortune and heartache.
This, although it is rightly and wisely spoken in its time, should not have any place in the Christian church for the confirmation of idolatry and blasphemy.
The holy apostles had seen that Jesus Christ had risen again from the dead, and had received the command that they should preach the gospel. Now they saw that the beautiful and well-ordered regime of the Jewish people would fall apart if they continued with their preaching. If, on the other hand, they had followed the proper authority, which denied the resurrection of Christ, they would have been guilty of an abominable blasphemy, would have despised and violated God, and would have led themselves and countless people into eternal damnation. Just as the apostles had to preach the gospel, even though the authorities were against it, so all men on earth who have heard their teachings and seen them preached with great power, have also been condemned.
The people who had been confirmed by miracles and miraculous signs were obliged to accept it, although the great potentates all over the world opposed such teachings and persecuted them.
Thus all men are at all times obliged to be obedient to the Gospel. But those who have heard the gospel and have known God's will from it, and yet do not want to obey it, but help to pursue it with public violence or secret tricks and practices, as there are now many who adorn and defend public error in order to prevent divine truth, may well consider the serious saying of Christ: "They shall not be forgiven in this life nor in that," and should not think that the interpretation of divine Scripture, which deals with God's glory and people's blessedness, is a game, which each one may interpret, direct and interpret according to his own pleasure and will, or according to his own opportunity, as the academics considered it a great glory to disputes about all things pro et contra. This is what we wanted to tell you at the beginning, so that we could publicly show before all the people on earth who will come after us what moved us to accept this doctrine, which is preached in our countries and churches, and to stick to it by God's grace. For the fact that we separate ourselves from the other, the opposite, doctrine does not happen out of presumption, nor out of error, nor for the sake of some enjoyment or benefit, but we are compelled and urged to do so by the serious commandment that we must bear witness to God and to the truth.
Therefore, we publicly confess before everyone that this is the true and right doctrine of God, which God the Lord has given to the world through the writings of the prophets and apostles, and that His beloved Son, our Savior Christ Jesus, will be the judge of all men, and will give eternal salvation to those who are obedient to the Gospel, but will condemn the others who despise or persecute the Gospel to hellish fire. We also confess that all men on earth, as well as every man for himself, are obliged to accept this teaching, which God has given to the world through the prophets, Christ and the apostles, and to help plant it, spread it and defend it, as it is written: "He who does not gather with me scatters.
We also confess and believe that God the Lord loves these churches again, in which His Word is preached pure and unadulterated, hears their prayer, and gives them eternal salvation.
and will not let this doctrine be completely eradicated. We also confess and believe that this understanding of the holy prophets and apostles' Scriptures, as they are understood and interpreted in our churches, is the right pure understanding and constant interpretation of the divine Scriptures, as the Symbola and the pure old teachers' Scriptures also testify.
86. For at all times the right understanding of God's teachings and will remains in the Christian church, even though one time it is clearer and brighter than the other, even though the ordinary authorities are completely godless and defend abominable errors; As with Zacharias, Simeon, Mary, Elizabeth the right understanding of the holy Scriptures and the right knowledge of God remained, although at the same time the high priests Anna, Caiphas and the scribes were godless people.
87. For the promises and assurances of God the Lord that the Christian church shall always and forever remain true are not bound to those who want to be the highest leaders and rulers in the church, who neither read nor learned the Holy Scriptures themselves, Nor have they any desire or love for it; indeed, after they want to have their power and authority from divine Scripture, they go after it, invent and devise new laws and doctrines according to it, which serve to confirm power and authority, and yet are contrary to the holy divine Scripture; They also devise various devices and interpretations by which they stretch the holy Scriptures to their advantage and opinion.
88. But the truth and right understanding of the divine Scriptures remain with those who learn and study them diligently and heartily, and surrender to God with a God-fearing and humble heart: and humble hearts, who recognize their sin and are terrified of the wrath of God that punishes sin, and yet again, through faith and confidence in the mercy of God, which He has promised us for the sake of His Son, our Mediator, and call upon God from the heart to guide and govern them by His Spirit, and do not follow human reason and wisdom, but listen to God's word, what it tells them and commands them.
(89) Therefore also Isaiah the prophet, when he saw what darkness of doctrine would follow among his people, cried earnestly unto God, beseeching that God the Lord would not cause the light of doctrine to go out altogether, saying thus, "Seal up the law in my disciples." Da-
by which he indicates that the teaching will remain sealed by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of some, but not all, but only of the disciples, that is, in the hearts of those who gladly learn the teaching of the prophets, hold it dear and valuable, and do not falsify it by false interpretation, as the Jews do now in our time and the Pharisees did in those days; which examples, on the contrary, writers and teachers also follow now in many great and important matters, and falsify the Scriptures in the same way.
90 St. Paul writes in many places that we are justified by faith, and that it is impossible to be justified by the law. Against this they put these teachings, which are completely contrary to Paul, saying that man can fulfill the law and earn forgiveness of sins by the works of the law, but since we cannot know when we have fulfilled the law and kept it sufficiently, we should always be in doubt as to whether we please God or not.
Because they teach in this way, they show that they are not disciples of St. Paul, but want to defend their old delusions and monks' dreams, and thus think more of men than of St. Paul's teaching, who teaches directly against it. But since they cannot condemn or reject St. Paul by name, they go on and invent false glosses and interpretations, so that they may confirm their errors and flee and escape from the right divine teaching, by which they are convinced, which God the Lord gave to the human race through the prophets, Christ and the apostles, and opened up his will in it, so that we may know for certain that we shall have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ.
We do not want to tell more examples, because it would be too long if we were to tell all their errors. Tell me, can these be the disciples of the holy prophets and apostles who command that godly and married priests should be killed for the sake of marriage? Such unheard-of tyranny and rampage does not come from the holy prophets and apostles, but from the school of the tyrant Phalaris 1).
(93) Now that we have indicated and reported what our opinion is in such great and necessary matters, we ask with due reverence and kindness all kings, potentates, princes, and authorities, as well as God-fearing people of all nations, that they, like all men on earth
1) Phalaris, a cruel tyrant at Agrigento, who had the wrongdoers killed by fire in a brazen ox.
We owe it to them to respect the true Christian doctrine that we profess, and we want to help preserve it for the glory of God and for their and others' salvation, and we do not want to participate in the terrible sin of persecuting and suppressing pure Christian doctrine through the pretense of a supposed concilii or other practices.
We would like and desire from the bottom of our hearts, and even ask God cordially, that a free, Christian council be held, in which God-fearing and learned people, free from the articles of the Christian religion that are in dispute, would have friendly and Christian disputations and discussions, so that the truth of God might be spread in unison among all nations and peoples, and we ask God daily from the bottom of our hearts for such a free, Christian council. And we have also often humbly requested such a council from our most gracious Lord, Carolo, the princes and estates of the empire at several imperial congresses; At which concilium, as the Psalm says, the kings and peoples come together from the heart to serve God the Lord, that is, in which concilio the right Christian doctrine and invocation of God may again be established and the blessedness of souls advised; since one does not seek to confirm idolatry and false doctrine with suppression of the truth by public force or sophistry and false interpretation of the Scriptures.
95 But we do not want to consent to or approve in any way this concilium, which at this time Pope Paul, of his name the Third, proclaimed against Trent, therefore we want to have it publicly testified here before everyone. And these are the following permanent causes:
96. First of all, the person of the judge in this Council is not only suspicious to us, but the whole world knows it, and many of our people have learned it from them and from many of those who are associated with him, with great harm, with loss of life and limb, that he and his followers are bitterly hostile to us and our doctrine, He has long condemned it and still condemns it annually, and all his senses and thoughts, along with all his own, have been directed toward it for many years and still find it, as has often been the case, that we and this doctrine have been suppressed, exterminated, and wiped out with land and people.
The other cause is the form of the judgment. For there will be more unlearned and our enemies than learned, God-fearing people to be judges and to help pass and pronounce judgment,
And although there may be some godly people among them, they will not be allowed to open their hearts for fear of the violence and tyranny of the others, and out of weakness and stupidity they will have to close ranks with the others.
To the last, also the place of the Concilii, for the sake of danger, is not a little suspicious to us.
First of all, that we cannot and will not suffer the pope of Rome to judge in this matter, we have public and constant reasons. For this testifies to the natural and described right that he who sues and accuses and is the plaintiff's greatest enemy and has often proved his fierce temper beforehand with counsel and deed on the defendant is not to be suffered nor tolerated as a judge.
For everyone knows that this division and disunity was caused by no one but the Pope and his followers, who stubbornly defended their shameful errors, because the insolent monks sold indulgences in Germany and other countries, and sold them for large sums of money, thus depriving many thousands and countless people and souls of money and property, and bringing them to eternal ruin. These and similar errors, when first challenged by God-fearing teachers as offensive to Christianity, were initially punished with good grace: Then Pope Leo Decimus went to the defense of this error and stubbornly supported it, and condemned all those who opposed it, and so the papal errors grew from day to day, and the more they defended them, the more they became known and revealed to the world, until finally this great fire came out of them.
The whole world, who do not love darkness but have light, also sees that Pope Leo, in his Bulla, is subordinate to protect and preserve gross and impudent errors, which are publicly contrary to holy Christian doctrine; so everyone knows that no one is obliged to suffer his enemy to be his judge.
He, the pope, publicly condemns us yearly with our doctrine, and practices terrible tyranny against all who confess and accept our doctrine, drives and incites kings, princes and lords everywhere in the world without ceasing, that they should practice the same tyranny against innocent and holy people for the persecution and suppression of pure, Christian doctrine. What else should he want to conclude at this concilio, but that his and his people's tyranny against us and our doctrine would be confirmed in all countries? For
he well feels and sees that he cannot otherwise by other means preserve the public idolatry on which his greatest power is founded, namely false masses, except by force.
We well see and understand that many high and wise people are very sorry that the errors of the great lords and heads are punished, and we ourselves do not like to touch these terrible wounds of the church. But how shall we do it? We see the errors and infirmities before our eyes, and no one can deny it. Now there must be someone who will take care of poor Lazari, help and advise him, who will bear witness to God and the truth.
104 Secondly, how will the trial be ordered, so that one will be judged by the doctrine? We have seen at the beginning that they have had some orations and speeches, in which these holy people, who are now assembled at the Council of Trent, declare that the pope and his followers have never disturbed any water, nor have any error in doctrine, and lament with sorrowful hearts, the pious saints, that other people have stirred up and spread heresy and error; but whom they mean by this is public.
105 What they are now willing to decide and condemn, that can well be heard from this. Many more such bishops will come to such a council (for they alone shall have voces decisivus, as they say), who are unlearned and know as much about divine doctrine as the asses on which they ride, for they have pagan and unchristian doctrine and churches. And because they seek belly servants and only the pleasures of this life, and see that our doctrine makes them uneasy, they are bitter and hostile to us. Next to these Epicurian bishops are the monks, some of whom are blinded by false religion and idolatry. The others, however, although they have already recognized the truth, rage and rage against this doctrine as instruments of the devil.
These are the judges in the Concilio, and such a court is filled and appointed with such people. Although this whole crowd is in itself hostile to the truth of the Gospel, even if they were convinced and overcome by the light of bright and clear truth, they must not deviate a hair's breadth from the pope's teaching, even if they would like to, and must not undertake to change anything in it; they must all be judged by him, and it is not to be hoped that he will allow anything to be taken away from his authority and sovereignty.
From this, everyone can see that this is not a free and Christian concilium, since it is not a free and Christian concilium.
one may not speak and act freely, kindly and fraternally, without all shyness of the right understanding of the holy scripture, one may hear the other. For although there may be some Nicodemi, they will not be allowed to indicate their opinion with a sigh, let alone with a public speech, and even if they said and admonished something right, they would still be overcome by the majority.
108. Since all this is certain and public, which no one can deny or deny, we would ever do wrong to strengthen the will and freedom of people who are hostile to the truth, which would happen if we allowed in the Concilium; and have no doubt that we would have just as favorable and benevolent judges as Theramenes had on Critias and his other companions, and now recently Diaz 1) on his brother Alphonsus, whom he murdered treacherously for the sake of pure divine teachings, as Cain did the innocent Abel. We would also receive such a verdict from this judge.
109) Further, for this judgment of doctrine, it is most necessary to have decided beforehand constantly whether to judge from divine rights and the symbolism and sufficient testimony of the apostles, or from new custom and new decrees, which [came] after the apostles' time from lack of understanding or [to] increase the episcopal power, and from Thomae's Theologia and the like?
Now, in the third session of the Council of Trent, it was decided that they would not depart from their usual laws and interpretations. If this is to be the right line to follow, there is no need to ask what the verdict will be.
(111) This article, "By faith a man is justified," etc., they will soon reject, for the common interpretation is contrary to our article, though it is certain that their common interpretation is contrary to the text and the older Scribes' teaching. So also they will boldly reject this article: "Christ hath with One Sacrifice redeemed all them that are sanctified." Which words teach that the sacrifice of this one person of Christ alone is a sacrifice for sin, thereby propitiating God's wrath, etc., and that afterwards the Lord's Supper of Christ is not a sacrifice fei to apply to others, as they speak of it.
1) About this murder, see No. 1414, § 7, where the murdered man is called "Johann Dietz". There it is reported that the murder took place on March 27, 1546.
This opinion is contrary to their usual interpretation and custom, which has stood for many years.
If one wants to judge from such interpretation and custom, one does not need a concilium, for only men know what they hold. And it is for this very reason that ours have punished such their common interpretations and customs, because they are contrary to the apostolic teaching, which is revealed by God as a unique and unchangeable doctrine.
But they speak against it: Since the dispute about this disputation is often of unequal interpretation, why should our interpretation be believed more cheaply than the one that has been commonly held for many hundred years?
(114) Although this rebuttal has a great appearance to many, it can easily be answered by godly people who have a fair understanding of Christian doctrine.
First of all, it is public that not all sayings in divine Scripture and symbolism are obscure; therefore, no interpretation is to be accepted that is repugnant to the same reason, for God does not want to suffer doctrine to be invented by Him without His revelation, as has happened among the pagans. Now it is public that much interpretation, which holds our opposite, is repugnant to divine Scripture, and is a new doctrine, not revealed by God; just as this article is pagan, that the priest earns forgiveness of the sins of others with the mass, even if he himself is in sins. It is also public that Thomas and others like him have departed from the interpretation of the old fathers, as Augustinians.
Therefore, it is necessary to see which interpretation, theirs or ours, is based on divine Scripture and symbolism and is therefore unanimous. This is to be the rule by which one is to be guided. But we know well that there are some jugglers who, in order to strengthen idolatry and error, use appearances from ancient scribes, and interpret whole speeches of Christ and the apostles as human errors, against their natural understanding and against clear testimonies of the early church, and nowadays, among high rulers, he who can paint idols with beautiful colors and adorn errors with courtesy is considered to have a special high wisdom.
This jugglery and interpretation is a harmful thing in the church, and should not be permitted or confirmed, for if such interpretation is to apply, the devil will soon find reckless ingenues to blaspheme God, who will also gloss over pagan religion in this way. Such sophists, who do not love or seek the truth, but only invent it, should not be allowed.
Seeming to preserve custom and auctority, these great things are not to be trusted, and on such frevele judges are not to be placed.
Therefore, we ask all God-fearing people not to follow such jugglers and sophists who corrupt the true doctrine of the invocation of God, which should be completely pure and preserved. When the heart in the invocation thinks about which God it is invoking and whether our prayer will be heard, then it is necessary that this true God is a creator of heaven and earth and his church, who calls himself the Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, and will certainly hear us for the sake of his Son, whom he has appointed as a sacrifice, mediator and intercessor.
(119) If, on the other hand, a sophist, as has been reported, prefigures George, Mars, Juno, and Anna, and says that it can all be interpreted in the same way, this is a public blasphemy. Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, the last by that name, when his daughter, whom he had taken as his legitimate queen, became leprous, he made a vow to Juno that he would worship her alone if she, Juno, made the poor sick child well, and he would have the road from the castle to the church covered with gold in her honor.
A sophist can also gloss over such nonsense, and will say: the one Juno is the one eternal nature, which created heaven and earth and sustains everything, and gives and changes the regiments in all human generations. That also God may be well pleased, that his glory may be spread and known with all glory; and for this money is needed for the preservation of the doctrine and the help of the poor,
Such glosses have been, and always will be, falsifications of the proper worship of which the gospel speaks. Therefore, such glosses and interpretations should be resisted.
In the Passion of our Lord Christ, this sophistry is exemplified, when the servants blind the eyes of our Savior Christ and strike him in the face, mocking him bitterly and saying that he should prophesy who had given him the blow, thinking that he must have it good and act as if he did not see it. So the sophists blind the truth, and so strike it blind, that is, they falsify it in many ways, and laugh at it, and boast that God respects and does not see this blasphemy; and because the great lords are on their side, they do not ask that other people notice such wicked deceit.
123) Against such sophists, in these last days of the world, a great stir is needed, that one may
Do not let impudent ingenuity hold back, so that they learn to tear apart the articles of faith with such glosses. Among all virtues, the highest and most necessary is right invocation of God, which is a light and comfort in all the danger of our lives, and is the root of all virtues.
The doctrine of this high virtue must be known to all people and must be kept completely pure. This is certainly God's will; but human hearts are easily led astray and fall into cruel idolatry, as has happened at all times, soon after Cain. Therefore, it is not to be admitted that public despisers of God and epicureans, or those who do not understand Christian doctrine, do not love the truth, and consider sophistry to be prudence, should judge such ambiguous matters.
But against this one would say, "Do you not want to suffer judges and knowledge? To these it is easy to answer. We do not doubt that many thousands of God-fearing Christians in all countries where this doctrine has come have long ago pronounced their judgment, many of whom have been killed for the sake of knowledge. This shows that our doctrine has many true witnesses and judges who accept it and recognize it as right. And we wish most of all that we could discuss so many important articles, which should be known to all Christians, in a proper church court with scholars and God-fearers and lovers of the truth in a friendly manner and according to necessity.
(126) But since we do not consent to this Council of Trent, since not only are we not heard, but also other scholars and godly men are deprived of the freedom to know the truth, we are sufficiently excused, as has been said.
Finally, we are also justified in being timid, for as soon as one would publicly punish their processes, actions or teachings, ours would not be safe there. There are also many praiseworthy examples of the old right bishops who did not want to move into the Concilia, or found soon moved away from the beginning, when they noticed that one did not seek the truth, but intended to suppress it.
The emperor Constantine had sent out a serious command to the bishops that they should come together at Tyro. Although some God-fearing, orthodox bishops came there, as did the martyr Potamon, the largest number was more inclined to Ario. Athanasius, then, seeing that he would not have equal judges, departed in the night.
and went to the emperor, who was not far away to apologize, as he did, although the emperor was moved hard against him.
After that, Constantius ordered a large concilium to be held at Antioch; Maximus, the bishop of Jerusalem, did not want to go there, even though it was nearby. But he knew where Constantius' mind was inclined, and what the people practiced who kept the emperor from the truth by means of cunning.
130 After this, when Photinus made a cruel noise, and the blasphemy of Ebion against Christ again aroused, that Christ alone had human nature, the emperor held a great concilium at Sirmium in Hungary. Many should have come there because of this great cause, especially those who were nearby. But many Arians came, so the bishops in the Occident were afraid that the Arians would cook something harmful, as happened, and therefore few came there. But there came a Hispanic, called Osius, the bishop of Corduba, whom the emperor especially required as a noble, learned and sedentary man. And since the symbolum Nicenum was cunningly changed in the said concilio, and a broad uncertain word was put there for a certain one, Osius consented to the same uncertain word, in the foolish hope that it would serve for peace. But since the heretics had attracted Osius' testimony, there was greater discord and strife than before. Therefore Hilarius complains harshly about Osium, as if he had not only acted carelessly, but also recklessly, therefore it would have been much more useful if Osius had also stayed at home.
Cyril, the bishop of Jerusalem, who held the right of Christ and finally compared himself with Gregory Nazianzeno, has been summoned and cited several times by the councils, but has not wanted to appear, and is said to be the first who has sent out a written appeal.
The emperor Constantius also announced a concilium in Milan, so that the bishops from the Orient and Occident would come there. But since Paulinus, the bishop of Trier, and some others noticed that the bishop of Milan, Auxentius, was inclined toward the Arians, they soon returned home from Milan. The others followed them, because they did not want to help that the truth should be suppressed under the appearance and name of the Conciliar.
133 Because we have the same reason for not being included in the Council of Trent.
we are also justly excused with such praiseworthy examples. But we pray to God, the eternal Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, that just as He has revealed Himself out of great and immeasurable mercy to the wretched human race, He will also graciously preserve the light of His Gospel, and will not let it be extinguished by human pride and foolishness.
We further ask that, through the voice of the Gospel, he may gather to him an eternal church in all nations, by which he may be rightly called and praised, and that he may destroy all idolatry. We also beseech in subservience, Your Imperial Majesty, Our Gracious Majesty. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, and all kings and princes do not want to condemn public truth under the appearance and name of the Concilii, and to have idolatry and unjust cruelty confirmed, to which they themselves want to reproach them with the divine imprecation, which says: "Blasphemy of the spirit is not forgiven a man. Item: "Upon you shall come the blood of the righteous, which was shed from Abel onward." Therefore, they do not want to believe and adhere to the hypocrites who want to suppress the recognized truth, nor do they want to be made servants of the same hypocrites' cruelty, but want to undertake wholesome ways to keep the church of God, which in this age of the world is becoming smaller and smaller and more and more miserable, gentle and sane.
This we ask in all humility, and without all disorderly desires or requests, as we should ask in the church of God. For we do not delight in disunity; so we know well the danger and other burdens we bear. Nevertheless, we cannot consent that divine teaching, necessary to the church, should be destroyed; nor do we wish to make ourselves and our descendants guilty of innocence.
These are public and clear causes of our unwillingness, which, because they are undoubtedly right, are not to be deviated from. The danger and the end, however, is to command God, as God has often commanded, Ps. 36: "Be subject to God and call upon Him. Item: "Wait on God and keep His teaching." And finally ask this almighty God, the Father of our Savior JEsu Christ, who created heaven and earth and His Church, that He may graciously govern and preserve us. Amen.
Psalm 89:16.:
"Blessed are the people who rejoice."
1413 Recusation Writ, in which all protesting religious and unification-related estates show lawful and well-founded cause why their electoral and princely graces and they do not owe to attend the concilium supposedly scheduled by Pope Paul III at Trent, nor do they owe it to the local pope over the imperial accords erected. They are not obliged to attend the concilium scheduled by Pope Paul III at Trident, nor are they obliged to present the same to the local pope, regarding the imperial agreements and the appeals that have been made. Nuremberg, Anno 1546.
This manuscript was first published individually in Nuremberg, then printed in Hortleder 1. 6. lid. I, aax. 44, S. 412.
Most Reverend, Venerable, Noble, Most Learned, Mr. Paul the Third and present Roman Bishop, appointed Commissaries and Legates; also other Cardinals, Bishops, Prelates, and the Absent Envoys, Embassies, and Commanders, assembled at this time at Trent. Gracious and favorable lords etc.
1. after various years, the said Paul, Bishop of Rome, again presumed to appoint and proclaim a council here in the city of Trent, especially with the intention of discussing and deciding at the same with and beside His. He has assumed the right to proclaim a concilium in the city of Trident, in particular the intention to discuss and decide at the concilium, with and alongside His Honor and Dignities, other cardinals, bishops and prelates attached to him, on the disputed articles of our holy Christian faith and religion; as the alleged Bulla Indictionis also states and shows, and this highly important matter of religion and faith is not a minor matter, nor is it the sole responsibility of the Roman bishop and his appendages. The most reverend, by the way, will be the bishop and his followers, but first of all the glory of God Almighty, and then the whole of Christendom, but especially the princes, princes and estates, related to the Christian Augsburg Confession, as a party in this matter, for their temporal and eternal welfare or for their ruin: The Most Reverend, Most Serene, Most Reverend, Most Serene, Most Reverend, Most Reverend, Noble, Most Strict, Most Firm, Most Wise, Archbishop, 1) Electors, Princes, Prelates, Counts, Lords, Towns and Estates, relatives of the Christian Augsburg Confession, appear before E. Honorable and Dignified we N. and N., as their electoral and princely graces and benefits, special constituted attorneys and commanders,
1) This refers to Hermann, Archbishop of Cologne. See below s 63.
by virtue of the powers we hereby confer upon E. We testify at the outset that by this appearance we do not wish to have anything granted to, nor expressly or implicitly obtained from, our most gracious, gracious and favorable Lords Principals on account of the superiority, authority and jurisdiction assumed by many Roman bishops, nor to this alleged Council and its decision, if it should go against the truth of divine and evangelical Scripture 2).
2. Secondly, we testify on behalf of ourselves, as reported above, in the same form, that we do not bring the following action to the disgrace or diminishment of anyone, regardless of his status or nature, but are urged to do so out of the great and unavoidable need of common Christianity, as well as the high and good will of our most gracious, gracious and favorable Lords Principals, solely for the salvation of the truth and the divine word, as well as for the attainment of Christian righteous reformation of the church.
3. Furthermore, and thirdly, we hereby protest publicly, before God and the world, that our most gracious, gracious and favorable Principals are not of the mind and opinion to refuse or flee a proper and Christian hearing and judgment for the sake of their doctrine and confession, but that they have not only been willing to come before a common, free, Christian and impartial council, and to have the matter of the disputed religion discussed according to the divine word and the holy Scriptures, but have also been and to this day still are most eager to do so, to which end they have again offered themselves. But that they are therefore to be presented before Your and dignities and complain about placing these highly important matters of God and faith at this alleged Tridentine Concilium: They likewise, according to their and common Christianity's highest and unavoidable necessity, and for Christian, also legitimate and sufficient reasons, cannot and should not avoid hearing this afterwards; to all and everyone of which we, in the name and on behalf of the above-mentioned, herewith publicly and gracefully, in the very best form, as this should, can and may be done most consistently by law and custom, protest, condition and testify.
2) "geholen" (from "gehellen") - consented to, conceded.
(4) And subject to such protestation (which we have repeated and replied to in respect of all and every subsequent act and point) we say in the name of the lawyer, and by special high and gracious order of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords and principals, that their sovereign and princely graces, graces and favors, to attend this alleged concilium, or to appear at it for the sake of their Christian doctrine and confession, are not justifiably guilty, but that this alleged concilium is also quite inconvenient for our honorable and dignified lords and principals. The fact is that this alleged concilium is also quite inconvenient for the honorable and dignified people of our country, and that our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords and principals are the most suspicious, careful, dangerous and avoidant judges, and this for the following Christian, lawful and well-founded reasons.
For in the beginning, the Roman bishop, as mentioned above, presumed to prescribe and convoke this alleged council, which, however, by virtue of the rights, nor the traditional usage of the older and better church, but especially of this time, on the occasion of the aforementioned matters and concerns of Christianity, is neither due nor proper to him. For first of all, it is known and evident from the churches and other credible histories that whenever such errors and misunderstandings have occurred in matters of religion and faith, it has not been the bishops or popes, but always the Roman emperors and kings, sometimes for themselves, sometimes with other Christian potentates, as was appropriate at any time according to the occasion, who have made the conciliations and described and required the parties, also bishops and others, to do so.
6 For thus the Concilium at Nicaea was indicated and held by Constantino, at Constantinople and Ephesus by Theodosio, at Chalcedon by Martiano, at Constantinople by Justiniano, at Constantinople by Carolo Magno, Ludovico and other descendants; item, at Mainz, Worms, Frankfurt and other places by Ottonibus and Henricis. Just as the most recent Concilium, held at Constance, was not held by a pope, but by Emperor Sigismund, of high noble memory, with the consent and approval of other Christian potentates, princes and estates, and was directed into the work.
7 So also in the Old Testament, among the people of God, Moses, and not Aaron; Joshua, and not Eleazar; the judges, and not the chief priests, called all the concilia, commanded the priests and the Levites, as others, to do the wrong things.
Worship services according to the Word and command of God abolished and true reformation instituted.
8 In the same way the great council of all Israel was twice called by David. In the same way Solomon, Assa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Josiah, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah and others did.
9 From this it appears how it has been kept with the appointment and appointment of the concilia from time immemorial, and also at this time it should still be kept in an equitable manner'.
10. over that, so is provided right, that no one to require or to appoint, except over whom he has a jurisdiction and authority. Ille habet citandi, seu vocandi potestatem, qui citandos, seu vocandos habet suae jurisdictioni subjectos.
Now, however, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals do not confess to the Roman bishop any superiority or general compulsion of the courts. For as far as external and temporal matters are concerned, the Roman bishop knows himself to report that he is not the overlord of these estates at all, nor have they ever been his subjects.
12 But that the Roman bishops were now for some years allowed to vindicate and appropriate to themselves the primacy or general power in spiritual matters over males, high and low, of the whole of Christendom, has been done by them in an offensive way and against their own rights, differently from what was customary and held by the apostles and holy fathers, to the greatest common disadvantage and ruin of Christendom.
13 For that a bishop of the Roman Church should be a universal bishop, to whom all the other churches are ordered and subject, is contrary to their own rights, which say that if the pope were a universal bishop, all the others would be nothing. Et propterea: universalem, ne Romanum quidem Pontificem appellandum esse. Nam si Papa esset universalis, alii episcopi essent pro nihilo. Sic enim S. Grego- rius Eulogio, Patriarchae Alexandrino, rescripsit: Si me universalem Pjipam Vestra Sanctitas dicit, negat se hoc esse, quod me, fatetur universalem; sed absit hoc. Recedant verba, quae veritatem instant et chari- tatem vulnerant etc..
14 Thus it is nowhere found that St. Peter, although he was a noble among the apostles, therefore exalted himself and interfered with the administration of the other apostles. And so St. Jerome writes that all the
Bishops are equal to one dignity, one priesthood and descendants of the apostles. In particular, however, St. Gregory also testifies that he who calls himself a universal and general bishop, or is called one, and thus wants to rule over the others, is the forerunner of the Antichrist.
15. Although the Roman bishops now subjected themselves to this power, and also to all kinds of preeminence and superiority, supposedly, but to their own rights, and also to the general Christian church freedom, 1) now some years ago with the deed, so one also knows with what falsehood, fraud, speed they sought such at first, subsequently obtained with time, and to confirm them themselves, and shows this from the synodus Carthaginisii8i8 Anno 457 and the Constantinopolitan, held thereafter, on which St. Augustine was, in which the Roman bishop of the same time, with public pursuit of a decree and resolution of the synodi Carthaginiensis, the provocationes( episcoporum to draw to themselves.
16 For this reason, the Roman bishops were not entitled to the general power and superiority that had been assumed to them, by virtue of Holy Scripture, all law and equity, but especially in view of the general church liberty and freedom; they cannot help themselves to the presumed and ill-established possession, quia non potest, quod ab initio vitiosum est, tractu temporis convalescere.
(17) Thus, against the Church of Christ, no justice or righteousness can be born for them, even though they have brought it here for many thousands of years, because against Christ's Church ejusque libertatem non habeat locum (ut nec contra vepbum Dei) ulla quantumvis longa praescriptio.
18. to that, that their own canonists in many places, but especially D. Caräin. in c. reads, äs dsct. such, and that the popes of the general power and all churches administration unlawfully and against the example of Peter arrogate to themselves, highly attract, complain and punish, therefore they, the Roman bishops, because also bonarn tiäsni in this do not have, nor can attract etc.
(19) From which it appears that the Roman bishop does not arrogate to himself any general authority by virtue of rights, nor does he have any superiority or jurisdiction over our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principales, the estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession; and whether or not the Roman bishop has any authority over the estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession, he does not have any authority over the estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession.
1) In the old edition: "to escape".
The bishops of the Catholic Church have presumptuously subjected themselves to this power, but that this has been done against the law and in a criminal manner, and that it may not prejudice or be detrimental to the Church of Christ and its liberty in any way.
20 Therefore, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals know not to concede to the Roman bishop, with good conscience, that which is never due to him in this case, by virtue of divine and human rights, and which he also never had by rightful title, to the detriment and annoyance of the true church and common Christendom.
But if it were true that the Roman bishop was also entitled to such a jus convocandi, he would not have to do so this time, but would have devolved and grown up to the Roman imperial majesty, our most gracious lord, and other Christian potentates and heads.
22 For it can also the papal rights, which they have made so ultimately according to all their will and favor themselves: Quando papa et cardinales in congregando concilium negligentes sunt, quod tunc ad imperatorem ejus spectet congregatio.
23 Now it is publicly known at this day and age, how the present Roman bishop, and some before him, at times similiter, and for a pretense, accepted to hold concilia, even though they were written out and appointed, but all in such a way, and in such a place, that those who would presumably discover their false doctrine and criminal life, to appear at it at any time, would have been most dangerous and sorrowful, that they, and especially the present Roman bishop, Paulo, and the same attached cardinals, prelates and others, have never been serious about a common free Christian and unconflicted concilium. Bishop Paulo, and his attached cardinals, bishops, prelates, and others, have never been serious, nor are they yet, about holding a common, free, Christian, and uninvolved council, as is proper in such high matters of God and faith, that they neither like nor want such a council, lest they be convicted of their error and vice, but handle themselves with it. For if he, along with his own, had had a true desire, zeal, or eagerness to hold such a council and to establish Christian reformation, they would have been unconcerned about setting it up in an appropriate place in the German nation (as our most gracious, gracious, and favorable lords have now been put off doing at many imperial congresses, at which some of the Roman bishops have also had their legates), and not thus entangled.
24 Since it is clear from this that the Roman bishop and his dependents have been
Cardinals, bishops and prelates in convocando libero et christiano concilio have now so many years ago shown themselves not only negligent, tardy and negligent, but also entirely deceitful, and still, it follows from the above that once again the Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord, and other Christian potentates are to be given the authority to convene such a concilium. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, and other Christian potentates, to assemble such a council and to bring it into being, is due and proper ex officio, and no longer to the Roman bishop.
25. Furthermore, the Roman bishop may or may not be due the convocation of the Concilii of this time, for the reason that he and his dependent cardinals, bishops and prelates will be publicly postulated and accused at the Concilio before others of unbelief, heresy, false doctrine, simony and other more grave and highbrow vices with which they are afflicted; How we then, to our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals, highly and much esteemed estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession, have such postulation and accusation, the same in the future at a free Christian concilio, or in the meantime at their churlish and princely pleasure. We hereby publicly and gracefully protest that we have expressly reserved the right to carry out and execute such postulation and accusation in the future at a free Christian council, or in the meantime at their electoral and princely pleasure and favor.
26 Since the Roman bishop and his appendages thus become and are a part in relation to these estates, it follows that the Roman bishop, as a part and reus, by virtue of all rights and natural understanding, personam superioris ober judicis, can no longer administer, nor should he have the jus convocandi.
27 From the foregoing and the foregoing it finally follows that the Roman bishop is not to describe or require the high and much-reputed estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession, nor are their sovereigns and princes to appear before your reverence and dignities. The bishop of Rome is not required to describe or demand that even their sovereigns and princes appear before your honor and dignities at this alleged conciliation and do not have to admit themselves.
28) Secondly, it is clear from many imperial decrees, namely the Nuremberg in the 24th year; the Augsburg and Speier in the 26th and 29th; the Negensburg in the 32nd and 41st; the Speier in the 42nd and the Nuremberg in the 43rd; and again the Speier in the 44th (in some of which the Roman bishop also had his legates), that for the settlement and comparison of the discord of our holy religion by common imperial estates, it is always considered to be the most convenient and most effective.
some means has been considered to hook a common, free, Christian concilium in German lands at an appropriate place, that also highly and often thought of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords Principales have been especially put off of it.
Now Trident cannot be considered a city of a German nation, not only because of its nature and occasion, but also because of the language that is primarily used there. For it is known that the Italian language is the proper native, common and usual language in this city, and very few are found who speak or understand the German language. And even if it were a city of the German nation (which we cannot admit), it is nevertheless in many ways an inconvenient, even highly suspicious place for this work of a common, free, Christian concilii, and thus quite inappropriate to the concerns and appeasements of the Reichsabschiede.
30 It is obvious that the city of Trent is not only too small for holding a general and common council, according to its location and opportunity, but also completely and utterly remote from almost all the states of the German nation, but especially from our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals, the states of the Christian Augsburg Confession.
For although there are no other causes, it is quite burdensome and troublesome for our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals to go so far from their dominions, lands and people in these dangerous times and runs, to put them in no small danger, and to leave them openly to their enemies, for which reason their sovereign and princely lords and graces do not know how to appear here, nor do they feel justly obliged to do so, because of the inconvenience and the inconvenience of the imperial treaties. They do not know how to appear here, nor do they consider themselves justly guilty, because of the inconvenient place and the inconvenient place of the drawn imperial treaties.
Thirdly, the city of Trent is not a safe, but rather a suspicious and highly dangerous place for the states of the Christian Augsburg Confession, our most gracious and favorable lords, in view of the fact that it is not a free or imperial city, but belongs to the Tridentine bishop, who is not only a bishop, together with all his named clergy, the Roman bishop's pledgee and juror, but also now, as a cardinal, one of the most distinguished members and relatives of the pope.
33) To the fact that this city, too, is convenient to the Roman bishop and his followers for their practices, so that he, together with the sei-
The bishops and their followers would be powerful here, but the lesser part of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords and principals; therefore, their electoral and princely graces, favors and benefits would not be provided with any security, neither for themselves nor for theirs, in this place against the Roman bishop and his followers as their adversaries. For this reason, their electors and princes, graces and benefactors, neither for themselves nor for their own, have no security to provide against the Roman bishop and his followers, as their adversaries, but rather have to worry about the greatest danger and violence.
34 For since the Roman bishop has several times allegedly put the high and much-reported estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession under ban and guard, and since such ban has not yet been lifted or stopped, and since in this diocese such ban is considered to be strong and binding, it is only for men to consider what security and guidance their sovereigns and princes have to expect. If their adversaries are powerful and want to be judges of this, then they should expect the security and guidance of their sovereigns, graces, and benefactors, or of their own.
35 And this not only for the sake of their persons, but also for the sake of the whole matter, which their electoral and princely graces, graces, and benefactors of this place do not want to bring forward freely and according to their necessity, nor do they want to have the consolation of some equity, but rather wait that they will do so. They should rather wait that the same would be condemned here, without sufficient, emergency interrogation, and that the holy gospel would be completely suppressed. Non solum autem personis, sed et causae tutus esse locus debet.
(36) Now it is manifestly right, even for itself, according to all reason and natural equity, that no one is obliged to appear in suspicious places, where his enemies and adversaries are powerful, or otherwise have their great advantage (as in this case notoriously and obviously). Citatus enim ad locum non tutum comparere non tenetur. Numquid enim com- parere quis debet, in loco multum potenti, ac in eum odio provocato? Et quis audiret; aut qua ratione aliquis teneretur consistorii talis subire judicium, et se in hostium sinu reponere, ac ad mortem per violentam injuriam, non per justitiam inferendam, ultroneum se offerre? Haec quidem jure timentur, haec de more vitantdr, haec humana fugit ratio, haec abhorret natura. Desiperet ergo, qui citationem hujusmodi saperet arctasse citatum etc..
37 For this reason, abbas Panormitanus, one of the most famous canonists of your honor and dignity, expressly decides and writes in the treatise on the concilio held in Basel (which Pope Eugenius, because he knew himself to be guilty and was concerned about the dismissal that he subsequently encountered, would have liked to transfer from German lands to Ferrara): Even if the-
The same council had initially been assembled in Ferrara, but considering that Eugenius had great power there, and especially favor and support among the neighbors, it could and should have been rightly transferred and moved to Germany, so that it could have proceeded and acted freely, safely, and without danger against the said Eugenius.
38 And provided that the Roman bishop and his followers would also give special assurance and assurance to our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals in this suspicious place (as is not to be assumed, since he, the Roman bishop, has condemned their churlish and princely graces as heretics unheard and unconfessed). The Roman bishop condemned their electoral and princely graces and favors as heretics, unheard and unconvinced, and appealed to the imperial majesty, our allies. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, that heretics and schismatics shall have no place in his presumed council): then their electoral and princely graces, favors, and graces of the Holy Roman Emperor would have been the best. However, their sovereigns, graces and favors, as well as their adversaries and enemies, are not obliged to trust and give credence to them in this matter, by virtue of all their rights, including their own, the papal rights. For no one is bound to trust his adversaries and enemies' letters of support or protection: Nemo credere tenetur suis capitalibus inimicis, nec confidere illorum litteris salvi conductus cum periculo suae salutis, cum hujusmodi litterae malevolum propositum et animum dantis securitatem non mutent, sed potius occasionem insidiandi innocentibus, et in loco non tuto opprimendi praestent. 39. And so much the more, because the Roman bishop has made a statute that no heretic (for which he holds our most gracious and merciful and favorable lords Principales, however unreasonable) is to be held to faith; As the Roman bishops have broken the letters of support before, namely at Constance, where they burned the pious Hus, over and against the imperial support, regardless of the fact that Emperor Sigmund, of high lordly memory, would have liked to have handled him.
40 In particular, however, all sorts of things are to be done to the highly esteemed estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession on account of the alleged excommunication that has been issued. For since the Roman bishop, as well as your honor and dignity, considered it null and void or unlawful (as it is in truth, since it was issued by an uncomfortable, biased judge, in addition to the parties being unheard, de facto, and in an unfair manner), then
which, in turn, have been approved and rescinded long ago.
If, however, it were to be considered legitimate (as can be concluded from the fact that it is not cassified), then let it be known that the way for our most gracious, gracious, and favorable lords principals to come or send safely to this supposed concilio is thereby completely obstructed and cut off; for it can be pretended in any way that the heretics and exiles are incapable of any security etc.
For this reason, our most gracious, gracious and favorable principals are not obligated to visit or attend the presumed concilium in this suspicious, dangerous and unsafe place, by virtue of all rights.
43. Fourthly, although the above-mentioned imperial treaties imply that a general or common, free, Christian concilium should be held for the purpose of settling and comparing the disputed religions, as it should also be a concilium in itself, although the Roman bishop himself calls this supposed concilium oecumenicum et universale concilium in his purported proclamation, this alleged Tridentine assembly cannot or may not be called or considered a general, universal or common concilium, because the Roman bishop with his cardinals, bishops and prelates wants to preside and decide on it alone, and to exclude from it all other states and persons of secular rank. For although he added these words to the letter: "And those who, by right or freedom, are entitled to be and speak in common councils," it is known that he meant and understood no one but his cardinals and bishops, as he sufficiently explained in the letter to the imperial majesty 1) in which he shamefully reprimanded her majesty for allowing and permitting the laity to act and judge in matters of religion.
44 Now there can neither be nor be called a general or common council, in which the greater part, whom the matters concern, as emperor, king and other secular princes, lords and learned people, who are not called spiritual, are not allowed, but are excluded.
45. quomodo enim universale, vel generale dici potest id, quod tantum unam speciem
1) See below § 62 of this document.
complectitur? Clericos videlicet, alteram autem (laicos scii.) excludit? Et cum fides sit universalis, nec minus ad laicos pertineat, - quam ad clericos, quomodo tractatio fidei debebit esse particularis, et non universalis? For such things are contrary to the nature and character of a common concilii and general matters of religion and faith, which, by virtue of rights and all reason, should also be acted upon with common counsel and consent of all those whom they concern at the same time. Quod enim omnes tangit, hoc debet ab omnibus tractari et approbari.
46 As we can see, this was also the practice of the holy apostles and the ancient fathers. For when this doubt arose among the apostles in the first church, whether those who professed the Christian faith should be circumcised or not, it was sent not only to Peter and the other apostles, but to the whole church at Jerusalem. And one does not read that Peter had more reputation than another, but that the apostles all, together with the elders of the people, unanimously decided that circumcision was not necessary for salvation.
47 There are countless examples of this, that even after the Holy Fathers, not only bishops and clerics, but also emperors, princes, lords, and other learned laymen and private persons, even of lesser rank, were called to the councils, allowed to be heard, and with their assistance things were acted upon and decided; as the ecclesiastical and other credible histories, as well as the papal laws, are full of.
48 If this was considered necessary by the apostles, who were full of the Holy Spirit, and afterwards by the holy fathers, how much more is it necessary in our times, cum illorum actio nostra debeat esse instructio. 49 And with this apostolic and Christian custom and usage the jus canonicum itself agrees, and intends that in matters of faith not only the aforementioned clergy, but also the laity should be present at the conciliis, considering that the faith is transversal and common to all Christendom, and due to the laity, even to the same blessedness or damnation, no less than to the clerics, or aforementioned clergy.
50 Moreover, a concilium is nothing else than a common assembly of the Christian Church or Christianity: because the laity, as well as the aforementioned clerical Christians, are also baptized into the death of our Savior, and
Why then should they be separated and excluded from the deliberations and discussions of matters of faith, since true faith may well remain with a pious, simple-minded layman, and otherwise be lost and extinguished in the noblest. As can be seen in the example of the Blessed Virgin and God-bearer, who remained with the Lord Christ, her Son and our Savior, in his suffering, when the apostles and other believers of the time departed from him and abandoned the faith.
51 Thus also in the Nicene Council priestly marriage was preserved as Christian and in accordance with the Holy Scriptures by the one Pope against many who were against it. Therefore, the canonists themselves teach and want that in matters of faith, a single, even private person's speech or opinion should be preferred to the Pope's opinion, if the latter is better founded in the Old and New Testaments than the Pope's opinion.
52 From which it follows that the laity should also be in a common council, and that matters of faith should be discussed with them, but if they are 1) excluded, as in this, that it may not be a common council, nor be called one.
53) Although this presumed council is not to be considered a general one, since only a few of the Roman bishop's entangled followers appear at it, and otherwise the most distinguished nations and potentates of Christendom do not attend it.
For the fifth, it is clear from all the circumstances of the case that this Tridentine Concilium is also not a liberum and free, but a highly entangled and unfree Concilium and must be called so.
For liberum and a free concilium is called that which is without any constraint, since no one's action, permission, or commandment is to be looked to, and no one is to be driven, but everyone is free, safe, and may speak the truth to everyone without concern. As we have an example of this from St. Paul, who publicly and in full view of the whole assembly at Antioch punished St. Peter for his error etc. But there is none of these, but rather the very antithesis in this supposed Tridentine Conciliar.
56. for first, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords are principales and the
1) "but" put by us instead of: "also".
Theirs, as sufficiently indicated above, to Trident in highest uncertainty and danger.
57 Secondly, although the Roman bishop has made a stand against the high and much-reputed estates, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals, and in which they, their sovereign and princely lords, have condemned, excommunicated and, to this day, persecuted him to the highest and cruelest degree. In this way, he wants to be the president and judge in this alleged concilium. He has also ordered that the reported estates accuse him and his followers. What kind of free concilium and court it may be, in which one party with its appendage is also judge, requires and elects the assessors of its liking, and in addition decrees the court in such a way that it [the party] not only does not hear any accusation, but also condemns and condemns the plaintiff himself before he appears or speaks a word, is to be considered well by males, even of little understanding.
58 Thirdly, the Roman bishop with his cardinals, bishops and other clerics will have voces de cisivas alone at this supposed concilio, and finally to decide; and, as to be noted from the above, in such no one else will admit nor hear; from which it can be deduced twofold that this concilium may not be liberum, nor free.
For once, these same cardinals, bishops, and clerics (as well as your honor and your honor) are entangled and bound to the reported Roman bishop, as publicly in the day, with the highest and most atrocious oath obligations to the highest and most terrible. Therefore, you, Your Honor and Your Worship, may not speak or advise otherwise on the matter, except as is pleasing to the Roman bishop, to whom you and you are so obligated. All the while this obligation and entailment continues, and is not completely abolished and set free for men, one has little to boast of in such a council, which alone would be an assembly of the Roman bishop and his own, of some liberty and freedom.
60 Likewise, and secondly, since in such a supposed concilium, as indicated above, the laity are excluded, it cannot be a liberum concilium. For in a free concilium, no one involved in the dispute (as in this case) should be segregated and excluded.
(61) Fourthly, this may not be a free concilium or court, nor may it be called one, since the judgment is passed, before and before the concilium or court is assembled and possessed, and the case is heard. For to a free concilio all the
The property shall be freely, unconditionally and sine praejudicio subordinated and placed in the home.
62 Now it is the truth and publicly known that the Roman bishop, Leo the Tenth, by an open bull, which Paul, the present one, confirmed, then also the same Paul still annually per bullam coenae and reformationem curiae Romanae, in addition recently in the mentioned letter to the imperial majesty in Latin Admonitio paterna intitulirt. Majesty in Latin Admonitio paterna intitulirt, 1) our Grace, Grace and favorable Lords Principale have manifoldly condemned and condemned Christian confession and doctrine. That also, the said Paul, present Roman bishop, in the above-mentioned letter, accuses the Imperial Majesty and denounces him. Majesty: that they have fellowship and covenant with high and many of our graces, graces and favorable lords principals, as the perpetrators of condemned heresies etc. About which he has also issued edicts everywhere to attack with cruel tones those who accept the doctrine of these estates; so that many such attacks have occurred so far, and much innocent blood has been and still is being miserably shed for the sake of the falsehood of the Christian doctrine of these estates.
63. not to mention that he, Paul, has accused the most reverend prince and lord, Mr. Hermann, Archbishop of Cologne, Elector etc., also our lord principal, who is favorable in this matter, of the cause that his electoral grace, by virtue of the recent Regensburg imperial decree, has instituted a Christian reformation in the archbishopric of Cologne, by virtue of the recent Imperial Decree of Regensburg, to carry out a Christian reformation in the Archdiocese of Cologne, to purge false doctrine and worship, and to arrange all things according to the divine word, was subjected, right at the beginning of this arrogated Concilii (but unheard of), to a divine reformation, much less overcome) for a godless, nonsensical arch-heretic, also unworthy of the episcopal name and to which some obedience is to be rendered, and declared, also in the same letter sesner churfürstlichen Gn. In the same letter, he has offered and promised his elector all help, advice and assistance against his elector, and has also recognized and initiated swift, unlawful proceedings against his elector; all of which are great and frightening praejudicia, and should keep our most gracious, merciful and favorable lords principals from this alleged, biased and dangerous concilio. Especially in view of the fact that the Roman bishop not only does not want to collect and give up such praejudicia for himself, but also accuses His Imperial Majesty as if he were the only one who had the right to do so. Maj. as if he had acted too much and improperly,
1) Document No. 1416 in this volume.
in that they have discontinued and suspended the Augsburg imperial treaty. And for this very reason he does not want these estates in his presumed concilio, so that he does not weaken his praejudicia. Therefore, our G., G. and favorable lords principals can by no means believe or presume that the Roman bishop will now, in this presumed concilio, allow these praejudiciis to be contrary to and aborted, much less that His Eminence and W., even other cardinals, bishops and theologians implicated and obligated by the Roman bishop, will be allowed to think of or do anything contrary to this, since they note that the imperial bishop's authority has been suspended. Maj. is being so sharply drawn on solely for the sake of the Augsburg Departure; for what the Imperial Majesty is threatened with here. Majesty is threatened, that is threatened much more severely to others of lesser rank.
64 From all this, it is clear that this presumed council is by no means free, but imprisoned, entangled, oppressed, threatened, and therefore unworthy of the name of a council.
Sixth, this would not be a Christian concilium, nor would it be respected. For in a Christian concilium Christ and his holy word alone shall have vocem decisivam, that is, all things according to the word of God and the holy Scriptures, and not at all according to human and papal statutes or discretion, which would be contrary to the word of God, freely, in common, and by the whole Church, no one shall be excluded, made, considered, and discussed, the truth shall be administered, the lies and false, seductive, and antichristian doctrine and abuses shall be freely, publicly punished, and brought to due correction; and this in such a way that one or two who prove their opinion with a certain word of God shall be more valid than the others who cannot prove or maintain their opinions with God's clear and undoubted word. As in the case of the apostles, as Apost. 15, and also in the Concilio Niceno with the Paphnutio and other Christian concilia. For the eternal divine word is to give way to all human statutes and falsities. And that is why many people come together in a Christian concilium, not so that they should make a greater number in matters of God and faith, but so that among many people some might be found who actually know the command and teaching of Christ about the matters that are to be dealt with, and who can explain loudly and clearly with holy Scripture that one hears the same and the right teacher Christ,
2) That is, a majority.
and no one else, if they were as many as the sand in the sea, should follow.
66 Now, nevertheless, in the notice of this presumed Concilii, it is not reported how to proceed in religious matters. But just from this, that the Roman bishop does not want to report the proceedings, and then from the above-mentioned praejudiciis and complaints, made against our G., G. and favorable lords principals, it is quite obvious that he, the Roman bishop, intends to continue with his sworn and entangled appendage of his liking (as he himself then appropriates the power and authority to act in all matters according to his will), and to give Christ, also his holy word no place. For what else should there be much dispute as to whether the laity should also be admitted to the concilio, or who should or should not have vocem decisivam therein? for, if one wants to hear Christ, no one has vocem decisivam except Christ alone, and he who is bound by his word; but he who is not, cannot have vocem decisivam, even if he were greater than the Roman bishop with all his cardinals and bishops, priests and monks.
67 Therefore, if the Roman bishop, as well as their dignitaries and dignitaries, wanted to hear Christ, they allowed our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals into the council without any complaint. For let this be known, and let it be a sincere Christian request; if their churl. If their sovereign and princely lords, ladies and gentlemen did not present the certain word of God, their sovereign and princely lords, ladies and gentlemen would not have been able to do so. If, however, their sovereign and princely leaders, leaders, and leaders did not present the certain word of God, then Their Majesties and Dignities would have to condemn their sovereign and princely leaders, leaders, and leaders not only with just judgment, but also by their own mouths, as they themselves confessed and denied that one should hear the word of God alone and judge according to the same; but if their sovereign and princely leaders, leaders, and leaders did not present the certain word of God, then Their Majesty would have to condemn them. If, however, their sovereign and princely leaders, leaders, and leaders in favor of God's word were to be put on the right track, then His Honor and the Council would hear them with gratitude and would not wish to exclude them.
68. Since none of these things can be found or expected at this presumed concilio (as can be sufficiently inferred from the circumstances), it is easy to understand that the Roman bishop and his followers do not want to hear Christ, but want to make them and all the statutes heard, even if they speak against the revealed, undeniable and well-known word of God, order and conclude against and about Christ, as if they were gods themselves; which is impossible for them to raise, since Christ says: "My sheep hear my voice, and the stranger heareth not."
69 Therefore, it is obvious that such a supposed concilium cannot be called Christian with some semblance, but is rather to be called an assembly of evil sworn papists, against the divine Word and Christ Himself.
(70) If one also wants to consider the end and effect of every Christian and righteous concilium, it is found that this cannot be considered a concilium. For by a true Christian concilium, error and blasphemy are to be abolished, truth brought to light, good reformation and correction of the church sought, and thus all things set right, and godly peace, tranquility and unity preserved everywhere; for which reason also the Roman Imperial Majesty, our most gracious lord, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, and the Holy Roman Emperor. For this reason, the Roman Emperor, our most gracious Lord, together with the princes, rulers and common estates of the empire, have now considered a free Christian council to be the only way and means at so many imperial congresses, by which the highly dangerous discord in religion and the mistrust that has arisen from it can most easily be overcome, and peace, tranquility and unity can again be planted everywhere. If this concilium should take the form that only the Roman bishop's sworn cardinals, bishops and prelates should have vocem decisivam (as is their opinion), and all other God-fearing and reasonable Christians should have no voice, or only vocem consultivam, and thus human tradition should be placed before the Gospel, then it would not only not be called a free Christian concilium, but it would also not have the effect and impact of a free Christian concilii. For errors, sins, vices and aversions would not be abolished, but concealed and strengthened, the truth would not be brought to light, but suppressed; and thus no peace, conciliation or unity would have to be provided for, but much greater and more burdensome falsity, distrust, antagonism, schism and further development would certainly have to be anticipated and awaited; This would not only be highly detrimental to the farewell to the empire, but also to the manifold appeals made to our most gracious and favorable lords, but would also be highly detrimental and damaging to the whole of Christendom, especially to the German nation.
71 From the above it appears clear and irrefutable that this much reported alleged concilium is neither general and common, nor free and Christian, and thus not at all worthy of the name of a concilii, nor can, may, or should it be considered a concilium.
72 Furthermore, Your Honor and W. also to report that the Roman bishop, and this his entangled and begun supposed concilium, in which he wants to preside and have to decide alone with his appendix, may not be judge of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords Principale, and of the disputed religious matter, Seventhly, it is evident and known from the Holy Scriptures, the canons, the usage of the old, better church, and also from general, natural reason, when abuses and errors occur in religious and ecclesiastical matters (as is the case in all of the Roman bishop's administration, unfortunately! Unfortunately, this is only too much and horribly evident in all the Roman bishop's administration), and it is therefore necessary to restore and establish a Christian housekeeping in the church, that for this purpose such people should be taken to counsel, who are known and proven in all their life and conduct, as those who are the most knowledgeable, skillful and zealous in such high God matters; as such was diligently observed and held in esteem by the old Christian emperors in the assembly of the concilia.
73. Now consider the entire administration of the church offices and ministries, the character of the true bishops and church servants, and also the doctrine, as all this was instituted, commanded and kept by the Lord himself, the apostles, ancient canons and holy fathers, namely, that in the church first of all the doctrine should be pure and otherwise everything according to the holy Scriptures, and also to right understanding and correction, that is, directed primarily to the true faith in Christ; that the sacraments be learned, administered and used according to the command and word of the Lord; that church discipline, righteous repentance and correction be properly instituted and kept; and then that no one but fit and blameless persons be admitted to the clergy or church office.
Against this, the Roman bishop and his administration in the church and the whole of his life are held, and it is found that there are no people on earth who understand all this Christian administration and quality of true church servants less, and are willing to live by it, than the Roman bishop and all the cardinals, bishops and prelates attached to him. For every day they insist more and more that not only in the church, but also in other places, the Holy Scriptures should not be brought to the understanding of the common Christian, nor should they be presented to him. They are also not ashamed to publicly forbid the laity and the common man to read the Bible, even to do their own prayer in their mother tongue.
On the other hand, with great cruelty they insist on maintaining their fictitious and idolatrous doctrine, which is primarily directed toward increasing their own authority, for which purpose they have created a seemingly external religion, which stands only in ceremonies and is based on idolatrous works. First of all, they make such a church, in which the bishop of Rome has the supreme authority, that all bishops and priests, also all emperors, kings, princes, and in sum all men of Christian name, are obliged to be obedient to him for the salvation of their souls.
76) And some of their teachers put that such a person cannot err in faith, which is a terrible public lie; they give power to the same head and his followers to make articles of faith and to establish new services, which is actually this high cruel sin, since St. Paul says: the Antichrist will exalt himself above God, that is, above the divine Word, and namely these articles are idolatrous:
That with the mass one earns forgiveness of sins for the living and the dead, and that such work is necessary for salvation.
That God or the saints work more in one image than in the other.
That we should doubt whether our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake.
But one should seek forgiveness, and hope in doubt, out of our own worthiness and works; which is also idolatrous, for thereby the honor of God's Son, the Mediator, is taken away.
That one should call upon God in such ignorance of Christ, and without trust in the Mediator.
That one should invoke the departed saints.
That one should worship the sacrament apart from its custom, since it is public that it is not a sacrament, and hold it for God.
That works not commanded by God, as a difference of food and the like, are divine services, by which God is honored, and merit forgiveness of sins, and that these works are necessary for salvation.
That the monastic vows are equal to baptism.
That the same bishop of Rome has the power to forbid the priesthood to marry. In this way, he sets himself above God's commandment, in which the weak nature is commanded to marry.
That the two swords, spiritual and secular, are given to Petro, and therefore the Roman bishop has divine command to appoint and depose emperors and kings, and that without his confirmation no king can be a Christian king.
With this, the pope also sets himself above God's commandment, in which both regiments, the spiritual and the worldly, are distinguished, and the preaching office is not commanded to draw worldly kingdoms to itself or to order them with this appearance, as if the gospel were such a divine command to order worldly regiments etc.
That the pope has the power to change the sacraments ordered by God.
That the pope has the power to distribute the merits of the saints and to apply them to others, and with this glory, as if he could take away the eternal wrath of God through such application, as the indulgences are praised and given.
That it is right to banish and kill a man who will not accept these articles as true.
Further, Christian doctrine in many articles is obscured and torn apart by the papal doctrine, namely, that they do not consider sin that which is sin, as, evil inclination and doubt of God in the heart, and on the other hand, make sin that which is not sin, as, with difference of food, marriage prohibition etc.
That they teach that a man can do God's law enough in this deadly, weak, depraved nature.
That they falsified the difference between the law and the gospel, the commandments and counsels, evil and to the great harm of souls.
They teach that the recounting of all sins that can be remembered is necessary for forgiveness.
(78) And over these errors the monks have daily devised new errors and idolatries.
If we look at the church discipline of the people, the monks and the whole clergy, it is all so wrong that it could not be worse, as all those confess and complain, who know something about divine scripture, doctrine and attitude of the old church. Yes, so wrong that St. Bernard scolded these people, and especially those at Rome, so long ago, about 400 years ago, church corrupters, and those who serve not Christ, but the Antichrist, in a concilio to their face. Now all those who are familiar with history know that the Roman bishop and his followers have since then corrupted and devastated everything, and that they strive for nothing more earnestly than to maintain and strengthen themselves in such perversion and corruption.
80 Namely, that they receive the prelatures and all church dignities and salaries with all kinds of open simony, and not only to worldly splendor, but also to all opulence.
to grossly abuse the healthy doctrine of Christ, as well as all discipline and respectability therein, to suppress it, and to hold it completely captive under their power etc., as all the theologians of high and many-membered estates, of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals, have expounded in many writings, which have gone out publicly in print; and unfortunately too much rubbish lies in the open, yet may be further and irrefutably brought forth and proven for necessity; which we hereby expressly reserve to the high and many-membered our lords, lords and favorable lords principals, for their opportunity 1) to do and to undertake.
81. Because it is clear, and no one who has some understanding in holy scripture and God's things can deny, that there are not people on earth whose every action and being is more completely and strongly contrary to Christ our Lord and his teachings than the Roman bishop and his Concilii comrade, who may also tolerate and suffer Christian doctrine and discipline less, indeed are fundamentally nothing but the right, true Antichrist, who has set himself up in God's stead and must be revealed in these last times, and are to be considered as such, as is likewise the case with our G., G. and favorable gentlemen principal theologians in many printed books.
Thus, every Christian can easily conclude that the Roman bishop, and his entangled supposed concilium, cannot or may not be a judge in the matter of the disputed religion and Christian reformation of the church, but that nothing could be more contrary to God and all laws, rights, and human reason, than if the reformation of the church were to be placed in the hands of those rightly repugnant and destructive to Christ and his church, the Roman bishop and his concilii comrade. Bishop and his Concilii comrades, such their supposed Concilium should recognize and accept, also leave them alone the voces de cisivas (as their opinion is). For what would this be otherwise, than to hand over and put aside the Church of God and the whole of Christendom to their supreme repugnant enemies and persecutors?
83 And in this, the bishops' name, authority and preeminence, which the Roman bishop and his followers have brought to themselves in the eyes of the world (although not in a Christian or otherwise praiseworthy way), should not be considered.
1) Here we have deleted a superfluous "have" that disturbs the meaning.
For although they would have received it properly and rightly (which is not admitted to them at all), they have nevertheless disgraced and made themselves unworthy of it by their unchristian, annoying, highbrow false teaching and life.
85. Thus, our Lord God did not bind the right judgment and knowledge of religious matters to the episcopal name and title, as he did to the bishops and priests who persecuted and killed the holy prophets, Christ the Lord Himself and the apostles, It seems sufficient whether they were, according to the outward order, the few ordinary bishops and priests of God's people, and had no less promise of the Holy Spirit than the Roman bishop and his may boast of today.
Moreover, and for the eighth, it is manifestly right, and is also held by their own canonists to be established and infallible, that a Roman bishop or pope may not be a judge in these two cases, namely, if he is annoying and detrimental to Christendom with his teaching and life.
For as far as doctrine is concerned, if the Roman bishop is accused of seductive doctrine and heresy, it is undoubtedly true that he cannot or should not be a judge in this case. Nam Papa, si deprehendatur a fide devius, accusari potest, et sic in causa propria judex esse non permittitur.
As far as life is concerned, the canonists testify in many places where the pope is in a lavish, unrepentant and dishonest life and walk, does not mend his ways, but is annoying to the church, that he, as such a figure, may not be a judge in his own cause. Si enim Papa est in peccato mortali notorio et alios scandalizat, nec est corrigibilis, quia in tali peccato jugiter permanet, potest tan- quam haereticus puniri, nec debet esse judex, quia videtur male sentire de fide etc..
89. Because the high and much-reported estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession have publicly accused and punished our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords Principals, the Roman bishop and his followers, not only of their annoying, highly criminal life, excessive splendor, fornication, pleasure, avarice, simony and other vices, but also of their doctrine, statutes, false worship, and thus of heresy and idolatry, simony and other vices, but also publicly accused them of their doctrine, statutes, false worship, and thus of heresy and idolatry, for which they have never apologized even to this day with the least, and for which they are constantly accused.
eternal days, and yet, until then, they do not want to proceed to any improvement or reformation, but are incorrigible: so it follows that, by virtue of their own rights, they can neither preside nor be judges in the Concilio, in which they are to act on the faith and reformation of the Church.
90) Ninth, assuming, however, that the first-mentioned cause and obstacle do not exist, the Roman bishop, his dependents, and thus this entire presumptuous council, in which they alone want to preside and decide, would nevertheless be highly suspect, suspicious, suspicious, and thus even dangerous to our G., G., and favorable lords principals, and also, by virtue of all rights, natural reason, and fairness, would be unjustifiable and recusable.
91 First of all, it is lawful that everyone is a highly suspect judge in matters of which he can have great benefit or advantage, and may well be recused. Judex enim, qui ex causa coram se agitanda, magnum vel commodum, vel incommodum percipere potest, recusari jure potest.
Now it is obvious that the Roman bishop and his followers are interested in this matter of religion and faith (in which not only their persons, but the whole state of the papacy and its followers are highly accused) for all their happiness, salvation or downfall, for which reason he and his followers are not judges, but are and should be held highly suspicious and suspicious.
In addition, the Roman bishop and his followers are completely biased in the matter in question, not only because they have been publicly accused in a free Christian council, and thus have been part of it themselves, but also because they behave and act in a completely hostile, mimic, and hostile manner toward our most gracious and favorable lord Principals and other relatives of their Christian confession.
94 For it is lawful in the same way, that no man shall suffer his enemy and adversary to be a judge in his own cause, Judex enim, qui se inimicum ostendit, licet non capitalem, suspectus est et recusari potest.
95 Now the truth is, as has been partly stated above and cannot be denied, that the Roman bishop and his followers are not bad, but the highest, most bitter and fierce enemies, et sic inimici capitales et atrocissimi of our most gracious, merciful and favorable Lords Principals, who-
because they have now so many years ago treated their electoral and princely graces and favors as heretics, schismatics, not only ignominiously but also unheard of. They have not only disgracefully (but still with all untruthfulness, also unheard and unconnected) publicly dressed, written out, and highly injured, tampered with, and blasphemed their honors, but also condemned, banished, and oppressed them, and countless numbers of their electors and princes, their graces, and their followers of Christian confession and doctrine have been put to death, honor, and property. They have persecuted and attacked innumerable persons attached to their sovereign and princely lords, graces and benefactors of the Christian confession and doctrine, in fact to life, limb, honor and property, most grievously and innocently, and still do, in such a way that they do not cease to practice it daily, even all potentates against their sovereign and princely lords, graces and benefactors. They have not ceased to incite and stir up all potentates against their sovereign and princely lords, graces and favors, and not to allow anything to be lost in their faithful will and diligence, so that only their sovereign and princely lords, graces and favors may be respected. The only thing they want to do is to destroy and exterminate their sovereigns, rulers, and benefactors, and all others related to the same Christian confession and doctrine, in all countries with sword, water, and fire from the earth, and even from the memory of all people.
96 From which and from the foregoing it is clear and sufficient that the alleged Concilium may not only be called quite uncertain, nor a common, free, nor Christian Concilium, and for that reason the above-mentioned imperial decrees and the promises made are quite inappropriate, even unworthy of the name of a Concilium, but also that it is, for Christian and legitimate reasons, highly suspicious and dangerous to the estates of the Christian Augsburg Confession, to our G., and favorable lords principals and common Christendom; for this reason, it is also highly suspicious, sorrowful, and dangerous to their churlish and princely lords, lords, and favorable lords. Therefore, in accordance with the unavoidable need of their sovereigns, sovereigns, and benefactors, and of common Christendom, in this so important cause of God and faith, in which not a small thing but the salvation of souls, and thus both the temporal and the eternal, is important to them, they should avoid and flee in all ways.
For although our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals do not consider all of the above, nor do they respect themselves, their souls, bodies, lives, happiness, honor, possessions and goods, but rather, for the sake of temporal peace (for which their sovereign and princely lords, lords, and lords of their part are most eager, according to divine truth, to surrender to their fiercest and most bitter enemies), they have not done so. (for which, according to divine truth, their sovereign and princely sovereigns, sovereigns and sovereigns in favor of their part are most eager) to their fiercest and most bitter enemies, they must consider, as members of Christ and children of God, that this is not theirs, but theirs.
It is God's business that they, as Christian estates, whom God Almighty has so graciously endowed with the knowledge of His truth, should by no means yield in such a matter, to the detriment of the honors of divine majesty and to the detriment of His holy church, but rather that their office and command is to persevere and remain steadfast in the divine word and known truth, for the edification and improvement of the poor community, with Christian zeal; as then their churl. and princely. The Church of Christ and to show themselves so ungrateful to God for the sake of eternal and everlasting good deeds received, with good conscience and without violation of both divine majesty and brotherly love, do not know at all. Nam contra legem conscientiae non est obediendum superiori, etiam papae.
98 Especially considering that there are also excellent examples of the holy fathers, which the Synod, noting that therein the truth was not sought, but rather that some tyranny or ungodly false doctrine wanted to be preserved and confirmed, fled and did not want to visit, even if they were appointed by the highest authority.
For St. Chrysostom did not want to come to the council that was assembled against him. For this reason, St. Chrysostom did not want to enter the concilium that was assembled against him. Cyril did not dare to enter the concilium of those who challenged the Homousion, but appealed from it in writing. Item, Athanasius, although he came to Tyro to the Concilium, he soon went away again to the emperor, because he saw that the nobles in the Concilio wanted to be judges and plaintiffs, and had themselves secretly appointed people who falsely accused him.
When also the emperor Constantius had assembled a synod at Antioch of many people, Maximus, the time bishop of Jerusalem, did not want to visit the same, although Antioch was close to him, because he knew where the mind of Constantius was directed by some Arian deception and seduction. He knew where the mind of Constantius was directed and inclined by some Arian deception and seduction. In the same way, the bishops in the Occident, when they understood that the Arian crowd had arrived strongly at the Concilio of Sirmio, in Hungary, did not comply with the imperial mandate.
In the same way, Paulinus, the bishop of Trier, soon broke out in the Concilio of Milan, after noting that the bishop there, called Auxentius, and his followers did not hold anything good against him.
102. such examples are now and then in
of the ecclesiastical and other histories. Moreover, the papal laws also admit that conciliation, if suspicious and dangerous, may be recused and refused. For if the laws otherwise allow an objectionable and suspicious judge to be recused in minor and temporal matters, how much more should this take place in such important matters of God and faith? Nam si judicio, in quo iidem sunt inimici, qui judices, ne quidem humana debeant committi negotia, quanto minus divina? Qui sapiens est, intelligat. Quia naturale est, suspectorum judicum insidias declinare et inimicorum judicium velle fugere.
103 Since the above is all true, and the majority of it is notorious and public, and thus the Roman bishop, and his supposed council, as well as E. Venerable and W., from heard Christian and legitimate causes, are not only highly and much thought of our G., G. and favorable lords principals, and in all ways incompetent and inconvenient in these matters of the disputed religion, but also highly suspicious and dangerous judges in all divine matters, G. and favorable are highly suspicious, troublesome and dangerous judges, and therefore, by virtue of the rights, no one is guilty of coming before an uncomfortable judge or interrogator, nor is he permitted in all divine, human and natural rights to recusir a suspicious, troublesome and dangerous judge and concilium:
104 We therefore recuse and refuse, in the name of the lawyer, on account of our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals, as well as on account of all and everyone else who is or may in the future be subject to their electoral and princely authority, authority and favor of the Christian Augsburg Confession. We hereby declare that this alleged Concilium, as well as E. Venerable and W., as inconvenient, highly suspicious, biased, repugnant, careful and dangerous judges of their chur- and F. G., G. and G. and of these disputed religious matters, is in the interest of our most gracious and favorable lords principals, as well as of all and everyone else who is or may in the future become subject to their chur- and princely lords, l. and G. and G. and G. and G. and G. and G. and G., and of all those who are subject to the same. As we wish to recuse and refuse the same herewith, together and separately, in the very best form and manner, as this should, can or may be done by law and custom in the very best way, for the aforementioned reasons. We hereby call upon and request on behalf of ourselves, instead of the arbitrorurn juris, to hold a common, free, Christian and impartial concilium in the German nation, at an appropriate venue, and by the Roman Imperial Majesty, our allies, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy Roman Emperor, and the Holy Roman Emperor. Majesty, our most gracious Lord, with the consent also of other Christian potentates and
to call and assemble heads, which shall be composed of God-fearing, learned, impartial persons, who are not under obligation to the Roman bishop; to which not only the aforesaid clergymen, but also our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords Principales and other God-fearing, proven and men of good conscience, of whatever standing, are called, freely, safely and without danger admitted and heard, and thereupon the controversial points of our holy Christian religion may be examined, investigated and discussed in all ways and first of all according to divine Scripture, and then from the credible testimony of the old true apostolic church, with common, free and uninvolved convocation. At such a council, as a right, convenient, orderly and unanimous judge of disputed matters of religion and faith, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords principals offer to further elaborate and prove the above-mentioned causes of incompetence and suspicion in a necessary manner, also for the sake of the main matter, They are also to present themselves as befits them, to speak and give an account of their Christian confession and doctrine, and to submit and submit completely with all due reverence and obedience to what is decided and resolved at such a council according to the Word of God and evangelical, apostolic doctrine.
In the event that such a general council cannot soon or easily be brought into being, then our most gracious, gracious and favorable Principals request that a common Christian assembly of the German nation and others, which the need may require, be held in the measure, form and modesty in which their sovereigns and princes have requested. The following is a summary of the provisions of this document.
106 After all this, our most diligent request and demand to E. Hrw. and W., in the name of the lawyer, as reported, is that they, as inconvenient, highly suspicious and dangerous judges, abstain from all and any processes, actions, decisions and rulings in matters of the disputed points of our holy Christian faith and religion, for this time and in the future, completely and finally; also whether up to now anything has been done or passed by E. Hrw. and W. in the matter in question. Venerable and W. at this presumed Concilio in the matter in question, that the same shall be reconsidered and annulled as null and void and unlawful, our Grace and favorable Lords Principals shall not be held liable, and favorable lords principales over and against this their interposed Christian and
The court may not complain about the rightful recusation, provocation and inheritance, but may leave their chur- and F.G., G. and in their favor, and let this whole matter and discussion of the disputed articles of our holy Christian faith and religion come to its right, proper and unanimous judge, namely a general or national, free, Christian and impartial concilium, according to due process and equity, and also help to promote such a concilium with due earnestness and diligence, for the planting and preservation of godly unity, peace and tranquility in common Christendom, for the sake of God and the poor scattered churches. For if this does not happen, but the Roman bishop, or E. E. and W., irrespective of this Christian and lawful recusation and provocation that has taken place, will sooner or later be against our Grace and favorable lords Principals in this matter of religion and faith, If we should or would proceed with burdensome decisions or censures against our Grace and favorable Lords Principals, or other relatives of the Christian Confession, we hereby publicly and gracefully protest, in the name of the above, de nulltate, iniquitate et injusto gravamine. And that also our highly and much thought of G., G. and favorable gentlemen principales want to and will respect and consider all of the above, as it may be or have a name, in all ways, now as then and then as now, as null and void, illegitimate, powerless and unbundled (as it would be in truth), and also want to have expressly reserved to them all and every legal and natural necessity and defense.
107 With the further appendix, that your Honor and W. or the Roman Bishop with his own, over this lawful recusation and provocation, may complain to our G. and favorable Lords Principales in some way, or also prevent the common free Christian and impartial Concilium reported above (as before), G. and favorable Principales in some way, or also to dangerously prevent and raise the common, free, Christian and impartial Concilium, reported above, (as before), and from this in Christendom some mischief, extension, indignation or bloodshed (which the Almighty may graciously prevent) should ensue, that the Roman Bishop, of the same appendix, may also take up the matter. The Roman bishop, his followers, E. E. and W. would be all right, true and some authors and originators of it, and should be respected and held for it by men, but our gracious and favorable lords Principals would not be able to do anything about it, Gn. and favorable lords principales of which wanted to be free and innocent before God and the world. To all and everyone of which we, in place of and on account of our highly and much thought of G., G. and favorable lords principals, testify and condition ourselves with a clear conscience, publicly and before all the world.
108. in the name of the lawyer and by order, as heard above, we have not left it undeclared to our G., G. and favorable lords Principals and to the highest unavoidable necessity of common Christianity, to know how to keep to it.
However, we, our most gracious, gracious and favorable lords and principals, hereby expressly reserve all further necessities, also help and good deeds of the rights, of which we also publicly protest etc.
1414 Two decrees of the Tridentine Concilium, decided on April 8, 1546, on which the doctrine and attitude of their churches should stand, provided with a preface and glosses.
This writing was specially printed in 1546; see von der Hardt, nutoAr. tom. I, p. 499. Then printed in Hortleder, I. o. lid. I, oap. 45, S. 425.
Grace, peace and true judgment from the Word and people of God be to all God-lovers, Amen.
(1) There is a great complaint about the Christian princes and estates of the Augsburg Confession, as if they had never wanted to accept a sincere settlement of religion, nor had they gone to a proper discussion of the same, especially at the present alleged Tridentine Council. But it is the obvious truth that these princes and states have never been offered a settlement of religion, but that their Christian confession was most horribly condemned at Augsburg Anno 30.
(2) At the Imperial Diet at Regensburg in the year 41, the Imperial Majesty sought a settlement, just as in the same discussion the highest articles of Christian doctrine were settled and gladly accepted by these princes and estates; but the counterpart rejected them, together with the book that the Imperial Majesty had given for the settlement, and pushed the matter to the point that the Imperial Majesty also postponed all action of the same discussion to a concilium or another imperial assembly.
3 Before, during and after the same Imperial Diet, it was promised many times to hold a free Christian council in the German nation, at a safe place, of which several have been named, such as Cologne, Metz, Strasbourg, Mainz, and if not a general, then a national, and if not, then an imperial assembly, at which the comparison of religion and reformation would be discussed.
of the church should have been acted with seriousness. But the pope and his crowd, as they do not like the light of truth, have always prevented and postponed this.
4. Until finally, when he had brought things to the point where he thought that he had the Concilium entirely in his power, and that he had the sword in his fist against all confessors of the Holy Gospel: He has begun to hold the Tridentine Concilium and has appointed his cardinals and his cardinals' cousins and obligates, with a few hungry aforementioned bishops and monks, who would like to become bishops and cardinals, to whom he will always assign what they are to conclude.
5 And when God brought some among these cousins who would have liked to make room for the truth, they were partly overpowered and partly not admitted to the affairs of the Council,
6 In the Concilium at Constance it is recognized that the pope should be under the Concilium. In order for this Tridentine Concilium to come to this point, and thus to act fruitfully on the Roman papal court's reformation for the first time, as without which no reformation of the church could be brought to work, some bishops in this Concilio wanted the Concilio to be given the title of representing the general church. Since, however, the bishops committed to the pope understood that the pope would thereby have been subjected to the concilio, they agreed with their pope to such bishops in such a way that not only this title must remain, but also all other matters must be negotiated in no other way than exactly as the pope of Rome always prescribes to them. This is their free Christian concilium.
Now, how free and safe the place is, you must therefore assume that by the pope and this Concilii people so much has been accomplished so far that the Roman Hispanic, Alphonsus Dietz, 1) with his murder servant, Johann Valdesius, at Insbruck now since the 28th day of March has not been judged. He committed such an atrocious Estonian murder of his bodily, some Christian brother, Johann Dietz, at Neuburg on the Danube, since he had his brother murdered by his murder servant with an axe in his brain, because he wanted to read the letter that he had sent him through the murder servant, and meanwhile prevented the murder servant on the stairs; which happened on the 27th day of March of this year.
1) Compare No. 1412, s 108.
(8) What you can hope from this Concilio for the Christian religion, you can see from their two following decrees, which I have therefore interpreted. In the first decree, first of all, notice that they intend to keep and hold the doctrines and customs which have come down to them from ancient times, without the testimony of Scripture, as equal to the holy Scriptures, and as given by the apostles through the Holy Spirit; by this they mean to preserve all their false, idolatrous doctrines and ceremonies, such as they have brought into their abuse from year to year. For, however contrary and contrary to the Holy Scriptures these may be, they have recently arisen, and yet they attribute them all to the Holy Spirit, and hold them to be of apostolic origin.
9 Secondly, notice in this decree that they banish all those who do not consider as divine Scripture all these books that they relate, among which they also relate the other book Maccabaeorum, which the ancients do not recognize as a biblical book, but they think it serves to preserve purgatory and sacrifices for the dead.
10. In the other decree, notice that they alone want their old Latin interpretation of the Bible to be credible and to be kept, which, as is known, is very obscure and defective in many places; so the old church decreed that one should take the actual understanding of the Scriptures in the Old Testament from the Hebrew, in the New from the Greek; And all scholars know it to be useful, as St. Augustine taught, to have many interpretations of the Bible, because no language can fully reach the other in everything, and always one interpreter interprets some words better and clearer than the other.
(11) But this decree serves to keep the legal scholars and those of understanding away from the sacred Scriptures, so that they bury the sacred Scriptures with the heretical masters and magistrates nostris, who are also hereby relieved of the work of learning Hebrew and Greek.
12 The decree then stipulates that all Christians are forbidden to read the Bible in their own language, as was done before in so many kingdoms. For when some in the Concilio sought that every nation should have an interpretation of the Bible in its own language, this could not be obtained.
13) In the other decree, notice that these people have not had enough, that they mix and corrupt the holy Scriptures by their old public doctrines and customs, and their dark, naughty, defective interpretation, but are subject to
[to even bury them with their false interpretation. For as they have falsified and perverted it to all idolatry, and its splendor, and its enjoyment, so far, they now recognize it to be God's interpretation of the church, which should be no less valid than the holy Scriptures themselves.
14. secondly, notice in this decree that they want to prevent that no true interpretation of the holy scripture arises more and more, because they do not want any to be written, printed, held and read, than which their bishops have examined and proven, because they have so well practiced in divine scripture, even in court splendor, hunting, and uglier business, and so much of the true interpretation of the holy scripture with them, or could also recognize it.
15. There you have, dear Christians, the beautiful, free, Christian Council of Trent and its fruits, namely, that you should not read the Holy Scriptures in their own language, nor should you interpret them well, and that no one should present and interpret them to you in any other way than in such a way that all the most abominable abominations of the pope are confirmed, that he is a lord over the divine Scriptures, all laws, men and goods of the whole world, that he has all rights in the shrine of his heart, that all his idolatry is the only service of God, and means to get to heaven, which must be bought from him, with the surrender of souls to the abyss of hell, and of bodies and goods to all his disgraces and God's persecutions. O Lord Jesus, defend and protect your enemy, and keep us in your salvific kingdom, amen.
The first decree of the fourth session of the Tridentine Concilii, April 8, Anno 46 recognizes.
1. The Holy Tridentine Council, gathered in the Holy Spirit, in the presence of three legates of the Apostolic See, has in constant contemplation, as all errors, abandoned this,a ) and the pure Gospel is preserved in the Church, b) which was promised beforehand by the prophets in holy scripture, and which our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, himself proclaimed verbally, and subsequently provided for preaching to all creatures through his apostles, as the fountain of all salutary truth and the discipline of good moralsc ).
a) Yes, fed and protected!
b) Yes, bury!
c) Why do you forbid laymen to read it?
2. and when the Concilium considers that this truth and discipline are both comprehended in the bibli
The Church accepts this Concilium, and honors with the same affection and reverence (following the examples of the right-minded Fathers) all the books of the Old and New Testament, and the traditionibus,d ) that is, the doctrines and customs, some of which the apostles received from the mouth of Christ Himself, and some of which were handed down to us by the apostles themselves through the infusion of the Holy Spirit, as if into their hands, from one to another, and have come down to us: accept this Concilium, and honor with equal godly affection and reverence (following the examples of the right-minded Fathers), especially all the books of the Old and New Testament (since they were both given by God) and the Traditions,e ) both concerning faith and good morals, as having been received either from the mouth of Christ and the Holy Spirit, or by constant succession in the Churchf ).
d) Where is evidence of such traditions?
e) So you mix God's word and man's statutes as if they should apply equally.
f) Indicate what traditions the general church has held for and against.
(3) In order that no one should be in any doubt as to what are the books which the Council accepts, the Council has seen fit to record the order of such books here, which are those described below.
Of the Old Testament.
4. the five books of Moses, that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua; the book of Judges; Ruth; four books of Kings; the two Paralipomenon; the first and other book of Esdrae,g ) so called Nehemiah's; Tobias; Judith; Esther; Job; Psalter of David, so holds a hundred and fifty psalms; Proverbs of Solomon; Ecclesiastes; the Songs of Songs. The Book of Wisdom; Ecclesiasticus or Jesus Sirach; Esaias; Jeremias with the Baruch; Ezekiel; Daniel; the twelve prophets, that is, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habacuc, Zephaniah, Haggaeus, Zechariah, Malachi. The two books Maccabaeorum, the first and the other. *)
g) Where do you put the third and fourth books, since they are included in the old interpretation?
*And the other for the sake of the sacrifice of the dead.
Of the New Testament.
5. the four evangelists Matthew, Marcus, Lucas, John; the book of Acts; fourteen epistles of St. Paul the Apostle: one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the
Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to Tito, one to Philemon, one to the Hebrews; two to the holy apostle Peter; four to John the Apostle; 1) one to Jacob. And the revelation of John the Apostle.
But if anyone does not want to exclude such reported books completely and with all their parts, as they are read from ancient timesh ) in the general church and are understood in the old interpretation, as holy and canonical books, he shall be accursed. i)
h) As they have it now, so they want to keep it, against God, heaven and earth, no matter how strange and wrong it may be.
i) So you condemn and curse all the holy fathers, whose writings exist, and the ancient churches, whose "none" uses all the books that your ancient interpretation pretends, also, according to St. Jerome's testimony, did not count among the biblical books the Baruch, the Book of Wisdom, Sirach, Tobiam, Judith, the books of Maccabeorum, namely 2) the other.
(7) Therefore, all Christians should know and recognize the order and ways in which this Council, having laid the foundation of the faith, intends to proceed, and what testimonies and fortifications it intends to use in confirming doctrine and improving discipline in the Church. k)
k) Right, therefore all your abominations in doctrine and ceremonies, also ordinance and regiment of the church must remain destroyed, as you brought it, and become more and more worse.
The other decree of the fourth session of the Tridentine Concilii, April 8 in the
46. year.
(1) Furthermore, the Holy Council also considered that the Church of God should be made aware of which of all the Latin interpretations of the holy books that are carried around should be held and accepted as the authentica, that is, the one that everyone must believe? Therefore, it is established and declared that this general interpretation, which has been proven by so many years of use in the church, in public lectures, disputations, sermons and interpretations, should be accepted and considered authentic, which no one,l ) for some good reason, should be allowed to reject, nor should he be subject to doing so.
l) Where then is St. Jerome and Erasmus?
1) It seems that the Epistle of Jude was considered the fourth Johannine.
2) "namely" - by name.
2. Furthermore, in order that some may increase iniquity and wantonness, the holy Concilium has recognized that no one may trust in his own understanding, and bend the holy Scriptures in matters of faith and good morals, serving the edification of Christian doctrine, to his own opinion, nor interpret them contrary to the understanding which the holy motherm ) of the churches has hitherto held and still holds (who alone is entitled to judge of the right understanding and interpretation of the holy Scriptures), or even contrary to the unanimous and equal understanding of the fathers. If, however, such a thing should be aroused in time and come to light, those who contravene this decree shall be declared by the ordinary bishops and subjected to due punishment 3).
m) Who is this holy mother? You do not want to allow the laity to read the Holy Scriptures, so the common priests have to deal with reading mass, singing, much also with overeating, overdrinking, gambling and whoring; bishops and cardinals hunt, war, are in royal courts, or afflicted with secular government; doctores, who dispute, lurk for the cowardly sinecures. And if someone wants to bring forth the holy scripture pure, you condemn him for a heretic, to the gallows, fire or water. And that is no wonder, because your life can neither tolerate nor suffer the light of the holy scripture.
(3) The Council also wants to set a measure for the printers, who now without measure (as they think that what they desire is proper) print the books of the Holy Scriptures without the permission of the ecclesiastical superiors, as well as the translations and interpretations of the same without distinction, often unreported, often lying about the place where they are printed, and that is even more difficult, print them without naming the poet, and print them elsewhere, and sell them without hesitation. Therefore, the Holy Council recognizes and decrees that henceforth the Holy Scriptures, but especially the old common interpretationn ) be printed in the most accurate and pure manner.
n) This is the best mentioned.
4. no one should print or have printed some books of spiritual things without the name of the writer, nor sell them or keep them, unless they have been examined beforehand by the ordinary bishops and found to be good,o ) and that under penalty of forfeiture and money, as is recognized in the canon of the last Lateran Concilii.
o) But which interpretation will be recognized as good by these bishops, as they exist now? And what do such unspiritual, unlearned people want to judge of the holy scripture?
3) "subjected" put by us instead of: "resisted".
5 And if those who want to publish books are religious, they shall obtain permission from their superiors for such examination and proof, after the books have been inspected, according to the measures of their orders and the order of the same. Whoever, before they have been examined and proven, wants to communicate or spread such books in writings to others, shall be subject to the same punishment as the printers of books, even those who keep such books with them, or read them, if they do not indicate the poet of the book, they shall be taken for the poets.
6. the probation of the books should be given in writing and printed or written on the front of the book with a credible form. Such probation or examination should also be done free of charge,p ) without any reward, so that what is good may be accepted and what is evil may be rejected.
p) With this, these examinations will never be obtained, because your prelates do not have the because, their servants do not do it without money, so you will extinguish the spirit with the prophecies, and bring in your Alcoran the better, as you think.
7. After this, the holy council desires to abolish the sacrilege that some commit by turning words, even whole sentences of the holy scripture, into frivolous gospel speeches, fables, idle talk, flattery, after-talk, superstition, ungodly and devilish sorceries, deceitfulness and books of shame, (q) that henceforth such alteration and contempt of the Holy Scripture be abolished, that no one use the Divine Scripture in any way for such and such things, and that all such people and free violators of the Divine Word be punished according to the law, and also according to free judgment.
q) Praise God! that you have recognized something good after all.
8 This holy council has also decreed and recognized that the next meeting should be held feria Quinta, that is, the Thursday after the holy day of Pentecost [June 17].