warned meune to beware and eschewe the same as a mooste presente Pestilence One of these was Caspar Aquila chiefe minister of the Church of Saluelde in Thuringie Thoccasion why he wrote was Islebie who retourning home from Auspurge gloried muche in the boke by the way and said there was now a golden world toward and that Aquila had also assented After he hearde of this he answereth moste vehementlye and reproueth him for his liynge and affirmeth the boke to be ful of erroneous opinions And in Fraunce also Robert bishop of Abrincen wrote against it how be it after a contrary sort and chieflye dispiseth the boke for so much as it permitteth Priestes to marrye and the common people to receiue the whole Supper of the Lord and so taketh occasion to inuey against Bucer with most opprobrious words for maryinge his seconde wife Moreouer one Romeus generall of the Austen Friers at Rome wrote againste it for the same purpose Thus doth the boke incurre reprehension on euerye side Themperour sent an ambassadour to them of Norinberge and to certain others to perswade them vnto this decre Whan he came by the way to the duke of Saxons sonnes he moued them hereunto but they constantly denied it wherfore at his returne to themperour he declareth the whole matter wherupon themperour solliciteth againe the Duke theyr father prisoner and complaineth of his sōnes how they contemne the decre lately made suffer men to speake against it both in theyr preachings wrytinges he requireth therfore that he would treat with them to content him in ether thing Wherunto he maketh answer howe he lately declared the cause whye he hym self could not allow the doctrin of the boke setforthe to Granuellan and the bishop of Arras wherfore he can not perswade hys sonnes to do that thyng whych he hym selfe can not with a quiet conscience he besecheth him to take it in good part and defēd both him and his childrē This cōstancie of his magnanimiti in so great aduersity got him great loue euery wher amōgs al men Like as in Saxony they of Breme and Maidenburge so also in high Germanye onlye they of Constance borderynge vppon the Swisses were not yet reconciled to themperor but at the last obtaining a saufcōduit they send ambassadors to Auspurge to treat a peace Themperor propoundeth right hard conditions and amōgs other things also that they shuld admit the boke setforth after that to frame their religion Thambassadors require to haue the cōditions mitigated but that was in vain and are commaunded to make answere by a certen day That knowen the Senate wryting their humble letters the xiii day of Iuly do beseche him that they be not constrained to do any thing against their soules health their own conscience how they se theyr owne daunger and are in a greate parplexitie for vnlesse they do obey they stand in pearill to lose both life and goods but if they shuld follow his appetite they must abide the vengaunce and iudgement of God Wherfore let him spare them and put not them pore wretches to so great an extremity especially seinge they haue no more offēded than others and haue for thempire for the house of Austrich suffred in time past exceding great misery now do refuse no charge that cā ought of them to be performed although their treasure is very smal their substance not great yet wil they geue for amendes .viii. M. crownes and .iiii. greate peces of ordenaunce but they beseche him to permit the same Religion whiche they haue kept now these .xx. yeres vntil the decre of a lawful coūsel and unpose no heauier burthen to the Citye than it is hable to beare Their bishop Ihon Wesel who was also called Archbishop of Londen as is mentioned in the .xii. boke had threatned thē sore at Auspurge after the Emperors boke was setforthe but within a few daies he died of the same disease that he praied might fal vpō them that is of a sodē palsy Where they say how they haue sustained great domage for the loue of the house of Austrich thus it stādeth The Emperoure Maximilian by the aid of the Sweuical league wherof we haue spoken in the fourthe boke made warre with the Swisses wherfore the Citye of Constance being than of the same league and lieth nexte them receiued much displesure The Swisses were aided by them of Rhoetia of Seon and Sāmaurice whiche were lately made their felowes and also by the Frenche Kynge Lewes the .xii. At the length by the intercession of Lewes Sfortia Duke of Millan the matter was pacified aboute the yeare of oure Lord a thousand and fiue hundreth Maximilian had in Mariage Mary Blancke the sister of Sfortia Themperor the third day of August calleth before him the consuls and all the Senate of Auspurge and diuers others of the chiefest Citezens and by Seldus the Ciuilian speaking muche of the good wil zele that he and his progenitors haue borne to them he saith their common welth hath now these many yeres bene euill seditiously gouerned the cause wherof hath bene that men of none experiēce crafts mē for nothing les mete thē to haue gouernmēt haue bene chosen senators wherfore he who beareth good will to their city to thintent this euil may be remedied displaceth them al not for any reproche vnto them but for the common welthes sake After he cōmaundeth their names to be red whō he hath apoynted senators of the which nōbre were the Welsers Relingers Būtgarners Fuggers Pētingers whō he bindeth after by an oth assigneth vnto euery of thē his office function cōmandeth thē straitly that they loue the cōmon welth obei the decre of religion be vnto him obedient He doth also abrogate al fraternities cōmaundeth vnder pain of death that from henceforth ther be no conuēticles or assēbles made And cōmaundeth that al wrytings of gildes fraternities of priuileges fredō be immediatly deliuered to the new Senate cōmaundeth this state of publike weale to be proclaimed by an officer of armes geueth charge vnder pain of death that no man do impugne the same The Senate geueth him thankes promiseth al due obeisāce In the meane while that these things were in doing al the gates were shut and the souldiours set to warde There had bene a lōg sute many yeres betwene the Lantzgraue William the Erle of Nassow for the lordship of Chats which now at the length themperor in these daies decided geuing sentence againste the Lantzgraue The .v. day of this month themperour answereth thambassadours of the City of Constance by the bishop of Arras and sendeth them away withoute their purpose and because he seeth them so little careful for peace he saith how he wil deuise an other way The same day the Spaniardes which we said went into those parties to the nombre of thre thousand fotemen go straite
him selfe And in dede thre yeares since the king sent a noble Ambassade to the Turke for peace or truce and they are yet deteined at CoÌ„stantinople And albeit that truce was taken betwene theÌ„ till thambassadours were retourned home yet the Turkes in the meane season hauing broken their faith haue takeÌ„ many townes castels vpoÌ„ the frontiers And seing now also Zegest of them is beseged it appereth not what peace in very dede is to be loked for at their handes that can be firme tollerable Whiche thing seing it is so for as muche as great daunger hangeth ouer not only the remnaunt of Hongary Austriche but also ouer all Germany to be first nede to consulte imediatly of sending ayde and of coÌ„tribution mony which should be kept in certen places and for this warre when nede is to be defrayed by the publique treasurers And that other kynges and Princes also are sollicited by the kyng for ayde neither wyl he him selfe spare any coste or perill either of him selfe or his sonnes also but since his countries being sore inpouerished with the warres of so many yeares are not able to resiste so great an ennemy it is requisite to contribute thereunto and that spedely Moreouer for as much as in the last assemblee it was decreed also that in this assemblee wayes should be sought to appease Religion the kyng ernestly exhorteth that they would searche diligently whether a reconcilement myght be made and whiche waye They muste also treate of mony and of establyshyng peace in the Empire And the consultation of the Turkishe warre not to be set behinde but to be chiefly of them considered to the ende the present and iminent calamitie may be repulsed About the .xv. day of September the Emperour hauing a fayre wynde and his nauie in a readines taketh shipping to sayle into spayne and taketh with him both his sisters Quene Mary and Elenor companions of his iourney But before he departed he set kyng Philip his sonne in possession of all the lowe countries And to his brother kyng Ferdinando he committed the common wealth of Germany sending letters to the Electours of the Empyre wherby he requireth them that they would acknowledge the same for Emperour of Romaines obey him accordingly The last day of October Iohn Sleidane authour of this worke a man for the singular giftes of the mynde and excellent learnynge all prayse worthy departeth out of this life at Strasburg and is there honorably buried FINIS ✚ An Apologie of Iohn Sleidane FOr as muche as I heare that diuerse men speake nothing frendly of my History and haue small thanke requited me for my exceading great paines I am constreined to set forth this wryting for defence Nowe for what causes I was moued to write this story how I proceded in that same howe I wrote for the displeasure or fauour of no man and couched thinges in order I declared in the preface of the worke And added moreouer that I was very desirous of the truthe and therin so affected that if I knewe any thing to be wrytten vntruely I would scrape it out and admonishe the Reader of myne owne accorde to geue no credit to it Doubtles I would haue thought that all men here with would haue bene satisfied especially since the very reading should proue it true that I said But in as muche as it is reported to me far otherwyse whiche to me was very lothsome and greuous I am driuen of necessitie to adde some thinges to my preface And first in dede euer since the beginning of the worlde it hath bene accustomed that matters as wel ecclesiasticall as ciuile should be coÌ„mitted to wryting Which thing in dede bookes do testifie and the same custome hath alwayes florished chiefly amonges noble free nations especially Grekes and Romaines The chief precept ornament of this kinde of wryting is that it be right and trewe and therfore Tully calleth an history the witnes of tymes and light of veritie the lyfe of memory and maistres of lyfe By the whiche wordes verely he doth both commende it exceadingly and also sheweth of what sort it ought to be and nowe for as muche as in this our tyme hath chaunced so great an alteration of Religion as since the tyme of the Apostles the like hath not bene no smal sturre of ciuile policie hath insued also vpon the same as is coÌ„monly wont to do I verely although not the metest man of al at requeste of certen good men toke vpon me this kynd of wrytinge to the setting forth of Gods glory and with great fidelitie and diligence haue brought it to this our tyme. And that I haue herein geuen nothing to affectioÌ„s and haue vsed my selfe so moderatly in this argument as peradueÌ„ture none other before me hath done that same I trusteâ—l indifferent iudges wil confesse For although I do gladly prufesse this doctrine of the Gospel through the benefite of God restored and reioyce exceadingly to be of that nomber and fellowship yet do I absteyne from al bitternes of wordes and declare simply the whole matter as it was done God also I take to witnes that myne intent hath not ben falsly to hurte any man For what a shameles impudencie were it of those thinges wherof the memorie yet is freshe to set forth any thyng contrary to a truthe Again they that know me throughly haue perceiued I truste no such vanitie in me Notwithstanding in case I haue erred in any pointe I will both acknowledge it willingly being admonished and also as I saide in the preface I wil proteste it openly that the Reader be not abused And as concerning my paynes I suppose verely that in searching out of the truthe no mans dilligence could haue bene no more than myne hath bene and like as many are able this to testifie so I doubte not but the thing also it selfe shall declare And in describing matters of Religion I might not omitte polytique causes For as I sayde before they came in maner alwayes together and especially in our tyme they could not be separated And that they come together this is a sure reason and grounded vppon the scripture To witte that so sone as amonges any people Religion is chaunged by and by arrise offences dissentions debates vprores factions and warres For euen for this cause Christ saith that the sonne is plucked from his father and the daughter froÌ„ her mother Also that his doctrine bryngeth not peace but the sworde and sayeth it shall styre vp fyre also amonges the nere of bloud And this hath bene euer the state of thinges since the worlde was made neither can it be denied and the thing it self speaketh For so sone as in our time gods benefite geuen to maÌ„ and the Gospell began to be preached against the Popes pardons and traditions of men by by the worlde began to reise tumultes and chiefly they of the clergie Upon this very occasion the matter was brought into the
do nothyng but that might stande with his honoure In all other thynges throughe Gods helpe he would do as shoulde become a Prince of the Empire and an obdient childe of the church What tyme this answere was geuen them After some deliberation they began to recite howe many thynges the Byshoppe of Rome had done and suffered that Luther mighte at the length retourne into the right way but that he hath kepte no parte of his promyse And that it lyeth not nowe in the Archbishoppe of Treuers to here the matter for so muche as the Bishoppe of Rome hathe taken to him selfe the same to whom onely it apperteineth to be iudge in suche causes the conclusion of theyr talke was that they said how they must procede according to the Bishoppes decree And so not longe after they burned Luthers workes Aleander was an Italian borne right skilful in the Hebrew tonge he was sometyme a Reader in Paris commynge to Rome he grewe in estimation and was first made Archebistoppe of Brunduse after that Cardinal To the same degre of dignitie came also Carracciolus When Luther vnderstoode this he calleth forthe all the studentes of Wittenberge and in the presens of many learned men he burneth the Byshop of Romes law and the decree lately published openly the tēth day of Decembre And the next day in his lecture admonisheth al men that regarde theyr saluation to beware of that Bishoppes kyngdom Afterwarde he set forth a boke wherin he sheweth the causes why he burned the Canon lawe First that it hath bene an olde custome obserued at all times that naughtie and Pestilent bokes should be burned a testimony wherof is yet in the actes of the Apostles Moreouer that it concerneth his dewtie that is baptised in Christe whiche is a professour and an open teacher of holye Scripture to impugne wycked doctrine and to teache men that is holesome and to plucke out of mēs mindes false and erronious opinions And that the same apperteineth also to many others And although that they bryng letted eyther through ignoraunce or for feare of perill do not that they oughte to do yet can that be none excuse to him vnlesse he do his dewtie Moreouer the Bishoppe of Rome and all his rable are so obstiuate and shamelesse that not onely they wyll heare no good admonitions but also condempne the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and compell men to committe open Idolatry Furthermore he supposeth howe these booke burners haue no commission to burne his bookes no more than had the Diuines of Collen and Louain of the Emperour Finally for as muche as his workes beyng burnt and the brute therof spread abroade ouer all countreis many will growe to be weaker and doubtfull supposynge they were not caste into the fyre withoute cause therefore dyd he seynge his aduersaries past all remedy burne theyr Bookes also that he might therby erecte confyrme the mindes of men Wherfore he besecheth all men that laying a syde thambitiouse and proude titles of his aduersaries they would looke nerer to the thinge that is howe wicked and pestilent opinions are conteyned in those bokes of the Law Which thinge that it maye be the better perceyued of innumerable he hath gathered a fewe thynges whiche belonge to the reproche of almightie God to the iniurie of the ciuill magistrate and to the establisshing of their owne tyranny to the numbre of thyrtie places whereby he sheweth that he had iuste cause to burne them Than prouoketh he them to shewe the reasons wherfore they burnt his workes And the cause why fewe or none haue in diuerse ages past attempted anithing agaynste the tyrannye of Antichrist he saieth hathe bene for that the Scripture hath prophecied howe he shoulde destroy his aduersaries and haue the kynges to assist him Seyng therfore that the Prophetes and Apostles haue tolde vs before of suche tyrrible thynges to come it is easye to consydre howe greate it behoueth hys crueltye to be For so commeth it to passe ordenarily in worldly matters that of the best begynnynge of thinges procedeth the worste ende Whiche after he hathe proued by diuerse examples he inuergeth agaynste the Citie of Rome whiche beyng indewed of God with many benefites and ornamentes is vtterly gone out of kynde and with her contagion hathe infected a great part of the world that this the Byshoppes ordinaūce is agaynst the lawes agaynst good customes nether is he to be suffered for that he fleeth from lawful iudgement for that he affirmeth him selfe to be aboue all lawes and iudgementes I tolde you in the fyrste Boke how Syluester Prierias wrote agaynst Luther whan he had answered him sharpely Ambrosius Catarinus an Italian toke in had to defende him setting forthe a booke of the dignitie of the Bishoppe of Rome to the whiche Luther aunswereth at large and interpretynge certen places of Daniell teacheth that the Byshoppes Tyrrannye is there paynted out and proueth that suche thinges as he hathe prophecied of the kyngdome of Antichriste do altogether concerne the See of Rome After this was Catarinus made Archbyshoppe of Cossent The thirde Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the Empire of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the thirde Booke DUke Fridericke obteyneth letters of safeconduict for Luther to come to Wormes there to defende his opinions and writinges before themperor and the other states and perseuereth constantly although themperor threateneth him wyth banishment and the Pope had cursed hym in the Bulle of the Lordes supper And the Prynces seuerally soughte to peruerté him The counsell of Constaunce was set before his eyes vpon which occasion mention is made of Wyclese of Iohn Hussc and of ʒ ischa a Bohemer the Sorbonistes condempne Luthers bokes Whilest the Pope and the Frenche kynge made a league with the Swisses ʒ wmglius diswadeth thē from takyng Pensions of thē Luter beyng exiled by letters patentes auoydeth The kynge of Englande writcth agaynst him Pope Leo dyeth Adrian succedeth Solyman the greate Turke hathe luckie successe in Hongary Commotions in Spaynè themperor couetyng to appease them after he had treated wyth Englande goeth thyther The Byshoppe of Constance persecuteth ʒ wynglius Troubles at Wittenberge The Annabaptistes aryse for the which there is an assemble at Norinberge The Pope sendeth thyther letters and Ambassadours The Turke taketh the Rhodes ʒ winglius hauyng set forth hys doctrine by certeyne Articles is assayled by the Papistes but in fyne the Ghospell is receyued at ʒ uricke DUke Fridericke accompaniynge the Emperour to the assemblie at Wormes had obteyned that Cesar sayde he would call for Luther and heare his matter whiche Luther vnderstanding by the Dukes letters wrote agayne aboute the latter ende of Ianuary that he was exceadyng glad that the Emperor would vouche saufe to heare this matter which in dede is a common cause And that he shal be content to do any thing that he may do with a
warre against them as other wycked Prynces doe for they are holy men and good people The Lantgraue readinge ouer their booke and their letters noted what he thought blame worthy and cōmaunded his learned mē to aunswer it And for as muche as they had in fewe wordes and those abscure written that their king was not so muche of theirs as of Gods appointment he demaundeth of thē wherfore they did not expresse those places of Scripture wherby they thought it lawefull thus to doe And why they dyd not confirme the thynge before with signes and wonders For of the cōminge of Christe God had declared longe before by all the Prophetes so euidently that it was well knowen not only of what house or familie but also whan and where he should be borne They had also requested that the matter might be heard wherunto the Lantgraue answered that the same might not now take place For so much as they had takē vpon them the aucthoritie of the sworde and had bene the workers of so muche mischiefe For all men see what marke they shoute at certēly to subuerte all lawes and common wealth And lyke as their intente is wicked and detestable so is nowe their requeste to haue their cause heard fayned and dissembled He doubtles sent vnto thē faythful preachers and ministers of the churche of whome they were ryghtlye instructed And where as they nowe contēpning their doctrine do resist the magistrate take other mens goodes mary sondrye wyues haue chosen them a newe kynge Where also they denye that Christe toke the humane nature of the virgyn Mary where they affirme that man hath free wyll where they compell men to make their goodes cōmon where they saye there is no remission for a sinner that falleth all these thynges are against the lawes both of God and man Whan this answer was brought vnto thē they wryte agayne and sende a booke with all compyled in the vulgare tōgue of the misteries of Scripture And againe in an Epistle they amplefie their cause and defende their opinions And in this booke they deuide the course and tyme of the whole worlde into thre partes the fyrst age from Adam to Noe they saye was destroyed with the Deluge of water the secōd wherein we are nowe at this daye shal be consumed with fyre but the thyrde shall be cleane a newe worlde wherein iustice shall reigne neuerthelesse before this last tyme shall appeare this present age must be pourged by fyre but that shall not be tofore that Antichriste shall be reuealed and his power vtterly abolyshed Thā shall it come to passe that the scate of Dauid whiche is decayed shal be newly erected and Christe shall possesse his kyngdome here in earth and the wrytinges of the Prophetes shall be accomplyshed And that this present worlde now is lyke the tyme of Esaw For iustice kepeth silence and the Godly are persecuted But as after the captiuitie of Babylon so nowe also the tyme of restauration is at hande to delyuer vs from all these myseries and to rendre vnto the wycked aboundantly after their demerites as in the Apocalipse is declared And that in this same Restauration goeth before the worlde to come to the intent that all the vngodlye beynge destroyed the house and seate of iustice myght be prepared and beautified Whan the Lantgraue had red this booke he set in hande the Ministers of his churche to wryte against it The residue of the states imperial assembled at Essinge do mislyke the doinges of them that were at cōffuence affirming that they had no authoritie to impose or charge them with any burthen vnlesse it had bene by the consent of the Emperour and all states In the moneth of February Corne within the citie waxed very scarse in so muche that some also died for honger and wante of meate It fortuned that one of the Quenes pitieng the people had sayde to the rest howe she supposed that God woulde not that men should peryshe thus with famine The kyng whiche had his stoore houses furnyshed at home not only for necessitie but also for riot and voluptuousnes after he knewe it brought her forthe in to the Market place and all the reste with her and commaundynge her to knele downe stroke of her heade and whan she was dead vttered her to haue played the whore This done the residewe syng and gyue thankes to God the heauēlye father After that the kynge daunceth wyth them and exhorteth the rest of the multitude whiche had nothynge lefte them but breade and salte to dauncynge and mery pastymes Whan Easter came and no deliueraunce appered at all the kyng whiche had promysed so stoutely to inucnte some excuse fayned him selfe sicke for the space of syxe dayes After he commeth abroade amonges the people and telleth thē howe he hath ryden on a blynde Asse and that God the father hathe layde vpon his backe the synnes of the people Wherfore they are now made cleane and delyuered from euery spotte And this to be the deliueraunce whiche he promysed wherwith they ought to holde them cōtented Luther amonges other thynges whiche he set forth in the vulgar tongue about this tyme wrote also of this tragedye of Munster Alas sayeth he howe should I complayne or lamente those wretched men for the thynge it selfe declareth that there dwell deuylles thycke and threfolde but yet ought we to praye the infinite mercy of God herein and haue good cause so to doe For albeit that for the contempt of the Gospell the reproche of Goddes holy name and the shedyng of innocent bloud Germany hath iustly deserued to be plaged yet hathe God hetherto restrayned the force and violence of Sathan and hath not permitted him to haue the reignes at libertie but mercifully admonysheth vs and by this tragedye of Munster nothinge at all artificious calleth vs to the amendement of lyfe For vnlesse God had brydeled hym and holden hym backe I doubte not but that moste subtille fynde and wylie artificer would haue handled the matter farre other wyse But nowe that God hathe made a restraynte he rageth and tourmoyleth not so muche as he woulde but so much as he is permitted For the wycked spirite that seketh the subuersion of the Christian fayth goeth not this way to worke to perswade the marriage of many wyues For seyng both the vnlawfulnes and the fylthye beastlynes of the thynge is apparent in the syght of all men he perceiueth well enough that men woulde abhorre it In dede the politicke and ciuile gouernemēt may through this meane be disturbed but the kingdom of Christ must be attempted with other weapons and Ingines He that would circumuente and deceaue men maye not affectate rule and gouernment and playe the tyraunt For all men disalowe this and see playnely what his intente is But he must attayne thereunto by secrete meanes as it were by certen bypathes To goe in olde and euyll fauoured apparell to
Religion About this tyme in the moneth of May appered a blasyng starre and shortly after departed Isabel wyfe to Charles the Emperour for whome the Frenche kyng so sone as he heard therof kepte a solempne funerall at Paris as the maner of kynges is I shewed you before of the counsell of Uicence whiche the byshop of Rome had proroged tyll Easter of this yeare But seyng than that none would come he publisheth his letters the tenth of Iune wherin he prorogeth the counsell no more but suspendeth it at his owne pleasure and senate of his Cardinalles The kyng of Englande had certen monethes before set forth another wryttyng touching this Synode of Uicence and declareth howe the Byshop deludeth the whole worlde For where he excused hym selfe by the Duke of Mantua it was a playne mockery For seing he taketh vppon hym so great anothoritie why did he not compelle hym If he coulde not wherfore shoulde he commaunde men to come to a place vncerten and the whiche is not in his power Nowe albeit he hathe chosen Uicence for the same pourpose yet is there no doubt but the 〈…〉 enetians men of so great wysdome wyll no more suffer their citie to be pestred with suche a multitude without garmsons of Souldiours than woulde the Duke of Mantua and that in fyne there wylbe as small resorte thether as was to Mantua There fore it is but delusion what so euer he doeth neyther oughte he to be permitted in this dissolute lybertie any longer There is nothynge in dede better nor more commodious than a lawfull counsell But whan they are applied vnto priuate lucre and commoditie and to the establyshynge of certen mens aucthoritie they brynge a wonderfull destruction to the common wealth Whan the name of the counsell and of the churche was nowe common in euery mans mouthe Luther setteth forth a booke of either of them in the vulgare speache And fyrst he treatefh of the assemblie of the Apostles at Hierusalem whiche is mentioned in the .xv. of the actes After he reciteth the contrary opinions of the Doctours especially Austen and Ciprian concernyng baptisme by the same occasion he maketh mention of those lawes that are called the Canons of the Apostles and proueth by manifest reasons that thei be false and countrefeated and those that geue them that tytle to deserue death Than doeth he recite in ordre those foure counselles which were of chiefe authoritie the counsell of Nyce Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedonie And declareth for what causes they assēbled ther and what they decreed in euery of them After he commeth to the principall question and sheweth what is the aucthoritie of a. counsell Wherfore he sayeth howe a counsel maye not confirme any newe doctryne nor commaunde any newe worke neyther bynde mens myndes with newe ceremonies not to intermedle with ciuile gouernementes nor to make any decrees to establysh the authoritie of a few But the dutie therof to be to abolyshe and condemne newe opinions contrary to holy Scripture and newe ceremonies whether they be superstitious or vnprofitable for the churche And suche thynges as are brought in controuersie to examine and determine after the written text of Gods worde After this he diffineth the churche sheweth by what tokens it ought to be knowen and by a comparyson made declaring what Christe and his Apostles taught he sayeth howe the Byshop of Rome whiche hath brought into the churche a farre cōtrary doctrine and by wicked meanes hath pylled the whole world with intollerable exactions ought to be condempned and dryuen to make restitution Amonges diuerse other thynges wherby in the same boke he declareth what blyndenes men were led into vnder the Byshop of Rome and howe shameful and vyle was the Religion he sayeth how it was come thus farre that a monke or a freers wede was thought to be sufficient to bryng a man to eternall lyfe And manye not onlye meane folkes but also great Prynces would be buried in a freers garment Those that shall come after peraduenture wyl not beleue it but yet is it true and wont to be commonly done in Italy And in our me mory Fraunces Marques of Mantua the seconde of that name put into his last wylle that he myght be buried in a gray freers cote The same did Albertus Pius Prynce of Carpes in Paris And Christopher Longelie a Bourgonnion buried at Padwey a man excellently learned and a great Ciceronian who also wrote an Oration against the Lutherians in lyke case as Alberte did diuers against Erasmus of Roterdame Immediatly after the death of Duke George Henry the Duke of Brunswycke rydeth to the Emperour into Spayne thorowe Fraunce About the same tyme Henry the eyght kyng of Englande calleth a Parliament wherein amōges other thinges were enacted certen decrees for Religiō called the syxe Articles as followeth that vnder the four me of bread and wyne was the true and natural body and bloud of Christe and that after the wordes of consecration there remayned no more substaunce of bread and wyne that the receiuing of the whole supper of the Lorde was not necessary to saluation and that Christ is wholy cōteyned vnder both kyndes How it is not lawful for priestes to marry That the vowes of chastitie ought to be perfourmed That priuate masses were to be reteyned That auricular confession is good and necessary To suche as thought and did otherwyse was appoynted punyshement dewe for heretikes And the same tyme the kynge stoode in termes to marry the Lady Anne of Cleue a mayde of an excellent beautie which after she was affianced within a few monthes was sent to Caleis whether the kyng had sent the Lorde Admirall others with his shyppes to receyue her and transporte her into Englande But he hymselfe accompanied with all the Nobles and Gentlemen of the Realme receiued her vpō blacke Heath and brought her to Grenewitche where shortly after they were married by the Archebyshop of Canturbury Some saye howe the Bishoppes had perswaded the kyng to cōsent to the syxe Articles to the intent they myght bring the Archebyshop of Cantorburye and the Lorde Crumwell whiche were great fauourers of Religion out of aucthoritie creditie This yeare in the mōth of August Barbarousse the Turkes Lieutenaunt taketh by assiege Castelneufe a towne in Slauonie borderinge vpon the Goulfe of Uenise and sleying all the Souldiours leadeth awaye many captiue A yere before in the moneth of October the Emperour and the Uenetians beyng of one confederacie had wonne it And the Emperour in dede put in a garrison of foure thousand Spanyardes and made captayne Fraunces Sarmiento Whiche chaunced to the Uenetians contrary to their expectation for that they sayde the town standing in that coaste ought rather to be theirs Therfore not longe after when they more more mislyked this societie and sawe it wold be very daungerours for them aske truce of the Turke and obteyne it In maner at the same tyme arose
in the life euerlasting we shal know one an other And what time they were all desyrous to learne that of hym what sayeth he chaunced to Adam He had neuer seene Eue but what tyme God shaped her he was caste into a maruelous depe and sounde slepe But awakyng out of the same whan he sawe her he axeth not what she is or whence she came but sayeth she is fleshe of his flesshe and bone of his bones But howe knew he that Uerely beyng full of the holy ghost replenisshed with the trew knowledge of god he spake thus In lyke maner shall we also in another lyfe be renewed by Chryst and shall know more perfitly our parentes wyues children what so euer is besydes than Adam that tyme knewe Eue. After supper whan he went a side to praie as he was accustomed the payne of his stomake began to increase There by the aduise of certen he dranke of an Unicornes horne in wine After he slept quietly in the trindle bed of the stowfe by the space of an houre or two Than awakyng he goeth to hys chamber and laieth hym downe againe to rest and biddyng hys frendes good nyghte that were with hym he wylled them to praye to god that he wold graunt vs to kepe still the doctryne of the gospell For the Bisshop and the counsell at Trente are a workynge some great mischief Whan he had thus sayed and al was hushte he slepeth a good whyle but the force of hys disease increasing vpon hym at after midnight he complayneth of the straytenes of hys stomake and perceyuing that th ende of his lyfe drewe nere he calleth to God with these wordes O god my heauenly father and the father of oure Lord Iesus Chryst God of al consolatiō I geue the thankes that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Chryst whō I haue beleued whom I haue professed whom I haue loued whom I haue set foorthe honored whom the Bisshop of Roome and al that wicked rabel doe persecute and dishonour I beseche thee my Lord Iesus Chryst receyue my soule my heauēly father although I be taken out of thys lyfe albeit I must now leaue thys body yet know I assuredly that I shall remayne with thee for euer and that noman can take me out of thy handes Not long after thys prayer sayde whan he had ones or twyse cōmended hys soule into the handes of God as though he had fallen a slepe by little and littel he departeth oute of this lyfe withoute any paine of hys body that could be perceyued And thus he dyed in hys owne natyfe countrey whyche he had not seene of manie yeres the .xviii. daye of Februarye to the greate lamentation of many The Erles of Mansfelde were desirous that he myght haue ben buried in theyr countrey because he was borne there but at the commaundemēt of the Prince electour he was honorably caried to Wittemberge and buryed the fyft daye after of yeres he was aboute lxiii for he was borne the yeare of oure Lorde a thousande .iiii. hondreth fourescore and three the tenthe daye of Nouember of ryght honest good parentes Iohn and Margarite he learned hys fyrst prynciples at home from thence beynge sente to Maydēburge and then to Isenacke he farre excelled all hys fellowes After he came to Erford and gaue hym selfe wholie to the studye of logicke and Philosophye And whan he had ben there a whyle makyng neyther parētes nor frēdes priuie to it he professed hym selfe into the College of Austen Freres applyed all hys studye to the scripture forsakyng the lawe whyche he studied before That time was an Uniuersitie newly erected at Wittemberge wherefore Stupicious of whom mention is made in the fyrste booke hauynge the charge hereof bryngeth Luther thyther to reade diuinitie Than was Luther sent to Roome by the conuente of hys order aboute a suite that hanged there in the lawe Thys was in the yere of our lord M.D.x. Whan he was retourned home through the motion of hys frendes he commenced Doctour at the charges of Duke Fridericke What force and plētie of eloquence was in him his workes doe sufficiently declare certenly the Dutch toungue he beautifyed and enryched exceadingly and hathe the chiefe commendation therin and hathe translated out of the latin toungue such thynges as were thought vnpossible and expresseth the matter with most apte proper termes and many tymes by one worde he setteth before youre eyes the whole matter He wryteth in a certeine place of the Bisshop howe he hathe polluted the Lordes supper and hathe also applied the masse to them that be dead he sayeth he hathe pearsed with hys masse not only in to all corners of Christendome but also into Purgatorye it selfe but he vseth the Dutche word whyche representeth that noise as is wont to be made whan a man doeth rattle or shake together a nomber of dead mens bones or cast aboute amonges them he was of courage inuincible What tyme he beganne fyrste to preache agaynst pardons he knewe not what the matter mente as he hym selfe confesseth and did that thing only and therfore wrote than verey lowly bothe to the Bisshop others but whan he had profited in the knowledge of scripture dayly more and more and perceyued that his doctryne was agreable to Gods worde he withstode the violence of hys enemies the malice of the whole world with a most stoute courage and lyke awalle of Brasse remayned styll vnmouable despysynge all daunger Whan Themperoure helde a counsell of the states imperyall at Auspurge immediately after he was crowned at Bononie by Clement the seuenth a terrible tempest was lyke to enswe as in the seuenth booke is specifyed Than did he couinfort bothe hys Frendes priuately all others openly and applying to thys pourpose the .xlvi. Psalme God sayeth he is oure sure castell and Bulwarke that olde enemye of mankynde taketh the matter in hande now with all hys force and power he layeth to all hys munition And indede our powers is but small neyther can we longe susteyne so greate a violence Howbeit that noble champion whom God hym selfe hath chosen vnto hym he hathe put on Armure and fyghteth for vs If you are who that is knowe forcertentie that he is that Iesus Chryst who muste nedes haue the victory and conquest And albeit the whole compasse of thys worlde be full of Deuilles yet are we not affrayde but with a most assured confidence doe looke for a ioyefull successe For although Sathangnasshe hys teethe and rage neuer so fiersely yet shall he nothyng preuayle agaynste vs For he is iudged already and throughe the worde only falleth downe all hys armure Thys worde shall not the aduersaryes take from vs but will they nyll they shall leaue it behynde them For he is in our tentes and armye who with his spirite and gyftes defendeth vs yf they take awaie lyfe goodes wife chilchildren take it patiently For they
what they wyll doe herein he cōmaundeth them to sende playne worde by the brynger of these letters Unto the whiche letters they aunswer briefly that whylest they be saufe and so longe as they haue lyfe they wyll doe no suche thynge as he demaundeth The Frenche king passing out of Germany with his army deuided in thre partes came at the last to Walderfing whiche is a litle towne of the dutchie of Lorayne by the Riuer of Sare There vniting his armie the .xxv. day of May marching forth and passing ouer the riuer of Mosel what tyme he came into the lande of Lutcemburg he distroied all before him with spoiling and burning prouoked by the example of Rosseme as they thē selues reporte and recouereth the towne of Asteney voyde of soldiours to defende it For Marten Rosseme was retourned home Againe pitching his tentes he taketh a little towne by surrender called Danuillers after that also Iueye one of the chiefest fortes there In the same town was Count Mansfield Ernestus gouernour of the whole countrey with the floure of the youth there with him Al they were taken prisoners Afterwarde was the towne spoyled of the outragious soldiours against the kinges will as they reporte Now let vs retourne to Duke Maurice He for to treate a peace as I said was gone to Passa we There he repeting the treatie that was at Lintz the first of Iune propoūdeth declareth al thinges more at large There were themperours Ambassadours kyng Ferdinando Albert Duke of Bauier the Byshops of Salisburge Eistet and of all the chief Princes of Germany the Ambassadours also of Cleaue and of Wirtemberge and many others besides He complaineth that the state of thempire whiche chiefly ought to be free is gouerned by straungers that thauthoritie of the Princes Electours is deminished that many things be done with out their aduise knowledge That certē thinges also are plucked away alienated frō thempire Howe meanes are deuised that thautoritie of electing thēperour may be takē from thē in cōmon assemblies the Electours voices are in a maner neglected that the priuate conuentions of the Electours are for a certen feare omitted and their liberties infringed whylest the chamber imperiall receiueth those that appeale from thē contrary to the auncient custome That the controuersies of the states Imperial are purposly maynteined and be neuer accorded before either partie haue susteined losse and dammage Howe in the Emperours courte a man can hardly be heard speake neyther is his matter exactly knowen chiefly for that they vnderstande not the tongue and that there is muche losse not only of costes but of tyme also In open assemblies matters are handled nothyng frendly and if any man propounde ought for the common wealth it is taken in euyl parte That Germany is sore impoueryshed and beggered with those ofte and dayly conuentions and at home oftentymes are many thynges neglected and neyther yet is the publique state any whyt amended yea it is made worse and more intricate By strayghte proclamations it is prohibited that no man serue in foreyne warres That suche as be reconciled are bounde that they shall not warre against the Emperours countrey and so are plucked from the Empyre In the Protestaūtes warre such as serued their Lordes according to their dutie were punished by the purse such as in the same war remained in thēperours frendshyp were commaunded to paye also and that their landes and goodes should be put to sale vnlesse they payed immediatly and their Ambassadours bicause they did not by and by assent were commaunded vnder paine of death that they shuld not departe from the court That foreine soldiours haue bene oftentimes brought into Germany and the last warre beinge finished were distributed hither and thither into Prouinces whiche haue done many thinges dissolutely and vitiously and haue gloried of the conquest of Germany and haue sayde how it should be annexed 〈◊〉 the Emperours patrimonie and that in the head cities should be buylded castelles and fortes Howe muche ordenaunce and warlike munition was as it were in a mockerie caried out of Germany into foreine nations Howe diuerse men for a certen ambition haue caused the armes of the Princes of Germany to be set vpon the gunnes which they made for themselues as though they had taken them from thē How there be set forth bokes that with the Emperours priuilege whiche sounde to the great reproche and infamie of Germany as though it were cōquered and brought in bondage That in common assemblees vnder the name of the Emperours prouinces certen men were placed amonges the Princes and states and this to be wrought through secret deuises that the nōber being augmented they may preuayle by the nomber of voices Howe foure yeares past was ordeyned the iudgemēt of the chamber imperial and lawes made by a very fewe which wer after published to the great hynderaunce of many especially of them that be of the Protestauntes Religion For all those are vtterly excluded from that benche Wherfore the thinge it selfe requyreth that those lawes be better skanned in the next conuention These and suche other lyke thynges he propoundeth and for as muche as they chiefly concerne the Emperour he requyreth that they be redressed out of hande and that the Empyre be restored to the fourmer dignitie and that others be not permitted to delude and contempne the same The intercessours conferring together iudged nothinge amisse in these requestes Howebeit to the intent that both the Emperours dignitie should be mainteined and might so much more easely be perswaded they thynke that many thynges whiche concerne the reformation of the state publique may be ryght well differred tyll a generall conuention of the Empyre There was present the French Ambassadour Fraxineus Who the thyrd daye of Iune made an oration before the Princes How betwene the Frenchemē and the Germaines in old time and before the name of Francons was knowen there was so great lykenes of life and maners that the Germains be thesame people whiche the Romaines in times past called the brethren of the Frenchemen But after that the Francons had planted them selues in Fraunce both natiōs were so vnited that there was one Empire one Prince and the same lawes for both Afterwarde whan an alteration chaunced and that th empyre was deuolued to the Germains The Dukes of Saxon other Emperours for that they had their originall of the kinges of Fraunce had continual amitie with the Frenchmē in so much that Philip king of Fraunce caused the auncient league whiche could scant be read for the olde antiquitie therof to be written out in goldē letters and layd vp in an holyer place And verely not without iust cause For during that league of amitie the cōmon wealth of either nation was in dede moste florishing And certenly the force of Germany was thā so great that it prescribed lawes not only to the Hongarians Bohemers Poloniās and Deanes but also to the Italians
nor yet of mind whom Luther also him selfe whom he maketh his god doth laughe at and contemne Luther thinking the same to concerne his estemation answereth sharpely and saieth it is a sclaunder And for asmuch as the aduersaryes take vpon them the title of the Churche by diuers and sundry argumentes brought in he proueth that they haue cleane forsaken the trew Church by a comparison made he sheweth that the Bishoprike of Rome which hathe altogether defyled and corrupted the trew doctryne of Chryst to be Antechrist of whom so manye yeares synce Daniell and the Apostles haue prophecyed After he obiecteth vnto them that they flye from the lyght though they speake muche of a lawfull counsell yet dare they not abyde it but yf youre church be holy sayth he why is it afearde of a counsell or what nedeth it any reformation or yf it nedeth why cal ye it holy will ye also redresse youre holynes We neuer desyred a counsell to refourme our churche For God hathe already sanctified it with his worde pourged it from all the Romishe fylthynes and restored the trew doctrine howbeit our life doeth not answere to this profession neither do we perfourme in dede so muche as both we are bounden and wishe to do but this was also the complaint of the Prophetes and Apostles whilest they liued And that felicitie shal than happen vnto vs what timr we being deliuered out of this synfull body as out of a prison shall obtaine the like condition with Angels We desyre a counsell to th entēt our churches might be openly heard and that your doctrine contrary to the doctrine of Christe might be condemned that men beyng called agayne from it mighte knowe and folow the trewe Religion of Christ Nowe where ye obiecte vntd vs rebelliō and disobedience it is false euen by the testimonie of the states imperiall who know that our Princes are obeidient to themperour in all thinges For beyng called to any Assemblie or to go a warfare they haue bene euermore ready But if ye raile thus on vs because we obey not thēperours decres that condēne our doctrin We are glad and geue God thankes for shewing no obeidience that way For the thing that is dew vnto god only ought not to be giuen to themperor which should be Gods Client God hath giuen him gouernement ouer realmes and nations but he alone will gouerne his church with his worde neyther doeth he admit any man into the societie of this honor Themperor hath more than ynough to do concernyng thadministration of the common weale For vnto this office hath God appointed him and prescribed him these limites But if he procede any further than doeth he inuade and vsurpe vpon Gods iurisdiction The Duke of Brunswike had written in his inuectiues amonges other thinges that Luther had reised vp this Tragedye of Religion at the motion of Duke Friderik for enuy that Albert Arch bishop of Mentz had the Bishoprike of Madenburge Wherunto Luther answerynge this sclaunder saieth he commeth to the Duke of Brunswicke by the suggestion of Mentz And where he dissembleth to know whan he knoweth best of all I shall declare the cause original of al this busines In the seuentēth yere of grace aboue a thousande and fyue hundreth Iohn Tecell a Dominicke Frere caried about pardons to sell in Germany This Tecel themperor Maximiliā had once condemned to die and had commaunded to be drowned in the riuer at Inspruck but through the intercession of duke Friderick whose chaunce was to be there at that time he escaped the daunger He I say amonges other thinges taught howe he had so great authoritie of that bishop of Rome that although a mā had deflowred that virgin Mary had gottē hir with child he had power to forgeue hī for money Moreouer he did not onely forgeue synnes past but also what so euer a man listed to commit herafter And within a while after that came forth a Boke with the armes and title of Bishop Albert wherein the Pardoners wer cōmaunded most diligently to setforth to the people the vertu of those iudulgences Wherfore it was knowen that Tecell was hired by the said Bishoppe to make those outrageous sermons For Albert was lately than created Archbishop of Mentz vpon condicion that he shoulde redeme his Palle from Rome of his owne costes and charges For thre Bishoppes of that citie wer deceased within short space Bertolde Iames and Uriell and it was ouer chargeable for the Colledge to beare so great a burthen and so often times For that Palle stoode them in as good as xxx thousande crownes or euer it came at home So dere coulde the Bishoppe of Rome sell a sory piece of clothe This money had the Marchantes of Auspurge disbursed wherfore to pay them Albert deuised this kinde of gaine And the Bishop did graunt it him yet so as the one halfe shold be brought to Rome to the buildyng of S. Peters Church But that time knew I none of all this gere therfore wrot I to the Bishoppe of Mentz in humble wyse exhorting him that he woulde inhibite those criers but he answered not one worde The Bishoppe of Brandenburge beyng also moued admonished me to cease and not to bring my selfe in danger After this I propounded certen Theames contrary to those of Tecels which within a fewe dayes were caried ouer all Germany and were gredely red of many For all men complained of Pardons especially of those that Tecell taught And because there was neuer a Bishoppe nor yet doctor that durst gainesay them for that Tecel feared all men with the Bishoppes thunderbolt My name began to be spoken of that there was founde one at the length in all the worlde that did resist But that vaine glory was not to me verye pleasaunte For I scarsely vnderstode than what the name of Indulgences mēt This is the fyrst originall and cause of this motion whiche came not of duke Friderick but proceded of the Bishop of Mentz by the practise of his collector and briber Frere Tecell Wherfore if there be anye thing nowe that nippeth him let him thanke himselfe therfore An other cause of this trouble gaue that moste holye father Leo the tenth what time he cursed me and excommunicated me and manye in all places did triumphe ouer me neyther was there anye man so vnlearned that did not practise his style to write against me I thought assuredly at the fyrst that the Bishoppe would assoile me and condemne Tecell for that the Canon lawe maketh for me whiche teacheth plainely that Iudulgences can not deliuer soules out of Purgatory But lo whilest I loke for a ioyfull sentence from Rome I am striken with the thonderbolt and condemned for the most wicked mā aliue Than began I to defende my doynges settinge forth many bokes of the same insomuche that the matter was brought at the laste into the assemblie of thempire Thus did the wollen threde wherof the
Palle was made breede matter of contention And nowe is the same so fast wrought and of suche strength that the Bishoppe of Rome is in daūger to be strangled withall And seyng it is so let thē impute the fault to them selues which so impudently and excessiuely handled the matter I maye well laughe in my sleue For he that dwelleth in heauen hath strikē them and would not suffer so great wickednes to raigne any longer and hath brought his people out of that darkenes of Egipte into the most cleare light and pleasant syght of the sonne This Palle so often here mentioned is geuen onely to Archbishops and as a syngular benefite to a fewe other Bishoppes of the whiche numbre the Bishop of Bamberge in Germany is one And it is made with thys Ceremonie In the Feast of S. Agnes the Uirgyn whiche is the xxi day of Ianuary what time they come to Agnus dei in the Messe two white Lambes are laide vpon the Aultar which afterwarde are deliuered to the Subdeacon of S. Peters churche And they put them forth to pasture and whan shering time commeth do clippe them of the which Woll mingled with other woll whan it is sponne into fine threde are made these Palles which are not past three fingers brode and hange downe from the shoulders to the midde breast and to the Reines of the backe like a stoale and at eche ende are thinne plats of leade of the same breadth Beyng thus wouen and wrought they are caried to the bodies of Peter and Paule and there certen prayers beyng said ouer them they are left there al that night The next day the subdeacons receaue them againe and keps them diligently vntil such time as some Archbishoppe that hathe nede of one or his Proctor do sue for it And than it is deliuered with many ceremonies they that haue the cariage therof are inioyned that they remaine not aboue one night in a place This ware whiche is neither costely nor curiouslye wrought do the Archebishoppes redeme of the Bishoppe of Rome for a wonderfull some of money For it is not lawefull for him to weare the same that his predecessor did but euery one of them is bounden to purchase a newe for him selfe at Rome Againe in case he become Patriache or Metropolitan of another churche throughe promutation or any other meane althoughe he had bought one before yet must he of necessitie bie another againe Of suche kinde of pillage greate complaintes haue bene often made of all nations as I shewed you in the fourth boke but chiefly in Germany And in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth xviii what tyme Leo the tenth in the assemblie of Auspurge by Cardinall Caietan exhorted Maximilian and the Princes to the Turkish war and went about that all states should pay money and the Cleargye for theyr partes the tenthes Answer was made him that there was no hope to obteine that of thecclesiasticall persons who were so manye waies and by newe policies pilled and poled by the courte of Rome And the people if anye thinge shoulde be imposed woulde make great exclamations that they haue so oft geuen theyr money for thys purpose and maruell how it is consumed or whither that money goeth that is gathered yearly in Germany I tolde you before of sundry fyers that were kindled of late in Saxonie Whan diuerse of the malefactours were apprehended and taken in sundry places and examination had they testified howe they were hired for money by the captaines and officers of Henry duke of Brunswike and set on by them to do it And this they affirmed to the last breth For this cause therefore and for other matters the Lantzgraue and thambassadours of Saxonie accuse the duke of Brunswicke to the Emperor at Regenspurge and exhibite in writyng the seuerall confession of euery one of these make fyers And ioinetly with them did William of Brunswik accuse his brother Henry sore who had kept him many yeares in pryson Whan all the most part were commen together they began to sit the fyft day of Aprill And in thēperours name as the maner is was propounded what trauaile and paine he had alwayes takē that the publike weale might be well established And after a longe discourse of all that he had done aswell for the appeasynge of the controuersye that is in Religion and reformation of the churche as also for the defence of th empyre against the cruell inuasions of the Turkes In fine themperor demaunded of them all but chiefly of the Protestauntes that they would geue him leaue to chose out certeine to conferre and herein to trust him who will do nothing that shall not concerne the preseruation of the countrey Whan they had this graunted him the xiij day of Aprill he appointeth by Friderike the Paulsgraue to thys talke Iulius Pflugius Iohn Eckius Iohn Gropper Philippe Me lanchton Martin Bucer Iohn Pistor that they should treate of the oppinions that be in controuersie and after make reporte and bringe them to him and the princes Againe the two and twentie daye of Aprill he calleth them vnto him and gyueth them a great charge that in the handling of this matter they should giue nothing to affections but that all pertialitie set apart they should onely haue respecte vnto Gods glory They full modestly do excuse themselues and require al that other more mete might be appointed sauing Eckius For he said he was well prepared and fournished but where themperor dyd instant them to take it vpon them they were content and also intreate him that he would assigne some to be as presidentes of the disputation others to bee as witnesses and hearers of the matter And so he commaundeth Fridericke Palatine and Granuellan to bee as governours and willeth Theodorycke Countie Manderschit Eberhart Ruden Henry Hasie Fraunces Burcarte Iohn Figius Iames Sturmins to be there to beare witnes And when all these came together the xxvii day of April Fridericke the Palsgraue admonisheth the Collocutours that they should seriously go to the matter and conferre together frendly After Granuellan exhibiteth a booke written which he sayd was delyuered to themperour of certayne good well learned men as fit for a reconcilement and that themperour woulde to th entent they might haue a lawful argument and matter to treat of that they shoulde reade ouer the same booke also and waye it and looke what they shoulde all allow therein to commende and the rest to correcte This booke contayned these articles following of the creation of man and before the fall of the integritie of nature of freewill of the cause of synne of originall synne of the iustification of man of the church and of the tokens and authoritie of the same of the notise of the woorde of repentaunce after the fal of the authoritie of the churche in discerning and interpretyng the scripture of the sacramentes of order baptesme