it Al this time was themperoure at Regenspurg besides thre thousand Spaniardes about fiue thousand fotemen of Almaignes and seuen hundreth horsemen he had no more power commen to him at that time He had sent for the Spaniardes out of Hongary And it were the same whyche after the peace concluded with the French kyng wintered in Lorayne after went through Germany into Hongary as I shewed you in the laste booke The peace lately made betwene Fraunce England chaūced luckely for the Protestantes for that the Almaignes which had serued the French king came vnto thē through the cōduite of Counte Bichling George recrode which was client to the Lanzgraue Thēperour that xx day of Iuly by his letters patens doeth outlaw the Duke of Saxō and the Lantzgraue In the beginning he accompteth at large what paynes he hath taken hytherto that Germany myght throughly be quyeted what decrees he hath made for the same that no force shulde be don to any man for any kynde of matter but that al thinges might be don by law and custom Agayne he sheweth how the states of th empyre be bounden to him and what fidelitie they ought to perfourme But all these thinges saieth he neglected Iohn Fridericke Electour of Saxonie and Philip Lanzgraue of Hesse by a certen rash boldenes haue at all tymes as muche as in them laye hindred all oure trauaile and paynes taken for the publicke weale neyther haue they ben obedient and haue not only them selues resisted vs but haue also intised other states to doe the lyke and with them to make vnlawful cōspiracies And the Lantzgraue certen yeares past pretending a cause I knew not what attempted war against som of the chiefest states of thempire and inuading their dominions did extort agreat somme of monie And after they both together set vpō an other prince of th empyre the cause not knowen and droue him out of his prouince kepte it to them selues They haue also gotten into theyr owne gouernmēt sondry Bishoprickes and offices as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuile the Lordes wherof are of an auncyente custome vnder the iurisdiction of Th empyre haue theyr place in the consistory amonges other states and as yet also thoughe they haue ofte complayned and sued to vs in all assemblies they deteine them styll in that seruitude They haue also spoyled many of theyr goodes and yerely reuenewes and receyued into theyr tuition the clientes and subiectes of others And nowe lately also throughe a certen singuler boldnes haue sollicited diuers states that they should not come at thys conuention to thintent they myght let our procedynges and brynge vs in contempt And all these thinges doe they so much the more boldely for that they contemne iudgementes and neyther acknowledge nor feare the magistrate For throughe theyr fault the hyghe iudiciall place of Th empyre is taken awaye the lawes kepe silence and of a long tyme now there hathe ben no iustice ministred to the great losse and domage of many and after a straunge example suche as hathe not ben hearde of before And that which is worste of all they worke all these thynges vnder that goodly and pleasaunt name of Religion peace and lybertie For these vse they as clokes to couer theyr doinges where they desyre nothyng lesse than eyther the agrement of relygion or of Germany the peace and libertie certes they can proue by neuer a place of scripture that it is lawfull for them obstinately to resiste theyr hyghe Magistrate in any case but the contrary is most manifest aswell by holy scripture as also by autenticke historyes that those auncient professours of the christen doctryne which confirmed their faithe not in wordes only but also by theyr dedes and death did obey heathē princes Wherfore doubtles they ought much lesse to denie vs theyr dewtie vnder the pretence of religion And when they denie that they declare euidently that theyr intente is to take frō vs the crowne imperiall scepter and all oure authoritie and vsurpe the same to thēselues and when they haue confounded all thinges to oppresse religiō law peace and lybertye And thus auaunced hyghly with new honours and possessions to bring all men vnder theyr tyrany For this do their wordes testifye ful of malicious threatninges and also their famous libelles and pictures dispersed into all places to the great mockerye contempt of our name Moreouer they haue not only made leagues againste vs in those their conuenticles but haue also styred vp forein kinges against vs secretly aided the same with theyr helpe coūsel Ther be somme olso that cantel what they haue attempted to induce that Turke into Germany Which thing is the rather to be credited for that the same shuld be verey fitte and commodious for their pourpos Wherfore by these theyr doinges they breake theyr allegeaunce that they owe vnto vs and infringe the dignitie of oure office they reiecte all decrees which they neuer estemed otherwyse than yf they had bē made for thys intent that others myght not repulse violence frō them selues but that it were permitted to thē only to doe iniurie to all mē Therefore they haue fallen into that moste heynous crime of treason and into the condygne punishement for suche an offence by the lawes prescribed And because theyr doinges beknowen there is no nede to declare thē And albeit that through the authoritie that we haue we might haue punnished them long synce according vnto their demerites yet for the loue of peace and to auoyde trouble we haue fauoured them verye muche graunted to them ofte in many thynges more also than became vs and herin haue oftener than once hurte our owne conscience and minished oure authoritie and not well prouyded for others Thus did we fyue yeres synce at Regenspurge deale moste gentlye with the Lantzgraue two yeres past at Spier with the Duke of Saxon of thys hope verely that they beyng vanquished through our great lenitie pacience and clemencie shulde at the length leaue theyr vngodly deuises and shuld nede of no extreme remedy But where in dede I perceyued that this did no good at all that they abused our gentlenes inasmuche as contemning the decrees of thempire breaking conuenauntes they procede obstinately throughe a licencious lust to rule take other mens landes possessions and wil be bounden to no lawes But seke to subuert the whole state of the publicke weale And certenly vnlesse they be first put to silence neyther can Relygion be accorded nor the other partes of the cōmon weale established and refourmed we are constrayned to vse agaynst thē the authoritie that god hath geuen vs. And because theyr rebellion is manifest insomuch as they themselues cannot denye agayne for that they woorke by violence and will abyde no iudgment Therfore doe we outlaw them as false rebelles seditious of treason giltie and disturbers of the cōmon quiet and we are prefixed to punnishe them as they haue
that such an euyl shold spring in the countrey where he was borne yet did he comfort him self with .ij. things Fyrst for that his truste was that so trifelynge and wicked a doctrine should haue bene dispised of all men Secondely that suche pestilente plante broughte out of an other place should not lightly take roote in that countrie Whiche had alwayes ingendred the roters out of Heresyes But where it hath chaūsed otherwise whether it be by the iust iudgement of God or throughe a certeine negligence and racklesnes of suche as shoulde haue redressed it in tyme. Uerelye they had nede to looke to it lest whilest they worke slowlye herin they appere eyther to haue forgotten their olde vertue or els to approue this wickednes alledgyng amonges other thynges what a shame it were for so stronge and so constaunt a nation to swarue from that religion whiche Christ and his Apostles haue lefte vs whiche so many Martyrs and notable persons which also our forefathers haue kept and obserued at the motion of a sory Frere which hathe folowed and professed the same him selfe many yeres As thoughe we had erred so many hundreth yeres As though Christ which hath promised to be euer amonges vs woulde haue suffered his churche to remayne so lōg in errours As thoughe he were onely wise and styrred vp of God for this intent to open the errour of the whole worlde which thinges are doubtles to all that wise be a very mockerye and be laughed at But they haue a deuilish purpose that vnder the pretence of Christiā libertie they may contemne all lawe rule and aucthoritie and work what outrage they lyst for seyng they haue already cōmitted sacrilege vnreuerently handled the lawes of holy Bishoppes and counsels yea cast they them in the fyre thinke you that they wyll knowe or obey any ciuill Magistrate but as they haue begon to sley Priestes and to enter vpon their possessions so wil they in fine ende theyr mischeuous enterprises with the Princes themselues theyr wiues childrē and families Wherfore he praieth and exhorteth them and for the aucthoritie and office that he beareth as the successour of Peter and Christes vicar also chargeth and commaundeth them that layinge all displeasure a part with newe reconciled mindes they come wholye together and quenche that cōmon and domestical flāme punishing Luther if he do not amende according to that new decre made by thēperor and them Folowyng herin thexample of theyr elders at the coūsell of Cōstance which burned there Iohn Husse Hierome of Prage as they wel deserued whose vertu in case they nowe would imitate God should not faile thē then might they also be in the more hope to giue the repulse to the Turke with all his violence Then wil he bestowe all his treasures yea and hys lyfe also for the flocke committed to his charge the rest as concernynge Luther they shall knowe of hys Legate Fraunces Cheregate Byshoppe of Aprutia vnto whome he prayeth them to gyue credite The ciuill warre that he spake of was betwyxte Rycharde Archebyshoppe of Treuers and Fraunces Sickynge a noble man that fauoured Luther very muche notwithstandynge the cause of that warre was not for Religion but for bicause the Bishop would not suffer two men wythin hys Iurisdiction for whome he became suertie to aunswere to the Law for so mentioneth the writyng wherin Fraunces sente hym defiaunce aboute the latter ende of Auguste Byshop Adrian wrote letters of the same effect to certein others also after he had greatlye detested the doctrine of Luther he required the Senate of Strasbourge that they should suffer no Bookes of his nor of his adherentes to be Printed and that suche as were set forthe already they shoulde not onely suppresse but burne also For he heareth say howe suche maner of Bookes are put in Print by theyr men and the contrary workes refused Whereunto vnlesse they obey he threateneth them with the wrath and vengeaunce of God For although they perseuer neuer so much in the olde Religion yet vnlesse they take from others the libertie to offende and the occasyon of errour let them not loke to scape vnpunished But where he saieth that whilest he was in Spaine he hearde of Luther thus it standeth This Adrian was a poore mans sonne of Utrecht in the egge of Hollande who for his learninge whiche he gote in the Uniuersitie of Louain was called to be Scolemaster to Charles that nowe is Emperour And afterwardes beyng sent Ambassadoure into Spaine he obteyned the Bishopricke of Derthuse of the kyng Ferdinando after whose death when the gouernement came vnto kyng Charles he remayned there as chiefe of his counsel At the same time Bishoppe Leo fell at variaunce with his Cardinals which had conspired his death in so muche as he dispatched so many what with exile and what with imprisonnement that he made one and thirtie newe Cardinals at one tyme partly for his owne defence and partly to get money amonges whom this Adriane was one Who afterwardes whilest the Emperour wēt to be crowned in Germany had the gouernemēt of Spaine in his absens And whan Leo the tenth died wheras Iulius Medices and Alexander Farnesius laboured excendyngly for it Adriane beyng absent and vnknowen was chosen Bishoppe the .ix. daye of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred twenty and two Who hearinge thereof wrote letters of thanckes to the Colledge of Cardinalles for the good opinion they had of him And whereas iii. Cardinals were appointed to be sent to him Ambassadours into Spaine he willeth them to spare theyr paynes for so shortly as may be he will come to Rome him selfe He writeth moreouer to the Senate and people of Rome who were not a litel displeased that a straunger shoulde haue that dignitie promisinge them what soeuer pleasure he could shew them And a fewe monethes after chaunsynge on a fayre wynde he taketh shyppynge into Italy and arryueth at Rome in the monthe of August And all beit that at the same tyme Cesar was commynge out Flaunders to appease the rebellyon was arryued in Spaine yet departed he and neuer bad hym fare well but wrote vnto hym gentell letters signifiyng that he had great hast At the which time Soliman Emperor of Turkes had besieged the Rhodes three monethes and in the seuenth moneth when the knightes of the same had defended them selues most valeauntly beyng than destitute of all aide succor he toke it by cōposition the .xxv. of Decēber not onely to oure great losse but shame also At that self same time Cheregate the bishop of Romes Ambassador came to Norinberg and vpon new yeres day he sent frō thens to the Senate of Strasbourgh the Bishoppes letters offering his seruice in case they would writ an answere Whilest many bare grudge towardes Zuinglius diuerse as well within the citie as without preched against his doctrine as wicked and swaruing from the faith especially 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
in vayne nor vntrewlye for God threateneth a punyshemente whiche remayneth dewe vnto you also if you handle not this busines ryghtly he that drowned the whole worlde with a flud he that swallowed vp Sodome with a fyrie shoure the same can easely destroye you also what power someuer you haue But it is to be proued easely that you take the name of God in your doinges falsely Wherfore it is not very harde to coniecture what the ende will be For he disceaueth not that sayed they shoulde dye of the sworde whiche toke vnto them selues the sworde that is which by their boldnes vsurped the aucthritie of correctyng others Where as Paule not withstanding commaundeth all men generally tobey the Magistrate with reuerence and feare What wyl you aunswere vnto this whiche will seme to followe the prescript of gods lawe and yet laye holde on the sworde and resiste the Magistrate whome God hathe ordeyned is not this to take the name of God in vayne But you wyll saye the Magistrate is suche as is vntollerable for they take from vs the doctrine of the Gospell in all other thinges they oppresse vs vnreasonably I admitte it be so yet maye not you therfore styre vp commotions and seditions for it is not euery mans pacte to punishe malefactours but this appertayneth to him only vnto whome is geuen the right and power of the sworde as the Scripture planely teacheth Againe not onely the lawes wrytten but also the lawe of nature printed in mennes myndes sheweth that no man ought to be iudge in his owne cause For we be all faulty and blinded with the loue of oure selues Neither can it be denied but that this tumult and sedition of yours is a priuate reuengement for you take vpō you the determination of matters the iniuries that you thinke are done vnto you you seke to reuēge by your own aucthoriti but the same is against Gods lawe the lawe of nature finally against equitie and iustice And seing it is so you are by no meanes able to defend this fact of yours or if you haue any commaundemēt of God concerning your doinges the same of necessitie must be declared by some notable myracle But it taketh place in you that Christe spake you can see manifestly that is to be rebuked in others but you consider not what wyekednes is in your owne cause The Magistrate doeth naught but you doe muche worse whiche contempnyng Gods commaundement doe entre in to an other mans iurisdiction whiche leaue vnto the Magistrate nothing for what remayneth whan you haue taken a waye his power and authoritie the hygher powers take your goodes or possessions they doe wrong But you take away their iurisdiction in the whiche thynge consisteth all their state both of body and goodes Nowe whether is he more wicked that taketh some parte of your goodes and spareth your lyfe or he that taketh lyfe and goodes also Waye well what is sayde and you shal be founde more wicked But we desyre not their lyfe nor their goodes you wyll saye let hym beleue you that lyst I wyl not Who so taketh awaye the chiefest thyng wyll not be afrayde to take the rest also whiche dependeth vpon the same but let it be as you saye let them enioye their goodes and their lyfe in safitie That whiche you haue done already exceadeth all measure whan you takyng from them all their authoritie wyll be Lordes and Rulers your selues Waye it with youre selues I beseche you in case your enterpryse should be commended and take place there should be no place for iudgement no Magistrate at all eche man myght vse an other as he thought good and what wold followe therof but robbyng and murtherynge one of an other for so sone as one shall thynke hym selfe to haue receyued wrong of another he wyll couet to reuenge hym selfe at his pleasure Whiche if it be amysse and not to be suffered in any man muche lesse should it be permytted to any vnlawfull assemblye or if it maye be suffered it is also to be borne with in all others But what say you if in your assemblye the cause should requyre that euery man woulde pryuatlye auenge his owne cause tell me what woulde you doe Doubtlesse he should be constrayned to stand to the publique iudgement appoynted by you What thyng doth than excuse you that contempne lawes iudgementes and reiecte the Magistrate whom God hym selfe hath appoynted ouer you This lawe wherof we speake nowe is impryuted in all mens hartes and is obserued also of the moste barbarous people for els should ther be a wonderfull confusion in all thynges whiche lawe all beit you did obserue neuer so dilygently yet shoulde you be nothynge better than Turkes or suche other lyke people that knowe not our religion For to be ruled by lawe and Magistrates maketh not a man a good christian for necessitie byndeth them to it maugre their heades Wherfore seing that you do breake this lawe whiche is ingryft in the mynde and common to all men ye are a great deale worse then the Heathen people and farre vnworthy of the name of Christians Whiche tytle because you doe vsurpe to your selues and doe iniury to Goddes name beynge not worthy in deede to be called Turkes for breakyng of the lawe of nature howe shall you stande before the face of Christe what tyme he shal iudge vs al For see therfore agayne and agayne what maner of men your preachers be for I feare lest some blouddy butchers be crept in amonges you whiche perswade you to this in their Sermons to the intēt that they may through your ayde beare Rule and reigne being carclesse for your saluation God cōmaundeth that all vengeaunce be lefte vnto him the scripture teacheth vs to obeye the Magistrate though he be frowarde you ought therfore to be obedient otherwyse you shall Reyse a cōmotion in dede but the same shall lyght in your owne neckes for GOD wil not permytte youre lycencious outrage to be vnpunyshed And whylest you seke your lybertie you shall procure to your selfe the losse of lyfe goodes and soule also For the wrath of GOD is kyndled agaynst you And the deuyll ennemye of almens saluations hath sent into your felloweshyp false teachers followyng therfore my counsell beware and amende in tyme. Nowe wyll I speake of the Christian lawe or the lawe of the gospell For as muche as you chalenge to your selues that surname is mete it shold be tryed and knowen what your lawe is in this behalf And first Christ cōmaundeth vs not to resist harme but when we are stryken on the one cheke to offer also the other and to hym that taketh awaye your coote he byddeth you to delyuer also your cloke he commaundeth vs both to praye and doe for our enemyes And in the same sense are also many other places of Scripture Nowe consyder with me howe this your enterpryse agreeth with Christes commaundement see howe farre youre
after he is retourned home restore to the Emperour the Duckdome of Burgundy whiche the kynges of Fraunce haue kepte in their possession syns the death of Charles Duke of Burgundye by the space of fyftie yeares Moreouer he shall renounce Naples Millan Gene Aste and Flaunders He shall gyue no ayde to Henry kyng of Nauarre Charles Duke of Gelders Ulryche Duke of Wirtēberg nor to Robert Erle of Marche He shall attempte no secrete deuises or counsels in Italy When the Emperour wyll go into Italy by Sea he shall assiste him with a nauie of sixtene Galleis vitayled and fournyshed with all thynges sauing soldiours and also two hūdreth thousand crownes to arme them The yerely pension that the Emperour is bounden to paye to the kynge of Englande all shall the Frenche kynge paye to the kynge of Englande He shall restore Charles the Duke of Burbon and his fellowes to all their ryght landes and goodes permittyng them to vse the same dwellyng where they lyste For suche action or title as the Duke of Burbon hath to the Prouince of Marseilles the kyng shall abyde the ordre of the lawe at any tyme. When he had gyuen the Emperour his fayth to obserue these conditions he was set at lybertie to retourne home And departyng out of the borders of Spayn leaueth behind him his two sonnes Fraūces Henry verey yonge for pledges as it was agreed vpō And vnlesse he obserue couenauntes he promyseth to yelde hym self prysoner agayn After this the Princes of Germany assemble at Spires as I told you in the last boke it was appointed Emonges whome was Duke Iohn electour of Saxony and Philip Lantgrane of Hesse The Emperour deputes here were Ferdinando his brother Barnarde Byshop of Ttent Casimire Marques of Brandenburge Philip Marques of Baden William Duke of Bauarre and Ericus Duke of Brunswyck When they had begunne the counsell the .xxv. daye of June and had declared the causes of that assemblye they added this moreouer that the Emperour aboue all thynges wylled and commaunded that the states of the Empyre shoulde with common assent take order howe the Christian religion and auncient custome of the church of lōg tyme obserued might be still reteyned in his former estimation of al men and how they are to be punyshed that will attempt the contrary and also to be resisted if they make any force in the matter to the intent that both Cesars decre made at Wormes and publyshed fyue yeres syns and the decre of this assembly also may be obserued of al men and put in execution When certen were chosen of all degrees to treate of these matters and emonges them also the Lantgraue Iames Sturmius of Straisborourgh and Cressus of Norinberge The Emperours deputes call an assembly of all states the .iii. daye of August and saye how they vnderstande that they haue chosen a certayne nombre to conferre of these matters propounded Who as they suppose wyll first consulte of religion But to the intent that the Emperours pleasure may be accomplyshed and that they intreate of nothing which they can not determine but be a losse of time and a lette and hynderaunce to other matters therfore wyll they let them vnderstande what the Emperours commaundement is in this behalf After this they read the Emperours letters dated at Hispale the. xxiii of Marche Wherof the some was this Howe he intended to go to Rome to be inuested and also to treate with the byshop for a generall counsell but in the meane tyme he wylleth and commaundeth that the states in this assemblye decree nothynge that shall be in anye wyse agaynst the olde custome lawes and Ceremonies of the church and that in theri dommions they do establyshe all thinges according to the decre made at Wormes by their common assentes And take well in worth this delay tyll he haue deuised with the hyghe Byshop concernyng a generall counsell whiche shal be very shortly for in such priuate assemblies there is not only no good to be done but also errours and licenciouse lybertie of the people more cōfirmed About this tyme the Emperour of Turkes settyng foreward with his armie frō Belgrade whē he was passed ouer the riuers of Danubie and Saue he marched the ryght way into Hongary Wherfore king Lewys sendyng agayne his Ambassadours to Spyres requyreth ayde Further more out of Italy came certen newes that Clement byshop of Rome and the Venetians hadde made a legue with the Frenche kyng that was lately retourned home out of Spayne to warre vpon the Emperour as you shall heare afterwarde Whan the Emperours letters before mentioned were read in the assemblie the cyties for the moste parte namely of hygh Germany put vp their aduise in writing declaring how they desyred by all meanes to obey and gratifies the Emperour nowithstanding the controuersie about religion encreaseth dayly especially touchyng ceremonies and mens traditions hitherto the decre of Wormes could not be well obserued for feare of sedition and vprores but nowe is the daunger muche more as in the laste assemblye before the Legate of Rome it was also wel declared In so much that if the Emperour him selfe were here present and infourmed of the state of thinges he could iudge none otherwyse He maketh promyse in his letters of a counsell but what tyme they were wrytten the Byshop and he were frendes and nowe it is farre otherwyse seynge the byshop hath altered his mynde leuied an Armie against hym wherfore it can not synke into their heades that in this trouble some tyme they should haue any generall counsell wherfore they thynke it beste to sende ambassadours to the Emperour whiche maye informe hym of the whole matter and of the state of Germany and howe daungerous a matter it is also to delay the cause of relygion any longer and no lesse perilous to put in vre the decree of Wormes And therfore to entreate hym that for the auoydynge of a further inconueniencie he would permitte them to holde a counsell prouinciall of Germany to treate of all matters in controuersie Whiche thyng was agreed vpon at Norenberg and the place appoynted here in this same citie many of the states had made preparation for the same But when it was agayne defeated by the Emperours countremaundemēt it opened the waye to rebellion sedition and to ciuile warres al the which thinges myght easelye haue bene eschewed in case at the same tyme the cause of relygion had bene heard indifferently And if he wyll not allowe a counsell of Germany than to entreate him to differre the execution of the decree of Wormes vntyll the generall councell for otherwyse it wyll come to passe that the wounde newly healed wyll waxe rawe agayne another that shal be worse breake out Furthermore in this discorde so long as euery man is carefull for his owne estate it wylbe very harde and paynefull to collecte any money for the ayde of others Besydes this wrytinge exhibited to the Prynces the
Emperour his vncle The chiefest consultation in this assemblie was about the Turkyshe warre And whan newes came daylye by letters messengers howe the Turke had sent before great bandes of horsmen to the Ryuer of Danubius and also the Ambassadours of Austriche and of other countreys nere had declared in what daunger they werein they decreed to geue their ayde so as al the states of the Empyre shuld ayde not with mony but with soldiours Wherfore the .xxvj. daye of Iuly ended this assembly and al men prepared them to warre At the Ides of Auguste the Duke of Saxon Prynce electour ended his lyfe and Iohn Fridericke his sonne did succede him Whan Solyman the Emperour of Turkes was come to Belgrade he taketh the waye on the left hande and attempteth the towne and castell of Giunte in vayne being manfully defended by Nichas Iurixe after that he sent forth Captaine Cason with fiftene thousande horsemen to spoyle the countrey who inuaded the countrey as far as Lintzie aboue Uienne and destroying all farre and nere leaueth no kynde of crueltie vnpractised but in his retourne he fel in to the lappes of our horsemen which were made out to kepe hym from the spoyle and so beyng fought with in sondry places to his vtter destruction at the lengthe hym selfe was slayne Solyman tournyng more and more on the left hande marcheth vnto Gratin a towne of Stiria Whiche thynge ones knowen the Emperour beyng than at Lintze taketh aduisement what was beste to be done At the last it was determied that he should encampe with his whole armie at Uienna abydyng his ennemie there Thus in fyne Solimā retyreth without any notable exploict done The Emperour had intreated the Frenche kyng for ayde but he made him aunswere as the Emperour that tyme reported that Germanye was able enough to resyste the Turke alone The kyng of Englande also wrote agayne somewhat doubtfullye The byshop of Rome Clement sent hym ayde by the conduicte of Hipolitus a Cardinall of the house of Medices The Swycers beyng requested by the Emperour would not for all that styre one fote This yeare was sene a blasyng Starre in Septembre and Octobre before the sonne rising After the Turke was retyred with his armie the Emperour mislykyng their aduyse that thought good to pursue the ennemye dischargeth his armie for that wynter was at hande and from Uienne toke his iourney into Italy And being at Mantua he appointeth in his letters wrytten to the states of the Empyre that his brother kyng of Romaines shall gouerne the cōmon welth in his absence he was for weightie causes gone in to Italy and there woulde treate with the byshop of Rome concerning a counsell as it was decreed at Ratisbone He wylleth all menne therfore to maynteyne the peace whiche was of late proclaymed and be as obedient to his brother as they would be to him selfe Departyng from thence to Bononie he entred into talke with Clement the seuenth deuysynge amonges other thynges of Religion and a generall counsel He maketh also a legue with hym and with the resydue of the Prynces in Italy in wordes to mayntayne the peace and quiet of Italy But in verye deede to kepe out the Frenche men The Embassadours of the Frenche kyng were sore against it but the byshop admonished them not to be so ernest priuely signifiyng that it should not long endure for the Emperour had brought with hym a great nombre of Spanyardes which the byshop wold fayne haue dispatched out of Italy And for this cause made the league obser 〈…〉 g the occasion of tyme. The Emperour shortly after sayled into Spayne in the moneth of Marche And not longe after that the byshop of Rome sendeth a legate into Germanye Hughe Rangon byshop of Rhegio And whan he came to the Duke of Saxō accompanied with the Emperous Ambassadour he made a long oration the effect wherof was this How after muche and long conference had betwene the byshop and the Emperour about the controuersie that is in Religion in fyne they concluded that for the remedy therof there is no waye better thā a generall counsell wherof they perceiued the Prynces of Germany to be also very desyrous And this to be the cause of his message euen to declare vnto hym and the other Prynces how both the byshop and the Emperour are determined to haue a counsell free and common for all men suche as the olde fathers were accustomed to haue in tymes past whose myndes vndoubtedly were gouerned by the holye ghoste prouided alwayes that suche as shall repare thyther make faythfull promesse to obserue the decrees therof for els should all their labour be spent in vayne if they should make lawes whiche none woulde obserue and kepe As concerning a place both for holsome ayre and plentye of victuall commodious the byshop thinketh either Placence or Bononie not vnmete for the purpose or els Mantua whiche is a citie of the Empyre nere vnto Germany of a goodly situatiō and plentiful of all thynges necessary of the whiche thre it shall be lawfull for them to chose one Whereunto if the kinge of Romaines he and other Prynces of Germany woulde make some reasonable aunswere Than the byshop consulting also with other kynges would cal the same within this halfe yeare to begynne within one yeare after to the intent suche as dwel very farre of may prepare thē selues to take their iorney Whan he hadde spoken this and more he deliuereth certen Articles comprysed in wryting to the Prynce Electour from the byshop of Rome Afterwardes the Emperours Ambassadour speaketh on this wyse For as muche as in al former assemblies the recōciliation of religion hath bene hetherto attēpted in vayne is supposed that by a coūsel the matter might be pacified therfore hath the Emperour of late obtayned that same of the byshop of Rome that is to say that it be holdē after the same maner time place as his Ambassadour hath declared And therfore is he sent of the Emperour to beare witnesse that the byshop of Rome is content to haue a counsell and because his Ambassadour hath spoken sufficientlye of the whole matter he nedeth to saye no more but to desyre hym to credite his tale and make hym a frendly aunswere The Duke of Saxon sayeth that because the matter is weightie he wyll take delyberation this was at Weymer After a fewe dayes the Duke aunswereth that where the Emperour and the byshop haue agreed vppon a counsell he is exceadinge glad for the state of the common wealth doth chiefly requyre such a one as oftētimes the Emperour hath promised the Germanes wherin the cause may be duely examined according to the prescripte of Gods worde Whiche if it might be he would nothing doubte but that all thinges should go wel he wil both pray vnto God to graunt this and also admonishe the people vnder his iurisdiction to do the lyke he will applie his whole studie hereūto
sayeth howe he wil go to kyng Ferdinando abiding there for their aunswere He had been before in Saxony and had spokē with Luther at wyttemberge And in his retourne to kyng Ferdinando he met with the Duke comming from thence homewarde The Protestauntes were appointed before to mete at Smalcalde the sixte of December for other matters Wherfore the .xxi. of the same they framed an aunswere for the byshops of Romes Ambassadour whiche they saye is not so exacte as the thynges requyreth yet for as muche as he desyred to haue the same with expedition playne manifest And first howe they haue declared their myndes concerning a counsell both in diuerse assemblies and also two yeare synce to the Emperours and byshop Clementes Ambassadours For they also wyshe to haue a lawfull counsel for the preseruation of the cōmon wealth and common saluation of all men and haue required this of the Emperour ioyntly with other Princes who also thought it nedefull hym selfe doubting not but all good men do desyre suche a counsell as may helpe and profite the common wealth For it greueth many good men that the true and holsome doctrine is through the wicked crueltie of certen men euery where oppressed the members of the churche tone a sondre and open crymes mainteined but suche crueltie becommeth not the Rulers of the churche Wherfore if euer there were any nowe is moste nede of a counsell that bothe the olde accustmed vyces maye be roted out and also vniuste violence and crueltie be restrayned and the churche from henceforth set in due ordre They therfore wyll not fayle the common wealth herein but wyll ryght gladlye come vnto suche a counsell as in sondrye assemblies of the Empyre hath bene agreed vpon Besechyng God that all the doinges there may redounde vnto his glory and the saluation of men And wher as the bishop hath chosen Mantua to be the place they truste assuredly that the Emperour wyll not in this poynte swarue from the decrees of the Empyre and his owne promyse also in as muche as it was prouyded that the counsell should be holden in Germany For where he sayeth it is daungerous keping of the same there the truthe is farre other wyse for what peryll can be there where all the Prynces and Cyties are obedient to the Emperoure onlye Where the Cyties be so ordered that they defende straungers from iniuries and saue them from all peryll Therfore oughte it chieflye to be kepte there to the intent that matters in controuersie might duely be debated that men might frankely speake and iudge vpryghtly and feare no force nor faction but saye theyr myndes freely Two yeares paste Clement the seuenth promysed a counsell with conditions verye captions And nowe the chiefest point is craftely left out touchyng the lybertie of the counsell and more of the treatie and partlye referred to the Byshop of Rome whose office they saye it is to call and ordre the counsell Nowe is the byshop whiche hath so ofte condempned theyr religion and doctrine their opē enemie But in case they should permitte theyr aduersary to geue iudgement than coulde not the counsell be free wherein by the aduyse of the Emperour and other Prynces Mete men should be chosen out of the whole numbre whiche accordyng vnto Gods worde might heare and determine the cause For a counsell is the iudiciall seate not only of the byshop of Rome but of all other states also for it is to be proued by the examples of the primatiue churche and also by holy scripture that Prynces and other states haue in tymes paste been admitted in counselles for the hearyng of matters But wheresome woulde haue the byshoppes power to be aboue the authoritie of the whole churche it is agaynst all reason and full of tyrannye For it belongeth as well to the Emperour and other ciuile states to set in foote in counselles and to chose experte men especiallye in suche causes where the byshoppes errours be impugned that is to wytte false doctrine and Idolatry for this thynge is permitted also by the byshop of Romes lawe And feinge that this is the vniuersall cause of all men and concerneth the whole common wealth it is the Emperours parte and other Prynces to forsee that vpryght iudgement be had For both other byshops of their owne people and also byshoppes of Rome haue in times paste bene condempned for Heresy and obstinacie of the Emperoure and the churche together And at this tyme there is contention of manie weightie matters whiche the byshop doth defende not in wordes only but also by wycked and cruell decrees punishyng most sharpely suche as obey not the same For as muche therfore as he is an aduersary and susteineth the one halfe of the sute the thinge it selfe requireth that the whole church the Emperour other kinges take in hande to prescribe an ordre for the deciding of the matter wherfore as they haue done euer so they requyre nowe also that the matter maye be handled vpryghtlye accordynge to the examples of holye wrytte and the olde primatiue churche And if it so maye be they wyll not be behynde with theyr partes trustynge that truthe shall come to lyghte and the glorye of our Sauioure Christe be aduaunced and tranquillitie be restored to the Churche but if it be otherwyse there is no doubte but greater commotions wyll arryse therof than hytherto hath bene seen for their partes they wil at no tyme neglecte the common wealth And as they can not forsake nor shrynke from the true doctrine so lykewyse in all other matters they will do all thynges for peace and concorde The kyng of Fraūce whiche was fully determined to make warre in Italy sent Ambassadour Williā Bellaye to this assemblie at Smal calde Who the .xix. daye of Decembre had there an eloquent oration And first he excuseth the kynges seueritie in punyshynge certen of his owne subiectes whiche not withstanding was nothing preiudicial or hurtfull to their cause of Religion though some euill tongues dyd reporte so no more than it was displeasure to him what tyme they with all their force did suppresse the rebellion of their commons and punyshed the Anabaptistes doing yet nothing without iust cause wherfore he distrusteth not but they be men of such wysdome and grauitie that they wyll of no lyght reporte conceaue any euill opinion of so noble a kynge that is their frende who was nowe for vrgent causes not here to be spoken of constrayned against his nature to vse extreme punishment lest hauing so large a Realme he should through ouermuche lenitie set open the wyndowe of wickednes to the temeritie of manye And touching their religion and doctrine the kyng wyll not take vpō him the persone of the iudge but in dede lyketh many thinges well the rest he leaueth vndiscussed After this he goeth about to wynne theyr fauour and confuteth theyr opinion whiche had warned them to be ware of forayne
is how it ought not to be graūted thē themperour doubtles other kings in their opiniō can iudge For that the byshop of Rome hath brought errours into the churche a doctrine cleane cōtrary not only to Gods worde but also to the auncient toūselles doctours mainteineth the same that he hath also made exceading many lawes against Gods cōmaundemēt wherby the true knowledge is vtterly oppressed defaced the same vereli haue their diuines through Gods gift declared And therfore do they intēde to accuse the byshop his fellowes in any lawfull counsell of these so great matters to coudēpne thē of the same How also through euil craftes and dishonest meanes yea through force guyle they achiefe their dignities how filthie a life they leade what euil examples thei geue how they do no part of their dutie how thei neglect such as are cōmitted to their charge wallowe in all wickednes of lyfe it is so wel knowen tried that it nedeth no further declaratiō For the which causes also it is not lawfull for the bishop euen by the testimony of his owne lawe to appoint there coūsel muche lesse to be iudge in the same Neither may his sworne clientes vsurpe the persone of the iudge seing they may not in dede be any part of a lawful coūsel moreouer the place of the coūsel is appointed in Italy cleane cōtrary to the decrees of themperour states of thempire which he scornefully dispiseth Thei know not more ouer as yet whether other princes of Christendom wil allowe that place that there be weighty causes for the which it shold be daūgerous for them theirs to come thither For albeit they should haue a saufe conduicte yet for so muche as the byshop hath there his clientes euerye where which hate this doctrine most bitterly ther is great daūger of lieng in wayte priuie cōspiracies which in those parties are much to be feared Furthermore since this matter is most weighti such as vnder the sonne can arrise no greater which doubtles cōcerneth either euer lasting saluatiō or dānatiō And seing that the greatnes of the matter requireth that they should in great nūbre with the ministers of their churche preachers be there present not to cōmit so weighty a matter to their deputes proetours alone it should be a great griefe vnto thē to passe out of the limites of thempire go into Italy leauing their coūtrey people in suche grudge of mindes as is now in Germany wtout garde and their churches any long time without preachers Wherfore they moste humbly beseche that the Emperour would way with hym selfe all these poinctes diligently and seing he is the high and supreme magistrate vnto whom chiefly belongeth the setting forth of the trew doctrine that he wold applie him self wholy that the true knowledge of God might be aduaunced for they doe embrace no wicked kynde of doctrine nor seke any other thyng than the glory of Gods holy name And this aunswere concerning the counsell agreed vnto also the Ambassadours of George Marques of Brandenburge and of the cities of Norinberge Halles and Hailbrune in other thinges they medled not because they were not of the league What time the Protestantes had thus spoken Heldus the Ambassadour aunswereth by and by speaking many thinges againe of the great good will of the Emperour of the Frenche kyng whiche had conspired with the Turkes to the distruction of the cōmon wealth he cometh to that matter touching the iudgement of the imperial chambre and sayeth in deede that peace is graunted for matters of Religion no man to say the cōtrary but all the strife to consiste in this which be matters of religion which not And where as they take suche for cases of religion as others do accōpte for ciuile prophane how farre against reason is it that the thyng should not be debated the causes obiectiōs of either part be heard so procedeth further to the meaning of that same matter And as touching such as are lately receiued into their league that Emperour thiketh thus that they that be not cōprised within the peace of Norinberg are bounde al to the decrees of thempire ought to yelde to the authoritie of the coūsel And for asmuch as themperours minde is wholy addicte to peace cōcorde he requireth estsones that they wyl ayde him with men mony for the Turkish warre nedeful charges of the imperial chābre And if the Turke inuade not that thā they wold a few monthes assiste themperour with like ayde against the French king whiche if they wil doe it shall not repēt thē of that seruice wherin he desireth to know a direct answer that he may aduertise themperour therof And as concerning the coūsel they thē selues knowe what labour trauayle themperour had to bring it to passe And how his trust is that in the same shal be appeased all cōtrouersie that is in religion with quietnes the state of the cōmō wealth be reformed to the glory of God preseruatiō of men Wherfore them perour trusteth assuredly that they should make none exceptions nor swarue from the rest of men for if they should persiste herein it would be grieffull for him to heare And after he had againe vsed sondrye perswasions amonges other that the Emperour would through saufeconduicte saue them harmelesse he requyred to haue a determinate aunswere herein and besydes the names of them which are come vnto them synce the peace of Norinberge Wherein was wrytten that Marques George the cities of Norinberge Weysenburg Hailbrine Winsem and Hales were of the same Religion but not of the league Wherefore in the Emperours name he desyred to knowe what their league was and the condition of the same The selfe same daye came thether the Romyshe legate the byshop Aques with letters from the byshop of Rome to the Duke of Saxon exhorting him to come to the counsell whome the byshop of Rome sent into Germany in the place of Peter Paule Uerger hopinge well that the newe Ambassadour should some thing haue brought to passe but he also loste his labour was as little regarded in so muche that on a certen day whan he desired to speake with the Lātgraue he tolde him he was at no leasure and in maner at the same instant went to see howe Luther did who at the same tyme laye sore sycke of the stone Which thyng the Ambassadour myght see out of his lodging Uergerius had geuen this Ambassadour instructions of the whole state of Germany and how euery man in the byshops behalfe must be enterteined and vsed The fourth daye after whiche was the last of February the Protestauntes aunswer Heldus That for the Emperour him self they neuer doubted but that he woulde obserue the peace made whiche he hath also promised both in publique and priuate letters but the imperiall chamber contrary to
he also but performe this dewtie to the common wealth and is not a litle moued at these newes for the chaunce and calamitie of his natife countrey For this therfore and for other causes he went to kyng Ferdinando into Lusatia But he had both before his comming and when he was there also receiued letters and messagers touching the same thinges Wherfore in case he should not be resisted there is no doubt but they which lie nexte him should se shortly in theyr countrey that most cruell enemie For all the way from Buda vntill theyr frontiers is there nother Castell nor Towne fortified able to hold out such a power no mountaines nor streight passages to stoppe his carriage sauing onely the citie of Uratislauie and the towne of Lignice For as for of the situation of Morauie and Silesie and howe champion and fruietfull a countrey it is he knoweth well enough and nedeth no rehearsall And albeit he hath promysed ayde to kynge Ferdinando for the common daunger yet he seeth howe lytle suche maner of ayde is able to helpe for the greatnes of the case requyreth al the ayde and power of the whole Empyre But for as muche as the same haplye can not be obtayned without a generall assemblye and vnlesse ail Germany be quieted And agayne the present daunger wyll permitte no long delaye therfore hath he in talke moued the kyng that he woulde wholy dispose him selfe vnto this thynge onlye that a fyrme and sure peace myght be concluded Wherunto kyng Ferdinando had answered ryght honorably and promysed his endeuour and to further the cause to the Emperour so that he might vnderstande what he and his league frendes furthermore demaunded And seing it standeth thus he desyreth hym to geue his mynde hereunto and open vnto hym vnfaynedly suche conditions of peace as he thynketh mete to be intreated of And he hym selfe wyll deuyse and that in his owne name that Ferdinando shall preferre them to the Emperour in suche sorte as he trusteth that the treatie shal be commodious to the vniuersall worlde And nowe also maye the Turkes violence more easelye be resisted for as muche as Iohn Uayuode is reconcyled to kynge Ferdinando as the kynge hym selfe tolde hym in counsel for he would not haue it bruted abroad leste it should come to the Turkes care Certen yeares past and hetherto hath a great part of Hongary bene plucked awaye from Christendome through ciuile warres but nowe their myndes are appeased and all displeasure paste there is a goodlye occasion offered of well doynge Wherfore eftsones he besecheth hym that he would help the cause of the common wealth This Marques had maried the daughter of Sigismunde kyng of Poole whiche was nece to Iohn Uayuode by his systers syde and hereof came that frendshyp and familiaritie betwyxt them He had also than receyued the Religion of Saxony and set forth a booke of the same but kepte hym out of the league and was otherwyse wholy addicted to the Emperour and kynge Ferdinando and reteyned certen ceremonies and sought to quiet offences The Duke of Saxony signifieth the whole matter by his letters to the Lantgraue And the twelfth daye of Iune after they wryte bothe to this Marques of Brandenburg on this wyse Albeit the matter is of muche importaunce and altogether suche as they oughte to make their fellowes priuie to yet doe they see what discommoditie myghte come thorowe delaye especially consideryng how the Turke flacketh nothyng of his fiersenes and they haue also consulted ouerlonge how to quiet Germany and to withstande hym with all their powers for where he aduertised them by his Ambassadours that it were nedefull to resiste that moste cruell ennemie truthe it is and they confesse that the common wealth requyred no lesse But they stād in that case that they had chiefly nede of suche a peace as were honourable trewe syrme and nothyng doubtfull For in case they should spende theyr treasure on the Turkyshe warre the meane whyle haue vnquiet neighbours at home he seeth him selfe howe vnmete and hurtefull the same would be vnto them They for their parte are verye desyrous of peace whiche if they can not obtayne and therfore in doubtfull matters diminishe no parte of their power and in the meane time the cōmon wealth sustayne any damage there may no blame therof be imputed to them but all together vnto those that refuse the conditions of peace Moreouer they suppose that it should concerne the kinge Ferdinādo and others that border on the Turkes that relatiō were made of these thinges vnto all the states Where also hetherto there is no counsel imperiall called it is not for the profite of the commō wealth For though perchaunce the time wil not permitte that publique ayde should be decreed sodaynly and nede requyreth to craue ayde of some men Yet is the Turke of suche power that he is able to continew in warres many yeares And wil not cease tyl eyther he hath obteyned his pourpose or hauing an ouerthrow be cōstrayned to breake vp warres for a time Wherfore they thinke an assemblie of the Empyre to be very expediēt that both the peace of Germany therein myght be established and cōsultation had conserning the Turkishe warre And this later to be of so great force that albeit al thinges were quiet in Germany yet neuer thelesse a common assembly to be nedefull Nor it skileth not greatly if perchaunce kyng Ferdinādo can not well be there in the Emperours name so that Ambassadours be sent with full commission and authoritie Whiche thing if he can bring to passe the same shal be cōmodious for the Emperour and for all Germany Howe be it leste they shoulde in any point fayle the common wealth or hinder the cōmoditie there of they woulde haue in a readynes suche ayde as they for their partes are acustomed and oughte to finde to be alwayes readye to serue whan nede shall require Neyther doubte they but theyr fellowes wil do the same but vnder this condition that kyng Ferdinando immediatly obtayne for them of the Emperour a sure and vndoubted peace And the whiche all other Princes of the Empyre that be of the Bysshoppes Religion shall ratifie That done and the suites and actions of the chamber set apart their ayde shal be streight wayes ready But in case the Emperour by reason of his absence can not brynge all the Prynces heeeunto in time at the leste he perswade these to be of his opinion William Lewis Dukes of Bauier George Duke of Saxony the Archebyshop of Mentz Collon and Treuers also the Bishops of Salisburge Maydenburge Breme Bamberge Wyrtenburge Munster Auspurge and Aeslet But in case they can not be perswaded that then the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando doe confirme the same peace for them selues and for all their subiectes and make promyse do their endeuours that other Prynces also maye geue theyr assente to the same whiche in case they shall refuse to doe yet shall they neuer swarue
the king of Romains but stode to the conuenaūtes of Cadame Uienne that same Archebyshop of Londe was a Germayne borne and counsellour to Christierne kyng of Denmarke who beyng expulsed was also exiled and lost his byshopryke than came he agayne into Germany attended vpon the Emperour and afterwardes was made byshop of Constaunce Whylest this treaty was at Frankefurte certen bandes of Souldiours were assembled in Saxony and were commaunded by their gouernours to go lye in the countreis of the citie of Breme of the Duke of Lunenburge and others of the same Religion and there to remayne tyll the campe remoued It was kept very secrete at the first by whose conduicte or aucthoritie they were leuied but at length it was certenly knowen that they were mustred by Henry Duke of Brunswycke and his brother Christopher Archebyshop of Bremen They that were i 〈…〉 ried by them complayned in dede to the imperial chāber but it was in vayne The Protestaūtes afterwardes through their industrie lest they should do any more harme procured the same men to serue them whome notwithstanding they vsed to the iniurie of no man At the request of the Princes that wer intercessours Stephen Faber was set at libertie by the Lantgraue who gaue him passeporte He had sayde of his owne accorde that he woulde not retourne to his Prince for that he trusted hym no more But whan he was released he went streight way to him In this assemblie William Duke of Cleue by his Ambassadour did exhibite a wrytinge to the Protestauntes wherin he declared by what ryght tytle he possessed Gelderlande And prayed them that they would be meanes for him to the Emperour and to commende his cause also to the Emperours Ambassadours there The Frenche kyng had aduertised Ulrich Duke of Wirtenberge by his Ambassadour that he heard saye howe he through the motion of his confederatours was determined to make warre vppon certen Byshoppes in Germany But this pourpose did not he alowe and for his good wyll he beareth hym doth admonyshe hym that he do it not For if he did he should offende the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando vnto whome he was lately reconciled and bryng him selfe and al that euer he had into great Daunger The Duke geuyng him thankes for the good admonishement sayth he is sclaundered and howe he supposeth the same to be reysed vp by the Dukes of Bauier who hathe fasly sowen a lyke bruite of hym in Germany he desyreth hym to geue no credit to it For it is neither his entent nor yet his fellowes to styre vp any trouble or to attēpte any thyng by force of armes vnlesse they be constrayned And doubteth not also but when they shal heare therof they wyl pourge them selues herein Wherfore whan he had declared this to his fellowes at Franckefurte the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue the .xix. daye of Aprill addresse their letters to the kynge And saye howe they vnderstande by Duke Ulriche what reporte of them was made vnto hym but to be a sclaunder forged by their ennemies and euill wyllers For they entende to make no warre and how muche they desyre peace that can the Princes tell that were intercessours For albeit they are more wayes than one prouoked albeit theyr fellowes citie is outlawed and a league made of dyuerse for the defence of vniusle decrees though bandes of Souldiours by them hired for great and vnaccustomed wages are nowe spoyling the countreys of their league frendes yet are they quiet and styre not one whytte for they loue their natiue countrey and remitte all iniuries for the cōmon wealthes sake But their aduersaries are lead with a certen impudent hatred and followe no temperate wayes nor wyll admitte no lawefull reasonyng but seke only that Germany maye swymme with ciuile bloud And seyng it is thus they desyre hym not to credit these false reportes but to geue his ayde that the churche maye be quieted by godly meanes For this is properly the dutie of kynges to maynteine truthe and innocencie And where as they defende the cause of Religion it is done of none euyll pourpose but of a certen Godly dutie for they doubte not but that the doctrine whiche they doe professe is agreable vnto Gods worde whiche they maye in no wyse forsake About the ende of this assemblie the .xxiiij. daye of Apryll died George Duke of Saxony without chyldren For his two sonnes were departed before without issewe whereof the one had maried Elizabeth the Lantgraues syster and the other one of the house of Mandesfielde Wherfore Duke George by legacie maketh his heyres his brother Henry and his sonnes Maurice and Auguste vnder this condition that they alter not the state of Religion Whiche vnlesse they shall perfourme he geueth his whole landes to the Emperour and to kyng Ferdinando vntyll suche tyme as eyther he or his sonnes or the nexte kynsman of that familie doe accomplyshe this condition This wyl of his so made he sheweth first to the Nobilitie and cōmons of his countrie beinge nowe olde sickly and wylleth them to confirme the same by an othe neuer to alter this his last wyll But they fearyng leste it should be the occasion of warre betwene the kinsmē intreate him that he would be content to sende to his brother Henry For they truste that he wyll consente to alter nothing in Religion Whereupon Ambassadours were sent to perswade with him and whan they had alledged sondry reasons and especially sayd how there was muche ready Money and a great quantitie of Plate and goodly stuffe whiche should come wholy to his handes in case he would obeye his brothers wyll He aunswered them by and by thus Certenly your message semeth vnto me to resemble the same that is writtē in the Gospel what tyme Sathan promysed Christe the kyngdomes of the whole worlde so that he would falle downe and worshyp hym Doe youthynke that I sette so muche by any ryches that I would therfore forsake the truthe and pure religion Assuredly you are farre abused if you so thinke Wherfore whan they had this answere and were departed without their purpose before they came at home Duke George had lefte hys lyfe His brother Henry going immediatly to Dresda and other townes bindeth the people to hym by an othe which was the more easely done by reason he was in league with the Protestauntes Moreouer the Prince Electour of Saxony hearyng of his death hasteth home with all expedition that if nede were he myght ayde Henry The Princes of the Popysh parte for the losse of so sure a pyllour and so lucky successe of the Protestauntes were sore agreued especially the Archebyshop of Mentz and the Duke of Brunswycke as hereafter you shal heare Thus had Duke George a successour and heire cleane contrary to his wylle And he whome he hated moste of all men duryng his lyfe tyme namely Luther was sent for by the new Prince to Lipsia to preache and to alter the
soeuer they lyghted they eate vp bothe grasse and corne Concerning the Duke of Brunswicke of his moste bitter inuectyues against the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue and of the burnyng of certen places in Saxony I haue spoken oftener than once And nowe where he vexed with continuall inuasions and robberies Goslarie and Brunswicke cities of the Empire inlincked with the Protestantes and would not obeye the decrees of the Emperour and kynge Ferdinando who at their request had commaunded him to cease from all violence the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue in the name of al their confederates make warre against him and with in a short space brynge all his countrie into their subiection and his strong castell of Wolsebutell standing not farre froÌ„ the citie of Brunswycke wherein he put all his truste they wanne by composition he taried not long hymselfe but whan they began to inuade he fled with his eldest sonne Charles Uictor to the Duke of Bauier In that forsayde castell were founde sondrie letters wherby it was evident to see what thinge he and the Duke of Bauier the Byshop of Mentz Heldus and diuerse others went about but that shal be after repeted in place conuenient The Protestauntes in a wrytyng set forth declare a Large the causes of this their doinge and shewe howe they dyd not begynne this warre but of necessitie defended their fellowes In the fourmer assemblie at Spier they had intreated kyng Ferdinando that in the Emperours name and his own he would coÌ„maunde him to suffer the Goslarians to lyue in rest by hym Ferdinando followed their myndes who at the same tyme had nede of their ayde agaynste the Turke and sendyng his Ambassadours warned hym sharpely to surcease but he aunswered contemptuously and proudlye and would not leaue whereupon ensued this desension before rehersed for they had shewed kyng FerdinaÌ„do at Spier that vnlesse he obeyed his decree they would not suffer their fellowes to susteyne this wrong At the Ides of Iuly was an other assemblie of the Empyre at Norynberg for so it was decreed at Spier because of the warre in HoÌ„gary Kyng Ferdinando was present and the Emperours deputies were Fridericke the Palsgraue the Bishop of Auspurge Fridericke counte Furstemberge Hugh Monforte Iohn Nauie Ferdinando propoundeth howe the Emperour toke it in very good parte that they sente an army into Hongary who had purposed to haue bene at the same warre him selfe with all his power and therfore had called an assemblie of the states in Spaine but in this coÌ„futation he fell into a great sickenes and so was constrayned of necessitie to differ it tyll an other tyme And whan he was nowe fully resolued of the matter and how to haue sent his force out of Italy and Burgundye before than brake foorthe thenterprises of hys enemyes in so much that he hath cause to feare some perill not only in Iâ—aly but also in Flaunders and Artoys Wherof notwithstanding he hath geuen none occasion who chieflye loueth the comon tranquillitie but as they knowe well enough how thenemies haue euer sins the assemblie at Spier endeuoured to leuie men in Suyserlande in Germany to begin the warres thus is the Emperour against his mind impeached and letted so that he can neyther come hym selfe nor send his force which he hathe nede of for his owne defence neuerthelesse he is fully mynded before the nexte yeare goe aboute to retourne into Germany and accomplishe the warre in hys mynde so long intended And that he will haue on the Sea also a nauie well prepared furnisshed that the Turke beyng assayled with double warre maie not bende hys whole power agaynste Hongary Moreouer whan he cometh into Germany he wil leaue nothyng vnattempted that maye make for the godly and tollerable reconcilemeÌ„t of Relygyon And after complayning that almen did not obey the decree of the last assemblie for some sent no soldiours others sente but not the full nombre som were sent foorth without money there wanted also of the munitioÌ„ furniture that was promysed which thinges for because the captaynes made complaynte of he vewed himself and sawe it was so And for that the whole iorney was letted herby to the detriment daunger of the empire he is commen vnto this assemblie not without his losse hinderaunce to require theÌ„ that in so nedefull a time they would not faile the coÌ„mon wealth Before FernaÌ„do toke his iorney from Uienna to come to the assemblye at Norinberge beeing aduertised of the war of Brunswick he sent a messager to exhorte theÌ„ to surcease And now that he was comen to Norinberge by coÌ„moÌ„ aduise were sent Ambassadours the soÌ„me of whose oration was this that they should not try the matter by force of armes especially at this time for in case they did it were to be feared lest the Turkish war should behindered ciuil warrestered vp in Germany Unto this the Duke and the Lantzgraue made aunswere the .xi. of Auguste oute of theyr campe before the Castell of Wulfebuttel recyting the causes of this enterprised defence declare that the thyng might not otherwise haue ben doon And that albeit they were dryuen of necessitie to take thys warre in hande to theyr greate charges yet haue they neuerthelesse sent ayde to the Turkishe warre fully as moche as they wer boundeÌ„ neyther wolde they fayle also to dooe the lyke hereafter And yf all other men wold doe the same ther should be no nede to feare the dissolution of the armie But the lacke that is in many men is reported by the mouthes and letters of diuers which seing it is so and forasmoche as the Duke of Brunswick coulde by non other meane be quieted contemning both the Emperours and kyng Ferdinando his coÌ„maundement and also the decrees of the Empire they desire them not to misconstre this their doyng for they seeke no man by this warre but him only neyther doe they refuse whan thinges be appeased to sende al their force to the aide of HoÌ„gary as much as they are able to make This assemblie ended the sixe and twenty daye of August a penaltie was set for suche as obeyed not the decree of Spier and certein other thinges for the warre requisite were enacted There were no Prynces there sauinge Walter the Master of Prussia and the Bishops of Bamberge Eistet and Trente and themperours deputes before named You haue harde before of Cardinall Contarene He for hys ambassade had no greate thanke of the Bishoppes and Cardinalles and was charged that he was not vehemente enoughe in resystynge the Lutheranes and that he had almoste brought the common welth of Roome in daunger Where as many blamed hym sore in hys absence Cardinall Fregose only stode in hys defence Retournyng out of Germany into Italy he came to Lukes where the Bisshop Paule attended for the Emperours comming to goe into Barbarye Than going with the Bisshop to Roome he was shortly after created Legate of Bononie where
father of the comon welthe and hygh Bisshop wolde ayde the Duke of Sanoye with hys helpe counsell and of hys syngular wisdome wolde deuyse some meanes howe that cruell enemye myght be expulsed not only from Nice but also frō those places where he hathe hauens and holdes for hys refuge for thys shoulde be a thynge bothe to God most acceptable and to the whole common wealth also moste holsome and profitable with diuerse other perswations touching the same matter To this the Bishop aunswereth the .xxvi. day of February Theffect of his aunswer is thys that the castell of Nice may bee defended he wyll be no lesse carefull hereafter than he hathe ben hytherto trustyng that as they are carefull for it so wyll they be no lesse mydnfull to take paynes for the whole common welthe for this shall best become them And after a longe rehearsal of the ayde of men and captaynes which he hath sent into Hongary and Affrica agaynst the Turkes how he hath wasted his treasure in suche affayres how ofte he hath sent Ambassadours how oft traueled him self aboute the publyke weale he sayeth in fyne that lyke as they commende vnto hym Nice so doeth he commende vnto them the state of the comon welth whiche is sore afflicted and decayed And the chiefe and only waye to helpe thys matter is that the myndes of Kynges may be reconciled for out of thys welsprynge procedeth all the discommoditie that is in the comon welth And if dissention betaken awaie the fourmer beautie will come agayne For before this grudge and displeasure there were neyther heresies in Germany nor Turkee in Hongarye But so soone as the waye was made throughe ciuile discorde immediatelye sprange vp heresyes factions and hatred bothe publyke and pryuate And hitherto hath also the counsel ben letted and hyndered Therfore muste we seeke to recouer the peace that was before And after thexample of phisitions take away the fyrst cause of the disease For through peace warre and the Turk are put to flyght And by a counsel which in peace may be kepte all heresyes and what so euer is amisse may be refourmed Otherwise let them not thinke that eyther Nyce can bee defended from the enemye or any part of Christendome kept fre from daunger but that all men shal be wrapped in the same calamitie and distructiō In the moneth of March the Paulsegraue Lewis prince Electour departed out of this lyfe and his brother Fridericke did succede him The Princes electours and thother states through Themperours aduise the second day of Aprill sende letters to the Swyses to diswade them from aydyng the French kyng who to the vtter decay and ruine of Christen relygyon hathe lincked hym selfe with the Turkes and thys last yere hath conducted theyr Nauie into the sea of Lygurie where they haue warred vpon the Duke of Sauoye and taken Nice And yet remayne still in Fraunce intendiuge to worke more mischiefe to Themperour and all hys countries Wherfore they require them from hencefoorthe to suffer non of theyr men to serue the Frenche kynge who for thys wicked league with the people of Mahomet ought to be detested of all men and taken for a comon enemie And yf any be gon to hym already to call them home agayne and so to vse them selues that it maye appere they doe not neglecte the publycke preseruation Whilest they consulted of matters propounded by Themperoure The Duke the Lantzgraue and theyr confederates the fyrst daye of Aprill before Themperoure Kyng Fernando and al the states of th empyre accuse Henry the Duke of Brunswick of most heynous offences and also recite in order by wrytinge what harmes and iniuries he had done to the cytyes of Brunswicke and Goslarye theyr consortes in whose defence they wer cōstrayned to repulse that vniust violence After they reherse howe these many yeres hys whole endeuour hath ben to seeke occasyon to moue warre agaynst them proue the same by the testimonye of letters which were founde as I tolde you before whan he was expulsed in hys princypall Castell In those letters whych he had wrytten for the most parte all to the archbisshop of Mentz to the duke of Bauier and to Heldus before he was dryuē oute he wissheth oft for Themperours comyng out of Spaine And when there was any hope therof than he braggeth and threateneth And what tyme Themperour was comē and slacked the matter he complayneth of hys lyngering and delaye and be wayleth that he and hys fellowes are not satisfyed that the league made at Norinberge was neglected and layeth all the blame therof in Granuellan which is corrupted with mony by the Protestantes he raileth on hym and wissheth hym a shamfull death for his demerites and saieth how themperour is a slepe and can not be awaked And that he vseth hys name sometime only for a clooke and a terrour as Faukners are wonte many tymes to shewe foorthe a dead hauke to feare the fowle withall These and many other letters of suche lyke sorte wherin he vttereth hys mynde and affections were red openlye And moche to the same effecte had the Duke of Bauier and Heldus wrytten to him agayne And for because Henry brother to Duke George of Saxonie was in league with the Protestantes and had altered the religion as before is saide the Duke of Brunswicke had with letters messagers sollicited Themperour to take awaye hys landes trustyng that he should be set to kepe the possession of the contrie herof wer the letters also recyted Furthermore they declare hym to be a wycked mā and that he doeth contemne delude the Bisshoppes relygion which he wyll seme to maynteyne and proue it by a moste euydent testimonie Thys Duke of Brunswick had maryed the Lady Mary syster to Ulriche Duke of Wirtemberge who had a gentlewoman waytyng vpon her of an excellente beautye called Eue Trottine vpon whom her husbande doted in loue and when he had perswaded the mayde he had by her diuers children After to th entent the matter should not bee perceyued and that he myght vse her company the longer he geueth her counsel to faine as though she wold go home to her parētes And he fournissheth her of horses charyote and althynges necessarye for her Iorney She departeth and where she was thought to haue gone home she was conueyed into a Castell of hys And the captayne was made priuie to it before what thyng should be done And a woman or two appoynted to wayte vpon her whom he moste trusted This Eue within a few daies after she came thither kepeth her bed and fayneth her self sycke He had before caused to be made an Image of wood whiche dyd represente the head necke and Boulke of a dead body the other partes were made set out with lynen clothes which the wemen had stuffed and filled with earth and asshes that it might seme proportionate and so set the Image of wood and the clothe
came not our selues to Regēspurge we haue bothe made oure excuse the Duke by hys Ambassa dours and I by presente talke with hym at Spier But what is then the lybertye of Germany or state of the publicke weale yf we must haue warre therfore whan bothe in others heretofore and also in this conuention nowe at Regenspurge many other Prynces are absent And as for the warre of Brunswicke we are not to bee blamed For it is lawfull for all men to saue them selues from violence We haue often tymes desyred in sondry assemblies that hys vyolence myghte be restreyned but more than wordes letters we could obteyne nothing And yet in those letters whych Fernando at our request wrote herof to Duke Henry openly wer other letters inclosed wherby he myghte easely perceyue that he neded not to obeye the others These Letters were founde in the castel of Wuolsbuttell subscribed with the kinges owne hande and are foorth commynge and nede be But in case the lyke seueritie had ben extended to the Duke of Brunswicke as themperoure sheweth nowe vnto vs albeit we haue not deserued it there had ben no warre at all But in asmuche as he impugned vs who for the profession of the Gospell doe susteyne greate hatred they coulde winke at hys myscheuous actes And Thēperoure knoweth how we commytted the prouince taken to gardience and for the defence takē in hande we offered our selues to abyde the order of the lawe and arbitrement by hym appoynted yf he would haue taken the same way and had not forsaking the Arbiterment and contemnyng Themperours order attēpted a new warre but wolde haue tryed the matter with vs by the lawe the way had ben easy enoughe For if we being conuict in iudgement had not obeyed than shulde Themperour haue had iuste cause to put the lawe in execution but nowe that he shulde thus doe he hath not at al. Finally from the time that this Duke and his son were taken themperoure did neuer demaunde thing of vs for the same therfore there is no cause wherfore we should be accused for negletynge oure dewtie And in case it shoulde bee ascribed to vs as though we shuld impeache the law then haue we to muche wronge For in asmuche as of many yeres now those only were receiued to be iudges of the chamber whych hated our religiō most bitterly for that the same iudges all cōpositions set a part gaue sentence against vs our fellowes in matters of religion also in ciuill causes wolde let vs haue no iustice we did as we myght doe euen by order of lawe necessarely and lawfully refuse them as suspected our aduersaries protestyng that we wold declare more at large the causes of the refusal before chosen iudges Therfore can there nothing be imputed vnto vs in this be halfe Moreouer two yeres past it was decried at Spier that the chamber shuld be establyshed vprightly why it was not so don it cānot be ascribed to vs nor our fellowes And it is not vnknowē to themperoure how the last yere in the assēblie at Wormes ther did no man resist this decree of his more than they themselues whiche wyll seme to be loyall obedient princes for this intent verely that where as they be oure aduersaries they myght be oure iudges also We doe heare moreouer that this is layed to our charge as much blame worthy that we seke to allure vnto vs certē of the Nobilitie But maruell it is that we should be reproued for this matter For it is to be founde proued that this hath ben alwaies the maner in the dayes of oure forefathers that they should ioyne vnto thē not only the gentelmen of their owne coūtries but the bishops also And though there wersom fault therin it is therfore lawful to moue warre against vs our cause not heard and albeit that in the league of in heritaunce which is betwene the houses of Saxon Brandenburg Hesse themperour is excepted yet ought this to be so taken if he do not abuse his authoritie Wherfore let Albert Iohn of Brandenburge cosins who haue promised to serue Themperour against vs consider with thēselues dilligently what they doe remēber their othe wherwith they ar boūdē we wold they shuld haue this knowledg and warninge as they also which being our clientes take wages vnder thē in this war Neither are they excused if haply they wil say how thēperour is pourposed to punnish certen princes for disobedience For they knewe themselues howe there can be no such thing imputed to vs iustly But if Themperoure had accused vs of any crime as reason wold haue requyred that we could not haue confuted the same he shulde not haue neded to vse all these polycies and sollicite our fellowes to withdraw themselues from vs. For yf he coulde haue shewed our offence they wolde haue forsaken vs of theyr owne accorde and in a cause that had not ben good few wold haue a biden the commō daunger Furthermore what tyme we with the rest gaue hym ayde two yeres synce against the Frence king he promised than that when that warre shulde be finished he wolde goe into Hongary hymselfe agaynst the Turke And nowe doe the Turkes inuade Hongary and the places ther aboutes with great force power as in dede it is reported of many doubteles therbe in those parties both at Offen and Pest great garnisons of Turkes But the poore mens liues of that countrie are neglected which are now cast vnto theyr enemyes as a praye and in the meane while they seke howe to make slaughter in Germanye and that all thynge maye swymme full of theyr blud that professe Chryst And seing it is so we trust surely that moste men will pitie and lament our case and wil not assist our aduersaryes whiche seke only to extinguish the doctrine of the Gospell as they haue donne in all others places of they re dominions and bring vs into extreme bondoge but wil be content for reasonable wages rather to followe oure campe than theirs wherin is the Romish Antichriste and his adherentes whose chyfe endeuour is thys that euen with the slaughter of all Germany they maye establish agayne and confirme theyr wicked and deuelishe doctryne And in asmuche as after muche intreatinge for peace beyng of no crime as yet cōuicted we are enforced to warre to defend our selues from violence we trust that God will assist the treweth agaynst lyes and in thys hys cause wil be our hygh Emperour enseigne bearer againste the wicked deuises of the bishop Unto him verely doe we commit the whole matter and beseche hym to confounde the cruell counselles of blud thirsters and euer more and more to auaunce the maiestie glory of hys name The same daye they wryte to Iohn Marques of Brādenburge And because he is bothe in the league of the Protestantes as by his owne letters can be proued and agayne in priuate confederacie
sufficiētly declared ī our bokes set forth of And his purpose was to maintain execute the decrees of the counsell for the accomplishement wherof he had longe before sollicited certen forrein Princes but fearing lest by this mean he should set in his top all that cleaued to religion he pretended an other cause and fained rebellion that he might withdrawe our fellowes and whan he had vanquished the chiefest myght after compell the residue to obey his commaundement And albeit that he and his brother thought to kepe maruelous secret this their subtill and craftie counsell yet through the singular goodnes of God it commeth to lyght dayly more and more For the Bishop himselfe by his Ambassadours declared to the Switzers the cause of the warre and copie of the league Wherby it is manifest that not they alone but al other that professe the same doctrine are in the lyke daunger that this is their indeuour to restore papistrie in all places Let all men iudge therfore how truly this matter was handled when lately in the conuention at Regenspurg they went about to perswade and cōcluded also that for the appeasing of religiō they would vse lawfull and quiet remedies He tolde me hym selfe sayth the Lantgraue lately at Spier that he was in no league with the Byshop The same affirmed Granuellan This is verely that same fatherly mynde and affection This is that zeale and loue of peace wherof they speake so muche Did euer man heare of the lyke thing that he wold perswade the Princes quite contrary to that whiche he hath had so long prefixed in his minde We know right well what dutie the Princes owe vnto the Emperour and againe what he ought to perfourme vnto them For as we are bounden to hym so is he againe bounden also vnto vs And wher as our cause not heard he doth outlawe vs and seketh to put vs besides our lādes and possessions in that he breaketh the bonde of the ciuile lawe wherby the patrone is bounden againe to his cliente Nowe where he chargeth vs with rebellion it is nothing and he him selfe knoweth that he doth vs wrong For euen for the same cause saith the Lantgraue he gaue me thākes lately at Spier for that I haue omitted no diligence to appease religion But where he sayth that I prepared warre punyshed certen states by the purse I denie it not and there was iust cause so to do Neuerthelesse it is openly knowen how through the mediation of Lewys the Paulsgraue and Richard the Archbyshop of Treuers all this matter was quietly ended he him self also writing his letters all be it he had taken the matter displeasauntly yet for as muche as I had discharged mine armie signified that he required no more Again what time he spake to me of the same sixtene yeares synce at Auspurg I made my purgation in suche sorte before king Ferdinando Friderick the Paulsgraue and certen others that he was contēt and satisfied Wherfore he ought not to make that mattir any part of occasion of this warre And where as I restored Ulriche Duke of Wirtemberg at the intercession of George Duke of Saxō and The Archbishop of mentz I was for that matter reconciled by composition which he ratified And after at Regenspurg vpō his faith and assuraunce he toke away cleane and abolyshed al displeasure Now he speaketh also of the warre with the Duke of Brunswick but the cause therof we haue expressed in wrytting and after that in a moste frequent audience of the Empyre he him self being also present we declared more at large two yeares paste The Duke that tyme made answere but the Emperour refused to heare our confutation of the same And why wold he not heare and examine dewly the whole matter and by the aduyse of the Princes haue taken some ordre in the thing Certenly because he desyred ayde for the Frenche Turkyshe warre of a purpose he let it slepe and wold haue it put to gardens and herein we fulfilled his desire at Wormes were content that Frederick the Paulsgraue and his Cosin Iohn Simmer should kepe and gouerne the prouince by vs taken vntill such tyme as the matter should be lawfully decided and determined That done he assured vs that the Duke of Brunswick should also assent to the same and wryting his letters charged hym earnestly that he should obeye but he cōtemning his commaundement raysed warre against vs and was taken therin as it appereth by a wryting set forth by me and Duke Maurice Therfore did we nothing in this warre contrary to our dutie nothing against the lawes and herein we appeale to egall iudgement But here by it is to be sene what fauour he beareth to Religion For albeit that the Duke of Brunswick contemned his commaundement most rashely although at what tyme he heard of the sequestration he spake of Themperour many lewde and opprobrious wordes yet because he was a moste bitter enemy of our Religion he did althyngs vnpunyshed Where he sayth that we haue brought certen vnder our subiection it is farre otherwyse and we haue ofte made aunswere to the same This in dede may be wel verified of him whiche hath brought vnder his iurisdiction diuerse prouinces of the Empire and also Byshoprikes and against this present warre hath assembled nobles and gentlemen that he might al lure them to him for our distruction This verely we graunt that we haue receiued diuers into our tuition fidelitie that if they should be in daunger for the doctrine of the Gospell we should defende them And that we suppose to be our duty for God commaundeth to succour the afflicted And none haue more nede these many yeares nowe of helpe and defence than those that are taken for Lutherians But in other things that do not concerne Religion we defend them not no we haue always exhorted them to geue the magistrate their right and honour due He obiecteth to vs that we should haue exhorted som not to repare to the Assemblie But that is both vayne and absurde For where as our Ambassadours wer lately assembled at Wormes and he went to Regenspurge we commaunded thē that al other thinges set a part they should go also to that assemblie Unto all other assemblies of th empyre ether we haue comen our selues or always sent our Ambassadours Concerning that he sayth of the chamber and iudgement it hath ben ofte confuted heretofore Moreouer he maketh mention of an Heathen Magistrate to declare that we might not resist hym But we haue not only done our duty but also more than we ought to do haue geuen him more than euer our auncesters haue accustomed to our great losse and hinderaunce And that he hath no cause of complaint at all it shall appere by that we shall here recite A certen Ambassadour of the Frenche kyngs sent vnto hym lately by occasion fell in talke of this warre He saieth it is a very great enterprise that he taketh in
was he constrayned in sadues to intreat for peace Whiche being ones concluded by the mediation of certen it was conditioned that he should geue his fayth to the kyng by an othe and doe all thynges as becommeth a faythful and trusty Cliente It is certen therfore that the lande of Prusse hath euer synce the memory of mā and from the tyme they fyrst receiued the Christen Religion both by the lawe of armes and also by sondry conuenauntes aparteyned to the Realme of Polle For if any others haue made any title or claime to it the same hath ben through the arrogancie wrong of the maisters of thorder who being through y◠kinges permissiō Germains borne haue about oftentimes to intitle others in the ryght of Prusse Whiche thing assuredly hath bred muche distention betwixte the Germaines and Polonians and caused also this same decree wherin Duke Albert was outlawed But what ryght haue they to outlaw an other mans cliente For in that he came not to iudgemēt when he was sited not of his iudges that ded he by the kynges commaundement vnto whome all the faulte is to be imputed in case there be any at all But if he should be outlawed for this cause that he acknowlegeth the king for his Magistrat that were very vnreasonable that any man should suffer punishemēt for doing his duty Wherfore most triumphāt Emperour and states most noble the king doeth hartly requyre you that this vniust and vnlawfull decree of outlawery prescription may be repressed Neither is there any cause why any man should thynke that the kyng would for any ambition or desyre to enlarge his kyngdome bryng Prusse vnder his subiection For he that hath refused most Goodly prouinces that haue bene frely offred him how should he come then into the suspicion of this matter Certenly that coūtrey is not so much worth vnto hym but that if he myght with his honour he coulde be content to forgoe it But sith it doth properly belong vnto his dominion he can not other wyse doe For the cause why oftentimes trouble cōtētion hath risē about it was euer through the faulte of the Maisters of the order as I shewed you before And God in dede hath often plaged their bolde enterpryses And these thinges knew ryght well most noble Emperour and king Ferdinādo your grandfather Maximilian who remembring the iniuries which he and his father Friderick receiued of them made a faithfull promyse to kyng Sigismunde what tyme they met at Uienne promised as well in his owne as in your names also that he woulde geue no maner of ayde vnto this order And this dyd Maximilian after no newe example but followyng the trade of his auncestours For both the Emperour Sigismunde metyng with kyng Ladislaus grādfather to the king my Maister did not this much only but also promised aide against them And the Emperour Friderick your great grādfather ioyned his force and power with Casimire the father of king Sigismund against Matthie kyng of Hongary and this foresayd order of one cōfederacie And although that kyng Casimire being let impeched with the warres of this ordre could sende themperour Fridericke that time no ayde of men yet did he ayde him with monie so much as his couenāt was Wherby it is euident how this order hath always ben enemies to the hous whiche hath euer bene linked to Polle with bondes of leagues and affinities Wherof king Sigismūde requireth you to haue some consideration For in case there be any of the same order that thinke them selues bounde to fight for the christian faith and Religion there is nothing for them to do in Prusse For all that be round about it doe professe the christiane religiō Therfore must they seke vnto other places where they may exercise them selues For now of many yeares Hierusalem is possessed of a barbarous ennemy for the defence of the whiche place it is said how this order was in times past instituted Constantinople also is kept of the same nation Here lieth their worke busines Or if this be thought ouer olde or to far of there are many strong cities of Christendome wonne lately Why do not these worthy knyghtes go thether that thei might either recouer that is loste or defende the rest frō the ennemy But if they delight more in ciuile warre than euery man may iudge howe vnworthy they are of that name But thus the case standeth this order hath bene alwayes without order For the whiche cause also they were expulsed not out of Prussie only but out of Boheme lyke wyse well nexe an hondreth and fiftie yeares past And yet hath no man hetherto desyred the same places out of the whiche they were expulsed as common and vacant to be geuen them But only Polle sement fit to be molested herein whiche ought moste of all to be fauoured For albeit that order hath offended many yet hath it done moste hurt of all to the Realme of Polle For sauing a few of the first scarsly were there any maisters of that order that did their duty but contrariwyse for the moste part leauing the Barbarous ennemies haue tourned their weapons against their Magistrate kynges of Poolle And not that only but haue brought into their confederacie also the Tartarians a cruell kynde of people and mortall ennemies to all Christians as is wrytten of Michell Cochmester Wherfore if any man would make the rekening cōsider the paines perilles charges warres tumultes battails slaughters desolations wherof this order hath chiefly bene cause of he shal find that it is hardly so much worth And the kinges desire is that there myght ones be an ende of these euils For if any man should attempte warre against Albert Duke of Prusse the kyng wyll not altogether sit styll and see hym take wrong for as muche as he is both Uncle to hym and Patrone There are threateninges and menaces brought to the kynges eares whiche doubtles he is sory to heare For he loueth peace and quietnes but chiefly the concorde of Christendome Howe be it in case any man shall attempte violence he wyll in dede vnwillyngly put on Armure yet for all that wyll he doe it to defende him and his He desyreth the frendshyp of all Prynces but chiefly yours moste mighty Emperour and kyng Ferdinādo and wysheth the same to continue for euer He hath often times heretofore intreated you by letters and messengers that the prescription decreed against Duke Albert might be abolyshed But where the same is not done hetherto he doeth not so muche impute it vnto you as to the aduersitie of tyme. But nowe that alwayes are made playne and lettes taken awaye he supposeth you haue occasion now to perfourme the thyng whiche you haue right franckely promysed whan not by one lettre or two you haue signified how that you were more ready in wyll than in power to gratifie hym But in case this order wyll not cease but steare vp warre and
For albeit that al papistry in a maner was therin established yet for asmuch as certē things wer permitted to the contrary part they thought it first expediēt to make the bishop priuy Who after openet 〈…〉 themperor by cardinal Stoudrate these notes or any inaduersiōs That a priest which hath takē ordres shuld mary execute stil y◠holy ministry was neuer hard of that the vse of receiuing the Lords supper vnder both kinds is abrogated nether hath any māautority to permit that liberty sauing the bishop of Rome the sinode that the folowers of the old religiō are not to be boūdē vnto these doctrins but if any Lutheranes wil forsake their opinions thei are not to be refused That of the .ii. masses ought only to be vnderstād of the Lutheranes that the singing of Psalmes ought to be restored in al places that on holy daies they must celebrate the memoriall of the patrone of the church that suche as are priestes already or hereafter shal be muste abstayne frō Mariage that a spedy restitution of the church goodes and iurisdictiō must be made For the Robbery is manifest nether must they folow herein thordinary proces of the law but determin of y◠thing that is euidēt execute the matter by regal power Whē this cēsure was inferred tharchbishops of Mētz Treuers Collen vnto whō it was deliuered answer thēperor directly after the same sort especially vrge restitutiō declaring the same to be right necessary if christē religiō shuld be maintained in places wher it is abolished shuld again be restored Moreouer the cōmon peace cā not otherwise be established wherfore it is chiefli to be prouided that religious houses be wholy restored And in as much as the spoil extortiō is manifest they must go spedeli to work that gods seruice may withal spede be recouered Finally they desire him to take these things in good part with his protectiō to defēd the mēbers of the church The .iii. other electors wer not of the same opiniō especially the Paulsgraue Duke Moris yet ether of thē had causes why they shuld not gainsai themperor The rest of the princes whiche wer for the most part bishops answer in like maner as did the iii. Archbishops As for the cities ther was no great accompt made of thē Themperour therfore at the Ides of Maye calleth all the States before him And in the preface speaking of his zeale towardes Germany saieth we perceiue by manifest arguments by the thing it self the neither the peace can be established nor law iustice ministred vnlesse the cōtrouersie of religiō the first appeased which hath now many peares sturred vp thempire muche grudge dyssention hatred discorde ciuile warres This hath bene verely the cause why by many cōuētions cōferēces we haue often sought a remedy But in the meane time not only in Germany but also into other natiōs and people of Christēdome hath this same cōtageous infection pearsed in so much that ther appereth no more present remedy than a general coūsel which at the lēgth at your request we procured to be holdē at Trēt and moued you also at the beginning of this conuentiō to submit your selues to thauthoritie of y◠same And that y◠charge might be cōmitted vnto vs in the meane seasō to deuise some godly meanes wherby they might liue quietly the meane while in Germany which cōtētatiō and cōfydēce of youres was vnto vs both thā now also right acceptable What time therfore we gaue our selues wholy vnto this carefulnes demaūded your opinions we than perceiued not without the great grief of our mynde that the disagrement in religion was thoccasion of all the former euils And vnlesse it be foresene hereafter wylbe Wherefore we thought it not good to leaue the matter in that troublesome state vntyll the decree of the counsell but that it oughte to be broughte to some moderation especially sith that oftentimes new sectes did arise Whilest we were pōdering these things certain of high degre nobility desirous of peace louers of the cōmon weale exhibite to vs in wryting theyr opiniō cōcerning religiō promise due obeisāce We than receiuing y◠wryting deliuered the same to certaine good learned deuines that they shuld among thē selues consider al things diligētly which after they had perused it made report that y◠same being wel vnderstand did not impugne the catholike religion and doctrine nor the lawes and cōstitutions of the church two opinions only excepted wherof th one is of the mariage of priestes thother of the Lordes supper but said it was wel deuised to establish the concord of Germany which thing dousles vnto vs shuld be most of all acceptable for what more ioyful thing could happē thē to se al states in mindes agreable follow one the same forme of Religion And seing it is euē so we require such as haue obserued hitherto the lawes custome of the catholike church to their great cōmendation that they perseuer in the same alter nothing as they haue promised vs heretofore And those also which haue chaūged their religiō we desire most earnestly to passe with thother states professe the same religion that they do or els to cōfyrme their doctrine after the order of this boke in euery poynt to follow the steps hereof besides that to ordaine nothing but to stay within these boundes limites and neither by wryting nor preaching to attempt any thing to the contrary but obediētly to attēd the decre of a general coūcel that the same may be had as shortly as is possible we wil indeuor with al diligēce now ar occupied in this thing wholy how to cōceaue a forme for the reformatiō of the clergie Whā he had spokē thus by his secretary as is accustomed he cōmaūded the boke to be red Ther tharch bishop of mētz which occupieth the chiefest place amōg thelectors not seking what thopiniō of stats shold be ariseth vp as it wer in the name of al the rest geueth vnto thēperor for so much trauel pain care diligēce loue of y◠coūtrey imortal thāks in asmuch as thei haue already cōmitted the thing to his fidelitie now paines hath bē takē therin he saith it is reason that they should with most willing minds acknowledg thesame obey the decre This thāks geuing did thēperor take for a cōmon assent cōfirmatiō after wold admit none excuse as I shall herafter declare cōmaundeth the boke to be set forth in print both in latin duch also The iiii day after he declareth to the stats with how much labor cost he hath restored peace vn to Germany because the thing it self requireth that it be also prouided for in time to come he supposeth it veri mete necessari some great treasure of money beleuied and in certeine places be kept the common treasurie that if it fortune at
iustified The matter was handled with great cōtentiō He him self verely pretended as I said as though Luther had ben of his opiniō But in the meane time he made his auaunt amongst his adherentes as it is written that Luther Melāchthō had made cōpiled a diuinitie after Aristotels doctrine which sauereth more of the fleshe than of the spirite Albert the Duke of Prusland desired at that first that the matter might haue ben appeased by mediatours But perswaded by Osiander after much debating he became of his opinion cōmaundeth his aduersaries to depart out of his dominiō Amongst whō was Ioachim Merlin who must nedes be packing although not only the citezens but also womē children besought that Prince right hūbly that they might not be depriued of such a pastour This Osiander taught many yeres at Norinberg that much to his cōmēdation neuer made busines but semed in al things to folowe Luthers doctrine so long as he liued But whan after themperours decree of religion he forsoke Norinberg went into the land of Pruisse he reised vp this same questiō Which many mē supposed that he durst neuer do so long as Luther liued He chiefly prouoketh them of Wittēberg to confute these thinges if they can sayth how he wil defend his opiniō whosoeuer impugne thesame taunteth Melanchthon bitterly Whose opinion al learned men for the most part namely in Saxonie reproued by bokes set forth rebuked that in a time moste troublesome he disturbed the congregation And where he had hādled so vngodly Melanchthon a man of so great modestie learning with that were al men offended exceadingly In an other certen booke he contendeth that albeit mankinde had not ben lost through the sinne of Adam yet shuld Christ haue bene borne neuerthelesse The eight day of February is dissolued the coūsell of thempire Therin made themperour a decre forsomuch saith he as this great dissention in religion can by no meanes be better appeased than by a general Godly fre counsell Again for that in that former assemble the states haue submitted thē selues vnto the counsel therin perseuer this shal be cōfirmed ratified That thing also which I my self than promised I wil procure with all trauell diligence that eche thing may be orderly rightly done And sithe that this bull of the byshop of Rome apperteyneth vnto all christian Realmes prouinces I suppose verely that all kinges rulers remembring their dutie will obeye furder so Godly a busines to thuttermost of their power what soeuer also shal become me to do therin as the aduocate of the church defendour of counselles that same will I performe And to al such as wil repare to the coūsel whether they haue chaunged their religion or not I wil graunte saufe conduicte that they may there remayn propoūde such thinges as they shal thinke to concerne the quiet of their conscience after shal may safely retourne home againe garded with a cōmon cōduct Moreouer I will indeuour that the whole matter shal be treated determined Godly christiāly al affections set apart according to the holy scripture doctrine of that fathers that as wel the ciuile as ecclesiasticall state may be reformed all errours false opinions cleane taken away I intende moreouer to remain within the limites of thempire or at the least very neare to thintent to defende the coūsel so that it may come vnto th ende wished for the fruict therof may redoūde vnto al men may be chiefly for the cōmoditie of Germany Wherfore I require exhort al princes states but chiefly thē of the clergie those that haue altered their religion cleaue to the confession of Auspurg that according to the byshops bul they prepare thē selues come thither furnished least after they complayne that they were through ouermuch haste supplanted or els not admitted to the sufficiēt declaration of their cause For as I said I will assure them by saufe conduict bring to passe that they shal be heard so much as shal be requisite But where as the states haue alledged sondry reasons why the decrees of the former conuention of Auspurg concerning religion reformation be not kept al this I reuoke to mine owne consideration wil know of eche man seuerally what impediment there is Therfore let euery man for see that the matter may come to rehersall It was also decreed the at the first day of April thambassadours of thelectours of syx other Princes shuld mete at Norinberg to consulte howe that mony which was taken out of the cōmon treasorie for the war of Maydenburg shuld be restored Whatsoeuer they shall determine is cōmaunded to be of like force as if the same had ben enacted in the full assemble of thempire And for so much as this war shuld concerne the welth of al Germany it shal be lawfull for euery Magistrate to taxe that people for that same cause Againe in case any citezen of thempire or straunger shall ayde them of Maydēburg thā doeth thēperour also promise to be at charge As concerning the iurisdiction goodes of the churche themperour saith he wil forese that being sued to by thē whom it concerneth he wil minister iustice vnto thē that euery man shal recouer inioye his own They decreed to ayde king Ferdinando against the Turke although vnwillingly with suche ayde as was promised him in the former conuention Finally because therles of Mansfelde Hedeck mustring men the last wynter had intended to aide thē of Maidenburg as before is sayd the Emperour chargeth cōmaundeth that in case any souldiours assemble hereafter in any part of Germany the Princes states next thē shal immediatly ioyne their forces together to subdue thē to quēche that flambe before it be of force or violēce In this selfsame time Henry the Frenche king receiueth into his faith tuition Octauins Farnesius who was both mortal ennemy to Ferdinando Gonzage themperours lieftenaūt in Lūbardy for the slaughter of his father also being so nere vnto Placēce which thēperour held fearing least he shuld not be able to kepe Parma by his owne force craued foreine aide receiued into the citie a garrison of Frenchmē Which thēperour toke right displeasauntly especially the bishop of Rome as shal be declared hereafter In these daies gaue thēperour sentence against the Lantgraue for the contie or lorship of Diece For he was condēned of contēpt for that he answered not But he said how it lay not in his power to answer for so muche as he might not cōferfrely with his coūsellours for the awayting harkening of thē the had him in their custody For after that it came to light how be would haue made an escape lately as I shewed you before no man might haue accesse to him nor speake with him without a witnesse The .xxviii. daye of
all is that in these so greate erroures very many by little and little growe vp in and that there be found diuers as wel of the chiefest Nobility as of others which setting cocke on houpe beleue nothinge at all neither regard they what reason what honesty or what thing consciēce doth prescribe and this is done both to the great hinderaunce and daunger of innocent youthe And certainly it were chiefly to be lamented if Germanye which hath had so manye yeares the chief praise of Religion and vertue shuld now be so abased and so far degenerate that it mighte not be compared with the heathen people of old time neither oughte to be preferred at this daye before the Turkes also and Barbarians nor in thys poynte to be thoughte one whit better and because there hath bene no redresse made hitherto of this great enormity althoughe many conuentions haue bene had therefore for that fewe men cared for it for because those whome it best became to remeadye it partlye wincked therat partly seruing the time had a respect more to their priuate commoditye for this cause the euer liuinge God hathe of longe time nowe plaged all Germany and certaine states priuately with diuers calamities in so muche that the same region which in times past for nombre of people excelled in strengthe and valeauntnesse and was hable easily to repulse all foraine violence the same being rent and torne with dissentions warres and commotions as well ciuill as foreines is now in greate daunger and tendeth to vtter destruction excepte God do wonderfullye preserue it Therfore is it neadfull that euery magistrate indeuor for his part herein to do his duetie and haue an especiall regarde to the cause of Religion wherein bothe Gods honoure and the honestye of life also is conteined Moreouer ther hath benmo waies than one deuised to appease religion but that an vniuersall free and godlye counsell mighte be had semed alwaies from the beginning not only to the Emperor but also vnto them all to be the best waye For because that in as much as it is a matter of our faith it apperteineth not to one only people but also vnto al other nations of christendome which must doubtlesse be called to the same that what vices soeuer be in any place they may be reformed and taken away Therfore did the Emperor both for his own duetie and at theyr request also labor this waye to the vttermost of his power and at the length brought it to passe that such a counsell was oftner than once called and sometimes also commenced but what impediment ther was at euerye time and why no frute of the same returned to the common wealth that doth he leaue to his place doubting not but many of them whiche were either at the Counsels them selues or hadde their deputies there know the matter well inough And now if they be so contente that the same ordre of the counsell maye be repared to and take place which thing verely is aboue all others to be wished for of almighty God he will not only assent thervnto most willingly but also apply the thing with all study faith and dilligence And than in dede is this thing only to be consulted of how those causes that wer before a let and impediment might be auoided and taken awaye but if for the tumultes of warre and tempest of the common wealthe they shall thincke mete it be differred vntil an other time more quiet he is content that other godly and tollerable waies be debated that in the meane season the people and all states may liue peaceably and be kept vnder an honest discipline to the glorye of God alwaies and with a safe conscience In former yeares in dede there was ofttimes mention made of a counsell prouinciall as thoughe the same were most fit and conueniente for oure purpose but for so much as bothe the name manner and fourme thereof in ouretime hath not in his opinion bene much knowen and accustomed he can determine nothing therof at this present The third way meanes hath bene diuers times assaied by talcke and conference of learned men And all be it the same hath commen to small profit yet is this well perceiued that many and that the chiefest poyntes might here by haue bene reconciled in case the matter had bene handled wyth a godlye zeale and no respecte had to priuate commoditye of either side which thinge neuerthelesse he woulde that no manne shoulde thincke spoken to his iniurye of this waye therfore we muste take further deliberation also And all be it that themperors deuise and purpose touchinge the same matter who all together mente good faith was otherwise taken in former yeares and had small thanke of either partie yet doth he againe if they shall thincke good so not mislike the same if the parties also will treat sincerely if all affections laid a part and obstinacy set a side they will haue before theyr eies Goddes glorye onlye and the common saluation of all men he will shew herein all faith and dilligence he can perceiue none other way at this present that is conuenient but in case they haue anye other thing that is more mete for this purpose it shall be lawful to declare the same An other part of this consultation is concerninge peace and whan certen yeres past there were lawes made hereof themperor and he had supposed that they had well prouided for the common quiet but th end now declareth that it was not sufficiently foresene for that they might not condempne nor outlawe the rebels and seditious parsons vnlesse they were first cited to appere and after all due order of iudgement conuicted where they in the meane season hauing time and space did afflicte diuers without any desert it was also prouided in former actes that if any man suffred iniury or were by force inuaded his next neighbors should assist him but it is not vnknowen to them what impedimentes haue chaunced Therfore must they consult and way with him diligently how these two poyntes of the law maye be amended that bothe vnquiet and troublesome persons may be made a feard and suche as are faithfull to thempire may know assuredly that they shal not want aid against force and violence which thing may now be done so much more commodiously for that the foundation hereof is laid of late at Woormes and at Frankfurt Wherfore they shal do wel if they follow the consultation there begon and bring it to an end He exorteth them moreouer to consult of establishing the iudgemēt imperiall of publicke contribution of Coyne and of other politicke thinges and hitherto to applye all their deuises by what meanes these domesticall euils dissentions tumultes seditions and force may be taken awaye and cleane roted oute and herein to consider chiefly the state of thempire and to se in how greate daunger Germany standeth not only by reason of the cruell Turke but for other ennemies also which nothing lesse than the
to the states in suche sorte as I shewed you in the last boke The ministers of the churche driuen out of the lande of Boheme the learned men that were in Meissen and in Wittemberge and amongest others Melāchthon comfort them with an epistle and shew the craft of the cōtrary part who affirmed that they kept a necessary order in the churche that those whiche either had not receiued orders at the Byshops hande or had wynes could not minister the Sacramentes For this cause of expulsion they fayned that they should not seme to haue a desire to oppresse the true doctrine but these men shewe how it is a starke tyrāny that maried priestes should be put from the holy ministery For Sathā was the authour of prohiting matrimony as it is euidēt by the scriptures And that we ought not to seke to be ordeined of the byshops that are the open ennemies of the Gospell and defende idols but of that fellowship which hath pure doctrine therfore hath the keyes of the kingdome of heauen For it were to absurde daūgerouse if Shepeheardes should be ordeined of wolues The churche to haue had alwayes right to chouse mete ministers and that so was the decree of the counsell of Nice And they that were so chosen and tried to haue bene confirmed of them that gouerned Godly congregations The same maner to bee nowe also obserued and therfore that it is a sclaunder to saye that they disturbe or breake order Since therfore the matter is so and that for the true professing of the Gospell they be expulsed they ought to take this calamitie so muche more moderatly For God wyll not fayle them in his tyme And that they be ready with theyr next churches to shewe them all loue and hospitalitie Where the Frenche men at the Ides of Decēber of the yeare before had by the conduit of Brissake taken Eporedia a towne in the Alpes by the water of Durie This yeare the third daye of Marche they intercept the town of Casale nere vnto the Poo wherin was a garrison of Spaniardes and Almaynes vpon the sodayne and with in a fewe dayes after the Castell also Afterwarde bringe many other thinges into their subiection And amongest others thei rase and make euen with the groūd Ualence and Saluadore The sixt day of Marche August Duke of Saxony Ioachim Marques of Brandēburg Princes Electours The sonnes also of Duke Iohn Fridericke the Lantgraue certen other Princes of thesame countrie assemble at Numburg vpon the Riuer of Sale there renew the league of inheritaūce whiche is betwixt the houses of Saxon Brandēburg Hessia as I shewed in the .xxiiii. boke also determine that they would sticke constantly to the cōfession of Auspurg And least there should any suspicion arise of any new or secret coūsell the fift day after that they came thether they signifie the cause of their assemble to the Emperour in wryting In the former yeare what time a compact was made betwene Augustus Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie this was also agreed vpon y◠the old familiar leage should be renewed To witte that league whiche was made an hondreth yeres since more after established by a lawe And therfore that they haue now met for the same cause as that league was profitable to their elders all the people so likewyse thei trusted that it shuld com thē luckely to passe since thei sought for nothing els but peace trāquillitie did it to the displeasure of no man Moreouer that after the maner of their aūcesters they haue excepted his highnes his brother king of Romains and as they intende priuatly to kepe mutual amitie amongest thē selues so wil they also openly doe that their dutie requireth which may become obedient Princes of thempire And that in Religion they wil not procede any further than is limited in the confession of Auspurg but for as much as in the same are cōteined the chief articles of the Christian doctrine no wicked sedicious opinion can be found therin thei wil through Gods grace perseuer in thesame doctrine neither wil they fayle also the cōmon welth of Germany so far forth as thei are able with their trauel counsel treasures And for as much as at this time being not moste quiet for the auoiding of a further discōmoditie they abide at home they haue sent Ambassadours to thassēblee of thempire who haue in cōmaundemēt to refer al their counsels doings vnto peace so that neither for religiō nor any ciuile cause any force or violēce should be feared For the peace once established it shal be an occasion that other cōtrouersies may be the better appeased That the state doubtles of the cōmon welth now is such that it is great nede to ioine together all their forces mindes that a wyder entrie be not set open to the Turkes to inuade vs How they know wel enough howe greatly he desireth that so sone as may be a sufficiēt army might be prepared to repres thennemies violence Wherfore now in case such a peace might be established ther is no doubt but the states of thempire wold gladly imploy their substaunce vpon the same war which verely hitherto by reason of sondry tumultes ciuile discordeshath bene omitted That they wil be alwaies ready haue cōmaunded their ambassadours to offer these thinges in their name at the counsel thesame day they write to king Ferdinādo in a maner to the same effect as before I said the Duke August did by his Ambassadours For both they vrge y◠same cōpact of Passawe shew how desirous they are of peace Thei cōmend the doctrine cōfessed at Ausperge and exhort him to confirme the peace and also pray him that he wold geue no credit to such as haply seke to disturbe the quiet of Germany At the Ides of March the Archbishop of Mentz departed out of this life whom we saied to haue bene at the counsel of Trent after was put to flight by Marques Albert Whom Daniel Brēdel succedeth The. viii day after that byshop of Mentz which was the .xxiii. day of March dieth Pope Iuly the third Who for bicause he had so easely beyond al expectatiō recouered England was thought to haue cōceaued also a wōderful hope of Germany And had therfor sent thither Cardinal Morone who the next day after that he was dead came to the coūsell of thempire at Auspurg But with in eight daies after hearing newes therof the last day of March he departeth thence againe and with Truckesse Cardinal of Auspurg spedeth him to the Electiō at Rome The Cardinals that wer at Rome not tarieng for the rest made hast the .ix. day of April proclaime Pope Marcellus the secōd of that name The same that was sent Ambassadour with Cardinal Farnese to the Emperour of Paul the third as I shewed you in the .xiii. boke The Cardinal of Auspurg a fewe
commotion at Burdeaur eodem A wonderful conuersion of Uergelius 328 A meting of deuines in Saxony 330 A Diaphora 333 An open disputation at Oxford 335 A communication at Lipsia 336 A rebellion in England eodem A boke in Italian againste the Poope 339 An assembly of Cardinals for to chuse a new Pope 340 A straunge sight neuer hard of 342 A trouble in the Church of Strasburg eodem A iest of the Cardinall of Auspurge 343 A peace concluded betwene Fraunce and England 344 A confession of faith made by the ministers of Auspurge 345 A Regester of the deuines of Louaine 346 A proclamation for printers 347 Andwarpe astomed at the Emperors Proclamation 347 A woman in pearil for a lyght worde 348 An ambassade against them of Maidenburge 350 A cruel decre against the Maidenburgians 351 A wryting of the cleargye againste the city of Maidenburge 354 All godly folke afflicted for the verity 357 A new doctrine of Osiander 359 A cruel Proclamation against the Lutherans 368 A purgation of the french king eodem A decre of Trent of the Lordes supper 369 A decre of penaunce 273 A Cardinall of Dalmatia slaine in hys owne house 378 A brute of warre againste themperor 385 Albertes crueltye to them of Noremberge 402 Assembly at Auspurge 386 A poynt of the law 72 A Monke forsaketh his religion 76 Alteration in Denmarke 45 Archbishop of Mentz answer 22 Aristotle 20 Albert Arch bishop of Mentz 3 Authors of scismes 47 An assembly called at Auspurge 65 A bloudy preacher bloweth a trom 56 A most cruell maner of burning 54 Albert to them of Wolmes 403 Albert of Austrich of whome 466 Ambassadors of Strasburge to themperor 413 Albert ouerthroweth the frēch mē 414 A battel fought betwixt duke Maurice Marques Albert. 421 Augustus brother and heyre to Duke Maurice 423 Albert reconciled to Augustus 426 A disputation in England 428 An end betwixte Iohn Fredericke and Augustus 431 A parliament in England 433 A wryting of the city of Norinberge against Marques Albert. eodem A place of treaty of peace chosē by the Quene of England 451 A tumult raised at Geneua eodem A vniuersity erected at Dilling 453 A boke of Peter Asot againste the confessiō of the duke of Wittem eodem August Prince elector had a son 454 A wryting of the Papistes to requestes of the protestaunt 456 A wryting of the king Fardinando to the Princes 458 A decre wherby Religion is frely permitted to all men 460 An ecclesyastical parson that changeth his Religion shal be depriued eodem A parlament in England 461 An assemble in Austrich eodem A Comet sene 465 A father killeth his iii. children 466 A slaunder deuised against certain 467 Aucthority of the deuines of Paris 32 Agrement betwixt Luther and Zwinglius 83 A Concord 107 B BIshops of Rome bound as other is to Goddes commaundement 3 Boke burners 27 Bloudye preacher bloweth a trompet 56 Bokes presented to themperor 85 Bōdage no let to christian liberty 63 Bucer laboreth for concord 96 Busy marchauntes 118 Brauling Friers 119 Barbarossa almost taken 121 By what meanes men be disceiued 134 By what means the deuel is van eodē Baptisme condemned 135 Bishops stir vp princes 150 Barbarossa taketh castel Newstat 178 Bucer preacheth at Bonina 201 Barbarossa returneth 213 Bolloigne rendred 214 Bruly burnt at Tourney 216 Bucer declareth how tharticle of iustification wās accorded in 229 Bucer is sent for to Auspurge 310 Bucer is in daunger 313 Bren. wife his children banyshed 316 Bucer and Fragus come into Eng. 331 Baūberge redemeth peace dearly 402 Brunswicke besieged 428 Bradford burned in England 451 Bish of Merspurge answer to Lu. 22 Best thiuges pleaseth fewest men 34 Beginning of fyrst frutes tenthes 42 Bible is to be preferred before al. 43 Bishop of Constaunce maketh a boke in defence of Images 48 Boke of restitution 131 Bi. Munster demaūded his charges 136 Bold answer of the king 137 Barnes aid to Geneua eodem Bolde and profitable Counsell of the Lantzgraue 359 Bhoemers serued against the Duke of Saxon vnwillingly 169 Bohemers refuse war in Saxony 277 Bishop of Strausburge syngeth hys fyrst Masse 331 Bondage of the Germanians 392 Bishop of Winchester dieth 461 Bauarians followeth the Prynce for Religion 465 C CHarge of the Bishoppe of Maidenburge 1. Ciuilians vse of Citing 2 Cardinall Caietane wryteth to the duke of Saxon. 8 Charles is declared Emperour 14 Conditions propounded by Luther 18 Confession of sinnes eodem Counsel of Lateran and Pisa eo Capnio a deuine 19 Catarinus wryteth against Luther 27 Commotions in Spaine 34 Cornelis Scepper a good wryter 42 Cardinall Campeius wryteth to the duke of Saxony 45 Campeius Oration to the Prynces at Norenberge eodem Campeius raileth against Matrimony 49 Christianity taketh not away bondage 61 Carolostadius wryteth against Lu. 65 Carolostadius maketh his purgatiō 65 Counsel at Spires 69 Contention about the Masse 79 Certaine Princes resiste the decree of Spires 81 Ciuil war amongst the Swicers 82 Cardinall Campeius Oration 88 Certaine chosen to accorde Relygyon 90 Conditions of peace 104 Conditions of peace betwene themperor and the Protestauntes 105 Conditions of creating a kinge of Romaines eodem Cristine kinge of Denmarke is taken 108 Christ was called Seditious 112 Conditions of peace 116 Conditions betwixte Fardinando and Duke Ulrich eodem Crafty marchauntes 118 Couetous marchauntes 119 Cruelty vnsemely in Churchmen 122 Condition of peace 128 Ciuill war in the city 129 Cnipperdoling was the chief of that faction 129 Cnipper doling prophecieth 130 Croked necked cattel 134 Comotion in Lincolne shire 141 Captaine Aske executed for Treason eodem Cardinal Pole the Popes ambassador to the French king 142 Cardinals Poles boke against e Kinge Henry the eight eodem Cold reasons for the Popes supremacy 143 Carninall Poole was vnthanckefull eodem Cardinall Pole incenseth the Emperoure against the king of England eodem Cardinals Poles Hipocrisy and falsehode eodem Cristierne king of Denmark receiueth the Gospel 158 Complaintes of Pillage 178 Contention betwixte the electoure of Saxon and Duke Moris 188 Conterme in displeasure with the pope and cardinals 194 Cardinals sent to make peace 197 County William taken Prisoner 213 Cabrier yelded 220 Cardinall Farnesius his comming to Wormes 221 Counte William deliuered 226 Claudius Cenarcleus a yong gētlemā of Sauoy 235 Condityons imposed to the Duke of Wirtemberge 275 Conditions offred to the Lantzgraue 281 Caspar Phlugus captain of the Bohemers army eodem Conditions wherby the duke redemed his life 285 Ciuil war betwixt England and Scotland 310 Countries vnited by mariage 311 Ciuil war in Affrica 330 Contention for thempire betwene the Emperor and Fardinando 353 Complaint of the bishop of Strausboroughe 360 Contrary tales of the king and themperor 364 Causes of callinge the counsel 371 Countries oppressed by the Emperor 394 Conditions of peace offered by Duke Moris 397 Cruelty against godly preachers 40 Conditions of peace offred by themperor 48 Conditions of peace 411