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846 [822]

K. Henry. 8. The Historie and lyfe of Doct. Martyn Luther.

his see, and also had dedicated vnto hym, his booke entituledMarginaliaLutherus de libertate Christiana. De Christiana libertate: that is, of Christian libertie: In which booke these two poyntes principally he discusseth and proueth.

1 That a Christen man is free and lord of all thinges, and subiect to none.

2 That a Christen man is a diligent vnderlyng and seruaunt of al men, and to euery man subiect.

Moreouer, in the same yeare he set out a defence of all his articles, which the Popes Bul had before condemned.

MarginaliaLutherus ad Nobilitatem Germaniæ. An other booke also he wrote to the nobilitie of Germanie, in the which booke he impugneth and shaketh the three principal walles of the papistes: The first wherof is this,

MarginaliaThree walles or bulworkes of the papistes. 1 Where as the papistes say, that no temporal or prophane magistrate hath any power vpon the spiritualtie: but they haue power vpon the other.

2 Where any place of Scripture beyng in controuersie is to be decided, they say, No man may expound the scripture, or be iudge therof, but onely the Pope.

3 When any Councell is brought against them, they say that no man hath authoritie to call a Councel, but only the Pope.

MarginaliaThe booke of Luther to the Nobilitie, with the matter therin contayned. Moreouer in the foresaid booke diuers other matters he handleth and discourseth: That the Pope can stop no free Councel. Also what things ought to be handled in Councels. That the pride of the Pope is not to be suffred. What money goeth out of Germanie yearely to the Pope, mounting to the summe of 3000000. Florēces. The true meanyng of thys verse he expoundeth: Tu supplex ora, tu protege, tuq labora. Wherin the three estates with their offices & duties are described: to wyt, the minister, the magistrate, & the subiectes. Furthermore in the said booke he proueth and discusseth, that the Emperour is not vnder the Pope, but contrarywise: that the donation of Constantine is not true but forged: that priestes may haue wyues: that the voyces of the people ought not to be separate frō the electiō of ecclesiastical persons: that interdicting and suspendyng of matrimonie at certaine tymes, is brought in of auarice: what is the right vse of excommunication: that there ought to be fewer holy dayes: that libertie ought not to be restrained in meates: that wylfull pouertie and beggyng ought to be abolished: what damage and inconuenience haue growen by the Councel of Constance: and what misfortunes Sigismund the Emperour susteyned, for not keping fayth and promise with Iohn Hus and Hierome: that heretikes should be conuinced not by fire and fagot but by euidence of Scripture and Gods word: how schooles and vniuersities ought to be reformed: what is to be said and iudged of the Popes Decretalls: that the first teaching of children ought to begyn with the Gospel. Item, he writeth in the same booke against excessiue apparel among the Germanes. Also against their excesse in spices. &c.

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MarginaliaCharles the Emperour crowned. In this yeare moreouer folowed  

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This account of events leading up to the Diet of Worms is taken from Sleidan's Commentaries. See Johannes Sleidan, A famouse cronicle of oure time, trans. John Daus (London, 1560), STC 19848, fos. 24r-31r.

not long after, the coronation of the new emperour Carolus quintus: which was in the moneth of Octob. at Aquisgraue.

After whiche coronation beyng solemnized about the moneth of Nouemb. Pope Leo sent againe to Duke Friderike two Cardinals his Legates: of whom the one was Hieronymous Aleander, who after a fewe wordes of high commendation first premised to the Duke touching his noble progenie, and other his famous vertues, they made two requestes vnto hym in the Popes name:MarginaliaTwo bloudy requestes of the pope to Duke Fridericke. First that he would cause all the bookes of Luther to be burned. Secondly, that he would eyther see the said Luther there to be executed, or els would make hym sure, & send hym vp to Rome, vnto the Popes presence.

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MarginaliaDuke Friderickes aunswere to the popes Legates, for Luther. These two requestes semed very strange vnto þe duke: who answearyng againe to the Cardinals said, þt he being long absent from thence, about other publique affayres, could not tel what there was done, neyther dyd he communciate with the doyngs of Luther. Notwithstanding this he heard that Eckius was a great perturber not onely of Luther, but of other diuers learned and good men of his vniuersitie. As for hym selfe he was alwayes ready to doo hys duetie, first in sendyng Luther to Caietanus the Cardinall at the citie of Auguste, and afterwarde at the Popes commaundement would haue sent him away out of his dominion, had not Miltitius the Popes owne chamberlayne geuen contrarye counsell to retayne hym styll in his owne countrey, fearing lest that in other countreyes he might do more harme, where he was lesse knowen: and so nowe also was as ready to do his duetie, where soeuer right and equitie dyd so require. But for so muche as in this cause, he seeth much hatred and violence shewed of the one part, and no errour yet conuicted on the other part, but that it had rather the approbation of diuers wel learned and sound men of iudgement: and for so muche also as the cause of Luther was not yet hearde before the Emperour: therefore he desired the sayd Legates to be a meane to þe popes holynesse, that certaine learned persons of grauitie and vpright iudgement, myght be assigned to haue the hearyng and determination of this matter, and that his errour first might be knowen, before he were made an heretique, or his bookes burned. Whiche beyng done, when he shoulde see his errour by manifest and sounde testimonies of Scripture reuinced, Luther should find no fauour at his handes. Otherwise he trusted that the Popes holynes would exact no such thyng of hym, whiche he might not with equitie & honour of his place and estate, reasonably performe. &c.

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MarginaliaThe Popes Legates burne the bookes of Luther. Then the Cardinals, declaryng to the Duke agayne, that they coulde no otherwise do, but according to the forme of their prescript commission, they must proceede: tooke the bookes of Luther, and shortly after set fire vpon them, and openly burnt them.MarginaliaLuther burneth the popes decrees and bulles at Wittenberg. Luther hearyng this, in like maner called al the multitude of studentes and learned men in Wittenberge, and there takyng the Popes decrees, and the Bul lately sēt downe against hym, openly and solemnely accompanyed with a great number of people folowyng hym, set them likewise on fire, and burnt them: which was the. x. of December.  

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The burning of the papal bull was a decisive break with the Church. Luther was now subject to punishment from the emperor.

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A litle before these thynges thus passed betweene the Pope and M. Luther, the emperour had cōmaunded and ordeyned a sittyng or assemble of al the States of the Empire, to be holden at the citie of Wormes, against the vi. daye of Ianuary next ensuyng. In the which assemble, through the meanes of Duke Friderike, the Emperour gaue forth that he would haue the cause of Luther there brought before hym, and so it was. For at what tyme the assemble was cōmenced in the citie of Wormes, the day and moneth aforesayd, whiche was the sixt of Ianuary, afterwarde vpon the sixt day of March folowyng,MarginaliaThe Emperours letter, with his safeconduite sent to M. Luther. the Emperour through the instigation of Duke Friderike, directed his letters vnto Luther, signifying, that for so muche as he had set abrode certayne bookes, he therefore by the aduise of his piers and princes about hym, had ordeyned to haue the cause brought before hym in his owne hearyng, and therefore he graunted hym licence to come and returne home agayne.  

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Luther was only summoned to be given an opportunity to retract his heresies and this concession was only obtained - over the objections of the papal legate and the reservations of Charles V - through the intervention of Frederick the Wise.

And that he myght safely and quietly so doo, and be thereof assured hee promised vnto hym by publique fayth and credite, in the name of the whole Empire, his Pastporte and safeconduite, as by the instrumente whiche he sente vnto hym, he myght more fully be ascertayned. Wherefore without all doubt, or distruste, he wylled hym eftsoones to make his repayre vnto hym, and to be there present the. 21. daye after the receit thereof: and because he shoulde not misdoubt any fraude or iniurie herein, he assured to hym his warrant and promise.  
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Jan Hus had been burned even though he had been granted an imperial safe-conduct to and from the Council of Constance. Charles V had to guarantee Luther's safety in the strongest terms, in order to assuage the fears of Luther's supporters.

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MarginaliaM. Luther accursed at Rome of the Pope. M. Luther beyng thus prouided for his safeconduict by the Emperour, after he had bene first accursed at Rome vpon Maundy Thursday, by the Popes censure, shortly after Easter speedeth hys iourney towarde the Emperour, at Wormes. Where the sayd Luther appearyng before the Emperour and all the states of Germanie, howe constantly he stoocke to the truth, and defended hym selfe, and answeared his aduersaries, and what aduersaries he had, here foloweth in full history, with such actes and doinges as there happened, accordyng as in our former edition partly was before described.

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¶ The actes and doynges of Martin Luther, before the Emperour, at the citie of Wormes.

Marginalia1521. IN the yeare of our saluation.  

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The entire account of Luther at the Diet of Worms is reprinted from A famous and godly history, trans. Henry Bennet (London, 1561), STC 1881, sigs. D5r-F8r.

1521. about seuentene dayes after Easter,  
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I.e., 16 April 1521.

Martin Luther entred into Wormes, beyng sent for by the Emperour Charles the. v. of that name &c: who the first yeare of his Empire, made an assemble of Princes in the foresayd citie. And whereas M. Luther had published three yeares before, certayne propositions to be disputed in the towne of Wittenberg in Saxonie, against the tyrannie of the Pope (which notwithstadyng were torne in pieces, condemned and burned by the Papistes, and yet by no manifest scriptures, nor probable reason conuinced) the matter began to growe to a tumult and vprore, & yet Luther mainteyned all this whyle openly his cause against the clergy.MarginaliaLuther is sent for to Wormes. Wherupon it semed good to certain that Luther shoulde be called, assignyng vnto hym an Heraulde of armes, with a letter of safe conduict by the Emperour and Princes. Beyng sent for, he came, and was brought to the Knightes of the Rhodes place,  
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The headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller, who at that time were based on the island of Rhodes.

where he was lodged, well entertayned, and visited of many Earles, Barons, knightes of the order, Gentlemen, Priestes, and the commonaltie, who frequented his lodgyng tyll nyght.

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To