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847 [823]

K. Henry. 8. The historye and actes of Doct. Martyn Luther.

To cōclude, he came contrary to the expectation of many, as wel aduersaries, as other. For albeit he was sent for by the Emperours messenger, and had letters of safeconduict: yet for that a few dayes before his accesse, his bookes were condemned by publique proclamations, it was much doubted of many þt he woulde not come: and that rather, for that his freendes deliberated together in a village nye hand, called Oppenhime (where Luther was first aduertised of these occurrentes) and many perswaded hym not to aduenture hym selfe to such a present daunger, considering how these begynnynges answeared not to the fayth of promise made.  

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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.

Who when he had heard their whole perswasiō & aduice, he answeared in this wise:MarginaliaConstancie in Luther. As touching me, since I am sent for, I am resolued & certainely determined to enter Wormes, in the name of the Lorde Iesus Christe, yea although I knew there were so many deuyls to resist me, as there are tyles to couer the houses in Wormes.

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The fourth daye after his repayre, a Gentleman, named Vlricke of Papppenhim, Lieuetenaunt general of the men at armes of the emipre, was commaunded by the emperour before dynner, to repayre to Luther, and enioyne hym at foure of the clocke in the after noone, to appeare before the Emperial maiestie, the Princes Electors, Dukes and other estates of the Empire, to vnderstande the cause of his sending for: Wherunto he willyngly agreed as his duetie was.

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And after. iiij. a clocke Vlricke Pappenhim, & Caspar Sturm the Emperours Herauld (who cōducted M. Luther from Wittenberge to Wormes (came for Luther, and accompanyed hym through the garden of 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.

to the Earle Palatines palace: and least the people should molest him, that thronged in, he was led by secrete stayres to the place where he was appoynted to haue audience. Yet manye, who perceyued the pretence, violently rushed in, and were resisted, albeit in vaine: many ascended the galleries, because they desired to behold Luther.

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MarginaliaLuther is brought before the Emperour. Thus standing before the Emperour, the Electours, Dukes, Earles, and all the estates of the Empire, assembled there, he was first aduertised by Vlricke of Pappenhim, to kepe silence vntil such tyme as he was required to speake.MarginaliaIohn Eckius propoundeth against M. Luther. Then Iohn Eckius aboue mentioned, who then was the Bishop of Triers general officiall, with a loude and intelligible voyce, first in Latine, then in Dutche,  

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I.e., in German.

according to the Emperours commaundement, said and proponed this sentence in maner as ensueth, or like in effect.

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Martin Lnther, the sacred and inuincible Emperiall maiestie hath enioyned by the consent of all the estates of the holy Empire, that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of his maiestie, to the ende I might demaunde of thee these two poyntes.

First, whether thou confessest these bookes here (for he shewed a heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latine and Dutch tounges) & which are in al places dispersed, intituled with thy name, be thine, and thou doest affirme thē to be thine, or no? Secondly, whether thou wylt recant & reuoke them, and all that is contayned in them, or rather meanest to stand to that thou hast written?

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MarginaliaHierome Schurffe. Then before Luther prepared to aunsweare, Maister Ierome Schurffus, a Lawyer of Wyttenberge,  

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Jerome Schurffe was advising and representing Luther.

required that the titles of the bookes should be read. Forthwith the foresaid Eckius named certaine of the bookes, and those principally which were imprinted at Basil, among þe which he nominated his Commentaries vpon the Psalter, his booke of good workes, hys Cōmmentary vpon the lords prayer, and diuers other, which were not contentious.

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MarginaliaM. Luthers aunswere. After this Luther answered thus in Latine & in Dutch  

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I.e., in German.

: Two thinges are proponed vnto me by the Emperial maiestie. First, whether I wyll auouche for miyne, all those books þt beare my name: Secondly, whether I wyl mainteine or reuoke any thing that hytherto I haue deuised and published. Wherunto I wyl answere as briefly as I can.

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MarginaliaLuther refuseth to reuoke hys bookes. In the first, I can do none other then recognise those bookes to be mine, which lastly were named, and certainely I wil neuer recant any clause therof. In the second to declare whether I wyl wholy defend, or cal backe any thing cōprised in them: forasmuch as there be questions of faith & the saluation of the soule (& this cōcerneth þe word of God, which is the greatest and most excellent matter that can be in heauen or earth, & the whiche we ought duely euermore to reuerēce:) this might be accoūted in me a rashnes of iudgemēt, & euen so a most daungerous attēpt, if I would pronounce any thing, before I were better aduised, cōsidering I might recite something lesse thē the matter importeth, & more then the truth requireth, if I did not premeditate that which I would speake. The which two things wel considered, doth set before mine eyes this sentence of our lorde Iesus Christ, wherin it is said: Whosoeuer shal denie me before men, I wyl denye hym before my father.MarginaliaLuther desireth respyte to aunswere. I require then for this cause, and humbly beseech the Emperial maiestie, to graūt me libertie and leysure to deliberate, so that I may satisfie the interrogation made vnto me, without preiudice of the worde of God, and peryl of myne owne soule.

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Wherupon the princes began to deliberate. This done, Eckius the prolocutor pronounced what was their resolution, saying: Albeit M. Luther, thou hast sufficiently vnderstanded by the Emperours cōmaundement, the cause of thy appearance here, & therfore dost not deserue to haue any further respite geuen thee to determine: yet the Emperours maiestie of his mere clemencie, graunteth thee one daye to meditate for thine answeare, so that to morowe at this instaunt houre thou shalt repayre to exhibite thine opinion not in writyng, but to pronounce the same with liuely voyce.

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This don, Luther was led to his lodging by þe herauld. But herein I may not be obliuious that in the way going to the emperour, & when he was in the assemble of princes,MarginaliaLuther exhorted to be constant. he was exhorted of other to be couragious, & manly to demeane hym selfe, and not to feare them that kyll the bodye, but not the soule: but rather to dread hym that is able to send both body and soule to euerlasting fire.  

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See Matthew 10:28.

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Further, he was incouraged with this sentence: When thou arte before kinges, thinke not what thou shalt speake: for it shal be geuen thee in that houre.  

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Matthew 10: 19.

MarginaliaMath. 10.

The next day after. iiij. a clocke, the Herauld came and brought Luther from his lodging to the emperours court, where he abode tyll vi. a clocke, for that the Princes were occupyed with graue consultations, abyding there and beyng enuironed with a great number of people, and almost smothered for the prease that was there. Then after when the Princes were set, and Luther entred, Eckius the Official began to speake in this maner.

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MarginaliaEckius againe propoundeth agaynst Luther. Yester day at this houre, the emperours maiesty assigned thee to be here M. Luther, for that thou didst affirme those bookes that we named yesterday to be thine. Further, to þe interrogation by vs made, whether thou wouldest approue al that is conteyned in them, or abolish and make voyd any part therof, þu didst require time of deliberation, which was graunted, and is now expiyed. Albeit thou oughtest not to haue oportunitie graunted to deliberate, considering it was not vnknowen to thee wherfore we cited thee. And as concernyng the matter of fayth, euery man ought to be so prepared, that at all tymes whensoeuer he shalbe required, he may geue certaine and constant reason thereof, and thou especial beyng counted a man of such learnyng, and so long tyme exercised in Theologie. Then goe to, answeare euen now to the Emperours demaunde, whose bountie thou hast proued in geuyng thee leysure to deliberate. Wilt thou now mainteine all thy bookes which thou hast acknowledged, or reuoke any part of them, and submit thy selfe. The Official made this interrogation in Latine and in Dutche.  

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I.e., in German.

Martine Luther answeared in Latine and Dutch  
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I.e., in German.

in this wise, modestly and lowly, and yet not without some stoutnes of stomacke and Christian constancie, so as his aduersaryes would gladly haue had his courage more hūbled & abased, but yet more earnestly desired his recantation, wherof they were in some good hope, when they hearde hym desire respite of tyme to make his answeare.

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His answeare was this.

MarginaliaM. Luther aunswereth for him selfe. MOst magnificent Emperour, and you most noble princes and my most gentle Lordes, I appeare before you here at the houre prescribed vnto me yesterday, yeldyng the obedience that I owe, humbly beseeching for Gods mercy, your most renouned maiestie, and your graces and honors, that ye wyl minister vnto me this curtesie, to attende this cause beningly, which is the cause (as I trust) of Iustice and veritie. And if by ignoraunce I haue not geuen vnto euery one of you your iust titles, or if I haue not obserued the ceremonies and countenaunce of the Court, offendyng against them: it maye please you to pardon me of your benignities, as one that onely hath frequented cloysters, and not courtly ciuilities. And first, as touching my self, I can affirme or promise no other thyng, but onely this, that I haue taught hytherto in simplicitie of mynde, that whiche I haue thought to tende to Gods glory, and to the saluatatiō of mens soules.

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MarginaliaLuther geueth a compt of hys fayth before the Emperour. Now as concernyng the two articles obiected by your most excellent maiestie, whether I woulde acknowledge those bookes which were named, and be published in my name, or whether I would mainteine & not reuoke thē: I haue geuē resolute answere to the first, in the which I persist & shal perseuer for euermore, þt these bokes be myne, and published by me in my name, vnlesse it hath sith happened that by some fraudulent misdealyng of myne enemies there be any thyng foysted in them, or corruptly cor-

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rected:
EEe.ij.