laye to my charge. I am tyed (as I sayde) by the Scriptures, neyther may I, or can with a safe conscience assent vnto them.MarginaliaGenerall coūcels haue erred, and haue bene contrary to them selues. For as touching general Coūcels, with whose authoritie onely they presse me, I am able to proue, that they haue bothe erred, and haue defined many tymes thinges contrarye to them selues: and therefore the authoritie of them, he saide not to be sufficient, for the whiche he shoulde call backe those thinges, the veritie Wherof standeth so firme and manifest in the holy Scripture: þ^t neither of him it ought to be required, neither could he so doe w^tout impietie.

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Wherunto the Officiall againe answeared, denying that any man could proue the Coūcels to haue erred. But Luther alledged that he coulde, and promised to proue it, and now night approchyng, the Lordes rose and departed. And after Luther had taken his leaue of the Emperour, diuers Spaniardes  

scorned and scoffed the good man in the waye goyng toward his lodgyng, halowing and whopyng after hym, a long while.

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Vpon the fryday folowing, when the Princes electors, Dukes, and other estates were assembled, the Emperour sent to the whole body of the Counsel, a certaine letter conteyning in effect as foloweth.

MarginaliaThe Emperours aunswere against Luther. OVr predecessours, who truely were Christian princes, were obedient to the Romishe Churche, whiche Martin Luther presently impugneth. And therefore in as much as he is not determined to call backe his errours in any one poynt, we cannot without great infamie and stayne of honour, degenerate from the examples of our elders, but wyll mainteine the auncient fayth, and geue ayde to the see of Rome. And further, we be resolued to pursue Martin Luther and his adherentes, by excommunications and by other meanes that maye be deuised, to extinguishe his doctrine. Neuerthelesse we wyll not violate our fayth, whiche we haue promised hym, but meane to geue order for safe returne to the place whence he came.

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MarginaliaConsultation vpon the Emperours letter. THe Princes electors, Dukes, and the other estates of the Empire, sate and consulted vpon this sentence, on fryday al the after noone, and saterday the whole daye, so that Luther yet had no answeare of the emperour.

MarginaliaGreat resort to Martyn Luther. During this tyme, diuers Princes, Earles. Barons, Knyghtes of the Order, Gentlemen, Priests, Monkes, with other the laytie and common sort, visited him. Al these were present at al houres in the Emperours Courte, and could not be satisfied with the sight of hym. Also there wer bylles set vp some against Luther, and some, as it seemed, with hym. Notwithstanding many supposed, and especially such as wel conceyued the matter, that this was subtily done by his enemyes, that thereby ocasion might be offered to infringe the safe conduict geuen hym, the which the Romaine Ambassadours with al diligence endeuoured to bring to passe.  

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The Mondaye folowing, before supper, the Archebishop of Triers aduertised Luther, that on Wensdaye nexte he shoulde appeare before hym, at nyne of the clocke before dynner, and assigned hym the place. On Saint Georges daye a certaine chapleine of the Achebishop of Triers, about supper tyme came to Luther, by the commaundement of the Bishop, signifying that at the houre and place prescribed, he must the morowe after haue accesse to his maister.

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MarginaliaLuther appeareth before the Archb. of Tryers. The morowe after saint Georges day, Luther obeying the Archbishops commaundement, entred his palace, being accompanied thyther with his said chapleyne and one of the emperours Herauldes, and suche as came in his companie out of Saxonie to Wormes, with other his chiefe freendes:MarginaliaDoct. Veus his oration to Martin Luther. where as Doctor Vœus, the Marques of Bades chapleine began to declare and protest in the presence of the Archbishop of Triers, Ioachime Marques of Brandeburge, George Duke of Saxonie, the Bishops of Ausburge and Brandeburge, the Earle George, Iohn Bocke of Strasburge, Verdeheymer and Peutinger Doctours, that Luther was not called to be conferred with, or to disputation, but onely that the princes had procured licence of the emperours maiesty, through Christian charitie, to haue libertie graunted vnto them, to exhort Luther benignly and brotherly.  

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MarginaliaFor the authoritie of Councels. He saide further, that albeit the Councels had ordeyned diuers thinges, yet they had not determined contrarye matters. And albeit they had greatly erred, yet their authoritie was not therefore abased, or at the least, not so erred, that it was lawful for euery man to impugne their opinions: inferryng moreouer many thynges of Zacheus and the Centurion: Also of the constitutions and tradicions and of Ceremonies ordeyned of men, affirming that al these were established to expresse vices, accordyng to the qualitie of tymes: and that the Church coulde not be destitute of humane constitutions. It is true (sayde he) that by the fruites the tree may be knowen,MarginaliaThys he spake of Luthers wordes, who denied any good fruites to come of their lawes. yet of these lawes and decrees of men many good fruites haue proceeded: and saint Martin, saint Nicholas, and many other Saintes haue bene present at the Councels.

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Moreouer, that Luthers bookes woulde breede great tumult & incredible troubles, and that he abused the cōmon sort with his booke of Christian liberty, encouraging them to shake of their yoke, and to confirme in them a disobedience: that the world now was at an other stay, then when the beleuers were all of one hart and soule, and therefore it was requisite and behoueful to haue lawes. It was to be considered (said he) albeit he had written many good thinges, & (no doubt) of a good mind, as De Triplici iusticia, and other matters, yet how the deuil now by craftie meanes goeth about to bryng to passe, þ^t al his works for euer shoulde be cōdemned: for by these bookes which he wrote last, men (said he) would iudge and esteeme hym, as the tree is knowen, not by the blosome, but by the fruite.

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Here he added something of the noone deuyl, and of the spirite commyng in the darke, and of the flying arrowe.  

MarginaliaPsal. 90. Al his oration was exhortatorie, ful of Rhetorical places of honestie, of vtilitie, of lawes, of the daungers of conscience, and of the common and particulare wealth, repeating ofte this sentence in the proeme, middle, and epiloge of his oration: that this admonition was geuen hym of a singulare good wyl, and great clemencie. In the shuttyng vp of his oration, he added manacinges, saying: that if he woulde abyde in his purposed entent, the Emperour would procede further and banishe hym from the Empire, perswadyng hym deliberately to ponder, and aduise these and other thinges.

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MarginaliaM. Luther aunswereth to Veus. Martin Luther answeared, Most noble Princes, and my most gratious Lordes, I render most humble thankes for your benignities and singuler good willes, whence proceedeth this admonition: For I knowe my selfe to be so base, as by no meanes I can deserue to be admonished of so mighty estates.

[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe councell of Constance condemned the word of God.

Then he frankely pronounced, that he had not reproued al Councels, but onely the Councel of Constance, and for this principall cause, for that the same had condemned the worde of God, whiche appeared in the condemnation of this article proponed by Iohn Hus: The Church of Christ is the Communion of the predestinate. It is euidente (sayde he) that the Councell of Constance abolished this Article, and consequently the Article of our fayth: I beleue the holy Church vniuersal: and sayde that he was readye to spend lyfe and bloud, so he were not compelled to reuoke the manifest worde of God, for in defence therof we ought rather to obey God then men:MarginaliaScandale of fayth and charitie. And that in this he coulde not auoyde the scandal, or offence of fayth, for there be two maner of offences, to wyt, of charitie, & of fayth. The slaunder of charitie consisteth in maners and in lyfe. The offences of fayth or doctrine rest in the worde of God: and as touching this last, he could escape it no maner of wayes, for it laye not in his power to make Christ not to be a stone of offence. If Christes sheepe were fedde with pure pasture of the Gospell, if the fayth of Christe were sincerely preached, and if there were good Ecclesiastical Magistrates who duely would execute their office: we should not neede (sayth he) to charge the Churche with mens traditions. Further, that he knewe well we ought to obey the Magistrates and higher powers, how vniustly and peruersely so euer they lyued. We ought also to be obedient to their lawes and iudgementes: all whiche he had taught (sayde he) in al his workes, addyng further that he was ready to obey them in all poyntes, so that they enforced hym not to denye the worde of God.

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MarginaliaThe Princes consulted about Martyn Luther. These wordes finished, Luther was byd stande aside, and the Princes consulted what answeare they myght geue hym. This done, they called him into a parlor, wheras the foresaid Doctour Vœus repeated his former matters, admonishing Luther to submit his writinges to the Emperour, and to the princes iudgement.

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Luther answeared humbly and modestly, that he coulde not, neither woulde permit that men should say he woulde shunne the iudgement of the Emperour, princes, and superiour powers of the Empire. So farre was it of, that he woulde refuse to stande to their tryall, that he was contented to suffer his writynges to be discussed, considered and iudged of the simplest, so that it were done with the authoritie of the word of God, and the holy Scripture: and that the word of God made so much for him, & was so manifest vnto hym, that he coulde not geue place, vnlesse they coulde confounde his doctrine by the worde of God. This

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