may helpe after his abilitie. Ex Orth. Gratio.

¶ These Popishe suggestions and instructions of the Pope hym selfe against Luther, I thought (Christen reader) to set before thine eyes, to the intent thou mayst see here (as in a paterne, and go no further) al the crimes, obiections, exclamations, suspicions, accusations, sclaunders, offensions, contumelies, rebukes, vntruthes, cauillations, raylinges, what soeuer they haue deuised, or can deuise, inuent articulate, denounce, inferre, or surmise against Luther and his teaching.MarginaliaLuther cryed out of without any iust cause. They crye, heresie, heresie: but they proue no heresie. They crye, Councels, Councels: and yet none transgresseth Councels more then them selues. If Councels go alwayes with Scripture, then Luther goeth with them. If Councels do iarre sometyme frō the Scripture, what heresie is in Luther, in standing with Scripture against those Councels? And yet neither hath he hytherto spoken against any Councels, saue onely the Councel of Constance. They inflame kinges & princes agaynst Luther, & yet they haue no iust cause wherefore. They accuse hym for teaching libertie.MarginaliaLibertie of fleshe. Libertie of spirite. If they meane the libertie of fleshe, they accuse hym falsely: if they meane the libertye of spirite, they teache wickedly, whiche teach contrarye: and yet when they haue al sayd, none lyue so licentiously as thē selues. They pretend the zeale of the Churche, but vnder that Churche lyeth their owne priuate welfare, and bellycheare. They charge Luther with disobedience, and none are so disobedient to magistrates and ciuill lawes, as they. They lay to his charge, oppressiō and spoylyng of lay mens goodes: and who spoyleth the lay mens liuynges, so muche as the Pope? For probation wherof, let the Popes accoūtes be cast, what he raketh out of euery Christia Realme.MarginaliaTurne onely the names of the persons: and all the accusations of the papistes agaynst the Lutherians, agree chiefly vpon them selues. Briefely, turne onely the names of the persons, & in steede of Luthers name, place the name of the Pope, and the effect of this letter aboue prefixed, shal agree vpon none more aptly, then vppon the Pope hym selfe, and his owne sectaries. Nowe to proceede futher in the proces of this foresayde matter, let vs see what the Princes agayne for their partes answeare to these foresaide suggestions and instructions of Pope Adrian, sent vnto them in their diete of Norenberge, in the cause of Luther: the answeere of whom here foloweth vnder written.

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MarginaliaThe aunswere of the Princes of Germanie to the popes letter, and instructions. THe noble  

and renowmed prince Lord Ferdinandus,   Lieutenant to the Emperours maiestie, with other reuerend pieres in Christ, and mighty princes Electors, and other states and orders of this present assemble of the Romane Empire in Norenberge conuented, haue gratefully receiued, and diligently perused the letters sent in forme of a Brief, with the instructions also of the most holy father in Christ, and L. L. Adrian, the hie Bishop of the holy and vniuersal church of Rome, pesented vnto them in the cause of Luthers faction.

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MarginaliaPope Adrian a Germane borne. By the which foresaid letters and writinges, first where as they vnderstande his holynesse to haue bene borne, and to haue had his natiue origine and parentage out of this noble nation of Germanie, they do not a little reioyse. Of whose egregious vertues and ornamentes both of mynde and body, they haue heard great fame and commendation, euen from his tender yeares: by reason whereof they are so much the more ioyous of his aduauncement and prefermēt, by such cōsent of election, to the hie typ of the Apostolical dignitie, and yeeld to God most hartie thankes for the same: praying also from the bottome of their hartes, for his excellent clemencie, and perpetuall glorye of his name, and for health of soules, and incolumitie of the vniuersal church, that God will geue to his holynes long continuance of felicity: Hauyng no misdoubt, but that by such a ful & cōsentyng election of such a pastor of the vniuersal catholike churche, great profite and commoditie wyl ensue. Whiche thyng to hope and looke for, his holynes openeth to them an euidēt declaration in his own letters, testifying & protesting what a care it is to hym both day and night, how to discharge his pastoral function, in studing for the health of the flocke to hym committed: and especially in conuertyng the myndes of Christian princes, from warres to peace: declaryng moreouer what subsidie and reliefe his holynes hath sent to the soldiers of Rhodes. &c.  

Al which thynges they perpending with them selues, conceyue exceeding hope and comfort in their mindes: thus reputing & trusting that this cōcord of Christen princes, wyl be a great helpe and stay to the better quietyng of thinges now out of frame: without which neither the state of the common wealth, nor of christian religion can be rightly redressed, and much lesse the tyrannie of the barbarous Turke repressed.

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Wherfore the excellent prince, Lord Lieutenant to the Emperours maiestie, with the other princes Electors, & orders of this present assemble, most hartily do pray, that his holynes wyl persist in this his purpose and diligence, as he hath vertuously begun, leauyng no stone vnremoued, howe the disagreeyng hartes of Christen princes may be reduced to quiet and peace:MarginaliaCan any good thyng come out of Rome. or if that wyll not be, yet at least some truce and intermission of domestical dissensions maye be obteyned for the necessitie of the tyme now present, wherby all Christians maye ioyne their powers together, with the helpe of God, to goe againste the Turke, and to deliuer the people of Christe, from his barbarous tyrannie & bondage: Wherunto both the noble prince Lord Lieutenant, & other princes of Germanie, wyl put to their helpyng handes, to the best of their abilitie.

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MarginaliaThe Pope much greued for the prospering of Luther. And wheras by the letter of his holynes, with his instruction also exhibited vnto them by his Legate, they vnderstand, that his holynes is afflicted with great sorow, for the prospering of Luthers sect, wherby innumerable soules cōmitted to his charge, are in daūger of perditiō, & therfore his holines vehemētly desireth some speedy remedy against the same to be prouided, with an explication of certain necessary reasons and causes, whereby to moue the Germane princes thereunto, and that they wyll tender the execution of the Apostolique sentence, and also of the Emperours edict, set forth touching the suppression of Luther: to these the Lorde Lieutenant, and other princes and states doo answeare, that it is to them no lesse griefe and sorowe, then to his holynes, and also do lament as much for these impieties and peryls of soules, and inconueniences which grow in the religiō of Christ, eyther by the sect of Luther, or any otherwise. Further, what helpe or counsel shal lye in thē, for the extirping of errours, and decay of soules health, what their moderation can do, they are wyllyng and ready to performe, considering how they stande bounde and subiect, as wel to the Popes holynes, as also to the Emperours maiestie.

[Back to Top]MarginaliaCauses why the princes haue not proceded by the popes sentence agaynst Luther.

But why the sentence of the Apostolike see, & the Emperours edict against Luther, hath not ben put in execution hitherto, there haue ben (said they) causes great and vrgent, which haue led thē therto: as first in weyng & considering with thē selues, that great euyls and inconuenience would therupō ensue. For the greatest part of the people of Germany haue alwaies had this persuasiō, & now by reading of Luthers bokes, are more therin cōfirmed,MarginaliaGreuances receaued by the court of Rome. that great greuāces & incōueniences haue come to this nation of Germanie, by the court of Rome: & therfore if thei should haue proceded with any rigor in executing the Popes sentence, & the emperours edict, the multitude would conceiue and suspect in their minds, this is to be done for subuerting the veritie of the Gospel, and for supporting & confirming the former abuses and greuaunces, whereupon great warres and tumultes (no doubt) would haue ensued: which thyng vnto the princes and states there, hath ben wel perceiued by many argumētes. For the auoydyng whereof, they thought to vse more gentle remedies seruyng more oportunely for the tyme.

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MarginaliaThe Pope aunswered with hys owne wordes. Againe, wheras the reuerend lord Legate (said thei) in the name of the Popes holynes hath bene instructed, to declare vnto them, that God suffereth this persecutiō to rise in the church for the sins of mē, & his holynes doth promise, therfore to begyn the reformation first with his own court, that as the corruptiō first sprang from thence to the inferior parts, so the redresse of al againe should first begin with the same: Also, wheras his holines, of a good and fatherly hart, doth testifie in his letters, that he him self did alwaies mislike that the Court of Rome should intermedle so much, & derogate frō the cōcordates of the prīces, & that his holines doth fully purpose in that behalfe, during his papacie, neuer to practise the like, but so to endeuour that euery one, & especially the natiō of the Germanes may haue their proper due & right, graūtyng especially to the said nation, his peculiar fauour: who setteth not by these premisses, but that this most holy bishop omitteth nothyng, whiche a good father or a deuout pastor maye or ought to doo to his sheepe? Or who wyl not be moued hereby to a louyng reuerence, & to amendement of his defaultes, namely seyng his holynes so intendeth to accomplish the same in deede, which in word he promiseth, accordyng as he hath begun.

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And thus vndoubtedly both the noble lord Lieutenaunt, & all other princes & states of the empire, well hope that he will, & pray most hartily that he may do, to the glory of our eternal god, to the health of soules, & to the tranquilitie of the publike state.MarginaliaGreuances of the Germanes, complayned of to the Pope.
Vide infra. For vnles such abuses and greuances, with certaine other articles also, which the secular princes (assigned purposely for the same) shall draw out in writing, shal be faithfully reformed, there is no true peace & concord betwen the ecclesiastical & secular estates, nor any true extyrpation of this tumult, & errors in Germanie that can be hoped. For partly by long warres, partly by reason of other

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