III. When any Council is brought against them, they

say, that no man hath authority to call a Council, but only the Pope, Moreover, in the aforesaid book divers other matters he handleth and discourseth : that the pride of the Pope is not to be suffered ; what money goeth out of Germany yearly to the Pope, amounting to the sum of three millions of florins ; that the emperor is not under the Pope ; that priests may have wives ; that liberty ought not to be restrained in meats : that wilful poverty and begging ought to be abolished: what misfortunes Sigismund the Emperor sustained, for not keeping
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faith and promise with John Huss and Jerome : that heretics should be convinced not by fire and faggot, but by evidence of Scripture, and God's Word : and that the first teaching of children ought to begin with the Gospel.
In this year moreover followed, not long after, the coronation of the new Emperor Charles V., which was in the month of October, at Aix-la-Chapelle. After which coronation, Pope Leo sent again to Duke Frederic two cardinals his legates, of whom one was Hierome Aleander, who, after a few words of high commendation first premised to the duke touching his noble progeny, and other his famous virtues, made two requests unto him in the Pope's name : first, that he would cause all books of Luther to be burned ; secondly, that he would either see the said Luther there to be executed, or else would make him sure, and send him up to Rome, unto the Pope's presence.
These two requests seemed very strange unto the duke; who, answering the cardinals, said, that he, being long absent from thence about other public affairs, could not tell what there was done, neither did he communicate with the doings of Luther. As for himself, he was always ready to do his duty ; first, in sending Luther to Cajetan the cardinal at the city of Augsburg ; and afterwards, at the Pope's commandment, would have sent him away out of his dominion, had not Miltitius, the Pope's own chamberlain, given contrary counsel to retain him still in his own country, fearing lest he might do more harm in other countries, where he was less known. Forasmuch as the cause of Luther was not yet heard before the emperor, he desired the said
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legates to be a mean to the Pope's holiness, that certain learned persons of gravity and upright judgment might be assigned to have the hearing and determination of this matter, and that his error might first be known, before he were made a heretic, or his books burned : which being done, when he should see his error by manifest and sound testi- monies of Scripture, Luther should find no favour at his hands.
Then the cardinals took the books of Luther, and openly burnt them. Luther, hearing this, in like manner called all the multitude of students and learned men in Wittenberg, and there, taking the Pope's decrees, and the bull lately sent down against him, openly and solemnly, accompanied with a great number of people following him, set them likewise on fire; which was the ioth of December a.d. 1520.
A little before these things thus passed between the Pope and Martin Luther, the emperor had commanded an assembly of the States of all the Empire to be holden at the city of Worms, the 6th day of January next ensuing ; in which assembly, through the means of Duke Frederic, the emperor gave forth, that he would have the cause of Luther brought before him. Upon the 6th of March, the emperor, through the instigation of Duke Frederic, directed his letters unto Luther ; signifying, that forasmuch as he had set abroad certain books, he, therefore, by the advice of his peers and princes about him, had ordained to have the cause brought before him in his own hearing; and therefore he granted him license to come, and return home again. And that he might safely and quietly so do, he promised unto him, by public faith and credit, in the
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name of the whole Empire, his passport and safe- conduct Wherefore, he willed him eftsoons to make his repair unto him, and to be there present on the twenty-first day after the receipt thereof.
Martin Luther, after he had been first accursed at Rome upon Maunday Thursday by the Pope's censure, shortly after Easter speedeth his journey toward Worms, where the said Luther, appearing before the emperor and all the States of Germany, constantly stuck to the truth, defended himself, and answered his adversaries.
Luther was lodged, well entertained, and visited by many earls, barons, knights of the order, gentlemen, priests, and the commonalty, who frequented his lodging until night.
He came, contrary to the expectation of many, as well adversaries as others. His friends deliberated together, and many persuaded him not to adventure himself to such a present danger, considering how these beginnings answered not the faith of promise made. Who, when he had heard their whole persuasion and advice, answered in this wise : 4 As touching me, since I am sent for, I am resolved and certainly determined to enter Worms, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ; yea, although I knew there were as many devils to resist me, as there are tiles to cover the houses in Worms.'
The next day after his repair, a gentleman named Ulrick, of Pappenheim, lieutenant-general of the men-at-arms of the Empire, was commanded by the emperor before dinner to repair to Luther, and to enjoin him at four o'clock in the afternoon to appear before the Imperial Majesty, the princes electors, dukes, and other estates of the Empire, to understand
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the cause of his sending for : whereunto he willingly- agreed, as his duty was. And after four o'clock, Ulrick of Pappenheim, and Caspar Sturm, the emperor's herald (who conducted Martin Luther from Wittenberg to Worms), came for Luther, and accompanied him through the garden of the knights- of-the-Rhodes' place, to the Earl Palatine's palace ; and, lest the people that thronged in should molest him, he was led by secret stairs to the place where he was appointed to have audience. Yet many, who perceived the pretence, violently rushed in, and were resisted, albeit in vain : many ascended the galleries, because they desired to behold Luther.
Thus standing before the emperor, the electors, dukes, earls, and all the estates of the empire assembled there, he was first advertised by Ulrick of Pappenheim to keep silence, until such time as he was required to speak. Then John Eckius above mentioned, who then was the Bishop of Treves' general official, with a loud voice, said :
4 Martin Luther ! the sacred and invincible Imperial Majesty hath enjoined, by the consent of all the estates of the holy empire, that thou shouldest be appealed before the throne of his majesty, to the end 1 might demand of thee these two points.
6 First, whether thou confessest these books here [for he showed a heap of Luther's books written in the Latin and German tongues], and which are in all places dispersed, entitled with thy name, be thine, and thou dost affirm them to be thine, or not?
' Secondly, whether thou wilt recant and revoke them, and all that is contained in them, or rather meanest to stand to what thou hast written ? '
Luther answered : 6 I humbly beseech the Imperial 171
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Majesty to grant me liberty and leisure to deliberate; so that I may satisfy the interrogation made unto me, without prejudice of the Word of God, and peril of mine own soul.'
Whereupon the princes began to deliberate. This done, Eckius, the prolocutor, pronounced what was their resolution, saying, 1 The Emperor's majesty, of his mere clemency, granteth thee one day to meditate for thine answer, so that to-morrow, at this instant hour, thou shalt repair to exhibit thine opinion, not in writing, but to pronounce the same with lively voice.'
This done, Luther was led to his lodging by the herald.
The next day, the herald brought him from his lodging to the emperor's court, where he abode till six o'clock, for that the princes were occupied in grave consultations ; abiding there, and being en- vironed with a great number of people, and almost smothered for the press that was there. Then after, when the princes were set, and Luther entered, Eckius, the official, spake in this manner : ' Answer now to the Emperor's demand. Wilt thou maintain all thy books which thou hast acknowledged, or revoke any part of them, and submit thyself ? '
Martin Luther answered modestly and lowly, and yet not without some stoutness of stomach, and Christian constancy. 'Considering your sovereign majesty, and your honours, require a plain answer; this I say and profess as resolutely as I may, without doubting or sophistication, that if I be not convinced by testimonies of the Scriptures (for I believe not the Pope, neither his General Councils, which have erred many times, and have been
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contrary to themselves), my conscience is so bound and captived in these Scriptures and the Word of God, that I will not, nor may not revoke any manner of thing; considering it is not godly or lawful to do any thing against conscience. Here- upon I stand and rest : I have not what else to say. God have mercy upon me ! '
The princes consulted together upon this answer given by Luther; and when they had diligently examined the same, the prolocutor began to repel him thus : ' The Emperor's majesty requireth of thee a simple answer, either negative or affirmative, whether thou mindest to defend all thy works as Christian, or no ? '
Then Luther, turning to the emperor and the nobles, besought them not to force or compel him to yield against his conscience, confirmed with the Holy Scriptures, without manifest arguments alleged to the contrary by his adversaries. 'I am tied by the Scriptures.'
Night now approaching, the lords arose and departed. And after Luther had taken his leave of the emperor, divers Spaniards scorned and scoffed the good man in the way going toward his lodging, hallooing and whooping after him a long while.
Upon the Friday following, when the princes, electors, dukes, and other estates were assembled, the emperor sent to the whole body of the Council a certain letter, as followeth : 4 Our predecessors, who truly were Christian princes, were obedient to the Romish Church, which Martin Luther impugneth. And therefore, inasmuch as he is not determined to call back his errors in any one point, we cannot, without great infamy and stain of honour, degenerate
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from the examples of our elders, but will maintain the ancient faith, and give aid to the see of Rome. And further, we be resolved to pursue Martin Luther and his adherents by excommunication, and by other means that may be devised, to extinguish his doctrine. Nevertheless we will not violate our faith, which we have promised him, but mean to give order for his safe return to the place whence he came.'
During this time, divers princes, earls, barons, knights of the order, gentlemen, priests, monks, with others of the laity and common sort, visited him. All these were present at all hours in the emperor's court, and could not be satisfied with the sight of him. Also there were bills set up, some against Luther, and some, as it seemed, with him. Notwith- standing many supposed, and especially such as well conceived the matter, that this was subtilely done by his enemies, that thereby occasion might be offered to infringe the safe-conduct given him; which the Roman ambassadors with all diligence endeavoured to bring to pass.
John Eckius, the archbishop's official, in the presence of the emperor's secretary, said unto Luther in his lodging, by the commandment of the emperor, that since he had been admonished by the Imperial Majesty, the electors, princes, and estates of the empire, and that notwithstanding, he would not return to unity and concord, it remained that the emperor, as advocate of the catholic faith, should proceed further : and it was the emperor's ordinance, that he should within twenty-one days return boldly under safe-conduct, and be safely guarded to the place whence he came ; so that in the meanwhile he stirred
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no commotion among the people in his journey, either in conference, or by preaching.
Luther, hearing this, answered very modestly and Christianly, 'Even as it hath pleased God, so is it come to pass ; the name of the Lord be blessed ! ' He thanked most humbly the emperor's majesty, and all the princes and estates of the empire, that they had given to him benign and gracious audience, and granted him safe-conduct to come and return. Finally he desired none other of them, than a reformation according to the sacred Word of God, and consonancy of Holy Scriptures, which effectually in his heart he desired : otherwise he was prest to suffer all chances for the Imperial Majesty, as life, and death, goods, fame, and reproach : reserving nothing to himself, but only the Word of God, which he would constantly confess to the latter end.
The morrow after, which was April the 26th, after he had taken his leave of such as supported him, and of the benevolent friends that oftentimes visited him, and had broken his fast, at ten o'clock he departed from Worms, accompanied with such as repaired thither with him.
It was not long after this, but the emperor to purchase favour with the Pope (because he was not yet confirmed in his Empire), directeth out a solemn writ of outlawry against Luther, and all them that took his part ; commanding the said Luther, wheresoever he might be gotten, to be apprehended, and his books burned. In the meantime, Duke Frederic conveyed Luther a little out of sight secretly, by the help of certain noblemen whom he well knew to be faithful and trusty unto him in that
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behalf. There Luther, being close and out of company, wrote divers epistles, and certain books ; among which he dedicated one to his company of Augustine friars, entitled, De abroganda Missa : which friars the same time being encouraged by him, began to lay down their private masses. Duke Frederic, fearing lest that would breed some great stir or tumult, caused the judgment of the University of Wittenberg to be asked in the matter.
It was showed to the duke, that he should do well to command the use of the mass to be abrogated through his dominion : and though it could not be done without tumult, yet that was no let why the course of true doctrine should be stayed, neither ought such disturbance to be imputed to the doctrine taught, but to the adversaries, who willingly and wickedly kick against the truth, whereof Christ also giveth us forewarning before. For fear of such tumults therefore, we ought not to surcease from that which we know is to be done, but constantly must go forward in defence of God's truth, howso- ever the world doth esteem us, or rage against it.
It happened about the same time that King Henry