CHAPTER V

Will a Safe-conduct be given?—Safe-conduct—Will Luther go?—Holy Thursday at Rome—The Pope and Luther. At length the emperor decided. The appearance of Luther before the Diet seemed the only thing fitted to bring this affair which occupied the whole empire, to some kind of termination. Charles V resolved to cite him, but without giving him a safe-conduct. Here Frederick again began to act as his protector. Every body saw the danger which threatened the Reformer. Luther’s friends, says Cochlœus, were afraid that he would be delivered up to the pope, or that the emperor himself would put him to death as unworthy, on account of his obstinate heresy, that any faith should be kept with him. On this subject there was a long and keen debate among the princes.

² Struck, at last, with the general agitation then prevailing almost throughout the whole population of Germany, and afraid that, as Luther passed along, some sudden tumult or dangerous sedition might break forth, (doubtless in favour of the Reformer,) the princes deemed it wise to calm men’s minds on his account, and not only the emperor, but also the Elector of Saxony, Duke George, and the Landgrave of Hesse, through whose states he had to pass, each gave him a safe-conduct. On the 6th March, 1521, Charles V signed the following summons addressed to Luther:— “Charles, by the grace of God, elected Roman Emperor, always Augustus, etc., etc.

“Honourable, dear, and pious! We, and the States of the Holy Empire, having resolved to make an inquest touching the doctrine and the books which you have published for some time past have given you, to come here and return to a place of safety our safe-conduct and that of the empire here subjoined. Our sincere desire is that you immediately prepare for this journey, in order that, in the space of twenty-one days mentioned in our safe-conduct you may be here certainly, and without fail. Have no apprehension of either injustice or violence. We will firmly enforce our safe-conduct under-written, and we expect that you will answer to our call. In so doing you will follow our serious advice.

“Given at our imperial city of Worms, the sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1521, and in the second of our reign.

“Charles.

“By order of my Lord the Emperor, with his own hand, Albert, Cardinal of Mentz, Arch-chancellor.

Nicolas Zwyl.” The safe-conduct enclosed in this letter bore the following address:—“To the honourable, our dear and pious doctor Martin Luther, of the order of the Augustins.”

It began thus:—

“We, Charles, fifth of the name, by the grace of God, elected Roman Emperor, always Augustus, King of Spain, of the Two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, Hungary, Dalmatia, Croatia, etc., Arch-Duke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Count of Hapsburg, Flanders, the Tyrol, etc., etc.”

Then the king of so many nations giving to wit that he had summoned before him an Augustin monk named Luther, ordered all princes, lords, magistrates, and others, to respect the safe-conduct which he gave him, under pain of punishment by the emperor and the empire.

Thus the emperor gave the title of “dear, honourable, and pious,” to a man at whose head the Church had launched her excommunication. It had been wished, in the drawing up of the document, to remove all distrust from the mind of Luther and his friends. Gaspard Sturm was appointed to carry this message to the Reformer, and accompany him to Worms. The Elector, dreading the public indignation, wrote, on the 12th March, to the magistrates of Wittemberg to see to the safety of the emperor’s officer, and, if deemed necessary, to provide him with a guard. The herald set out.

Thus the designs of God were accomplished. God was pleased to set upon a hill that light which he had kindled in the world, and emperors, kings, and princes, without knowing it, were forthwith in motion to execute his design. It is easy for him to exalt the lowest to the highest. An act of his power suffices to raise the humble child of Mansfeld from an obscure hut to the palace where kings are assembled. In regard to Him, there is nothing small, nothing great. When he wills it, Charles V and Luther meet face to face. But will Luther obey this citation? His best friends were in doubt. The Elector on the 25th of March wrote his brother—“Doctor Martin is summoned hither, but I know not if he will come. I cannot augur any good of it.” Three weeks later (16th April), this excellent prince seeing the danger increase wrote anew to Duke John. “There is a proclamation against Luther. The cardinals and bishops attack him with much severity. May God turn all to good. Would to God I could procure him an equitable reception!”

While these things were passing at Worms and Wittemberg, the Papacy was reiterating its blows. On the 28th March, the Thursday before Easter, Rome resounded with a solemn excommunication. At this season it is usual to publish the dreadful bull in Cœna Domini, which is only a long series of imprecations. On that day, the avenues to the church in which the sovereign pontiff was to officiate were occupied at an early hour by the papal guards, and by a crowd of people who had flocked from all parts of Italy to receive the benediction of the holy father. The square in front of the Basilisk was decorated with branches of laurel and myrtle; wax tapers were burning on the balcony of the church, and the ostensorium was raised upon it. All at once bells make the air re-echo with solemn sounds; the pope, clothed in his pontifical robes, and carried in a chair, appears on the balcony; the people kneel, all heads are uncovered, the colours are lowered, the muskets grounded, and a solemn silence reigns. Some moments after, the pope slowly stretches out his hands, raises them towards heaven, then bends them slowly towards the ground, making the sign of the cross. This movement is repeated thrice, and the air echoes anew with the ringing of bells, which intimate the pope’s benediction to the surrounding country; then priests advance with impetuosity, holding lighted torches, which they reverse, brandish, and throw about with violence, to represent the flames of hell; the people are moved and agitated, and the words of malediction are heard from the height of the temple. When Luther was informed of this excommunication, he published the tenor of it, with some remarks, written in that caustic style in which he so much excelled. Although this publication did not appear till afterwards, we will here give some idea of it. Let us hear the high priest of Christendom on the balcony of his Basilisk, and the monk of Wittemberg answering him from the bosom of Germany.

There is something characteristic in the contrast of the two voices. The Pope.—“Leo Bishop.”

Luther.—“Bishop … as a wolf is a shepherd; for the bishop ought to exhort according to the doctrine of salvation, not belch out imprecations and maledictions.” The Pope.—“… Servant of all the servants of God.…”

Luther.—“In the evening when we are drunk; but in the morning we call ourselves Leo lord of all the lords.” The Pope.—“The Roman bishops, our predecessors, have been wont, on this festival, to employ the weapons of righteousness.” …

Luther.—“Which, according to you, are excommunication and anathema, but according to St. Paul, patience, meekness, and charity.” (2 Corinthians 6:7) The Pope.—“According to the duty of the apostolic office, and to maintain the purity of Christian faith.”

Luther—“In other words, the temporal possessions of the pope.” The Pope.—“And its unity, which consists in the union of the members with Christ their head … and with his vicar.…”

Luther.—“For Christ is not sufficient; one more than he is necessary.” The Pope.—“To guard the holy communion of the faithful, we follow the ancient custom, and excommunicate and anathematise on the part of God Almighty the Father.

Luther.—“Of whom it is said, ‘God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.’ ” (John 3:17) The Pope.—“… And the Son and the Holy Spirit, and according to the power of the Apostles Peter and Paul … and our own.…”

Luther.—“And myself! says the ravenous wolf, as if the power of God were too feeble without him.” The Pope.—“We curse all heretics,—the Garasi, the Patarini, the Pauperes of Lyon, the Arnoldists, the Speronists, the Passagians, the Wickliffites, the Hussites, the Fraticelli.”

Luther.—“For they wished to possess the Holy Scriptures, and insisted that the pope should be sober and preach the Word God.” The Pope.—“And Martin Luther recently condemned by us for a similar heresy, as well as all his adherents, and all, whosoever they be, that show him any favour.”

Luther.—“I thank thee, most gracious Pontiff, for condemning me in common with all these Christians. I count it an honour to have my name proclaimed at Rome during the feast in so glorious a manner, and carried over the world with the names of all those humble confessors of Jesus Christ.” The Pope.—“Likewise we excommunicate and curse all pirates and corsairs.…”

Luther.—“Who then is the greatest of pirates and corsairs if it be not he who robs souls, chains them, and puts them to death?” The Pope.—“Particularly those who sail upon our sea.”

Luther.—“Our sea!… Saint Peter, our predecessor, said, ‘Silver and gold have I none,’ (Acts 3:6) Jesus Christ said, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; but it shall not be so with you.” (Luke 22:25) But if a waggon loaded with hay must, on meeting with a drunken man, give way to him, à fortiori must St. Peter and Jesus Christ himself give way to the pope.” The Pope.—“Likewise we excommunicate and curse all who falsify our bulls, and our apostolic letters.…”

Luther.—“But the letters of God, the Scriptures of God, all the world may condemn and burn.” The Pope.—“Likewise we excommunicate and curse all who detain provisions which are on the way to Rome.…”

Luther.—“He barks and bites like a dog threatened to be deprived of his bone.” The Pope.—“Likewise we condemn and curse all who keep back judicial rights, fruits, tithes, revenues, appertaining to the clergy.”

Luther.—“For Jesus Christ has said, ‘Whosoever will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.’ (Matthew 5:40) and this is our commentary upon the passage.” The Pope.—“Whatever be their station, dignity, order, power, or rank; be they even bishops or kings.…”

Luther.—“For ‘There will arise false teachers among you who will despise dominion and speak evil of dignities,’ saith the Scripture. (Jude 1:8)” The Pope.—“Likewise we condemn and curse all those who in any kind of way attack the city Rome, the kingdom of Sicily, the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, the patrimony of St. Peter in Tuscany, the duchy of Spoleto, the margravate of Ancona, the Campagna, the cities of Ferrara and Benevento, or any other city or country appertaining to the Church of Rome.”

Luther.—“O, Peter, poor fisherman! where did you get Rome and all those kingdoms? I salute you, Peter, king of Sicily!… and fisherman at Bethsaida!” The Pope.—“We excommunicate and curse all chancellors, counsellors, parliaments, procurators, governors officials, bishops, and others who oppose our letters of exhortation, invitation, prohibition, mediation, execution, etc.”

Luther,—“For the holy see seeks only to live in idleness, magnificence, and debauchery, to command, storm, deceive, lie, insult, and commit all sorts of wickedness in peace and safety.…”

“O Lord, arise! it is not as the papists pretend. Thou hast not forsaken us, nor is thy favour turned away from us.” So spake Leo X at Rome, and Luther at Wittemberg. The pontiff having finished his anathemas, the parchment on which they were written was torn in pieces, and the fragments thrown to the people. Immediately there was a great rush among the crowd, all pressing forward, and striving to get hold of a morsel of the terrible bull.

Such were the holy relics which the papacy offered to her faithful on the eve of the great day of grace of expiation. The multitude soon dispersed, and the vicinity of the Basilisk resumed its wonted stillness. Let us return to Wittemberg.