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XV.

ror Maximilian calls on the pope

fere.

permitted to regard these proceedings with in- CHAP. difference. The effect produced in Germany by the writings of Luther had already excited great alarm among the faithful adherents to the church. His opinions were espoused by many men of acknowledged integrity and learning, The empeand several persons of high rank had manifested a partiality to his cause. Among the latter was his sovereign, Frederick elector of to interSaxony, a prince of great personal worth, who not only tolerated Luther in his dominions, but was strongly disposed to protect him against the attacks of his adversaries. These daring innovations at length attracted the notice of the emperor elect Maximilian, who at a diet held at Augsburg in the year 1518, inveighed against the promoters of them, and afterwards addressed a letter to the pope, requir ing his immediate interference and promising to give a full effect throughout his dominions to all such measures as the head of the church should think proper to adopt.(a) Before the arrival

VOL. III.

Q

(a) This letter is dated fifth August, 1518, v. Appendix, No. CL. Pallavicini, (Storia del Conc. di Trento, lib. i. cap. vi. p. 66.) accuses Fra. Paolo of having intentionally omitted to notice this letter, which he considers as a refutation of the common notion, that Leo had proceeded against. Luther

A. D. 1518.

A. Æt. 43.

A. Pont. VI,

XV.

Leo cites Luther to

Rome.

CHAP. arrival of this letter, Leo had however, by the means of Girolamo de Genutiis auditor of the chamber and bishop of Ascula, addressed a monitory to Luther, commanding him to appear at Rome within the space of sixty days, and defend himself from the imputations chargappear at ed against him in respect of his doctrines.(a) But after the pope had been thus reminded of his duty by a secular prince, he thought it advisable to resort to more efficacious measures; and without waiting for the expiration of the sixty days, he sent instructions to Tomaso de Vio cardinal of Gaeta, his legate at the imperial court, to call Luther personally before him, and in case he should persist in his heretical opinions, to detain him until he should receive further orders from Rome respecting him.(b) of these hasty and inconsistent proceedings

A. D. 1518. A. Pont. VI.

A. Et. 43.

Luther with too much haste and severity; but although the letter is of too important a nature to be overlooked in a narrative of these transactions, yet it certainly appears that proceedings had been commenced against Luther before its arrival at Rome, and that Maimburg is right in asserting that the citation of Luther was issued prior to the receipt of the letter by the pope. Maimb. ap. Seckendorff. Comm. de Lu

theranism. lib. i. sec. xvi. p. 41.

(a) This monitory was dated seventh August, 1518.

(b) v. Appendix, No. CLI

XV.

ceedings Luther complained with apparent CHAP. .justice; alleging that instead of sixty days, only sixteen had intervened between the date of the monitory and that of the brief to the cardinal of Gaeta; and that he had not even had notice of the monitory before he was thus condemned. (a) The letter to the cardinal of Gaeta was accompanied by another from Leo to the elector of Saxony, informing him that he had sent instructions to the cardinal how to proceed in this important business; and exhorting the elector to submit in a matter of an ecclesiastical nature to the suggestions of the cardinal, and use his endeavours,. if required, Q 2

that

-Ultimo et omnium suavissimum. Breve hoc (a) 66 "datum est xxiii. Augusti, Ego autem citatus et monitus "fui vii. Augusti, et sic intra datum brevis & citationem 66 cucurrerunt 16 dies. Calculum pone, Lector, et inve"nies Dominum Hieronymum Episcopum Asculensem, vel "ante mihi insinuatam Citationem, aut intra decimum sex"tum diem post insinuatam, processisse contra me, judi66 casse, damnasse, declarasse. Si nunc quæram, ubi tunc "sexaginta illi dies mihi dati in citatione mea, qui incepe66 runt a vii. Augusti, finiebantur autem circiter vii. Octo"bris? Est iste mos et stylus Romanæ Curiæ, ut eadem "die citent, moneant, accusent, judicent, damnent, decla"rent, presertim tanto spatio absentem et ignorantem? Quid "respondebunt, nisi sese oblitos et elleboro purgandos fuisse, "quando hoc mendacium adornare parabant." Luth. Op. Lat. tom. i. p. 161.

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A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

A. Pont. VI.

XV.

CHAP. that Luther should be delivered up to him to be sent to Rome; at the same time assuring. him that if Luther was found innocent he should return home in safety; and that the pontiff was mercifully inclined and would not refuse his pardon to a sincere penitent.(a)

A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

A. Pont. VI.

Luther ob- t

ing in Ger

many.

Luther now found himself under consitains a hear- derable difficulties. On an open resistance of the pontifical authority he had not yet perhaps fully resolved; and the avowal of such an act of disobedience would infallibly deprive him of the support of a considerable part of his friends, who in opposing the abuses of the Roman court had not yet determined on a total separation from the church. On the other hand, to comply with the mandate, and to submit his opinions to the master of the pontifical palace, with whom he had. carried on a controversy which had terminated in the most violent abuse, could only lead either to the total sacrifice of his conscience and character, or to his being prematurely associated to the glorious train of martyrs.(b) In this

(a) v. Appendix, No. CLII.

(b) The persons appointed to hear him were his avowed adversaries, the bishop of Ascula, and Silvestro Prierio. v. Maimb. ap. Seckend. Sec. xvi. p. 41.

XV.

this emergency he endeavoured to steer a mid- CHAP dle course, and whilst he acknowledged the authority of the pope, entreated that he might be allowed to make his defence before a competent jurisdiction in some part of Germany. His request was enforced by a public letter to Leo X. from the university of Wittemberg,(a) and by the personal application of the elector of Saxony to the cardinal of Gaeta; in consequence of which, the pope delegated to the cardinal full authority to hear the defence of Luther, and on his retracting his errors with cordial penitence to receive him again into the unity of the church.(b)

A. D. 1518.
A. Et. 43..
A. Pont. VI

burg.

Having thus obtained his purpose, in being He repairs allowed an opportunity of defending his doc- to Augstrines without repairing to Rome, Luther undertook his journey to Augsburg, poor and on foot, if we are literally to believe his own narrative.(c) On the eve of his departure on this expedition, so hazardous to himself and

So

(a) v. Appendix, No. CLIII.

(b) Pallavicini, Conc. di Trento. lib. i. cap. ix. p. 76.

(c) "Veni igitur, pedester et pauper, Augustam," &c. Luth. in pr f.

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