History of the Great Reformation Part 18

[Sidenote: TWO STRIKING LESSONS.]

If the Reformation, having attained a certain point, became untrue to its nature, began to parley and temporize with the world, and ceased thus to follow up the spiritual principle that it had so loudly proclaimed, it was faithless to G.o.d and to itself.

Henceforward its decline was at hand.

It is impossible for a society to prosper if it be unfaithful to the principles it lays down. Having abandoned what const.i.tuted its life, it can find naught but death.

It was G.o.d's will that this great truth should be inscribed on the very threshold of the temple He was then raising in the world; and a striking contrast was to make this truth stand gloriously forth.

One portion of the Reform was to seek the alliance of the world, and in this alliance find a destruction full of desolation.

Another portion, looking up to G.o.d, was haughtily to reject the arm of the flesh, and by this very act of faith secure a n.o.ble victory.

If three centuries have gone astray, it is because they were unable to comprehend so holy and solemn a lesson.

It was in the beginning of September 1529 that Charles V., the victor by battles or by treaties over the Pope and the King of France, had landed at Genoa. The shouts of the Spaniards had saluted him as he quitted the Iberian peninsula; but the dejected eyes, the bended heads, the silent lips of the Italians given over to his hands, alone welcomed him to the foot of the Apennines. Everything led to the belief that Charles would indemnify himself on them for the apparent generosity with which he had treated the Pope.

[Sidenote: CHARLES THE FIFTH.]

They were deceived. Instead of those barbarous chiefs of the Goths and Huns, or of those proud and fierce emperors, who more than once had crossed the Alps and rushed upon Italy, sword in hand and with cries of vengeance, the Italians saw among them a young and graceful prince, with pale features, a delicate frame, and weak voice, of winning manners, having more the air of a courtier than a warrior, scrupulously performing all the duties of the Romish religion, and leading in his train no terrible cohorts of German barbarians, but a brilliant retinue of Spanish grandees, who complacently paraded the pride of their race and the splendour of their nation. This prince, the victor of Europe, spoke only of peace and amnesty; and even the Duke of Ferrara, who of all the Italian princes had most cause of fear, having at Modena placed the keys of the city in his hands, heard from his friendly lips the most unexpected encouragements.

Whence did this strange conduct proceed? Charles, had shown plainly enough, at the time of the captivity of Francis I., that generosity towards his enemies was not his dominant virtue. It was not long before this mystery was explained.

Almost at the same time with Charles there arrived in Italy, by way of Lyons and Genoa, three German burgesses, whose whole equipage consisted of six horses.[310] These were John Ehinger, burgomaster of Memmingen, who carried his head high, scattered money around him, and did not pride himself on great sobriety; Michael Caden, syndic of Nuremberg, a worthy, pious, and brave man, but detested by the Count of Na.s.sau, the most influential of Charles's ministers; and, lastly, Alexis Frauentraut, secretary to the Margrave of Brandenburg, who, having married a nun, was in very bad esteem among the Roman-catholics.

Such were the three men whom the Protestant princes, a.s.sembled at Nuremberg, commissioned to bear to the Emperor the famous Protest of Spire. They had purposely chosen these deputies from a middle station, under the impression that they would incur less danger.[311] To carry such a message to Charles V. was, to say the truth, a mission which few persons cared to execute. Accordingly a pension had been secured to the widows of these envoys in case of misfortune.

[310] Legatis attribuerunt equos s.e.x.--(Seckend. ii. p. 134.)

[311] Ut essent tutiores.--(Ibid. p. 133.)

[Sidenote: BOLDNESS OF THE ENVOYS.]

Charles was on his way from Genoa to Bologna, and staying at Piacenza, when the three Protestant deputies overtook him. These plain Germans presented a singular contrast in the midst of that Spanish pomp and Romish fervour by which the young prince was surrounded. Cardinal Gattinara, the Emperor's chancellor, who sincerely desired a reform of the Church, procured them an audience of Charles V. for the 22d of September; but they were recommended to be sparing in their words, for there was nothing the Emperor so much disliked as a Protestant sermon.

The deputies were not checked by these insinuations and after having handed the protest to Charles, Frauentraut began to speak: "It is to the Supreme Judge that each one of us must render an account," said he, "and not to creatures who turn at every wind. It is better to fall into the most cruel necessity, than to incur the anger of G.o.d. Our nation will obey no decrees that are based on any other foundation than the Holy Scriptures."[312]

[312] Neque suarum esse virium aut officii, ut eos ad impossibilia et noxia adigant--(Seckend. ii. p. 134.)

Such was the proud tone held by these German citizens to the Emperor of the West. Charles said not a word--it would have been paying them too much honour; but he charged one of his secretaries to announce an answer at some future time.

There was no hurry to send back these petty amba.s.sadors. In vain did they renew their solicitations daily. Gattinara treated them with kindness, but Na.s.sau sent them away with bitter words. A workman, the armourer to the court, having to visit Augsburg to purchase arms, begged the Count of Na.s.sau to despatch the Protestant deputies. "You may tell them," replied the minister of Charles V., "that we will terminate their business in order that you may have travelling companions." But the armourer having found other company, they were compelled to wait.[313]

[313] Hortleben, von den Ursachen des deutschen Kriegs, p. 50.

[Sidenote: THE LANDGRAVE'S PRESENT.]

These envoys endeavoured at least to make a good use of their time.

"Take this book," said the Landgrave to Caden at the very moment of departure, giving him a French work bound in velvet, and richly ornamented, "and deliver it to the Emperor."[314] It was a summary of the Christian Faith which the Landgrave had received from Francis Lambert, and which had probably been written by that doctor. Caden sought an opportunity of presenting this treatise; and did so one day, therefore, as Charles was going publickly to Ma.s.s. The Emperor took the book, and pa.s.sed it immediately to a Spanish bishop. The Spaniard began to read it,[315] and lighted upon that pa.s.sage of Scripture in which Christ enjoins his apostles _not to exercise lords.h.i.+p_.[316] The author took advantage of it to maintain that the minister, charged with spiritual matters, should not interfere with those which are temporal. The Papist prelate bit his lips, and Charles, who perceived it, having asked, "Well, what is the matter?" the bishop in confusion had recourse to a falsehood.[317] "This treatise," replied he, "takes the sword from the christian magistrate, and grants it only to nations that are strangers to the faith." Immediately there was a great uproar: the Spaniards above all were beside themselves.

[314] Libellum elegantur ornatum.--(Scultet. p. 253.)

[315] c.u.m obiter legisset--(Ibid.)

[316] Luke xxii. 26.

[317] Falso et maligne relatum esset--(Seckend. ii. p. 133.)

"The wretches that have endeavoured to mislead so young a prince,"

said they, "deserve to be hung on the first tree by the wayside!"

Charles swore, in fact, that the bearer should suffer the penalty of his audacity.

At length, on the 12th October, Alexander Schweiss, imperial secretary, transmitted the Emperor's reply to the deputies. It said that the minority ought to submit to the decrees pa.s.sed in diet, and that if the Duke of Saxony and his allies refused, means would not be wanting to compel them.[318]

[318] Sibi non defore media quibus ad id compellerentur.--(Seckend. ii p. 133.)

[Sidenote: THE ENVOYS UNDER ARREST.]

Ehinger and Caden thereupon read aloud the appeal to the Emperor drawn up at Spire, whilst Frauentraut, who had renounced his quality of deputy and a.s.sumed that of a notary,[319] took notes of what was pa.s.sing. When the reading was finished, the deputies advanced towards Schweiss and presented the appeal. The imperial secretary rejected the doc.u.ment with amazement; the deputies insisted; Schweiss continued firm. They then laid the appeal on the table. Schweiss was staggered; he took the paper, and carried it to the Emperor.

[319] Tabellionis sive notarii officium.--(Ibid.)

After dinner, just as one of the deputies (Caden) had gone out, a tumult in the hotel announced some catastrophe. It was the imperial secretary who returned duly accompanied. "The Emperor is exceedingly irritated against you on account of this appeal," said he to the Protestants; "and he forbids you, under pain of confiscation and death, to leave your hotel, to write to Germany, or to send any message whatsoever."[320] Thus Charles put amba.s.sadors under arrest, as he would the officers of his guard, desirous in this manner of publis.h.i.+ng his contempt, and of frightening the princes.

[320] Sub capitis pna, ne pedem a diversario moveant.--(Seckend. ii.

p. 133.)

Caden's servant slipped in alarm out of the hotel, and ran to his master. The latter, still considering himself free, wrote a hasty account of the whole business to the senate of Nuremberg, sent off his letters by express, and returned to share in the arrest of his colleagues.[321]

[321] A famulo certior factus, rem omnem senatui aperuit--(Ibid.)

[Sidenote: MEETING OF CHARLES AND CLEMENT.]

On the 23d of October, the Emperor left Piacenza, carrying the three Germans with him. But on the 30th he released Ehinger and Frauentraut, who, mounting their horses in the middle of the night, rushed at full speed along a route thronged with soldiers and robbers. "As for you,"

said Granvelle to Caden, "you will stay under pain of death. The Emperor expects that the book you presented to him will be given up to the Pope."[322] Perhaps Charles thought it pleasant to show the Roman Pontiff this prohibition issued against the ministers of G.o.d to mingle in the government of nations. But Caden, profiting by the confusion of the court, secretly procured a horse, and fled to Ferrara, thence to Venice, from which place he returned to Nuremberg.[323]

[322] Ut idem scriptum exhibeat quoque Pontifici.--(Scultet. p. 254.)

[323] Silentio conscendit equum.--(Ibid.)

The more Charles appeared irritated against Germany, the greater moderation he showed towards the Italians: heavy pecuniary contributions were all that he required. It was beyond the Alps, in the centre of Christendom, by means of these very religious controversies, that he desired to establish his power. He pressed on, and required only two things: behind him,--peace; with him,--money.

On the 5th of November he entered Bologna. Everything was striking about him: the crowd of n.o.bles, the splendour of the equipages, the haughtiness of the Spanish troops, the four thousand ducats that were scattered by handfuls among the people;[324] but above all, the majesty and magnificence of the young Emperor. The two chiefs of Romish Christendom were about to meet. The Pope quitted his palace with all his court; and Charles, at the head of an army which would have conquered the whole of Italy in a few days, affecting the humility of a child, fell on his knees, and kissed the Pontiff's feet.

[324] In vulgus sparsum aurum quatuor millia ducatorum.--(L. Epp. iii.

p. 565.)