iefore papal nuncio Hieronymus Alexander (afterwards archbishop he of Brindisi and cardinal) urged first privately and then mperor p U ] J ji c }y j n the diet that Luther should be condemned un- Vorms. heard, as one already tried and convicted by the papal bull. He threatened the Germans with extermination, it is said, in case of their refusal to accede to his requests, " We shall excite the one to fight against the other, that all may perish in their own blood," a threat to which the whole subsequent history of Germany offers the commen tary. But the princes had their own quarrel with Rome, and urged besides that it would be unfair to condemn a man unheard and untried. A committee appointed by the diet presented a list of one hundred grievances of the German nation against Rome. This startled the emperor, w.ho, instead of ordering Luther s books to be burned, issued only a provisional order that they should be delivered to the magistrate. He then sent to summon Luther before him, and granted him a safe conduct to and from the diet. In April Luther set out for Worms. Before loaving Wittenberg he had devised with his friend Lucas Cranach the artist what he called " a good book for the liity," a series of woodcuts depicting contrasts between Christ and the pope, with explanations in pithy German: Christ washing the disciples feet on one page, the pope holding out his toe to be kissed, on the other; Christ bearing his cross, the pope carried in state through Rome on men s shoulders ; Christ driving money-changers out of the temple, the pope selling indulgences, with piles of money before him; and so on. Luther went to Worms, believing that he was going to his death. Everywhere on the road he saw the imperial edict against his books posted up, yet his journey was in some sort a triumphal progress ; the people came out in crowds to meet him, and at Erfurt the herald gave way to the universal request, and, against his instructions, permitted Luther to preach. On the 16th Luther entered the imperial city amidst an immense con course of people. Next day he was brought before the diet. When the hour approached he fell on his knees, and uttered in great agony a prayer such as can only be pro nounced by a man filled with the spirit of Him who prayed in Gethsemane. When he appeared before the diet he was asked by John Eck, an official of the archbishop of Treves (to be distinguished from Eck the theologian), whether the books piled on a table were his, and whether he would retract what was written in them. Luther acknowledged his writings, and requested that as the matter written con cerned the highest of all subjects, the word of God and the welfare of souls, he might have time for consideration before he answered the second question. His request was granted, and he retired. Luther s resolution had been taken before he appeared at the diet ; he only desired to convince friends as well as foes that he did not act with precipitation at so decisive a moment. The next day he employed in prayer and meditation, making a solemn vow upon a volume of Scripture to remain faithful to the gospel, should he have to seal his confession with his blood. When he was again brought before the diet, he answered at great length, dividing his writings into three kinds : (1) those in which he had written about faith and morals in such fashion that even his opponents admitted that what he had said was worth reading : he could not retract these ; (2) those in which he had condemned the papacy and popish doings, which had ruined Christendom body and soul : to retract these would be mean and wicked, and lie would not ; (3) those in which he had attacked private persons with perhaps more vehemence than was right : he would not retract, but would readily listen to any one who pointed out errors. He spoke in German with earnestness and force, but the emperor and his followers scarcely understood him, and he was asked to repeat his answer in 75 Latin. He did so, and the papal party were irritated ; the official declared that they were not there to make dis tinctions or to discuss things which had been long ago settled by councils; let the accused say whether he recanted or not. Luther answered, "Well then, if your imperial majesty and your graces require a plain answer, I will give you one of that kind without horns and teeth. It is this. I must be convinced either by the witness of Scripture or by clear arguments, for I do not trust either pope or councils by themselves, since it is manifest that they have often erred and contradicted themselves for I am bound by the Holy Scriptures which I have quoted, and my con science is held by the word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, for to act against conscience is un safe and unholy. So help me God. Amen." Eck asked him whether he actually meant to say that general councils had erred. He answered that lie declared, and that openly, that councils had erred several times, that the council of Constance had erred. Eck replied that he surely did not mean to say that general councils had erred. Luther persisted that he could prove that they had erred in many places. The emperor made a sign to end the matter, and Luther said, " I can do nought else. Here stand I. God help me. Amen." He went back to his lodgings in deep depression of spirit, but was comforted on learning that the elector had told Spalatin, " Doctor Martin has spoken well in Latin and in German before the emperor and all the princes and estates of the empire ; only he is too keen for me." Luther s answer created very various feelings among those who heard him. The Italians and Spaniards wished the safe conduct revoked, and Luther burnt at once. Most of the Germans resolved to protect him at all hazards. The emperor deliberated for a day, and then declared that he meant to permit Luther to return safely from the council, but that his opinions were to be con demned, and all who clung to them punished for the future. But the proposal to cancel the safe conduct had roused the people. There were threatenings of insurrec tions of the peasants, and of Sickingen and the knights ; and the emperor, to allay the feeling, resolved that three days should be given to Luther to reconsider what he had said. Theologians came to argue with him, and to induce him to make some recantation, but in vain. At last the edict of the diet was pronounced, in which Luther was condemned in the severest terms, and placed under the ban of the empire. This meant that when his safe conduct expired he was an outlaw, and that all people were for bidden to give him food or fire or shelter. His books were to be burnt, his goods confiscated, and his adherents punished. Whoever disobeyed the edict incurred the ban of the empire. Frederick the elector of Saxony thought that Luther s At the life was no longer safe, as in twenty-one days his safe Wurt- conduct would expire. Luther was hurried away from s Worms, and as he travelled back to Wittenberg he was stopped near Eisenach by a band of armed knights, and carried to the fortified castle of the Wartburg above Eisenach by Frederick s orders. The elector s fears, as matters turned out, were exaggerated. Germany was in no mood to give Luther up, and there were threatenings of risings when he disnppeared, only appeased when it was whispered about that he was in friendly keeping. Luther remained at the Wartburg, dressed as a knight, ordered to let his beard grow, and bearing the name Junker George, for ten months, and made use of his enforced leisure to begin what was perhaps his greatest literary work, his translation of the Scriptures from the original texts. The New Testament was almost entirely his own work. He used for the text Erasmus s fourth edition, and took
incredible pains with his work. Some of his MS. still