1550. to besiege to the emperor's authority.' At length, in the A. D. diet held at Augsburg in the year 1550, after Charles's return from the Low Countries, it was Maurice resolved to dispatch an army against the place, and to besiege it in form; and, on the recom- it. mendation of the diet, the conduct of the war was, with the emperor's full approbation, committed to Maurice of Saxony. Maurice's undertaking this service (perhaps procuring his own appointment to it) was another stroke of that artful and ambitious prince's policy. By successive previous measures calculated to regain the confidence of the protestants, which he had entirely forfeited in the Smalkaldic war, he had done much to risk the emperor's favour, and excite his jealousy: but now, by his apparent zeal against the citizens of Magdeburg, whose spirit and resolution had gained them the general admiration of the protestant party, he allayed every suspicion, and inspired the emperor with confidence; while he at the same time took a most important step towards the execution of the mighty schemes which he was meditating. By Charles's late successes, not only the re- Situation of ligion but the liberties of Germany were laid the empire. at his feet, and he had but to advance a little further, in order to make himself and his successors as absolute in that country as he had become in Spain. This could not fail to be most offensive and alarming to the princes of the empire, and to none more so than Maurice, now become the most powerful among them, and, as such, the most impatient of a state of entire dependency on a superior. He appears also to have been sincerely attached to the protestant religion: and he was personally irritated 1 Sleid. 485, 486, 496, 501. 2 Robertson, iv. 306, 307. CHAP. Projected by the cruel imprisonment of the landgrave, his father-in-law, who by his persuasion had put himself into the emperor's hands. All these motives conspired to make him seek the overthrow of that despotic power, which he had so essentially contributed to raise. The conduct of the siege of Magdeburg not only blinded the emperor to his designs, but gave him the command of a powerful army, which he made it his business to keep together till his plans were ripe for execution. With this view, though he made a shew of vigour, he allowed the siege to be protracted throughout a whole year; and at the close of it granted the besieged such terms, as both secured their religion, and so much attached them to him as to induce them to elect him their burgrave and all this he managed with such dexterity as to avoid exciting any distrust in the breast of the emperor.2 But, before we proceed to the developement restoration of Maurice's designs, we must take some notice of the transactions which took place with reference to the council of Trent. of the Council of Trent. 1550. Feb. 7. In consequence of the death of Paul III, and the succession of cardinal di Monte, under the name of Julius III, to the papal chair, the emperor had now a better prospect of succeeding in his wishes with respect to the restoration of the council.3 A principal object therefore pro 1 Very appropriately does Bullinger observe to Calvin, August 30, 1550, "The emperor is said to be determined to make Magdeburg an example to all who resist his authority. But he knows not that the keeper of Israel lives and reigns." Calv. Epist. p. 58. Op. ix. " Sleid. 503, 514, 528, 529. Robertson, iv. 10—13, 19, 37-42. Sleid. 487-493. A sad character is here given of both these pontiffs. Also a curious account of the conclave, and the modes of proceeding in the election of a pope. 489, 490. A. D. 1550. posed in the diet opened at Augsburg, July 26, 1550, (which was again overawed by the presence of the imperial troops,) was to procure from its members an explicit acknowledgment of the council, with an engagement to obey its decrees; and, in the mean time, more effectually to provide for the observance of the Interim. But here Maurice acted a part which was to gain him credit with the protestants. He boldly avowed by his deputies, that he would not acknowledge the council unless all points previously decided were reviewed; unless the protestant divines were both fully heard, and allowed to vote in the assembly; and unless the pope renounced his pretensions to preside in it, engaged to submit himself to its decrees, and absolved the bishops from the oath by which they were bound to him, that they might speak and vote with freedom. Yet, in some way not sufficiently explained, he contrived so to represent this daring proceeding, which alone gave any courage and confidence to the protestants, as to create no distrust in the emperor's mind. His protest, however, was not allowed to be entered on the journals; and in the end the diet concluded with a recess in which the affairs of Feb. 13. religion were referred to the council, and all parties were required to send their deputies thither-the emperor engaging to give his safeconduct to such as demanded it.1 1551. With respect to the Interim, fresh proof was Failure of afforded in this diet how much all that had the Interim. been done had failed of procuring compliance Cardinal Pole had a flattering prospect of being chosen at this vacancy: but he failed because it was said he " smelt of Lutheranism." Sleid. 490. F. Paul, 280. 1 Sleid. 512. F. Paul, 287, 291. CHAP. XI. with it. The deputies of the absent electors expressly represented to the emperor, that it had been found impossible to enforce any strict observance of it; that the "inveterate continuance" of men in opposite habits had defeated the attempts made for the purpose; that in the schools the youth had been trained up in other principles; that the people were convinced that the imperial ordinance was in many points repugnant to the word of God; that the religion they had received "could not be soon plucked up from their minds ;" and that "instruction was necessary to bring them over by degrees." Indeed so irresistible was the evidence to this effect, that the emperor himself, in the recess of the diet, acknowledged that it had been "impossible to overcome the difficulties" which presented themselves. Even in Augsburg itself and other parts of Suabia, notwithstanding the violence which had been used, and though that circle had been for five years occupied by Spanish troops, the religious object would seem to have utterly failed: for, in the month of August, 1551, the divines and schoolmasters of the city were suddenly brought before the emperor's ministers, and interrogated respecting their noncompliance with the Interim; and, on their still refusing to conform to it, were ordered to quit the place within three days; never more to preach or teach within the limits of the empire; and neither before nor after their removal to communicate by word or in writing, even to their nearest friends, the cause of their departure. And the same course was pursued at Memmingen and in other places,2 Sleid. 503. F. Paul, 287, 291. 2 Sleid. 516, 517, 528. Thuan. i. 270. Camerar. in vit. A. D. 1551. assembled. 1550. Nov. The council, according to the summons issued by the pope, met at Trent, May 1, 1551 but it did not proceed to business till the first The Council of September following. Previously to its of Trent remeeting, Melancthon had been employed by. Maurice to draw up a confession of faith to be presented to the fathers: and Brentius, now made minister of Stutgard, performed a similar service for Christopher, who had a few months before succeeded his father Ulric in the dutchy of Würtemberg.2 The formulary prepared by Melancthon passed under the name of the Repetition of the Confession of Augsburg. Both it and the work of Brentius were approved by the ministers of the two provinces, and also by those of Strasburg-the only one of the free cities which took active measures to provide for the present crisis. It was regretted by Melancthon, George of Anhalt, and other eminent persons, and appears to be so by Sleidan, (who was himself one of the deputies from Strasburg to the council,) that the protestants did not act more together on this occasion, by agreeing on a common confession, and sending common representatives to Trent: this would have better attested their unanimity, and given more weight Mel. § 91. This was three years after Melancthon had 1 Sleid. 503, 513. |