Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/427

 Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolt 309 to the papal treasury upon having their election confirmed by the Church authorities at Rome. The Pope enjoyed the right to fill the important church offices in Germany and sometimes appointed Italians, who received the revenue without going to Germany or performing the duties attached to the office. One person often held several church offices. At first, however, no one thought of withdrawing from the Church or of attempting to destroy the power of the Pope. All that the Germans wanted was that the contributions which flowed toward Rome should be lessened, and that the clergy should be upright, earnest men who should conscientiously perform their religious duties. 522. Erasmus (i465-i536). Among the critics of the Church in the early days of Charles V's reign the most famous and in- fluential was Erasmus. He was a Dutchman by birth, but spent his life in various other countries France, England, Italy, and Germany. He was a citizen of the world and in correspond- ence with literary men everywhere, so that his letters give us an excellent idea of the feeling of the times. He was greatly interested in the Greek and Latin authors, but his main purpose in life was to make people more intelligent, especially in religious matters. One of his best-known books was his Praise of Folly, in which he held up to ridicule many of the practices and popular beliefs which Luther later attacked. He believed that superstition would certainly disappear as people became better educated. It seemed to Erasmus that if everybody could read the Bible, especially the New Testament, for himself, it would be a great advantage. Erasmus believed, moreover, that the time was favorable for reform. As he looked about him he beheld intelligent rulers on the thrones of Europe, men interested in books and art and ready to help scholars and writers. There were Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France. Then the Pope himself, Leo X, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, was a friend and admirer of Erasmus and doubtless sympathized with many of his views. The youthful Charles V was a devout Catholic, but he too agreed