Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/86

66 was also the prodigal child, forgetful of her duties to her parent. Instead of bishops, there came a letter from the King, addressed to the assembly—not as concilium, a holy council with authority; but as conventua, a convention of mere human individuals. With many doubts they turned the covering over before they would acknowledge the irreverent despatch with reading it. When the seal was broken they found professions of the utmost devotion to the Church, but a regret that the Gallican prelates would not be able to attend.

The terms on which the Lutherans were to be admitted were still unsettled. To the Pope, Charles had promised that they should appear as criminals. To Maurice he had said ambiguously that the council should be free. On this point Maurice made his first open move. He now demanded that the Protestant theologians should speak and vote with the Catholic bishops, and that the Scriptures should be the one single rule of the controversy. Further, although Charles had promised the Protestants that their persons should be in no danger, the burning of Huss by the Council of Constance showed that Catholic prelates