Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/481

 he could be caught. All the princes would stake life and land on that. But these German princes gave the fine advice that he should be heard by imperial judges in a public debate on the articles concerning the power of the Pope and positive laws, only after which the edict could be issued. In this again can be seen the secret plans of the Saxon, who de- sires to draw the matter out. Many of the other princes may perhaps sincerely have held this bad decision as the best; they do evil not from wickedness, but from shortsightedness. At the same time they keep saying that they leave it all to his Imperial Majesty, and only warn him against the great indignation that the promulgation of an edict contrary to their advice would excite in the Empire.

Finally they prayed the Emperor to free them from the tyranny of Rome; taking this occasion to pour out all their wrath against us in a worse manner than I can say.

After the Emperor had had their decision translated into French, he wisely answered that the grievances against the Roman Curia should not be confounded with Luther's cause, that is, with a question of the faith, and that he would write to the Pope in hopes that his Holiness would remedy the abuses which were really as represented.

The Emperor declared that under no circumstances would he allow a debate on the authority of the Pope and the Canon Law, but that if Luther should come, he should only be asked whether he had written the books, and, if he confessed that, whether he would maintain and defend what he had written contrary to the faith, the laws and the customs "which our fathers have in all points observed imto the present day." If Luther should recant, he, the Emperor, would take upon him- self to get papal absolution for him, but if he adhered ob- stinately to his heresy, as soon as he had returned under safe-conduct to the point from which he had set out, he should be seized and punished as a heretic.

Thereupon he summoned the councillors of all his nations together, and talked with them until ten o'clock in the even- ing. We awaited the announcement of their decision, but they did not reach one because of the differences of opinion of the councillors of whom some have secret pensions from

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