Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/475

 824. CASPAR CONTARINI TO THE SICNORY OF VENICE. Brown, 1527-33, no. 444. Rome, April 7, 1529.

Lord Andrew dal Borgo, ambassador from King Ferdinand, went to the Pope on the day before yesterday, and narrated to him how in Germany the Lutherans had so multiplied and prevailed in such a manner that in some of the chief cities the one single mass which was celebrated for the Catholics had been abolished, and in another city^ a crucifix had been shamefully defaced, so that well nigh all Germany might be considered Lutheran.

825. MELANCHTHON TO JOACHIM CAMERARIUS. CR., i, 1059. Spires, April 21, 1529.

Greeting. So far there has been nothing to write about, but yesterday the decree of which I told you was passed.' In it we seem to agree that our adversaries may keep their papal laws. Therefore the men of our party have entered a protest,' in which they declare that they do not consent to this edict, and some of the cities have subscribed our protest.* You see it is a horrible business. There are two factions in the Empire which Faber and Eck, by their foolish and wicked ad- vice, are arming against one another, but it seems to me that the antagonists are afraid of each other and equally sorry for the whole shameful business* They are now trying to get our people to stay here, saying that they will moderate the

1 Perhaps Bade Is meant, thoagh this was In Switxerland.

'The Recess of Spires (Wa]ch,< xri, J58IF., Kidd, p. 242) attempted to establish the status quo in matters of religion. It forbade the introduction of any further Innovations In religious practices, pending the meeting of a General Council, and provided for the suppression of all sects and teachers who spoke against the Real Presence In the lord's Supper. The enforcement of the law was left to the territorial princes, but the evangdical party rightly conceived it to be an at- tempt to localize the Reformation, and prevent its spread Into any new territory.

put in writing and the Instrument of Appeal was formally handed in on April as* Text in Walch,' xvi, 486-332 ; excerpts in Kidd, 243f. C/. also Ney, Die ApelloHon and Protestation. . . auf dent RT. mu Speier, Leipsic, 1906 (Queilensckriften gur geschichte des Prot,, no. 5). It was from this protest that the evangelical party received the name of "Protestant"
 * The protest was made at the time of the adoption of the Recess, It was then

of Brandenburg, Ernest of Brunswick-Luneberg, Wolfgang of Anhalt, and four- teen of the free cities — Strassburg, Nuremberg, Ulm, Constance, Lindau, Mem- mingen, Kerapten, Nordlingen, Heilbrunn, Reutlingen, Isny, St. Gall, Weissen- burg and Windsheim.
 * The subscribers to the protest were John of Saxony, Philip of Hesse, George

• This in Greek.

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