766 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1204-1517.
two-fifths which he levied on the priests, the convents and other religious institutions of his dioceses. In 1517, "out of regard for his Holiness, the pope, and the salvation and comfort of his people," Joachim opened his domains to the indulgence-hawkers. It was his preaching in connection with this bull that won for Tetzel an undying notoriety. Oldecop, writing in 1516, of what he saw, said that people, in their eagerness to secure deliverance from the guilt and penalty of sin and to get their parents and friends out of purgatory, were putting money into the chest all day long.
The description of Tetzel's sale of indulgences and Luther's protest are a part of the history of the Reformation. It remains, however, yet to be said, as belonging to the mediaeval period, that the grace of indulgences was popularly believed to extend to sins, not yet committed. Such a belief seems to have been encouraged by the pardon-preachers, although there is no documentary proof that any papal autliorities made such a promise. In writing to the archbishop of Mainz, Oct. 31, 1517, Luther had declared that it was announced by the indulgence-hawkers that no sin was too great to be covered by the indulgence, nay, not even the sin of violating the Virgin, if such a thing had been possible. And late in life, 1541, the Reformer stated that the pardoner " also sold sins to be committed." ^ The story ran that a Saxon knight went to Tetzel and offered him 10 thaler for a sin he had in mind to commit. Tetzel replied that he had full power from the pope to grant such an indulgence, but that it was worth 30 thaler. The knight paid the amount, but some time later waylaid Tetzel and took all his indulgence-moneys from him. To Tetzel's complaints the robber replied, that thereafter he must not be so quick in giving indulgence from sins, not yet committed.2
1 An offer of this sort is referred to by John of Paltz (see quotation in Paulus) : Tetzel^ p. IDIi, and I'aulu.s' attempt to exphiin it away.
^2 One of the savory pulpit anecdotes bearing on indulgences ran as follows : Certain pilgrims, on their journey, came to a tree on which 5 souls were hanging. On their return, they found 4 had vanished. The one left behind reported that his companions had been released by friends, but that he was without a single frii'ud. So, for the unfortunate soul's benefit, one of the
§ 80. THE SALE OF INDULGENCES. 767
The traffic in ecclesiastical places and the forgiveness of sins constitutes the very last scene of mediteval Church history. On the eve of the Reformation, we have the spectacle of the pope solemnly renewing the claim to have rule over both spheres, civil and ecclesiastical, and to hold in his hand the salvation of all mankind, yea, and actually supporting the extravagant luxuries of his worldly court with moneys drawn from the trade in sacred things. How deep-seated the pernicious principle had become was made manifest in the bull which Leo issued, Nov. 9, 1518, a full year after the nailing of the Theses on the church door at Wittenberg, in which all were threatened with excommunication who failed to preach and believe that the pope has the right to grant indulgences.^
pilgrims made a pilgrimage to Rome, and the soul at once took its flight to heaven. "So may a soul," the moral went on to say, "be released from purgatorial fire, if only 50 Pater nosters be said for it." 1 The bull in Mirbt, p. 182.
CHAPTER X.
THE CLOSE OP THE MIDDLE AGES.
Lit. — The following treatments may be consulted for this chapter. Haller : Papstthum u. Kirchenrrform. — Dollingp:r-Frikdrich : D. Papstthum. — G. KRi'GER: The Papacy, Engl, trsl., N.Y., 1909. — Lea: The Eve oftheI{eforinatiun,\n Camhr. Hist., 1 : 653-692. — Bezold : Gesch.d.deutschen Pp/ormation, pp. 1-244. — Janssen-Pastor : vol. I., II. — Pastor: Gesch. d. Pdpste, III. 3-150, etc. — Gregorovius: vols. VII., VIII. — G. Ficker: Das ausgehende MA u. sein Verhdltniss zur Reformation, Leipz., 1903. — A. Sciiulte: Kaiser Maximilian als Kandidat filr d. pdpstlichen Stuhl 1511, Leipz., 1906. — O. Smeaton : The Medici and the Ital. BenaissaJice, Cin'ti. — The works already cited of Tii. Rogers and Cunningham. — W. H. Heyd : Gesch. d. Levantenhandels, 2 vols., Stuttg., 1859.
Many great regions are discovered Which to late age were ne'er mentioned, Who ever heard of th' Indian Peru Or who, in venturous vessel, measured The Amazon huge river, now found true? Or f ruitfullest Virginia who did ever view ?
Yet all these were when no man did them know, Yet have from wisest ages hidden been. And later times things more unknown shall show. Why then should witless man so much misween. That nothing is but that which he hath seen,
— Spenser, Faerie Qneene.
No period in the history of the Christian Church has a more clear date set for its close than the Middle Ages, In whatever light the Protestant Reformation is regarded there can be no doubt that a new age began with the nailing of the Theses on the church doors in Wittenberg, All attempts to find another date for the beginning of modern histoiy have failed, whether the date be the reign of Philip the Fair or the Fall of Constantinople, 1453, or the invention of printing. Much as the invention of movable type has done for the spread of intelligence, the personality and conduct of Luther must always be looked