§ 53. THE DIET OF worms. 152]. 298
of intelligence longed for a new and better order of things.}
Aleander was scarcely safe on the street after his speech of February 13. He reported to his master, that for ninetenths of the Germans the name of Luther was a war-cry, and that the last tenth screamed “ Death to the court of Rome!” Cochleus, who was in Worms as the theological adviser of the Archbishop of Treves, feared a popular upris-
ing against the clergy.
Luther was the hero of the day, and called a new Moses, a second Paul. His tracts and picture, surrounded by a halo of glory, were freely circulated in Worms.”
At last Charles thought it most prudent to disregard the demand of the Pope. In an official letter of March 6, he cited Luther to appear before the Diet within twenty-one days under the sure protection of the Empire. The Elector Frederick, Duke George of Saxony, and the Landgrave of Hesse, added letters of safe-conduct through their respective territories.’
Aleander now endeavored to make the appearance of Luther as harmless as possible, and succeeded in preventing any discussion with him. The heretic was simply to recant, or, in case of refusal, to suffer the penalties of excommunication.
1 See Aleander’s dispatches in Brieger, /.c. I. pp. 119 sqq.; Strauss, Ulrich von Hutten, 4th ed., pp. 395 sqq.; and Ullmann, Franz von Sickingen (Leipzig, 1872).
* Aleander reports (April 19) that Luther was painted with the Holy Spirit over his head (el spirito santo sopra il capo, come lo depingono). Brieger, I. 139.
8 The letters of safe-conduct are printed in Walch, XV., 2122-2127, and Forstemann, Neues Urkundenbuch, I., 61 sq. In the imperial letter signed by Albert, Elector and Archbishop of Mayence and Chancellor of the Empire, Luther is addressed as ‘‘ honorable, well-beloved, pious’? (Hhrsamer,
Geliebter, Anddchtiger ; in the Latin copy, Honorabilis, Dilecte, Devote), much to the chagrin of the Romanists,
204 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1530.
§ 54. Luther's Journey to Worms. “ Monchlein, Ménchlein, du gehest einen schweren Gang.”
Luther, from the first intimation of a summons by the Emperor, regarded it as a call from God, and declared his determination to go to Worms, though he should be carried there sick, and at the risk of his life. His motive was not to gratify an unholy ambition, but to bear witness to the truth. He well knew the tragic fate which overtook Hus at Constance notwithstanding the safe-conduct, but his faith inspired him with fearless courage. ‘You may expect every thing from me,” he wrote to Spalatin, “except fear or recantation. I shall not flee, still less recant. May the Lord Jesus strengthen me.”
He shared for a while the hope of Hutten and Sickingen, that the young Emperor would give him at least fair play, and renew the old conflict of Germany with Rome; but he was doomed to disappointment.
While the negotiations in Worms were going on, he used incessantly his voice and his pen, and alternated between devotional and controversial exercises. He often preached twice a day, wrote commentaries on Genesis, the Psalms, and the Magnificat (the last he finished in March), and published the first part of his Posti? (Sermons on the Gospels and Epistles), a defense of his propositions condemned by Rome, and fierce polemical books against Hieronymus Emser, Ambrose Catharinus, and other papal opponents.
Emser, a learned Romanist, and secretary of Duke George of Saxony, had first attacked Luther after the Leipzig disputation, at which he was present. A bitter controversy followed, in which both forgot dignity and charity. Luther
1 Letter of Dec. 21, 1520 (De Wette, I., 534, 536): ‘‘ Hgo vero, si vocatus Suero, quantum per me stadit, vel egrotus advehar, si sanus venire non possem. Neque enim dubltari fas est, a Domino me vocari, si Cesar vocat.
. . « Omnia de me presumas preter fugam et palinodiam: fugere ipse nolo, recantare multo minus. Ita me comfortet Dominus Jesus.”’