THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
after protracted negotiations, that a ruling was devised by which the desired aid was granted, and the status of peace, as at Regensburg, was extended for five years. By the terms of a bond to the Protestant estates, executed by Ferdinand's order the day before, the Regensburg " declaration " was also to remain in force during the same period. The Roman Catholic estates did not recognize this arrangement, but accepted a proffer tendered by the papal legate Morone, for convening a council on Aug. 15, at Trent. The Evangelical estates made written protest against the place selected.
IV. Diet of 1544: At the brilliant fourth imperial diet of Speyer, opened on Feb. 20, 1544, by Charles V- in person, the emperor especially labored to obtain the support of the empire in his war with France. The Protestant estates again made their consent depend upon the condition that the Regensburg " declaration " be renewed; and they demanded that this proviso be embodied in the diet's ruling, a point which the Roman Catholic estates refused. After months of prolonged negotiations, it was finally resolved, on May 27, to defer the drafting of the proper provisions to the emperor. In this connection the Roman Catholic estates announced that they must needs endure what the emperor might resolve. The ruling of the imperial diet, as then sealed on June 10, yielded essential concessions to the Protestants. On occasion of a new imperial diet, in the ensuing autumn or winter, when the emperor hoped again to be present, they would arrange on what footing they should stand in the disputed articles of religion, until the council. The proceedings were to be outlined in advance, according to projects of reform that were to be furnished by the emperor and the estates. Meanwhile the public peace should be observed; whereas the decree of Augsburg and the trials pending before the supreme court for the cause of religion should be suspended. The clergy, endowments, cloisters, schools, and hospitals, irrespective of religious confession, were to continue in the enjoyment of the incomes to their credit in 1541. The supreme court itself was to be supplied anew with devout and learned judges, without regard to religious affiliations. The Roman Catholic estates were far from satisfied with this measure, while the pope formally protested against it in a brief of Aug. 24. But indeed, even the Protestants, whom the emperor at this diet had treated with more favor than ever before, could not feel altogether content with the actual result. The emperor's concessions were merely provisional, and were equivocally worded; nor did the Roman Catholic estates deem themselves bound thereby. Then again, the aid of the empire, that had been granted the emperor, not only so strengthened his material power that he was able to advance victoriously into France and force to his will the peace of Crespy (Sept. 14, 1544), but freed his hand, by the same stroke, for contingent action against the Protestants. For that matter, the evidence that Charles had not changed his mind in relation to the Reformation, but had fully harbored the intention of opposing it with force if occasion required, came clearly to light in the outbreak of the Schmalkald war, a few years later. Julius Ney.
Bibliography: The subject is treated more or less fully in the works on the history of the Reformation, and the treatments of the life of Luther generally deal with it. Also to be noted is the literature under Philip of Hesse; F. B. von Bucholtz, Geschickte der Regierung Ferdinand des Ersten, vols, i.-ii., Vienna, 1831 ; G. Egelhaaf, Deutsche Geschickte im Zeitalter der Reformation, Berlin, 1885. On the diet of 1526 consult: W. Friedensburg, Zur Vorgeschichte des lorgauischen Bundnisses, Marburg, 1884; idem, Der Reichstag zu Speier 1626, Berlin, 1887; G. Kawerau, Johann Agricola, pp. 90 sqq., Berlin, 1881; J. Ney, Der Reichstag zu Speier 1526, Hamburg, 1889; idem, in ZKO, viii. 300 sqq., ix. 137 sqq., xii. 334 sqq., 593 sqq.; A. Kluckhohn, Der Reichstag zu Speier 1526, in Historische Zeitschrift, lvi. 193 sqq.; J. Janssen, Hist, of the German People, v. 59 sqq., St. Louis, 1903; Cambridge Modern History, ii. 196, New York, 1904; Ranke, Popes, i. 79- 80; Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, ix. 454 sqq.; T. Brieger, Der Speierer Reichstag von 1526 und die religiose Frage der Zeit, Leipsic, 1910.
On the diet of 1529 consult: J. J. Miiller, Historie von den evangelischen Stande-Protestation zu Speyer, Jena, 1705; J. A. H. Tittmann, Die Protestation der evangelischen Stande auf dem Reichstage zu Speier . 1629, Leipsic, 1829; A. Jung, Geschickte des Reichstags zu Speyer, Strasburg, 1830; J. Ney, Geschickte des Reichstags zu Speier . . 1529, Halle, 1880; idem, Die Protestation der evangelischen Stande zu Speier . 1629, Halle, 1890; E. Heuser, Die Protestation von Speier, Neustadt, 1904; idem, Die Appellation und Protestation der evangelischen Stande zu Speier 1529, Leipsic, 1906; J. Janssen, Hist, of the German People, v. 188 sqq., St. Louis, 1903; Cambridge Modern History, ii. 203-204, 206, 330, New York, 1904; Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, ix. 568 sqq.
On the diets of 1542 and 1544 consult: The work of Bucholtz, ut sup.; also Janssen, ut sup., pp. 164-172, 247 sqq.; A. de Boor, Beitrage zur Geschickte des Speierer Reichstags : . 1644, Strasburg, 1878; Cambridge Modern History, ut sup., pp. 77, 244, 661.
SPIEKER, spi'ker or spai'ker, GEORGE FREDER- ICK: Lutheran; b. at Elk Ridge Landing, Md., Nov. 17, 1844. He was educated at Baltimore City College and in the Lutheran theological seminaries of Gettysburg and Philadelphia, being graduated from the latter in 1867. He was acting professor of German in Pennsylvania College (1864-66); professor at the Keystone Normal School, Kutztown, Pa. (1867-68); professor of Hebrew at Muhlenberg College (1887-94); and since 1894 professor of church history, Old-Testament theology, and introduction in the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He was pastor of the Lutheran Church at Kutztown (1867-83), and occupied a pulpit of the same denomination at Allentown, Pa. (1883-94). He is associate editor of the Lutheran Church Review, and has written Commentary on 11 Corinthians (New York, 1897), besides translating L. Hutter's Compend of Lutheran Theology (Philadelphia, 1868) and K. A. Wildenhahn's Martin Luther (in collaboration with H. E. Jacobs; 1883).
SPIERA, spi-e'ra, FRANCESCO: Italian jurist; b. at Cittadella (13 m. n. of Padua), Italy, 1502; d. there Dec. 27, 1548. Interest in Spiera is due to the fact that the Protestants of the sixteenth century used his case as an example of the dreadful consequences of the sin against the Holy Ghost, since he discerned Evangelical truth, but denied and abjured it for external reasons. Spiera had won an esteemed position in his native town; and a well bestowed house, in which ten children grew up, appeared to insure his happiness. Besides the Scriptures, there fell into his hands various Evangelical