The re ingfberg by his teaching that man was juf LETTER tified, not by fith, which was Luther's capital XXXII. dogma, but " by the effential righteousness of "Chrift inherent in him ;" and being a man of a vehement spirit, he drew over great numbers to his opinion. The party tco which Calvin had by this time raised in emulation of Luther, and in fome points even in oppofition to him, had got ground in fome of the German ftates, and were acting for themfelves upon a feparate footing. All this contributed to weaken their political union, by creating jealoufies among the different adherents, tho' engaged in the fame general caufe; and the Emperor, their common enemy, was too fharp-fighted not to discover and take hold of advantages of that kind. peated confederacies of the Proteftants at Smalcalde had irritated him to a high degree, and he was ftill watching every opportunity to dif trefs and crush the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Heffe, who were the two principal fupporters, as well as ornaments, of the Protef In this he at last fucceeded to his utmost wishes For these two Princes being obliged to take arms in their own defence, against the infidious meafures which Charles was purfuing, and coming to an engagement with him at Mulberg on the Elbe, April 24th, 1547, the Elector was taken prifoner, and the Landgrave fome time after furrendering himfelf to the Emperor on the faith of a promife made to two Princes who interceeded for him, was by the fallacious wording of that promife, which must throw a lafting infamy on the Emperor's name, detained under a guard for five years. But Charles was still more cruelly fevere on the Elec tant name. tor: LETTER tor: For he not only ftripped him of the beft XXXII. and greatest part of his hereditary domains, but likewise took the electoral dignity from him, and conferred it on his coufin Maurice, a younger branch of the Saxon family; in which branch it continues to this day. This was the heaviestblow which the reformation had hitherto met with, and the Emperor took care to make his own ufe of it: For foon after this, on the Italian Bifhops removing from Trent to Bononia, finding that nothing was like to be done further in the council-way, he refolved to get a formula of agreement drawn up by a deputation of divines from both fides. But they coming to no unanimous fettlement, he committed the work to three of his own naming, two of whom were Papifts, Julius Phlug Bifhop of Numburg, and Michael Helding Titular Bishop of Sidon, and the third a Lutheran, John Agricola, court-preacher to the Elector of Brandenburg. Thefe three compiled a piece containing twenty fix articles concerning the moft material points in controverfy, and affured the Emperor there was nothing in it abfolutely contrary to the Romish doctrine, but only the allowing Priests to marry, and giving the cup to the laity. Charles was highly fond of this project, and fent the articles to the Pope for his approbation, which he refufed: So the Emperor took his own way, and published, in the diet held at Augsburg in 1548, his imperial conftitution which he called the Interim “or"dering from henceforth that all fhould either "obferve the old rites, or entirely conform them"felves to this conftitution, without any change or variation, till the decifion of a general "council." "council." Yet this device pleafed neither LETTER party. The Lutherans for the moft part pro- XXXII. tested against it as re-establishing Popery: And many of their minifters chofe rather to refign their chairs, than fubfcribe it. The old elector of Saxony, tho' a prifoner, forbad the use of it among his people, and tho' the elector of Brandenburg, to please the Emperor, agreed to it, he never could get his favourite Divine Bucer to fign it. The Papifts too clamoured about it, as yielding too much to the Hereticks, and feveral of their learned men were at pains to confute it. So that, after all the Emperor's fondnefs for it and violence in pushing the reception of it, like all fuch reconciling fchemes, it was found to answer no falutary purpose, and only inflamed both fides with a greater heat of tenacioufnefs to their own way. All this time the Emperor was perfevering in his rigour against his two illuftrious prifoners, whom he had always looked upon with a malignant eye, as the two principal obftacles in the way of his ambitious projects, and now that he had got them in his power, was determined, if poffible, not to part with them. But this excefs of unrelenting obftinacy in end wrought the very effect which it was defigned to prevent. For the new Elector Maurice, who, tho' a Lutheran in profeffion, had hitherto befriended the Emperor, was fo incenfed at this treatment of the Landgrave, whofe daughter he had married, and whom he had perfuaded to put himfelf in the Emperor's will, that he at laft refolved to accomplish by force what he could not obtain by juftice. To this purpose he collected a body of men, and while the Emperor in the courfe of his military expeditions LETTER expeditions was lying at Infpruck either to affift XXXII. or overawe the council at Trent, by being in their neighbourhood, Maurice by forced marches came upon him fo unexpectedly, that he was within a few hours of feizing his perfon. This daring and well conducted push had the propofed effect. The jealous Emperor, beginning to fufpect Maurice when he first heard of his motions, had already releafed the old Elector, with a view to give Maurice trouble by reviving his claim, and upon fetting on foot a negotiation of peace, the Landgrave got his liberty next. Nor were these all the confequences of this mafter-stroke of policy, which indeed has the appearance of treachery in Maurice, but in reality was only a playing off the Emperor's artillery upon himself. For this undertaking fucceeding as intended, fo frightened the Fathers of Trent with the alarm of the enterprizing Maurice being fo near them with a Lutheran army, that they decamped in great hurry and terror to their respective habitations, and did not affemble again as long as Charles lived, nor for several years after. And to take all advantages of the Emperor's confufion upon this disappointment, a treaty of pacification between Maurice and Ferdinand King of Bohemia, as deputy for his brother Charles, was begun at Paffaw a city in the Lower Bavaria, in August 1552, by which, after much altercation on both fides, it was finally concluded that the Lutherans fhould have the free exercise of their religion in all time coming, without the leaft let' or moleftation, either from the ecclefiaftical" or imperial courts. It is this treaty of Paffaw, thus wrought out by Maurice's outwitting the Emperor in his own arts of cunning and diffimu lation, lation which, after more than thirty years of LETTER unwearied ftruggle, laid the foundation of that XXXIII. mixt fyftem of religious establishment which Ger many has enjoyed ever fince. I am, &c. LETTER XXXIII. The Reformation checked by the death of Edward WHILE HILE the reformation in Germany flood in the fituation I have mentioned in the preceding letter, and was continuing to make confiderable progrefs in Scotland, it was threatened with a fevere check in the neighbouring kingdom, by the premature death of the young Edward. This hopeful Prince had fuc- A.D. 15536 ceeded his father Henry, and though then but ten years of age, had discovered great knowledge of, and affection for, the reformation which Vol. II. G his |