IX. $548. ment, were taken from him. The landgrave of Hesse, his BOOK companion in misfortune, did not maintain the same constancy. His patience and fortitude were both so much exhausted by the length of his confinement, that, willing to purchase freedom at any price, he wrote to the emperor, offering not only to approve of the interim, but to yield an unreserved submission to his will in every other particular. But Charles, who knew that whatever course the landgrave might hold, neither his example nor authority would prevail on his children or subjects to receive the interim, paid no regard to his offers. He was kept confined as strictly as ever; and while he suffered the cruel mortification of having his conduct set in contrast to that of the elector, he derived not the smallest benefit from the mean step which exposed him to much deserved censure. cities against re ceiving im. But it was in the imperial cities that Charles met with The free the most violent opposition to the interim. These small struggle commonwealths, the citizens of which were accustomed to liberty and independence, had embraced the doctrines of the interthe reformation, when they were first published, with remarkable eagerness; the bold spirit of innovation being peculiarly suited to the genius of free government. Among them, the protestant teachers had made the greatest number of proselytes. The most eminent divines of the party were settled in them as pastors. By having the direction of the schools and other seminaries of learning, they had trained up disciples who were as well instructed in the articles of their faith as they were zealous to defend them. Such persons were not to be guided by example, or swayed by authority; but having been taught to employ their own understanding in examining and deciding with respect to the points in controversy, they thought that they were both qualified and entitled to judge for themselves. As soon as the contents of the interim were known, they, with one voice, joined in refusing to admit it. Augsburg, Ulm, Strasburg, Constance, Bremen, Magdeburg, together with many other towns of less note, presented re IX. 1548. BOOK monstrances to the emperor, setting forth the irregular and unconstitutional manner in which the interim had been enacted, and beseeching him not to offer such violence to their consciences, as to require their assent to a form of doctrine and worship which appeared to them repugnant to the express precepts of the divine law. But Charles having prevailed on so many princes of the empire to approve of his new model, was not much moved by the representations of those cities, which, how formidable soever they might have proved if they could have been formed into one body, lay so remote from each other, that it was easy to oppress them separately before it was possible for them to unite. Aug. 3. Compelled In order to accomplish this, the emperor saw it to be by violence to submit requisite that his measures should be vigorous, and exe cuted with such rapidity as to allow no time for concerting any common plan of opposition. Having laid down this maxim as the rule of his proceedings, his first attempt was upon the city of Augsburg, which, though overawed with the presence of the Spanish troops, he knew to be as much dissatisfied with the interim as any in the empire. He ordered one body of these troops to seize the gates; he posted the rest in different quarters of the city; and assembling all the burgesses in the town-hall, he, by his sole absolute authority, published a decree abolishing their present form of government, dissolving all their corporations and fraternities, and nominating a small number of persons, in whom he vested for the future all the powers of government. Each of the persons thus chosen took an oath to observe the interim. An act of power so unprecedented, as well as arbitrary, which excluded the body of the inhabitants from any share in the government of their own community, and subjected them to men who had no other merit than their servile devotion to the emperor's will, gave general disgust; but as they durst not venture upon resistance, they were obliged to submit in silence. From Augsburg, in which he left a garrison, * Sleid. 469. IX. 1548. he proceeded to Ulm; and new-modelling its government BOOK with the same violent hand, he seized such of their pastors: as refused to subscribe the interim, committed them to prison, and at his departure carried them along with him in chains. By this severity he not only secured the reception of the interim in two of the most powerful cities, but gave warning to the rest what such as continued refractory had to expect. The effect of the example was as great as he could have wished; and many towns, in order to save themselves from the like treatment, found it necessary to comply with what he enjoined. This obedience, extorted by the rigour of authority, produced no change in the sentiments of the Germans, and extended no father than to make them conform so far to what he required as was barely sufficient to screen them from punishment. The Protestant preachers accompanied those religious rites, the observation of which the interim prescribed, with such an explication of their tendency, as served rather to confirm than to remove the scruples of their hearers with regard to them. The people, many of whom had grown up to mature years since the establishment of the reformed religion, and had never known any other form of public worship, beheld the pompous pageantry of the popish service with contempt or horror; and in most places the Romish ecclesiastics, who returned to take possession of their churches, could hardly be protected from insult, or their ministrations from interruption. Thus, notwithstanding the apparent compliance of so many cities, the inhabitants being accustomed to freedom, submitted with reluc tance to the power which now oppressed them. Their understanding, as well as inclination, revolted against the doctrines and ceremonies imposed on them; and though, for the present, they concealed their disgust and resentment, it was evident that these passions could not always be kept under restraint, but would break out at last in effects proportional to their violence'. Charles, however, highly pleased with having bent the b Sleid, 472. VOL. VI. 'Mem. de Ribier, ii, 218. Sleid, 491. BOOK monstrances to the emperor, setting forth the irregular IX. 1548. by violence Aug. 3. and unconstitutional manner in which the interim had been enacted, and beseeching him not to offer such violence to their consciences, as to require their assent to a form of doctrine and worship which appeared to them repugnant to the express precepts of the divine law. But Charles having prevailed on so many princes of the empire to approve of his new model, was not much moved by the representations of those cities, which, how formidable soever they might have proved if they could have been formed into one body, lay so remote from each other, that it was easy to oppress them separately before it was possible for them to unite. Compelled In order to accomplish this, the emperor saw it to be to submit requisite that his measures should be vigorous, and exe, cuted with such rapidity as to allow no time for concerting any common plan of opposition. Having laid down this maxim as the rule of his proceedings, his first attempt was upon the city of Augsburg, which, though overawed with the presence of the Spanish troops, he knew to be as much dissatisfied with the interim as any in the empire. He ordered one body of these troops to seize the gates; he posted the rest in different quarters of the city; and assembling all the burgesses in the town-hall, he, by his sole absolute authority, published a decree abolishing their present form of government, dissolving all their corporations and fraternities, and nominating a small number of persons, in whom he vested for the future all the powers of government. Each of the persons thus chosen took an oath to observe the interim. An act of power so unprecedented, as well as arbitrary, which excluded the body of the inhabitants from any share in the government of their own community, and subjected them to men who had no other merit than their servile devotion to the emperor's will, gave general disgust; but as they durst not venture upon resistance, they were obliged to submit in silence, From Augsburg, in which he left a garrison, * Sleid. 469. IX. 1548. he proceeded to Ulmi; and new-modelling its government BOOK with the same violent hand, he seized such of their pastors as refused to subscribe the interim, committed them to prison, and at his departure carried them along with him in chains. By this severity he not only secured the reception of the interim in two of the most powerful cities, but gave warning to the rest what such as continued refractory had to expect. The effect of the example was as great as he could have wished; and many towns, in order to save themselves from the like treatment, found it necessary to comply with what he enjoined. This obedience, extorted by the rigour of authority, produced no change in the sentiments of the Germans, and extended no father than to make them conform so far to what he required as was barely sufficient to screen them from punishment. The Protestant preachers accompanied those religious rites, the observation of which the interim prescribed, with such an explication of their tendency, as served rather to confirm than to remove the scruples of their hearers with regard to them. The people, many of whom had grown up to mature years since the establishment of the reformed religion, and had never known any other form of public worship, beheld the pompous pageantry of the popish service with contempt or horror; and in most places the Romish ecclesiastics, who returned to take possession of their churches, could hardly be protected from insult, or their ministrations from interruption. Thus, notwithstanding the apparent compliance of so many cities, the inhabitants being accustomed to freedom, submitted with reluc tance to the power which now oppressed them. Their understanding, as well as inclination, revolted against the doctrines and ceremonies imposed on them; and though, for the present, they concealed their disgust and resentment, it was evident that these passions could not always be kept under restraint, but would break out at last in effects proportional to their violence'. Charles, however, highly pleased with having bent the b Sleid, 472. VOL. VI. Mem. de Ribier, ii, 218. Sleid, 491. |