BOOK V. 1535. May. and funari strong, and so diligently guarded, that he durst not attempt an assault. It was now above fifteen months since the Anabaptists had established their dominion in Munster; they had during that time undergone prodigious fatigue in working on the fortifications, and performing military duty. Notwithstanding the prudent attention of their king to provide for their subsistence, and his frugal cism of the as well as regular economy in their public meals, they besieged. began to feel the approach of famine. Several small bodies of their brethren, who were advancing to their assistance from the Low Countries, had been intercepted and cut to pieces; and while all Germany was ready to combine against them, they had no prospect of succour. But such was the ascendant which Boccold had acquired over the multitude, and so powerful the fascination of enthusiasm, that their hopes were as sanguine as ever, and they hearkened, with implicit credulity, to the visions and predictions of their prophets, who assured them that the Almighty would speedily interpose in order to deliver the city. The faith, however, of some few, shaken by the violence and length of their suffering, began to fail; but being suspected of an inclination to surrender to the enemy, they were punished with immediate death, as guilty of impiety, in distrusting the power of God. One of the king's wives, having uttered certain words which implied some doubt concerning his divine mission, he instantly called the whole number together, and commanding the blasphemer, as he called her, to kneel down, cut off her head with his own hands; and so far were the rest from expressing any horror at this cruel deed, that they joined him in dancing with a frantic joy around the bleeding body of their companion. The city taken. June 1. By this time the besieged endured the utmost rigour of famine; but they chose rather to suffer hardships, the recital of which is shocking to humanity, than to listen to the terms of capitulation offered them by the bishop. At last, a deserter, whom they had taken into their service, being either less intoxicated with the fumes of V. $535 enthusiasm, or unable any longer to bear such distress, BOOK made his escape to the enemy. He informed their general of a weak part in the fortifications which he had observed, and assuring him that the besieged, exhausted with hunger and fatigue, kept watch there with little care, he offered to lead a party thither in the night. The proposal was accepted, and a chosen body of troops appointed for the service; who, scaling the walls unperceived, seized one of the gates, and admitted the rest of the army. The Anabaptists, though surprised, defended themselves in the market-place with valour, heightened by despair; but being overpowered by numbers, and surrounded on every hand, most of them were slain, and the remainder taken June 24prisoners. Among the last were the king and Cnipperdoling. The king, loaded with chains, was carried from city to city as a spectacle to gratify the curiosity of the people, and was exposed to all their insults. His spirit, his asschowever, was not broken or humbled by this sad reverse of his condition, and he adhered with unshaken firmness to the distinguishing tenets of his sect. After this he was brought back to Munster, the scene of his royalty and crimes, and put to death with the most exquisite as well as lingering tortures; all which he bore with astonishing fortitude. This extraordinary man, who had been able to acquire such amazing dominion over the minds of his followers, and to excite commotions so dangerous to society, was only twenty-six years of age. ish ment of the king and ciates. since hat Together with its monarch the kingdom of the Ana-Character baptists came to an end. Their principles having taken of the sect deep root in the Low Countries, the party still subsists period. there, under the name of Mennonites; but, by a very singular revolution, this sect, so mutinous and sanguinary at its first origin, hath become altogether innocent and pacific. Holding it unlawful to wage war, or to accept Sleid. 190, &c. Tumultuum anabaptistarum liber unus. Ant. Lamberto Hortensio auctore ap. Scardium, vol. ii, p. 298, &c. De miserabili Monasteriensium Obsidione, &c. libellus Antonii Corvini ap. Scar. 313. Annales anabaptistici a Joh. Henrico Ottio, 4to. Basilea. 1672. Cor. Heersbachius Hist. Anab. edit. 1637, p. 140. V. 1535 BOOK of civil offices, they devote themselves entirely to the duties of private citizens, and, by their industry and charity, endeavour to make reparation to human society for the violence committed by their founders. A small number of this sect, which is settled in England, retain its peculiar tenets concerning baptism, but without any dangerous mixture of enthusiasm. Proceedings and authority of the The mutiny of the Anabaptists, though it drew general attention, did not so entirely engross the princes of Germany as not to allow leisure for other transactions. The league of Smalkalde, alliance between the French king and the confederates at Smalkalde began about this time to produce great effects. Ulrie, duke of Wurtemberg, having been expelled his dominions in the year one thousand five hundred and nineteen, on account of his violent and oppressive administration, the house of Austria had got possession of his duchy. That prince having now by a long exile atoned for the errors in his conduct, which were the effect rather of inexperience than of a tyrannical disposition, was become the object of general compassion. The landgrave of Hesse, in particular, his near relation, warmly espoused his interest, and used many efforts to recover for him his ancient inheritance. But the king of the Romans obstinately refused to relinquish a valuable acquisition which his family had made with so much ease. The landgrave, unable to compel him, applied to the king of France, his new ally. Francis, eager to embrace any opportunity of distressing the house of Austria, and desirous of wresting from it a territory which gave it footing and influence in a part of Germany at a distance from its other dominions, encouraged the landgrave to take arms, and secretly supplied him with a large sum of money. This he employed to raise troops; and marching with great expedition towards Wurtemburg, attacked, defeated, and dispersed a considerable body of Austrians, entrusted with the defence of the country. All the duke's subjects hastened with emulation to receive their native prince, and re-invested e Bayle Diction. art. Anabaptistes. V. him with that authority which is still enjoyed by his de- BOOK scendants. At the same time the exercise of the Protestant religion was established in his dominions. 1535. of the Ro Ferdinand, how sensible soever of this unexpected blow, The king not daring to attack a prince whom all the Protestant mans courts powers in Germany were ready to support, judged it them. expedient to conclude a treaty with him; by which, in the most ample form, he recognised his title to the duchy. The success of the landgrave's operations in behalf of the duke of Wurtemberg having convinced Ferdinand that a rupture with a league so formidable as that of Smalkalde was to be avoided with the utmost care, he entered likewise into a negociation with the elector of Saxony, the head of that union; and by some concessions in favour of the Protestant religion, and others of advantage to the elector himself, he prevailed on him, together with his confederates, to acknowledge his title as king of the Romans. At the same time, in order to prevent any such precipitate or irregular election in times to come, it was agreed that no person should hereafter be promoted to that dignity without the unanimous consent of the electors; and the emperor soon after confirmed this stipulation. Paul III. neral coun These acts of indulgence towards the Protestants, and the close union into which the king of the Romans seemed calls a geto be entering with the princes of that treaty, gave great cil to meet offence at Rome. Paul III. though he had departed from at Mantua. a resolution of his predecessor, never to consent to the calling of a general council, and had promised, in the first consistory held after his election, that he would convoke that assembly so much desired by all Christendom, was no less enraged than Clement at the innovations in Germany, and no less averse to any scheme for reforming either the doctrines of the church, or the abuses in the court of Rome; but having been a witness of the universal censure which Clement had incurred by his obstinacy VOL. VI. f Sleid. 172 Bellay,, 159, &c. Sleid. 173. Corps Diplom. tom. iv, p. 2, 119. E V. 1535 BOOK with regard to these points, he hoped to avoid the same reproach by the seeming alacrity with which he proposed a council; flattering himself, however, that such difficul ties would arise concerning the time and place of meeting, the persons who had a right to be present, and the order of their proceedings, as would effectually defeat the intention of those who demanded that assembly, without exposing himself to any imputation for refusing to call it. With this view, he dispatched nuncios to the several courts, in order to make known his intention, and that he had fixed on Mantua as a proper place in which to hold the council. Such difficulties as the pope had foreseen immediately presented themselves in great number. The French king did not approve of the place which Paul had chosen, as the papal and imperial influence would necessarily be too great in a town situated in that part of Italy. The king of England not only concurred with Francis in urging that objection, but refused, besides, to acknowledge any council called in the name and by the authority of the pope. The German Protestants having met together at Sinalkalde, insisted on their original demand of a council to be held in Germany, and, pleading the emperor's promise, as well as the agreement at Ratisbon to that effect, declared that they would not consider an assembly held at Mantua as a legal or free representative of the church. By this diversity of sentiments and views, such a field for intrigue and negociation opened, as made it easy for the pope to assume the merit of being eager to assemble a council, while at the same time he could put off its meeting at pleasure. The Protestants, on the other hand, suspecting his designs, and sensible of the importance which they derived from their union, renewed for ten years. the league of Smalkalde, which now became stronger and more formidable by the accession of several new members Dec. 12. h This league was concluded, December, one thousand five hundred and thirty-five, but not extended or signed in form till September in the following year. The princes who acceeded to it were, John elector of Saxony, Ernest duke of Brunswick, Philip landgrave of Hesse, Ulric duke of Wurtemberg, Barnim and Philip dukes of Pomerania, John, George, |