XI. 1555. During these transactions in other parts of Europe, BOOK Germany enjoyed such profound tranquillity, as afforded the diet full leisure to deliberate, and to establish proper Affairs of regulations concerning a point of the greatest consequence Germany. to the internal peace of the empire. By the treaty of Passau, in one thousand five hundred and fifty-twb, it had been referred to the next diet of the empire to confirm and perfect the plan of religious pacification which was there agreed upon. The terror and confusion with which the violent commotions excited by Albert of Brandenburg had filled Germany, as well as the constant attention which Ferdinand was obliged to give to the affairs of Hungary, had hitherto prevented the holding a diet, though it had been summoned, soon after the conclusion of the treaty, to meet at Augsburg. nand's But as a diet was now necessary on many accounts, Diet held at AugsFerdinand, about the beginning of this year, had re-burg, and paired to Augsburg. Though few of the princes were Ferdipresent, either in person or by their deputies, he opened speech in the assembly by a speech, in which he proposed a termi- it nation of the dissensions to which the new tenets and controversies with regard to religion had given rise, not only as the first and great business of the diet, but as the point which both the emperor and he had most at heart. He represented the innumerable obstacles which the emperor had to surmount before he could procure the convocation of a general council, as well as the fatal accidents which had for some time retarded, and had at last suspended, the consultations of that assembly. He observed, that experience had already taught them how vain it was to expect any remedy for evils which demanded immediate redress from a general council, the assembling of which would either be prevented, or its deliberations be interrupted by the dissensions and hostilities of the princes of Christendom; that a national council in Germany, which, as some imagined, might be called with greater ease, and deliberate with more perfect security, was an assembly of an unprecedented nature, the XI. 1555 BOOK jurisdiction of which was uncertain in its extent, and the form of its proccedings undefined; that, in his opinion, there remained but one method for composing their unhappy differences, which, though it had been often tried without success, might yet prove effectual, if it were attempted with a better and more pacific spirit than had appeared on former occasions, and that was, to choose a few men of learning, abilities, and moderation, who, by discussing the disputed articles in an amicable conference, might explain them in such a manner as to bring the contending parties either to unite in sentiment, or to dif fer with charity. Suspicions and fears testants. This speech being printed in common form, and disof the Pro- persed over the empire, revived the fears and jealousies of the Protestants. Ferdinand, they observed, with much surprise, had not once mentioned, in his address to the diet, the treaty of Passau, the stipulations of which they considered as the great security of their religious liberty. The suspicions to which this gave rise were confirmed by the accounts which they daily received of the extreme severity with which Ferdinand treated their Protestant brethren in his hereditary dominions; and, as it was natural to consider his actions as the surest indication of his intentions, this diminished their confidence in those pompous professions of moderation and of zeal for the re-establishment of concord, to which his practice seemed to be so repugnant. These increased by The arrival of the cardinal Morone, whom the pope the arrival had appointed to attend the diet as his nuncio, completed of a muncio their conviction, and left them no room to doubt that pope to the some dangerous machination was forming against the from the diet. peace or safety of the Protestant church. Julius, elated with the unexpected return of the English nation from apostacy, began to flatter himself, that the spirit of mutiny and revolt having now spent its force, the happy period was come when the church might resume its ancient authority, and be obeyed by the people with the same tame submission as formerly. Full of these hopes, BOOK he had sent Morone to Augsburg, with instructions to employ his eloquence to excite the Germans to imitate the laudable example of the English, and his political 1555. address in order to prevent any decree of the diet to the detriment of the Catholic faith. As Morone inherited from his father, the chancellor of Milan, uncommon talents for negociation and intrigue, he could hardly have. failed of embarrasing the measures of the Protestants in the diet, or of defeating whatever they aimed at obtaining in it for their farther security. III. But an unforeseen event delivered them from all the The death of Julius danger which they had reason to apprehend from Morone's presence. Julius, by abandoning himself to pleasures and amusements no less unbecoming his age than his character, having contracted such habits of dissipation, that any serious occupation, especially if attended with difficulty, became an intolerable burden to him, had long resisted the solicitations of his nephew to hold a consistory, because he expected there a violent opposition to his schemes in favour of that young man. But when all the pretexts which he could invent for eluding this request were exhausted, and at the same time his indolent aversion to business continued to grow upon him, he feigned indisposition rather than yield to his nephew's importunity; and that he might give the deceit a greater colour of probability, he not only confined himself to his apartment, but changed his usual diet and manner of life. By persisting too long in acting this ridiculous part, he contracted a real disease, of which he died in a few days, leaving his infamous minion, the cardinal de March 23. Monte, to bear his name, and to disgrace the dignity which he had conferred upon him". As soon as Morone The nuncio heard of his death, he set out abruptly from Augsburg, Rome. where he had resided only a few days, that he might be present at the election of a new pontiff. One cause of their suspicions and fears being thus re Onuphr. Panvinius de Vitia Pontificum, p. 320. Thuan. lib. xv, sets out for XI. 1555. Ferdi BOOK moved, the Protestants soon became sensible that their conjectures concerning Ferdinand's intentions, however specious, were ill-founded, and that he had no thoughts nand's rea- of violating the articles favourable to them in the treaty wishing to of Passau. Charles, from the time that Maurice had desatisfy the feated all his schemes in the empire, and overturned the sons for Protest anis. Charles had resumed his plan of altering the succession to the em pire. The Turks great system of religious and civil despotism which he had almost established there, gave little attention to the internal government of Germany, and permitted his brother to pursue whatever measures he judged most salutary and expedient. Ferdinand, less ambitious and enterprising than the emperor, instead of resuming a plan which he, with power and resources so far superior, had failed of accomplishing, endeavoured to attach the princes of the empire to his family by an administration uniformly moderate and equitable. To this he gave, at present, particular attention, because his situation at this juncture rendered it necessary to court their favour and support with more than usual assiduity. Charles had again resumed his favourite project of acquiring the imperial crown for his son Philip, the prosecution of which, the reception it had met with when first proposed had obliged him to suspend, but had not induced him to relinquish. This led him warmly to renew his request to his brother, that he would accept of some compensation for his prior right of succession, and sacrifice that to the grandeur of the house of Austria. Ferdinand, who was as little disposed as formerly to give such an extraordinary proof of self-denial, being sensible that, in order to defeat this scheme, not only the most inflexible firmness on his part, but a vigorous declaration from the princes of the empire in behalf of his title, were requisite, was willing to purchase their favour by gratifying them in every point that they deemed interesting or essential. At the same time, he stood in need of immediate and were ready extraordinary aid from the Germanic body, as the Turks, after having wrested from him great part of his Hunga to invade Hungary. XI. 1555 rian territories, were ready to attack the provinces still BOOK subject to his authority with a formidable army, against which he could bring no equal force into the field. For this aid from Germany he could not hope, if the internal peace of the empire were not established on a foundation solid in itself, and which should appear, even to the Protestants, so secure and so permanent, as might not only allow them to engage in a distant war with safety, but might encourage them to act in it with vigour. alarmed at the Pro A step taken by the Protestants themselves, a short!le is time after the opening of the diet, rendered him still s me stops more cautious of giving them any new cause of offence. aken by As soon as the publication of Ferdinand's speech awaken-testants, ed the fears and suspicions which have been mentioned, the electors of Saxony and Brandenburg, together with the landgrave of Hesse, met at Naumburg, and confirming the ancient treaty of confraternity which had long united their families, they added to it a new article, by which the contracting parties bound themselves to adhere to the confession of Augsburg, and to maintain the doctrine which it contained in their respective dominions". zealous to dation. Ferdinand, influenced by all these considerations, em- Ferdinan 1 ployed his utmost address in conducting the deliberations promote an of the diet, so as not to excite the jealousy of a party on accommo whose friendship he depended, and whose enmity, as they had not only taken the alarm, but had begun to prepare for their defence, he had so much reason to dread. The members of the diet readily agreed to Ferdinand's proposal of taking the state of religion into consideration previous to any other business. But as soon as they entered upon it, both parties discovered all the zeal and animosity which a subject so interesting naturally engenders, and which the rancour of controversy, together with the violence of civil war, had inflamed to the highest pitch. The Protestants contended, that the security which they claimed in consequence of the treaty of Passau should |
