CHAPTER IV.

WHEN Von Schaumbourg had left the chamber, Martin Luther returned to his seat, and with his hands covering his face, remained in silence-deeply agitated.

Had Staupitz allowed this to continue much longer, it is not improbable that the heart of his beloved Martin might have become proud and hard: it might, feeling that its humble confession had been rejected, have encased itself in defensive haughtiness. Not such, however, was the issue of the late discrepancy between them.

"My son," said the trembling voice of the aged Vicar-General, "thou canst not think that thy father in Christ hath been silent because he is implacable. I answered not, while the youth, who has just retired, was amongst us; for I would not have thee humbled before strangers. Come hither, Martin, and let us pray for the strength of meekness."

Oh! how much, during his after tumultuous course, did Luther owe to that moment! His enemies may not have exaggerated the vehement self-willedness and

vituperative fury of his character; but they have disingenuously kept out of sight that amenableness to gentle counsel, and that touching self-humiliation, with which those grave faults were interspersed. And much of these redeeming qualities he owed, through God's blessing, to the influence of Staupitz, who, like Paul the aged, besought for him that with meekness he might be enabled to instruct those who opposed themselves; that he might be gentle towards all men; that he might rebuke with all authority yet with love.

The prayer over, and all of them being again reseated

"And now, my son," said Staupitz, with a mild, loving smile, "do thou enter on the business for which thou hast called us into council. Sure, our God has brought us together under the best of auspices, those of brotherly confidence and prayer.”

There was lying upon Luther's desk a large collection of MSS. To gain time for collecting himself, after such excitement, he began to arrange them in order, as if to read them, simply saying

"In a few seconds, my father, I will obey you."

He had soon attained his equanimity, and began:— "You all know-and you all concurred in my so doing-how, many months ago, I addressed his most Serene Majesty the Emperor in a letter; what terms of reverent homage I employed; and how suppliantly I implored him to take under the shadow of his wings, not my poor self so much as the cause to which I am committed, and to shield it only until it shall be

found, on right reason, either that I am the conqueror or the conquered?" *

His friends nodded their grave assent.

"To that lowly letter," continued Luther-" to that humble prayer, that the lists of our field of combat might be kept clear-his Majesty will deign to give no answer.'

"An omen of the worst," said Melancthon, mournfully. "An omen truly, brother Melancthon," returned Cruciger; "but let us not be soothsayers."

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Why an omen at all?" asked Staupitz. "Why more than the natural result of the innumerable fresh duties of the young monarch? Is not his Spanish throne beset with murmurs? Has not Castilian pride taken fire at the thought that he himself will preside over Germany, and hand over his hereditary dominions to a viceroy? Let him but arrive in Germany, and have a moment's leisure, and then, if he deign not to give an answer, an omen is it, and a bad one."

"I have more to say, dear father," answered Luther. "It is not this offer of the brave Count Von Schaumbourg to protect me, that forewarns me of my peril. That I might have learned before, when Francis Von Seckingen, the hero of the age, the glory of German knighthood, thought fit to write to me- My services, my wealth, my body, all that I possess, is at your disposal. Do you maintain the Christian faith, and in that I will defend you.' It is not that I am assured of danger, because Ulric Von Hutten, the poet,

*Note 6.

the great chevalier of this century, hath proffered me his forces with the words, 'It is by swords and bows, and javelins and artillery, we must destroy the devil's favourite.'

"None of these things move me, my brethren," continued Doctor Martin; and his voice and action became more fervid. "I will avail myself of no such resources, in order to defend the Gospel or myself against arms and carnage. It is by the Word of God that the world has, more than once before, been vanquished. It is by the Word of God that, more than once before, the Church has been delivered; and by the Word of God, and by that alone, shall its safety be re-established.

"Thus, then, do we stand. The weapons of our warfare shall not be carnal but spiritual. Let our enemies resume the arms with which, blaspheming the name of Christ, they slaughtered the Vaudois and the Albigenses; we will meet them; but it shall be only with the truth of the Most High God.

And, whether it be from indifference, or from his innumerable cares for other matters, or from direct hostility, that his Majesty has disdained to answer the poor suppliant monk of Wittemberg, this I know, that the forces of our foes are already in the field. I know that, at the summons of the brute Eckius, their troops, in all their savageism, are already visible upon the hills around us, I have seen their advanced picquets. I know that their plan is to environ us. And shall not Martin Luther move while as yet their army forms only the segment of the circle?

"Here," said he, seizing upon some letters that lay before him-"here are advices I have received from the very bosom of Rome herself. You, my Lord Vicar, will not doubt them; for they come from our noble Baron Arensberg. You know he was despatched by our good Elector, to Valentine Teutleben, his Ambassador to the Pope. And you know Lord Arensberg's sagacity and dispassionateness."

"Advices from Count Arensberg!" exclaimed Staupitz, and he stretched out his hand to obtain the paper.

"Yes, my lord," replied Luther, smiling; " and the postscript is from no less dear a hand than that of the young Graf Rupert, your own godchild."

"To the learned Doctor Martin, Professor of Theology in the University of Wittemberg, Saxony. "REVEREND FATHER,-When I left our Saxony, our beloved mother charged me to communicate to you whatsoever I might observe at Rome as specially bearing upon the personal interest of your Reverence, and upon the welfare of that cause of which I myself know you to be so great an advocate. I dare not pretend to have arrived at any conclusion upon the merits of your dispute. Nevertheless, the wishes of my revered mother, together with my high respect for your own noble talents and your pure character, prompt me to convey to you some particulars that may be important.