The Elector's preparations betrayed his intentions. In the middle of the night Duke Henry of Brunswick arrived hastily at his hotel, beseeching him to wait,[812] and, towards morning, Counts Truchses and Mansfeldt announced that, on the morrow between seven and eight, the Emperor would give him his congé.
On Monday, 19th September, the Elector purposing to leave Augsburg immediately after his audience with Charles, breakfasted at seven o'clock, then sent off his baggage and his cooks,[813] and ordered his officers to be ready at ten o'clock. At the moment when John quitted the hotel to wait upon the Emperor, all the members of his household were drawn up on each side booted and spurred;[814] but, having been introduced to Charles, he was requested to wait two, four, or six days longer.
THE RECESS OF AUGSBURG.
As soon as the Elector was alone with his allies, his indignation burst forth, and he even became violent. "This new delay will end in nothing,"[815] he said; "I am resolved to set out, happen what may. It seems to me, from the manner in which things are arranged, that I have now completely the air of a prisoner." The Margrave of Brandenburg begged him to be calm. "I shall go," the Elector still replied. At last he yielded, and having appeared again before Charles the Fifth, he said, "I will wait until Friday next; and, if nothing is done by that time, I shall leave forthwith."
Great was the anxiety of the Protestants during these four days of expectation. Most of them doubted not that, by acceding to Charles's prayers, they had delivered themselves into the hands of their enemies. "The Emperor is deliberating whether he ought to hang us or let us live," wrote Brenz.[816] Fresh negotiations of Truchses were without success.[817]
All that now remained for the Emperor was to draw up, in common with the Romish states, the recess of the diet. This was done; and, that the Protestants might not complain of its having been prepared without their knowledge, he assembled them in his palace on Thursday, 22d September, the day previous to that fixed for the Elector's departure, and had his project read to them by the Count-palatine. This project was insult and war. The Emperor granted to the Elector, the five princes, and the six cities,[818] a delay of six months, until the 15th April next year, to come to an arrangement with the Church, the Pope, the Emperor, and all the princes and monarchs of Christendom. This was clearly announcing to them that the Romanists were very willing to delay until the usual period for bringing armies into the field.
IRRITATING LANGUAGE.
Nor was this all: this delay was granted only on the express condition that the Protestants should immediately join the Emperor in reducing the Anabaptists, and all those who opposed the holy sacrament, by which were meant the Zwinglian cities. He wished by this means to tie the hands of the Protestants, and prevent the two families of the Reform from uniting during the winter.
Finally, the Protestants were forbidden to make any innovations, to print or sell anything on the objects of faith, or to draw any one whatever to their sect, "since the Confession had been soundly refuted by the Holy Scriptures." Thus they officially proclaimed the Reform a sect, and a sect contrary to the Word of God.
Nothing was more calculated to displease the friends of the Gospel, who remained in Charles's presence astonished, alarmed, and indignant.[819] This had been foreseen; and, at the moment when the Protestants were about to enter the Emperor's chamber, Truchses and Wehe, making signs to them, mysteriously slipped a paper into their hands, containing a promise that, if, on the 15th April, the Protestants required a prolongation of the delay, their request would certainly be granted.[820] But Brück, to whom the paper was given, was not deceived. "A subtle ambuscade," said he; "a masterpiece of knavery! God will save his own, and will not permit them to fall into the snare."[821] This trick, in fact, served only still more to increase the courage of the Protestants.