INTIMIDATION.
Brück, without discussing the recess in a political point of view, confined himself to what was principally at stake, the Word of God. "We maintain," said he, "that our Confession is so based on the holy Word of God, that it is impossible to refute it. We consider it as the very truth of God, and we hope by it to stand one day before the judgment-seat of the Lord." He then announced that the Protestants had refuted the Refutation of the Romish theologians, and holding in his hand the famous Apology of the Confession of Augsburg written by Melancthon, he stepped forward, and offered it to Charles the Fifth. The Count-palatine took it, and the Emperor was already stretching out his hand, when Ferdinand having whispered a few words, he motioned the Count, who immediately returned the Apology to Doctor Brück.[822] This paper and the "Commonplaces," are the masterpieces of the Reformer. The embarrassed Emperor told the Protestants to come again at eight the next morning.
Charles the Fifth, resolving to employ every means to get his decree accepted, began by entreaties; and scarcely was the Margrave of Brandenburg seated to take his evening repast, when Truchses and Wehe, appearing before him, used every kind of discourse and argument, but without success.[823]
The next day (Friday, 23d September), the Evangelical princes and the deputies of the cities, assembling at five in the morning in the Margrave's hotel, the recess was there read anew in the presence of Truchses and Wehe, and Chancellor Brück detailed seven reasons for its rejection. "I undertake," said Wehe, "to translate the recess into German in such a manner that you can accept it. As for the word sect, in particular, it is the clerk who placed it there by mistake."[824] The mediators retired in haste to communicate to Charles the complaints of the Protestants.
FINAL INTERVIEW.
Charles and his ministers gave up every idea of reconciliation, and hoped for nothing except through fear. The Protestants having arrived at eight o'clock at the imperial palace, they were made to wait an hour; the Elector of Brandenburg then said to them in Charles's name: "His majesty is astonished beyond measure that you still maintain your doctrine to be based on the holy Scriptures. If you said the truth, his majesty's ancestors, so many kings and emperors, and even the ancestors of the Elector of Saxony, would have been heretics! There is no Gospel, there is no Scripture, that imposes on us the obligation of seizing by violence the goods of another, and of saying afterwards that we cannot conscientiously restore them. It is for this reason," added Joachim, after these words, which he had accompanied with a sardonic smile, "I am commissioned to inform you, that if you refuse the recess, all the Germanic states will place their lives and their property at the Emperor's disposal, and his majesty himself will employ the resources of all his kingdoms to complete this affair before leaving the Empire."
"We do not accept it," replied the Protestants firmly,—"His majesty also has a conscience," then resumed the Elector of Brandenburg, in a harsh tone; "and if you do not submit, he will concert with the Pope and the other potentates on the best means of extirpating this sect and its new errors." But in vain did they add threat to threat: the Protestants remained calm, respectful, and unshaken. "Our enemies, destitute of all confidence in God!" said they, "would shake like a reed in presence of the Emperor's anger, and they imagine that we should tremble in like manner; but we have called unto God, and he will keep us faithful to his truth."
The Protestants then prepared to take their final leave of the Emperor. This prince, whose patience had been put to a severe trial, approached to shake hands according to custom: and beginning with the Elector of Saxony, he said to him in a low voice: "Uncle, uncle! I should never have expected this of you." The Elector was deeply affected: his eyes filled with tears: but, firm and resolute, he bent his head and quitted Charles without reply. It was now two in the afternoon.
MESSAGES OF PEACE.
While the Protestants were returning to their hotels, calm and happy, the Romish princes returned to theirs, confused and dispirited, uneasy and divided. They doubted not that the congé that had just been given the Protestants would be regarded by them as a declaration of war, and that on quitting Augsburg, they would rush to arms. This thought terrified them. Accordingly, the Elector of Saxony had hardly reached his palace, when he saw Dr. Ruhel, councillor of the Elector of Mentz, hastening towards him, commissioned by his master to deliver this message: "Although my brother the Elector (Joachim of Brandenburg) has declared that all the states of the Empire are ready to support the Emperor against you, know that both myself and the ministers of the Elector-palatine and of the Elector of Treves immediately declared to his majesty that we do not adhere to this declaration, seeing that we think very favourably of you.[825] I intended saying this to the Emperor in your presence, but you left so precipitately, that I was unable."