Louvain, Articles of.
A confession of the Catholic Faith, drawn up by the University of Louvain by order of Charles V in 1544. All Charles’ subjects in the Netherlands were required to conform to these articles, under pain of death, and that this was not an idle threat was shown by the burning at the stake, at Tournay, in February, 1545, of Peter du Breuil, a Calvinist preacher, who refused to obey the proclamation.
Loyale Epée, La.
A sobriquet of Marshal Macmahon (1808-1893).
Lübeck Law.
The law administered in the law courts and in the foreign factories of the Hanseatic League.
Lübeck, Treaty of.
A treaty between the Emperor Ferdinand II and Christian IV. of Denmark, signed in 1629, after the latter had been driven out of Germany by Tilly and Wallenstein. Christian retained all his possessions, and agreed to interfere no further in German affairs, except in his capacity of Duke of Holstein. He made no stipulations in favour of any of his German allies, none of whom, in consequence, were parties to the treaty.
Luddite Riots.
A series of outbreaks in the manufacturing districts of England, and especially about Nottingham, in 1811, as a protest against the introduction of machinery into the factories. The rioters, or rather conspirators, for their proceedings were secret, used to assemble at night, break into a factory, destroy the machinery, and then disperse, as a rule unmolested. They took their name from an idiot lad, named Ludd, who thirty years previously had gone about in the Nottingham district breaking stocking-frames.