The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

1
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
marks of favour towards a certain monk known as Brother
Martin, or the Elector Frederick of Saxony. Leo had,
he said, quite an extraordinary fear of Brother Martin, for
he preached against the Pope, and was considered to be
very learned. Manuel thought that this might be turned
to account in compelling Leo to conclude a treaty ;
though
he was of opinion that such pressure should be applied
only in the event of the Pope's hesitating to sign or else
breaking the treaty.*
It is not known what Charles replied to this piece of
advice. In Manuel's reports up to the end of December
there is a great deal said about a political alliance between
Pope and Emperor, but no mention of the Lutheran affair ;
though it is fair to say that we do not possess all the
reports. It cannot therefore be said with certainty
whether Manuel did use the weapon which this religious
revolt afforded against the Pope. It is not at all improbable
that an unprincipled politician like the German
representative should, even without the explicit consent of
his master, utilize, in the course of the protracted negotia-
tions, a circumstance which proved the Pope's absolute
dependence on the assistance of the Emperor in this
important matter. He would, however, have been certain
to use the weapon with diplomatic prudence, employing
hints, covert, though not difficult to interpret.
After the adverse judgment had fallen on Luther in
June, the Pope himself could not fail to see how much
depended in this affair on the attitude of the Emperor.
However, although the news from Germany became more
and more alarming, Leo X. was such an experienced
diplomatist that he carefully avoided anything which
could betray his great need of help.f
* Bergenroth, II., n. 279.
t Even Pallavicino (I., c. 25) expresses the opinion that the Pope