From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

now in arms against the man who but a few months
ago had stood at its summit; and, instead of girding
himself to fight against Lutheranism for the Pope,
Charles must now ask the aid of Lutheranism in the
battle that he was girding himself to fight against
the Pope and his confederate kings.
It was even whispered in the Diet that
conciliatory instructions of later date had arrived
from the emperor. Ferdinand, it was said, was
bidden in these later letters to draw toward Duke
John and the other Lutheran princes, to cancel the
penal clauses in the Edict of Worms, and to
propose that the whole religious controversy
should be referred to a General Council; but he
feared, it was said, to make these instructions
known, lest he should alienate the Popish members
of the Diet.
Nor was it necessary he should divulge the new
orders. The astounding news of the "League of
Cognac," that "most holy confederation" of which
Clement VII. was the patron and promoter, had
alone sufficed to sow distrust and dismay among
195