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

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<strong>the</strong> Protestant deputies, who were at this moment<br />

on <strong>the</strong>ir way <strong>to</strong> meet him, were destined <strong>to</strong><br />

experience.<br />

The Reformed princes, who gave in <strong>the</strong> famous<br />

protest <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Diet</strong> <strong>of</strong> Spires (1529), followed up<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir act by an appeal <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> emperor. The<br />

ArchDuke Ferdinand, <strong>the</strong> president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Diet</strong>,<br />

s<strong>to</strong>rmed and left <strong>the</strong> assembly, but <strong>the</strong> protesters<br />

appealed <strong>to</strong> a General Council and <strong>to</strong> posterity.<br />

Their ambassadors were now on <strong>the</strong>ir way <strong>to</strong> lay<br />

<strong>the</strong> great Protest before Charles. Three burgesses,<br />

marked ra<strong>the</strong>r by <strong>the</strong>ir weight <strong>of</strong> character than by<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir eminence <strong>of</strong> position, had been selected for<br />

this mission. Their names were–John Ehinger,<br />

Burgomaster <strong>of</strong> Memmingen; Michael Caden,<br />

Syndic <strong>of</strong> Nuremberg; and Alexis Frauentrat,<br />

secretary <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Margrave <strong>of</strong> Brandenburg. Their<br />

mission was deemed a somewhat dangerous one,<br />

and before <strong>the</strong>ir departure a pension was secured <strong>to</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir widows in case <strong>of</strong> misfortune. They met <strong>the</strong><br />

emperor at Piacenza, for so far had he got on his<br />

way <strong>to</strong> meet <strong>the</strong> Pope at Bologna, <strong>to</strong> which city<br />

Clement had retired, <strong>to</strong> benefit, it may be, after his<br />

341

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