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

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Chapter 26<br />

End <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Diet</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Augsburg</strong><br />

CHARLES V. laughed at <strong>the</strong> humor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

comedy, but did not ponder <strong>the</strong> wisdom <strong>of</strong> its<br />

moral. He went on poking amongst <strong>the</strong> red faggots,<br />

first with diplomacy and next with <strong>the</strong> sword, but<br />

with no o<strong>the</strong>r result than that which <strong>the</strong> nameless<br />

authors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> piece acted in <strong>the</strong> Palace <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Palatinate had warned him would ensue, that <strong>of</strong><br />

kindling a fire on <strong>the</strong> wide hearth <strong>of</strong> Europe, which<br />

would in <strong>the</strong> end not merely singe <strong>the</strong> hem <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Pontifical robe and <strong>the</strong> fringe <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Imperial<br />

mantle, but would consume <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> both<br />

Empire and Papacy.<br />

The emperor had endeavored <strong>to</strong> introduce <strong>the</strong><br />

thin end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wedge, which he hoped would split<br />

up <strong>the</strong> Protestant free cities: an attempt, however,<br />

which came <strong>to</strong> nothing. The Lu<strong>the</strong>ran princes were<br />

<strong>to</strong> be next essayed. They were taken one by one, in<br />

<strong>the</strong> hope that <strong>the</strong>y would be found less firm when<br />

single than <strong>the</strong>y were when taken <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r. Great<br />

494

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