of Luther's arrival at Augsburg gave great satisfaction to the
papal legate. The troublesome heretic who was exciting the attention of
the whole world seemed now in the power of Rome, and the legate determined
that he should not escape. The Reformer had failed to provide himself with
a safe-conduct. His friends urged him not to appear before the legate
without one, and they themselves undertook to procure it from the emperor.
The legate intended to force Luther, if possible, to retract, or, failing
in this, to cause him to be conveyed to Rome, to share the fate of Huss
and Jerome. Therefore through his agents he endeavored to induce Luther to
appear without a safe-conduct, trusting himself to his mercy. This the
Reformer firmly declined to do. Not until he had received the document
pledging him the emperor's protection, did he appear in the presence of
the papal ambassador.

As a matter of policy, the Romanists had decided to attempt to win Luther
by an appearance of gentleness. The legate, in his interviews with him,
professed great friendliness; but he demanded that Luther submit
implicitly to the authority of the church, and yield every point without
argument or question. He had not rightly estimated the character of the
man with whom he had to deal. Luther, in reply, expressed his regard for
the church, his desire for the truth, his readiness to answer all
objections to what he had taught, and to submit his doctrines to the
decision of certain leading universities. But at the same time he
protested against the cardinal's course in requiring him to retract
without having proved him in error.

The only response was, "Retract, retract!" The Reformer showed that his
position was sustained by the Scriptures, and firmly declared that he
could not renounce the truth. The legate, unable to reply to Luther's
arguments, overwhelmed him with a storm of reproaches, gibes, and
flattery, interspersed with quotations from tradition and the sayings of
the Fathers, granting the Reformer no opportunity to speak. Seeing that
the conference, thus continued, would be utterly futile, Luther finally
obtained a reluctant permission to present his answer in writing.

"In so doing," said he, writing to a friend, "the oppressed find double
gain; first, what is written may be submitted to the judgment of others;
and second, one has a better chance of working on the fears, if not on the
conscience, of an arrogant and babbling despot, who would