skill for which he was so eminently
distinguished, he represented to the youthful emperor the folly and danger
of sacrificing, in the cause of an insignificant monk, the friendship and
support of the powerful see of Rome.

His words were not without effect. On the day following Luther's answer,
Charles caused a message to be presented to the Diet, announcing his
determination to carry out the policy of his predecessors to maintain and
protect the Catholic religion. Since Luther had refused to renounce his
errors, the most vigorous measures should be employed against him and the
heresies he taught. "A single monk, misled by his own folly, has risen
against the faith of Christendom. To stay such impiety, I will sacrifice
my kingdoms, my treasures, my friends, my body, my blood, my soul, and my
life. I am about to dismiss the Augustine Luther, forbidding him to cause
the least disorder among the people; I shall then proceed against him and
his adherents as contumacious heretics, by excommunication, by interdict,
and by every means calculated to destroy them. I call on the members of
the states to behave like faithful Christians."(223) Nevertheless the
emperor declared that Luther's safe-conduct must be respected, and that
before proceedings against him could be instituted, he must be allowed to
reach his home in safety.

Two conflicting opinions were now urged by the members of the Diet. The
emissaries and representatives of the pope again demanded that the
Reformer's safe-conduct should be disregarded. "The Rhine," they said,
"should receive his ashes, as it had received those of John Huss a century
ago."(224) But princes of Germany, though themselves papists and avowed
enemies to Luther, protested against such a breach of public faith, as a
stain upon the honor of the nation. They pointed to the calamities which
had followed the death of Huss, and declared that they dared not call down
upon Germany, and upon the head of their youthful emperor, a repetition of
those terrible evils.

Charles himself, in answer to the base proposal, said, "Though honor and
faith should be banished from all the world, they ought to find a refuge
in the hearts of princes."(225) He was still further urged by the most
bitter of Luther's papal enemies to deal with the Reformer as Sigismund
had dealt with Huss,--abandon him to the mercies of the church; but
recalling the scene when Huss in public assembly had pointed to his chains
and reminded