which he would in any case be expected to
make a public recantation.

Luther formed his resolve at once on the two points required of him. He
determined to obey the summons to the diet, and, if there unconvicted of
error, to refuse the recantation demanded. The Emperor's citation was
delivered to him on March 26th by the imperial herald, Kaspar Sturm, who
was to accompany him to Worms. Within twenty-one days after its receipt,
Luther was to appear before the Emperor; he was due therefore at Worms
on April 16th at the latest.

On April 2d, the Tuesday after Easter, he set out on his way to Worms.
His friend Amsdorf and the Pomeranian nobleman Peter Swaven, who was
then studying at Wittenberg, accompanied him. He took with him also,
according to the rules of the order, a brother of the order, John
Pezensteiner. The Wittenberg magistracy provided carriages and horses.

The way led past Leipzig, through Thuringia from Naumburg to Eisenach,
southward past Berka, Hersfeld, Gruenberg, Friedberg, Frankfort, and
Oppenheim. The herald rode on before in his coat-of-arms, and announced
the man whose word had everywhere so mightily stirred the minds of
people, and for whose future behavior and fate friend and foe were alike
anxious. Everywhere people collected to catch a glimpse of him. On April
6th he was very solemnly received at Erfurt. The large majority of the
university there were by this time full of enthusiasm for his cause.

Meanwhile at Worms disquietude and suspense prevailed on both sides.
Hutten[29] from the castle of Ebernburg sent threatening and angry
letters to the papal legates, who became really anxious lest a blow
might be struck from that quarter. Some anxious friends of Luther's were
afraid that, according to papal law, the safe-conduct would not be
observed in the case of a condemned heretic. Spalatin himself sent from
Worms a second warning to Luther after he had left Frankfort, intimating
that he would suffer the fate of Huss.

But Luther continued on his way. To Spalatin he replied, though Huss
were burned, yet the truth was not burned; he would go to Worms though
there were as many devils there as there were tiles on the roofs of the
houses.

On April 16th, at ten o'clock in the morning, Luther entered Worms. He
sat in an open carriage with his three companions from Wittenberg,
clothed in his monk's habit. He was accompanied by a large number of men
on horseback, some of whom, like Jonas, had joined