lics, they contrived all imaginable measures to gain the superiority over them. By thousands and thousands of pamphlets they disseminated their erroneous principles, and, at the same time, they most virulently attacked and calumniated the Pope and the Catholic Clergy. Moreover, in many places crying acts of violence were committed, and people were forced by all sorts of oppression and persecution to renounce the Holy Catholic Faith.
44. [1]The Catholics, on their part, made several attempts to restore peace to the Church, by entering into amicable discussions with their opponents; but the hatred which Luther bore to the Pope, the Head of the Church, continued implacable. To check the progress of heresy and wickedness, the Emperor Charles V. assembled in 1529 a second Diet at Spires, where a decree was issued that, until the decision of a General Council, Lutheranism should be tolerated wherever it had already been established, but should not be spread any further; that no one should be hindered from saying or hearing Mass; and that all invectives against any religion should be prohibited. The Lutherans protested
- ↑ What did the Catholics do for the restoration of peace, and what was the result? in what year, and by whom, was the Diet of Spires assembled? What famous decree was issued there? How did the name of Protestants originate? Are only the Lutherans now called Protestants? What measures did the Holy Father at last take? In what year was the Council of Trent convoked, and what was done by it? What did the Church gain by this Council? Did the Protestants come to it? What was the effect of Luther's preaching liberty? What took place during the war of the peasantry? Were there any other wars in Germany, and how long did the great religious war last in that country? What was the consequence of this war? Were any other countries involved in war. and which? Where and how did Zwinglius end his life? What are the French Protestants called, and what atrocities did they commit? Who introduced Protestantism into England, and for what reason? Did England gain anything by the change? What do you know of Charles I.?
