whether he would recant those errors. But he remained obstinate, so his Majesty allowed him to withdraw.
This morning the Emperor asked the assembled electors and princes whether they had considered what was to be done about Luther's obstinacy. When they answered that they had decided nothing, the Emperor, who was holding a paper in his hand, said : "But I have considered and decided, as stands written here; it is written in the Burgundian [French] lan- guage, but I will have it read to you in German." Then he pre- sented a memorandum composed by himself, for one of his secretaries who was present when he wrote it down, told me that it was drawn up by his Majesty without the aid of any person; I have seen the original in the Emperor's hand, and have heard it read by that secretary in Castilian [Spanish], which I do not perfectly understand. He promised me a copy of it, but I could not get it in time to enclose with this letter, but as far as I can remember it the paper had the following tenor:* [here follows a fairly accurate report of the con- tents.] . . .
456. FRANCIS CORNARO TO THE SIGNORY OF VENICE. Sanuto, XXX. 127. Italian. Brown, iii. 191. English.
Worms, April 19, 1521.
On a sununons from the Emperor, Friar Martin Luther arrived at the court on the i6th, with a herald and safe-con- duct, and on the morrow entered the presence of the Emperor, with whom were the electors and princes.
The Emperor inquired whether the books printed in his name were his, and whether he would withdraw them and recant, as they had been condemned by the Pope for heresy. Luther replied the books were his, and requested time for reply, which was conceded with great difficulty until yesterday, when he reappeared before the court. After delivering a long dis- course, urging the Emperor and their lordships not to molest him, he endeavored to convince them that what he had written was perfectly true, and said he would persist in this proposi- tion, unless the contrary were shown on the authority of Holy Writ, demanding a disputation to that effect. This was denied
^Charles's declaration printed in Kidd: Document!, no. 43. Cf. Smith, lao.
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