CHAPTER XXVI COURSE OF THE PROTESTANT REVOLT IN GERMANY (1521-1555) I. The Peasant War * The Edict of Worms denounced Luther as an oppo- nent of law and a breeder of sedition. This view was substantiated in the eyes of many by the revolt, first of the knights, and then of the peasants, for in both cases the malcontents had much to say of evangelical truth and liberty. The following manifesto of the peasants, drawn up in 1524, clearly shows the influence of Luther's teachings. Yet the revolt cannot be attributed to him, but rather to the general social and economic conditions which had produced a number of similar disturbances earlier. Much had been said by the popular leaders of "God's justice" and of the vices of the clergy before ever Luther was heard of. 250. The Peace to the Christian reader and the grace of God through fundamental Christ: chief articles There are many evil writings put forth of late which take of the peas- occasion, on account of the assembling of the peasants, to ants, r ^ at " cast scorn upon the gospel, saying, " Is this the fruit of the matters in new teaching, that no one should obey but that all should which they everywhere rise in revolt, and rush together to reform, or selves 601 " perhaps destroy altogether, the authorities, both ecclesiastic
- »** ' l The amount of space devoted in this chapter to the Peasant War
will not seem excessive to one who considers how admirably the mate- rial here given illustrates the extreme intricacy of the movements for religious, social, economic, and political reform. 94
