effect a retreat, was He made as good a

prise, and being unable to compelled to risk a battle. disposition of his forces as circumstances would permit. But, notwithstanding his personal bravery and his endeavours to animate his soldiers, he was speedily defeated and taken prisoner. When led into the presence of his conqueror, he was calm and dignified. "The fortune of war," said he, “has made me your prisoner, most gracious Emperor, and I hope to be treated "Am I then," interrupted Charles, "at last acknowledged to be Emperor? This title you but lately denied me. You shall be treated as you deserve." Frederic made no reply, but quietly accompanied the soldiers appointed to be his guard.

The Emperor, after resting a day or two, to recover from the fatigues of the battle, marched to Wittemberg, hoping by the capture of that city, which was the capital of the Elector's dominions, to put an end to the war. Wittemberg was one of the strongest towns in Germany; and Charles being unprovided with means of carrying on a siege, found the accomplishment of his purpose more difficult than he had imagined. He summoned the inhabitants to surrender. But animated by the noble resolution displayed by Sibylla, the Elector's wife, they refused to open the gates. To compel them to obey, the Emperor had recourse to a most cruel plan. He

called a court martial of his own officers, and in defiance of the laws of the empire and the claims of common justice, directed them to condemn to death his illustrious prisoner. This done, he sent a message to Sibylla, declaring that unless the city was instantly given up, the life of her husband should be the penalty of her obstinacy.

In this crisis, Frederic behaved with admirable fortitude. When his sentence was communicated to him he happened to be playing at chess. Pausing for a moment, he said, "It is easy to comprehend this sentence. I must die, because Wittemberg will not surrender; and I shall lay down my life with pleasure, if by that sacrifice I can preserve the dignity of my house, and transmit to my posterity the inheritance which belongs to them. Would to God, that this sentence may not affect my wife and children more than it intimidates me! and that they, for the sake of adding a few days to a life already too long, may not renounce honors and territories which they were born to possess." He then resumed his game, and having beaten his antagonist retired to his apartment.

The news of the Elector's danger was received in the city with the greatest consternation; and his firmness yielded at last to the tears of his wife and the entreaties of his friends.

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He submitted himself to the will of the Emperor so far as his civil rights and offices were concerned. He resigned his electorate, which was conferred upon Maurice as the reward of his treachery, gave up his territories, and consented to be a prisoner for life. There was one point, however, on which he would make no concessions. Charles insisted at first upon his submission to the Pope in religious matters; but without success. His prisoner was inflexible. No threats could induce him to renounce his faith or do violence to his conscience. And having gained his own ends, the Emperor was not disposed to risk a defeat of them by a very strenuous defence of the Church.

The Landgrave of Hesse was now the only Protestant prince who remained in arms. This nobleman had it in his power to hold out long and with some prospect of success against the Emperor. But intimidated by the fate of the Elector, and urged by his son-in-law Maurice, he at last consented to the terms of submission dictated by Charles. Among other severe conditions the arrogant monarch ordered him to appear before him and sue for mercy on his knees. To this the Landgrave would not consent, until he had received the solemn assurance that his person should be held sacred. He then entered the Imperial chamber and prostrated himself at

the feet of the Emperor, who sat unmoved on a splendid throne. The unfortunate prince confessed his guilt, signed the articles of submission, and prepared to depart. But he was stopped by the guards. Proud of his success and determined to crush his late enemies, Charles knew not where to stop in his tyrannical course. Disregarding the pledge given by Maurice for the safety of the Landgrave, the Emperor ordered him to be detained a prisoner; and by stooping thus to gratify a mean revenge, he, as it afterwards appeared, lost all that he had now gained.

CHAPTER XII.

DIET AT AUGSBURG - COUNCIL AT TRENT-THE INTERIM-JULIUS III-CHANGE IN THE CONDUCT OF MAURICE- MAURICE ATTACKS THE EMPERORTREATY OF PASSAU-CONCLUSION OF THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY. 1547-1555.

THE great object of the Lutherans, notwithstanding the present disastrous condition of their affairs, was near to its accomplishment. A few more important events served to release Germany from the despotic sway of the Pope, and to bestow upon it an independent church.

The imprisonment of the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hesse seemed to be a fatal blow to the Protestants. The Emperor, having crushed the most powerful of his enemies, assumed towards his German subjects the bearing rather of a conqueror than of a sovereign. He determined to settle at once all disputes concerning religion. For this purpose, he called a Diet at Augsburg, surrounded it with his troops, and then demanded of it an unqualified submission to the decrees of the Council of Trent. This step is not to be attributed to any partiality for the Pontiff. Charles, on the contrary, was desirous of bringing the Council over to his interest, and then he intended to use it to weaken the influ