ence of Rome. He met with little resistance from the disheartened Protestants; but their obedience was of little service. Paul, who began to suspect the ambitious purpose of the Emperor, under the pretence that a malignant disease had broken out at Trent, ordered the Council to be removed to Bologna, a city within his own jurisdiction. This measure in fact put an end to its session.

Unable to persuade the Pontiff to reassemble the Council without delay, Charles, as a temporary expedient, caused a paper to be drawn up by which the religious affairs of the empire were to be regulated until a Council should be called. This document was called the Interim, a Latin word which signifies in the mean time,· because it was to be binding only for a limited period, and not to have the force of a permanent law. Neither Catholics nor Protestants were satisfied with the Interim, although by various concessions and ambiguous language, an effort was made to render it palatable to both parties. Charles exerted all his power to enforce it. Knowing the influence still possessed by the Elector Frederic over his followers, he labored with much earnestness to gain his approbation. But the captive was not to be moved by threats or promises. "I cannot now," said he, " in my old age abandon the principles for which I early contended; nor in order

to procure freedom during a few declining years, will I betray that good cause, on account of which I have suffered so much and am still

"The

willing to suffer. Better for me to enjoy in this solitude the esteem of virtuous men, together with the approbation of my own conscience, than to return to the world with the imputation and guilt of apostacy, to disgrace and embitter the remainder of my days." This magnanimous conduct drew upon the Elector new hardships. rigor of his confinement was increased; the number of his servants abridged; the Lutheran clergymen who had hitherto been permitted to attend him were dismissed; and even the books of devotion which had been his chief consolation during a tedious imprisonment were taken from him."

With the Diet the Emperor was more successful. When the Interim was presented to that body, one of the members arose and assented to it in the name of all the rest; and although he was not authorized to do this, no one ventured to contradict him, and thus the paper was accepted. This timidity is accounted for when we remember the sad condition of the Protestants at this time. Their leaders were in prison. Luther was dead. The gentle Melancthon was but ill suited to the management of affairs at a period so stormy and disastrous. Many noblemen who professed

to hold the new opinions were, from ambitious motives, attached to the standard of the Emperor. Under these circumstances, the Reformers could expect relief from the clemency of their sovereign alone, and therefore dared not openly offend him. They yielded to what seemed an absolute necessity, and trusted to the future for some alleviation of their troubles.

In 1550 Paul died, and was succeeded by Julius III. This Pope consented to the revival of the Council at Trent; and another Diet was assembled at Augsburg in 1551, to obtain a promise from the Protestants to abide by its decisions. Surrounded as they were by the Imperial troops, the deputies made no resistance. Maurice alone insisted upon some conditions favorable to the Reformers, before he would yield to the Emperor's wishes. Little was gained by this measure. The authority of Charles was soon attacked from a quarter whence he least suspected opposition, and the Reformation was about to owe its triumph in Germany to the arms of one whose apostacy had been threatening its destruction.

Maurice, as has already been related, had been induced to join the Emperor in his attack upon the league of Smalcald, by a desire to enlarge his territories and to acquire the electorate of his uncle. After the imprisonment of his father-in-law, he still favored the Imperial cause,

hoping thereby to obtain the more easily his release. But it was not long before he determined to change his course. Possessed of the rank he had coveted, deceived by the promises of Charles, and probably ashamed also of the aid he had given to those tyrannical measures, by which the independence of Germany had been infringed and the Protestant cause almost ruined, he resolved to desert the Emperor, and to wrest from him the power so unjustly usurped.

By great cunning and caution Maurice was able to keep Charles in ignorance of his designs, until the moment for throwing off the mask arrived. He formed an alliance with the king of France, collected together under different pretences large bodies of troops, and then issued a proclamation setting forth his reasons for taking up arms. "These were three in number; that he might rescue the Protestant religion, maintain the constitution and laws of the empire, and save Germany from being subject to an absolute monarch, and deliver the Landgrave of Hesse from a long and unjust imprisonment." These professions brought to his standard all the friends of liberty, and all who resented the disgraceful and cruel treatment of one of the chief princes of the empire.

With the large and well appointed army thus assembled Maurice fell upon the Emperor, as he

lay at Inspruck, confined by the gout and totally unsuspicious of danger. Charles escaped in a litter, attended by his courtiers, some on such horses as were at hand, others on foot, and all in the utmost confusion. In the midst of the tumult the Landgrave and the Elector were set at liberty.

This blow was so vigorously followed up by Maurice, that the Emperor was soon compelled to sue for peace. Accordingly, on the 2d of August, 1552, a treaty was signed at Passau, in which the unmolested enjoyment of their religion was guaranteed to the Protestants. This treaty was formally recognised by a Diet assembled for that purpose at Augsburg in 1555, who passed a decree, by which "all who had embraced the Augsburg Confession, were pronounced free from all jurisdiction of the Pope, and were bidden to live securely under their own regulations. Liberty was also given to all Germans to join either the Lutheran or Romish Church, as they pleased, and all were declared to be public enemies of the empire, who should molest others on the ground of their religion."

With the ratification of this treaty we shall close this part of our Sketch; not because from this time all change and all dispute in regard to religious matters ceased, but because by this transaction that object was secured, for which