in the same manner, nearly a year and a half afterwards: "A criminal judge precedes the army of the emperor, who is accompanied by the captives, and among them by our captive prince. O sad spectacle! It often reminds me of the words, He was numbered with the transgressors."—" This indignity, however, was so far from subduing the elector's spirit, that it did not even ruffle the wonted tranquillity and composure of his mind."2 This was strikingly illustrated when they arrived at Torgau, on their way from Muhlberg to Wittemberg. This town was adorned with one of the finest and most beautifully situated castles in Germany, which had been a hunting seat of the electors of Saxony. "Here," said the elector to the Spanish officer who guarded him, "Here is something to gratify Maurice, if his mind is at ease to enjoy it." His companion, Ernest, expressing surprise, and a degree of chagrin, that he should speak in this manner of his own losses, he replied, "Why should I disquiet myself about things of this nature, which even while we retain them can hardly be called our own?" When Ernest answered only by a deep sigh, he turned to him, and said in a lower tone, "I would gladly instil into your mind the same sentiments which I cherish in my own, and which are well suited to calm our passions-to subdue our regrets, and resentments, and desires of revenge. When any one is unable to preserve his external goods against a more powerful assailant, he may still fortify his mind by lessons of wisdom, and thus rise above his calamities, and even in captivity 1 Mel. Epist. ii. 524. Comp. Sleid. 472-3. 2 Robertson. A. D. 1547. CHAP. come off more than conqueror over his victorious foe." 1 When the sentence of death, passed upon him by the emperor's iniquitous court-martial, was made known to him, he was amusing himself by playing at chess with his fellow-captive. He paused for a moment, and without discovering any symptom of surprise or terror, he observed, So then, if Wittemberg does not surrender, I must die-for I see what is aimed at. Well, this does not dismay me. I wish it may no more affect my wife, and children, and friends, and that they may not, for the sake of adding a few days to a life already too long, renounce honours and possessions to which they were born." He added, "I do not, however, prohibit their yielding something for the satisfaction of their own feelings: but let them not, in their solicitude for me, forget themselves." "He then turned to his antagonist, whom he challenged to continue the game. He played with his usual attention and ingenuity; and, having beaten Ernest, expressed all the satisfaction which is usually felt on gaining such victories. After this, he withdrew to his own apartment, that he might employ the rest of his time in such religious exercises as were proper in his situation." 2 Perhaps in this last instance somewhat more might be assumed than was really felt: but such self-possession, such more than philosophic calmness, as his general conduct exhibited, produced by the purest principles of religion, it is delightful and edifying to contemplate. It presents to us a high example, and shews us 1 Thuan. i. 141-2. 2 Ib. 142-3. Rob. iii. 409, 410. how much even sincere Christians commonly rest short of what the truths they have received, being faithfully and fully applied, might enable them to attain. A. D. 1547. adherence We have next to notice the deposed elector's His firm invincible adherence to his religious principles under all circumstances. When the terms were proposed to him on which his life should be spared, and some arrangement made for the benefit of his family, one of the articles prescribed was, that he should approve whatever the emperor, or the council of Trent, should determine in matters of religion. But, while he consented to resign all his earthly dignities and possessions, he peremptorily rejected this article; nor could even the fear of immediate death induce him to listen to it so that the haughty emperor was obliged to order it to be struck out.1 When he had languished a year longer in captivity, and the emperor had introduced, and was enforcing, his scheme of religion, called the Interim, Charles well knowing the influence which his prisoner's example would have with all the protestant party, laboured with the utmost earnestness to obtain his approbation of this formulary; and, by employing sometimes promises of setting him at liberty, sometimes threats of greater harshness, he attempted alternately to work upon his hopes and his fears: but it was all in vain. "He was daily more and more confirmed," he said, " by the study of the sacred writings, in the truth of the doc-. trines he had embraced; and nothing could be more criminal in him than to act contrary to * Thuan. i. 143. Sleid. 428. ligious principles. CHAP. this conviction: it would be no less than the sin against the Holy Ghost, which can never be forgiven." He entreated the emperor, therefore, by all the mercies of God in Christ, that he would not urge him to any such violation of his duty, or misinterpret his refusal. He was not actuated, he said, by vain-glory, or by any other worldly consideration-" for what was there of that nature which could outweigh in his estimation (especially considering his age and his habit of body,) the liberty of returning to repose at home in the society of his beloved wife and children?-but he aimed simply at this one object, by the true worship and service of God on earth, to come at length to the enjoyment of his heavenly kingdom. In all things else he had ever been, and ever would be, ready to consult the emperor's wishes, and, as became an upright man, and one of his quality, would faithfully observe every engagement he had made to him."-This magnanimous conduct drew upon him fresh marks of the emperor's displeasure. The rigour of his confinement was increased; the number of his servants abridged; the chaplain, 2 who had hitherto attended him, was obliged from regard to his own safety to withdraw in disguise; and even the elector's books of devotion were taken from him.3 Extremely corpulent and unweildy.-Yet Luther, in his commentary on Genesis, (one of his latest works,) extols the laborious diligence (" incomparabilem laboriositatem") of the elector. Seck. iii. 689. This appears to have been John Aurifaber, the collector of Luther's letters, and of others of his works. Seckend. iii. 642. 3 Thuan. i. 173. Sleid. 462-3. Robertson, iii. 450-1.— Aurifaber informs us, in how high estimation Luther's writ Some time after, the emperor caused the displeasure which he felt at the conduct of the elector's sons, in both rejecting the Interim themselves, and allowing their preachers to impugn it from the pulpit and the press, to be represented to him, and desired that he would interpose his authority with them in these respects. But the elector replied, that he had before stated his own sentiments on the new scheme of doctrine; that they remained unaltered; and that he could not urge his children to do that which he could not with a good conscience do himself. He entreated the emperor, therefore, to view in a favourable light both his own conduct and that of his sons.1 A. D. 1547. Another trying scene, which would have been overpowering to a worldly mind, served only to display still further his equanimity and Christian charity. At the diet held at Augsburg in the year 1548, Maurice was to be solemnly invested Feb. 24. with the electoral dignity, of which John Frederic had been stripped; and, as if in wanton mockery of the deprived elector's feelings, this was done in the open market-place within sight of his lodgings. His attention being drawn by the acclamations of the people, he walked to the window, and, for a short time viewing the spectacle, observed, With what exultation do the friends of Maurice congratulate his advancement to the dignity of which I am unjustly despoiled! Well, may this change have so peaceful and happy a result, that they may never have to 66 ings were held by the elector in his captivity. "My heart," |