But it was done then and for ever. Wittenberg looked on
with shoutings. The whole modern world of civilized man has ever since
been looking on with thrilling wonder. And myriads of the sons of God
and liberty are shouting over it yet.
The miner's son had come up full abreast with the triple-crowned
descendant of the Medici. The monk of Wittenberg had matched the
proudest monarch in the world. Henceforth the question was, Which of
them should sway the nations in the time to come?
THE DIET OF WORMS.
The young emperor sided with the religion of the pope. The venerable
Elector Frederick determined to stand by Luther, at least till his
case was fairly adjudged. He said it was not just to condemn a good
and honest man unheard and unconvicted, and that "_Justice must take
precedence even of the pope_."
Conferences of state now became numerous and exciting, and the efforts
of Rome to have Luther's excommunication recognized and enforced were
many and various, but nothing short of a Diet of the empire could
settle the disturbance.[11]
Such a Diet was convoked by the young emperor for January, 1521. It
was the first of his reign, and the grandest ever held on German soil.
Philip of Hesse came to it with a train of six hundred cavaliers. The
electors, dukes, archbishops, landgraves, margraves, counts, bishops,
barons, lords, deputies, legates, and ambassadors from foreign courts
came in corresponding style. They felt it important to show their
consequence at this first Diet, and were all the more moved to be
there in force because the exciting matter of Reform was specified as
one of the chief things to be considered.
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