Hastings.
[Footnote 2: One note may be thought to be characteristic. In the table
occurs, "Many think their sins are pardoned, because it is but little they
are guilty of." The general has interlined, "A pistol kills as well as a
cannon."]
* * * * *
"CONSILIUM DELECTORUM CARDINALIUM."
(Vol. ix., pp. 127. 252.)
I have before me a copy of this very interesting document, together with an
_Epistole Joannis Sturmii de eadem re, ad Cardinales caeterosque viros ad
eam Consultationem delectos_, printed at Strasburg ("ex officina Cratonis
Mylii Argentoraten.") A.D. 1538. The report of the Committee had reached
Sturmius in the month of March, 1537-8; and his critique, addressed
especially to Contarini, bears the date "tertio Non. Aprilis." As it is a
somewhat scarce pamphlet, two or three extracts may not be unacceptable to
the readers of "N. & Q."
"Rara res est et praeter omnium opinionem oblata occasio, pontificem
datum orbi talem, qui jurejurando fidem suorum sibi ad patefaciendam
veritatem astrinxerit, ut si quid secus statuatis quam religio
desideret vobis ea culpa non pontifici praestanda videatur."--C. 2.
"At si diligenter et cum fide agatis, vestra virtute, florentem Christi
rempublicam conspiciamus; si negligenter et cupide, ut cujus rei adhuc
reliquiae nonnullae supersunt, illae continuo ita tollantur, simul ac
calumniari ac male agere ceperitis, ut ne vestigia quidem ullius
sanctitatis apud vestras quidem partes posteris nostris appareant."--C.
4.
He then passes to other topics, where he has to deplore the little sympathy
evinced by the Cardinals for Luther and his party, _e.g._ on the subject of
indulgences:
"Quid de illa ratione quam poenitentibus praescribitis, nonne falsa,
nonne perversa, nonne ad quaestum magis et ad tyrannidem quam ad vitae
emendationem, {381} et correctionem spectans? Et qui remedia contra hos
morbos quaerunt, eos vos ea ecclesia ejiciendos putatis, et condemnatis
haereseos, qui restituere pristinam puritatem religioni conantur; eos
illam tollere, qui ceremonias purgare, eos perflegare qui auctoritatem
ecclesiasticam recuperare atque confirmare, eos imminuere et
labefactare clamatis."--D. 4.