I could be so cheerful now."^350 Mathesius says, with reference to this courage: "If the cause is good,
the heart expands, giving courage and energy to evangelists and soldiers."
Sickingen invited Luther, through Martin Bucer, in person, to his castle Ebernburg, where
he would be perfectly safe under the protection of friends. Glapio favored the plan, and wished to
have a personal conference with Luther about a possible compromise and co-operation in a moderate
scheme of reform. But Luther would not be diverted from his aim, and sent word, that, if the
Emperor’s confessor wished, he could see him in Worms.
Luther arrived in Worms on Tuesday morning, April 16, 1521, at ten o’clock, shortly before
early dinner, in an open carriage with his Wittenberg companions, preceded by the imperial herald,
and followed by a number of gentlemen on horseback. He was dressed in his monastic gown.^351
The watchman on the tower of the cathedral announced the arrival of the procession by blowing
the horn, and thousands of people gathered to see the heretic.^352
As he stepped from the carriage, he said, "God will be with me."
The papal legate reports this fact to Rome, and adds that Luther looked around with the
eyes of a demon.^353 Cardinal Cajetan was similarly struck at Augsburg with the mysterious fire of
the "profound eyes," and the "wonderful speculations," of the German monk.
Luther was lodged in the house of the Knights of St. John with two counselors of the Elector.
He received visitors till late at night.^354
The city was in a fever-heat of excitement and expectation.
§ 55. Luther’s Testimony before the Diet.
April 17 and 18, 1521.
See Lit. in § 53.
On the day after his arrival, in the afternoon at four o’clock, Luther was led by the imperial
marshal, Ulrich von Pappenheim, and the herald, Caspar Sturm, through circuitous side-streets,
avoiding the impassable crowds, to the hall of the Diet in the bishop’s palace where the Emperor
and his brother Ferdinand resided. He was admitted at about six o’clock. There he stood, a poor
monk of rustic manners, yet a genuine hero and confessor, with the fire of genius and enthusiasm
flashing from his eyes and the expression of intense earnestness and thoughtfulness on his face,
before a brilliant assembly such as he had never seen: the young Emperor, six Electors (including
his own sovereign), the Pope’s legates, archbishops, bishops, dukes, margraves, princes, counts,
deputies of the imperial cities, ambassadors of foreign courts, and a numerous array of dignitaries
of every rank; in one word, a fair representation of the highest powers in Church and State.^355
(^350) Ibid: "Denn ich war unerschrocken, fürchtete mich nichts; Gott kann einen wohl so toll machen. Ich weiss nicht, ob ich jetzt auch
so freudig wäre."
(^351) See Luther’s picture of that year, by Cranach, in the small biography of Köstlin, p. 237 (Scribner’s ed.). It is very different from
those to which we are accustomed.
(^352) "Nun fuhr ich," says Luther (LXIV. 368), "auf einem offenen Wäglein in meiner Kappen zu Worms ein. Da kamen alle Leute auf die
Gassen und wollten den Mönch D. Martinum sehen."
(^353) Aleander to Vice-Chancellor Medici, from Worms, April 16: "Esso Luther in descensu currus versis huc et illuc demoniacis oculis
disse: ’Deus erit pro me.’ " Brieger, I. 143.
(^354) "Tutto il mondo," writes Aleander in the same letter, "went to see Luther after dinner."
(^355) Walch, XV. 2225-2231, gives a list of over two hundred members of the Diet that were present.