European Reformations Sourcebook

Carter Lindberg is Professor Emeritus of Church History at Boston University. His numerous publications include The European Reformations, 2nd edition (2009), Love: A Brief History through Western Christianity (2008), and A Brief History of Christianity (2005), The Pietist Theologians (2004) all published by Wiley-Blackwell.

"This will clearly function as one key book worth having on the shelf for those who begin to study European Reformation history and thought."—Clive Marsh, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Vol. 24, No. 3

• Preface to the Second Edition xviPreface to the First Edition xviiiAbbreviations xx1 The Late Middle Ages 11.1 Jean de Venette: Chronicle 31.2 Social Tensions: The Reformation of the Emperor Sigismund (c.1438) 31.3 The Crisis of Values: “Reynard the Fox” (1498) 41.4 Jakob Wimpfeling: The Origins of Printing, from Epitome Rerum Germanicarum (1505) 51.5 Sebastian Brant: The Ship of Fools 51.6 “The Piper of Niklashausen,” A Report of His Preaching (1476) 71.7 Ulrich von Hutten: Vadiscum oder die Römishe Dreifaltigkeit (1519) 81.8 Jacob Wimpfeling: Grievances of the German Nation (1515) 81.9 Pope Boniface VIII: Unam Sanctam (1302) 91.10 Pope Clement VI: Unigenitus Dei Filius (1343) 101.11 Pope Sixtus IV: Salvator Noster (1476) 101.12 Marsilius of Padua: Defensor Pacis (1324) 101.13 Conciliarism: Opinion of the University of Paris (1393) 111.14 Pierre D’Ailly: Conciliar Principles (1409) 111.15 The Council of Constance: Haec Sancta (1415) and Frequens (1417) 121.16 Pope Pius II: Execrabilis (1460) 121.17 Pope Leo X: Pastor Aeternus (1516) 131.18 John Wyclif: “On Indulgences” 131.19 John Hus: The Treatise on the Church 131.20 Gabriel Biel: “Doing What is in One” 141.21 Johannes Tauler, OP: Sermon Extract 141.22 Theologia Deutsch 151.23 Ludolf of Saxony: Vita Jesu Christi 151.24 Gerard Zerbolt: The Spiritual Ascents 161.25 Thomas à Kempis: The Imitation of Christ 161.26 Johannes von Staupitz: Sermon Extracts 171.27 Dietrich Kolde: A Fruitful Mirror or Small Handbook for Christians (1508) 171.28 François Rabelais: On Education 181.29 Lorenzo Valla: The Falsely Believed and Forged Donation of Constantine 191.30 Nicholas of Lyra: Interpretation of the Bible 191.31 Desiderius Erasmus: Praise of Folly (1509) 201.32 Erasmus, “Letter to Martin Dorp” (1515) 211.33 Ulrich von Hutten: Letters from Obscure Men (1515) 212 The Dawn of a New Era 232.1 Martin Luther: Recollections of Becoming a Monk 242.2 Luther’s Conversion 252.3 Luther’s Theological Emphases 252.4 Luther: “Disputation Against Scholastic Theology” (1517) 262.5 “Official Catalogue” of Relics in the Wittenberg Castle Church 272.6 Archbishop Albert of Mainz: The Commission of Indulgences 272.7 Tetzel: A Sample Sermon 282.8 A Contemporary Description of Indulgence Selling 292.9 “The Robbing of Tetzel” 292.10 Luther: “The Ninety-five Theses” (1517) 292.11 Bucer’s Description of Luther at the Heidelberg Disputation (1518) 302.12 Prierias: Dialogue Against the Arrogant Theses of Martin Luther on the Power of the Pope (1518) 312.13 Luther’s Hearing before Cardinal Cajetan at Augsburg (1518) 312.14 Georg Spalatin: Recollections of Frederick the Wise on Luther 322.15 Peter Mosellanus: Description of Luther, Karlstadt, and Eck at the Leipzig Debate 322.16 Capito: Letter of Support to Luther (February 1519) 332.17 Luther: Treatise on Good Works (June 1520) 342.18 Luther: To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate (1520) 342.19 Luther: The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520) 372.20 Luther: The Freedom of a Christian (1520) 402.21 Pope Leo X: “Exsurge domine” (June 15, 1520) 412.22 The Papal Nuncio’s Reports from the Diet of Worms 412.23 Luther before Emperor and Empire at the Diet of Worms (1521) 422.24 Charles V: Message to his Council (April 19, 1521) 432.25 The Edict of Worms (May 26, 1521) 442.26 Albrecht Dürer’s Diary: Rumors of Luther’s Capture (1521) 453 Implementation of Reforms 463.1 Thomas More to Martin Dorp (1515) 473.2 Erasmus: Paraclesis (1516) 483.3 Luther: “On Translating: An Open Letter” (1530) 483.4 Luther: A Brief Instruction on What to Look For and Expect in the Gospels (1521) 493.5 Jörg Vögeli: Letter to Konrad Zwick (1523) 503.6 Philipp Melanchthon: “On Improving the Studies of Youth” (1518) 503.7 Melanchthon: “Theses Against Scholastic Theology” (1520) 513.8 Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt: “The 151 Theses” (1517) 523.9 Karlstadt: The Meaning of the Term “Gelassen” and Where in Holy Scripture It is Found (1523) 523.10 “The Hammer of Witches” (1486) 533.11 Karlstadt: Exposition of Numbers 30 Which Speaks of Vows (1522) 543.12 Luther: The Judgment of Martin Luther on Monastic Vows (1521) 543.13 Luther: The Estate of Marriage (1522) 553.14 Ursala of Münsterberg: A Nun Explains Her Leaving the Convent (1528) 563.15 Argula von Grumbach 563.16 Katharina Schütz Zell: Writings on Reformation and Marriage 573.17 Katherine Rem: A Nun Rejects the Reformation (1523) 583.18 Caritas Pirckheimer: A Journal of the Reformation Years 1524–1528 583.19 Karlstadt: On the Abolition of Images and That There Should Be No Beggars Among Christians (1522) 593.20 The Wittenberg Movement: The University Report to Elector Frederick (1521) 613.21 The Wittenberg Movement by the End of 1522 613.22 Nicholas Hausmann: A Report Concerning the Zwickau Prophets (1521) 623.23 Melanchthon: Report to Frederick on the Situation in Wittenberg (1521) 623.24 Luther: Letter to Elector Frederick (1522) 633.25 Luther: The Invocavit Sermons (1522) 643.26 Luther: Against the Heavenly Prophets (1525) 653.27 Karlstadt: Several Main Points of Christian Teaching Regarding Which Dr. Luther Brings Andreas Carlstadt Under Suspicion Through False Accusation and Slander (1525) 664 Social Welfare and Education 684.1 Canon Law 694.2 Johann Geiler of Kaysersberg: “Concerning Begging” 694.3 The Nuremberg Begging Order of 1478 704.4 Luther: “Foreword” to Mathias Hütlin’s The Book of Vagabonds (1510) 714.5 Luther: The Blessed Sacrament of the Holy and True Body of Christ and the Brotherhoods (1519) 724.6 Anonymous: “What is Loan-Interest Other than Usury?” (1522) 734.7 Luther: Trade and Usury (1524) 744.8 Luther: “That Clergy Should Preach Against Usury” (1540) 754.9 Social Welfare Legislation: The City of Wittenberg (1522) 764.10 Social Welfare Legislation: Leisnig (1523) 774.11 A Conversation Concerning the Common Chest of Schwabach, Namely by Brother Heinrich, Knecht Ruprecht, Spitler, and Their Master of the Wool Trade (1524) 784.12 Luther: To the Councilmen of All Cities in Germany that They Establish and Maintain Christian Schools (1524) 794.13 Luther: A Sermon on Keeping Children in School (1530) 804.14 Luther: The Small Catechism (1529) 814.15 Luther: The Large Catechism (1529) 825 The Reformation of the Common Man 855.1 Müntzer to Luther (1520) 865.2 Müntzer: Prague Manifesto (1521) 865.3 Müntzer to Melanchthon (1522) 875.4 Karlstadt: Whether One Should Proceed Slowly (1524) 875.5 Luther: Letter to the Christians at Strassburg in Opposition to the Fanatic Spirit (1524) 885.6 Luther: Letter to the Princes of Saxony Concerning the Rebellious Spirit (1524) 895.7 Müntzer to the People of Erfurt (1525) 905.8 Müntzer to Frederick the Wise (1524) 905.9 Müntzer: Vindication and Refutation (1524) 915.10 Müntzer: Sermon to the Princes (1524) 925.11 The Twelve Articles of the Upper Swabian Peasants (1525) 925.12 Luther: Admonition to Peace. A Reply to the Twelve Articles of the Peasants in Swabia (1525) 945.13 Aspects of Müntzer’s Military Campaign 955.14 The Massacre of Weinsberg (April 16, 1525): Report of the Parson Johann Herolt 965.15 Müntzer to the People of Allstedt (1525) 965.16 Müntzer’s Revolutionary “Ring of Justice” in the Camp of the Frankenhausen Army 975.17 Luther: Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants (1525) 975.18 Luther: An Open Letter on the Harsh Book Against the Peasants (1525) 985.19 The Account of Hans Hut (1527) 995.20 Johann Rühl, Mansfeld Councillor, to Martin Luther (1525) 995.21 Aftermath of the Peasants’ War: Report of the Bernese Chronicler, Valerius Anshelm 1005.22 The Consequences of Luther’s Stance during the Peasants’ War: Hermann Mühlpfort, Mayor of Zwickau, to Stephan Roth at Wittenberg (1525) 1006 The Swiss Connection: Zwingli and the Reformation in Zurich 1026.1 Zwingli’s Invitation to Zurich (1518) 1036.2 Mandate of the Zurich Mayor and Council for Scriptural Preaching (1520) 1046.3 Heinrich Bullinger: Account of Zwingli’s Preaching Against Mercenary Service in 1521 1046.4 The Affair of the Sausages 1046.5 Christopher Froschauer’s Defense (1522) 1056.6 Zwingli: Concerning Choice and Liberty Respecting Food – Concerning Offense and Vexation – Whether Anyone Has Power to Forbid Foods at Certain Times – Opinion of Huldreich Zwingli (1522) 1056.7 Petition of Certain Preachers of Switzerland to the Most Reverend Lord Hugo, Bishop of Constance, That He Will Not Suffer Himself to be Persuaded to Make Any Proclamation to the Injury of the Gospel, Nor Endure Longer the Scandal of Harlotry, But Allow the Priests to Marry Wives or at Least Would Wink at Their Marriages (1522) 1066.8 Ordinance for Reform of the Great Minster (1523) 1066.9 Institution of the Prophesy in Zurich 1076.10 Zwingli: “Short Christian Instruction” (1523) 1086.11 Removal of Relics and Organs (1524) 1096.12 The Council’s Mandate for Church-Going (1531) 1096.13 Zwingli’s View of Luther 1096.14 Zwingli: Of the Clarity and Certainty of the Word of God (1522) 1106.15 Zwingli: The Sixty-Seven Articles (1523) 1116.16 The First Zurich Disputation (January 23, 1523) 1126.17 The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) 1136.18 The Second Council of Lyons (1274) 1136.19 Karlstadt: “Dialogue” on the Lord’s Supper (1524) 1136.20 Zwingli: “Letter to Matthew Alber Concerning the Lord’s Supper” (1524) 1156.21 Zwingli: Friendly Exegesis, That Is, Exposition of the Matter of the Eucharist, Addressed to Martin Luther by Huldrych Zwingli (1527) 1166.22 Luther: Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper (1528) 1166.23 The Marburg Colloquy and Articles (1529) 1176.24 Erasmus to Martin Bucer (1527) 1186.25 Willibald Pirckheimer: Humanist Disappointment with the Reformation (1530) 1197 The Radical Reformations 1207.1 Zwingli: Refutation of the Tricks of the Baptists (1527) 1217.2 Anabaptism Begins (1525) 1227.3 The Second Zurich Disputation (1523) 1237.4 Conrad Grebel and Companions to Müntzer (1524) 1237.5 Mantz’s Petition of Defense, Zurich (1524) 1247.6 Hubmaier to Oecolampadius on Baptism (1525) 1257.7 The Zurich Council Orders Infant Baptism, and Silence (1525) 1257.8 The Council Orders Anabaptists to Be Drowned (1526) 1257.9 Zwingli: Of Baptism (1525) 1267.10 The Schleitheim Confession of Faith [Seven Articles] (1527) 1277.11 The Banishment of Blaurock and Execution of Mantz 1287.12 The Trial and Martyrdom of Michael Sattler (1527) 1287.13 Johann Eck: Letter to Duke George of Saxony on the Anabaptists (1527) 1307.14 Bernard Rothmann: A Confession of Faith and Life in the Church of Christ of Münster (1534) 1317.15 The Twelve Elders of Münster: “Thirteen Statements of the Order of Life” and “A Code for Public Behavior” (mid-1534) 1317.16 Appeal to Outsiders to Join the “New Jerusalem” in Münster 1327.17 The Death of the “Prophet” Jan Matthijs 1337.18 Communism in the City of Münster 1337.19 The Introduction of Polygamy in the City of Münster 1347.20 Rothmann: A Restitution of Christian Teaching, Faith, and Life (1534) 1347.21 Rothmann: Concerning Revenge (1534) 1357.22 The Capture, Torture, Confession, and Execution of Jan van Leiden 1368 Augsburg 1530 to Augsburg 1555: Reform and Politics 1378.1 Reform Programme of the Bishop of Pomerania (1525) 1388.2 The Speech from the Throne (1526) 1398.3 The Declaration of the Cities (1526) 1398.4 The Recess of the Diet (1526) 1408.5 The Speech from the Throne (1529) 1408.6 The Resolution of the Majority (1529) 1418.7 The Resolution of the Minority (1529) 1418.8 Cardinal Campeggio’s Instructions to the Emperor (1530) 1428.9 Dukes William IV and Louis X of Bavaria to the Theological Faculty of Ingolstadt University (1530) 1438.10 Johannes Eck: “404 Articles” on the Errors of the Reformers (1530) 1438.11 The Advice of Dr. Brück, Chancellor of Electoral Saxony (1530) 1448.12 The Augsburg Confession (1530) 1448.13 Cardinal Legate Campeggio’s Response to the Augsburg Confession (1530) 1458.14 Confutation of the Augsburg Confession (1530) 1468.15 The Recess of the Diet of Augsburg (1530) 1478.16 Luther: Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed (1523) 1478.17 Judgment of the Saxon Jurists (1530) 1488.18 Luther: Letter to Lazarus Spengler in Nuremberg (1531) 1488.19 Luther: Dr. Martin Luther’s Warning to his Dear German People (1531) 1498.20 Luther: Disputation Concerning the Right to Resist the Emperor (1539) 1508.21 Nicholas Gallus et al.: A Confession of the Magdeburg Pastors Concerning Resistance to the Superior Magistrate (1550) 1508.22 Sastrow’s account of preaching during the Interim 1518.23 The Peace of Augsburg (1555) 1528.24 Charles V: Abdication Speech, Brussels (1556) 1539 The Genevan Reformation 1549.1 John Calvin: Conversion and Development 1559.2 Nicolas Cop: Rector’s Address to the University of Paris (1533) 1569.3 Apology of John Calvin to the Gentlemen, the Nicodemites (1544) 1579.4 Calvin: A Very Useful Account concerning the Great Benefit that Christianity will Receive if it takes an inventory of all the sacred bodies and relics which are in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and other kingdoms and countries (1543) 1589.5 Michel Roset: Chronicles of Geneva (1562) 1599.6 Jeanne de Jussie: The Short Chronicle. A Poor Clare’s Account of the Reformation in Geneva 1609.7 The Ecclesiastical Ordinances of 1541 1629.8 Calvin to Kaspar Olevianus regarding the churches in Heidelberg (1560) 1639.9 François de Bonivard: On the Ecclesiastical Polity of Geneva 1649.10 Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 1659.11 Calvin: The Geneva Catechism (1545) 1689.12 Ordinances Concerning Church Polity in Geneva (1546) 1699.13 Calvin: Short Treatise on the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ (1542) 1709.14 Calvin on Luther: Letter to Heinrich Bullinger (1544) 1719.15 The Consensus Tigurinus (1549) 1719.16 A Letter from the Geneva Company of Pastors to the Swiss Churches on Jerome Bolsec (1551) 1739.17 Calvin: “The Consent Of The Pastors Of The Church Of Christ At Geneva, Concerning ‘The Eternal Predestination Of God,’ By Which He Has Chosen Some Men Unto Salvation, While He Has Left Others To Their Own Destruction .” 1739.18 Servetus: Letter to Abel Poupin, Minister in Geneva (1547?) 1749.19 The Trial of Michael Servetus (1553) 1749.20 Servetus: Plea for Religious Liberty 1759.21 Servetus: Petition from Prison to the Geneva Council 1759.22 The Sentence of the Geneva Council (1553) 1759.23 Castellio: Concerning Heretics 17610 The Reformation in France 17810.1 Jacques Lefèvre: Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul (1512) 17910.2 Lefèvre: Preface to Latin Commentary on the Gospels (1522) 17910.3 Lefèvre: Letters to Farel (1524) 17910.4 The Sorbonne Condemnation of Lefèvre’s “Fifty-Two Sundays” (1525) 18010.5 Florimond de Raemond: Heresy at Meaux 18010.6 Marie Dentière: Epistle to Marguerite de Navarre (1539) 18110.7 The Message of the Placards 18210.8 Letter to Geneva from Five Evangelical Students Imprisoned in Lyon (1552) 18210.9 Nicolas des Gallars, Pastor in Paris, to His Genevan Colleagues (1557) 18310.10 Calvin’s Response to Des Gallars (1557) 18310.11 Letter from the Company of Pastors to the Church in Paris (1557) 18410.12 The French Confession of Faith (1559) 18510.13 The Report of the Venetian Ambassador in France (1561) 18610.14 Michel de L’Hôpital: Speech to the Estates-General of Orleans (1560) 18710.15 Beza’s Account of the Colloquy of Poissy (1561) 18810.16 St. Bartholomew’s Eve (From Amsterdam, August 30, 1572) 18910.17 The Duke of Sully’s Account of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre 18910.18 The Murder of Henry, Third Duke of Guise, at Blois (1588) 19010.19 Report of the Assassination of Henry III (1589) 19110.20 Henry IV Ascends the Throne (1589) 19210.21 Henry IV Becomes a Catholic (1593) 19210.22 The Pope’s Pardon for Henry IV (1595) 19210.23 The Edict of Nantes (1598) 19311 The Reformation in the Netherlands 19511.1 The Venetian Ambassador on Philip II (1559) 19611.2 Philip II: The Edict of 1555 19611.3 The Belgic Confession of Faith (1561) 19711.4 Pieter Titelmans, Inquisitor to Regent Margaret of Parma Kortrijk (1562) 19811.5 Description of “Hedge-Preaching” Given to Regent Margaret (1566) 19911.6 Philip Marnix on Mob Violence in the Netherlands (1567) 19911.7 “Request” of the Nobles, Presented to Regent Margaret by Henry Brederode (1566) 20011.8 “The Request of Those of the New Religion to the Confederate Nobles” (1567) 20111.9 Philip II: Letter to Pope Pius V on the Religious Question in the Netherlands (1566) 20111.10 The Goals of William of Orange (1572) 20211.11 Calvinists Appeal to the King for a Truce (1578) 20211.12 Beutterich on the Possible Consequences of a Truce (1578) 20311.13 Act of Abjuration (1581) 20311.14 Philip II Refuses to Concede Toleration (1585) 20412 The Reformations in England and Scotland 20512.1 William Melton, Chancellor of York Minster: Sermon to Ordinands (c.1510) 20612.2 Simon Fish: A Supplication for the Beggars (1529) 20712.3 John Foxe’s Acts and Monuments: Lollardy on the Eve of the Reformation 20712.4 John Foxe on Robert Barnes 20812.5 Edward Hall: A Protestant Merchant Outwits a Bishop (1529) 20812.6 A Report of Henry VIII by the Venetian Ambassador (1519) 20912.7 The Act of Supremacy (1534) 21012.8 The Act of the Six Articles (1539) 21012.9 Anne Askew: The Examinations (1545, 1546) 21112.10 Tyndale’s Preface to the New Testament (1526) 21112.11 Thomas Cranmer’s Preface to the Great Bible (1540) 21212.12 The Preface to the Geneva Bible (1560) 21212.13 The Preface to the Rheims New Testament (1582) 21212.14 The Preface to the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible (1611) 21312.15 Thomas Cranmer: Certain Sermons, or Homilies (1547) 21312.16 The Act of Uniformity (1549) 21412.17 Act to Take Away All Positive Laws Against Marriage of Priests (1549) 21412.18 The Marian Injunctions (1554) 21512.19 The Act of Supremacy (1559) 21512.20 The Elizabethan Injunctions (1559) 21612.21 John Jewel: An Apologie of the Church of England (1560/61) 21712.22 The Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England (1571) 21812.23 John Hooper: The Regulative Principle and Things Indifferent (1550) 21912.24 John à Lasco: The Abolition of Vestments (1552?) 22012.25 The Excommunication and Deposition of Elizabeth: Pope Pius V’s Bull “Regnans in Excelsis” (1570) 22112.26 Eyewitness Account of the Execution of Mary Stuart on the 18th Day of February of the New Calendar, in the Castle of Fotheringhay in England (1587) 22213 Catholic Renewal and Counter-Reformation 22413.1 Girolamo Savonarola: “On the Renovation of the Church” (1495) 22513.2 John Colet: Convocation Sermon (1512) 22613.3 Egidio da Viterbo: “Address to the Fifth Lateran Council” (1512) 22713.4 Gasparo Contarini’s Conversion Experience (1511) 22813.5 Contarini on Justification (1523) 22813.6 Pope Adrian VI: Instruction to the Diet of Nuremberg (1522) 22913.7 Proposal of a Select Committee of Cardinals and other Prelates Concerning the Reform of the Church, Written and Presented by Order of His Holiness Pope Paul III (1537) 23013.8 Anonymous: The Beneficio di Christo (1543) 23113.9 Morata: Letter to Lavinia della Rovere Orsini (1551/52) 23213.10 Morata: Letter to Matthias Flacius Illyricus (1553) 23213.11 Morata to Pietro Paolo Vergerio (1555) 23313.12 Henry Cornelius Agrippa: “The Art of the Inquisitors” (1530) 23313.13 Loyola’s Conversion 23413.14 Pope Paul III: Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae (1540) 23413.15 Loyola: “Rules for Thinking with the Church” 23513.16 Loyola: Letter to Father Peter Canisius on Opposing Heresy (1554) 23613.17 The Council of Trent on the Canonical Scriptures (1546) 23613.18 Decree and Canons Concerning Justification (1547) 23713.19 Canons on the Sacraments in General, Seventh Session (1547) 23813.20 Decree Concerning the Eucharist (1551) 23813.21 Antonius Caucus: Sermon for the Opening of Session Eighteen (1562) 23913.22 The Sacrifice of the Mass, Twenty-Second Session (1562) 24013.23 Ten Rules Concerning Prohibited Books Drawn Up by the Fathers Chosen by the Council of Trent and Approved by Pope Pius IV 24013.24 Juan de Mariana, SJ: “Whether It Is Right to Destroy a Tyrant?” (1599) 24113.25 Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda: “On the Indians” (c.1547) 24213.26 Bartolomé de las Casas: “On the Indians” (1552) 242Bibliography 244Acknowledgments to Sources 250Index 271