or else obedience will ultimately be entirely renounced to escape from
these outrageous exactions of the Italians."

The relief expected from the Council of Basle failed, and abuses were
only made worse by a compact between Frederick III and Nicholas V,
known as the Concordat of Vienna. [Sidenote: 1448] This treaty was by
no means comparable with the English and French legislation, but was
merely a division of the spoils between the two supreme rulers at the
expense of the people. The power of appointment to high ecclesiastical
positions was divided, annates were confirmed, and in general a
considerable increase of the authority of the Curia was established.

Protests began at once in the form of "Gravamina" or lists of
grievances drawn up at each Diet as a petition, and in part enacted
into laws. In 1452 the Spiritual Electors demanded that the emperor
proceed with reform on the basis of the decrees of Constance. In 1457
the clergy refused to be taxed for a crusade. In 1461 the princes
appealed against the sale of indulgences. The Gravamina of this year
were very bitter, complaining of the practice of usury by priests, of
the pomp of the cardinals and of the pope's habit of giving promises of
preferment to certain sees and then declaring the places vacant on the
plea of having made a "mental reservation" in favor of some one else.
The Roman clergy were called in this bill of grievances "public
fornicators, keepers of concubines, ruffians, pimps and sinners in
various other {46} respects." Drastic proposals of reform were
defeated by the pope.

[Sidenote: Gravamina]

The Gravamina continued. Those of 1479 appealed against the Mendicant
Orders and against the appointment of foreigners. They clamored for a
new council and for reform on the basis of the decrees of Basle; they
protested against judicial appeals to Rome, against the annates and
against the crusade tax. It was stated that the papal appointees were
rather fitted to be drivers of mules than pastors of souls. Such words
found a reverberating echo among the people. The powerful pen of
Gregory of Heimburg, sometimes called "the lay Luther," roused his
countrymen to a patriotic stand against the Italian usurpation.

The Diet of 1502 resolved not to let money raised by indulgences leave
Germany, but to use it against the Turks. Another long list of
grievances relating to the tyranny and extortion of Rome was presented
in 1510. The acts of the Di