sion, and sacrifice that to the grandeur of the house of
Austria. Ferdinand, who was as little disposed as formerly to give such
an extraordinary proof of self-denial, being sensible that, in order to
defeat this scheme, not only the most inflexible firmness on his part,
but a vigorous declaration from the princes of the empire in behalf of
his title, were requisite, was willing to purchase their favor by
gratifying them in every point that they deemed interesting or
essential.

At the same time he stood in need of immediate and extraordinary aid
from the Germanic body, as the Turks, after having wrested from him a
great part of his Hungarian territories, were ready to attack the
provinces still subject to his authority with a formidable army, against
which he could bring no equal force into the field. For this aid from
Germany he could not hope, if the internal peace of the empire were not
established on a foundation solid in itself, and which should appear,
even to the Protestants, so secure and so permanent as might not only
allow them to engage in a distant war with safety, but might encourage
them to act in it with vigor.

A step taken by the Protestants themselves, a short time after the
opening of the Diet, rendered him still more cautious of giving them any
new cause of offence. As soon as the publication of Ferdinand's speech
awakened the fears and suspicions which have been mentioned, the
electors of Saxony and Brandenburg, together with the Landgrave of
Hesse, met at Naumburg, and, confirming the ancient treaty of
confraternity which had long united their families, they added to it a
new article, by which the contracting parties bound themselves to adhere
to the Confession of Augsburg, and to maintain the doctrine which it
contained in their respective dominions.

Ferdinand, influenced by all these considerations, employed his utmost
address in conducting the deliberations of the Diet, so as not to excite
the jealousy of a party on whose friendship he depended, and whose
enmity, as they had not only taken the alarm, but had begun to prepare
for their defence, he had so much reason to dread. The members of the
Diet readily agreed to Ferdinand's proposal of taking the state of
religion into consideration previous to any other business. But, soon as
they entered upon it, both parties discovered all the zeal and animosity
which a subject so interesting naturally engenders, and which the
rancor of controversy,