DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61669#0180
HOLBEIN’S “AMBASSADORS
as he terms them, addressed to the Germans, with the object of re-
calling them to the obedience of the Church. Both these discourses
were drawn up to be delivered at public Diets held in Germany for the
promotion of religious unity. The second, as will presently be seen,
was indited in response to a special invitation from Charles V. in the
year 1540. The first in date, erroneously placed last in order by the
editor of the collected “ CEuvres,” is obviously the work of a very
young man. A glance at its contents appears to confirm the surmise
that it was composed for delivery before the Diet held at Spires in
i529-
After so many and exalted personages, says the youthful orator,
who have here come forward in the hope of appeasing the dissensions
of the Church, it would be great presumption on the part of anyone to
attempt to intervene of his own accord. But it would be equally
cowardly to hold back if called upon to take part in the deliberations.
Therefore, finding himself summoned, at an hour when no such thing
had entered his thoughts, by his king, whom it is the will of God that
he should obey, to come hither and try to assist in the pacification of
these great divisions ; seeing also that his vocation is of those to whom
are entrusted the salvation of souls ; having, furthermore, long felt
within himself exceeding pain at the calamity of the times and an
extreme desire to see it remedied, even were it with the loss of all his
possessions in this world, or even of something more besides; seeing
all these things, he felt that, notwithstanding he is forbidden by
ignorance and insufficiency, it was his duty to accept the office imposed
upon him. He begs that nothing very high or speculative may be
expected of him. Besides that his mind is incapable of such flights, as
one who is a simple beginner in the profession of letters, the truth of
things has not been so hidden that it is necessary to go beyond the
judgment of the simplest.1
It would seem that this discourse was divided into two parts, of
which only the first has been preserved. The teaching contained in
1 “ (Euvres de Feu Reverend Pere en Dieu, George de Selve, Evesque de la Vaur,”
Paris, 1559. “ Autres Remonstrances faictes par ledict De Selve auxdicts Alemans.”
152
as he terms them, addressed to the Germans, with the object of re-
calling them to the obedience of the Church. Both these discourses
were drawn up to be delivered at public Diets held in Germany for the
promotion of religious unity. The second, as will presently be seen,
was indited in response to a special invitation from Charles V. in the
year 1540. The first in date, erroneously placed last in order by the
editor of the collected “ CEuvres,” is obviously the work of a very
young man. A glance at its contents appears to confirm the surmise
that it was composed for delivery before the Diet held at Spires in
i529-
After so many and exalted personages, says the youthful orator,
who have here come forward in the hope of appeasing the dissensions
of the Church, it would be great presumption on the part of anyone to
attempt to intervene of his own accord. But it would be equally
cowardly to hold back if called upon to take part in the deliberations.
Therefore, finding himself summoned, at an hour when no such thing
had entered his thoughts, by his king, whom it is the will of God that
he should obey, to come hither and try to assist in the pacification of
these great divisions ; seeing also that his vocation is of those to whom
are entrusted the salvation of souls ; having, furthermore, long felt
within himself exceeding pain at the calamity of the times and an
extreme desire to see it remedied, even were it with the loss of all his
possessions in this world, or even of something more besides; seeing
all these things, he felt that, notwithstanding he is forbidden by
ignorance and insufficiency, it was his duty to accept the office imposed
upon him. He begs that nothing very high or speculative may be
expected of him. Besides that his mind is incapable of such flights, as
one who is a simple beginner in the profession of letters, the truth of
things has not been so hidden that it is necessary to go beyond the
judgment of the simplest.1
It would seem that this discourse was divided into two parts, of
which only the first has been preserved. The teaching contained in
1 “ (Euvres de Feu Reverend Pere en Dieu, George de Selve, Evesque de la Vaur,”
Paris, 1559. “ Autres Remonstrances faictes par ledict De Selve auxdicts Alemans.”
152