The Age of the Reformation | Page 2

services,
this: that during my four years at Poughkeepsie, I was enabled to use
the Vassar library. For her good offices, as well as for the kindness of
the librarian, Miss Amy Reed, my thanks. My father, the Rev. Dr.
Henry Preserved Smith, professor and librarian at Union Theological
Seminary, has often sent me rare books from that library; nor can I
mention this, the least of his favors, without adding that I owe to him
much both of the inspiration to follow and of the means to pursue a
scholar's career. My thanks are also due to the libraries of Columbia
and Cornell for the use of books. But the work could not easily have
been done at all without the facilities offered by the Harvard Library.
When I came to Cambridge to enjoy the riches of this storehouse, I
found the great university not less hospitable to the stranger within her
gates than she is prolific in great sons. After I was already deep in debt
to the librarian, Mr. W. C. Lane, and to many of the professors, a short
period in the service of Harvard, as lecturer in history, has made me
feel that I am no longer a stranger, but that I can count myself, in some
sort, one of her citizens and foster sons, at least a dimidiatus alumnus.
This book owes more to my wife than even she perhaps quite realizes.
Not only has it been her study, since our marriage, to give me freedom
for my work, but her literary advice, founded on her own experience as
writer and critic, has been of the highest value, and she has carefully
read the proofs.
PRESERVED SMITH.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 16, 1920.

CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
THE OLD AND THE NEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. The World. Economic changes in the later Middle Ages. Rise of the
bourgeoisie. Nationalism. Individualism. Inventions. Printing.
Exploration. Universities.
2. The Church. The papacy. The Councils of Constance and Basle.
Savonarola.
3. Causes of the Reformation. Corruption of the church not a main
cause. Condition of the church. Indulgences. Growth of a new type of
lay piety. Clash of the new spirit with old ideals.
4. The Mystics. The German Theology. Tauler. The Imitation of Christ.
5. The Pre-reformers. Waldenses. Occam. Wyclif. Huss.
6. Nationalizing the churches. The Ecclesia Anglicana. The Gallican
Church. German church. The Gravamina.
7. The Humanists. Valla. Pico della Mirandola. Lefèvre d'Étaples. Colet.
Reuchlin. Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum. Hutten. Erasmus.
CHAPTER II.
GERMANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
1. The Leader. Luther's early life. Justification by faith only. The
Ninety-five Theses. The Leipzig Debate. Revolutionary Pamphlets of
1520.
2. The Revolution. Condition of Germany. Maximilian I. Charles V.

The bull Exsurge Domine burned by Luther. Luther at Worms and in
the Wartburg. Turmoil of the radicals. The Revolt of the Knights.
Efforts at Reform at the Diets of Nuremberg 1522-4. The Peasants'
Revolt: economic causes, propaganda, course of the war, suppression.
3. Formation of the Protestant Party. Defection of the radicals: the
Anabaptists. Defection of the intellectuals: Erasmus. The
Sacramentarian Schism: Zwingli. Growth of the Lutheran party among
the upper and middle classes. Luther's ecclesiastical polity. Accession
of many Free Cities, of Ernestine Saxony, Hesse, Prussia. Balance of
Power. The Recess of Spires 1529; the Protest.
4. Growth of Protestantism until the death of Luther. Diet of Augsburg
1530: the Confession. Accessions to the Protestant cause. Religious
negotiations. Luther's last years, death and character.
5. Religious War and Religious Peace. The Schmalkaldic War. The
Interim. The Peace of Augsburg 1555. Catholic reaction and Protestant
schisms.
6. Note on Scandinavia, Poland and Hungary.
CHAPTER III.
SWITZERLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
1. Zwingli. The Swiss Confederacy. Preparation for the Reformation.
Zwingli's early life. Reformation at Zurich. Defeat of Cappel.
2. Calvin. Farel. Calvin's early life. The Institutes of the Christian
Religion. Reformation at Geneva. Theocracy. The Libertines. Servetus.
Character and influence of Calvin.
CHAPTER IV.
FRANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
1. Renaissance and Reformation. Condition of France. Francis I. War

with Charles. The Christian Renaissance. Lutheranism. Defection of
the humanists.
2. The Calvinist Party. Henry II. Expansion of France. Growth and
persecution of Calvinism.
3. The Wars of Religion. Catharine de' Médicis. Massacre of Vassy.
The Huguenot rebellion. Massacre of St. Bartholomew. The League.
Henry IV. Edict of Nantes. Failure of Protestantism to conquer France.
CHAPTER V.
THE NETHERLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
1. The Lutheran Reform.