Your Imperial Majesty also, not only once but often, graciously
signified to the Electors Princes, and Estates of the Empire, and
at the Diet of Spires held A. D. 1526, according to the form of
Your Imperial instruction and commission given and prescribed,
caused it to be stated and publicly proclaimed that Your Majesty,
in dealing with this matter of religion, for certain reasons
which were alleged in Your Majesty's name, was not willing to
decide and could not determine anything, but that Your Majesty
would diligently use Your Majesty's office with the Roman Pontiff
for the convening of a General Council. The same matter was thus
publicly set forth at greater length a year ago at the last Diet
which met at Spires. There Your Imperial Majesty, through His
Highness Ferdinand, King of Bohemia and Hungary, our friend and
clement Lord, as well as through the Orator and Imperial
Commissioners caused this, among other things, to be submitted:
that Your Imperial Majesty had taken notice of; and pondered, the
resolution of Your Majesty's Representative in the Empire, and
of the President and Imperial Counselors, and the Legates from
other Estates convened at Ratisbon, concerning the calling of a
Council, and that your Imperial Majesty also judged it to be
expedient to convene a Council; and that Your Imperial Majesty
did not doubt the Roman Pontiff could be induced to hold a
General Council, because the matters to be adjusted between Your
Imperial Majesty and the Roman Pontiff were nearing agreement and
Christian reconciliation; therefore Your Imperial Majesty himself
signified that he would endeavor to secure the said Chief
Pontiff's consent for convening, together with your Imperial
Majesty such General Council, to be published as soon as possible
by letters that were to be sent out.