“Therefore, a prudent ruler cannot keep bis word, nor should he, when such fidelity would damage him, and when the reasons that made hire promise are no longer relevant. This advice would not be sound if all aacrnese upright but because they are treacherous and would not Keep thar promises to you, you should not consider yourself bound to keep your promises to them. Moreover, plausible reasons can always be found for such failure te keep promises. One could give countless modern examples of this, and Keep ivr many peace treaties and promises have been rendered null and snow bo the faithlesoness of rulers; and these best able to imitate the (ox poi caveded best. But foxiness should be well concealed: one must be a great feigner and dissembler. And men are 30 naive, and SO much 4 Sriaated’ by immodiate needs, that a skilful deceiver always finds pleaty of people who will et themselves be deceived. - = Oiler then, should be very careful [about] everything he says. --: 10 thege utd see and hear him, he should seem to be exceptionally merci ful, crustworthy, upright, humane and devout. And it is most picestany A te seem devout. In these matters, most men judge more by their yes than by their hands. For everyone is capable of seeing you, but few sre euch you. Everyone can see what you appear to be, whereas few sate dineet experience of what you really are; and those few will not dare 2vE lenge the popular view, sustained as itis by the majesty of the rule's position (fe READING REVIEW 1. According to Machiavelli why is it safer for a ruler to be feared than loved? 2, What advice does Machiavelli give about why a prudent ruler should not keep promises? 3. Do you think that today’s world Ieaders should follow the rules Machiavelli set down in The Prince? Why or why not? Wl eee 54 LUTHER'S REFUSAL AT THE DIET OF WORMS “Afier he had been excommunicated by Pope Leo X, Martin Lusher ‘Shes summoned by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, to appear Before the Fmperial Diet at Worms in 1521. Ther, he toas given an sunity 19 renounce his ideas. However, in a dramatic encounter cry imperial rulers and church theologians, Luther refused to recant. The excerpt below from Documents of the Christian Church, edived by Henry Bewenson, contains part of this exchange between Luther cad his opponents. As you read the excerpt, consider whether there tas any way for Luther 1 recant in good faith READINGS IN WORLD HISTORYDoe defend the books which are recognized as your work? [Or to retract anything contained in them?... [Luther replied:] Most Serene Lord Emperor, Most Illustrious Princes, Most Gracious Lords. . . beseech you to grant a gracious hear- ing to my plea, which, [ trust, will be a plea of justice and truth; and if through my inexperience I neglect to give to any their proper titles or in any way offend against the etiquette of the court in my manners or behaviour, be kind enough to forgive me, I beg, since I am a man who has spent his life not in courts bit in the cells of a monastery; a man who can say of himself only this, that to this day I have thought and written in simplicity of heart, solely with a view to the glory of God and the pure instruction of Christ's faithful people. . - -Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships: 1 ask you to observe that my books are not all of the same kind. ‘There are some in which I have dealt with picty in faith and morals with such simplicity and so agreeably with the Gospels that my adver- saries themselves are compelled to admit them useful, harmless, and clearly worth reading by a Christian. Even the [Excommunication] Bull, harsh and cruel though it is, makes some of my books harmless, although it condemns them also, by a judgement downright monstrous. If I should begin to recant here, what, I beseech you, should I be doing, but condemning, alone among mortals, that truth which is admitted by friends and foes alike... ‘The second kind consists in those writings levelled against the papacy and the doctrine of the papists, as against those who by their wicked doctrines and precedents have Isid waste Christendom by doing harm (o the souls and the bodies of men. No onc can cither deny or conceal this, for universal experience and worldwide grievances are witnesses to the fact that through the Pope’s laws and through man-made teachings the consciences of the faithful have been most pitifully ensnared, troubled, and racked in torment, and also that their goods and possessions have beea devoured (especially amongst this famous German nation) by unbelievable tyranny, and are to this day being devoured without end in shameful fashion... If then I recant these, the only effect will be to add strength to such tyranny, to open not the windows but the main doors to such blasphemy, which will thereupon stalk farther and more widely than it has hitherto dared. ... ‘The third kind consists of those books which I have written against private individuals, so-called; against those, that is, who have exerted themselves in defense of the Roman tyranny and to the overthrow of that piety which I have tatight....It is not in my power to recant them, because that recantation would give that tyranny and blasphemy an occasion to lord it over those whom I defend and to rage against God's people more violently than ever. However, since I am a man and not God, I cannot provide my writings with any other defence than that which my Lord Jesus Christ provided for his teaching. When he had been interrogated concerning his teaching. . .and had received a buffet from a servant, he said: “If T have READINGS IN WORLD HISTORY “However, since 1am a@ man and not God, I cannot provide my ‘writings with any other defence than that which my Lord Jesus Christ pro- vided for his teaching.” 107spoken evil, bear witness of the evil.” If the Lord himself, who knew Fron could not err, did not refuse to listen to witness against his teaching, even from a worthless slave, how much more ought I, scum That lant, capable of naught but error, to seek and to wait for any who may wish to bear witness against my teaching "eal co, through the mercy of God, I ask Your Imperial Majesty, and Your Illustrious Lordships, or anyone of any degree to bear witness, (0 wNerthrow my errors, to defeat them by the writings of the Prophets or by the Gospels: for I shall be most ready, if I be better instructed, fo Pecant any ecror, and I shall be the first in casting my writings into the fire... ‘Thereupon the Orator of the Empire, ina tone of upbraiding, said that his taswer was not to the point... He was being asked for 2 plain reply... to this question: Was he prepared to recant, or n02 Hiner then replied: Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships de- mand a-simple answer. Here itis, plain and unvamnished. Unless I am veenicted of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put no trust sa'the unsupported authority of pope oF of councils, since its plain that ihey have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest rae ning I stand convicted by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, seal my conscience i taken captive by God's word, I cannot and will noc fecant anything, for t0 act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open {0 US. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen. eee [ies 1. What three kinds of books did Luther admit to writing? 2. Under which conditions did Luther say he would recant? 3, Do you think there was any way for Luther to recant in good faith? Why or why not? ~ READING REVIEW Bo ee Stes 55 SPORTS IN ENGLAND In medieval times most sports played in England—jousting, sword- fighting, archery, wrestling, and so on—seere related to military com- ‘petition. Competing in such sport: provided preparation and training Jor wartime By the 1500, however, sports that were played purely for _. yeereation had developed. The excerpt below from The English by Christopher Hibbert describes some of these sports. As you read the excerpt, note the early beginnings of soccer. 5 Ww. hunting remained the favourite pastime of the healthy, the ‘adventurous and energetic, most gentlemen enjoyed quieter sports ‘and games as well. Nearly everyone played bowls, and few country READINGS IN WORLD HISTORY