the lords with considerably more sternness than the commoners, but makes fair suggestions for the composition of the differences.  Before Luther takes up the “Twelve Articles of the Peasants” for detailed discussion, he informs them that he considers their whole procedure wrong, even if all their demands were just, because they have resorted to force to secure their right.  A beautiful sentiment for an anarchist to utter, is it not?  In Article I the peasants demanded freedom to elect their own pastors, who were to preach the Gospel without any human additions.  That this request should be embodied in the peasants’ plea for their political rights, and that it should be made the foremost demand, is highly suggestive as to the principal cause of their unrest.  To this article Luther gave his unreserved endorsement.  Article II sought to regulate the income of priests-again a very suggestive request:  preachers were to receive for their sustenance no more than the tithes, the remainder of the church-income was to be set aside so as to render it unnecessary to tax the poor in war-times.  On this point Luther held that the tithes belong to the government, and to turn them over to any one else would be simple robbery.  Article III demanded the abolition of serfdom, however, as a test whether the Christianity of the lords was genuine.  The peasants implied that their political liberty had been secured by Christ, and that the lords were withholding it from them.  This argument Luther rejected as a carnal perversion of the Gospel.  Articles IV-X submitted these demands:  The poor man is to be accorded the right to fish and hunt; all wooded lands usurped by bishops or noblemen without making payment therefor are to revert to the community, and in case payment had been made, a settlement is to be effected by mutual agreement; burdensome exactions, services, taxes, and fines are to be rescinded; court trials are to be free from partiality and jealousy; meadows and lands which of right belong to the community are to be returned by their present owners.  On these points Luther suggests that the opinions of good lawyers be obtained.  Article XI deals with the right of heriot, or the death-tax imposed upon the widow or heir of a tenant.  This was approved.  In the last article the peasants express their readiness to withdraw any or all of these requests that are shown to be contrary to Scripture, and ask permission to substitute others for them.

Luther was in a fair way of bringing about an amicable settlement of the differences.  Philip of Hesse had at the same time come to a full agreement with the peasants in his domains, and peace seemed near, when the real genius of the whole peasant movement, Muenzer, interfered.  Luther had suspected for some time that this unscrupulous agitator was spreading the teaching of unbridled license under pretense of preaching liberty, and that the mystical piety which he was reported as practising, his leaning towards