quered by the Franks under Chlotar. From this time it shared in the destinies of the Frankish and New Burgundian empire, gradually advancing in prosperity, until, with the surrounding district, it formed the county of Lyonnais, ruled by counts of its own. Under the Emperor Conrad the Second, it was annexed to the German empire. In the year 1172, the city and county passed from the jurisdiction and power of the counts of Lyonnais, under that of the Archbishop of Lyons. Two councils were held here; one in 1247, the other in 1254.

In 1363 Lyonnais was formally incorporated as a part of the kingdom of France. Lyons suffered more than any other city of France during the excesses of the first French revolution; for although in 1789 the people destroyed the castle of Pierre en Cise; yet, a reaction took place, and in May, 1793, the Jacobite municipality was driven out. On the 7th of August, in the same year, the city was bombarded with such rigour by the republicans, that on the tenth of October it was obliged to surrender. Hundreds of the inhabitants were shot. This not satisfying the hell-hounds of the Convention, they decreed the destruction of the whole city, which received the name of Commune Affranchie. Collot d'Herbois, Fouché and Couthon were appointed to execute this bloody sentence. Six thousand were butchered in cold blood. Neither were the finest buildings spared: their demolition continuing for five months. The city recovered this frightful catastrophe but slowly; but since the peace of 1815 the city has reached to a degree of opulence before unknown. Since the revolution of July, the city, from various causes has declined. Foreign competition and internal disturbances, are supposed chiefly to have occasioned this. The outbreak of 1831 began amongst the silkweavers, who were suffering under great distress. Marshal Soult, at the head of 20,000 men disarmed the insurgents, and order was restored. But in April, 1834, the insurrection was renewed, partaking more of a political character; the republicans uniting with the workmen to overthrow the government. The ostensible cause of this arose from legal proceedings having been taken against certain members of the secret societies. The insurrection was not put down until after five days of hard fighting in the streets, General Aymer gained the upper hand. The town had suffered terribly, the loss incurred by the demolition of the houses, &c. alone, was estimated at several million francs. The troops lost 475 killed and wounded, the rebels 700. Since this time, Lyons seems to have exchanged its republican, for religious fanaticism, being the chief seat for the Ultramontanists, or extreme Catholic party, who carry on a determined opposition against the state, whenever any check is attempted against an encroaching and intolerant hierarchy.

THE INTERIOR OF THE WARTBURG CHAPEL.

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THE INTERIOR OF THE WARTBURG CHAPEL.

LUTHER'S PRISON.

THE Wartburg is finely situated on a hill, near Eisenach, in the Grand Duchy of Weimar. The room which Luther inhabited is kept, as far as possible, in its original state, as are likewise the ink spots which were left on the wall when Luther, according to legendary report, threw his inkstand at the devil. The armoury in the Wartburg is very curious.

After his famous declaration, at the Diet of Worms, that he would not recant, Luther was ordered to leave the city. Several princes, particularly the ecclesiastics, wished to persuade the emperor to break his safe-conduct, and to treat him as Huss had been treated; but others, amongst them the Duke George of Saxony, one of the most decided opponents of Luther, spoke violently against it, and Charles V. himself abominated such perjury. But, on the 26th of May, 1521, when most of the members had left the Diet, an imperial order was issued, declaring this heretic, with all his adherents and future protectors, under the ban of the empire. But Luther was already in perfect safety, owing to the kind precaution of his sovereign, Frederic the Wise, who to guard him against all murderous attempts, as well as to protect himself from all the disagreeable consequences, if he should be accused of harbouring a heretic, who had undergone the ban of the Emperor and the Empire. He had adopted the necessary measures with Luther at Worms. On his return, the Protestant reformer had passed a day with his relations at the village of Moera, and on the morning of the 4th of May, he set out on his way over Schweina and Altenstein. Near this latter castle, the carriage was suddenly stopped by five masked riders, who dragged Luther out and galloped off with him into the forest, leaving the rest of the terrified company unmolested. After he had been obliged to run for a while beside their horses, they placed him on horseback, and rode for several hours through byeways in the forest, until they came to the fortified mountain castle of the Wartburg, near Eisenach. Here a chamber was assigned him, he was allowed books and materials, and a discreet attendant provided for his necessities. The people in the neighbourhood did not know who he was; he was supposed to be a state-prisoner, and when he rode out, or showed himself, he was always called Squire George. To mislead the curious, he was obliged to wear armour, and allow his beard to grow, as was the custom of the men-at-arms of that period. Thus nobody imagined that he was the celebrated Dr. Luther, and as nothing was heard of him for some time, it was supposed that he was dead. Even while in the Wartburg, Luther was indefati

gable in encouraging his adherents by new publications, which at last proved, that he must be alive, although nobody knew where he was.

The great effect which his writings produced on the whole German nation, now animated Luther with a courage which, in the consciousness of the Divine assistance, no longer feared any worldly power. He spoke to kings and princes in a tone which his calmer friends could not but find blameable, but which procured him the greatest applause among the people. He wrote to the Elector Albrecht of Mayence, who, imagining that his courageous opponent was now quite suppressed, had inconsiderately sent a dealer in indulgences to Halle, that he had till now spared him and the House of Brandenburg, because he had attributed the guilt of his actions principally to the folly and inexperience of the Elector, but he now told him that if the idol were not done away with, he would openly attack both the Elector and the Pope, accuse him of all the horrors committed by Tetzel, and show all the world what a difference there was between a bishop and a wolf; that he expected an answer to this letter in a fortnight, and when this was expired, he would publish his letter against the idol at Halle. The Elector was either so terrified by this letter, or so struck by the force of truth, that he answered, that the cause, which had induced Luther to write, had been removed. Much more violent was the letter which he soon after wrote to King Henry VIII., of England, and which he at the same time caused to be printed. Nevertheless, some years afterwards, he was persuaded by Christian II., the deposed King of Denmark, to write a letter to Henry VIII., and apologize for the abusive language which he had used towards him. Henry in his answer, as might be expected, displayed for him the most profound contempt.

When Luther had been in the Wartburg about a year, he left his place of refuge on hearing of the wild and ferocious scenes which had under Karlstadts guidance, occurred in Wittenburg. Such things as these had created a great sensation in Germany, and Luther feared with reason, that they would be attended with the worst consequences for the whole Reformation of the Church. He was convinced that nothing but his presence could stay the evil: he therefore became impatient to leave his place of confinement. He set out for Wittenburg, in opposition to the exhortations and commands of the Elector, and on his journey wrote him a letter, in justification of his resolution, which has been deservedly admired for the noble openness and firm faith which it breathes.

THE END.

GROVE AND SON, PRINTERS, TRINITY STREET, SOUTHWARK.