The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

THE LIBELLUM OF FERDINAND I. 287
of the clergy in their head and their members. In these there
is to be found a vigorous demand for the reform of the Pope
and the Curia, the hmitation of the members of the College of
Cardinals to twenty-four, in the spirit of the decisions of the
Council of Basle, the limitation of Papal dispensations and
monastic exemptions, the prohibition of benefices, the observ-
ance of the duty of residence, the severe punishment of simony,
the limitation of ordinances whirh bind under pain of mortal
sin, moderation in the infliction of excommunication, the
removal of abuses in the forms of worship, the expurgation
from the missal and breviary of useless and legendary matter,
and the use of singing in the vernacular in divine worship.
To these were added requests for the granting of the chaUce to
the laity, the abolition of the law of fasting, and for permission
for priests to marry. The libellum went on to state that,
even though all these concessions were not sought by all the
nations, it was quite a different matter for the German peoples,
whose special infirmities called for special remedies. If the
Church, like a good mother, would be indulgent in these
points, then most people hoped that at any rate the Catholics
who still remained could be preserved from heresy. It was
also necessary to draw up a clear summary of Cathohc doc-
trine, as weU as a new collection of homihes, and also to
estabhsh seminaries for the education and training of a good
clergy. After this came the advice that, as far as the Church
property which had been seized by the Protestants was con-
cerned, a hberal attitude should be adopted, as it could not
be hoped that the apostates would return to union with the
Church if restitution of that property was insisted on ;
danger-
ous points of controversy should also be avoided as far as
possible, as for example that on the duty of residence.
The ecclesiastical pohcy of Ferdinand had found complete
expression in his reform libellum. The good intentions of the
Emperor stand out clearly in it, especially his anxiety to put
a barrier in the way of the religious innovations, not only
by the removal of ecclesiastical abuses, which were so alarm-
ingly on the increase in his dominions, but also by far-reaching
concessions. While we may fully appreciate the subjective