Page "Council of Trent" Paragraph 17

# To condemn the principles and doctrines of Protestantism and to clarify the doctrines of the Catholic Church on all disputed points.

It is true that the emperor intended it to be a strictly general or truly ecumenical council, at which the Protestants should have a fair hearing.

He secured, during the council's second period, 1551 – 53, an invitation, twice given, to the Protestants to be present and the council issued a letter of safe conduct ( thirteenth session ) and offered them the right of discussion, but denied them a vote.

Melanchthon and Johannes Brenz, with some other German Lutherans, actually started in 1552 on the journey to Trent.

Brenz offered a confession and Melanchthon, who got no farther than Nuremberg, took with him the Confessio Saxonica.

But the refusal to give the Protestants the right to vote and the consternation produced by the success of Maurice in his campaign against Charles V in 1552 effectually put an end to Protestant cooperation.