The attitude of Martin Luther towards the peasants and their cause was base in the extreme.

His action was mainly embodied in two documents, of which the first was issued about the middle of April, and the second a month later.

The difference in tone between them is sufficiently striking.

In the first, which bore the title, "An Exhortation to Peace on the Twelve Articles of the Peasantry in Swabia," Luther sits on the fence, admonishing both parties of what he deemed their shortcomings.

He was naturally pleased with those articles that demanded the free preaching of the Gospel and abused the Catholic clergy, and was not indisposed to assent to many of the economic demands.