From Miltitzen's journey via Leipzig, where he interrogates Tetzeln, to Cardinal Cajetan in Trier.
A. How Miltitz cited "Tetzel" to Altenburg immediately after his arrival in Saxony, but he did not appear.
Tetzel's letter of apology to the Papal Nuncio Carl von Miltitz that he could not come to Altenburg without risking his life. Leipzig, Dec. 31, 1518.
According to Spalatin's own translation in Cyprian's Urkunden, Vol. I, p. 374; then in Löscher's Res.-Acta, Vol. II, p. 567.
Grandfather. Your Honor encourages me that she has forced me to come to Aldenburg to hear something special from her. Now, I should not be distressed by such work and such recklessness. Your Lordship will be pleased when I leave Leyptzich for the rest of my life. When Martin Luther Augustine aroused and moved the powers that be not only in all German lands, but also in the conquering countries between Austria, Hungary, and Poland against me in such a way that I am nyrgently certain. The aforementioned Martin Luther has also, in the youngest of his actions between Augsburg and in the appeal, the process
his citation and the whole grievance which he suffered. then by the foremost clerics the law was falsely imposed on me. And I have been accused of having preached heresy and the reading of God, and of not having drawn the most noble in God, Father and Lord, Archbishop between Meintz and Mayburg and the Holy See between Rome and Cardinal Transitions, into this plan. If, however, the noble Archbishop has ordered them to cite and not me, as God is my witness, now I have forced my sermon before the longest heylicky knowledge. I have also excused myself from the libel against the holy virgin, which he forced me to commit verbally and in writing in the past year, as your Honor will hear from the copies sent over here. But such an apology of mine, when seen, is again obscene to me, as if I had preached heresy and the reading of God. All men's opinion against me is unjustly moved and made me repugnant, some of whom, when I stand from the preaching pulpit, draw my attention to me with their eyes. I have also been warned by many daphne and credible people that I should be very careful. Then many of Martini's followers have sworn me to death. For this reason I can
Our heritage, which I would rather see than an angel, will not come out of my life. Therefore, for the sake of God, and because of my greatest fear, may Your Excellency pardon me, when I have loved the Holy Spirit at all times, and will love Him as long as I live, I have for many years, and especially now, because Martinus, on his predecessor's estate, has had a vntzal ferlickey of life, of rumor, and of the good of the common folk, of spirituality, and of other earthly things. On account of which I am challenged with unimaginable deceptions and schedules. But this is said. I want to defend the truth of the law until my end against all its opponents. Therefore, your father commands me what I should do, so I will live forever, if only I can do it on my own life's journey.
Given at Leyptzick. on the last day of December anno Dni XV 6. XIX-)
Brother Tetzel.
B. How Miltitz therefore demanded that he appear before him when he was passing through Leipzig and gave him his
has sharply spoiled sacrilege.
Miltitzen's written report to the Electoral Councilor Pfeffinger on his interrogation of Tetzel in Leipzig. Gräfenthal,
22 Jan. 1519.
From Chprian's Urkunden, Vol. I, p. 380 reprinted in Löscher's Ref.-Acta, Vol. Ill, p. 20.
The way I have heard about you not having been healthy in Leipzig, Tetzel has come to me with all his prouincials, which I have then spoken about as if they were born out of a search for others. I have heard from many people, and from him himself, that he wants to leave and flee from these lands, and that he is angry with him, because his lies and deceit have been revealed to me in great numbers, and also in great other things I addressed him, also brought enough testimony to him about it in his present value, which
1) That is Dec. 31, 1518, because the new year began with Christmas. Walch has in, the heading wrong: 1519.
I also want to write all the official heylickeyt and be a vrteyl oberm Tetzel warthen. I have consulted with the Fucker Factor at Leyptig, who has collected the money of the applause, that Tetzel has received every month lxxx fl. for his work and all costs free with a wagon and iij pherd beyrewternn and every month for his servant x fl. ane that he has stolen and useless. We must consider what he has preached of grace and what he has thought of the Holy Roman Church; or of my most gracious Lord of Mentz, that and much else I have truly understood and if it has time I will tell you everywhere, also he has ij children 2c. I want to show this to my most noble lord, if it is good for you. I have had letters from the University of Wittenberg and from Her Martina, and will keep to them as much as I can.
Eylend zw Gräfenthal am Sonnabend nach Sebastiani [22. Jan.] 1. 5.19.
Carolus von Miltitz..
Luther's report of how Miltitz had let Tetzeln get to him in such a way that he died of melancholy.
See Luther's preface to the first part of his Latin books. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIV, Col. 445 f.
Luther's magnanimous compassion for Tetzel's condition, who had become quite pusillanimous and sick over the fact that Miltitz had been so hard on him.
See Appendix, No. 6, § 2.
293 Letter of intercession from the Provincial of the Saxon Franciscans, Hermann Rabe, to the Papal Nuncio on behalf of Tetzel, a man in need. 3 Jan. 1519.
From Cyprian's Documents, vol. II, p. 106, Latin there.
Venerable Father and Lord in Christ! I rejoice exceedingly and have already rejoiced that your reverend fatherhood and glory have arrived in our region. I had hoped that I would be comforted by confidential conversation in the so great sorrows and troubles that have come upon me and mine at this time. God forgive Martin Luther, who diligently strives to draw us innocent people into his cause and has striven to make his-
would like to pull his head out of the noose a little. But what he inflicted and has inflicted on this venerable father, Magister Johann Tetzel, because he has defended the sovereignty of the apostolic see even with his damage and does not cease to defend it, as his sermons to the people prove, and all who have heard him must bear witness to him, is known to everyone who reads and hears Martin's appeal and other writings. Indeed, I do not know if there is anyone like him who has done and suffered so much and so great things for the Most Holy See and is still suffering. If God wanted our most holy Lord to know, I have no doubt that he would honor him duly for it. But what lies and shameful calumnies, which are invented in an endless way, are poured on him, is known in all places and in all corners. Therefore, I entrust the same Father to your most reverend Fatherhood and Glory, for whose protection and that of the Holy See, for which he also works to the limits, as an honest friend and Lord. I wish that your glory had heard his sermon on the day of the circumcision of the Lord, then it would certainly be able to conclude from it how he was and still is minded against this holy see. Therefore, I once again command him and myself to Your Glory in the best possible manner. Date Leipzig, January 3, in the year of salvation 1519. Brother Hermann Rab,
Provincial in Saxony.
C. Von Miltitzen's continued journey to Augsburg and the correspondence continued from there with Chursachsen.
294 Letter from the Papal Nuncio Carl von Miltitz to Chursachsen, in which he gives every good hope of a happy outcome to Luther's cause, but encloses a request that Luther be able to hold on to his book writing until his return, because he has reported everything to Rome. Augsburg, the
Feb. 5, 1519.
From Cyprian's Documents, Vol. I, p. 382.
Your Lordship, my most reverend Prince and Lord, my humble and entirely obedient service, together with my duties, are to be granted by your princely grace in all respects. Most Gracious
I have written everything that your Curator has written to me, with all due respect, to my most holy father the Babest, which your Curator has left with me, by the way of doubt, that it is worthy of your approval, and that your Curatorship will be well pleased with all the articles that your Holiness has written. Curff. genaden gut menung fornemenn, dar ann seyn Heylikeit Eyn sunderlichenn gefallen haben, och genedigster Curff. vnd Her, all die articel die mir Her Fabian von Feyltzß von wegen Ewr Curff. g. I want to save time and money until I can demand that your Curate should proceed in all doubts, if I know that your Curate does not want a greater one. I am also hoping that Your Honor will allow Martin Luther to hold that his will will not be started otherwise until I return, as we have left it up to you, so I hope I will bring the matter to your possession, Most Honorable Honor and Your Honor, Doctor Lamperther of the Supreme Court has given me a more praiseworthy order than Your Honor. I have also written here to your Curff. g. what I have requested from your Curff. g. in the other cases, and with this, I hereby submit to your Curff. g. as my most gracious Lord Date Awßburgk In Die Agathe [5. Feb.] 2) 1519.
Ewr Curff. g.
vnderteniger capellan
Carolus von Miltitz.
295 Elector Frederick of Saxony's answer to Miltitzen's above letter. Altenburg, March 4, 1519.
From Cyprian's Urkunden, vol. I, p. 3dl reprinted in Löscher's Ref.-Acta, vol. Ill, p. 95.
By the Grace of God Frederick Duke of Saxony and Elector.
Our greetings before. Dear andechtiger. We have received your letter, and that you have written to Rome about our affairs, and that you will only be informed and will not hinder us, so that we may receive an answer, and that our affairs may be judged to the best of our ability.
1) This comma is set by us.
2) Walch has incorrectly resolved this date in the caption: 6 Feb.
We trust in you. But you indicate that you hope we will keep Martin's lute so that he will not do anything else until you return. As we want to provide him with that, he would be caused to do so. Therefore, we want those who are in need of him to refrain from doing so, so we do not doubt that Doctor Martinus will not resist any further. We have not wished to restrain you from doing so. We are therefore inclined to be gracious to you. Date Aldenburg am virden tag Marti: anno 2c. XIX.
To Her Carol von Miltitz.
No. 335 is Miltitzen's answer to this letter from the Elector. Due to incorrect dating (already in Cyprian), this letter is set in the year 1520.
Luther's letter of apology to the Elector of Saxony, in which he reports how, in order to save the honor of divine truth, he was forced to debate with D. Eck, since he would otherwise have been more than happy to remain silent, according to the conclusion reached with Miltitz, if only the papists had left him alone and not challenged him again, despite Miltitz's promise that his opponents would also be urged to remain silent. Dated March 13, 1519.
From Cyprian's Urkunden, Vol. I, p. 389 in Löscher's Ref.-Acta, Vol. Ill, p. 204; in the Leipzig edition, Vol. XVII, p. 24l; in De Wette, Vol. I, p. 237 and in the Erlangen edition, Vol. 53, p. 7. We have used the variants communicated from the original in the Erlangen correspondence, Vol. I, p. 448.
To the Most Illustrious and Highborn Prince and Lord, Duke Frederick, of the Holy Roman Empire, Elector, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Doringen, Margrave of Meist. Reichs Ertzmarschalk, Churfürsten, Herzog zu Sachsen, Landgrafen zu Doringen, Markgrafen zu Meisten, my most gracious Lord and Patron.
Jhesus.
My poorest subject is E. Churf. G. alzeyt beuohr, Durchleuchtigster Hochgeporner Fürst, gnedigster Herr. It is sent to me by E. Churf. G. Capellan Herr Magistro Spalatin some Punct, ßo der Erwirdige Herr Carolus von Miltitz Bepstlicher Heyligkeit Com
missarius, to E. C. G. concerning me, has decided that I should stand still in Hynfurt and not start anything new. As we then decided in Aldenburgk. Now God knows that my whole heart was in it, and that I was glad that the spill should have an end, as much as was in my hands, and that I kept the same pact so steadfastly, that I let Her Silvester Prierat's replica 1) go, how much I had despised many of my adversaries' defiant mockery, and had sworn to Aries my friend's counsel: Thus our decision, as Her Carolus well knows, has been that I will remain silent, however far my opponents remain silent. Now, however, Doctor Ecke has attacked me in such a way that he has not disgraced me, but" the entire E. C. G. Univerfitet zu Wittenberg and is noted in the 2) search: "and many brave people think that he has been bought for the cause, has not wanted to show me such a weather-turning, hynderlistic grip, nor to let the truth be put in such mockery". Then one should shut my mouth, and open it to someone else, E. F. G. can well judge, that then also he would fall on me, who otherwise might not look at me. Now I am still heartily committed to obediently follow C. F. G.'s faithful wheel, and to stand still all the way, so that it will also stand still when I have more to do, and when my life is not wanted there. But if not, I ask E. C. F. G. most sincerely, will myrs nitt fürvnngnaden, dann ich es auch ym gewistzen nicht weiß zutragenn, die warheyt zu lassen. Then, as well as the position of priestly heylickness, I have to follow the disputation of white, to keep the return, all the time with all due respect and obedience of the Holy Roman See. God save Ew. C. F. G. souliclichen, Amen. Given at Wittemberg, on Sunday Invocavit [March 13] 1519.
E. C. F. G. subordinate capellan
D. Martinus Luther, Augustinian.
1) Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XVIII, 412.
2) That is: dishonor.