About Miltitzen's last conversation with Luther at Lichtenburg in October 1520, and how far Luther had given in even then.
Luther's report to Spalatin that he was about to leave for Lichtenburg for another conference with Miltitz.
See Appendix, No. 41, § 4.
Luther's letter to Spalatin, in which he reports to him how he had become one with Miltitz at Lichtenburg, that he wanted to write to the pope again and assure him that he had never wanted to harm him personally, and that all blame should be placed on Eck.
Oct. 12, 1520.
The original of this letter is in the Anhaltische Gesammtarchiv. Printed by Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 230p (classified as if it were dated from the Antoniustage, and Walch just offers: "Antonii", that is, the 17th of January); by De Wette, vol. I, p. 496 (dated: "On the 12th or 13th of October") and in the Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. II, p. 494. According to the latter we have translated. The date of the letter is certain from the letter of the preceptor Wolfgang Reißenbusch, No. 347: "Volgend ist gestern Doctor Martinus vmb I Vrhe nach mittag weg gefharen."
Newly translated from the Latin.
To the godly and learned man, Georg Spalatin, Duke of Saxony's court preacher, his friend in Christ.
JEsus.
Hail! We have met at Lichtenburg 1) my dear Spalatin, Mr. Carl Miltitz and I, and as much as I hear from him, we have determined with great hope that I shall publish a letter to the pope in both languages, which is to be added to some small book.
1) This place is called in the Wittenberg edition (1853), vol. VI, p. 255, "Liechtemberg S. Antonius Ordens"; Miltitz writes in No. 340: "Lichtenburg!"; in Latin: pieptkuporZas Vntonianae and in the editions usually written "Lichtenberg". Seidemann in his "Miltitz" writes correctly "Lichtenburg". This village is about two German miles from Torgau. Cf. Ungewitter, Erdbeschreibung und Staatenkunde, Vol. I, p. 435.
lein should be prefixed, 2) in which I would like to tell my story, and how I never attacked his person, so that I roll the whole burden on Eck.
346 Luther's very humble letter to Pope Leo X, written after Miltitzen's persuasion in Lichtenburg. After 13 Oct. 1520.
This letter is found as dedicatory writing to the Draetutus de libertutb epristiann Latin in the Wittenberg edition (1551), tom. II, toi. I; in the Jena (1579), torn. I, toi. 432p and in Aurifaber, vol.I, p. 255 with the wrong date: VI Vprips Vnno LI.O.XX. With correct date, unno ^II)XX, 86xtn Keptkrupris, in De Wette, vol. I, p. 497 and in the Erlanger, opp. vnr. nrZ., tom. IV, x. 210. German, translated by Luther himself, in the Wittenberger (1554), vol. VII, p. 54p; in the Altenburger, vol. I, p. 352; in the Leipziger, vol. XVII, p. 299; in De Wette, vol. I, p. 506 and in the Erlanger, vol. 53, p. 41. This letter, although written after 13. This letter, although written after October 13, 1520, was backdated to September 6 at Miltitzen's request in order to give the impression in Rome that it was written within ten days of the General Chapter of the Augustinians at Eisleben.
2) Luther did this in the writing "von der Freiheit eines Christenmenschen", Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIX, 986, where in the note also the title and location of the Latin edition is given.
784 Erl. 53, 41-43. sec. II. M.'s conversation with L. at Lichtend. No. 346, W. XV.934-9S7. 785
To the Most Holy in GOD Father Leoni, the Tenth, Pope of Rome, all blessedness in Christ JEsu our Lord, Amen.
Most holy in God, Father! The trade and quarrel, in which I have been involved with some desolate people of this time, now into the third year, forces me to look after you from time to time and to remember you. Yes, since it is considered that you are the main cause of this dispute, I cannot refrain from remembering you without ceasing. For although I have been urged by some of your un-Christian flatterers, who have heated up on me without any cause, 1) to invoke a Christian free concilium from your chair and court in my cause, I have never yet so alienated my courage from you that I have not with all my strength always wished the best for you and your Roman chair, and with diligent, heartfelt prayer, sought as much as I could from God. It is true that I have almost despised and tried to overcome those who have so far endeavored to praise the height and greatness of your name and power. But there is one thing that I must not despise, which is also the reason that I am writing to you again, and that is that I am noting, as I promised, 2) and that I am being accused of not having spared your person.
2) But I will freely and publicly confess that I am not aware of anything else than [that I,] 3) as often as I have thought of your person, have always said the most honest and best of you. And if I had not done so, I could not praise it myself in any way, and would have to confirm my accusers' judgment with full confession, and would not rather sing the contradiction of my iniquity and wickedness than this, and revoke my criminal word. I have called you a Daniel of Babylon, and how I have so diligently protected your innocence against the defiler Sylvestrum, may any who read it understand needlessly.
1) Thus the Wittenbergers. In Latin snoviontldus. In the Erlanger: "erhetzet".
2) promised - blasphemed.
3) Inserted by us for the sake of easier understanding.
(3) Your reputation and the name of your good life are known throughout the world, and are more glorious and better praised by many scholars than that anyone should touch it with some cunning, however great he may be. I am not so foolish as to attack only the one whom everyone praises; for this I have always had and henceforth will have the wisdom not to touch even those who otherwise have a nasty cry before everyone. I am not comfortable with the arid sin, which I know well, as I also have a beam in my eye [Luc. 6,41.42..], and certainly cannot be the first to throw the first stone at the adulteress [Joh. 8, 7.].
4) I have attacked sharply, but in the common, some unchristian doctrine, and have been nasty to my adversaries, not for their evil life, but for their unchristian doctrine and protection. 4) Which makes me so unrepentant that I have taken it into my mind to remain in such diligence and sharpness, regardless of how some interpret it to me, as I have Christ's example here, who also calls his adversaries by sharp diligence: serpent children [Matth. 23, 33.St. Paul calls Magum a child of the devil and full of wickedness and deceit [Acts 13,10], and some false apostles he calls dogs [Phil. 3, 2], deceivers [Tit. 1, 10] and transgressors of God's word [Gal. 1, 7]. If the soft, tender ears had heard such things, they would have to say that no one is more mordant and impatient than St. Paul. And who is more mordant than the prophets? But in our times our ears have become so tender and soft through the multitude of harmful flatterers that as soon as we are not praised in all things, we cry out that one is mordant; and because we cannot otherwise resist the truth, we still evade it, through fictitious causes of mordancy, impatience and immodesty. But what is the point of salt if it does not bite sharply? What is the edge of the sword for?
4) The words: "and protection", which are not expressed in Latin, will mean: for the sake of the protection given to them in their ungodly doctrine.
if it is not sharp to cut? For the prophet says, "Let the man be reproached who does God's commandment above," and spares too much [Jer. 48:10].
Therefore, I ask you, holy father Leo, to accept this apology of mine, and to consider me as one who has never done anything evil against your person, and who is thus minded, who wishes and wishes you the very best, who also does not want to have any quarrel or quarrel with anyone for the sake of someone's evil life, but only for the sake of the divine word of truth. In all things I will gladly yield to anyone; the word of God I will not, nor may I, forsake nor deny. If anyone has a different idea about me, or understands my writing differently, he is mistaken and has not understood me correctly.
(6) But this is true, I have freshly touched the Roman throne, which is called the Roman court; which also thou thyself, nor any man on earth, must confess otherwise than that it is worse and more shameful than ever Sodoma, Gomorrah, or Babylon. And as far as I can see, his wickedness can neither be advised nor helped from now on. Everything has become exceedingly desperate and groundless. That is why I was displeased that the poor people all over the world were deceived and damaged under your name and the appearance of the Roman church; I have opposed this and will continue to oppose it as long as my Christian spirit lives in me. Not that I measure myself against such impossible things, or hope to do anything in the most abominable Roman Sodoma and Babylonia, because so many angry flatterers oppose me before; but that I recognize myself a guilty servant of all Christian people, therefore it behooves me to advise and warn them, that they may ever be less in number and with less harm corrupted by the Roman destroyers.
(7) For this is not hidden from you, how for many years now nothing but destruction of the body, of souls, of goods, and of all evil things, the most damaging examples have been washed and torn down from Rome into the whole world. All of which is publicly known to everyone today, because the Roman church, which in the past was the most holy church, has been the only church in the world.
Now it has become a murder pit above all murder pits, a jackanapes above all jackanapes, a head and kingdom of all sin, death and damnation; so that it is not easy to think what more wickedness might increase here, if the end Christ himself were to come.
8. but you, holy father Leo, sit like a sheep among wolves [Matth. 10, 16.] and like Daniel among lions [Dan. 6, 16. ff.] and with Ezekiel among scorpions [Ezek. 2, 6.]. What can you do against so many wild wonders? And if already three or four learned, pious cardinals fell to you, what would that be among such a bunch? You must perish by poison before you begin to help the cause. It is over with the Roman See, God's wrath has invaded it without cessation. It is hostile to the common conciliis; it does not want to be instructed nor reformed, and yet it cannot prevent its raging unchristian nature; so that it fulfills what was said of its mother, the old Babylon [Jer. 51:9]: "We have healed much in Babylon, but she has not yet been healed; we want to let her go.
9 It should be your and the cardinals' work to prevent this misery, but the disease mocks the medicine, horses and wagons give nothing to the carter. That is the reason why I have always been sorry, you pious Leo, that you have become a pope in this time, who would be worthy to be pope in better times. The Roman chair is not worthy of you and your like, but the evil spirit should be pope, who certainly rules in Babylon more than you.
O! would God that you, having been stripped of honor (as they call it, your most harmful enemies), would hold on to some sinecure or your paternal inheritance! Truly no one should be honored with such honor, except Judas Iscariot and his like, whom God has cast out [John 17:12]. For, tell me, what are you good for in the papacy, but that the more angry and desperate it is, the more and stronger it abuses your power and title, to damage people's property and soul, to increase sin and shame, to dampen faith and truth?
788 Erl. 53, 45-47. sec. 11. M.'s conversation with L. zu Lichtenb. No. 346, W. XV, 939-941. 789
O most blessed Leo! who sits in the 1) most dangerous chair. Verily, I tell you the truth, for I favor you.
(11) If St. Bernard complains about his Pope Eugenius, since the Roman See, even though it was already at the worst at that time, still ruled in good hope of improvement, how much more should we complain about you, because in these three hundred years wickedness and corruption have so irreparably taken over! Is it not true that under the heavenly heavens there is nothing more evil, more poisonous, more hateful than the Roman court? For it far surpasses the Turks in virtue, that it is true that Rome was a gateway to heaven in ancient times, and is now a wide-opened night of hell, and alas, such a night that no one can close by God's wrath; and no counsel is left, for if we would warn and preserve some, they would not be swallowed up by the Roman maw.
12) Behold, my Lord Father, this is the cause and movement why I have pushed so hard against this pestilential chair. For I did not intend to rage against your person at all, that I also hoped I would earn grace and thanks from you, and be recognized for your best 4) if I only attacked such your dungeon, yes, your hell, freshly and sharply. For I respect that it would be good and blessed for you and many others to muster all that all reasonable, learned men are able to muster against the desolate disorders of your unchristian court. They are truly doing a work that you should do, all those who cause such a court all sorrow and all evil; they honor Christ, all those who
1) So the Wittenbergers and in Latin. In De Wette: "des".
2) Walch offers: "seinen Pabst Anastasio klagt", while the other German editions have: "seinen Pabst Eugenium klagt". Of all Latin editions, only the Erlanger, opp. var. urZ., torn. IV, p. 213: suo Vrmstasio oomputitur, while all others read guo LuZonio. The latter will be the correct reading, because to Eugenius III Bernhard addressed his "äo oonsiäorutiono lidd. V", and both died in the same year 1183 in which Anastasius IV became pope. This is confirmed by what is said in § 23, where it says in Latin: soä aomulor 8th Lornaräuru in iidoNo Ennsici. aä Lu^onium.
3" De Wette and the Erlanger: "des".
4) Wittenberger: the best.
to disgrace the court most of all. Recently, they are all good Christians who are evil Roman.
I will speak even further. The same thing would never have come into my heart, that I would have made a fuss against the Roman court or disputed anything about it. For when I saw that he could not be helped, that food and effort were lost, I despised him, gave him a letter of leave, and said: Goodbye, dear Rome, henceforth stink what stinks, and remain unclean for and for what is unclean [Revelation 22:11.] I have therefore gone into the quiet, reproved study of the holy Scriptures, that I might be beneficial to those with whom I dwelt. Since I did not act unfruitfully here, the evil spirit opened his eyes and became aware of it; he quickly awakened his servant John Eccium, a particular enemy of Christ and the truth, with a senseless ambition, so that he suddenly dragged me into a disputation, and seized on a word about the Pabstium that had slipped my mind. Then the great, glorious hero threw himself upon me, sputtered and snorted as if he had already caught me; pretended that he wanted to dare and carry out all things in honor of God and praise of the holy Roman Church; puffed himself up and presumed upon your power, which he wanted to use to appoint him the supreme theologian in the world; 6) that he was also sure of, more than of the papacy. He thought that it would be not a little advantageous for him to lead Doctor Luthern in his shield. Now that he has failed, the sophist wants to become nonsensical; for he feels zero, how through his guilt alone the disgrace and dishonor of the Roman See has opened up in me.
Let me here, holy father, also act my cause once before you, and accuse you of your right enemies. You are undoubtedly aware of how Cardinal St. Sixti, your legate, dealt with me at Augsburg; truly immodest and untruthful, yes, even unfaithful, in whose hands I placed all my affairs for your sake, so that he should command peace; I wanted to give the cause of peace to him.
5) that is, calm.
6) summoned == outspoken. - "that he waits", that is, so that he may make himself.
let there be an end and be silent, if my adversaries would also be silent, which he could easily have done with one word. Then the tickle of temporal fame itched him too much, despised my bidding, supported himself to justify my adversaries, to leave them only longer in check, and to command me to recant, of which he had no command. So it has happened by his wanton outrage that the matter has since become 1) much worse, which at the time was in a good place. Therefore, what followed after that is not my fault, but the fault of the same Cardinäl, who did not want to grant me that I keep silent, as I asked so highly. What more could I do?
After that, he Carol von Miltitz, also your Holiness' embassy, came, who with much effort, maturing back and forth, and exerting all diligence to bring the matter back to a good place, from which the Cardinal has haughtily and freely repudiated it; finally, through the help of the most illustrious, Highborn Elector, Duke Frederick of Saxony 2c., brought it to be discussed with me several times.
16 Here I have again let myself be instructed, and in honor of your name keep silent, to let the matter be heard by the Archbishop of Trier or the Bishop of Numburg, and to divorce him; which was done and ordered. Since this was done in good hope and peace, your greatest, right enemy Johannes Eccius falls with his disputation in Leipzig, which he has undertaken against Doctor Carlstadt, and with his ranting words he finds a fistful of the papacy, and turns his banners and whole army on me unawares, so that the proposed peace is completely destroyed.
17 He is waiting for Carolus; the disputation has proceeded; judges have been chosen, but nothing has been done. Which does not surprise me. For Eck, with his lies, letters and secret practices, has so embittered, confused and shattered the matter that, if the verdict had fallen on which side, a greater fire would have been lit without doubt, for he sought glory and not the truth. So I have always done what I was asked to do, and I have not left anything undone that I had to do.
1) In the old editions: seint.
was due. I confess that from this cause not a small part of the Roman unchristian nature has come to light; but what is to blame for this is not my fault, but Eccii's, who submitted to a cause of which he was not man enough, seeking by his honor to disgrace the Roman vices throughout the world.
18 This, holy father Leo, is your enemy lind the Roman See. From his example everyone may learn that no enemy is more harmful than a flatterer. What has he done with his flattery, but only such misfortune that no king could have brought about! Now the Roman court's name stinks badly all over the world, the papal guard is weak, the Roman ignorance has a bad cry; which would not have been heard if Eck had not maddened Carol's and my proposal of peace; which he now feels himself, and, however slowly and in vain, is unwilling about my outgoing booklets. He should have considered this before, since he was prancing after glory like a brave, horny horse, 2) and sought nothing more than his own, with your great disadvantage. He thought, the vain man, I would be afraid of your name, give him space and keep silent (for of art and skill, I hold, he did not presume). Now, when he sees that I am still confident and lets me continue to be heard, the late revenge of his sin comes to him and he realizes (if he realizes otherwise) that there is one in heaven who resists the arrogant and humbles the presumptuous spirits.
Since nothing was accomplished by the disputation, but only greater dishonor to the Roman See, he Carolus Miltitz came to the fathers of my order, requested counsel to settle the matter and keep it quiet, as it then stood in the most violent and dangerous way. Some brave men were sent to me by them, because they did not suspect that anything could be done against me by force; they requested that I should honor your person, holy father, and excuse your and my innocence in writing; believing that the matter had not yet been settled.
2) hemerte - neigh.
792 Erl. 58,49-51. para. 11. M.'s conversation with L. at Lichtend. No. 346. W. XV,944-946. 793
I am thoroughly lost and in despair, where the present father Leo wanted to lay his hand on it according to his innate, highly praised kindness. But since I have always offered and desired peace, so that I might wait for quiet and better study, this has been a dear, joyful message to me, I have received it with thanks, and have let myself be guided most willingly, and have recognized it as a special grace, if, as we hope, it will happen. For for no other reason have I weaved and rumbled with such strong courage, words and writing, that I laid down and quieted those whom I well saw to be far too small for me.
20 So now I come, dear father Leo, and lying at your feet, ask you, if it is possible, to lay your hands on them, to put a bridle on the flatterers, who are enemies of peace, and yet pretend peace. But if I should revoke my teaching, nothing will come of it; no one may do it to him, for he would drive the matter into a greater tangle. For this I do not like to suffer rule or measure to interpret the Scriptures, because the word of God, which teaches all freedom, should not nor must be imprisoned. If these two things remain for me, nothing else shall be laid upon me that I will not do and suffer with all my will. I am hostile to quarrels, I do not want to excite or irritate anyone; but I also want to be unirritated. But if I am provoked, I will not be speechless nor without writing, if God wills it. Your Holiness may ever take all this strife to her with light, short words and eradicate it, and enjoin silence and peace, which I have always been eager to hear.
(21) Therefore, my father, do not listen to your sweet ear-singers, who say that you are not a pure man, but mixed with God, who commands and demands all things. It shall not be so; neither shalt thou perform it. You are a servant of all the servants of God, and in a more perilous and wretched condition than any man on earth. Do not be deceived by those who lie and pretend to you that you are the master of the world, who will not let anyone be a Christian unless he is subject to you; who say that you have authority in heaven, hell and purgatory. They are your enemies, and
seek to corrupt your soul. As Isaiah says [Cap. 4,12. 9,16.]: "My dear people, those who praise and exalt you, they deceive you." They are all mistaken who say that thou art over the Concilium and common Christendom. They are mistaken who give you alone authority to interpret the Scriptures; they seek nothing more than how, under your name, they may strengthen their un-Christian pretensions in Christendom; as the evil spirit, alas, has done through many of your ancestors. Finally, believe no one who exalts you, but only those who humble you. This is God's judgment, as it is written: "He has deposed the mighty from their seats, and exalted the lowly" [Luc. 1, 52].
(22) Behold, how unequal are Christ and his governors, when they all desire to be his governors; and I verily fear that they are too truly his governors. For a governor is a governor in the absence of his lord. If then a pope rules in the absence of Christ, who does not dwell in his heart, is he not all too truly Christ's governor? But what then is such a multitude, but a gathering without Christ? What can such a pope be but a final Christian and an idol? How much better did the apostles do, who only called themselves servants of Christ dwelling in them, not governors of the absent one, and let themselves be called.
I am perhaps insolent that I am considered to teach such a great height, from which everyone should be taught, and how some of your venomous flatterers accuse you, that all kings and judges received judgment from you. But in this I follow St. Bernard in his book 1) to the pope Eugenius, which all popes should know by heart. I do it not because I think I am teaching you, but out of pure, faithful concern and duty, which compels everyone to take care of our neighbors, even in matters that are safe, and does not make us pay attention to dignity or undignity, as it diligently perceives the neighbor's fate and misfortune. Because I know how your holiness] weaves and floats.
1) with the title: <ts oonsiclsrutioiis, that is, what a pope should have in mind.
In Rome, that is, on the highest sea, raging with innumerable dangers in all places, and living and working in such misery that you are in need of the least Christian's help, I have not considered it unskilful that I forget your majesty until I fulfill my duty of brotherly love. I do not like to flatter in such a serious, dangerous matter, in which, if some do not want to understand me as I am your friend, and more than subject, he will be found who understands it.
24 In the end, so that I do not come empty before your grace, I bring with me a little book, which went out under your name, for a good wish and the beginning of peace and good hope, from which your grace may taste what business I would like to do and also deal with fruitfully, if it were possible for me before your unchristian flatterers. It is a small booklet, if the paper is considered; but nevertheless the whole sum of a Christian life is comprehended in it, if the meaning is understood. I am poor, having nothing else to show my service; so you must not be improved more than with spiritual goods. That I may commend myself to thy holiness, which keep him eternally JEsus Christ, Amen. At Wittenberg, September 6, 1520.
347 Letter from Wolfgang Reißenbusch, the prelate at Lichtenburg, to Fabian von Feilitzsch, in which he tells how the colloquium between Miltitz and Luther went in his absence; he also apologizes for not being able to be there and reports that he had them well entertained by his procurator. October 13, 1520.
From Cyprian's Documents, Vol. I, p. 444.
Great Her and Patron. Heint In the night when it struck X, my procurator of Lichtenberg has written to me how Doctor Martinus arrived on Thursday at iiij. vrh after noon, and has had Philippum Melanchthon, a brother of his order, a nobleman vnd four travelers with him. My servant reports to me that there were XXX horses not far from there. According to VI.
He Karol also came with two horses. In sum, they have been on good terms and have been completely happy with each other, and I have ordered that they be given good execution and enough money. But what they are supposed to have done with each other, he will report to Karol in his letter, and I will have it turned over to him. Yesterday Doctor Martinus left at noon, and Carol gave him the money, but he thought that Carol had been attacked by a horse. Report to me that he stayed in Lichtenberg yesterday, which I am glad of. Dear sir, if I am honorable, I will not take 100 fl. that I have remained at home. And as I have found myself, so I have found myself. Karol would like to bring me, a poor fool, into the game, so that Doctor Luther would not be reckoned with, and that this would soon pass me by. But that this was Carol's opinion you will find in my procurator's letter, which is also presented here, and almost in the beginning of the same. He has requested me with a Roman mandate, and requisitioned, and thus brought me into the pepper. 1) Dear sir, God will not have mercy on me, since it was against me for some other reason that this day was set in Lichtenberg. Because the fire shuns the fire, he Karol was initially a cause that the Roman boys have brought me more than a hundred fl. For this reason, I have given them a fair deal. This is the reason why I have paid them. This is the reason why I should not deny myself to poor deaf people. Since I have so little need of the bishop and the priest than of each other, I will also act more disgracefully in this matter; but whoever comes into these hands may be much more liberally under the doors. All of which I have hereby willingly informed Your Lordship of, and Your Lordship can certainly not do anything else to me than that I do everything that is lib and dinst to your eyes. And I ask you to be very diligent when he comes here: You will not fail to visit me as a friend and stay with me. This will give me great pleasure, for I will be able to
1) From this it is evident that neither the Elector nor Reißenbusch fully trusted Carl von Miltitz. In addition to the four horsemen who accompanied him, the Elector gave Luthern another thirty horsemen, who (hidden from Miltitz) were waiting not far from Lichtenburg. Reißenbusch feared, and believes to be able to prove this by the letter of his procurator, that Miltitz, if he had been present, might have demanded Luther's capture on the basis of a Roman mandate.
I would like it to happen one day that I could show myself to E. G. in such a way that I would like to serve you according to my abilities. I hereby present myself to Your Lordship as my favorable master.
I request that the second letter be returned to me, which I have sent to your Lord in confidence. I also ask not to be informed about them at all. Date In eyl zw ... Saturday after Dionysius [13th Det.] anno XV C.XX..
To my most gracious lord and patron Ern Fabian von Feilitzsch Churfl. ratt 2c. 1)
348 Miltitzen's letter to the Elector of Saxony, in which he asks him to write to the Pope, to present Luther's peaceableness, his opponents' hardness, his (Miltitzen's) peaceful efforts 2c. so that the arrived bull of condemnation would be limited or cancelled. Oct. 14, 1520.
From Cyprian's Documents, Vol. I, p. 449.
Most Serene Highborn Prince Most Noble Lord. To Your Electoral Grace my most humble thoughts are, in all sincerity, previously reported. Most Reverend Prince and Sir, as I have recently written to your Electoral Grace, I would like to personally address Doctor Martinum, which, praise be to God, will be done in all freedom, and will take place on the day of Maximiliani Martyris, which is the xii. day of October. There we discussed the matter in detail according to all necessity and found that God still wants to give his grace that the matter will reach a good end, even though the Tewfel has gladly prevented the game by unrepentant people, yet Doctor Martinus, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has not accepted it, nor assumed it, they cry or publicize bulls as they wish, and is in obedience to the will of the Holy Spirit. In all humility, write in Latin and German, dedicate a booklet to him, and in the beginning write an epistle on the inside.
1) Cyprian 4,6. p. 447 notes the following on this: Of this Wolfgang Reißenbusch we still remember this, that he was already in 1507 Baccalaureus of theology at Wittenberg. In 1511 he was Rector of the University of Wittenberg. At that time, the monastery at Lichtenburg was owned by the Antonian lords, but a few years ago it was made a princely dower seat. The head or preceptor of the monastery was initially always the chancellor of the University of Wittenberg.
His Majesty shall indicate what has been caused in two writings and where it has come from, and who has demanded and supported such a crime, and who has so diligently preached, disputed and written to the detriment of the Holy Church, and what has been done by me in vain 2c. so that His Majesty may preside over the cause of the matter, and for this purpose release His Majesty from all suspicion, so that perhaps by some of His Majesty's people he may be able to prevent it from happening again. The booklet will go out in xii. days and will have the date, on September vj. immediately ten days after [the Chapter at] 2) Eisleben, because he has been requested by [the Order's deputies] 2) to write to Bebst. hey. With all due respect that he did so as an obedient one, so that no one may say that Eckius with his hand forced him to write such a letter to Bebst. hey. with his bull, which bull was published on the twentieth of September. The dispute at Leipzig and my noble lord of Merßburgh's promise to prevent it will also indicate with a beautiful narrative the comforting praise of Babst for his person. I have not wished to tell your Lordship, as my most noble lord, because I know that your Lordship sees the matter of the Holy Roman Council as a comfort and a pleasure, and that Doctor Mar. is also silent, and so are others. He wants to be in discord with the grave monks 3) and not to answer his narrative any further, Doctor Mar. has also written our action and decision in part to Dno Spalatin, which letter I have sent to E. Churfl. gn. Therefore, I humbly request that Your Grace write to the Council for God's sake, thanking them for the roses and bulls, 4) and indicating that Doc. Mar. has long liked to have had it so 5) forbidden to him and the others of your chief or magistrates, had 6) also long written to his court as he had been requested by Imandt to do when he was in power, and that E. Churfl. gn. thereafter set such request before
2) Here are gaps in Cyprian, which would like to be supplemented approximately in the indicated way. Cf. St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, introduction, p. 46.
3) This is: Alveld.
4) This is for the bull that accompanied the golden rose, No. 311.
5) "it", that is, writing and continuing the dispute.
6) "hätt" put by us instead of: has.
my his hey. further instruction. So we want to meet the Eckio and his annex to the extent that they had not thought of it, then Bebst. hey. will certainly be of two minds, a cause for having limited the ban, together with the bull, considered that Doctor Martinus has humbled himself and is writing to his hey. and whoever has become aware of this to his hey. We want to find a cause for the matter soon, before a hundred and xx days pass, I will, if God wills, have another decree made out, to a prelate who shall cancel or moderate such bulla, which E. The Holy Father will inform me by his letter, but the Holy Father shall not complain, to send to the Cardinal St. Sixti . . . a copy for fifty or . . . [1) I have sent the Cardinal on my ... Doctor Mar. letter so it shall if God wills right ... is otherwise at all times good before E. Churfl. gn. 2) . . . and do not worry it will be for the best and write as little as E. Churfl gn. wants, so I am well to be pleased, Doct. Mart. is good thing eight dy bulla nothing. He with his appendix as namely Doctor Carlstadt. Doctor Johannes Doltzgk of Velt-
1) Supplemented by Seidemann.
2) As subject to this sentence Seidemann assumes the Cardinal St. Sixti. But it seems to us rather to be the pope. The whole passage would like to be completed like this: To send the Cardinal St. Sixti [their coin] a head for fifty or [one hundred] florins. If) I have the Cardinal on my [side and) Doctor Martinus writing, then, if God wills, it shall [become right. His Holiness) has otherwise always been well spoken of to Ew. Gn., she be confident) and let herself be 2c.
kirchen, Magister Egra, 3) Bernhardin von Adelmanshaußen thwmher zw Augspurgk, Wilibald Berckinger, Johann Spengler, Secretarius der von Nornbergk, all of whom Eckius has ordered to be struck together with Martino zw Meysen, and with D. Mart. In the same punishment 2c. Our churfl. gn. want to send me this letter as soon as possible, so that I may rise up to Rome to refute 4) the error, then such a bulla will go into effect, so certainly a great cism, for I will, if God wills, with the help of pious gentlemen, as much as I can strive for it; your curfl. gn. will not hesitate to give me the order to pay the money which I have laid out for your Lordship, but which I cannot pay to Rome, therefore I have asked your Lordship for the most humble of requests, Eckius has ended up at Leiptzigk in the night on Freibvrgk zw, and the city servants of Leipzigk are riding with the bulls in the country. With this I dedicate myself to my Lordship as my most noble lord, before whom I place all my comfort after God. Datum eylend zw Eyllenbergk Sontag nach Maximiliani [14. Oct.] 1520. Ewer Churfl. gn. wolle nicht vorgeffen den jungen Cardinalen ewer Churfl. gn. angesicht zw schicken, wie Ich dann E. Churfl. gn. kürzlich zw Gotha und durch mein Schreiben bitten.
Ew. Curffl. gl.
humble Capellan Carolus von Miltitz.
3) Miltitz is not very precise with the names. Here Egranus is meant; immediately following: Bernhard Adelmann or von Adelmannsfelden; then: Wilibald Pirkheimer.
4) Maybe: niderlegung?