May 14, 1519.
Translated from Latin.
By the Grace of God Frederick, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince, Churfürst and Vicarius, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, offers his greetings [to Erasmus].
Although we do not doubt, very learned Erasmus, that you will clearly see from our letter, which was sent to you by Jodocus Jonas, who recently traveled to you, that your extraordinary benevolence, which you, as elsewhere, so also by the dedication of Suetonius and other historians have splendidly displayed, is very pleasant to us, we have nevertheless thought it good to reply to your letter sent to us from Antwerp on April 14. April, both for the sake of many other causes, and especially because your very learned and at the same time exceedingly his letter shows your sincere disposition 2) towards us and your zeal for true Christianity.
2) Here the text is corrumpirt. Instead of sirmerurn either sirmeritatem wants to be read, or also inserted after sineeruru - rnentern. - Before vernm heZu is to be thought in.
The first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time.
It is, as you write, a miraculous conspiracy of those who hate right (melioris) scholarship, which is only fit to harm the good, godly and righteous scholars.
That the cause of Luther is not condemned by the scholars, and that Doctor Martin's works (lucubrationes) are read very eagerly by the best people there, we are pleased about this, and all the more so because most good and learned people also in our countries and principalities, to say nothing of the foreign ones, praise this man's life and purity of morals, then also his scholarship with wonderful unanimity. For we have not admitted that he has lived in our Saxony so far, both for the sake of the person and for the cause, since we have never been willing to allow anything less than that those who are worthy of rewards should be oppressed with punishment. Nor will we, with the help of Almighty God, admit that through our guilt
*) In the first note to the previous number, you can see where this letter is found. Our translation is based on the Jena edition of 1579, Tom. I, col. 212.
any innocent person is handed over to the godlessness of those who seek their own.
Moreover, with God's help, we will in the future show our favor to the beautiful sciences and right studies, and both their teachers and the students, no less than we have done so far. This is what we have promised you according to our very special grace towards you.
now 1) do not want to behave. Farewell, very learned Erasmus.
From our castle at Grimma, on April 14, 1519.
1) Instead of in praesentiurura should be read irnpraesentiarurn, which is used adverbially instead of in nrnsssntia in later Latin writers.