Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/103

 will not take away my soul. I sing with John Reuchlin: Who is poor fears nothing, for he has nothing to lose, but he sits in hope, for he hopes to get something. . ..

I recently delivered a sermon on the ban,* in which, inci- dentally, I taxed the tyranny and ignorance of the common herd of sordid officials, commissaries and vicars. All mv hearers exclaimed in surprise they had never heard such a sermon before. Then, in addition to whatever evil is await- ing me, we expect that a new fire has been kindled, but this is the sign that the word of truth is being opposed. I wanted to have a public debate on the matter, but rumor anticipated it and stirred up some officials, so that they induced my Bishop of Brandenburg to send a messenger to put off such a debate, which I have done and still do, especially as my friends advise it. See what a monster I am, since even my attempts are intolerable.

Dr. Trutfetter has sent me a letter full of zeal (for by this name we must dignify the man's fierce passion), a letter much more bitter than the one you heard read in my presence at the Chapter," and one which says just what he said to me at Erfurt. These men are goaded to madness, because they are told to be fools in Christ, and because they are judged to have erred by the whole world and the authority of so many ages. I don't care a fig for those fools and their threats, provided only that Christ be a propitious God to me, to whom I am prepared to yield the defence of the Word. I have written at length because I like to chat with you. Farewell.

Brother Martin Luther.

70. THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN TO POPE LEO X AT ROMR

M, Lutheri Opera latina varii argumenti, ed. H. Schmidt Erlangen,

1865, ii. 349. Augsburg, August 5, 1518.

Most blessed Father and most revered Lord! We have recently heard that a certain Augustinian Friar, Martin Luther by name, has published certain theses on indulgences

^Senno de viriute excommunicationis (Weimar i. 634ff), printed by Luther in August. According to KostlinKawerau, i. 194, Luther delivered the sermon on May 1 6th, but this seems too early.

>7. e., at the General Chapter at Heidelberg, April and May. On Luther't intenriew with Trutfetter at Erfurt on the way home, cf, supra, no. 59 and 60.

�� �