Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/117

 than by attacking them seriously. Carefully abstain from abusing the Pope, but rather give all the blame to Prierias, as an impudent flatterer who only for the sake of his belly places an unworthy burden on the pontifical dignity. . ..

But behold how my friendship has made me forget myself in telling you what to do. Pray forgive my solicitude. You have more than one champion, Carlstadt, Spalatin, Egranus and Melanchthon, a wonderful aggregation of genius. If you rely on their counsels, you will never publish an3rthing weak or ridiculous. . ..

Erasmus greatly approves of Egranus' book,^ with its nerv- ous, rapid and clear argument. He wished that it might be republished at Basle,* although he would have been angry had it been printed here first. John Eck has written against Carl- stadt. Do what you can you will not debate before an impar- tial tribunal, but at least consider us safe. I am writing a free answer to Eck, in a private letter. . . . Farewell.

Yours, whom you know.

79. MARCO MINIO TO THE SIGNORY OF VENICE.

R. Brown: Calendar of State Papers. . . i». . . Venice. London,

1869, ii. 1069. Rome, September 4, 1518.

Minio was the agent of the Venetian Government at Rome, 1518-9. Qis letter, as given by me after Mr. Brown, is abbreviated.

To-day in the consistory the Pope announced his intention of sending the Rose* to the Elector of Saxony, as that prince was a good Christian and one of the chief princes of Germany. The Pope did this to try, through the medium of the Elector of Saxony, to allay the heresy, as they style it, of a certain Dominican [ I] friar, who was preaching in those parts against the apostolic see, condemning the forms observed by the Church of Rome, alleging moreover that the indulgences daily conceded were of no value, and many other doctrines.

x8i. Weimar, i. 316.
 * His Apologetica Responsio, for which Luther wrote « preface. Cf. Enden, L

>As wax done, Enders, ibid.

'The anointed f^olden rose, a much prized token tent by the Pope to faithful princes. Cf. Smith, op. cit., 54. Rodocanachi: Rome au temps de Jules II, et de Lion X., p. 294f.

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