Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/144

 breathe again after so many hundred years during which the teaching of the Scriptures lay dormant or rather extinct.

But am I not bold to speak to you so familiarly without any laudatory preface? My hearty love for you has impelled me to write, for I feel [although I have not met you] familiar with you, partly because I think so much of you, and partly by meditation on your books. Another reason for writing is that our admirable Philip Melanchthon, who has almost every virtue known to man, and is my dear, intimate friend, has urged me to write boldly, assuring me that you would not take my awkwardness ill, but would thank me. But do not blame him, if you must blame anyone, as I wish you to regard this letter solely as a witness to my affection for you, which is nothing if not frank.

Farewell and rejoice in the Lord, my truly venerable teacher !

IDS THE DEAN AND DOCTORS OF THE THEOLOGICAL FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPSIC TO DUKE GEORGE.

Gess, L 49. Leipsic, December 16, 15 18.

We send your Grace certain letters of Dr. Eck. We sur- mise that he is trying to get from your Grace that which he spoke about in his letters to our faculty. And that your Grace may briefly comprehend the affair we give your Grace to understand what happened last summer about the day of St. John [June 24], when there was a dispute about papal graces and indulgences between the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther, of Wittenberg, and John Tetzel,^ then of Frankfort [on the Oder], as your Grace doubtless remembers. Then Lord

'John Tetzel, born about 1465 at Pirna, studied at Leipsic, where he took his B. A. in 1487, shortly after which he became a Dominican. Visited Rome in 1497. As a member of the convent at Glogau he was made inquisitor for Poland 1509. In 1 5 16 he was preacher of indulgences for Arcimboldi, and the following year for Albert of Mayence. It was his preaching that was attacked by Luther in the Ninety-five These*. Tetzel defended himself by drawing up counter Theses with the help of Conrad Wimpina, which he defended at Frankfort on the Oder, January ao, 1518. But his business was ruined and his character assailed. In 15 18 he withdrew to Leipsic, where he lived until his death of chagrin in August, 1519. In his last days Luther wrote htm a letter, now lost, "not to be troubled, for the affair did not begin with him, but the child had another father." N. Faulus: Die Deutschen Dominikaner im Kampfe gegen Lmiher, 1903, iff.

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