Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/150

 unclean tongues with the juniper coals of the Word;* fight steadfastly and unceasingly follow light-bearing Jesus; guard the blessed lot of the faithful.

112. HERMANN RAB TO CHARLES VON MILTITZ.

Tentzel-Cyprian : Historischer Bericht vom Anfang und vom ersten Fortgang der Reformation Lutheri (Leipsic, 1718), ii. 106. Quoted by N. Paulus : Die deutschen Dominikaner im Kampfe gegen Luther (Freiburg L B., 1903), p. ic* Walch, xv. 863.

Leipsic, January 3, 1519.

Hermann Rab, of Bamberg, matriculated at Leipsic i486, soon after which he joined the Dominican order there, where he knew Tetzel. In 151 1 he became Vicar and in 1516 a member of the theological faculty. He visited Rome in 1518 and again in 1519. He took a fairly active part against Luther. He died in 1534. Cf, Paulus, op, cit., pp. gSL.

May the Lord forgive Martin Luther, who was and is very anxious to involve us who are innocent in his affair, in order to draw his own head out of the noose. Everyone who has read or heard the Appeat and other writings of the said Martin, knows how he attacks and has attacked the Reverend Father John Tetzel, although the latter has defended and does not cease to defend the authority of the Pope, even to his own disadvantage, as his sermons prove and as all who have heard him bear witness. In fact, I cannot find anyone who has done and suffered so much for the glory of the apostolic see. If only our Holy Father knew this ! I doubt not that he would fittingly recognize his services. All the street comers echo with the slanders and lies brought together to crush him. Wherefore I reconunend him to your Grace, as a true friend and lord, and to the protection of the papal see, for which he fights and suffers danger of imprisonment. Had your Grace only heard the sermon which he preached on January i,* you would know how he felt and feels towards the papal see. Wherefore, I recommend him again to your Lordship.

��IC/. IsaUh Ti 5-7.

1 know this 011I7 in the qnoUtions of Paulus and Walch which are in German; the original was presnmaUj Latin.


 * S«prm, no. los.

^Tetzel, who had been made extremely unpopular by Luther's attack on indul- gences, had now taken refuge in the IX>mtmcan cloister at Leipsic Paulus^

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