Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/190

 lot compel Dr. Eck to write to your Grace on my behalf. But I will write him again and request him to do so. Will ^our Grace please forgive me, and may God protect you. Your Grace's humble chaplain,

Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian of Wittenberg,

14a LUTHER TO CHARLES VON MILTITZ AT COBLENZ. Enders, i. 53. Wittenberg, May 17, 15 19.

Greeting. Dear Sir, I received your Excellency's letter^ idvising me that it would be to my advantage forthwith to repair to Coblenz. Please listen to me patiently. In the first place, when we came together at Altenburg, my presence did not seem to myself necessary; for as my books, in which I most clearly opened my mind to all, were published, I thought it sufficient if, after weighing my opinions, articles should be determined on for me to revoke, and reasons should be issigned for the recantation, so that it might appear efficacious and praiseworthy, for otherwise men would say that it had l)ecn extorted from me by force and the last state should be urorse than the first. I am of this opinion still.

But even if I ought to come, you yourself can see how foolish those who have charge of this affair think me, since ^ou write that the mandate has not yet come from Rome, and Aat the archbishop^ does not summon me in virtue of such A mandate. I am not sure that the mandate will arrive, espe- cially in this crisis in the Empire,* nor am I sure, should it rome, that the archbishop would receive it. How can I, licrcfore, trust myself to such a doubtful and perilous situa- ion, or how can so poor a man as I get the necessary money ?

have already spent so much in this matter that I have wearied tiy patrons and am ashamed to ask for more, not to mention tic fact that during the interregnum no one can give a safe- onduct, particularly to a man with as many enemies as I uive.

Furthermore, the great debate, which the most reverend

'Dated Coblenz, May 3. Enders. ii. 18. Luther wrote Spalattn, May 16, tbat ^ considered Miltitz's proposals ridiculous. Enders, it. 46.

'/. e., the Archbishop of Trier, in whose jurisdiction Coblenz was. On referring -Cither's cause to him cf, supra, no. 120.

Tke Emperor Maximilian had died on January la, and a new election was ^hmtt to be held.

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