Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/378

 writings of John Turenholt,* who, as I hear, disputes learn- edly and without passion. When Luther's books were burned* no one saw me sadder. I have constantly averred that much in him displeased me. I have written much privately and said much to restrain him from his turbulent manner of writ- ing, and lo, I am called a Lutheran. If your university likes these jokes I can stand them, and I prefer to do so than to revenge myself. But in my opinion things should be done diflFerently. Vincent* has blamed me for the tiunult in Hol- land, when, after an idiotic sermon, he was almost stoned by the people, but I never wrote to any Hollander either good or bad about Luther. Farewell in Christ, magnificent Rector.

313. ERASMUS TO THOMAS MORE AT CHELSEA.

Erasmi opera, iii. 607. Louvain (October?), 152a

[Erasmus has been traduced by Nicholas Egmond, and has therefore appealed to the rector of the university. A public conference is arranged in which Erasmus and Egmond may accuse each other and defend themselves. The conversation between them on that occasion was in part as follows:]

"You publicly lied about me," said I, "in asserting that I favored Luther, whom I never favored in the sense you meant." He replied, not with emotion, but with fury : "Rather you are the author of the whole affair, an old fox switching your tail over everything." He vomited rather than said many similar things, until at last a word — not "raca,"* but another word smelling worse than it sounds — burst forth as the prelude to his intemperate speech. . . . After a long al- tercation he returned to the same subject and said that he would never cease talking against Luther until he had fin-

'Jol|n Nijs of Turnhout, commonly called Driedo, taught philosophy at Lou- ▼ain 1499, then studied theology with Adrian of Utrecht; tutor of the princes of Croy; D. D., 1512, Dean of the faculty of theology 15 15, 1523, 1526, 1528, 1531. Canon of St. Peter's (Louvain), 1520. Died August 4, 1535. De Jongh, i56f!. The book against Luther, spoken of by Erasmus, was refused by the printer, Thierry Martens. Driedo published other works.


 * At Louvain, October 8, 1520. Cf. Smith, 98.

'Vincent Diercx (Theodorici) of Beverwyck-lez-Harlem, became a Dominican in this city, studied at Pans, where be began to teach in the convent of St. James in 1 514. He published various books, and on returning to Louvain in 1517 was made doctor of theology. He died August 4, 1526, at the age of forty-five. He was one of Erasmus' bitterest enemies, to whom is addressed letter no. 314, published with the address "To his most persistent slanderer." De Jongh, i72f.

^Matthew, v. 22.

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