Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/386

 1524 his ambassador to King Louis of Hungary, in 1526 interested in the Evangelical Church visitation.

Greeting. Dear John, I rejoice in the spirit you show in the midst of these tumults caused by the bull. Surely Duke George and the Bishop of Merseburg, transported with fury, are doing their best to destroy me and my university. Eck tried to post the bull at the University of Erfurt, but they con- temptuously refused to allow him to do so, alleging some points of law. The students also tried to get after him, but could not find him. It is said that he pleaded with tears to induce the authorities to let him post the bull, so that he should not have to leave ingloriously without acconiplishing anything. The bull was printed at Erfurt and exposed for sale, but the students seized the copies and threw them into the river, saying, "Let the bull swim."^ When the book- seller brought an action for damages against them, he was non-suited, as the town council refused to notice the students' act. I expect the bull will turn into a bubble, for it is noth- ing more. Therefore I greatly despise it, howbeit I have had a suspicion that at the instance of Duke George I may be forced to depart from Wittenberg; this I leave in God's hand. May his will be done. I have read the letter from that see of the apostles, or rather apostates, written to Duke John.* Good Heavens ! how giddily do these men act ! Fare- well, and let me commend the cause to you.

Martin Luther, Augustinian.

��322. SPALATIN TO ELECTOR FREDERIC OF SAXONY AT

COLOGNE.

Zeitschrift fur Kirchengeschichte, ii. 119 (1877). (October, 1520.)

Most gracious Lord. Doctor Martin's books are also to be burned at Merseburg. They would have burned them at Leipsic last week, Monday or Thursday, but they didn't, for some reason unknown to me. A good friend told me that, having learned it from the written order. . ..


 * Pun on the word bulla, which also means bubble.

'A letter of the Pope to the elector, read in his absence by his brother, Duke John, is meant. Enders, loc. cit.

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