Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/415

 the gospel of Christ or rather Christ himself publicly in your books, what will they not dare to do to ruin you? Much money was spent for burning the books ; what then ? will not much be spent against their author? The wrath of the stars is heavy against this place, and the men subject to their in- fluence go incurably mad. I remember that old tragedy of reverend Reuchlin, of which I was a spectator for a whole year together. Both my tongue and pen are insufficient to describe the madness of the theologians, whose passions I found more ticklish than the whims of little women. Would that the "Obscure Men" with their art would again come forth to depict these obscurant fathers according to their deserts anew ; the fathers desire not to be illiuninated by any- thing but their own light, which they receive from their own sky. But I hope the obscure ones will appear. The Louvain- ians have not sinned as much, since, whatever may be their insanity in this condemnation, they took it from Cologne and Hochstraten. That man will not rest until his miserable soul shall be tortured in his lost body. The error of Louvain seems to have extenuating circumstances; Cologne sins with intent. Their criminal leader would recently have perished by the sword of Hutten not far from Louvain had not that noble-minded youth thought the death of Hochstraten un- worthy of him, so he let him go trembling and bloodless. With great threats he stopped him agitating against you and Reuch- lin, but he does not know where his fury will end. The scroundrel after that laid many snares which perhaps it would be tedious to relate; time will show how the rebellious father will take his revenge. Hutten staid with me at Fulda five days after he had met Hochstraten. I wish you could know the wiles of the most holy fathers both in Italy and Ger- many, since Rome has invaded also the latter country. I cannot write them because there are so many ambushes all around. We wrote a satire on the arm of the Lord versus the secular arm, which they, who invoke all that is impious, summon to their aid. But how I am wandering on, though I want to be brief ! I am falling into the contrary vice. For- give me, most holy Pope Martin ; my love for you makes me loquacious and steals away part of my time.

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