Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/427

 told me. His dislike of the clergy and his hatred of the Arch- bishop of Mayence arose from a quarrel over the city of Erfurt, which has resulted in a mortal enmity between them. Nevertheless, to my great surprise, they converse with eadi other like tender brothers; and yet people talk about Roman politeness and hypocrisy ! At the coming Diet, with the hdp of the Emperor, we shall try all means to win this Saxon, and I doubt not that we shall succeed. . ..

Against us are a host of poor German nobles, who have banded under Hutten's leadership, and, thirsting after the blood of priests, would like to fall on us at once.

The German professors of the Roman and Canon laws, and priests such as those who have married, are all our opponents and avowed Lutherans. Although Luther has condemned their teachings and cries out that their writings should be burned from A to Z,* yet the blinded scoundrels preach and argue for him. The reason for this is, that although they understand precious little of their subjects, yet, once they have obtained their doctor's degrees, though without thorough- study, they are taken into the universities and as leaders give the tone to public opinion. Worse than these is the morose tribe of humanists and poor poets with whom Ger- many swarms. They think they will pass for learned and particularly for masters of Greek when they declare Aat their opinions differ from those of the universal Church.

The followers of Reuchlin, Luther and Erasmus have pub- lished dialogues against me, and posted up verses on the imperial palace at Cologne, in which they call me a traitor to the liberal arts, a trainbearer to courtiers, a protector of sodomites, a hangman and burner of good books (Hutten's and Luther's!) and give vent to a thousand other calumnies over which, by Heaven, I can only laugh. I am simply out- lawed by all Germans, and my former students are still more embittered against me and flee from me as from an outlaw; but it is nothing to me. Others want to dispute with me to defend Luther. It would be easy enough to confute them, but they can't be brought to confess they are wrong.

They refuse to let me have the lodgings engaged for me,


 * In the Address to the German Nobility, §25; c/. Smitii, p. 8$.

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