Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/444

 Frankfort and there to wait for the edict of the princes. Fraficis von Sickingen and Ulrich von Hutten, with all the nobles, have undertaken to defend Luther. Aleander burned Luther's books at Mayence. On the first day nothing was done, for when the hangman standing on the platform asked whether he whose books were to be burned had been legiti- mately condemned, the whole multitude replied that he had not yet been condemned. At this the hangman leapt down, saying that he would execute judgment against no one save against him who had been convicted by due process of law. The whole thing was made a mockery and Aleander was so reviled that he will wish he had never undertaken this duty. He hardly escaped being stoned. They called him a Jew, a traitor, a scoundrel and what not. The next day, when he had made loud complaint and had said that an injury was done to the Pope, whose commands were despised, he by his threats forced the Cardinal of Mayence and the canons to cause some books to be burned in the market-place by a grave- digger, for the hangman refused to officiate. No spectators were present save a few market-women. A bitter song was published against Aleander; they say it was posted at night in many places on the house where he lives. Truly he will buy dearly the miter or red hat he expects as reward for this service.

Now hear what Luther did at Wittenberg in revenge. He burned the Pope's bull, the whole canon law and books of the Sentences, and that publicly; so it is announced from the Emperor's court. He has published a book on the Babylonian Captivity in which he treats with freedom great matters. They say that what he has hitherto written is nothing com- pared with this. ..

375. FELIX ULSCENIUS TO WOLFGANG CAPITO. J. W. Baum: Capita und Butser, i860, p. 54. (German translation of

Latin original.) Wittenberg, January 13, 1521.

The man of God, Luther, mightily expounds the Scripture. I often hear him ; he preaches very freely. My pupils do not miss a single one of his sermons, by which they direct their life, and they consider themselves superlatively fortunate to

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