Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/456

 390. LUTHER TO WENZEL LINK AT NUREMBERG.

Enders, iii. 79. Wittenberg (February 3?), 1521.

This letter is dated by Enders beginning of February or end of January. A MS. has since been found bearing the date "dominica XX.," probably for "dominica LX./' 1. e., Sexagesima Sunday, February 3. Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 1913, p. 296.

. . . Emser rages against me at Leipsic. We have no other news, for I think that you have Hutten's works on this affair. We daily expect news from Worms, for the princes do not wish me to come, but desire only to condenm and destroy me.

Spalatin writes that Aleander dared to say: "Even if you Germans, who pay less than any other nation to the Pope, should break the yoke of Rome, yet will we take care that, consumed by mutual slaughter, you should perish in your own blood." This is his news. I always said and wrote that the Romans cherished this monstrous plan against us. Behold how the Pope feeds Christ's sheep. Farewell.

Yours, Martin Luther.

391. LUTHER TO SPALATIN AT WORMS. Enders, iii. 81. Wittenberg, February 3, 1521.

Greeting. Wonderful is the boldness of Christ, who dared to kill so great a cardinal^ in the midst of the Diet, fearing neither his creator* nor the creature. Link writes that a similar creature suddenly perished in like manner in Hungary.

The Pope has accused our Staupitz before the Cardinal of Salzburg for holding with me. Staupitz has answered; I know not whether he will be taken away. I am publishing the history of that noble Florentine Council,* and my articles for consoling those who are about to confess,* although the presses are very busy. I dined with Duke Bogislav" of

'7. e., Croy, cf. supra, no. 383. A sudden death was then often regarded as a diTine judgment. Croy was thrown from his horse.

•7. e., the Pope.

>The council of 1439. which tried to heal the schism of the Greeks and Romans. Aleander had cited it against Luther, as he recounts in his letter of December 17, 1520, supra, no. 362, which perhaps gave Luther the idea of editing it.


 * Unterricht der Beichtkinder uber die verbotenen Bucher, Weimar, vii. 284.

^BogislaT X. of Pomerania (1454-October 5, 1523), attended the Diet of Worms. Allgemeine deutsche Biographie,

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