Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/519

 apostles. But if this seems to be the beginning of evil, why do they not nip it in the bud, lest it grow too great for them? It will not be crushed by clamor and threats and cruelty, but it might be appeased by confessing manifest errors and cor- recting vices and leaving a place for the progress of the gos- pel. I write what I hear prudent and good men say. But enough of this subject. . ..

443. THE GOVERNORS AND GRANDEES OF SPAIN TO

CHARLES V.

Bergenroth, supplement to vols. i. and ii., p. 376ff. (English translation of Spanish.) Toroesillas, April 12, 1521.

The Cardinal of Tortosa [Adrian of Utrecht] and the Ad- miral of Castile,* governors for your Imperial Majesty in these your kingdoms, together with the grandees, prelates, cavaliers, and principal persons who are staying at this court in the service of your Highness, and who here sign their names for themselves and in the name of all other grandees, prelates, cavaliers and other principal persons of your king- dom of Spain, very humbly kiss the royal feet and hands of your Imperial Majesty. We desire you to know that through various channels has been forwarded to these your kingdoms and seignories the intelligence of the discord and schism which the heresiarch Martin Luther has sown in Germany amongst the subjects and vassals of your Majesty, which has caused and still occasions to all of us, as Catholic Christians and supporters of the faith and service and honor of your Ma- jesty, great pain and grief; especially because we have been certified that that seducer, not content with having perverted and deceived Germany, is endeavoring with his malignant and diabolical cunning to pervert and contaminate these your kingdoms and seignories of Spain. And to this end, at the instigation and with the aid of some persons of these parts, who desire to hinder and weaken the holy office of the In- quisition, he has procured means for translating and putting into the Castilian tongue his heresies and blasphemies, and to send them to be spread and published in this Catholic nation.

^Don Fadrique Henriquez, appointed ffovernor of Spain in conjtmction with die Cardinal of Tortosa and the Constable of Castile, in 1520.

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