Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/567

 unanimous consent of the whole Diet. It is clear that Huttcn and his fellow assassins who are near here under Siddngen's protection have a hand in this game. The imperialists, espe- cially during their sojourn here at the Diet, fear to offend them, so I believe that they will not try to execute the edict until after their departure. Yesterday the Emperor with great promise you that when the new edict is signed and published, I will have the first man found with a book or picture of Luther pilloried at this window," indicating the one at which he was standing. Certainly he has the best intentions, but his court, on account of some scruples, won't let him act accord- ingly.

Luther is said to be four days' journey from here at a castle where many nobles are assembled, and he is said to have dismissed the herald who accompanied him, who has now returned to Mayence. But Luther kept the safe-conduct Rumor here persists in saying that he will go to Denmark. When we told the Emperor this he said that he would cer- tainly get him then, for the king of Denmark had expressed the wish of meeting him,* the Emperor, in Flanders, when he returned thither, but he asked us not to say anything more about it. . ..

474. COCHLAEUS TO JEROME ALEANDER.

Zeitschrift fur Kirchengeschichte, xviii. 109.

Frankfort a. M., May 5, 1521.

Greeting. You were too true a prophet, magnificent Aleander, about the lies of our Lutheran friends. What a long story they have gotten up, which, though I have not yet seen it, they have inscribed The Acts of Cochlaeus, In this they circulate the slander that I was suborned by you, under the pretext of a debate, to get Luther to give up his safe- conduct. They add another false statement, that Luther of- fered to undergo any risk that I would, but that I refused. As witnesses to their fiction I hear that they cite six counts. I will give you my advice on this, not knowing what you will

^In fact King Christian of Denmark met Charles at Brusaelt in July. C/. Albrecht Durers Schriftliche Nachlass, in fine.

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