Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/575

 570                          APPENDIX

"Dr. Henning," which might easily be misread "Herman." If so, it probably accompanied Luther's "positions" as his Theses were often called. That Luther actually wrote to him may be seen by Enders, i. 57. The date of such a letter as the above must fall between the posting of the Theses, October 31, 1517, and Henning's death, January 23, 1521, probably while Henning was at Erfurt in 1518.

3. LUTHER TO JOHN TETZEL AT LEIPSIC

De Wette-Seidemann, vi. 18. (Shortly before August 11, 1519.)

Not only the reputation, but also the health of the indulgence-seller, John Tetzel, was broken by the storm started in 1517. When Luther heard that he was mortally ill, he wrote to comfort him, and bade him "not to be troubled, for the matter did not begin on his account, but the child had quite a different father." The letter is lost, but this quotation is preserved in Emser's: ''Auff des Stieres su Wittenberg wiettende replica.''

4. LUTHER TO VADIAN AT ST. GALL.

Vadianische Briefsammlung, ii. no. 249. (1520 or early 1521.)

On March 18, 1521, Lawrence Merus writes to Vadian that a few days ago Salandronius has handed him Luther's letter to him (Vadian). He (Merus) passed it around among his friends until the writing began to grow dim with being kissed, after which he locked it up safely in his desk.

APPENDIX III.

I3ga. CAPITO TO ERASMUS AT BASLE. Allen, iii. 526. (Basle). April 8. 1519

The following letter first came to my knowledge while the present work was in press. It is worth adding for the light it throws on Capito's efforts to act as intermediary between Luther and Erasmus a role he reassumed during the latter part of 1521 :

"I pray you not to disparage Luther's course in public. You know how much your opinion counts. I beg this from my heart. It is expedient to let Luther's fame live, for thus notwithstanding his shortcomings courage will be given to the rest of the youth to dare something for Christ's freedom. We shall keep subservient to you Germany and Saxony, where Luther's patron, a powerful prince, the flourishing University of Wittenberg and many illustrious men equally favor Erasmus and Luther. The enemy desires nothing more than to see you angry at him. It is better to have the hostility of all theolo- gians than that of Luther's champions, for there are some princes, cardinals, bishops and famous ecclesiastics who have his cause at heart."

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