Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/100

 will, therefore, do your utmost to assist and endeavor to see that we get a letter that we can show. You will also inform him that for certain reasons he shall refrain from preaching in the Castle Qiurch, You will also return to us the letter of Dr. Martin, which we enclose, together with this letter of instruction, after you have read it, and let us know what agreement you have reached with him. We charge you also by your duty to us to keep the whole matter secret. Thus you will please us.

531. ERASMUS TO WOLSEY. Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, lii, no. 2090. Basle, March 7, 1522. A. Meyer : Les Relations d'Erasme et de Luther, 1909, p. i63f.

Before Luther had published his Assertions and his Baby- lonian Captivity, had always advised him against doing so; but the books pleased almost everybody. Had no connection with any Lutheran more than Wolsey himself (tua R. [D]). Instead of upholding Luther acknowledges him to be wrong in many things, and always said so, both to his friends and his enemies; witness the letters he wrote to Luther himself, if they will bring them forward. Many of his letters are circu- lated among his friends, especially one he wrote to the Bishop of Rochester from Bruges, which he regrets has been pub- lished; but even this shows he did not approve of Luther's proceedings. Said the same thing to the Elector Frederic at Cologne,* to the King of Denmark,* and to the captain of the Bohemians,' who made him the largest promises. Why, the Lutherans denounce him, and threaten him with spiteful pam- phlets. How, then, came the rumor ? Two divines at Louvain,* who hate Erasmus and literature, aided by some monks, will do anything to ruin him. At first, it is true, while the evil might yet have been healed, he did not approve having it ventilated before the people; if this had not been done, the

'On November 5, 1520, cf. Smith, 100.

'In the summer of is'i, in the Netherlands. Cf. Vol. I, p. 484, n. 4.

'Artlebtas von Botkowitz of Znaim, Supreme Captain of Moravia; perhaps a kisaman of Martha de Boskowitz, to whom the Bohemian Brethren appealed in addreaaing the Idng. He had written urging Erasmus to join Luther, and I^ras> aras replied in the epistle translated. Vol. I, no. 385, headed simply "To a Powerful Gentleman.'* P. S. Allen, Age of Erasmus, 296.


 * Egmond and Dienc, vide Vol. I, pp. 37off.

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