Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/230

 of Wittenberg in future. I hope my unworthy request may prevail with you, as I was your precursor in the evangelical doctrine, and still hate the Babylonian captivity. Farewell, and greet Melanchthon, Amsdorf, Dr. Schurff and my other friends.

6ia THE CITY COUNCIL OF LEIPSIC TO DUKE GEORGE OF

SAXONY. Cess, i, 64a German. Lsipsic, April 7, 1524.

• . . The printers, too, have made many strong complaints against us, both now and many times heretofore, saying that their business has gone to pieces completely, and if things con- tinue long in their present condition, they will lose house, home and living, because they are not allowed to print and sell the new things that are produced at Wittenberg and elsewhere. The books that are in demand and that people want to buy, they cannot have in their possession or sell ; but these of which they have large stocks no one wants, even if they were willing to give them away. They have so far obediently observed your Grace's command, but other people print these books at Wittenberg, Zwickau, Grimma, Eilenburg, Jena and other places in the neighborhood, and they are then smuggled among the people; thus the profits are taken from our booksellers and given to others, who are glad to get them. For this reason the printers, t)rpe-setters and their employees, a great many of whom have heretofore made a living here at this trade, are ruined and they and their children are in want, so that some of them have been compelled to work on the walls as day- laborers, and in this way the book-trade is being diverted from here altc^ther. They humbly ask that we inform your Grace of these facts, so that your Grace may look into the mat- ter. . ..

619. THE SECRETARY OF THE BISHOP OF TRENT » TO AN

UNKNOWN CORRESPONDENT.

Brown, 1520-6, no. 817. Trent, April 13, 1524.

Has received letters from Nuremberg, where the inhab-

^Bemtrd von Cles (1485-1 539)* sttidied tt Bolognt and Verona, made Bishop of Trent 1514* and held many offices under Ferdinand. Spoken of Vol. I, p. 463, as cannot ascertain.

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