Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/275

 tion annoys Luther more than any abuse. There are some who think ITiave entered the arena late; I hope my entrance may be as fortimate as slow. . ..

So much for your two earlier letters; I now come to the last.* I am very glad that your Highness approves of the Collatio, Letters are coming in from many quarters con- gratulating me on my work ; even the Wittenbergers write that it has been received calmly." Here, however, they are raving; Oecolampadius is taking flings at the book in all his speeches. I have received the book On Vows,* and have begun to read it. I see that it is very long-winded, but Qichthove,* the Parisian theologian, has already answered it fully. I think my book On the Manner of Prayer is already there, otherwise I should have sent it, and shall send it, perhaps, if the bearer of this is will- ing to undertake the burden. I hope the Lord Jesus may long preserve your most illustrious Highness.

651. LUTHER TO NICHOLAS GERBEL IN STRASSBURG. Enders, v, 37. Wittenbercv December 17, 1524.

In Enders and previous editions this letter is dated October 22, be- cause the date of the original was read, sabbato post Lucae, the day of St Luke the Evangelist being October 18. As Barge has shown, however, (ZKG., xxviii, (i9Q7)» pp. 45-48) in all probability the date should be read Sabbato post Luciae, the day of Saint Luda being December 13, and the next Saturday fading on the seventeenth. The letter to Catharine Zell, written on the same day, is dated the same way, and the letter to Spalatin, December 14, feria 4 post Luciae. The letter was evidently written at the same time as the one immediately following, in answer to the letter of Gerbel of November 22 (Enders, v» 56), just as the following one to the Strassburg Christians was writ-

^ Supra, no. 640.


 * So Melanchthon, lupra no. 637.

'Which the Dtske had sent him in October. Vide supra, no. 640.

«Jo8se CHchthove (c. 1472-1543) of Nieuport. Flanders, went to Parif in 1488, where he studied under Lefirre d' Staples. Given a D.D. by the Sorbonne 1506, he received a benefice at Toumay 15 19, and a canonry at Chartres e. xsas, where he remained until death. He wrote much against Luther. On htm see P. Feret: La Paculti de Thiologie A Paris, vols, i and ii, and Allen, iii, 2. Von der Haeghen: BibHographie des oeuvrts de Jasst Clicthove, i888« Abb6 Qerral: D# Judoci Clkthovei nsoportuensis vita et operibus, 1894 (thesis of Paris) p. 40. Clichthove was called ''Christopher*' by his colleagues. In all probability he is tlie person alluded to by Glarean, supra, p. 44, note 6, which should be corrected accord- ingly. At first favorable to the Reformation, he turned against it in 1520. See and 352.

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