Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/284

 654. JOHN BISHOP OF LINCOLN TO WOLSEY.

Letters and Papers of Henry VllI, iv, no. 995.

Elthaic, January 5, 1525.

John Longland (i473-i547) graduated at Oxford, D.D., 1511, made Bishop of Lincoln 1521. A staunch Catholic. DNB.

Mentioned Wolsey's proposal for making a secret search in several places at once, and that Wolsey would be at the Cross with the clergy, and have a notable clerk to preach against Luther and those who brought Lutheran books into England; after which, proclamation should be made for all who possessed copies to bring them in by a certain day, on which sentence of excommunication should be fuhninated against all who disobeyed, and those convicted compelled to abjure or condemned to the flames. Besides which Wol- sey would bind the merchants and stationers under recog- nizances never to import them. The King approves of the plan, especially as to the recognizances, which many would fear more than excommtmication, and thought my lord of Rochester^ would be most meet to make the sermon. "His highness is as good and gracious in this quarrel of Gk)d as could be ... as fervent in this cause of Christ, His Church, and maintenance of the same, as ever a noble prince was."

Told him what a great name he had made for himself throughout Christendom by his notable work against Luther, which this suppression of Luther's adherents would increase. Begs that Wolsey will encourage him in this matter when he sees him. "The world is marvelously bent against the faith, and it is the King's grace and you that must remedy the

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��655. LUTHER TO SPALATIN. Enders, v, 103. Wittenberg, January 13, 1525.

Grace and peace in the Lord. At last I am returning to you the book of Urban Rhegius," along with Matthew Busch's

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��ijohn Fisher, Bishop of Rochester.

'The Warning against the new Error of Dr, Andreas Carlstadt concerning the Sacrament, published at Augsburg, 15214. On December 219 I^uther had written Spalatin that he should send it to him (Enders, v, 89).

"Matthes Busch (Pusch) was bailiflF of Buchholtz, a village near Annaberg on the border of Ducal Saxony. His activity in behalf of the Reformation was a cause of great annoyance to Duke George.

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