Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/299

 662. CHARLES CONTARINI TO THE SIGNORY OF VENICE. Brown, 1520-6, no. 955. Innsbruck, March 9, 1525.

The disturbances in Germany seem to abate, especially those in Saxony against the Cardinal of Salzburg and the Ehike of Bavaria. There still remains the Duke of Wiirttemberg,* who was expelled his duchy, and who by assistance of the Luth- erans has recovered many of his places; but the members of the League of Swabia have taken the field, being bound to maintain the duchy of Wiirttemberg for the Archduke Ferdi- nand. All disturbance will now cease by reason of the rout of Pavia,' which has htunbled the pride of the Germans, who are averse to the aggrandisement of the Emperor and the Arch- duke.

663. LUTHER TO SPALATIN AT ALTENBURG. Enders, v, ij6. Wittekbekg, March 11, 1525.

... I do not rejoice that the King of France (whether he is flesh or something else) is conquered and captured;' he could bear defeat, but captivity is certainly monstrous. But in these works of God why look for anything but His opera- tions? He raises up kingdoms only to cast them down. Per- haps now the time has come to say of the French, as the poet said of Troy, Venit summa dies et ineluctabile fatum,^ The King formerly captured the Duke of Milan, now he himself is captured ; now the Emperor triumphs that he may at length fall. Such ruin of kings and princes in our age is to me one of the signs that the world will soon perish in the last judgment, for these are greater signs than any think. And now if the princes allow the people to grow insolent it shall come to pass that some shall fall thereby. Perhaps fate presses them on. The only thing that pleases in these events is that the attempt of Antichrist * to work through the King of France has

^Duke Ulrich of Wurttemberg had been expelled from bis duchy by the Swabian League. His lands were given to Ferdinand at the Diet of Worms, 1521. Taking advantage of the Peasants' War, he invaded his duchy in February, 1525, with ten thousand Swiss infantry. He was not finally rdnsUted, however, until May, 1534, when Philip of Hesse again set him on the ducal throne.

•The victory of Charles V over Francis I, at Pavia, February 24, 1525.

•At the battle of Pavia.

fate."
 * Virgil, Aeneid, II, 324, "Troy's last great day has come, and her inevitable

»/.#., Clement VII, who was in alliance with Francis.

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