Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/318

 layman. The surplus revenue, after deducting what is re- quired for their maintenance, goes to the community to feed the poor; and by a public instrument they have sequestrated from the churches and alienated all similar property, which is to be enjoyed by married and unmarried persons and no longer conferred by the Roman Church, which they deride as a vain thing.

682. CXERK TO WOLSEY. Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, iv, no. 1336. Rome, May 14, 1525.

... He (the Pope) said that all Germany was ruined, as it had revolted at the same time from its chiefs and the faith of Peter; that the King of Poland had made peace with the Grand Master of Prussia, who is a man of the Church for the defence of the faith against the Tartars and Turks, like the Grand Master of Rhodes, and has great revenues wherewith the Church in the name of his religion is endowed. He will now be made duke and. . . lord under the obedience and lay fee of the said King of Poland, and marry his daughter, being his kinswoman in secundo consanguinitatis gradu, thus committing three great errors without the Pope's knowledge : first, leaving his religion and his vows of poverty, obedience and chastity; second, submitting the lands of the Church to temporal fee ; third, marrying his kinswoman. This, the Pope says, is greatly to be abhorred for the evil example it will set to Christendom, and it seems to show that the said King approves some of Luther's damnable opinions; and he con- cluded that if the wars continued we should see a new world shortly.

653. LUTHER TO THE ELECTOR JOHN OF SAXONY.

De Wette, ii, 661. German. (WrrrENBERc), May 15, 1525.

The Elector Frederic died May 5, 1525, and was succeeded by his brother John, "the Steadfast," who was a far more outspoken adherent of the Reformation than his older brother had ever been. Partly on this account, and partly because Spalatin shortly afterwards retired from his office of court chaplain, Luther wrote him many more personal letters than he had written to his predecessor. The follow- ing is his first letter to the new Elector.

Grace and peace in Christ, serene, high-bom Prince,

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