Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/487

 not their fault ; that they had gotten so great a prince to move, etc. Thus they will use your Grace's name to accuse us of harshness and to decorate tts most beautifully, as though we had no desire for peace and truth. I know the devil welL God grant I be not a prophet! For twelve years now my wits have been sharpened on such tricks, and often I have been badly burned.

If this were not a trick, and they were really serious about it, they would not need to go at it with such pomp and cir- cumstance, through such great princes, who have other things to do. A mere bit of dry wood would serve, for we are not of such high station nor are we so wild and ruffianly. They could long ago have written to us and showed us and con- vinced us of their great desire for peace and truth (as they say).

Therefore, if your Grace is willing to do it, I should be glad if your Grace, since your Grace is going to take a hand in the matter, would inquire of the other side whether they are inclined to yield their opinion, so that the trouble may not become worse than ever. For your Grace can readily under- stand that all conferences are wasted and all meetings are in vain if both parties come to them with no intention of yield- ing anything. It has been my past experience that they will insist on their own ideas after our arguments have been fairly presented ; that I cannot yield after their arguments have been presented, I know as certainly as I know they are in error.

If, then, we were to part without agreement, not only would your Grace's expense and trouble and our time and labor be lost, but they, too, would not cease their boasting — it has been their custom hitherto — ^and would thus compel us to an- swer them anew. In that case it would have been better if things had been left as they now are. In a word, I can expect no good of the devil, however prettily he acts.

But since your Grace fears that bloodshed may result from this disunity, your Grace must also know that if this should result (which God forbid!) we shall be altogether guiltless of it. It is nothing new that turbulent spirits cause bloodshed. They have proved it before by Francis von Sickingen, and by Carlstadt and Miinzer, and, afterwards, by God's grace.

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