Page:Thirty-five years of Luther research.djvu/79

Rh the wish of Staupitz. Tuerk and Kawerau devoted themselves to gathering every possible expression of Luther that might have a bearing upon his journey to Rome. Elze, Todt and Clemen have performed a service for us in connection with discoveries as to the route of travel. However, Boehmer has given us the main production.

In his work not only are all the sources that come into consideration carefully and critically examined, but additional sources bearing upon important issues are used. For Boehmer does not only give us those passages of the very rare Alphabetum of the Augustinian hermit, Felix Milensius, that have reference to the matter reviewed, but he also enriches our knowledge of the trouble between Staupitz and the seven revolutionary convents and furnishes us with a reproduction of entries for 1508 and 1509 in the diary of the General of the Order, Egidio, and two important communications of the Council at Nuernberg addressed to the General and the Chapter of the Augustinians at Koeln.

On the basis of this we have pretty conclusive evidence that Luther started his journey in fall, say in November, 1510, and that Luther was in Rome during January, 1511. We are now also better informed as to the motive of the journey. Luther actually did go to Rome in the interest of the seven revolutionary convents. Staupitz, in harmony with the General of the Order, Egidio, also wished to reform the "Conventuales" (cf. above) and with this end in view to unite for the first the Augustinian Province Saxonia with the "German Congregation." The majority of the twenty-nine "Observantes," namely, twenty-two, agreed to this and recognized the union; but seven convents under the leadership of the Frankish District Vicar of Kulmbach, Simon