Nothing is more harmful to magistrates and nobles than that sort of men, who, though they never learned anything, teach all things, even the religion of the angels. I wish to do my best to oppose their ideas. . . .
Brother Martin Luther, Augustinian.
107. CHRISTOPHER SCHEURL TO LUTHER. Enders, i. 335. (Nuremberg, December 22, 1518.
My friend Charles says that he has been soliciting th rose* for three years, and demanded this province of right.^^ and that he is not a legate, but a simple commissioner, witl^ instructions to act on the legate's' advice. At Augsburg h dispatched more than forty breves to the powers of Germany, in which he asks aid against a helpless man. Those who give assistance are blessed, those who resist are damned forever. He says that he will not use these powers, but will do what he can to please the elector, and that he comes as a private man; not a judge, but a friend, only to find out what the elector decides, what Martin thinks and to win the favor of all. He says he will inform the legate and the Pope that the apostolic see has never had a harder, more anxious or more delicate affair than this. He says you must do something, at the very least correct the violence of your letter to the cardinal, for he took your departure and that of Staupitz very hard, since you did not say good-bye to him, as though wishing to mock him. I excused you, and he confessed that you could not have returned to him except in good will. He denies that the cardinal is staying in Germany for the sake of this aflfair, but says that he is waiting for the assembly of the princes next Easter, at Worms or Frankfort. The Em- peror has promised to come to Augsburg on January 6, and in my opinion the legate will also follow from Lintz. Mil- titz says that you ought to come, too,* and if you do, everything will be discussed kindly and that you will have nothing to fear. In these circumstances we must not fear the [papal]
1/. e., the anointed golden rose sent by the Pope to the Elector Frederic. sCajetsn.
- A meeting between Miltitz, Spalatin and Luther was arranged at Altenbnrg ,
January 4-5 (or 5-6), on which ef. Smith, p. 540.
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