Dr. Breitenbach* and Dr. Henry von Schleinitz* honored me by an invitation to dinner. They were very civil to me; I never knew them before. We talked of nothing but of the Leipsic theologians, of whom Breitenbach does not seem to think much. From him I learned one apothegm: "If any- one," said he, "sees theologians of that sort, he sees the seven deadly sins." See what reputation we carnal sophists have given our profession of theology before the people. For, except our belly, our purse and our pomp, is there anything notable in us who are of this sort? For what good is it to count envy, wrath, lust and sour laziness? May God have mercy on us.
Emser pours out his fury,' but in such a manner that he confirms my letter. I regret that such coarse, stupid, gross bullies interfere in this business. If respect for my name, or rather the fear of Christ, did not prevent me, I have not found anyone who has given me a better reason for writing. What mockery I could heap on this mole, and perhaps also on the men of Leipsic! Truly I will keep silence and wait for Eck, so that, if necessary, I can answer the lies and curses of both at once.*
I send some letters received to-day from high quarters, so that you can see what is being done there. Please return after reading. Farewell, and please attend, as you promised, to my petition for Melanchthon, though I made it against his will. Martin Luther, Augustinian.
199. ISIDORE DF ISOLANI TO LUTHER. Endcrs, ii. 527. Cremona, November 22 (1519).
In Enders this letter is superscribed **Fr. I. Italus to Luther," the person being unknown to the editor, and the date is given "November 20, 1520," with a question mark. The "November 20** is a simple misprint, for the epistle is dated on the day of St. Cecilia, which is
1 George yon Breitenbach, a Leipiic jurist, in 1535 professor at the oniTersitj. Later turned against Luther, who called him a "devilish lawyer." In 1539, however, at the accession of the Protestant Henry the Pious (cf. Smith, cp, cii^ p. 302), he made friends with the Reformer again. In 1540 he entered the aenrice of Joachim of Brandenberg. He died soon after.
'The Head Marshal of Duke George.
SEmser's answer to Luther's Addiiio, entitled A venaiione Aegocerotis asttriit,
^Eck's Pro Hier. Emser, dedicated to the Bishop of Meissen and dated October 28, 1 519.
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