Farewell in Jesus our Lord, and may you always be superior to your enemies. . . .
Martin Bucer of Schlettstadt^ Your Reverence* s son in Christ, . . .
220. LUTHER TO JOHN LANG AT ERFURT. Enders, ii. 304. (Wittenberg), January 26, 1520.
Greeting. We have no news, reverend Father. For you have seen The Unlearned Canons, We shall print the Nurem- berg German Apology^ if we have time. I send an explana- tion of my sermon on the eucharist against the men of Leip- sic, who have scattered the rumor that I am a born Bohemian with such confidence that they have persuaded even the courts of princes. They have captured Duke George and made him most hostile to me, for he warned^ the Dresden brothers of my expulsion, as they call it. . . .
Some people have in their possession a noble epistle' of Erasmus to the Cardinal of Mayence. Perhaps it will be printed sometime. Erasmus, who is very anxious about me, nobly defends me, and yet in such a manner that he seems to do nothing less than to defend me, so great is his habitual dexterity.
The Spanish ambassador* is with our elector. Philip and I were invited to dinner with him and handsomely enter- tained. You will soon see Melanchthon's oration delivered yesterday printed. Farewell and pray for me. Greet from me the reverend Father Bartholomew Usingen, and Nathin and all.
Brother Martin Luther.
'Lazartu Spengler's SehutMrgde, cf. infra, no. 221.
rrhu letter U quoted by Enders. The Dresden cloister apparently kept farorable to Luther notwithstanding.
Thia letter, supra, no. 192. It had been entrusted for delivery to Ulrich von Hntten, who was doubtless responsible for opening it and showing it around, and also for having it printed, as was done at once. Bibliotheca Erasmiana, i. 93. Erasmus naturally took this very ill, blaming Hutten for his "more than punic perfidy** (Eratmi epistolae, Londini, 1642, xiii. 42), and especially the liberty taken, as he avows, with the text in changing "Luther" to "our Luther.'* Ibid. xvit. 19. It was reprinted at Wittenberg in 1520 (according to Corpus Reforma- torum, i. 157), as well as at a number of other places. Bibliotheca Erasmiana, loc. cit, Cf, also Smith, op, cit,, p. 201.
'Jerome Bronner, Secretary and Councillor of the Emperor elect, Charles V.
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