The Pope has sent a bull about Luther, a real bull, I hear. He urges the angels of heaven, Sts. Peter and Paul, and every creature to take part against Luther and his adherents; they are to be slaughtered, burned and so forth. If the bull really is what they tell us it has little apostolic spirit and no Chris- tian mercy. O free Germany, where is our freedom? Not even our tongue is free. Hutten is hiding, for the Romanists have prepared poison for him and have hired men to take him bound to Rome or to kill him. He will not remain hid- den long, as the monks of this province, who are furious papists, think. The Elector of Saxony is very liberal towards learned men; they say no prince is more upright or greater than he. Luther will burst forth from personal vices* and be- fore the next fair we shall have thunder. Cease not, help good men and Christian piety as much as you can. The monks will try everything. . . .
309. WILIBALD PIRCKHEIMER TO HENRY STROMER OF
AUERBACH AT LEIPSIC.
Pirckheimeri opera, cd. Goldast, 402. Neustadt, October 18, 152a
Hail, dear Stromer. I have received Luther's book* which you sent, but what good will it do us if we are not allowed to read it, and if we who are innocent are cursed so fiercely? I hear that Eck has posted some bulls or other things at Meis- sen and has publicly traduced my name.' How just it is that I who live at Nuremberg should be accused in Saxony ! As I presimie he has left a copy of the bull at Leipsic I pray you let me know the contents thereof. . . . Moreover, I hear that a book called Der abgehobelte Eck is handed around and that everybody says that I am the author of it, as though no one but I knew how to play the fool. . . . Charles von Miltitz has informed me of the contents of the bull, but he sent me no copy of it, supposing, I know not why, that I al- ready had one.
iAlIttsion to close of Luther's Address to the German Nobility, Weimar, yi. 469.
sPresnmsbly the Address to the German Nobility.
- When Eck was given the bull to post in Germany (Smith, gjf.), he was allowed
to mention by name those of Luther's followers who he thought should be excommunicated with him. He named Carlstadt, Spengler and Pirckheimer, the latter probably because of the satire spoken of in this letter.
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