Luther, that is, he has explained and mocked it with witty, caustic notes. In the title page of the booklet he has sur- rounded the Pope's arms with this verse : "At his right hand stood a bull in cloth of gold and many-colored garments." You never read anything more cutting. For as you know the Pope anathematized Hutten and wrote to some of the princes either to kill him or send him bound to Rome. Hence the bitterness of his invective. Pucci, who tried to do much against Luther in Switzerland, is simply despised.* You know that hitherto Zasius favored Luther. Now he has somewhat changed his opinion, because Luther wrote it would be better for priests to have wives than harlots. But I am abusing the patience of my Boniface to go on with trifles like these. Farewell, Boniface.
P. S. — The Pope has recently condemned Reuchlin's article to please the monks, whose help he now needs, and to spite Luther.
333. ERASMUS TO CONRAD PEUTINGER, IMPERIAL
COUNCILLOR.
Erasmi opera (1703), iii. SQO. Cologne, November 9, isaa
I know that you have no leisure to read all sorts of letters, excellent Sir, nor have I much more time to write, yet I was induced to do so by John Faber,' a Dominican theologian, whom I discovered, by careful examination, to be very dif- ferent from some of that brotherhood, for besides solid learn- ing, integrity and affability, I found in him excellent judg- ment. We have often consulted on the method of composing this Lutheran tragedy without a cataclysm of the whole globe. For what lover of mankind is not moved by the banning of this drama, seeing that there is imminent peril, unless something is done, that it shall lead to a catastrophe danger- ous to Christianity? The most horrible wars are often started
'C/. supra, no. 325.
'Of Augsburg (1470*1 530)* not to be confounded with the man of the same name who was Bishop of Vienna. Studied in Italy and became Dominican Prior at Augsburg. He met Erasmus at Louvain, October, 1520, and with him planned a peaceful solution of the Lutheran schism, composing at this time at Cologne, with Erasmus' help, the Consilium cujusdam cupientis consultum ess* . . . which he pressed on the Emperor's advisers, and at Worms offering a similar plan of icf, infra, no. 383). Life in N. Paulus: Die deutsche DonUnicaner (1903), 293-313.
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