although I pay more than anyone. They strike my name off the door, and play me a hundred other rude, bold tricks, which are very extraordinary and would hardly be credible, although I write of them in order to inform your Lordship fully. More anxiety has been caused me by the widespread rumor that Hutten and his friends have sworn to murder me. Not only do my friends advise me of this, but certain imperial secretaries warned me through the Bishop of Liege that I had better be on my guard or I would hardly escape from Germany. I feel less safe in this city than on the Campagna; wherefore, with much trouble and expense, I hired myself a little chamber near the court in the house of a poor man. I suffer unaccustomed hardship. On the icy bank of the Rhine, I, who have been accustomed to a comfortable heated room from September to May, lack a fire. I can hardly keep well. . . .
I cannot express sufficient surprise that so many clergy and monks of other orders than Luther's are devoted to him to the death. . . . Almost all the clergy except the parish priests are deeply tainted with heresy, particularly those who have been appointed from Rome are worse than the others. . . .
The book of the Arius on the Babylonian CaptiiHty will soon be known at Rome well enough. Its perfect wickedness and monstrous godlessness help us, and I make the most of them. Otherwise I would have sent the book to you before. Moreover, the scoundrel has published some German writings and other foolish stuff against the bull; I hope to bum it all as soon as I can get it. . . .
360. LUTHER TO SPALATIN. Enders, iii. 20. (Wittenberg), December 15, 152a
Greeting. Dear Spalatin, behold Hutten's book* sent to me as you see by Crotus. Please give the elector his copy; I keep mine. Good heavens ! what end will there be to these innovating tracts? I begin to think that the papacy, hitherto invincible, will be broken beyond all hope, or else the last
KTontaining his letters to Charles, the Princes of Germany, Albert of Bran- denburg and Frederic of Saxony.
�� �
