most impiously against me, breathing out threats and slaughter.
I was summoned by a letter of the Emperor to the elector, but now he has reconsidered it and has recalled the first letter by a second. God knows what will happen. Our Vicar Wen- zel Link has gone to Nuremberg. Teschius* is at Grimma; he IS said to have left; God keep him! All flourishes here as hitherto. Hutten has arraigned the bull with witty notes against the Pope, and is planning further steps in this affair.
They burned me thrice, at Louvain, Cologne and Mayence, at the latter place with derision and danger to those who did it Thomas Mumar has written furiously against me, not to mention that barefoot ass of Leipsic.^ Farewell, Father; pray for the Word of God and for me. I am carried hither and thither in the floods.
Martin Luther, Augustxnxan,
377. LUTHER TO WENZEL LINK. Enders, iii. y2, Wittenberg, January 14, 1521.
Greeting. Reverend Father, I received your letter from Merseburg. But how could I write when I knew not whither the Spirit of God would snatch you? I was much surprised at your suggestion that I should publish a book saying that I had never written an3rthing against the civil power, for all my writings show that plainly. But how can I stop the mouths of everyone, when many will not read my books solely because they have heard that my books cannot be read with- out the reader being either reproved by them or believing in them? What can I do to such impudent men?
I was summoned by the Emperor, but now my summons is recalled. Emser writes against me ; I will meet that beast, for he acts at the command of his raging Duke George. We have heard evil of Teschius. Everything with us is as formerly.
^By Teschius, otherwise unknown, is it possible that Luther meant Wolfgang Zeschau, Augustinian Prior of Grimma, and later Master of the Hospice of St. John at the same place? Luther speaks of him on November 5, 15 18 (Enders, i. 27<S), and on July 26, 15x9, mentions him in connection with Staupitz's and Link's visit to Grimma, saying that he fears Zeschau will be dismissed. Supra, no. 166.
- AlveId: the Franciscans were popularly called "barefoot monks." Alveld had
just published a book on marriage. Lemmens, 55.
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