tirely appeasing them. For ten days I have not observed any outbreak of wrath. God grant that we shall get better results every day. I count with certainty on that, if only they do not from some secret reason deceive us, as they would do with passionate eagerness, since they have convinced themselves that they can be good Christians while opposing the Pope, and that the Catholic faith can stand under those conditions. What a serious error! . . .
The German mandate commanding the sequestration of the books and their surrender to the Emperor, will be printed next Monday^ and sent by couriers of his Majesty to all parts of Germany. I will tell you in time its effect. Your Lord- ship will be convinced that we have not spared and do not spare doing the utmost in our power. If the result has not entirely come up to our intentions, the reason is that no other road was open to us. With our evident proofs, our good words and flattery, with bold freedom of speech when neces- sary, we have obtained a thousand good resolutions and promises just such as we wished, but their results have hitherto been no other than those which I have so often veraciously recounted to your Lordship.
417. SPALATIN TO JOHN LANG AT ERFURT. K. Krause: Epistolae Aliquot, 3. Worms, March 8, 1521.
. . . The cause of the gospel and Luther is much agitated, but it is remarkable what agreement on the man there is among clergy and laity, princes and people, albeit I hear that most of the clergy are passive, not wishing to resist the Pope. Saturday of last week the Emperor had read a document against our Luther and his followers to be published and to say that he will be summoned either here or elsewhere to recant the doctrines which his little professors have told him are heretical; I know not what will happen. God helping us we shall see ; meantime, let us pray for the safety of the whole Church. I do not think our elector need be bothered to write letters in Luther's behalf to the town council and people of Erfurt. For Luther will be safe, even though all the enemies of the gospel are unconquered. ... Q^ Spalatin.
^March xi.
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