took me and Carlstadt completely in his protection, and will not suflFer them to drag me to Rome, which greatly vexes my enemies who know it.
If rumor has perhaps told you anything about the burning of Tetzel's Theses^ lest anyone should add anything to the truth, as is usually the case, let me tell you the whole story. The students are remarkably tired of sophistical and anti- quated studies and are truly desirous of the Holy Bible; for this reason, and perchance also because they favored my opin- ion, when they heard of the arrival of a man sent from Halle by Tetzel, the author of the Theses, they threatened the man for daring to bring such things here ; then some students bought copies of the Theses and some simply seized them, and, having given notice to all who wished to be present at the spectacle to come to the market place at two o'clock, they burned them without the knowledge of the elector, the town council, or the rector of the university or of any of us. Certainly we were all displeased by this grave injury done to the man by our students. I am not guilty, but I fear that the whole thing will be imputed to me. They make a great story out of it, and are not unjustly indignant. I know not what will come of it except that my position will be made still more perilous. Everyone says that Dr. Conrad Wimpina is the author of those Theses, and I think it is certainly so. I send one rescued from the flames to show you how mad they have become against me. . . .
52. LUTHER TO JOHN SYLVIUS EGRANUS AT ZWICKAU.
Enders, i. 172. Wittenberg, March 24, 1518.
John Wildenhauer (Sylvius) of Eger in Bohemia (fjune 11, 1535) matriculated at Leipsic 1500, B. A. 1501, M. A. 1507. He was preacher at Zwickau 1516-1521, when a quarrel with Thomas Miinzer forced him to leave. For two years he preached at Joachimsthal, and then resumed a wandering life. At first a warm friend of Luther he afterwards became alienated. Allen, iii. 409. Allgemeine deutsche
n^other's Theses cut into Tetzel's profits and forced him to stop selling indul* fences. Hoping to combat them on their own ground, be went to the UniYcrsity of Fraalc£ort-on-the<Oder, and with the help of Conrad Wimpina composed a aet of counter theses, recently reprinted by W. Kohler: Luthers 9$ Tkesen samt seimen Resolutiontn, sowie die Gegenschriften von IVimpina-TeUel, Bck mnd Prierias, nnd die Antworten Luther s dorauf. Leipzig, 1903.
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