Emoricum. Early in 1524 he completed a work against Luther entitled, Tractatus aureus Petri Albiniani Tretii ad Sanctiss. Dominum Nos- trum Clementem VII , , , De Pontifida Potestate. This was gratefully acknowledged by Qement in a breve to the nuncio at Venice, Thomas Campeggio, dated June 4 1524. It was first printed at Venice in 1545, and was reprinted in the large collection known as the Tractatus illus- triutn in utraque turn pontificii cum caesarei juris facultate Juriscon- sult orum, Venice, 1584, Tomus xiii, Pars i, pp. 130S, In this (at Union Seminary) I have read it On Tretius c/. Pastor-Kerr, xii, p. 540; Lauchert: Die Italienischen Gegner Luthers, 1912, pp. 381 ff.
It is extremely difficult to say whether this letter really belongs in 1524 or in 1525. According to A. Giry: Manuel de Diplomatique, Paris, 1894, pp. 106 and 127, from time immemorial until 1797 the Venetians dated their public acts by a calendar beginning the year on March i. But from about 1520 the custom of beginning the year on January i in dating private acts was introduced. If, therefore, Tretius considered this a private letter, and took up with the new custom, the date M.D. xxiiij would mean 1524. But if he used the old style, it would mean 1525. There is no decisive internal evidence. He quotes from his Tractatus, which, as we have said, Gement acknowledged on June 24, 1524. He quotes from Luther's Theses (1517), ^n^ Resolutions (15 18) and speaks of the burning of the Canon Law December 10, 1520. As far as I can see there is no later date spoken of either in this letter or in the Tractatus, As probably Tretius would prefer the old style, and as the Tractatus, which he speaks of in this letter as com- pleted, was not finished much before Clement acknowledged in June, 1524, I have preferred the date 1525.
In translating this letter I have condensed by omitting most of the very numerous references to the Canon Law, for which see the text in appendix, with notes.
Here happily begins the pious, charitable and wholesome epistle of Peter Albinianus Tretius, J.U.D., to Friar Martin Luther, a German, of the order of Augustinian Hermits.
Our Redeemer Jesus Christ said to His apostles, "Ye also are without understanding,"* and again, "If ye, then, being evil,"" and to Peter, the prince of the apostles, "Get thee behind me, Satan," * and after His resurrection He upbraided them with their unbelief * and hardness of heart, and said to His disciples, Luke the Evangelist and Cleophas, as they were going to Emmaus, "O fools and slow of heart to believe," * and again, before His passion, "Ye are clean, but not all."* If
- Matthew xv, i6. In our version a question. * Mark xvi, 14.
' Luke xi (not xxi) 13. ^ Luke xxiv, 35.
■Matthew xvi, 23. *John xiii, zo.
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