blood! This is the work of the world's god, the devil, who slanders and shames marriage but lets adulterers, harlots and rascals remain in honor. It is only reasonable to get mar- ried as a defence against him and his world, and to bear his reproaches for God's sake.^
I beg, honored sir, that you will take these my true Chris- tian counsels kindly, and act on them quickly, so that you may tempt God no longer. If you follow God's grace and prom- ise, you thereby honor His Word and work and He will honor you in return. There will be one little hour of shame and then years of honor will follow. May Christ, our Lord, give you His grace that this my letter may by His Spirit be- come living and powerful in your heart, and bring forth fruit to the praise and honor of His name. Amen.
Your honor's devoted
Martin Luther.
668. CHARLES CONTARINI TO . (A private letter.)
Brown, 1520-6, no. 967. Innsbruck, March jo^ 1525.
The Lutherans who rose,* with the banner inscribed Defen- sores Scripturae et Libertatis, are now in the field, having increased their numbers to 40,000. They refuse to pay any contributions but the rent of what they hold, so that the princes are in great embarrassment, and have sent hither to ask the Archduke for assistance. He has promised them 400 foot and 400 horse and two pieces of artillery. Including (sic) [1500?] horse. The commander-in-chief of the under- taking is the Duke of Bavaria. The lansquenets ' will scarcely be brought to march against the Lutherans, who are their re- lations and friends.
669. NICHOLAS GERBEL TO JOHN SCHWEBEL AT ZWEI-
BRUCKEN.
Barge, ii, 276. German. Strassbukg, March 30^ 152$.
. . . What Luther thinks on the sacrament of the eucharist
»Thi» refers to the Peasants* War of I524-5' Cf. supra no. 661. 'Or I<andsknechts, the mercenary German soldiers.
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