harshness of the decree. What will come of it I do not know. We should be in no danger if our people would only be a little more accommodating and would be fairer about other mat- ters — raising money for the Turkish war and for the expenses of the imperial government.
About what the papal orator * did, I wrote you before. He made a submissive and timid little speech, exhorting them to prepare for war against the Turks. Concerning the schism in the Church he said* "As regards the faith, his Holiness is deeply grieved hearing that the old heresies and new ones are sowed in Germany and are spreading little by little." He did not say anything harsher than that. Then he exhorted those who had remained in the Church, as he put it, to remain in their opinion, and those who had left the Church to return. At the end he made excuses for the failure to call a Council.
I have no more news. Christ keep and guard you. We may leave here in two days. I will write at the first opportunity on the way. Farewell. . . . ^/XtTnro?
826. THE LANDGRAVE PHILIP OF HESSE TO ULRICH
ZWINGLL Schulcr and Schulthess, viii, 287.* Sphies, April 22, 1529.
Philip of Hesse had found his plans for the formation of a union of evangelical princes and cities continually balked by the theological differences between the Wittenbergers and the South Germans, espe- cially the Strassburgers. As early as 1526 he had conceived the idea of bringing these theologians together in a conference where their differences might be discussed and a general agreement reached. Early in 1529 he began his efforts to this end, including the presence of Zwingli as a part of his plan. At Spires (April 22, 1529) a secret agreement for defence against the Catholic party was formed {vide infra, no. 831), which made the holding of such a conference all the more important. It was on the same day that he sent this letter to Zwingli. Neither Luther nor Melanchthon favored the project {vide infra, nos. 837, 829), but after some negotiations the Elector of Saxony gave his consent, and Philip issued a formal invitation for the colloquy to be held at Marburg, September 29. C/. supra, no. 823, n. i.
Our gracious goodwill to you, learned, dear and excellent
^Tlioinas (Gian Tomaso) Pico della Mirandola, a lay noble and papal ambas- sador at Spires. Vide Pastor-Kerr, x, lajf.
'This in Greek.
•With the date "May 9." The letter was written on the '^Thursday afttr Jubilate," and in 1529 Jubilate Sunday was April 18.
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