476 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let Sap
sent for him, and he (Mai) was requested to dispatch one of his secretaries to Siena to accompany the Pope's officer and bring the culprit to Rome. Villaverde was the person chosen for the purpose, but neither he nor the papal officer, his col- league, thought it prudent to deliver the papal breves, and take charge of the prisoner, lest some disturbance should be raised in the city, and thus the affair remains to this day.
829. MELANCHTHON TO DUKE JOHN FREDERIC OF ELEC- TORAL SAXONY.
CR., i, 1064. German. Wittenbercv May 14, 15291.
Serene, highborn Prince and Lord. My htmible service to your princely Grace. Your Grace knows how greatly my gracious lord, the landgrave, desires that Doctor Martin shall confer with Oecolampadius and others about the sacrament.^ Now, in a matter of such moment, it is not proper for us to do anything without the advice and consent of our gracious lord* and of your Grace. If your Grace thinks it would be a good thing to undertake such a conference, we shall not be found wanting, for, of course, it must be discussed sometime, but I gave your Grace my foolish opinion (which is here en- closed) at Weimar,* with my reasons why the proposal for a conference between Doctor Martin, Oecolampadius and others should not be accepted at this time. I have talked with Doctor Martin about it, and he fears that it would be fruitless if they were to discuss the matter by themselves ; he also thinks there is no hope that the leaders of the opposition will amend their views. I know, however, that this is a cher- ished plan of my gracious lord, the landgrave, and I fear that if his Grace were to hear that Dr. Martin had again declined the conference, his Grace would be more inclined to Zwingli, and I have good reason for this fear. Therefore I htmibly request your Grace to consider what is to be done. I think it would be well for my gracious lord to let it appear that I had asked him about the matter and he had refused, so that I could then give this answer to my gracious lord,
^Melanchthon had met the landgmve at Spires and the matter had been dia- ciisKd between them there. Vide supra, no. 826. •The Elector.
- The opinion gives orally at Weimar hat now been reduced to writinfi
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