608 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let 86i
Christian, honorable, proper and lawful proflFers, and his Maj- esty had them bound and imprisoned in their inn. You also know what an uncompliant and severe answer his Majesty made to their petition and how he has made it clear and cer- tain from this answer that his Majesty is seriously angry and ill-disposed against us, the aforesaid electors, princes and cities and against you and others who incline to the GospeL You know, too, that there is danger that his Majesty may undertake measures even more ungracious, for the suppression of the Gospel, which might cause great difficulty, though we have no doubt that Almightly God, Who in His mercy and grace has so richly and graciously revealed His grace again to us, will protect it mightily against all opponents. And yet the ways and means that God has given us for this purpose are not to be despised. Since, then, such means are at our dis- posal and necessity demands that his Majesty and his Majes- ty's brother^ and others shall ask for help against the Turks from all, and especially from us, the estates, who are not the least but the greatest and the chief source of help; therefore it is our idea that, if we were all agreed not to render any aid unless his Majesty were first to promise that we would be left in peace and not disturbed because of the Gospel (which we consider Christian and inoflFensive and blameless), our reso- lution would under such circumstances have its effect upon his Majesty, and we trust to God that in this way our cause could be maintained and much trouble avoided.' We have no other opinion than that you still stand by your doctrine and will use all diligence to further whatever measures will serve to further it and plant it. Therefore we graciously and kindly ask you that if anything comes to you from the highborn prince, our dear uncle, etc., the Elector of Saxony, if his Grace seeks or asks your opinion or advice in the matter, you will propose to his Grace the way above suggested and do your best to have his Grace accept it, so that thus we may all act in agreement. . . .
^ Ferdinand of Austria.
- On Philip's policy at this time see Smith, iiyt, and the followinf: A. Wcater-
mann: Dig T&rkgnhiifg und dig poKHsck-kirehlichgn Portgign &mf dgM Rgicht^ su Regensburg, JSSi, Heidelberg, 1910, and H. yon Schubert: Rgiek nnd Rgfi Hon, Tixbingen, 191 1.
�� �
