He knows, too, that his Grace has never taken his part or adopted His cause farther than to request his Imperial Majesty, with all the respect due from a subject, to give him a gracious I hearing, and this was done on his own simple and humble petition. Nor does his Grace intend to go into the matter any farther or take his part or adopt his cause, because he is not yet cpnvicted, and he himself writes that his Grace shall not take his part. But if he were to return to Wittenberg and his Grace were to refuse the request of the Pope and his Im- perial Majesty and not to obey it, and were, besides, to have too little reason for his refusal, let. him consider how much good that would do his Grace and his Grace's land and people. But his Grace's mind would be at rest if his Grace really knew what was good and right according to God's will; to suffer and endure for it what his Grace ought, would be no
• hardship personally for his Grace. For if that were the true cross and relic sent from God, his Grace would not shrink from it, but because God has said that His yoke would be sweet and His burden light, his Grace would willingly bear this cross if his Grace knew that it came from God, not doubt- ing that God would lend his Grace help and strength for the burden. But they acted so strangely and variously at Witten- berg, and so many sects arose among them, that everybody
i was at sea and none knew who was the cook and who the ladle. That other people should be brought to harm and grief on his Grace's account would grieve his Grace deeply.
Moreover, you will not conceal from him his Grace's opinion
that since there are recent reports of a new diet * to be called
about the middle of Lent, and since his case will be not the
smallest of the matters discussed at this diet, his Grace has
, thought that perhaps it would be well for him to have patience
' meanwhile and keep himself in the background until it is seen
• how things are going; also to send to this diet a written memorial and opinion concerning the^mfiasures to be adopted in reference to these matters. Perhaps Almighty God will permit his Grace to accomplish something, for it is possible that things may change greatly in the meantime.
- The Diet of Nuremberg. The call was issued February 12, and the date of
meeting set for March 23 (RTA., iii, 38).
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