Serene High-bornPrince, Most It is really too bad that your Highness should have so much annoyance through being involved with my affairs ; but seeingnecessity and God have willed it so,
I beseech you graciouslyto take it in good part.
Miltitz pointed out yesterdaythe disgrace and disturbance which have accrued to the Church throughme, and I have offered to do all I can to atone for it.
I beg you to ponder the matter, as I wish to do something.
To beginwith,I shall do nothingmore in the affair, and let it,so to speak,bleed to death (ifthe other party are also silent), for,if my writingshad been allowed to circulate freely, the whole thingwould have died a natural death longere now, for all are sick of it.
So see to it, for if this precautionbe neglected, the matter may assume alarming proportions,and disgrace ensue.
For my weapons are ready. Therefore I deem it best that there should be a truce.
In the second place,I shall write Holiness, and submit humbly to him, confessing that in the past I have been too vehement, althoughI did not intend to injure the Church, but only to show the true reason of my opposition, in combating, as a faithful son of the Church, the blasphemousteachingwhich has occasioned so much mischief,and aroused the generalindignationagainstthe
In addition,I shall issue a pamphlet exhortingthe people to cleave to the Church, and be obedient and respectful, and not consider this writing as tendingto disgracethe Holy Roman
Church, but rather to exalt her I shall also admit that I expressedthe truth in a too vehement manner, and perhaps at an inopportunetime.
In the fourth place,MagisterSpalatinhas proposedthat the matter be referred to the verdict of the Archbishop of Salzburg,alongwith other learned people,whose reputation is above suspicion, while
I fear the Pope will not put up with a judge,and I, too, will not submit to the Pope'sverdict.
So, if the first means fail,then the result will be, that the Pope will draw up the conditions,and I shall supply the glossary thereto.
This would not be good.
I have also talked it over with Miltitz,who does not think this would suffice, yet does not demand a revocation,but wishes all to express an opinion on the questionunder discussion.
I can do anythingmore, will you graciously tell me how to act I shall gladlydo or suffer anythingthat I may not againhave to enter the arena of conflict.
For nothingwill come of the revocation.
Highnessesobedient chaplain, The vehement enemy of Luther and the Reformation,which seemed to him like revolution.
My poor prayers are ever at the service of your High-born Prince,Most ^ writes that he has besoughtyour Grace, graciously to permit a disputation in Leipsic,in your
Universitythere, with the excellent Eck professes to desire the disputation with Carlstadt,whose opinions he has scarcelyattacked,while he has combated my doctrines with all his might, I shall appear myself in defence of my propositions, or to receive instructions in the better way.
Therefore, I humbly request your Grace, out of love for the truth,to allow this disputation.
For the highlyesteemed gentlemenof the University have justwritten me, that they have promised Dr. John (whichI had heard)to refuse my request.
They accuse me of having made known that a disputation was to be held before Professor in Ingolstadt.
Professor in Wittenberg.