Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/170

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129, JOHN ECK TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPSIC. Gcss, i. 73. Ingolstadt, February 19, 1519.

I was somewhat troubled when I heard that you did not

care to bear the burden of hearing and judging us, although

I received your letter late, that is on February 4. But now I

am made more cheerful, since I have learned that you have

changed your opinions, for which I render you immortal

thanks. Concerning the time of the debate I should like it to

begin on June 27, for reasons given in another letter to your

university, for I shall be obliged for urgent reasons to be

away from our University of Ingolstadt then anyway. . . .

J am writing to Luther to be present, for there is just as much

reason for his presence as for that of Carlstadt, for in my

poor opinion, both of them are equally in error. We shall

find out by this debate. . . .

  • 3a LUTHER TO CHRISTOPHER SCHEURL AT NUREMBERG.

Anders, i. 432. Wittenberg, February 20, 1519.

Greeting. I blame myself, excellent doctor, for so rarely

Writing in answer to your numerous greetings. But again I

excuse myself in that I am laboring with such a monstrous

ttiass of business. That learned Dialogue of Julius and Peter^

pleased me much, for it contains much fruit if read carefully.

I regret that it is not known at Rome. I almost dared to

translate it;* not that the author is the first to reveal the

horrors of the Roman curia, but he confirms what has, alas!

long been known. Would that the Roman prelates might be

warned of their tyranny and impious rashness even by trifles

oi this sort, which they see are spread abroad through the

world.

Eck, who has hitherto fairly dissimulated his rage against ^t, now reveals it. See what sort of man he is. But the God of gods knows what catastrophe he is planning for this tragedy. In this neither will Eck act for his own ends, nor I

Kf. supra, no. 4a.

'According to the table talk Luther tried to do so but gave it up fearing ht cordd not do tbe style justice. In the same saying be attributes the authorship rightly to Erasmus. £. Kroker: Luthers Tischreden in der Matthesischen Semmlung, 1903, no. 45.

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