Straightway Dr. Luther,* compelled by this to mix m the
debate, thinking to defend and uphold Dr. Carlstadt, publishes
a letter in which he announces, contrary to your Grace's
written command and the decision of the whole honorable
university, that the said debate is at an end, and, nevertheless,
without greeting your Grace or the university, he publicly
and in writing announces that he will debate at your Grace's
university. And as the said Dr. Martin touches the legal
rights of the Pope's Holiness, the said debate would be thereby
hindered, and everyone would be deceived by having the
truth thus abandoned. Wherefore we beg that your Grace
•will see to it that Dr. Luther should not announce debates
^writhout your Grace's or the university's consent.
127. WOLFGANG FABRICIUS CAPITO TO LUTHER. Enders, i. 424. Basle, February 18, 1519.
Switzerland and the Rhine country as far as the ocean, is
solid for Luther, and his friends in these regions are both
powerful and learned. Recently, when it was rumored that
you were in danger,* Cardinal Matthew Schinner, the Count
of Geroldseck,* and a certain learned and much honored
bishop,* and not a few of our other friends," promised you
not only financial support, but a refuge, in which you might
either hide or live openly. When it was noised abroad that
you were laboring in great diffiqulty, some men tried to send
you a large sum of money through me and they certainly
w-ould have done so. But this evening we received golden
^«ws, that Luther lives and will live always. Then we saw a
^opy of the letter of the illustrious and truly princely elector
^o Cardinal Cajetan, by which we know that you do not need
^Ur aid.* But if we can do anything we certainly will. We
^On this cf. Smith, op. eit., p. 59.
V. e., of being sent to Rome, when Lather was thinking of leaving Wittenberg, ^Pra, no. 100.
IHebolt III Ton Geroldseck cf Swabia, administrator of the cloister of Einsie- dein, a dear friend of Zwingli, with whom he died at the battle of Kappel, October IT, X53I.
K^ristopher Ton Uttenheim, Bishop of Basle 1502- 1526, when he resigned, dying the next year.
'Including Zwingli, thinks Kalkoff. Corpus Reformatorum, xcIt. 403, note i. Bnt Zwingli had as yet shown small interest in Luther.
- I>ecember 8, 15x8, refusing to give Lather up. Enders, i. 310.
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