Dr. Capito was here for two nights and heard two of Doctor Martin's sermons, in which he showed what gross errors had been committed against the Holy Sacrament of the Altar and Its use. He was delighted with them, as he himself says. Since, then, the work that has been begun here comes, beyond all doubt, from God, He will protect it and will provide that it shall not be overthrown either by the devil or by his fol- lowers, if we only commend it to Him in true confidence and with real humility and fear.
The commands your Grace has given me and shall here- after give me, I shall keep secret even to my grave.* C^- stad t is not satisfied, but, as I hope in God, he will neither do nor accomplish anything. I commend myself to your Grace with all humility. May Almighty God preserve your Grace in true and constant faith even to the end of this wretched life. Amen.
Your Grace's humble and obedient
Jerome Schurf.
��535. THE ELECTOR FREDERIC OF SAXONY TO DUKE JOHN
OF ELECTORAL SAXONY.
Wulcker-Virck, 106. German. Lochau, March 1$, 1522.
. . . Your Highness knows that Dr. Martin is back in Wittenberg, and your Highness and I shall have to bear the blame for it, but in order that we may make the excuse that he is there without our consent and permission, he has written us, giving the reasons for his return, and we are sending with this a copy of his letter.' We suppose that the report has reached Nuremberg that Dr. Martin is back in Wittenberg, and we therefore ask your Highness to send Hans von der Planitz • copies of Dr. Martin's letter (for there was no time to have a copy made here), so that he may show them as a justi- fication and excuse for your Highness and us.
- The Elector had warned Schur£f not to reveal hit messages to Luther. Cf, supra,
ao. sjo. and Enders, iii, 303.
>Of March 14 C^^ra, no. 532).
- Then representing the Elector at the Council of Regency in Naremherg {vide
imfra^ no. $38, ad mit.)
�� �
