Father exclaimed: "God be thanked who has sent me in these times an Emperor who takes so much care of the Church!" The Pope is very thankful for all your Majesty has promised, and only begs you to fulfil your promise, and not to permit men who are "hearkening to the counsel of the Devil" to lead you astray, as it is said they will do. These are the very words his Holiness ordered me to write your Majesty.
436. DUKE JOHN OF SAXONY TO ELECTOR FREDERIC AT
WORMS.
T. Kolde: Friedrich der IVeise, p. 44. German.
CoBURG, April 4, 1521.
... I have heard that his Imperial Majesty has sent a herald to Dr. Luther, but I know not whether he has reached him yet. I have credible information that during Lent just past a student at Leipsic confessed to a Paulist brother, and prayed him to absolve him, which the brother refused to do, saying that he would not absolve him unless he promised to bum all Luther's books; but the student replied that he had no books written by Luther, and as the brother still refused to absolve him after repeated requests, the student took him by the cowl and threw him out and stamped on him and per- haps hit him, too — so my physician writes from Leipsic, and I do not wish to conceal it from your Grace.
Liutpold von Hermannsgriin was here two days ago and said that bills had been posted at Worms warning people to give up all books in their possession written by Luther to the magistrate. Wherefore a great question has arisen whether such a proclamation could be made agreeably to the safe-con- duct. Doubtless your Grace knows the truth in the matter. It is my kind prayer that your Grace will favorably protect the pious man Luther, and also that you will request the other princes from me graciously to keep the said Luther in their protection. . . .
437. ALEANDER TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR DE' MEDICI
AT ROME. Kalkoff: Aleander, 145. Worms, April 5, 1521.
Since the publication of the imperial mandate which I sent
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