Let 66 OTHER CONTEMPORARY LETTERS W
Father, who always love retirement, have unhappily been forced into the public view. . . .
I ask, therefore, that you will receive this poor book of mine, and forward it with what expedition you can to the excellent Pope Leo X. I ask this not to involve you in my danger (for I prefer to take all the risk myself), but that I may have at Rome if not a champion, at least an answer to all my opponents.
66. ANDREW CARLSTADT TO JOHN ECK AT INGOLSTADT. J. G. Olearius: Scrinium antiquarium, Halle. 1671, p. 32.
Wittenberg, June 11, 1518.
Greeting. Most learned Eck, I am in receipt of your el^^ant letter. I answer briefly to let you know that I am greatly displeased with the taunts with which you have assailed my most learned friend, Martin Luther. For you have accused the man of the worst and greatest crimes, Use majeste, heresy and schism. You have publicly called him a seditious Huss- ite. You deny that you published this opinion? Well, your own Scotus says that whatever is written is ipso facto pub- lished, and you certainly wrote it. You not only gave us a chance to reply, but you forced us to do so. Wherefore it happened that I published a challenge, or rather an apology, against some of your conclusions. This was printed and is sold here at Wittenberg. I Weep for the wound your human- ity received in forcing on us the necessity of fighting you. If things done could be undone, I should prefer to conquer your accusations with patience rather than with battle. The reason why I chose you particularly for an adversary, instead of that unlearned inquisitor or someone like him, was not envy or anger, but was your elegance, industry and acumen, and especially your own salvation and that of the people. For I hope that you will come over to our opinion; I believe that from Saul you will be made Paul. For I would not have a wild ass or a balking ass, but a noble lion [Leo] or an eloquent Mark. I thought it would not hurt me to strive by imitating your arts to become more elegant. Please pardon me if I have hurt you. But consider whether you ought to
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