To Leo the Tenth, Bishop of Rome

Amongst the monsters of this world, with whom I have been in continual combat these three whole years and more, I am enforced now at length to turn my eyes unto you, and to have you in remembrance, O most holy father Leo — yea, forasmuch as you only are accounted the very cause of this my turmoil, I cannot choose but be always mindful of you. And albeit I have been constrained, through insatiable cruelty of your wicked sycophants raging against me without desert, to appeal to the next general Council, little esteeming the most vain decrees of your predecessors, Pius and Julius, who of a foolish tyranny have prohibited such appeal to be made from the See Apostolic, yet did I never mean while so to estrange my affection from your holiness, but that I have with all my heart wished all felicity and happiness to you and to your See, and in my daily prayers with tears and sighs, even to the uttermost of my power, have heartily besought God for the same. But as for those which have hitherto practiced to terrify me with the authority and majesty of your name, I have now begun almost to contemn and account them of no force: only one thing yet remains, which I may not despise, which occasioned me at this present to address my letters to your holiness. And this it is, because I perceive that I am accused unto your holiness, and very grievously blamed for my rashness, in that I am supposed to have no consideration of your personage.

Wherein, to confess the truth plainly, I am privy in my own conscience, that wheresoever it behooves me to make mention of your person, I did never speak thereof without all honor and reverence: the contrary whereof if I had attempted at any time, I might not have been able to justify, and would by all means possible have subscribed unto their judgments conceived of me herein, and withal would have applied to nothing more willingly, than to make open recantation of this my temerity and misdemeanor in that behalf. I have named you a Daniel in Babylon: and your notable innocency, with how earnest affection I have defended it against your slanderous enemy Silvester, every reader does sufficiently understand — namely, that the opinion and report of your irreproachable life, resounding in each coast throughout the whole world, by the testimony of so many and so notable personages, is more famous and renowned than that it may be impeached by the sinister practice of any man, though never so great a potentate. I am not so void of reason as to defame him whom all men commend, so also have I been ever of this mind, not to seek the defacing of any one, though otherwise infamous by report of all others; for I rejoice not at another man's blemish, who am myself a sufficient witness to my own conscience, of my own great beam in my own eye: nor can be the first that may cast a stone at the woman taken in adultery.

Indeed I have accustomed myself to inveigh against wicked doctrines, somewhat sharply: and have pinched my adversaries, not for their licentious lives, but for their irreligious doctrines, somewhat earnestly: whereof it so little repents me, that I am fully persuaded, without all regard had of men's censures herein, to persevere in that vehemency of zeal: induced hereunto by the example of Christ, who according to the same zeal, spared not to call his adversaries vipers' brood, blind hypocrites, and children of the devil. So does Paul accuse Simon Magus to be the child of Satan, full of fraud and malice. And some others he reproves openly by the name of dogs, deceivers, and crafty simonists. Of whose sharp words, if nice delicates may be admitted judges, nothing shall be supposed more biting and uncivil. What can be more vehement than the prophets? Certainly the manners of our age are become so tender through the furious swarm of flatterers, that we can no sooner feel our sores a little discovered, but we exclaim forthwith that we are lanced: and being not able to crack the credit of the truth by any caviling, we flee from her, condemning her of harshness, impatience, and lack of modesty. How shall salt season if it be not savory? What avails the edge of a sword if it cannot cut? Cursed is the man that does the Lord's work fraudulently. Wherefore I humbly beseech you, my reverend Leo, vouchsafe these my letters for my excuse, and withal persuade yourself that I never conceived any evil of your personage. Then also, that I am so affected towards you, as that I could heartily wish unto your holiness all felicity forever. Moreover, that I am not at variance with any man for conversation of life, but only touching the only word of truth. In all matters else whatsoever, I will give place to others, but the word, neither can I nor will I forsake or deny. Whoever judges of me otherwise, or has conceived otherwise of my writings, does not judge truly, nor conceive thereof aright.

But your See — which is termed the Court of Rome, and which neither you nor any man living can deny to be more filthy than Babylon and Sodom, and as far forth as I can conceive, grown to most lamentable, forlorn, and most shameless impiety — I have detested indeed, and have taken it very grievously, that the people of Christ should be deluded under the countenance of your name and your holiness, and under the pretense of the Church of Rome: and herein have resisted, and will resist the same, as long as the spirit of faith shall live in me: not because I dare think to achieve impossibilities, or that by my only endeavor, I may hope for any amendment in this most confusedly disordered Babylon, being circumvented with such a rabble of brain-sick blunders: but because I do acknowledge myself indebted to my poor brethren, whose safety I ought to regard; that the loss of them that perish may be abridged, or at the least, less infection may spread abroad from those Romish sores. For these many years now Rome has surrounded the whole world with nothing else — whereof your holiness is not ignorant — but with utter destruction of all things, of bodies, of souls, and with most pestiferous patterns of all monstrous wickedness: which does rage at this day in the sight of all men, more manifest than the sun in midday. And the Church of Rome which was sometime the most holy of all other, is become the most licentious den of thieves, the most shameless brothel-house of all the world, the kingdom of sin, death, and hell, insomuch that it passes all reach of man to devise any abomination that is not haunted there, no, though Antichrist himself were come.

In the meantime you, right reverend father Leo, sit as a lamb in the midst of wolves, as Daniel amidst the lions, and are with Ezekiel conversant with scorpions. How can you alone be able to withstand all these monsters? Guard your personage with three or four cardinals excellent in all learning, and most virtuous in manners: what shall this handful do amongst so great a troop? You shall all be sooner swallowed up with poison, before you may dare attempt any reformation. The Court of Rome is utterly undone, the wrath of God is bent against it even forever and ever. It hates counsels, it fears to be reformed, it is not able to restrain the furiousness of her impiety: and it accomplishes the prophecy of her mother, of whom it is written on this wise: We have cherished Babylon, and she is not recovered, let us forsake her. Indeed it belonged to you and your cardinals to have cured those plagues: but this gout scorns the physician's drugs, and this cart will not go driven nor led. Moved therefore with remorse, herein I sorrowed always, right reverend Leo, because you were installed Pope in this wicked age, whose worthiness deserved a better time: for the Court of Rome is not worthy to be possessed of you, and such as you are, but rather of Satan himself, which in truth does reign in this Babylon more than you. O would to God you could content yourself rather with some private benefice, or with your parents' patrimony, renouncing this pomp, wherewith those flatterers your most detestable enemies do vaunt you to be glorious, with which glory none are meet to be glorified but treacherous Iscariots, the imps of perdition. For what commendation else do you get in that palace, my Leo, but that by how much any teacher is more wickedly execrable, so much the more safely he may shroud himself under your name and authority, to rob men of their money and souls, to heap mischief upon mischief, to oppress faith, truth, together with all the Church of God? Oh most unfortunate Leo, doubtless enthroned in a most perilous place of renown: for I tell you the truth, because I do wish well unto you: for if Bernard took compassion of his beloved Eugenius, when as yet there was some better hope of the See of Rome — though then also it was filthily imperious — whereof may we complain first, who have wallowed these three hundred years now in stench and destruction? Is not this true, that under the whole out-stretched face of the heavens, there is nothing more contagious, more pestiferous, and more odious than the Court of Rome? For it is more incomparably execrable than the Turkish impiety, so that true it is indeed, that the same which was in times past the gate of heaven, is now become a certain gaping gulf of hell, and so insatiable a gulf as cannot possibly be satisfied, the wrath of God being fully bent against the same. One only comfort remains for the poor wretches, if we be able to reclaim and preserve some few at the least from this wide gaping jaws, as I said before. Behold, my holy father Leo, by what inducement and by what reason I have inveighed against this chair of pestilence: for it is so far off from my thought to grow in outrage against your personage, as that I would hope to obtain your favor, and be deemed a stout patron of your safety, if I would manfully and valiantly crush in pieces the gates of this your dungeon, or of this your hell rather. For howsoever the general force of all policy can possibly imagine to work the utter ruin of the most horrible Court of this age, the same shall redound all to your person, to the preservation of your estate, and to the safety of many others together with you. Such as do work her confusion do execute your function. They do advance the glory of Christ which do by all means possible detest her. To conclude, they be right Christians which are least Romanists.

But to speak hereof more at large. There never came any such thought into my head, as to inveigh against the Court of Rome, or to discourse thereof anything at all: for when I perceived that all preservatives were insufficient to procure her amendment, I withdrew myself from her, and delivering her a bill of divorce, I spoke unto her in this wise: He that is filthy, let him continue in his filthiness still, and he that is unclean, let him continue in his uncleanness still, yielding myself over to the calm and quiet study of holy Scriptures, whereby I might be able to profit my brethren dwelling round about me. Here now when as I could very little avail, Satan began to open his eyes, and to prick forward his trusty servant John Eck, a notorious enemy of Christ, swelling with a certain outrageous licentiousness of glory, challenging me to a combat unlooked for, tripping me for one very little word escaped me unawares, touching the supremacy of the Church of Rome. This same proud prancing boaster, fussing in his fustian fumes, vaunted lustily that he durst attempt all things for God's glory, and the honor of the holy See Apostolic: and being puffed up with saucy impudence of abusing your power, made no surer account of anything than of present conquest, seeking thereby not so much the primacy of Peter's chair, as his own peerless primacy amongst all the divines of this age. For the better achieving whereof, he perceived that to lead poor Luther captive would be not the least bravery of his triumph, which enterprise, because it happened unluckily and contrary to the exhortation of the foolish sophist, the man waxed incredibly furious: for he perceived that whatsoever infamy was raised by me against the Romish Church, was procured by his own only temerity and rashness.

Vouchsafe here, I beseech you, right reverend Leo, that I may here once defend my own cause, and discover your very natural enemies. It is not unknown unto you, I suppose, how your legate the Cardinal of Saint Sixtus did deal with me — an indiscreet man, and uncivil, nay rather a false man. Into whose protection when I had yielded myself and all my estate for the reverence that I bear to your holiness, he endeavored not to conclude a quietness which he might even with half a word have established easily, when as I then promised to keep silence, and put up my quarrel, so that my adversaries might be enjoined to do the like. But this glorious man, not satisfied with these conditions, began to authorize my adversaries, to give them free liberty, and to enjoin me to recant, which was no part of his commission. Certainly, when here the cause was yet in very good plight, through his immoderate handling, it began to fester worse and worse, whereupon whatsoever fell afterwards was to be imputed, not to Luther, but to Cardinal Cajetan's indiscretion altogether, who would not permit me to be silent, and to remain in quiet, which I did at that time most earnestly desire — for what might I do more?

After him came Charles Miltitz, and he also legate of your holiness, who traveling many and sundry ways, posting here and there, forth and back, and omitting nothing that might appertain to the redress of the state of the cause, which Cajetan had rashly and proudly disordered, could scarce at length bring it to pass — though countenanced herein by the most renowned Prince Frederick the Elector — that he might have once or twice some familiar conference with me, where I once again yielded to your authority, contented to hold my peace, not refusing either Archbishop of Triers, or the Bishop of Nürnberg to be judge in the cause, which was concluded and obtained. Whiles these matters proceeded thus very orderly, behold the other — yea, a greater enemy of your estate — Eck rushes out with his disputation at Leipzig, which he had then published against Doctor Carlstadt, and picking a new quarrel of the supremacy of the Pope, bends his shot against me at unawares, and utterly dissolves this conclusion of peace. In the meantime Charles Miltitz attends the outcome, disputation begins, judges are chosen: yet nevertheless, hitherto nothing was determined, and no marvel, forasmuch as through Eck's false lying, dissembling, and false packing, all things were full of unquietness, abounded in all melancholy, and fraught of all parts with confused disorder, so that which way soever judgment were given, greater storms would be raised: for he sought for glory, and not for the truth. And here also I omitted no part of duty that became me to do.

And I confess, that this was not the least occasion of the discovery of the Romish trumperies: yet such as it was, if any offense grew thereby, it was altogether to be imputed to Eck, which undertaking enterprise above his reach, whiles he gaped over-greedily for his own glory, did display abroad to the view of the whole world the infamous estate of Rome. This, even this same Eck is your enemy, my Leo, or rather the enemy of your Court, by whose only example, a man may learn sufficiently, that there is none more pestilent an enemy than a flatterer, for what gained he by his fawning else but a mischief, which no earthly king nor potentate could bring to pass? For the name of the Romish Court does stink now over the whole world, and the papal authority is very much crazed, notorious ignorance is generally cried out upon, whereof we should not have heard any one word at all, if Eck had not turmoiled the peace agreed upon betwixt Charles and me, which now himself perceives plain enough, all too late, and in vain, storming against the printing of my books. Thus much became him then to have thought upon, when like a wild untamed colt, he ranged wholly for glory, and when he sought naught else but his own advancement, under the color of your holiness, to your marvelous detriment and danger; notwithstanding the foolish vain man hoped that I would have ceased, and kept silence, being afraid of the sound of your authority — for of his wit and learning, I do not believe that he was so foolhardy. And now perceiving that I have taken courage, and my writings scattered abroad too much, being all too late sorry for his unadvisedly willfulness, he does understand that there reigns one in heaven who resists the proud, and casts down the haughty of mind, if at least yet he conceive so much.

Therefore, when as by this our disputation, nothing was wrought but a greater confusion of the Romish cause, Charles Miltitz makes now his third repair to the elders of the order, being assembled in the chapter house, desires advice how to qualify the contention, which was even now grown to great trouble and wonderful peril: from whom — forasmuch as there was small hope now to overthrow me, God's mercy assisting me — some of the greatest personages were sent unto me, to entreat that I would have consideration of the estimation and honor of your holiness, and that I should in humble letters excuse both your innocency and my own, declaring that the matter was not yet grown to so despairing a case as to be without hope of recovery, if Leo the tenth would of his natural inclination to leniency vouchsafe his aid thereto. Here now as one that has always both offered and wished for tranquility, that I may the better apply myself to more quiet and more profitable exercise, whereas I had so vehemently turmoiled myself to this end, that in mightiness and force, as well of words as courage, I might suppress the insolence of them, whom I perceived to be far unequal to match with me, I did not only yield willingly, but with joy also and thankful mind, embraced the request, as a most acceptable benefit, if it may prove according to our expectation.

In this mind I come now, oh holy father, and falling prostrate at your feet, do most humbly beseech you to grant your assistance herein, and to restrain, if it be possible, the outrage of these flatterers, the very cankers of unity, though masking under the visor of peace. But to wish me to revoke that which I have written, most holy father, it avails not for any man to hope for, unless he be desirous rather to have the matter to be more largely blown abroad.

Moreover, I do not allow these laws concerning the interpretation of God's word to be restrained to the Church of Rome, or tied to any place, forasmuch as the word of God, which teaches freedom of all things else, ought not to be straitened and abridged of her freedom. The two conditions reserved, there is else nothing but that I can both do and suffer: yea, will most willingly yield unto. I do hate contention. I will challenge no man, and I will not be challenged again, but if I be teased, I will not hold my tongue in my master Christ's behalf, for it is an easy matter for your holiness to command silence and quietness on both parts, the quarrels being summoned before you and determined, which I have always desired earnestly to hear.

Beware therefore, my holy father Leo, that you hearken not to these enchanters, which make you not a natural man, but half a God, and would induce you to believe that you are able to command and exact whatsoever you list. It will not be so, neither shall you prevail; you are the servant of servants, and placed in the most dangerous estate of all others. Let them not beguile you, which imagine you to be the Lord of the world, which will not permit any man to be a Christian man, unless he be subject to your authority, which do chatter and jangle that you are of power to command in heaven, in hell, and in purgatory. Those, even those be your enemies, and seek the destruction of your soul, as the prophet Isaiah does witness: O my good people, such as do praise you, even those do deceive you. They are out of the way, which do extol your majesty above the Council and universal Church. They are out of the way which do invest you only in the right of interpreting Scriptures, for such do practice to establish in the Church all their own impieties under your name. And alas for woe, by the means of those persons, Satan has prevailed much in your predecessors. To be brief, believe none of them that do magnify you, but such as do humble you, for this is the judgment of God: He has thrown down the mighty from their seat, and has exalted the humble and meek. Behold what inequality there is betwixt Christ and his successors, when as they all notwithstanding will be accounted vicars of Christ. And I fear much, lest many of them be his vicars in deed a great deal too earnestly: for a vicar is he that does present the person of his prince being not in place. Now, if the Pope does bear dominion while Christ is not present, nor residing within his heart, what is he else than the vicar of Christ? But what manner of church is that then else, but a rude multitude without Christ? And what manner of vicar is this else, but Antichrist, and an idol? How much more truly spoke the apostles, who named themselves the servants of Christ being present, and not vicars of Christ being absent.

Peradventure, I shall be accounted a shameless fellow, that dare presume to teach so mighty a potentate, from whom all others ought to be instructed, and from whom all judicial courts ought to fetch definitive sentence — as your pestiferous flatterers do arrogantly vaunt. But I follow the example of Bernard, in his book entitled De Consideratione ad Eugenium, a necessary book for all Popes to know by heart. Neither do I take this upon me of any greedy desire to teach, but of dutiful affection, in a pure and faithful zeal, which does enforce us to be afraid even of the most plausible things in our neighbors: and being altogether exercised in the perils and profits of other men, will not admit any respect to be had of the worthy or unworthy. For insomuch as I know that your holiness is troubled, and tossed at Rome — that is to say, in the main sea on all sides environed about with infinite dangers, and that you swim now in succorless waves miserably — as that you stand in need of the meanest help of any your poorest brethren, I judged it a point of no great absurdity, if I did lay aside the remembrance of your majesty for a time, until I had executed the duty of love. I will not flatter in so weighty and perilous a cause: in which doing, if I be not conceived to be most friendly and most humble unto you, there is one that does conceive and judge.

To conclude, because I would not seem to come empty-handed unto your holiness, I bring with me this little treatise, published under your name, as a pledge of truce to be concluded, and of good success: wherein you may somewhat conceive in what kind of studies I can, and am very desirous to employ my time, more fruitfully and commodiously: if I heretofore might, or hereafter may now conveniently be free from your wicked flatterers. The matter is small, if you regard the outward coat, but if you comprehend the thing itself, it is — if I be not deceived — a most notable pattern of a Christian life, briefly compiled. Neither have I ought else, being a poor man, to gratify your holiness withal, neither need you any other present than spiritual consolation, wherewith I do recommend myself wholly to your fatherhood and holiness. Which I beseech Christ Jesus to preserve forever. Amen.

At Wittenberg the sixth of September, in the year of our Lord, 1520.