2  De  W. vol. i. pp. 161,  163,  164,


V  FREDERICK'S  ATTITUDE  253

Spalatin  a  copy  of  a  Papal  Brief  addressed  to  Cajetan,  drawn
up  and  signed  in  due  form,  and  dated  August  23  d,  in  which
he  found  himseK  treated  as  an  already  convicted  heretic,  whom
the  Legate,  unless  in  case  of  complete  repentance  and  recanta-
tion, was  ordered  to  arrest  and  send  to  Eome. The  authen-
ticity of  this  Brief,  which  we  know  in  no  other  way  than  that
above  stated,  wUl  be  discussed  elsewhere.^  Luther's  first
thought  was  to  treat  it  as  spurious. Possibly,  on  reflection,  he
changed  his  mind ;  it  answered  to  the  vague  apprehensions  that
had  filled  the  air  at  Augsburg ;  and,  at  all  events,  until  repu-
diated by  the  Curia,  it  was  a  document  of  which  good  argu-
mentative use  might  fairly  be  made  in  the  controversy. His
first  business,  on  reaching  home,  was  to  prepare  a  report  of  all
that  had  happened  at  Augsburg,  with  illustrative  papers,  among
which  this  Brief,  accompanied  by  an  indignant  commentary,
took  its  place. His  own  mood  was  that  heroic  one  to  which
past  difficulties  and  dangers  seem  of  small  account. "  I  am
full  of  joy  and  peace,"  he  writes  to  Spalatin,  "  so  that  I  wonder
that  this  trial  of  mine  should  have  seemed  anything  great  to
many  and  great  men.''  Stni  his  position  was  doubtful  and
perplexing. He  could  not  conceal  from  himself  that  he  was
practically  a  rebel  against  the  authority  of  the  Pope ;  would
Frederick,  as  a  good,  a  peace-loving,  an  orthodox  prince,  throw
the  shield  of  his  protection  over  him  ?  No  one  could  suppose
that  he  would  be  safe  except  upon  Saxon  soil ;  would  he  be
told  to  betake  himself  elsewhere  ?  ^

The  answer  to  these  questions  soon  came. Cajetan  wrote
to  the  Elector  a  letter,  which,  though  dated  October  25  th,  was
not  delivered  tiU  November  19th,  in  which  he  gave  his  own
account  of  the  transactions  at  Augsburg,  and  asked  that
Frederick  should  consult  for  his  own  honour  and  conscience
by  either  sending  Luther  to  Eome  or  at  all  events  by  expelhng
him  from  Saxony. This  letter  the  Elector  at  once  loyally  sent
to  Luther,  who  immediately  replied,  not  only  controverting  the
Cardinal's  account  of  the  facts,  but  reasserting  his  own  posi-
tion. 