his holiness should enjoin. In the meantime Luther, as soon an he
understood what was transacting about him at Rome, used all imaginable
means to prevent his being carried thither, and to obtain a hearing of
his cause in Germany. The elector was also against Luther's going to
Rome, and desired of cardinal Cajetan, that he might be heard before
him, as the pope's legate in Germany. Upon these addresses, the pope
consented that the cause should be tried before cardinal Cajetan, to
whom he had given power to decide it. Luther, therefore, set off
immediately for Augsburg, and carried with him letters from the elector.
He arrived here in October, 1518, and, upon an assurance of his safety,
was admitted into the cardinal's presence. But Luther was soon convinced
that he had more to fear from the cardinal's power, than from
disputations of any kind; and, therefore, apprehensive of being seized,
if he did not submit, withdrew from Augsburg upon the 20th. But, before
his departure, he published a formal appeal to the pope, and finding
himself protected by the elector, continued to teach the same doctrines
at Wittemberg, and sent a challenge to all the inquisitors to come and
dispute with him.

As to Luther, Miltitius, the pope's chamberlain, had orders to require
the elector to oblige him to retract, or to deny him his protection; but
things were not now to be carried with so high a hand, Luther's credit
being too firmly established. Besides, the emperor Maximilian happened
to die upon the 12th of this month, whose death greatly altered the face
of affairs, and made the elector more able to determine Luther's fate.
Miltitius thought it best, therefore, to try what could be done by fair
and gentle means, and to that end came to some conference with Luther.
During all these treaties, the doctrine of Luther spread, and prevailed
greatly; and he himself received great encouragement at home and abroad.
The Bohemians about this time sent him a book of the celebrated John
Huss, who had fallen a martyr in the work of reformation; and also
letters, in which they exhorted him to constancy and perseverance,
owning, that the divinity which he taught was the pure, sound, and
orthodox divinity. Many great and learned men had joined themselves to
him. In 1519, he had a famous dispute at Leipsic with John Eccius. But
this dispute ended at length like all others, the parties not the least
nearer in opinion, but more to enmity with each other's pe