ved of the evident
abuses of the mass and of the worship of the saints? Now, as it was
precisely the expression of this disapprobation that had caused the
present massacres, he trembled with fear lest he should be put in the
position of one that justified these atrocious severities. In short, it
was his advice, he said, in view of the cunning devices by which the
"phalanxes" of monks were wont to play upon the hopes and fears of the
high-born, that Francis, if honestly desirous of consulting the glory of
Christ, and the tranquillity of the church, be rather exhorted to
assemble a general council. Other measures appeared to him, not only
useless, but fraught with peril.[367]

[Sidenote: Formal invitation from the king.]

At this point the king himself took a direct part in the correspondence.
On the twenty-third of June, 1535, he sent Melanchthon a formal request
to visit his court, and there dispute, in his presence, with a select
company of doctors, concerning the restoration of doctrinal unity and
ecclesiastical harmony. He assured the reformer that he had been
prompted by his own great zeal to despatch Vore with this letter--itself
a pledge of the public faith--and besought him to suffer no one to
persuade him to turn a deaf ear to the summons.[368] Sturm, Cardinal du
Bellay, and his brother, all wrote successively, and urged Melanchthon
to come to a conference from which they hoped for every advantage.[369]

[Sidenote: Melanchthon consents.]

No wonder that, after receiving so complimentary an invitation,
Melanchthon concluded to go to France, and applied (on the eighteenth of
August) to the Elector John Frederick for the necessary leave of
absence. He briefly sketched the history of the affair, and set forth
his own reluctance to enter upon his delicate mission, until provided
with the elector's permission and a safe conduct from the French
monarch. Two or three months only would be consumed, and he had made
arrangements for supplying his chair at Jena during this short
absence.[370] It appears, however, that Melanchthon felt less confident
of obtaining a gracious reply to his request than his words would seem
to indicate. Consequently, he deemed it prudent to ask Luther to write
first and urge his suit. The latter did not refuse his aid. "I am moved
to make this prayer," said Luther in his letter to the elector, "by the
piteous entreaty of worthy and pious persons who, having themselves
scarcely escaped the fl