ndicate an action, rather than a change of
heart, and are in no way an equivalent for the Greek _metanoia_.

While this thought was boiling in my mind, suddenly new trumpets
of indulgences and bugles of remissions began to peal and to bray
all about us; but they were not intended to arouse us to keen
eagerness for battle. In a word, the doctrine of true penitence
was passed by, and they presumed to praise not even that poorest
part of penitence which is called "satisfaction," [12] but the
remission of that poorest part of penitence; and they praised it
so highly that such praise was never heard before. Then, too,
they taught impious and false and heretical doctrines with such
authority (I wished to say "with such assurance") that he who
even muttered anything to the contrary under his breath, would
straightway be consigned to the flames as a heretic, and
condemned to eternal malediction.

Unable to meet their rage half-way, I determined to enter a
modest dissent, and to call their teaching into question, relying
on the opinion of all the doctors and of the whole Church, that
to render satisfaction is better than to secure the remission of
satisfaction, i. e., to buy indulgences. Nor is there anybody who
ever taught otherwise. Therefore, I published my
Disputation;[13] in other words, I brought upon my head all the
curses, high, middle and low, which these lovers of money (I
should say "of souls") are able to send or to have sent upon me.
For these most courteous men, armed, as they are, with very dense
acumen, since they cannot deny what I have said, now pretend that
in my Disputation I have spoken against the power of the Supreme
Pontiff.[14]

That is the reason. Reverend Father, why I now regretfully come
out in public. For I have ever been a lover of my corner, and
prefer to look upon the beauteous passing show of the great minds
of our age, rather than to be looked upon and laughed at. But I
see that the bean must appear among the cabbages,[15] and the
black must be put with the white, for the sake of seemliness and
loveliness.

I ask, therefore, that thou wilt take this foolish work of mine
and forward it, if possible, to the most Excellent Pontiff, Leo
X, where it may plead my cause against the designs of those who
hate me. Not that I wish thee to share my danger! Nay, I wish this
to be done at my peril only. Christ will see whether what I have
said is His or my own; and without His permission there is not