[262] Julius Pflug, Canon, and afterwards Bishop of Numburg in
Saxony, a learned man, and of conciliatory and moderate temper.
[263] John Gropper, Canon of Cologne. He was so far enlightened
as to see and acknowledge the abuses of the Roman Church, but had
not courage to go forward in the reform of them. He obtained the
Cardinal's dignity, and was put to death in a strange and unusual
manner, having been strangled with the strings of his Cardinal's
hat. See Bezæ _Icones_.
[264] John Mayer, better known under the name of Eck, Doctor in
Theology, celebrated on account of his controversies with Carlostadt
and Luther.
[265] John Pistorius, superintendent of the province of Nidau. He
was called to the Diet of Augsbourg in 1529, and died, in 1583, at a
very advanced age.
[266] See the portrait of Eck which Mosellanus has sketched, cited
by Seckendorf: "Big-bodied, broad-shouldered, stout-hearted, even
to impudence, and more like the town-crier than a theologian--one
whom you might rather expect to find figuring in the theatre than a
Council;"--such was the principal adversary of the Protestants at
the Diet of Ratisbon.
[267] Davus, the type of all insolent slaves in the ancient drama.
Melanchthon writes, in speaking of Eck, "I do not think that any
pious person could listen without horror to the sophisms and vain
subtleties of that talking mountebank."--Seckendorf, iii. parag. 80,
addit. 1.
It has been lately written hither that many Asiatic tribes have
revolted from the Turk, and that he is on that account to be
occupied for the present with the war in Persia, so that he will
be less likely to trouble Hungary. As this news has been written
out of Hungary, I scarcely venture to put faith in it. I rather
desire to think it to be true than believe it to be as reported.
To-day also we have learned that the monk who had undertaken the
government of the kingdom during the minority of his pupil, has been
made a prisoner by his own countrymen.[268] There is, therefore, no
doubt but that on occasion of such a favourable opportunity, Buda
may have fallen under the power of Ferdinand. Many soldiers are
said to collect in the territory of the Bishop of Bremen, although
themselves do not tell under whose command they are. Many, however,
have a suspicion that our friend Henry of Brunswick is the contriver
of the plot;[269] for they have the same generals whom formerly
he had armed against us. Should there be any disturbance there is
danger of the war spreading.
[_Lat. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 106.]
[268] The Bishop George Martinuzzi, Waywode of Transylvania. He was
feebly supported by the Turks, whom he had called into Hungary from
hatred to King Ferdinand.
[269] Henry of Brunswick endeavoured to have himself appointed head
of the Romanist League concluded at Nuremberg in 1538, in opposition
to the Protestant League of Smalkald. Incited by a blind hatred of
the Gospel, he is accused of having hired mercenary troops to lay
waste the dominions of the Elector of Saxony.--Seckendorf, iii.
parag. 86.