Four weeks later Duke John Albrecht of Mecklenburg sent messengers to
Wittenberg for the same purpose, _viz._, of mediating between
Melanchthon and Flacius, Melanchthon in particular having previously
requested him to frame articles which might serve as a basis of peace.
The articles, composed by the theologians and counselors of the Duke,
were more severe than those of the Lower Saxons. George Venetus,
professor at Rostock, and Counselor Andrew Mylius were commissioned to
present them, first at Wittenberg, then at Magdeburg. When the articles
were submitted to Melanchthon, he again fell into a state of violent
agitation. The report says: "As soon as he noticed that Adiaphorism was
criticized, and that he was requested to reject it even if only in a
mild form, he instantly sprang up with great impatience and would not
permit them [the delegates] to finish their speech (although they most
earnestly, in the name of their prince, requested to be heard), but
burst forth into invectives and denunciations of Illyricus and others,
and finally also declaimed against the prince himself and his delegates,
vociferating that Illyricus secretly entertained many repulsive errors,
etc." On February 27, Melanchthon delivered his answer to the delegates.
When these urged him to give a more favorable reply, he again
interrupted them, exclaiming: "Oppress me, if you so desire; such is the
lot of the peaceful.... I commend myself to God." After Melanchthon had
left, Peucer, who had accompanied him, harshly told the delegates:
"Don't trouble my father-in-law any more with such matters. _Ihr sollt
forthin meinen Schwaeher zufrieden lassen mit solchen Haendeln_." (9,
106f.)
Regarding the last (8) of the articles submitted by the delegates of
Duke Albrecht which dealt with the Adiaphora, Melanchthon declared in
his answer of February 27: "I should not be astonished to have these two
conditions [to confess the Adiaphoristic errors, etc.] imposed on me if
I had been an enemy. The action of the Saxon pastors was milder. I may
have been lukewarm in some transactions, but I certainly have never been
an enemy.... Therefore I clearly state that I do not assent to these
presentations [of Duke Albrecht], which are cunningly framed so that, if
I accept them, I myself may cut my throat (_ut me, si eas recepero, ipse
iugulem_)." (_C. R._ 9, 104.)
The Magdeburgers refused to participate in these efforts of Count
Albrecht, chiefly because, as they said, there was no hope for peace as
long as Melanchthon remained under the influence of his Wittenberg
friends. But even now Flacius did not entirely abandon his attempts to
bring about a godly peace. In 1557 he asked Paul Vergerius, who passed
Jena on his way to Wittenberg, to treat with Melanchthon on the
Adiaphoristic question. Melanchthon, however is reported to have said:
"Omit that; let us treat of other things." Flacius also wrote to King
Christian III of Denmark to influence Elector August to abolish the
Adiaphoristic errors, but apparently without any result.