Count Ulrich of Lindburg | Page 3

such as those in which the Evil One especially takes delight, and we
must judge of people by the works they perform," answered Eric, in the
gentle tone which his affectionate respect for his mother induced him to
employ. "I know that Dr Martin is a learned man; he desires to
introduce learning and a pure literature into our fatherland, and he is
moreover an earnest seeker after the truth, and has sincerely at heart the
eternal interests of his fellow-men. He is bold and brave because he
believes his cause to be righteous and favoured by God. That is the

account I have heard of him; I shall know whether it is the true one
when I get to Wittemburg."
"They say that he preaches that the convents should be thrown open,
and the priests allowed to marry, because he himself wants to take a
wife. They say that the motives for all he does are very evident,"
continued Dame Margaret, not listening to her son's remark.
"I should have thought that had he been plotting from the first to
oppose the power of the Pope for the sake of marrying he would have
taken a wife long ago. There has been nothing to hinder him. Certainly
not many `pfaffen' would have been so scrupulous. He himself has
remained single, and is a man, several of my friends who know him
assure me, singularly abstemious; often he goes a whole day or more
without food, and his usual meals are of the simplest kind. It is true that
when he mixes with his fellow-men his heart expands and he does not
refuse the wine cup or the generous food placed before him. His is no
churlish spirit to turn away from the good things kind Heaven has
provided for man. God sends us trials, but He intends us to enjoy what
He has in His loving mercy given us in this world, and never throws
temptations to sin in our way, as some foolish teachers would make us
believe. But as to Dr Martin's mode of life, I shall be able to tell you
more about it when I have been to Wittemburg."
Dame Margaret sighed deeply, she had not yet quite said her say, that is,
what Father Nicholas had told her to say. "My son," she continued, "I
am informed that evil people are saying many wrong things against our
Holy Father, the Pope; that he has no business to call himself head of
the Christian Church; that he is an extravagant, worldly man; that many
predecessors have been as bad as bad could be. Indeed I cannot repeat
all the dreadful things said of him."
"But suppose, dear mother, that all the things said of him are true;
suppose that Saint Peter never was at Rome, that he did not found a
Church there, and was never Bishop of Rome; that designing men, for
their own ambitious ends, have assumed that he was, and pretended to
be his successors, and finally, finding the success of their first fraud,
have claimed the right of ruling over the whole Christian world. But,

however, when I go to Wittemburg I shall better know the truth of these
things, and if they are calumnies, learn how to refute them."
"Oh! my son! my son! how can you even venture to utter such dreadful
heresies?" shrieked Dame Margaret, even before Eric had finished
speaking; then, hearing his last words, she added, "Of course they are
calumnies; of course you will refute them, and you will come back here,
after you have completed your studies, and be the brave opponent of
this Dr Martin and all his schismatic crew. But, my son, one of my
chief objects in sending for you was to bestow on you a most
invaluable relic, which will prove a sure and certain charm against all
the dangers, more especially the spiritual ones, by which you may be
surrounded. Neither Dr Martin nor even the Spirit of Evil himself will
be able to prevail against you if you firmly trust to it, Father Nicholas
assures me; for it contains not only a bit of the true cross, but a part of
one of Saint Peter's fishing-hooks, and a portion of the thumb-nail of
Saint James. Let me put it round your neck, my son, and thus armed I
shall, with confidence, see you go forth to combat with the world, the
flesh and the devil."
Dame Margaret spoke seriously; she was merely giving expression to
the common belief in relics entertained, not only by ignorant peasants
but by the highest nobility and the great mass of the population, a belief
encouraged by the priests, who thus secured a sure market for their own
manufactures. The excellent Elector Frederick, who became