proceeds with great moderation, and has openly told me, that in order
to preserve peace, _he would submit to still more severe conditions_,
provided they could be accepted without bringing reproach on the
gospel."

During the pendency of these negotiations, Melancthon made repeated
efforts by letter to conciliate influential individuals of the papal
party. Among these is his letter to _Cardinal Campegius, the apostolic
legate, of July 6th, which reflects no little light on the state of his
mind. This intense anxiety to gain the imperial favor for the
Protestant cause, could not fail strongly to tempt him to make the
Confession as palatable as possible to the Romanists, by yielding
nearly everything that he did not regard as essential. Hear the letter:

"_Most Reverend Sir:_--As many good men applaud the very great
moderation exhibited by your Eminence, amid your honors and elevation,
I am induced to cherish the hope, that your Eminence will receive my
letter with favor. Verily it was a true saying which Plato uttered,
that nothing more desirable, or better, or more divine, can happen to
men, than when wisdom is associated with power in government. Hence,
when the intelligence arrived, that your Eminence was sent to this Diet,
as judge in the pending religious controversy, many good men
congratulated Germany, that the investigation of these most important
affairs was confided to a man, who transcended others not merely by his
high (official) dignity, but also much more by his wisdom; for even
heretofore the fame of your Eminence's wisdom him resounded through all
Germany. Now, as I believed, that with this wisdom your Eminence would
greatly abhor violent measures, I was thereby induced to write to your
Eminence, that it might be made known to you, that we also long only
for peace and concord, and reject no condition for the restoration of