bring about a peaceful settlement of a controversy that had been
disturbing the whole Empire. The selection of Miltitz for such a
delicate mission was most unfortunate. Proud, obstinate, and ill-
informed about the real issues at stake, he was anxious to have the
glory of putting an end to the controversy at all costs, and hence he
was willing to appear before Luther as a humble suitor for peace
rather than as a stern judge. All his severity and reproaches were
reserved for Luther's opponents, especially for Tetzel, whom he held
primarily responsible for the whole mischief, and towards whom he
acted both imprudently and unjustly. The Elector showed himself but
little inclined to respond to the advances of Leo X. He consented,
however, to arrange an interview between Miltitz and Luther at
Altenburg (Jan. 1519). During the course of the interviews that took
place between them, Luther pledged himself to remain silent if his
opponents were forced to do likewise. He promised, too, that if
Miltitz wrote advising the Pope to appoint a German bishop to try the
case and to convince him of his error he would be willing to retract
his theses, to submit to the Church, and to advise all his supporters
to remain loyal to the Holy See. At the same time he prepared a letter
for transmission to Rome, in which he addressed the Pope in the most
respectful terms, declaring as on oath before God and creatures that
it never entered into his mind to attack in any way the authority of
the Roman Church or of the Pope, that he confessed willingly that in
this Church was vested supreme jurisdiction, and that neither in
heaven or on earth was there anything he should put before it except
Jesus Christ the Lord of all things.[17] Throughout these proceedings
it is clear that Luther meant only to deceive Miltitz and to lull the
suspicions of the Roman authorities, until the seed he had planted
should have taken root. Only a short time before he had written to a
friend, hinting that the Pope was the real Anti-Christ mentioned by