was
just at this time that Colet died in London, the man who had, better
perhaps than anyone else, understood Erasmus's standpoint. Kindred
spirits in Germany still looked up to Erasmus as the great man who was
on the alert to interpose at the right moment and who had made
moderation the watchword, until the time should come to give his friends
the signal.

But in the increasing noise of the battle his voice already sounded less
powerfully than before. A letter to Cardinal Albert of Mayence, 19
October 1519, of about the same content as that of Frederick of Saxony
written in the preceding spring, was at once circulated by Luther's
friends; and by the advocates of conservatism, in spite of the usual
protestation, 'I do not know Luther', it was made to serve against
Erasmus.

It became more and more clear that the mediating and conciliatory
position which Erasmus wished to take up would soon be altogether
untenable. The inquisitor Jacob Hoogstraten had come from Cologne, where
he was a member of the University, to Louvain, to work against Luther
there, as he had worked against Reuchlin. On 7 November 1519 the Louvain
faculty, following the example of that of Cologne, proceeded to take the
decisive step: the solemn condemnation of a number of Luther's opinions.
In future no place could be less suitable to Erasmus than Louvain, the
citadel of action against reformers. It is surprising that he remained
there another two years.

The expectation that he would be able to speak the conciliating word was
paling. For the rest he failed to see the true proportions. During the
first months of 1520 his attention was almost entirely taken up by his
own polemics with Lee, a paltry incident in the great revolution. The
desire to keep aloof got more and more the upper hand of him. In June he
writes to Melanchthon: 'I see that matters begin to look like sedition.
It is perhaps necessary that scandals occur, but I should prefer not to
be the author.' He has, he thinks, by his influence with Wolsey,
prevented the burning of Luther's writings in England, which had been
ordered. But he was mistaken. The burning had taken place in London, as
early as 12 May.

The best proof that Erasmus had practically given up his hope to play a
conciliatory part may be found in what follows. In the summer of 1520
the famous meeting between the three monarchs, Henry VIII, Francis I and
Charles V, took place at Calais. Erasmus was to go there in the trai