Page 601 [601]
1514] TO SERVATIUS ROGERUS 565
to his enemies. The attempt was successful and 6 became the accepted text, in
which the letter was printed in many volumes containing material for Erasmus’
life; see BEr.’ It is the text printed in the prefaces of Lond. and LB.; but in
the appendix to LB. Leclere reprints y1.
The genuineness of the letter has sometimes been doubted ; but it is sufficiently
authenticated by the reference to Il. 153-7 in Dorp’s letter (Ep. 304), written
shortly afterwards, and by Erasmus’ own allusions to it in LB. 1265, where he
admits one passage (Il. 26-33) and demurs to the incorrect citation of another
(Il. 75-7) ; even apart from Lypsius’ circumstantial account. The date assigned
is unquestionable ; cf. Ep. 295.
In consequence of the diversity of the sources the sigla are given in full.]
REVERENDO PATRI SERVATIO ERASMVS S. P.
HvmanIssime pater, litterae tuae per plurimorum iactatae
manus tandem ad me quoque peruenerunt iam Angliam egressum;
quae mihi sane voluptatem incredibilem attulerunt, quod veterem
ilum tuum in me animum adhuc spirant. Paucis autem re¬
spondeo, vtpote ex itinere iam scribens, et ad ea potissimum quae
tu scribis ad rem maximo pertinere. Tam varia est hominum
sententia, et suus cuique auium cantus, vt omnibus satisfieri non
possit. Ego certe hoc sum animo, vt quod sit factu optimum
sequi velim; testis est mihi Deus. Nam si quid olim iuueniliter
sensi, id partim aetas, partim rerum correxit vsus. Nunquam ro
mihi fuit consilium vel vitae genus vel cultum mutare, non quod
probarem, sed ne cui scandalo essem. Scis enim me ad id vitae
genus tutorum pertinacia et aliorum improbis hortatibus adactum
esse magis quam inductum; tum Cornelii Woerdeni conuitiis et
pudore quodam puerili fuisse retentum, cum intelligerem mihi 15
on
hoe vitae genus haudquaquam aptum esse; nam non omnibus
congruunt omnia. Jeiuniorum semper impatiens fui, idque
peculiari quadam corporis ratione. Semel excitatus e somno
nunquam potui redormiscere, nisi post horas aliquot. Ad litteras
tantum rapiebatur animus, quarum istic nullus vsus, adeo vt non 20
dubitem quin si in liberum aliquod vitae genus incidissem, non
solum inter foelices verumetiam inter bonos potuissem numerari.
Itaque cum intelligerem me nequaquam esse idoneum isti
2. egressum aBy : ingressum È. 3. veterum a. 4. respondeo ay :
respondebo ô. 5. iam om. B. 6. pertinere aßy : pertinent è. Tam
By5: Tam a, varia aBy.: vana è. 8. certe Byd: certo a. xo. id ayd:
jam £. IT. mihi om. ay. 12, id ay5: istud 6. 13. hortatibus ayé :
adhortationibus 8. 14. tum Byd: cum a. Woerdeni è: Werdemia:
Wordeni 8 : Vuertemi y. 18, ed: a aBy. 20. tantum ayò : enim 8.
vb om. y. 21. quin om. ò. liberum aliquod að: liberum aliquot £: liberius y.
22. potuissem y : potuerim £5: potuero a.
9. iuueniliter] Cf. ii. 21. Steyn c. 1493. The bearer of the letter
14. Woerdeni] of Woerden, to the isa certain Cornelius, who had been a
N. of Gouda. Cf. ii. 8r seq. and Lond. friend of Herman at Deventer ; and
xxiv. 5, LB. App. 442, where he appears against his name Hand A (see App. 9)
as ‘Cantelius.’ His presence at Steyn adds in the margin, ‘ Puto fuisse Cor¬
is shown by a letter from Wm. Her- nelium Woerdenum’, (Gouda MS.
man to Cornelius Gerard, written from 1323; f. 21).