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324 | TO JOHN REUCHLIN 51 ribus duntaxat gustaui labris. In summa dabitur sua cuique laus, idque candidissime. Bene vale et Erasmum in eorum adscribito numerum qui tuo nomini vere et ex animo fauea(n)t. Kan. Martiis. 325. To THomas RUTHALL. Senecae Lucubrationes f°. a? (a). Basle. Gouda MS. 1324, f. 23 v° (8). 7 March 1515. [The preface to the edition of Seneca’s Lucubrationes, for which Erasmus had prepared in England and which he left to be printed by Froben after his departure from Basle. The book was begun in April (Ep. 328. 17 n.) and finished in August 1515. In1. p. 13. 14-24 Erasmus enlarged upon the carelessness of the friends whom he had left in charge of the work and on the fraudulence of one in particular, who removed part of the manuscript. Beatus Rhenanus (Epp. 328 and 330) plainly was one of those censured by Erasmus, who does not mince his words even about his friends; and possibly the Amorbachs also helped with the edition. But it is clear from a comparison of Erasmus’ various lutterances on the subject that the chief offender was William Nesen (cf. Epp. 328, 329, 330; and Lond. xxi. 4, xix, 3, xxi. 26; LB. 680, 714 and 782). In an emended edition of Seneca published in March 1529, Basle, H. Froben and J. Herwagen, with a new preface, Lond. xxviii. 12, LB. toro, Erasmus speaks of him with more moderation. From the same preface it appears that the Lucubrationes did not reach Ruthall until Erasmus’ return to England in 1516 (cf. Ep. 437); and that Ruthall was in consequence annoyed. There is a copy of this letter in one of the Gouda manuscripts (App. 9); but as there are no variants except such as might be made by a clever but not overcareful writer, copying from the printed book, I have not given it precedence. For Erasmus’ work at the tragedies of Seneca also see 1. p. 13, and Ep. 263.) AMPLISSIMO PATRI D. THOMAE RYTHALLO, EPISCOPO DVNELMENSI, SERENISSIMI BRITANNIAE REGIS SECRETARIO MAGNO, ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS S. D. Mire videtur euenisse, Praesul ornatissime, vt vtrique diuerso quidem genere sed tamen haud ita dissimilem militiam eodem tempore militauerimus. Etenim dum tu primum regis vere inuictissimi felicibus auspiciis Gallos in fugam agis, deinde a castris in castra reuersus Scotorum regem maximis et instructissimis copiis in ditionis tuae fines irrumpentem repellis, fundis, conscindis, ego duos omnium optimos sed omnium deprauatissimos autores, diuum Hieronymum et Senecam, a mendis, teterrimis videlicet litterarum hostibus, quibus hactenus non contaminati fuerant sed prorsus extincti, summo studio vindicaui. Et mihi cum geminis hostibus fuit res, nec vsquam arbitror in vestris castris plus fuisse difficultatis 325. 11. vsquam a: vnquam 8. Epp. 334. 125, 6and g96. 272 seq.); and France with the King in June; but later also from Oecolampadius (Ep. was soon sent back to take part in 373. 72 seq.) for the New Testament. organizing resistance to the Scottish 325. 3. dum tu] See the correspond- invasion. See Brewer i. 4460-2 for his ence of 1513. Ruthall went over to letters to Wolsey after Flodden, E 2 = o
