Page 43 [43]
598] 7
598,,, FROM CHRISTOPHER oF UTENHEIM.
Deventer MS. 91, f. 50. Basle.
D. p. 186: F. p. 159: HN: Lond. iu. 28: LB. 258. 13 July 1517.
[The marked difference between the manuscript and the printed text cannot
have arisen through any fault of the copyist. It is clear, therefore, that the
manuscript represents the letter as it was actually written and received; and
that the printed text is a version prepared by Erasmus or one of his allies out of
regard for the credit of the Bishop’s scholarship. For examples of amplification
in printing see Epp. 333, 335, 768, 831. But these are Erasmus’ own letters.
The freedom considered permissible in editing a friend’s letter is in keeping
with the critical standards of the period ; cf. Ep. 663. 105 n.
In spite of the slight divergence in date, this is clearly the letter mentioned in
Ep. 594. 13. ‘The divergence could be removed by changing viii in the month¬
date of Ep. 594 to xiii. But cf. Ep. 693. 2 n.
Christopher of Utenheim, sw. of Strasburg (c. 1450—16 March 1527), belonged
to a noble Alsatian family. He received a prebend, and in Sept. 1473 the
Provostship, of St. Thomas’ church at Strasburg. On 18 Dec. 1473 he was incor¬
porated at Basle as M.A. from Erfurt, and became Rector of the University ;
receiving a canonry in the cathedral, of which in 1486 he became Custos. On
27 June 1494 he resigned his Strasburg office to a nephew ; and in dissatisfaction
with the condition of the Church he proposed to retire and form a community
in the Black Forest, inviting Wimpfeling to be one of his companions (ef. Lond.
xxiii. 10, LB. 1008). He was prevented, however, by his appointment to
administer the see of Basle in 1499, and by his election as Bishop, 1 Dec. 1502.
He was strongly in favour of reform, and introduced into his diocese the annual
synods which the Council of Basle had recommended. To Erasmus on his second
visit to Basle he showed great kindness (cf. Epp. 412. 10, 24, 413. 18, 414. 12);
and at first was inclined to support Luther. But with the progress of the reform
movement he soon felt himself out of sympathy, and in 1519, his health failing,
he obtained the appointment of a coadjutor in his see, and retired to his epi¬
scopal residence at Porrentruy. In Dec. 1526 his coadjutor joined the Reformers,
and he was left unsupported, whilst his tenure of the see was disputed. An
edition of a sermon by John Raulin (Basle, J. Bergman, 22 June 1498) is
dedicated to him by Sebastian Brant. Erasmus addressed to him treatises De
interdicto esu carnium, Basle, Froben, 6 Aug. 1522, and De Dei misericordia, ibid.,
Sept. 1524; the latter in honour of a chapel built by the Bishop at Porrentruy,
where Erasmus visited him in April 1524.
See E. Vischer in Herzog, xx (1908); Herzog in Beitr. 2. Gesch. Basels, i. (1839) ;
Vautrey, Huéques de Bale, ch. 30; GC. xv. ; and ADB.]
CHRISTOPHORVS DEI GRATIA EPISCOPVS BASILIENSIS ERASMO
ROTERODAMO, VIRO NOSTRAE AETATIS OMNIVM DOCTISSIMO
NOBISQVE IN CHRISTO VNICE DILIGENDO, SALVTEM.
INCREDIBILE est quanta perfusi laeticia simus, Erasme celeber¬
rime, qum ex hoe tuo grammatophoro te valere accoepimus. Facit
enim amor, quem tecum superiori anno Basileae contraximus, vt tua
de valetudine curam non gerere non possimus. Et quis literarum
amator non gereret? Dum enim Erasmo valetudinis aduersae quid¬
piam incumberet, non dubium si et Musae omnes compaterentur
omnesque obticescerent, sicque tota respublica literaria periclitaretur.
2. ex add. D. Fecit H. 4. D: possumus MS. 5. gereret MS. :
gerat D. Dum... 7. periclitaretur MS. (7. ommesque) : Nam si quid Erasmo
valetudinis aduersae incumberet, opinor et omnes honestas disciplinas indoli¬
turas, simulque totam rempublicam literariam periclitaturam D (incumberet
post simulque D: transfert F)
2. grammatophoro] Nepos; ef. Ep. 595. 11 n.
n