But his successor, John Frederic, had also
eagerly embraced the same principles, and the
prospects of the Protestants were not dimmed
by the alteration necessarily induced by a change
of government ; inasmuch as he manifested
himself as determined to aid Luther in com-
])leting the great work in hand, and defended
and maintained the truth now established with
energy and increasing zeal. In 1534, Clement
VII. also died, and was succeeded in the pope-
dom by Paul III. ; who at once continued the
negotiations, which his predecessor had set on



LIFE OF LUTHER. 171

foot, with the view to the appointment of the
long-demanded general council. To this end
he despatched several agents into Germany ;
the most celebrated of whom was Peter Paul
Vergerius, — ^who eventually renounced the
Roman Catholic faith, hut who, at this time,
was the willing and obedient envoy or nuncio
of the pope. His chief design was to gain over
M elancthon and Luther ; and to this end he
had a personal interview with the latter. The
meeting between these persons was of a most
singular character ; the substance of which has
been inserted in the German works of Luther,
to the following effect : —

" Luther was summoned by Vergerius, on
Sunday morning early, to an immediate con-
ference. Luther sent to a barber, that he
might be shaved and dressed. When the bar-
ber arrived, he said, * Pray, Doctor, how
comes it that you wish to be shaved so early
to-day V Luther answered, ' I must wait
upon the holy father, the pope's ambassador ;
and therefore I must be dressed, that I may
look as young as possible, and then the legate
will think, " What, then ! is Luther so young,
notwithstanding he has caused so much mis-
fortune in the world; what will he then do



17*2 lAFE OF

next?'" And when Master Heinricli had
shaved liirn, he put on his hest clothes, and
hung his golden chain round his neck. Then
said the harber, 'Oh, Doctor! that will stir
up their bile !' Luther replied, * And for that
very reason I do it. 