In Germany to the Leipsic Disputation - James Aitken Wylie

Miltitz was desirous above all things of having
a personal interview with Luther. His wish was at
last gratified, and the envoy and the monk met each
other in the house of Spalatin at Altenberg. The
courtier exhausted all the wiles of which he was
master. He was not civil merely, he was gracious;
he fawned upon Luther. Looking full into his face,
he said that he expected to see an old theologian,
prosing over knotty points in his chimney-corner;
to his delight he saw, instead, a man in the prime of
life. He flattered his pride by saying that he
believed he had a larger following than the Pope
himself, and he sought to disarm his fears by
assuring him that, though he had an army of 20,000
men at his back, he would never be so foolish as to
think of carrying off one who was so much the idol
of the people. Luther knew perfectly that it was the
courtier who was speaking, and that between the
words of the courtier and the deeds of the envoy
there might possibly be some considerable
difference. But he took care not to let Miltitz know
what was passing in his mind.
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