ALONZO IN GERMANY.
In this metropolis was a brother of Juan Diaz, named Alonzo, an advocate practising before the Roman tribunals. Marquina related to him all that he had heard about Juan. Alonzo loved his brother, but he loved Rome still more. At this news, therefore, he was plunged into a deep melancholy. Juan a heretic! What a misfortune for him, but what an offence also against the Church! Alonzo, though not a thorough bigot, was violent, and was smitten with that gloomy and cruel madness which fancies that it is defending the church of God when persecuting those who hold contrary doctrines. He was not without affection for those of his own kin; but he was pitiless towards them if ever they attacked the faith. He would rather they should all perish than be guilty of an outrage against the Church. He was not only superstitious but fanatical; and fanaticism is to superstition what delirium is to fever. As soon as he was informed of the letters which Malvenda had written to the confessor, Alonzo determined to go to Germany and to make use of all available means to bring back his brother to the faith or to retrieve the injury done by him to the Church. He selected as his servant a man of evil repute, took post and went with the utmost speed to Augsburg, and thence to Ratisbon, where he expected to find his brother. This journey was made in March, 1546. The conference was just on the point of closing without having accomplished any thing, and Juan Diaz had already left Ratisbon.
Alonzo was greatly annoyed at this news, and resolved to have an interview without delay with Malvenda. The latter had no hesitation as to what was to be done. 'May I live to see the day,' said he, 'on which Juan Diaz will be burnt ... and his soul thus be saved.' 'A brutal speech,' says Crespin, the friend of Juan, 'altogether diabolical and worthy of eternal wrath.' But in those times of error, when people fancied that false doctrine ought to be punished like any ordinary crime, it is possible that this priest, in uttering the wish that the soul should be saved at the cost of the body, might imagine that it was really a pious and charitable speech. The human understanding was then, and had been for ages, profoundly and miserably mistaken on this matter.
Malvenda and Alonzo discussed together what was to be done. First of all, they said, inquiry must be made most carefully in what place, country, town, or village, Juan then was. Malvenda summoned a Spaniard of his house in whom he had full confidence, and bade him find out where it was conjectured that Juan was concealed. This Spaniard, who was a crafty man, invented a tale which he thought would ensure his success, and presented himself to one of the friends of Juan—whether Senarclens or another we do not know. 'Letters of great importance,' he said, 'addressed to Diaz have arrived at the imperial court. If he receive them, it will be of great advantage to him. We beg you, therefore, to tell us instantly in what place we may deliver them.' The friend of Diaz, who knew with whom he had to do, replied: 'We do not know where he is; but if you have any papers to forward to him, please hand them over to us and we will take care that they reach him safely.'
Alonzo and Malvenda, greatly disappointed at receiving such an answer, devised a new trick, the success of which appeared to them infallible. The Spaniard returned to the friend of Diaz and said: 'It is not a question about papers only; there is now at the Crown hotel a gentleman, a great friend of Diaz, who brings him news and letters of the highest importance. He is bound to deliver them to him in person. Pray come and speak to him at the inn.'[175]
ALONZO FINDS JUAN.
Alonzo's stratagem succeeded to his heart's content. He discovered ere long his brother's place of retirement. Juan, on the approach of Charles the Fifth,[176] felt that he could not remain at Ratisbon, and therefore had betaken himself to Neuburg, where he ran less risk than at Ratisbon, as the town was within the jurisdiction of Otto Henry, the elector palatine. He was engaged there in superintending the printing of a work by Bucer.[177] It was a great surprise to him to see his brother, whose attachment to the papacy he well knew. The first days of their meeting were spent in painful debates. Alonzo put forth all his energy to snatch his brother from heresy. He made the best of all the arguments which he thought likely to prevail with him. He reminded him of the disgrace which would be reflected on the name of his family, the perils to which he exposed himself, prison, exile, the scaffold, and the stake with which he was threatened. Juan remained inflexible. 'I am ready,' he replied, 'to suffer any thing for the sake of publicly confessing the doctrine which I have embraced.' Failing to terrify his brother, Alonzo attempted to seduce him. He offered him the wealth and honors wherewith Rome would willingly have paid for reconciliation with her adversaries. 'Follow me to Rome,' he said, 'and all these things are yours.' Juan was still less open to the solicitations of worldly ambition than he had been to threats of possible danger.
Alonzo soon perceived that these methods would avail him nothing, and he therefore changed his tactics. He pretended that he was himself overcome by the faith and the generous feeling of his brother, and professed himself gained over to the Gospel. 'Come with me to Italy,' said he; 'there you will find a large number of souls open to the knowledge of the truth, and among these you will have opportunity of doing a great work of mercy. Germany possesses pious men in abundance to instruct it. Italy is in want of them. Come with me.' Juan was almost carried away by this appeal. He was desirous, however, of consulting his friends. These dissuaded him from such an enterprise, and felt suspicious of his brother's sincerity. Diaz still hesitated. He wrote to Bernard Ochino, pastor at Augsburg: 'I must close my eyes to the world that I may follow only the call of Christ. May he be my light, my guide, my support! I have not yet come to a decision. Whether I am to set out or to remain here, I desire only to do the will of God. My trust is in Christ, who promises me a happy issue.' His friends Bucer, Senarclens, and others hastened to him in alarm, and at length succeeded in dissuading him from quitting the asylum in which he was safe under the protection of the elector palatine.
Alonzo, though deeply annoyed, dissembled his anger. He should cherish, he said, the memory of the pleasant moments which he had spent in his brother's company; he carried away in himself a light which he would not allow to be extinguished; he commended himself to the prayers of this brother who had become his father in Jesus Christ. He wept much, and on March 26, 1546, he took his departure, his servant accompanying him. The latter was a man accustomed to the shedding of blood. He had been an executioner; and he made a trade of selling his services to any one who wanted to get rid of an enemy by the sword or by poison. The two men went to Augsburg, carefully concealing their presence. The next day, after changing their dress, they retraced the road by which they had come. On the way Alonzo bought a hatchet of a carpenter. He slept in a village not far from Neuburg; and on March 27, just as the day began to dawn, he re-entered the town with the man who was in his service. This man knocked at the door of the house in which Diaz lodged, and showing some letters which he said that he brought from his brother, requested to be admitted. Notwithstanding the early morning hour he was allowed to enter the house, and went up the stair-case while Alonzo waited below, prepared to assist in case of need.