Newly translated from the Latin.
In these days we have seen and heard a peculiar and quite unusual example among the Germans, that two brothers, one of whom is in his thirteenth year, the other in his fourteenth, and are almost still (as they say) children, have delivered these two Latin speeches in immediate succession before this entire university. And these brothers are not of low or mediocre, but of the highest nobility, namely of the highest and most famous origin, as the sons of our most noble prince and lord, Lord Johann Friedrich, Duke of Saxony, Elector etc., the most gracious protector of all studies, arts and virtues. He himself was present with several other princes and listened with great joy (as one might well believe and was clearly evident), namely as a father, since his sons had made such good progress in their studies at such a tender age and in such a short time.
I was truly astonished, among others, not only at the greatness of the boys' courage, but also at the fact that in such a large gathering they were so fearless and focused on their own interests.
The people of the city not only gave their speeches most skillfully in Latin, but also spoke so purely, so emphatically, and so clearly, and almost from memory, as if they were speaking extemporaneously.
At the same time, I was reminded of the time, only a short time ago, in which one could not have found one in the whole crowd of the (so-called) clergy, not even among the Roman popes, cardinals, bishops, even the doctors, and all those who wanted to be considered the most learned among them, who could have done something like that. Certainly the sciences, however despised they may be by other great and distinguished ones, have attained great adornment and great honor through these high-born, illustrious princes, but they, in turn, have also adorned these so great princes with no less honor.
Here one can see what good instruction is and how much it is capable of, especially if (as here) there is an educable nature and a good head. In this matter, the counsel and will of the good father and most noble prince is extraordinary.
*) The complete title of the writing, to which Luther wrote this preface, is: Illustrium princijjum juniorum Saxoniae Jo. Friderici II. et Jo. Wilhelmi fratrum declamationes, quarum est: 1. de boni principis officio: 2. de divo Georgio: 3. de dignitate legum conservanda: 4. gratulatio, qua patrem suum clem. Jo. Frid. duc. Sax. elector, victorem a Brunsvig. redeuntem excepit. Wittemb. 1543. octav. Walch had another edition in his hands, which was published in 1584 in octavo. The preface is found in Latin in the Jena edition (1570), tom. IV, tol. 763 U and thereafter in the Erlanger, opp. var. ar^., tom. VII, p. 562. German in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 134 and in Walch. We have retranslated according to the Jenaer.
He is to be highly praised, who did not love his sons in the common way of princes and nobility, that is, did not suffer them to be neglected in idleness and ignorance, but took care with all diligence and care that they were properly taught and instructed, so that they would not only be famous by their high descent, but also admired by all peoples by their science and trained spiritual gifts. But the speeches themselves have taken away from me all material for praise before; from these the reader himself will recognize more than my dry and meager or rather rough and bad speech can say.
What remains is for us to wish the dear boys and noble princes all the best, and to ask God the Father, who is the giver of these and all good gifts, that he may wish, through the blessing of his abundant grace, to give these happily begun studies and teachings an even happier progress and the most blessed fruit. This is all the more to be requested because we Christians cannot doubt at this ungrateful and exceedingly bad time that the devil, the most ferocious enemy of all good and of God Himself, who is like a roaring lion and extremely bitter because of the confession of the Gospel by these princes, will try with all his efforts and treachery to hinder and destroy these gifts of God, if he cannot destroy them completely.
And we see in the sacred histories, yea, even in the histories of the Gentiles, with what, how constituted and how great intrigues and stratagems he has always sought to rule in the courts of kings and princes (for he perceives that from these proceed the greatest and most salutary fruits in the church and in the world regiment), and has endeavored to reverse all.
so that if a prince is not surrounded and protected by this prayer, Ps. 20:2, 3.: "The name of the God of Jacob protect thee, he send thee help from the holy place, and strengthen thee out of Zion," he will surely be among so many dragons, serpents, wolves, foxes, and what other worse monsters there are, servants of the raging devil, that is, among deceitful robbers, faithless friends, treacherous servants, predatory great ones, as a single person and alone cannot bear and endure his burden, and yet is forced to live and rule among them. For he desires only and most eagerly the princes and everything that is best and highest in the world; his gullet desires sweet morsels, his food is chosen, and (as Habakkuk [Cap. 1, 10.] says) he laughs at the princes.
Therefore, let the church and everyone who wants to belong to Christ command these dear princes and their studies and their leaders, and stand by them with faithful and earnest prayer to God against the devil, their most important enemy. In this way we will not only offer God an extremely pleasant sacrifice, but also do ourselves a necessary and salutary favor. For who can achieve it with thoughts, let alone words, something how blissful it is to live under a good and wholesome prince who seeks, increases and preserves the glory of God and the welfare of the commonwealth? These are gifts and (as the Scriptures speak) exceedingly rich blessings from God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has begun his good work in these princely brethren, grant that they may keep these two sayings for great service and fruit, not only to other princes but also to themselves, and that they may repeat them to themselves forever and keep them for the glory of God and the salvation of men. Amen.