Of Luther's fearless and confident courage before and at the Diet of Worms; how fervently and devoutly he had prayed there, and how the faithful God had publicly honored this faithful confessor of his, after he had not been ashamed of his word and gospel, but had publicly honored Christ by the unashamed confession of his truth, and had also publicly honored him again by the joyful shouting of the people who had frequently gathered at his return to his quarters.
A. Of Luther's undaunted courage and devout prayer.
574 Luther's excellent answer to Spalatin when the Elector of Saxony had Spalatin ask him whether he wanted to go to Worms if the Emperor's order was given? Wittenberg, Dec. 21, 1520.
The original of this letter is found in the Oo6. Ootüan. 122, col. 15 and thereafter in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 196; in De Wette, vol. I, p. 534 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. Ill, p. 23. German twice in Walch, namely here and vol. XXI, 735. We follow the Erlanger Briefwechsel.
Newly translated from the Latin.
To the learned and pious man, Georg Spalatin, princely Saxon court preacher, his friend in the Lord!
Hail! Both from Allstädt 1) I have the copies of the letters, and from Kindelbrück 2) I received your letter today,
1) in Saxony-Weimar, where this letter also went.
2) in the administrative district of Erfurt, in the former Thuringian district.
in which you request that I answer what I will do if I am called by Emperor Carl, 3) without danger to the Gospel and public truth, because you see that the adversaries are doing everything to hasten this deal.
But I, if I should be called, will, as much as I care for myself, let myself be brought there sick, if I could not come in health. For one must not doubt that I will be called by the Lord when the emperor calls me. Furthermore, if they should pursue the matter by force, as is probable (for they do not let me be called because they wanted to be instructed), then the matter must be ordered to the Lord. For he who preserved the three men in the furnace of fire of the king of Babylon [Dan. 3:23 ff] is still alive and reigning. If he will not preserve, it is a small thing for my head, if it is compared with Christ, who was subjected to the highest shame and the most severe punishment.
3) Compare the correspondence between Emperor Carl V and Prince Frederick, No. 520 to No. 524 in this volume.
The gospel has been killed to the annoyance of all and the destruction of many. For here there is no need to consider any danger, any welfare, but rather to see to it that we do not expose the gospel we have once begun to the ridicule of the wicked, and give the adversaries cause to boast against us, that we dare not confess what we have taught, and fear to shed our blood for it. May Christ, according to his mercy, avert such cowardice in us and such boasting in them, amen.
Although it must be so [Ps. 2, 1. 2.] that the kings of the land and the lords contend with one another and rage with the nations and the people against the Lord and his anointed, yet the Spirit teaches in the same Psalm [Ps. 2, 12.] that it will be well with those who trust in him. And not only this, but [Ps. 2:4] the Lord will also laugh at them and mock them. It is certainly not up to us to determine whether my life or my death will be more or less dangerous for the gospel and the common welfare. You know that the truth of God is a rock of astonishment [Isa. 8, 14], which is set for the fall and resurrection of many in Israel [Luc. 2, 34].
For our care, however, the only task left now is to ask the Lord that Carl's government not stain its first works with my blood or anyone else's, in order to protect godlessness, and I would rather (as I have often said) perish at the hands of the Romans alone, so that he and his would not be involved in this matter. You know what misery came upon Emperor Sigismund after Hus was killed, that nothing happily came to him after that, that he died without descendants, and after that also the son of his daughter, Ladislan, perished, and in one generation his name was erased, but his wife Barbara became a stain for queens, 1).
1) Sigmund left only one daughter Elisabeth, married to Emperor Albrecht II, whose son Ladislaus Posthumus, King of Hungary and Bohemia, died on November 23, 1457 without descendants. About the dissolute life of the second wife Barbara, Countess
and other things, which I believe you know. But if it must come to pass that I too shall be delivered not only to the popes, but also to the Gentiles, let the will of the Lord be done, amen.
575 Luther's letter to the Elector Frederick of Saxony, in which he offers to appear in Worms under safe escort at the Emperor's command. January 25, 1521.
This letter is found in Latin in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 301 and in the Wittenberg edition (1551), toru. II, toi. 1628; in German in the Wittenberg (1569), vol. IX, p. 1018; in the Jena (1564), vol. I, p. 3968; in the Altenburg, vol. I, p. 612; in the Leipzig, vol. XVII, p. 566; in the Erlangen, vol. 53, p. 56; in De Wette, vol. I, p. 548; and in Müller's Staatscabinet, Theil VIII, p. 281. The German letter (which is probably the original) is found, as Seckendorf, 8i "t. 8ut8, Ii8.1, x>. 148, § 90, handwritten in the archives at Weimar in ^etis 6ornitiuruln IVorrnat.,Dit. Handlung mit D. Martin Luthern, toi. 13.
To the most illustrious, highborn Prince and Lord, Lord Frederick, Duke of Saxony, Elector and Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen, my most gracious Lord and Patron.
von Cillh, compare Aschbach, Kaiser Sigmund, vol. II, 379; IV, 391. (Erl. Briefw.)
2) This is the next number.
3) The text: "Grund und Ursach aller Artikel" etc., in this volume No. 448.
Jesus.
Most Serene, Highborn Prince, Most Gracious Lord! E. Churf. Gn. is my poor prayer and humble service 1) always in obedience before.
2nd Most gracious Sir, E. C. F. G.'s gracious indication of what Roman Imperial and Hispanic Royal Majesty, my most gracious Lord, concerns and thinks in my matter, I have heard everywhere with humble thanks and favor; which graces against Imperial Majesty and E. C. F. G. I am grateful for. Maj. and E. C. F. G. I thank most humbly. And I am heartily pleased that Imperial Maj. Maj. wants to take to His Imperial Majesty the matter which, God willing, is God's, common Christianity's, and the whole German nation's, and not some man's, much less my own. Maj.
Therefore, I am once again, as I have always done before, according to my manifold requests, and especially the one that has gone out in print before, 2) whose copy E. C. F. G. I hereby send, humbly obliged to do and leave everything that I may do with God and Christian honor, or to do and leave with honorable and Christian and frugal causes of the holy divine Scripture.
4 Therefore, with all humility, requesting E. C. F. G. to take action against the Roman Emperor. Majesty. Most humbly request that I be graciously provided with sufficient assurance and free safe conduct from all violence, of which I have to take notice, and to order that the matter be referred to pious, learned, understanding, unsuspicious and Christian men, spiritual and secular, who are well grounded in the Bible, and have and know understanding and discernment of the divine and human laws and commandments, together to diligently interrogate me, are commanded, for God's sake, to do no violence against me until I am found to be unchristian and unjust; as a secular head of holy Christendom, that my adversaries, the popes, have in the meantime been freed from their raging and un-
1) In Latin this is given by the plural: Iiumiliu otkoiu.
2) No. 433 in this volume.
Christian actions against me, with burning of my books, and grim reenactments (conatibus == reenactments) after my body, honor, salvation, life and blessedness, although unheard and unconquered; 3) and if I had done something against this, for the salvation of the divine evangelical truth rather than of my own vain and unworthy person, or if I were urged and caused to do something for this, I would be graciously excused from such necessary opposition, and to have myself in gracious protection and command to save the divine word, also to be most gracious and gracious lords. 4) Lords; as then to the aforementioned Imperial Maj. Maj. and E. C. F. G., I am committed to this and all other Christian imperial and princely virtues and graces. Virtue and Graces, as to my most gracious and gracious Lords.
5. For in humble obedience I am prepared, if I obtain sufficient assurance and a free escort to and from my custody, to appear at the next Imperial Diet at Worms before equal, learned, pious and unsuspicious judges, and with the help of the Almighty to so show myself and answer for myself, that only men shall know in truth that I have hitherto done nothing out of free, thoughtless, disorderly will and for the sake of temporal and worldly honor and use, but everything that I have written and taught, according to my conscience, oath and duties, as a poor teacher of the Holy Scriptures, to the praise of God. Scripture, to the praise of God, to the salvation and blessedness of common Christendom, for the benefit of the entire German nation, for the eradication of dangerous abuses and superstitions, and for the unification of all holy Christendom, from so many endless, innumerable, unchristian and damnable tyrannical diminishment, burdening, and blasphemy, 5).
3) In all German editions: "ihres rabenden etc. Vornehmen ... abstellen". According to the Latin, instead of "abstellen" it would read: "abstehen"; u suo proposito üesistant - abstehen von ihrem Vornehmen. Since this seems to us to be the correct reading, we have put it into the text.
4) "gn." is to be resolved by: gnädigster, and refers to the Churfürst; the "allergnädigster" goes to the emperor.
5) All these "nouns" are plural in Latin.
6. ew. C. F. G. together with the Roman Imperial Majesty. Maj. have a Christian eye and understanding of the highly distressed state of the whole of Christendom; that is I, Imperial Maj. Maj. and E. C. F. G., through divine clemency and grace, with my poor prayer to God, always, as the poor subject Capellan, in all humility owe and willing. Date Wittenberg, on the day Conversionis 8.?auli [25. Jan.], in the thousand five hundred and one and twentieth year.
Ew. C. F. G.
obedient subject
Capellan, Martinus Luther.
Luther's earnest prayer, which he made at the Diet of Worms.
This prayer is found in Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. X, 1420.
B. What honor Luther received at Warm.
577 Spalatin's account of how Luther received such great or greater honor at Worms than one of the princes, but how Elector Frederick had been immensely astonished at Luther's great courage.
From Spalatin's p. 48.
It is certain that God honored the Doctor Martinum at the Diet of Wurmbs in such a way that he was much more admired and respected than all princes and lords. Thus, it was one and all days in his hostel, as long as he was in the city of Wurmbs.
So I, Spalatinus, above other graves and lords, saw myself with him in his hostel Landgrauen Philipps zcu Heßen, Hertzog
Wilhelm von Braunnswig vnd Count Wilhelm zcu Henneberg.
My most gracious Lord Duke Frederick of Saxony, Elector Lo., highly praiseworthy and of blessed memory, was so astonished by the Christian courageous answer of Doctor Martinus before Kay. Mat. and the sovereigns of the realm in Latin and German, that his Elector. His Grace sent for me, Spalatino, in Doctor Martinus' hostel before his supper, and how his Electorate wants to take water, and how his Grace wants to take water, and how his Electorate wants to take water, and how his Electorate wants to take water. They beckoned me to follow them into their chamber, and as I entered, his Electors said to me, with the water, that they would take it. Grace said to me, with great astonishment: "What has the priest, Doctor Martinus, said before the Emperor and all the princes and rulers of the empire in Latin and German? He is much to my liking; and so I was graciously allowed to go back to Doctor Martinus.
578 Luther's report of the visit of the Landgrave of Hesse and his conversation with him.
See No. 550.
The Landgrave of Hesse first came to me in Worms; but he was not yet on my side, and came riding into the courtyard, went to me in my chamber, wanted to see me. But he was still very young and said: "Dear Doctor, how are you? I answered, "Sir, I hope it will be all right. Then he said, "I hear, Doctor, that you teach that when a man grows old and can no longer perform his wife's duty as a wife, then the wife may take another husband. But I laughed too, and said: Oh no, my lord, your princely grace should not speak so. But he soon left me again, gave me his hand and said: "If you are right, Doctor, God help you.
1892 Erl. Briefw.Ill, 1SS. Section 7: L.'s return journey from Worms. No. 579 s. W. LV, 2247-2219. 1893
Section Seven of Chapter Seven.
Luther's dismissal from Worms and his return journey under the imperial escort, and what happened on the way.
Of Lucher's farewell, which the emperor had issued through two deputies.
579 Spalatin's report of how Luther had predicted his departure from Worms, and the emperor had given him his farewell through two deputies, the official of Trier, D. Joh. Eck, and the imperial secretary, Maximilian Transsilvanus, with the order to travel home within 21 days, but henceforth not to preach, teach, or write, and what Luther had said in response.
From Spalatin's Annalss, p. 46.
So Doctor Martinus left the archbishop in Tryer, and went next to Hanssen von Minquitz, knight, who was lying dead in a crane in Wurmbs, and as he, after faithful Christian consolation, wanted to leave him, he blessed him with other words, such as: I will leave again tomorrow. Then I grabbed him by the cap he was still wearing and said, "Doctor, you are a good man to say you will leave tomorrow. But you have no final farewell. Then he, the good priest, said to me: You will see, I will leave tomorrow. So he went back to his hostel, and his companions and his company, until of course Johann Petzensteinner, of Nurmberg, also an Augustinian, had gone from him to look around in the city of Wurmbs, who perhaps also suspected that they had not long been to Wurmbs' hostel. And of course not much three hours after the conversation with the archbishop came to Tryer because of Kay. Mat. above-mentioned official to Tryer, Doctor Johann Eck and next to him. Her Maximilian Transiluanus, Kay. Mat. secretary, as a notary, and others, and spoke these words in the lateen, that Kay. Mat, princes and rulers of the Holy Roman Empire had graciously sought to soften him in many ways. But because nothing has helped, he is to return to his guard, and should be forgiven until one and twenty days after the death of Kay. Mat., with the appendix: that he shall go to the
no longer be allowed to preach, learn, or write. However, some of Doctor Martinus Luther's assistants came back. Shortly thereafter, as he had not long since turned away from them to the other rooms of his hostel, Doctor Martinus gave this Christian answer in Latin, the Romans. Kaye. Mat, princes, rulers and sovereigns of the holy kingdom have so graciously heard him, and have so graciously given him their glide, for which he, as the most humble and faithful chaplain, expresses his most humble and faithful thanks. He also wants to have nothing reserved for him, neither alive nor dead, nor disgraced, but only to freely practice and confess God's word.
Such answer hett im Kay. Mat. Council, secretary, and servant, also appointed by Emperor Maximilian, so well that after that Mr. Johann Stabius, only a noble man, also known to Doctor Martino, praised so highly that he was allowed to say to me, Spalatin, and others about Wurmbs: That he thought that Maximilian Transiluanus had said such a farewell, and that Doctor Martinus' final thanks and answer was much better than Doctor Martinus himself had said.
B. Luther's letters to the emperor and the imperial estates sent back when the imperial herald accompanying him was dispatched.
58V. D. Martin Luther's letter to Emperor Carl V, after his departure from Worms, sent back from Friedberg, April 28, 1521, in which he first of all repeats everything that happened at Worms recently, then states concise reasons why God's Word does not submit to human judgment, furthermore thanks him humbly for the escort he was given, and asks that the Emperor not let him be oppressed, suffer violence, and be condemned by his opponents.
Luther wrote this letter in Latin, and according to Seidemann in De Wette, vol. VI, p. 21, the original is in the possession of the canon D. T. G. Keil in Leipzig. Magnifying glasses on the address by Spalatin's hand: "1521. Die-.
This letter was not handed over to the emperor because there was not one among such a large number of great people who could have handed it over. Handwritten it is in the 6oä. SoLan. ii. 122, toi. 18.17. The first printing has the title: Xä. On. Eurolnni V. ^nstrlnrn Irnp. 6a68.
äoetoris Martini OntiEri, ^nZnstiniani 6pistoia, post abitioneni 6X eonventn Iinperiaii M^orniaciae M. D. XXI. In qnarn 86nt6ntiarn etiarn Oieetoridns Orincipidus, 6t reiiqnis iinpsrü oräiniftns iline scripsit, 86<I Oassari latins 6t oräinidns Mrrnani66. One sheet in quarto without location. Sodann in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 316; in the Wittenberg edition (1561), torn. II, toi. 168 d; in De Wette vol. I, p. 589 and in the Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. Ill, p. 129. A German translation of this letter is found in the Weimar archives in Spalatin's handwriting, which is said to have been made by Luther himself (so Förstemann "Neues Urkundenbuch", p. 76 and Seidemann-De Wette, vol. VI, p. 20) or perhaps by Spalatin (so the Erl. Briefw., vol. Ill, p. 129). It seems to us that Spalatin provided the translation of this letter made by Luther himself for the purpose of addressing it also to the princes, princes and estates of the empire, with the necessary changes in title, in order to adapt it to the emperor as recipient. Both letters (the next one and this one) are almost word for word identical, so that Förstemann did not consider it necessary to print the following letter separately, but added it to this one in note form. The variants are mostly insignificant and do not affect the meaning. In another very good and accurate translation, this letter is found in the German Wittenberg edition (1569), vol. IX, p. II3d; in the Jena edition (1564), vol. I, p. 449d; in the Altenburg edition, vol. I, p. 727; in the Leipzig edition, vol.XVII, p. 590 and in Walch. We consider a reproduction of Förstemann's text superfluous because of the great similarity of the same with the next following number, and reproduce the above-mentioned translation with the necessary improvements according to the first printing, which is reproduced in the Erlanger Briefwechsel 1. 6.
Translated from Latin.
To the most noble and invincible lord, Carl V, elected Roman Emperor, always Major of the Empire (Caesari Augusto), King of Spain, both Sicily and Jerusalem 2c, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy 2c, his most gracious lord.
Jesus.
1. grace and peace with all subjection, through Christ our Lord. Most glorious and invincible Emperor, most gracious Lord! After E. kais. Maj. has ordered me with a public safe conduct to Worms to inquire my mind about the booklets that have gone out publicly in my name, and in all humility before E. kais. Maj. and the entire empire there.
I seemed to be: as if E. kais. Majesty has held it against me in particular and had it indicated whether I recognized the aforementioned booklets as mine? And whether I wanted to revoke them, or persist in them, or not?
2. But I, since I recognized them as mine (as long as nothing of my adversaries or misleaders had been changed or altered in them), have humbly indicated in all reverence that I would be of a mind, after having kept and confirmed my little books with clear and public testimonies of the holy Scriptures, that it would not be proper for me, nor would it be right for me to deny God's word, and thus to revoke my little books; and have therefore humbly asked E. kais. Maj. would in no way permit that I be urged to such a revocation, but rather that my booklets, either by E. Majesty himself, or others, whoever they may be, even the very least (who could), and that the errors, which some claim to be in them, be punished and rebuked with divine, evangelical and prophetic writings; Also, out of a Christian spirit, I have humbly offered that, if I were convicted of any error, I would recant everything and be the first to throw my little books into the fire, burn them, and trample them underfoot.
But about all this I was asked and encouraged to answer simply, clearly and explicitly, whether I wanted to recant or not? To this I again most humbly said: Because my conscience would be decided and imprisoned by the holy scripture, which I have put on and introduced in my little books, I could not recant anything without better instruction.
Then some princes, princes and other estates of the empire negotiated with me that I wanted to submit my booklets to your imperial majesty and the imperial estates' knowledge and judgment and make them available; which the chancellor of Baden and Doctor Peutinger diligently sought from me, and in which they labored and worked hard. But I offered myself as before, if I would only be instructed otherwise by divine scripture or public causes, I would gladly yield.
1896 Erl.Briefw.Ill, 131-133. Sect. 7. of L.'s return journey from Worms. No. 580, W. XV, 2251-22S3. 1897
Finally, I wanted to put and trust some extracted articles to the knowledge of a general concilii. But I, as one who has always and with all diligence, humbly, willingly and ready to do and suffer everything that would always be possible for me, could not attain this some (which is, after all, a Christian request), that God's word would remain free and unbound to me, and that I would submit my little books to E. kais. Maj. and the imperial estates in such a way, or also to trust the decision 1) of a council, that nothing contrary to the Gospel of God would be either subjected by me or defined and recognized by them. This is what the whole deal was and is based on.
For God, who is a proclaimer of hearts, is my witness that I am completely willing and ready in all submissiveness to please and be obedient to your imperial majesty, whether by life or death, by honor or disgrace, by gain or loss. For so I have often offered myself, that I still offer myself, and do not except anything, but only God's word, in which not only man lives, as Christ says Matth. 4, 4, but which also the angels desire to behold, 1 Petr. 1, 12. The same, because it is above all things, should also be completely free and indeed unbound in everything, as St. Paul teaches [2 Tim. 2, 9], and it is never in my will nor in the will of some men to subjugate it and put it in danger, no matter how great, numerous, learned and holy men may be.
7. so that St. Paul, Gal. 1, 8. may also freely say publicly, without all shyness, and repeat twice: "If we also, or an angel from heaven, preach the gospel to you, other than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed"; and David says [Ps. 146, 3.]: "Do not rely on princes, they are men, they cannot help." Nor can anyone subject himself, as Solomon says [Proverbs 28:26], "Whoever relies on his
1) The old translator offers: "also without Oerterung eines Concilii", thus seems to have read sine etiam Concilii Nctcrminations instead of: sive etiarn Concilii deterininutioni. The former reading is really found in the Wittenberg edition. Our reading is in Förstemann 1. c.
heart, he is a fool," and Jeremiah Cap. 17:5: "Cursed is the man that trusteth in men."
For in temporal matters, which do not concern God's word and the eternal heavenly goods, one owes it to the other to believe and trust, because there is no harm in submission, danger and loss of blessedness, since these must be abandoned in the end. But in God's word and eternal goods, God does not suffer such danger that a man should subject himself to them and make a mighty home for himself. For He wants all men and everything to be subject to Him, as He alone has the honor and glory that He is true, yes, the truth itself, but all men are liars and false, as St. Paul, Rom. 3, 4, excellently deals with.
9 And this is not unreasonable. For the same faith, submission and humility is actually the right worship and adoration, which, as St. Augustine says in the first book of the Enchiridion 2), should not be shown to any creature. For this reason, St. Paul considers neither the angels, nor himself, nor without a doubt any saint, whether in heaven or on earth, worthy of such faith and trust, even cursed. Nor would they suffer it, much less desire it. For to trust a man in such a way in matters concerning eternal bliss is nothing other than to give the creature the honor that is actually and solely due to God.
(10) Therefore, I most humbly request that Your Imperial Majesty not think that this reservation of the word of God comes from an evil suspicion, nor understand it ungraciously. For it is taken from the aforementioned sayings of the Holy Scriptures, to which all creatures should give way in good conscience. St. Augustine says that the prestige of the Scriptures is greater than all men's understanding can grasp and comprehend.
(11) For that my mind and trust in Your Imperial Majesty is righteous and pure, the latter can well notice and understand from the fact that I am under Your Imperial Majesty.
2) There seems to be a wrong citation here (Erl. Briefw.).
I have obediently appeared in the presence of your Imperial Majesty's escort, and have not worried or feared anything, although I knew that my books had been burned by the adversaries, and in the meantime a mandate against me and my books had gone out publicly under your Imperial Majesty's name, and has been posted in many places, which would not have unreasonably deterred a poor monk and drawn him back, where I would not have provided and still fail to provide all good to God Almighty, to your Imperial Majesty and to the estates of the realm.
12. Although I have not been able to obtain by any means that my books would be refuted by the Holy Scriptures, and I am forced to walk away from them unconquered, and the whole deal, as I have said, has been and is based on the fact that the erroneous articles that are supposed to be in my books, as they speak of them, have not been wanted, nor can they be proven, or published with the Holy Scriptures, nor have they been put off or promised that my books should be examined and discussed according to God's Word: Nevertheless, I thank your Imperial Majesty in the most humble manner that they have kept the public escort to Worms for me, and have promised to keep it until I am safely in my custody.
(13) And once again, for the sake of Christ, I most humbly ask your Imperial Majesty not to let the adversaries suppress me, nor to suffer violence and condemn me, because I have now offered myself so often, as is proper and fitting for a Christian and obedient person. For I am still quite willing and ready, under your imperial majesty's escort, to present myself before unsuspicious, learned, free and impartial judges, secular or ecclesiastical, by your imperial majesty, by the estates of the realm, by the Concilia, by the Doctores, or whoever else may or will, to instruct me, and to submit my books and teachings to all with pleasure, to tolerate and accept their examination, knowledge, and judgment, nothing excepted, but only the public, clear, and free word of God, which shall be just above all, and shall remain the judge of all men.
14 Therefore, I also ask most humbly, not for my person alone, as I am an unworthy, despised person, but in the name of all of Christendom, which has also moved me to send back this writing. For I would like with all my heart that Your Imperial Majesty, the whole Empire, and the noble, high-souled German nation be advised in the very best way, and that all be blessed in God's grace, with all welfare. So far, I have sought nothing but God's glory, common and everyone's welfare and bliss, and have not considered my own benefit in this, not even yet; God grant, the adversaries condemn me or not. For since Christ, my Lord, prayed for his enemies on the cross [Luc. 23, 34.], much more should I be diligent, ask and plead for your majesty, for the whole kingdom, and for my most beloved 1) overlords, and the whole German nation, my dear fatherland, to whom I pledge all good, according to my trust, with joy and confidence in Christ, my Lord.
15 I hereby entrust myself to the protection and protection of your imperial majesty, which God the Lord graciously and blessedly governs, guides and sustains us, amen. Given at Friedburg, on Sunday Cantate [April 28] Anno 1521.
Your Imperial Majesty's most subservient bitter Martinus Luther.
581 Martin Luther's letter to the princes and estates of the empire, sent back from Friedberg after his departure from Worms, April 28, 1521.
This letter is, as already mentioned in the previous number, a translation by Luther himself of the letter to the emperor, which he also addressed in German to the princes, princes and estates. This letter is handwritten, by Spalatin's hand, in the Weimar archives, and is subsequently published by Förstemann in his "neue Urkundenbuche", p. 76 ff. first in the form of notes to the letter to the emperor. The first print was published in Wittenberg by Johannes Grünenberg under the title: "Copia ainer Missiue, so D. M. Luther after his ab-
1) Wittenberger, Aurifaber and De Wette: edurissimis; Erl. Briefw.: elarissünis.
1906 Erl.Bri "fw.m, 137f. Sect. 7. of L.'s return journey from Worms. No. 581. W. XV,WS6 f. 1901
scheydt zu Wormbs tzurugk an die Churfürsten, Fürsten, vn Stede des heyligen Römischm Reychs daselbest versam- let geschrieben hat." At the end: "Geben zu Fridburgk" etc. 1 sheet in quarto, in the title border a convoluted 4. 6. Without indication of the place. After that, a large number of reprints (nine are given in the Erlangen correspondence), three of which have at the end: "Fridberg in der Wetteraw." Three other editions, one of which bears the printer's mark of Martin Landsberg in Leipzig, have at the end: "Freyburg in Meyssen"; a Basel edition has at the end: "Frygburg"; a Low German translation has at the end: "Fridborch". Furthermore, this letter is printed together with "Handlung so mit doc- tor Martin Luther Vff dem Keyßerlichen Reichs tag zu Worms ergangen ist" etc. in three different editions, one Basel and (presumably) one Strasbourg and one Augsburg. In the Gefiimmt editions: in the Wittenberg (1569), vol. IX, p. 115 (not 113, as De Wette and after him the Erlangen angebm); in the Jena (1564), vol. I, p. 452; in the Altenburger, vol. I, p. 729 (not 727); in the Leipziger, vol. XVII, p. 593 (not 590); in De Wette, vol. I, p. 594; in the Erlanger, vol.53, p. 66 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. Ill, p. 137. In Latin Uebersetzung in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 319 b and in the Wittenberg edition (1551), tom. II, toi. 170. - On June 10, 1521, Luther wrote to Spalatin: Excusas IsZi msas Uterus aä oräines iraperii äatas in reeessu IN6O, 86<l lL6ndc>8U8 (I have read in print the letter addressed to the estates of the empire on my return, but full of errors). The Erlanger Briefwechsel says Vol. Ill, p. 135: "This letter was printed without Luther's knowledge and inaccurately, about which he complains in the letter to Spalatin of June 10." Nevertheless, the Erlanger Briefwechsel reproduces the text of the first printing that aroused Luther's discontent, without caring in the least about Spalatin's manuscript found in Förstemann I.e.. This text, however, is nothing better than the one reproduced in the editions according to other prints until then. Luther's criticism undoubtedly refers to the first printing, which is not only "inaccurate", but "full of errors". In the same, as can be seen from our notes, there are such things as: "to provide for him" instead of "to set in motion"; "to move" instead of "to commit"; "on it" instead of "may"; "wölch" instead of "because I"; "to deny" instead of "to embarrass" [refute! etc., and so that the nonsense resulting from such readings would not be all too great, has then been changed in the text with the greatest arbitrariness. We give the text after Förstemann, although the gathering of the notes and the text was a very arduous work.
To the most reverend and most worthy in God, most illustrious, most noble, most highborn Electors, Princes, Archbishops and Bishops, venerable Prelates, noble and well-born Counts, strict, honorable Knighthoods and Nobles, and all other Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, now assembled at the Imperial Diet at Worms, my most gracious, gracious and favorable Lords.
Jesus. 1)
Most gracious, gracious and favorable lords! Your electoral, princely and other graces and benefits are always preceded by my submissive prayer and service.
2nd Most gracious, gracious and favorable gentlemen! After Imperial Maj. Maj. has summoned me to your free, safe and strict escort to Worms, to receive from me information about my books that have gone out in my name, I have appeared as the most submissive chaplain before Imperial Maj. Maj. and the estates of the Holy Roman Empire in obedience.
3 Thus, Imperial Majesty has firstly ordered me to indicate whether I want to confess to the books in question and withdraw them or insist on them. Maj. first of all ordered me to indicate whether I had confessed to the books I had touched and wanted to revoke them, or whether I wanted to insist on them or not. I have, after a humble confession of the books that I have made, and which have not been altered by my detractors or in other ways, and which have been changed to my detriment, allowed myself to be humbly questioned: Because I have affirmed my writings with the clear, loud word of God, it is most burdensome to me, also unreasonable and impossible, to deny God's word, and to revoke such my books in such a way.
4. and humbly requesting that Imperial Maj. Maj. will not allow me to enter into any such contradiction, but will inspect my writings and books, by himself or by others, even the fewest who are able, and prove the errors that are to be found in them by divine, prophetic and evangelical writings; with Christian inheritance, if I were proven to have erred, I would revoke all errors and be the first to throw my books into the fire and trample on them with my feet.
(5) To which I am requested to give a short, correct answer, whether I want to recant or to remain on my decision? Therefore, I answered again humbly: because my conscience is bound by such divine Scripture as I keep in my books, I cannot recant in any way without instruction from the holy divine Scripture.
1) "Jesus" is missing in the first printing, but is in Spalatin's manuscript; on the other hand, the preceding address is missing in Spalatin.
(6) Consequently, several princes, princes, and some of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire have acted with me, saying that I should and wanted to put my books on the authority of the Emperor and the estates of the Holy Roman Empire. Maj. and the estates of the Holy Roman Empire; as the Chancellor of Baden and Doctor Peutinger of Augsburg also objected to me. So I offered myself again, as before: where I would be instructed by divine scripture or bright and clear causes.
7. finally, that I should trust some articles, drawn from my books, to the judgment of a council; and I have been willing at all times and in all ways in submission to do and leave everything that is possible for me; it has finally come to a head only because I have not been able to raise this Christian standard, that God's word would be free and unbound, and that I have placed my books on Imperial Majesty and the Holy Empire and Estates or on a future council's judgment and determination, so that nothing contrary to the holy word of God would come from me in them. Maj. and the Holy Roman Empire and Estates, or a future council's recognition, judgment and determination, so that nothing contrary to the Holy Word of God would be given by me therein, or decided, spoken and recognized by them.
8 For God, who searches all hearts [1 Chron. 29, 9], is my witness that the Emperor's Majesty, the King, is the one who has the power to rule the world. Majesty. I am completely willing and resolved to render obedience in all things, whether living or dying, doing or not doing, honor or dishonor, good or harm; I have also offered myself to do so many times, and offer myself again, reserving nothing but the holy word of God, in which not only man's eternal life (as Christ says in Matth.4,4..), but also the joy and delight of angels [1 Petr. 1,12.], which should and must be free and unrestrained over all things, as St. Paul teaches [2 Tim. 2,9.], and is not in any man's power to enter into it, 1) or to put into drive 2) however great, much, learned 3) and holy they may always be, that also St. Paul Gal. 1, 8. may twice call out and cry out: 4) "If even one angel
1) In the first printing: "move" instead of: "begeben" in Spalatin's handwriting.
2) In the first print: "to provide for him" instead of: "to set in motion".
3) Förstemann: "vilgelert". Our reading is according to the Latin.
4) Thus Spalatin's handwriting. In the first printing: "darauf zweimal rüst und gesagt".
from heaven, or even we ourselves, would teach you otherwise, let it be forfeited"; and David in the Psalter [Ps. 146:3.), "Ye shall not trust in princes, in the children of men, in whom is not salvation."
(9) Neither should anyone trust in himself, as Solomon says: "He is a fool who trusts in his own heart," and Jeremiah Cap. 17, 5: "Let him be destroyed who trusts in a man.
(10) For in temporal matters, which do not concern God's word and eternal things, we are obliged to trust in one another, considering that the same things, which we must let go of, are harmless to salvation. But in God's word and eternal things, God cannot suffer us to trust or consider freely in one or many men, but only in Himself, who alone has and should have the honor and name of being true and the truth Himself, but all men are vain, as St. Paul masterfully introduces in Romans 3:4. And this is right, for such trust and worship is the right worship and the true service of God, as St. Augustine teaches, which should not be offered to any creature.
For this reason, St. Paul does not want any angel from heaven, not even himself, nor without a doubt any saint in heaven or on earth to be considered worthy of such trust or to be regarded as such. Nor would any saint tolerate, much less desire, to trust a man in things pertaining to eternal blessedness, which is nothing other than making an idol out of creatures and placing them in God's own right glory.
For this reason, I humbly request that Your Electoral, Princely Grace and Favor will not understand such a reservation on my part in disgrace, or as having arisen [from] evil distrust, but rather from the above-mentioned Scripture, which everyone is obligated to obey. For my submissive trust and strong confidence in Imperial Maj. Maj. and Your Electoral and Princely) Graces and Favors, may be easily gauged from this, that I, at Imperial Maj. Maj.'s request and escort; although my books had previously been burned by my patrons, and
1904 Erl. Epistol. Ill, 140 f. Section 7: L.'s return journey from Worms. No. 581 f. W. XV, 2260-2262. 1905
including 1) a mandate against me and my writings, in imperial name. Maj. name, posted on many ends, which should have driven back such a poor monk, if my heart was not set on God, Imperial Maj. Maj., E. churfürstlichen and princely graces and benefits, and the whole realm, had provided and still fails to provide all graces and benefits submissively.
Because I 2) have not been able to find a way to publish my writings through the divine word, 3) and thus have had to resign, and the only defect has been that one has not wanted to prove or publish the erroneous articles that should be in my books with divine writings, nor allow, grant, or put me off and promise that my books should be investigated and recognized on the basis of the holy word of God, I nevertheless offer Imperial Majesty E. C. F. and other graces and favors my most humble thanks to their gracious granting and free, secure, and punishing of the Holy Spirit. Maj., E. C. F. and other graces and favors most humbly thank you for your gracious grant and free, secure, punctual escort, which you held for me in Worms, and which you have graciously offered to hold in my custody until further notice.
14 And once again, for the sake of God, it is my most humble request to E. C. F. Gnaden und Gunsten that E. C. und F. Gnaden und Gunsten will graciously request me against Kais. Maj. graciously forbid that their Imperial Maj. Maj. will not allow me to be raped, persecuted and condemned by my abnegators beyond my manifold previous and present subservient and Christian entreaties, for I am once again obliged in subservience, upon Imperial Maj. Maj. sufficient assurance to appear before unsuspicious, impartial, learned, ecclesiastical and secular judges, by Imperial Maj. Maj., the Empire, the Conciliation, the Doctors, or whoever is able or willing to do so, to have me instructed, to submit my doctrine and books to everyone, and to suffer and accept knowledge, nothing excluded, but only the holy, free and clear Word of God, which shall hover above and remain judge of all men.
1) under it" - meanwhile.
2) In the first printing: "Wölch" instead of: "Weil ich" in Spalatin.
3) In the first printing: "verleugnen" instead of: "verlegen".
(15) Therefore, not only for my own sake (in which nothing is at stake), but for the sake of the salvation of common Christendom, I humbly beg; which has also caused me to send back this humbly written letter of mine. For I would like from the bottom of my heart that Kais. Maj., the Holy Roman Empire and the entire German nation would be helped, and they would be blessed in God's grace, which I have hitherto sought next to God's honor and the common blessedness of all Christendom, and nothing at all mine, and seek again, even if I were condemned by my detractors.
16 For since Christ, my Lord and God, prayed for His enemies on the cross [Luc. 23,34.], how much more do I pray for Imperial Maj. Maj., E. C. F. graces and favors, and the whole holy empire, my most beloved lords, authorities and German nation, to whom I pledge myself of all graces beforehand, on previous and present Christian inheritance, humbly and consolingly, I should care, pray and ask.
17. order me hereby in E. C. F. Graces and Favors in all obedience, which E. C. F. Graces and Favors the Almighty God, for our salvation and comfort, graciously command us all, Amen. Given at Friedburg, on Sunday Cantate, in the year 1521.
E. churfürstlichen, princely graces and favors subservient chaplain
Martinus Luther.
C. Luther's sermons on his way back from Worms at the request of good friends, although against the imperial order, and the students' uproar against the clergy in Erfurt.
582 Luther's report to Spalatin, how he had preached publicly on the return journey, when, at Hersfeld, at the request of the abbot, who did him immense honor, although he reminded the abbot that he could easily lose his abbey by doing so; also at Eisenach, although the pastor protested against it before a notary and witnesses.
See Appendix, No. 68, § 5 f.
Luther's report in the same letter about how the students in Erfurt stormed the houses of some priests at night out of displeasure that the dean of the Severistift, a zealous pope, had publicly led M. Draco away from the choir under the pretext that he was under ban because he, along with others, had gone to meet Luther on his arrival in Erfurt.
See Appendix, No. 68, § 2.
A piece of a letter from Luther to Melanchthon in which he testifies to his serious displeasure with it. Around the middle of May 1521.
This letter, which Luther wrote from the Wartburg, is found in Aurifaber, Vol. I, p. 329 with the remark that this fragment was found in Spalatin's library; further in Ströbel - Ranner, p. 15; in De Wette, Vol. II, p. 7 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, Vol. Ill, p. 158.
Newly translated from the Latin.
I hear that in Erfurt violence is being carried out against the houses of the priests; I am surprised that the council allows it and looks through its fingers, and that our Lang is silent about it. For although it is good that those ungodly people who do not desist are kept in check, such a manner brings disgrace to our Gospel and causes it to be rightly rejected. I would write to Lang, but cannot yet. For such a show of favor by people against us is very annoying to me, for we see clearly from it that we are not yet worthy servants of his word before God, and that Satan mocks and laughs at our nobility. Oh, how I fear that it might be the fig tree in the likeness, of which Matthew 21 1) predicts that it will only bud before the day of judgment, but will not bear fruit. It is true, but it is only leaves and words, because we do not do as we teach.
1) Rather, Luc. 13, 6. ff.