Luther's Patmos, or how the Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony, on his return journey from the Diet of Worms, had Luther, who had been put under guard and was in great danger of his life, picked up on the way by disguised persons and brought to safety at Wartburg Castle, and what happened to Luther there.
A. How it happened with his removal on the way and the removal to the Wartburg.
595: Des Mathesius' report of Luther's enlistment on his return journey from Worms.
From Mathesius' third sermon on "Dr. Martin Luther's Life," St. Louis, 1883, p. 43.
When Doctor Luther left the Emperor's Herold of Oppenheim and peacefully arrived at the Harz Mountains on the Landgrave's escort through Hesse, and had to travel from there through a forest to Waltershausen, he got rid of some of his companions who accompanied him through the forest, and he sent the others to order the inn. However, not far from Altenstein, he came to a hollow way, where two noblemen, the one from Steinberg and Captain Prelops, attacked him with two servants, and when one of them got word from the carter, they were ordered to stop, and attacked D. Luther with disguised impudence. Luther with disguised impudence, and pull him out of his wagon; the one servant blows the wagoner and drives him away, so Ern Amsdorf leads away, until they surround the prisoner with a horseman 2) and help him onto a horse, which they lead for several hours in the forest along the bridle path, until the night overtakes them. They also tie one on a horse, so that they can take a prisoner.
2) Gepner - riding coat.
would bring with them. So they come almost at midnight to the castle Wartburg near Eisenach, harmless in the cross week; there one holds the prisoner well and honestly that even the waiter is surprised about it.
Luther's own report of this to Spalatin.
See Appendix, No. 68, § 7.
Luther's declaration against Melanchthon that he had gone to Wartburg more out of obedience to his authorities than of his own free will.
See Appendix, No. 69, § 1.
Luther's report of this to Amsdorf and Gerbel.
See Appendix, No. 70, § 3 and No. 71, § 2.
599 Another report to Johannes Agricola, Eisleben, in which he says that he is a strange prisoner who likes to sit there because God wants it that way, but with reluctance because he would like to publicly defend God's word.
See Appendix, No. 72, § 2.
B. About Luther's physical condition, about the very good treatment he had at the Wartburg, but also about his very painful illness.
Luther's report to Spalatin, how his host at the Wartburg provided for him very politely, kindly, and abundantly, and how he might have gotten such a body ache from it that he had no rest at night. However, he thanks God for the cross sent to him, but thanks Spalatin for the medicine sent, and reports what effect it has had.
See Appendix, No. 73, §§ 8.10. No. 74, §4. No.76, § 4. No, 77, §§ 1. 4 and No. 78, § 4.
601: A report from Luther to Melanchthon about his condition in solitude, in which he says that he is kept too well in food and drink, while he was used to living badly in the monastery; that he therefore could not pray and study properly, sits too idle, and is not spared the temptations of the flesh, therefore, if things do not change, he intends to travel to Erfurt soon to ask the doctors for advice.
See Appendix, No. 69, § 5 and No. 75, §§ 1. 2. Compare No. 78, § 4 and No. 76, ss 4. 6.
C. About Luther's state of mind, since not only did the idle way of life become very burdensome for him, but Satan also attacked him fiercely with temptations and all kinds of terrors.
Luther's report to Melanchthon on his state of mind and soul in solitude.
See Appendix, No. 79, § 6.
Luther's report to Gerbel and Spalatin about the satanic temptations he had to endure in his solitude, and how not one devil but many were around him in his solitude and attacked him.
See Appendix, No. 71, § 3 and No. 80, § 7.
D. What Luther deals with in his Patmos) especially from his Bible translation, which he started there and continued afterwards.
Luther's report to Spalatin on how he spends his time in his Patmos reading the Bible in the basic languages and what he intends to write.
See Appendix, No. 68, § 4. No. 74, § 4. Compare No. 81, § 10.
Luther sends the explanation of the 68th Psalm, which he wrote in solitude, to Melanchthon with the request that he share it with good friends and, if possible, have it printed.
See Appendix, No. 79, § 2.
Luther reports to John Lang that he is willing to translate the New Testament, and because he has heard that Lang is also dealing with it, he exhorts him to continue.
See Appendix, No. 82.
Luther's report to Spalatin that he had translated the entire New Testament in his Patmos and was now reviewing it with Philip Melanchthon, for which he requested Spalatin's help, sent him a sample of his translation soon afterward, and wrote that he expected the promised gems and wanted to send them back.
See Annex, No. 83, § 2, No. 84, No. 86, § 1 and No. 87, § 1.
Luther's letter to Amsdorf concerning this and the Old Testament translation.
See Appendix, No. 85, § 4.
Luther informs Amsdorf that he, along with Duke John, is the only one who has the honor of receiving the sheets from the press one by one, since no one else has had the least to do until everything has been together; he also states that 10,000 sheets are printed daily by three presses.
See Appendix, No. 88, §1. Cf.No.89. No.90. No.91. No. 92, §2 and No. 93.
Luther's other report to Spalatin and Wenceslaus Link of his work on the Old Testament.
See Appendix, No. 94 and No. 95, § 5.
Luther's request to Spalatin to provide him with the actual names of the birds of prey, the wild and creeping animals, in order to be able to use them in the translation of the books of Moses.
See Appendix, No. 96, §§ 2.3.
E. How Luther faithfully cared for the University of Wittenberg and its preservation in pure teaching and in a flourishing state during his absence at that time.
612 Luther's admonition to the Wittenberg professors, his assistants, not to follow the advice of the court, since for political reasons they did not want to have his writings printed or discussed, but to anticipate them, as he had done. July 13, 1521.
See Appendix, No. 75, § 20.
Luther testifies to his displeasure that his Wittenberg colleagues have been forbidden by the court to disputate on confession, and that papal law is still being read publicly in Wittenberg, namely by D. Jonas, and adds the wish that the princes would one day take it into their hearts to abolish the jurisdiction and censures of the pope in their lands.
See Appendix, No. 77, § 2 and No. 78, §§ 2. 3.
Luther's request to Spalatin that Melanchthon sometimes preach a German sermon to the common people of Wittenberg, who had a great desire for the preaching of the Gospel.
See Appendix, No. 76, § 7. Compare No. 97, § 4.
615. Luther's declaration to the Wittenbergers, how happy he is that Wittenberg is flourishing in his absence; reminding them that they should send a Silas or Paul or Barnabas from their Antioch to other places as well, and thus make up for the lack of others with their abundance, because the harvest is great and the workers few; As he himself testified to his desire to go either to Cologne or Erfurt, or to another place where God might call him, because it was uncertain whether he would come to Wittenberg again, and they could now do without him there.
See Appendix, No. 75, §§ 17-19. No.76, §7. No.77, §
§2. No. 78, § 1 and No. 81,? 10.
F. How Luther's whereabouts have finally become known, which Divine Providence has so sent, because it was soon time anyway that this Elijah or John should now soon come forward again before Christian Israel.
616 Mathesius reports how Luther sometimes went for a walk to the nearest monasteries and visited his friends, but was not recognized, except once at Reinhardsbrunn. His secret visit to Wittenberg.
From Mathesius' fourth sermon on "Dr. Martin Luther's Life," St. Louis, 1883, p. 50.
Because our doctor continues with his studies and writing in his Clause, and becomes weak, good friends advise him to go for a walk, to change the air, and to move around for his health. That is why he is taken to the countryside, and at times he goes to the strawberries on the castle hill. Finally, he is given an honorable servant, a discreet horseman, whose faithful and equestrian advice and admonition he later often praised, because he forbade him to lay down his sword in inns and not to walk over the books from hour to hour, so that he would not be mistaken for a scribe. Thus Luther came, but unrecognized, to several monasteries.
At Martsal 1) he comes to his friends; but the Junker Georgen (for so the horseman called him) they did not know.
1) Maybe "Marksuhl"?
At Reinhardsbrunn, he was acquainted with a conversation; when his courtier noticed this, he reminded his squire that he had to be at his appointed place of business in the evening, so he hurriedly set off again. But because his church and preaching seat in Wittenberg were constantly on his mind, as he said at one time over the table, sitting in deep thought: Oh, who would be in Wittenberg! he also undertakes a journey, and arrives in Wittenberg safely in November, 1) and stays with his journeyman, Ern Niclas Amsdorf, where he lets some of his good friends stay, and as he had discussed and rejoiced with them for several days, he secretly returns to Wartburg. In the meantime 2) it comes out through a chancery clerk that a prince and several great women are looking for him, but cannot see him.
1) Rather, at the beginning of December. See St. Louis edition, Vol. XIX, 560, note.
2) Around the middle of July, while Luther's secret visit to Wittenberg falls in the beginning of December.
Luther's own account of his secret visit to Wittenberg.
See Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XIX, 560 ff.
Luther told Spalatin that Amsdorf had written to him that a scribe of Duke John had reported to a woman in Torgau that Luther was at Wartburg Castle and that the talk was now almost everywhere.
See Appendix, No. 77, § 3.
619 Another report to the same, that Duke John now knows his whereabouts, since the innkeeper at Wartburg has secretly discovered it to him.
See Appendix, No. 76, § 4.
The eighth chapter.
Of the good and bad changes that occurred during Luther's stay in his Patmos, especially in Wittenberg and Saxony, and Luther's return to Wittenberg caused by the latter. From all events between Carlstadt and Luther, until Carlstadt's complete escape and departure from Saxony, and the subsequent transition to the Swiss.