Ueber einen Abgesandten der böhmischen Brüder und die Antwort auf die Briefe derselben (No. 422 und 423 in diesem Bande); von des Rubeus Schmähschrift, einen Briefe des Rectors zu Leipzig und einer bevorstehenden Gegenschrift Emsers.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 215; in Löscher's Ref.Acta, vol. Ill, p. 989; in De Wette, vol. I, p. 350 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. II, p. 201.
To His most worthy in the Lord, George Spalatin, Christ's servant.
JEsus.
1 Hail! We have done everything with this truly fine man, the Bohemian, my dear Spalatin, as you will see and read. I have given him all my writings. Philip dictated a letter to him, since we were all present and participated in it, even the Bohemian himself, in our monastery.
I have seen the nonsensical things of Rubeus on
1) Meant is the writing: A venatione Luteriaua ^.6AO66roti8 U886rtio. Emser. Cf. St. Louis edition, vol. XVIII, introduction, p. 39d.
2) First in a Latin script, No. 398 in this volume. The title of the German script mentioned here is found in No. 399.
sent you, but I see you got it elsewhere. The Leipzigers are racing. I am sending the proud letter from the Leipzig rector, which I received yesterday, in which the incompetent head commits everything for which he apologizes and which he rejects. So without all judgment are the people. I will answer him by doing nothing else than showing him his things. Just send me the letter back soon.
It is said that Emser is working out an Iliad against me and has boasted about how he wants to treat the proud monk; I am eagerly awaiting this birth of the mountains. We will take care that in the future nothing of such trivial things will be published here. I think whether our university should write to the University of Leipzig. I would write to Prince George, but I have experienced his chancellor 3) earlier and do not want to give an opportunity to the water bubbles, which I have met there before. Farewell and pray for me. Wittenberg, the day before Gallus [October 15] 1519.
Brother Martin Luther, Augustinian.