Recommendation of a young clergyman and news.
The original is in the Anhaltisches Gesammt-Archiv. Printed in Aurifaber, Vol. I, p. 313; in De Wette, Vol. I, p. 570 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, Vol. Ill, p. 106.
To Georg Spalatin, the pious and learned man, his most trusted [friend] in Christ.
JEsus.
1st Hail! This young man, Michael Creuzen, who is well-disciplined, my dear Spalatin, has
1) See St. Louis edition, Introduction, pp. 39 ff.
2) In Aurifaber and De Wette wrong: "Sack". Instead, the Erlangen correspondence put "Kack", but we according to St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 998: "Gack". See the note there. Gack or Kack rst, however, not, as Seidemann assumes in De Wette, Vol. VI, p. 670, the "gallows," but the kaak, pole of shame, pillory. - The editor of this has heard from the mouths of old people that the "Kaak" in Rostock was on the new market next to the so-called water art, while the gallows was outside the city, at the Reeperbahn.
I want to use both your and my help with our most gracious prince to ask for a certain priestly position, whom I neither should nor want to refuse this service. You will therefore see to it that he is promoted because of you and me (if I am anything). Because that you are something at the court and are valid, one believes rightly.
By the way, there is nothing new with us, except that the bull is becoming more despicable day by day. For what happened to it in Leipzig, I have written to you before. 3) It is said that it was also posted in Torgau, but secretly, and it was immediately torn apart. Since it was struck in Döbeln, it was immediately pelted with dung and torn apart, and these words were written: "The nest is here, the birds have flown out.
The Duke of Saxony, Heinrich, in Freiberg, strongly detests them along with his own. I have addressed a letter to him, because it was written to me from there that he wishes this. The King of Denmark also persecutes the papists, and has given orders to his university that they should not condemn what is mine. Thus reported the one whom we sent there, D. Martin. 4) He has returned to be doctored, but he will return there.
4) What happened to the book of Emser in Magdeburg, I have written before. 5) Finally, Ambrosius Catharinus has come from Nuremberg; dear God, what a tasteless and silly Thomist, so that he almost kills us sometimes by laughter, sometimes by disgust. I will answer him briefly and excite the bile of the Italian beast.
Two Counts of Stolberg came to us for the sake of their studies. You had
3) In this, Luther will be mistaken. He had written this to others, but not to Spalatin. That a letter is missing here is unlikely.
4) This is Martin Reinhard, who was sent to Denmark in the winter of 1520 at the request of King Christian II; however, he remained there only a short time. Later he became a preacher in Jena, where he made common cause with Carlstadt and wrote the ^cta^enensia (No.680 in this volume). Compare also No. 681 in this volume and No. 117 of this appendix. - We do not know whether "D." is to be dissolved by Doctor or Dominus.
5) In the letter Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 747; De Wette, vol. I, p. 560.
well and pray for me. Lucas has asked me to sign these pictures and send them to you; 1) you will get them. Now also the juxtaposition of Christ and the Pope in pictures [the Passional] is prepared; a good book for the laity. Wittenberg, 1521 March 7.
Martin Luther, Augustinian.