First, you will find the preface of the Serene, Highborn Prince and Lord, Mr. George, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen 2c.
2. by which this book is given an ornamental decoration, authority and faith are granted, and the entire heresy that is now pending is condemned therein in such a way that it is not unreasonably called the Summarium, even of the Lutheran heresies and other heresies that have sprung from it. Not only the subjects of this praiseworthy principality, who by God's mild grace, through this their sovereign and lord, have abstained from pestilent heresies for this, but also the foreigners, who by His F. G.'s pre-commission of the Bavarian and from the realm of the Lutheran heresy flowed out rebellion, shall be preserved in body and goods, and whether God wills it, also much of the harmful errors shall have been prevented and averted.
3. and especially the clergy and monastics
(who, because of this, are the more skilled in prayer and separated from the temporal) praise our merciful God and over-giving Lord with heartfelt gratitude, and that He would strengthen us in the good, protect us from the evil, and graciously live out their temporal life for the benefit of the poor subjects, the same and other Christian princes who like to eradicate evil and plant the good in these annual and evil times. That we may remain in peace, unity and true Christian faith, and finally obtain and possess with them the inheritance of Christ (which is promised to the good and denied to the evil), amen.
4. following and for the other you will find the privilege, so Hochgedachter Fürst (in order to avert the false text and glosses, [which] nowadays, like the false pennies and pfennings, are coined on just strokes, mixed under and into the truest Scriptures) has extended to Emser's blessed translation of the Testament, and has graciously given for this printing anew 2c.
To this section belongs the letter of Luther to D. Justus Jonas of December 10, 1527, which is included in the old edition in the appendix of the 17th volume, no. 4.
Luther had intended to send a letter of condolence to Duke George because of the eternal shame with which those who live under his protection have sullied him by misusing his name for the preface of Emser's New Testament. But because Emser had died and Duke Georg was ill, he had changed his intention.
Cf. the first note to No. 94 - The year we have set is a conjecture. In the Wittenberg and Jena editions, the year 1529 is written above it; however, we consider it probable that the edition of 1528, to which the privilegium given in the previous number was first added, was also preceded by this preface.
e. Because of his humble letter to Duke George.