Brück reports that Luther could not be persuaded to change the passage in his letter to the Elector and the Landgrave that the Elector objected to. Luther had become very angry about the request, and he, Brück, had therefore let the matter go. Luther was also otherwise upset against the court, behind which his wife seemed to be.
From the Ernestinisches Gesammtarchiv at Weimar, Reg. O, p. 146. EEE. 19. 20. in Kolde, Analecta, p. 421.
To the most illustrious, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Johans Friedrichen, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen and Burgrave of Magdeburg, my most gracious lord.
To S. churf. Gn. own hand.
Most Serene, Highborn Elector! Your churfürstl. My submissive, obedient services are before you in constant diligence. Most gracious Lord! Your Lordship's letter, given next Wednesday, I received today, Friday at noon.
And what concerns Doctor Bleickhardt's 1) action with the von Stolbergs, of which I will speak with
1) D. Bleikard Sindringer.
I would like to talk to him about his homecoming and promote the matters according to your Lordship's command. So I will also address Doctorem Pomeranum and inform his honor of the opinion, as E. churf. G. wrote to me, I also reported something to him next to the contradiction, when he complained to me with the letter to send to E. churf. G..
But with Doctor Martins I am somewhat wrong, because in the quatern D, from the other sheet, I would have liked to have seen, according to E. churf. G.'s indication, that this might have been changed, as far as the armor is concerned, which was sent from Welschland to the German nation, 2) therefore sent the Albertum up to him and gave him the copy of the Emperor's answer, which he gave to your churf. G. and the landgrave, because of the touched armor and weapons, asked his honorable father if he wanted to leave the same few words outside, and nevertheless put the meaning together again, with the request that the awarded 3) quatrains should be refunded to the printer. But he became angry and whimsical, and said that he would not do it for a short time, and that if he were to be caught, he would have to let such letters go. And although I did not dare to send for the copy and see if anything else might be in it that might cause concern until the end of the emperor's life, I did have the book printer confidentially asked about it. He let me know that it was only a quatern, as E, and noted nothing in it that might have the emperor's half complaint or concern. Therefore, I will leave it at that, because it is nevertheless a necessary, beautiful and amusing booklet, and basically such an argument that it will nevertheless attract many people. I did not want to leave this undisclosed to Your Lordship in subservience, and I am also ready and willing to serve them with my subservient property in all ways. Date Wittenberg, Friday after Luciä [Dec. 18] 1545.
C. churf. G.
Gregorius Bruck, Doctor.
First Supplement. Most Gracious Sir! Out of humble trust, I cannot refrain from telling Your Lordship that I am concerned because Doctor Martinus, in more than one way, is opposing the Hos.
2) Instead of "become," we have put "been. The objectionable passage is found in St. Louiser Ausg., Vol. X VII, 1411, § 25 z. E.
3) That is, the printed in vain.
Letters from the year 1545. No. 3283. 3284. 3285.
can be noted. Once again, the Wachsdorf estate must be behind it, and that the good, pious lord is moved by the rib (riebe) 1). For as I sent Albertum up to his reverence, the same has also been there, and has said her word to this figure: Eia, dear Lord, they read nothing at court, that makes it! They 2) know your way well 2c. For as next to E. churf. G. the order, concerning the weddings and child baptisms, Doctori Martins sent again, Pomeranus and Philippus, who came to me because of that, have shown me that he told them that he neither intended to see nor to hear them. They would only have made a mockery of it at court; and at the same time they added: if one would not do a favorable understanding inside, then he would want to move away, that one should take care (see before) 2c. that I believe he could easily be stirred up. In order to foresee the mistake and to prevent the trouble, I think it should not be bad, if E. churf. G. D. Matthiassen Helten will make a deal to note what the mistake is? It is a poor thing, God knows that; Your Lordship will consider what to do for him. I did not want to let this go unreported out of humble benevolence. Date uts.
Second Enclosure. To Your Lordship I am also sending a copy of Doctor Martin's letter to Your Lordship and the Landgrave, which has now reached me at this hour, and the printer has let me report that he will be finished with it this evening. Since the impressions will undoubtedly come off, but in order that several copies may be sent to your Lordships as to how many they wish to keep, your Lordships will be pleased to know how many of these are to be kept for your Lordships, as I have also indicated this in my next letter to your Lordships, and have not wished to leave it undisclosed to your Lordships. Date. uts.
Third Supplement. Most Gracious Sir! It would not be unfortunate if one could also have the report at hand, which I gave to the Lord Mayor when I was together with the von Habsburg at Naumburg, and what the aforementioned von Habsburg and Jakob Wahl, also ... 3) themselves, have written to the Lord Mayor and to me since that time. I show this only for the sake of a subservient remembrance to 2c.
1) That is, Luther's wife.
2) "they" == the Wittenberg theologians.
3) A cipher is found at this point: a circle in which a cross is drawn.
No. 3284.
To the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hesse from the captured Duke of Brunswick.
See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 1396, no. 1440. - The more precise time determination given here results from the preceding letter, which shows that the writing was completed in print on the day mentioned.
No. 3285.
To Prince George of Anhalt, Bishop of Merseburg.
Luther apologizes for not being able to keep his promise to visit the prince on his way back from Mansfeld, because of Melanchthon's illness.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, Vol. III, p. 464, printed in Schütze, Vol. I, p. 374 and in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 759 (with the incorrect time: "In October").
To the ill Christo reverend father and noble prince and lord, Mr. Georg, bishop of Merseburg, prince of Anhalt, count of Ascanien, lord of Bernburg, his [superior] to be highly honored in the Lord.
Grace and peace in him who was born as Immanuel [Is. 7,14.] Man. Sublime Prince, reverend Father in Christ! I write briefly, since I am exceedingly busy with the strangest business, that is, with the service of the table and the belly. Incidentally, the indisposition of M. Philippus compels us to return to Hanse as soon as possible, so that we do not willingly expose ourselves to danger. Therefore, I want to be excused now because of my promise, but not yet released from it, if the Lord will give his grace to it at another time. Herewith your reverence is quite at ease with the son who is born to us and the child who is given to us. At Mansfeld Castle, Anno 1545.
Your Reverence most devoted Martin Luther, D.
No. 3286.