Luther jokingly dismisses her concern for him and reports on his well-being.
Handwritten in Cod. CIoss. and in Cod. Bos. 24. p. Printed by Walch, vol. XXI, 1564; by De Wette, vol. V, p. 789 and in the Erlanger Ausg., vol. 56, p. 153.
To the holy, careful women, Katherin Lutherin, D[octorin], Zülsdorf§rin, at Wittenberg, my gracious", dear housewives.
Grace and Peace in Christ. Most holy lady doctor! We thank you kindly for your great care, for which you cannot sleep; for since you have cared for us, the fire has consumed us in our hostel just outside my parlor door; and yesterday, no doubt due to the strength of your care, a stone almost fell on our heads and crushed us, as in a man's trap. For in our secret chamber for two days lime and glue trickled over our head, until we took people who touched the stone with two fingers, then it fell down, as big as a long pillow and two big hands wide; that had to thank your holy care in mind, where the dear holy angels did not keep huts. I worry, where you do not stop to worry, it would like to devour us at last the earth, and all element pursue. Do you teach the catechism and the faith? Pray and let God take care of you; it is said: "Cast your concern on the Lord, who will take care of you," Ps. 55:23, and many other places.
We are, praise GOD, fresh and healthy, without things making us unwilling, and D. Jonas
would like to have a wicked thigh, that he might bump against an ark: so great is the envy in people, that he would not grant me to have a wicked thigh alone. Hereby God commanded. We would like to be gone now, and go home, if God wills it, amen, amen, amen. On the day of Scholasticä [Feb. 10] 1546.
Your saints' willing servant Martinus Luther.
No. 3309.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
From Reg. Ll, p. 77. n. 61. 1. Printed from a copy in Burkhardt, p. 491.
Our greeting before. Venerable and reverend, dear devotee! We have recently been informed by the also venerable Mr. Niclasen, bishop of Naumburg, our dear devotee, the same also from our office in Weida, of a case that occurred with the chaplain in Frisnitz. Although we have now been informed by the said bishop of the form in which you and D. Pomeranus have attributed your concerns 1) to him, and have also received a copy of such concerns, we have nevertheless, for moving reasons, not wanted to refrain from ordering that further inquiries be made about these matters, that the chaplain be held to this, that his answer be diligently marked, and then sent to you, and that your further concerns be noted therein. Since such interrogation has now taken place, and the chaplain has also submitted his responsibility in writing, and has been sent to us by the bishop, we hereby send it to you. And since we note that the bishop, after the answer of the captain has been given, intends to direct the matters of the punishment to an alleviation, as you can judge from his writing, and we do not want to procure or conclude anything in this regard without your advice and concern, our gracious request is that you open the same to us and make it known, so that we may have to respond to it with further orders. You have our favorable opinion, and we are graciously inclined to you. Date Torgau, Wednesday after Dorothea [10 Feb.] 1546.
1) No. 3291.
Letters from the year 1546. No. 3310.
No. 3310.