From Frick's German Seckendorf, p. 2598, in Walch, Vol. XXI, 274*.
Most Serene, Highborn Elector, Your Grace are my most submissive, obedient and completely willing services. Most gracious Prince and Lord! To Your Grace I hasten to inform you of my subservience with a very saddened mind: After the venerable D. Martinus Lutherus complained a bit before in Wittenberg, and also on this journey, and also in the wagon, when he drove there, and came hard before Eisleben, also complained of weakness, he nevertheless, as long as we were in Eisleben in these matters of the counts and lords, kept all noon and evening meals, ate and drank quite well over the table, praised food and drink also especially, as it tasted good to him in his fatherland. He also slept and rested quite a bit every night, since his servant Ambrosius, I, D. Jonas, his two little sons Martinus and Paulus, along with another servant or two, lay with him in the chamber, also sent him to bed every night with the warmth of kisses, and brought both of us, M. Michael Cölius, the preacher, to bed. Michael Cölius, preacher at Mansfeld, and I, Jonas, as he cheerfully gave us good night every evening these three weeks, often with these words: D. Jonas and Mr. Michael, pray for our Lord God that it may go well with his church cause. The Concilium at Trent is very angry. Also, most gracious Prince and Lord, the reported Doctor has sent for his starch cakes, water and aquavit from Wittenberg, the Doctor has also sent some of her own to him; has therefore been with M. G. H., Prince Wölfen von Anhalt, Count Hans Heinrichen von Schwarzburg, for these three weeks, at times for an hour, yes, at times for an hour and a half. But yesterday, Wednesday after Valentine's Day, February 17, he did not go to the meetings due to the concerns of the Princes of Anhalt and Count Albrecht, even at our request and admonition to remain in his room for the morning.
But in the parlor, stripped of his clothes in the shawl 1) walked around, ever looked out the window at times and prayed, so diligently that we also, who were with him in the room, heard it, but always been cheerful, even let us hear a word at times: D. Jonas and Mr. Michael, I was baptized here in Eisleben, how, if I should stay here? The next Wednesday, however, he did not eat in his room, but outside in the large parlor, talked a lot and of beautiful sayings in the Scriptures over tables, also said in common speeches once or twice: If I trust my dear sovereigns, the counts, and want to tell God about the journey, then I will go home, and lie down in the coffin to sleep, and give the worms the body to consume. On the night of the same Wednesday, before supper, he began to complain that it was pressing him on the chest, but not to the heart, asked to rub it with warm cloths, and then said that the pressure would subside a little; but then he had supper in the large room and said: "Being alone does not bring happiness," and ate quite a bit over supper, and was happy, even with jokes. After the same supper, he complained again that his chest was sore, asked for warm cloths, and we and the gentlemen sent for a doctor, a magister and a doctor; he forbade it and slept for about two or three and a half hours on the quiet bed; Mr. Michael Cölius, I, Jonas, the landlord, 2) the town clerk at Eisleben, and the landlady, his two small sons, stayed with him until half past ten. Then he requested that the bed in the chamber be warmed for him; this was done with great diligence, and when he was put to bed, Mr. Cölius lay in the chamber. But his servant Ambrosius, who came with him from Wittenberg, and I, D. Jonas, his two small sons and the servants were lying in the chamber. About eleven he fell asleep, rested with a natural snort. After that, my lord, at one o'clock in the night he called the servant Ambrosius and me, D. Jonas, and first told the servant: make the room warm. But when the servant had hurried, and the room was ready and warm, and he had prepared it all night, he said to me: O Lord God, Jonas, how I feel so sick, how I am pressed so hard against my chest, O I will stay in Eisleben. Ambrosius and all of us ran to him and helped him out of bed.
1) "Schäblein" will probably be as much as: small Schaube, wide house skirt.
2) Johann Albrecht.
When he came into the parlor, he went around once more, but then asked for warm cloths; we hurriedly woke up both doctors, doctor and magister, who also came hurriedly, and likewise, my most gracious lord, Count Albrechten, who soon came running with the countess, tried aqua vitae and the doctor's medicine and everything. Then the doctor began to pray: My heavenly Father, eternal, merciful God, you have revealed to me your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom I have taught, whom I have confessed, whom I love, whom I honor for my dear Savior and Redeemer, whom the wicked persecute, disgrace and revile, take my soul to yourself. Then he says three times: In manus tuas commenädo spiritum meum, redemisti me, Deus veritatis [Into your hands I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, you faithful God (Ps. 31, 6.)], yes, so God loved the world. When, most gracious Lord, the physicians and we needed the best of restorations, he once began to be silent, as if he were sinking, and to answer nothing to our fierce shouting and shaking. But when the countess and the physicians again gave him aque vitae, he began to answer again, but weakly, to Mr. M. Cölio and to me, D. Jonas, yes and no. And when we both shouted at him: "Dearest father, you confess Christ the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer? he spoke once again, so that one could hear it, a strong yes; then his forehead and face were cold. And as hard as one called him, shook him and called him by his baptismal name, D. Martin, he did not answer any more, that he fetched a soft breath and sighed with fallen hands beaten into each other. And, most gracious lord, which we lament with sorrowful heart and many tears, has thus fallen asleep in Christ, safely between two and three in the night towards the morning. Count Albrecht and our gracious wife, the Countess, also my gracious Lord of Schwarzburg, have been there long enough to come to the end. This, most gracious Prince and Lord, I have soon done the following hour according to my subservient duty, although we poor his disciples and disciples from 25 years ago, most grieved by this case, Ew. churfürstl. Grace by means of this mail and to make it known. We humbly request, Your Electoral Grace, that we be informed of the funeral. Graciously request that we be forgiven for the sake of the funeral until Your Electoral Grace responds. They will also write to our gracious lords, the Counts, as to what their graces are to do in this matter. Although Their Graces would like to have him in
They wanted to keep it in their dominion, as his fatherland, but they place it in the favor of Ew. churfürstl. Grace's gracious favor. The almighty heavenly Father comforts Ew. churfürstl. Grace and all of us who have been heartily grieved by this case. Your Electoral Grace also graciously desires. Graces graciously grant a letter of consolation to the Doctor, his dear housewives, and Domino PhiIippo, D. Pomerano and D. Creutzigern, which Your Electoral Grace knows better than to do. Your Grace knows better than we can devise. Request Your Electoral Grace. The Lord Jesus preserve Your Electoral Grace at all times. Graces at all times. Date in haste, Eisleben, Thursday after Valentini at 4 o'clock in the morning, 18 Feb. 1546.
I also inform Your Electoral Grace that the said Mr. Martinus preached a short sermon every Sunday. Grace that the said D. Martinus preached a short sermon every Sunday, the copy of which we have, and that he received and communicated it three weeks before absolution. Of other speeches he made over the table, I will report to Your Electoral Grace. Graciousness with all due respect. Most Gracious Prince and Lord, I have herewith dictated this letter to Count Albrecht's secretary in a hurry at 4 o'clock, since we were not able to write everything ourselves due to our sadness. Your Electoral Grace Grace's most humble and willing servant.
Justus Jonas, Doctor, my hand, together with Mr. Michael Cölio, who has been with all of them.