Luther asks him to raise his newborn son from baptism.
In Christian Junker, Güldenes und silbernes EhrenGedächtniß Luthers, p. 252, without citation of the source; in the Unschuldige Nachrichten 1711, p. 572 and 1717, p.723, ex Msto.; from it in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, p.564; in Walch,vol. XXI, 362; in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 436 (who compared a copy certified by the notarius in Cod. chart. 398 Bibl. Guelph.) and in the Erlauger edition, vol. 55, p. 4.
To the strict, honorable Hans Löserer, hereditary marshal of Saxony, my favorable (gst.) lord and kind, dear godfather 2c.
Grace and peace in Christ. Dear Lord and Godfather! As I have asked before, I ask again, for the sake of our Lord Christ, that E. Gestrengen humble himself in honor of God, and of my
I hope that it will seem beneficial and helpful to me to have a young son, whom God has given me this night from my dear Kate, so that he may come from the old kind of Adam to the new birth of Christ through the holy sacrament of baptism, and become a member of Christianity; whether perhaps God the Lord wants to raise up a new enemy of the Pope or Turk in him. I would like to have him baptized at vespers, so that he will no longer remain a pagan, and I will become all the more certain. Let Ew. Gestrengen come in easily and help to perform such a sacrifice in praise of God. I am willing and ready to make such a sacrifice, if I know how. Hereby commanded to God and yours, amen. In the night at 1 o'clock, Wednesday after St. Paul's [29 Jan.] 1533.
Your Grace
willing servant Martin Luther.
No. 1958.
To the City Council and the Municipality of Frankfurt a. M.
See St. Louis Edition, vol. XVII, 2007.
No. 1959.