Thanks for a shared song.
From the original in Innocent News 1738, p.255; in Walch, vol. XXI, 1262; in De Wette, vol. I V, p. 586 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 83.
Grace and peace in Christ. Of course, I come slowly enough with my gratitude, my dear good friend, for your kind heart, which you have shown towards me with the Cantico and the Porsdorfers. But Hieronymus Weller is my witness, how often I have been willing to write, and I have always lacked a message. For this reason, I kindly ask you to keep it for me; for in truth I believe that you have received it from
1) Added by us.
2) Here the text is very corrupted, therefore changed by us. Burkhardt offers: "irgendein inhaltet oder annehmen wurdet, gern verdampnen wustet oder nit," 2c.
3) "and" put by us instead of "us".
4) This answer was given on Jan. 27, 1535 and is printed in Neudecker, Merkwürdige Aktenstücke, p. 98. Neudecker's assumption that this answer refers to a different concern than the one indicated in the following number seems to us to be erroneous. The same opinion is shared by Seidemann in De Wette, Vol. VI, p. 470, note 4.
I, in turn, would not like to be different from you, wherever I can. We sing over tables as best we can here, and then pass it on. If we make a few sows of it, then it is certainly not your fault, but our art, which is still very small, if we already sing over it two or three times. But Virgilius sings, we are not all equal. And if all composers do it well, our seriousness is still far above that, and we can sing badly enough. And all the regiments of the whole world follow us: they also let God and all reason compose and set very good things, but they also sing that they would be worth a market of sausages from the sows, or clappers in the field bells. That's why you composers have to hold it against us whether we make sausages in your songs. For we would rather hit it than miss it.
My dear Kätha asks that you accept this joke as good and sends you her kindest regards. Hereby commanded by God. 1535, the Priscae [Jan. 18].
Mart. Luther, D.
No. 2114.
To Caspar Aquila, pastor in Salfeld.
On the printing of a document sent by Aquila to Luther.
Handwritten in Wolfenbüttel, Cod. Helmst. 107 and in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 216. Printed in Schütze, vol. II, p. 332 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 587.
Grace and peace! M. Philip writes our opinion about the marriage case that you, best Aquila, have presented to us. By the way, you write nothing to me about your book, which you have enclosed; I therefore leave it to our Erasmus. Our printers are hard put to it that they print books unless they have some hope or almost certainty that they will be marketable as soon as possible. They complain that they are burdened by the expenses, so I do not want to dare to burden them further, unless they themselves are willing to print, so that I have decided not to impose anything on anyone. For many people sen-
Letters from the year 1535. No. 2114 to 2118.
They bring many things here every day, but do not think of our poverty, and that we are too overloaded with business, as if we had as much leisure as they have to publish, correct, change, increase, and even sell things, so that I even dislike their so certain thought about us, as if we had nothing else to do but read over, look through, and change their books, since we are so overloaded with our own that we can hardly breathe. Therefore, you may not take it amiss that I make difficulties in this. Farewell. On the day of Fabian [20 Jan] Anno 1535.
Martin Luther, D.
No. 2115.
To the Landgrave Philip of Hesse.
Luther declares himself favorable to the settlement negotiations with Bucer and believes that one can be content with the approach taken until God gives a complete agreement.
From the Zurich archive in Innocent News 1756, p. 447; in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 587 f. and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 84.
Grace and peace in Christ, and my poor Paternoster. I have, gracious Prince and Lord, received E. F. G.'s writing together with the presented Martini Bucer's opinion, also gladly heard E. F. G.'s great diligence for the unification of all of us in the article of the supper 2c. Christ, our dear Lord, keep E. F. G. until that blessed day in such diligence and all other gifts to his praise and honor, amen. What my opinion is on this matter will be made clear to Your Grace in a letter from my gracious Lord, the Elector; for, praise God, I have come so far with myself that I comfortingly "hope that there are many among them who mean it sincerely and seriously; for which reason I am also all the more inclined to a union that may be thorough and lasting. But since on both sides not all have yet been investigated or asked for their hearts, it is enough for this time (in my opinion) to come so close together, until God helps more, and gives a certain unity, to decide. Such a great matter, grown so long and deep, can be
once suddenly may not be accomplished. For whatever I can always do and suffer for the accomplishment of such a beginning, F.F.G. shall be certain (as much as God gives me) that I shall not be lacking. I am willing and obligated to serve F. F. G.. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. Saturday after Conversionis Pauli [30 Jan.] Ao. 1535.
E. F. G. williger
D. Martin Luther.
No. 2116.
Concerns about Bucer's settlement proposals.
See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 2057. Melanchthon's letter to the landgrave of Feb. 1, 1535, in which he says: "The fact that I did not soon write an answer to E. F. G. again is due to the fact that Doctor Martinus with his answer [i.e., with this concern] was delayed until my gracious lord of Saxony came to Wittenberg. Herr, der Churfürst zu Sachsen, anher gen Wittenberg kommen" 2c. (Corp. Ref., Vol. II, 835 f.)
N o. 2117.