Luther jokingly responded to the Elector's request that he leave Wittenberg because of the plague by saying that the plague did not mean much.
The original is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. N, p. 109. Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 76, no. 133; in Walch, vol. XXI, 380; in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 610 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 95.
To the most illustrious, highborn Prince and Lord, Lord John Frederick, Duke of Saxony and Elector, Archmarshall of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, my most gracious Lord.
G. and peace in Christ, together with my poor father-our. Most Serene, Highborn Prince, Most Gracious Lord! E. C. F. G. Chancellor, D. Brück, has informed me of E. C. F. G.'s gracious offer to me, if deaths would occur here; and I humbly thank E. C. F. G. for such gracious concern and offer, and will also answer humbly, if such a case should arise. But my certain weathercock is the governor Hans Metzsch, who so far has had a very sober vulture's nose for the pestilence, and where it would be five cubits below the earth, he would probably smell it. Because he remains here, I cannot believe that a pestilence is everywhere. It is true that one or two houses have had a plague, but the air is not yet poisoned. For on Tuesday [July 6] no corpse nor sick person has been found; but because the dog days are present, and the young boys are frightened, I have taken it upon myself that they walk around, so that their thoughts may be quieted until one sees what will become. I notice, however, that many of the same youth like to hear such cries of pestilence, for some get the festering on the school sack, some the colic in the books, some the gout on the feathers, some the gout on the paper. Many have lost their ink; some have also eaten their mother's letters, from which they have gained heartache and a longing for their fatherland, and there may be more such weaknesses than I can relate.
Letters from the year 1535. no. 2141. 2142. 2143.
And if parents and rulers do not help and control such diseases with seriousness and all kinds of medicine, a country will die until there is neither a preacher nor a pastor nor a schoolmaster, and finally vain sows and dogs would have to leave the best cattle, since the papists are working very diligently. But Christ, our Lord, grant E. C. F. G., as until now, conducive grace and mercy, together with all pious Christian authorities, to obtain a strong medicine and pharmacy against such illness, to God's praise and honor, to Satan's chagrin, enemy of all art and discipline, amen. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. Fridays after Visit. Mariae [July 9] 1535.
E. C. F. G. undersigned Mart. Luther.
I humbly request that E. C. F. G. not forget my poor Hieronymus Weller.
No. 2142.