See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 2069.
No. 2146.
Melanchthon to Luther, Jonas, and Rörer. 1)
Complaining about the many inconveniences of the move of the university from Wittenberg to Jena because of the plague, from where he would like to return as soon as it can be done and Luther finds it appropriate.
From Melanchthonis Epistolae, p. 133, in Corp. Ref. vol. II, 893 f.
To the highly famous and valuable men, D. Martin Luther, D. Justus Jonas and Magister Georg, Diaconus of the church at Wittenberg, his friends.
Hail! Not without the most weighty causes I have been unwilling that we do not leave there as well as are driven away by an error. Now, under the present circumstances, I experience more inconveniences than I thought would occur. The house of the monastery is not as suitable for the school as it used to be. 2) Many wander around without a place to live. Many are wandering around without a place to live, all without household utensils, without books, so that they live in camps. I have inspected the homes of all of them; with great pain I have seen that the children of distinguished people
1) Maestro Georgio Diacono Ecclesiae Witebergensis. Bretschneider resolves this by "Major", of whom we do not know that he was Diaconus at Wittenberg. We think that M. Georg Rörer is meant. Burkhardt (in his regest) has omitted this name.
2) Instead of quae we have assumed quam.
lying miserably on the floor. In addition, there are great costs, which are unbearable for the more meager, and we professors here are few. This small number also reduces the prestige (xx xxxxxx), for which, as you know, there must be quite a large quantity. Therefore, if you think that the school can be brought back there, we will hurry to you as soon as possible. I, at least, would rather live in the midst of the dangers of plague places than struggle with the present hardships, but nevertheless I will send myself in time. May Christ rule us, and may He also preserve you for the glory of His name. Today, God willing, which may well be, I will begin the lectures in order to relieve some people of the annoyance that this disturbance brings. I expect from you true letters about the raging of the plague, and not those written according to the gossip of fearful or foolish people. Be well. "Thursday" after the feast of St. Jacobi [July 29]. Philip.
No. 2147.