In the matter of Antonius Schönitz because of vidimirung of several letters.
The original is in the Hauptstaatsarchiv zu Dresden (Registrande Stift Magdeburg, Schulden), Locat 8580, now 8948, Hansen Schenitz und seine Erben belangend etc. 1534-1538, fol. 60. Printed by De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 443.
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 and my poor Paternoster etc. Most illustrious, highborn prince, most gracious lord! It writes to E. C. F. G. Antonius Schenitz about the letters of the bishop
Letters from the year 1535. No. 2172a. 2173.
to Halle, whether they could be vidimirt, and has asked me that I also want to write next to him. I see that the good people are distressed with the heavy great matter of the evil lindworm, 1) and may well need advice and consolation. Therefore, I humbly ask E. C. F. G. to give them good advice on how they should deal with the letters. For if it should happen for the Court's right 2) I do not know whether good or bad will follow from it, because all this may become known to the bishop, perhaps also the content of the letters, as the world has now become secretive and full of faithfulness, unfortunately! I am inexperienced in these matters and know what kind of herb the priest is. E. C. F. G. wanted to graciously and comfortingly show themselves against the good people, so shamefully mocked etc. Christ our Lord be graciously with E. C. F. G. here and there, Amen. Vigilia Michaelis [28 Sept.] 1535?)
E. C. F. G. subservient Martinus Luther.
No. 2173.
To Gabriel Zwilling, pastor in Torgau.
Response to Twin's complaint about the Torgauers.
Handwritten at Wolfenbüttel in Cod. Helmst. Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 77, no. 135; in Walch, vol. XXI, 382; in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 634 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 108.
Grace and peace in Christ. My dear Magister Gabriel! I am sorry that your people of Torgau are so ungrateful against the Gospel and dare to make you, priest and chaplains, their servants out of their own thirst, to demand their pleasure in the town hall. Who has taught them such violence?
1) In the original: "lintworms", that is the Cardinal at Mainz.
2) "for the court right", that is, at will.
3) At the above-mentioned location in the archives at Dresden is the concept of the answer of the Elector to Luther, dated October 6, 1535, in which Antonius Schönitz is promised protection and advised to let the letters go out in print.
that is not theirs to steal away to themselves? Are these the fruits of their faith? Well then, because they have been so forgotten and have fallen from the faith, you again shall not do anything they want. For we have redeemed them from the pope's infallible tyranny with great toil and labor, and still fight for their freedom without ceasing, and they go on, and want to trample us underfoot, and strengthen the pope, and revile us: so let their presumption be accursed, amen. No other city does it without some of the nobility. But if they want to have a priest for a servant, they must appoint him, provide him with food, shelter and all necessities. If you have nothing from them, they will not let you have any civil food, and you are neither sworn nor bound to them; and you shall nevertheless be imprisoned like another citizen, and probably more. I will do this, that they shall lose the election of a parish lord again. For all is due to the prince, who shall give a stork to peck at the head of the rude frogs. Can they not suffer, the unreasonable fellows, that they have all church services in vain, and have been freed by the pope without any effort? And Halle, Leipzig, Dresden etc. would probably give big money for it, and gladly carry such preachers on their hands. I have to come and break the bristles of the mother preacher in the pulpit. So stay away from the council house, and do not mix the two regiments together, and do not let them mix either; for it would be annoying to the common man, and unpleasant to the prince, if he were to learn that his servants, who have fiefs and everything from him, are to be made servants to foreign lords. 5) If they are rude, proud, and proud, and unruly, they are to be made servants to foreign lords. If they have become rude, proud and unreasonable, and God blinds them because of their unbelief, we do not have to follow them, nor do we approve. Hereby commanded by God, Amen. Martin Luther.
This writing is given at Wittenberg, the next day after Michaelmas [Sept. 30] between 6 and 7 o'clock in the morning Anno 1535, and Doctor Luther said, this writing may be shown to princes and lords.
4) In the editions (misunderstood): "that one remote servants so lehen, and everything" etc.
5) Added by us.
No. 2174.