Of domestic affairs; of Luther's conversation with the papal legate; of a letter from the Frankfurters to him; of the Elector's journey, and more.
Handwritten at Wolfenbüttel in Cod. Helmst. 107 and in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 225. Printed in Schütze, vol. II, p. 363 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 648. German in Walch, HP. XXI, 1435.
Grace and peace! I thank you for the hare and the birds, best Jonas. I would have all too much to write, but I am indolent, and the matter is too vast for me to write before my business. Of that bawd I have written. What will happen I do not yet know, but I hope that she will be taken out of the city.
The legate of the Roman pope also suddenly appeared in this city. Now he is with the margrave; man, one thinks, must fly, not ride. But God would have liked you to be there. He invited me and Pomeranian to breakfast, because I had skipped a meal in the evening in the bath. I came and ate with him in the castle. But what kind of speeches I had, I must not write to anyone.1) During the whole meal I represented Luther himself, and the envoy of the Englishman Antonius, whom he had invited in the same way, I played (as he wrote to you) with the most annoying (verdriesslicissimis) words. Of it verbally.
The Frankfurters have written to me complaining that they are being urged by the Bishop of Mainz to restore the masses and ceremonies. In all these things
I) An account of Luther's conversation with Vergerio is found in the St. Louis edition, vol. XVI, 1890 ff, no. 1219. Likewise in the Tischreden, cap. 54, 8 18, ibid. vol. XXII, 1362.
I would need your presence. But I am forced to bear and answer this alone, by this pestilence, which (that is, the devil) rejoices that it has been able to keep us apart so long by one or two deaths. God bless and keep his word.
I send you the letter of Augustin, 2) the pastor of Colditz, in which you will see the restless sect of the Epicureans among these braggarts, nevertheless, that God can also avenge when He is despised. I also send Dolzig's eloquence.
You need have no doubt about the happy journey of our prince to Prague. Philip writes for the third time that Brück is in Jena. Perhaps it is Bleikard.3) For he is with the prince, and things and people are mixed up, both because Brück was ill before, and Bleikard went with the prince as if he were Brück.
My Lord Käthe greets you and all yours, but she continues reading, 4) only that the tragedy of this bawd has robbed her of eight days. And to your sale of canvas, she replies that you could easily guess for yourself what she would do in this dangerous case, especially in such great hope and permission to bring in the lesson again, and the fear of losing the opportunity. Greetings to all yours. On the day before Martinmas [November 10], Anno 1535, your Martin Luther.
No. 2190.