Recommendation of a man seeking a school position. Luther goes about attacking the Archbishop of Mainz in a writing. About the marriage of Duke Philip of Pomerania with the Elector's sister Maria.
The original is in Dessau. Manuscript in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 237. From the Hanische Sammlung at Kiel in Schütze, vol. III, p. 10; in Strobel-Ranner, p. 251 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 679. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1444.
To the worthy and godly man, Mr. M. Nicolaus Hausmann, the extremely faithful servant of Christ in Dessau, his very dear brother.
"Grace and peace in Christ." Werther, brother in Christ and man of high esteem! I commend to you this bearer of the letter, who tells me that he has been given hope or opportunity to obtain some position at a school with you. Therefore, he has asked me to write to you about it and to recommend him to you. I do this all the more gladly because he has a written certificate from the Count of Hoya in Westphalia, which is issued to me for him, so that he is not to be considered a stranger or suspicious. Therefore, if his work there at the school is necessary for you, do what you can for him.
There is nothing new, except that I deal with it. To attack with a public writing the Crocodile of Halle, whom I have made a dragon and cardinal of the devil in a private letter to him. 1) Pray that Christ may accomplish what he has begun in him, namely judgment, since he, as one unrepentant to the end, does not cease to pursue the grace of God.
I have nothing from the wedding in Torgau, except that everything was wonderful. I married the bridegroom and the bride in the evening; early in the morning, D. Pommer blessed them (since I, overcome by dizziness, was unable to do so), completely according to our manner, as it is contained in the Catechism, because that is how the prince had wanted it. The princely bridegroom is a very good young
1) This cannot be seen from the corrupted reading found in De Wette and (according to him) in the Erlangen edition. One sees the reading corrected by us after the old editions, St. Louis edition, Vol. XIX, 1885.
Man, sober and modest, so that his appearance, his manners, his gestures and everything filled me with great joy. Christ keep and multiply him with all blessings, amen. My Lord Käthe greets you reverently. Fare well in the Lord and pray for me. On the day before Reminiscere [March 11] Anno 1536.
Your Martin Luther.
No. 2216.
To Johann, Georg and Joachim von Anhalt.
Intercession for Heinrich von der Loche, who was dispossessed of an estate.
First printed in 1830, after the original, in Lindner's "Mittheilungen," II, p. 37; then in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 204 and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 168.
To the noble, highborn princes and lords, Johanns, Georgen and Joachim, princes of Anhalt, counts of Ascanien and lords of Bernburg, my gracious lords.
G. and peace in Christ and my poor pater noster. Sublime, high-born princes, gracious lords! I have received E. F. G.'s reply to Heinrich von der Loche's matters and thank E. F. G. for his gracious letter. Since the day after tomorrow has been appointed by E. F. G., and he is old and weak, I ask once again that E. F. G. will find relief from the severity of the law with grace, considering that the good man has been in possession for so long and has laid aside much, which cannot be believed to have happened without the knowledge or will of E. F. G.'s father. F. G.'s father, and yet (if it is so) it might be dangerous if he were to be cast out of the estate in this way, and it might be said that it was as much the fault of the authority that let such a thing go and happen, as of the subject who bona fide submitted to the inheritance and paid for it etc., and because now there are things that seem unjust according to the present severity and yet the debt is on both sides. E. F. G. will know how to show mercy and Christianity. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. At Wittenberg, Monday after Reminiscere [March 13] 1536.
E. F. G. williger
D. Martinus Luther.
Letters from the year 1536. No. 2217. 2218.
No. 2217.