Luther's stone disease had worsened greatly, so he asked to be taken away from Schmalkalden. This happened on February 26. When he arrived in Tambach in the evening, the strong movement of his body had brought about relief, of which Luther informed Melanchthon in the night at 3 o'clock through this letter.
The original, which Melanchthon will have sent to Vadian, is in St. Gall in Vadian's library, in Vadian's collection of letters, Vol. IV, p. 176. From the Schmid collection at Helmstädt in Schütze, Vol. III, p. 42. From a copy of the original in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 57.
"To My Dearest Magister Philippo Melanchthoni."
Praise be to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and of all comfort, my dearest Philip, who at this second hour of the night took pity on your prayers and tears, and opened my urinary tract and bladder, in fact quite without courage, since I got up (as you know) to make a futile attempt. Barely a quarter of this hour had passed, and urine has come out almost eight times, each time more than a nösel (sextans == pint), so that I have already let out more than a fullKamle(cantharum == gallon). So even the joy compels me to count this water, which is otherwise so exceedingly bad, but exceedingly precious to me. Therefore, I did not want to delay you any longer. "3) I want to report all this to my dearest and most gracious Lord and to tell the others about it.
3) The original should read: "wool".
all of them. For I have experienced how gladly they would have helped me. Now, as God wills, to death or life, I am still ready, because I have not only come out of the shaft into solid land, but have also received the grace that I have the silver spring again. For it confidently comes to light that I have also written this letter (albeit almost hastily)," alternately urinating and writing. Other things will be reported orally by this cheerful messenger Schlaginhaufen (Ochloplectes), who could not be held back, that he should not have flown to you. Give thanks with me to the Father of grace and all goodness, and pray that the dear God will accomplish His work. Even by this example let us learn to pray, and to dare to hope for help from heaven. "Keep all of you God and" trample Satan under your feet with his allies, the monsters of the Roman court, Amen. About the middle of the third hour of the night. 1537, from Tambach, the place of my blessing, for this is my Pniel (Phanuel) [Gen. 32, 30.], in which GOtt appeared to me.
Your Martin Luther.
Pestis eram vivus, moriens ero mors tua, Papa. 1)
Hospes, ab Hassiacis, quantum potes, aufuge lectis.
[Living, O Pabst, your plague, dying I will bring death to you.
Stranger, whatever you can, escape the
Hessian beds].
No. 2347.