About the dismissal of the preacher in Stettin, Paul von Rhoda, whom Luther and Bugenhagen had proposed as superintendent of the city of Lüneburg.
From a manuscript of the Gothaische Bibliothek in the Leipzig Supplement, p.81, No.145; in Walch, vol. XXI, 394; in the Consil. Viteb., P. II, p. 50; from the original in Dan. Cramer's Pomeranian Church Hist., lib. III, cap. 36; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 60 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 175.
Grace and peace from God through Christ our Lord. Most noble, highborn prince, gracious lord! To E. F. G.'s letter to us, as it has reached them, that M. Paul of Rhoda has promised before us to go from our lands to another place with service, which E. F. G. is not willing to permit for reasons given, and graciously request of us that we grant such permission to M. Paul. Paulum of such permission, with gracious request to take the cause and burden from him: we do not know how to hold E. F. G. to a true report, that we neither advise nor ask the aforementioned M. Paulum to take the cause and burden from him. Paulum that he should turn away from the lands of the Holy See, but rather, before this time, several years have passed, instructed him with serious admonitions that he should remain in Stettin, so that the teachings of the Holy Gospel would not perish there, and also so that rebellion and other troubles, which might otherwise have occurred, would be prevented, that 4) up to now, he has also held himself in honor of the Gospel, and for the benefit of the city of Stettin, as benevolent. Although he often complained to us about his lack and need, that it would be difficult for him to stay with them both in poverty and driving, while the gospel was still persecuted, and especially because he often asked that good orders be made to order the churches, and after they had been made, 5) that execution and follow-up be done, so that they would be put into practice, which remained so long, he also often promised, after he had been arrested with debts, to remedy his lack; however, he said that he had not been able to do so.
4) "deß" put by us instead of: "that".
5) "have been" put by us instead of: "would".
Letters from the year 1537. No. 2353.
In vain he hoped for it, and in the end he let himself be heard many times that he wanted and had to go to another place, which we do not know how to blame him for, since there is none of us for whom it would not be too difficult to stay like this, both in poverty, driving and contempt. Because all this, which M. Paul brought forward, remained unheeded, he lastly, of which we knew nothing at all, before he was sent by E. F. G. to Schmalkalden, publicly requested and took leave, and told the city of Stettin to continue to serve, which he had good reason to do even after Christ's command in such contempt. Afterwards, when an honest legation was sent by the city of Lüneburg, which followed us from our absence in Wittenberg to Schmalkalden, and from the city now mentioned asked us to provide them with a superintendent, which they did four years ago, but we did not have such a person to give them until now; and after M. Paulus at Schmalkalden had presented his distress to us, and we know, as also E. F. G., in her letter, the testimony to him. in their letter give him the testimony that he has done enough in his office in a godly and Christian way, that the fault of his coming from Stettin was not with him, we also had no other person to report to those of Lüneburg, although we do not like to see that he has to hand over the city of Stettin: we have nevertheless let it happen, after he was now free, that he promised the city of Lüneburg, as we have also attributed this to them. But that E. F. G. write that they are not willing to let the much-mentioned M. Paulum leave them: we want to have reminded E. F. G. humbly, as E. F. G. from a high intellect can well consider how this could be excused, after the poor man M. Paulus has served so faithfully for so long. Paul served so long faithfully, also in the persecution of the Gospel in great driving, poverty and misery, and great diligence, counsel and help against sedition and other mischief to peace and unity, and E. F. G. and the authorities of the church have been able to keep the peace and unity. F. G. and the authorities to obedience, as E. F. G. himself knows better. That for such faithful service and diligence, he should now be so stricken by E. F. G. that he should not turn away from E. F. G. lands, and be guilty of such misery not only to his food,
but also a burden on his conscience, that he does not feel any improvement in his own, to suffer eternally: E. F. G. can well think that not the least craftsman would move into E. F. G.'s country. F. G.'s country, let alone that a foreign preacher would want to come into the country of Pomerania.
Now the good man M. Paul has not done anything wrong that he should be stopped against his will. E. F. G. should graciously grant us this, for we know that E. F. G. has no bad opinion in this matter; we also cannot blame E. F. G. that they would gladly keep such preachers in their country, if only it were held with them in such a way that they could stay. In addition, E. F. G. must also take into consideration that the oft-mentioned M. Paulus has never been obligated to E. F. G. with service or pay, but only E. F. G. city of Stettin. F. G. city of Stettin. Now it would be a disparity that they would want to give him leave if they wanted to, and he would therefore always have to sit idle and on the go, and should not in turn also have the power to take leave from them where his need requires it. But that E. F. G. to us to leave the accepted service is not our business; it is also not up to us to change such a promise, which he made before us to an honest legation; which we neither advised him to do, nor did we order him to do, but since we heard that he had taken leave from the city of Stettin and was now free, and saw that he was inclined to join those of Lüneburg, we had to allow it and grant him that he would improve, and thus attributed this on his behalf to the council of Lüneburg. If, however, M. Paulus would be willing to remain with them upon improvement, as E. F. G. and the city of Stettin request, and E. F. G. or the city of Stettin would not be willing to do. F. G. or the city of Stettin would know how to obtain from the city of Lüneburg that they release M. Paul from his promise: it would not be at all contrary to us, but would also be pleased about it, and would like it from the bottom of our hearts that the good city and E. F. G. would be able to be with them. F. G.'s entire country be provided with such and more good preachers. And in this case, we are willing and ready, moreover, that 1) we also
1) In De Wette and after him in the Erlangen edition wrongly interpungirt: "ready to that, that" 2c.
Letters from the year 1537. No. 2353 to 2356.
We recognize our duty to serve E. F. G. and others for the promotion of the holy gospel of our fortune. G. and others for the advancement of the holy gospel of our fortune. E. F. G. shall provide this entirely to us, so that our final opinion is to serve E. F. G. and the city of Stettin, that we would like to see M. Paulus remain there, inasmuch as, as has been said, it would be too much for him to suffer; would also then, if he were to relinquish his promise from the city of Lüneburg, apply our diligence that they might be provided with another superintendent, although this has not yet been able to happen in the past four years. However, we cannot know what M. Paul's intentions are for his person, because he has not written anything to us, so we will leave it up to him to decide what he wants to do. Summa, we put all this on E. F.'s high intellect, if M. Paul wants to remain willingly, as it is through E. F. G. or the city of Stettin, or also through our gracious Lord, the Prince of Lüneburg, whom E. F. G., who E. F. G., if it were deemed necessary, could use as a mediator in this matter, may be obtained from the city of Lüneburg that we do not break the promise we made to those of Lüneburg at their request and M. Pauli's approval, so that this city does not complain about us as if we had made a promise that we did not keep. Hereby we command E. F. G. in God's grace, and E. F. G. to serve us. F. G. we are always willing and ready to serve. Date Wittenberg, Friday after Pascha [April 6] Anno 1537.
E. F. G. williger
Martinus Luther, D., and subservient
Johannes Bugenhagen Pommer, D.
No. 2354.