The Elector expresses his joy at the news of Luther's good health. No change could now be made with the Margravine of Brandenburg. About a matter of Georg Rörer. Luther's sermons and lectures are to be collected and brought into the Liberei 2c.
From a copy in Reg. 452, fol. 154, printed in Kolde, Analecta, p. 309.
Churf. Joh. Friedrich to Georg Spalatin, priest and canon.
Our greeting before. Worthy, dear devotee ! We have heard the contents of your letter now sent to us, and that [the] venerable and reverend, our dear devotee, Martin Luther, Doctor, is thankfully fresh and healthy, and also preaches and walks weekly. We have graciously and gladly heard this, and we hope to God Almighty that His omnipotence will graciously preserve and maintain him in long-term health for the promotion of His salvific word, and also for the comfort of Christendom. The report that you have given us about the message, 2) which the said Doct. Martinus gave to a man from Germany who had been made so that he was still alive, we also heard it with pleasure. And since such reports and cries resounded in Germany, we believe that it came from the fact that Doct. Martinus was so very and severely ill in Schmalkalden.
We also like to believe that the aforementioned Doctor Martinus will be tried hard enough by our mistress, the Margravine, and her daughters, but since this is what happened with her dear arrival in Wittenberg, there can be no change.
We have also ordered the transfer of Magister Georgen Rörer, but he has to follow the instructions of the
2) No. 2352. There, it is reported that the message was sent from Hall in the Inn valley; here, from Etschland (Etzschland). Both are in Tyrol.
We will be patient about this until we, God willing, come back to Torgau; then we will prepare the same and have it sent to him.
(2) Thus we have also, as you know, previously allowed ourselves that Doct. Martinus' sermons and lectures are brought together by him and copied into the Liberei during his life, 1) we have also ordered you, as we know no other way, to look for someone to transcribe such sermons and lectures. As this is once again our gracious request that you seek one, for we would like such work to be done in a beneficial way, we also do not want it to lack due remuneration and reward, for whatever it may be, we do not want it to lack.
3) As for some of the great contracts that are to be made in the Liberei, we want to think about them and, if we come to Torgau, let us be heard about them.
4th Concerning the old dukes of Saxony, blessed, bones, which are to be brought from the monastery to the monastery and, besides a common inscription, are to be ordered there, so you want to talk about it with Doctori Martino and the others. If they consider it to be good, we will also accept it and let it be done and ordered. We have received the enclosed Pasquillum as a gracious favor. We have not wished to restrain you from doing all this, and we are graciously inclined to you. Dated at Coburg, Tuesday after Egidii [Sept. 4] Anno 1537.
No. 2378.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
(Regest.)
Order of the Elector, Luther should make an effort to stop the discord between D. Jakob Schenk at Freiberg and the Wittenberg theologians Jonas and Melanchthon, because this would cause glee among the adversaries, especially Duke George, and also otherwise bring harm to your Gospel. - Burkhardt notes that the disputes arose over the Sacrament, which Schenk dispensed sometimes under one, sometimes under two forms.
From the Weimar Archives, Reg. N, p. 369, No. 184, printed by Burkhardt, p. 286.
1) Kolde: "been".
No. 2379.
To Johann, Prince of Anhalt.
Report on the sick Margravine Elisabeth and invitation to come and see her.
First printed in 1830, after the original, in Lindner's "Mittheilungen," vol. II, p. 44; in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 208 and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 187.
To My Gracious Lord, Prince Johanns zu Anhalt. For the attention of S. F. G. Handen.
Gracious Prince and Lord! Now my gn. Margravine 2) has awakened from her sleep, but in such a clever way that she understands little; if the F. F. G. would like to see and hear such things, they may come now. My Käthe sits with her on the bed and keeps her quiet, and thinks it good that E. F. G. should come, not only to see, but whether she can be quieted by it 2c.
E. F. G. williger
Martinus Luther.
No. 2380.