Friedrich Myconius to Luther.
He tells a" dream of Melanchthon, and adds a partial interpretation. Full of Bucer's orthodox sermon and your devout, diligent listening to the word of God on the part of the Frankfurters.
From a copy in Cod. Goth. 190, p. 198, printed in Corp. fol., Vol. III, 640. - This is only a part of the letter, which in the codex has the heading: Sornnium Philippi a Myconio scripturn; through this, Luther's letter to Melanchthon of March 14 becomes understandable. The entire letter is taken from a letter codex in Wernigerode and reported by C. Krafft in the Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte, III, 327. It also contains information about the convention in Frankfurt.
Yesterday Philip dreamt that he saw a magnificent painting, in which the image of Christ hanging on the cross was painted first, around which, as it were, little souls (animulae), dressed in white clothes, were painted. The princes of the kingdom joined them, dressed in their ornaments, going there in a beautiful order, as it is customary to do. After them came a certain donkey, dressed in a linen coverlet, 1) as it is called,
1) This is conjecture. In the text: super pellica, which cannot be proven lexically.
"a choir robe", which on a rope drew the Emperor and the Pope behind him, as it were 2) as if he wanted to lead them to this ceremony of the Blessed.
I interpret that donkey as the German one, which both have ridden and miserably plagued at their will so far. But whether this dream means anything, we will see.
After that [Philip] gave praise to Johann Sturm of Strasbourg, whom he praised highly because of his modesty, sincerity, godliness and scholarship.
Bucer preached a very learned sermon here yesterday 3) before an extremely numerous congregation in St. Bartholomew's Church about the Cananaean woman, which was indeed full of spiritual sentiment, not without great favor and careful attention from the entire congregation. At the end he also presented his and the congregation's opinion about the true presentation of the body of Christ, that this body is also received with the mouth in the Holy Communion under the bread and wine. Then I saw with how great earnestness, with how great devotion and respectability a part of the people received the Holy Communion. And although, as far as the ceremonies are concerned, they differ somewhat from ours and from the usual way, nothing is done lightly here, nothing without decency and Christian seriousness, and if we want something to be conformed to our customs here, we hope to be able to obtain it without difficulty. I do not know if I have seen or heard any congregation which so diligently hears the word of Christ, and with so great unanimity, as it were with one voice, sings his songs and hymns. But this virgin and bride, who is to be adorned for Christ, has now been praised enough, so that if she should become an adulteress, which is far off, I cannot reprove and rebuke her again without shame.
Our princes bravely and steadfastly carry out the work of Christian heroes, and we miss nothing in them, except that I wish they were kinder to their bodies. For they afflict them greatly, douse and bury them almost in the best Rhine wine, and say that they seek and strengthen friendships by these practices.
2) In the text: quasi in ad hunc beatorum ritum perduceret. Instead of in we have assumed enim, which in a case like this remains untranslated.
3) From this follows the timing of this letter. "Yesterday" was the Sunday ReminiScere, March 2, because Bucer preached on the Gospel of the Cananaean Woman.
No. 2517.