Luther recommends a teacher for his son and another Swedish scholar. He encourages him to care for the sciences.
The original is in the Stockholm Archives. A vidimirte copy in the archive at Weimar. From Crenii Animadverss. philol.-histor., P. VIII, p. 144, at De Wette, vol. V, p. 178. German at Walch, vol. XXI, 1290 f.
To the most illustrious and highly illustrious Lord, Lord Gustav, the Swedish and Gothic Kings, his most gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. Most noble Lord and most gracious King! Magister Nicolaus of Sweden, your Majesty's faithful and diligent envoy, has reported to me that he has orders to scout out a good teacher for the instruction of your Majesty's royal son. This I have heard with great pleasure, seeing that your Majesty's zeal for godliness and the sciences is bestowed by GOD, namely to others to be a glorious example. For what is a greater adornment for kings, even more necessary for them, than that they either be more gifted by nature than the others, or that they be instructed by the cultivation of the sciences, so that they do not always have to see with foreign eyes and believe the judgment of others. May Christ, who began the work in your royal majesty, complete it through great growth, so that schools may also be established and equipped throughout the kingdom, especially in the cathedral churches, to train young people for service in parishes. For this is the greatest and highest duty of kings, who are above the worldly administration of Christian godliness; this glory your majesty has in high degree above others, most glorious king, and we ask the Lord to rule the heart of your majesty with his spirit. To these and other things, thank God, your Ma
Your Majesty has found among the foreigners some very skilful tools, precisely this already appointed teacher of the royal son, Georg Normann, who, finally found by M. Nicolaus and also requested by me, comes to serve your Majesty. He is a man of holy life, modest, noisy and learned, a skilful and thoroughly worthy teacher of the royal son, whom I particularly commend to your Majesty. Yes, he also brings with him a traveling companion, Michael Agricola, a son and country child of your Sweden, who is admittedly still a young man, but distinguished by learning, great gifts and good manners, who can create a great deal of benefit in your Majesty's realm; I also commend him to your Majesty as a proven man, and pray to Christ that Christ himself may create much fruit through them, who calls and ordains them through your Majesty. Now may the Father of mercies himself richly bless all the counsels and works of your Majesty by his Holy Spirit, Amen. On Friday after Quasimodogeniti [April 8] 1539.
Yours sincerely, Martin Luther.
No. 2530.