Luther reports that Jonas is not in Wittenberg but in Schweinitz, therefore he does not answer Spalatin's letters. About a marriage deal.
The original is in Dessau. Handwritten in Cod. Jen. a, fol. 263. Printed by Buddeus, p. 267 and by De Wette, vol. V, p. 220. German by Walch, vol. XXI, 1298.
To the man highly esteemed in the Lord, Magister Georg Spalatin, Archbishop of Meissen 2c., his lovable superior and brother.
Grace and peace! My dear Spalatin, your fellow bishop D. Jonas is not here. For he has gone away to Schweinitz with his children, as some think, out of fear of the plague, others because he wants to take care of his calcuIus [stone]. 2) For I hear that in Schweinitz he suffers his Turk and Satan, namely the stone. That is why he does not answer your letters. By the way, with regard to the matter of the virgin Anna and Medler, I still have nothing certain; I thought for sure that it had already ended long ago, since the adversary was so quiet. 3) And I had ordered D. Caspar Creuziger to finish the same with them in Leipzig. I must urge Dell, which I will do shortly. I am very surprised about the letter
1) The following is from Melanchthon's hand.
2) culculatum == to calculate. In ancient times, arithmetic was performed with small stones.
3) According to Luther's letter to Nicolaus Medler, pastor in Naumburg, dated Dec. 4, 1539, it seems to be a marriage matter between M. Corbianus and Hanna Moniana.
Medlers, but I hope a good end. Farewell and pray for me. Monday after Leonhard [Nov. 10] 1539.
Your Martin Luther.
No. 2596.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
The Elector demands an expert opinion on whether Georg Major should be granted a year's leave of absence to Duke Frederick of Liegnitz to promote the Reformation. - Luther's answer to this has not yet been found, but its content can be seen in the letter from the Elector to Luther of November 24.
From Reg. O, fol. 132, n. 5, printed in the Weimar Archives by Burkhardt, p. 335.
Our greeting before. Venerable and reverend, dear devotee! We graciously inform you that the highborn prince, our kindly dear uncle and brother-in-law, Duke Frederick of Liegnitz, has now arrived, after his love has intended to have the holy divine word preached with the bestowal of the reverend sacrament in conformity with our Confession and Apologia in S. L.'s country and principality. L.'s country and principality, in need of especially learned, experienced and brave people, that we wanted to have Magister Georg Major at Wittenberg follow us from there, as a friendly favor. Although we did not know any other way, because our grandfather had it ready in his country and had it held until here according to our confession of religion, but because we note that there should be a lack of people for this, we did not want that such Christian work should be prevented on our part, and have given an answer to his love, as you will find from the enclosed copy. Thereupon we graciously request that you speak with D. Jonah, Pomerano and Creutziger about it. If you then consider that the said Major can be removed for a year, it is not against us, but let it happen, where the preacher's chair in our castle church at Wittenberg is ordered to leave, that he go to the Dukes of Liegnitz, and be used for the establishment of Christian doctrine (lar) and religion for a year. We did not want to restrain you in your gracious opinion, and we are graciously inclined to you. Date Weimar, on the evening of Martini [Nov. 10] 1539.
Letters from the year 1539. No. 2597. 2598.
No. 2597.