Response to No. 2659 on the employment of Brisger in Zeitz.
Printed in the Altenburg edition, vol. IX, 1590; in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 91, no. 166; in Walch, vol. XXI, 434; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 286 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 281 f.
To the venerable, respectable, highly respected, strict and honorable, our most gracious and gracious lords councilors, anitzo at Torgau, our dear lords and favorable friends.
Our very kind services before. Venerable, Respectable, Esteemed, Esteemed and Honorable, Special Lords and Favorable Friends! We have received your letter with the transmission of the Council of Zeiz document, concerning especially the Magistrum Eberhardum, and we have talked with each other. Find that the need he
1) Burkhardt: "the same".
2) Agricola. Cf. St. Louis Edition, Vol. XX, Einl., p. 57 a.
Letters from the year 1540. No. 2661. 2662.
demands that a learned and pious man is to be appointed in Zeiz, and so the council so diligently asks for the said Magistrum Eberharden to leave and confirm him to them: so we, Martinus Luther and Justus Jonas, both doctors, would not dislike that the said Magister of the place, as far as it would be convenient for him, would stay. But if he would not be inclined to do so at all, but would rather stay in Altenburg for many reasons, we would not blame him. And how it will be to order another preacher, God wants, at least we, Justus Jonas and Philippus Melanchthon, to talk with you verbally in Torgau on Monday or Tuesday. For we are willing to serve you kindly in all ways. Date Wittenberg, Saturday after Pentecost [May 22] Anno 1540.
Martinas Luther. Justus Jonas.
Johann Bugenhagen, all doctors, and Philippus Melanchthon.
No. 2662.
To Count Albrecht zu Mansfeld.
Luther asks for gracious treatment with regard to mining for the "Mackerode", who are related to him by marriage.
Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 91, no. 167; in Walch, vol. XXI, 436; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 287 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 55, p. 283.
To the noble and well-born Lord, Lord Albrechten, Count and Lord of Mansfeld, my most gracious and beloved sovereign.
Grace and peace in Christ. Gracious Lord! I have not asked for anything for a long time, I also have to come once, so that the road of intercession does not become overgrown with grass; but I humbly ask that E. G. also hear me, so that I, not deterred, may come again, and not fall into suspicion, as if E. G. were ungracious to me. G. would be ungracious to me if I did not know that I deserved it, and this is: I was once at court, where I do not like to be; among other things, it was said how E. G. was very sharp with the hut masters.
and were great people, who did not begrudge E. G. anything bad, and wanted to prophesy (as I once wrote to E. G.), as if the county would finally be deprived of the blessing of the hand, made a lot of speeches and causes, so that I could not leave it undisclosed. Then I asked how my friendship was going: I was told that my brothers-in-law were holding Mackerode, so that they would certainly have to become beggars. God does not want that, I said, they have nothing else but hereditary fire; I will certainly write to my gracious lord about it, for my brothers-in-law have written nothing to me about it, without my once jokingly calling them slag drivers for slag lords, whereupon they laughed and said, with time it might not be far off, and went away; such words occurred to me at court.
Therefore I ask, my lord, that E. G. allow me a request and be a merciful lord to the good Mackerods or their heirs, and have graciously commanded them, considering that E. G., otherwise a great, rich lord, can gain nothing with good people's poverty, but rather they would like to invite God's disgrace upon themselves, with whom it is very small to make rich poor and poor rich. I do not ask for justice (of which I know nothing, nor do I want to know), but for mercy and favor; for our Lord will also need God's mercy and favor, as our Lord knows better than to report this himself. For if we seek our right too strictly against our neighbor, and do not also let grace shine, then God will also seek His right against us, and leave grace dark. I hope that Your Lordship will understand nothing else from this than that I love Your Lordship as my dear sovereign, and that I mean him with heartfelt loyalty, which is why I cannot bear to hear anything unkind said by Your Lordship; much less can my conscience suffer that I should be worried as if God were angry with Your Lordship, and
1) As we see from "Luther's Inheritance Contract" (No. 2073), only One Mackerod, namely Paul, was Luther's brother-in-law. Therefore, "brother-in-law" stands here in a broader sense for the relatives through this brother-in-law with him.
Letters from the year 1540. No. 2662 to 2666.
I would not have displayed it at times. Please give a gracious answer to this. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. Monday after Trinity [May 24] Anno 1540.
E. G. williger
Martinus Luther.
No. 2663.