About a marriage vow.
From a copy of the original in Cod. Dessav. B in Theologische Studien und Kritiken 1835, Heft II, p. 346 and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 266.
To the man to be highly honored in Christ, M. Johann Schlaginhaufen (Turbicidae), Bishop of the Church at Köthen, his exceedingly dear brother in the Lord.
Grace and peace. "Dear master magistrate! Tell the journeyman to keep the maid for marriage, because the matter has come too far, as your letter reports, that there is" the consent and knowledge of the mother and the girl, "desired by him"; item, "that she is deceiving others for his sake". In this he would do her irreparable harm, about which he would have a constant and unrelievable conscience, which (because it is the wrath of God) would be hard to bear afterwards, namely for him, who would not yet have experienced temptations, and after this is left, no calm marriage could be entered into either. My lady greets you, and we pray for your wife's salvation through Christ and in Christ and to Christ, amen. On the Saturday after Barnabas [June 12] 1540.
Martin Luther.
No. 2675.