Luther recommends to him Georg Schammer (cf. No. 2658), whom Lauterbach has provided with a pastorate, and asks him to take care of him against his evil wife. About the bigamy of the landgrave and the convent at Hagenau.
The original is in Dessau. Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 295. Printed in Schütze, vol. III, p. 135; in Strobel-Ranner, p. 288 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 292. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1471.
Grace and peace! My dear Anton, this Georg Schammer, whom you have provided with a parish, has desired to be recommended to you. But he has a very wicked and malicious wife, to whom, if she should stay behind and not follow her husband, as she has threatened, we will take a bath in the
1) Frau von der Sala. Cf. no. 2672.
Letters from the year 1540. No. 2677. 2678. 2679.
Elbe, or mark her out by banishment. Therefore, if she follows her husband or accompanies him, according to your office and reputation, you will treat that woman very harshly and assist the man. Now, if she should go away in impatience, she may go so that he may be freed from this ulcer. In sum, you will see to it that she does not cause offense to the gospel and make the man unfit for the ministry.
There is nothing here except this monstrosity of the landgrave, which some begin to mitigate, some deny, some do something else. Most of the blame is laid at the feet of the Princess of Rochlitz, the Landgrave's sister. Whatever it may be, the day will soon make it clear. Be well and pray for us, and ask your church to pray for the cause of the Gospel, which is being dealt with at Hagenau, and for M. Philip, who is sent there in the midst of the enemies, who are very angry about the latest book "Of the Church" and "Of the Duty of Princes", that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may command His angels over him, so that they may guard him in all his ways, amen. He went away sorrowful and in a shattered spirit. God keep and comfort him. Farewell. Greetings from my mistress. The Bible for Magister Latomus is ready, but I have no one to deliver it. On Tuesday after Barnabae [June 15], the day of Vitus.
Your Martin Luther.
No. 2678.
Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther.
The Elector asks Luthern to go to Weimar because of Melanchthon's illness and to bring Crucigern with him to Hagenau.
A bad concept can be found in the archives at Weimar, Reg. O, pag. 144. EEE 1. Printed in Corp. Ref., vol. III, 1045.
1) Melanchthon's writings: De Ecclesiae autoritate et veterum scriptis. - De officio principum, quod mandatum Dei praecipiat eis tollere abusus Ecclesiae. Both Wittenberg 1539. 8th (De Wette.).
To the venerable and highly respected, our dear devotee, Ern Martin Luther, Doctor of Holy Scripture at Wittenberg.
By the Grace of God John Frederick, Duke of Saxony, Elector etc. Our greeting before. Venerable and reverend, dear devotee! Although we intend to send the also reverend, our dear faithful, Magister Philips Melanchthon, along with other of our scholars, to Hagenau, it is happening with him in such a way that we fear he will not come there this time because of his weakness, and first of all so soon. Since the also highly esteemed, our councilor and dear faithful, Gregorius Brück, Doctor, has reported to us what the aforementioned Magister Philippi wrote to Hagenau on account of his tire: so we consider, for your excited and other more reasons, that there should be no hurry with his journey. But since necessity demands that we have you at hand the next day, and that we send one or two theologians immediately to Hagenau, we graciously request that you rise up in Wittenberg, and, since it is your opportunity, to dispose of it in a manner conducive to us here in Weimar. And because it has the opportunity with Mag. Philippsen, then Doctor Caspar Creutzigern wants to bring you here, also graciously request this to him by virtue of this order of ours and indicate that he wants to consider his things according to whether we would order him herefrom further against Hagenau, so that he can be used for this, as we are sure that he will not complain.
We did not want to leave this undisclosed to you, and do this to us as a gracious and good favor. Date at Weimar, Wednesday after Viti and Modesti [June 16] Anno Domini 1540.
Jo. Fridrich, Elector.
No. 2679.