Melanchthon apologizes for not having written in his own hand. The negotiations of the Reichstag have not yet begun. Help against the Turk was urgently needed. One returns to the Frankfurt formula. The Emperor was not hostile, but mild. Cruciger had preached several times to a large audience during the journey etc.
Handwritten in Cod. Bav. II, p. 627. Printed in Mel. Select. epist., p. 266; in its Epist. lib. I, p. 215 (in the London edition, lib. I, ep. 72) and in the 6orr>. Heck. vol. IV, 142.
To the venerable and worthy man, Mr. Martin Luther, Doctor of Theology and restorer of the pure doctrine of the Gospel, his extremely dear father.
Hail! Against my custom, I am sending a letter written by someone else's hand. Since the carriage was overturned on entering Bavaria, my right hand, hit by a beam, is so badly injured that I have not yet been able to use it.
2) Instead of Crimitzsch we have assumed Comitiis. Also Seidemann (Vol. VI, p. 655) was helpless against this word.
Letters from the year 1541. no. 2760. 2761. 2762.
The shock to my nerves has been followed by no small amount of pain, but I will not neglect my duty to send letters. I cannot yet write anything about the Diet other than the uncertain suspicions of some people, for the public deliberations have not yet begun, and I believe that the cause of the delay is not both that some princes are still expected, but that the very one whose voice is to precede the others, and, as Homer says: xxxxxxxx xxxxxx [the deliberations are to be held], is not yet ready.
open], the council is lacking. The situation demands that the Turks, who are raging in Hungary, be opposed by an army, which does not challenge them by invoking a right, but rather with the sword, mage ferro, as Ennius says. And to a certain city, having recently taken it, they have inflicted an ignominious defeat; but in order that they may be opposed, the unity of the Germans is necessary, of which the Bavarian and Mezentius 1) think that it is to be established in such a way that first ours are exterminated. The emperor does not agree with them, but forbids to do violence to the fatherland, and he wishes to settle the disputes of the citizens in a friendly way, if he could be shown a way to do so. They say that the Worms formula is displeasing. For they admit that the opponents have used men who are neither skilled in investigating the truth, nor do they strive for common tranquility. Again, the Frankfurt formula is disputed, namely that people chosen according to the judgment of the emperor and the parties should talk amicably with each other, and that the deliberations should be brought to the emperor and the princes. One also tells of other wise men. But about the whole matter we will have more certain report a little later. If, as I hope, the agreement of our people will be firm, we shall have less difficulty. I do not doubt that the opinions and the will of the scholars agree with each other. The Macedonian 2) preachers also promise good things from their Lord. Nidamus told us yesterday that the Macedonian said on the journey here that he would neither leave the Confession nor suffer to be dragged away by the allies. We will certainly make an effort to keep the confession. And yet we will not forget this warning call (xxxxxxxxx): Remember it,
1) Duke Henry of Brunswick.
2) That is, the preachers of Macedo, Landgrave Philip of Hesse.
that you must not trust too much (xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx),
so that we will not be too compliant. But we want to ask God to guide these actions, which are full of dangers and persecutions, and to govern our minds for the glorification of the glory of the Gospel. Publicly, the emperor shows no hostility, as his modesty in the whole preparation is admirable, and his lucidity in answering. Yesterday the Macedonian was with him, not for a secret discussion, but which was conducted in the presence of many people. The emperor's courtiers were surprised at his joyful confidence (xxxxxxxxx). For the Macedonian had attacked Mezentius in a very sharp speech, and nothing else had been done there. There you have what at least now seemed to be most worth talking about the beginning of the Convention; God grant that it may be for the best. On the journey, D. Caspar preached several times in Bavarian cities before a large audience, and the innkeepers were especially friendly toward us out of love for the Gospel. For we only touched those cities that are subject to our Palatine and the sons of Ruprecht. Count Palatine Philip led the hitchhiker into his castle with his entire retinue and treated him kindly. Be well, and may it go well with you. God keep you and your honored wife and your exceedingly lovely children. On the 29th day of March. From the old colony of the Rhaetians (Ex veteri Rhetorum Colonio == Regensburg) 1541.
Phil. Mel.
No. 2761.
To the Elector Johann Friedrich.
See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 560, no. 1360.
No. 2762.