See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 678, no. 1376. There, the difference between this letter and Luther's first draft (Burkhardt, p. 385) is also precisely stated.
No. 2798a.
June 12 (1541). 1)
Kili to Windisch from Leisnig to Luther.
Request for Luther's assistance in obtaining the scholarship promised to him.
In the Weimar Archives, Reg. Mm, fol. 94. Printed by Burkhardt, p. 413.
Hail! Since before Christmas, venerable Doctor, I had delivered a letter to your dignities 2) by which the council of my hometown recommended me to E. W., so that my studies would be approved both by your and by other learned men's [testimony] 3) at the most illustrious prince, the Duke of Saxony;
I) This letter has only the date, and no year. Burkhardt, p. 413, has placed it, in our opinion incorrectly, in the year 1542, because the facts stated in No. 2753 and in this letter seem to us to be compatible only with the year 1541. Already around Martinmas [Nov. 11] 1540, the Leisniger had received the promise of a scholarship for Windisch from the Elector, under the condition that a good report be made for him by the members of the University of Wittenberg. Before Christmas 1540, Kilian delivered a letter to Luther, in which the council requested that Kilian be examined by him and other learned men and recommended to the Elector. This was done, and on February 20, 1541, Luther, Jonas, Bugenhagen, and Ammerbach made a favorable report of the examination to the Elector, who, through Caspar von Teutleben, promised a stipend of thirty gold florins annually, after he had seen letter No. 2753, that is, in February 1541. Luther placed this matter in the hands of D. Jonas, who left for Halle about April 1541, where he remained for several years. Furthermore, Kilian says in this letter that he had been here for one year on Michaelmas. - According to all this, can the letter be placed in the year 1542?
2) Instead of: observantter t. we have assumed observantiae t[uae]].
3) We have added testimonio.
if this happened, he [the Elector] promised, he would give me a scholarship: so E. W. handed this whole matter over to the respectable man and gentleman, Doctor Justus Jonas. After my studies were examined by him, although they are small 4) and meager, he issued me a very strong certificate, with signature of both your names and enclosed seals, then also of Doctor Johann Bugenhagen, Pomeranus, and my preceptor M. Veit Ammerbach, 5) who otherwise would have given me a special recommendation to the Prince. When the most illustrious prince saw this, he promised me thirty gold florins annually, as the letter of Doctor Caspar von Teutleben shows. But I do not know through what negligence it may have happened that I am not also listed among others who apply for this fief. For when I subsequently returned to Torgau to request a letter indicating where I should claim the money, I was unable to obtain any, while others had obtained it who had previously been promised nothing by the most illustrious prince, and more abundantly than I had. In the meantime, however, I have often sent letters to Doctor von Teutleben and spoken to him verbally, but I have been unable to obtain anything, except that I had to wait until here (as will be clear from this letter, which was written before the departure of Doctor Justus Jonas); this delay greatly annoyed D. J. Jonas. For the seventh time, therefore, I am now, on Friday [10. June], I returned to Torgau (I will say no more about the expenses that should have been spent elsewhere, and about the damage to our studies); Yesterday I spoke to Doctor von Teutleben before he traveled here with the most noble Prince, who said that I could not obtain anything now, but would have to wait until Michaelmas 6) (when that comes, I will have been here for a year), although 7) the most noble Prince had promised that I should not stay here longer than half a year at my father's and the Council's expense. In worries and uncertain what I should do, since the respectable Doctor Jonas is away from here, who has helped me a great deal in this matter, I thought that I would finally have to beg E. W. to plead my case with the most noble prince.
4) Instead of tenuina, tenuia will be read.
5) This is letter No. 2753.
6) This is also what happened. Cf. no. 2753.
7) Here Burkhardt has filled in a defective spot with cum.
Letters from the year 1541. No. 2798a. 2799.
would like to act. For I have no money left with which I could pay my debts, nor are my parents of such a fortune that they could continue 1) to pay the costs for me, since they have already given about ten gold florins or more this time, then also the council is burdened to grant me something, which has given me five gold florins. The greatest pity, however, would be for me if I were forced either to sell my books or to leave here completely for other regions. But because, as is known, there were many so-called foundations (beneficia) of my father's town in the monastery of Buch, I would not doubt that E. W. could obtain something for me, if not in another way, with which I would like to preserve myself here until this time 2). Therefore, I ask and implore your godliness and righteousness, so that it may help miserable people, to come to my aid in this extreme need. For I know how much your reputation with the most illustrious prince is capable of, that I have no doubt that she can obtain this boon for me, or if it were something greater, for which, as I owe, I will give eternal thanks. Farewell. June 12.
from Leisnig.
No. 2799.