Reply to the previous letter. Thanks for the gift of game. News about King Ferdinand.
First printed in 1830, after the original, in Lindner's "Mittheilungen" II, p. 71; in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 286 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 230. - Burkhardt, p. 499, notes that the original is now no longer in Dessau, but at the Landsberg castle near Meiningen.
To the noble, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Georgen, provost of Magdeburg, prince of Anhalt, count of Ascanien, lord of Bernburg, my gracious lord.
S. and F. Serene, highborn prince, gracious lord! I thank E. F. G. most humbly for the gift of venison, and it is too much at once and too princely a gift, especially for me. So let us do as E. F. G. writes, if God grants it, I, M. Philipps and Pommer, and happily live on it, although now is not almost a happy time, after King Ferdinand, according to his usual luck, has once again delighted the Turks and greatly saddened the Christians; God wants to change and improve it. If he is also a secret comrade in the murderous fire (as some mumble), then revenge will come upon him very soon, so that he will no longer be called in Hungern Nirgendheim (I worry), if he remains otherwise in Austria, or if he will be the fault of our sin. For Germany has also become ripe in many evil ways. We may now continue to say with the prophet, and also do thus: Ego autem orabam; otherwise it is all in vain. Hiemit dem lieben GOtte befohlen, Amen. Saturday Lamperti [Sept. 17] 1541.
E. F. G. williger
Martinus Luther.
No. 2837.