On an economic matter and on the attitude of the ducal Saxon chancellor Pistorius.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, vol. III, p. 344. Printed from the Kraft Collection in Husum in Schütze, vol. I, p. 167 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 401. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1476.
To the worthy man, Mr. Anton Lauterbach, the extremely faithful bishop of the church at Pirna and inspector of the churches in Meissen, his very dear brother.
"Grace and peace." So often, my dear Anton, I have commanded and willed that the measure for the little bathroom to be built 1) be shown to you. But while we
1) pro balneolo. Since there were quarries in Pirna which, through Lauterbach's mediation, had already supplied stone door jambs for Luther's house (compare No. 2604), we are dealing here with stone slabs and jambs for the bathroom.
Letters from the year 1541. no. 2840. 2841. 2842.
Customer collect, and even do not become aware, if someone goes there to you 1), and no one [letters] demand, it is always omitted. Now, included here, this plan is sent (forma). You will take care of it according to your kindness, as you promised of your own free will; because we don't like to complain you.
I have heard with pleasure that your tyrants are gradually being subdued; we also hope for improvement from day to day. With regard to Pistorius, the old chancellor, there is good hope. For at Regensburg, he is said to have acted honestly and sincerely, and to have completely come to terms; indeed, he is said to have said and confessed: he was caught by this one piece, that he did not see that Christ was the eternal priest, but Peter followed him, and Peter the pope, and the pope another pope. When he has begun to understand this, he will understand more in a little while, amen. About the Turks, I see that you have heard all those sad things, and you are right in saying that we are now suffering the intolerable Turks, the Heinzen, the Meinzen, the Wucherers) the giants (Niphleos == xxxxxx [Gen. 6, 4.]). We have no other news. You also pray for us, as we do for you. Greet your Agnes and Elschen. My lady greets you. Fare well in the Lord. Sunday after Matthew [25 Sept.] 1541.
M. Luther.
The dimension of the bath "shall be five and a half cubits high, eight cubits wide, and eight cubits long, straight into the foursquare."
No. 2841.
To Hieronymus Baumgärtner in Nuremberg.
Luther asks him to take care of a boy charged to him.
From the Thomas Collection in Leipzig in Schütze, vol. I, p. 401; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 402 and in the Erlanger Ausgabe, vol. 55, p. 333.
1) Instead of nos we have assumed vos (uos).
2) Walch translates usurarios by "indulgence merchants".
Clariss. Viro, D. Hieronymo Baumgartnero, Patritio et Senatori Norimbergensi, suo in Domino amico charissimo [To the highly famous man, Herr Hieronymus Baumgärtner, Patrician and Raths Herr at Nuremberg, his in the HErrn exceedingly theuren friend].
No. 2842.
To Gustav I, King of Sweden.
Johann Wedde's recommendation and news.
From Fant's collections in: D. D. Ob86rvution68 86Isetas, Hi8tc>rium Luseanam ittu8trunt68 6to. I)x>8a1.
3) Dietz, Wörterbuch zu Luthers Schriften, says: "Fugge probably stands for fugue in this passage: wollet die Gewogenheit haben zu bewirken." But it seems to us to be as much as "Verfüger" (that is, representative, mediator, administrator; cf. No. 2854).
4) Luther's wife. See No. 769.
Letters from the year 1541. no. 2842. 2843. 2844.
1786. 4to . pag. 24 in Seidemann, Lutherbriefe, p. 65. - The impression of the letter in Fant is not quite faithful, Swedish shines through (Seidemann).
To the most magnanimous, most noble prince and lord, in (him) Sweden, Gölten 2c. King, my most gracious lord.
G. u. F. and my poor Pr. nr. Most powerful, most gracious Lord King! Although I had nothing special to write to E. K. Mt. (M:tt), but because the present Johannes Wedde desires my writing to E. K. Mt., I do not know how to refuse him, and ask E. K. Mt. to graciously let said Johannes be commanded to it. New newspapers are more and larger with us than one can write. The Turk lies in Moravia in Hungary with great power, and at Ofen about sixteen thousand of our people have been slain. All the precious cannon (Geschiits) of Maximiliani in Austria [is] lost with many hundred tons of powder, and great reckoning. It is thought to be the treachery of the priests and high chiefs. God have mercy and help us and forgive us our sin. E. K. Mt. would do a good work and let pray in the churches for the poor, abandoned German (dutske) country. We have no head, the emperor has moved from Regensburg to Jtalia, Ferdinandus, who has caused the game, [has] crawled (verkrocken). So the princes are murderers in the midst of us. Sitting thus to the (to the) goal the mighty enemy on bare God's grace. God grant that Christ will come with the last day, and put an end to such great wickedness and devilish beings, amen. I command E. K. Mt. the churches and schools. God Almighty, preserve and guide E. K. Mt. to His praise and glory, to peace and welfare of the country, Amen. Tuesday after Michaelmas [Oct. 4] 1541.
E. K. Mt. willing
Martinus Luther, D.
No. 2843.