Luther asks for venison for a wedding and gives thanks for a wild boar given to him earlier.
First printed in 1830, after the original, in Lindner's "Mittheilungen," vol. II, p. 74; in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 232 and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 297.
To the noble, high-born princes and lords, Johanns, Georgen, Thumprobst zu Magdeburg, and Joachim, Gebrüdere, princes zu Anhalt, counts zu Ascanien, and lords zu Bernburg, my gracious lords.
G. and F. in Christ. Sublime, high-born princes, gracious lords! Although
3) According to the expression Luther uses here: in edendo, it seems that work was already being done on it in the printing office, but for certain reasons neither the completion of the writing nor the printing took place. On Jan. 31, the Elector requested that Luther "stand still with further printing [of the writing concerning the Landgrave]. See No. 2881.
4) Pandora, the wife of Epimetheus, received gifts from all the gods.
I am quite reluctant to complain to E. F. G., but matters and necessity force me to do so, and I humbly ask E. F. G. to give me, if it is possible and feasible, some venison. For I am supposed to help a housewife, my friend, into the holy divine state of marriage; and there is little to be had here. For the crowd and much more the offices and court stores have almost eaten up everything, so that neither chickens nor other meat is easy to get, so that where it is lacking, I have to replenish it with the most confused and caldans. I have also not yet thanked E. F. G. for the pig, given to me, but now thank her in writing, whom I have previously thanked verbally and sincerely. For I feel in many ways that E. F. G. has a great gracious will towards me, the unworthy. And if this sow had come after the engagement, it would have had to be saved for the wedding, so that I could have left E. F. G. unburdened this time. E. F. G. would graciously grant me my lust. The wedding day shall be Monday after St. Paul's conversion or on XXX. Januarii. Hiemit dem lieben GOtte befohlen, Amen. Dated midweek post Erhardi [11 Jan] 1542.
E. F. G. williger Martinus Luther, D.
No. 2876.