Luther asks him to order the messengers who deliver his letters to demand the answer to the same. News: of Carlstadt's death, the Turkish War 2c.
Handwritten in Aurifaber, Vol. III, p. 365, printed in Schütze, Vol. I, p. 187 and in De Wette, Vol. V, p. 434.
Grace and peace! What I have verbally instructed the worthy man, D. Kilian, 1) your syndic, I am indicating the same to you with this pen dipped in ink and filling the paper, namely that you may not continue to demand an answer from me if you have not first made the messengers or letter carriers do this small favor, namely that they, when they have delivered the letters, at least return and demand the answer. For they hand over your letters to me in such a way as if, after they have thrown them away or handed them over to someone they meet, they were forced to take care of other things or to kill the Turk in the meantime. Or, if you do not take care of this, do not doubt that I cannot answer anything. I am too poor (you know that) to be able to send letters to you with my own messengers, then too busy to be able to find out who from here might be going to Halle or traveling away. This [in response] to your four letters, or if there should be more.
By the way, D. Kilian was a very pleasant guest, and would have been even more pleasant to me,
1) Cf. no. 2815.
if he had been my table companion. But he said he had to hurry so much that I asked him in vain. Whatever it may be, the agreement of the minds is a great and joyful banquet, however far apart we may be in body, according to the saying: The union of the saints is the church. Farewell and pray for me; the Lord be with you, amen.
Greetings on behalf of all of us to your dear wife, the fruitful one blessed with children. About Carlstadt's death 2) I also wish to know whether he died repentant. His wife will be here around Easter, from whom we will learn everything. Again, farewell. On Thursday after Valentine [16 Feb.] Anno 1542.
Bucer's wife died in the plague, all his daughters and one son. Many learned men died, which I believe you know.
A certain friend writes from Basel that Carlstadt has died, and adds a strange story: he assures that a ghost is prowling around his grave and in his house, making noise in various ways by throwing stones and rubble. According to Attic law, one may not revile the dead, so I will not add anything.
We have arranged for the Hungarian reports to be published by print. The Poles indicate that the Turkish tyrant is seeking autocracy in Europe, and that there is no doubt that he will invade Germany and seek passage from the Poles. They promise that they will fight if they get help from the Germans. But if from this Diet at Speier, as at the others, there will be a sophistical argument, the thing will say that Germany will be swept away by a fate. I keep myself upright by this one consolation, that I know that God takes care of the Church. It has been written from Hungary that the eldest son of the Turkish tyrant has fallen away from his father and is making war in Syria because, as they say, the father will hand over the empire to the younger son. Eck has
2) He died on Dec. 25, 1541.
published a very angry writing about the Regensburg actions 1) and proves to be more biting than Archilochus in ripping Bucer to shreds, although he also directs his attacks against others. Your Martin Luther.
No. 2886.