Luther jokes about Jonah's repeated promises that he would write; about the cheapness of food in Wittenberg etc.
From the Cod. Dessav. A by Prof. Lindner at Dessau in the theol. Studien und Kritiken of 1835, p. 356; in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. LI and in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 303.
To the honorable, virtuous woman Katherin, Docter's Ionic, provost at Wittenberg, my favorable friend and dear godmother.
G. and F. Kind, dear Doctor and Godfather! I humbly ask you to admonish your dear master, Doctor Jonas, that he would not write so often urgent letters, because I do not like them, but would like to show the urgent once. For this is how his letters read: I want to write soon, I want to write more soon, I want to write strange things to you. If he does not want to write anything else, then he will leave that pending; but that he has now written to me from the coadjutor, I understand that. Everything is still right here (praise God!), without that the coin
and treasure, otherwise it is as cheap as it has not been for a long time, a bushel of grain for three pennies. Hiemit GOtt befehlt sammt den Euren. My Käthe and Lord of Zülsdorf greet you all kindly and will have to let herself be estimated at nine thousand guilders with the monastery house, if she will probably not have a hundred fl. income after my death. But my gracious lord has graciously offered more than I desired. Hiemit GOtt befohlen, Amen. Sunday Judica [March 26] 1542. Martinus Luter, D.
No. 2897.
To the Elector Johann Friedrich.
Luther thanks him for a favorable legal judgment, a gift of wine, and exemption from the Turkish tax, which he is willing to pay in part.
The original is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. Pp, pag. 298. Printed (incomplete) in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 100, No. 185, and in Walch, vol. XXI, 466. Complete in De Wette, vol. V, p. 448 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 11.
To the most illustrious, highborn Prince and Lord, Johann Friedrich, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshall and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen and Burgrave of Magdeburg. The most gracious Lord, the Archmarshall and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen and Burgrave of Magdeburg.
G. u. F. in Christo and my poor Pater noster. Most noble, highborn prince, most gracious lord! I must once cut loose the notoriety, because I have not answered E. C. F. G. for a long time. First of all, I thank E. C. F. G. humbly for the judgment that E. C. F. G. has let pass between my daughter and those at Kiritzsch; for the judgment pleases us well, and in kindness (where it succeeded to that part1) ) we would have granted more for the sake of peace and good neighborliness.
On the other hand, I also thank for the wine, although this is a left gift.
Thirdly, the gentlemen, Rector and University, have indicated to me, as ordered by E. C. F. G., [that they] the estimation of my houses
1) "gelückt" == succeeded.
Letters from the year 1542. No. 2897.
and goods are not to demand from me, but to suggest the protégé; 1) I also thank you humbly. But I must thank E. C. F. G. my thoughts and ask that he graciously hear them.
The large monastery house, if I had to, I would not be able to estimate it; for I am in despair that after my death my wife or children would have to pay for it, if I can hardly maintain it with roofing, glass and iron, even though the third part has not been built, and the best thing about it is that E. C. F. G. Lauts has the preemption on it. So I also hear, and can easily believe, that if the time should continue like this, it might happen that the Halls and Collegium would have to be filled up as a defense; therefore I had previously considered buying Brun's house for my daughter and child the closest room to it, [bought it] for 400, and 20 fl. that same, but paid nothing on it, without 120 fl., which I owe, without the time of day, as in 10 years to pay, having moved me: of which I can also hardly give an estimate, because I enjoy nothing, and is vain debt.
But in return I will humbly ask that E. C. F. G. would accept the other goods from me at a discount: namely the garden for 500 fl., the farm with the garden for 90 fl. and a small garden for 20 fl. And the reason is that I would like to be in the army against the Turk with my poor penny, besides others who give it willingly. For there is enough of the unwilling otherwise, so that I would be an example, and the shy eyes would not have to envy too much, because D. Martinus would also have to give. And who knows whether our, the willing, penny may please God greatly with the poor widow, who put in more with her Scherflin than the rich, neither the unwilling florins, and I would like to be among those, who would also harm the Turk with bodily action, or suffer harm from him. For if I were not too old and too weak, I would personally like to be among the
1) For the levying of the Turkish tax, Luther himself drew up a list of his possessions, which the university sent to the Elector in copy. Burkhardt, p. 409, has communicated the same, and we attach it to this letter.
But my prayer with the churches prayer has long since been in the field, so that I worry that our Germans will be too presumptuous, and before that despise without repentance the enemy, who is not to be despised, as he has all the devils in hell with him, and where God will not be with us with his angels, I have little hope for our power or armor etc.
Most recently, I read Julius Pflug's writing, although I got it too slowly, but at the end I patched something into it. 3) But it is a very bad thing that he is attacking us with the spiritual right, which they themselves do not touch with a finger. And where they hold it, of course, all should have to resign from their positions, Pope before, all bishops, canons, as condemned by their own right and horrified, as they shall hear when they come again.
Hiemit dem lieben GOtt befehlt, Amen. And please, E. C. F. G. would graciously allow me such a spoiled answer; because I am now in a work to paint the Mahmet German a little, 4) that I cannot think much before nor care for anything else. Sunday Jlldica [March 26] 1542.
E. C. F. G.
subservient
Mart. Luther, D.
[Luther's own handwritten signature on his property, for the levying of the Turkish tax].
Doctor Martinus Luther wants to appraise his house for 6000 fl. Doctor Martinus goods, located under the council: estimate 420 fl. Brown house, wolves bought, although I do not want to accept it so expensive now. But I will estimate it of the purchase, makes 6 fl. 6 gr. 8 pf.; 5) 20 fl. Wolf's garden [makes] 6 gr. 8 pf.; 500 fl. the garden on Zairische Strasse; whether it would be worth so much to me, I do not know. But I do not want to give it for less than that;
2), See St. Louis edition, vol. XVII, 61, no. 1255.
3) This will probably refer to the conclusion of Luther's writing: "Exempel, einen rechten christlichen Bischof zu weihen", St. Louis Edition, Vol. XVII, 88 ff.
4) It is meant "Brother Richard's transfer of the Alcoran" (St. Louis edition, vol. XX, 2218), which appeared in April 1542, as can be seen from the next letter.
5) It is seen here that the Turkish tax was 1-1/2 %, and the same was paid in gold florins @ 22 groschen.
Letters from the year 1542. No. 2897. 2898.
makes 7-1/2 fl. - 90 fl. for the hoof and garden belonging to it in the Eichenpfull, which I fully estimate at 100 fl., because that is how I wanted to give it; God knows who would do it, makes 1-1/2 fl. Summa: 15 fl. 13 gr. 61) pf. The third part makes 5 fl. 4gr. 6 pf.-5cows siud werth 15 fl.; 9 calves, their2) one 2 fl., makes 18 fl.; 1 goat with 2 young 2 fl. 8 pigs make 8 fl.; 2 pig mothers, both for 5 fl.; 3 small ones by 1 fl. Adde 1 fl., so it is 50 fl. Summa: 15 gr.3) 9 pf. The tertia [the third part] 5 gr. 3 pf. There it all lies! This time 5 fl. 9 gr. 9 pf. One year 16 fl. 7 gr. 3 pf. 4)
No. 2898.