Luther is pleased about the peace negotiations in the dispute about spices and sends the chancellor his writing (No. 2900), which is already half finished in print and which he wanted to send to both camps.
The original is in the Dresden Main State Archives, Locat 9138: "Allerhand Sendschreiben, Relationes, Zeitungen 2c. anno 1546-49," fol. 8. Printed in De Wette- Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 310 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. LI f.
To the respectable, highly esteemed, Mr. Gregor Brück, Doctor of Law, Chancellor of Saxony, my favorable lord and dear cousin, for your attention.
Praise be to God, the Father of all graces and peace, for E. A. has written us good new news, and although in such sudden misfortune I was worried that God might let an attack happen, I still had good hope that Duke Moritz (whom now all the world, even his own people, considers foolish, so let him be coy) should get a bloody head with his own, and a blow, so that the sword would not sting him so quietly. God, however, as is His way, hears further than we may understand or ask (thar), that [it] also came off without blood at all.
I send you herewith my poem, 1) which is already half set, and should have been written today from
1) No. 2900.
go with haste, because such a hurried misfortune I learned only yesterday morning; then I also hurried and wanted to have it sent to both armies, because H. Moritz did not want to hear anyone; because the haste did not want to suffer to let you overlook before, [it] also pushed ours and despondents so much, as if it was all lost, and the Jura wanted to almost doubt or dispute my G. Lord. Lord or dispute. But now it shall not be so. You will know how to send it to me again. For from your speech in your house I did not understand that it should be such a sudden hurried thing, especially on such high holidays. Hereby commanded by God, amen. Hora sexta maue die Sabbatho sancto Domini [At six o'clock in the morning on the holy Sabbath day of the Lord] [April 8] 1542.
E. W.
Martinus Luther.
No. 2904