Luther approves of Amsdorf's intention to appoint D. Joachim Mörlin to Naumburg and announces his trip to Zeitz.
The original is in Cod. Seidel. at Dresden. Printed by Schütze, Vol. I, p. 295 and by De Wette, Vol. V, p. 624. German by Walch, Vol. XXI, 1518.
To the man venerable in Christ, Mr. Nicolaus, the right and faithful bishop of the church at Naumburg, his highly venerable and exceedingly dear superior in the Lord.
Grace and peace. Venerable bishop in the Lord! I do not dislike it when you send Doctor Mörlin to the church in Naumburg.
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3089. 3090.
bürg. He is known to us because he was an extremely faithful deacon here in the church for a long time and then received his doctorate. Then you will have two very eloquent men in the church at Naumburg. You know Medler, but this one is equal if not superior to him. You can certainly call him, and he will be effective under our leadership. The people of Arnstadt (but only a few from the council) have treated him very unseemly; of this another time.
Now I am seriously thinking of traveling to you (my whole body is quite restored, only my head is not yet very firm, but I can preach and read, stand and walk) as soon as this very severe winter subsides. You will see me (God willing) in Zeitz. 1) Our most noble prince has written that you have asked that you could come to me. You would be a very pleasant guest to me, but it is not necessary; rather I will come (if I am healthy). Otherwise, there would be a living room and a bedchamber in my house and everything would be ready, according to my small fortune, as you know. Fare well in the Lord and pray for me. In haste. On the Saturday after Paul's conversion [26 Jan.] 1544.
Your Martin Luther, D.
No. 3090.
To Johann Göritz, judge at Leipzig.
Luther warns him about an impostor who had once taken refuge in his house.
Printed in the Altenburg edition, vol. VIII, p. 1002; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, p. 576; in Walch, vol. XXI, 489; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 624 f. and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 82.
Grace and peace. My dear judge and good friend! I am told how you have a guest in Leipzig who calls herself Rosina voll Truchses, such an impudent
1) Burkhardt, p. 442, remarks: "The instruction for Luther and Melanchthon in the Weim. Archive, Reg. B, fol. 194. 76. 4. They were to help set up the bishop and remain there until the Elector withdrew again (i.e. probably from the Diet of Speyer)."
Liar, whose like I also did not see. 2) For she also first came to me with such a name, as a poor nun, of such a noble lineage; but when I asked about it, it turned out that she had lied to me. Then I brought her before me and inquired who she was; so she confessed to me that she was the daughter of a burgher in Minderstadt in Franconia, who had been beheaded in the peasants' revolt, and that she had thus gone astray as a poor child; she asked me to forgive her for God's sake and to have mercy on her. Then I commanded her to abstain from such lies with the name of Truce. But since I am sure, I do not know any other way, because she does 3) so; then she causes all kinds of evil and fornication behind me, also in my house; cheats all people with the name of Truchses, so that after I have found out, since she got away, I cannot think any other way, than that she was inflicted on me by the papists, as an arch-whore, desperate brat and liar, who did me all harm in the cellar, kitchens, chambers, and yet no one could be guilty. Who knows what she had in mind more than I had her with me in my chambers and with my children in great trust. In the end, she pulled some of them to herself and became pregnant from the kill, and asked my maid to jump on her body to kill the fruit. So she escaped from me by the mercy of my maidservant, otherwise she would not have deceived me again, because the Elbe would not have had water. Therefore, my request to all of you is to have such a princess in your sight, and let her be commanded to you, and let her ask where she is from, finally, where it cannot be otherwise, do not let the cursed whore brat, lying, thieving wretch, in honor of the gospel and also for my service, suffer with you, so that yours are also safe from her devilish deception, thievery, deceivers. I am almost afraid that she would have deserved more than one death, as many witnesses are found after her departure. I want to tell you this in good faith, so that it will not remain on my conscience, where I would have remained silent, to tell you this.
2) So put by us instead of: "who I [Walch: himself] also did not see immediately".
3) In the editions: "that".
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3090 to 3093.
to denounce such a damned lying, whoring, thieving brat and to warn you. Do now what and how you know; I am excused. Hereby commanded by God, amen. Tuesday after Paul's Conversion [29 Jan] 1544.
No. 3091 .