Luther asks him to take care of Pastor Woye in his distress and to improve his situation during the visitation.
From the original in the Dessau Archives in Lindner, Mittheilungen, Vol. II, p. 88, No. 61 and in De Wette-Seidemann, Vol. VI, p. 365.
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3137. 3138. 3139.
To the Reverend Father in Christ and Lord, Lord George, the Right Bishop of Merseburg, Provost of the Church of Magdeburg, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascanien and Lord of Bernburg, his most gracious Lord.
Grace and Peace in Christ Reverend Father in Christ, Sublime Prince! I humbly and urgently recommend this Moritz Woye from your Bernburg to E. F. G., and ask that E. F. G. graciously look upon him and show him favor. He seems to be very poorly provided for in his parish, so that he cannot remain there unless support is provided for him and he is advised. He thinks that he (as they say) got off the horse onto the donkey, so he now suffers from lack with his wife and seven children. E. F. G. will (as I do not doubt) deal with him according to the good spirit of God, when the work of the visitation will have begun. For he tells me how several other parishes have been devastated and abandoned, so that a speedy restoration is very necessary. For this work I ask E. F. G. for many and great graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that this visitation may be fruitful for the glory of God and the salvation of many souls, amen. E. F. G. be well in Christ. At Zeitz, on the day before Bartholomew [Aug. 23] 1544.
E. F. G. devoted
Martin Luther, D.
No. 3138.