About a matrimonial matter and about the improper behavior of Count Albrecht of Mansfeld against the priest Libius, who had used his penal office against him.
Handwritten in Cod. Goth. 185. 4. Printed from the collection of Caspar Sagittarius in Schütze, vol. I, p. 325 and in De Wette, vol. V, p. 686. Incomplete in all German editions, namely in Walch, vol. XXII, 1763 and vol. X, 188; in the Erlanger Ausgabe, vol. 61, p. 251 and vol. 64, p. 293; in the Leipziger Ausgabe, Supplement, p. 109; in all editions of the Tischreden (except the St. Louis, where we have referred to this passage), cap. 43, § 119, and in the St. Louiser Ausg., vol. X, 1614 (without date).
To Simon Wolferinus, preacher of the church at Eisleben.
Mercy and peace! In the marriage case, my dear Simon, which you reported to me, the messenger has our advice and opinion, but whether your Senate will accept it, I do not know. We do so in our duchy to resist adultery, that we expel the guilty party from the country and allow the innocent to remarry.
1) Here something seems to have fallen out because the speech of the son passes abruptly to the father.
Letters from the year 1544. No. 3144. 3145.
I believe that Libius taught correctly. I am very sorry that Count Albrecht is not only burdensome to others, but also highly unjust to himself. In vain he hopes to purify himself when he has shut the mouth of one or two preachers. But there are all too many tongues that speak ill of him, that is, he suffers from a worse reputation than I like to see; if he does not change his ways, he will not be helped. Then it is wrong, and a very great wrong, that he accuses Libius of sedition. It is not sedition when the pastor of a church punishes the customs of the superiors, although he should err in punishing them. It is different to err or to be absent than to be seditious. Therefore, Count Albrecht is not to be allowed to declare anything he wants to be sedition, according to his desires and in his wrathfulness. Therefore, the count sinned more against Libius by this offense than Libius did against the count, and the count is obliged to recant and to ask Libius for forgiveness if he wants to be a Christian. If he now surrenders to the tempter so that he does not hear, he must be let go. For I see that he is disturbed by his evil conscience. God have mercy on him and convert him, Amen. Written on Friday after the Exaltation of the Cross [Sept. 19] 1544.
No. 3145.