They set the date for the opening of the judgment in the Starschedel marriage case.
The original (but without personal signatures) is in the Weimar Archives, Reg. D, fol. 49.423 . Printed by Burkhardt, p. 466.
Most Serene, Highborn Elector! E. churf. G. are our prayers, guilty and willing services in subservience before. Most gracious Lord! When Your Lordship sent us a reminder that we have accepted the judgment in the matter of marriage of the noble Prince and Lord Philips, as Your Lordship has attributed to us in it your concerns. Prince and Lord, Mr. Philipsen, Duke of Brunswick, and Maiden Anna, Ernsts von Starschedel (Torschidel), blessed, daughter, to be beneficial to the parties, accordingly we have resolved to open the same on Wednesday after Trinity [June 3] in the near future, and have therefore submitted this preliminary decision to our most gracious Lord. We humbly request that Your Lordship will have the same announced to Your Lordship and also to the aforementioned virgin, and Your Lordship obediently commands us to do so. Date Wittenberg, on Wednesday after Cantate [May 6] Anno 1545.
E. churf. G. unterthänige, gehorsame Martinus Luther, Johann Bugenhagen, der heil. Scripture Doctores, and we the ordered Commissarien of the Consistorii at Wittenberg.
No. 3215.
To the Elector Johann Friedrich.
Luther sends the theses of the Louvainers back to the Elector; from the Concilium at Trent.
The original is in the Weimar Archives, H, p. 622. Printed in the Leipzig Supplement, p. 110, no. 209; in Walch, vol. XXI, 506; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 735 and in the Erlangen edition, vol. 56, p. 134.
To the most illustrious, highborn prince and lord, Mr. Johann Friedrich, Duke of Saxony, Archmarshal and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen and Burgrave of Magdeburg. R. Reichs Erzmarschall und Churfürst, Landgrave in Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen and Burgrave of Magdeburg, my most gracious Lord.
G. and Fr. in the Lord, and my poor Pr. nr. Most Serene, Highborn Prince, Most Gracious Lord! I am sending E. C. F. G. the articles again, sent to Löven, because we also got them printed about eight days ago. It is very true that the wretched people show themselves off like this and disgrace themselves. In the emperor's letter, they are called 1) his, the emperor's, daughter. O wretched emperor, who must be the father of such great, shameful, abominable whores! Well, the pope is mad and foolish from the top of his head to his heels, that they know not what they do or speak. There is no doubt that if a council were to be held, they would decide on such wisdom and even greater wisdom. But I think they are so wise, especially their holy spirit, Mainz. But I think they are so clever, especially their holy spirit, that they will let the concilium, like the unripe barley, stick in the cap, so that they cannot leave the word. I consider the other part of the newspaper about the Concilio at Trent and those who are supposed to be there to be Roman and Magian gossip and twaddle, which they themselves should be sorry for if it had to become true. God does not want them, and they do not want to be either. Let it go, it will be all right. Hereby be E. C. F. G. commanded to the dear God, who governs and protects E. C. F. G. to all his kind, perfect will, amen. The seventh of May 1545.
E. C. F. G. subservient
Martinus Luther, D.
No. 3216.