1. the courtiers' disfavor.
2. of the blasphemies and calumnies at courts.
3. a court verse, often cited by M. Phil. Melanchthon, useful for the courtiers to know.
4. phil. Melanchthon's Verse of Court Life, to D. Caspar C. 1542.
5. the life of the court.
6. a court vers.
7. 8. 9. 10. Some rhymes of D. Luther.
A rhyme by Luther about gold.
12. ingratitude of the entrenchment diggers at Wittenberg against D. Luthern.
13. to dislike a thing.
14. the usefulness of the fables of Aesopi.
15. from fools.
16: Von Albrecht, Narren am sächsischen Hof.
1. the courtiers' disfavor.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 14, 1538, p. 166.)
On November 15, Luther traveled with D. Jonas to the Elector, who had summoned him for the sake of the most important matters, with Franz von Weimar, the Vice Chancellor, accompanying him with three very beautiful horses of his own. Luther said with a laugh: "How great hatred will be aroused by the happiness of this man who has risen so much in prestige in such a short time! They must see, as they themselves speak, that the painted Christopher becomes the living knight St. George before their eyes. For this man got a great name by his legation to the king of England. The king received him very favorably, heard him, and dismissed him with gifts, and wished to keep him in England with a very large salary and make him a knight of the realm. Afterwards he told beside the carriage with how great zeal the king had been aroused against the papacy, that he had asked in the first conversation whether it was true that the princes and the teachers in Germany were divided in the matter against the pope, which he had heard from very truthful and credible people, Mag. Franz, however, had refuted this with great consistency, saying that it was a very impudent fabrication; if His Royal Majesty learned that this was true, he and his colleague would be in eternal imprisonment. By this news he fortified the King of England very much and got quite free access, where he said much of the very constant confession at Augsburg, D. Jonas said that there many had said to the teachers:
Gentlemen, if you do not dare to keep it, think that you will not lead the country and its people into harm. But the teachers would have answered: If you do not want to stand with us, then let us alone come before the imperial majesty and answer for ourselves. The Elector John, however, said with the greatest zeal and in the faith of Abraham: "God does not want that, do you want to exclude me? I will confess Christ with you.
2. of the blasphemies and calumnies in the courts.
Doctor M. Luther said: How was Daniel? The court guards also sought a cause for him, and would have gladly come to his aid. Since they could not, they finally came with a commandment that no one should ask anything in thirty days except from the king. They seemed to do this so that the king's authority would be elevated. Now Daniel prayed three times a day, and when they saw that he had opened the window against Jerusalem, they came to the king and accused him. Then the king defended him all day long, but he could not save him. They overpowered the pious king: the Medes and Persians must go away. The king was very distressed, slept, ate and drank neither; for Daniel was to be put into the lions' den. Early in the morning the king came to him, for he loved him. Daniel was a wise man, so he wanted to make him ruler over the whole land. He was useful to him in the regiment. The princes of Persia did not like this, for he who serves well at court soon has enviers and haters.
3. a court verse, often cited by M. Philippus Melanchthon, useful to know for the courtiers.
(Not from Luther.)
4 Philipp Melanchthon's verse from the court fief, to D. Casp. C. Anno 1542.
(Not from Luther.)
5. from the farm life.
Philippus Melanchthon once said to D. M. Luther: Court life is not unlike the books of tragedy, which are bordered on the outside in gold and purple, but are filled on the inside with miserable events. M. Luther said: "Everyone still wants to be in the courts, they all want to become rich, powerful and great there, and some succeed; for: In magno magni capiuntur flumine pisces: Great lords can make a poor journeyman rich.
6th Court vers.
(This § Walch, old edition, vol. XIV, 1363.)
7. rhyme D. Martini Luther's.
Doctor Martin Luther once told these rhymes about tables:
Dominion without protection, wealth without benefit. Judges without justice, Lotter 1) and Spitzknecht. 2) Trees without fruit, women without discipline. Nobility without virtue, impudent youth. Arrogant priests, boys who gape uselessly. Evil obstinate children, people who are of no use to anyone. Envious monks, miserly plates, may one be well advised on earth.
8. Martin Luther told these rhymes. Beware of the alchemists Sichlet und vor der Juristen Codice, Vor der Medicorum Recipe, vor der Pfaffen praesta quaesumus Domine, willst du mit einem vollen Beutel zu Markt gehen.
3) Stangwald :
9. lutheri rhyme.
There is no better cunning on earth, For he who is a master of his tongue. Knowing much and saying little, Not answering all questions.
Speak little and make it true. What you borrow, pay in cash. Let everyone be who he is, and you will remain who you are.
10. other rhymes of D. M. Luther.
Doctor Martin Luther once told these rhymes about the table:
Believe no wolf on wild heath, Nor no Jew on his oath.
Don't believe any Pabst on his conscience, you will get screwed by all three.
At another time he said these rhymes: Virtus is beaten to death, Justitia suffers great distress. Temperantia is bound.
Veritas bites the dogs. Rides walks on stilts. Nequitia is not strange.
11. from gold.
Doctor Martin Luther once told about the little word gold this aenigma:
I know a word that has an L, gold. Whoever sees it, quickly covets it;
But when the L is gone and off, GOD. Nothing better is in heaven and earth.
12. ingratitude of the entrenchment diggers at Wittenberg against D. M. Luthern.
The entrenchment diggers or rampart workers, who were working on the rampart in Wittenberg, were supposed to take a little earth out of Martin Luther's secret chamber. Now they complained and did not want to do it. Then the doctor said: "Shame on those proud drops to carry out a little earth, when I have carried the greatest dirt out of the world, namely the Pabst's dirt; that has become much more sour for me. Then D. M. Luther asked Magister Holstein: Who (to speak with breeding) would be the biggest shithouse sweeper? When he did not know how to answer, the doctor said, "It is the mother, because she carries the child in her arms.
The mother gives birth, hangs it on her breasts and breastfeeds it; then it shits in her lap as a reward. The mother must sweep out everything.
13. to dislike a thing.
(Cordatus No. 1118.)
If you want to dislike a thing, just say that it is mean [known], and it will be despised. This is what the Elector Frederick of Worms did. When a vehement refutation against my writings came from Rome, which all the bishops eagerly bought, he slyly said: "Oh, I saw and read it three years ago, and they left it.
14. use of the fables Aesopi.
Doctor Martin Luther once praised the Aesopian Fables very much, and said: "They should be translated and put into a fine order, because it would be a book that not one man has made, but many great people have made at any time in the world. And it is a special grace of God that the little book of Catoni and the fables of Aesopi have been preserved in the schools. They are both useful and splendid little books: Cato has good words and fine praecepta, so very useful in this life; but Aesopus has fine lovely Ac si moralia adhibeantur adolescentibus, tum multum aedificant. And as much as I can judge and understand, next to the Bible there are no better books than the Catonis scripta, and the Fabulas Aesopi. Meliora enim sunt scripta ista, quam omnium Philosophorum et Jurista- rum laceratae sententiae. Ita Donatus est optimus Grammaticus. And D. M. Luther said on it the fable of the wolf and sheep. Item, the funny fable, ujus Morale est: Non omnia ubique dicenda esse. For the lion had required many animals to come into the cave, or into his hole and dwelling, where it smelled and stank very badly. When he asked the wolf how he liked it in his royal house or court camp, the wolf said, "Oh, it stinks badly in here. Then the lion went and tore the wolf apart. After that, when he asked the donkey, "How does he like it?
When the poor donkey was terrified at the wolf's death and murder, he wanted to pretend out of fear, and said, "O king, it's so hot here. But the lion came upon him and tore him to pieces. When he asked the fox how he liked it and how it smelled in his den, the fox said, "Oh, I have the snout now, I can't smell anything. As if to say, "It will not do to repeat all things," he became wise to other people's harm and kept his mouth shut.
After that D. M. Luther told another fable, contra praesumptionem et temeritatem, and said: that one had bought a skin from a bear and had paid for it, before the bear had been stung and caught. Whereupon D. Luther said: One should not throw away the old skirt before one has a new one.
15. from fools.
Doctor Martin Luther said: "There was a jester in Würzen or not far from there, who dressed sadly during Shrovetide, had a bad time and was miserable; on the other hand, during the Holy Week he put on beautiful clothes and was cheerful and in good spirits. When he was asked why he was doing this, he answered: "During the carnival, many sins are committed, so one should be sad; but during the week of martyrdom, one preaches how Christ died for poor sinners, so one should be happy. That was a fine speech from a fool.
16. by Albrecht, Narren am sächsischen Hofe.
Doctor Martin Luther said on another occasion that H^erzog] Frederick, Elector, had for a time called Albrecht, Fool, his son, and yet gave him nothing to eat, which had displeased the Fool. But not long after that, the jester went to the table while eating, and when he saw that the dogs were standing in front of the table, he took all the legs and slices of bread, and whatever else he could get, and threw them to the dogs. When now His Electoral Grace asked him why he did that. Grace asked, "Why did he do that?" the fool answered: Date et dabitur vobis: Give, and it shall be given to you again. Luc. 6, 38.