rulers may be sparedto us, so that we may not suddenly be attacked by the Turks, or, what would be worse, through the devil fall out among ourselves and devour one another.
For the devil never sleeps, and the Turk never fails to use an opportunity, and the Papistsnever rest, so their bloodthirstiness will never be quenched.
As no human power can restrain these bloodhounds, God Himself must do so, as ; so be pious and pray that God may not withdraw
His protectinghand, and let us receive the penaltyboth partiesmerit for their heavy sins.
Papistsdo not pray, so let us do so, and have the assurance our prayers are heard,even as we have hitherto experienced what great thingsour prayers have achieved.
Myconius, met the delegates of the Emperor and April19 an agreement was signed. Luther thanked God in the church in Wittenberg on Sabbath for againgrantingpeace.
Grace and peace in Christ !
I am afraid this letterwill not find you in Frankfort ; for,from your last letter,I gathered you were longingto get away, and besides,1 have almost given up hope of a generalpeace ensuing. Still,let the issue be what it will,I do not yet despairof our prayers beinganswered, and that Christ will,althoughcontrary to a certain rumour, cause the aspect of matters at Schmalkalden and your own dream to be realised, in spiteof our having grieved God in many ways, and very specially throughingratitude and contempt of His
And further,our farmers without cause seem determined to starve us to death.
The malignityof our corndealers in concealingthe grainhas alreadydriven most of our students away.
Is there no policeto preserve order in the land You know the prevailinganarchy,which opens the door for the most unbridled lawlessness,which through time it may be impossibleto stem. greatest sorrow is to see the beautiful universitybeing graduallydispersed.May
Dr. Jonas is againprostrate with his old malady.
Elector's aid in the unexpectedfamine.
" had been created in grain.
Grace and peace in Christ,and my poor paternoster, Serene High-bornPrince,most gracious This land has been visited by a sudden famine,so that we are compelled to seek helpand counsel from your
Grace, as the lord and father of the land.
Highnessknows the exact amount of the provisions in the town.
But at present Wittenbergis obligedto supply the small towns of Kemberg and Schmiedebergwith bread, so that the provost declares more bread is taken out of the town than is eaten in it.
And some believe that the scarcity does not proceed so much from lack of corn as from the greedand wickedness of the rich Junkers.
This is givingrise to much talk,but I shall not enlarge on this.
It was even said that was heard to say that he will not sell a grainof corn till he received a gulden for the bushel,and that is why the corn is beingsent out of the land.
Elbe is also to blame in preventingthe corn beingground,as the mill has to stand idle because of high waters.
It is a small affliction, but may become very great if your Grace do not helpand advise.
Therefore we all beseech your graciousHighnessnot only to giveprompt assistance in our present need, but to pass a law preventingthe nobility from tradingin corn, therebypractising usury in such a shameless manner, to the detriment of your
Grace's land and people. They are rich enough without this,and it is not necessary for them, solelythroughgreed,to slaythe poor by starvation.