Luther speaksof his Biblical work, etc.
Your last letter,dear Hausmann, was a great pleasureto me because of that noble simplicity of spirit which characterises allyou write, as well as being an expressionof your heartygood-will towards myself. Please draw out once more a list of what your church requires.For it must alwaysbe before me, as I cannot burden my memory with it,so that when
I have leisure and the opportunityI might fulfilyour desires.
My mind being so occupied with my daily concerns, it is forgotten, and time passes without your wishes beingattended to.
We are busy with the publication of Daniel,as a consolation in those latter days.
We have also undertaken Jeremiahand the rest of the prophets.
Testament for sale at the approachingFair {Messe) in Frankfort, and in such a way as to create fresh alarm among the Papists.
For we have written a longpreface to the Apocalypse, and furnished it with notes.
Continue to pray for us.
Kathie sends friendly greetings.
Aurifaber's unprintedcollection.) ecu Grace and peace in the I am delighted with your zeal as to the true teachingof the sacrament, and read your treatise.
Perhaps your ideas on are a littlesharp,but what of that when nothingwill convince them 6th chapter of John ; and is itstrange if I sometimes write vehemently.? the hands of our enemies.
Now be brave, for Agramus is writingin defence of Erasmus.
But likelyit may end as If the fools kept silence it would be better for Erasmus, but God sends him such championsin His wrath.
If sparedI shall comb their locks for them in a way theywill feel.
I have still weapons in my armoury which they have not.
May you prosper in the Jesus,who lives not only during Erasmus's life,but to all eternity Regarding the coming Diet.
Elector has written to you, Pomeranus, Philip,and me, to leave everythingand arrange by next Sunday all that is needful for the ImperialDiet.
Charles will, according to his proclamation, be at Augsburg himself to try to come to an amicable settlement.
Therefore to-day and tomorrow we three shall work as hard as we can in your absence (on the visitation).
Nevertheless enough will remain for you to do to justify you in leavingyour collegework and joiningus to-morrow.
God grant that all may redound to The theologianstried to prevent the Augsburg, but he said,"I too shall confess my Christ alongwith you."
Leonhardt has brought me the book you have written.
I shall discuss it with my friends, for Christ's historyand deeds to be reproduced before the children in a dramatic form it might interest the young and win their love.
Prince to Coburg with Philipand Jonas till we know the course of events at Augsburg.
Meantime, you with your congregationmust pray earnestlyfor this Diet,also for me.
Cordatus will have told you that we are stillin Coburg,and do not know when we may go further.
For we heard yesterdaythat the Emperor keeps Easter at Mantua, and that the Papistsare trying to prevent the Reichstag,fearingwhat might be decreed againstthem there.
And the Pope is angry at the Emperor,who wishes to hear both sides,interfering in spiritual matters.
Holiness intended him only to be his executioner againstthe heretics,and restore his authority. For the Papists' sole wish is that we should be condemned and they reinstalled in their former position
; and thus they shall perish!
Prince has ordered me to remain at Coburg,while the others go to the Diet.
Florence has neither been taken nor reconciled to the Pope, a griefto ; for those inside declared for the Emperor therefore those outside would not proceed againstthem, but raised the blockade.
You see what our prayers can achieve.
Turk promisespeace next year, but threatens to return to Germany, and even bringTartars with him.
Word and our prayers shall fightagainstthem.
Farewell,and pray for me.
So far we are sittingquietlyin Coburg, knowing nothing certain about the You will perhaps have more reliable news than we have.
Althoughmy good friends may follow the Elector to Augsburg,he is determined that I shall remain.
Philip,Jonas,Eisleben,^and Spalatinthere,and learn from them if the Grace and peace in Christ We have at last reached our
Philip, but out of this Sinai we shall make a Zion and build three tabernacles : one to the Psalter,one to the Prophets,and one to ^sop.
But time is needed for this.
This is a most agreeablespot, most suitable for study,onlyI miss you greatly.
I get quiteexcited when Mahomed, and of the diabolic furywhich they vent on our bodies and souls.
I shall pray fervently tillHe who dwells in Heaven shall hear my petition.I see you are much distressed at the sightof those cowled monks who seem quiteat home.
But it is our fate to be spectators of the fierce onslaughtsof these two realms and remain steadfast ; and this onslaughtis a signand harbingerof our redemption. I pray that you may have refreshing sleep,and keep your soul free from care and from the fierydarts of the Evil
I write this to while away my idle time, as my box with papers, etc.,has not arrived.
I have not seen the castle steward yet.
I want for nothingnecessary to a solitary being.
The great buildingwhich projectsfrom the castle has been placedentirely at my disposal, and the keys of all the rooms have been put into my hands.
There are over thirtymen in the castle,among whom are twelve watchmen and two warders for the towers.
But why write all this } onlyI have nothingelse to write.
Dr. CasparCrucigerand MagisterSpalatin from me.
From the regionof the birds.
Luther writes about the birds which enliven his solitude, althoughVeit Dietrich and his nephew were with him.
At last we are sitting here up amongst the clouds,in the kingdom of the birds,whose harsh tones, all screamingtogether, produce a very
Babel, the daws or ravens havingtaken up their quarters before our eyes, forminga forest in front of us.
I can assure you there was a shrieking.It goes on from four in the morning far into the night, so that I believe there is no other placewhere so many birds gatheras here.
And not one is silent for a moment, old and young, mothers with daughters,singing a song of praise.
Perhapstheysingthus sweetlyto lull us to sleep, which God grant we may enjoyto-night.The daw is to my mind a most useful bird.
I fancytheysignify a whole army of sophists, etc., who have assembled from the ends of the earth so that I may profitby their wisdom, enjoy their delicious song, and rejoice in their useful services in both the secular and spiritual realm.
At present the nightingale is not to be heard, althoughits forerunner and imitator,the cuckoo, is raising its exquisite voice.
I am scarce of news, but rather send a jocularletter than none, especially as the daws fillheaven and earth with their melody.
Let us pray for each other, for we need it urgently.Greet all friends.
Farewell,from the kingdom of the daws.
Grace and peace, my dear Kathie, sirs,and friends !
I have received all your letters telling me how you get along. I must now inform you that I,MagisterVeit,and Cyriac are not to be at the Diet,althoughwe have one here.
For there is a thicket justunder our window like a small forest,where the daws and crows hold their diet, and such a running to and fro,and screamingnightand day,that I often wonder they are not hoarse.
As yet I have not seen their emperor, but the courtiers are always prancingabout dressed simplyin black,with grey eyes, and all sing the same melody.
They pay no heed to castle or hall ; for their salon is vaulted by the beautiful canopy of heaven, while their feet rest on the broad fields with their green carpet and trees, the walls of their house reachingto the ends of the earth.
They are independentof horses and carriages, for theyhave feathered wheels by which they escape the sportsmen'sbullets.
I fancythey have come together to have a mightyonslaught on corn, barley,wheat, etc.
Many a knightwill win his laurels here.
So here we sit,watchingthe gay life of song led by princes,etc., preparatory to a vigorous attack on the grain.
I alwaysfancyit is the Sophists and Papists I see before me, so that I may hear their lovelyvoices and their sermons, and see for myselfwhat a useful kind of people these are who consume all the fruits of the earth,and then strut about in their grand clothing to while away the time.
To-day we heard the first nightingale.The weather has been splendid.I commit you to ; see well to the house.
From the Diet of malt Luther writes about his work.
Wenzel, of silence, even of indifference, and blame me, althoughyou have had four livingepistles from me, besides the letter about I have good cause for putting you in the wrong, for volumes would not answer my four epistles.Otherwise
I have completerepose and enjoy every luxury here,and have begun translating the remaining Prophets,havingfinished Jeremiah. Perhaps I shall issue some
Psalms with an exposition so as not to be idle.
I also propose translating j^sop'sFables for the I now see how to fillup the time, althoughI should preferbeing with you.
I am pleasedwith what I would have been more useful at home, through teachingand counsel, but I dared not withstand the call.
There is nothingnew at Wittenbergexcept that Pommer writes that the Luneberg people are embracingthe gospel,and that the preachingthere is most earnest and faithful.
I fear God may pour out the phialsof His wrath on I hear of nothingbut murders and contempt of For the Turk is not arminghimself for nothing.
From the diet of the daws, which is being held here.
Luther complainsof headache,probablyfrom overwork.
I began to answer your letter from Nurnberg,but was preventedfinishing it.
I have sent my admonition to the clergyto Besides,I have translated the two chaptersin Ezekiel, concerningGog, with a preface.I then began translating the Prophets,intending to have them finished by Ascension, alongwith iEsop, and would have managed it,so