[Wittenberg,] August 28, 1542 Luther asks Crodel to punish Florian von Bora for having stolen a knife.
On Marcus Crodel, see p. 231.
Text in German: WA, Br 10, 136–137.1
To the excellent man, Marcus Crodel, a devout and faithful teacher of the young people at Torgau, my dearest friend in the Lord2
Grace and peace! Dear Marcus! I shall be the first to file a complaint against that scoundrel Florian3 whom I have sent to you along with John.4 I ask you to have a severe thrashing5 administered to him daily, on three consecutive days, without any pity as a welcome present.6 He thinks he has escaped the whip, but the whip shall be his reception committee.7
He should receive the first thrashing because on the way [to Torgau] he brazenly took away the knife or dagger8 from my [son] Paul;9 the second, because he lied and said that I presented the knife to him10
(because of the lie this thrashing should draw blood); the third, because without my knowledge and consent he has thus taken away and stolen the knife from me.11 This thrashing should be the best one. Or send the scoundrel back here. John should take the knife and look after it. If that rascal were still here I would teach him [what it means] to lie and steal. He did not do it previously.
With this I commend you to God. Amen.
[Wittenberg,] September 6,1 1542.
In September of 1542 Luther's daughter Magdalen became so seriously ill that she was expected to die.2
Lenchen, as she was called (the second of Luther's living children), was especially close to her older brother John and desired to see him. Consequently Luther dispatched a carriage to Torgau (where John was studying with Marcus Crodel)3 in order to bring John home to the bedside of his ailing sister. In the following letter Luther informs Marcus Crodel of Magdalen's illness and asks that John be sent home at once. Crodel is to make some pretense for the trip but is not to tell John the real reason for the sudden trip to Wittenberg. John will return to Torgau soon, says Luther, either when Magdalen has recuperated, or fallen asleep in the Lord.
On Marcus Crodel, see p. 231.
Text in Latin: WA, Br 10, 147.4
My Marcus Crodel! I ask you to be quiet to my son about what I am writing to you: my daughter Magdalen is iii and almost in her last hour; in a short while she might depart to the true Father in heaven, unless God has decreed otherwise. She herself longs so much to see her brother that I feel compelled to send a carriage [for him]. They loved each other so much; perhaps his arrival could bring her some relief. I am doing what I can so that later the knowledge of having left something undone does not torture me.
Therefore without giving John any reason, order him to fly back in this carriage; he will return soon, when Magdalen either has fallen asleep in the Lord, or has recuperated. Farewell in the Lord! Tell John that something is the matter which is to be entrusted to him in secret. Otherwise everything is fine.