Grace and peace in Christ, and also our poor Pater noster!2 Most Serene, Noble Sovereign, Most Gracious Lord! Doctor Antony,3 envoy of His Royal Majesty of England,4 has shown us letters5 and asked us to intercede in his behalf with Your Electoral Grace for a secret or private audience, since he wishes to have his mission6 withheld from public knowledge until a settlement has been reached. Since Your Electoral
Grace is well acquainted with this man from the past,7 and since in our opinion he brings good news as far as his orders are concerned, it is our humble request that Your Electoral Grace graciously grant such an audience to this man.
Further, with Master8 Philip's9 consent,10 Barnes has diligently negotiated with the King; he has accomplished much, so that the King highly desires Master Philip [to come], advises against the trip to France (as Doctor Antony can report further), and in addition sends an official11 safe-conduct and also offers bond, etc. [Therefore] it is our humble request that if Your Electoral Grace is unable to grant [an audience to Barnes] prior to the trip to Austria,12 then [Your Grace] would not deny it after the return home (which, God may graciously grant). Who knows what God intends to accomplish? His wisdom is greater than ours, and his will better than ours. Should Master Philip not go, now that he has been officially invited as a result of his readiness [to go to England], then this might cause him many sad thoughts. Even without this problem he is and almost always has been overburdened with work, worry,13 and spiritual struggles.14 Your Electoral Grace certainly will know how to consider graciously such matters, and kindly act accordingly. Christ our Lord be with Your Electoral Grace eternally. Amen.
Your Electoral Grace's dedicated MARTIN LUTHER, DOCTOR JUSTUS JONAS, DOCTOR15 CASPAR CRUCIGER, DOCTOR16 JOHN BUGENHAGEN POMER, DOCTOR17
[Wittenberg, about September 15, 1535]2 Following up his letter of recommendation of Robert Barnes to the Elector (No. 262), Luther writes to Gregory Brück, the Electoral Saxon chancellor emeritus, and expresses his hope that Brück will help
Barnes get the desired private audience with Elector John Frederick. In view of the willingness of Henry VIII to affirm the gospel and join the Smalcaldic League, Luther advocates the King's admission to the league. He sees in the King's desire God's hand at work, and sees a possibility of confounding the plans of the papists. Luther informs Brück that he, Luther, and his colleagues will deal with the next English envoy on the matter of the King's marriage. And he finally strongly recommends that Melanchthon be permitted to go to England, or even be sent there.
On Gregory Brück, see LW 49, 51 f.
Text in German (with some words, phrases, and sentences in Latin): WA, Br 7, 268.
Grace and peace in Christ!
Honorable, highly-learned, dear Sir and Friend!3 The Englishman, Doctor Antony, the envoy of his King,4 comes5 and, as you know,6 requests of my Most Gracious Lord7 an audience which should be gracious, yet secret or private, something about which I do not worry. If Your Honor promotes this matter, then my
Most Gracious Lord will not feel imposed upon, especially since His Electoral Grace is well acquainted with this man from before,8 and since Barnes comes under different circumstances than the French legation.9
Since the King now also offers to accept the gospel, join the federation of our sovereigns,10 and permit our Apologia11 to circulate in his kingdom, it seems to me that, if His Royal Majesty would be honorably12 received into the federation, it would confound the papists with regard to both the council13 and all [their other] plans. For since all of this is taking place by itself in this way without our seeking it, God may, indeed, intend something which is bigger and better than we are capable of understanding. If God intends graciously to meet us in this way,14 it is up to us not to let him pass by in ungratefulness. One has to seize