happen to my dear fatherland, I will not stand in the way. But you people are really fine fellows, since neither Your Honor nor James Luther nor the Kaufmanns37 wrote how they fared in this matter. With your silence you are causing us poor children (who live here) to think that all of you together have become beggars. Yet God will nevertheless still feed us. Amen.
Tell my brother38 that my cough and his silence kept me from answering him! Give my greetings to his black hen, together with the chicks.39 I have to cough [now], and yet I have to think of Shrove Tuesday40 at Torgau; I don't know what I am to cough there.41 Maybe I will have to keep company with John of Jena.42
My lord Katie sends cordial greetings to Your Honor and asks that, if it is in Your Honor's power, Your Honor not let the sun shine upon Your Honor more43 than upon me, even if the sun intends to shine on me too much.44
Your godchild, Master John,45 greets you. He is set on really growing up (not growing to be a bad boy); may God grant it! With this be commended to God!
Accept my ways (as Your Honor knows them); for I am quite rough and coarse, big, grey, green, overburdened with, excessively mixed up in, and overtaken by [all kinds of] affairs, so that sometimes, in order to preserve myself,46 I have to force myself to make a joke.47 Of course, a man is not more than a man, even if God can make out of a man what he wishes—yet we have to do our part too.48 Greet all good gentlemen and friends!
[Wittenberg,] January 25, 1536 Luther informs Burchart of the receipt of a present of wine, and congratulates him on his appointment as vice-chancellor. Then Luther mentions that he is debating, or rather wrangling, with the Englishmen, that he is bothered by the expenses which the visit of the Englishmen causes for the Elector, and that he is tired of these useless talks. Finally, Luther announces the date of an upcoming disputation on private mass, and encourages Burchart to come to Wittenberg for this disputation.
On Francis Burchart, see p. 80, n. 10.
Text in Latin: WA, Br 7, 352.1
Grace and peace from the Lord!
The wine about which you write has been sent and given to me as a present,2 about six buckets,3 my Francis. I congratulate you on your success, and the new honor or occupation,4 and I am asking the Lord5
Christ to multiply and preserve this, your success, with all blessings. Amen.
Here we are debating with the Englishmen,6 if debating is wrangling. I am bothered by the fact that our Sovereign7 is burdened with such great expenses. I certainly am sick and tired;8 already in the cases of Karlstadt and Zwingli I started to hate such useless talks by which, as Paul says,9 the hearts are hidden10 so that you lose all that you have learned and become a fool. "They have become fools"11 (he says)12 "while they want to be wise." But more about this13 in person.
The disputation on private mass will take place this coming Saturday,14 God willing, and the sum of it is contained in this syllogism:15 Every human curie action16 in divine matters is an abomination; every private mass is of this kind; therefore every private mass is an abomination.
Farewell in the Lord, and come if you are able.17
To Elector John Frederick [Wittenberg,] March 28, 1536 Luther informs the Elector that Francis Burchart will present to him a German translation of the articles which are the result of the discussions held between the English legation and the Wittenberg theologians.1