might also give counsel as to which of the three candidates22 I suggested to Pomer might be convinced [to go]. It is not a bad parish. Yet you people are wise and will find a better solution [than I suggested].
There23 at Arnstadt the pastor has driven a devil out of a young girl in a truly Christian way.24
Regarding this event we say: may the will of God, who is still alive, be done, even though the devil should be sorry about this.25
I have received the letters from the children,26 also the one from the baccalaureus (who is no child)27—(Marushe [is] also not [one])28—but from Your Grace I have received nothing. If it please God, then you might now, at least once, answer this, the fourth letter,29 with your gracious hand.
I am sending along with Master Paul30 the silver apple which my Gracious Lord31 presented to me. As I previously said,32 you may divide it among the children and ask them how many cherries and apples they would wish in exchange for it; give them these at once, and you retain the stalk, etc.33
Give my hearty greetings and good will to our dear boarders,34 especially to Doctor Severus or Schiefer,35 and tell them to help in all affairs of the church, school, house—wherever the need arises. Also
[tell] Master George Major and Master Ambrose36 to help you around the house.37 By God's will we shall be here until Sunday,38 and then, with Philip, we shall travel from Weimar to Eisenach.39
With this I commend you to God. Tell our Lycaon40 not to neglect the mulberries by oversleeping; of course, he won't oversleep unless he forgets about it. Also, he should tap the wine at the right time. All of you be happy and pray. Amen.
MARTIN LUTHER who loves you from his heart41 To Mrs. Martin Luther [Eisenach,]1 July 10, 1540 While Luther was in Weimar, he received a portion of his quarterly salary which normally would have been paid to him on St. Michael's Day.2 He sends this and some other money to his wife with letter No.
291 and suggests how she could exchange this money for smaller denominations. Then he mentions certain events: Around Eisenach the devil is raging by means of arson and murder; Philip Melanchthon has recuperated, and for this one should thank God; the Colloquy of Hagenau will accomplish nothing except, perhaps, that the Pope will arouse the Turks to attack "us"; Nicholas von Amsdorf is visiting
Luther in Eisenach. In a postscript Luther leaves the payment of the messenger to his wife. He also makes some suggestions for the remodeling of the house, though he is aware that his suggestions might come too late.
Text in German: WA, Br 9, 171–173.3
To Mrs. Catherine Luther4 at Wittenberg, etc., my dear mistress of the house, etc.
Grace and peace! Dear Maid Katie! Herewith I am sending you (via the driver of Doctor Bleikard,5 etc.)6 A [:]7 forty-two Taler,8 the salary due this coming St. Michael's Day,9 and also forty gulden on the account of George Schnell which you may use until we return10 We were unable to get one penny in change at court,11 just as you cannot get any in Wittenberg.12 George Schnell received his change from Weissensee in the territory of Duke13 George.14 However, I think that one thousand gulden in little
Groschen15 have now arrived or will arrive shortly from my Most Gracious Lord16 for change, etc.17 For this is what he has ordered.18 But it would be good if the people themselves would begin to avoid [using] the Merker, as well as the Polish pennies,19 for they certainly are doing too much damage to this principality, since one of them is not worth five pennies. In the long run they may not be tolerated without damage to my Most Gracious Lord, and also to his land and people, as we shall see,20 if God wills it. You might see whether John von Taubenheim21 at Torgau could or would change the Taler into smaller coins for you.
There is nothing new, except that around here, too, the devil is raging and gives horrible examples of his maliciousness,22 and pushes the people [to commit] arson which often proves fatal, suicide, etc. The people23 are quickly jailed for this and executed. In this way God admonishes us to believe, to fear, and to