Wittenberg because he was sick. Then Luther assures George that he remembers well his promise to visit George, that he cannot keep this promise at the moment, since he is an official guest of the counts of Mansfeld, but that he intends to Julfill it in the spring; he hopes George will understand this. Luther mentions that the Council of Trent has been officially opened, but adds that he has little hope that it will accomplish anything positive.
On George of Anhalt, see p. 280, n. 53.
Text in Latin: WA, Br 11,278.2
To the Most Reverend Father and Lord in Christ, Sir George, most worthy bishop3 of the church4 of Merseburg,5 most illustrious sovereign of Anhalt, noble count of Ascania, and famous lord of Bernburg, my Lord to be venerably esteemed
Grace and peace in the Lord! Most Illustrious Sovereign, I have received Your Lordship's letter6 addressed to Master7 Philip8 and me. Because of illness, Master Philip has stayed at home.9 Only I am here, along with Doctor Justus Jonas.10 I remember well the promise I made and have not yet fulfilled,11 but carriage and horsemen are not at my disposal. The counts of Mansfeld have summoned and conducted me [to this town] with many horsemen12 with whom I have to travel using a route they themselves13 determined. Yet I shall do all in my power to fulfill my promise sometime this coming spring. For I hope that then everything will be safer. Therefore in the meantime I ask Your Highness to accept this delay with good grace.
I have no news, for I assume that Your Highness has heard that the council has been opened (as they call it) by the Pope; that is, it has begun.14 But the middle will be slow [in coming], and the end will be nothing,15 [except] that the Roman Sirens16 will vex the people, as is the custom, style, nature, and age-old wickedness in that Babylon.17 May the Lord arise18 and scatter his enemies.19 Amen. Amen. Amen. In him farewell to Your Highness, to whom I commend myself with devout prayer.
From Eisleben, January 29, 1546 Your Highness' dedicated MARTIN LUTHER, DOCTOR To Mrs. Martin Luther [Eisleben,]1 February 1, 1546
In Luther's last years he became even more firmly set against those who he felt were enemies of Christ; these included not only the enthusiasts and the papists, but also—on the basis of their religion—the Jews.2
In the following letter Luther informs his wife that on the journey to Eisleben he had become dizzy, that this had been due to his own carelessness, but that she would probably have said it was the fault of the Jews. He mentions that he passed through a village in which "many" Jews are living, that more than fifty
Jews are living in Eisleben, that Count Albrecht has outlawed them, and that he would have to deal with this problem. Luther assures his wife that he is well again and that the beer of Naumburg agrees with him and even provides him with a laxative. He also tells his wife that their sons have gone to Mansfeld. Luther closes by extending greetings to the whole house.
Text in German: WA, Br 11, 275–276.3
To my dearly beloved mistress of the house, Catherine Luther,4 a doctor, the lady of Zölsdorf [and] of the pig market,5 and whatever else she is capable of being
Before all else, grace and peace in Christ, and my old, poor, and, as Your Grace knows, powerless love.
Dear Katie. Yes, on the way, shortly before Eisleben, I became dizzy.6 That was my fault. Had you been here, however, you would have said that it was the fault of the Jews or their god. For shortly before Eisleben we had to travel through a village7 in which many Jews are living, [and] perhaps they have attacked me so painfully.8 At this time over fifty Jews reside here in the city of Eisleben.9 It is true that when I passed by the village such a cold wind blew from behind into the carriage and on my head through the beret, [that it seemed] as if it intended to turn my brain to ice. This might have helped me somewhat to become dizzy. But thank God now I am well, except for the fact that beautiful women tempt me so much that I neither care nor worry about becoming unchaste.10