letter which Melanchthon supposedly wrote on February 5 (see p. 304, n. 34) reflected some worry over Luther's health in view of the climate; WA, Br 11, 281. Simultaneously Katie wrote several times to Luther voicing her anxieties (see p. 302) which were heightened when she received Luther's February 1 letter telling her of his illness. How many letters Katie sent cannot be established. It is safe to suggest that Katie sent some medicine with one of these letters (see Strieder, p. 1). Katie wrote for the last time on February 5; Luther had all these letters in hand on February 7 and answered them on that day. In his long letter, No. 321, Luther tried to put things in the proper perspective for his wife and comfort her, not realizing that in the meantime his wife's worries on his behalf had been substantially increased because she found out that there had been a fire in the chimney of Luther's room. Luther mentioned this incident for the first time in his February 3 letter to Melanchthon. This letter was not in Melanchthon's hands by February 5 when Melanchthon and Katie wrote to Luther. While the argument based on silence is always a dangerous one, it is nevertheless significant that in his February 5(?) letter Melanchthon did not mention this incident; he dealt only with those threats to Luther's well-being which the Wittenbergera knew about from Luther's January 25 (No. 314) and February 1 (Nos. 316, 317) letters. That Luther mentioned the fire in his February 7 letter need not have been in response to a possible statement made by Katie about this incident in her February 5 letter; the casual reference to the fire could have been made simply because
Luther realized that by the time Katie received this February 7 letter she also would have heard from Melanchthon about the fire. Before this long letter of comfort (No. 321) reached Katie, she wrote another letter in which she confessed her fright for him, saying that she worried so much that she could not sleep.
The date on which Katie wrote this letter cannot be established, but it is safe to suggest that she wrote it after she had found out from Melanchthon about the fire incident, i.e., shortly after February 5. In any case, Luther received the letter after he had dispatched his February 7 letter, so that he felt it necessary to write letter No. 322.
[Eisleben,]1 February 10, 1546 Luther returns a document which deals with questions pertaining to matrimonial matters and on which he has briefly noted his opinion; he promises to elaborate further on these problems when he has more time.
Luther underscores the fact that something must be done regarding these matters in order to avoid scandals lest conditions similar to those described in Genesis 6:2 develop. He points out that dispensations from the law can cause serious problems for a person's conscience, as can clearly be seen in the case of Henry VIII of England.
On George of Anhalt, see p. 280, n. 53.
Text in Latin: WA, Br 11, 292.2
To the most Reverend Father and Illustrious Sovereign and Lord, Sir George, bishop of the church at Merseburg3 and prior of the church at Magdeburg, sovereign of Anhalt, count of Ascania, lord at Bernburg, most illustrious and famous lord
Grace and peace! Most Reverend Father in Christ and Most Illustrious Sovereign! As briefly as I was able I have noted my opinion in the margin. I am ready to elaborate further on the matter at some other time and when I have more leisure, though in view of Your Highness' very great wisdom further material is not necessary. Certainly one has to meet head-on the scandals into which the thoughtless and wild ones plunge themselves, as if one must live without any laws. Otherwise that which Moses tells us4 happened prior to the flood will happen again, namely, that they took for wives whomever they desired,5 even sisters, mothers, and those whom they stole from their husbands. I hear that some similar events are definitely occurring in secret. May God prevent them6 from ruling in broad daylight, as one has seen in the cases of Herod7 and the kings of Egypt,8 etc. The King of England was an unhappy husband; his example always should be avoided, for although he was granted a dispensation, in the end his conscience was not calmed by it. People are able to get a bad conscience unnecessarily, even in affairs which are correctly handled, a fact which by itself causes us enough of a problem; doesn't it? More at some other time, God willing; in him farewell to Your Illustrious Highness.
Your Illustrious Highness' dedicated