To Philip Melanchthon letter 26 - Martin Luther

TO PHILIP MELANCHTHON

On June 9 Prince John of Anhalt, Alesius, etc., appeared before Luther by command of the Elector of Brandenburg, at the instigation of the Emperor, to induce him to permit the disputed articles to remain and an agreement to be made, but Luther was as steadfast as Melanchthon.

June 25, 1541.

Grace and peace! I shall anticipate your letter, which I daily, nay hourly, expect to receive, and rehearse what happened in Regensburg, viz. that you were summoned before the Emperor, who proposed that you should do your utmost at the conference for the restoration of unity. In a Latin harangue you declared you would do your best, but felt yourself powerless for so difficult a task.

But Eck, as is his habit, cried out, “Most Gracious Emperor, I shall maintain that our party is right, and that the Pope is the head of the Church!” This is all that happened. From Cruciger’s last letter to Magister George I saw that you and he are to meet the day after tomorrow. I rejoice that Mayence

shall be extinguished. There is a great outcry here over the rumor that 5,000 Turks have been killed at Ofen. I have no more news. I again begin to hear by degrees, although my dead ear still sometimes refuses to perform its functions, and the discharge in my head and the phlegm cause me much uneasiness, but I always was, and shall ever remain, a rheumatic man, a martyr to all sorts of catarrh. My Kathie greets you respectfully.

Love to all our friends. MARTIN LUTHER . (Schutze.)