Pictures of German Life in the XVth, XVIth, and XVIIth Centuries, Vol. I. - Gustav Freytag

[Footnote 36]: With what satisfaction he thought of his death appears from many passages in his writings--we give one--at the time of his residence at Wartburg, from the dedication of 'The Gospel of Ten Lepers,' the 17th September, 1521: "I, a poor brother, have again lighted up a new fire, and have bitten a great hole in the Pope's pocket, because I have attacked confession. Where can I now remain, and where will they find brimstone, pitch, fire, and wood enough to pulverize the poisonous heretic? They must assuredly break open the church windows, for some holy fathers and ecclesiastical princes say that they must have air to proclaim the gospels, that is, to revile Luther, and to call out murder. What else can they preach to the poor people? every one must preach what he can. Only death, death, death to the heretic! they scream out--as ho would overturn all things, and overthrow the whole ecclesiastical order, upon which rests the foundation of Christendom. Now I hope, if I be accounted worthy, that they may kill me, and so fill up the measure of their forefather's sins; but it is not yet time, my hour is not yet come; I must first anger the serpent brood still more, and justly deserve death from them, that they may have cause to perform in me a great service to God."

[Footnote 37]: "I thank God, that I feel assured my doctrines are the word of God and that I have been enabled to overcome grievous thoughts and temptations, when my heart tempted by Satan has said, 'Art thou the only one who holdest the word of God in truth and purity, and are others altogether without it?' 'Then again, when the devil finds me idle, and I am not thinking of the word of God, he troubles my conscience by the thought that I have disturbed the governments, and have occasioned much scandal and uproar; but when I lay hold of the word of God I win the game.'" Passages like this are to be found in many other places of the 'Table Talk.'

[Footnote 38]: 'An Account of how God helped an Honourable Nun,' 1524, p. 4.

[Footnote 39]: We find a mild judgment of the Saxon court in his 'Table Talk,' 4: "I have again preached a sharp sermon at court against drinking, but it does no good. Taubenheim and Minkwitz say that it cannot be otherwise at court; for music and all knightly amusements have passed away, and nothing is thought of now but drinking. And truly our most gracious sovereign and Elector, John Frederic, is a gentleman of much strength, who can well stand a good drink; what he can bear would make another drunk. But when I return to him I will only beg of him to command his subjects and courtiers, on pain of severe punishment, to get very drunk; perhaps when it is commanded, they may do the contrary."

[Footnote 40]: The passage following the one just quoted is remarkable: "The nobles wish to govern, but have not the power, and understand nothing about it; but the Pope not only understands how, but has the power to govern: the weakest pope has more power to govern than ten nobles of the court."

[Footnote 41]: Luther's 'Table Talk.'

[Footnote 42]: For instance, in the year 1527, Luther could not lend eight gulden to his old prior and friend Briesger. He writes to him sorrowfully: "Three silver cups, marriage presents, have been mortgaged for fifty gulden, the fourth has been sold, and the year has produced a hundred gulden of debts. Lucas Cranach will no longer accept my security, that I may not be quite ruined."

Luther often refused presents, even such as were offered to him by his sovereign; but it appears that consideration for wife or children gave him in later times somewhat more of a household feeling. What he left at his death amounted to about eight or nine thousand gulden; it consisted partly of a small landed property, a large garden and two houses, which undoubtedly he must chiefly have owed to Frau Kate.