Luther awarded to his wife the praise of unconditional obedience, and agreeably to the custom of the times she always saluted him as Herr Doctor. During the first years of his matrimonial life particularly, when he had recovered from his attacks of melancholy, and his general health had improved, he was almost always in excellent spirits. He treated his domestics in the kindest manner, and his whole household was conducted in a way which contributed to the happiness of every member. He acceded to Catharine’s supreme control over the affairs of the family, and never interfered, except when he deemed it absolutely necessary. He often playfully addressed her as Mrs. Doctor and Professoress, and sometimes as Master Catharine. All the world knew that this was but the outpouring of a sportive disposition and an affectionate heart.
CHAPTER V.
Income—Expenses—Hospitality—Charity—Diet—Afflictions—Despondency—Journeys—Death.
Luther’s income was disproportionate to his expenses. He has often said “that he gave more out than he took in.” His pay at this time amounted to but 200 guilders, and his own family expenses to 500. Besides, he aided his poor relatives, and was obliged to perform many expensive journeys on business relating to the Reformation. His eminent position in society often subjected him to invitations to assume the relation of godfather, and this always levied contributions on his purse. He was also obliged to make numerous marriage presents, and almost daily to entertain strangers, which compelled him to keep a corresponding number of servants. His expenses were so great that sometimes he was embarrassed with considerable debts. He says, “I am unfit for housekeeping; I am made quite poor by the necessary support of my destitute relations and the daily demands of strangers.” In writing to another friend, he says, “You know that I am quite oppressed by my large domestic establishment, for through my thoughtlessness I have, during this year, made debts to the amount of more than 100 guilders. I have pledged three silver cups at one place for 50 guilders; but the Lord, who chastises my folly, will deliver me. Hence it is that Cranach and Aurifaber will no longer take me as security, for they observe that I have an empty purse. I have given them my fourth cup for 12 guilders, which they have loaned to Herrman. But why is it that my purse is so completely exhausted—no, not quite exhausted; but why am I so deeply immersed in debt? I believe that no one will charge me with parsimony, avarice,” &c. He sometimes had the honor of entertaining persons of exalted rank. Elizabeth, the sister of Christian II., King of Denmark, who had fled from her husband on account of his cruel treatment of her because she had abandoned popery, and the Duchess Ursula of Münsterberg, an escaped nun, had often been his guests for upwards of three months at a time, and it is no small matter for a poor man to entertain a princess. Many monks and nuns who had escaped from convents had often imposed themselves on his hospitality, and sometimes shamefully deceived him. In 1537 he took into his house his relative and countryman, Agricola, with his wife and family, and kept them for a long time, until Luther procured a professorship for him. Luther’s five children were now growing up, and their education was by no means neglected, and even the fields which his wife owned, near Wittenberg and Zoldorf, demanded no little outlay. To all this was superadded that peculiar disposition which has, however, characterized many great minds, which is, a perfect contempt of all earthly possessions. The grounds of this he sought and found in the Bible. When with scorn he rejected all offers of gold and dignities on condition of renouncing his faith, which his enemies made, he did right; but it must be confessed that as a father of a family he was too careless about their wants. Thus, when some one reminded him that he might, at least, lay up a little property for his family, he replied, “That I shall not do; for otherwise they will not trust to God or their own exertions, but to their money.” Thus he presented all his manuscripts to the printers, who were at that time also booksellers, and when they offered him 400 guilders annually for the privilege of printing and selling his books, he rejected the offer, and said, “I will not sell the grace of God. I have enough.” Only occasionally he asked for a copy of his books as a present to a friend. He charged no fee for his lectures. “It was my intention,” said he, “after I was married, to lecture for pay. But as God anticipated me, I have all my life sold no copy of my books, nor read lectures for money. And if it please God, I will carry this honor to the grave with me.” When the Elector, John the Constant, in 1529, designed to honor him with a share in a productive silver mine at Schneeberg as a compliment for his translation of the Bible, he replied, “It much better becomes me to pay the amount of my share with a pater noster, that the ores may continue productive and the product may be well applied.” This he confirmed soon after, (Sept. 8, 1530,) with these words, “I have never taken a penny for my translation, and never asked it.” And at another place he says, “If I did not feel such a painful concern for his sake who died for me, the whole world could not give me money enough to write a book or translate any portion of the Bible. I am not willing to be rewarded by the world for my labor; the world is too poor for that!” Melanchthon promised him 1000 guilders compensation if he would finish the translation of Æsop, begun in 1530, and dedicate it to some great personage; but Luther desired to labor exclusively for the diffusion of the Gospel, and write theological works, for which he would receive no pay. Another friend made him a present of 200 guilders, which he generously divided among poor students. When, in 1529, Bugenhagen brought him a gift of 100 guilders from a rich gentleman, he gave Melanchthon the half of it. As early as 1520, he received a bequest of 150 guilders from Dr. Heinrich Becke of Naumburg, and in 1521, a person named Marcus Schart presented him with 50 guilders, which he divided with his prior, Breisger. When the Elector, John the Steadfast, in 1542, ordered a tax to be levied to raise money to carry on the war against the Turks, and exempted Luther’s property, the latter would not consent to it, but for the sake of the example had property to the amount of 610 guilders assessed.[13] Many other similar instances of his remarkable disinterestedness, which, however, were not always worthy of imitation, might be mentioned. He was liberal and benevolent as even few rich men are, and hence it is that his children received no large inheritance from him. Thus on one occasion a very poor man applied to him for help. He had no money at hand, and his wife was sick; but he took the donation which had been made to his infant at its recent baptism, and gave it to the applicant. The sick wife, who soon missed the money out of the savings-box, expressed her displeasure, but Luther meekly replied, “God is rich; he will provide in some other way.”
At another time, a young man who had finished his studies, and was about to leave Wittenberg, made a similar request. Luther was again destitute of funds. With sincere sympathy he deplored his inability to aid the youth; but when he observed his deep distress, his eye fell on a silver cup which had been presented to him by the Elector. He looked inquiringly at his wife; her countenance seemed to reply, no! But he hastily snatched the cup and gave it to the student. The latter was much astonished, and was unwilling to take it. Catharine also, by winks and looks, intimated to her husband not to press the acceptance of it on the stranger. But Luther, with a great effort, pressed the sides of the cup together and gave it to the young man, saying, “I have no use for a silver cup. Here, take it; carry it to a goldsmith, and keep all you can get for it.”
Luther was indebted to the punctuality, thrift, and economy of his wife, for the small property in land, furniture, and books, which he left at his death. She has been charged with parsimony as well as with a multitude of other sins by Luther’s enemies, but there is no evidence to sustain the accusation. If she was economical when her husband had no guests in his house—which was not often the case—it rather redounded to her credit, and arose from necessity. This course was pursued with his sanction. He was always temperate in his diet. Sometimes, even when he was in good health, he partook of no substantial food for four days together. At other times a little bread and a herring sufficed for a day; or, that he might study the more intensely, bread and salt constituted his meal. Of course, at other times, he lived more generously, but always within the bounds of moderation.
Catharine not only sympathized most sincerely with her husband in all his joys and sorrows, but she herself suffered severe afflictions, some of which were calculated to fill a mother’s heart with inexpressible anguish. Some of these have been already alluded to. In August, 1538, they were both attacked with fever, and in July, 1539, they providentially escaped a violent death. Luther had had a new cellar constructed, which he went to inspect in company with his wife. They had scarcely left the cellar, when the ground caved in with a terrible crash. In loud thanksgivings to God they expressed their sense of this miraculous deliverance. In January, 1540, Catharine was brought nigh to death at the birth of a child. To Luther’s great joy, she gradually recovered. The death of their second daughter, Magdalena, in 1542, at the age of fourteen—the first, Elizabeth, had died in 1528—bowed her heart deeply, and overwhelmed her with sorrow. Scarcely had the pious sufferer endured these severe visitations with the resignation becoming a true Christian, when she was called on to deplore the death of her most intimate and valuable friend, the wife of Dr. Jonas. This unexpected event was so much the more painful to Luther, inasmuch as when in secret he reflected on his own departure out of this world, he always reckoned on the wife of Dr. Jonas as the comforter of his widow and children.
In 1545, the three sons of Luther and his yet surviving daughter, Margaretta, were all at the same time attacked with the measles, and the latter also suffered in addition, from a severe and dangerous fever.
About this time, Luther, very unexpectedly to his friends, determined to leave Wittenberg. His strength was exhausted by disease, and by his numerous literary labors. He was disappointed and chagrined also on various accounts, and longed for repose. As soon as this became known, Bugenhagen and others were sent to him on the part of the University and the town, whose tears and entreaties prevailed on him to remain for the present. But in July, 1545, he was bent on carrying out his determination, and travelled in company with his eldest son, John, by way of Löbnitz and Leipzig to Merseburg, where he visited Prince George, of Anhalt, whom, on this occasion, he solemnly consecrated to the office of Coadjutor of the Chapter of the Cathedral. During his stay in Leipzig, he wrote (July 28), to his wife, “I should like to arrange it so that it would not be necessary for me to return to Wittenberg. My feelings are so alienated that I do not care any longer about being there. I also wish that you would sell our house and other property. I wish you would return the large house to my gracious master,[14] and it would be better for you to settle at Zallsdorff whilst I yet live; for after my death you will hardly find a support in Wittenberg, hence you had better do it during my lifetime.” Catharine was extremely surprised at this determination; but as her husband had enjoined it upon her to inform Bugenhagen and Melanchthon of his purpose, and to request the former to take leave of the congregation in his name, she, at least, complied with this wish. But not so the University. As soon as the members had learned the purport of his letter, they sent not only a copy of it to the Elector, and a letter to his Grace, beseeching him to influence Luther to return; but they and the town council also sent Bugenhagen and Melanchthon, and some other deputies, as a committee to see him. The Elector himself wrote to him, promising to render his condition at Wittenberg more comfortable, and summoned him to appear at his palace at Torgau for further conversation on the subject. Luther instantly obeyed the summons, and appeared at Torgau. The Elector persuaded him to return to Wittenberg. Sick and depressed in heart he arrived there on the 18th of August, where he was received with open arms by all his friends.
But this gratification was of short duration for them and Catharine; for in January, 1546, completely debilitated by the effects of protracted sickness, he entered upon a journey of another character, from which, alas! he never returned. His youngest sister, Dorothea, was married to Paul Mackenrot, who was in the service of the Elector. The family of Mackenrot possessed productive silver-mines in the duchy of Mansfeld, which excited the envy of the dukes of Mansfeld, and led them to the determination of securing to themselves the entire products of the mines, for before they had received only the tenth and some other perquisites. As soon as Luther heard of this unjust proceeding, he undertook to maintain the rights of his brother-in-law, and in 1540 wrote to Duke Albert on the subject; but his intercession was fruitless. In 1542, he renewed his attempts, but without any favorable result. In 1545, he travelled to Eisleben and to Mansfeld on the same mission, but all to no effect. Soon after, Luther was urgently entreated by the Dukes themselves (of whom, Albert was a Protestant, and the other two, Philip and John George, were still Catholics,) to appear personally at Eisleben in order to settle this difficulty as well as some others existing among them. Although his health was in a wretched condition, he promised to go. After he had preached in Wittenberg, the last time, on January 17, 1546, he took leave of his friends, and on the 23d, he departed, accompanied by his three sons; John, 19 years of age, Martin 14, and Paul 13. He passed through Halle, where he visited his friend, Dr. Jonas, at that time pastor in that city. Jonas accompanied him to Eisleben; but as he approached that city, he was so exhausted that he fainted, and they were apprehensive of his death; but he was conveyed to a house where they rubbed him with warm cloths, and he was soon restored. He arrived safe at Eisleben on the 28th, but a violent attack was soon renewed. Catharine, who on the departure of her husband could easily have anticipated these attacks, on having been informed of them by the eldest son, John, who had been sent back, forwarded some remedies from her own domestic medicine-chest, the good effects of which he had often experienced. On the 1st and 6th of February he communicated to her the state of his own health and of the affairs at Mansfeld, and entreated her to lay aside any undue anxiety about himself. But he soon expressed an intense desire to return home. He wrote to that effect on the 10th, and again in a jocose style besought her not to be uneasy on his account. But he was never to see her again. As he anticipated, he was destined to die in the place of his birth.[15] Although he suffered keenly from pulmonary affection, he not only preached four times, but performed much other important business. But his end had come, and he died on February 18, 1546, in the 63d year of his age. Dr. Jonas and the court preacher at Mansfeld, Michel Coclius, who, with others, were present at his death, immediately communicated the melancholy event to the Elector, and requested his Grace to issue orders respecting the funeral, as well as to have a letter of consolation written to his bereaved widow. The intelligence was conveyed so rapidly to Torgau, that the Elector, on the same evening of the day on which Luther died, answered the letter, and gave immediate orders in relation to his funeral.