Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1521-1530.djvu/414

 in all those that have died in the city — little girls, infants, and all taken together. In the fishermen's quarter it has raged more cruelly, but in our quarter there has not been a single death, though all those who die are buried there. To-day we buried the wife of Tilo Dene,* who died yesterday almost in my very arms, and this was the first death in the center of the city. The eighteen burials have been right around me here at the Elster gate. Among them was Barbara, the sister of your Eberhard's * wife, as you will please to tell Master Eber- hard; the daughter of John Griinenberg" has also died. Hans Luft is up again and has conquered the plague, and many others are recovering, if they use medicine; but many are so ignorant that they spurn medicine and so die needlessly. Justus Jonas' little son John has also died. He and his family have gone to his birthplace.* I am staying here, and it is necessary that I do so because of the terrible fear among the common people. Bugenhagen and I are here alone with the deacons," but Christ is present too, that we may not be alone, and He will triiunph in us over that old serpent, murderer and sin- maker, however much he may bruise His heel.* Pray for us, and farewell.

Greet Master Eberhard * and all our friends, and commend us to them. The fanatics have written against me,* but I have not the books as yet; I wanted to send you Zwingli's second and fiercer letter * to me, but it was not at hand.

Yours, Martin Luther.

��1 Born 1465, schoolmaiter at Wittenberg 1487-89, studied at I^eipsic i49i-92, at Wittenberg 1502-03; he was burgomaster of Wittenberg seven times between 1504 and 1528; died November 29, 1545. He was married at least twice. Vidt, Aus DeuUchlands kircHHcher Vergangenhtit (1912)1 PP* 8iff.

•The well-known Wittenberg printer.
 * Eberhard Brisger, at this time Spalattn's associate at Altenburg.


 * Nordhausen.

■John Mantel and George Rorer. The latter's wife was a victim of the plague. 'Genesis iii» 15. ^ Brisger, cf. n. 2.

•Zwingli was greatly exasperated at the tone of Luther's pamphlet. Thai the Words, This is my Body, still stand fast against the Ranting Spirits, Smith, 242. He immediately composed a reply to it, with the title. That the Words oj Christ, This is my Body, still have the same old sense, and thai Martin Luther with his last book has not proved his own and the Pope's Senee, Schuler and Schulthess, ii, part ii, i6ff. It was published in June.

•This letter is lost.

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