Page:The letters of Martin Luther.djvu/263

 while they plunder, steal, and devour everything, being at war with the fruits of the ground.

At night they return home and snore peacefully till morning. Lately we made a raid into their palaces to catch a glimpse of the splendor of their realm, startling them greatly, for they fancied we had come to frustrate their plans and cunning Court devices. What terrified cries ensued! When we saw how frightened these Achilleses and Hectors were, we waved our hats in the air. We had seen enough, and were more than pleased to have turned them into ridicule, for even our presence terrified them. But this is all a joke, although it might serve as an allegorical picture, or a sign that these daws, nay, these harpies, tremble before God’s Word, or, to put it otherwise, that the noble lords at Augsburg whimper like children and Papists. Greet George von Grumbach from me. From my solitude. MARTIN LUTHER.

CCXXIV
TO WENZEL LINK

Luther sends letters to his friend.

June 27, 1530.

Grace and peace! The messenger who appeared scarcely gave me time to write to our people in Augsburg. But he begged so for letters that we send you those received from Wittenberg. Please see that our Augsburg friends get them.

I fancy you can easily do this, as you have so much communication with that town. The exposition of the Psalm “Confitemini” is being sent to the Wittenberg printers, with an exegesis which is a disappointment to me because of its length. Meanwhile greet Dr. Spengler, Abbot Michael, Joachim, Coban Hesse, Osiander, from me. If you can procure from your good friends threescore (Schock) oranges for my Catherine, I shall gladly pay for them, as there are none in Wittenberg.

May you and yours prosper, and be in health. From my quiet solitude. MARTIN LUTHER.