Page:The letters of Martin Luther.djvu/283

 Muller with you? They left here three weeks ago and have never written. From the wilderness. MARTIN LUTHER. (Walch, 5:16, 2837.)

CCXLIV
TO COBAN HESSE

Luther sends translation of the 118th Psalm.

August Grace and peace! I send my promised psalm, excellent Hesse, in the form into which my pen has transformed it, or deformed it. I received yours along with the letter, which I read daily. I do not expect you to be as much delighted with mine as I am with yours, although it is the same psalm. For I never would compare myself to such a poet. For you are the king of poets, and the poet of kings; or rather the royal poet, and poetical king, who makes the royal poet talk so beautifully in a strange tongue. Accept my thanks for giving me such pleasure. Out of a fat sophist I have turned into a sordid theologian; and besides this despicable store of theology I have nothing. Accept this instead of a present, and greet your queen and princes tenderly from me, also Wenzel. I shall not write him now, as last night I had such pain in a tooth that I am quite limp today. May the Lord guide and maintain you. From the desert. MARTIN LUTHER. (Schutze.)

CCXLV
TO JUSTUS JONAS

The Emperor uses artifice to unite the two parties.

August 26 or 27, 1530.

I got a sight of our people’s opinion concerning our affairs, but what I wrote Philip I write to you, that for Christ’s honor and to please me you would believe that Campegius is a perfect devil.

I have been much upset through our opponents’ propositions. As sure as I live this is a trick of