[In the St.Louis Edition this letter is summarized but it seems so interesting and Luther Index kindly supplied me with both the Latin (original) and the German. Thanks AF if you are reading this. Following is my translation from the German. Bugenhagen, several years earlier, was sent to Hamburg because of his ability in Low German. Perhaps that is why he comes to Lubeck on October 28,1530. His letter is on All Saints Day (Nov.1),1530.]
On the day of Simon and Jude we happily came to Luebeck by God's grace.When I came there the Devil made himself known openly and let himself be recognized in a possessed and secured young woman who before was well. Previously one had questioned whether he was by her; now, however, he said he was there present and had come through the curse of an old woman. When the young woman (he said) reminded the same of a pound (piece of money) which she owed she answered: I want to give the Devil a body! Further the Devil said (as the parents of the young woman said when I was with her and she was better but not completely settled down when there was concern that he might come back as before): Are there not enough preachers here? why is it that one brings one from Wittenberg? And further: Bugenhagen has come, I know him well,I have often been with him etc. When I heard this from the father of the young woman in her presence, I laughed and was reminded of the verse in Act 19: Jesus, I know well and Paul I know well etc. He had well often tempted me and troubled me through his thousand arts that my doctrine and faith was false but through Christ, who stood by me he accomplished nothing except inciting me to battle against him. I have not forgotten what he sought through the Schlessichen Sacramentarians etc. In other sins he seemed to be victorious at length . However, thanks be to Christ, he might well have come to me but he could not prevail. Herewith I admonish you once again to pray for me etc. But to come back again to the matter, I asked the young woman, about 18 years of age, and composed or proper: whether she also knew when she again comes to herself and she is feeling better how she blasphemed and cursed and she answered that she had not done but the Devil in her did it and she did not know what she had done.She said further that yesterday when the Devil was tormenting the father attempted to speak her from the Word of God and since it did not help he took the book of the German New Testament and handed it to her. But she turned her face away and bit the pillow which she had under head etc. I spoke much with the young woman and she gave me Christian answers and a good account of Baptism etc. Above all, I turned earnestly to persuade her that she should not be thinking about the Devil being around to torment her etc.
Afterward I kneeled together with those who were present, laid my hands on her head and prayed. When I left she thanked me. Meanwhile, as I was writing this, behold, there comes a messenger and says that the Devil has once again tormented the young woman that she threw herself naked from the bed and under the table and afterward under the chair and so turned her neck that she would have died had not her father run to her; therefore the young woman's parents pleaded for me to come. So I went there and when I came to the house I heard a great cry ; but when I came and was near the beleagured young woman stood and I heard with my own ears the words: Bugenhagen the betrayer has come! O the betrayer, he wants to punish me, he won't permit me to be here! O I must get out! I stood and marveled over this not that I believe the liar but yet such a word pointed not only to the besieged girl but to the whole city wherein the kingdom of the devil would not be tolerated by me. This grant and work the Father of all mercy through Jesus Christ our LOrd! Amen.
All who were there said that the young woman had not previously known my name as I said that before I entered the house she horribly blasphemed . Now when she cried, I cried there again her name: Elisabeth! Then the devil answered: Ja, Elisabeth, Elisabeth. Then I said: Ei,Ja, do you despise it? Why should I not name her Elisabeth? Did you not yet this day acknowledge that you received that name in the baptism through which we become a Christian. Then he raised a great cry and romped about so that no could hear. I fell down on the knees and prayed earnestly with heaviness (the misery and trouble of the young woman moved me) and loudly so that everyone there might hear that the LOrd would quiet her for He had said: In my Name the devil will be driven out. I believe that the others also prayed while I had my back turned. Meanwhile the devil cried: I must go out! O I must go out! and punished the young woman terribly. However, her father held her and finally she lie still so that the father did not have to hold her any longer and she laid as if in a trance like she was about to expire. Meanwhile the father told me how the devil had spoken yesterday before I came:Do you doubt whether I am present? Look, I have given a certain sign! and he pointed to a hole in the window which he had broken; there through there I have come in now etc.
As I sat and waited for such anxiety of the young woman to come to end it was as if she gone away but yet her body was resting but then mercifully she raised her eyes as if awakening from sleep. I spoke to her with a quiet voice: Elisabeth! She answered: What? I spoke further: Do you know what you have done and how you have blasphemed? She answered: No. Then I admonished her once again as I had previously earlier the same day. Thereafter I kneeled down and prayed over her head that she would be settled down etcc. When the prayer was finished I called upon her to say Amen. That she did willingly. Then I went away from there. However, one told me that she was tormented by the devil in the same night like we read of in the Gospel of the son etc., and cried: I must go out and where shall I dwell? There is a horse in Lueneburg which I want to ride or in the lumber wagon! Since the father was of that trade (wagon maker?) and very adventurous man, as one says. When he was first certain that the devil (had gone?) he spoke to me very freely that I began to marvel:If it were not a sin, I would ask much of the rogue and he must tell me everything. I ordered him that he should not ask anything secretly of the deceiver nor permit anything else. More I did not ask about what had taken place. I began to wonder whether Satan can also control the man. Nevertheless he can say or do what he wants but he has to be clear that he is a perverse, damnable spirit. These things happened on the eve of All Saints Day , the year 1530. God grant us graciously a victory over all his fiery darts through Jesus Christ our LOrd. Amen.
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