To the respectable,celebrated and worthy Herr Martin Luther, holy amd evangelical Doctor of Scripture, our especially favored Lord and Friend.
To begin with (we assure you of) our willing service with all possible earnestness! Celebrated,respected,worthy Herr Doctor! Respectable one (always abbreviated "E.A.")concerning the dismissal of Herr Lorenz (Soranus),preacher at St. Catherines, we have just received your writing at Torgau; because we are burdened with many writings at this place we have not, as we want to, been able to give E.A. a fitting and well-deserved answer. We are troubled and dismayed not a little and have no doubt that if you had taken the opportunity to learn all the circumstance you would have spared us your almost fraudulent writing since we implored divine help and grace and want to live and deal in ways that are pleasing to God,blessed and nothing about which the world can rebuke us. We must look at this and other writings under the aspect that [innocent though we are of that which in inflicted upon us] under the Name of the holy Word and as the Gospel proclaims, we must suffer this; so that our regimen might be justified we would not be greatly opposed to answering the head-pastor and preacher as you propose. Should our determinations and dealing come to a hearing, as we plead and long for, it is obvious to us that it will be found that we have had just cause for dismissal. We also want the writing of E.A. to be placed before others of our friends. If E.A. thinks it necessary to write further we also should have our justification remain unsuppressed. Now to serve E.A.,Worthy one, we are willing and eager. Dated on Wednesday after Reminiscere [8 March] Anno Domini XXXI. Willing remaining to E.A., Worthy one, Laurentius Bernsprung M gst. and Hermann Muehlpfort, both citizens of Zwickau, now in Torgau.
NOTES: The leaders of Zwickau are evidently in Torgau to explain their actions to Elector Johann.
Sounds like Zwickau has a mind of their own.
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