Grace and peace. Honorable, respectable, wise, dear lords! I have received and examined, together with ours (colleagues), your Order and it pleases us very much. Christ,our LOrd, grant grace that you bring forth fruit to the uttermost completeness,Amen. You have asked me about punishement which one was previously accustomed to practice over against evildoers and thereto I answered and herewith write that you exercise your traditional laws and custom whether it be to hang thieves or decaptitate murderers etc. But such practices and judgments we would not turn to without determining whether the cases are too slight to apply these strict and acute measures too frequently; it is also hard to be a place, as often happens, where there are hangings on account of Gulden when one could well punish in a different way.
Finally I appeal to you that since God has provided you with faithful preachers that you would consider how and determine that they would be able to stay with you; that cannot be except they be appropriatedly supported. You see how the divisive-spirits (Rottengeister) intrude and invade who are given enough; you have fine men and may God help that they may stay with you. Herewith be to God commended,Amen. Given at Wittenberg on the Sunday before the Nativity of Mary (7 sept.) Anno 1533. Martinus Luther,D.
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