#1769-To the Mayor and Council in Zwickau

To the honorable, careful Lords, Mayor and Council in Zwickau, my favored Lords and Friends.
Grace and peace in Christ. Honorable, careful, dear Lords! Your parish-head (Hausmann) together with Lorenz Soranus are here with us and have made known me that you have dismissed the above-name Laurentius Soranus without the knowledge and will of the parish-head no differently than a Lord dismisses his servant but he is not yet
your servant nor you his Lord and such office is not to be stolen or robbed when and by whom it pleases you but rather it is the propriety of the land's Prince until the matter is concluded by the Bishop (an evangelical Bishop yet to be installed).I can well appreciate that it means nothing to you that I am vexed nor that I think it unjust but regarless you should treat me carefully as I with great difficulty acquired and supported the Gospel (of which you are partakers and use against us all)and not burden me with such an undertaking as you have done. It is unfortunately too much that you trouble my miserable heart when rather I should have consolaion and joy by you. But since it is not to be otherwise I must commend it to God and consider you on the other hand to be severed members of Christ. Unfortunately it seems good to you. Yet you should, if God wills, not continue in defiance and act as Lords and Princes of the land and without the knowledge and consent of the parish-head place and displace preachers. The office and tax assesments are not yours. It will likely be thought you will lose more than win in this matter. This I wanted for your admonsihment. Whoever doesn't want a preacher, let it me; time may change that. May the merciful God direct you in all and similar undertakings. Not yet can a parish-head or preacher last scarcely a month with you. Your city itself makes such a coomplaint. Alas, there is nothing for me to do beyond admonishing you in a faithful and brotherly way. This helps you more than me. God help you, Amen. 4 March 1531. Martinus Luther.
(enclosed note)
The messenger has the answer from the first: no answer is required; thereupon he announced to me that he must not go home without an answer. It was up to him to wait while I wrote this letter, however. The proud messenger did not deliver it for me. There were other considerations.
NOTES: Not sure about the postscript. Guess you should check with another translation. Zwickau, the land of the heavenly prophets, has again vexed Luther to the core. In a following letter to the Elector he writes who knows if tomorrow Zwickau might install a Carlstadt or a Munzer?