(I think I see one period in about 500 words -courtly style-.The Editors noted something in regard to a "haben". Dies haben is zu viel. Der Concipient hat die Construction verloren." The court secretary got lost in verbiage, I think.)
By the grace of God we (majestic plural?) Johnn, Duke of Saxony and Elector, make known for us and our heirs and make public the following: Since the honor-worthy and scholarly our dear devout, Herr Martin Luther, Doctor, by the special grace and determination of the Almighty, has almost since the beginning of our University in Wittenberg during the time of the administration of our dear brother Duke Friedrich, Elector, of blessed memory, and during our following administration as Elector has provided the same University with lectures on the Holy Scriptures, preaching, spreading and proclaiming the Holy Gospel and divine Word and in addition the institution of Christian ceremonies
through the visitation of the churches in lands and princedom, praise and glory to the Almighty, also to the salvation and consolation of men's blessedness, and as he now for sufficient time toiled we are inclined to him with special graciousness: thus we have in consideration of all this motivated solely by ourselves without being sought do proscribe to Herr Doctor Martinus, Catarina his wife,and their physical heirs, sons and daughters both,the new dwelling in our city of Wittenberg, previously known as the Black Cloister, wherein Doctor has dwelled for a time and also its ground and surroundings and garden and the courtyard thereof excluding nothing and to a great extent of which he now uses, inhabits, and dwells in and this as a legal,free inheritance prescibed ,given and gifted. (here is the first period and the superflous of "haben"}. Further we prescribe to him, his wife and children the above named dwelling complex as given and graced to them to possess,enjoy and use according to their pleasure and will as their own inheritance and also by the authority of this
letter that the dwelling may be dwelt without any of our interference or that of our heirs except that Doctor Martin, his wife or also their heirs, or beneficiaries should not sell the dwelling concerned to anyone or let that occur, nor should they consider it, without notifying us or our heirs whether our heirs should receive compensation or other stipulations, and that they might consider doing something else
so it should be brought to us or to the Council of the city so that the quietude and benefit may be to them and we hereby also give the renown Doctor and his married wife out of special favor the freedom for the lifetime of both of them to carry out all the burdens and obligations of citizens in this our city of Wittenberg and the freedom in the dwelling-complex to be exempted from contributing to the treasury or other obligation and that they therein may brew, malt,entertain, have cattle, and other citizenship privileges as the other citizens and dwellers in the city of Wittenberg possess. The same should their heirs and descendants possess completely without hindrance except that they should annually remit to the treasury 20 of our tax-groschen for the above mentioned dwelling and this to be remitted to the Council and that they should also assume the obligations and duties of all citizens and that the above mentioned dwelling should not be given over to any other land or prince's direction without our favor and determination but Doctor Martin Luther, Katarina his wife and their heirs herewith are completely free and privileged from any intervention. Proclaimed with our seal with full knowlege and given at
Torgau on the Sunday after the purification of our dear Mother (4 February) after the birth of our dear LOrd Christ 1532.
NOTE: Do you know when Kaethe had to leave the Black Cloister?
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