To the honorable and perspicaeous Georg Vogler, Markgraphian Chancellor in Brandenburg, my favored dear Herr and Friend.
Grace and peace. Honorable,proper dear Herr and Friend! I have often on your account received admonition,especially from Lazarus Spengler, my good friend and herr that I should write to my G. (grace?) Herr Markgraf Georg for the poor parish pastors and preachers; and that I would gladly do since I have marked your great zeal and favor for the poor mass fathers. On that account I have obediently and earnestly written S.F.G.(probably "his princely grace"). Thereupon S.F.G. has entirely gracefully and assuredly answered: they should not lack anything being under S.F.G. if they only would indicate and gave his word and I in no way doubt the earnestness of S.F.G. I now further ask you in a friendly way and commend to you these poor servants of Christ to care for them as you have done previously in an admirable way and especially provide for M. Bernhard Ziegler graciously however you can; yes he is worthy as you yourself have experienced and learned. Such people are not as common as the dust on the street ; and when they go away one will look in vain for others like them. Herewith be commended to God. Dated at Wittenberg on Green Thursday (28 March) 1532. E.E.'s (probably "Your honor ") willing D.Martinus Luther, now with an illness in the head.
NOTE: The practice of addressing officials and princes with abbreviations always surprises me in that otherwise the letters are very formal.
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