there was such a frightful storm, with thunder and lightning, that people thought the day of judgment had actually come ; that in the night the storm returned with still greater violence, and the next morning the tomb was found empty, but such an intolerable smell, and such an odor of burning brimstone came from it, that it made every body sick who ventured near it; whereupon many repented and joined the Catholic church, etc., etc.

The Landgrave of Hesse sent a copy of this pamphlet to Luther, who made himself very merry over it, and published a large edition in Italian and German, adding nothing but the following very characteristic note at the close: "Now I, Martin Luther, Dr., acknowledge and testify by this present writing, that I received the foregoing angry tale respecting my death, on the 21st of March, and that I have read it with great mirth and jollity, except the blasphemy that such lies should be attributed to the high, divine Majesty. For the rest, it tickles me to my right knee-pan and my left heel, that the devil and his crew, the Pope and the papists, hate me so heartily. May God convert them from the devil. But if it be decreed that my prayer for a sin which is unto death, be not heard-very well-then God grant that they may speedily fill up the measure of their iniquity, and do nothing else for their own comfort and joy than write such books as these."

Several circumstances tended to embitter the last days of Luther. The sacramentine controversy, which had nearly produced a breach between him and Melanchthon; the neglect of some congregations to provide suitable support for their ministers; the low state of discipline in some of the churches; the consciousness that he had sometimes been too obstinate and violent in his discussions with his brother reformers; all these things tended to disturb and trouble him. "I was born (said he) to fight with devils and factions; and hence it is that my writings are so boisterous and stormy. It is my business to remove obstructions, to cut down thorn trees, to fill up quagmires, to open and make straight paths; and if

I must have some failing, it is that I speak the truth with too great severity." To his friend Dr. Probst, of Bremen, he writes, under date of January 19, 1546: "I, a worn out, feeble, wearied, spiritless, and now one-eyed old man, write to you, and desire, what seems to me to be very reasonable, that I, now half dead, may have a little rest and quiet, which I long for; and yet I am still overburdened with writing, and preaching, and talking, and working, just as much as if I had never written, or preached, or talked, or worked. I am weary of the world, and the world is weary of me. The parting will be very like that of the guest leaving the inn. I pray only that God may be gracious to me in my last hour, and I shall quit the world without reluctance."

Certain disorders in Wittenberg, which he found himself unable to control, harassed and vexed his soul. Secret promises of marriage between young people, without the consent of parents and guardians, which the Romish church view to be valid, and which the magistrates of Wittenberg refused to declare null, he held to be exceedingly injurious to the parties concerned, and of mischievous tendency in society. He declared that things had come to such a pass, that a father could scarcely send his boy to a neighbor's house of an errand without the risk of having him return a married man. He exhorted, he prayed, he preached, he appealed to the magistrates and to the elector; but such was the power of old prejudice that his labors were all in vain. The familiarity which began to exist between the young ladies of the city and the students of the university, grieved and offended him. He affirmed that some of the young ladies went so far as to visit the students at their rooms, which he considered decidedly improper. Moreover, a fashion was introduced among the ladies of dressing scandalously low in the neck; and he affirmed vehemently that ladies who went to church with such long necks, ought to be subject to church discipline. But Luther found, as many others had found before, and have found since, that it is easier to carry a point against any other earthly power, than against the power of a lady's fashion, especially

if it be an unreasonable and indefensible fashion. He who had resisted and defeated, single-handed, the most tremendous power which ever existed on earth, was utterly unable to persuade or compel the ladies of his own church to cover their bosoms, while it was the fashion to leave them open. He considered the reputation and usefulness of the university and. theological seminary to be in imminent danger from these and the like causes; and, finally, seeing that all his remonstrances were disregarded, he left the city in disgust, with the determination never to return to it. From Leipsic he wrote to his wife to sell what little property they had in Wittenberg, and take her family to the little village of Zulsdorf, where he had a cottage and garden, a gift from the elector of Saxony. This exceedingly characteristic letter may be read in Lomler's Luther, Vol. III. p. 340-42.

As soon as this determination of Luther was known, the whole city was in commotion; the citizens said it would ruin their town for ever; the magistrates begged; the students petitioned; Melanchthon and his colleagues entreated; the ladies cried and promised better fashions; and the elector of Saxony implored and even commanded him to return. Luther at length yielded, and resumed his labors in the university and the city church. He felt, however, that he had not long to live, and he had sometime before written his will, which, like every thing else that came from his pen, is full of character. It is given by Lomler, Vol. III., p. 151-155, in the original German, and I have here attempted to translate it into English.

I, Martin Luther, Doctor, acknowledge by this my own handwriting, that I have given to my dear and faithful housewife Catharine, for her own, (or whatever the legal phrase may be,) during her life, that she may use it for her own welfare and pleasure; and by the authority of this present writing, this day, I grant unto her what followeth, namely, first, the little property at Zulsdorf, as I have fitted it up and owned it hitherto; secondly, the house by the well, for her residence, which I purchased in the name of my servant Wolf; thirdly,

the gifts, such as cups, jewelry, rings, chains, medals, gold and silver, which, perhaps, in all may be worth something like a thousand gulden.

"This is all I am worth, and I give it all to my wife, for the following reasons:

"1. Because she has always conducted herself toward me lovingly, worthily, and beautifully, like a pious, faithful, and noble wife; and by the rich blessing of God she has borne and brought up for me five living children, who yet live, and God grant they may long live.

"2. Because she will take upon herself and pay the debts which I owe and may not be able to pay during my life; which, so far as I can estimate, may amount to about 450 florins, or perhaps a little more.

"3. But most of all, because I will not have her dependent on the children, but the children on her; that they may hold her in honor, and submit themselves to her, as God has commanded. For I see well and observe, how the devil, by wicked and envious mouths, heats and excites children, even though they be pious, against this command; especially when the mothers are widows, and the sons get wives and the daughters get husbands, and again socrus nurum, nurus socrum. For I hold that the mother will be the best guardian for her own children, and will use what little property and goods she may have, not for their disadvantage and injury, but for their good and improvement, since they are her own flesh and blood, and she has carried them under her heart.

"And if, after my death, she should find it necessary or desirable to marry again, (for I cannot pretend to set limits to the will or the providence of God,) yet I trust, and herewith express my confidence, that she will conduct herself toward our mutual children as becometh a mother, and will faithfully impart to them property, and do whatever else is right.

"And herewith I humbly pray my most gracious lord, his grace, Duke John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, graciously to guard and protect the above named gifts and property.

"I also entreat all my good friends to be witnesses for my

dear Catey, and help defend her, should any good-for-nothing mouths reprove and slander her, as if she had secretly some personal property, of which she would defraud the poor children. For I testify that there is no personal property except the plate and jewelry enumerated above. And indeed any one publicly can make the calculation, for every body knows how much income I have had from my gracious lord, and besides that I have never had a penny or a pepper-corn from any one except in the way of presents, which are mentioned above among the jewelry, and in part are pledged for debt; and when it is seen how much I have built and bought, and what great expense of housekeeping and charity I have maintained with this income and these gifts, others as well as myself must consider it a special and wonderful blessing that I have been able to get along, and the wonder is, not that there is no more ready money, but that there are so few debts.

"I beg this may be considered, because the devil, when he can no longer plague me, would be glad to plague my Catey in every possible way, for no other reason than because she has been the married housewife of that man Dr. Martin, and is yet, blessed be God.

"Finally, I beg, since in this will or testament I have not used legal forms or words, (and thereto I have my reasons,) that every one will let me be the person that I am in truth, namely, openly, and known both in heaven, on earth, and in hell, and let me have respect and authority enough, so that I may be trusted and believed more than any lawyer. For so God, the Father of all mercies, hath entrusted to me, a poor miserable, condemned sinner, the Gospel of His dear Son, and therein, thus far, I have behaved and conducted myself truly and faithfully, and it has made much progress in the world through me, and I am honored as a teacher of the truth, notwithstanding the curse of the Pope, and the wrath of emperors, kings, princes, priests, and all kinds of devils; much rather, then, let me believed in this little matter, especially as here is my hand, which is very well known; and I hope it may be enough, when it can be said and proved, that this is