Licentiate of Holy Scripture and Canon at Wittenberg, my special and
kind friend;
Doctor Martin Luther.
The grace and peace of God be with thee, esteemed and reverend dear
sir and friend.
The time to keep silence has passed and the time to speak is come, as
saith Ecclesiastes [Eccl. 3:7]. I have followed out our intention[1]
and brought together some matters touching the reform of the Christian
Estate, to be laid before the Christian Nobility of the German Nation,
in the hope that God may deign to help His Church through the efforts
of the laity, since the clergy, to whom this task more properly
belongs, have grown quite indifferent. I am sending the whole thing to
your Reverence, that you may pass judgment on it and, if necessary,
improve it.
I know full well that I shall not escape the charge of presumption in
that I, a despised monk, venture to address such high and great
Estates on matters of such moment, and to give advice to people of
such high intelligence. I shall offer no apologies, no matter who may
chide me. Perchance I owe my God and the world another piece of folly,
and I have now made up my mind honestly to pay that debt, if I can do
so, and for once to become court-jester; if I fail, I still have one
advantage,--no one need buy me a cap or cut me my comb[2]. It is a
question which one will put the bells on the other[3]. I must fulfil
the proverb, "Whatever the world does, a monk must be in it, even if
he has to be painted in."[4] More than once a fool has spoken wisely,
and wise men often have been arrant fools, as Paul says, "If any one
will be wise, let him become a fool." [1 Cor. 3:18] Moreover since I
am not only a fool, but also a sworn doctor of Holy Scripture, I am
glad for the chance to fulfil my doctor's oath in this fool's way.
I pray you, make my excuses to the moderately intelligent, for I know
not how to earn the grace and favor of the immoderately intelligent,
though I have often sought to do so with great pains. Henceforth I
neither desire nor regard their favor. God help us to seek not our own
glory, but His alone! Amen.
Wittenberg, in the house of the Augustinians, on the Eve of St. John
the Baptist (June 23d), in the year fifteen hundred and twenty.