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KATHARINE VON BORA,
KATHARINE VON BORA,
Dr. Martin Luther's Wife A PICTURE FROM LIFE, BY ARMIN STEIN. TRANSLATED BY E. A. ENDLICH. PHILADELPHIA THE UNITED LUTHERAN PUBLICATION HOUSE COPYRIGHT, 1890. AUTHOR'S PREFACE. It has been my purpose in "Katharine von Bora," to picture in the peaceful quiet of his domestic happiness, the man whose influence so largely shaped the course of public events. The undertaking has not been altogether an easy one; for, while history flows in a copious stream, regarding the Reformer himself, it gives but
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CHAPTER I. A CONSPIRACY.
CHAPTER I. A CONSPIRACY.
It was the evening of a clear, warm March day. The sun, sinking behind the distant hills, sent its parting rays over the earth, tinting hills and valleys, forests and meadows, with golden light. The evening mist was rising, and covering with a filmy veil the tender spring flowers—the snow-drops and violets—from the chilly night air. The windows in the western wing of the convent of Nimptschen shone with a ruddy glow; and the face of the young nun, who stood by an open casement, seemed transfigur
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CHAPTER II. DISAPPOINTED HOPES.
CHAPTER II. DISAPPOINTED HOPES.
Again it was evening, some weeks later, when seven nuns sat together in the cell of Magdalene von Staupitz. They were very sad, for the hopes, which they had built on the kindness and mercy of their parents and kinspeople, had been miserably disappointed. Magdalene von Staupitz had indeed received from her brother, the Vicar-General of the Augustinian order, a warm and sympathizing letter; and Katharine had just read aloud another from her brother Hans, full of tender, brotherly love; but both u
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CHAPTER III. DAWN.
CHAPTER III. DAWN.
In a corner house on the market place of Torgau, the merchant Leonhard Koppe, sat at the window of his comfortable room. He was a man past fifty, with a shrewd, kindly face. His head rested on his hand, and his eyes wandered vaguely in the distance. From time to time he moved uneasily in his chair, and passed his hand across his forehead. He seemed to be pondering some weighty matter. His wife, Susanna, had questioned him repeatedly as to his ill humor; but either he answered her curtly, or not
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CHAPTER IV. FREEDOM.
CHAPTER IV. FREEDOM.
It was Easter Eve in the year 1523. After the solemn hush of Good Friday, a bustling activity stirred the little community. The work was done in silence, it is true, for the day on which the body of our Lord lay in the sepulchre, demanded quiet and reverence; but all hands were busy with preparations worthy of the highest festival of the Christian Church. Groups of nuns were binding wreaths of moss and cedar-branches, with which to deck the images of the Saints and the life-size statue of the bl
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CHAPTER V. SHELTERED.
CHAPTER V. SHELTERED.
The month of May had come. In the Burgomaster's street, in Wittenberg, stood a high-gabled house, ornamented with two fierce dragon heads. There the syndic, Master Philip Reichenbach, and his wife were seated near a window enjoying the twilight—the sweetest hour of the twenty-four to the master of the house—when, after the labors of the day, he could enjoy the peaceful quiet of his home. Master Reichenbach was a short, thick-set man, near fifty, and highly esteemed in Wittenberg for his calm jud
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CHAPTER VI. A FLEETING FANCY.
CHAPTER VI. A FLEETING FANCY.
It was in August of the same year, 1523, when Frau Elsa entered her husband's room one morning in great haste. Her cheeks glowed, her breath came fast, and for some moments she was unable to speak. "I have discovered who it is, that every morning leaves a nosegay at the window. It is as I suspected." The syndic rubbed his eyes and stared at his wife. "You mean the youth from Nuremberg?" "No other! He has been very bold of late. In church he places himself near her, and disturbs her devotions wit
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CHAPTER VII. KATHARINE IN TROUBLE, AND DR. MARTIN IN STRIFE WITH HIS FRIENDS.
CHAPTER VII. KATHARINE IN TROUBLE, AND DR. MARTIN IN STRIFE WITH HIS FRIENDS.
More than a year had passed. The Autumn of 1524 had come, busily destroying whatever the summer had wrought. In the streets the wind played his pranks with the first fallen leaves. On the housetops the swallows held noisy counsel together, as to their flight to the sunny Southern land, whither the storks had already preceded them. It was Sunday morning. Crowds streamed from the town church at Wittenberg, where Luther had preached. In eager groups they stood about the market-place; and noticeable
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CHAPTER VIII. A SUDDEN RESOLVE.
CHAPTER VIII. A SUDDEN RESOLVE.
New Year's Day of 1525 was a gloomy one, full of premonitions of coming evil. Even darker and heavier rose the storm-clouds, which had been gathering since October. In Thuringia, in Franconia and Suabia, disturbances had arisen among the oppressed peasantry—when Luther's "Sermon on Christian Liberty" fell like a spark among the explosive material, kindling a flame that startled the world. Luther, in whom the wretched peasants put their trust, had earnestly advocated their cause, and with a proph
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CHAPTER IX. A DAY OF REJOICING.
CHAPTER IX. A DAY OF REJOICING.
The rooks who lodged among the grey walls of the Augustinian Convent at Wittenberg, peeped curiously forth from their nests, to discover the cause of the unwonted activity throughout the silent house. They were accustomed to being left in undisputed possession, but now they fluttered about in dismay, as many people, busily going and coming, carried in all manner of household goods, such as seemed to them ill-suited to a convent. Still greater was their surprise, when the kind monk, who had daily
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CHAPTER X. "AS SORROWING, YET ALWAYS REJOICING."
CHAPTER X. "AS SORROWING, YET ALWAYS REJOICING."
It was the season, when summer gives place to autumn; when the evenings grow long, and the lamps are lighted early. In his study, Dr. Martin was seated at his great oaken table busily writing. A hanging lamp shed a pleasant light, and the stove of green tiles diffused a cheerful warmth. A brown spaniel lay curled up on the floor. On the wall near the book-shelves hung a handsome clock in a tall, slender case of polished cedar-wood, whose long pendulum gravely measured the seconds. It had been a
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CHAPTER XI. THE FAITHFUL ECKART.
CHAPTER XI. THE FAITHFUL ECKART.
"Where may Hans be staying? I hope he has not repented of his purpose!" "Never fear, Eberhard, for it was he whose rage was fiercest against the last scoundrelly act of the heretic! Landlord, fill my cup!" "And mine," cried a third voice. When the landlord had brought the wine, a young nobleman clattered into the room, much excited, and was received by his friends with a noisy welcome. They were in an inn near Wurtzen, that bore the sign of "the blue pike." A dim torch sputtered in the close, lo
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CHAPTER XII. A NEW LIFE.
CHAPTER XII. A NEW LIFE.
"See, Wolfgang, how lustily our garden things are growing," said Luther one sunny afternoon in June of 1526 to his amanuensis, the lame Wolfgang Sieberger, who came limping after him. "Here are the onions and radishes grown from seed my friend Langen sent me, and yonder the melons and cucumbers from Wenzel Link in Nuremberg. The roses from Altenburg please me much; the buds are ready to burst. How delighted Mistress Kate will be, when I bring her the first of our roses. But, Wolfgang, how comes
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CHAPTER XIII. "AS DYING, AND, BEHOLD, WE LIVE."
CHAPTER XIII. "AS DYING, AND, BEHOLD, WE LIVE."
In the early dawn of a hot summer's day—the 6th of July, 1527—a woman hurried through the streets of Wittenberg, and knocked at the door of the town-preacher, Bugenhagen. With anxious haste she entered the study of the reverend gentleman. "Dear Doctor, I beg of you, for Christ's sake, come with me; my dear husband is in great anguish, and I am sorely troubled. Perhaps you may be better able, than I, to comfort him." Bugenhagen, greatly alarmed, inquired more particularly into the condition of hi
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CHAPTER XIV. BEREAVED, AND COMFORTED.
CHAPTER XIV. BEREAVED, AND COMFORTED.
At a short distance from Wittenberg, near the Elster-gate, a well is shown to this day, called Luther's Well, it having been discovered and opened by Luther in the year 1520. The miner's son had a sure instinct for all minerals and treasures hidden in the earth. Near this well, among the trees, and within hearing of the rushing waters of the Elbe, Luther in the year 1526 built himself a summer-house, which Katharine's skillful hand beautified and furnished most conveniently. It was a pleasant sp
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CHAPTER XV. ALONE.
CHAPTER XV. ALONE.
Katharine sat alone in her husband's study,—that famous spot, whence Luther directed his attacks upon the Papacy. For five long months the Doctor had been absent at the Castle of Coburg. There, by the Elector's desire, he remained during the continuance of the Diet of Augsburg, where he was unable to be present, by reason of the Imperial interdict. Yet he was near enough to aid the Protestants with his counsel, and infuse into their hearts some of his own spiritual strength. Although the reforme
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CHAPTER XVI. GOD'S INN.
CHAPTER XVI. GOD'S INN.
While Katharine was refolding the letters and tying them with a scarlet ribbon, her niece Elsa Kaufman[ 1 ] came into the room, and announced that a stranger, who gave his name as Urbanus Rhegius, desired to speak with Mistress Luther, having come directly from Coburg. Katharine hurried into the court. There, under the great pear-tree, the Doctor's favorite resting place, sat a distinguished looking man, who at her approach, rose, and with great politeness advanced to meet her. "God's greeting t
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CHAPTER XVII. PEACE.
CHAPTER XVII. PEACE.
It was a still, sultry morning in August, 1532. Heavy clouds covered the sky and tempered somewhat the heat of the sun. Fido, the little dog, stretched himself lazily upon his bed, and the pigeons on the house-top hung their wings. In the court-yard of Luther's house, however, there was bustling activity, as if in preparation for some festivity. Wolfgang was helping his mistress fill the clear, home-brewed ale into jugs, when the trumpeter from the tower of the town-church proclaimed the sixth h
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CHAPTER XVIII. THE MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN.
Wittenberg, in the 16th Century, was a wretched town. The houses, built of wood, were thatched with straw. The narrow, crooked streets were paved roughly, or not at all; and in rainy weather, or during the spring thaws, became almost impassable. A few prominent buildings,—the fine churches, the Elector's palace, the University, the Franciscan and Augustinian convents, and the dwellings of some wealthy citizens, alone raised it to the dignity of a town. The surrounding country had been meagerly d
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CHAPTER XIX. RISEN FROM THE DEAD.
CHAPTER XIX. RISEN FROM THE DEAD.
The earth was already thickly covered with snow, yet the heavy, white flakes were still falling. The frost-flowers upon the windows hid the outside world from those within, and the footsteps in the streets sounded as though the ground were strewn with broken glass. Whoever could, stayed within doors. Katharine was packing her husband's travelling trunk. He was about to undertake a journey. But it was not the thought of the distance, and of her own loneliness, that filled her eyes with tears, and
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CHAPTER XX. "LORD" KATE.
CHAPTER XX. "LORD" KATE.
Two miles south of Leipsic, on the road which leads to Altenburg, lay, among green meadows and grain fields, a secluded little estate, named Zulsdorf. The buildings, overshadowed by great oaks, were in a ruinous condition, the leaking roofs and gaping wounds in the masonry crying out for repair. In the spacious court-yard stood three wagons, loaded with tiles and timber, sent by the Elector's orders. Carpenters and masons were already at hand, to repair the ravages of time, and to put the little
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CHAPTER XXI. LUTHER'S LAST WILL.
CHAPTER XXI. LUTHER'S LAST WILL.
"Man proposes—God disposes." He who had labored more than all the others, was not to enjoy the coveted rest. Much still remained for him to do. Amid ceaseless toil and endeavor, the great life was to reach its end. Many a hard road must be traveled, before he should hear the Master's well-beloved voice: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant,—enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Yet he was weary, and his thoughts were constantly fixed upon death. To the many loving questions of friends he h
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CHAPTER XXII. LITTLE LENA.
CHAPTER XXII. LITTLE LENA.
It is written that "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God," and that "whom He loveth, He chasteneth." Martin Luther and his wife had already passed through deep waters of grief and sorrow,—he, the hero in spiritual warfare, leading the way, and she following, keenly alive to every trouble that assailed her husband. But the season of trials was not yet past,—they were still, by God's Will, to taste the bitterest pain that can afflict a parent's heart. One day, as they sat
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CHAPTER XXIII. ONCE MORE IN ZULSDORF.
CHAPTER XXIII. ONCE MORE IN ZULSDORF.
Three years had passed. To the loss of their child, another sorrow was added. Soon after Lena's death, the wife of Justus Jonas died. She was a good and noble woman, Katharine's dearest friend; and it was to her, Luther hoped, his wife might after his death, look for comfort and support. Once more, Luther's house was turned into a house of mourning. But in time the wounds healed,—and sharp grief gave place to loving, tender memories. The simple, peaceful life at Zulsdorf had done much to restore
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CHAPTER XXIV. PARTING.
CHAPTER XXIV. PARTING.
The storm raged furiously, dashing heavy masses of snow against the windows. The rooks hid in the crevices of the masonry, scarcely venturing forth in search of their daily bread. Men whose business forced them to go abroad, wrapped themselves in their warm cloaks, which failed to defend them against the piercing cold. Mistress Katharine sat at home, with Margaret, her youngest child. Her face was pale and care-worn, and told of many sleepless nights. Anxiety for her husband lay like a stone upo
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CHAPTER XXV. ALONE.
CHAPTER XXV. ALONE.
The woman who, for her husband's sake, might with reason have looked for exemption from the common fate of widowhood, was made to experience to the full the dreariness of her condition, and the world's ingratitude. But mankind is subject to the universal law, that "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God;" and the question is silenced, which involuntarily suggests itself: Lord, why hast Thou dealt thus severely with poor Katharine? One day an official of the Elector's chan
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CHAPTER XXVI. WAR.
CHAPTER XXVI. WAR.
"Evil times are at hand," Luther often said, and the great man had scarcely closed his eyes, when the storm burst. It had long been evident to discerning eyes, that the Emperor Charles V was only seeking a convenient pretext, for destroying with the sword the fruits of Luther's labors. Realizing their danger, the protestant princes and Cities had formed the Union of Smalcald, and their defensive measures stirred the Emperor's wrath to a still fiercer glow. He was playing a double game; false ali
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CHAPTER XXVII. MORE TROUBLE.
CHAPTER XXVII. MORE TROUBLE.
Great courage and a high degree of trust in God were needed, to face the future. The ruined house might have been repaired, but whichever way the widow turned, she saw only desolation. "Lord, how long!" sighed the poor woman; but the answer was: Thine hour is not yet come; thou shalt enter still further into the dark valley, but my rod and my staff shall comfort thee. The war had laid waste a large district. The burdens lay heavily upon the drained and ravaged land. Wearily the peasant ploughed
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CHAPTER XXVIII. GLIMPSES OF SUNSHINE.
CHAPTER XXVIII. GLIMPSES OF SUNSHINE.
If there is consolation in having companions in misery, then Luther's widow might indeed deem herself consoled. The Elector John Frederick of Saxony, outlawed and dispossessed of his throne, was still a prisoner in the Emperor's hands. Although absent from his subjects, and no longer their master, he yet governed and influenced his people; and from the captive prince a blessing went forth upon all who kept their faith with the Protestant confession. The example of his noble endurance, his herois
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CHAPTER XXIX. RELEASE.
CHAPTER XXIX. RELEASE.
The situation of Wittenberg was not a healthy one. The vapors arising from the broad flats of the Elbe were doubtless favorable to the growth of vegetation,—but scarcely to the health of human beings. The moat surrounding the walls, and half-filled with stagnant water, contributed its share to the noisome odors which poisoned the air. Several times during Luther's lifetime the plague, beside other epidemics, had made fearful havoc among the citizens; it returned again in the summer of 1552, and
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