But this gratification was of short duration for them and Catharine; for in January, 1546, completely debilitated by the effects of protracted sickness, he entered upon a journey of another character, from which, alas! he never returned. His youngest sister, Dorothea, was married to Paul Mackenrot, who was in the service of the Elector. The family of Mackenrot possessed productive silver-mines in the duchy of Mansfeld, which excited the envy of the dukes of Mansfeld, and led them to the determination of securing to themselves the entire products of the mines, for before they had received only the tenth and some other perquisites. As soon as Luther heard of this unjust proceeding, he undertook to maintain the rights of his brother-in-law, and in 1540 wrote to Duke Albert on the subject; but his intercession was fruitless. In 1542, he renewed his attempts, but without any favorable result. In 1545, he travelled to Eisleben and to Mansfeld on the same mission, but all to no effect. Soon after, Luther was urgently entreated by the Dukes themselves (of whom, Albert was a Protestant, and the other two, Philip and John George, were still Catholics,) to appear personally at Eisleben in order to settle this difficulty as well as some others existing among them. Although his health was in a wretched condition, he promised to go. After he had preached in Wittenberg, the last time, on January 17, 1546, he took leave of his friends, and on the 23d, he departed, accompanied by his three sons; John, 19 years of age, Martin 14, and Paul 13. He passed through Halle, where he visited his friend, Dr. Jonas, at that time pastor in that city. Jonas accompanied him to Eisleben; but as he approached that city, he was so exhausted that he fainted, and they were apprehensive of his death; but he was conveyed to a house where they rubbed him with warm cloths, and he was soon restored. He arrived safe at Eisleben on the 28th, but a violent attack was soon renewed. Catharine, who on the departure of her husband could easily have anticipated these attacks, on having been informed of them by the eldest son, John, who had been sent back, forwarded some remedies from her own domestic medicine-chest, the good effects of which he had often experienced. On the 1st and 6th of February he communicated to her the state of his own health and of the affairs at Mansfeld, and entreated her to lay aside any undue anxiety about himself. But he soon expressed an intense desire to return home. He wrote to that effect on the 10th, and again in a jocose style besought her not to be uneasy on his account. But he was never to see her again. As he anticipated, he was destined to die in the place of his birth.[15] Although he suffered keenly from pulmonary affection, he not only preached four times, but performed much other important business. But his end had come, and he died on February 18, 1546, in the 63d year of his age. Dr. Jonas and the