An assertion made by Joachim von der Heyden, a Leipzig Master, has
also been quoted; in a public writing of August 10, 1525, addressed to
Catherine von Bora, he reproached her with having conducted herself
like a dancing-girl in her flight from the convent to Wittenberg,
and there, as was said, having lived in an open and shameless manner
with Luther before she took him as her husband.[513] A circumstance
which must not be overlooked is, that these words were intended
for Catherine herself, and appear to come from a man who believed
what he was saying. Yet on examination we see that he rests his
assertion merely on hearsay: “as was said.” The “dancing-girl,”
again, was adduced merely by way of comparison, though assuredly not
a complimentary one, and refers either to the very worldly manners
of the escaped nun, or to the secular, perhaps even scarcely modest
dress, for which she exchanged her habit on her flight or afterwards.
It is probable that at Leipzig, where Heyden lived, and which was
one of the headquarters of anti-Lutheranism, something more definite
would have been urged, had anything really been known of any actual
immorality between Catherine and Luther.
Another bitter opponent of Luther’s, Simon Lemnius, who has also been
appealed to, likewise adduces no positive or definite facts. Among the
inventions of his fancy contained in the “Monachopornomachia” he left
us, he does not even mention any illicit intercourse of Luther with
Bora before his marriage, though in this satire he makes the wives
of Luther, Spalatin, and Justus Jonas give vent to plentiful obscene
remarks touching other matters. He merely relates--and this only by
poet’s licence--how Bora, after overwhelming Luther with reproaches on
account of his alleged attempt to jilt her, finally dragged him away
with her to the wedding.[514]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account