Selections from the Table Talk of Martin LutherLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
Luther, Martin
Table-talk
“After which, when he had them in his custody one whole year, and that I
understood he had perused it all over, then I sent unto his Grace, and
humbly desired that his Grace would be pleased to return me my books
again. Whereupon he sent me word by the said Dr. Bray, that he had not
as yet perused them so thoroughly over as he desired to do; then I stayed
yet a year longer before I sent to him again.
“In which time I heard for certain that it was concluded by the King and
Council that a Parliament should forthwith be called; at which news I did
much rejoice. And then I sent unto his Grace an humble petition, and
therein desired the returning of my book again; otherwise I told him I
should be enforced to make it known, and to complain of him to the
Parliament, which was then coming on. Whereupon he sent unto me again
safely both the said original book and my translation, and caused his
Chaplain, the said Doctor, to tell me that he would make it known unto
his Majesty what an excellent piece of work I had translated, and that he
would procure an order from his Majesty to have the said translation
printed, and to be dispersed throughout the whole kingdom, as it was in
Germany, and as he had heard thereof; and thereupon he presented me again
with forty livres in gold.
“And presently after I was set at liberty by warrant from the whole House
of Lords, according to his Majesty’s direction in that behalf; but
shortly afterwards the Archbishop fell into his troubles, and was by the
Parliament sent unto the Tower, and afterwards beheaded; insomuch that I
could never since hear anything touching the printing of my book.
“The House of Commons having then notice that I had translated the
aforesaid book, they sent for me, and did appoint a Committee to see it
and the translation, and diligently to make inquiry whether the
translation did agree with the original or no; whereupon they desired me
to bring the same before them, sitting then in the Treasury Chamber. And
Sir Edward Dering, being Chairman, said unto me that he was acquainted
with a learned minister beneficed in Essex, who had lived long in
England, but was born in High Germany, in the Palatinate, named Mr. Paul
Amiraut, whom the Committee sending for, desired him to take both the
original and my translation into his custody, and diligently to compare
them together, and to make report unto the said Committee whether he
found that I had rightly and truly translated it according to the
original: which report he made accordingly, and they, being satisfied
therein, referred it to two of the Assembly, Mr. Charles Herle and Mr.
Edward Corbet, desiring them diligently to peruse the same, and to make
report unto them if they thought it fitting to be printed and published.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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