To the Renowned and Most Noble Prince and Lord John Frederick, Duke of Saxony, County of Thuringia and Marquis of Meissen, My Gracious Lord and Defender

I have (most worthy prince) received your grace's letters at last, which (according to my duty) I have humbly taken in my hands, and cheerfully and with entire consideration thought upon their argument and meaning. But seeing I have long since promised to your highness the declaration of the virgin's song of praise called Magnificat, (from which purpose of mine, the wicked enterprises of many of my adversaries have often withdrawn me,) I have thought now at last to answer your highness's letters with this treatise, (fearing lest the further delay of it might be to my reproach, and that further [reconstructed: excuse] should be of no value) that your highness's noble young spirit were stirred to the love of Scripture, and by further exercise in the same might be more fervent and established, to which thing I pray God to send his grace and to help, for it is greatly necessary: seeing that in the person of so great a prince, who being withdrawn from himself is governed by God's grace, the salvation of many depends; and again the perdition and damnation of many, if he being left to himself is guided without grace. For though it be said of all men's hearts: that the king's heart is in the hand of God, which can turn it where it pleases him: yet it is not for nothing said of kings and princes — whereby God will put his fear in the superiors, that so they may learn and be sure, that they cannot once think anything in their mind, without God giving it separately to their minds. The deed of other men does either hurt or profit only them, or a few besides: but princes and superiors only are set in that position, that they either profit or hinder so many more, as their dominion reaches further. For which cause does Scripture call the godly and God-fearing princes, angels of God, indeed gods also, as in chapter 7 of Exodus: I have made you a God over Pharaoh. And in chapter 22: You shall not speak evil of the gods. And again, the wicked and ungodly princes she calls Lions, Dragons, and furious beasts: whom God also calls one of his four plagues when he rehearses them, namely: pestilence, famine, war, and furious beasts. Because then that the heart of man, being natural, flesh and blood, presumes every thing lightly, and covets thereby dominion, riches, and honor, he is stirred beyond reason by such occasion to a rash tranquility and rest, so that he forgets God, and cares nothing for his subjects, and using the bridle to his pleasure in sinning, he becomes a mad and furious beast. It happens also, that a prince taking his pleasure only, and using his affections, by name he is a lord, but in deed he is a beast, so that it was well said of Bias, one of the seven sages of Greece: Magistratus uirum ostendit, that is: Authority or rule of a community declares what a man is. For dominion reveals what a man is, seeing also that the common people dare not withstand for fear of punishment the commandments of their leaders, though they were wicked and ungodly. For this cause should the superiors greatly dread God, seeing they need to fear men so little, and to know him and his works perfectly, and with great care and diligence to walk and exercise himself therein, as Paul exhorts in Romans 12, saying: Let him that rules be diligent.

Moreover there is nothing in all the Scripture that does so greatly concern the superiority, as this most holy song of the blessed virgin and mother of God, which ought to be well learned and practiced by all those who will rule well and be good governors. For the mother of God sings here most pleasantly of the fear of God, what our Lord God is, and what his works are in high and low estates. Let others give ear to their paramours, singing some wanton worldly song: but to this so-mannered virgin it becomes a prince and lord to give ear, who sings a spiritual, chaste, and wholesome song. Neither is it a reprehensible custom, that in all churches this song is daily sung at evensong, and that with a special and honest tune (if the understanding thereof were also so earnestly declared). Now would God the spirit of the same beautiful mother of God were given me, which may so pithily and profitably declare her song, that your princely grace, and all of us may draw from it a healthful understanding, a laudable life, and after this life, to sing the everlasting Magnificat in the life to come. Amen.